Naked Dog Reviews

My wife and I were staying at the nearby Franklin Guesthouse when we discovered this great little place. At first it was the quirky name and branding that attracted us, but we will remember Naked Dog even more for the food. We arrived early for dinner on a random Thursday evening without a reservation, the restaurant was virtually empty, which was a concern at first. All concerns melted away, as the tables filled, our wine was poured and we enjoyed a beautifully delicious and authentic Italian meal. Naked Dog is no tourist trap - it's the real deal! Efficient and friendly staff steered through tables as an intoxicating hum continued to build, it was the hum of people genuinely enjoying their night out in a rustic and tastefully presented space. It's fun, stylish, tasty - and we loved it!

I wanted to try this place for a very long time. In a happening area of Greenpoint it lures with an uber hipster atmosphere and a promise of an excellent pasta. Unfortunately, it fails at the simplest of dishes. I ordered orecchiette with brocholi rabe and anchovies. It was inedible, ingredients did not work together and i left the entire dish. Waiter with an attitude and awful cigarette odor did not make things better

First time at ND and my wife and I were not disappointed. Cozy dinning room with small bar as you enter. Nice wine list with an Italian dominance in selection. We shared the ravioli with meat filling in a butter sauce. It was delicious. I had the steak and it was excellent. My wife had the black bass and it too was outstanding. Can’t wait to come back!

There are plenty of Italian restaurants in NYC, but precious few where you can get _actually_ good ravioli. Which you can, here. At a decent price too (for NYC, mind you!). The rest of the pasta is hit or miss - in the sense that the "miss" makes it go from *excellent* to just plain "quite good", so yeah, you really should come here anyhow 😜 Anyhow, add in a good wine selection, friendly staff, and location (if you're in Greenpoint!), and hey, you'll probably keep coming back!

The staff was extremely accommodating and attentive. The food was delicious and the atmosphere is great. Actually went to the restaurant twice during one visit because I liked it so much!

My family and I went to the Naked Dog last weekend and had a wonderful meal. The portions were ample and it was a bit pricey, but the food was well worth it.

Food, service and atmosphere ok. My credit card was charged $50.00 over the dinner bill. The owner returned my call and admitted to a $6.00 overcharge and had a very haughty attitude about my complaint. I didn't discover the overcharge immediately or I would have challenged it through my credit card company.

Naked Dog was a pleasant surprise in a neighborhood filled with busy, loud, overpriced and most the times not such great food. I am a great cook and my husband's family come from Italy/Croatia and have been in the restaurant business. It is very difficult to please my husband. It was a Monday night so relatively quiet. Beautiful atmosphere. Our waiter went above and beyond being fabulous! The food was delicious and generous portions. Great cocktails and the wine that our waiter recommended was very good. I loved the Frittura, a moist and crispy selection of calamari, shrimp and cod. SPEZZATINO SU POLENTA was unbelievable! The deconstructed cannolo received a not so good write up on Yelp, but I'm afraid these people just wanted your everyday cannoli. It was outrageous! I can't wait to return and bring some foodie friends with us! Thank you Naked Dog for a wonderful dining experience!

We were not staying too far away, and fancied Italian for dinner. However, thus restaurant was an amazingly lucky find for us. The service was very good, and the food was excellent. Relatively small number if dishes to pick from (especially hard if you are a vegetarian) but everything we set was lovely. Between us had cocktails, wine, antipasti, primi, secondi, dolce and coffee. All in all a lovely dinner. It's close to a MTA stop, so make the effort and visit, I'd be surprised if you were disappointed.

Naked Dog is a wonderful find!! Great Italian Restaurant with fresh delicious appetizers, pastas and fish and meat. Wonderful décor . Great cocktails! A GREAT PLUS: It is an easy commute from Midtown Manhattan !!!! The East River Ferry stop in Long Island City takes you a block form Naked Dog!!! And, the Ferry ride is 5 minutes from 34 St and East River!!!!! Love this restaurant!

Quality authentic Itlalian food, deliciously prepared, beautifully presented by an excellent service personnel. Can recommend 100% if you are willing to make a reservation some time in advance. It is popular.

We've only been once, so far, but this is definitely one of the better Italian (maybe best) in Greenpoint and we look forward to going back. We were a large table so got a good cross section of the menu. Everyone was very pleased with the great food and friendly knowledgeable service. I can personally vouch for the delicious friturra and the perfectly cooked whole branzino. I know my Italian wines pretty well and their interesting wine list had some unknowns so we appreciated the waiters knowledgeable recommendations. Didn't leave room for dessert so look forward to going back and trying one or two. Highly recommend.

