Frank

Been a fan of Frank & it’s siblings Supper & Lil Frankies for years.
This spot is perfect as it’s just off the F line, so it’s a quick jaunt into the city for me.
I arrived at the perfect hour of 7:30. Knowing New Yorkers preference for 8:30 dinnertime, I knew I’d snag a spot easily. So I sidled up to the bar waiting for my date.
Turns out she used Apple maps to find the address. And wouldn’t you know it but Apple thinks that 88 2^nd ave New York NY 10 003 is at 58^th street! Try it and see for yourself. BIzarre as it sounds, that’s where she was while I was sitting at the bar. :(I explained to her what to do, and then got off the phone.
The bartender was quick to bring me a glass of montepulcciano, which settled my nerves, while the resto filled up. I also ordered the insanely delicious fennel salad which has just a touch of parmesan on top. MMMMMMM
Slowly but surely the bar cum waiting area started to fill up. This is a tiny restaurant that seems to fill past capacity that even seems possible. Wall-​to-​wall people. And it’s no wonder why, the food is very homemade and reasonably priced too.
It’s now 8pm and my date is still on her way, sharing location via imessages, I’m watching her walk down second ave. :) I’m nibbling on the delicious bread they offer, which keeps my hunger pains at bay. Oil for dipping, is a delicious touch right about now.
8:20 and finally my date arrives. By this point a gaggle of four women are dominating the corner of the bar where I’m desperately holding onto an extra chair. I make room for the lovely lady and we chit chat about how crazy apple maps is! She’s smiling I’m smiling, ok alls good!
She asks about mushrooms and the bartender suggests a special, tagliatelli, which is mushrooms over pasta with a white creamy cheesy sauce. She lights up at that idea, and I order the penne with tomato basil. I’m a bit full already from the salad & bread.
Shortly thereafter our food arrives, and she is absolutely delighted by the mushroom feast before her. I’ve had the penne & knew it would be perfect, and yes it was.
Meanwhile the volume turns up a notch, with one guy already 3 sheets to the wind, shouting nonsense at the end of the bar. I don’t know how he will make it past 9pm tonight!
Despite technological difficulties, the night turned out to be a good one thanks to the delicious food and superb service at Frank. Go here any day & be delighted.
Word of warning, if you don’t like loud restaurants, especially very crowded ones, steer clear. Remember though its popular for a reason!

We went for a friends birthday and arrived on time with a large reservation for 15. Unfortunately we had a couple last minute cancellations and some that got caught in traffic. However this being said the host was unbearably rude. He kept trying to give away our reservation only 5 minutes into the evening. We couldn’t put our jackets at our table due to the fact that he told us he would give away our table if we didn’t ALL show up in 5 minutes. How sad to have an ultimately delicious meal be marred by an unpleasant welcome!

When I drop $ 12.95 + tax on an Italian hero, I expect to be full when I’m done. Here, they underfill the bread for their Sausage & Polpette Hero (baby meatballs and Carmella’s slow cooked ‘gravy’.), which is tasty, but I wish they’d just give enough meat to cover the bread rather than include some measly side salad with some vinaigrette.

My boyfriend and I have been coming here for years thanks to a tip from a friend that used to work at Cooper. My friend originally brought me to Frank for the molten chocolate cake. It is still worthy of saving room for at the end of your meal.
My favorite part about this shoe box restaurant is the chefs table. I have never seen people use a small kitchen so efficiently except perhaps in a ramen house. The items that come out are fresh and consistently good. Some are staple favorites like the meat loaf which is truly a giant meat ball, the burrata, the shrimp pasta specials, and simply the olive oil and bread!
The wine list by the glass is diverse to suite different tastes. The staff has been attentive enough. The kitchen is really what impresses me though. They are ninjas!

