What. How is this place closed? It was amazing and the only excellent Italian place that was not touristy and reasonably easy to get a last minute table. I hope they reopen. #RIP #NeverForget
Linda X.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New York, NY
Bianca was my fave Italian place in NYC — it was authentic, well priced and delicious. I’m still devastated it closed. George, please come back so I can have my gnocco frittos and the amazing pasta again. Nothing will compare to Bianca.
ReRee W.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Manhattan, NY
I’m so devastated it’s closed; George and the entire staff were the best. Food was always on point, being able to wait at Von bar next door. I’ve celebrated many life events here(birthdays, relationships, career moves, bachelorette dinners, pregnancy announcements)…so off to Williamsburg we go so say Hi to George.
Taiyo O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New York, NY
Dear Bianca, How I loved your Brodetto Di Pesce. It is very difficult to accept I no longer have you any more. It was everything I want for Italian fish stew with different kind of seafood in it. The delicious sauce, white wine, tomato, was simple but unstoppable. Soak up the sauce with a piece of bread at the end melted my soul. Bianca — if you find a new home, do tell to all of your Unilocal fans. We miss you till then… Your one of the devastated fans, Taiyo PS I searched and found one in Williamsburg, Fiore with backyard garden, on Grand St. Menu and the prices kept the same and offers lunch. I went there once for lunch not knowing anything about the restaurant. Every thing we had, pizza and Benedict’s, we were too heavy. But I didn’t know the dinner menu was the Bianca. I must head to Fiore to satisfying my carving very soon!
Vanesa F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Flushing, NY
I cannot believe Bianca’s is CLOSED! This place was the closest thing to authentic Italian food in NYC and now it’s gone?! It was always busy. Had a nice cozy feel to it. Yes, the tables were a little close to each other but I would be so busy enjoying my food and my company that I didn’t even notice what the people next to me were talking about, or even that they were there. The food was amazing. I would always«pre-game» at the bar next door while waiting to be seated and then come back after dinner and go to the downstairs area where it would turn into a fun party. I actually lol’d at a review stating that the place was ghetto?! GHETTO?!! lmao. Girl bye. I don’t know of any other places with good food, homie-welcoming décor, good prices, laid back bar, and a party right below. Please re-open. my mouth is watering just thinking about it :(
Julian M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Ozone Park, NY
This place was legendary. The atmosphere, the food, the prices, everything about it was too nice. My birthday was held here, and the staff made it very special for me. My wife and I were upset when it closed, I hope this is only temporary.
Farrah B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
So Sad This Place Is Closed I drove by it yesterday with intentions of stopping by with a friend and to my heart’s discontent to see the gates were down and I thought this couldn’t be. I can’t believe it’s closed. Bianca come back
Patricia C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Manhattan, NY
Just when I thought about catching up on super overdue reviews of some of my favorite places… HOWCOULDTHISPLACEBECLOSED?! By far the best italian place I know in NYC!!! I’ve brought so many friends here and they all love it too. The wait is well worth it(since no reservations are allowed), and the drinks are so good at their sister bar next door. Everyone who works there is also super friendly :(Best of all, the food… amazing and affordable — kind of like if you were having a family dinner cooked by your favorite italian grandma :). My fave item was always their lasagna, but everything I’ve had has been impeccable. Please find a way to come back!!! :’(
Morgan C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Manhattan, NY
Just saw on NY Eater that Bianca has closed. I am beyond devastated. This has been my favorite restaurant since first moving to the city. Please PLEASE find a new location soon George. NYC will not be the same without you!
Jenn C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Manhattan, NY
Relatively cheap Italian place in Noho. It gets really noisy and crowded so be prepared to rub elbows with your neighbors. I had the Tagliolino ai Frutti di Mare or basically Seafood Pasta in tomato sauce. I hate tomato sauce but this was relatively good. They didn’t have the black squid ink pasta on the day that I went; ask what the specials are for the day!
