Amata

I don’t give 5 stars. That said, This is the first time we’ve been here. I’ve been disappointed so many times before. seeking out an Italian restaurant in Manhattan that we enjoy and would go back to. Here are our criteria. We love when the maitre d’ or management takes care of its customers. Kudos to Jerome. Charming and friendly. We like ambiance, white table cloths and impeccable service. Amata has all of this. Loved the Tuscan red wine. We love the kind of food we love. Clams oreganato were very good. Great bread to slop up the sauce. My chicken Parmigiana was huge and perfectly prepared with exactly the kind of tomato sauce I love. My gal’s linguine vongole was great. We asked for a Moscoto d’asti as an after dinner drink which they were out of, but they gave us a substitute which was excellent. Then they gave us two shots of a peach snapps with vodka on the house as an appreciation. Well, guys, we appreciate you and we’ll be back — with friends!

The food was amazing, staff went above and beyond for our bachelorette party, and Chris the owner visited our table with free desserts. Chris was so helpful and kept up great conversation, the most hospitable restaurant owner we were lucky enough to come across!
The whole menu made it difficult to decide what to pick but our group couldn’t stop raving about how good it was! Not a bad thing on the menu!!! Highly highly recommend

Charming neighborhood find with authentic, elevated Italian fare. Without pretension. Atmosphere is at the same time warm as it is polished, as are the staff who are professional, polite, and clearly well-​managed. The owner knows his stuff and is a delight. Vigilant and generous with all of his tables. A reliable place to take business clients or a romantic date. They also handle large parties with complete skill, as I recently discovered. Favorite gems on the distinct and comprehensive menu include Burrata and Heirloom Tomato, Contadina and Bianca salads, Calamari Fritti, Branzino, Salmon, Broccoli Rabe… and the pièce de résistance: Meatballs! This restaurant deserves high marks, bringing much-​needed class and imagination to the neighborhood.

I had the Bianca salad with shrimp… Was excellent… And Bianca is the name of my favorite friend… Chris is definitely the best possible host! Food is delicious and I will be coming back!

Came here for the first time on a Saturday night. Restaurant was dimly lit, but in a casual, warm way. Just right. Greeted and seated quickly at a nice table. Became obvious that there were many regulars there, and we soon figured out why.
Service was meticulous and friendly without being in our faces. Maitre’de and manager came by to chat and discuss the menu, offering suggestions and answering questions.
Menu was perfect: expansive but not overwhelming. Something for everyone. Wife started out with butternut squash soup and I had a half order of the rigatoni bolognese. Both were well portioned and delicious. Soup had a nice dollop of ricotta and flecks of pancetta. Spectacular. The rigatoni was al dente and the meat sauce was great without being too heavy.
I had their double thick pork chop with hot peppers. Best pork chop I’ve ever had. I’d come back just for this. Wife had branzino. Large portion with three shrimp on top.
We were stuffed but shared a cappuccino tartufo to cap the night. Delicious.
Will be back soon!

This is a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. We came in on a Saturday night at 6:45 and the place was empty; however, within 20 minutes it was jam packed. Food is delicious – we had antipasto, pork chop, salmon, liver. Wine list is good and service is attentive. This place is priced right so we will def be back!

My husband & I haven’t had such a wonderful Sunday dinner in a long time. The person who gave the horrible review is insane. If waiters really treated her so badly they would have been thrown out before the end of the meal. Obviously this person knows nothing about Italian food. Everything we had was perfect. Since the cavatelli is home made it was perfect. The meat was fantastic. All I can say is keep up the good work. It’s so nice to have such a wonderful Italian rest in the neighborhood.

Too pricey for what you get. Three of us had lunch on a weekday and it was nearly empty. The service was fine. We were tired from an early flight, so ate quickly with little chatter; however, it seemed to take a while for the server to stop by and get the check.
The food was also fine. I had the Meatball Burger (or something along those lines) and it was ok; served too hot and hard to eat.
Maybe we went on an off day or maybe it’s better for dinner?

Had the most amazing and memorable dinner here with my family. WOW! It’s hard to find authentic Italian food that tastes like it is straight out of your grandmother’s kitchen. Chef Enzo is remarkable! When we couldn’t decide what to start out with he made a delicious antipaste platter and also served us calamari with a hint of honey — I am still dreaming about these! All of our entrees were incredible too. I can’t wait to come back!

Came here after hearing some very positive reviews from friends and family. Went for dinner and there were somethings that got to me immediately. The first was all the house music playing in a Italian restaurant such as this one. Asked the manager who had a very heavy accent if there was an event going on and he bluntly said that he likes to play the music he likes. Got into more conversation with him and was really surprised to know that he had no idea about Italian cuisine… Made me question what I was going to eat. The food was great and that is why I’m giving it at least 2 stars, the rest of the staff was nice and knowledgeable, this manager can definitely put off some customers with his rash answers and lack of knowledge. I dare you to ask him what al dente means, he does not know, and regarding the music, I don’t know about you but I expect genuine Italian music for dinner with a romantic tone that sets the mood, if I want to party I’ll go to another restaurant that has that kind of feel.

