Palma
Categories:
Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, Mediterranean Restaurants
Details:
Brunch, Business Dining, Fine Dining, Fireplace, Group Dining, Lunch Spot, Outdoor Dining, Private Rooms, Romantic Dining
Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, Mediterranean Restaurants
Brunch, Business Dining, Fine Dining, Fireplace, Group Dining, Lunch Spot, Outdoor Dining, Private Rooms, Romantic Dining
Enjoy A Beautiful Garden Dining Experience in the West Village! Book Our Private Carriage House for your next private luncheon or dinner party. Holds up to 18 people. A mellow, Mediterranean mood prevails at Palma, a Sicilian spot that solidifies Cornelia Street as one of the best small restaurant blocks in Manhattan. Decor is simple and soulful, with chestnut tables and a stone-tile floor. Well-chosen music and soft-voiced, olive-skinned servers help the restaurant dance to a sultry undertow.
Elegant italian
by
Melissa W.
|
Insider Expert
| Rank: 3,028
This restaurant in the West Village offers a mellow Italian experience with fine Italian cuisine and wines.Decor is simple and soulful, with chestnut tables and a stone-tile floor. Well-chosen music and soft-voiced, olive-skinned servers help the restaurant dance to a sultry undertow. Oh, and the food and wines are great. Great for a date night!
Posted 12/20/08 | Report Abuse
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Romantic, Warm and Genuine
by Santorini
If you want to fall in love go to Palma's. The chef is really from Italy so the food is made with care and is fresh and delicious. The Zuppe de Pesce is to die for and can be shared. The pasta is fresh and the fish is superb. I celebrated my birthday in the 1810 Carriage House in the rear of the Garden. Everyone is still talking about it. How about warm chocolate souffle or Panna Cotta to dream in. The Carriage House is like a Farm House in Tuscany or France with Candles and family photos. I loved it!!
Pros: A unique Garden and Carriage House
Cons: Garden Seats Fill up Fast
Posted 11/03/09
Disappointing
by bchbumnyc
We finally decided to eat here one evening after a few years of saying, "we should eat here one evening." Food was fine but not memorable. Service was inconsistent - we probably had 4 different servers through the evening which is fine however they apparently don't speak to one another. We were asked if we were ready to order drinks twice, said yes, but then the servers would leave without taking an order. We asked what the specials were, which seemed to be an imposition. One of the persons in our party order a special and raved about it, the remaining 3 of us ordered from the menu and were not wowed. Dessert was wonderful! I might give this place another try because it may have been an off night but I wouldn't rush back.
Pros: lovely indoor space with warm lighting & a beautiful garden
Cons: service
Posted 09/13/09
Best little Italian Place!
by mbrook
This place is just like dining in Tuscany! We've passed it by for years and now we wish we had gone in earlier. The garden in the back is to die for... just like being in Europe! The food was amazing and the chef even came out to check on us. We felt very taken care of and very charmed. We will definately be back for our anniversary!
Pros: Good service, great food!
Posted 07/26/09
Best Kept Italian Secret in Town
by BillyMae
While the food is wonderful, the atmosphere is relaxing, magical and very European.
Pros: Great Organic Fresh Italian Food
Posted 06/29/09
Homey Yet Elegant: Perfect place for a date, or taking family
by PrimroseGirl
I have lived in the neighborhood for ages, and when I finally found Palma, I knew I'd just found my FAVORITE neighborhood place. The combination of homeyness, hipness, truly tasty food, and just..NICE. people,was lovely. I'm always looking for a place that I can bring friends and family, where I'll feel really at home, but at the same time, it's a bit upscale,. I love the fried artichoke chips as a starter. The best thing is the Mediterranean Sea Bass, which I've had wrapped in paper (!?)and is delicious!! Someone else mentioned thye tours that come through once in a while on a Sunday (in the garden) , but , as a longtime Village resident, I love that people get to see this pretty place with it's 1810 carriagehouse...it makes them feel protective of the Village's beauty!! We do Sunday brunch in the garden all the time in the summer. Support little, homey, artisanal restaurants like Palma...they survived 9/11 with their joyous spirit intact, which is when I firsdt started going there. Go support 'em and find your new cozy place. And when I was there last night, there was an Olson twin and the guy from "S*x and the City!" (not together)
Pros: Homey but elegant, food can be terrific, lots of celebs, garden is wonderful
Cons: A little hard to find...Cornelia Street is a really small side street in the Village .
