Barbuto

I love eating at the bar here; the two guys are smart, generous, fun. I started with the JW margherita. One of my fave drinks in NYC. I also had them pour an extra shot of tequila in. Yummy.
The scallop dish is a home run. I’m still thinking about it, it was that delicious. Just go to the bar, order this dish, and ask these guys to pair it with one of the white wines. if you love scallops, don’t miss this. JW changes the menu a lot.
Then, the pappardelle: pork ragu & crackling breadcrumb. This was was a stand up triple. Earthy, comfort food– this is a true ragu. I happen to love pappardelle, for the record, too.
They poured a very nice italian nebbiolo. Perfect. I could have had another plate.
Then get this– spezzatino di capretto: braised goat, romesco, scallion & chermoula. Yes, I’m eating and loving goat. If you love goat (i’m playing)…Bursting with flavor. Brilliant., fork tender, and you mop up the sauce with bread. Imagine telling someone I had this delicious plate of goat last night…
No dessert, just another JW margherita.
Again, these guys running the bar are cool, loose, pros who know the wines, the food. fun time!

Went on a Saturday night at 6:30pm with no reservations since they only do those for parties of 3+
The wait was 30 mins which wasnt terrible. We sat at the bar (which also serves the full menu) and ordered a glass of wine and a glass of sangria. Just a warning: their sangria has a hint of cinnamon. It
After a half an hour we were seated. Started with the scallops and the salumi.
Scallops were good, and so was the salumi board.
We were really here for their pollo al forno so we ordered that and a pappardelle to split. Unfortunately the chicken did not live up to the hype, it was a bit tasteless and dry. The pappardelle on the other hand was good so Im glad we ordered that as well.

Came here for dinner tonight with some friends. The atmosphere is great, and the restaurant was packed. Service was good and attentive. We ordered the chicken, rigatoni and Brussels sprouts. The chicken was fantastic, the skin was so crispy and flavorful. The rigatoni with pork ragu was okay. I had been dying to try their carbonara so I’ll have to try in the future for brunch. All in all it was an enjoyable evening.

[TL;DR] Busy American/​Italian restaurant near the Whitney Museum with a fun vibe and tasty food! Someone at the table needs to get the steak!
[Longread] My wife and I visited this fun establishment two nights ago to end an evening of walking and shopping in the West Village. While it’s conveniently close to the Whitney Museum, you’d be lucky to run into it on your own as it’s a little off the beaten path.
The restaurant looks like it used to be an old warehouse/​garage, but pulls off the remodeled and contemporary look well. The noise (due to the concrete floors) can be a little loud, so keep that in mind if you want a more quiet setting.
We ordered the olives and bruschetta to start. The bruschetta had a marmalade topping that was especially tasty! And for dinner, my wife ordered the spicy lamb and I had the steak. Both were enough for us though you may want a side if you’re a little hungrier. For dessert, we had a delicious chocolate cake layered with other treats in a bowl.
The steak was the winner of the evening though. We’ll order it again when we come back. And we will be back! Hopefully soon!

Barbuto has been on my list of restaurants to visit since, I don’t know, forever. Since I don’t live or work in the city, reservations for a weekend were nearly impossible to come by. I finally used the holiday break wisely, and made a cozy lunch reservation for 2 to celebrate a friends birthday (who just so happens to love roast chicken).
The afternoon was rainy but, we were so excited, we jumped through all the puddles en route. Rose was our drink of choice and we started off with the Kale Salad (insalata di cavolo). The salad was light and refreshing, loved the crunch from the breadcrumbs. I only wish the kale had been dressed a little longer, because it was still a little tough. Regardless, good start. We then shared the Pollo Al Forno, since you HAVE to, and the Bucatini alla Carbonara. There are no words to express what my taste buds felt when I bit into this chicken. It’s so juicy and flavorful, anyone would debate eating the entire plate by themselves. It is no wonder this is Chef Waxman’s signature. My friend and I both agreed, the carbonara was heavy on the pepper however, that didn’t stop us from eating the entire bowl. I had really high expectations before coming and everything aside from the chicken, fell a little short in my eyes.
I loved the rustic/​industrial feel of the space and how you can see a little bit of the kitchen. The service was also above par.
I think I would come back, just to try a few things other things on the menu but I’m in no rush to do so.

