I have no question about this place if I were to revisit it again, I diffidently will! Coming from Staten Island, their Brooklyn Italian restaurant is great! We went in as a large group late at night & the waitress was great and very helpful! Her partner was not so great(shook all our sodas before she bought it or something!) Everyone’s soda burst after we opened it. The food there was superb, everyone in the group raved about while eating & after. But my date’s dish was messed up, she ordered Veal pram and made sure there wasn’t any pork in her dish, the original waiter told us there won’t be any pork. Dishes come & we each. only to find pork in the dish. Vinny was there he tried to be kind by offered us Chicken pram. We just took the dish out of kindness but we really didn’t want Chicken. if we did we would have taken that dish originally but she wanted veal. I just have to remember and carefully order next time. and I would highly suggest using the same waiter not the other on who shook our cans!
Eric B.
Place rating: 5 Prosper, TX
Our first day in town on a week’s vacation and popped into Vinny’s. The food is fantastic. The portions are generous and the stag was friendly. Vinny met folks at the tables and it looked like the place was full of regulars. A great sign for people looking for great food from a neighborhood restaurant. We tried the meatball hero and the pasta Fagioli soup. Excellent flavors. Plus garlic cheese bread for starters. That was a big hit. We’ll be back!
Christopher R.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
This place is as legit as they come. Great food with very generous portions at a great price. I would have to say this is by far one of my favorite italian restaurants in Brooklyn(and that’s coming from an italian born and raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn!). This is the only place I would order chicken parmesan that isn’t made by my mother. One of my favorites things about this place is it allows you to get any type of pasta and sauce as your side, when many other places only offer you a side of bland vegetables or penne with marinara sauce, here you can get a side of penne vodka with your main dish which is a huge plus to me. Enjoy!
Paul B.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Delicious food. Chicken Sorentina you could cut with your fork. The lasagna portion was big enough for two and as good as my Italian mom made. Great eggplant parm too. All good because Vinny is there. He’ll come to your table to make sure you are happy with everything.
Z B.
Place rating: 4 Jackson Heights, NY
Italian place. Leans to sicilian. I had the chicken and eggplant stew. It was good.
Ray C.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
this is legit. old school luncheonette style. Been coming here for 7 years. Generous helpings of food, quick, and good people. I’ve only sat in there once, usually i get take out, but had a great experience. it’s my go to italian spot in the area. there’s a lot of hustle and bustle, but it adds to the local charm. There’s something about their salad dressing. it’s legit.
Anthony P.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Great spot for lunch or a casual dinner. Fried calamari hero is fresh and simply gigantic. They have all the Italian American specialities. You can sit and have waitress service if you like. Its the kind of place that when you stand at the counter you just want to eat everything! Staff keeps it moving and they aren’t messing around. Definitely a fan.
AL J.
Place rating: 5 Staten Island, NY
Always a great spot for Italian cuisine. Small and quaint, tastes delish! Don’t pass up the chance to eat here! From simple to effing awesome. …
V F.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
my husband and i really enjoyed vinny’s. the food was wonderful and you can tell the owner takes pride in this restaurant. the staff was great too and very attentive. we will be back!
Jimmy S.
Place rating: 4 Staten Island, NY
This place has been here for years, it’s very small and gets crowed real fast. The food is outstanding, especially their egg plant parm and thier calamari in marinara sauce. The service is always fast and good. Try to get there early to get a seat, otherwise you’ll be waiting a long time to be seated…
Frank T.
Place rating: 1 Brooklyn, NY
I found this place on Unilocal and since most reviews were 4 stars I gave it a try. I’m beginning to think friends and family of the owners posted the reviews because the food was beyond awful. Heated up greasy and tasteless. Reminded me of Italian food served in 2nd rate pizza places that you’d never order because why would you? I’m really surprised at the reviews. Unilocal is rigged I think.
Beth O.
Place rating: 5 Guttenberg, NJ
I had sole in marinara sauce. It came with 7 fresh mussels. So fresh, melted in my mouth. The sauce was very flavorful, you could taste the basel. The side of string beans was generous, fresh and tasty. Bread was warm and fresh. Also ample glass of wine. This was my first time here. They obviously take pride in what they serve. Can’t wait to try more things.
Joey M.
