Grace’s Trattoria

Taking a stroll on third avenue one Friday looking for dinner we stumbled into Grace’s because (1) it was the first restaurant we had seen in half a mile and (2) I really like my to see my own name shiny and on things.
At around 7:30 we were seated with no problem. The space itself is a classically pretty look, with a lot of cherry wood and high ceilings. We went with the eggplant pizza and the chicken paillard, both of which were satisfying and tasty (if a little unremarkable). Service was great, prices were a little high for what you get but in line with what you would expect from a «neighborhood restaurant «off of 70^th and 3^rd, and the entire experience was low-​key and pleasant. All in all I would definitely visit again!

I went to have a late dinner after work with my daughter last night for the first time. I was (pleasantly) surprised how busy the place was on a late Monday night. We had wine and two of their special pasta dishes of the day. The wine (house Pinot Noir) was good, the food was great, and the service was excellent. Considering I work right next door, I will be back often.

I’d expect a $ 50+ lunch to be better. There was nothing horrible with my experience. The food was just subpar and the server was kind enough. I waited a while for my food to get there and the place was not very busy at all.
The one selection was unimpressive as well. I would not return nor recommend Grace’s Trattoria.

Went there for a Christening yesterday. It was a good sized room fir the group I was in (about 100). The food was pretty good. It was good for adults and kids and the edit staff was excellent!

A lovely neighborhood place, with very decent fare. The food may not wow you, but the price is decent, and your meal should be well prepared and satisfying. Try a later lunch to enjoy this place at it’s most unhurried.

I’ve been coming here for ages and thoroughly enjoyed our experience everytime. I highly recommend the Grilled Cowboy Steak and Lobster Pasta. These are five-​star dishes. After I complimented the Chef, he was kind enough to greet my family and I at the table. Very friendly place, reasonably priced. Needless to say, we will be back again.

This restaurant is not accommodating at all, the food is mediocre and the service is way off par. I have given them a few chances and I always come away with the same feeling.
There are many other choices in this neighborhood.

From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is inviting. The restaurant was full but the noise level was quiet enough to carry-​on a conversation. The service was very good. They were attentive and friendly. The food is some of the best I’ve had in my travels to NYC. I would highly recommend the duck, you will not be disappointed.
I am definitely inserting Grace’s in my restaurant rotation when I travel to NYC

Lovely little spot. It’s rare to find a restaurant that’s busy and yet you can still hear the person sitting across from you. Just had a few appetizers:
— Grilled octopus over some sort of beans. Both a little undercooked but the flavor was good.
— Broccoli rabe was simply prepared and delicious
— Decent house wine
An extra star for the service and environment. I’ll give it another shot with some of the heartier dishes.

I came here last night to use a Groupon that expires in a few days. $ 39 for 2 glasses of wine, a shared appy, and two entrees. Pretty good if you ask me, considering that one of our entrees was regularly priced at $ 35. The house wine was very good, (Cabernet and Pino) so we ordered wine on top of our deal. For the appetizer, we shared mussels cooked in the normal white wine, garlic, parsley. I was surprised at the size of the serving and was almost full after soaking up so much bread in the juices. It was fresh and very tasty. As for the entrée, I ordered filet of sole which came with carrots and zucchini. Delish. The bf ordered the «Cowboy Steak», a great cut infused with teriyaki sauce, served with these amazing crispy fries. Everything so far was fresh and delicious. Even though we were disgustingly full, bf decides to order dessert. Warm chocolate cake with caramel gelato… We were not impressed. The gelato was good, but the cake– meh. I can’t even describe what it tasted like. One star off for that.
Besides the food, the atmosphere was pretty and cozy. Other Unilocalers were right about the old timers at the restaurant. The staff was very friendly. All in all, a great experience.

This place is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. I’ve shopped at Grace’s Marketplace for years (mainly for cheeses and pastries) and finally tried the Trattoria next door. The service was lovely and attentive.
The crabcake was up there with the best I’ve had. The baked gnocchi was delicious although more rustic than I expected. The pizza was tasty with great quality toppings, but lacking in the crust.
I was strangely put off by the fees listed on the menu. A sharing fee per plate? A recorking fee? Regardless, we were not charged for sharing the crabcake appetizer.

