Vento

We couldn't get reservations until 9:15 on a Friday night b/c they were "booked solid", but when we showed up really early, i.e. 7:30, the place was empty! They sat us right away and the place didn't pick up until 8:45. An obvious ploy to make it seem more popular. The service was average and the food left much to be desired. Drinks were good. If you want to ckeck out the crowd, eat somewhere else and then just go here for drinks.

Posted 10/24/04

I recently had a large birthday party here...and it was great. The service was amazing...even though our waitress was very busy, she made sure we always had exactly what was needed. The owner checked in on our table to wish my friend and I a happy birthday, and also supplied us with free dessert for the entire party.

I would highly recommend Vento...it's one of the best places i've ate in the city.

Pros: celeb sightings, great service, great food

Posted 10/03/04

Do yourself a favor and try the casarecci. It was one of the better dishes I've tasted in awhile. Service was excellent water glasses were full, with lemon slices offered. They gave us a small comp dessert at the end the meal, which we ate even though we were full;) More than I can say for overhyped the Spice market down the street.

Posted 09/18/04

Upon calling to reserve a table outside for Brunch, the manager requested a cc nbr to secure the table for 6 (I was 8 months pregnant and there was a little baby). I was told if we didn't turn up I would be charged $25 pp. That was fine with me since we were definately going! Our party arrived on time to which we were told there was no table outside for us! Even a cc could not even hold the table???? There were free tables outside to which he said that he was understaffed and we couldn't sit there. The manager was USELESS!!! We went to Pastis instead! After our meal at Pastis we noticed the outside area was packed! I've never experienced this attitude before - DON'T GO!!

Posted 09/09/04

Went there with mixed expectations. Owners' other restauratns are either barely OK or hellish/B&T-ish/touristy. This is a bit of everything. Food is good and even rather adventuresome for a blatantly "commercial" enterprise such as this. All the dishes that we had at our table were consistently good, although not great (nor poor, either). If you are mostly interested in the food, you'll be disappointed. If you want to go for the scene/atmosphere, you might as well go to Jersey. On the other hand, good place to go with a group of friends to chat and relax.

Pros: Decent prices, Good wine values

Cons: , Crowd

Posted 09/08/04

Service was attrocious. We sat outside I had to yell at the busboy to stop bumping our table every time he walked by. I know the tables are tight, but they need to fix that too! This is of course after waiting forever for menus and eventually having to ask for them. I should also mention they seated 5 of us at a table clearly meant for 4 people. We would have sat inside if someone had just told us there aren't any large tables outside. Food was mediocre, certainly not enough to compensate for the service. I can't imagine anyone going there more than once. Especially with One, Spice Market, and 10 other places just outside.

Pros: Trendy

Cons: , Mediocre food, Small crowded seating

Posted 08/29/04

Went here right after opening.. Waited for a table, got disgusting martinis at the bar, and sat down. We ordered a ton of stuff, all of which was pretty nasty and flavorless, had a few bottles of expensive wine, but that tasted terrible too.. The bill came out to like $100pp, and noone touched their food, and drinks were left untouched because after the first bite/sip you want to never touch it again. I hope this place shuts down and am waiting for something great to open up in this great building...

Pros: it was over fast

Cons: , service, food, wine, everything

Posted 08/25/04

Do not go here if you are over 30. Neighbors, don't be bothered. They hate us. They're rude. They'll be out of biz soon. See the owner, on his cel phone, pace and scream at his backers. He's the best sidewalk entertainment in the far West Village.

Pros: Zip

Posted 07/21/04

We came to celebrate a friend's birthday, and all of our expectations were met. The staff was delightful - our waitress, although a bit flighty, was a total sweetheart. We were seated promptly (we had a reservation).
The food was fantastic. We split the insalata and the orange marinated prawns - the salad was ok, but the prawns were especially wonderful. (They do come w/ the shells, so take note!)
The pasta was wonderful - truly al dente.
We had the gelatti for desert in a variety of flavors - pistachio, cheesecake, coconut, tiramisu, each flavor was amazing!
The space is amazing - everything from the paper wrapped candles to the exposed brick to the lighting, to the shape of the room itself was exquisite. And the people watching can't be beat.
All in all, a great time.

Pros: good food, friendly staff, great location

Posted 07/17/04

We had prompt and friendly service, plus the food was dynamite. I had the baby octopus appetizer and the Tagliolina pasta with shrimp and brocolli rabe (very tasty). The lemon tart for dessert was amazing--even for someone who typically would never order a lemon dessert. the wine list has some great big Italian reds. pretty cool ambience too.

