Nico's Little Italy — Restaurant in Manhattan

Let me start by saying that I’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants—some upscale, some casual, and everything in between. But never, and I mean never, have I had a server like John at Nico’s Little Italy. He wasn’t just good. He was exceptional. The kind of server who somehow makes the entire night run smoother, feel better, and taste even more delicious.

Right from the start, John was warm, confident, and incredibly welcoming without being over-the-top. He had that rare ability to read a table instantly. You know how sometimes a server either talks too much or barely checks in? John nailed that perfect middle ground. He made us feel like he genuinely cared about us having the best experience—and not in a robotic, “I was trained to say this” kind of way. It felt real.

We opted for the family-style dinner, and John walked us through the options like someone who actually loves the food they’re serving. His recommendations weren’t generic—they were specific, thoughtful, and spot-on. Every dish he suggested ended up being a hit. And the way he paced everything? Impeccable. Just as we were finishing one round, the next arrived. No long waits, no feeling rushed, just a perfectly flowing evening.

Every detail was handled with professionalism. Drinks were always full. Plates cleared at just the right time. He checked in just enough to make sure we were taken care of, but also gave us space to enjoy each other’s company. Honestly, we kept saying how easy and relaxing the night felt—and that was entirely thanks to John.

Now, for the record—yes, I am John’s Fortnite coach (small world, right?). So maybe I walked in expecting good service. But even with my built-in bias, I was blown away. Coaching someone in a video game doesn’t prepare you to see them crush it this hard in real life. This isn’t just a guy who knows how to box fight and rotate through Storm—this is someone who treats service like a craft and absolutely delivers on every level.

By the end of the night, we were laughing, fully satisfied, and talking about how this might be our new go-to spot. Not just because the food was incredible (it was), but because John made the entire experience feel seamless and memorable. He’s not just a server—he’s an asset to that restaurant. If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you know how rare it is to find someone with this level of natural skill and care.

So yeah, I may have taught him how to hold high ground—but John taught us what true five-star service looks like.

If you’re going to Nico’s Little Italy, ask for John. You’ll be...

First off I'd like to say that I am reviewing this location based on its name and claim of Italian food. As someone who has had authentic Italian food, I can assuredly say that this is not it.

My wife and I got the sampler appetizer that came with fried calamari, stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, and fried ravioli.

All of the items on this list fell short in terms of authenticity, flavor, and fresh ingredients. I am positive that most of it was previously frozen when we could taste it. Getting fresh ingredients is not that hard to do when there are hundreds of options for them, especially in the middle of farm country.

The sampler also had bruschetta on it but it was so bad I don't think I can add it here without disparaging it to much. They tried too much with something that is meant to be simple.

We ordered soda water which was flat and tasted like regular water.

The waiter was amazing and attentive as well as the manager of the establishment.

If you are someone who doesn't care about authenticity, flavor, and quality ingredients this might be a good option for you. Unfortunately we have had the real thing and this just fell short on multiple levels. Keep in mind that I did come here understanding that this was a mid western Italian food location so my faith already had some space built in for grace, but this was still too short.

Prices for the portions seemed reasonable but again this is the typical $22 for a plate that can feed 4. Take what you want from this but I like to think that Americans ready get larger portions than needed and I believe this is one of nicos selling...

Mediocre midwest pasta, I dare not even call it Italian food. The ambience is so so, about what you expect for pseudo italian places in a small town. The service was good, the dishes were nicely timed and everything came out hot. The food however leaves you wanting from the very beginning. The table bread is of a very inferior quality and served with margarine. It is also used with their bruschetta which is not elevated anymore with the unmarinated tomato mixture of underripe tomatoes. Most of the other appetizers are fried and are premade frozen products with the quality you would expect from a house brand. The entrees are a further disappointment with over cooked pasta in all four dishes tried on two separate occasions. The pesto tastes like a premade product with little to elevate it. The alfredo sauce was broken and grainy with not quite enough garlic or parmesan for compensation, and somehow by default it comes with or cooked broccoli. The shrimp and scallops in a seafood dish were both overcooked. Their chicken marsala and piccata dishes barely resemble their true counterparts using bulk made sauces with very little flavor served over chicken with too much breading. The tomato sauce is so so erring on the side of over seasoning. I won't even go into their carbonara right now. If you are craving some good italian food in Manhattan I suggest learning to cook or driving to...