DeFazio's at 216 in New York

"My partner and I had a really pleasant date here on a Friday night. We walked into a beautiful and boisterous dining room -- definitely don't except to be able to have quiet conversation here, it is LOUD and you will be raising your voice to talk to your dining companions. Their drink menu, especially the wine list, is extensive. I opted for a strawberry gin cocktail which was well-balanced and delicious. We took a chance on the arugula salad, both thinking it might be too simple, but were so pleasantly surprised by how good it was. A big bunch of arugula dressed in a lemon vinaigrette with Romano and crispy garlic and shallots, we could not stop eating it, and we're still talking about how much we liked it days later. We've been fans of DeFazio's pizza for a long time so we knew the pizza would be good, the roasted garlic and eggplant one we got had some really nice char and was the deliciousness we expect from a DeFazio's pizza. The one entree that was bit disappointing was the Cacio e pepe. I prefer this dish with the traditional bucatini, but this one is served with linguini and it fell into the pitfall many Cacio e pepe's can fall into -- it was clumpy. When done right Cacio e pepe is smooth, but the cheese broke on this one so while it had a really nice strong peppery flavor, the texture was off. Granted our waitress did forget to put this order in initially so I feel like they might've rushed it, which might be why it was not prepared correctly. We finished our meal with a very generous serving of a silky smooth tiramisu; I did find myself looking for a bit more of a coffee flavor but it was a tasty dessert nonetheless. Overall, I really like what they're doing here even though there are some things I wish were done a bit better and I'm definitely going back for that arugula salad!"

"We sat at the chefs counter and it was really nice. The food here is delicious. Cool ambiance as well. Meatballs were fantastic, pizza is top notch, and even the desserts were great. crème brûlée cheesecake was possibly the best I’ve ever had. The cannoli was a 3/5, and the espresso was a good shot! Will definitely be coming back."

"The best pizza for 100’s of miles. The service was impeccable. Great beer selection. You would never guess you are in downtown Troy! And the hangover cake is a MUST!!"

"Excellent in every way! We cannot wait to go back to this restaurant. Delicious delicious delicious food! Pasta definitely al dente. Do the chef's counter if you're going as a couple. We loved the holiday decor, the cocktails, and the service. Superb, and we will be back!"

"We had my daughters baby shower in the Masher Room. The atmosphere was wonderful and all of the staff are extremely helpful. They set up the buffet area and the tables linens beautifully with the exact vision I had. Also because no one had the room reserved the evening prior, they allowed us to come in and decorate, which was so helpful! The food was delicious and their pizzas are awesome. The overall service was top notch. I highly recommend having your event at DeFasio’s at 216."

"Defazios was excellent from start to finish. I received an immediate response to my initial inquiry and every question I had. Options were clear, set up help invaluable, food perfect!"

"Some of the best service and Italian we’ve had in a while. We got a bottle of wine to share between the 2 of us and we loved that the wine list was curated to fit the menu perfectly. With that said, it’s not an extensive list which is the way I like it. Such a nice touch. The atmosphere is sophisticated yet casual and very cozy. Pricing for what you get is some of the best in the area and they thankfully make their carbonara without cream (the right way lol)!! Such a great experience. We will be back!"

"Finally able to get a reservation and it was worth it. The staff are all great, and the food is amazing. The Caesar Salad, Beans and Greens, and pizza were all tasty. Looking forward to many returns to try more options. Updated: Tried the Chicken Parmesan, it's very good. It has enough sauce, but not too much. The homemade linguine was cooked just right."