Reasonably priced, warm ambiance and delicious food that tastes home-​made.
Had reservations, walked in and were seated within the first 5 minutes. The décor has a very classic and rustic feel. Space is a bit tight, but to be expected from an East Village restaurant.
I had the eggplant rollatini special appetizer and the rigatoni al ragu. Everything tasted delicious and fresh, and even wiped up the remaining sauce with my bread because it was that good.
Overall, would recommend. Very nice, reasonably priced and would make a good date spot. Also remember it’s Cash Only.

When Chrissy Teigen says its one of her favs, a girl has gottas to check it out.
The place is small and by small I mean teeny. We hung out at the bar, had some wine, and split a burrata before getting seated. Do yourself a favor and get the burrata! It is life changing good.
Don’t expect anything fancy here. Just come in knowing you’ll have a great night. The music was popping, the food was delicious, and the service was friendly. Honestly I couldn’t have asked for a more chilled and wonderful birthday dinner with friends.
The lamb ragu pappardelle was hands down one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in my life. You will not be disappointed with Frank!
And I am gonna reiterate again from previous posts… BRING CASH!

Terrible attitude — we were charged an additional $ 4.95 for gluten free pasta but were never told about the addition when ordering. The GF pasta also arrived 10−15minutes after the rest of the table. After asking the waitress to waive the additional fee, she responded with «it’s $ 5, you’ll be okay» and a condescending back tap while walking off. That’s right, we will be ok, but as a restaurant surely you’ll be better by simply removing it to compensate for poor service? Shame on you waitress in the hat.

After meandering down from the local cinema, some friends and I decided to go to Frank’s for dinner as we had been meaning to go for sometime.
First thing I noticed as you walk into the bar area was how cramped it was, but bars can be like that. We were then escorted to our table in the next room and ohmigawwwd do they cram you in like sardines! The waitstaff were literally picking up whole tables to let people in, so if you were against a wall and needed the bathroom you would practically have to unassemble the whole place!
Speaking of the bathroom, there is only one in the entire venue. It is no bigger than a budget airline toilet and equally as unclean. Very odd considering the lovely décor and ambiance of the restaurant/​bar itself (think old-​world Nonna’s kitchen meets smoking room — but without the smoke of course!)
The food came fast and hot and the pappardelle was lovely. Some of my friends said their fresh gnocchi was very good (but not amazing) and others had the meatballs which again was pretty good.
All in all the pasta is quite tasty, the prices are low and the waitstaff are hospitable but by no means is this the piece de resistance of budget Italian in Manhattan.

Had a fantastic experience here, amazing home style Italian cooking. MUST try the burrata (special), absolutely mouth watering, and of course the rigatoni ragu. Loved it so much we came back, this time we tried to mushroom tagliatelle and the spinach and ricotta ravioli– couldn’t fault them. The wait staff perfectly accompany the home style experience. Would highly recommend, if you love watching the action the best seat is up at the kitchen bar– not many people sit there but it is the best seat in the house in our eyes!

Yesssss I love Frank! I mean it’s one of Chrissy Teigen’s favorite restaurants so it’s gotta be good right?! I’ve been here multiple times but most recently was for dinner with with a group of 7 of my girlfriends. We went 7pm on a Saturday night — thank god we had a reservation. It was PACKED. We got right in though thanks to the ressie and our table was on the other side of the restaurant by the window. Super cramped but that’s the atmosphere of it.
To start we ordered:
Burrata — I want to marry this burrata. It’s one of the best things Ive ever tasted. Seriously. I could just eat this as my whole meal. You must order.
Bruschetta — If you’re into ordering two apps instead of just one (which you should be), then the next thing you have get is the bruschetta. The bruschetta comes out on HUGE pieces of bread. Like giant pieces and are lathered with the freshest chopped tomatoes. They will bring out one for each person at your table. Wish they’d bring out two for each though. haha
For my meal:
Gnocchi — This is one of the specialtys at Frank and what they’re known for. It’s honestly to die for. The gnocchi is so soft and the tomato sauce so fresh. I could eat it all day. It really tastes like something you’d find in Florence. You can’t get more authentic Italian than this gnocchi.
Dessert:
Tiramisu — Our waiter was so sweet and gave us this for free. I love tiramisu. A lighter dessert especially when shared between all of us.
The only complaint I had to say and this is a super minor complaint and one that really shouldn’t even be a complaint… but I thought the regular meal came out way too soon after our apps. We had just eaten a lot of burrata and bruschetta plus more bread so when the food came out about 5 minutes after our appetizer we were all like «agghh not yet!!» But I mean that’s the only complaint.

