Briciola
“Not good for groups as there is just one communal table, and a bar for seating, with little chairs along the wall separation.”
“You must try octopus salad, the Lobster Risotto, and we had suckling pig on a crostini — wow!!!”
“We got a cheese and salume board, the burrata salad special, spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccine ai funghi.”
Briciola
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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We arrived around 10pm. The hostess told us it'd be a 10 minute wait. While we were waiting, a man (perhaps the manager or the owner) blocked the entrance with the sandwich board. Ok? The hostess motioned for us to come in. We had to sidestep/hop around the sandwich board to enter the restaurant. The aforementioned man took our orders and promptly ignored us for the rest of the evening. A bus boy brought our bread, appetizer, and entrees. I wouldn't be so offended if I hadn't watched the man (who seemed to be the owner or manager) socializing heavily with the two groups next to us, all the while completely ignoring us.
I ordered the pesto risotto, which sounded interesting as I'd never seen the two combined before. Although the dish was a strong shade of green, I did not detect much pesto flavor. Still, the risotto was fine. It was difficult for me to draw the attention of our supposed waiter (whom I suspect is the owner or manager) because he was so busy chatting with the people next to us. For the same reason, it was also difficult for us to get our check. As we left, we again had to sidestep/hop around the sandwich board, which I think is ridiculous. Fine, I get it, you're closed, but at least let people leave! Incredibly unprofessional and rude to allow customers to dance around a sandwich board to exit!
Bricola is one of my favorite wine/tapas bars in the city! I discovered it from the recommendation of a coworker, and I've been many times since. Unfortunately, they don't take reservations and because it's such a tiny restaurant with one long communal table and very limited bar seating, expect a long wait to be seated. I've been for dinner several times and it was about a 30 minute wait. More recently, I came for a lunch on a Sunday at around 3pm, and there was no wait at all. Below are the dishes I always get and highly recommend:
1. $1 oysters during happy hour. It's all day until they run out on the weekends and during happy hour on weeknights.
2. Grilled Octopus Salad. This is seriously amazing and I can't get enough! The octopus is so tender and flavored so well with balsamic vinegar, pesto, and olive oil and potatoes.
3. Truffle Gnocchi Special. Not sure that they always have this, but every time I've been I've gotten this. It's a little pricey at $23, but I mean truffles and gnocchi together makes it soo worth it.
If you're with one other person, this should be plenty of food and you will leave so satisfied! Don't forget to wash it all down with a bottle of white wine!
Wish I could give this place 5 stars, but with the inability to make reservations and the super cramped seating, I think 4 stars is best.
I would give this restaurant 5 stars if it had proper tables. It's just a long wooden table with stools. I also encountered a very rude, bratty hostess. I can only assume it was someone's niece who was forced to come in and help out.
Now on to the food. I went for the octopus salad, while my friends went with the pasta. It wasn't a particularly large portion, but it was just right. The oil they used to to flavor the octopus salad was delicious.
Not sure if I'd return, but it would be related to the lack of regular tables. It's best suited for wine tastings and events like that.
What a nice little spot – and I emphasize little. It is tiny – maybe a dozen seats around the bar and a large community table in the other room. I was lucky that I was solo and could find a spot at the bar. They were full at 700 on a Wednesday.
Great meal. Started with the Buratta special followed by Ceasar and paparadell. The ceasar was the weakest dish – little too heavy on the dressing which made the salad a bit soggy. Paparadell was perfect.
If you can get in – worth it!
Awesome Italian food at a great price! Although seating might not be suitable for large groups, as most guests were seated at the bar or the commuter table, Briciola is a great spot to bring a date or a few friends. We had the special octopus salad ($15), which included delicious grilled octopus, capers, tomatoes and slice potatoes. This also came with some fresh toasted bread. We also ordered some blue point oysters as appetizer, which were just $1 each (all day, I believe).
The food came out pretty quickly and it was always hot and fresh. I was pleased with the texture of the pasta, as well as the portion. For $12, you can pick any pasta from their extensive list, which included options with meat to mushrooms to seafood. The pastas were definitely some of the better ones I've had in the city.
Overall, we were really pleased with our experience at Briciola and would definitely recommend others to try it if they are in the area. I will definitely be back to try their other appetizers, crostini and pastas!
There's a location across the street that's the actual restaurant part & has viable seating. Found this out when I came here for a date. I had lasagna, which was delicious and it's tiny in here but my date was a lot of fun and we could hear each other, have good conversation and all that. Service was attentive as well. I'd return, ideally when it's less hot outside.
Came here on a night that was 92 degrees and humid.
For some reason this place is reluctant to use their AC to its full extent – they not only left the door open, but they also had 20+ tiny CANDLES as decor. CANDLES. IN 92 DEGREE WEATHER. Who decided that was a good idea?
Only when multiple people, who were already crammed into a space so tight and right next to 20 candles and a kitchen which – surprise, surprise – uses heat to cook food, complained, the waitstaff made a grand gesture to close the doors. But remember, the AC was barely on, so it didn't help much with the kitchen action and being in a tiny space with 10+ people.
Honesty, I couldn't enjoy the food because we were fighting the heat for our lives and swatting mosquito away.
I probably will not be returning in the summer.
Supposedly they have the same owner as aria across the street. But they also have a $1 oyster every day of the week so i decided to come here. They dont seat until the whole party arrives and even then they designate where u sit and it's elbow to elbow with other parties without any wiggle room at all. Makes u wanna get outta there quick. But they do have a good selection of wine and tapas. We had a strip steak, octopus and a pasta as well. Octopus is still the best. And if it was for pasta, id go back to aria instead since they have the same menu. It's only a nice place if you like the change in ambiance.