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All Reader Reviews of...

’inoteca

98 Rivington St., New York, NY, 10002
at Ludlow St.
212-614-0473

Avg. Rating

7
Food: 6
Service: 7
Décor: 7
"Recommended"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

44% would go back.

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felt cheated

By hectorlongears on 10/19/2010

  • Overall Rating: 5
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 6
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

Ordered a prosciutto cotto tramezzino what I got was two slices of stale white bread filled with old chopped romaine salad (why?) and one almost invisible slice of the ham all for the modest price of $9!... I suggest they take a trip to Italy to check out how tramezzini are made over there - moist white bread filled with many layers of the cold cut or a chicken or tuna salad with mayo certainly no recipe calls for dry romaine stalks. And you can't be saving on the meat if you're charging $9 for one! Same deal with the entree sandwiches - good ideas, nice sounding names, poor execution. Had several of the pressed paninis and again all I got was bread with a hint of the meat and cheese advertised. Now I'm not expecting a Katz sandwich tower but at the same time I should not feel like they are weighing every last gram of meat and cheese to save up on food costs. All you get here is an oily toast. Would be nice to see some real paninis instead of all hard pressed sandwiches - harder to tell the quality when it's all been buttered up and toasted. As far as replicating an italian sandwich experience: a big scene, a fancy menu but little substance. All I wanted is a good panino, not an education.

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87 out of 172 people found this review helpful.

The Worst

By bkny123 on 8/17/2010

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

I watched a rat run out of the kitchen. Period.

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94 out of 190 people found this review helpful.

Super non autentico

By peterpaulo69 on 6/5/2010

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

'inoteca has a nice ambience, good service, and a nice selection of wines. However, the food was a supreme disappointment. The restaurant feigns the appearance of an authentic Italian restaurant. However, the selection, preparation, and taste not only belie this claim of authenticity, but also left me completely dissatisfied with my meal. We got the prix fixe menu, and this is the first time that I can say I was honestly insulted by the food that the chef chose to serve to us. The first course was fine, but completely unmemorable. The second course consisted of meatballs, pasta, and panini. The pasta was rigatoni covered in oily cheese; it was nothing more in substance or taste than mac and cheese. The meatballs were meatballs and the panini was panini. Both are dishes that would never be served as a main course at an Italian restaurant. All of the main courses were incredibly cheap dishes with a very large mark up. If the main course didn't confirm that the owner seemed more intent to make money than to serve decent food, the desert left me feeling completely cheated. "Panna cotta" was served, but I'm still not convinced it wasn't greek yogurt. And if I hadn't had my fill of panini, the meal with a desert panini made from nutella on toasted white bread. I left disappointed, and my Italian girlfriend left ansulted. In the future when I crave oily, poor quality, and unauthentic Italian food, I'll go to Sbarro. At least I won't feel cheated when I pay the bill.

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112 out of 222 people found this review helpful.

Be ready to beg

By ashmee on 7/1/2009

  • Overall Rating: 5
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 2
  • Décor: 5
  • No, I would not go back!

I dined at inoteca for a very special occasion, it was pouring out and the restaurant was about a quater full, the host sat us at the worst table in the restaurant-the one that is smack in the middle of the main entrance.. I kept my mouth shut, our waiter was training a new employee and I guess because he was so focused not only on his trainee but on the hosts conversations, he forgot our 2nd course, a good thing because by the time we got our entrees and had been neglected for about 40 minutes we BEGGED for the check.. food was excellent but the service was the worst ive ever experienced

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124 out of 247 people found this review helpful.

it's ok, but nuttin' special

By kahn_b_arsst on 7/30/2008

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

We walked past this place one evening and it was heaving - which is always a good sign in my book. So I went there with a client for lunch and wondered what all the fuss was about. Tapas? You gotta be kidding me - the portions are jumbo-yankee size! We started with an insalata tricolore each, and they were huge - a meal in itself. It was fine, but nothing special. I had a panini to follow which was pretty ordinary (too greasy for me to finish) and my colleague had a veggy lasagne, which he did finish. $50 - I'm glad the UKP is so strong.

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162 out of 308 people found this review helpful.

Horrid Experience!

By oneangelsfire on 6/14/2008

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

After waiting for an hour we were sat at a table of four, we were five! The service was horrendous! The food average! Shame to be called a restaurant! The bill super high! Will never go there again!

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156 out of 297 people found this review helpful.

Get the Cheese plate and enjoy yourself

By Breedawool on 6/17/2007

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

The cheese at this italian tapas bar is wonderful. Some nice italian wine, some funky lower east side residents prancing around in cool outfits, and big windows and doors that open to the street and you have the perfect summer wine and cheese place. If your on a date, they'll certainly kiss you.

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369 out of 771 people found this review helpful.

Serious disappointment

By opdinnerout on 3/28/2007

  • Overall Rating: 3
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 4
  • No, I would not go back!

With a party of 6, we were forced to order a prix fixe dinner--in theory this is fine, but the overpriced dinner consisted of cold salads and deli meats to start, followed by tasteless paninis and inedible lasagna, and for dessert more paninis (with nutella, actually the highlight of the meal). Basically we were forced to have salad and sandwiches for dinner. We all left still hungry and angry. After complaining to the manager, he graciously offered to discount -20% off our bill, the sole redemption of the evening.

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434 out of 890 people found this review helpful.

My favorite restaurant

By kachesle on 1/1/2007

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

I recently went to visit a friend who defected from NYC more than two years ago, and when the subject of wine came up, we immediately thought of 'inoteca. We had to wait for a table pretty much every time we went, but we were happy to do so because the bartender was so pleasant and helped us select EXCELLENT wines. I love that he let us taste them all before deciding! The first time I went, I was kind of freaked out by the menu (tons of weird Italian words), but our waitress was happy to explain it without a trace of snobbery. The food is always fresh and incredible; foods that seem simple enough, like foccacia, were the best I've had. I have tried several since, but have never tasted a better affagato (espresso/gelato dessert).

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403 out of 862 people found this review helpful.

Hope it doesn't get discovered.....

By titta on 12/27/2005

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

One of thie nice things about this place is that you can hear yourself talk, unlike many places that are trendy and good. We had the chicken cacciatore and the eggplant lasagna which were excellent. A knowledge of Italian cheeses helps. Well priced and comfy. An excellent deal.

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483 out of 929 people found this review helpful.

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