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Another one of those restaurants that seems to be hiding
A lot of raves and a few sour apples.. one person has a grudge against the owner..."Mediterrenean" food
Amáli
Category:
Mediterranean
115 E 60th St(between Park Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
(212) 339-8363
- Nearest Transit Station:
-
59 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)Lexington Ave./59 St. (N, Q, R)Lexington Ave./63 St. (F)
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 12 pm - 11 pmSun 12 pm - 10 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:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
70 reviews for Amáli
Review Highlights What's this?
70 reviews in English
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Review from Jess C.
We wandered in after an exhaustive search of moderately-priced restaurants in the area after a Yelp event. Pleasantly surprised that there was no wait, we followed the hostess from the dimly lit main room to the brighter, more spacious skylight room in the back.
I actually didn't expect to eat anything besides a salad because I wasn't feeling well. But once our server began to list the specials, I was sold. That homemade black squid ink pasta with a spicy meat sauce (he said it's like chorizo), squid, and bread crumbs was PERFECTION. Although the dish wasn't visually pleasing (thank goodness I don't have arachnophobia), the saltiness of the pasta and the spiciness of the sauce juxtaposed with textures from the dense, al dente pasta, chewy squid, and crunchy bread crumbs progressed into a culinary adventure in itself. The honorable mention goes to the ricotta donuts with chocolate cremeux (and hint of espresso). You couldn't taste the ricotta, but you could definitely see the difference in texture.
The octopus a la plancha appetizer was good, but not as mind-blowing as the aforementioned. They also brought out rye bread with olive oil but my stomach didn't agree with it.
We mostly really appreciated the fact that the server never rushed us. Whether it was me eating at a sloth-like rate or us staying an additional 30 minutes after dessert because of a most engaging conversation, not once did he express displeasure, frustration, or urgency for our table. In fact, he'd peek in non-intrusively, refill our waters, and then back away with a smile. Too cute.
Next time I'm not feeling well, I'm coming here. Recovered instantly, haha! (I'm sure good company helped a lot too ;])-
Octopus a la plancha appetizer -
Looks scary but was SO GOOD! Black squid ink pasta with a s… -
Ricotta donut with chocolate cremeux
Comment from James M. of Amáli 7/20/2013
Thank you very much for your kind words. I hope you email… More » -
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Review from Kendrah R.
Philadelphia, PAThe food was good but just too damn salty and I am someone who loves, loves salt. In general the flavors were just not subtle or refined enough for the price of this meal.
The hen in the woods salad was fantastic. Our heirloom tomato salad was not ripe enough. If those are the only tomatoes you have that day, then just nix the dish and remove it until you can get better ones. Montauk fish as good but they did a poor job of fileting it. My chicken was good but again, so damn salty. And the potatoes were divine but the mustard just so overpowering.
We ate at the bar to avoid an hour wait and found the bar tender lovely and friendly. The atmosphere great minus the super heavy smoke smell wafting through the windows in the front from all of their waitstaff going out for a smoke. Also, when trying to get to the bathroom I had to break up a waitstaff convention that was blocking the only thruway just to try to get to the bathroom. I think their staff seems pretty poorly trained. -
Review from Nikki S.
The food here was all good; there just wasn't a standout dish. Given all of the options in NYC, this one wouldn't make the cut for me.
My favorite dish was the crispy heirloom cauliflower. We also had the broccoli, lamb loin, squid ink pasta and grass-fed beef. Again, everything was tasty, but nothing was mind blowing.
Good service. Quiet, medium-dark ambience. -
Review from Junshuo L.
Manhattan, NYwe randomly wandered into this place and were amazed by the appetizer--crispy asparagus. slightly fried asparagus tempura with cheese and aioli. juicy inside, creamy outside and crispy batter in btw.
we also ordered striped bass (love the chewy veggies coming with the fish while the bass was a bit overcooked) and dorade (way too salty...) -
Review from Beatriz B.
Roma, ItalyUgh. We went for lunch with a reservation, which we obviously did not eat because it was completely empty. I should know better than to eat at a place completely empty, but I was trusting Yelp. Bad move. The atmosphere was overly stuffy and pretentious. There was no music, so it was silent as the grave and you just wanted to whisper the entire time. The menu items had a bunch of weird names, with ridiculous prices and not enough choices on the lunch menu. My husband ordered a pasta plate and the portion was so small that I almost laughed when the waitress put it on the table. Then, in contrast, I had the chicken which was pretty much almost an entire chicken. The best part was that my plate was cheaper, but I had to end up giving some chicken to my husband.
