It was our first visit to da Umberto and we loved it. The service was outstanding — highly attentive, helpful and crisp. We could tell immediately what a well-run establishment it was by the high level of communication and coordination that was happening around us, seemingly effortlessly. The menu selection was broad and our choices were delicious. We could tell that many of the guests knew the staff very well which created a very nice and “homey” atmosphere. The maître d was warm, conversational and funny. We will return!
I enjoyed the food a lot but the service was so so pushy (opening bottles of water one after another without asking, constantly pushing to order more) that it affected our experience.
TK719
Simply outstanding lunch at Da Umberto. The arugula salad with beets, branzino, polenta and pastry dessert were all absolutely delicious. The service was impeccable. Beautiful dining room, too. One of the best Italian restaurants in NYC. It's especially nice at lunch when it's relatively quiet.
Patty
Wonderful meal after a day of dress shopping at Kleinfeld's. Food was delicious and service was exceptional. Only negative, wine was rather pricey at $24 and $25 per glass. Would definitely recommend.
RickC
It's not our first rodeo, as it were. Daily menu was not printed. Had to have the server repeat several items as his accent made it difficult to understand. Was looking forward to the daily menu. The ‘wines by the glass' menu was not printed. Again, had to try to interpret what he was saying with accent. No prices given. Ordered two of the specials. The cured salmon carpaccio was nice but dry. The veal saltimboca was, to my taste, also dry, as if it had sat under a heat lamp a little too long. The tiramisu was nice: at $16.00! The staff were polite but unpolished and seemed to be rushed. Expensive dinner, five glasses of wine and one cocktail equaled $120. Dinner with tip, for three, came to just under $500. Will not go back. Place was filled so the locals do seem to love it. Not for us.
C T.
Restaurant is small and uninteresting. Had dinner here. Ordered appetizers which were very small in size and not very good. Ordered entrees of veal saltimbocca which was dry, extremely salty, and tough. Pasta dish was bland and not noteworthy as well as small portion size. Desserts were nothing special. Big prices small portioned mediocre food. No thanks-I'll pass - one and done- won't be back.
Valerie Streit
Top-notch service, delicious pasta and great wine selections in a quiet, refined environment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu
OliviaJ
This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I have been going there for at least 20 years. I feel like I am in Rome when in this restaurant. The food is always fabulous as is the service. It is on the expensive side but worth every dollar.
TroyPWilliams
This restaurant is simply the best. I have been coming for years. Lunch, in particular is calm and inviting. The experienced staff is second to none. The specials are always the best.
I was very disappointed with the service. I didn't receive a menu until the waiter came over ready to take my order. They did not give me the requested seating even though there were plenty of open tables. Also they couldn't provide me with a wine list. They asked what kind I like (I.e. red, white, sparkling). When I asked what Cabs they had the only option he gave me was a red blend. Also they were trying to rush me but I refused to order more than one course at a time. The food itself was quite delicious so no complaints there. Though I did feel that the food was overpriced and not a good value considering the portion sizes. I would most likely not eat there again.
I returned to this place because I had wonderful memories from my previous visit to New York. I recognized the waiter who had served us before and greeted him. I eagerly perused the menu, excited for a great time and delicious food. The waiter immediately suggested the day's specials without showing prices. Since I was in the mood for pasta, I decided to go for the recommended pasta of the day, thinking it would be the freshest and best. The most expensive pasta on the regular menu cost $35 - but only with truffles, while the other pastas ranged from $20 to $25. Imagine shock and disappointment when the bill showed $65 for the mushroom penne (price before tax) that I had chosen. It wasn't homemade linguine or pappardelle, just plain penne... for $65! I will never return to this place! I feel ripped off and my evening was ruined, and it supposed to be special.
Brian
Service is consistently top-notch. Quick to take your cocktail order, which I love. Eagle-eyed servers will spot an empty wine or water glass and swoop in. The food is excellent. Always a good variety of specials. A classy place that has never let me down.
Da Umberto used to be much better. I was disappointed. The food was lackluster, and it used to be excellent. The service was rushed and not personal at all. Maybe they were short-staffed. That could account for some of it. However, the overall experience was not what I expected based on previous dinners there.
Kathleen D.
Went on a Wednesday night. Maybe the chef was off. Food was not well prepared. Special Cornish hen was so overcooked it was leathery. Veal and lamb pricey and definitely not worth it. Won't go again on Wednesday if we do go at all. Wait staff not helpful.
Toby
Extremely disappointing. Have dined here before and the chef must have taken a holiday. Veal Chop Milanese was pounded to less than a quarter of an inch thick in order to appear bigger and to cover the plate. Tasted like gritty sandpaper. Special arugula salad was bitter and watery with a few thin slices of tasteless apples and a tiny bit of chopped nuts. Gorgonzola dressing was nowhere to be tasted! The Cornish hen was simply inedible - dry, dry dry. Prices are outrageously high particularly in relation to the quality of the food. Quality? What quality? Sad.