The restaurant is besutiful. Food and desserts are awesome. The service is great and everyone is friendly and helpful. They also have a great variety of wines. If you're craving for good italian food I would definetly recommend this place!

We made a last minute reservation on Friday night, and right from the beginning, the service and attitude were warm and accommodating. They realize that this is a service oriented business and they deliver with the highest marks. Now the food; the warm focaccia and olives are perfect (slightly more dense and flavorful then other similar breads, which is exactly how I like it). Starters were eggplant and buratta with aged balsamic drizzled lightly over the top. This is the highest quality cheese I've tasted in a long time, nice 'skin' with a super creamy interior. Also had the frittura, a selection of fried seafoods. This is a meal in itself but best to share. Seafood is very fresh, but I didn't care for the aioli. This just needs a good heavy dose of fresh lemon. For the mains we went boring, standard spaghetti with marinara and another with bolognese. This is one of the best bolognese I've ever had....flavorful without being salty. The pasta was a perfect al dente. Also, do not pass up the broccoli rabe with roasted garlic. This was lemony and had truly roasted, not raw garlic which is difficult to eat. Lastly, we shared the affogatto. One of the best I've had around the world....just tried the same in the nicest restaurants in Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland....this one wins hands down! No BS, this is a very good restaurant. Enjoy.

Our second visit, and great food again. Bit of confusion over drinks, but solved with a trip to speak the bar tender - I think somethings dint translate from English to American and then to Italian. The food was very good. Lovely bread, great starters and lovely mains. My only points for consideration; desserts served straight from the fridge and too cold to taste any of the flavours; also disappointing you can't have an appetiser sized portion of the pasta as a starter. I quite fancied a small pasta and then a fish entree, but wasn't possible. Surely smaller portions are possible? Great, friendly service, attentive and jolly. Would definitely return on next visit to NYC.

Just the perfect restaurant; nice atmosphere, genuine Italian food, good service. I'll get back for sure, and recommend to discover this recently opened restaurant before it gets too crowded!

I walked by this restaurant several times before trying it. The name doesn’t fit that well and the exterior is pretty generic looking, but once I went in I was pleasantly surprised. An excellent staff, largely Italian serving the best pasta I’ve had in some time. Excellent starters like octopus. My favorite main course is their short rib. It’s become our go to spot for dinner.

Three of us turned up on a Monday evening without a reservation. But not a problem. Front of house staff were very friendly, attentive and quickly made us welcome. This restaurant doesn’t boast an extensive menu, but we thought everything was fresh, made to order and very tasty. Very much a ‘locals’ restaurant, situated off the main roads. Interesting decor and altogether a good experience. We liked it and hope you do too.

I loved dining here with my friends a few weeks ago. The food and appetizers we ordered were absolutely spectacular; the cocktails and mocktails are great and the price point of the food was also very manageable. I would highly recommend Naked Dog for a meal in the middle of the work week for dinner or even for a date night. I will definitely be back soon!

My daughter booked us in here and reported absolutely first class responses to her emails. Totally backed up by our experience of the serving/ reception staff. The menu is quite limited, however, and my choice of belly pork, whilst beautifully presented, was more belly than pork. A little too fatty for my taste. Pasta looked good and one diner really enjoyed her steak. Overall a very pleasant evening in a buzzy restaurant.

The food is simply amazing. Four of us went to dinner and we were competing over whose meal was the best. Short Ribs, ravioli, maltagliati and agnolotti each were wonderful. Eggplant and special acorn squash appetizers were perfect. Topped off with delicious donuts, gelato and tiramisu. And the service was excellent. Simply wonderful dinner!

Returned to Brooklyn after a long day sight seeing with the family in Manhattan. Accommodated our large group of about 20 (adults and kids). Very friendly/helpful staff and the food was excellent quality. Definitely go back again and would recommend it to others.

Was looking for a casual, low key Italian restaurant close to our hotel and decided on this place after reading reviews. We were not disappointed! Cozy, rustic-chic atmosphere with local/neighborhood feel. The food was fantastic and so was the service. We ordered the calamari, spaghetti and rib eye. All were perfectly cooked and exactly what we were looking for. Would definitely go back and highly recommend if you're looking for good quality Italian in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.

Warm hospitality and atmosphere, fine Italian cuisine with the gentle touch of chef Amit, and great views by night of Manhattan skyline (just 30 seconds away from the place...)

