Cellar 58

This is a great go-​to spot for EVillagers to grab a glass of wine. It’s cozy and intimate, has good wine and decent apps. It was a bit quiet when I was there during the week, but it’s a nice go-​to if you don’t want to venture too far out of the area.
FOOD/​DRINKS:
–Bruschetta: I love bruschetta. This was pretty good, but on the average side. It comes with 2 pieces of toast, cut in halves.
–Meats & cheeses: These were good too — but nothing ‘out of the world’. Comes on a wooden board.
–Wine: I forget which red I ordered, but it was great! This was definitely the highlight (it was most likely a cab…)

This place is awful. I would have given it negative stars if I could. I actually signed up for Unilocal because of this horrible place, in spite of years of bad restaurant experiences. I strongly advise that you avoid this place. The service is awful. The host was unattentive. When it came to ordering, the waiter was despondent. The food itself was workable. But when I ordered the lasagna after my group got the lasagnetta appetizer, I was shocked to see it more or less the same size ($ 7 dollars on appetizer vs. $ 16 on the main). Furthermore, while it may be billed as a wine bar, many bottles are over a hundred dollars. The food portions (e.g., for appetizers) are small. Please heed my warning and stay away!!!

Summary
Romantic dinner spot. The food options are all done well. They know what they’re doing here.
Atmosphere
I came here with my college roommate one Friday night. We had no idea it was more of a date spot than a normal dinner type place. That being said, I would highly recommend this place for a date, good spot for that.
Food
They do a few things here and they do them right. My friend had the seafood paella which as you can see from the pictures, was very well portioned. I had a very nicely done skirt steak which was grilled to perfection. The cut of meat also wasn’t very fatty which is always appreciated. The chef knew what he was doing because it wasn’t very salty or oily. Good stuff.
Drinks
Decent selection of wines. Didn’t take a look at cocktails or beers.
Service
Pretty good waitstaff.

Great value. Food was nice and happy hour is until 8. A favorite spot in EV is you want to have a few with dinner outside…

Came in here on Christmas Eve with a friend for their prix fixe menu and some wine. It is a cute place, very cozy, I can imagine it would be great for a date or just getting together with a friend (s) to have a nice dinner and drinks. Service was very responsive and quick, though it wasn’t packed given the holidays. Good prices, good food, I got the seafood pasta and my friend the spaghetti pomodora, with prosecco (I know, weird wine choice but you know, the holidays make you choose the bubbly). Would definitely stop in again on a non-​holiday to enjoy their food and atmosphere.

Everything was amazing! Danielle made everything with extra love, you can actually taste it in each dish. Perfect experience

This place is the best!!!
It’s Paulino birthday!!!
Happy birthday Paulino we all love you !!!
Wish you more and more great party’s

Came here for a birthday party and I expected more from this restaurant. The appetizers were decent but not worth its price. The entrees ranged from the steak, the chicken cultlet, the pasta, the pasta. I tried the mushroom pasta and the chicken cutlet. The mushroom pasta had no mushroom sauce. It was super bland and not tasty. The chicken cutlet was good. The steak portion was super small, not worth its price. The customer service was good, but the food didn’t hit the spot.

Met friends who are such fans of this little sweet place, they commute to visit from all areas in the city– and now I know why! One of my favorite places now too!
The service is warm, professional, attentive and spot on in from start to finish.
The food was FANTASTIC. We shared a huge bowl of mussels and clams that was phenomenal– we wouldn’t give up the empty bowl because the sauce was so fresh, succulent and absolutely delish.
I love octopus, but being spoiled with a couple of Greek places in the city that are notorious for their grilled octopus — I tend to pass in most places because I’ve been consistently underwhelmed and afraid to try elsewhere. So happy my friends did– It was perfect! Tender, juicy, fresh and the presentation original. Bravo!
We had the pasta carbonara– and we raved at the authenticity behind the execution. Simple, straightforward (no crème) and perfectly al dente. I have never had carbonara on that level outside of an Italian’s home kitchen.
I ordered fish and fried because I was craving something fried and salty that evening– it was perfectly battered and lightly fried cod, everyone was impressed. Fries did not last long among us– thin, crispy, addictive.
I chanced to meet the lovely owner who gave me a tour of the back room. A wine cellar they use for parties– great lil hidden gem for hosting an event that I will definitely keep in mind. Tall ceilings, exposed brick, elegant wine collection behind crystal clear display surround gorgeous polished mahogany bar height tables and stools that are comfortable and perfectly spacious and intimate. Very masculine traditional space, that has been kept updated in style and feel.
Wonderful location, people, food and hospitality– see you again soon Cellar 58!!!

