Lavagna

Solid, inexpensive northern italian food, good wine list, great neighborhood vibe. Loved the braised rabbit pappardelle.

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 03/01/09

I wasn't thrilled by this. I am sometimes overwhelmed by prix fixe dinners. But this one was not my favorite of all the ones I have been to. It was awhile ago, before I started blogging, so I cannot remember all teh details of the meal. But I do remember being decidedly underwhelmed

Posted 09/29/08

I'm a regular here... I love all the foods but I rarely step away from my usual order - mussels for appetizers and the grilled porkchop for entree. I can't get over how they cook the porkchop. I'm not a great cook but I can never get it evenly cooked and keep it all tender and moist. And I love onions and vinegar so there's not a better dish then this one for me. I would recommend reservations as this is a very small place and is a neighborhood favorite. The last time I was there I saw 3 of my neighbors (different ones!) eating a meal. I love this place.

Pros: Great food and service

Cons: small so may need to call ahead (I never had to wait by luck)

Posted 06/30/08

I have eaten at the best italian restaurants worldwide but Lavagna's sweetpea ravioli in creamsauce with a hint of mint is an absolute homerun...i have never licked a plate before in my life nor would I ...but my girlfriend did this last friday while dining here!

Posted 05/27/08

I have had several meals at Lavagnia so far and will deffinitely come back! The food is simple, everything tastes really great. My favourite dishes are scallops appetizer, pasta with rabbit, pork entree, and once I had a special of the skate wing, which was trully amazing! Another thing that is wonderful about this restaurant is a really amazing wine and beer selection. Even though it's italian, the wine list is eclectic, includes great french and german whites and rare portuguese reds. The service is brief and informative, polite and professional. The manager (Georgi?) is a funny person that adds mood to the restaurant :) We will be back!

Pros: great service, very good wine selection

Cons: sometimes hard to get in without a reservation, but it's a god sign a guess?

Posted 04/21/08

I don't know what other people's problem with this place is... My husband and I have now eaten here twice, and it's been wonderful both times. The restaurant has a very charming, relaxed and cozy ambiance, the food is delicious and not your typical Italian fare - here on top of pasta you'll find things like braised rabbit and seared monkfish. The Homemade Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli are to die for. The service was very courteous, but it did take them a while to bring our order - which, because of this delay, arrived with a complementary (and very tasty) appetizer. So the downside is that the place is rather small, and when it's packed, you DO wait. I thought it was worth it though. We'll be coming back here for sure, and bringing friends.

Pros: Delicious (and not typical) food, great ambiance

Cons: Small, long time waiting for the food

Posted 04/12/08

This is another one of those overpriced East Village restaurants that thinks it's better than it is. This is a restaurant for people who do not know how to cook and therefore think anything moderately well prepared is great. Don't get me wrong, the food is not bad. It is well prepared and some of it is quite good. The salads are nicely made. But for what you are getting -- basic Italian food you could make yourself for a few dollars, literally -- it is overpriced.

I have been here several times and have never had the service issues some other posters mention. I live in the East Village and avoid these restaurants on the weekends, perhaps that is why.

Pros: Reliably decent food, good selection, nice wines

Cons: Not a great value

Posted 12/07/07

MY BOYFRIEND AND I TOOK OUR PARENTS.IT KILLS ME TO GIVE THIS PLACE THAN GLOWING REVIEW;THE FOOD HORRIBLE FLAVORLESS;it is not worth it?the service o my god horrible.

Pros: bad

Cons: terrible service

Posted 06/21/07

been going there for 3 years excellent restaurant, great food price fix went up from 25 to 28 is my only problem service is nice

Posted 06/03/07

I have been going to this place ever since it opened and if anything, it kept getting better. I brought many friends and family here. I never had a major issues with the service. Granted, however, some of the waiters can definitely be off or have a bad day (in which case we gave a smaller tip). I never had any problems with the Maitre D'. Even if the service might be moody at times, the food is absolutely worth it. The wine list is outstanding.
(As to the previous review: "loser" is spelled with one, not two, Os.)

