Had the opportunity to enjoy the Easter Buffet yesterday with my family. Everything from the atmosphere, food, and service was above our expectations!! The variety of the food options available were exceptional. Thank you Nostro for a job well done!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeremy Hayes
We decided to go here for their St Patrick's Day breakfast buffet, and what a mistake. We were seated immediately and then told buffet wouldn't start till 9am, and its 815am....Why wouldn't you say this on your web page or social media pages, instead it said come join for our all u can eat breakfast buffet. So you would think they are serving when they open....nope. Next was crazy, ordered couple coffees (regular) nothing special an apple juice and beer. When we were finally allowed to eat the buffet was eggs, bacon (the thinest cheapest) ever, potatoes, corn beef and cabbage and some pasta with idk in it. Oh also bread. We ate, the eggs not real and overall food was ehhh. Time for bill...........$140.00 and they included an 18% gratuities to our bill. Seriously for what, the waitress poured water twice that's it ?. The kicker....the coffee was $10.00 and apple juice $7.00. Talk about ridiculous take advantage prices, this was absolutely a shocker. They really are overpriced for the quality your getting. There is no reason I can advise you to go here and give away your family's hard earned money. There is better choices around Utica to spend your money.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kim Abrams
TL;DR, With it's minimal faults, Nostro Resto-Bar is one of the most unique and spectacular dining experiences in the USA, much less Utica.I came here wary of the previous reviews, worrying about loud music, bad food, and a strange seating process. Fortunately, only the seating process complaint was accurate, The food was great and while the music borderlined on irritating, it never crossed that threshold. It seems that they pay attention to reviews and try to get better, which is commendable.Here are my takeaways.The Good:-Nostro is one of the most delightful spaces for a restaurant I've ever been in. If you are at all a fan of mid-century modern architecture, this is a place to go. The map mural on the wall is jaw-dropping. Truly a unique experience. Even if the food was bad (it wasn't), it's worth just going there to experience this space. It reminds me of now closed The Four Seasons in NYC, or a scene from MadMen.-Food was excellent, if not overly-stuffed with ricotta. The pasta was cooked al-dente and prepared wonderfully: Finally, a Carbonara that isn't doused with cream sauce; There should be no cream sauce in a Carbonara!-Waitstaff was wonderful and attentive. My mother, whos' very picky about restaurants who ran one in NYC for a while, had an absolute blast and loved chatting up the staff.-The lemon meringue cake was spectacular.-Bartender was as serious as a heart attack but made fantastic drinks.The Bad:-I do not understand making us wait for a table, even with a reservation, when almost all the tables are empty. The table that we sat at was already set the entire time we were waiting at the bar. I can only imagine that they do this to get an extra drink purchase out of us. This is annoying: Just say "Would you like to have a drink at the bar before you sit down for dinner?" We would have said yes! Don't fool us into thinking our table isn't ready when it most definitely is so you can get a little more cash.-Guys, please, it's too much ricotta.-NYC prices-The table mood lights are blinding.Overall:-This is not only one of the best restaurant experiences in Utica, it's one of the best I've ever had, having lived in NYC for most of my life and traveling the world as well. Despite the weird seating process and high end prices, You HAVE to come here. Just get ready to add a drink to your bill and wait for a bit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Le Girl
I started with the truffle fries, followed by the Orecchiette Burro E Oro for my main course, and ended with the Meringue cake for dessert. Each dish was exceptional, and I’m still thinking about that cake. My lemon drop cocktail was made perfectly. The atmosphere, with its dim lighting and great music, enhanced the experience. Despite the packed restaurant, the service was good and fast. This place is a fantastic addition to the city, and I'll definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vanilla Meringue Cake
BetsyM
5 of us for an early dinner before the theater. Waitress was awesome. We sat there for over 2 hours enjoying our girls night and never felt rushed. Everyone was very satisfied with their food and cocktails. Thanks so much for helping make it a great evening.
PatriciaS
This was the first time I was here and I was sorry I waited so long to get here. The service is beyond reproach. Other servers were happy to assist if your server was busy. The food was delicious. It was served piping hot and stayed that way while dining. I wish I could accomplish that at home!! I had the lemon sorbet for dessert. It was perfect. No overly sweet with just enough tart to that made you wish you ordered two! The music was slightly loud, but not obnoxiously so. The entire meal and ambiance made me feel like I was in NYC, in a good way. Hopefully no offense is taken by downstate dwellers. I happen to love NYC!
