Uva

Great place. Cannot wait to return.

Pros: Appetizers, Outdoor Seating, Wine List

Cons: No reservations

mmm I LOVE Uva! The place is dimly lim and romantic. Great wine selection and the food is absolutely delicious! They have probably the best Bruschetta I've had in the city and the pasta is consistently good!

The manager and staff are always very accommodating.

This place is a gem in the UES! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu

Pros: consistent, delicious food..great wine list!

Cons: indoor seating can get a bit cramped

Love this place- neighborhood gem! They have a great wine selection. We ordered the goat cheese bruschetta and the gnocci and it was fantastic. Have also had the baked pasta and eggplant appetizer which are all very good. Usually have fantastic pasta specials. Pretty looking people on staff and great summer date place with patio and sidewalk seating.

Pros: wine list, outdoor seating, date spot, wine cellar for large parties

Cons: not cheap, at times packed bar

I've been to Uva a handful of times and it's really great. They have a nice winelist, excellent if you wish to buy by the bottle. The bruschetta is awesome, particularly the mushroom one. The bread was thick and crunchy and the veggies were very fresh. I have also had the gnocchi with truffle oil and it's out of this world - rich and savory. The prices are reasonable and the ambience is nice. In the spring and summer, I very highly recommend grabbing a friend and getting a spot out on their patio. It's so pleasant. The only drawback is that space is somewhat limited. You can't fit a party bigger than 2 on the patio comfortably. But still, a great spot. Go there!

Pros: Great winelist, good prices

Cons: tiny patio

When my friends who have previously recommended a great Italian restuarant raved about UVA, I was excited and anticipated eating great food. The appetizer was pretty ok, but the price was way too high for what it offered. Dinner was the other way around, the price was ok, but the food was not something I would have to go to a restaurant to eat. The worst part of it was paying $3 for a small glass (imagine one of those small freshly squeezed OJ at a diner) of giner ale with no refill. After ice in it, there was hardly any ginger ale. And I had to wait over 30 minutes to get the drink. I would not go here again.

Pros: Appetizers

Cons: over priced food

I have no great complaints with UVA, but neither is there anything in particular to recommend it. The highlight is the wine list, and I particularly appreciated the large selection of wines by the glass. The food is decent if not outstanding. The ricotta gnocci was pretty good but the veal ragout was disappointing. The dining room is loud, particularly close to the bar, and the service staff give the appearance of being constantly in a rush, though the service itself can be quite slow. For the money we didn't feel cheated, but neither will we rush back.

Pros: wine list

Cons: noisy, slow service

I love uva. The atmosphere in all four sections is wonderful. The sidewalk cafe is quiet and great for people watching. The back garden is quiet and romantic. The main floor is loud but festive. The downstairs is cozy. I love all of their food selections- bruschetta is delicious, cheese plates are perfect, and the salads and pasta are delectable.

My only complaint is that they took the Bonarda wine off the menu. When I asked the waiter last night if they still had it and it was just not on the menu, he said, "No, that was a special." Weird, because I have been coming here consistently for 3 years and had the Bonarda every time. Not what I would consider a "special." Bring back the Bonarda!

Pros: ambience, cheese plate

Celebrated a friend's birthday, the staff was very accomodating because we had people who were unable to make dinner but came out for the afterparty. Food was great, service was terrific, and the place got packed as the evening went along. Definitely great to share, since their portions are nice, and a solid Italian restaurant that is great for larger parties.

I went there with my wife because of the nice reviews, but I have to say nothing special. The wine bar itself is a really cute space... the wine selection is good but it takes 25 minutes from the time you order to actually receive your wine. Our server had big attitude and she was really slow! The food was ok but its not worth it to go back because I am pretty sure that I can find better wine bars in the city.