Posted 02/01/09
It was okay.
by ShnnnS
The rucola salad was good but the other dishes were all very salty. The wine list wasn't very impressive either.
The service was good but they were definitely in a hurry to clear my plate. (Nothing annoys me more than trying to clear my plates when I'm still eating)
I had a good time but I credit that to my dinner companion. Probably won't be back.
Posted 12/09/08
Nice for weekend brunch, but didn't like tacky practice the restaurant has....
by yippee
I've come here for weekend brunch twice. The food was excellent. The ambiance (particularly the outdoor garden out back) is very nice.
But I had a very big problem with the fact that....at least on the weekends (on both my dining occasions there)...I saw that the restaurant apparently allows private tour groups to traipse through the entire restaurant in order to visit the historic carriage house in the back of their garden property. During my last brunch there, four separate tour groups, each with approximately 15 people, came in through the front door (on a very chilly day mind you, which resulted in a drafty feeling) over the course of about 1.5 hours. They walked to the back of the property and when they were done a few minutes later, they all came walking back through the restaurant, (discreetly) looking at the customers, what they were eating, etc..
I can only surmise that the restaurant either gets a "cut" from the tour company, and/or that they are hoping that the tourists who visited the carriage house out back might return to their restaurant one night for dinner...
I find this to be EXTREMELY tacky and inconsiderate on the restaurant's part, and as a result, and on principle only, I will never eat there again.
Pros: garden out back
Cons: restaurant allows tour groups to walk through restaurant to see carriage house out back
Posted 10/26/08
I love it!
by Moniq77
The food is very flavorful, the menu has a lot to offer and I can go there with my vegetarian friends. Absolutely looooove the aragosta salad!!!!!!!! Its my favorite thing to eat there... Its huge and great!! My friend gets the gamberoni , which he loves! The pappardelle ragu d'agnello is sooo good and its hard to stop eating then once youve started!! I love coming here with friends.
Posted 09/15/08
Good Food, questionable service?
by secretagentman469
I?ve eaten here a number of times and usually it?s a pleasant experience. Palma has always been talked about for their quality food and service. Just found it odd on a weekend night when there were 7 tables outside with one server. With one person serving 7 tables, it is obvious there is only so much 1 person can do.
With a single server, a host who is standing around looking jovial, I was questioning the management of the establishment especially on a weekend. Since I?ve eaten here a handful of times, I know things are not run like this all the time.
I
Pros: Fine dining
Cons: Shorthanded service and questionable teamwork.
Posted 07/26/08
Best crispy calamari in town!
by carolineshine
I have been dining at Palma since it's opening in 2001. I am happy to say that I consider it one of my top 5 "regular" places to go when I want a meal that I know will be exactly what I am in the mood for. Although there have been some evenings, when it is crowded, the service may be somewhat delayed but I have never experienced any one being outwardly rude. The calamari is some of the best I have eaten anywhere, the zuppa fragrant and so fun to eat! Fresh branzino and some very fine specials created by Chef Elena that I have never found anywhere else. Eating in the garden in the summer is so delightful, at lunchtime I just want to stay for hours! My only gripe is that I wish they would bring back the "di mare", a dish with assorted grilled seafood - clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, lobster - I miss it!! I always enjoy the cuisine here and will continue to dine here year round!
