Sociale — Restaurant in New York

I wish that google had "6" star ratings because this particular restaurant is the best of its type in the category of casual trattoria style restaurants.

Let's start with the service - the staff works like a team and they are neat, courteous, professional, and worthy of a Michelin rated restaurant. They are on top of cleaning, providing fresh cold water, and are never overwhelming. The waiter is fully aware of the recipes, the ingredients, the presentation. (My wife is vegetarian and always needs assurance that there is no chicken stock, for example, in a dish).

The food is straight from a country menu in Emilia Romagna or other northern regions. Simple, not overdone - ingredients are discernable, the plate is presented in a fresh and understated manner. If you like brick chicken, then you will love the way it is made here. The polenta that accompanies is can be sampled only in a little town in Tuscany - like Mamma's!

The pasta will bowl you over - it is made fresh daily and the sauces are exactly what is expected from a top flight Italian restaurant. (Not bombarded with too much garlic or herbs - the sauces "sonno perfetto!"

I need to add that Signor Francesco (owner) knows the art of food and hospitality. (I told him that his staff was excellent and he reasoned that it was because he has been with the SAME wait staff for over 8 years! What restauranteur can boast that?) Francesco runs this place like a classic Italian cruise ship from the 1960s - Something out of "La Dolce Vita"!

Did I mention that the sound level was of romantic proportions?

Lastly - the bill was remarkably low (considering the food and service).

Obviously, I give this restaurant the highest review - and I will most certainly be back!

Thank you, Sociale, for a...

The good: beautiful location, friendly service, great cocktails and wine options. Appetizers were delicious.

The bad: everything else... staff was apologetic about issues with ordering, service was insanely slow. Mains were quite bland (food was over-cooked and lacked the flavor/texture vibrancy we found on the appetizers). Desserts were correctly executed, but forgettable. The espresso was sour- a disappointment, as I consider bad coffee especially unforgivable in an Italian restaurant.

A note about the service: I actually quite like a hands-off approach to service and am usually irritated by overly pushy servers that bring you the check before you even got a chance to consider dessert for “whenever you’re ready!”. Our interactions with our waitress were fine, and her intrusions were all justified. However, spending almost 3 hours at dinner was not in our plans- every course was overly drawn out and we had to wait several minutes for our food. By comparison, this type of approach would have been absolutely fine and desirable had the reason of our visit been to have some drinks and catch up with friends.

I think overall Sociale would benefit from shifting to a small plates menu (as supporting actors to their very strong beverage offering) rather than presenting itself as a full restaurant. Our experience here with expectations for a sit-down dinner was very poor (I was torn between a 2- and a 3-star review, frankly I feel like 2 stars is better deserved) but had we come in for drinks and a bite I would probably have a different opinion- perhaps even 4 stars! I don’t think we’ll be returning which is a shame, but hope Sociale can make some improvements to their value proposition to better serve the neighborhood and thrive...

Sociale, located in Brooklyn, NY, is a must-visit restaurant that offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere. As soon as we arrived, Meghan and her husband Francesco greeted us at the front door, making us feel at home.

The decor is unique, with lots of live plants and low lighting that adds to the cozy ambiance. We started with cocktails, and they were made to perfection. The wine selection, featuring Italian wines, was impressive and paired perfectly with the Italian cuisine.

Francesco's Italian heritage is evident in the delicious food that the chef prepares. The spaghetti and meatballs were standout dishes, with the spaghetti having a fresh basil taste that was heavenly. The patate cipolla flatbread was also excellent, with little globs of ricotta that were like little clouds of joy.

The server was attentive and polite, adding to the overall experience. The restaurant seemed to have many neighborhood clientele, which is always a good sign that the food is excellent.

Overall, Sociale is a fantastic restaurant that provides an enjoyable dining experience. Whether you're a local or a tourist, it's a must-visit restaurant in Manhattan. It was only a short subway ride away from our hotel in Brooklyn. The atmosphere, drinks, food, and service all come together to create a memorable dining experience. Congratulations to Meghan, Francesco, and their team for creating such an...