OMG! That roasted chicken tho!
I’m not one to get excited about roasted chicken, and it’s not typically something I would order at a restaurant, but I made an exception at Barbuto and was not disappointed. Clearly, Jonathan Waxman has cracked the code for perfectly roasted chicken with crispy skin. I was so busy eating, I didn’t even get a chance to snap a pic!
We popped in for lunch on a Monday, and the place was packed to the gills. Luckily, we had reservations. Since there was four of us, we ended up going family style with two orders of the chicken with salsa verde, the carbonara, shaved brussels sprouts, crispy potatoes, and the sautéed greens. The chicken was moist, and perfectly cooked with that über crispy skin. We devoured it, along with everything else, then walked it all off along the high line.

I’ve dined at Barbuto a number of times, and it’s been hit or miss, with variance I would not expect of a restaurant of this esteem and price range. One day, my meal will be superb, the next, bizarrely over-​salted or overcooked. Nonetheless, the good meals I have had have been exceptionally good, and I somehow find myself back again and again.
The menu changes seasonally, so don’t get too attached to any one dish. Constants that are also excellent bets are the roasted chicken (with a side of roasted potatoes — this is a must!) and their brick-​oven pizzas. Barbuto also stands out with its seafood offerings, variety of bruschettas, and housemade pastas. Their chocolate budino (chocolate pudding of the richest, most voluptuous sort, in a cup with homemade whipped cream) is so overwhelmingly spectacular it’s impossible to finish.
Housed in a converted garage, Barbuto’s décor is minimalist and the space airy and bright. Diners are able to look directly into, even sit in, the kitchen. This has its pros and cons. While beautiful to behold, the space tends to be quite chilly in the winter (poor insulation), stuffy in the summer (open windows in lieu of AC), and incredibly loud when crowded. Of note, the space does offer multiple options for large groups. For an extra special experience, reserve one of Baruto’s party tables (one of which is in the kitchen!).
Tips for the newbie:
If it’s winter, sit near the kitchen to be warmer.
Some ridiculously good focaccia is hidden on the menu. You can only get it with the cheese plate. Order the cheese plate.
Unless you are a salt fiend, ask them to go easy on the salt if you order a pizza. Most of the time the cheese is salty enough (with cheeses like pecorino and taleggio favored), and the added dusting of the crust is overkill.

Oh wow– the carbonara is the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve been to Italy 3 times), super rich without being overly creamy, and lots of black pepper. Just heavenly.
The chicken was also fantastic, and don’t get me started on the potatoes– they are the most crisp, tastiest potatoes you will ever eat, I will dream about them forever (and yes I double carbed it that meal, totally worth it!!)

Walked the high line down and ended up at barbuto for a late lunch. Came with three other people– but had a couple friends meeting us later on. we were not allowed to sit at a bigger table unless all of our party was there, so we settled for a table for 4 and decided to figure something out when we needed to. When we ordered drinks, one in my party ordered «a coke». What arrived was a small bottle of organic cola which tasted like flat, sugarless coca-​cola. If you don’t have coke, just let us know before bringing the opened bottle of flat liquids. Thanks.
Ordered fried eggs w sausage– the eggs were completely cooked through. That’s a huge bummer. Can’t mess eggs up. Especially for that NYC brunch pricing. The sausage was super flavorful so that made up for it. But overall not the most filling nice.
HOWEVER, The setting was really nice with the open windows, and they were super accommodating when the other people in our party arrived. I have also been here for drinks and they made me a darn good martini.

Imagine one of those slow motion moments where you’re twirling your fork through slick spaghetti, that is swimming in Parmesan and butter with exciting surprises of bacon and topped with the sexist yolk porn you could imagine– this is the house (off the menu) special: Carbonara.
Now imagine screaming «winner winner chicken dinner» and that’s the special roast chicken! I’ve never ordered roast chicken at a restaurant before because I think it’s something cowards order but I read other Unilocal reviews and I went for it. LIFE CHANGING. I don’t know how you can roast a chicken so beautifully but it’s the perfect balance of salty and juicy with super crispy skin.
Barbuto has really cool vibes– it sits in an open garage in West Village, only a couple blocks from the Hudson. Come here on a beautiful evening, get a bottle of wine, start with the kale Caesar salad, and get ready for the time of your life digging into the carbonara.