Anny G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
Bianca has every aspect of a restaurant that makes me feel warm and happy. It’s like you’re at a house of an Italian grandmother who just invited you to come in for some hearty dinner… the place is tiny, lightly dimmed, homey, romantic, and nostalgic. The place is cash only and does not take any reservations. However, the menu prices are more than fair and the portions are out of control so you don’t have to worry about leaving hungry. Get the mussels with white wine and garlic to share… DELIShhh. I shared two different pastas — Taglioini ai Frutti di Mare which is a pasta with clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp over tomato sauce and the Gnocchi con Formaggio… which is gnocchi with A LOTOF cheese(this was my favorite). I literally rolled out of the restaurant because I was so full… but extremely satisfied. Definitely coming back soon to try out some of the other dishes Bianca has to offer.
Megan P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 New York, NY
Really cute spot for a date. We put our names down on a Saturday around 8:15 and waited about an hour to get seated. The owner is really nice and personally comes out to get you when the table is ready. We got the beet salad to start, which was a special. It was really tasty and a great start to the meal. Then we had the gnocchi and vegetable lasagna, which were also great. The gnocchi is really creamy though, which I didn’t realize so don’t get it if you don’t really like cheese. Including wine the total was $ 62 for two people! Remember it’s cash only.
Steve N.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
This is a lovely restaurant, open to the street, and popular, we thought, because two people could eat a delightful meal for a reasonable price in an unpretentious, romantic setting. Here’s what me and the GF ate(Sat 09/05/2015) Orata, special 24 — excellent fish, perfectly prepared Grilled radicchio and prosciutto, 13 — a unique appetizer in my experience. The radicchio was pan grilled with olive oil almost as if it were a pancake, plated, and topped with sumptuous prosciutto and cheese shreds — pecorino perhaps? Fritto misto, 19 — primarily calamari(tentacles included! yay!) with some small, headless shrimp and chunks of red mullet. No sauce, if you were wondering. It was well prepared and fresh. TOTAL, with a bottle of wine, around $ 98 before tip Tip — CASHONLY Tip — good dessert menu and the desserts I saw looked good Bonus — Good value! Bonus — the wine list is a friend of the people Tip — the fritto misto is a large portion that could easily be an appetizer for 4 Tip — I can only be certain that wine is available
Christina R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Astoria, NY
Bianca is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city – yes, I understand that is a sweeping generalization, but nonetheless true! Whenever I have friends or family visit, I take them to Bianca for the excellent food quality, attentive service, and quaint atmosphere. Bianca focuses on Italian simplicity and prides itself on creating dishes centered around the pillars of Italian cuisine. Normally offering around 7 pasta dishes, I am hard pressed to choose one option each time I go. My all-time favorites have been the tagliatelle bolognese and the homemade lasagna. I also highly recommend the gnocco frito with cured meats and fresh farmer’s cheese. There are also meat and fish entrees, however when a restaurant makes fresh pasta and offers a generous portion, I rarely turn away! The one«complaint» is that there is not more seating availability!
Sebastian K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Manhattan, NY
Very good and cozy restaurant. I don’t quite remember what we ordered but everything tasted so good that even the plain pastas were good. The mussels were a great starter and the bread was nice too. Good ambiance and service too
Janus C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Midtown West, Manhattan, NY
Bianca is a great first-date joint. Mind you, this restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so either come for early or late dinner unless you want to wait. The restaurant is cozy, cash only, and dimly lit during dinner time. I’ve tried the frutti di mare(average), lasagna and pasta bolognese there. The lasagna and pasta bolognese are amazing — hearty, decent portions, affordably priced, and authentic. I kind of want to go back and try other things, but every time I go, I look over at another table’s pasta bolognese AND I JUSTCAN’T RESIST. Come here with a small party, as the restaurant itself is on the tinier side.
