Monday, September 30, 2013

Isle of Capri

I know nothing of this place except I have seen it many times--I believe it has been around for quite a while

On to Yelp 

Yeah, a the reviews go WAY back...

Mostly good but definitely mixed with a real sour apple or two

Isle of Capri

4.0 star rating
50 reviews Rating Details
Category: Italian  [Edit]
1028 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10065
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
(212) 223-9430
Nearest Transit Station:
Lexington Ave./59 St. (N, Q, R)
59 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Lexington Ave./63 St. (F)
Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Romantic
Has TV:
No
Caters:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

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50 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 11 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    8/26/2013 1 photo 1 check-in here
    Food is awesome. Best spaghetti and meatballs. Always fresh.

    Best spaghetti and meatballs
    I have been coming to this restaurant for years.  Always great food.
    • Best spaghetti and meatballs
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    3/18/2013 1 photo
    Capri is an exceptionally large, and beautifully decorated old-school Italian American. It harkens to the days when the Upper East Side was a dining destination. The decorations are so uber charming and ornate inside- it is MUSEUM like. Sitting by the window with attentive waiters it is a nice place to eat. Is it a good place to eat?

    The bread was not fresh- it was warmed, but not fresh- so that started off my meal. I had the Grissini from Torino instead- ok. The baked clams($11) were good, but the sauce was a little Undergarlicked.....and oily. The redeeming part of the meal was the housemade Linguine Carbonara($15.75)- butter, egg yolks, parmesan & pancetta- oh my...it is what it is!
    Little cookies come at the end of the meal, and they gave me an extra serving. Nice!
    • Baked clams
  • Review from

    • 145 friends
    • 141 reviews
    Long Island City, NY
    Updated - 2/8/2013 3 photos 7 check-ins here
    In memoriam.

    The picture of Angelo L. Schiavetta glancing ever so tenderly at the entering patrons of Isle of Capri reminded me that  life is full of bittersweet moments. Mr. Angelo, as I affectionately knew him, would no longer escort me to my favorite table nor promptly summon up a courtesy plate of cheese and mixed pickled vegetables. After 45 years of managing one of my favorite restaurants his spirit lives on within the staff that served loyally alongside him and within the very walls of this Upper East Side institution.

    Upon learning of Mr. Angelo's passing my appetite quickly vanished. But I thought to myself that a meal of spaghetti Bolognose, and a nice bottle of Chianti would serve as my own private memorial to a man I knew so little about but that made me feel as I though I were family.  This is the art of the true restaurateur.

    Consistently good, rustic Italian food, is half what Isle of Capri is about. The other half is service and true to form they delivered splendidly on both. Mr. Angelo I will miss you but there's some sweetness in this otherwise bitter moment that your life's work continuous on.

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 11/9/2012
      An oldie but a goodie: Isle of Capri is an Upper East Side staple that never fails to disappoint. It… Read more »
  • Review from

    • 10 friends
    • 8 reviews
    Mt Pleasant, SC
    6/4/2013
    My wife and I dined here over Memorial Day weekend with our 3 seven year olds.  When we walked in, the white linen table cloths and well dressed crowd caused us to briefly reconsider as we had been exploring NYC all day.  The owner saw our hesitation and quickly encouraged us to give them a try.  Man, I'm glad we did! The staff was exemplary - fantastic suggestions for the kids and grown ups. The owner and room manager continually checked with us.  The food was all Italian favorites - light, crispy calamari, linguini with clams, etc. We'll be back the next time we're in the city, for sure!!!
  • Review from

    Queens, NY
    3/15/2012 1 photo 1 check-in here
    Well okay we came in here at 9ish PM, an hour before closing. We were welcomed in and seated so I was turned off when they were being a bit rude and rushing us.

    The calamari was great! one of the best I had, very soft and crispy. The bread basket was okay nothing special. I got the sausage plate with peppers....so good!! it was a good portion as well. The waiter always looked pissed and wasn't very friendly. He did though fill our water often.

