Roberto's Restaurant on a Friday? (Bronx)

[bosun]

I am having a family dinner on a Friday this coming month and would love to check out Roberto's, but I have heard the wait gets crazy. Would it be a dumb move to drag 5 family members at around 7pm. to a restaurant that has a known wait, and does not take reservations? I think the answer might be yes, but I really want to go :)

[gutreactions]

bosun, venturing into Roberto's is a trip...occasionally oversalted...but a good city vibe all the way, if you don't mind waiting. Zero Otto sounds quite good too...but I would also consider the other 'new kid on the block' as well...in this case Antonio's Trattoria on Belmont Ave. & 186th., just down the street from Roberto. Great bar, wonderful food from crusty pizzas to Short Ribs....owned by young local guys, I understand....and prices are reasonable.

[abu applesauce]

Ask the family members if they mind the wait. I've been twice on a friday night and waited 15 minutes and around 35-40 minutes. I find the food to be so good, I can deal with the wait, but if I took certain friends/family members, and didn't warn them about the wait, they would kill me. If they (and you) can deal with the wait don't deprive yourself!!

[dmleo]

If you don't want to wait for a table, I would consider going earlier, perhaps at around 5:30, otherwise it's going to be a while. If you're set on dining at that particular time, you might want to try his other restaurant Trattoria Zero Otto Nove - great pizza and pasta dishes. You can check out the menu online http://www.usmenuguide.com/zeroottono...

[bosun]

That place sounds good too! I made a reservation at Emilia's because we are stuck in a particular time frame. Would you say that Trattoria Zero would be a better choice then Emilia's?

[dmleo]

I've eaten at Emilia's and Trattoria Zero has much better food and it's a great space as well. Since you're interested in Roberto's food, this is a great way to sample it without dealing with the craziness of the original place.

[bosun]

Thanks, I actually remember reading a comment about their pizza with butternut squash puree and pancetta a while back. Their sauteed sweet sausage with butternut squash & gorgonzola dish sounds to really good, as well. I appreciate the help.