My father randomly spotted Gracie’s Trattoria on a walk from the subway one day and asked if I wanted to stop there to have dinner with him. Given that I live in the area, I was glad to join him and to try out a new spot. If I were not for my father’s apparent curiosity, I would never have noticed this place. Tucked away behind Gracie’s Marketplace and its large storefront on Third Avenue, the trattoria component sits quietly facing East 71^st Street marked by a not-​too-​eye catching sign. There aren’t even windows facing out to the street which kind of adds to it being a «best kept secret» (in my opinion).
The restaurant itself is vast which again, is a surprise as you walk in not knowing what to expect. Brightly lit with high ceilings and modern décor, Gracie’s Trattoria was buzzing when I stopped in late on a Thursday night. Locals dined on incredibly generous portions and a great selection of wine. I had the Gary’s Salad which consisted of chopped romaine with olives, feta and a Greek-​style vinegary dressing. It came in an enormous, mountainous portion that could easily be split by two or three, especially as I kept going back to the fresh bread tossed on the table with some olive oil on the side. For my main, I went with the baked gnocchi which was for some reason calling my name. Again, a sizzling hot and gargantuan portion of amazingly fresh, light gnocchi served in a creamy sauce with peas, prosciutto and topped with a sprinkle of panko for crunch. I couldn’t finish my salad or my pasta, but both were terrific. Could I and would I call this «earth shattering gnocchi?» I think so! My father went with a Caesar salad and the rigatoni in creamy tomato sauce which also looked great and we were really satisfied with the freshness of the food.
Service was approachable and friendly, and a couple of glasses of Pinot Grigio alongside our meal made it a delight. The price points are pretty approachable for an Italian restaurant of this caliber in the Upper East Side. Overall, Gracie’s Trattoria was an excellent choice and one that I look forward to returning to with friends and family.

This place gets great reviews and I think my fault was sticking with the appetizers and not ordering an entrée.
We shared the grilled octopus, the beet salad and the gazpacho. All were good, but not great. The gazpacho here literally tastes like mexican salsa soup.
The duck confit pizza on the other hand, looked and smelled awesome.

We’ve shopped at Grace’s Market for years but only recently stopped in to the trattoria for Sunday brunch. The menu is fairly extensive and features far more than standard brunch fare.
Service was friendly and efficient and the dining room was pretty, quiet and comfortable. In fact, in an area where most places are packed and bustling for brunch, we were surprised at how quiet and uncrowded the room was. No matter, it suited us just fine since we were meeting friends and wanted to be able to chat peacefully.
We started with a caprese salad which arrived oddly undressed and unseasoned. The «trattoria» salad was billed as containing apples, pears, cranberries, pecans and Gorgonzola, all of which sounded excellent. The actual salad though, while generously portioned, was under-​seasoned and contained far too many cranberries and far too little cheese. The fruit was also sliced into such small slivers that it was almost a purée.
All of us ordered various panini sandwiches which were delicious with wonderfully crusty bread and adorable little individual fry baskets of French fries.
We will say that our first round of Bloody Mary’s, although requested strong and spicy, were weak and strangely sweet. But, in response to our comments, a replacement round was better prepared although still not what we would consider good.
Overall the prices were a little steep for some salad, a sandwich and fries but the place gets a good score for service and atmosphere.

Grace’s is certainly quite nice and the food is good but not superb. I would recommend skipping Grace’s and going to Accademia di Vino (a few blocks down on 3^rd Avenue) instead.

Went here for breakfast. The outdoor area is very nice. The service and food were very good. They were able to accommodate 2 babies. The eggs and pancakes were very tasty.

One of the most underrated upper east side restaurants. Being that the market gets all of the attention, this connected Grace’s restaurant is a consistent very solid place. I love the soups and salads as well as the pizzas as they are all made with the freshest of ingredients from the market next door.
I also am a huge fan of the spaghetti and meatballs which is a featured item on the menu, unlike most restaurants that serve this dish as a one-​night-​a-​week special. All of the entrée portion sized are impressive and the chicken and salmon dishes are prepared in a unique way.
The atmosphere is better when its not crowded as the place tends to be populated with typical upper east side old-​timers. So my recommendation would be to go for a late weekend lunch or late weeknight dinner.

Came here for lunch. The inside was inviting and decorated beautifully for the holidays! After we sat down our waiter let us know what the specials were. Lots of choices on the menu including lunch for $ 25 with wine… too bad I have to go back to work.
The tomato soup was really good not too much cream but really tasted delicious. I ordered the entrée crab cakes. They were very good as well. I’d love to go back to try dinner.
I did not feel like the crowd was particularly old like I was at a «retirement home» — I mean it is the UES not meat packing!

We had just over an hour for dinner on a Friday night. Hoping against all hope, we went to Grace’s where they asked the dreaded question…“do you have a reservation?”
No?
Being only two people, they managed to find space for us near the window, and even though the restaurant was a bit crowded and tight, the service was impeccable. After hemming and hawing about getting a bottle of wine, we finally requested one and it was on our table, with a chiller, within minutes. I don’t quite remember what my boyfriend got, but I will never forget what I got: butternut squash tortellini.
As a vegetarian, I know that Italian food is a pretty safe bet, and this dish intrigued me. It was delicious! Perfect portion, perfectly cooked. It was one of those meals where I wanted to run home right then and try it myself, completing ditching my Friday night plans. I didn’t do that, but the fact that, a few weeks later, I’m still thinking about how delicious it was, says something.
I absolutely recommend Grace’s. Great service, wonderful menu, fine wine list, all around perfect. The price was right for the area, and I’m so glad they were able to find us a table. Next time, I’ll be sure to make a reservation.

Love the ambience. It’s nice, dim, quiet restaurant where people can come in and have a relaxing dinner.
My rigatoni was good but was way too salty so minus two stars. If they had just gotten the food right, I would have given 4 to 5 stars. Hopefully this place will improve with time.