Jonathan Waxman, you disappoint me. A comforting staple of the West Village, Barbuto has been around for years, serving simple roasted chicken and rustic Italian cuisine. For years, I had dining companions challenging me to try the roast chicken at Barbuto because I am a roast chicken fanatic, one that is nearly impossible to satisfy, one that has had the best and the worst and is as particular about juiciness of chicken meat as he is about the crispiness of the skin and the sourcing of the fowl.
So I tried it one day. Barbuto serves you a quarter chicken, beautifully roasted, with crispy skin and tender meat. Two minor complaints: the breast is a little dryer than perfect but maybe they had an off night the time I went. The other fault was that the plate was slightly stark naked, only holding a few chicken pieces and a skimpy sauce. The roast chicken at Houseman or Locanda Verde are probably superior, but this one does some justice.
The chicken was the highlight of the dinner as the other dishes paled in comparison. I tried two pastas, and both were horribly underdone even though I prefer al dente noodles. One was drowning in cheese. I also had a side of broccoli — basically a plate of barely cooked broccoli with no sauce. I could’ve fed it to a raw vegan happily.
PROS:
Pretty good chicken, but not the best
Located in a fun neighborhood
CONS:
Underdone pastas
A bit of a hike from the subway
Pricey for the quality of food
Boring menu

Mamma miaaa!!! It was an amazing dinner. Who would have thought a chicken can be such delicious! I first had a doubt to order chicken in an italian restaurant but NO regrets at all! Bruschetta and gnocchi was also pretty yummy.
It’s a little pricy but definitely worth every penny of it!
Enjoy

Of all the places I’ve been to in NY, this is the restaurant I’m most excited to review. All because of the pollo al forno.
I’m a true carnivore at heart, especially the red meat variety. I consider chicken a cheap meat and usually avoid it at restaurants. I mean, if I’m going to spend money at a nice restaurant, might as well get the really good stuff. Now I browse through Unilocal looking for a popular dish and I see the pollo al forno pop up over and over and over again. Chicken, seriously? For days I go through this internal struggle until I give in and put my trust in the word of the Unilocalers. You haven’t failed me yet.
And your winning streak continues. My bad.
This chicken. This chicken is good. Here’s advice: if you’re going to try this dish and compare the taste and texture with beef and pork, you’re going to lose. Comparing apples to oranges is just not the right way. But if you compare it with all the chicken you’ve eaten in the past, this is going to be one of the best you’ve had. I started with the breast and this isn’t the normal sandy dry meat that you hurt your jaw chewing. The breast is so soft, so tender, so juicy, and so delicious. I didn’t know chicken breast can be this good. And just imagine if the white meat is already so good, how good the dark meat would be. It’s too much. If I come back to Barbuto I’m getting this again, and I strongly advise you to do the same. Oh yea, this dish can feed two or one super hungry individual.
Seriously, how do you cook an entire chicken at the same heat and end up with the white and dark meat both being so perfectly cooked? Jonathan Waxman, how do you do it?
I had another pasta appetizer and a side of broccoli. Both are pretty good, but ended up being in the pollo al forno’s shadow.
Five stars for the quality and tremendous shock value.

Went here for dinner at 9 PM the other evening with a group of girls. Lucky for us, we ate at the private table – so we still got the vibe of the place but were able to hear each other well! For drinks, I had the Stone IPA – a bit crazy for 9 bucks for a 12 oz, but then again, I am from Richmond – not NYC! I had a rosé later in the evening, which was good as well. For appetizers, we had the insalata di cavolo and the bruschetta. Both were so tasty, and just two of the bruschetta and one kale salad was enough for 7 girls to split as an appetizer. For my main meal, I ordered the vegetarian dish – the gnocchi. It was so yummy, and so filling – I could barely finish it. Others at the table ordered the famous chicken (pollo al forno) and the risotto di maiale. I am not sure that people were obsessed with the risotto, but everyone that tried the chicken loved it.
The only fall backs besides my 9 dollar Stone IPA was that the chef is not a fan of changing up/​substituting/​removing ingredients. A friend asked to have her risotto without spicy sausage (denied) and the salad without anchovy (also denied). Luckily, I was fine with everything in mine – and I get that a chef’s meal is like an artist’s painting: you take it as it is made. But for pescatarian’s like me, sometimes you would love the risotto without the spicy sausage, you know what I mean?
Overall, super chic and super delicious. What a charming and warm place!

We celebrated a friend’s birthday last night. 10 of us sat at the Chef’s table where they brought out the specialties of the day and served it family style. The only downside of the Chef’s table is that it gets really hot back there because of its proximity to the stoves and ovens. It’s pretty awesome though, to obseve the preparation of the food and hear the orders being called out. We had probably a dozen dishes to share ranging from salads, braised vegetables, goat, chicken, beef, gnocchi, potatoes, pasta… You name it whatever was being prepared last night we got to try it! It was a great time and the food was delicious… We had so much fun celebrating my friend’s birthday!