DanaS
The salmon was a bit too rare for my taste, not sure if it was supposed to be like that. The kids menu was small but there was good choices for food. No drinks or deserts listed on the kids menu though. The spaghetti and sauce was nice, my husband enjoyed the pork chop. The restaurant is very nice and modern looking, my kids got a kick out of the bathrooms. Overall we had a nice meal, but the food and service could be better to justify the cost.
Patty Langley
Went for first time and was happy with each aspect. Food was delicious, drinks were fun and tasty, service was friendly, timely and professional. Having grown up in Utica, I love the atmosphere and history of the establishment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Graminga Alla Salsiccia, Italian Filled Donuts
Regina Riem
I definitely love the transformation from the old Bank of America branch to Nostro. The ginormous map of CNY on the wall behind the bar definitely stands out more and has a different glow than its previous life among bland bank furniture.We were there for drinks, which was definitely on the pricier side for the area. The cocktails tasted good and strong. Since we already had dinner prior, we ordered dessert only--a meringue cake. The presentation was great, and the cake itself was delish; however, the frosting or whatever it's called (forgive me, I'm a godless, uncultured heathen) was a bit too sweet.I will definitely come back to try the dinner menu some time. The only downside was that parking, in the back, is kind of terrible. It has limited spaces, especially during the winter, and it's a sketchy area at night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Blackwater Jack
Food was over cooked for my girlfriend and under cooked steak and potatoes for me not what i was expecting for the price and had a funny
I found that this restaurant is very delicious and the helpful were all very professional and caring with our wants and needs while waiting for our food to come to our table. Our order arrived hot and outstanding! The servers if asked a question came right over to help us even if they were not our servers. Made everything right and perfect. I saw this happening while eating my delicious salad. It’s wasn’t their table but they came over to anyone who needed help or had a question . I have ever high expectations and this place rates a 110%.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
JoeB
Staff was very courteous. Bar was backed up for a little bit so they gave us our cocktails for free. Also gave us a complimentary appetizer. Ambiance was great. Food is pricy, but we were prepared for that, so no shock there. The food was VERY good. It was a fun time. A little fancier than we're used to so we had to ask what a few menu items were. Ask to see photos of every dish. They have a QR code you can use, which was really helpful. It was great for date night. Be prepared to spend $100 or more on two people. It's worth it for the experience.
Michelle Light
Great experience at the bar before dinner, delicious drinks. Food was good. Filet was overcooked but I still ate it. I thought it was expensive for the portions. Great atmosphere and our server was very sweet but she had tables at the other end of the restaurant so it took a long time for water refills and dessert menus.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Sidelined
Just really did not like sitting in the semi private dining area, especially as we were there for a special occasion. We couldn't feel like we were out and people watching, it was like eating in the overflow closet. At times it felt like service in our area was an afterthought, took 20 minutes for my husband to get a beer? And we couldn't flag a server since they couldn't see us back there. Disappointing. Food was decent. Price was high. Experience was meh. We made it a fun time but overall disappointing. Looked like people were having fun in the main dining area, we just didn't feel part of that, so what's the point in going out. Could barely hear the music, so we made it a game to listen hard to make it out. Sigh.
Dbomber
When you walk into Nostro for the first time, the room is the size of a bank! (in fact, it was a bank!). The atmosphere is truly impressive with a long bar that sit in front of the massive wall to ceiling map of NYState with Utica and busts of Indian Chiefs highlighted. It very comfortable and private feeling however once seated. Service is second to none as there is always someone smiling or asking if they can get you anything. Although we did not order mixed drinks, it was apparent that they specialized in their bar service with pro bartenders working their magic. Our server Danielle was exceptional, friendly, we were surprised to learn she was a new server, so professional! We ordered white truffle garlic bread, Buratta Caprese salads, grilled pork chop, brussel sprouts and pasta as sides. This ricotta stuffed garlic bread was a master piece of texture and flavor. Crispy exterior with velvety richness inside, there is nothing like it, amazing! The Buratta salad was with pesto and tomatoes. The Buratta was butter rich with a milky flavor and a subtle sweetness. The pesto could not have been better made, so creamy with extreme basil, cheesy nutty flavor. Tomatoes tasted quite nice although out of season at this time of year. The pork chops were ordered slightly pink on the medium side. They were a bit over cooked yet still juicy. The meat lacked flavor as the fig coating tried to make up for it, but fell short. The brussel sprout side was tasting, slightly oily and salty, but cooked correctly. Pasta is home made and delicious with a zesty red sauce. Dessert was Vanilla Meringue Cake with was very tall and masterfully baked. It was light, creamy and oh so delicious! Its pricy as this was for 2 people, with a carafe of red wine($21) total was $160 before tax, however we would go back as this is a special restaurant with exceptional service and creativity, next time to try what they specialize, home made pasta dishes!
