Ballarò – Vino e Sveltine

Loved it, Loved it, Loved it!!!
My wife&I just recently visited this establishment and found it to have a real cozy atmosphere.
The service was awesome, the very nice lady that took care of us, was very charming and attentive.
We both shared the Costoletti appetizer, it came with oven roasted potatoes and served in a tomato sauce, my wife had the vegetarian lasagna and I had the Gnocchi topped with arugala in a Beschamel sauce, delicious, Delicious, Delicious!!!
Needless to say we didn’t want our experience to end!
We will be back again.
In Boca a Lupo!!!

I bought a Pulsd deal for this place a while back and I realized it was going to expire soon so I hopped on making a reservation for myself and my fiancé for a Friday night. The deal was for 2 entrees (under $ 14 each) and 1 bottle of red or white wine. I looked at the menu online and saw they had so many pastas so I was pumped to carb load for no race.
When we got there, however, the menu was completely different, they basically had none of the pasta dishes that their menu online showed except for 3 types of lasagna and a gnocchi dish (which I ended up getting). We did ask if the menu had changed or if we had gotten the lunch menu because there were a ton of paninis on there but nope, they said that was it. Pretty disappointing but whatever. The waiter did mention that he could make whatever I wanted, but I’m already using a deal so I didn’t want to push my luck.
I did end up with the gnocchi since I was so set on some pasta/​carbs/​cheese and my fiancé got a pasta special that they had going on that night, which was a spicy marinara sauce with penne. We both split a bottle of cabernet, which was pretty good.
The service was good and the food came out reasonably quick – I just wish that someone would MAYBE change the menus on their website to match what they actually have in the restaurant so they are not disappointed like I was. Other than that, maybe this is a better spot for lunch considering the amount of paninis they have on the menu.

Had a nice experience with my family here & the service was great! The only reason they lost a star was because they were out of a few menu items including the gnocchi :(it was a tad bit disappointing. Otherwise they were very accommodating & the atmosphere was wonderful. I would love to come back here to try the gnocchi! Good luck.

Food was alright. I had the vegetariano panino and it was not super flavorful. The artichoke salad wasn’t mind blowing but it was descent. On a high note, ingredients were fresh.

I really enjoy this place. The food is excellent (the gnocci is awesome and the eggplant parm app is to die), the prices are very reasonable, and the wine list is great. The atmosphere is very chill, cool East Village, with brick walls and a great happy hour. The service is laid back but stealthily present and knowledgeable. I’ve been here a few times and can’t wait to come back.

Came here with a group of five — the L shaped table in the back fit us perfectly. Everyone enjoyed their entrees and the bottles of wine we’re reasonably priced at ~$ 35. The staff were friendly and accommodating. For dessert, the chocolate soufflé was magnificent!

Delicious pasta, some really good red vines. Service is fantastic, cozy environment. Possible to sit outside. A great place for a nice evening with friends.

We came back to Ballaro because we had a great experience around 6 months ago but unfortunately it was not the same.
My food was pretty good but some of my girlfriend’s gnocchi wasn’t cooked all the way and was basically just dough. She felt sick and it really just ruined the whole experience.
Also, they just blared music way too loud and it was impossible to hear each other even though we were sitting very close together. It felt like we had to yell to be heard. I don’t think we’ll be coming back here again.

Argh, it’s just so frustrating when a place I know is good could do better.
I came here before with my boyfriend on the awesome pulsd deal and we loved it. It was early summer, delicious and awesome.
We got the same deal again when it became available and we were just so disappointed. The music was crazy loud. And I mean like obnoxious party bar loud. We were trying to have a conversation and it was virtually impossible. The waitress was perfectly pleasant.
The food arrived and that’s just when it went from bad to worse. I had the gnocchi which was for sure underdone. I started it and it tasted pretty good but as I ate more and more of it the texture began to change and it was awful. I was taking mouthfuls of dough and i quickly pushed the meal aside. My boyfriend had the ragu which he said was okay but not amazing.
I’m really sad that the quality has just dropped. I’m not sure what happened but I’m afraid I won’t be returning to this restaurant.

This place was very good.
The atmosphere was awesome, the waiter was very attentive and quick.
The restaurant its self had indoor and our door seating.
They have a variety of panini’s and some other Italian dishes.
I love the outside seating area. Also for happy hour they have a number of dishes to try while your waiting for your food.
The only thing i did not like was the portions. My boyfriend ordered a panini that had roast beef in it and there was like one slice.
Everything else was great.
I would def come again and try another dish.