We both admit that the actual taste of the food was good, but the atmosphere, the portion size and the price was just a huge disappointment.Comment from James M. of Amáli 7/20/2013
While I am sad that you did not have a good experience, I… More » -
Review from Jaime B.
Roma, ItalyThe attitude from the restaurant's owner towards poor ratings just speaks to the character of this establishment. Apparently the owner can find an excuse for every bad experience (including justifying costs and a mediocre dining experience with the restaurant's location).
This is not to say that my experience was horrible, since the taste of the food was not bad and the somber ambiance did not affect me. However, I do not think the portions, the descriptions of entrees on the menu, the price, and the attitude of the owner toward dissatisfied Yelpers deserve anything more than one star, by giving it two stars I would be generous.
My recommendation to Yelpers is: Do not go to this restaurant and be very careful and selective when using Yelp or any other review service in Manhattan. Some restauranteurs are used to mob tactics and bullying against reviewers that give them poor ratings. Do not be fooled by fancy menus and excessive costs, sometimes money cannot buy class or quality.Comment from James M. of Amáli 8/21/2013
Mob tactics... I do respond to almost every review on Yelp… More » -
Review from Vladyslav S.
Menlo Park, CAWe have got a delightful lunch experience in this restaurant. The half-chicken that I have ordered was of a top-notch quality. -
Review from Rene L.
East York, CanadaWe had a seat in the back room which was not impressive. The front is more lively and inviting, the back is quiet which was fine but the decor was completely out of date. The service was pretty good, our waiter did a great job of remembering the impressive list of specials. I started with a fried green tomato salad which was excellent. My wife and I shared a 3 lb black bass for our entree. It wasn't cheap, but it was a lot of fish and we had to take some home. The flesh was firmer than I was expecting, and cooked perfectly, although the skin was charred more than I would have liked. We skipped dessert. -
Review from Jessica C.
New York, NYTime Arrived: 8:00 pm Friday
Time Wait: 8:15 pm reservations; they will only seat you on the dot even though there are seats open and you're already there. eh.
Party: 2 People
Atmosphere: Loud, dim lighting
Food/Drink: The lamb appetizer was amazing. Probably the best lamb i've ever had. It was cooked perfectly on the outside because it was crispy and inside because it was perfectly flakey and juicy. One caveat though, they could lessen the amont of sauce brushed on the lamb.
The bass entree was good, but considering it was bass, it could have been a lot flakier.
Eggplant appetizer was good, but not amazing. The salumi was pretty good.
Service: PROBLEM! I made reservations via Opentable for a 8:15pm reservation. I called earlier in the day just to confirm. But the man who answered the phone said my reservation would NOT be acknowledged because they were apparently "very booked" already. I thought this was strange because even with my confirmation, he was essentially rejecting me. He said they hadn't "updated the online reservation system yet." He wasn't apologetic at all, which I thought was very rude. Either way, I intended to stop by the restaurant just to see. (I had a hunch the man who answered the phone didn't really know what was going on). I arrived at 8pm just to see and yes, my reservation WAS there and I was seated.
Overall: Food was pretty good, but only because the lamb was memorable. The service was eh, the ambiance was also very loud for a romantic and intimate place. Me and my friend found ourselves shouting to each other in the small dining room. -
Review from Taylor B.
The Short: Fresh, simple, seasonal ingredients unadulterated by butter, creams, and sauces to create a delicious meal that doesn't weigh you down when you leave. Good service without pushiness. A cute and cozy find in the UES perfect for a quiet date night, casual catch-up, or dinner with your parents.
The Long: With all the hype surrounding Amali these days, we were pleasantly surprised to find such a quiet, quaint restaurant tucked away in the Upper East Side. Arriving at 7PM, the restaurant was rather dead, but a few tables slowly started filling up closer to 7:30. We began our experience at the bar, where the bartender happily guided us through the options and even recommended a completely new and off-the-menu libation after overhearing our conversation about our longing for "summery" gin cocktails. They tasted delicious, but given the small size of the bar (and the restaurant in general), I wouldn't recommend coming to Amali just for the bar.
Once seated, our server appeared immediately but never once made us feel rushed throughout the meal. When faced with a situation where every menu item looked great, it was incredibly helpful having him to guide us through his favorites and offer his insights (many of the dishes feature ramps because that is the "in" vegetable these days, apparently; while the fish may weigh 2 pounds when it arrives at the table, the meat will weigh considerably less once fileted; etc.).
