Translation from English

Thursday, October 17, 2013

DaCiro- Midtown East, Murray Hill

Nothing trendy here-- old, well established neighborhood Italian restaurant

People mostly like it very much..

Strange how reviews here hop back and forth in time

Da Ciro Ristorante

3.5 star rating
53 reviews Rating Details
Category: Italian
229 Lexington Ave
(between 33rd St & 34th St)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Murray Hill, Kips Bay
(212) 532-1636
Make a Reservation
Nearest Transit Station:
33 St. (4, 6, 6X)
28 St. (4, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St. (7, 7X)
Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 3 pm
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Parking:
Street
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Price Range:
$$$
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
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
Has TV:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
About This Business:
Siena's is an affordable and casual restaurant serving classic Italian cuisine and modern twists using only fresh ingredients.  Siena's Trattoria… read more »

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "I came here to try the Focaccia Robiola." In 10 reviews
  • "I can't pass up any menu item that mentions truffle oil." In 12 reviews
  • "It feels cozy inside with warm lighting and a brick oven." In 7 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
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53 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review
    Murray Hill, Manhattan, NY
    9/5/2013
    One of my best New York pizzas combined with nice staff and good atmosphere and I was only there for take away :)
  • Review from

    Los Angeles, CA
    1/29/2013 1 check-in here
    The food at Da Ciro tasted much more homemade than I expected. Unfortunately, that is the most backhanded compliment I've ever given. Sorry Da Ciro, but most of your food tastes like stuff I can make at home.

    To be fair, I actually love home cooking. But that's because everyone is a better cook than me. And to be fair, the Fried Calamari was probably a little better than something I could make, but still, it's nothing to write home about.
    The Manicotti has a less-than-desirable pile-of-red-sauce presentation. It tasted fine, but I've made very similar stuffed shells with cheese and a can of tomato sauce.
    The Veal Meatballs are the only thing I really can't make myself. They're perfectly seasoned, but I wouldn't come here just for these.

    Sorry Da Ciro, but like my time with you, this review will be short and sweet. I like you enough, I don't love you, and with Little Italy a short train ride away, I really don't see a reason to come or come back.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    3/3/2013 Seated via OpenTable
    This is a cute and unexpected spot in Murray Hill. Most of the Italian I have tried in the area falls in the spectrum of too casual or trying to be too upscale. This spot is hidden. It feels cozy inside with warm lighting and a brick oven. I have passed by many times and never noticed it.

    I sat with a friend at the bar for lunch. We both had a glass of wine on the recommendation of the bartender. Mine was light and fruity, just what I had asked for. Everything I saw and tried was delicious. To start we shared the Focaccia Robiola Di Ciro pizza which was a pita cut open and filled with Ribiola cheese and drizzled with truffle oil. It was the perfect starting dish. I've never tried that cheese before but it was very flavorful. It was kind of like a gourmet grilled cheese. We then shared the Alla Marc salad. This was my kind of salad, thinly chopped, nice balance of ingredients and light on dressing. Finally for the main dish we shared the homemade spaghetti with shrimp in tomato sauce. It was cooked perfectly al dente. What I appreciated most was how the kitchen separated our dishes onto individual plates even though we were sharing as opposed to what many restaurants do, simply bringing out an extra plate with the main dish.

    Everyone was very friendly. We got our food in perfect timing. We were never rushed or seeking service. They perfectly mastered the art of being available but not hovering, a difficult one to achieve!
  • Review from

    Brooklyn, NY
    5/17/2012
    Traditional little Italian restaurant that belongs in the heart of Little Italy, but finds itself misplaced in Murray Hill. The dining room is quite small, with only about ten tables, lots of dark wood paneling, and ambient music. The staff are friendly, relatively knowledgeable about the vast menu, and very professional.

    My friend and I started with one the Meatball Tegamini, which was very good...served in a piping hot cast iron skillet and two pieces of toasted Italian bread. For my entree, I opted for the Fettuccine con Funghi which was outstanding...I can't pass up any menu item that mentions truffle oil. The portion was more than large, and I proudly devoured the whole dish. My friend ordered the Linguini Nere Ai Frutti Di Mare, which looked amazing and which she admitted loving.

    We didn't get any dessert this trip, but I would absolutely go back for one of their pizzas and some warm chocolate cake!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Roslyn, NY
    7/24/2013
    I discovered this gem of an Italian restaurant a few years back and have since dined here a few times now.  Today I was with a few friends as we were in the area, so I suggested we grab lunch at Da Ciro.  I thought I was the only fan, but everyone in our party had nothing but great things to say about the food.  We ordered a few pizzas to share and of course had the Focaccia Robiola.  Everything tasted wonderful and a few friends even ordered some pizzas to take home!  I recommend giving this place a try if you're looking for a casual atmosphere with great Italian food.
  • Review from

    • 26 friends
    • 58 reviews
    New York, NY
    2/8/2013 6 check-ins here
    I 've been here at least half a dozen times, a friend lives around the corner and this is our go to local place.  The food and service has always been good.  Pizza is good from the wood burning oven.  Good portions and reasonable prices, this is a great local spot.
  • Review from

    Chicago, IL
    6/23/2009
    Highly recommended by a close friend!