So for those who have read any of my other birthday reviews you may know that it began with a bit of catastrophe at The Confessional. HOWEVER Cellar 58 saved the day in a major way.
By the time I made it in I was completely over my birthday. I was crying my Miss America Crown and heels were off and it was only 9:30pm. Me and my guest were seated and I was still crying and asking baby Jesus why me?!
After about 20 minutes of theatrics I was able to get my life together, straighten my crown, slip my heels back on and powder my face.
We started with a bottle Belcanto Cuvee Rose which is amazing!
I had the salmon which was delicious and the Birthday song was so sweet followed by an authentic tiramisu.
I truly felt loved, the staff went above and beyond to make sure the crying hot mess that entered the building left happy, feeling beautiful, and verrrrry drunk!
They even let me pop the bottle of Champagne.
There is not enough compliments I can give Cellar 58, they saved my birthday and I will never forget the amazing service I received.
xoxoxoxxo

I just put a review up of this restaurant a day or two ago and Unilocal just deleted it, why? Cellar is one of my favorite places and I have only good things to talk about that place and that is what I said in my review, so why did you delete it? I’d like to know and a call will follow tomorrow.
You can’t just delete reviews of people like this. It’s truly unfair.
Thanks.
S

Very comforting authentic spot in the EAST VILLAGE.
The menu offers many interesting options for all different occasions :)
I went with my Italian suppliers for a work dinner, and they were very happy about it!
Then went back with friends for birthday celebrations, in the nice back room, and keep on going back whenever I feel like I want to eat good, without a special reason… over and over. BRAVI ~!

Excellent food: chef Enrico from Italy is a good ambassador of the Italian Tradion, Paolino and Francesco are very kind.
Good selection of wines, perfect location for meeting and tasting.

Cellar 58 has been a beloved neighborhood establishment for several years. It was a home away from home — warm, welcoming, cheerful and always presenting great food and excellent service. However, the last year and a half the restaurant has suffered a terrible step backwards. Inconsistencies in food, chefs, rotating wait staff, non-​attentive service and management has left this little gem struggling more for identity and clientele. (We miss Aurelio and Francesco!!!)
At one time, I would have stood on the street corner in any type of weather and proclaimed to all of the EV that this was the best red sauce in all of NYC. Now, sauce in a jar is a better option and who ever really wants processed, preservative laden sauce in a jar?
We did voice our concern with the owner about the inconsistencies and were told that different people handle the prep and they are unable to control the output. With deep regret, I must sadly conclude that the response reflects their current lack of commitment and willingness to return to quality.
C58 — we’d love to join you for dinner again, but as long as you insist on delivering poor quality food and service, we’re forced to find a new home. Please come back again… soon!

I’ve been coming to this place on and off for the last 4 years and it’s always been great.
The wine selection is terrific, the food is very good, welcoming staff and the atmosphere is perfect for dats or just to sit and talk with a friend.
The only thing I would ask is to lower the temperature, it can get pretty warm in there.

Friday night and every place in the East Village had a long wait… oh this place looks interesting and it doesn’t look too slammed? Let’s give it a shot… ugh. First, they really need to moderate their room temperature here… remembered that it was chilly outside and this place was steaming… c’mon, a little overkill there?
Now the food, tried out the spaghetti carbonara and the sauce was chunky and dry, not good at all. I’d say it was in edible but uh, I was hungry so ate it anyway. The rest of my meal was pretty much unmemorable after that, which is probably a good thing.
I definitely remember walking out of there thinking…“what did I just pay for that meal??”

