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All Reader Reviews of...

Nello

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

Avg. Rating

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

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

31% would go back.

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SUBLIME

By DaveParis on 4/6/2012

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

A Bellini or two (or three) with a friend, filet mgnon carpiccio, white truffle pasta. Sublime. Perfection.

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3 out of 22 people found this review helpful.

Food-GASM!!! + MY MOM LOVED IT

By NYCelite on 3/19/2012

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

It was my mother's birthday so I took her to Nello on Sat. Although she is an older lady & very conservative & she hates stuff restaurants - she agreed. She told me that she hears so much about Nello that she does not want to go. I insisted. So we ended up at Nello (which was mobbed as always). Nello's was filled with sexy women & good looking men - & my mom. I was praying that she was not going to complain because she always complains when I take her out. She ordered Osso Bucco with white mushrooms; I ordered spaghetti mare-monte. For appetizers we indulged in orders of pasta with truffles. We had two Bellini's + two glasses of Red wine - Cianti. The pasta - I have no words to describe. The only word that makes sense is "divine". I had a bite of my mom's Osso Bucco - I have never tasted a meat dish that was so succulent, cooked perfectly, and the porchinni mushroom's flavors was jus perfect. The pasta was with cream, calamari, arugula, fresh tomatoes - perfectly cooked. It was sea-food but had a flavor that was not fishy or over-powering. The radio and argula and fresh tomato, garlic, and oil - took the usual fish flavor and reinvented it. It truly was perfectly cooked. We had a Napoleon. It was so light, so crisp. The cream was not too sweet. It was perhaps the best desert I had in NYC. MY mom wanted to hang out & watch the scene. My mom asked to meet Nello. He came and sat with us and talked to her for a few minutes. He was so chambering. She wants to go back again!

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18 out of 39 people found this review helpful.

European Elegance in NYC

By oscarnyc on 3/18/2012

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

Dining at Nello restaurant is like dining in Europe. You do not feel like you are in New York City and the wait staff is not a bunch of want to be actors or models but rather elegantly dressed and eloquent and very knowledgable about the food and wine. The atmosphere is georgeous and relaxing. The food is so good that after your first bite you will say to yoruself: "I have to come back here!" I had been feeling a bit under the weather for about a week so I ordered soup as my appetizer (my wife ordered the chicken livers). It was so weird but after eargerly consuming half the bowl of minestrone soup I started feeling better. Is it possible that Nello puts magical medicinal properties in his food? Actaully, today my bug is all gone(for real). If you ever feel lousy - go to Nello to get the soup! My wife and I also adored our entrees and enjoyed a bottle of wine together. We felt very happy and in very much in love at Nello's. Before we left we even made a reservation for our anniversary dinner in seven weeks. The other patrons at Nello's were very beautiful people and very well dressed - no one was speaking too loudly and no one was dressed inappropriately (my wife and I despise dining around loud and "improperly" dressed individuals). Nello's is calssy and sophisticated, realxing and fun - and the people watching could possibly be the best in the city! We highly recommend dining at Nello. It is a flawless experience and an experience you will remember.

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10 out of 24 people found this review helpful.

I had a great suprise birthday part at Nello's

By geroge123 on 3/18/2012

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

Last night a group of my friends (17) had a suprise birthday party for me at Nello Restaurant on Madision Avenue at 9 o'clock. The staff at Nello did a beautiful job - rose petals on the floor, a stunning certerpiece bouquet, and a truly delicious birthday cake. The meal was served family style (my New York friends are my Urban family so this style of eating was so perfect). We drank Bellini's all night and the music they played was classy. The scence at the restaurant was upscale chic and two movie starts were there as well! The food was so tastefully presented and was scrumptous. I had the best birthday of my life and the staff at Nello made it really special. It was as if they anticiapted all our whims. We stayed until about 2 in the morning - we had so much fun. It was a birthday I will never forget. "The" Nello himself came to the table and wished me a Happy Birthday in seven languages! What a cool guy! If you are looking to have an amazing birthday party you can not go wrong having it at Nello's.