I’ve been here a few times with friends and on a quick/​casual date with my boyfriend. It’s a good spot if you want to stay local in the East Village. This is a sister restaurant to Supper, so the menu is similar. It’s good Italian food, with a medium price tag, and a casual vibe. The restaurant is small, so be prepared to sit close to one another/​other tables. I’d recommend this place mainly for dinner with friends (you can book large groups and choose to do family style if that’s something you are into). It’s cash only!
RESTAURANT OVERVIEW:
–Small, rustic Italian vibe
–Outdoor seating in the warmer months
–Dim-​lit atmosphere
–Tables are close to one another
APPS:
–Mozzarella Di Bufala: Amazing mozzarella reminiscent of mozzarella straight from Italy. Very fresh and tasty with the basil and tomato slices. This is a good portion for about 4 – 5 people.
–Bruschetta: Portion is 1 large toast with tomatoes on top — you can cut this in half to split with another person, or just have 1 for yourself depending on your mood.
DINNER:
–Uncle Tony’s Gnocchi: This was great! Good portion size too. Very saucy (which I like) and cheesy. I would order this again.
SERVICE:
–Very good, no complaints.

Came on a Saturday night — the wait looked atrocious so we opted to sit outside. Service was a bit slow — they probably forgot about us… we had to go in a few times to get their attention. However, once we ordered, the food came quickly.
I love the food here. It’s homey and unpretentious. Sometimes you just want good Italian comfort food and this place really hits the spot. The Rigatoni al Ragu was a little on the salty side, but the sauce was flavorful and the meatballs and sausages were tasty.
I would come back… but probably not on another weekend evening.

My boyfriend brought me here on a Saturday night, and we were told by the hostess that it would be about a 20 minute wait for the two of us. It actually only ended up being about 10 minutes, which was great. It’s definitely a little stuffed inside, with the tables tightly packed to seat max capacity. I was a little uncomfortable because I had my back up against the lady sitting at the table behind us the entire dinner. Otherwise, the hostess was very nice and came by to check up on us twice. Our waiter wasn’t particularly friendly but we were never waiting too long for service. The atmosphere felt kind of like a big family dinner… with a touch of trap playing in the background.
As for the food, my boyfriend ordered the Rigatoni al Ragu and I had the Polpettone («Uncle Micheal’s spiced meatloaf»). The pasta was perfectly cooked al dente with plenty of sauce and meat. To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by the sauce or presentation, but it was a filling proportion and it wasn’t overcooked, which is more than I can say about many of the Italian places I’ve been in the city. The meatloaf came like a huge meatball covered in sauce, with a side of potato pancetta. Again, the dish wasn’t spectacular but I was satisfied. One big complaint about the meatloaf was that it was SO salty, particularly the sauce and the potato pancetta. If the pricing wasn’t solid for both dishes and the service was any worse/​seating took any longer, this review would probably be 3 stars because of the food.