Pros: great food, good service, young crowd

Posted 07/08/04

You'd think that after opening several successful restaurants around NYC, you'd have the formula down. Logical things like not taking reservations for every table in the restaurant and bringing bread to the table without having to ask have escaped the management. The space is a curiousity because of the history of the building. It is too noisy to order and you have to yell to carry on any type of conversation at the restaurant. Beware of the prawns, they have the shells on and don't give you any tools to help you eat them. The ribs smell good, but have little taste. The semifreddo is acceptable, but is very very small. The tiramisu gelato is overpowering and the cheesecake gelato has a bad aftertaste. The only think I liked was the banana caramel gelato.

Pros: Trendy, Location, Overpriced Martinis

Cons: , Noise, Uninspired Food

Posted 06/14/04

The best thing about Vento is the location, everything else leaves a lot to be desired.
1) Service is very slow and unattentive (10 minutes for our server to come by with our menus and to take our drink order, another 10 to bring the drinks/take our dinner order, you get the idea...)
2) Food is sub par and way over priced ($15 for a burned 1-person pizza, $20+ for a seafood entree that looked like it was defrosted in a microwave)
3) The space is aesthetically pleasing but the acoustics are terrible. Outdoor seating is a nice feature but I'm sure they will figure out a way to mess that up too.
My general impression was that I felt like I was at an Applebees with poor service and a terribly overpriced menu. I expected a lot more but was left annoyed and disappointed by the whole experience.

Pros: Outdoor dining, Nice renovations

Cons: , Very overpriced, Poor acustics

Posted 06/14/04

I went this past Saturday Night for my birthday. The food, service and ambience were incredible. We arrived 15 minutes late and the hostesses were so accommodating. The lounge downstairs was awesome and the music was great. They played everything from newer music to older music. I would highly recommend this place.

Posted 06/13/04

I had experienced the worst service of my life! The irritable, rude waiter greeted us and while we were giving him his order he just walked away. He didn't come back to the table for 10 minutes so I went to speak to the manager Jeffery. I requested a new server and he agreed to that. After I sat down the same waiter came back and apologized for walking away and asked us for our order. Everyone at the table felt awkward at that moment because we were content with having another server. We received our drinks and there were chips in the martini glass. We asked for bread 2 times and never recieved it. After having enough we explained the situation to another manager and walked out. I would have had better service at mcdonalds. The experience was horrible.

Cons: , horrbile service

Posted 06/13/04

went to take a pizza to go.heard that it was a wood burning oven. real pizza in a wood burning stove takes 3 minutes. 1 minute to prepare it. i waited for 15 minutes with only 7 people in the restaurant (i counted with all that spare time i had.) i have had pizza all over this city this is bad pizza at its finest. its ragu on a ritz cracker.yes the space is gorgeous,the people good looking (including me) the hosts (get real) put me on a waiting list to eat.you are so kidding us all. any critic who has put this restaurant in a favorable spotlight deserves criticism. being in this business for most ofr my life i think my understanding of italian food is quite clear.does Steve Hanson taste this stuff.?there are many great italian trattorias in the city to eat .leave this far off your list.

Pros: airy space, cute bartenders

Cons: , lousy pizza, lousy pizza

Posted 05/26/04

If this is what dinning in New York has turned into say WHAT? The food was average; I could have had a better meal at the local pizza place. Although it is new and needs some tweaking, this should be your last choice in the meatpacking district. After dinner we had a table in the lounge, but to our surprise they did not let our entire party in, and we had a list. The location is the most impressive characteristic of this average joint.

Posted 05/23/04

i must say that b.r. guest let me down on this one...the upstairs dining room resembles a camp mess hall, the acoustics are terrible and the service is slow and unaware of the customers needs. asides from the great location and the lounge downstairs, this restaurant does not have much going for it. if your in the meatpacking district make this your last resort for a meal, go across the street to markt.

Pros: location, reasonable

Cons: , slow service

Posted 05/17/04

After visiting Vento twice for dinner I was very impressed with the food, special cocktails as well as the atmosphere...I even had a major star-sighting- Jesse Palmer from the Bachelor and the Giants ofcourse! Vento can make for a great date place as well as a gathering for friends and family (only if they are worth this hip establishment). Thank you Steve Hanson for finally bringng real, quality Italian cooking to the Meatpacking. I strongly recommend the pastas esp the gemelli, wood-oven pizzas and the fish entrees were especially fresh as well. I had my favorite cockatil at Vento- The Paradiso. Just writing about it is giving me a craving for it. You can not walk out without sampling the Zeppoles, the authentic Italian dessert well-known at street fairs and Little Italy which tatse superior at Vento.

Pros: Value for your money, Authentic Italian , Knowledgeable waiters

Posted 05/16/04

I really can't think of a bad thing to say about Vento. The food was awesome (especially the buffalo mozzerella and pork rack), the drinks were tasty (go with Paradiso), the service was friendly and with it, and the ambience was very cool. It's amazing the transformation the Meatpacking District is going through. I will definitely be back.

