Dino

Yup… Not 2 stars but not 4 stars… I must start with saying that the staff is very nice and friendly and the atmosphere is great… But the food… This is a mediocre Italian restaurant. Me and my girl went there and got 3 dishes: an apetizer of artichokes in creamy sauce served with «garlic bread» — not bad at all although not amazing. Then we got 2 pastas. The lady got the one with kale and goat cheese — pretty good, pasta was slightly overcooked and the overall taste of burnt garlic was cool but not exciting… I got the Ragu. Oh boy this was NOT a ragu. It was basically a pasta with so-​so tomato sauce with 2 (very) small meatballs and a few pieces of sweet sausage — super dissapointing. A real Ragu is very differrent. After a few bites I’ve decided I can’t do this and had to return the dish (I rarely do this) — after all you want to get ur money worth if you pay $ 17 for a pasta plate. So I changed it to the roasted beet ravioli (it was on the special menu)… The ravioli itself (6 pieces) was pretty good but the creamy sage sauce was WAY too salty. But I felt bad returning this as well so I ate it with no enjoyment… We didn’t have any wine or desert and the bill was $ 53 before the tip — unfortunately really not worth the money…
I feel bad because the staff was really sweet… But the food is just not good enough.

Fabulous meals this evening at Dino’s. Do wish they’d do something about the general appearance of the restaurant. But I’m giving it five stars because the food is fantastic. It never disappoints. Even reheated leftovers are great.

Had a wonderful dinner here tonight.
Great staff
Casual atmosphere
Amazing Italian food
Indoor and outdoor seating

Food was absolutely delicious… burata was huge creamy and fresh… my meal was very satisfying and the waitress was knowledgeable and attentive in a busy Saturday night.

It is all relative. I’ve complained before about Unilocal not allowing a more expansive rating system. The restaurants around here are so competitive that poor Dino gets a lower score. It was a lovely Sunday October afternoon, and we decided to try our luck in the open air outdoors. They had to be creative in maximizing the table space as they only had a long sliver of patio space surrounded by olive green wood fencing. Tall trees would favor shading patrons in the Summer. The chairs were comfortable enough and fortunately the tables were made of sturdy marble tops. Nebbiolo glasses at $ 11 tasted as good as $ 8. I tried a second time with Montepulciano ($ 12) which tasted slightly better. Service was unremarkably adequate.
Ok, so now the food. First of all, all the food lOOked excellently fresh. Sautéed calamari was better than average. It had only a hint of rubberiness, and fairly light. My tuna sandwich was excellently prepared. Her bison burger was good, albeit quite thick and I don’t think they advertised it would come out on an English muffin bun (a problem). The fries were hand-​cut, but not crispy and therefore not addictive. Both of our salads were lightly dressed and refreshing. The molten lava cake was adhering to standards but we longed for a really chocolatey, sticky browny. Why don’t restaurants bring that into vogue? So why not four stars? Again, it is all relative. We thought the atmosphere was upscale but the food didn’t quite match those expectations. Maybe the kitchen lacked inspiration and creativity. This is just our opinion. Total cost shared app, two mains, 3 glasses of wine and dessert: $ 83 excepting tax and tip ($ 108.37).

Well-​priced for the portions and all the dishes I tasted (burrata, fedelini pasta, calamari, kale caesar) were delicious. Service was great and attentive.
Kind of a tight squeeze now that there’s no outdoor seating, so you’ll probably want a reservation. Close to the C and G train!

I live down the street from this place and come for dinner about twice a month. I think it’s some of the best, non-​gut-​busting, modern Italian food in this part of Brooklyn. The pastas are excellent, and the eggplant Parmesan entrée is an enormous portion. Also, start with the Caesar salad — it’s a veritable mountain of greenery. The specials are always pretty solid, too. Highly recommend.

Lovely, cozy little place and warm staff.
Came here on a summer evening on a whim after seeing the menu outside. While we originally wanted to sit outside to take advantage of the weather, mosquitos drove us back inside. (This, by the way, was hardly a letdown – our seats were by the large windows so we still got plenty of breeze and the setting sun.)
The food was A-​OK. We had the burrata and rigatoni with sausage and fresh ricotta. I’m not sure what they put in the burrata-​must have been some delicious creamy witchcraft because as good as it as, we couldn’t finish it (It was that filling!). The rigatoni was decent as well. Nothing that blew me out of the water, but it tasted fresh, the pasta had a great bouncy texture, and made for great leftovers for a midnight snack later on.
Overall: decent prices, decent food. Worth a stop if you’re in the neighborhood.

I will say the drinks were excellent the carbonara was tasteless at best though the service was excellent as the wait staff was making a transition during a light shower in moving patrons to the inside and back out to the patio once the light showers passed.
The one thing I will say is if you are going to serve food to anyone, anytime at any level make sure you do it with EXTREME PASSION!
Taste test!!! Test your regulars, test your friends… Test your girlfriends before you serve anything that you believe that is easy palate friendly.

