Sant Ambroeus - West Village

“Sant Ambroeus West Village has long been a great spot for people watching and great food. The pedestrian traffic outside is always interesting. We had cocktails and brunch today for mother's day. It was fantastic. On arrival the wait was getting a bit long and the staff actually asked a couple to move to a smaller table and made room for us to accommodate our resi. This isn't uncommon for the patio seating to turn over a bit more slowly on a nice afternoon. After a little wait we were seated and offered a round of drinks on the house. Over the top way to soften the longer wait. The house cocktails were fantastic and gorgeous, the ladies had the Diva and loved them, one Espresso Martini and a few Apererol Spritz for the drinks. For starters we had the Beet Tartar and the Burrata and Tomato salad. Amazing start. Followed by two brunch items and two pastas. The American toast, the Avavcado toast with an added Smoked salmon a Cacio e Pepe and a Lamb Ragu. We also had a salmon as a side order, it was perfectly cooked. The pasta is always on point here. Thanks to the staff and chef. Happy Mother's Day”

“The store's small but super cute, and the vibe's awesome! The food was amazing, especially the vitello tonnato, gnocchi ossobuco, and the s'ambroeus cake. Chef Davide Grecchi even came out a couple of times to explain the food right at our table. We loved it, and his passion for his cooking made the experience even better. Service was great, formal but never dull, so the whole dinner was fantastic. We even asked to move tables because the AC was blowing right on us, and they switched us without a fuss. Seriously one of the best food experiences I've had in NYC.”

“Family of 3 had dinner here for the first time and celebrated our daughter’s birthday. Food was outstanding and so was our server, Ivana. She made the experience really special. Highly recommend trying this restaurant! Every single plate was 5 star. Really fresh, high quality ingredients in everything. We left extremely happy and very full! Excellent wine selection as well. Definitely go and if you get lucky enough to have Ivana you’re in for a perfect night.”

“Nothing short of delicious! The pasta as a whole was incredibly flavorful. It was hard to pick a favorite, but the ravioli as an appetizers was the best choice we made. Definitely don’t want to miss out on it! The cacio e pepe was perfectly creamy with just the right amount of black pepper. If you are going to get one thing, it HAS to be the pacherri Rosa. I’m not big on tomato sauce but the tomato was not over powering and the perfect consistency. The reason for 4 star is because although this was delicious, you can definitely find as equally delicious of pasta for a better price, but you definitely are paying for the vibe/great service! Our water cups never went empty.”

“This restaurant has a long history and many branches, but our visit was honestly one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in a while. First, the tables are extremely close together, making it difficult to get in and out of seats and nearly impossible to have a private conversation. It felt nothing like the elegant, warm atmosphere advertised on their website—instead, it was more like a crowded fast-casual place serving overpriced food. Second, the execution of the food was disappointing. Several dishes tasted and felt very different from what you’d typically expect at other Italian restaurants, and overall it was well below the average level you can find in NYC. For example, we ordered the Ossobuco alla Milanese: the rice was very dry and didn’t come together at all with the veal shank, the marrow bone, or the bland sauce. It genuinely felt like four unrelated components placed on the same plate with no cohesion. As for the pasta, the one with tomato sauce seemed like it had been sitting in the sauce for far too long before being served. The noodles were already overly soft, and the dish arrived slightly lukewarm—honestly worse in texture than some frozen pasta. Ironically, the salad was the best item we had. It was fine—about the level of an average café or brunch spot—but still nothing special, and definitely not something worth going out of your way for. Third, the pacing was terrible. The gaps between courses were far too long. The whole meal felt like a concert where each song lasts five minutes, but there’s a twenty-minute break between songs—there was no flow, and by the time the next dish arrived we were tired and losing our appetite. Service also felt very mechanical, more like fast-casual or basic casual dining, with none of the warmth or refinement they advertise online. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this place. New York has plenty of better options, and this restaurant does not represent the average standard of Italian food and service you can find here.”