Had the opportunity to enjoy the Easter Buffet yesterday with my family. Everything from the atmosphere, food, and service was above our expectations!! The variety of the food options available were exceptional. Thank you Nostro for a job well done!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We decided to go here for their St Patrick's Day breakfast buffet, and what a mistake. We were seated immediately and then told buffet wouldn't start till 9am, and its 815am....Why wouldn't you say this on your web page or social media pages, instead it said come join for our all u can eat breakfast buffet. So you would think they are serving when they open....nope. Next was crazy, ordered couple coffees (regular) nothing special an apple juice and beer. When we were finally allowed to eat the buffet was eggs, bacon (the thinest cheapest) ever, potatoes, corn beef and cabbage and some pasta with idk in it. Oh also bread. We ate, the eggs not real and overall food was ehhh. Time for bill...........$140.00 and they included an 18% gratuities to our bill. Seriously for what, the waitress poured water twice that's it ?. The kicker....the coffee was $10.00 and apple juice $7.00. Talk about ridiculous take advantage prices, this was absolutely a shocker. They really are overpriced for the quality your getting. There is no reason I can advise you to go here and give away your family's hard earned money. There is better choices around Utica to spend your money.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
TL;DR, With it's minimal faults, Nostro Resto-Bar is one of the most unique and spectacular dining experiences in the USA, much less Utica.I came here wary of the previous reviews, worrying about loud music, bad food, and a strange seating process. Fortunately, only the seating process complaint was accurate, The food was great and while the music borderlined on irritating, it never crossed that threshold. It seems that they pay attention to reviews and try to get better, which is commendable.Here are my takeaways.The Good:-Nostro is one of the most delightful spaces for a restaurant I've ever been in. If you are at all a fan of mid-century modern architecture, this is a place to go. The map mural on the wall is jaw-dropping. Truly a unique experience. Even if the food was bad (it wasn't), it's worth just going there to experience this space. It reminds me of now closed The Four Seasons in NYC, or a scene from MadMen.-Food was excellent, if not overly-stuffed with ricotta. The pasta was cooked al-dente and prepared wonderfully: Finally, a Carbonara that isn't doused with cream sauce; There should be no cream sauce in a Carbonara!-Waitstaff was wonderful and attentive. My mother, whos' very picky about restaurants who ran one in NYC for a while, had an absolute blast and loved chatting up the staff.-The lemon meringue cake was spectacular.-Bartender was as serious as a heart attack but made fantastic drinks.The Bad:-I do not understand making us wait for a table, even with a reservation, when almost all the tables are empty. The table that we sat at was already set the entire time we were waiting at the bar. I can only imagine that they do this to get an extra drink purchase out of us. This is annoying: Just say "Would you like to have a drink at the bar before you sit down for dinner?" We would have said yes! Don't fool us into thinking our table isn't ready when it most definitely is so you can get a little more cash.-Guys, please, it's too much ricotta.-NYC prices-The table mood lights are blinding.Overall:-This is not only one of the best restaurant experiences in Utica, it's one of the best I've ever had, having lived in NYC for most of my life and traveling the world as well. Despite the weird seating process and high end prices, You HAVE to come here. Just get ready to add a drink to your bill and wait for a bit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
I started with the truffle fries, followed by the Orecchiette Burro E Oro for my main course, and ended with the Meringue cake for dessert. Each dish was exceptional, and I’m still thinking about that cake. My lemon drop cocktail was made perfectly. The atmosphere, with its dim lighting and great music, enhanced the experience. Despite the packed restaurant, the service was good and fast. This place is a fantastic addition to the city, and I'll definitely return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vanilla Meringue Cake
5 of us for an early dinner before the theater. Waitress was awesome. We sat there for over 2 hours enjoying our girls night and never felt rushed. Everyone was very satisfied with their food and cocktails. Thanks so much for helping make it a great evening.
This was the first time I was here and I was sorry I waited so long to get here. The service is beyond reproach. Other servers were happy to assist if your server was busy. The food was delicious. It was served piping hot and stayed that way while dining. I wish I could accomplish that at home!! I had the lemon sorbet for dessert. It was perfect. No overly sweet with just enough tart to that made you wish you ordered two! The music was slightly loud, but not obnoxiously so. The entire meal and ambiance made me feel like I was in NYC, in a good way. Hopefully no offense is taken by downstate dwellers. I happen to love NYC!