Posted 07/17/08
One of the best West Village restaurants AND on the Cutest street!
by lauranal
First of all, Cornelia Street is one of the best streets in NYC, right in the middle of the West Village, so quaint! Second, Palma is on this street and it is truly a "find"! My friend introduced me to this restaurant because she rented the back "house" portion of the restaurant for a private birthday dinner. The food was excellent. Lots of seafood on the menu with fresh pastas. Great wine and the whole ambience made you feel like you in were in a rustic home in Italy. Fabulous!
Pros: Cute, Quaint
Posted 05/19/08
Elegant Italian Dining
by ornswayl
We had our wedding dinner in the carriage house and couldn't have asked for a more intimate and romantic dining experience. The food was unique and very tasteful. The wine was excellent and the service was superior! An unexpected was the cake, hands down, the wedding cake was the best cake I have ever tasted period. It will most certainly be a destination every trip to New York!
Pros: Atmosphere, food, service,
Cons: none
Posted 02/17/08
Terrible experience
by DavidandSusan
Interesting to see two such sharply divided opinions about this place. While one group has been treated horribly, the other has had wonderful times there. Sadly, we?re in the former. We live nearby, and were hoping to make this one of our haunts, because ? admittedly ? the food is very good. We?re very patient, and have a high tolerance for the occasional restaurant snafu when things get busy. We always make an effort to be pleasant, because we feel that human interaction is an enjoyable part of the dining experience. We gave Palma a couple of tries in the hope that their rudeness was just a glitch. For some reason, the staff behaved each time as if they preferred we drop dead. Each of the negative reviews reflect some aspect of our treatment there, including being ignored, lied to about reservations, and treated with such cold disdain, I wondered if I had forgotten to shower. We had been planning to book their house in the back for our daughter?s wedding party, but that became unthinkable. Too bad. I?m going to miss that calamari.
Pros: Good Food
Cons: Horrible Service. Have never been so badly treated in any restaurant
Posted 02/01/08
An Excellent Choice
by linda_lukas
As a resident of the West Village and someone who likes to cook I have the choice to dine in a lot of restaurants and know good food. After two visits to Palma I can't wait for my next visit. Arriving on a busy summer Saurday evening we were warmly welcomed and enjoyed fabulous strawberry mojitos at the lovely bar while we waited for a table in the enchanting garden. Before we finished our drinks we were escorted to our table. We chose from an abundant and interesting menu. Both the calamari and grilled baby artichoke stuffed with ricotta were perfect starters. Crispy, succulent and pefectly prepared. Not to mention unbelieveably generous portions. For our second course we shared an unusual lamb ravioli with a very noteworthy spicy, plump marinara sauce. We shared a superbly prepared swordfish in caper and lemon sauce. Our waitress was delightful and very pleased to hear our comments about recipe experiences. The charming host stopped by the table periodically to see how we were doing. In spite of how busy the restaurant was we were never rushed and when we left the staff including the chef bid us goodbye as though we were family. Eating at Palma feels like being in an Italian country home surrounded by happy people in a sparkling courtyard, intimate, festive and absolutely delicious.
Pros: Excellent cuisine in sparkling intimate atmosphere
Cons: Festive dining can be a little noisy...not for intimate conversation on a Saturday night.
Posted 09/07/07
New York Flava'
by boygreen
Alright, coming from the west coast and dining at places such as the famed IVY, ORSO, PASTIS, CHOCOLAT and so on, I think I know a thing or two about some fine dinin'. Palma, is definitely now my new favorite place. I completely forgot I was in the nations largest city and my god was the food amazing! I do highly recommend the sea bass with artichokes accompanied by a white sangria. If you have a huge appetite you have to have lamb over pasta for starters. To finish off or maybe if you're itchen' for some sensual sweetness, a must is the dark chocolate sorbet; it is absolutely sinful but oh so heavenly.
Along with the exquisite food, the service was absolutely charming. It's unfortunate that the previous reviewer carried a sense of entitlement prominent in the Blondie hazed glitz of LA LA land. I found the eccentric & entertaining New York personalities refreshing leaving me definitely wanting more.
Pros: personable and attentive staff, impecable food, and beautiful floral arrangements.
Cons: It may get a little too loud becuase of the large groups.
