Good reviews with a sour apple or two
La Gioconda
Category:
Italian
226 E 53rd StSte 2B
(between 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 371-3536
- Nearest Transit Station:
-
Lexington Ave./53 St. (E, M)51 St. (4, 6, 6X)59 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
- $$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
36 reviews for La Gioconda
Review Highlights What's this?
35 reviews in English
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Review from S S.
Bronx, NYThe staff is always pleasant in this little elegant establishment. I was originally intro'd through a co-worker. The food always taste fresh and is reasonably priced.
There are no cons. -
Review from Johanna B.
Brooklyn, NYDined here for the first time tonight. I thought it was good, solid food and would rate it between 3 and 3.5 stars.
We were the first ones to arrive and dine until the restaurant started to fill up.
The atmosphere was nice--cozy and perhaps a bit dated but comfortable. They might have had about 15 tables so it's not a huge space. The staff (I just saw one waiter and a busboy) were very friendly, pleasant and en pointe with service.
After we placed our wine order, we were served bruschetta, olives and bread along with really good olive oil. I thought that was a nice touch since most Italian restaurants just serve bread and butter/olive oil.
For main, we decided to go for the 3 course pre-fixe dinner which at $19.95 was a good deal.
I chose the grilled calamari for appetizer, penne arrabiata for main and the panna cotta for dessert. My friend chose the red beet and lentil salad for appetizer (large portion), gnocchi for main and the chocolate crepes for dessert.
If I had to nitpick, I would say that my calamari, although flavored nicely, was either cooked too much or too little as it was chewy. It was supposed to be on a bed of arugula salad but I think I saw about 3 arugula leaves mixed with some other greens. My main was good although a bit too spicy and the pasta was starchy.
The panna cotta was quite good---a bit heavier than I've had at other restaurants but satisfying.
My friend seemed to enjoy her selections although she might have had better (and/or worse) gnocchi elsewhere.
We were both satisfied with our cheap meal and I would return again but order a la carte.
There are better Italian restaurants in NYC but there are certainly worse and La Gioconda was good enough. -
Review from David P.
New York, NYMy girlfriend and I love this please, both for dining-in and delivery. It's small but never seems too crowded (in fact, a lot of the time when we're there, we have it mostly to ourselves). The food is really good (we're not talking transcendent, but perfect for neighborhood Italian) and very reasonably priced. They've also got a very nice little wine selection. I would definitely recommend this place if you're in the area and looking for a quiet and relaxed dinner. I don't know that it's worth going far out of your way for though. -
Review from Tra B.
Queens, NYPISSED. VERY DISAPPOINTING ;( And it was a 17th birthday dinner for my niece so I Did Not Fuss.. As a yelper mentioned didn't want the hustle/bustle so I figured why not! A Quiet Intimate dinner.
Well I ordered 2 ANTIPASTAS, its 3 of us, nephew,niece,self/ we'll share which was ok But ! A toddler would be pissed!
3 Shrimp)-Gamberi Grigliati con Pancetta,
1 Piece Short Rib)-Brasato di Bue al Vino Rosso. REALLYYY! WHAT R WE! SOCIALITES, MODELS, NO
Main Course-
1.Veal Shank tender but Salty / Undercooked Risotto. like the server dumped salt on it cause it was on the meat not in the meat/ she wasn't very friendly.
2. Veal was Rank/ tasted gamey, Wanted to Hurl, plus wrong order, Veal with spinach instead of porchini mushrooms. doesn't matter it was AWFUL.
3. Linguine with Seafood was ok I guess, mussels/ calamari we ate as my niece not a fan/ she finished her pasta.
Now Desert: Garnishes, DRIED Up Strawberrys/ Basil
Tiramisui was Not Fresh/ Tasted Disgusting
Crepes in Choc Sauce, Yuck, Soft like Mush,seemed Microwaved.
Cream Tart, my niece liked guess cause its part Icecream, Was Frozen, Cold/Hard
Both My Neighborhood Pizzerias cook better and I could have gotten better desserts from the Supermarket.
It Sucks When You Give Your Money To Be Served/ They Can't Make An effort Because If Thats Your Best You Should Not Be In Business. -
Review from Ceida P.
