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Frequently mentioned in reviews: Italian (21) restaurant (15) great (15) delicious (12) service (12) years (8) good (8) friendly (8) excellent (7) atmosphere (6)
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  • 5/5 Mira N. 7 months ago on Google • 23 reviews
    Classic Italian restaurant. I was expecting a bit more from the atmosphere but it is just an old school place. Food is great and that is the most important factor. Service is great as well. I had grilled salmon with spinach , so delicious, and my daughter got grilled shrimps with salad. We enjoyed the food. This place is more for older crowd, we were the youngest ones in the whole place.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Philip Z. 8 months ago on Google • 559 reviews
    I often get nervous when trying a restaurant for the first time. For some reason I try to interpret the bad reviews. Which is what I did before making reservations at La Palina. An Italian restaurant in a section of Brooklyn I rarely have reason to be in. Difficult to park (if you prefer not to valet, which is an option). We were seated near the kitchen, but I had a view of the dimly lit, aged restaurant. Service was slow to begin. Then the bus boy greeted us with water. Then bread. Then garlic bread. Then he lit the candle on the table. Then the server took our drink order, and things progressed quickly, and perfectly. Baked clams: delicious. Mussels marinara: perfection. Ravioli. Chicken rollatini. Zucchini (on the house). I never order cappachino, but I did this time. Delicious. Servers seemed to be on the job for many years, but instead of having an attitude, they excude professionalism. And very reasonably priced. Problem was I felt the ‘regulars’ ( and just about everyone else in the place was a regular; whenever someone new walked in they made the rounds, hugging & kissing the people seated) got preferential attention.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Foodstaham 1 year ago on Google
    Good place for parties. Family style menu. Service was good. Cappuccino was nice! Wine and beer were decent. Tiny valet parking lot next to the restaurant.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 H L. 8 months ago on Google • 117 reviews
    Excellent food. Best pork chop I've ever had. You have to try their pork chop it's amazing. Sauce is very fresh and tasty on the pasta dishes. Even the free garlic bread is amazing. They seem to get packed so you need a reservation. The staff is fast and friendly.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ed F. 9 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    I have been coming here 20 years + and it never disappoints. Everything I have tried is delicious fresh and is made with care. Every bite is like a hug. My favorite dish has to be the shrimp Oreganata. I alternate with the filet of sole oregenata. Anything oreganata!! I would probably eat a shoe from this place if it was oreganata. My wife gets the veal spiedini which is perfectly made. It is a great experience. They treat you like family. When you order an espresso they bring the bottle of Sambuca without even asking and they don’t bring you glass of sambuca with an espresso bean when you just want a little pour. This is my favorite Italian restaurant in a borough that is filled with great Italian restaurants
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Jerry B. 1 year ago on Google
    On my last visit, the portions on the pastas were markedly smaller. As a regular customer I was extremely disappointed. Upon voicing my opinion to the waiter and then to the manager, I got a very unsatisfactory response. No more La Palina for me for now after being a good customer and great tipper ( Usually 30%+) for more than 10 years. I may give them another try in the future. I will see.My other meals there were very good however. What puzzles me the most is why the manager could not bring me out more pasta to make up for the inadequate serving like most restaurants would have done especially for a high income item and to keep their steady customer . Instead I got unnerving excuses.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Bernadette 8 months ago on Google • 75 reviews
    Had such a great meal here. Delicious food and excellent service. The sangria was great. Couldn't ask for more! Highly recommend and would definitely go again.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 vlada d. 1 year ago on Google • 370 reviews
    Great food spot with a very traditional atmosphere. Service was great. It is a bit dim in there though and slightly warm. However lots of delicious food options and very well priced. Perfect to come here with a big group.

