Philip Marie Restaurant

This restaurant is a gem. The food is fantastic. For appetizers we had the octopus carpaccio & the crispy long stem artichokes (pictured) - it was so delicious we basically licked the plate clean. Our waitress said to try the vegan kale caesar (which I was skeptical of) but was so glad I ordered. It was crisp and flavorful. My husband had the short rib ragu pasta, I ordered the cacio-pepe and both were delightful. The staff was lovely, and the vibe inside was chic, while still being warm, cozy, & romantic. Great date night spot. We will absolutely be returning to this restaurant.

Overall a really excellent experience. Greeted warmly by the hostess and sat immediately. Lovely ambiance - the restaurant is beautiful. All our food was outstanding and our waitress was friendly and helpful. The only negative was that we were (very politely) told that we only had 90 minutes to eat and then were approached at the end of the meal and (very politely) told we needed to leave soon because it had been 90 minutes. If we had wanted dessert there would have been no time to eat it, and I had to cancel my last drink that I had just ordered. The time pressure definitely dampened the enjoyment of the evening for me - we were three friends enjoying a not- inexpensive meal (our check was $300), so an extra half hour would have made the whole evening much more pleasant. A luxurious dinner out shouldn't be timed - it's the opposite of Italian hospitality in my opinion.

I do not write reviews but I had to jump on here and rave for a moment about Ambra!! If you are in New York and want to have a transcendent and truly authentic Italian dining experience, you HAVE to start with Ambra! Ambra has some of the BEST ITALIAN CUISINE I’ve ever had in 11 years living in NYC!! The food is absolutely incredible!! Everything from the main courses to the focaccia bread plate expands your palate and will leave you questioning how food could taste so good. When I go, I order multiple items from each course and everything was leaving me awe-struck, no exaggeration. The absolute stand outs for me are the focaccia bread plate, the octopus carpaccio, the braised short rib ragú, and the branzino!!! I have never tasted fish this delicious, it is the definition of light and crispy and melts in your mouth?? With flavors so clean and clear and complex. The desserts are all out of this world, but the mousse is the sweetest way to end the Ambra ride. All of this is what you would expect from the head chef, John DeLucie, but it exceeds even those expectations, he has truly outdone himself with this extravagant culinary landscape. Chef DeLucie was also actually there and making rounds to all the tables which made everyone feel more special and included! In terms of atmosphere it is the perfect blend of an elevated dining experience mixed with a cozy and welcoming “at home” feeling. The wait staff are all highly knowledgeable, personable, and truly add to the overall experience rather than just being neutral facilitators. Also the wine selection is outstanding, we had a bottle of cab sav whose scent alone was so rich, bold, and full of depth. This has become an instant favorite and I will be telling everyone I know about it! Do yourself a huuuuge favor and take yourself or a whole party to Ambra! You will leave feeling full of life!

Great new Italian opened in Sep 2023 Food was great especially the Rigatoni Alla Norma. The pasta tasted of the eggplants which indicates that ingredients were cooked together vs the shortcut that many restaurants take of pouring sauce over the pasta at the end. Very friendly service and affordable list of wine. I recommend that you book as it gets very busy. They have dining room seating as well as bar and counter style seating at the windows.