LOVED this restaurant. I was looking for reasonably priced Italian food within walking distance to the St. Regis. I found Amata on google maps and was able to get in on an early reservation. Amata MORE than met my expectations. My mother and I were greeted by a friendly host, seated promptly, received excellent service by our server AND the rest of the staff. Our food was delicious and the ambiance was perfectly lovely. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Amata and I will DEFINITELY return. In fact my 80 year old mother wants to return to celebrate her 90^th birthday. Thank you Amata.

A Lovely atmosphere! Super attentive staff. The bread is amazing! Calamari Fritti is an exceptional appetizer. Very tender, large portion. Sea bass is also a large portion. Well seasoned & firm yet tender. Salad blanco is crisp & refreshing, and more than you would expect. However, the spaghetti di mare was bland and although the tiny bay scallops were tender, the shrimp, calamari & mussels were rubbery. This was a small portion in comparison to everything else.
The Ricotta cheesecake was very very sweet. But I am very picky about Ricotta cheesecake. I will return to try those pork chops recommended by the maitre d! And as a side note, the ladies room is spectacular, with Italian music piped in, and private chambers, it was hard to leave! The restaurant is roomy and filled with happy, friendly people. Appetizer, main course and a split dessert ran about $ 80 per person with tip included. No alcohol. So for an upscale restaurant, you get what you pay for in a very busy neighborhood.

Good atmosphere (semi-​elegant) and very roomy plus competent service by attentive but semi-​snooty staff. Decent sandwich and salad for 12 bucks (errr, make that 17 bucks, see below), but not great by any standard.
Amata is an ok choice for slightly upscale, authentic Italian for a lingering lunch, but with a couple notable exceptions:
First, my sandwich should have been 12 bucks, without the tip. Unfortunately, when I asked for some hot peppers added to my meatball panini, I was charged an additional 5 bucks without informing me. The waiter brought me a large bowl of grilled hot peppers but there were way too many to eat, even had there been 2 people at my table.
Second, the attitude of the waitstaff was just a bit much. They acted as though they were doing all the patrons a major favor by gracing us with their presence. It was pervasive and I still don’t get it. I mean, it’s ok to be a bit reserved but these dudes were acting out as an entire group. Odd attitude displayed by all of them, and completely unnecessary.
Might go back next time in midtown to try something other than the meatball sammy. Mmmmm, doubtful though.

Nailed it! From the ashes of Fiorini, a place I actively avoided because the age of the clientele made it look more like a nursing home than a fine dining experience, has arisen Amata — a wonderful and necessary addition to the neighborhood. Absolutely delicious food, with a menu that combines the inventive with the traditional. Chef Enzo shows his Arthur Ave. roots and can whip up any and every old-​school Italian favorite even if not on the menu, and the menu itself is mouthwatering. Don’t miss the octopus and the calamari appetizers, and make sure you finish with the outstanding tiramisu. Christopher and Al will make sure you’re well taken care of, and try to sit in Giuseppe’s section if possible. He knows the menu and the chef and will guide you brilliantly. Good people serving good food on 56^th St. Bravo!

I did not enjoy my evening at all tonight. The only reason I’m giving it 3 stars is because the food is great. However, when I went tonight I was so uncomfortable eating there because it was 90 degrees out tonight and they had the doors wide open instead of keeping the restaurant cool and comfortable with the air conditioning. I heard at least 4 people complain tonight and they refused to close the doors. No one likes to sweat and suffer while they eat. This is not he level of service I expect this place to have. I hope it’s not going to be like this all summer or I’m just going to have to steer clear of Amato’s for the summer.