The salmon was a bit too rare for my taste, not sure if it was supposed to be like that. The kids menu was small but there was good choices for food. No drinks or deserts listed on the kids menu though. The spaghetti and sauce was nice, my husband enjoyed the pork chop. The restaurant is very nice and modern looking, my kids got a kick out of the bathrooms. Overall we had a nice meal, but the food and service could be better to justify the cost.
Went for first time and was happy with each aspect. Food was delicious, drinks were fun and tasty, service was friendly, timely and professional. Having grown up in Utica, I love the atmosphere and history of the establishment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Graminga Alla Salsiccia, Italian Filled Donuts
I definitely love the transformation from the old Bank of America branch to Nostro. The ginormous map of CNY on the wall behind the bar definitely stands out more and has a different glow than its previous life among bland bank furniture.We were there for drinks, which was definitely on the pricier side for the area. The cocktails tasted good and strong. Since we already had dinner prior, we ordered dessert only--a meringue cake. The presentation was great, and the cake itself was delish; however, the frosting or whatever it's called (forgive me, I'm a godless, uncultured heathen) was a bit too sweet.I will definitely come back to try the dinner menu some time. The only downside was that parking, in the back, is kind of terrible. It has limited spaces, especially during the winter, and it's a sketchy area at night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Food was over cooked for my girlfriend and under cooked steak and potatoes for me not what i was expecting for the price and had a funny
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
I found that this restaurant is very delicious and the helpful were all very professional and caring with our wants and needs while waiting for our food to come to our table. Our order arrived hot and outstanding! The servers if asked a question came right over to help us even if they were not our servers. Made everything right and perfect. I saw this happening while eating my delicious salad. It’s wasn’t their table but they came over to anyone who needed help or had a question . I have ever high expectations and this place rates a 110%.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Staff was very courteous. Bar was backed up for a little bit so they gave us our cocktails for free. Also gave us a complimentary appetizer. Ambiance was great. Food is pricy, but we were prepared for that, so no shock there. The food was VERY good. It was a fun time. A little fancier than we're used to so we had to ask what a few menu items were. Ask to see photos of every dish. They have a QR code you can use, which was really helpful. It was great for date night. Be prepared to spend $100 or more on two people. It's worth it for the experience.
Great experience at the bar before dinner, delicious drinks. Food was good. Filet was overcooked but I still ate it. I thought it was expensive for the portions. Great atmosphere and our server was very sweet but she had tables at the other end of the restaurant so it took a long time for water refills and dessert menus.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Just really did not like sitting in the semi private dining area, especially as we were there for a special occasion. We couldn't feel like we were out and people watching, it was like eating in the overflow closet. At times it felt like service in our area was an afterthought, took 20 minutes for my husband to get a beer? And we couldn't flag a server since they couldn't see us back there. Disappointing. Food was decent. Price was high. Experience was meh. We made it a fun time but overall disappointing. Looked like people were having fun in the main dining area, we just didn't feel part of that, so what's the point in going out. Could barely hear the music, so we made it a game to listen hard to make it out. Sigh.
When you walk into Nostro for the first time, the room is the size of a bank! (in fact, it was a bank!). The atmosphere is truly impressive with a long bar that sit in front of the massive wall to ceiling map of NYState with Utica and busts of Indian Chiefs highlighted. It very comfortable and private feeling however once seated. Service is second to none as there is always someone smiling or asking if they can get you anything. Although we did not order mixed drinks, it was apparent that they specialized in their bar service with pro bartenders working their magic. Our server Danielle was exceptional, friendly, we were surprised to learn she was a new server, so professional! We ordered white truffle garlic bread, Buratta Caprese salads, grilled pork chop, brussel sprouts and pasta as sides. This ricotta stuffed garlic bread was a master piece of texture and flavor. Crispy exterior with velvety richness inside, there is nothing like it, amazing! The Buratta salad was with pesto and tomatoes. The Buratta was butter rich with a milky flavor and a subtle sweetness. The pesto could not have been better made, so creamy with extreme basil, cheesy nutty flavor. Tomatoes tasted quite nice although out of season at this time of year. The pork chops were ordered slightly pink on the medium side. They were a bit over cooked yet still juicy. The meat lacked flavor as the fig coating tried to make up for it, but fell short. The brussel sprout side was tasting, slightly oily and salty, but cooked correctly. Pasta is home made and delicious with a zesty red sauce. Dessert was Vanilla Meringue Cake with was very tall and masterfully baked. It was light, creamy and oh so delicious! Its pricy as this was for 2 people, with a carafe of red wine($21) total was $160 before tax, however we would go back as this is a special restaurant with exceptional service and creativity, next time to try what they specialize, home made pasta dishes!