  • 4/5 H H. 4 years ago on Google
    We had a great night with our friends and everyone loved the food. From appetizer, entree to dessert everything is so yummy! We all agreed that this restaurant makes the BEST red sauce in town. The only complaint is the waiting time. It did take a while to have our food at a super busy Saturday night. (p.s we were too busy eating to take pics for all the food)
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Richard Mauro R. 8 months ago on Google
    UPDATE...081823, came for a visit and food and service wonderful. Carlos was great. ORIGINAL...One of the great neighborhood Italian mainstays. I love coming back to Brooklyn and having a real Italian meal here!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dee M. 2 years ago on Google
    Super authentic, old school Italian restaurant. Fantastic menu. Chicken scarpariello (and off the bone) was absolutely delicious. It's a tough dish to find and they made it for me with love. Service is excellent and the waiters were very attentive. It seems to be family run and very charming.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sarah C. 2 years ago on Google
    I made Reservations for two at La Palina because today is Easter an what's better than Italian food. The food here was very good. Happy Easter everyone.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nick C. 4 months ago on Google • 295 reviews
    Classic Italian sauce joint, with big portions, and friendly waiters. Spedini all Romana, Mozzarella en Carrozza for apps. Chicken parm is legendary as is the loaded Chicken Scarp. Save money by paying with cash. Delicious

  • 5/5 Lucas S. 1 year ago on Google
    Walking to the subway and looked over. The sign screamed at me: OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN. I went with my gut. Warmly welcomed and seated. Comfortable vibe. Carlos was an awesome server and took care of me with humour and kindness. Fast like lightening and on point with recommendations. Thank you friend. Michael bussed my table and chatted with me intelligently. I enjoyed sangria, several glasses of the house Chianti, a half order of the vodka pasta and a dish that involved thinly sliced rolled veal stuffed with prosciutto, soft cheese and surrounded by braised mushrooms in Marsala sauce with deep fried zucchini and arancini. If you don’t like the food or service here you need to get your head examined. First trip to NYC. Tired and battered after 2 days of terrible conference food and a fully drained social battery. I’m from a small town in BC Canada but well travelled and I love to cook and eat. Well done team. I honestly felt like I had been welcomed into a warm Italian home. No matter where I stay in the city next time I will be back. Sincere thanks to the team. You made my day. Actually emotional about it. Bravo.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 john t. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent food, atmosphere and service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jay T. 3 months ago on Google • 30 reviews New
    Great restaurant. Best old school Italian restaurant that I've been to in a while. Food was great. Perfect sauce. Awesome service and the cappuccinos were amazing. Will be back again for sure.

  • 5/5 Viktoria D. 2 months ago on Google • 13 reviews New
    If you looking for a fancy place- well, that is not really it... But if you look for an amazing delicious food and friendly service- that's the place! Marinara sauce is just perfect. And all the food is right on spot. I'm sure this can be our place to go for Italian food.

  • 4/5 Robert M. 1 month ago on Google • 5 reviews New
    Ridiculous this is the first time I went here despite hearing about it for decades. It was great. The mussels were excellent as was the sauce it was cooked in. Bread was very good. Also had chicken parm with spaghetti. Very good. Their potato croquettes are great. Very nicely whipped up. Had biscuit tortoni taking me back many moons ago. Nice and cold. Definitely going back. Prices were not bad overall.

  • 5/5 Barbara M. 1 year ago on Google
    It's been awhile since we've been to LaPalina. Al, the waiter, is just as wonderful as ever. It's like going home again. Celebrating my daughter's 17th Birthday with the family. And Al made it extra special. The whole Staff is amazing. They take such special care of each Patron. We are definitely going more often.

  • 5/5 Andy E. 10 months ago on Google
    There was a gap of about 20 years in between my going to LaPalina from the Early 2000s until May 2022. Let’s just say I’ve now made it a point to dine there every 2-3 weeks on a regular basis. Food is all good, plentiful and enough quantity to feed two with one serving. It’s ALSO as if you were visiting your grandmother on a Sunday for a family meal. The ENTIRE staff is friendly, helpful and attentive. If you don’t see an Item on the menu, ask and they might have it or make it right there. I usually don’t give five stars to anything because no one is perfect. LA PALINA gets five stars from me. Tell ‘em ANDY sent you.

