Paesano — Restaurant in New York

Unfortunately, this place is a sad excuse for a Italian restaurant. I was in a little Italy and I stopped here because I saw it had high reviews. Sadly I now see that it’s just because most people have no idea what fine dining actually looks like. As you can see from my photos, the presentation and interior are beautifully captivating, as you would expect in New York but when it comes to the food and service, it was mediocre at best. It was definitely edible and that is the only reason they are getting three stars. But it really lacked flavor and the proper pizzazz you’re paying for. Contrary to what most New Yorkers and tourist might think. This place has absolutely nothing on good Italian restaurants in New Jersey. But yet I’m sitting in an over hyped restaurant, eating overpriced food, waiting as my car runs up a meter for overpriced parking. It was incredibly disappointing to say the least because the entire section of town is overrated. The pasta was uninspired, and only had chicken on it because I asked for it. The calamari was completely flavorless. The bruschetta was a complete joke with dry tomatoes. the marinara sauce was borderline ketchup. The cappuccino looked great, but tasted like complete water. And last but certainly not least in an Italian restaurant, The bread sucked! I wouldn’t have given that bread to the pigeons sitting outside it would be considered animal cruelty. And, of course, throughout this entire experience, you have a bunch of clueless, halfwit servers who barely understand Italian cuisine themselves. But they were dressed nice, so it could definitely fool the average customer. Which was exactly my take away from this restaurant. It seemed as though it was one big, elaborate ploy, to fool consumers into thinking that it was a real Italian restaurant that cares when clearly they are not. This place is an embarrassment to New York City and America as a whole. We can do better, and we do in many other locations. This just isn’t one of them. It’s just a poor imitation of Italian American cuisine. And after paying such a hefty fee for trying out this tragedy, I’m sad to say I will never return. I really wanted it to be good, but it completely sucked! But no real surprise there most of little Italy is a complete sham. Next time I’ll just stay in...

Came here at 8:30pm for dinner on a Thursday. The restaurant was packed but the friendly host greeted us and assured we’d be seated in a timely manner. We waited around 10-15 min for 3 people. The interior is beautiful and cozy with strung lights. It’s a bit tight so be mindful of walking and also of your belongings.

The complimentary bread was nothing special but the olive oil was delicious! It was oil with garlic and herbs/spices. The bread seemed to be a regular small baguette and it soaked up the oil well.

We got a Caesar salad to start. It was nicely coated in the sauce and cheeses. It was tasty, especially since I haven’t had many greens this whole trip.

I’m not a huge vodka sauce person but there were so many tables with rigatoni a la vodka that I felt compelled to try it. I was also in the mood for a thick, al dente pasta and this satisfied the craving! It tasted like a cross between a white and a red sauce since it was creamy but also had a tomato flavor. Some places make it a bit bitter, but this wasn’t. It’s probably the best vodka pasta I’ve had so far.

The spaghetti carbonara was tasty! The meat paired well with the rich, white, saucy noodles, and there was a good amount of meat. If you’re in the mood for a white, creamy sauce, I recommend sharing with someone who got a red pasta to balance out the flavors.

The spaghetti marinara tasted fresh. We got a side of sausage (comes with 2 for $5) and it came in a pool of marinara sauce. It was a nice protein to the rigatoni and spaghetti dishes.

We got a white sangria but our server mistakenly gave us a red one one; we said it’s okay and he assured us the red one was better. This sangria was less sweet than most I’ve had which I liked but it also felt a bit watery.

We also got a glass of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo wine which was full-bodied with red fruit flavors. It paired nicely with the food.

The service was nice and the overall atmosphere was warming. We collectively sang happy birthday to the table next to us. It was a lovely way to end a full day out...

Since 1911, in the heart of Little Italy on a busy block of Mulberry Street, this establishment is the original red sauce Italian restaurant, where some of us were first-timers and my repeat performance in 10 years for dinner yesterday. Reservations were easily made via Yelp. Upon entering Paesano, translated from Italian for fellow countrymen, my partner, visitors from out of town and I were greeted by the host, who immediately transported us to a table in an authentic Sicilian village with rustic wooden beams. The space was extremely tight, with tables very close to each other, so be expected to bump elbows with those around you when seated. The menu offers a long list of your favorite Italian specialties, including a wide variety of seafood, chicken, veal, and assorted pastas. As an appetizer, we decided to share the mozzarella in Carroza. For the main meal, we opted for Lasagna Primavera, Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimps, Gnocchi Pesto, and Calamari Luciana made fresh daily with sautéed in butter, virgin olive, white wine, shallots, garlic, and parsley. Served over linguine. Complimentary bread with olive oil started our meal. Every dish we tasted was bursting with flavor and served in a big portion. The best Italian meals are simple, with a long tradition of using the finest and freshest ingredients. Prices were very wallet-friendly. The atmosphere was vibrant, and the staff were great, especially our server, Alberto. Everything about Paesano’s hits the mark, so we can...