Restaurant Information:

52 Greenwich Ave # B

New York, NY 10011-8309

(212) 633-2590

ilovegottino.com

Map:
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Service (10/20) or 50%

  • Hostess(2/5 points)
I’m not really sure if the woman that I spoke with was the hostess, a woman that was some how involved with the restaurant, or just a customer.  Also, the time estimates were vastly inaccurate.  When I first got there I asked how long it would be to get a table outside and I was told 30 minutes; fair, but what bothered me was I heard the same estimate given out repeatedly even though no one left in the time I was there.
  • Promptness(1/5 points)
I shouldn’t ever have to ask for my coffee twice.  Also, it took near half a hour for our food to be presented.  Our coffees actually got served at the same time our food did which spells major issue in streamlining to me.  The waitstaff clearly had food assignments as well as their regular duties and I think in trying to balance out the two they ended up being sub-par in both which was disappointing.
  • Alertness(3/5 points)
I’d say the wait staff was about as alert as I’d expect, but then again they were right in front of me at the bar so there wasn’t much of a chance for them to miss anything.
  • Friendliness(4/5 points)
Every one I encountered there was quite friendly, almost surprisingly so, considering how mismanaged everything else was service-wise.


Food and Drink (14/20) or 70%

  • Price(2/5 points)
This almost got a one on price, but I decided that the coffee was worth far more than the three dollars I paid for it.  I probably would have paid four dollars for it.  But, the food was way overpriced.  Expect to get about half the portion size of other places.  I’m pretty sure that the dishes were served on saucers or at least small plates, so you get an idea of what I’m talking about here.
  • Quality of Food(5/5 points)
Amazing.  The food was so flavorful.  Clearly the focus of this establishment was the quality of their food and they nailed it.  I had the over easy eggs with bacon, which might be the best bacon I’ve ever had.  It was served with two small slices of bread that proved a bit tricky with the flatware I was using.  Also, the food was incredibly rich.  I wasn’t full when I was done eating, but it sat heavy in my stomach.
  • Quality of Beverage(4/5 points)
This would have gotten a five, but the water was served in essentially shot glasses.  Also, the water bottle problem reared its ugly head here, but in the form of a giant bottle of water that was shared amongst several people at the bar.  The coffee was probably the best cup I’ve had yet.  It was rich, flavorful, with a hint of sweetness and bitterness, i.e. the way coffee should taste.
  • Presentation(3/5 points)
The waiter did an excellent job of presenting our food and drinks, but when I saw the small sized plates I instantly thought, “that’s it?”  The small plates were overflowing and I think that contributed to make it look kind of a mess.

Decor and Space (10/20) or 50%

  • Cleanliness(3/5 points)
The place was as clean as I would expect.  I didn’t notice anything especially clean or dirty.
  • Theme(4/5 points)
It’s a wine bar with a focus on fine food.  Marble bar with wine stacked along one wall make it glaringly obvious what they’re after in their clientele.
  • Adequate Seating(1/5 points)
I’m pretty sure the bar takes up the vast majority of their seating area.  Their indoor seating and outdoor seating looked cramped.  I’m not exactly a fan of them asking us to sit at the bar after misquoting wait times to me.  If you’re going to have that many people sitting at the bar at least give us stools that are comfortable to sit in while we’re there; I felt like I was sitting on a converted school desk.  Also, they could have taken advantage of their large sidewalk space like their neighbors did and fit a few tables there, but they didn’t.
  • Location(2/5 points)
I was going to give this three, as it is about a medium walk from the subway, but it’s located on Greenwich which means 10th Street intersects 4th Street and things get wacky if you’re not careful.  Also, it sits next to a restaurant that looked like it did a better job at seating and pricing items reasonably.

Bonus(5 points)

One point for playing Beethoven the entire time I was there.

Total score 34/60, with bonus 35/60 or 58.33%