Have to edit since my last visit. Dino was not soo good this time around and staff was very meh and slow… Not my fav anymore…
It is by far my fav in the Fort Greene/​Clinton Hill area! For brunch the polenta and eggs will make you travel across Brooklyn for. For dinner the salmon is amazing along with a warm kale cesar special they sometimes offer. The french fries are beyond amazing, very fresh and yummy. Definitely go here!

Meh. Mediocre food. Very 1-​dimensional amateur uninspired flavors. More hipster gloss than good food.

Although lately Dino can be hit or miss… I’m still a fan. The 4 star rating stems from the specifics that I describe below (it is not a 4 star overall rating of the restaurant).
KALE: I have been patronizing this local restaurant since it opened a few years ago. I used to LOVE their black kale caesar salad (which they no longer serve). However, they have replaced that with the black kale panzanella, which is warm, savory and very tasty.
FISH SPECIALS: I do not say this about most restaurants, but my favorite entrees at Dino have historically been their fish specials. I have had some of the most interesting, fresh and tasty bites of fish at Dino. Having said that, you never know when a fish special will be on point.
BRUNCH [ESP. FRENCH TOAST]: We stopped in for brunch a few months ago and I was pleasantly surprised. I had the eggs & polenta and it was delicious. However, I want to RAVE about the Dino French Toast that my spouse ordered. I rarely like french toast — too sweet for my taste — especially when drenched in syrup. This was NOT a traditional french toast. It was a slice of thick pullman bread stuffed with berries and it was only slightly sweet. We were able to add maple syrup and fresh, homemade whipped cream to our taste. For the win.
KITCHEN TABLE: I went to Dino two years ago for my birthday and we reserved the large kitchen table that is indoors and I just loved sitting there. You feel like you are dining in someone’s farmhouse kitchen if you are able to fill the table with friends/​family. I would say that TABLE is my favorite table to sit at in Brooklyn.
(The rest of the menu is fine — the black linguine is not as good as it originally was. I pretty much stick to the above).

I held my 40^th birthday party in their wonderful upstairs event space. The team was incredibly accommodating and helpful both in the lead up to the event as we sorted out details, and on the evening of.
If you’re looking for a cozy neighborhood venue to host a party (cocktail or sit down dinner) I would highly recommend Dino.
It’s also our go-​to Italian spot in the area and it is fantastic. The food is always delicious and if you are there on a night when the specials include Arancini balls… get them!
The ambiance is cozy and friendly.

All I can say is food poisoning.
I ordered the carbonara and about 1.5 hours later I was sick. I won’t be back nor will I be recommending this place to anyone.
Crowded, small and the food is underwhelming.

My husband visited this restaurant with coworkers and insisted that I give a try. Cute little Italian spot, cocktails were very good, and the food was delicious I tried the fried calamary and the linguini fruti di mare, linguini was cooke in black ink and a bit spicy. It was great, also the fruit tartae was just ok.
The reason I gave 3 start is because once the restaurant got busy, the manager and everyone were giving us bad looks rushing us with the look it was super uncomfortable and we were only there for 1 ½ and we consume $ 300 dollars including tax. The manager was at the door and I tried to said bye just because he was very attentive when we got there. He was there with a cranky face… it was very uncomfortable seen we were having dinner with my husband’s boss. I don’t know if I’ll be back :(

Ordered a delivery for Birthday deserts at home. Was very pleased with quality of pastry and service over the phone. Want to check Dino’s for a dinner.
Thank you guys for putting Birthday Candle in my delivery package !
Mwah !

Dino serves as a great date spot, especially if you’re going for dinner and a movie at BAM (which is just a short walk away). This cozy little nook offers good, reasonably priced food, a killer ambiance, and very friendly service. My girlfriend and I both ordered special of the day (as there was practically a whole menu of them) and both were tasty! Just be sure to get there at a reasonable time. The place is small, so seats will fill quickly. Recommended!

I’ve given this place so many tries because I keep wanting it to be good… but it just never is. I am finally sitting to write about it because last time we went there I took my parents and the waitress was rather rude and short to them. As non-​native english speakers they probably were a little slower to order and also had a few questions for her, and I felt she was short and rude with them and with myself as well.
The food is a total mess. The kind of pasta you learned to cook when you got home drunk after bar hopping in college. It tasted good when you were drunk, but try eating that in a restaurant after only a glass of wine… Undercreative, underwhelming… We won’t be giving this place another chance.

I’m surprised I haven’t reviewed Dino yet since it’s one of my favorite low-​key spots. I wouldn’t make a trip here from Manhattan or a distant Brooklyn neighborhood, but if you live in the Fort Greene/​Clinton Hill area it’s a great place for some classic Italian food. Though they can get crowded, they’re good at turning tables and there’s a nice bar to relax at if you’re waiting. The pastas and the sides/​vegetables/​appetizers are all equally great. Recently I liked the kale caesear with lemon and the veal meatballs. The parmesan polenta is fantastic as well, and they have a great – and cheap – house red.

Lemon spaghetti
Lemon spaghetti
Lemon spaghetti
This narrow local restaurant serves a dish worth traveling for. Cute– brownstownish spot with a nice garden and frontage. What should you get? Is there any question. This dish with lemon, parmesan and parseley is simply sensational. Lemon spaghetti love!