Pros: Very good Value

Cons: Service (at times)

Posted 02/26/07

If you think a restaurant is terrible - and it's packed - you're a looser.
If you show up late and expect sympathy - you're a looser.
If you get yelled at and the regulars at the bar laugh - you're a looser.
If you don't know the name of the GM and try to insist on being seated - you're a looser.
If you do not have the sense enough to recognize great food and wine in the east village - Stay home! You're a looser!

Oh - everyone else. Please come by and enjoy one of my favorite restaurants in the city!

Pros: great food and wine without dressing up!

Cons: Bad place for H girls who order cheap wine

Posted 02/04/07

The host (who apparently is also the owner) must have some sort of a mental disorder. Otherwise it's hard to explain why he freaked out and started shouting at guests when they just asked for a table for four on Saturday night, and became even more mad when he was asked to behave a little more politely. Customer service? Well, these guys probably do not even know such an expression in English.

Pros: n/a

Cons: terrible service, awful attitude from the personnel

Posted 01/23/07

Horrible place. The service is not bad, it is just UNBELIEVABLY bad. You make a reservation for let's say 9pm. You show up at 9.07. The host (I believe this is the owner) scornfully tells you that since you are 7 minutes late your reservation is cancelled. It is 9pm Saturday night, and instead of leaving the place immediately you stupidly decide to wait. After 45 minutes of waiting outside (the owner does not forget to say that nothing is available at the bar) you politely inquire about the table. Owner's reaction? He starts yelling that that there is nothing available, and because you DO NOT HAVE reservation (sic!) you better shut up if you want to get anything. Literally, the guy YELLS at you! After an hour of waiting and your SECOND inquiry about the table, the guy goes ballistic. He screams that he is tired with answering the same question, that his friends just came, and you better be good if you still want to get a table. You suggest that the guy mind his tone and behave. You leave.

I know, this sounds unbelievable. I myself thought this was MTV's "boiling point" and that I would see a camera man any second and Ashton Kucher handing $100 bill over to me in the end. Alas, this was my Saturday reality.

This was my second (and last) visit to Lavagna and I can honestly say that the food isn't worth the whole experience. I do not know what the owner's problem is and what kind of vision regarding customer service he has, but it won't help him stay competitive in this city. Seriously, in the city full of great restaurants (with normal service) why would you want to be screamed at by some idiot and wait for hours? Anyways, we end up having a great time at Jane in Soho (their almond trout is unbelievable, very good, highly recommended). My New Year's resolution about Lavagna? Never ever again.

Pros: none

Cons: horrible service, extremely rude owner, long wait with reservation

Posted 01/05/07

If you think a restaurant is terrible - and it's packed - you're a looser.
If you show up late and expect sympathy - you're a looser.
If you get yelled at and the regulars at the bar laugh - you're a looser.
If you don't know the name of the GM and try to insist on being seated - you're a looser.
If you do not have the sense enough to recognize great food and wine in the east village - Stay home! You're a looser!

Oh - everyone else. Please come by and enjoy one of my favorite restaurants in the city!

Pros: Great food and wine - No tie required

Cons: Not condusive to H girls who order cheap wine.

Posted 12/01/06

The food is okay, but the service is terrible -- my wife is a vegetarian and instead of pointing out the vegetarian dishes when we requested, our waiter told us to figure it out for ourselves and said he'd come back later. I ordered a glass of wine and it seemed like it had been sitting in an opened bottle for multiple days -- was practically vinegar. When I asked the waiter (and then the owner, who was behind the bar) about this, they basically ridiculed me. I happen to know something about wine, and in this case the wine was so far gone that a complete ingenue would have had no difficulty in figuring out that it had gone bad. Avoid this place!

Pros: Pasta was fine (but about average)

Cons: Awful service

Posted 11/02/06

Basically, I took my sister to eat dinner and the minute we both walked in we received diry looks from the owner. Then we looked at the menu not much to choose from and finally they did not great us good bye. So its was the worse experience in my life.

