Piccola Venezia Restaurant

one of the most consistently great restaurants I have patronized, try there mussels in red source or linguini in lobster sauce

Ate in this restaurant many time and were well known by staff and manager. We had an anti semetic incident at this restaurant and I was called a Jew Bitch by a customer. MY husband was threatened by man just because we asked to change our table because his group was so loud and singing songs. I learned that supposedly it is disrespectful to change a table when a connected person is dining in a restaurant. My Husbands life was threatened by this man. The staff did nothing and the manager said nothing. When I called to complain to the owners son. He could not care less. I suggest don’t go to the restaurant if you are not Italian. HAd to get this off my chest.

My girlfriend and I came here for our anniversary. She lives in the area, and we’ve seen the outdoor awning that says «steaks, chops, cocktails» much to our amusement. So we decided to dinner here for our anniversary.
As soon as we walked in, immediately you get the old school Italian vibe. It was great! Nothing pretentious, just an older man working the bar, and an older lady working the coat check. My girlfriend and I are brought to our table, and it happens to be close to a 3D picture of Tony Bennett!
We get served immediately by an older guy in a burgundy waiters jacket. I have to say, those folks were attentive. Not obnoxiously attentive, but attentive in the way that when your glass was empty it was refilled, when your plate was empty it was immediately removed and replaced. Top notch service!
My girlfriend and I ordered calamari to start, a Caesar salad, cheese ravioli in a veal sauce and veal ravioli.
As we waited for the calamari, the server brought out bread with complimentary bruschetta.
The calamari came, and was very tasty. Nothing to earth shattering, but still very good. (It’s worth noting that they pre split every shared dish in the kitchen whereas to not fuss around at the table. Nice little detail)
The Caesar salad came and that as well was very tasty. Can’t go wrong with a good ol fashioned Caesar salad.
When we got our main courses, I got the cheese ravioli, and she got the veal ravioli. While hers was very good, mine was good. Not horrible, but nothing that blew my hair back either. I’d definitely try another dish the next time we come back.
After we were done, we opted for getting dessert. They brought out complimentary cookies before our dessert came out. My girlfriend and I split the house made Tiramisu. It was very good! Well layered and had good coffee proportions. And as stated before, it came pre split for us to share.
All in all, what a great, charming, old school Italian restaurant. Places like this are truly a dying art and I hope it’s here to stay for a while longer.

Dining the way it’s supposed to be. Warmly greeted and the pre dinner drink @ the bar with a bartender knowledgable about his spirits and personable, too. Walk in to a dining room full of regular guests all exited about what they’re going to experience. Our waiter, classic old school, offers the delectable specials one more amazing than the other. We start with a lobster avocado salad and prosciutto Di Parma and melon, both top notch. The owner stops by to inquire about our thoughts for dinner. We had planned a duo of shared pastas as a primo course and noticing we hadn’t selected the gnocchi with goat cheese, he comps us a ½ order. Quite possibly the best pasa dish I’ve ever had! Melts in your mouth & perfecty prepared. Our pastas arrive shortly & are also exquisite. We now take a leisurely pause sharing conversation with nearby tables and our gracious host. Eventually we have the tricolor salad, veal Milanese and veal scaloppine Piccolo. All delicious and fork tender. Dessert was a tasty gelato and a fabulous zabaione plus the highly suggested Panna cotta.
Fabulous and amazing. Make your reservation today!

The most disgusting and overpriced «Italian» food I’ve ever had. It seems that the only spices they use are pepper, pepper and more PEPPER! … The service overall wasn’t bad but our particular waiter had the worst attitude. I will never, ever step a foot on this place!

My favorite restaurant from childhood until now. Love all their dishes, service is amazing & it’s just old school Italian! Love it

Excellent home style cooking, charming surroundings, warm, friendly staff, good wine selection. Neighborhood gem. Would definitely go back.

Hadn’t been to the restaurant in a long time; I went with my daughter (who was a first timer).
The place was as great as I remembered. First the staff was as welcoming and warm as any place I’ve been. We split a hot antipasto that was delicious. We both had fish which was absolutely perfect. The waiter asked how we would like it prepared and fileted the each one perfectly. It was roasted and topped with a garlic herb oil.
Desert was fresh fruit with some cookies with expresso
Perfection!

