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All Reader Reviews of...

Nello

696 Madison Ave., New York, NY, 10021
nr. 62nd St.
212-980-9099

Avg. Rating

4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Décor: 5
"Not Recommended"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

7% would go back.

 Write your own review

A Scam Artist by the Name of Nello

By fabianinha on 12/1/2011

  • Overall Rating: 1
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 2
  • No, I would not go back!

Wow... my husband and I live and work in the neighborhood and frequently treat ourselves to lunches and dinners, but this experience has us scarred. Service was mediocre, the waiter could barely speak English and never once looked at me in the eye; the couvert was 4 dry bread sticks (no olive oil, butter, or real bread); the waiter was forceful in getting us to order drinks; I relented and ordered a glass of wine (wasn't offered the wine menu). My pasta artichoke dish was watery and really nothing special for $50... my husband ordered the "white truffle risotto" on the "specials".... but the climax really was the bill... $390 (excl. tip)!!!! His dish was an appalling $275. Are you f***ing kidding me? Never. Eat. Here. PLEASE.

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28 out of 32 people found this review helpful.

Choked

By tulaNY on 5/26/2011

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 5
  • No, I would not go back!

I went there, knowing that it is not an average bistro, more towards the higher level, but never thought that i will end up paying $120 just for just myself...& one main dish! Well I've been to very expensive places that look expensive, but this one looks more of a bistro and not a fine dining resto! I ordered the special of the day, lobster ravioli ( the price wasn't mentioned on the menu) but i looked up and checked the average to the most expensive dish in there it was almost $45 per dish. I ended up with $60 for ravioli and the rest for water and a 1 glass of wine. I mean the food was great but so over rated, the ambience is good packed at lunch time... but i still think it's a ripoff!

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48 out of 207 people found this review helpful.

Ripoff

By grapevine000 on 4/5/2011

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

The staff is not so friendly and only caterers to its repeat patrons. The food is the most expensive menu in NYC with no big deal. Entree portions are so small that I had to have another dinner that same day. Wow a big ripoff.

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53 out of 84 people found this review helpful.

Not for the weak of heart...or wallet

By NYer10065 on 3/6/2011

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

I've traveled the world and had the pleasure of eating at some fantastic restaurants, however Nello takes the prize for being THE MOST EXPENSIVE restaurant with mediocre food. If you're fortunate enough to be driven to Nello in a Rolls Royce, I imagine even the most educated and successful UES'ers don't enjoy having "sucker" stamped on their outrageous bill. Do yourself a favor, save your time and money and steer clear from Nello and navigate your food palette to one of the many fine restaurants NYC has to offer. At the very least, you won't feel victimized nor see Nello line the pocket of his handmade sport coat with your hard earned money.

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54 out of 77 people found this review helpful.

Way too overpriced

By SanSiro on 1/22/2011

  • Overall Rating: 7
  • Food: 8
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 6
  • No, I would not go back!

I'm Italian, I've been living in New York City for 11 years. I've been to Le Cirque, Daniel, One if By Land Two if By Sea, Per Se and so on. Hands down, Nello is the most expensive restaurant I ever been in. It's way too over-priced. If you want to have a dinner in here and actually want to leave Nello with full stomach, you'll be spending $300 (without tip and tax) for sure. There is a great ambiance and food there. Service is also great. Music can be disturbing at times but just make sure you rob a bank before you go there.

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51 out of 86 people found this review helpful.

Horrendous scam -- stay away!

By CatrinaB on 12/23/2010

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

We wandered into Nello after spending the afternoon at the Metropolitan. We intended to look at the menu but immediately upon entering we were descended upon by four people who virtually muscled us into the dining room, took our coats and kept exclaiming, "Santa Monica! We love Santa Monica!" (The first question being, where are you from.) As we sat the waiter asked if we'd like a glass of champagne, which sounded lovely so I said yes and my dining companions said they'd stick with water. The menus arrived, and instantly we realized we'd made a mistake. INCREDIBLY overpriced, there was nothing on the menu that was even slightly reasonable, so we decided not to stay. Upon asking for the check we were presented with a bill for sixty nine dollars -- 39 for the glass of champagne and 30 for the water! If this place is symbolic of the horrendous excesses of the 2% of the country that now has all the money, I hope it goes down in flames -- SOON.