Because we had such trouble narrowing down our entrée selection, we began the meal by splitting one entrée (the scallops) and the asparagus as our entrees. While the scallops were certainly delicious, I must say that I have never had asparagus so good. It arrived with an egg on top and each bite only got better.
For our entrees, we decided to split the sea bass, the fish special of the night sized for two diners, per the recommendation of our server. The presentation reminded me of my former life living in Spain - a simply grilled fish lightly salted with herbs presented with the full head and skin and then quickly whisked away for filleting. Another excellent choice demonstrating the power of keeping ingredients fresh and natural. A wonderful evening all in all.-
No filter. Who knew asparagus could be so amazing?
Comment from James M. of Amáli 6/20/2013
Taylor, We are so happy you chose to dine with us. While so… More » -
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Review from Anu J.
Manhattan, NYI was looking for a nice place to host my husband's surprise birthday party.. and honestly, Amali was not my first choice... or my second.. but after extensive research, I finally found this place. I made reservations through OpenTable.
To begin with, I emailed James and Michael (got their emails in the OpenTable confirmation) to ask a few questions related to the menu. I heard back from James promptly, along with attachments of the menu.
When I called, I spoke with Jason and Daniella and we decided that I would send my menu selections before hand so that my lunch party would go seamlessly. And I called once more to confirm the plans, but every time I called, the staff was friendly and courteous, answered all my questions and offered to help any which way.
I ordered the following items - and my review of each
Appetizers:
EGGPLANT - This was one of my favorites. Everyone in my party enjoyed it as well.
CALAMARI and CHICKPEA SALAD - The Calamari was grilled. The Squid was a little charred for my taste, other than that it was very delicious
SMOKED TROUT - Also very delicious. Really recommend ordering this one as well
OVEN ROASTED BROCOLLI - Broccoli with pine nuts - so delicious.
Entree:
FRESH SPAGHETTI - Really good.. small portion though.
LINGUINI CARBONARA - Very creamy - least liked item on the table. Good portion.
ROASTED CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK - The chicken skin was a little salty but it was really well cooked and the potatoes were really crunchy.
MERGUEZ SAUSAGE - Delicious, small portion
Overall, everyone enjoyed the food. My husband was very surprised and loved the party. The waiting staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful. They also placed us in the back room with sun roof where we had an intimate setting as well. We brought our own cake and they served it in nice slices as well. Excellent service, great food, I will definitely come back and try other things on the menu.
The food is a little pricey for the portions, but you get what you paid for. Oh, another thing, the restaurant is not easily spottable on the street, we had to get closer to see we were at the right place.
Thank you chef and staff at Amali for making my husband's surprise birthday party a day he will remember...!Comment from James M. of Amáli 6/20/2013
Anu, Thank you very much for the thorough and thoughtful… More » -
Review from Svetlana A.
Midwood, Brooklyn, NYOverall impression of the restaurant remains good. Very good service.
Food:
1. Octopus, eggplant. 5
2. Lamb. 5
3. Chicken. 4 / tooooo salty /
4. Donuts. 5+++++ -
Review from Suzanne S.
Marin County, CAThis was the most memorable meal we had in New York. Better even than one of the top rated restaurants in the city. The service was superb, but the food was even better. Definitely my favorite place to eat in NYC!! Prices for what you get are a great deal. Eat here - you won't be sorry! -
Review from Alex N.
Dallas, TXOftentimes Americans will prejudge "Mediterranean" food as hummus, pita, olives, and dolmas. It is restaurants like Amali that smack some sense into your senses that "Mediterranean" cuisine describes a food lifestyle. A lifestyle that spans as far East as Lebannon, West as Spain, North as France, and South as Morrocco. Bright, fresh, simple and cooked painfully perfect.
We dined at Amali as our company of 4 completed our time in the greatest city in the world. Happily hungry after drinks at Apothke, we were all pleased to be welcomed in the bright Cape Cod styled dining room. As the sommelier interviewed us on our wine preference, and our first course plans, I knew we were in for something special. The four of us devoured the eggplant, cured meats, octopus, spaghetti, salt baked sea bass, risotto with spring vegetable, and roasted steak and potatoes. Three full days post dining I remember vividly each dish - it was that good. I cannot even remember what I ate for breakfast this morning!
At the end of our meal, we were complemented by a dessert, and dessert wine on the house. We met the chef, our waiter was amazing. Thank you Amali for providing us with a meal we wont soon forget. -
Review from Jessica P.
Chicago, ILI came here for lunch with my friend because another friend recommended the restaurant..and it was definitely to my liking!