Pros: food, amience, decor

Posted 05/16/04

Vento lives up to it's name, and to it's association with Hanson's empire. The decor is inviting, lively and unique - set in a exposed brick tri-level building. A bustling downstairs gave way to a relaxed upper floor with plenty of windows. The food was terrific - highlights (sharing with my table) were the fresh mozzarella with fantastic pesto, the decadent yet light mushroom and white truffle pizza, the suprisingly refreshing lamb sausage, and the flavorful pistachio gelati. I'd buy it by the quart, if I could!! On the downside, service was rushed at times, but gracious and knowledgeable. All in all - a relaxed place with fun, unpretentious cuisine, and a price that begs for return visits! Bravo!

Pros: food, good value, lively atmosphere

Posted 05/16/04

Well, I have been there twice and I must say that my title says it all. I don't understand the complaints I have been reading, of course there is going to be a time period where kinks are worked out. Give Vento that time. My experiences have consisted of an aesthetically stimulating atmosphere, a friendly staff, YUMMY FOOD (the octopus, pizza, gelato... mmmm), and great original drinks. The location is primo and the fellow patrons all seemed to fall into beat the restaurant innately has. There are very few places you can go where energy flows steadily keeping every patron wide eyed and eager for what's to come. It will be a staple in the meatpacking for years to come. Cheers.

Pros: Cuisine, Atmosphere, Drinks

Posted 05/16/04

The menu is chock full of quality options. I'd recommend ordering about 4 of the appetizers and a couple of the pastas and sharing. There's just too much good stuff on the menu not to sample a lot.

If you have reservations you'll be seated promptly, otherwise prepare to wait a while or find a spot at the bar.

Level V downstairs is even better than the restaurant.

Pros: Superb appetizers, good crowd, desserts

Posted 05/13/04

My dining experience with friends started off very badly - 40 minute wait WITH a reservation and having to repeatedly ask for bread and water - but ended on a better note. The hostess did offer free drinks to my party due to the wait, but we were more interested in eating after said long wait. As far as the food is concerned, the appetizers were more creative and more enjoyable than the entrees and there seemed to be a decent variety of desserts. The restaurant itself is in an interesting space, but it was too loud and dark to really enjoy the atmosphere. I would recommend either waiting a few months for all the kinks to be worked out or dining at a more established place in this family of restaurants.

Pros: Good Desserts, Good Appetizers

Cons: , Wait time-w/ reserv., Poor Service

Posted 04/28/04

Vento is better as a lounge/bar than a restaurant because the place was very loud and happening place. It was very difficult to hear people at your table.The wait (on a Wed pm) for a table, even with a reservation was like waiting behind a velvet rope at a NYC club on a Saturday night.Once seated, it took awhile for the waitstaff to bring the bread and even the menu.The food was fortunately better. I recommend the Octopus as an appetizer and some of the gelati (banana and pistachio). The cod I had was a bit too seasoned on certain parts and not some much in others.

Pros: Good Dessert, Good bar area

Cons: , Staff Disorganized, LOUD

Posted 04/28/04

The appetizers were exquisite. Everyone at my table agreed that the appetizers were the strongest on the menu. Try the bruschette especially the chicken liver pate.....try it and i am sure you'll love it! The service was wonderful...there was no pretentious vibe and the staff was very helpful. The desserts were amazing as well. For entrees, definitely try the pizza!
A perfect place to go before a big night out in the Meatpacking!

Pros: ambiance, service, food

Posted 04/26/04

I absolutely LOVED Vento! The space is amazing - such a cool vibe and great crowd. And the food is incredible!! I highly recommend the pizzas and all of the pastas - you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Overall, such a fabulous place. I know I will be there often.

Pros: the food, the atmosphere, the people

Posted 04/25/04

Vento has a cool space and decor. but the food was really average. tuna appetizer was delicious but the prosciotto meat plate was pathetic. the pasta was incredibly average, i think i have made better at home. the service was good. this place is also very loud. i couldn't hear the person i was with because music was blasting. this is just seemed like a big, slick downtown space. eat somewhere else and go to vento for a drink, the downstairs lounge looked cool.

Pros: decor, cool bar/lounge

Cons: , very noisy

Posted 04/23/04

What can one say but it is unfortunate that such a beautiful place in such a great location could disappoint. The wait staff is kind and helpful but they still has a lot of kinks to work out in terms of timely service and attention to their "starving" and thirsty clients. The food is average at best and still priced a tad higher than your average pizza or pasta dish will at places I believe are even better. I felt the same about Fiamma, great location, beautiful place but the food misses again.

Pros: great atmosphere, great location

Cons: , poor wine list

Posted 04/20/04