Is That Frank Sinatra Eyeing My Dirty Martini?
It sure is – because I’m taking you to Frank’s favorite New York restaurant – Patsy’s!
The mini-statue of “Ol’ Blue Eyes” perched on the bar is just one of the reasons this west side restaurant has the kind of ambience that makes the meal!
I recently discovered the blogger “Piglet In Portugal” – named, she says, because she loves pigs!
She asked a great question: “how important to you is ambience in restaurants?”
Well, I wanted to offer my opinion by way of my dining experience at Patsy’s in Manhattan!
Patsy’s is located on W. 56th just off Broadway: it’s a classic New York eatery, with history, personality and of course a great bar!
As noted in The Infatuation:
“This red-sauce joint had been owned and operated by the Scognamillo family since 1944, and the first things you’ll see when you walk in are a signed headshot of Liza Minelli and a statue of Frank Sinatra!”
Here’s Frank up close:
Yes, that’s Frank slinging his raincoat over his shoulder at the bar…it’s a classic “celebrity’s eat here” place – with the walls covered with signed photos!
See how many of these stars you can identify!
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has been a traditional, family-owned and operated Italian restaurant located in Midtown Manhattan since 1944!
There’s Frank and Jackie Gleason enjoying a meal, with all of those signed photos overhead – they line every wall in the place!
Talk about ambience – it’s like you are dining with Hollywood royalty!
Patsy’s was founded in 1944 by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo, and Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has been in its current and only theater district location (in the building next to the original site since 1954).
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has had only three chefs; the late Patsy, his son Joe Scognamillo, who has been at the establishment since the age of seven, and Joe’s son Sal Scognamillo, who has been the head Chef in the kitchen since 1988.
They add that “it’ll transport you back to an era when West 56th and Broadway was, shockingly, the coolest spot in town.”
Of course, that meant I had to start with a Martini – a New York staple!
Vodka for me, with olives – delicious! With that icy cold Martini in hand, time to eat!
A great Italian restaurant in New York will always have baked Clams, and these were meaty and delicious – and of course, a platter of fried calamari as well!
Served with lemon wedges and marinara sauce for dipping, these calamari were perfectly cooked: not overly breaded or greasy at all…both dishes were perfect with the Martini….and now onto the red sauce!
A classic dish of Spaghetti and Meatballs were shared at the table, and my wife Alex enjoyed their richly flavored Lasagna, with a deliciously decadent red sauce:
I enjoyed this beautiful Chicken Parmigiana dish – yes, with an extra Meatball on the side!
Both dishes were richly flavored, that intense marinara red sauce coupled with a Tuscan Chianti Classico of course!
The table next to us had the dessert cart holding a decadent New York Cheesecake, but we were stuffed….a fantastic meal with “ambience” that made us feel like we were eating in New York’s golden age – watched over by this guy:
So, the answer is clear: “ambience” has a huge impact for me when I dine: sure, I can eat “fast casual” and not expect much, but give me a restaurant with a vibe, a look, and style and personality any day of the week!
Read the original “Piglet In Portugal” post here!
I really enjoy this website: lots of great food and travel stories, from one of our favorite places to visit: Portugal!
Where else will you find the streets tiled like this:
Portugal is filled with history, the greatest people, and of course, the “one bit burger” – check it out!
Sadly, I had to report that Chef Jesus Lee Fernandes of “Jesus e Goes” in Lisbon died suddenly…here is my tribute to him and his legacy:
Back in New York, we love going out for dinner, especially when we are greeted by a sizzling platter of frog’s legs!
Talk about ambience!
Here’s my full review of an incredible restaurant in The Big Apple!
Downtown at Wall Street, New York’s oldest restaurant likes to end the meal this way!
Demonico’s is known for many great culinary inventions, like that fiery “Baked Alaska” – see them all here!
And if you want real ambience, head to Katz’s Deli on the lower east side:
Enjoy their “piled high pastrami” and see where the iconic scene from “When Harry Met Sally” was filmed – details her!
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Categories: Alcohol And Bars, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Travel, Food Writing, Restaurants, Travel, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Great ambience! I’ll take my martini very dirty!
Great ambiance for sure. I agree about ambiance. I don’t want cold and sterile! I’ll have to put Patsy’s on my list!
We went to a 3 Michelin star restaurant last year and it was like sitting in a museum: keep your voice down, pay reverence to the food – we were bored to tears! Thanks for the note!
Hey, Patsy’s looks just the place I’d frequent if I lived in New York. That place has ambience and more! Plus I adore italian food…. so another bonus. Italian restaurants in the Algarve are in short supply~
thanks for participating in Foodie Friday!
Thanks for inviting me to join in! It has so much ambience and such great people…on ly 3 Chefs ever: Granddad Dad and now son! We love it!
We LOVED Patsy’s! Fabulous food, and great ambience, indeed! Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙂
It was the perfect spot to with in on ambiance and how it impacts a meal –
OMG – you are taking me back to the New York I knew way back when 🙂 ! No, have not been to Patsy’s but know all the other places mentioned . . . and, methinks have been. And I bet I am probably the only one of your readers old enough to look at that wall of star photos and recognize almost all bar a few 🙂 ! Patsy’s does look very ‘classical New York’, that said, I hate ‘noisy’ and ‘too lively’ when I go dining . . . well, being northern European 🙂 !!!
It’s not noisy, but lively in a way that I don’t think would b other you…festive and fun! Thanks for the note!
ooh, patsy’s looks like a place I’d love and love the history too, ambience is uber important
Yes you’d love it – Frank watching over us all! Thanks for the note!
That looks like a great place, and with wonderful food. You are definitely living your best life, John!
Best wishes, Pete.
Pete, you’d love it as well..so much history – and Frank watching your every move! Cheers!
Looks like a place I’d like to go to. I grew up with the sound of Frank Sinatra’s voice, as my mum loved him!
Then you would love it indeed! Thanks for the note!
This looks and sounds wonderful, John. The photographs and ambiance are magnificent.
Thanks Robbie!
🥰