Posted 08/27/07
My dining touch of love........
by rock4ya
Amazing, outstanding and a touch of love is how I will explain my dining experience at this restaurant. I was told to dine here from an elite group of friends. Let me say, they were right about everything from the service to the food. We were greeted by the manager who seated us quickly on what seemed to be a busy night. I love him, by the way, he was easy on the eyes. The sea bass course was delightful, while friends enjoyed the zupa and homemade gnocchi.....The lovely waitress was so right in her wine choice. Everything was right about this place, just a bit loud at times. Anyway, I will definitely come again and send my friends but next time I want the beautiful garden. See you next time in New York..........
Pros: Manager and staff, plus garden and fresh fruit drinks.
Cons: noisey a bit
Posted 08/27/07
Dispicable customer service!
by budur1
Beware of the nasty bartender/manager who insists on a self-imposed assumption that he is God's gift to this Earth. Even though the food is good, we will not be returning as we just don't feel like in New York City, where there are thousands of fabulous restaurants, we should have to be subjected to mood swings of badly-mannered staff. I'd much rather walk the extra block and enjoy the splendor of BABBO where the staff is actually happy to see you!
Pros: The food and the simple setting of this restaurant are really wonderful
Cons: dismissive and annoying staff with a major chip on their collective shoulder
Posted 08/17/07
Adorable
by tennis19
I've been to Palma several times and it is cozy and friendly and delicious. I hesitate writing this because I don't want it to become to trendy or popular, but the management is lovey and the food is great (have them filet the sea bass for you!) and I just can't get enough of the outside patio. They have an amazing menu of cocktails (strawberry mojito - yum!) and it makes New York feel like a neighborhood instead of a huge city you can never get to know. Palma deserves the good reviews. I will continue to go back!
Pros: Patio, service, cocktails
Posted 08/14/07
Atmosphere is the Best Feature
by nbdysfool22
The atmosphere of Palma is alluring. However, be forewarned before choosing Palma, there may be trade-offs in your dining experience. There is a trend in NYC restaurants where the staff/ownership feels they are doing you a favor by allowing you the privilege of dining at their establishment. Palma enthusiastically toes the party line on that one. While not overtly rude, our waitress was neither pleasant nor attentive. Tradeoff one?be prepared to be treated as if you are a bit a nuisance for entering the front door.
Far from being a sommelier, I am an average person who enjoys drinking wine. As such I have a hard time dropping $50 on a bottle of wine that will be undescernable from a $30 bottle of wine, which is often quite good in its own right. Trade-off two?there are few wines on their wine list under $40, and if you are bold enough to choose one you will be met with a dismissiveness that subtely whispers, ?we know you are a wine amateur, and we don?t like it.?
We ordered friend calamari, a ?dish? that is whipped up on a regular basis at most local pizzerias. However, the friend calamari at Palma comes without a side of sauce. When we asked for it we were told that we could not have any. It wasn?t like we wanted to put ketchup on a steak. Now perhaps to a Sicilian this is the equivalent of ketchup on a steak, but this is New York and I like sauce on my fried calamari. As such I found their refusal to grant our request to be an interesting take on customer service. Additionally, there was no high end twist to this calamari that would preclude the employment of marinara. In fact, (unlike the rest of our meal?which was quite good), the calamari was strikingly similar to what you might get from your aforementioned local pizza place.
We were a party of 4, and while everyone was exceedingly happy with their entree, we all agreed that in a city with so many options the cons outweigh the pros and we would not go back there.
Pros: atmosphere
Cons: not welcoming
Posted 07/06/07
Feels more like the Mediterranean than NYC
by zeecee
From the moment you walk in, you find respite as the warm glow of the walls, the lavish twigs and flowers, the pottery and olives on the table welcome you and invite you to hang back. We had a bottle of Proseco ($40), a huge appetizer of salted, fried, baby artichokes, an eggplant, tomato and fresh ricotta appetizer, then two pastas (a truly yummy gnocci), in a pleasant setting. There was no room in the outdoor garden but the interior was quite and inviting, and we were delighted to be there. This is a special setting with delicious food, priced reasonably for New York. Service was professional, pleasant, eager to please.