I’m disappointed. Last night I visited an awesome little spot for pizza and really woke up still craving Italian. I had passed this location during work once and saved it to try. Unfortunately, it was a flop.
I should have known when all the photos I showed the waitress/​hostess were all from when the other chef was here. He changed, so did the menu, and I’m assuming the quality because there’s no way this is a 4 star restaurant.
I honestly feel bad leaving this review, but I can’t lie. The hostess is super sweet but, well, here goes.
Arrived and there was no one was at the hostess stand. The hostess ended up being the young woman who was smoking outside close to it.
We sat ourselves and she came and dropped off menus, but I waited tables for 5 years and put myself through college that way. I’m amazing at that job and customer service so I guess you could say it’s like being a bartender and going to another bartender. You know what the job is supposed to be done like, right?
So I would have liked a nice, «hello how are you today,» to be asked what I wanted to drink right away, maybe some suggestions, and my bread not 20 minutes into waiting for my food.
Long story short, the spaghetti and meatballs lacks flavor. I could tell upon arrival by the appearance and density of the 4 very small meatballs that I’d be unhappy. Top top it off, the spaghetti was undercooked. No. Not aldente, still a little crunchy, undercooked.
It’s a shame because it’s a super cute place, small intimate, huge open window that connects to the outside seating, but the food was unimpressive.
The gentlemen had the Popeye salad which I did not try but it looked like canned tuna fish slices. The avocado was fresh though, that I did have a piece of, and the grape tomatoes and spinach looked fresh as well. Tried one leaf of spinach that fell from his plate and also wasn’t a fan of the dressing.
However, the tiramisu was VERY good. That I’d go back for because I’m not a fan of it yet loved it. The hostess redeemed this from 1 to two stars for giving me a free piece to go because she saw I wasn’t eating, and lovingly came and asked me what was wrong. She completely empathized with me, and said she would correct it and painfully asked why I didn’t tell her because I deserved to be happy with my meal.
Like I said she was a doll, but doing two jobs. Her and the dessert, I like.

I visited Ballaro on a stinking hot Thursday night, and I’m glad I did!
It was a trek, given that I work and stay in Midtown, but a colleague was leaving so we decided to celebrate. We had a bunch of appetizers between us all that were all spectacular. However, they all came so quickly. Literally new dishes every 5 – 10 minutes for an hour. I feel like it would have been much better if they were all spread out over a couple of hours so that we could all actually enjoy the food while we chatted. But it was really good food. The avocado and shrimp bruchetta and the meatballs were a couple of highlights, along with the chacuterrie board.
They had an epic playlist that night. The owner was telling us it was her standard playlist for the restaurant, but it was amazing. A perfect mix of new, old, background and pop stuff. Needless to say, the staff were really friendly as well.
If you’re heading there, bear in mind it’s a wine bar. They have some beers, but no liquor. Not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind.
Overall, a good night out.

Lapin and I visited this breezy café on a Monday night for dinner. When, we arrived around 6:45pm, we were the only patrons except one gentleman on his computer on the outside seating area but he didn’t order anything or have any plates/​drinks in front of him. The host and (only) waiter was busy playing on his phone when we arrived. Although, he was very nice but not inattentive. He spent most of our meal playing on his phone while we were left to ourselves. He did bring us our bottle of Pinot Grigio, we ordered and the bottle of water and pretty much left us alone, only to bring food or take orders. The chef was also a bit bored looking after making our entrees, he retreated to the basement and the waiter had to yell to make him come back up to make our dessert.
The décor of the restaurant was nice but the area we were sitting had a wobbly table and an exposed wire. Normally, I wouldn’t mind much but given we were drinking, it was almost like playing with fire… what does this wire do *shoccckkk…brrrrr*
Lapin ordered the Orecchiette Salsiccia (pasta with sausage) and I got the Gnocchi Verdi ai Formaggi (Gnocchi with four cheese and truffle oil). What was nice, is you can sit on the stools and watch the chef prepare your food behind the bar. Lapin was a bit disappointed with his entrée. His pasta was undercooked and they gave really small pieces of sausage with his pasta. He said they were playing hide and seek with him. My gnocchi with cheese was delicious and I enjoyed dipping bread in the sauce. However, don’t take it to go home. The leftovers were not that great. They have changed their menu from what was displayed online and I was a bit disappointed that they no longer serve the Spaghetti al Pomodoro. While, the pasta didn’t taste fresh or homemade it wasn’t bad for around $ 15 each.
We also got the tiramisu after reading many great reviews about it. It definitely does not disappoint. Lapin usually doesn’t like tiramisu but after licking the bowl clean, he immediately Google-​d recipes and shoved the phone in my face and yelled «MAKE ME THIS».

