IL Tesoro

New York, United States

3.2

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 212-861-9620
Website:
www.iltesoro.com
Address:
1578 1st Ave, New York, NY, 10028
b/t 82nd St & 83rd St
Yorkville, Upper East Side
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.4 mi86th St / Lexington Ave
0.4 mi86th Street (4,5,6)
0.4 mi79th St / Lexington Ave
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Romantic
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Dogs Allowed
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today –
Local time (New York) 20:14 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Authentic Italian with «New Classic» flair, IL Tesoro serves up a festival for the senses that is a cut above the expected. Polished, professional, excellent service with the taste and feel of a Tuscan holiday. The menu sings of the delights of Italy –with the freshness of all the local fair.

The exceptional cuisine of Chef A.J.Black has thrilled guests for many years with such signature dishes as his famed succulent fresh seafood and lobster, «Risotto Pescatora» sauteed with clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and scallops then finished with his personal cherry tomato sauce recipe.

The elegant and cozy atmosphere of the restaurants makes them a popular meeting place where friendship reigns supreme. You can’t imagine eating boring food in this splashy but sophisticated and divine open kitchen that elevates it to an entertaining and inviting experience. There are three «Island» locations to enjoy!

History

Established in 2008.

Standing by his concept: «Authentic Classical Italian cuisine with a modern touch», Chef AJ Black began IL Tesoro Ristorante on the beautiful island of Sanibel, Florida. Within a year he launched his second restaurant, IL Tesoro at the Terrace, at the exclusive Relais & Chateaux property in Edgartown Martha’s Vineyard. Finally Chef Black opened his third location on September 15, 2011 in New York City on 82nd Ave and 1st St replacing the well known location of Primavera. Once owning Villa Pazzo off Bleaker St, Chef Black has returned back to New York with new ideas of producing classic dishes with flare.

Meet the Business Owner

AJ B.

Business Owner

Chef/​Restaurateur AJ Black was born in Sicily on August 12, 1967. He grew up in the restaurant business in Rome and trained at the Italian Culinary Institute, and completed his internship at the Grand Hotel. With his passionate character and strong ambition, he opened his first restaurant at the age of 19, in the Laterno District on the Via San Giovanni (Café Roma). He has always been inspired by his early childhood in Sicily, where cooking with his family was an event, an act of love, and chance to create with gastronomic masters, transforming the freshest ingredients from the garden and the field. His intention has always been to draw from his foundation, skill, and the very best of Italian cooking, to create his own individual style that has hailed as simpatico, classic, and chic. Chef AJ’s elegant style in cuisine is always evolving, his passion fro every intimate dish he creates in immeasurable.

Related places

Explore similar places:
290
ft
Felice 83
1593 1st Ave (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
770
ft
Opus
1574 2nd Ave (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
780
ft
Sandro’s
306 E 81st St (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
840
ft
Luna Rossa
347 E 85th St (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
870
ft
Totonno’s Manhattan
1544 2nd Ave (Yorkville, Upper East Side)
920
ft
Gina La Fornarina
1575 2nd Ave (Yorkville, Upper East Side)

Nearby

Near this location:
30
ft
Dumpling King
1580 1st Ave
40
ft
Sunny Chinese Cuisine
1580 1st Ave
40
ft
Oriental Cafe
1580 1st Ave
60
ft
Taijiyama Sushi & Thai
1582 1st Ave
60
ft
Kumon Math and Reading Center of Upper East Side II
1582 First Avenue
60
ft
Empire Wok
1567 2nd Ave Frnt