  • 5/5 Gregory M. 10 months ago on Google
    Been coming here for over 25 years. It’s an old-school Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, what’s more to be said. Food is delicious and large portions. You can not go wrong eating here.

  • 4/5 Judith F. 9 months ago on Google
    Beautiful welcoming experience, as we celebrated three birthdays. The food was delightful, as was the service. Valet parking was helpful and went smoothly. We highly recommend La Palina for an excellent Italian palate pleasing experience.

  • 4/5 Dr. Ron N. 9 months ago on Google
    The food was excellent! We were a party of 8 with several appetizers which were fabulous. Several different entree's including veal for 2 were wonderful.

  • 5/5 Daniel N. 1 year ago on Google
    Old school Italian restaurant with amazing food. Staff is great, service was quick and drinks were strong. Can never go wrong with this restaurant.

  • 5/5 Dennis M. 1 year ago on Google
    I have been coming here for about 30 years. This place serves a wide variety of well-prepared and delicious Southern Italian food, and there are always daily "specials." The space is larger than most local dining spots and it is very popular for "occasions." I love the gnocchi filetto de pomodoro! They have a full bar and a parking lot with an attendant. The service is friendly. I am disappointed that the lovely Roman murals that had been there for many years were painted over during the Covid pandemic. I hope they can be restored, as they added a relaxing ambience to the place.

  • 5/5 Stephen H. 1 year ago on Google
    Local restaurant with classic Italian cuisine. Reasonably priced well prepared and presented food. Service excellent. Kitchen accommodates special requests. A must eat restaurant in Brooklyn.

  • 5/5 Krzysztof Karpinski (Regular Brooklyn G. 8 months ago on Google
    Amazing service. Food is delicious. Great atmosphere. I come here twice a year when I'm feeling a bit fancy. Great place for a romantic date.

  • 1/5 Gabriella M. 1 year ago on Google
    I'm not understanding why they would cancel my pre-order upon opening at 2pm. Very unprofessional and lazy. They're basically telling me they have no food LMFAO. Terrible business, have been coming here for years.. will never step foot here again.

  • 5/5 Lenore Leah D. 1 year ago on Google
    Our waiter Carlos was both attentive and funny. His humor enhanced the excellent food. Old style Italian charm.

  • 4/5 Frank P. 1 year ago on Google
    Very friendly staff, food was tasty! Old school laid back atmosphere just enhanced the meal. Nice wine selection..

  • 5/5 Nicole Marie K. 4 months ago on Google
    I’ve gone here since I was a kid. Garlic bread and stuffed clams are one-of-a-kind. Outstanding food, atmosphere and service. I wish I still lived in Brooklyn so I could eat here more.

  • 5/5 Benjamin P. 1 year ago on Google
    Best dining experience. Our waiter Cesar was funny, kind and welcoming. My wife and I loved it.

  • 5/5 Janice T. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was fantastic. The waiters were very friendly and we all really enjoyed ourselves. Sorry we didn't take pictures. But I will be back.

  • 4/5 Patty G. 1 year ago on Google
    1st visit was at 4:00 PM for the Repast of my cousin last Saturday. Her kids planned the late luncheon / early dinner here & both the food & service was wonderfully & authentically Italian. The appetizers were served family style & we had a few delicious entrees to choose from. The cappuccino after dinner was also delicious. The service was well paced & constant by a friendly, well trained staff, but not so fast that we felt rushed or that we didn't have time to finish the previously served appetizers. For me they lost the 5th star for the dessert. The cookies they served were oddly flavored biscotti & barely okay on the other varieties of Italian cookies. This is Brooklyn & even the supermarket Italian cookies are usually really good so sad to say these were an avoidable disappointment after such a delicious feast. My recommendation is to go for lunch or dinner & espresso / cappuccino afterwards & skip dessert altogether for a real 5 Star experience. Buon appetito!!


Call (718) 236-9764 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Valet parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Credit cards
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Late-night food
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery

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