-
March 2024 by Maria P
Absolutely wonderful place with outstanding dishes. Let me clear out couple things. When you come in to dine here it feels like you just travelled to Italy. Every single item on the menu has a unique authentic flavor and you can even taste the passion and care that was put into preparing it. We are so glad we discovered this place and from now on not only us but our friends are big fans of ViaVai.It is a small place with amazing atmosphere.And if people say that food preparation takes too long, I don’t know what is too long when at the end you receive an absolute masterpiece on your plate!There is no hit or miss at ViaVai, every single dish on the menu will make you happy.Try everything and do not forget panna cotta at the end!
-
March 2024 by Zach Weber
Great Dinner. Food was excellent. Restaurant could have used 1 more server but the staff was extremely friendly.
-
March 2024 by Milan Herceg
Absurd! They don't allow take home pasta!
-
February 2024 by Lorik Rockefeller
Came here on a Thursday night. Me and my husband were the only people in the restaurant. Ordered their short rib special and a truffle pizza. First of all the waitress was absolutely awful. Paid no attention to us whatsoever. Kept talking loud to another woman at the bar. Didn’t even come by to ask if we were enjoying the food (which we weren’t). She was just a bad bad waitress. And we paid a lot of money for a very mediocre food and terrible service. Should’ve known it’s not worth it considering nobody was there but oh well.
-
February 2024 by rennae francis
We had a 7pm reservation on a Saturday evening. It wasn't that packed but the atmosphere was decent. The service however was lacking. Once we were seated, our order was taken for over 30 minutes. We were given some bread maybe 40 mins past and our food didn't come for another hour. I think that's absolutely ridiculous. The food was okay. Had the Bolognese and my husband had the carbonara which he said was okay. My husband said the tiramisu was good. I had the gelato which was okay.I think when you wait extra long for food, with a reservation, it should be to die for but it was just Okay. Perhaps better to visit off peak hours
-
February 2024 by Lorik R.
Came here on a Thursday night. Me and my husband were the only people in the restaurant. Ordered their short rib special and a truffle pizza. First of all the waitress was absolutely awful. Paid no attention to us whatsoever. Kept talking loud to another woman at the bar. Didn't even come by to ask if we were enjoying the food (which we weren't). She was just a bad bad waitress. And we paid a lot of money for a very mediocre food and terrible service. Should've known it's not worth it considering nobody was there but oh well.
-
February 2024 by jeff kowalski
Incredible food. Tiramisu almost brought tears to my eyes.
-
February 2024 by Rick B.
Imagine making a reservation and being turned away to come back in 30 minutes. Apparently they take late parties, but those that are on time are turned away... so what is the point of a reservation? Frustrating experience and will never go back.
-
January 2024 by Doreen L.
We haven't been here in a long time so we recently popped in on a cold Friday evening. There was only one other table of people so it was quiet. The ambience was amazing - dimly lit and plenty of candlelight. By the time we left, the restaurant was filling up! For the food, we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We initially wanted to just order an appetizer and assess our tastebuds but were told the chef prefers the food order all at once. That is one of my biggest gripes because I'm not always the most decisive upon sitting down and like to get my eating started to see what direction I want to go in. So, we decided to order three items on the fly: the polpette, margarita pizza with prosciutto and the special ravioli of the day, shrimp. We each also ordered a glass of wine which were definitely small pours (in our experience at other Italian restaurants). The polpette was fantastic - fluffy meatballs in a great tasting sauce. The pizza was a miss, though. The crust was underdone and I felt like, for the price, the quality did not match at all. I was underwhelmed. The shrimp ravioli, which was $32, was definitely made fresh, but didn't blow me away. It also appeared to have orange rinds of some kind on top, which was incredibly bitter and as someone who has a citrus sensitivity, I had to check the remaining ravioli before eating them so as to not have a mild allergic reaction at dinner. I wish that had been mentioned when the specials were being told to us! We ended with the tiramisu which was super enjoyable! It wasn't overly filling and the flavors were on point. Overall, it was a good time but probably would only come here once in a while based on the quality and price - there's just too many other Italian restaurants in the area!