20 reviews of IL Tesoro

No registration required
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
The store is now permanently closed by order of the US Marshal’s office.
Before it was closed, the food was good but for the price, we’ll call it just average. Was not very memorable and the only reason we tried it was due to a groupon. Without the groupon it was certainly not worth the full price.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
Came here at 5pm for dinner with the 50 for a 100 groupon, after reading some reviews I was a bit skeptical about presenting it in fear of bad service or the owner scolding us. Got over it and presented it after ordering, everything was fine.
Lobster appetizer was great, ordered a seafood pasta dish which was a little small however the seafood itself was addicting. Also order the duck — the wine based sauce was amazing and the duck was a beautiful dark red color. A little chewy but very tasty. Of course with tax and tip you have to throw in another 30 dollars so it ends up being 80 for 100, but I’m not too salty about it. My glass was never less than half full, and the waiter, a middle aged italian man was very kind, even letting us know we had 15 more dollars to spend as part of the original 100 for dessert. I would come back here for the duck.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Tonight was my third visit to Il Tesoro and the food has been consistently VERY GOOD each time.
For an appetizer, I’d recommend splitting an order of one of their heavenly pastas. My personal favorite is Paglia Fieno Trevisana — White and green capellini in a truffle cream sauce with wild mushrooms, sweet peas, prosciutto, radicchio and parmesano. TIP: If dining solo, or with someone who opts for a different beginner course, Il Tesoro will happily do half-​portions of pasta at half the menu price.
From the antipasto section, consider Lobster Agrodolce — Light tempura battered and fried lobster tail served over red onion and fresh tomato, topped with a rosemary garlic Sicilian sweet sour sauce.
As an entrée, you can never go wrong with any of Il Tesoro’s specials. The Chilean Sea Bass is delicious and one of the restaurant’s signature dishes although it is never on the actual menu. The Soft-​Shell Crabs are my go-​to when in season.
Tonight, at the recommendation of my waiter, I had the amazing Grigliata di Pesce: Grilled mixed seafood (extra jumbo shrimp, huge scallops, calamari, crab legs, salmon, etc) served with an agrodolce sauce over asparagus and green beans. Scallops al Balsamico: Scallops with balsamic and blood orange reduction served over radicchio is also a «winner!»
For dessert … well, the ricotta cheesecake sounds divine but I’ve never had room in my tummy to indulge.
Many Unilocalers reviewing the restaurant have commented on the high prices. But the restaurant regularly offers Groupon deals which make the final tab reasonable, esp considering the attentive service, classy ambiance and food quality (taste and creative preparation).
Place rating: 1
New York, NY
I went here for Mother’s day with a party of 11. We were more or less the only people in the place, which is totally normal, because most restaurants on the upper east side of Manhattan are empty on Mother’s day.
The service was excellent and the food was fine; overpriced but wholly fine.
We were assured that our groupon would be accepted, we had the one where you pay for $ 50 and get $ 100. This was not the case. The waiter was apologetic and kind and should be commended. The owner, however, was rude, dismissive, and a liar. He went by the name of AJ, if I recall. AJ is a strange name for a piece of crap. Usually, people flush those, not name them and raise them to fully grown pieces of crap, but hey, to each their own.
Never go here. Go anywhere else. Starve and burn your money, but do not put a solitary cent in this place’s coffers.
Place rating: 1
New York, NY
While I don’t often use Unilocal I just wanted to write a quick public statement — we made reservations for Mother’s Day brunch asked if we could use a groupon. We were told yes but only one for a group of ten. We arrived today and there was no brunch menu available and our groupon was denied. The reprehensible behavior of management however has compelled me to write this. AJ and his hostess have no business being in the service industry — we were laughed at, hollered at and accused of fictionalizing what we were told when we made the reservation. They did a lovely job of making what could have been a lovely experience an awkward and stressful one. Par Italian cuisine is easily available — find somewhere worth supporting if you want to consume some.
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
Our childrenn took their mothers and family members to Il Tesoro for mother’s day We were a party of ten. When my daughter made the reservation, she inquired about use of the Groupon for100 dollars. She was told it was fine to use. Also nothing is mentioned on the groupon regarding use on mother’s .day. Well, at bill time a manager told us that the groupon was not going to be honored. When the owner arrived he stated that he was the person who took the reservation and he said no groupons on mothers day. .I am sure the management would not accept their mothers being treated to an embarrasing situation. The waiter and the staff who served us were very professional. They should be commened for working for such an establishment.
Any one with a mother should boycot this place…
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Went to dinner here on a Saturday night. Made reservations for 7 because the groupon i had required it. The place was pretty small but has outside seating and looks like a special dining area in the basement. The restaurant was pretty slow for a Saturday night which seemed pretty odd. They gave out complimentary bread with olive oil and herbs on a dish which was very good.