Ballaro was a pretty random stop for us to be honest. We did not plan coming here, nor had we heard good/​bad things about the food itself. What happened was: the windows and décor looked cozy and inviting on a cold winter evening here in NYC and some pasta and a glass of wine was just going to be perfect. Let me just tell you… we were so happy we came.
The bartender was from Italy and so kind and helpful when it came to making food choices. Then, to our surprise and delight we realized the chef actually cooks the food in clear view from the bar (which we love). We were able to talk to the chef and compliment him at the end (the food was fantastic).
We ended up having polenta and rigatoni for our entrees. The polenta had a sweet Italian sausage on top which was absolutely divine. It just the right amount of seasoning to make even someone who doesn’t like the bland flavor of polenta, love this dish. The rigatoni was perfectly cooked al dente with just the right amount of cream (no one likes their pasta to swim around in excess sauce). The bacon that was in the carbonara was perfectly cooked to a crispy crunchy texture that complimented the creaminess of the sauce. They bring out a big bag of Italian bread and olive oil/​vinegar to accompany your meals which, I mean… lets be honest… I could eat all day!
Besides the staff being so friendly and welcoming the actual venue is beautiful with soft string lights and a fantastic music choice.
At the end of our meal we were so happy to get to try the Chefs special Tiramisu. When you come to this gem… you MUST get the tiramisu. MUST.
From a random to a regular. Meals and Reels has found a great Italian gem in East Village.
What we had:
Sweet Italian Sausage and Polenta.
Rigatoni alla Carbonara.
Tiramisu — With Fresh Mascarpone Cream

Excellent pasta, but slow service.
I came into Ballaro with my girlfriend to get some pasta for dinner the other night. I ordered the lasagna and she ordered the gnocchi. The waitress was very nice. However, the service was very slow. She only really came around to bring the pasta and wine, and never really checked in otherwise. I finally got her attention after a while for the check. (–1 star).
Also the music was SUPER loud, could not hear my GF over it, please turn down the music!
The pastas were excellent. Tasted homemade, not too heavy and left me full. I would come back with a deal because of the food, but please work on the service and turn down the music.
Pros:
Great pasta
Value (Came with Groupon cuepon, fair prices otherwise)
Cons:
Slow service –1 star
unbearably Loud music –1 star

Excellent quality panini’s ! They have a variety of panini’s to choose from. The Brie with ham and arugula was excellent as well as the chicken cutlet with ham and arugula. Everything tastes fresh and panini’s are made to crispy perfection.
They also offer pasta dishes and charcuterie.
The wines are a little on the pricey side at $ 10+ a glass, the Cabernet was of good quality.
The only negative was the server didn’t bring my husbands panini out till 15 minutes after mine was
brought out because she messed up the order.
All in all a great deal for $ 10 a panini.

Super cute.
Bought a deal $ 29 for two entrees and a bottle of wine. This means: 2 pasta dishes and a choice of Pinot Grigio and a Cab.
We had the fettuccini and the gnocchi … and a bottle of Pinot.
The place is super tiny but this makes it great to have for a private event, you could literally take over this place with friends. Very cool idea.
The staff was sweet… the food was good.
For $ 29 it was well worth it!

Quaint Italian brunch spot. Came here on a Sunday morning for brunch. I think the prices are really reasonable and they’re super fast! I was in and out of here within 25 min. I got the eggs and prosciutto sandwich ($ 6). My friend got the Benedict with salmon ($ 9). Each of our dishes came with mixed greens. I think that is a super great deal. I have never been to a place where they give you eggs Benedict with smoked salmon for under $ 15.
Reminds me of a mom and pop shop, small kitchen right behind the bar. Service was friendly, I’ll be back for sure!

I came here after purchasing a Pulsd deal. It included 2 entrees plus 1 bottle of wine for $ 29. Unfortunately the voucher did not specify the entrees allowed were only pasta dishes and Pinot/​Cabernet wine options (only!). It would’ve been nice to know ahead of time just in case, but luckily everyone in our group found a pasta they enjoyed.
I had the seafood pasta which was absolutely exquisite. The cheese platter was enjoyable as well. FYI, unlimited vouchers per table are allowed. We were two couples and had no issue.
The only negatives for me were that they didn’t have us taste the Cabernet we ordered. They just pour and go. Unfortunately, the wine that comes with the deal is very cheap. Tasted like spiked vitamin water. After the meal, my friend ordered an additional glass of a different wine which she enjoyed more.
Also, they do not come over to the table offering fresh Parmesan cheese like most Italian places are accustomed to after serving your pasta dish. It was a bit disappointing. I would’ve given it 4 stars based on the food but they have some improvements to make. Overall, enjoyable experience and I would come back.

We just came here to grab a glass of wine until we met some more people to catch the game! We both had a glass of chianti and enjoyed it!
The staff members are super sweet and friendly. There’s a nice patio area to sit and mingle and even a long bar area to enjoy your sips at. The food menu didn’t really intrigue me though.

This place was very mediocre for late brunch in all sense. The benedicts were okay but nothing great. The bacon is Italian bacon and isn’t normal American bacon — looks like shredded scraps and are crazy salty. Prices are fairly standard for the area, but their food quality isn’t that great. Maybe their lunch sandwiches are better?
Service was pretty terrible — everything took FOREVER. I think taking our order took about 15 minutes and then getting our food took 30+ minutes. Really bad considering it wasn’t even that busy. Actual server was pretty nice though.
Their outside area is nice on a breezy summer Sunday, and they aren’t fussy about your dog being with you so long as you sit outside.