Pros: wine selection

Cons: service, food

Despite a blind date at Uva that more or less was the worst date I've ever been on in my 30 years of living, I really, really liked this place. It's small and cozy, but not too small, the decor is welcoming, the wine fab and the people that work there are busy and attentive. I had a bunch of different cheeses with my wine, all of which were great as well. Thumbs up. I'll be back, only next time with my friends. :)

Pros: Everything a wine bar should be

Cons: Tiny bathrooms

My friend and I went to Uva the other night for dinner. We were seated within 10 minutes on a crowded Wednesday night around 9pm, which made me happy... wish it had been outside but the place was full. We had a great corner table in the back... Loved the ambience here though... very dimly lit with small red candles on each table. Very romantic for a date... I'll come back for that sometime. Anyway, we drank a really great bottle of wine (my friend had been there a few times before) that only cost $28... really can't beat that! Started out the meal with the Stracchino bruschetta (a Soft, Creamy, Young Cheese with Grape Tomatoes and Chives), which was light and refreshing, although not the best bruschetta I've ever had (THAT would be at Divine Bar). My friend had the Polenta Tartufata... polenta with black truffle sauce filled with robiola cheese -- one of the best appetizers I've had in months -- and it was WAY better than the polenta I had last week at 'Inoteca. For main dishes we both had the braised boneless short ribs, which was truly delicious, and came with a 'rosemary cake'. I don't even know what that was but I loved it. Afterwards, we had a 3-cheese plate that was enjoyable but not great... we just needed some more food. Desserts were just okay... my friend had the strawberries with mascarpone cream and I had something else that was pretty boring, as well as a glass of 12-yr port. Dessert was unnecessary, as neither of us were too impressed. The one drawback of the night was the service, which constantly left us looking around for our waitress. She was never around and forgot to get us things we asked for multiple times -- water, bread (twice), and a dessert. Unacceptable. The Sommalier was good at his job, though. I will revisit Uva soon with a girl for a date.

Pros: Great Food, Excellent Wine, Fantastic Value, Relaxed Ambience

Cons: Really Poor Service, Weak Desserts

Just used to be a favorite spot of me and my friends, not anymore. Last time we went the service was horrible, I have never seen anything like it in all the years I've lived in NYC. The busboy bumped into me and other patrons several times without apologizing. Then he picks up the plate my friend is eating off while she has a fork of food in her mouth. We get him to put it down and he takes her bread plate away with her bread on it. When we complained to the manager there was no response. Instead 5 minutes later he comes running over and yells at us for complaining and then struts away. The people sitting next to us along with overselves were shocked. I will never go here again. Also, poor winelist, VERO across the street and a more educated winelist and knowledgable & well-trianed staff.

Pros: Very cheap.

Cons: Very bad service.

my wife and i are wine lovers , we have tried different places not only in the upper east side
but seems hat we return to this place again and again
my wife forthyeth birthday is coming up and the downstairs private rooms is a perfect spot for our small group of friends , we had the pleasure to experience it before and was a success
that's why we will go back

Pros: the whole experience

Cons: hard to find a seat in the garden that we love

One of the best restaurant experiences ever every time I go! Everyone is so friendly. My favorite dishes are the shrimp appetizer and the gnocchi. Be sure to leave room for dessert! If their million-layer crepes dessert is the special, order it! The music is always great and I love the lighting. You may have to wait a little while on busy nights, but the experience is worth is. Once you've ordered a glass of wine at the bar the time will go by quickly. I recommend their South African Glen Carlou (I think it's spelled something like that).

Pros: great food, great ambience, great service, what more can you ask for?!

Cons: could have to wait for a table, but it's definitely worth it!

I would highly recommend this place. The food, atmosphere, and service are top-notch. Sitting in the garden on a nice night is the way to go.

Pros: food, ambience, service

This is my girlfriend & my favorite neighborhood spot. It's perfect for a date & she loves it for a night out with the her friends. Great wine, amazing antipasto misto (for two) and one of the few restaurants that makes you feel like you've left the UES.

Pros: Great atmosphere; outdoor garden (with heat lamps in winter)

Cons: Crowded, no reservations; Brunch could be improved

My boyfriend and I go to Uva all the time. In addition to the amazing wine list, Uva has incredible entrees, but frequently, we'll go for a light dinner consisting of their Antipasto Misto platter and a plate of three or four cheeses. We brought friends who'd just come back from a year in Italy, and even they were impressed by the selection of Italian wines and cheeses, many of which you'll never see on a menu outside of Italy.

Pros: Great food, great wine, wonderful atmosphere

Excellent wine, solid service, delicious food (gnocchi with truffles? pistachio panna cotta?), and a very relaxing atmosphere make this a true UES keeper! How many restaurants/wine bars can boast a garden patio AND a wine cellar-inspired lower level? If you go to Uva, prepare to relax and be pampered. They have a phenomenal wine selection (including some very reasonable bottles), an eclectic menu, and a definite and unique feel.