We have been to Piccolo Venezia a dozen or so times, always meeting our best friends who live in Long Island. (we live an hour away) They have been going for 30+ years, so it is always a treat to go with them, as the owner, maitre d’, and servers know our friends, checked in with us often, and kibbutzed all night long.
To say that the dinner was incredible is an understatement. The bread, for starters, was so fresh and so yummy, that my friend was making fun of me for devouring it with olive oil, parmasean cheese and red pepper flakes.
Appetizers came out spaced apart… and were served plated and/​family style– divided up if plated… We started with baby scallops in their shells in a butter sauce (tender and so tasty) and shrimp in a scampi sauce. Next was homemade, flat pasta with a mushroom sauce, and pasta carbonara with bits of pancetta. We then had local scallops that were prepared in a butter sauce– they are only available 4 months of the year– that were served with toothpicks for easy sharing. Meat lasagna was next– I didn’t have any but everyone enjoyed it.
I had no room for a main course; my girlfriend had «trippa“in a red sauce (glad that I didn’t know what that is– as I later found out it is the stomach lining of an animal) — but she loved it, and my husband and his bestie shared a veal chop sorrentina– the portion was split for them– one served on the bone– milanese style– served with a spinach. potato side dish.
Clean plate club x 4 people!
Dessert was a sampler plated for each of us– panna cotta (vanilla flan served with a strawberry liquor, pistachio cannoli– with the best shell I have ever eaten– a cookie-​like shell with light filling, and tiramasu. Heavenly and well worth the weight gain I will see tomorrow morning when I step on the scale.

Brought my dad here for his birthday and I hated the food and the prices are ridiculous for how bad their food is. STAY AWAY. There are so many better Italian places worth half this price.
The octopus appetizers were not even hot. No flavor and I couldn’t eat it when it was almost room temperature.
My fish filet with shrimp was lacking shrimp!!!
There is just no appeal to this place and it wasn’t even a fourth full… So disappointed. It was such a waste of money but I had to keep a smile on for pops. I will never come here again.

What an amazing place. We arrived promptly for our 730 reservation and was seated immediately. Service was slow however heard that a few people called out so can’t hold it against them.
The food was fantastic. Ordered the veal (not sure the exact plate) but was cooked deliciously. All the meals ordered were cooked to perfection. One of the guests I was with attempted to order a special however we were Informed they were all out. After following up with the manager (who was so kind to check in on ours and every other tables status multiple times) we were able to get an order of the special!
Food was delicious, for the price you can’t look at the old school décor but the quality of food. First Italian restaurant that I’ve visited in Astoria and now all the others have a high standard to compare too.

THIS.PLACE.IS.FIRE.
The lack of windows give Piccola Venezia the appearance of an mobster hangout from the outside, and the décor inside is dated to match. I feel like it adds character to this spot where the Italian cuisine is as on point as the waiters’ fancy bow ties and vests. This place is so awesome, and so totally old school New York. The first time I came was with a friend from Cincinnati who was coming through town on her layover at LaGuardia. She had been to the restaurant before and the waiters all remembered her. They even borrowed her newborn baby and took him back to the kitchen to show off the staff! They took the extra step to make everyone feel like family, and it did not go unnoticed.
The meal starts with complimentary bruschetta, cheese, charcuterie and olives. You’ll want to scarf it all down, but trust me, you’re going to want to save room for their impeccable proteins and pastas. The stuffed veal breast is out of control and their seafood linguine (fruit de mer) is delicious as well. They have a wide variety of fish dishes as well, making it a solid pick if you have friends or family with varying preferences. You’ll want to keep the red wine flowing throughout the meal. Last Christmas our evening ended with complimentary Italian cookies. We’ll be returning again when my dad and brother are back in town for the holidays this year. Believe me when I say, I literally cannot wait!

Thursday’s my husband and I like to have date night but we were so comfortable on the couch we decided to get delivery off the Grubhub app. I couldn’t be more pleased. I literally just finished my meal and felt the need to write this review it was that good!
We had an order of meatballs, cheese ravioli with veal and a side of creamed spinach. Having never eaten here before I was a little hesitant but to my great surprise the food arrived quickly and it was delicious!
Not only will I order again on a lazy night but we will have our next date night at the restaurant. A big thank you to the kitchen staff! Great job!

Place is a little dated inside but always clean with courteous professional staff. I have been coming here for 20+ years and I have never left without being 100% satisfied. Food is always on point and delicious. Lamb bucco with homemade Gnocci is amazing. Was charged $ 22 for a ketel one martini, that was the most expensive martini I have ever had. Considering this is a dated restaurant in queens I thought that was a little excessive when a drink cost more then at the plaza hotel or the four seasons in a 5 star environment overlooking Central Park. They should evaluate there customers and location before setting price of basic cocktail at $ 22+ tax and tip. It’s not so much the extra couple of dollars, it’s the principle, don’t rip off your customers.

