Isola on Columbus

One word – YUCK! Ordered delivery and the pizza was lukewarm, soggy and super salty. I couldn’t bring myself to have a second slice. The minestrone soup tasted like it was straight out of a can. Suffice it to say the food is sub par.

We had the calamari for an appetizer which had a real nice spice in the breading. Then we had the prosciutto pizza which was fantastic. Will definitely be coming back.

Always got a bit suspicious with that place, every time I was passing by it just felt like another Italian wannabe place.
Finally we decided to go there last Friday and got pretty surprised by the quality of the restaurant
Service was quick and very friendly, we got our orders out in 10 minutes and that was tasty food
I had the Penne alla vodka and that was extremely good
The menu is simple and straightforward not. Too complicated
I want to point out that they have a nice oven and that pizza are prepared in front of you I like that touch
Will definitely go back there

I’m five blocks down and waited over 90minutes for a $ 17 tiny pizza… Unacceptable. Never ordering from here again.

*Closer to 3.5 stars*
I live down the street from Isola, so I frequent it more than I probably would otherwise. That’s not to say the penne vodka, chicken marsala, or gnocchi aren’t excellent-​they are, and each individual dish deserves all the stars, with a special shout out to the rich, unforgettable marsala sauce. My rating isn’t based on what Isola has-​good food, some of it especially great, like the pizza. Rather, it’s based on what it lacks. I don’t feel like the restaurant has the kind of atmosphere that pulls you in or changes your mood (see Manhattan Brew & Vine, the fabulous wine bar next door). It also doesn’t have a cocktail list or particularly welcoming service. Some nights are better than others, and service has never been offensive-​just not that warm is all, and sometimes not that attentive either. It gets the job done.
They have a lovely lunch special (10 dollar pastas or pizza), and a nice chocolate lava cake, but without some sort of «special sauce» with regards to the atmosphere or service, I can’t imagine Isola being a destination for anyone other than locals.

This place is relatively new so for the time being I think your best bet is to dine in OR pick up your order so you can ensure it is to your satisfaction.
I sat at the bar, as is my usual solo dining custom. Ordered a margherita pie and some glasses of prosseco. Most wine will run you from $ 9-​$ 12 unless you join the happy hour specials from 4−7pm. During happy hour everything house/​well ranges from $ 5-​$ 8. Not shabby.
Pizza was ok. I like the wood burning oven as it adds a nice touch but would need to return to gauge if it is consistent. Neighboring patrons seemed to be enjoying mostly pasta dishes so I would want to give those a try too. Sitting at the bar also allows you to order separate specials that are only available at the bar. Nice addition but want to return to be sure— especially with MBV opening down the street now.

The restaurant was accommodating with our reservation we were 30 min. late for. The wine list was explained very well, the only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars was towards the end of the meal service went down.

Everything was delicious! Their pizzas are perfect. The pasta and meatballs were excellent. The desserts (panna cotta, crepes) were really good. The service was sweet (even with a big 16 person graduate party and we still got our food and were attended to). Really great spot!

Our pizza was delicious! I had the margarita pizza and my husband had the Bianca Pizza-​A white pizza with mushrooms and truffle oil. The crust was paperthin and we couldn’t believe that each pizza was only $ 10. A good location at Morningside and cathedral.

Highly variable service. Live in the neighborhood and have dined several times — maybe once a month since they opened. This evening ⁶⁄₁₅ had dinner and the waitress forgot to place one of our two dinner orders (we were a party of two). There was only one other table the whole time we were there, so it wasn’t like it was busy. One dinner came out and it took the waitress 5 – 10 minutes to come over to notice that she forgot to place the order for my lasagna, and then another 30 for the lasagna to come out.
Most concerning was a complete lack of service recovery besides an apology — no offer to comp the lasagna, no offer for another glass of wine (which was empty anyway), etc. Food is still very good though.

Nice outside sitting area. The pizza was pretty good. The crust was thin enough that I ended up using cutlery. The (admittedly free) bread and olive oil wasn’t great quality.

this review is just for pizza because I haven tried anything else they have to offer, yet.
but the pizza is pretty good, thin crust Neapolitan dough and light, but also delicious. consistent and delivery doesn’t take the longest, but if you’re in the area it’s better to dine in or grab it to go.
not the best I’ve ever had, but certainly far from the worst. i’d revisit it again in a pinch. nothing to write home about but the prosciutto pie and the margherita are safe to order. can’t speak on much else for now

Be warned that the ambiance and personality of the this restaurant is lovely, but the table service is hit or miss. My first experience at Isola was wonderful. It seemed like the owner (s) were working the restaurant this night with the finest details being met at every turn. Our server knew what we wanted before we even asked. NOW, my return visit, was not quite the same. Maybe my expectations were super high based on my previous dining experience, but our table service lacked warmth and punctuality. I’ll probably give this place one more try, to see if the service will meet the quality of the tasty food. I do hope the owners are working on my next and possibly last trip to Isola.

Very nice restaurant, superb attention, very attentive and helpful and above all professional bartender, her name is salomon and the waitress Valentina excellent attention thank you guys for you attention, I’ll see you next Monday

Awesome atmosphere and amazing food — the chicken marsala is great. Cheesecake was a little weird and service was a tiny bit slow considering the small number of people in the restaurant.

Yummy pizza from a wood-​fire oven. I am not a pizza fan but when I do eat pizza, I want it to be something that leaves me very happy that I chose to eat it. This restaurant has a lovely selection of flavor combinations. We came here for dinner and the pizza was not soggy or too dry. Next time I go, I will update this review.

I came here for lunch last Friday at 1pm. They have a lunch special on weekdays, where any pasta or pizza is just $ 10! Everything I had was good, but nothing special. Check in on Unilocal for a free glass of wine!
Insalata di Campo (3.5÷5) — Pretty standard. You could make this at home in 2 minutes.
Penne alla Bettola (³⁄₅) — This tasted good, but the noodles were overcooked.

Great ambiance with great food! Service was okay, not great but not horrible. I’m a little more laid back so when we ordered Peroni’s and then 5 minutes later when the waiter came back to tell us they were out, it wasn’t a huge deal. It took about 10 more minutes to then get our other drinks.
My boyfriend got Penne with vodka cream sauce & added meatballs– which he loved. Portions are satisfying without the «I over-​ate» feeling. I got the Bianca brick oven pizza which was excellent!
Overall good dining experience, great food with okay service. Would definitely go again!

I went here on a first date a few weeks ago, and I really liked it! The services was great, and I definitely enjoyed my gnocchi. I only wish that they had a wine menu. My date and I ended up speaking for three or four hours, and the waitstaff didn’t try to rush us at all. Overall would recommend.

Very friendly atmosphere & incredible pizza — very very thin without a hint of floppiness but also not rigid like a cracker. How do they do it?
Tender calamari. Also had broccoli rabe appetizer which was good but not memorable.
They also have happy hour until 7pm with drink, pizza, and pasta specials.