Palma

What a hidden treasure. The food was excellent as well as the decor. Although the bartender had major attitude issues. Luckily, the manager sat us quickly and saved us from the misery. I highly recommend this place, but I would asked to be seated immediatedly and not have an cocktail at the bar.

Posted 11/04/04

Having dined at many Italian restaurants in the city, this one is a true gem. The food was delicious (the artichoke and lamb was A+) and the staff was truly a pleasure. Our waiter, Ian, was very attentive and I must admit we are high maintenance eaters (on the side etc.). The garden is beautiful and the decor brings you back to Europe. This is a definite must go.

Pros: Delicious, Attentive Staff

Posted 10/30/04

Highly recommend. What a beautiful place, my husband and I felt like we were Italy again...The food was very good and the manager was more than accomodating. He actually took the time to explain the menu at length, we were pleasantly surprised. If you want take a trip to the Mediterranean in NYC, this is the place...

Pros: food, staff/management

Posted 10/25/04

Maybe they were having a bad day for the other guy, but our experience was completely different. A charming restaurant , with great innovative food and friendly service. They have small intimate seating in front, an inner private courtyard with tables and umbrellas and a very private house behind the courtyard set up like a Tuscan kitchen for special small group parties. Very romantic "Village secret"place. Service a step slow , but who notices

Pros: great food, beautiful unique spac, welcoming staff

Posted 09/26/04

Maybe some folks came on a bad day, but our gruop had the a great meal, in what has to be one of the charming restaurants in NYC. Its located on a Village brownstone street . They have a inner private courtyard and if you want they also have a a small house in the courtyard set up like a kitchen in Tuscany for more private parties. The foods was just wonderful and the service, friendly and welcoming albeit a bit slow (who really noticed ). A rare gem GO there , but reserve in advance

Pros: food, atmosphere, staff

Posted 09/25/04

The staff was non-existent, the food was bad, not just taste but freshness. The clams were'nt even open. I can't believe I stayed in that place for as long as I did. The worst resturant experience I've ever had.

Pros: none, none, none

Cons: , staff, price

Posted 09/15/04

sorry to say- i know it's a cute little place with a gardenin the west village bla bla bla... but it ain't worth it. i sooo wanted to like it. i love places with outdoor gardens. but this place blew it. the service was so non-existant. the waiter came by once and returned-no joke-45 minutes later. but the worst part was the food. not only did it take over an hour & half for it to arrive, it was unedible. seafood was terrible. you know, when sea food smells like seafood-it ain't fresh. oh, and the manager was rude. he could have been nicer and offered to give us something else or something but nope. all in all-it was a very dissapointing dinner.

frankie m.

Posted 09/14/04

I celebrated my birthday at Palma with drinks in the garden and a spectacular private dinner in the farmhouse! The ambiance, service and food were outstanding. My guests were thrilled with the entire evening and I recommend this "experience" to all.

Posted 08/01/04

I recently went with a group of 10 for a friend's birthday dinner. We ordered mozzarella with tomatoes to start and it took over an hour to get that. When we complained, they said they were having some problems in the kitchen and we would have to be patient. We asked for more bread in the mean time and never even got that. Dinner was further delayed and the entrees were bad. Undercooked pasta (still crunchy), luke warm lamb, and overdone fish. We arrived at 8:30 and didn't leave until 11:30 (not because we were having fun). AND THEY DID NOT EVEN TAKE ANYTHING OFF OUR BILL as a thanks for being patient.
Stay away from this place!

Posted 06/28/04

June 5, 2004. I hosted a business dinner. We enjoyed our meals. The halibut was simply perfect. Really sweet!! Guests loved the sea bass. The wines were different but tasty. Not too expensive..

Posted 06/08/04

My Boyfriend and I stoped by Palma last weekend it had been a while since we were in town we are from atlantic city and we love coming up for shows . It was truly dissapointing experience; our palates had a party last time we were here but things have changed .the delicious rabbit with parpadele noodles i had it was not on the menu anymore , the hot chocolate souflee also was gone. it was a less inspired effort . what happened to the pillow soft gnocci with mascarpone and gorgonzola ???? i dont get all these positives reviews the whole experience left alot to be desired.i was very sad now we have to find a different place to visit

Pros: decor, garden

Cons: different menu, limited wine list and watery drinks, unattentive waiters

Posted 06/03/04

this restaurant is very cute and quiet and romantic. it had very good food. the lobster salad was stupendous and the lamb chops and the halibut were delicious. Our waitress, on the other hand, was less than satisfactory. The garden was lovely and it's got a nice room for private parties.

Pros: Well Priced, romantic, good food

Cons: , Service, Service

Posted 05/03/04

I went to Palma last Saturday with my Fiance and a group of friends and had a fantastic evening. Everything from the drinks to the dessert was incredible. The chef (I believe his name is Amed) came over to our table throughout the evening to make sure everything was to our liking. The service, quality of food, and atmosphere were all top-notch. We will defintely be returning.

