Italian family style

[carochinha]

My best friend and I are throwing a "friendship party". However, many of our mutual friends are on a budget. Any tips for budget friendly / family style eateries in Manhattan? Would be for early dinner on a Sunday. BYOB would be great, but I may be pushing it. Many thanks.

[haleyjen]

How about English is Italian?

[jbloog]

Piccolo Angolo on Hudson at Jane St is affordable and delicious. The portions are large and perfect for sharing. Large groups are always well received there, and the house wine is both affordable and tasty.

[blonde tomato]

Another family style Italian restaurant is Patsy's. While their menu sticks to basic Italian cuisine, it's always a reliable option. Their prices are also very reasonable. They have several locations around the city.

[piccola]

If you're up for uptown, try Symposium - cute, cheap Greek near Columbia. I'm 99% sure they do family-style.

[rose water]

symposium is cute, and cheap, indeed. i wanted badly to like it for those reasons. but the food is mediocre at best. the mixed appetizers was a collection of weird starchy potato-laden dips. ali baba's (34th st), moustache, and even the so-so kashkaval far exceed that gloppiness.

i wonder if grand sichuan would work for the OP's group. the one on st. marks has been quiet every time i've been there. definitely family style, prices are reasonable, food is great. dunno how fun it is there, but i certainly love a good mouth numbing nibble on sichuan peppercorns!

[piccola]

Re: symposium - I've only tried the veg food, but that was pretty darn good. Can't vouch for the rest, but no one seemed to complain...

[ericalloyd]

tony's di napoli may fit your criteria:

http://www.tonysdinapoli.com

[belle]

I havent been in a while but if I'm doing family style I like Sambuca.

[chow_gal]

Carmine's is horrible. Osso Bucco is slop. I hear of all them that the least offensive is that what's-his-Tony's place?

Are you fixed on Italian? Go to Chinatown and BYO. Go to Peking Duck House. Or Thai. Or Indian.

[carochinha]

not at all stuck on italian. main points are: budget friendly, groups, fun, manhattan.