Pros: Great setting and food
Cons: none
Posted 05/21/07
In the know place for NYC folk
by darleenthecat
Such a relaxed atmosphere, great menu, rich food and professional service. I can't wait for the good weather to experience the garden again this year. After spending time in midtown, it's always great to come down to Cornelia Street, which is just too far off the popular streets for our out of town visitors. It's just filled with us in the know, you know?
Pros: relaxed
Cons: others might show up!
Posted 04/04/07
Little Italian Gem in West Village
by mlangnyc
I have been here a number of times, and my experience has always been very good. Like the physical space, the menu might seem small, but it's quality over quantity. They do an excellent job with their pastas and meats--freshly prepapred and quality ingredients. And the prices are reasonable. I have found the staff to be very friendly . Overall, this is great place to go, especially for those who love the West Village.
Pros: Excellent food, reasonable prices
Cons: small space; menu a bit limited
Posted 02/18/07
An Italian Gem
by ljs611
I never write reviews for restaurant but I had an amazing evening at Palma. The restaurant itself is beautiful, a welcomed departure from the new trend of "bigger is better". The low lighting and intimate space provided the perfect romantic setting for me and my wife. The service was great. They were very friendly and accomadating. I highly recommend the branzino, which is filleted for you at the table. I will definitely be returning.
Pros: ambiance, service
Posted 02/09/07
Awful Experience - Mediocre Food
by crpatter
Not only were we given awful service, but we were rushed out so that they could used the table. We weren't offered the dessert menu and after asking and ordering a dessert, it arrived cold w/ the condition that we eat it fast. Given the expense of our food this was awful treatment along side mediocre food. Would definitely never return let alone offer this as a recommendation.
Pros: Cute neighborhood
Cons: Awful service
Posted 02/02/07
Love this place
by nyfabu
I love the food at Palma. We went right after a trip to Tuscany. So, while it wasn't as good as the real thing, it was pretty close. Plus, the staff is so friendly. You really feel like you are dining at someone's house. In the summer, the back patio is a romantic spot to have a glass of wine and a great Italian meal. The only thing bad about the restaurant is the quality of the furniture on the back patio. We had to try three different tables before we found one that wasn't broken.
Pros: patio, service, food
Cons: patio furniture needs updating
Posted 11/04/06
Great service, great food!!!
by pleyades
I went to Palma last thursday, I seat at the bar and the femele bartender kindly gave me a great dining experience, she recommend not only a few dishes and appetizers, but also she describe and let me try some wines. I got Carchofi and Vongole Linguini.... so good!!!
I will go back with friends and try more things, and definitely say hi! to this nice bartender again!
Posted 10/06/06
Still think this is worth a visit...
by 358224
...even though the proprietor acted a bit stressed last Saturday.
I took a friend to Palma since we wanted to dine outside. The garden in the back is very pretty/romantic and definitely worth a shot. To make sure that everything goes well I called 2 days earlier and made a reservation adding that we would like to be seated outside. The request was noted and I was told that it would not be a problem.
My friend and I arrived on time on Saturday but have been told that we needed to wait for about 30-45 minutes to get a table in the garden. I am pretty easy when it comes to situations like this, however, I was disappointed by the fact that nobody at Palma was apologetic. The least would have been a "I am sorry" and maybe a drink on the house. But rather than that (which costs a restaurant nothing) I have been lectured that reservations for tables in the garden are not being taken.
In the end we got our table and enjoyed our stay. The starter and main courses were very delicious and our waiter had a good attitude.
Would I go back there? Yes, but I would hope that the proprietor has a better day...