It was our first visit to da Umberto and we loved it. The service was outstanding — highly attentive, helpful and crisp. We could tell immediately what a well-run establishment it was by the high level of communication and coordination that was happening around us, seemingly effortlessly. The menu selection was broad and our choices were delicious. We could tell that many of the guests knew the staff very well which created a very nice and “homey” atmosphere. The maître d was warm, conversational and funny. We will return!
I enjoyed the food a lot but the service was so so pushy (opening bottles of water one after another without asking, constantly pushing to order more) that it affected our experience.
Simply outstanding lunch at Da Umberto. The arugula salad with beets, branzino, polenta and pastry dessert were all absolutely delicious. The service was impeccable. Beautiful dining room, too. One of the best Italian restaurants in NYC. It's especially nice at lunch when it's relatively quiet.
Wonderful meal after a day of dress shopping at Kleinfeld's. Food was delicious and service was exceptional. Only negative, wine was rather pricey at $24 and $25 per glass. Would definitely recommend.
It's not our first rodeo, as it were. Daily menu was not printed. Had to have the server repeat several items as his accent made it difficult to understand. Was looking forward to the daily menu. The ‘wines by the glass' menu was not printed. Again, had to try to interpret what he was saying with accent. No prices given. Ordered two of the specials. The cured salmon carpaccio was nice but dry. The veal saltimboca was, to my taste, also dry, as if it had sat under a heat lamp a little too long. The tiramisu was nice: at $16.00! The staff were polite but unpolished and seemed to be rushed. Expensive dinner, five glasses of wine and one cocktail equaled $120. Dinner with tip, for three, came to just under $500. Will not go back. Place was filled so the locals do seem to love it. Not for us.
Restaurant is small and uninteresting. Had dinner here. Ordered appetizers which were very small in size and not very good. Ordered entrees of veal saltimbocca which was dry, extremely salty, and tough. Pasta dish was bland and not noteworthy as well as small portion size. Desserts were nothing special. Big prices small portioned mediocre food. No thanks-I'll pass - one and done- won't be back.
Top-notch service, delicious pasta and great wine selections in a quiet, refined environment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu
This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I have been going there for at least 20 years. I feel like I am in Rome when in this restaurant. The food is always fabulous as is the service. It is on the expensive side but worth every dollar.
This restaurant is simply the best. I have been coming for years. Lunch, in particular is calm and inviting. The experienced staff is second to none. The specials are always the best.
I was very disappointed with the service. I didn't receive a menu until the waiter came over ready to take my order. They did not give me the requested seating even though there were plenty of open tables. Also they couldn't provide me with a wine list. They asked what kind I like (I.e. red, white, sparkling). When I asked what Cabs they had the only option he gave me was a red blend. Also they were trying to rush me but I refused to order more than one course at a time. The food itself was quite delicious so no complaints there. Though I did feel that the food was overpriced and not a good value considering the portion sizes. I would most likely not eat there again.
Restaurantji Recommends
I returned to this place because I had wonderful memories from my previous visit to New York. I recognized the waiter who had served us before and greeted him. I eagerly perused the menu, excited for a great time and delicious food. The waiter immediately suggested the day's specials without showing prices. Since I was in the mood for pasta, I decided to go for the recommended pasta of the day, thinking it would be the freshest and best. The most expensive pasta on the regular menu cost $35 - but only with truffles, while the other pastas ranged from $20 to $25. Imagine shock and disappointment when the bill showed $65 for the mushroom penne (price before tax) that I had chosen. It wasn't homemade linguine or pappardelle, just plain penne... for $65! I will never return to this place! I feel ripped off and my evening was ruined, and it supposed to be special.
Service is consistently top-notch. Quick to take your cocktail order, which I love. Eagle-eyed servers will spot an empty wine or water glass and swoop in. The food is excellent. Always a good variety of specials. A classy place that has never let me down.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Grilled Pork Chop, Ricotta Cheesecake, Burrata
Da Umberto used to be much better. I was disappointed. The food was lackluster, and it used to be excellent. The service was rushed and not personal at all. Maybe they were short-staffed. That could account for some of it. However, the overall experience was not what I expected based on previous dinners there.
Went on a Wednesday night. Maybe the chef was off. Food was not well prepared. Special Cornish hen was so overcooked it was leathery. Veal and lamb pricey and definitely not worth it. Won't go again on Wednesday if we do go at all. Wait staff not helpful.
Extremely disappointing. Have dined here before and the chef must have taken a holiday. Veal Chop Milanese was pounded to less than a quarter of an inch thick in order to appear bigger and to cover the plate. Tasted like gritty sandpaper. Special arugula salad was bitter and watery with a few thin slices of tasteless apples and a tiny bit of chopped nuts. Gorgonzola dressing was nowhere to be tasted! The Cornish hen was simply inedible - dry, dry dry. Prices are outrageously high particularly in relation to the quality of the food. Quality? What quality? Sad.