We had a wonderful time here last night, celebrating a double birthday with another couple. Everything about the place gave us a good feeling, the old world look, the friendly staff, and the plentiful signs the place was popular with locals.
We drove from the city on early Sunday evening, and street parking was no problem. There is valet parking available as well.
We were told by other friends that the menu was flexible, so we took advantage of that, and had a sampling of gorgonzola gnocchi and the grilled octopus as appetizers. Both were delicious. Everything else we ate was excellent, the grilled scrod was fresh, flaky and wonderfully assembled and seasoned.
At the end of the dinner we discovered a common Istrian family heritage with some of the management and staff members, and since we just returned from a vacation there, it was nice to chat about it and compare impressions.
Overall, it was an incredibly pleasant and delicious experience.

Piccola Venezia is a friendly dinosaur whose kind once was found scattered throughout the neighborhoods of NYC. There sole innovation is being retro, abhorring all things new – except patrons – and clinging on to the old. You’ve seen places like Piccola on screen as a backdrop to countless movie scenes. Usually in gangster and in immigrant flicks. But nostalgia for a bygone era is not the only reason I keep returning…
Our order was simple and the service was hurried. That is until I ordered the «c-​note» plus bottle of Amarone. The service then changed for the better. Admittingly the place was packed and thus any level of semi-​quality service would have been acceptable. I hadn’t witnessed so many dinners in Piccola at any one time in over two decades. The side dining room was closed which meant everyone was cattle-​carted to the main dining room.
Ambiance aside the food was excellent. I didn’t expect it to be. I was certain that Piccola relied on their former glory and I proudly report to you that their glory is currently intact. We ordered a Caesar salad (allegedly created by Caesar Cardini in 1924), veal porterhouse Milanese, a side of broccoli rabe and something else. Each dish was fantastic and evenly paced. Desert was a panna cotta for the signorina and a heavy cream laden espresso for yours truly. Cookies with compliments of the house followed. I only gawked.

Old school, real deal, authentic Italian food with superb service! Place was full of locals, all welcomed by name by the manager and owner. The owner introduced himself to us and made sure we were pleased with the food and service. Although we were bummed that they didn’t have their signature Osso Bucco dish, the rack of lamb made up for that, it was delish! And the Cannoli…#forgettaboutit!

Visited 4÷8÷2015 for a birthday dinner. Although the décor embodies every mob film ever made, it provides an inviting space for fun, laughter, and good times. Our server was funny & expeditious and the food was mouth– watering.
I recommend the Château-​Briand (serves 2) with potato gratin!

My birthday dinner at Piccola Venezia was exactly the way I imagined in my head. A long table surrounded by close friends with abundance of food and drinks. Funny conversations flowing, happy tummies and fun picture taking. I’m so happy attending a Queens Unilocal event introduced me to this quant old school Italian restaurant.
First off, Chris and his staff were so accommodating of my large party even when I changed the dinner reservation a half hour later. A couple of my guests arrived early and they were seated immediately at the table with drinks in hand. The table was prepared in the large back room, which created a cozy environment. Our lovely waiter was courteous, patient and very knowledgeable of everything on the menu. As many have mentioned Piccola Venezia can prepare the food anyway you like it and seem to have many a winery hidden somewhere in the establishment. The wine list is practically a catalogue.
I recommended the calamari, mussels and famous Buccolini, which were my favorite dishes from the Queens After Hour event a couple of weeks ago. My friends absolutely loved the food and the Buccolini was a big hit. Although the grilled octopus was a close second.
Thank you for providing a warm atmosphere for a Wednesday Birthday celebration. It’s rare to find a restaurant that creates magic in the kitchen and in the dining room. Highly recommend visiting this establishment for a special dining experience.

This is going to be a special restaurant for me from now on, as my fiancée took me here yesterday to propose to me. Everything about our dinner was special, even pre-​proposal.
I had the minestrone to start, which was delicious. Very deep soup which was perfect for the cold weather.
For my main course, I had pappardelle noodles cooked in olive oil with garlic and eggplant. SO delicious, I had to stop myself from eating every last bite. The waiter was so considerate and made sure there was no meat broth or anything in my food.
Dessert was obviously the most special, as that’s when Adam proposed. The whole restaurant was clapping, as I was sobbing while reading «Will you marry me?» from a plate of chocolate soufflé.
I said yes, and had the world’s best chocolate soufflé.
Thank you to Piccola for a memory that’ll last a lifetime.