Pros: outdoor dining, romantic, good food
Cons: on a good day, there are none
Posted 08/15/06
"welcome, please order something expensive, slam it down, pay, leave...thank you!"
by hads
Very rushed service! I would not want to be "squeezed in" to this mediocre establishment again. I barely got down my so so entree before being pointed to the door. No time to relax. In my day, we used to say: New York, New York..so nice they named it twice...Now it must be New York, too rushed to be nice". Lots of other options in the W. Village.
Posted 08/09/06
great food & atmosphere
by hfgv
I had dinner last night in the outdoor garden. The food was just terrific, the atmospher was, of course, wonderful. We were not rushed; only pampered. Beware of reviewers who gripe. They may have some other motive. I have also held parties in the back farmhouse to raves by all the invitees. Many thumbs up.
Pros: Atmosphere and food
Cons: Sometimes a wait
Posted 08/09/06
Great customer service and italian food
by aross
Have been at this restaurant many times.To say that Billy is rude is not only false but a patent lie. Could it be that this customer drank too much prior to going there in bereavement for the death of his mother? I suspect this to be the case.Highly reccomended
Posted 08/09/06
RUDE RUDE RUDE- AND BURNT FOOD!
by fordl
Something has changed at Palma. A former regular customer, I recently went and was shuffled around by the staff to "turn tables". I wrote a letter to complain, received a voicemail from the owner I think, returned her call two times and never heard back! Thumbs down. Very bad experience. I imagine they will turn tables for some time, but not for me nor any of my friends. BOOH! Bronx cheer!
Posted 08/08/06
AMAZING FOOD, GREAT AMBIANCE, AND THE FRIENDLIEST M'AITRE-D AROUND
by dmaldea
This restaurant is fabulous. I live in the neighborhood and probably eat there at least once a week. Billy is both friendly and attentive. I was personally present when the woman who wrote the nasty "EVIL M'AITRE-D" review, had her 'incident'. While I understand that this customer suffered a personal loss that day, her emotional state caused her to be both unreasable and profane. The entire restaurant staff handled the situation professionally, and with appropriate sympathy. No reader of CitySearch should allow this unfortunate incident to cloud their judgement - you will delighted with Palma. All of the friends I have sent there have absolutely raved about it. It's the neighborhood place that everyone in Manhattan wishes to know.
Pros: Great food, wonderful service, friendly atmosphere
Cons: None
Posted 08/08/06
Hidden Gem in the city
by noelliiie
I have been to sooo many restaurants in NYC. Out of all of them Palma is hands down the best. The dining experience is like no other. The restaurant has such an amazing Mediteranean aura to it that you completely forget that you are in NYC. I reccomend trying to sit outside in the garden surrounded by all the gorgeous flowers. The food is to die for. Do try the *** Zuppe di Pesce***, Lobster salad, and the Calamari (out of all my trips to Italy never had better!) The owner and her husband are wonderful people who seem to create a home-like feel to their guests. They have a carriage house in the back for private parties and you shouldn't be surprised if you see very well known faces coming out of there. I really can't reccomend a restaurant more then Palma. If you haven't been there yet then you are missing out. All my friends I have reccomended it to have echoed my response- that it's the best restaurant in nyc. Definitely a 10 +!!!
Pros: Food and Ambiance
Cons: NONE
Posted 07/23/06
Palma! Your Resturant is the Best in NYC.
by djohnny
I enjoy great Restaurants! Palma is the BEST! I live uptown, when I want to have that special dining, I go downtown to Palma! The food and the service is fantastic!
I think the Restaurant is special for my dining needs, when i'm alone or with a friend, I enjoy sitting in the window & fealing cozy in the corner, when my party is 4 or more the garden great! On a clear night looking up at the stars in the sky is beautiful.
The Carrage House, I always take my partys there, it has a VIP fealing that says to my guest, You are all so special to me!
The best thing is fealing like I'm home. Hi Palma what's for Dinner!
Posted 07/11/06
Great food, whiny bartender
by rebek
Overall, Palma was a great dining experience. Went there this past weekend with a group of four at 8 with a reservation and had the chance to sit in the absolutely wonderful backyard dining patio.