Place rating: 3 Brooklyn, NY
Combination pizzeria and Italian restaurant. The venue is small and a little cramped. I believe there were 2 booths, 2 looooong wooden tables and two smaller wooden tables. Arrived here on a Sunday evening and it was almost packed. Though, to be honest, it would not be that difficult to fill this place up! There were two servers but they seemed to be overly busy… The food was OK. Still prefer Momma’s Italian cooking :)
Sabby M.
Place rating: 4 New York, NY
Feels like walking into Nonna ’ s kitchen. The smell of gravy simmering. And yes by gravy I mean tomato sauce. The kitchen is open and everything is prepared in front of you. Not many places have authentic Italian cooks in the kitchen. This place does, and I love everything on the menu. From the Seafood Antipasti to start to the amazing Eggplant Parmigiana with a healthy portion of baked Ziti. Heaven absolutely heaven. The Seafood salad is so fresh it tastes like the sea.
Karen T.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
I’ve never had anything here I wouldn’t order again. I’ve used them for catering & they were amazing(on time, generous w/portions & delish)! I’ve been going since he opened. The eggplant parm is great. The fish always fresh(I only get fish on Friday), even the veal is surprisingly good. It’s super-casual & v popular w/the local Italian population. V colorful local place — not white linens! Enjoy!
Deirdre L.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Great Italian food on Smith St. Definitely a neighborhood place that serves good portions. The food is delicious and the prices are not too bad. I would come back here more often. I just get distracted by Zaytoons and other restaurants in NYC.
Karla C.
Place rating: 5 Miami, FL
Been coming here ever since I was little and now when I visit Brooklyn I make sure to stop by for the fettuchini Alfredo with shrimp or the calamari sub. This place is always packed! Wether you’re dining in or take out vinnys is the place to go for great authentic Italian food.
Joan D.
Place rating: 4 Port Hueneme, CA
Really delicious food, friendly service, non-pretentious. Huge portions! Their broccoli rabe is excellent!
Lucia C.
Place rating: 5 Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, NY
You will have to wait but it’s worth it!!! Home style delicious Italian food. The décor feels like you are at home with family. Good company along with good food calls for a great time.
Anna C.
Place rating: 4 Islip, NY
Great Neighborhood classic! Service was a bit slow when we went but it was ok since we weren’t in a rush. Started off with a bowl of Tortellini con Brodo soup and it was delicious — reminded me of my Nonna’s. We stopped in for lunch so didn’t want to get anything too big so we got an eggplant Parmesan sandwich. The sauce was so great and the sandwich was loaded with thin fried eggplant. A really awesome Italian grinder! The owner Vinny is such a sweet man too. If we’re ever back in the area we will definitely stop by.
Leo L.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Love this place so much I came in 2 days in a row for lunch! I am always looking for a good Italian restaurant that serves good and inexpensive Italian food. I hate when the only Italian food you can get is at a Pizzeria, it’s very difficult to find an Italian restaurant that serves good food, but lucky me I have discovered Vinny’s. I know that this restaurant has been around for many years, I just never got a chance to visit, better late then never! Vinny’s has some really good food, the restaurant itself is not fancy, its a mix between a diner and a pizzeria. I ordered chicken Parm over spaghetti which was amazing, and if I weren’t fat enough I ordered a side of Italian sausage and peppers. The staff is super friendly and you feel at home. Everything was so deelish that I came in the following day for a Chicken Parm sandwich to go! The only complain I have is that my chicken Cutlet was a bit cold on both occasion, but the sauce and cheese was hot which warmed the chicken cutlet a bit. I’ll just make sure to let them know how I like next time(Hot).
Gime S.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
I can go on for hours when it comes to Vinny’s! We’ve been dining here for years, probably since they first opened. From casual dinners to birthdays and celebrations — we always decide on Vinny’s majority of the time because it’s just that good. It’s a pretty small restaurant, but it’s very intimate and comfortable. There are several Italian restaurants in the neighborhood, but nothing just as fresh and delicious. Service is great, and we love being able to spend time with Vinny himself… he’s a great guy. My go-to plate is always the Penne alla Vodka and/or Chicken Francese, but we always start with a Mozzarella Caprese and fried shrimp for starters — never fails! The chicken vegetable soup is also highly recommended to try if you want to have something deliciously flavorful and to get full enough where it’s not too heavy. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu(besides fish — hate fish) and its all worth the wait and worth the penny — I say ‘wait’ because since the restaurant is small, sometimes there is a line… but like I said again, it’s worth it!