Pros: none

Cons: expensive, not fulfulling, small

Posted 03/08/06

A Great Date spot, food is good, service is beyond excellent, it's a perfect cozy little place, large wine selection, I been there several times and am never disappointed by anything!!

Posted 01/09/06

The food and the ambience are great, but the service tops everything, the staff welcomes you and makes you feel right at home! I highly recommend it to anyone!

Pros: service

Cons: parking

Posted 01/03/06

I had dinner at Lavagna the other night with friends and the service has gone down hill. I ordered the same pasta dish as others in my group. My portion was noticeably smaller than others in my group. When I complained to the guy who brought out our food he made a mockery of the situation and failed to take the complaint seriously. I asked him where the owner was and he said that he was the owner and laughed. We complained to our waitress who gave us blank stares. Later in the evening we found out he was not the owner. Later in the evening after our meal we finally found the real owner behind the bar of the restaurant and explained to him the situation which he had been made aware of by the waitress. AVOID THIS PLACE.

Pros: Good Food, Reasonably Priced

Cons: Bad Service, Inconsistent Portions, Indifferent Owner

Posted 01/02/06

After waiting an hour with a reservation for our table, we were so appalled by the rudeness of the matre'd, we left. The people sitting at the table we were supposed to have told us they were asked to leave. I could not have been happier since the bathroom air freshener permeated the entire dining room.

Posted 11/28/05

I am most picky about Italian food and I must say that Lavagna did not disappoint. It is a very cozy restaurant with excellent serivce and the food is superb. The portions are large and hearty (espeically the pasta with sausage) and the specials were just as appetizing as the main menu. I can't wait to go back for more!

Pros: Great Food, Romantic, Service

Posted 10/27/05

the neighborhood surrounding it might have been a little sketchy, especially for out-of-towners, but it was well worth it. the restaurant has an intimate, cozy feel to it. the skate fish and shell steak were just so divine...both just melted right in my mouth. the staff was friendly, and the price was right. i definitely would like to come back on my next trip to nyc!

Pros: food, atmosphere, service

Posted 09/27/05

I dined at Lavagna just two weeks ago, on a Friday, and all I have to say is "it was so yummy". I went with a group of 6 people, and I really think that 6 should be the ultimate max at this place because otherwise, it'll be a bit too tight and uncomfy. The pre-fixe for $25 is a great deal for those who can fit dessert in their stomach. I opted for the Baby Arugula salad. As for my main course, I got the Rigatoni with sausage in a cream sauce. My Rigatoni dish ended being the most delicious pasta dish I've tasting thus far, and it is also HUGE.

In summary, the pre-fixe is a great deal. Tasty food, nice ambiance, good for a date, or a party of 6. Everyone in my party enjoyed the food so much, that we vowed to come back really soon.

Posted 09/20/05

We had a friend in town this Saturday and wanted to have a nice dinner. There were 6 of us for dinner. All the food was absolutely delicious! Yes, this is a romantic place, but we did not feel out of place. Each of us had something different. We had mussels, and a pizzeta for the table, and they were yummy. We had the pastas, lamb chops and steak. All were excellent.

While we were there, we saw the "specialty fish of the day for 2" on fire (flambe). I'll be trying that on my return.

Pros: food, service

Posted 07/30/05

We had a wonderful meal there the other night - Octopus Carpaccio and great pasta and pizzas. The service is friendly and efficient, and the value is unbelievable. Also check out the wine list. And a note, the host is not the owner. The owner, Sami Kader, passed away six months ago and his wife now owns the restaurant, as well as the one down the block, Le Tableau. She is doing a fabulous job, for a widow with a little boy, at Le Tableau and everyone in the neighborhood should support both restaurants as both Lavagna and Le Tableau have for the past 10 years made significant contributions to local schools and charities, including the one I work for. The food at Lavagna is great and service gets hairy on weekends because people expect to sit for hours at their tables or to arrive late and still have their table. Can't have it both ways. Be on time and expect to have a great time.