We shared the lobster salad, the caprese salad, the artichoke, and rice and cheese appetizers. The rice and cheese was a bit plain, but yummy and the caprese salad was standard. The lobster salad, while good, was small and the artichoke had been fried and tasted slightly like french fries.
For entrees, we ordered the lamb chop (great, with potatoes and on a bed of greens sauteed in olive oil and garlic), the swordfish, and the gnocchi. It was apparent to all that our friend who had ordered the zuppa di pesce had certainly won the ordering contest! His entree was a dramatic huge puffy pastry surrounding a dish with scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, and other seafood inside cooked in a savory red broth. Absolutely delicious! For any seafood lover, it's a must try!
Wine was delicious and service (despite the other posts) at the table wasn't too bad.
The only downfall of the whole night happened in the very beginning when we asked the bartender if we could put the drinks on our table's tab. He insisted, "No, you must pay at the bar here." My friend and I went to split the $50 bill and he looked at both of us, said, "UGHHH!" and took our money. He was INCREDIBLY rude.
Pros: Great food, atmosphere
Cons: HORRENDOUS BARTENDER!
Posted 07/09/06
EXCELLENT FOOD, Charmless waiter.
by cpomykal
Everything we ordered tasted great from the apps, drinks, meal and all. The artichoke was a great treat as were their magaritas!!! Too bad our tip couldn't reflect it, we didn't feel comfortable leaving our worthless waiter any regard. The garden is ideal for seating, but it's all good!
Pros: Food!
Cons: one waiter
Posted 06/20/06
Worth the Wait
by greentree
I finally went over to Palma last weekend. The front room was bustling with activity, and (as a New Yorker) I was not surprised that I'd have to wait for my table. I rather appreciated the host tell me honestly how long I could expect to be waiting, rather than having him hand me a lie and a smile (like some other places in this ever-changing city would have done). So I settled in at the bar, and chatted with others there while we waited. Very communal, very fun, very New York. When I had my dinner, the appetizers were flawless (try the carciofi and the polpettini), the entree was succulent (and fun having the branzino fileted at the table), and the tiramisu....well, you'll have to try it yourself! All in all, a very positive experience that reminded me of why I've never left New York.
Posted 05/29/06
Nice place
by yukster11
The food here is good although my chicken had a little too much sauce on it, and reasonably priced compared to any Manhattan Restaurants. We had a 7:30 reservation and were seated inside right away, it would have been about a 20 minute wait for the outdoor garden. The server was friendly and apologized for not being more responsive to our table. The wine list is okay although some of the drinks offered are really more ports than glasses to be served during the meal, which the menu doesn't really distinguish. Other than that, not bad.
Posted 05/16/06
TERRIBLE SERVICE
by slari
We went to Palma last Friday night and had the most terrible service I've experienced in years. We arrived on time for our 8:30 pm reservation to be told of a "slight wait" by the maitre d'. This slight wait extended into a TWO HOUR WAIT during which the rude maitre d' told each of the members of our party a different story, seated people who arrived before us first, and was generally both cocky and unpleasant.
When we finally walked away at 10:30 pm and complained about our experience, he did not even apologize. We went around the corner to a great little French bistro where the staff was both pleasant and likeable and the food great (Le Gigot).
This place is DEFINITELY not worth it. Life's too short.
Pros: None
Cons: Terrible service, Long wait, Rude maitre d'
Posted 05/10/06
Gotta eat here
by bradyb978
Great food, great ambience. Must make reservations though. Cool outdoor dining
Posted 04/04/06
Maitre'd Must Go --AGREED!!!!
by juniorpug
Arriving at the restaurant 10 minutes late, my friends and I were informed that our reservation was already given away. We gladly offered to wait for the next available table. However, the Maitre'd obnixously informed us that no additional tables will be opening up for the evening. Since it was barely 10 o'clock on a saturday night and many patrons looked ready to leave, I was completely shocked that I had to ask again what he meant by "we will not be seating any more people for the evening." I don't know if this was his pathetic tactic to make this tiny restaurant a bit more exclusive or that he was just on some sort of bizarre power trip. All in all, the food is not even good enough to justify for that type of rude attitude.