Casey R.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
When I think about Italian food, real tradition Sunday dinner Italian food… I think of vinnys! I’ve been coming here for 17 years, always ordering the meat lasagna which is the best! Everything on the menu is delicious, the sauce is amazing, and so is the fresh Italian bread. There is usually a wait, because the place is small, but well worth it. You never feel rushed.
Bethany W.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
I’m extremely hard to please and This place is AMAZING. I bring all visitors(family, friends etc) to eat here when in town and everyone asks me to come back. You cannot possibly find better italian food(of the sicilian variety) than you get here. Best chicken parm, pasta, baked clams… please get a canoli cheap
Rebecca S.
Place rating: 3 Palisades Park, NJ
Italian food isn’t something that I’m in the mood for often but while strolling in Brooklyn one day my friends and I ended up here. I don’t venture off into BK often so we were definitely in foreign territory and turned to Unilocal for the 411. The solid 4 star review made me very excited! Unfortunately the meal and experience overall was a let down. We ordered the calamari and it was very average. I’ve had better calamari and sauce from diners. I ordered the linguine with clam sauce and the sauce was actually very tasty. Perfect for dipping bread. I tried my friend’s sole oreganata dish and fettuccine dishes and neither were anything special. I was looking forward to flavorful dishes and luckily mine was good but as a whole I wasn’t impressed. Service wasn’t so great either. They seemed to be swamped so we were patient with our requests however our waitress was real snippy. At one point, the owner(I think) came over to our table to apologize bc he saw our shocked faces after she left our table. If it weren’t for that tasty white clam sauce, this would be a 2 star review.
Salimah H.
Place rating: 2 Jersey City, NJ
Unilocal really let me down on this 1. My friends and I came here after finding out the hard way that Arthur’s on Smith was closed down. We Unilocaled and the 4 star rating and reviews lead us here. There was a short wait at the door(literally at the door, there was no where else to go). But we were seated pretty quickly, a win. The menu is definitely very basic, old-school Italian; which is fine, accept that was not at all what I was in the mood for. It took me forever to convince myself to order something. So we ordered calamari in the meantime. It was lack-luster, to say the least. I ordered the fettuccine alfredo with shrimp. When it came out I was blown away by the size of the portion. I knew for sure I’d be take a rather large doggy bag home. The alfredo was… alright. It was literally nothing special. I feel like I’ve the exact same thing a million times… and was never very satisfied. I barely ate… disappointment does away with my appetite. You know how sometimes, you’re sooooo full but the food is sooooo good that you just keep on eating it? This was not 1 of those times. Friend #1’s linguine with clam sauce was def the winner of the night, and even that wasn’t all that great unfortunately. Friend #2 got the filet of Sole oreganta, I didn’t try but she said it was ok. It was pretty busy in there and there was only 1 or 2 waitresses(not sure about what was going on behind me in that respect). Our waitress was pretty«short» with us the whole time and never came back to check on our meals even once. After trying and trying, we were finally able to get our bill. We needed change for a $ 20, again, after trying and trying, I was able to get her attention to ask. She then barked at me and pointed«at the counter» and walked away. The owner(?) saw this and came over to ask if we needed change. He brought back the change with an excuse on top, «she’s not usually like that, its just so busy». Yea ok… you got the wrong one buddy. My friends still left a tip. I did not. The very nature of a tip is that it is extra. That means you have to do more than take my order and bring me my food. That’s what the restaurant is paying you for. So if you don’t do that, you don’t get a tip. I tip well when the service is good, and I tend to round up. Perhaps if more people of America followed this logic, there would be a wide-spread increase in great service!
J. M.
Place rating: 5 Leer, Niedersachsen
Also, war doch sehr beeindruckt! Sehr netter Empfang, man fühlte sich vom ersten Moment an wie zu Hause .Die Speisen werden zeitnah zubereitet, alles sehr frisch und lecker. Eine kleine Auswahl an sehr guten Weinen. Vorspeisen waren topp! Hier waren wir nicht das letztemal!