As I start to write my review my cat, a very vocal Bengal, climbed on my chair and let out a familiar loud feline howl, reminding me in an instant how I felt seated in the Naked Dog trying to enjoy a very well prepared dinner. There’s no mistaking the quality of food and wine on offer, nor the beautiful quirky mural depicting a Brooklyn neighbourhood painted by a local artist. Unfortunately the table we were seated beside contained an excruciatingly loud woman who led her own monologue for what seemed like a lifetime. Being very tired from flying from the UK I thought I was perhaps a bit grumpy so we returned 2 nights later. On this occasion there was a bloke seated at the bar who let out a long meandering shriek sounding not dissimilar to fornicating foxes. A surprised glance is his direction showed no legitimate reason for such a cry. This is obviously not the fault of the restaurant nor the staff, but did detract from the very well cooked food and great list of Italian wines. Definitely worth visiting for the food, as it’s excellent, just be prepared for loud neighbours, or to howl like a banshee yourself

The food was good! Especially the pappardelle and the red snapper. We were looking for a nice place to eat nearby and since I'm not a fan of fixed menu and we were very close to Naked Dog and it also looked nice from the outside, we picked this place. The inside is nice too, cozy and pretty. The food was good. We are staying for a couple more days here, so we just might return. :)

I've had a really pleasant experience in this restaurant and I strongly suggest all the italian cuisine lovers to visit it. You can't miss the Spezzatino (which is more a Brasato)....incredible!!!

Naked Dog has survived Quarantine. They’ve added outdoor seating. Service and food are still excellent. The pasta is homemade and some of the best I’ve had in NY. As for appetizers the grilled octopus is my favorite.

My son-in-law looked for a great restaurant to celebrate my daughter's birthday, and he found it! We loved our very Italian meal at the Naked Dog. Everything about this restaurant was wonderful... the ambience, the wine list, the service, the food, and we especially loved the black labrador with the little butt motif! We will be back!

Although you won't know from the name this was one of the best Italian Restaurants I have been to in a long time. The atmosphere is wonderful, the waiter was warm, welcoming and very knowledgeable. If you are going to New York make it a plan to visit the Naked dog for a meal you won't be sorry.

Warm and inviting we sat up at the bar and had two Hornito cocktails. They were delicious! I had meatball appetizer and calamari too. Happy hour prices from 5-7 are a deal. $6 for each appetizer. Pasta for dinner was very good. I had bolognese and partner had braised beef ravioli. Stupendo!

Naked Dog serves very delicious Italian food. We found the staff very friendly and provided a very good explanation of drinks and food they are serving. Our waiter was very prompt in bringing our food. It was a very enjoyable experience. We will definitely go to this restaurant again.They have also updated/changed their menu recently.

Nicest Italian restaurant in Greenpoint tucked away in a quiet corner. Pleasing atmosphere/interiors, solid service, and most importantly, excellent food and a good wine list. Would dine here every week if I could. It's a little pricy compared to other restaurants in the area, but the quality is worth it.

We've been here twice and have really enjoyed our visit each time. The decor is attractive, the scene lively, the service attentive and the food excellent! We've enjoyed the eggplant burrata appetizer, the calamari, the tagliatelle with mushrooms and the short ribs. There's a list of reasonably priced wines and don't forget room for dessert! We tried the tiramisu and the budino and liked both.

Our group enjoyed the caponata appetizer. The orchiette was freshly prepared with just a hint anchovy. The wild salmon was cooked perfectly surrounded by lentils. Desserts included a tasty deconstructed cannoli and a fresh olive oil based cake . Cash only!

The only good thing about this place was the price, but even that doesn’t make up for the terrible quality. The fried seafood was greasy and clearly cooked in old, low-quality oil. It left a bad taste both literally and figuratively. I would never come back , there are plenty of restaurants in New York that actually respect real Italian cuisine, and this one absolutely doesn’t.

Fantastic outdoor meal. We had a wonderful meal here. The drink menu was creative, entrees were great (ravioli stuff with short rib!), and desserts were tasty. They have a great operation going here and have responded well to current dining restrictions.

Excellent Italian restaurant in New York. Fresh and well cooked food. It feels like being in Italy. Courteous and professional waiters. And the manager Nunzio is a true professional. We will definitely be back. Top 🔝

Good food, decent pastas slightly overcooked, but in general a nice culinary touch. We were 4 and got to try and share many dishes. The one major disappointment: a misnamed beef cut on the menu... I was surprised to see a "fiorentina" on the menu. It's a typical beef cut in Italy quite distinguishable for its thickness and the T shaped bone on which it is made to sit vertically on the grill. Butchers don't carve beef carcasses the same way in the US, so I ordered it with much anticipation. I got suspicious when the waitress asked me how I would like it cooked, but I let it go assuming cultural ignorance. A "fiorentina" is always rare, in fact, the internal meat temperature for the purist should not exceed 37 centigrade. And sure enough I did not get a "fiorentina", but a normal steak on the bone. The piece was cooked well. to be fair. But I was so disappointed, and upset now at the $$$ I was paying for such a prized cut, yet eating something else. When the food is good and decent, why try to impress risking culinary misrepresentation, and a disappointed customer?