    The interior was cute and cozy, you kinda feel as if you were in Italy.
  • Review from

    • 37 friends
    • 18 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    2/11/2012
    After passing by this place several times, we decided to stop in and try it...wish we stayed home instead. We were sat downstairs near a large table. After being seated, the large table next to us ended up being filled with young kids and a performing magician for a kids'  birthday party! It was so loud, we couldn't even carry on a conversation, much less enjoy the dinner.

    The food was ok, but cold when it came out too, probably from sitting while the wait staff got all the orders for the large party, but at least the portions were a decent size. Servers never came by once to check on us after our entrees were served.

    Upon complaining to management that it would have been nice to have been told that there would be a large party with kids nearby, we were told that those customers were "regulars" so there was "nothing they could do".  Definitely won't be going back again...
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 4 reviews
    Petaluma, CA
    5/7/2013
    We joined friends there for dinner and weren't expecting much based on the reviews.  The restaurant lived up to the reviews. The service was slow, the food mediocre and the prices high but the company was great.
  • Review from

    • 27 friends
    • 240 reviews
    Alameda, CA
    2/1/2013
    This is a cosy, pleasant setting, but the food is very average and the service unbelievably slow. We had the homemade pasta. Portions were large, but the food was average. The Caesar salad was good - lots of anchovy.  The service was amazingly poor despite having a large staff and not a lot of business. We waited over 10 minutes just to get a menu, and finally had to ask. The food took over 30 minutes. They were, however, very polite.
  • Review from

    • 8 friends
    • 1 review
    Flushing, NY
    10/15/2012
    This place is kind of old fashion and it needs a renovation.  But the food was excellent on the evening I went there for dinner.  Nothing fancy, just good Italian fare.  I had the lobster & shrimp with marinara sauce and I enjoyed ti very much.  I would definitely go back if I was in the neighborhood.
  • Review from

    Hermosa Beach, CA
    11/8/2011
    Oh man, 2 words... Chicken Parm.

    The rest of the dinner was a blur, a good blur

    I'm glad I stopped in. Service was just as good.

    The family was as beautiful as they were gracious. Just a great meal and time!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 13 reviews
    Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
    6/10/2013
    One of my favorites. It's really a classic place. classic decor, nice food. slow service, but a lovely place
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 10 reviews
    New York, NY
    12/31/2012 1 check-in here
    This place has the feel of a classic, old school Italian family-owned place. Maybe it is .... Either way the food was simple down to earth Italian dishes, that were good but not excellent. Prices were a little bit higher than quality of food suggests IMO. That being said, I'd eat here again. The wait staff was good and the atmosphere is original.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 7 reviews
    New York, NY
    2/10/2011
    I read the reviews, and decided to go try the food and forgive the decor.
    The decor was bad, as described, but the food was barely even mediocre. Linguini with white clam sauce...tough, chewy clams.
  • Review from

    • 41 friends
    • 137 reviews
    San Francisco, CA
    7/2/2007 First to Review
    It's such a cute, darling little place.  It looks small from the outside, but there's so many nooks and crannies to it that it can fit more people than you can imagine!  I went here on an invitation from an older lady. She's a regular at the restaurant so we got a lot of freebies and excellent service.

    I had the soft shell crabs. I really like soft shell crabs, and this one was great also, but I think the sauce was a bit too salty. It came with a side of potatoes and green beans. The potatoes were okay, it's your run-of-the-mill potatoes. A bit crunchy crust, I think they were pre-cooked and then finished on the pan. The green beans were way on the overcooked side. Not limp, not gray, but when I bit it, they don't have any crunch. Dessert was okay, but what was notable was they give complimentary limoncello or raspberry liquor to everyone as an after-dinner drink, which I think was a very nice touch.

    This restaurant is definitely old-world style. The decorations, the servers, even the owners. I don't think I would come back on my own just because NYC has so many other restaurants, but if anyone takes me there, I'd probably order the crabs again. Even if it was a bit salty.
  • Review from

    • 79 friends
    • 177 reviews
    Sacramento, CA
    11/28/2009
    Old world charm resides in this Italian restaurant well known in the neighborhood.  A favorite among politicos, it was rumored to be a speakeasy in years past, which is not difficult to imagine given its catacomb-like basement.  A great place for a quiet meal and quality Italian food.  Favorites include the osso bucco.
    $$$

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