Pros: great service, intimate atmosphere, quality of food

Posted 04/26/04

The ambience in this restaurant is really quite nice -- very warm and cozy and comfortable. My husband and I had dinner here the other night with a friend, and while none of us were blown away by our meals, we still had a wonderful time because of the setting and because of the friendly and attentive staff. Don't get me wrong, the food is fine - but it doesn't have that "wow" factor. My bufala mozarella was a little too salty and the seafood risotto was a tad too "al dente." My husband had the seabass and it didn't leave much of an impression on him, but he says the lobster salad was worth another try. All in all, it's still worth the visit if you just want to have a nice, romantic night but aren't too concerned with eating average food.

Posted 04/09/04

Wandering Cornelia Street we were lured by the buttery warmth and unpretentious charm of Palma. I had gnocchi with gorgonzola cream, then lamb. My fiancee had calamari and the house specialty Zuppa di Pesce. It was magic! The gnocchi floated off the plate and I stole half my fiancees calamari. I couldnt stop eating it!! The Sicilian wine was perfect. They opened the Zuppa just like the "fairytale pie, all the flavors steaming out. I was jealous until I tasted my lamb, then I got busy with my spoon and enjoyed the Zuppa too! The table next to us ooohed and aahhed over an amazing chocolate souffle that we'll go back to try. We give Palma ten stars! But recommend you go somewhere else, we want to keep this Mediterranean haven all to ourselves.

Pros: beautiful garden, interesting wine list, excellent value

Posted 02/28/04

I've eaten in the restaraunt twice and really liked it. Upon my last visit, I discoverd the carraige house and knew it was a perfect place for my bf's suprise 30th. We had 16 people for a full sit down and it was perfect. The staff becomes like family for the day and let's you be as involved or hands off as you like. There were personal touches for him everywhere, and THE FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE. Even though the party was in September, we still talk about the sea bass, the jumbo spicy prawns and especially the homemade mushroom raviolis. Palma herself was delightful and the staff was as accomodating as I could ever imagine in NYC. We even survived the hurricane happening outdoors!!!

Pros: Service, Food, Ambience

Cons: Private room holds 20

Posted 11/24/03

Attended a birthday party here at the back of the restaurant. The ambiance was nice, but our group did not have privacy. We kept getting interrupted by various people walking in the kitchen and the owner's dog was noisy. The waiter racked up our bill by charging us a cutting fee or a plating fee for the cake (we could have cut it ourselves!). Completely overpriced and overrated. Have your party somewhere else.

Pros: Decent Food

Cons: Expensive, Small Servings

Posted 08/10/03

I haven't had food this good-primi or secondi-since
Taormina Sicilia. Friendly and Intimate - JUST RIGHT!!

Pros: lively atmosphere, great location, yummy food

Posted 03/15/03

food is wonderful but not worth waiting for 45 minutes past your reservation to get seated. also not worth being told after your entrees come that they're out of the appetizer you ordered. also not worth being offered free desserts for the inconvenience but still getting charged for the appetizer you never got.

Pros: food

Cons: service, service, service

Posted 03/09/03

I have now eaten at Palma 3 times and have enjoyed it more each time. A couple weeks ago I was there and the service was slow as they had a large party in the back-they made up for it with a round of free drinks and a free order of lamb chops. The food is exceptional and very reasonably priced for the area. It is small, but comfortable. The artichoke appetizer is phenominal. This is the kind of place I will eat at frequently and probably never tire of it.

Pros: Reasonably Priced

Cons: small

Posted 02/17/03

Had dinner there the other night and it was a true delight. I loved the rigatoni bolognese, it tasted just like being in Italy. They also had tiny Maine shrimp that tasted like nothing I tasted before. What a treat. My friend had the Orata and he said that it was the best he has had in the city. The staff was friendly and relaxed and the atmosphere was cool.I have a feeling that before long this place is going to be hard getting into!

Posted 01/22/03

Francheso the chef should be WORLD FAMOUS! The food is so delicious, try the fried artichokes and you will be back for more!! The fish soupm lamb chops and everything I tried is always topnotch. The street is crowded with many other restaurants but none shine as bright as Palma.

Posted 11/25/02

Palma, is the type of restuarant I love to discover in NYC. It'a appeal goes far beyond the obvious ultra cool clientele. The food is outstanding. The staff is friendly and professional. The ambiance is more Mediterranean island than West Village. Palma, is the perfect addition to a neighborhood full of so so restuarants serving uninspired food.