At end of long day, we were looking for some great Italian food close to where we were staying for the weekend (Greenpoint) that could fit a party of 7. Naked Dog exceeded all of our expectations - food, service and ambiance. Given the quality of food, I am absolutely shocked (but grateful) that we were able to find a reservation on a Saturday night. We started with some appetizers for the table - bruschetta with pesto and burrata, as well as charcuterie and cheese plate. Both were awesome. The description of the mint and basil pesto initially threw me, but it was great. For dinner, most of us had the homemade pastas (who can resist?). Our server recommended the pappardelle with bolognese sauce and three of us ordered this. AMAZING. My stepmother is gluten free - so she went with the beef short ribs. No disappointment there. The restaurant was also great accommodating my 12 year old who still prefers the kids menu, which they didn't have. We requested pasta with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Turned out great. Super great experience and I'm still dreaming of the bolognese.

An unexpected pearl in Greenpoint. Great food in combination with super friendly staff. We had dinner for two before going to see a musical on Broadway. Highly recommended place!

Wanted an Italian near our hotel who recommended Naked Dog. Wonderful relaxed meal. We arrived during Happy hour so cheap drinks were a bonus. The small plates we started with were delicious, Main course pastas were cooked to perfection. The olive cake sweet was great, smooth on the tongue then a hint of lemon to finish. Tiramisu was one of the best my wife hah had in a long time.

We had 8 pm reservations per Open Table that worked perfect. The food was extraordinary. The duck with saffron risotto was excellent and I had one of the pasta dishes that was excellent. The restaurant was busy but the service was great with a wonderful waitress and prompt service. The flavors were simply amazing. We had the bruschetta with pesto and burrata for an appetizer. We had the deconstructed cannoli for dessert as just incredible and with house made limoncello just over the top. The best meal we've had since we were in Tuscany 2 years ago.

Consistently good food, great service, romantic ambiance. Best spot in Greenpoint hands down. I recommend the burrata and the steak.

Everything we ordered was very unique and delicious, the service was excellent, everything tasted home made. Anxious to return!

Absolutely amazing restaurant. From the physical appearance and decor, the ambiance, the staff and of course, the food: everything is literally as good as it gets. Owner Cecilia and her staff go so far above and beyond to make sure that not a single detail is overlooked for your experience dining with them. The food is as good as any I've ever had anywhere and the restaurant itself is so perfectly placed in the great Greenpoint. We started with the crispy eggplant and burrata, watermelon salad and a side of the cauliflower; then shared the short rib with polenta and a side of fries. Finished it off with the olive oil cake. Everything was a 10. Bartender truly has a passion for what he does as the cocktails are masterful- suggest giving the KEEP OAXACAN a try- it's superb. Same goes for the food. The waiters placed knives on the table to accompany the short ribs- we didn't even pick these knives up. The meat is THAT tender. Flavorful beyond measure too. And the portion sizes are really impressive. I'm still thinking about the crispy eggplant and burrata and how much I loved it. The olive oil cake was the perfect ending to a perfect dinner. Can't wait to return to try all of the house made pasta! Recommend Naked Dog with the utmost enthusiasm. Won't surprise me at all when this restaurant is recognized with Michelin stars... plural.

A wonderful find in Greenpoint. A very relaxed atmosphere with a good variety of food and wine - very authentic Italian. Service was excellent without being obtrusive. Will definitely return the next time in Brooklyn

Fantastic. What a surprise. Arrived for happy hour and had the shrimp bruschetta and calamari. Wonderful as were the happy hour cocktails. Dinner was great. My husband had the steak He is big on quality and quantity and thus did not disappoint. The pasta dishes were delicious. Deconstructed cannoli for dessert. Will definitely return. Highly recommended.

Everything from the name to the exposed brick and Edison light bulbs to the quirky wallpaper to the kale and beet salad options says generic yuppie Brooklyn 2011. Yet the menu features high quality Italian fare that sets it a notch above the typical Greenpoint restaurant - particularly the fresh pasta.