Pros: Fabulous food; really great and funny Moroccan waiter, Salah

Posted 05/31/05

We had a great time here the other night...until the bill came. Half of us ordered prix fixe deals, the other half didn't--but they went ahead and took the liberty to count one order as a prix fixe deal, which is fine, if they had explained it as they brought our bill. Since they didn't, we were confused. The waitress was patient and understanding but the bartender (owner?) who did the billing walked over in a huge sissy fit about how there was nothing wrong with the bill. We told him to watch his tone--and he went off even more about how busy the place was. Talk about attitude! It's really too bad, because aside from that damper, the place was great. I know the food is amazing and I'm sure the restaurant will continue to prosper, but it has definitely lost my business for good!

Pros: Great food, Great wine

Cons: Staff w/ attitude

Posted 05/02/05

Been coming to this place for years & its still the best restaurant in the East Village, despite all the recent competition. Three Star dining at $25 or Under prices, an excellent waitstaff (most have been there since its opening), attractive intimate room, creative menu, inexpensive wine list & a desserts that rival most patisseries, LaVagna is the best dining deal in Manhattan. Reservations are a MUST if you're eating after 7:30 weekdays or on weekends as LaVagna is a much loved local place. For an incredible deal go early--the prixe fixe avaialable from 6:30 to 7:15 is only $25 & includes appetizer, main & dessert. Ask for the whole fish for 2--its always the best meal oin the menu.

Pros: food, service, price

Cons: not child friendly

Posted 04/10/05

We had to wait for 30 minutes to be seated and had to wait outside in the cold because the place is so cramped. The host guy is very rushed and overwhelmed as is the rest of the staff who seem like they'd rather be anywhere else than there. The pasta is fine, but the rest of the food is amateurishly prepared (either oversalted or bland). I don't see why Citysearch gives them a "star" for being "romantic" as this is absolutely not the case, unless cramped quarters and noise turn you on. There are so many other great places in this area that I think this one can simply be skipped. Really lousy.

Pros: Not many

Cons: , Cramped, Untrained staff

Posted 01/14/05

My boyfriend and I made reservations here for New Year's Eve and were disappointed. Service was abrupt and we felt very rushed. Table was cramped. Food was overall mediocre. I ordered filet mignon carpaccio, and received a very small portion of meat that had been shreaded and molded into the shape of a slice. My boyfriend's oysters were oversalted and a bit sandy, his duck nothing special and our panna cotta undercooked. Overall, my pasta entree was the best dish and in my opinion that doesn't say much for the cuisine considering all the excellent alternatives nearby.

Pros: Pasta

Posted 01/04/05

My boyfriend and I just "happened upon" this jewel of a restaurant in the East Village, and I fell in love immediately. About as romantic as it gets, Lavagna is sprinkled with white lights and small, intimate tables. The service was excellent, and the food was divine. My boyfriend had a crab risotto that was unbelievable; my "ordinary" pasta turned out to be extraordinary. I highly recommend Lavagna for a romantic evening...or any evening, for that matter.

Posted 01/04/05

For all the hype I have read about Lavagna, it did not even come close! My party wasn't seated until an hour after our resevation. We were basically kicked out of the restaurant for that hour and when I decided to wait at the bar, I was then yelled at by the manager!! Not just "please don't sit here," the manager was in my face screaming at me! I have never been treated more rudely as a paying customer. Top off the miserable waiting experience with mediocre food and service and you have a ruined Saturday night. After the way I was treated I will never step foot in that restaurant again.

Cons: , crowded

Posted 10/24/04

Ate here dinner last Tuesday after reading reviews and checking out website. Lamb main was great, tasty although slightly overdone for my medium rare taste. My friend had the special Alaskan Sea Bass and thought it was bland, didn't like it at all. We had the Arugula salad which was good and initially the white bottle of wine we ordered was insufficiently cold. Ambience was nice with open air street dining, however extremely noisy inside. Overall average considering one has to walk out there. There are better places in this city.

