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All Reader Reviews of...

Arte Café

106 W. 73rd St., New York, NY, 10023
nr. Columbus Ave.
212-501-7014

Avg. Rating

6
Food: 7
Service: 5
Décor: 7
"Mixed Reviews"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

50% would go back.

 Write your own review

Horrible Service

By maryd1621 on 5/23/2011

  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 5
  • No, I would not go back!

I have been to Arte Cafe 3 times for brunch. First, a year ago, great experience (great service, yummy food), Second, 2 weeks ago, omelette tasted soapy and service was slow, Third: UNBELIEVABLY AWFUL: I have never written a negative review before, but felt I had to pass on this story. A waiter accidentally spilled scalding hot tea water down my guest's back. Unfortunate, but accidental. Perhaps not the most skilled waiter I'v ever seen, but he was very apologetic and reacted quickly with ice and napkins. The manager's reaction, however, was ABHORRENT: No sincere apology, brushed us off, acted like it was no big deal (my friend had 2ND DEGREE BURNS!), did not offer to call for medical help, and did not even comp her meal or drink: INFURIATING. The food was also very mediocre. I will NEVER be back. The place is clearly going downhill. There are plenty of other delightful restaurants in the area, I suggest you chose one of them instead.

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28 out of 49 people found this review helpful.

Arte Cafe on West 73rd Street

By damrau on 2/20/2009

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 8
  • Yes, I would go back!

This dear restaurant is a real treat with terrific food, a warm and charming staff and wonderful value! My guests and I were treated with respect and humor while other guests were enjoying themselves making the atmosphere very festive. The food is fabulous as the generous menu allows you to come back again and again! In this time of getting more for your money, this neighborhood restaurant reflects its inhabitants... the artists of the Upper West Side.

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73 out of 125 people found this review helpful.

Um, do we have a waiter?

By brettshutson on 12/3/2008

  • Overall Rating: 5
  • Food: 6
  • Service: 3
  • Décor: 7
  • No, I would not go back!

We sat at our table for 6 or 7 minutes before our server came around. What else is there to say? There is no excuse for such an oversight of basic service--this is Manhattan. We had to ask for bread; it arrived less than room temperature. I don't understand this. We had to ask for oil, though other tables had it. I will say the entrees were actually really tasty and satisfying. The dessert, despite a limited menu, was also good. Nonetheless, for all the great restaurants in the city, there is no reason for anybody to risk visiting this one until other reviews counteracting mine start to pile up.

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67 out of 128 people found this review helpful.

Going Down

By billncteach on 10/31/2008

  • Overall Rating: 6
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 4
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

I had been going to Arte Cafe for many years and have noticed an erosion on many fronts; from the "front door" to the exit, the experiences are now less than wonderful. Suffice it to say, my expectations have changed. If I want an adequate to good meal and willing to put up with near rude service - I'll go - so long as my dinner partners are of the same mindset. As for specifics; the last three times the greetings were indifferent to hectic. The wait staff had to "found". The food was good on two occasions, but the last one was poor; food had to be sent back and wrong entrees were brought - and no apologies offered.

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88 out of 145 people found this review helpful.

Worst Night Ever

By alexandrahl on 4/27/2008

  • Overall Rating: 4
  • Food: 5
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 6
  • No, I would not go back!

Last night we took our uncle to Arte Cafe. We had lazy service, Carpaccio with bugs on top, and a waitress who chased us out of the restaurant to berate my uncle for leaving an insufficient tip, which was only the second time we had seen this woman all night. Needless to say, we won't be going back and I doubt our uncle will come back to visit either. This place is a nightmare. Maybe my worst NYC dining experience yet.

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70 out of 123 people found this review helpful.

Warm? Unpretentious? Uh, no.

By onthewater on 12/28/2007

  • Overall Rating: 4
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 3
  • Décor: 7
  • No, I would not go back!

We tried this restaurant specifically because of the way the review characterized it -- as a warm, unpretentious, neighborhoody place for good Italian food. Upon arrival we were greeted with a chilly reception, followed by 1) a brusque attitude at the bar, 2) an irritable waiter who could barely be bothered to stay long enough to answer questions and take the full order, 3) a server who didn't understand the concept of serving dishes from BOTH sides of the table rather than shoving hot plates across, and 4) on top of all of that, a weak meal -- stay away from the baked cod with "carpaccio" of tomato. The only conclusion I can draw from this dismal experience is that the staff encounters a lot of tourists who they think don't know any better and will probably never be back. We live close by, and I would have loved to make this a regular place. PS... If you're reading this, Arte Cafe, we're the ones who left the $5 tip on the $120 check last night. You're welcome.

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147 out of 283 people found this review helpful.

Great food, terrible service

By frankatuws on 5/29/2007

  • Overall Rating: 6
  • Food: 8
  • Service: 2
  • Décor: 8
  • Yes, I would go back!

The food and the place itself were very good. However, the service is very disappointing, to say the least. Most of the waiter did not speak any English. Even worse, they were totally unskilled, not trained, arrogant and not nice at all. (Don't smile at your customer, he could feel welcome!) - They removed my daughter's and my plate while my wife was still eating - They removed a glass half full of wine without asking, and didn't apologize when bringing back a new, empty glass! - They didn't check on us and how we liked it - They dumped a piece of bread directly into the butter on my plate when asked about a second piece of bread. - They didn't clean up the table before serving the main dish, and the waiter put the main dish directly into a BIG pile of bread crums. When we complained to the head waiter, he just said " its suppossed to be like that" dismissively. (This is a quote from another's guest feedback and I couldn't agree more) I would give it a second try though.

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239 out of 484 people found this review helpful.

right on

By rock on 4/8/2007

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 10
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 8
  • Yes, I would go back!

This is what I really like about Arte Cafe, no fusion, no pretention and no attitude. Just real Italian food and by the way the best outdoor space in NYC.

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242 out of 547 people found this review helpful.

bravo

By caramia on 6/24/2005

  • Overall Rating: 10
  • Food: 10
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

a feel of a 5 star restaurant at 2 star prices. molto buono

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287 out of 579 people found this review helpful.

Great group place!

By rraid on 2/27/2005

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

This place has a great environment for groups or dates. We had a party of 5 at a rouund table, drank several reseasonably priced bottles of wine, shared several apps and all had a main dish and the value was incredible. The food was fantastic and the wait staff was attentive, but not annoying. They even served all of us dinner liquers on the house. I would come here again and again for a relaxed, fun, delicious dinner with guests or a date.

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236 out of 459 people found this review helpful.

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