IL Cortile

Il Cortile scheint in NYC eine wirkliche Institution zu sein — so wurde sie uns zumindest verkauft. Allerdings ist der Grund für mich nicht wirklich nachvollziehbar. Die Karte war vergleichsweise übersichtlich, die Preise dafür um so höher. Geschmacklich hätte man sich die Antipasti sparen können. Allerdings war der Hauptgang (Pasta mit einer Tomatensoße) genial. Frische Pasta, eine intensive und auf den Punkt gewürzte Soße und frische Kräuter machten den Hauptgang zu einem Geschmackserlebnis.
Kein Erlebnis war der Service.
Für diese Preisklasse hätte ich einfach mehr erwartet. Wer jedoch nicht so auf die Preise schaut und gerne Pasta isst, der ist hier richtig.

We were here during lunchtime. Great values on the lunchmenu. Nice and very helpful staff. Save you some space for desert. It is very good. Will return as soon as possible.

This is the best Italian food in the universe. In the age of Unilocal– kids don’t get the history this place has. The food is fantastic service is gr8! Love this place

Food and service wise, there’s nothing special about IL Cortile that you have to come here for, especially with blocks filled with Italian options given its location in Little Italy. Although, I wouldn’t recommend coming to Little Italy for pasta nowadays anyways — it’s such a tourist trap. However, this spot will always hold a place in my heart as it was my first date with my girlfriend before she became my girlfriend.
The bread basket is good in which they provide a variety of breads and bread sticks. For entrees, my girlfriend ordered the penne vodka, while I ordered the Capellini Piselli e Prosciutto Speciali (capellini with meat sauce, tomatoes, prosciutto, mushroom, peas and cream). My pasta was undercooked, so I asked informed the waiter. He replied with an arrogant and rude tone that that was how it’s suppose to be, but took the dish back to be cooked more anyways. I was certainly worried that he could have spit in my food afterwards.
A bit pricy, so I would menu hop around if you really must have pasta in Little Italy.

Went to this restaurant on a recommendation and was very glad I went. Everything we got was amazing. The service was great and quick. Our water glasses were full and the food was perfect. I will definitely recommend and return.

Ventured all the way to little Italy on foot from uptown (W Lexington…3 miles) to this spot based on a recommendation. I was not disappointed. Really good service, delicious homemade authentic Italian and no wait.
Try the fried zucchini. They were fried crusty, thin, and very light. Shoestring style and served w/​a lemon wedge.
I had the farfalette w chicken, ham, tomato and asparagus and a cream sauce. DELISH!
If you decide to visit little Italy then I’m sure there are other locations to visit, but this is definitely worth the trip. If you prefer chain restaurants and Americanized Italian food that all tastes the same, this will ruin those places for you forevermore.
P.s.
My friend had ravioli and they were delicious and homemade, as I are there fettuccini noodles. Loved it!
There was a guy playing music too when we were leaving. Great ambiance!

Best tiramisu ever. Moscato was good. Bruschetta was amazing as were the mozzarella sticks. Chicken Parmesan was really good. Liked the place. Definitely a Italian vibe which is a good thing when in little Italy

Great atmosphere, wonderful food, and the staff was super friendly. When asking one of the waiters about his favorites, one of his responses was, «this is my mother’s recipe.» This place was really good authentic Italian food.

I can’t help but laugh at the people calling this place «touristy». Do they realize where they are? That’s very much like saying the same about Disney World. (Where do you think the «locals» there eat?) Get past it, folks. 98% of the people who step foot on Mulberry Street are tourists… the rest either work there or live above it.
I went here with my parents on a Wednesday night, and had a really good experience. The entire staff was very attentive and polite, and the restaurant is set up nicely through a few separate rooms, with each its own character. Like most other restaurants nearby, the Christmas season gives this place a charm you wont find any other time of the year, so it’s definitely a great time to visit.
As for the food, it’s characteristic, delicious Italian, and I can’t think of one single complaint about anything. I like Italian food very much, and it seemed you couldn’t go wrong with just about anything on the menu. My parents felt the same.
Thousands of people eat along this street every year, and it obviously generates thousands of different opinions. Some people are overly-​picky, but I firmly believe you could put a blindfold on, spin around with your finger pointed out, and wherever you ended up, you’d still be getting a much better Italian experience than what’s to be found at the typical Maggiano’s or Olive Garden… or at Disney.