New York, NYCame here the day after Hurricane Sandy with my husband and had a great experience. The atmosphere is very cozy and it feels as if your in your grandmothers house. Although they don't seat many people, we got there at a good time in which we were able to get a table right away.
Although we noticed it is a very small staff, they are able to quickly handle every request with punctuality. We ordered the caprazzio as an appetizer, the gnoochi, a veal entree and a bottle of wine. All of them were at great price points and very affordable for NYC. We thought the food was delicious and you could tell that everything was homemade, artfully presented and a great value for your money!
Would def come back here again soon! -
Review from Hnde E.
Manhattan, NYSavory lunch spot in Midtown East. The food is delicious, especially the desserts!
In their lunch menu, they have prix fixe options, which let you select an appetizer and an entree. They also have super sized salads (and the salads are really super sized believe me!).
The highlights of this culinary expedition was the Insalata di Arugola (with mushrooms and parmesan) which came as the appetizer to the prix fixe option, the supersized Spinach & Salmon Salad (with walnuts and goat cheese), the tiramusu and the dark chocolate crepe. The salmon in the salad was cooked well, but the salmon in the entree was a little too dry.
Overall, good food, good prices, and a restaurant in which you can actually hear each other talking! -
Review from Tricia K.
Simple and small, this hidden gem on 53rd street always serves up really tasty home cooking style Italian food. I usually get the pappardelle (which is offered on the menu with a duck ragu, but they make it bolognese for me).
The staff (usually just 2 people) is friendly and efficient, and the ambience is warm and comfortable. They offer a variety of specials for appetizer, entree and desert so you can usualy try something new.
The white wines by the glass are a bit iffy though. Stick to the better bottles. -
Review from Tom K.
A painting, an opera and now a restaurant: Add this "La Gioconda" to the works of enjoyable art list.
Discovered entirely accidentally, my initial search was for Hakata Grill, also on east 53rd. When I realized that Hakata is strictly takeout/delivery, I did not fret as there are quite a few eateries on this stretch of east 53rd, one block away from the CitiCenter complex.
I felt like Italian so we entered the small restaurant that may have about 8-10 tables total. Cozy without being oppressively intimate, the space is well utilized and the candle lit tables are fairly spaced apart. A group of fellow diners practicing speaking Italian added to the overall ambiance.
The prices will prevent any moaning Lisas and are instead shockingly reasonable given the Midtown East location. Many pasta plates clock in at $13.50 and the specialty of the day was $17. You'll find linguini and lasagna but also other pastas like tagliolini, paccheri and tonnarelli.
Those seeking out a heavier helping of proteins can opt for the steak, veal or chicken menu choices.
Complimentary bruschetta arrived along with a hulking carcass of bread that was fun to rip apart and dip into olive oil. No real need for an appetizer when such grainy goodness is just given to you gratis.
I opted for a special of the day, which was fusilli with polpette in a pesto sauce.
Dipping the remaining bread in the pesto was a pure fantasia of flavor. The fusilli, Jerry, was gold, Jerry, gold! This dish was truly the dance of the hours in my mouth.
Too full for dessert, I surveyed the bill and a number came in under 40 which included a bottle of sparkling water.
Service was efficient, offering up the obligatory cheese and pepper like clockwork. I saw the staff speed up service for another table that had a show to catch.
For a Midtown East dining experience that will leave you satisfied and not gazing at a black hole in your wallet, give La Gioconda a try.
* Points for identifying pop and not so pop cultural references. -
Review from Layla C.
Montclair, NJLa Gioconda is a teeny italian place set back amongst the crappy low rise buildings on smelly ol' 53rd street. Here you'll find efficient, knowledgeable, friendly service in an intimate setting right next to a skeevy porn shop. Yum!
The food and the portions are solid, though nothing extraordinary in taste or value. They did have a dinner price fix option which covered three courses for 20 bucks, but of course the dish that grabbed my attention was not on it, so I stuck with a salad and pasta dish off of the regular menu, as did my father.
The food here was about equal to than at Luna Piena down the block, but the atmosphere there is much bigger, more bustling and loud. This place is a nice alternative to all the hustle and bustle of midtown.