I have never in my life felt as uncomfortable in a restaurant as I did in Amata. I’m an Asian American female who grew up outside Detroit, Michigan and I felt more judged for my race and attire here than I ever have, anywhere, ever (even in the Midwest).
Let’s start at the beginning. My friend and I found this place on Unilocal having just watched a food centric show and were craving some good Italian. We came here due to the good reviews. I made a reservation and when we walk in, the man who I assume is the manager gives us an awkward once over and looks at me funny when I say my name is Emilee. It was one of those looks that says, «your face doesn’t match the name you just gave me.» He then asks me if he can take my coat. I say I’d prefer to keep it with me since my wallet and phone were in the pockets and he looks at me like I’d just slapped him across the face. It’s really not that big of a deal, man.
Our waiter couldn’t have cared less. He forcefully threw things about and pushed plates and glasses out of the way with about as much grace as a rhinocerous in glassware section at Crate & Barrel. He was harsh, impatient, and acted like he was doing us the biggest favor by even showing up to take our order. I watched him flit around to other tables and really turn on the charm. Seconds later turning to face us, the joy he displayed at the other tables melted off his face instantly.
It took about 10 minutes to even get a menu. While we were sitting there awkwardly waiting the host booth and the same manager who I «offended» by keeping my coat kept looking at us, snickering, and laughing. They could not have been more obvious. It was extremely apparent that it was at us they were talking about. This was something I expected least of all in New York City and it continued throughout the time we were there. I feel like I can now empathize with how animals in the zoo must feel being stared and pointed at in their cages.
Upon looking around we also noticed that we were the youngest people in the place by about 30 – 40 years. Are all these good reviews by the older clientele who have lost their tastebuds because let’s talk about the «food»!
My friend ordered the tagliatelle and they weren’t even tagliatelle noodles. The noodles were the width of spaghetti but the thickness of fettuccine and severely undercooked. The butternut squash sauce that the «pasta» was in was the only redeeming quality of the dish. He didn’t even finish ½ of his plate.
I had the cavatelli; also severely undercooked. I can only assume that this was because it was actually frozen, dumped into boiling water, and then served masquerading around as «fresh pasta». It was supposed to be served in a garlic butter sauce with broccoli rabe and sausage. The sausage was in three huge clumps and the broccoli rabe was wilted, sad, and looked like it had also been defrosted and thrown in at the last minute. The «sauce» was nothing more than starchy pasta water that everything was drowning in. I didn’t finish even a fifth of it.
It then took them 25 minutes (I literally timed it on my phone) to take our plates away.
We left having paid our $ 70 bill to not one person extending a «thank you» or a «have a great night». I swear I heard the entire restaurant let out a collective sigh having «finally» gotten rid of that jeans and street shoes adorned interracial table.
If you’re in the market for eating the shittiest «Italian» food in New York City under a microscope then by all means, head here straight away. I actually want to give Open Table the 100 points I earned for dining here back. I will quote Taylor Swift here when I say that we are never ever ever (going back to this f’ing restaurant), like ever.

This is a very good Italian restaurant. Food is delicious and you have too many options. Giuseppe my server helped me a lot to make a vegetarian pasta (out of the menu). They accommodate everyone. Wine was very good too. Stuff is very friendly and feels like you are having an experience right in Italy. I’ll go back soon definitely.

I made a reservation online based on the Unilocal reviews. As a reservationist at a very high demand and quality restaurant in the west village, I know that Unilocal reviews tend to reflect service rather than food quality and as I tend to receive bad service due to my race, age and apparent lack of money I go for good service over food quality because honestly being treated like a human being is more of a commodity than good food these days. Unfortunately, I received neither here.
We were sat at a clearly terrible section despite the restaurant being empty and we had a reservation for 7pm. We were sat In Front of the door. When I said, «this is fine» in a clearly disappointed tone the manager– who clearly had a problem with us from go– ignored it and let us sit anyway.
Our server was polite and seemed to make the effort but as we were sat in a section that seemed exclusively for people of «our kind «he kept forgetting about us. Due to the fact that he had an entire real section to service. During our 90 minutes In this restaurant– we left as soon as possible– not one single table was sat in our section, aka in front of the door in a spacious and empty restaurant.
My first drink, a double j&b with one ice cube– I admit a little annoying but pretty straight forward– came back as a double Jim bean neat. I cant stand bourbon and it’s just a bad mistake. After my first successful j&b I thought the second would be easy peasy. Nope. He forgets my drink long enough for the single ice cube to melt and doesn’t care to see how I like it cus he’s off again with his real section of tables. The tables he assumes will tip better than us. Again based off only I assume can be our race or attire.
When our entrees come and are fairly good although by no means extraordinary we immediately ask for the check.
The whole night was pretty awful and we had such high hopes. Clearly this is a place for business lunches and expense dinners.
Despite everything, we leave a 25% tip and simply vow never to come back. There are too many good Italian restaurants in this city to get bad service at but at least good food.

Combo of 3 guys from the palm, dorians and enzos of Arthur Ave, a must try! The mussels with marinara sauce was incredible. Try this as a starter and you can’t lose.
Tip: They will make you any dish you want. Just ask for it!

Had a great business lunch here today. My very close friend Al is now the GM here. We go back a long way, and his new place does not disappoint.
I started with a few Merlots at the bar. Full bodied and mellow. Once at the table, myself and my colleague had a bowl of Pasta Fagiole. Perfecto! The chef himself came out and told us about the dish as my colleague is a big fan of it. I believe the chef knew we were coming. I had the Vitello Romana as my main dish. Fantastic. Veal cutlets encrusted with prociutto served in a light brown sauce with capers, olives and artichokes hearts. Also, perfectly done roasted potatoes as well as a bed of sautéed spinach. All the flavor profiles were there and reminded me of my trip to southern Italy. Great lunch size portion as well. I closed with a port and expresso, and even had a pistachio gelato. A nice touch was the small cookies that came out almost as we ordered dessert.
Stop by if you are in Sutton Place, or make a special trip. The room itself is classic yet with a modern feel. Large, with a special private room in the back.
Va Bene!