We’ve only been here for wine so I cannot comment on the food. We sat outside one spring Sunday afternoon and it was lovely. There’s great people-​watching in the LES/​East Village so I could sit outside and drink wine for hours. Unfortunately, at this place, I wouldn’t be able to afford to do so! The wine-​by-​the-​glass list had about 12 reds, 12 whites, and some sparklings. The cheapest wines were $ 9 – 10, but most were $ 12 – 14. We ordered a $ 12 glass of wine and the pour was about half of what I would have hoped.
Overall, the service and ambiance is great, but the wine is completely overpriced. I don’t know how they can compete with all the much more affordable wine bars in the area.

Unlike previous reviews about coming here with a online deal, I didn’t receive a restricted menu especially for it. Maybe the owner read the reviews and changed his mind? Oh well, good for me. I always check out Unilocal before visiting a place and this Amazon Local deal was gifted to me. To be honest, I wasn’t to excited about coming here based off of what people were saying, but was pleasantly surprised when told anything could be chosen off of the menu with the $ 40 worth deal.
It started off alright. I believe the owner was the one who served us. Didn’t seem mean at all (what I read). My boyfriend and I ordered our drinks and small plates and while we were waiting we heard a server and the owner arguing out in the open! I mean, we were the only ones in there, but the lady was obviously really upset about something because she kept going on. Awwwkward. And when you think things couldn’t get any more awkward, a cook storms out of the restaurant cussing and being chased by the owner. Lol. Perfect timing to hit up Cellar 58.
The food took a little while to come out. I got the clams which were alright and my boyfriend got the eggplant, which was actually really good! The owner apologized for what had happened, but still unacceptable and totally not professional at all. Makes me wonder what goes on at that place. Hope the employees are being treated fairly. I know all too well about a shady restaurant environment having worked in one myself. Who knows. Oh well. Probably won’t be back here again.

Wow I have never ever CRIED at a restaurant because the damn manager YELLED in your face.
Yes, the «customer is always right», but in my situation, I admit I was wrong. I misunderstood the Groupon deal I went in for, and also assumed certain things.
However, that doesn’t mean the manager can get aggressive and yell in your face. Yes, the manager YELLED IN MY FACE. He got in my face with his Italian accent and hand gestures and ARGUED with me. He like actually bent down to get closer to my face to yell at me.
When a customer is wrong, there is a way to approach it. You do NOT YELL IN HIS/​HER FACE. The food ended up cold because he got so defensive and argued for so long… He didn’t even listen to what I was trying to say!!! I was trying to give a SUGGESTION about his damn Groupon and why I misunderstood it, and he got SOOOO defensive that he kept talking over me, not even letting me finish a single sentence.
I got so upset at the fact that he freaking got all up in my face and yelled at me… Wow have I never gotten service that bad. So I CRIED… uncontrollably. Well, I wasn’t wailing or anything, but my tears would not stop. I just chugged my wine and forced the food down my throat somehow.
If I could give them zero stars, I would. Their food was average, like I could live without it. It wasn’t mind blowingly great, nor was it disgusting. But I had it cold, so I can’t really even tell anymore.
Terrible, TERRIBLE, service here. How could a restaurant owner let his customer cry? Like really? Asshole, am I right? If you can’t do customer service right, DON’T BE IN A CUSTOMER SERVICE INDUSTRY. Wow.

Didn’t try the dinner menu, which may be the reason this place gets 3 stars, but the wine was just fine (they had Primitivo by the glass, so I was a happy sipper). For some reason, it took forever to pour my wine, so I missed the first big toast (we were celebrating a friend’s film screening at the Annex).
The back room was private and comfortable. Antipasti were pretty good, at least the ones I bogarted from my friends’ plate. You could do worse for a date or a quiet evening with wine.