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59 out of 90 people found this review helpful.

Completely Enthralled

By actiongirlnow on 12/12/2010

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

While my mom and I were in NYC this past weekend, we stumbled upon Nello's; which from the outside, looked like a simple cafe to grab lunch. However, once inside we were immediately whisked away to the bar for wine while we waited about 10 minutes for our table. The host was so nice, coming up, interested in where we were visiting from, and making sure that we were comfortable. Once seated, the waiter realized they had sat us in one of the only places they could fit a party of 8 and we were asked to move. We moved as they asked graciously, and in turn were given wine, dessert, and coffee on the house. We didn't just have one waiter, they were all hustling and bustling around our table making sure our every need was met. The bathroom was lovely, and while waiting outside for my mom to come out, Nello himself came out and struck up a conversation, very interested in the backgrounds of his customers. He was a gracious man who seemed to know every other person that walked by. It was an experience unique to New York City, and I will definitely go back on my next trip! It was expensive, but with that service and bustling atmosphere, it was worth every cent!

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37 out of 80 people found this review helpful.

Outrageous Act II

By DanB24 on 12/8/2010

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 8
  • Service: 8
  • Décor: 9
  • No, I would not go back!

The food is good, but not outstanding, but I have to add to the comment from Outrageous - as this is a price warning. I only wish that we had read the reviews of Nello before ordering - to add insult to injury one of the people at our table asked to split the main between two truffle pasta dishes - that was $250 for the first course and $150 for the second - it was served on one plate - that came to $400 for a plate of pasta. We too have eaten truffles all over the world, but there is no justification for such prices; the waiter NEVER told us what it would cost - he merely flaunted the ever succulent truffles before our noses and suggested that we could add it to our meal. I have never before felt "ripped off" at a restaurant until we received this bill - $500 for just 3 courses for one person and that did not include the wine. Simply Outrageous indeed.

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47 out of 82 people found this review helpful.

Outrageous

By tanya606 on 11/30/2010

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

My husband and I were in NY for the weekend. We had previously eaten at Nello's and knew it would be expensive but have not been there in years. I ordered the special of risotto with truffels (no price given at anytime), a meal I have enjoyed in excellent restaurants in France, Italy and UK. The food was delicious but I can't describe the letdown when the bill came and we were charged $250.00 for the risotto ALONE. I can't ever eat there again or recommend it to anyone knowing what crooks they are.

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56 out of 100 people found this review helpful.

Dinner at Nello's - What a scam!!

By NYparee on 9/20/2010

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

Nello's looked nice enough when we arrived, but my spidey sense should have been tingling when the distracted host: a) tried to seat us by the door to the kitchen and b) was perfectly indifferent when I asked to be seated near the front of the restaurant. Nevertheless, I held my judgment--big mistake. When ordering our appetizers, we asked for some bread. The response? The restaurant was "out of bread". How can an Italian restaurant run out of bread?! This and other mysteries would haunt and baffle us throughout the evening. The rest of the service was slow and callous and we frequently heard the host yelling at the highly undertrained waitstaff (granted, this was somewhat comical). It is difficult to imagine a work of fiction with a more disastrous plot. But what was worse was that it seemed as though other tables in the restaurant shared our terrible fate. Saving the best for last, Nello's grand finale was the bill. I should have known better than to order a special (pasta dish with no price mentioned by the reliable waitstaff), but still, the punishment was not exactly commensurate with my crime. The price for this little (perfectly mediocre) 2-person fiesta? $407.85! I have had meals in 3 michelin star restaurants for less than the culinary catastrophe that is Nello's. If only I could assuage the pain of my financial wounds with the knowledge that I had experienced high dining bliss. But no, this was not to be. I have experienced finer cuisine out of a Kraft box.

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141 out of 179 people found this review helpful.

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