Codino — Restaurant in New York

I recently organized a group birthday dinner at Codino. While the restaurant is cute and servers are nice, the food is subpar.

However, that is not the purpose of this review. After living and frequently dining out in NYC for 13 years, this will be my first-ever review. The process for organizing a group dinner was so horrific that I feel compelled to write it. As most NYC-ers know, it is very difficult to find places to host 20+ people...so when I found Codino I was excited. I now realize that Codino was only available because of what a pain the booking process is...and how disappointing the results are. To start, the back-and-forth with the event staff was extremely time consuming. In total we exchanged ~30 emails before the evening was booked. The menu in the contract is partially in Italian so it is very difficult to figure out food orders. And in the end one of the food orders was never served and another was served incorrectly. Finally, after the dinner we had questions about the bill (it did not match to what was anticipated relative to the number of people).

I would have let the errors (both service and monetary) go, but the event coordinator – Maria – was unlike anyone I have ever encountered in the service industry. When I asked her to explain the issues, she spoke to me in a raised voice that was essentially shouting, refused to let me get a word in, and ultimately hung up on me. When I provided photo evidence of the number of guests at our table (which she asked for), she said that it didn't matter and they wouldn't modify the charges. If Codino and their sister restaurants continue to do business this way, I fear they will not last...

i had an awesome lunch here the other day and will definitely be coming back over and over again. the service was incredibly friendly, attentive, and prompt, and the price point for all the food is really reasonable for the area. they also have a lunch special of a pasta dish with a glass of house wine that i think is a great deal.

the food was excellent; we had the suckling pig crostini and the flavor of the pork made my jaw literally drop - it was that good. my boyfriend had the pasta bolognese, which i tried and was again impressed by - the flavor was really complex while also being surprisingly delicate and light for a meat sauce (in a good way). i had the fettucine with wild mushrooms (but substituted gluten free penne) and it was also excellent, although i think next time around i will have to get the bolognese because it was so good. aside from the flavors of the sauces being really nice, the texture of the pastas was also perfect. i was really really impressed. the only negative about our meal was the lobster/avocado salad, which was actually pretty good (nice flavor, not over-dressed) but the lobster was a bit tough and next to the insane quality of the dishes just doesn't compare. i really look forward to trying the rest...

From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for something special. The ambiance struck the perfect balance between cozy and elegant, with soft lighting, tasteful decor, and music that set a relaxed tone without overwhelming conversation.

What truly elevated our experience, though, was the incredible service—especially from our host and waiter, Samet. From start to finish, they were warm, attentive, and genuinely passionate about making sure we had a wonderful evening. They greeted us with a sincere smile, gave thoughtful recommendations, and checked in just the right amount—never intrusive, but always available.

Their knowledge of the menu was impressive, describing each dish with enthusiasm that made choosing almost impossible (in a good way). The timing between courses was perfect, and you could tell there was real care behind everything they did—from remembering our names to adjusting small details without us even asking.

The food was phenomenal—every dish beautifully plated and bursting with flavor—but it was the human touch from our host that made this a truly memorable night. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for excellent cuisine and world-class...