Ricamae L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Las Vegas, NV
A friend of mine recommended this cute lil Italian place to my bf and me. We were visiting NY and we wanted to try authentic Italian food. The atmosphere was really nice. It is a small restaurant, dim lighting with candles. For appetizer we ordered the Gnocco Fritto which was pretty amazing. Highly recommend! We also ordered the bolognese which was delicious and we ordered one of their specials which was some mushroom buttered pasta. Not so good. It had no taste. And for dessert we ordered a tiramisu and coffee. Very good! Overall, we enjoyed our experience. We will def come back when we visit NY again :)
Rosemary V.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Manhattan, NY
Came here for dinner on a Monday night. Ambience: Intimate, dimly lit giving off this romantic vibe. Bathroom is super tiny. Luckily we did not have to wait for a seat. This place is small, so I suggest smaller groups. Service: Waitress was nice and attentive. Food: My friend had the lasagna and I had the seafood pasta. Both were so yummy although I would had preferred the seafood pasta in a light sauce(it came with a red sauce) but nevertheless it was quite tasty. Portions were generous. Price: Decent for the area; I was not happy that this place is cash only. Overall decent Italian place but I continue on the search for the best Italian food in NYC and I have yet to find it. Perhaps I am just spoiled by the memories from my trip to Italy. Ahh I miss it so much!
Anna D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
I never brought my ex here because I didn’t want him to ruin MYFAVORITERESTAURANTEVER for me. My friend first brought me here dinner on a Saturday night, and the restaurant was packed. They don’t take reservations but the owner(?) of the place is this super sweet man who will direct you to the bar next door, where you can have a glass of wine while you wait for your table. You can bring your wine or beer with you when you’re seated! The restaurant itself is dimly lit with a lively ambiance. The waitress will usually ask if you’d like wine for the night, and let you know about the daily appetizer and entrée specials. There’s bread and olive oil to start off, nothing too special about that but I always ask for more bread to soak in the white wine and garlic sauce from the mussels appetizer that is a must-have! I always have the Sauté di Cone(the mussels), and have tried the Spiedino di Mare(shrimp and calamari skewers) and the Gnocco Fritto(fried dough with prosciutto), but nothing compares to the mussels. The portion size is great, and the white wine and garlic sauce is freaking amazing. Some of my friends have said it is a little salty for their tastes, but I love it! Two entrees I’d recommend is the Fritto Misto(calamari with fried zucchini sticks, shrimp, and mullet fish) and of course the Tagliolini ai Frutti di Mare, the seafood pasta. Something about the pasta itself is just so good, and the clams and mussels are always big and juicy. The waiters keep your water and your bread basket filled, and everyone is friendly. I would come here with either one other person and and up to 5 – 6 people. It can get a bit crowded, and is definitely loud so conversing can be difficult sometimes, but the food is phenomenal! The prices have gone up in the past year, but everything is reasonably priced, no dish is over $ 20. I never regret a dinner at Bianca, and am always looking forward to the next time I can come! *Cash only, there’s a Chase bank literally across the street.
Monica P.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Brooklyn, NY
I’ve always wanted to come here, and now when I finally got the chance, there’s some mixed feelings. The wait for two people tonight was 55 minutes he quoted, then we’re told we should go next door to wait and that he’d come get us. So we both sipped on our own cocktail at the bar next door and next thing you know, at the exact timing of 55mins, he came in and got us for our table. Cons: –Small restaurant, tables are tight together where you’re eating elbow to elbow with other people. –Extemely noisy Pros: –Cheap Italian dishes Food: Gnocco Fritto — fried puffs with stracchino cheese we got. These oily deep fried puffs actually weren’t heavy. The cheese was yummy. But I could’ve went without getting this appetizer, as it was just OK. Plus, I didn’t taste any truffle at all that our waitress mention it had on the dish. Lasagna — honestly, I think the lasagna I make myself is better. Not saying their lasagna is bad or anything, it was pretty good. Some parts of the lasagna pasta skin was too hard, dry and crispy though. I’ve had better lasagna like my own bomb ass lasagna. Taglionlini ai Frutti di Mare — Usually not a fan of tomato sauce base pasta, but this was actually light and good. Decent amount of seafood as well. Maybe I’m just hard to impress with Italian food to come think about it, since it is my most favorite cuisine. But I do see why this place has so many reviews; it’s smacked so close to Soho plus it’s cheap, for the same price as Brooklyn diner’s & pizzeria’s pasta. It does taste better then it so hey.