The atmosphere of Barbuto is very fun and romantic. I didn’t realize we were in an old garage until I saw the garage doors up by the roof. Our waitress was sweet and to the point, nothing extra. The cocktails were pretty good, but not the best. I tried the 1919 and the Paloma Milano, both of which were watered down by too much ice.
We ordered the «bruschetta: ricotta and nectarine chutney» to start. It was very tasty but a little underwhelming. Almost tasted like cream cheese and honey on toast.
We then shared the «gnocchi stagionale: corn, cherry tomato, basil & parmesan» and «spezzatino di capretto: braised goat, polenta, cherry tomato & pecorino»… INCREDIBLE. I had never had gnocchi before, but the Italian eating with me said it’s the best he’s ever had. It’s the perfect mix of soft and tender with just enough al dente. The braised goat was extraordinary, all spiced and juicy on top of creamy polenta. Wow. That’s all I have to say about that.
I would highly recommend this place for Italian food lovers and date-​nights, etc.

A great time was had all around. First off, as other reviewers have mentioned, they seem to get off on telling you you will have ridiculous wait times that are unreal. We were told the wait would be 1.5 hours, but ended up being seated after only a 30 minute wait at the bar… anyway, on to the food…
— For appetizers we got the olives, Kale salad and the calamari. The kale salad was HUGE and far bigger than any appetizer salad I’ve ever had. I was fearful of the anchovies, but honestly you don’t even see them and it was very tasty. The calamari was even better, and refreshingly bright and acidic in a way that fried calamari hardly ever manages to achieve
— For entrees my date got the steak and I got the famous JW chicken. We were both quite happy with our dishes. The chicken (as heralded) is very good, yet also gigantic, so like the salad I had enough for lunch the following day. We also ordered the side of rosemary potatoes, which were delicious, crispy and hot, but far too much food!
As for drinks I found both the JW margarita and the daiquiri to be underwhelming, though the daiquiri was fine enough for me to get a second. The service was excellent and the ambience was very laid back, chic and open. Overall a lovely restaurant experience and I’m so glad that I was able to visit before this place closes down!

Barbuto has become one of my new favorite restaurants. I usually have the mindset of never dining somewhere twice– this will be an exception.
It has such a great vibe about the restaurant and I love that it’s a refurbed garage. Every dish we had was delicious and our waiter (think his name was Gilbert) was fantastic. After placing our orders he specifically came back and said that two of the dishes we ordered had raw egg (I’m pregnant) and if that was okay. Attention to detail like that will always win in our books so well done Gilbert!
The food — our faves and the standouts: bucatini all’amitriciana; cucumber with aioli; kale salad and the squid salad is a must. We also ordered the pork ragu pasta but as it’s similar flavors to the all’amitriciana I’d go with the latter. Can’t wait to try the other dishes!

This was a big bowl of yummy and I can’t wait to go back. I wandered in without a reservation on a Thursday around 7pm. They don’t take reservations for parties smaller than three and quickly got a table for two after a quick drink at the bar.
I wish we had dined with a big group so we could have sampled more of the menu. The West Village location is great and a quick walk/​Über from Midtown. Plus you can walk off your meal on the High Line after.
I started with insalata stagionale: mascarpone, peach, speck, carrot & beet (speck is pork in case you were wondering)
This was a tremendous symphony of flavor. One of those, this bowl is gorgeous, not 100% what is in every bite but this just works.
You can get an appetizer portion of any pasta and the bowl of bucatini all’ amatriciana: pancetta, beefsteak tomato, chili & pecorino was satisfying in a bowl licking way.

As one of the more well established and beloved Italian restaurants in the city, Barbuto is going to be missed when it shuts down and moves. I had to visit before the change and brunch seemed like a pretty perfect opportunity since Santina (nicely) sent us packing.
The space itself is beautiful. Airy and full of light, with a really vibrant and happy atmosphere, the glass-​enclosed location is amazing.
Because the menu felt a little uninspired, we went with just two classics: the roasted chicken and the eggs al forno. Both were exceptional dishes. The chicken was tender and moist, accompanied by a bright salsa verde. The eggs sat on a bed of perfectly made polenta topped with a crisp layer of cheese, tomato, and caramelized onions.
Nothing was stratospherically good and frankly we wanted to order more but there was just nothing really on the menu that seemed that exciting. Still it was a wonderful experience and Barbuto will undoubtedly lose something when it leaves this awesome space. But who knows, maybe it will gain some new and perhaps more inventive concepts in its next iteration.