Food:
Octopus A La Plancha Appetizer ($18) - baked Octopus with Red Wine Vinaigrette and Oregano.. and it is simply delicious!!! it tastes like delicious meat...
DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED TO TRY!!
Fresh Spaghetti ($18) - Cured San Marzano Tomatoes, Fiore Sardo..the flavor was unique per se.. reminded me of goat cheese for some reason...and since I'm not a fan of goat cheese.. the spaghetti was just ok to me.. but cooked to perfection and everything...
Roasted fish (special fish of the day) with Fregola ($26) - I really enjoyed this entree from the fish to the fregola everything tasted perfect...the fregola is similar to couscous
Costs: ~$18+ for appetizers & entrees...
Portions: are big to me...but I still finished the entree in one sitting.. probably will be full with just the entree alone.. but you have to try the octopus!..
Customer Service: from the time that we entered the restaurant until we left, the staff were all really friendly
Atmosphere: the restaurant is located near many offices so you'll be a lot of people around their mid-20's to early 40's coming here for lunch...the restaurant is small so I wouldn't recommend coming here with a large group..but it's a nice place to come with a couple or few friends...
I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area... I would stop by again if I visit NY just to get the Octopus!!-
Octopus appetizer..really delicious!! -
Fish special and couscous -
Bread and olive oil before the food food comes out..
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Review from jessie c.
Manhattan, NYA good friend of mine came from out of town and this was a last-minute reservation. I was really thrilled. We got a special shaved foie gras salad (cant go wrong with foie gras, but to be honest it was missing a kick. still good though), the feta cheese salad (good) and the best things to me were the salt baked fish for the table, the cavatelli pasta and a side of broccoli. So simple yet sooooo good! cant wait to go back!
the wine selection was great too! the somelier was very helpful. -
Review from Tracey C.
Wellington, FLAmazing meal, from start to finish! Nothing failed to impress . . . Did a tasting and had Arctic Char Crudo, Arahova Feta, Octopus a la Planche, hand cut Steak Tartare with Crisped Bone Marrow & Lamb Shoulder. All were superb. Cute little place, great staff . . . a little noisy, but worth the price of admission!
Get there and enjoy! -
Review from James K.
Los Angeles, CAThis is a hidden gem . I'm from San Francisco . Organic local food is essential . The quality of food & the high level of innovation that is embodied in each dish is phenomenal . The interior designer deserves an award . BRAVOComment from James M. of Amáli 8/21/2013
Thank you so very much for your kind words. Should you… More » -
Review from Fabian L.
Manhattan, NYThe food, the wine, the service, everything was just fantastic. I'll come back soon, for sure.
The restaurant is BYOB, although we did not bring our own wine but relied on the recommendation of the sommelier. He brought us a bottle of a limited edition Robert Mondavi white wine which was just delightful. In general, I very much appreciate if restaurants have a good sommelier and the staff does not just randomly recommend any wine from the list.
I had the flatbread and my wife had the eggplant appetizer. I dough of the flatbread was so tasty that I could have had a second one right after. The eggplants were just as good as the bread. They used a small sort of eggplant with a very intense flavor. We shared the salt baked fish for the table as main course, which was a black sea bass. I think that the sea bass is just the right choice for that dish since it has a very distinct taste which is not too obtrusive and fishy. The salt crust also preserved the moisture so the fish was not dry at all.Comment from James M. of Amáli 8/21/2013
Fabian - Thank you for your kind words. They are much… More » -
Review from Christine L.
Skokie, ILNeeded a place to stop in for lunch and Amali fit the bill. First let me say that service here is impeccable. Came in, was seated promptly, and our waiter was attentive but not overbearing (and also made some great suggestions).
Food was absolutely delicious; simple, but I could eat it all day long. Our waiter suggested the Octupus a la Plancha appetizer, and at first I was a little unsure. Octopus? But all my qualms were assured once I took that first bite. Oh my goodness it was the best octopus I've ever eaten.
For my entree I ordered the Fresh Spaghetti which consists of their homemade fresh pasta and an interesting but still good tomato sauce. It's not a typical tomato sauce, it had a unique taste probably from the cured tomatoes they use, but again still delicious. The fresh pasta definitely makes a difference. My friend ordered the Roasted Tilefish which was also really good (although they had to substitute the Tilefish that day for a different type of fish). It was my first time eating Fregola which are like little pasta beads. Everything was seasoned wonderfully, light but flavorful.
Great food, great service. Would definitely come back!Listed in: (maybe) The Yelp 100 Challenge
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