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All Reader Reviews of...
Nello
696 Madison Ave., New York, NY, 10021
nr. 62nd St.
212-980-9099
| 2.6 | "Not Recommended" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
Nello's best restaurant in Madison Avenue
MarcyAandahl from 10022 | Posted on 10/21/09
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My wife and I both had the greatest meal ever and we enjoyed several dishes, each one nothing less than sensational. The staff was incredibly attentive, but not intrusively so. The decor is fresh,modern with flowers all over the place,and the crowd is an enjoyably odd mix of rich old folks, moneyed young business types and past-it rock stars. Best meal I've ever had, even if it did take me days to process.
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Wonderful dinner, probably the best in New York City
RinaRaymond from 10065 | Posted on 10/5/09
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After to spent a magnificent day at Rodolfo Valentin Salon and Spa upstairs, my husband treated me to a great dinner. It probably was the best dinning experience I've ever had in the city. I don't agree with the other reviews here, probably they are jelous competitors. Food 10- Location, comparable to none, chic, elegant ambiance, tables with fresh flowers, classy waiters, all the best !!!. price, a litte high, but they give you all back in great service.
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Hoodwinked
memflyken2 from 38111 | Posted on 9/22/09
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It was a beautiful Saturday pre-noon. The marigolds in large pots outside looked inviting; the chance to dine al fresco in such a beautiful spot seemed too good to pass up.... Big mistake. The food was actually passable -- or so the three of us convinced ourselves -- and what was not to like about the decor? But how was I to know that I'd be paying through the nose for the pleasure of enjoying it? A singular experience, this: lunching @ $100 a person at the most over-priced restaurant in the world. Don't be deceived as you walk by; Nello gives whole new meaning to the phrase "highway robbery."
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way overpriced
rbesho from 07722 | Posted on 4/28/09
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I stopped in for lunch alone on a weekday & ordered Pelligrino, & Dover sole ( special, no price quoted ). Service was adequate, sole was very good, price was $84 before tip. I realize Dover sole is an expensive dish, but prices are at least 30% too high. If I had ordered coffee & dessert I would have spent $175 for lunch.
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Ewwww, a must read for anyone who ever thinks of going there!
finefoody from 07721 | Posted on 3/27/09
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First things first, I had a chance to go into the kitchen and let me tell you it is DIRTY. The counter and cutting boards were disgusting. Leaving cleanliness aside that Nello is nothing but a suck-up cheat. Overcharges for dishes that supposedly have truffles on them, you need a microscope to see those tiny peices. If you read about this "Nello" fake, he calls the paparazi as soon as half a somebody walks in through the narrow restaurant doors so the place can be dubbed as famous. He's so desperate to be known. The food? The food is okay. but just okay. I've had better at olive gardens for foodness sake. If you want to be treated with an ounce of kindness by the anyone in that restaurant then you better look like a somebody and dress up because otherwise they'll treat you like f*****g crap. Never going there again, just remembering that dirty kitchen, ewwwww.
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TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE
NewYorkFoodie from 10019 | Posted on 3/12/09
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The days of Nello are numbered. Overpriced and treating the customer rudely don't work any more. We ordered 2 pasta dishes and dover sole ($75) none of which were special or good at all. The fish was terrible and almost looked like a cook made it rather than a chef. The food is so bad we assume it is bad on purpose to support the "we don't need to care" attitude. The waiter was rude and very inattentive. I asked for a scotch and was served a $35 glass of Dewers. This is insulting and believe during these tough economic times Nello's days are numbered. Nello is probably one of the worst restaurants in the city and nothing special at all. Do yourself a favor and avoid the insult.
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A nightmare from start to finish.
sonicyouth1280 from 18508 | Posted on 1/25/09
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Nello is quite possibly the worst restaurant on the upper east side. The service is comparable to a sub-par Denny's, the food is disgusting (a $30 Ceasar salad consisted of a single romaine leaf and a small shaving of poor-quality parmesean, the $40 beef carpaccio was skimpy and sickening, our entrees completely inedible). A $35 vodka cranberry was perhaps the worst I've ever had, and our $20 bottle of Voss was lukewarm. An attractive floral arrangement (the only compliment I can give) barely masked the stench of rotting excrement emitted from the bathrooms - downstairs, but noticeable on the main floor by a completely open entrance. One suspects that the multitude of mega-stars whose photos are shamelessly displayed, high-school locker style, next to the bar were lured in not by the quality of the cuisine, but by the proximity to Hermes. It does give me great pleasure knowing that Paris Hilton had to endure this torture. The final bill for this culinary concentration camp? $250 plus tip for 2 people. Strictly for the masochists.
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How does this place still exist?
Jwinehouse from 55401 | Posted on 1/12/09
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Lavish flower arrangements and chic wall décor are the only characteristics of a gourmet restaurant you will find at Nello, one of New York City’s greatest parodies of a fine dining experience. Two glasses of house wine cost as much as an above average bottle at other nearby restaurants. The ordinary selection of pasta costs nearly four times what you might pay elsewhere. The only attention we received from our server was a choreographed greeting in an exaggerated Italian accent, but the display of hospitality quickly diminished when he realized we weren’t ordering starters. We rarely saw him the rest of the evening. The maitre d had to bring our check, which we asked for more than once. In my opinion, any restaurant that has the nerve to charge $130 for a bottle of Kendall-Jackson chardonnay and $50 for gnocchi with marinara sauce should bring far more to the table than run of the mill cuisine, shoddy service and prices that are as inflated as the staff’s egos. For those who believe a Madison Avenue address merits unreasonable prices for an unremarkable experience, Nello is your spot.
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AN INSULT TO BOTH THE PALATE AND THE POCKETBOOK
grafvonb from 06794 | Posted on 12/31/08
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I am among those who value fine food and wine and are willing to pay for it. New York offers many choices for a truly memorable meal at exorbitant prices, but it is simply foolish to pay so dearly for side street pasta and jug wine. I have been to Nello many times over the years. After my last visit a few years ago I swore never to return. That time the wine and service were appalling and the waiter actually argued about the tip! For reasons of convenience, I tried again last week, but found it even worse than before. The food was unremarkable, the portions small, the wine barely drinkable, and the atmosphere absurdly pretentious. My guest agreed. There are so many truly good places within easy walking distance. Leave Nello to people who don't know the difference and are content to be cheated and patronized.
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What goes around comes around.
chelseav from 80212 | Posted on 12/30/08
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The first time that I went to Nello's the food and service was excellent -- so much so that I wanted to go back. Big mistake. My mom and I had been out shopping and decided to stop by. As soon as the waiter saw us he seemed to make the decision that we weren't worth his time since we had left our rolex watches and small dogs at home. The meal just went down from there. The funny thing was that at the same time he was treating us like crap, an Italian bigwig was treating him like crap. So unless you want to show off your rolex and small dog and/or enjoy either being treated like crap or watching others being treated like crap, stay away.
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