Pros: Food (depending), Ambience

Cons: , so-so service, inconsistent food

Posted 09/22/04

Yummy food, graet wine list but the best was the dessert....amazing. The place is so romantic that i went there for my first date!!Its worth

Posted 07/23/04

do not miss this restaurant. it's been open for years and has not declined in quality one bit. service is attentive, eager and kind, and the food is simply fantastic, especially given how low the prices are. i will continue to come back here again and again.

Pros: delicious food, great value, wonderful service

Posted 06/12/04

Lavagna was a great discovery from Citysearch. Wanted to try some honest Italian fare in an inexpensive, romantic setting. This is a great date place. The food was cooked to perfection. No complaints what-so-ever and the pricing is easy on the wallet too. The seared scallop appetizer was fantastic, the only down side was it only served two scallops, it was so great it left me craving for more! The entrees were cooked just right and the aroma and textures were excellent. We did not get to try the pasta or pizzas, though we plan to the next time we come back. They also have an extensive wine list to choose from, which is a plus. Absolutely take advantage of the prix-fixed menu offer if you are an early diner, its well worth the money. They take reservations, but by 7:30pm it will most likely be booked.

Pros: wine list, early bird prix-fix

Posted 05/16/04

Couln't be better! THE best Italian place in the neighborhood! Forget the others, the food, atmosphere and wines far surpass those of any other place I've tried around here. Loved it.

Pros: decor, food, wines

Posted 07/06/03

This place has a very nice ambiance, decor, vibe, etc. The food was very nicely prepared, even though some of the dishes weren't necessarily my "type". The proscuitto appetizer with figs and some type of little bread was excellent. The angel hair pasta with tomato sauce looked very nice, but was not to my liking, as the sauce was very spicy. We got one of the specials... a rockfish with creamy potatoes, corn and black truffle sauce. Overall the dish was excellent, although the texture of the fish was too rubbery for me. The semolina bread pudding dessert was an incredible melange of textures and flavors - an I am a real dessert afficionado. The warm chocolate cake was also quite good. Staff were great. Only problem was noise level, which took away from an otherwise perfect meal.

Pros: Decor, Food

Cons: Noise level

Posted 05/22/03

my first visit to lavagna will also be my last visit. the food was excellent. the bread was crusty and the olive oil for dipping aromatic. the grilled asparagus appetizer had a creamy parmy sauce. the pasta puttanescas sauce was perfect, the pasta a little too al dente. the service at table was personable and mostly competent. they did have to be reminded that a second glass of wine had been ordered. a couple of deal breakers: when i arrived i was informed that they only seat complete parties. okay, except that in that tight little space it was absurd. we were brought our check before we were asked if we wanted anything else. lavagna seems to have delusions of grandeur. unless they bring the quality of their service up to speed with their food they will be just another flash in the pan.

Pros: great food, good wine, friendly waiters

Cons: cramped, won't seat incomplete

Posted 01/19/03

Lately my favorite restaurants in NYC are being discovered from City search. So far Lavagna is my preferred Italian place to eat out. Wonderful and inventive food. The chef is quite the looker also I wonder if she's single - ladies to win a man's heart cook well! Although a 3 course meal with a bottle of sparkling water for two cost me a lilttle more than $100. It was a special occasion for an out of town friend. Will go back again! Hopefully, the out of the way location won't mean big crowds. After news are out about this gem.

Posted 01/11/03

The very inventive food was great and was nice, cozy and out of the way on 5th Street - so great for a date as I went with my girlfriend. The wait staff was a bit cold as they just pointed us to take our coats without offering. They also didn't smile very much and gave us strange looks. Perhaps it was a long day for the staff, but it didn't sit very well with us. Otherwise, it was a very enjoyable experience. Would definitely recommend though don't expect superior service.

Pros: food, ambience

Cons: service

Posted 01/07/03