One thing to change? Very soft techno music in the background. Um... -
Review from judy c.
Trumbull, CTI've had the pleasure of dining in hundreds of restaurants in Manhattan and have always enjoyed the fixed price lunches and dinners. So - my son and I ordered
the salmon for $20 which included an appetizer, main course and dessert (coffee
was extra). The size of the salmon was approximately one inch by four. I don't
know how they were able to slice it so small - in four bites it was gone.
I complained to the waiter and was told that this was the fixed price size. Nowhere
on the menu did it mention that portion sizes were much smaller with the special.
After eating at other restaurants, I have never had the portions compromised for the
price. They were always more than adequate. This was a rip off beyond words.
There are too many other restaurants in Manhattan to waste my time giving LaGioconda a second chance. After saying something to the waiter, they at least could have had the courtesy to not charge me $2.25 for a cup of coffee.
Enjoy your meals at restaurant row on 46th street - those are my kind of
places. Good meals at reasonable prices - with portions to share. -
Review from Aliyah K.
We were running out of time, trying to get to a Comedy Show and were jonesin' for Italian.
Hoping to be pleasantly surprised, we stopped by La Gioconda.
Cute place, up a few stairs we went into a tiny restaurant. We took a table near an open window.
I had the Ravioli Di Ricotta E Spinaci Con Burro E Salvia, Handmade Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach in a Sage Butter Sauce. Very good, pleasantly surprised.
Hubby and Sister each had the Gnocchi All`Amalfitana, Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil sauce. This was just okay.
The table bread was truly awesome. The wine list was small, unimpressive but reasonably priced for glass during a quick dinner. In fact, dinner was priced just right too.
While cute, the atmosphere that early evening was tired. Just two other tables in the place and it seemed as if they were not having a quick, early dinner like we were. No, these guys were wrapping up, at 6pm to boot. Get my drift? -
Review from Jennifer L.
New York, NY4/7/2008
I checked out La Gioconda recently with some girlfriends. We started off with salads or appetizers. I had the artichoke salad, which was rather small, but it was tasty. For my entree, I had the tagliolini abruzzesi, which is one of their homemade pastas (like a thick spaghetti noodle). The sauce was yummy, with dried porcini, prosciutto and fresh tomatoes, with little chunks of smoked mozzarella, but there was too much of it for the amount of pasta. I probably left 1/3 of the sauce after finishing the pasta! Overalll, my food was ok, not great, not bad, just ok.
For dessert we shared the chocolate crepes, which were rich and chocolatey. Again, nothing that wowed.
I would give this 2-1/2 stars, so I have to round up here. My dinner was enjoyable more for the company than for the food itself. -
Review from Stacey S.
Manhattan, NYThis place reminds me of the way a great relationship feels when the passion starts to fade away. Instead of contemplating your perfect outfit, blow drying your hair, applying a beautiful face of makeup, changing into yet an even more perfect outfit... you just smear on some eye liner, throw your hair in a pony tail, and slip into your comfy jeans. You look presentable, but you're certainly not turning heads tonight.
We ordered the gorgonzola asparagus risotto (a special last night) to share as an appetizer and it was freaking awesome. Tangy and creamy, perfectly cooked, and my boyfriend (who seldom tries to understand why a plate does or does not taste good) commented that the asparagus complimented the gorgonzola very nicely.
For entrées, we ordered the grilled strip loin steak and the salmon and I swear that neither had any seasoning what-so-ever. It was literally just plain grilled meat. Not even salt and pepper. We also asked for them both medium-rare and them came out medium-well. So, that was a huge disappointment. They did have an excellent tiramisu for dessert, but honestly, that's just not that difficult.
The atmosphere is super generic (framed print of the Mona Lisa, faux flowers on the window sills), but I like that it's small without being overcrowded. Service was nice and attentive.
I would go back, but only for the pasta dishes. -
Review from Jonathan M.
Hoboken, NJWhen you compare the entire package (food, service, atmosphere, price) for a NYC restaurant, this place gets 5 stars, hands down.
Food was great. We ordered some veal dishes & some pasta, everyone at our table raved. Prices were completely reasonable for NYC. Restaurant was a cozy spot , and the service was very friendly.
Would 100% go back there again and again.
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