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13 out of 26 people found this review helpful.

Nello's - Good Times!

By mikeyen on 3/14/2012

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

My wife and I heard through the grapevine that Nello restaurant has been even better than usual as of late (the food). So, we decided to pay a visit to the iconic restaurant last night. We arrived around 7:30. It was quite busy. It was a really warm night so we decided to have a cocktail at the bar and wait for a table to open outside - the restuarant serves on their sidewalk cafe. We waited around 15 mins & the spirit of the restaurant was infectious - couples were being respectfully romantic & other groups were launghing and really enjoying themselves. Most patrons were drinking champagne. It also seemed that everyone was dressed with an acute sense of style. It was simply a beautiful "scene". Our outside table was ready for us about 20 minutes later - which was fine - we were in no rush and ejoying our cocktails - plus - we did not make a reservation on one of the most beautiful NYC nights in months. Once, seated - our server promptly came by to take our order. I noticed that Nello has a new wine menu. We ordered the chicken liver appetizer & the calamari. Both dishes were truly delicious. Our main course was ready rather quickly - we ordered the sea bass and lobster entrees. Again, both dishes were delicious. We ate very slowly because we did not want to leave! We ordered a champagne after the meal and split a dessert. I hate to admit it but we were lingerers. We felt so relaxes and were having such a great time that we lingered.

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14 out of 27 people found this review helpful.

Nello NYC Restaurant Takes Me Away!

By pepperpet on 3/12/2012

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

I do watch my money and I am very picky and demanding. So...I walk into Nello on Madison Avenue in NYC and...holy sh*t - this place was soooo cool! The flowers, the ambience, the music, the wait-staff...I felt bad that I was alone - I wanted to share this experience. I wanted to be in love but I would have to wait for my boyfriend to arrive in the next half hour. So, in the meantime, I fell in love with the whole restaurant. Before I blinked the Bellini was in front of me and was the same exact colour as the three gigantic cherry blossom bouquets in this outrageously elegant NYC restaurant. The ambiance was a combination of "Out of Africa" & "The Great Gatsby". Almost every table was feeling the vibe, having Bellini's, drinking, champagne or wine,.... and I heard so much laughter. I had seen Nello Balan around town... but never spoke to him - he is somewhat intimidating - with his impeccabe dress and ease of conversation, I thought I was out of his league, but I was alone and fearless so I said , "hello". And...he said "hello" back. I spoke toTHE Nello Balan! I asked him - what do you reccomend? He said, "How do you want to feel - some of the dishes on the menu are an aphrodiasiac." I said, "Bring it on - my boyfriend will be meeting me in 20 minutes". Needless to say, Nello brought it .... and it was amazing! Yeah, it was a little pricey but worth every penny and every moan from my boyfriend! Thank you Nello! I love Nello restaurant XOXOXOX

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14 out of 35 people found this review helpful.

Nello NYC is heaven on earth

By erikanyc on 3/12/2012

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

Nello Madison Avenue presents itself with elegant food, elegant wine, elegant wait staff, elegant patrons. The vibe is a sophisticated coolness. The time spent here (and mone) is not wasted. It is a vacation. It is heaven. You find yourself surrounded by like-minded people with like-minded taste. Worth the time and the pennies. Thank yo ufor a cool New York experience and a fabulous day to be alive.

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13 out of 27 people found this review helpful.

Simply very good

By HJCCP on 3/6/2012

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

Excellent fresh ingredients in simple dishes that have been refined over time. Very attentive service. The clientelle is up-market. The who-ha about high prices massively overstated. Worth every cent. Try the lobster salad, the Capasente, the Dover Sole.

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9 out of 18 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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61 out of 310 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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69 out of 106 people found this review helpful.

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