Pros: food, ambiance

Cons: very crouded

Posted 11/07/02

Interesting and somewhat hard-to-find restuarant in the East Village. The not-so-great; Small, very dark and inexpensively decorated with a potential for winter chill when the single door opens. The good; interesting and wholesome types of Italian, with seafood feature (try the fish stew), friendly (a bit raw) wait staff, and reasonable prices in a great area to just wander after a delightful dinner.

Posted 11/04/02

A friend and I came here after trying to grab a seat at Pearl Oyster Bar down the street to no avail. We were seated at Palma right away, and even though the service was slow, it was friendly. Branzino here was just ok - I spent half my time trying to pick the bones out of the fish - it was much better at Raoul's in my opinion, but my friend's lobster linguini was delicioso. Aesthetic is pretty bare bones, but dim and candle lit. Restaurant itself is pretty intimate, if only b/c it's so small.

Pros: Friendly Service, Full Bar, Good Hot Chocolate

Cons: Boring Decor, Fish Bones

Posted 10/22/02

The house speciality Branzino (whole or fillet) fish is excellent. Everyone ordered it! Very fresh. It was a little tough trying to get the bill at the end of a very nice meal.

Posted 09/23/02

I threw my sister's bridal dinner at Palma and was so pleased with every aspect. The food, the service, the ambiance, and the people at Palma are incredible! I picked the restaurant off this site and can tell you that the pictures shown do not do the restaurant justice. I was initially nervous planning a dinner in NYC from San Francisco, but after speaking to Jacqueline (terrific in-house party planner) was more comfortable with my choice.... that comfort moved to amazement when I saw the place in person. We had drinks in the courtyard and moved into the little cottage/kitchen at the back for an incredible meal. The room was brimming with flowers and what seemed to be a hundred candles... it was so beautiful! Everyone had such a great time!

PS Order the berries and meringue! DELICIOUS!!!

Posted 09/17/02

On a busy street (for French restaurants), Palma sticks out as probably the best one (and that's saying a lot with PO and Home within feet of the front door). Definitely worth checking out for between 2 and 6 people, but I'd be concerned with a larger group...

Pros: food, service, location

Posted 07/31/02

Nice atmosphere with a great airy feel to the place. Service was helpful and not pretentious at all. Seafood is terrifc and the pasta dishes were good too. Try the spicy seafood antipasta or the mixed seafood platter.

Pros: Atmosphere

Posted 07/11/02

The things I love the most about eating at Palma are the homey atmosphere, the exceptional service, and the big bowl of cherries on the bar. My eight year old daughter made fast friends with Palma's beautiful daughter and her friend, who were playing in the courtyard out back. Not only did my husband and I appreciate the quiet, but we also adored the food. We highly recommend the grilled meat platter, which is fabulously prepared and portioned generously. And try the spicy shrimp -- excellent. This is truly an escape to another place ...

Pros: atmosphere, food, service

Posted 07/11/02

I had a great dining experience here recently after locating thier website on Citysearch. Strongly recommend heading out to this location and trying it out. ALL good. Good food, service and ambience especially when shared with good friends.

Posted 06/28/02

Hidden away in the W. Village Palma looks low key but packs an excellent food punch!! All the food is hand picked, start your meal with a glass of wine and a nice bruscetta. I have had the spicy pasta with seafood!! YUMMY. Crispy eggplant bites as an app were a new idea and great. Our server was honest and attentive. I think we stayed 3 hours and didn't even realize it, chatting, drinking wine. No pretentiousness - just good food and a great atmosphere.

Posted 06/27/02

Palma is famous in the fashion world for their catering and now we're all lucky that they opened a cute restaurant in the West Village. My favorite is the spicy seafood pasta, it's the best that I've ever had! All of the seafood is exquisitly prepared and all of the ingredients are of fine quality. Every person that I've sent there can't beleive how wonder everey dish is. Try the boulibase and the fried calamari (lightly fried with fresh calamari).

Posted 05/25/02

Overall, my experience at Palma was good, but I was a little disappointed considering all the shining reviews here. Bruschetta was chewy (bread was not toasted) The cavatelli with veal ragu and mushrooms was hardly different from your run-of-the-mill bolognese. Seafood, however, was excellent, and is definitely the restaurant's strongpoint. The seafood stew and grilled branzino were excellent. But priced between $22 and $28, there are better restaurants around. Desserts were uninspired.

Posted 05/22/02

This was my second time to dine at Palma and the food and experience only got better. To begin, my friend and I started off with the fried calamari and a chased it down with a nice glass of red wine. For my main I had the ongelet steak, hanger steak, which was grilled to medium rare perfection. My friend ordered the scallops which were served in a light red sauce that was complemented very nicely with atichoke palms. Very nice meal which was prepared exactly to our expectations.
However, the best part of the meal came in the form of service. Troy, our waiter, was prompt - friendly and extremely professional. Because of the service and quality of food I will be returning again and again.

Pros: Service, Quality of Food, Ambiance

Cons: small wine selection

Posted 05/16/02