A cozy, quaint italian establishment, which i’ll surely be revisiting again.
1) we got the mozzarella burrata for appetizer, which i recommend. The mozzarella may look overwhelming, but dont worry, the mozzarella was light, soft and delicate. With the tomatoes, basil, & balsamic vinegar, its a clean way to start your meal.
2) we got the ragu and the black linguine afterwards, and we knew we made the right choices.
The ragu is a little small in terms of portion but the flavor was there; meaty, cheesy, and hearty. Simply a classic.
Black linguine is a definitely a must have. Big portion, plenty of calamari, and baby octopuses. The linguine is tinted with ink, not the sauce; the sauce, i think, is tomato base so dont worry about leaving with ink all over your lips and teeth. This dish was absolutely spectacular.
3) the staff is great! The hostess (saturday night shift) is down to earth, friendly, and just all around cool. Our waiter claimed to have been born and raised in venice (cant confirm if thats true) but he was friendly and sounded like he was knowledgable about the foodand the wine they served.
4) they are constantly packed so expect to wait a while. I got the impression they are short staffed.

This place is off the charts. Small & eclectic the food was wonderful! I highly recommend it.
The Burrata was like being back in Puglia…

This place is a tiny, no frills with good food. This place is cash only, as indicated on the menu and the sign on the door, so make sure you go to the ATM before you get here.
The food is delicious, I got a pasta on special — fettuccine with mushroom and a butter and herb sauce. The dish comes out piping hot, and since you can see the cooking process, you know it was just made and brought right to your table. The portion size looks small, but its the right size to leave you satisfied but not overly stuffed.

We were fortunate to pop in here on a Friday night and were lucky to get seated right away. This place doesn’t take reservations, but around 7:30 we snuck in and sat a very snug table for 3 of us. I would recommend coming in smaller groups here because the space is tight both inside and out but it provides a nice atmosphere as you would expect in the East Village. Our servers were friendly and attentive and provided some good suggestions on what to order.
Getting to the food, we started with the home-​made fresh burrata with prosciutto that was excellent. It was creamy and done well which was also balanced perfectly with the prosciutto and more than enough for even 4 people to share. Then we did an assortment of squid ink linguine with calamari (fresh pasta and tender calamari — happy marriage!), the veal Osso buco with risotto (very salty and not as enjoyable as I would have hoped), and the lasagna that was good but a bit on the heavier side for me. Get the burrata and linguine if you need some answers!
My pet peeve here revolves around the wine list for 2 reasons, 1– with such an extensive list that they brought out, 2 of the wines I chose were out of stock and 2– most of the wines started at $ 100 or up which I don’t think many people down in EV are looking to spend on good, quality, reasonably priced wine. Outside of that, the servers were friendly, food was ok and after tax and tip, we spent about $ 80/​person for a bottle of wine, split appetizer and 1 entrée each (a little on the pricier side for what we got), but overall good.
Buon appetito.

RIGATONI AL RAGU! Get it. Savour it. Order another.
This pasta is the best of the best, I was not disappointed. Perfectly al dente, sauce not too salty but full of flavour, and the meatballs and suasage perfectly seasoned. Mind blown. If you do come here (please do) your tastebuds will thank me.
Fyi — the salad in the photo was a necessity to stop me from eating more pasta.

3 stars because my entrée (Pappardelle with lamb ragu) was terrible (dry, not really a ragu, way overcooked pasta), while everything else was pretty great (ambiance, music, bruschetta and mozarella appetizers). Pretty disappointed based on all the good things I heard about this place.

Where do i start? I think frank prisciano is next to god. His no frills, cozy restaurants let the food speak for itself. After following frank and his restaurants on instagram for quite some time, he recently posted the octopus special. It is so beautifully displayed that i knew i had to get it. Complimentary bread with olives to start is a nice touch. I sat at the kitchen bar, watching the staff cook all the good eats! My friend has the shrimp pasta and loved it. I had the pulpo and it was as good as i thought it would be. Burrata looked amazing but i always go
For that at restaurants. Such a great vibe, good for parents, date night, girls night. Food is superb

Bön petit restaurant italien avec une terrasse charmante. On y mange plutôt bien et les quantités sont au rendez-​vous. Malheureusement, c’est trop cher pour ce que c’est: 20 USD le plat qui en vaut plutôt entre 10 et 15 USD. Le vin est hors de prix.