Superb Italian cuisine & service. Handsome contemporary & comfortable ambiance and steps away from the Frick museum.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lee D
Went there for lunch. It was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terry Lantz
Disappointing Experience — Premium Prices, Subpar Value
I stopped into Come Prima Madison Avenue and 72nd St.for a quick glass of wine while waiting for a haircut next door at Nunzio’s Salon.
I ordered a glass of Chardonnay. What I received was a very average, Chardonnay — not buttery, not bright, just plain. Out of curiosity, I asked the bartender what it was. He told me it was William Hill — a basic California wine that retails for around $14 a bottle.
Then came the real surprise: the bill. I was charged $26 for a single glass.
As someone who worked as a bartender prior to a career in finance, I understand the markup game — you’re paying for ambiance, service, overhead. But this was egregious! Charging nearly double the bottle price for a glass of an inexpensive wine isn’t just bad value — it feels dishonest.
I mentioned it to the bartender before leaving, because it didn’t sit right with me. I wasn’t trying to make a scene — just calling out what felt like a complete disconnect between price and quality.
It’s not about the money (I was on my way to spend $400 on a haircut) — it’s about respect for the customer. A place that aspires to fine dining shouldn’t be cutting corners or gouging on basics. Come Prima may have a talented chef and great food, but this experience left a bad taste in more ways than one. Chardonnay lovers beware!
Yuewen Yang
Good ribeye! very nice service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Milne
Nick and Sal and the rest of the crew at Come Prima are like family to all of us. Stranger or long time friend they welcome all with open arms and serve some of the best Italian food in New York. Don’t pass this place up when you are walking around Madison or visiting the Frick. You won’t regret that you stopped in for a visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
SSF
Weird place. I mean I understand why it's expensive because of the area but the food really was close to cafeteria food.
Anne K. Probst
Great ambience with very attentive hosts Nicola and Salvatore - we did “the experience” and were able to sample so many different dishes - fast service - laughter and good food !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Iryna NYC
An Unexpected and Absolutely Delicious Evening!
We stumbled upon Come Prima and were completely blown away by the experience. Every dish we tried was a standout. The burrata was impossibly creamy, the mushroom risotto was rich and comforting, and the scaloppine piccata with spinach had just the right amount of heat. We finished with the tartufo dessert, which was the perfect indulgent end to the meal.
A bottle of Vermentino complemented everything beautifully. The service was warm and attentive, and the ambiance felt like a cozy corner of Italy in the heart of NYC.
If we had one small note—it would be that the decor could use a little refresh. But honestly, the food more than makes up for it.
Authentic Italian, full of flavor and heart.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anthony Trinh
This place felt like an authentic Italian restaurant - the owner was super cool. Bonjour and merci!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nina Dobris
Very good food, had to ask for butter and lemons twice, but friendly service overall. nice atmosphere. Very expensive.
... try it ! Madison avenue great chef and atmosphere
Sterling Hitchcock
The food was optimal. Octopus was cooked correctly so it was soft, not chewy. I would have preferred if the crust was crispier though. The zucchini and celery underneath were oily in my opinion, and needed more thoughtful preparation. They have soup of the day which is what my friend got. Her mushroom soup was good but lacked the toppings to make it visually appealing.
Victoria M
Rude. Ignorant. Indifferent. Service is poor, food is mediocre. Choose a different place to go, and enjoy yourself.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Izabela Hinc
Amazing! Best Italian I have ever eaten, including in Italy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ravioli
Marie Dalese
Excellent Italian, and that's from a guy raised by Italian parents!
Superb Italian cuisine & service. Handsome contemporary & comfortable ambiance and steps away from the Frick museum.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went there for lunch. It was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Disappointing Experience — Premium Prices, Subpar Value
I stopped into Come Prima Madison Avenue and 72nd St.for a quick glass of wine while waiting for a haircut next door at Nunzio’s Salon.
I ordered a glass of Chardonnay. What I received was a very average, Chardonnay — not buttery, not bright, just plain. Out of curiosity, I asked the bartender what it was. He told me it was William Hill — a basic California wine that retails for around $14 a bottle.
Then came the real surprise: the bill. I was charged $26 for a single glass.
As someone who worked as a bartender prior to a career in finance, I understand the markup game — you’re paying for ambiance, service, overhead. But this was egregious! Charging nearly double the bottle price for a glass of an inexpensive wine isn’t just bad value — it feels dishonest.
I mentioned it to the bartender before leaving, because it didn’t sit right with me. I wasn’t trying to make a scene — just calling out what felt like a complete disconnect between price and quality.
It’s not about the money (I was on my way to spend $400 on a haircut) — it’s about respect for the customer. A place that aspires to fine dining shouldn’t be cutting corners or gouging on basics. Come Prima may have a talented chef and great food, but this experience left a bad taste in more ways than one. Chardonnay lovers beware!
Good ribeye! very nice service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nick and Sal and the rest of the crew at Come Prima are like family to all of us. Stranger or long time friend they welcome all with open arms and serve some of the best Italian food in New York. Don’t pass this place up when you are walking around Madison or visiting the Frick. You won’t regret that you stopped in for a visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Weird place. I mean I understand why it's expensive because of the area but the food really was close to cafeteria food.
Great ambience with very attentive hosts Nicola and Salvatore - we did “the experience” and were able to sample so many different dishes - fast service - laughter and good food !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An Unexpected and Absolutely Delicious Evening!
We stumbled upon Come Prima and were completely blown away by the experience. Every dish we tried was a standout. The burrata was impossibly creamy, the mushroom risotto was rich and comforting, and the scaloppine piccata with spinach had just the right amount of heat. We finished with the tartufo dessert, which was the perfect indulgent end to the meal.
A bottle of Vermentino complemented everything beautifully. The service was warm and attentive, and the ambiance felt like a cozy corner of Italy in the heart of NYC.
If we had one small note—it would be that the decor could use a little refresh. But honestly, the food more than makes up for it.
Authentic Italian, full of flavor and heart.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place felt like an authentic Italian restaurant - the owner was super cool. Bonjour and merci!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very good food, had to ask for butter and lemons twice, but friendly service overall. nice atmosphere. Very expensive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
... try it ! Madison avenue great chef and atmosphere
The food was optimal. Octopus was cooked correctly so it was soft, not chewy. I would have preferred if the crust was crispier though. The zucchini and celery underneath were oily in my opinion, and needed more thoughtful preparation. They have soup of the day which is what my friend got. Her mushroom soup was good but lacked the toppings to make it visually appealing.
Rude. Ignorant. Indifferent. Service is poor, food is mediocre. Choose a different place to go, and enjoy yourself.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Amazing! Best Italian I have ever eaten, including in Italy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ravioli
Excellent Italian, and that's from a guy raised by Italian parents!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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