    Party of 5ppl at 6:30pm Tuesday night!

    Grilled Calamari, Grilled octopus and The famous pizza appetizer robiola all were a hit and cooked perfectly.

    Veal meatballs were excellent but very small. Pork and all the pasta dishes were a hit with everyone.

    We really enjoyed the quaint, small out of the way location.
  • Review from

    • 190 friends
    • 26 reviews
    Pasadena, CA
    11/27/2012 1 check-in here
    Great place for traditional Italian style pizza - we were led there by a traditional style Italian couple the second we stepped out of the Affinia Dumont's doors.  Can't go wrong, it even seemed as though there were some Italian gangsters in there it was so traditional..
  • Review from

    • 5 friends
    • 15 reviews
    New York, NY
    6/1/2009
    I've been going here for 8 years.  Here's the deal with this place.  You have to know what to order.  Some is great.  Some I wouldn't feed to my dog.

    Backstory:  Mr. Ciro is the old pizza maker from Fred's in Barney's.  He left many years ago to open Da Ciro.

    Pizza-You can't go wrong here.  Try his signature pizza, the Robiola with truffle oil.  Its the best thing in the place hands down.  They cook all of them in a wood-burning oven.  And they know how to do it correctly!

    Soups:  The Minestrone is the best I've ever had.  And I'm Italian.

    Pasta:  This is where things go wrong.  I've never had a pasta here that I enjoyed.  Overcooked, sauces are off, etc...Skip all of them.  That being said, Thursdays are Gnocchi night.  I had it last week, and it was pretty good.  Gnocchi were a bit soft, but the sauce was great, and the seasoning was nice.  I'd definitely order it again!

    Salads:  Yum.  The Marco salad is great if you want to keep things light.  Its really big too.  The grilled calamari salad is excellent!!

    Entrees:  Haven't had a ton of the entrees.  I usually go for everything else I mentioned above (except the pasta) so I don't bother with them.  The few times I ordered the chicken or fish (I don't eat red meat), I wasn't super impressed, nor was my husband.  Order with caution...

    Dessert:  I have only had a few.  The only one that stands out is the tiramisu.  Its very, very good. Pretty creamy as they use a fair amount of whipped cream, but its got a nice rich cocoa flavor too.

    Overall, a great, inexpensive spot you can almost always get in.  Good for families, Service can be a bit too lazy (waiting for water to be refilled, check to be dropped) but good for a casual dinner.  Just avoid the pasta.  Also, they will do to-go, but not delivery...
  • Review from

    • 16 friends
    • 2 reviews
    Hoboken, NJ
    3/2/2013
    Hand's down my favorite Italian restaurant in the city! Ciro take's care of every person as if they are family! The ambience is amazing with the wood fire oven and i've never had something i didn't love on the menu!!!!!!
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    12/27/2012 1 check-in here
    i have to say, great meal, very happy with the pizza.

    with the pizza craze in nyc, i feel as if i am in italy.

    big risk putting the neopolitan accreditation on their restaurant, well they are on the mark with their product.

    black squid pasta also  job well done!!!
  • Review from

    • 5 friends
    • 28 reviews
    New York, NY
    11/5/2008
    If I lived in Murray Hill, I'd be fat and broke. Da Ciro is - by far - the best Italian food in the city. I try to make it here at least once a month - everything on the menu is delicious. I have probably had everything on the menu - but my favorite entree is the Black Linguini. I wish it was socially acceptable to lick plates in public. And if there's one thing everyone should eat before they die, its the Focaccia Robiola - its indescribable.
    The brick oven and warm lighting contribute to a cozy atmosphere as well.
  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 8 reviews
    Midtown East, Manhattan, NY
    3/10/2013
    Straight forward staff, courteous and friendly. A usual stop of mine for a focaccia robiola, can't go too long without having a slice (or a pie).
  • Review from

    • 187 friends
    • 263 reviews
    New York, NY
    7/23/2006
    Great white pizza (special one with truffle oil) and solid pastas.

    Atmosphere is nice but nothing special, service is pretty good. But for the price, the food is not what I expect.

    We had 2 pizzas (white was great, the Da Ciro one was not good). The pastas were good, tasty but the portions were not big and not as hearty as I would have liked.

    Desserts were NOT good.

    Not the worst place at all, but probably wouldn't go back.

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