I ordered the salmon which was tasty and the other two members of my party liked their dishes also. The food was expensive but filling and the alcohol was a little expensive. About $ 15 per glass of wine. The dessert was okay. We ordered the Tiramisu but was very small for $ 9.
Overall it was a nice dining experience and the waiter was attentive. Our water glasses were never empty and we didn’t receive any bad vibes for using a groupon
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Very good food, but not necessarily worth the price.
Place rating: 2
Manhattan, NY
Ugh. Won’t be going back here any time soon. Had a Groupon but still not worth it.
Odd to be greeted by a staff of Eastern Europeans in an Italian restaurant. Seemed not to know where to put us.
Led by way of a steep stair and labyrinth into a dungeon if a dining room.
Ugh.
Seated next to the loud speaker playing cheesy music too loud. Change tables.
No water.
Bread is COLD.
Plate crashes. Our waiter storms out. No waiter. Ugh.
Food is good but not good enough to compensate for a very bad experience.
Couldn’t wait to settle the bill. Ah! But wait! No waiter.
So we trundled back through the labyrinth and up the stairs to find someone who would settle our bill and take the Groupon.
Ugh.
Not worth it.
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Went here for the very first time for a Sunday night dinner after getting a Groupon special ($ 50 gets you $ 100 worth of food).
The ambiance in the restaurant is romantic and elegant. Our waiter was extremely attentive and made us feel at home.
We ordered the Vongole Cozze Arrabiatta for an appetizer. The clams and mussels were delicious, the portion was just much smaller than we were expecting.
We ordered the Spaghetti Frutti di Mare and Pappardelle Bolognese for dinner. Both entrees were average portions and the pasta and sauces were unbelievably fresh.
Although prices are higher than any average Italian restaurant, the quality of the food as well as the service from the staff makes it worth it. Will definitely go back!
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
Attitude Attitude Attitude from the minute we arrived. The host was not friendly from the beginning so we almost walked out. I said we had a groupon coupon right up front but we didn’t have a reservation and he snapped at us. I said OK we will just go that I didn’t think we really needed a reservation since it was early and we have never seen the restaurant busy.
He sat us at the worst table in the restaurant — right outside the kitchen with an almost empty restaurant — OK we were just there to eat.
Drinks $ 15 but half the size you would normally get.
Pasta with pesto was just OK
Fillet mignon was split in two pieces — one was good the other was not.
Salad was not eatable and barely touched
Roasted Potatoes totally burned and hard as a rock
Rigatoni Marinara was good
We have frequented this restaurant several times and we always seem to have the same experience. A mediocre experience. It’s a shame because we live close by.
Refuse to try again. Shame the food doesn’t live up to the Attitude.
Place rating: 4
Rego Park, NY
This is an updated review. Came here on a Saturday night, partially at the behest of an expiring LS voucher. Got here around 9. Place is a beautiful, elegant and intimate as I remember (was here a couple months back). Had the Same waiter, he was cool and attentive.
I loved the fact that there was an opera singer and a piano player there. It was pleasant to the ear buds. This music coupled well with the cuisine.
The food comprised of squash soup was by far, one of the best squash soup I have ever tasted, my counterpart firmly agreed as well. Next, was a bowl of mussels and clams bathed in marinara sauce. This was a bit lackluster. Thought it would be a bigger portion and one of the mussels were sealed shut, couldn’t get in there with a jackhammer lol.
The entrees consisted of the Duck Condit dish, cooked medium with greens, and Pears. This dish was phenomenal. I dont usually eat duck but it caught my eye on the menu and the waiter highly recommended, he was not wrong. Definitely try the duck here. The other entrée was a half portion of angel hair pasta with mushrooms and truffle oil. A little bit carb laden but nevertheless appetizing. Rounded out the meal with some coconut tiramisu and chocolate chip ice cream.
Great meal, great deal, attentive service. Will keep this in mind when im in the UES. U should too, Unilocalers.
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
This Restaurant gets a solid 3 stars fr me.
Went here for dinner yesterday with my other ½…
Service/​hospitality was on point.
Décor/​ambiance is nice and classy.
Food is ok/​good… really enjoyed the FrittoMisto
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Had a really great dinner here. Used a Groupon (that’s how we found out about it). We had also dined at the Il Tesoro on Sanibel Island in Florida, so I knew it would be good since that one was great. The service was great, the cocktails were great, and the ambiance was awesome. There was an opera singer and a live piano player which made it extra special. Recommended!
Place rating: 4
Woodside, NY
Excellent food and service – a great value for the price.
I took my husband here for his birthday on a Saturday night. We had a reservation and were seated very quickly. The atmosphere is warm and elegant, with a live pianist and singer in the middle of the room.
We shared the appetizer special (mozzarella cheese with prosciutto and strawberries, drizzled with honey and truffle oil) which was incredible. My husband very much enjoyed his lamb entrée, and my mushroom risotto was pretty good. (I was maybe a little jealous of his lamb…) We finished with the tiramisu, which was delightful.
Our waiter was very knowledgeable, especially when helping us choose wines to pair with our food. He was warm and welcoming, and I appreciated his sense of humor about my mispronunciation of the Italian menu items. The up-​scale crowd seated around us was a little intimidating, but he made us feel comfortable.
