"I am truly baffled by all the glowing five-star reviews this restaurant has online, especially after our disappointing experience with both the food and service. I noticed a lot of five-star ratings on Google that had no accompanying comments, which raises some red flags. It's easier for a bot to generate accounts and give five-star ratings than it is for it to craft a genuine review. I checked Yelp, and the situation was the same there. I'm at a loss!
We were even recommended this place by a friend who lives in Williamsburg. One review claimed it was the only truly Italian restaurant in NYC, praising their ability to speak Italian and having a menu in Italian. However, during our visit, there was a considerable amount of chatter between one of the two front-of-house staff and the kitchen staff—most of it was in Spanish, and they seemed to completely ignore us as the only customers in the restaurant. The other staff member spent most of the time on their phone, still neglecting us. We spent an hour and a half there on a Saturday night, and the place was nearly empty, yet we were squeezed into a small table.
Contrary to what's been claimed, the menu was not in Italian; it was 99% in English with just a few Italian words sprinkled throughout. I found it astonishing that none of the four staff members—two in the front and two in the back—had any knowledge about the wines. We ended up selecting a decent wine by chance, which was the highlight of our meal.
I am shocked that so many reviews label this place as "authentic," boasting about "homemade pasta" and calling it the "best Italian in NYC." In reality, it was quite the opposite. The focaccia was average, and the Caprese di Bufala appeared to have been pre-made and sitting in the fridge for a while. It arrived quickly but looked wilted and old, and the cheese definitely seemed past its prime. The Fritto Misto, which they touted with fancy Italian phrases, consisted of pan-fried calamari, rock shrimp, and leeks with a spicy tomato sauce and fresh lemon. It was just okay—definitely the least disappointing dish we had, but still far from impressive."