AlMar

I love AlMar's food: #1 being shiitake bruschetta for mushroom addict. Cash only though.

Ambience was lovely however the food was nothing fantastic and was extremely expensive. Staff was very friendly but I don't think I'd go back there.

I've passed this restaurant numerous times, each time saying to myself "I gotta check this place out one day."

There's a sign in the front window stating "Cash Only," which could be a deterrent for a lot of folks nowadays who don't carry cash (there's an ATM hidden near the restrooms).

My peeps and I decided to dine there last night, due to its proximity to the scenic area between the bridges. The place was mostly empty and we were promptly seated. I quickly noticed that most of the employees walk around the restaurant with stern looks on their faces. Our waiter had barely a shred of personality and didn't crack a smile throughout the course of our dinner.

One of my companions ordered lasagna, which looked good, but was cold in the middle. My dish was "ok." The other companion asked if the sausage in her meal could be substituted with chicken, but our waiter said it wouldn't be possible, even though they had a chicken dish on the menu. It wasn't because they don't allow substitutions, it was because everything's prepared in advanced. Basically the food is reheated (which explains the cold lasagna). I'd compare their food prep to that of a chain restaurant like Applebee's or Chili's.

The two things keeping this from being a one-star review are the ambience and the proximity to scenic DUMBO.

I won't be returning.

Classic Italian food with some fresh ideas brought to bear. The food here never feels fussy, just the kind of food you wished you cooked at home, perfectly executed. They project classic movies on the back wall, with programing ranging the Battleship Potempkin to It's a Wonderful Life. This is either fun or distracting, depending on your point of view. Either way this place is a favorite.

Really great food, smells amazing. Food can take a little long to come out butbits worth the wait. The egg and cheese sandwich is surprisingly good.