Eh… There is nothing «wrong» with this place, but I wasn’t impressed. The lobster ravioli was good. The service was quick and everyone was very friendly. The menu seemed limited. I wouldn’t come back.

Get the Ragu! Only served on Saturday and Sunday. Fantastic service, great place. We eat here every time we come to town!

Went there last weekend, party of 8 and enjoyed everything. Service was awesome! Food was by far the best in NYC. Been there twice and both times had an awesome experience!

Love this place! Has been a family favorite for years. Was there for my sister’s birthday! The food is always excellent. I would recommend the Veal.

Great delicious food. A bit pricier than all the other restaurants in little Italy. Buy it doesn’t seem to be a tourist trap. I had the grilled salmon that was fairly well cooked. My wife got the seafood linguini which had an abundance of calamari, shrimp, mussels and clams.

my uncle recommended this place, which is a bad sign, because he’s a yo-​yo from way back when.
we sat in the back room, which is where you want to be and it is very pretty.
there is a lunch special menu which they won’t give you unless you ask for it. that’s the sign of a tourist trap. i managed to argue my way into the lunch special menu, but the vibe was dead at that point. food was good, no complaints there, but when we asked to wrap the left-​overs (half of our meals), they never brought it to us.

Great meatball! I love their fettuccine di Parma! This is the second time I have came here and I love it! Will always come back!

Il Cortile was a disappointment.
We ignored the truck out front providing «temporary boiler services», and the fact that the place was virtually empty. They were signs we should have heeded.
The experience and the service were somewhat amateurish.
We started with calamari and caesar salad. For entrees, chicken francese and pasta with pork ragu.
Odd flavors, way too much salt, and having to cut up the large chunks of meat that constituted the «ragu» left us quickly getting the check and bailing out.
Never again.

In town on business and this was recommended to us. Great atmosphere wit a garden court yard that is glasses in and an overall old world feel.
Service was exceptional and the waiter was very helpful. Upon recommendation selected a meat ball and a calamari appetizers. Both were exceptional though I prefer a bit spicier meat ball.
Main dish is where the meal went downhill. A rigatoni dish was bland and the pasta was undercooked, a bit tough. My two friends both ordered a seafood pasta me dolt and one was varied with a lot of flavor while the other (same dish) had less seafood and the flavor was different.
Shame that the food does not live up to the atmosphere and appetizers, too many other places in NY to eat…

I come here often for business dinners. I like the service. I don’t think it is the best Italian food.
I think this place is a bit touristy, but you can’t blame them. Most places are in Little Italy.
Verdict? Good for large parties and business dinners. If you are looking for an intimate romantic place or great food experience, this is not the place.

We have been going to il Cortile on and off for over 30 years… way back when the back garden room was an air shaft filled with clotheslines. We always loved it. Over the years the food has stayed consistent, remarkably…(still putting shallots in everything, the old palafita, zucchini friti etc.) but the service runs hot and cold. Mostly cold. Kind of unfriendly and very often prejudicial. Like the waiter is the owner’s brother-​in-​law. Not to mention always trying to upsell the tourist trade. Which has become the norm on Mulberry Street. Despite it all, il Cortile has a special place in our stomachs and our memories.
Recently there couple weeks ago for late lunch and just have to say the Linguini with White Clam Sauce sucked. Bland, watery. Jeez guys.

Definitely my favorite Italian spot in Little Italy.
I have been coming since I was a little kid (actually my parents used to dine here when they were dating) — so this place has definitely stood the test of time, which is unique for NYC restaurants.
My favorite dish is definitely the Spedini (appetizer, mozzarella with anchovie sauce). Also ALL of the pastas are amazing. Another really yummy touch is the complimentary foccacia with tomatoes served upon arrival.