I took my parents there and now they must go every time they come to visit!

Pros: Reasonably priced, extensive wine selection, consistently delicious

Cons: Consistently pretentious, sometimes slow service

Extremely friendly staff. Nice cozy ambiance and decoration. Food was good for the price, only problem was that they put a little bit too much sauce on the dishes. A great choice for late night dining (kitchen open until 2 am)

Pros: Staff, ambiance, wine list, food

We went on a saturday night with a group of 8 people. It was definitely a mixed review.
First off the cold antipasto was great, along with the bruschetta.
All the appetizers were really enjoyable.
For dinner half the table loved their dishes and half the table were not happy.
I agree with the reviews about changing simple pasta dishes which in turn ruins them.
The service was really good, and the atmosphere was nice. But really if your looking for a small bite and a few glasses of wine I would check this place out, but for dinner there are many other options in the area for a good italian dinner.

Pros: Good Service and wine and cheeses

Cons: pasta dishes were lacking

Pefetto! Il migliore (The best)...Authentic, Real, A celebration...Delicious wine list...Please do stop by...A lusardi masterpeice...

Pros: Service, Wine List

Cons: Tough to get a street table

I went to Uva because I wanted to see what the buzz is about. Man, am I happy I went! Awesome atmosphere, great food, gorgeous place and the staff was so friendly - especially Massimo! This is definately a downtown type of place hidden in the Upper East Side.

Pros: Garden, Late night dining, Atmosphere

If you go to this bar you will notice how nobody over the age of 25 goes there. The reason being that anyone who enjoys an even halfway decent glass of wine is unable to find anything on their wine list. The wine is all really bad and unfortunately the patrons are too young and inexperienced to know any better. Young women in the early twenties will enjoy the place and that is the market for Uva. Young men will have lots of women to choose from while there, but do not go there for the wine which even their best has a nasty after taste like a $9 bottle of yellow tail shiraz from the corner wine store.

Pros: Attractive clients, Nice waitresses

Cons: Bad wine, Bad wine, Bad wine

That's what went through my head - it's good for the UES because of the lack of a decent wine bar there. The service, including the hostess, was extremely courteous. However, the food was average at best. I ordered the full antipasto platter to go with my wine. Who includes ham as antipasto? It tasted straight out of the local deli to boot. Prosciutto was low-grade as well. And bread should ahve been crusty and chewy and instead felt like wonder bread. Salad with gorgonzola - cheese was freezing cold and in huge lumps. This is not the way this food was meant to be served.

Pros: hostess service, waitstaff

Cons: food

I'm not very impressed by the food at Uva quite frankly. I don't understand chefs that feel they have to experiment with italian cuisine to try and improve on what is already good food. The beauty of italian cuisine is in the simple preparation but the quality of the ingredients and letting the food speak for themselves. This is not the first time I've been to an alleged italian restaurant where the ingredients sound familiar but the dishes are completely strange. I have to admit that the wait staff was top notch, very friendly, knew their stuff and always attentive. i also was falling over and banging in to things as the entire place was only lit by candle-light. One wonders what they're trying to hide.

Pros: good wait staff, good beer selection, Good wine list

Cons: dry pasta, pricey bar, unfamiliar cuisine

The food is ok, not the best, but hey, it's the upper east side, you take what you can get. The service is excellent, and the prices are fair. The atmosphere is a little canned, it sort of looks like they ordered a wine bar from a kit. Sit at the bar, the bartenders are fantastic, and stick to the antipasto, you can't go wrong there.

Pros: Cheap for UES, Service, Dark

Cons: Food is ok

what a fabulous place! my friend recommended uva to me three weeks ago and i've been there 6 times since. it's a perfect date place - very romantic, with a cool vibe (a rarity on second avenue). the food is delicious, the wine abundant, AND they have an outdoor garden with heat lamps. what else could you ask for!

Pros: great atmosphere

Cons: crowded bar

Uva is a fantastic place. The atmosphere is very chic, yet relaxing weather if you sit in or outside on the back patio. The food is very good and it has a nice wine selection. The price can't be beat for the quality.

this new wine bar is a welcome addition to this neighborhood. Many good reds by the glass and the food was excellent. Good place to throw back a couple of glasses with some small plates as a starter, although the entrees were very good too.