-
January 2024 by Alessandra C.
via vai...where to begin. i've been dining here since early 2018..seven years of via vai!!! The ambiance is extremely romantic, it's dimly lit, cozy, hard wood tables and gorgeous plates, it's decorated with italian masks from carnevale, is usually decorated for each holiday and has string lights throughout. you can watch the pizza chef make the pizza as the oven is near the dining area. The service, for me, has always been top notch. The staff is kind and attentive. However there is typically only 1, or 2 servers on the floor...please be patient and understanding, especially on nights that it's super busy. The owner and head chef, Antonio, has become like a friend to me with how many times i've frequented his restaurant. I came here on one of my first couple of dates with my long term boyfriend and we continue to choose this wonderful restaurant as our date night spot every time we're craving italian. There is a wide variety of wine, but no hard liquor. If you're not super educated on the wine there's always someone available to assist in the decision and guide you based on your preferences. As for the food...it is just outstanding. Antonio (again, chef and owner) comes in early each morning and makes the pasta fresh...house made pasta, you can't beat it. Everything is made with care and love and is just meticulously prepared. There are too many items that I love that I can't name them all, i've tasted the whole menu. You really can't go wrong. Pasta is always cooked perfectly, sauces have depth and rich flavors, the tomato sauce is otherworldly...i've never been disappointed here. But if you're dining here for the first time and happen upon this review, make sure you order the polpette, and the polpo as appetizers! Any of the pizza's will do. And as for pasta's you'll have to slowly try them all but id choose the pappardelle con agnello or the mezzi paccheri alla gricia, and don't forget to ask about the risotto of the day. Once it was made with scallops and it was just to die for. the desserts are also all made in house (everything is, minus the ingredients that are imported!) the tiramisu and the panna cotta are phenomenal!!! he once had this fresh fruit dessert with some sort of champagne jello that was out of this world, and one of my favorite pasta dishes was his handmade gnocchi with broccoli rabe and sausage, hope he brings those back this year!!! Antonio is a wonderful person and an equally as excellent chef and deserves nothing but praise for his dedication to his craft. Whenever i'm in the mood for italian, this is my go to place. Pro tip: pasta is never as good as it is when it's fresh and it's meant to be eaten right away. If you're ordering to go, keep that in mind. It's absolutely worth it to sit, relax and enjoy.
-
January 2024 by Danni F.
Just came here with a friend for a casual dinner. Loved the vibe! The entire place was decorated in Christmas decor and felt so warm and cozy. It was a small place but not to croweded or noisy at all. The waiter was very friendly and introduced us to different kinds of wine, which we appreciated. The food was everything that I expected after hearing great things about this place from friends. We got the pappardelli pasta with lamb sauce and mushroom truffle pizza, both were amazing! I really want to try the fetacchini pasta next time! Would for sure recommend this place.
-
January 2024 by Dale G.
Wow. Might literally be the best pasta I've ever had. We split the TAGLIATELLE AL BRANZINO and the BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA, both of which were terrific. Split the gelato and had espresso for dessert to close out an incredible meal.
-
December 2023 by Marina K.
Superb service, delicious food and perfect ambiance. The branzino pasta and cacio Pepe were perfect. Will definitely be back!
-
December 2023 by Dessa R.
Such a cute, romantic & intimate restaurant. Made reservations on Christmas Eve at 8P. The staff was so friendly and attentive...there were only 2 on the floor but again they were so sweet. Started off with red wine (Merlot) and appetizer (Bufalina) which was so fresh....the bread with the garlic olive oil was so yummy. Moving onto our meals, my honey had the Pappardelle Agnello and I had the Fettuccine Bolognese, both were so good and the perfect portion. The pastas were cooked perfectly al dente! All of the perfectly portioned meals allowed us to have room for dessert, the tiramisu, which was so delightful, light and full of flavor. Can't wait to come back.
-
December 2023 by sonny m.
Run to this place do not walk. Homey and cozy restaurant in Astoria. Great food and some fantastic red wine.