Pros: neighborhood feel
Cons: rude behavior
Posted 03/12/06
Nice place for drinks
by huie
I stopped by Palma last night and had drinks but no food so can't comment on that. Wine and coffee were both great. My friend and I stayed at the bar for almost 2 hrs and were not rushed but was serviced well... the ambience of this place is small and rustic but quaint. May come back here to try the food out!
Pros: cozy, location, good wine
Posted 03/03/06
Excellent Experience
by dtbrady77
Dinner for four at Palma. Promptly seated and provided drinks in a hurry. For apps - calamari and shrimp. Very fresh and flavorful. Arugla salad with fennel, oranges and olives was nice, but nothing special. Entrees were out of site. Perfectly cooked lamb, well accompanied by rabe and potatoes. Swordfish and spinach ravioli were spot on. The star of the show was the fish stew. A thin, crusty dome of bread covered a large bowl of seafood, fresh herbs and an exquisite broth. When the server cuts the dome and folds it back, the scent that escapes burns itself into your memory. The taste makes you reconsider dinner plans forever. With the back gardens casual atmosphere and the attentive wait staff, and you have a go-to restaurant. Only negative was the wait for the food perhaps the smallish kitchen? but it didnt sour the overall excellent experience.
Pros: Food, Atmosphere
Posted 09/28/05
My Favorite After Babbo
by catstyle
My husband and I happened to stumble upon it as we were strolling through the village and ended up having a really fantastic time dining in the garden out back. It was very romantic and the food was excellent. My husband had the lamb which was very tasty and I had the zuppa di pesce which has gained the reputation of being their signature dish. It was just fantastic and a deal for $23 given the abundance of seafood in the dish. Our waitstaff was very friendly and quite attentive. The food took awhile, but the ambiance was so lovely that we didn't care. I'm definitely going back for the zuppa.
Posted 09/11/05
Superior Italian Cuisine
by frgpilot
I have had very few better Italian dining experiences in NY. Palma has great food and an excellent wine selection. My girlfriend said she's never had better fettecini, even in Italy!
Posted 08/25/05
Great time!!
by donovt
My wife threw me a surprise birthday party at Palma last night and it was one of the best times I've ever had at a restaurant. The food was incredible, the space was beautiful andthe service was exceptional. The party was held in the back "farmhouse" which really looked like you were in someones country kitchen. We had our own personal server who attended to us all night and was a pleasure to have around. There was never an empty glass on our table which is saying something since our group likes to have a drink or two.
I don't even know what to say about the food...from start to finish everything was simply amazing.
Posted 08/24/05
Not Good for Private Parties
by hoppi
45 standing staff not frindley vat all 65 min to get food food cold
Posted 07/10/05
Great Place for Dinner!
by gallery_girl
I have eaten at Palma twice now, and both times have had excellent service. The waiters and waitresses have always been lovely, but the bar staff can be a bit of a mixed bag. Other than that, the space is very nice and very versatile - romantic, cozy, relaxing, warm. The outdoor patio is perfect for larger groups, weather permitting. The food is top-notch, and reasonably priced.
Pros: ambience, food
Posted 06/26/05
Maitre d' must go
by wilsonnyc
If it wasn't for the maitre d', this would be a perfect little place. Great
ambiance and perfect food, however the maitre d' MUST GO. Even with a
couple of open tables it was clear this ungrateful host wanted to 'flip'
our table in less than an hour. We ordered wine, starters, entrees, coffee
and dessert When we offered to have our coffee in the garden following a
down pour (so he could use our table!) he told us he did not have enough
dry table cloths but 2 minutes later he seated other couples in the
garden. The wait staff was very friendly and hard working, but they did
seem a little afraid of the pain-in-the-ass maitre d....
Pros: Food, Ambiance
Cons: Maitre d'
Posted 06/19/05