Overall a wonderful experience. We spent a bit on it, but it was the perfect choice for a treat-​yourself kind of birthday dinner.
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
What a surprise. Beautiful, warm interior. Had the short rib on a bed of gnocchi, wife had lamp chops in balsamic. The meat was soft, the sides tasty, and the service top notch.
Definitely worth a visit
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
Il Tesoro has a wonderful atmosphere to dine in from the warm ambient setting, the live operatic singer and the one waiter that smiled. Unfortunately those were the only positives about this place.
I found this place via a Groupon deal: $ 50 for $ 100 worth of food (and you must order one plate of food at least. So that means you can’t spend the whole $ 100 on drinks! that’s a shame… (i kid).
Appetizer– the imported cheese, meats and marinated vegetables. ($ 14 per person). Took 30 minutes to get to us! Really? After having to make a reservation late in the night (around 8pm), we were starving at that point. By the time the app got to us, it looked so sloppily put togehter and unappetizing. We were not even close to finishing the dish.
Mains–
Fettuccine Mare e Monti. Bland. Everything tasted the same and the mingling of all the ingrediants together made me think that they all hated each other and were punching each other in the face instead of living harmoniously with each other.
Scallops al Balsamico– i was the MOST disappointed with this one. I LOVE scallops. I almost always order scallops when they’re on the menu and this dish is the first dish I have not finished. The scallops were undercooked and it was DRENCHED in a heavy sauce– it was incredibly overwhelming. The thing with scallops is, it doesn’t need all those fancy extras. It is beautiful on it’s on and should be treated as such, with light companionship of sauces and garnishes.
Dessert– the chocolate cake and some kind of gelato or sorbet. Took absolutely FOREVER to come out. We ordered the cake when our entrees arrived because the whole dinner service was taking an abnormally long time for a weeknight at the beginning of the week. We waited and extra 20 minutes after we «finished» what we could of our entrees. Our frustrations ran very high and were about to leave but they kept telling us «5 minutes, 5 minutes» because they claimed that there was a huge party upstairs and when the dessert came it was disappointing beyond words…
I was hugely disappointed in this restaurant. There are plenty of better Italian restaurants to eat at than this place. Oh, and when we went back upstairs to go out to exit the restaurant (there’s a main dining room and the dungeon), less than half the room was filled with people. Where’s this big party you claim of?
Place rating: 5
Springfield Gardens, Queens, NY
So I found this place through groupon and boy am I happy I did! My waiter Tiago was absolutely amazing! He was so attentive and helpful throughout this experience. He was able to help my mom and I find the perfect dishes. Our busboy Alberto was on the money making sure we never had an empty glass and our needs were met. I started with the Blood orange martini which is probably the best drink I’ve ever had! It was so delicious I had to have 2! We had the Fritto Misto as an appetizer and thank goodness Tiago recommended it. It consisted of lightly fried calamari, shrimp, scallops, fried zucchini and I think carrots with the most delicious marinara sauce. We decided Timaka it a feast since we were feeling so comfy and u hade the Caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella which was amazing and my mom had the rughetta salad with arugula, shaved pears, walnuts, and shaved Parmesan in a limoncello vinaigrette. It was too die for. For our main course I had the lobster ravioli. The flavor was sumptuous and the portion was perfect. There were quite large chunks of lobster in it. My mom had the lasagna al forno which was pure melt in your mouth perfection. For desert we shared the crème brûlée which was silky smooth and decadent. Perfect meal.
Now only semi con is this place is quite pricy as my meal that I mentioned came to $ 155. However I’m a diner that feels there is no price on exemplary service and I had an amazing experience last night. I can’t wait to go back!
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Old world style Italian meets new world business practices at this Yorkville restaurant that’s always serving up great deals on Groupon and other local sites. I came here with my family a few months back and although we were not blown away by our meal we mostly left satisfied and the service was fantastic. Highlight of the meal was definitely the simple chicken milanese which was pounded perfectly thin, breaded and fried evenly, and dressed well. The braised short rib pasta special left a lot to be desired… too much meat not enough pasta (although the pasta was fresh).
Although this place has a dark and old look, the food is decent. With a deal, it’s even well… more decent. With the hospitable service it’s good. I’d keep your orders and expectations simple and you’ll leave Il Tesoro happy.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Went here with an expired groupon which the staff were more than happy to accept for the value that was paid for it.
Despite being surrounded by what appeared to be a more «posh» crowd of dinners we had a great time. The waitstaff was very welcoming and warm. Our server was super knowledgable about the menu, had a great sense of humor, and that heavy italian accent didn’t hurt the authenticity feel of the dining experience.
Now on to the food. They give you complimentary fresh bread with olive oil, balsamic, and parmesan cheese… freakin awesome combo. We both had fresh pasta dishes which were equally delicious. I had a dish with seafood, sausage, and peas while my dining partner has a seafood pasta. Pasta was cooked al dente which I like and they provided plenty of great seafood which I like even more.
Great spot. I would return again if ever wanted to splurge a bit on an excellent Italian dinner.