Il Violino

4.6

1949 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

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2 people

22 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 20 times today

Neighbourhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

Il Violino was established in 1993 by the Mariani family. They are from Villa Santa Maria, a little town in the heart of Italy (Abruzzo) known as La patria dei cuochi (chefs from this town have been executives at the Vatican, the White House, embassies and top restaurants and cruise lines around the world). Il Violino has been one of the original Lincoln Center Italian restaurants and, in these days, one of the few still in operation.
The chef Vincenzo Mariani, formerly the executive chef at Monsignore (one of the top restaurant in New York City in the 70’s and 80’s), leaded the kitchen with his international experience and created an original and innovative Italian menu.
In 2009 the owner, decided to write a new page. The restaurant has been transformed into a Trattoria: a warmer and cozier ambiance, one of those that you can easily find in any small town in Italy.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of Operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–3:45 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(212) 873-2500
Website
http://www.ilviolinony.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
180 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023
Area
Upper West Side
Cross Street
West 68th Street
Parking details
None
Public transit
1, 2, 3, B & C trains to 72nd Street, and the 1 train to 66th Street.
Additional
Bar Dining, Gluten-free Options

What 1,949 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Il Violino, a charming Upper West Side gem, impresses with its "amazingly good" food and "professional and courteous service." Perfect for pre-show dining near Lincoln Center, it offers a warm, neighborhood atmosphere. Standout dishes include the "best lasagna" and tiramisu. Regulars praise its consistency and welcoming staff.

1,949 Reviews

P
Pamela
New York City
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Scallops delicious but overpriced for only 3 small scallops and dish primarily julienne vegs. I had ordered the scallops on a prior visit and there were 4. One diner found the cheese used had an unpleasant “tang” to it.
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L
Leslie
New York City
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
We were running late so I called the restaurant to let them know. They were able to accommodate us and seat us quickly. The waiter was slow to take our order and finally I got the maitre’d to take it. The waiter was attentive to other tables and continued to ignore us (and I was with a young child who was hungry!). When the food arrived we dug right in, only to be very disappointed with the taste and quality. These were pretty simple pasta dishes which seemed to be thrown together with little attention. I won’t be returning.
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i
ira
VIP
New York City
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
Staff were “under the gun” because of high demand which prompted manager or owner to rush us to finish our meal, collect ourselves and leave. Cramped quarters with no”atmosphere”although food was quite good. Taking into consideration the high priced and very popular area within which the restaurant is located the prices are excellent.
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D
David
New York City
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on 13 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Friendly and welcoming staff and environment. Plenty of menu choices of great tasting Italian dishes that one doesn't normally attempt at home. Good portion sizes. Service is attentive. Nice wine list. This is one of the places we often go back to around the Lincoln Center.
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J
Joan
VIP
New York City
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on 9 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was delicious! The service was outstanding! It was a wonderful dining experience.
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C
Claire
VIP
Denver
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic night! Delicious ! Great food and great service!
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N
Nicholas
VIP
New York City
248 reviews
4.0
248 reviews
Dined on 6 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great place to have dinner before a performance at Lincoln Center. Good menu with nice items to choose from. Service is quick and attentive. Just a bit tight getting around with tables close together. Prices are higher than they used to be but that’s the way things are going nowadays.
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C
Charlotte
New York City
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 6 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff and service was solicitous and friendly. Always enjoy going to this restaurant before the opera.
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T
Tony
Baltimore
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on 28 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Pleasant little corner Italian restaurant with decent food. To an out-of-towner, it seemed like a typical NYC place.
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T
Thomas
VIP
New York City
40 reviews
4.0
40 reviews
Dined on 26 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Nice neighborhood Italian restaurant with interesting specials.
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FAQs

Il Violino offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (212) 873-2500.

Il Violino is rated 4.6 stars by 1949 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

22 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 20 times today

Order delivery or takeout

180 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023

Additional information

Cross Street
West 68th Street
Area
Upper West Side
Hours of Operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–3:45 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
None
Public transit
1, 2, 3, B & C trains to 72nd Street, and the 1 train to 66th Street.
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar Dining, Gluten-free Options

Website
http://www.ilviolinony.com/
Phone number
(212) 873-2500

Il Violino

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 1,949 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Il Violino offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Il Violino restaurant rated?

Is Il Violino currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information