Bar Felice

This Italian restaurant falls short in every way: it's dirty, deafeningly noisy, and the food is a sad imitation of Italian cuisine. Avoid at all costs.

Excellent atmosphere – great for parties

Very welcoming service and delightful cocktails

Five stars for service, four stars for the food. We came here for a private mixer and I loved the ambiance as soon as we got there. There were some heavy hors d'oeuvres which included your tropical charcuterie options, fried calamari and artichoke, and mini arancini. I must say, that arancini was amaaaaaazing. I didn't want to be greedy so I only had two, and I'm still kicking myself for being so modest. They were worth the calories. Luciano was the main server for the mixer and recommended a white wine that I cannot remember. I want to thank him as I frequently get migraines afterwards and even though I had three glasses, I woke up feeling fine. My colleagues and I stayed for dinner and Luciano was our server (yay!). He was so charismatic and attentive during our meal. I ended up trying the l'hamburger which was made with rib tips, while most of my team went for the steak. The burger was probably one of the best that I've had - there was so much flavor and it was really moist. Also, it was the perfect size. I left feeling satisfied, but not overwhelmed or heavy. The fries weren't really fries, though. They were potato wedges, and they didn't really add much to the meal. I didn't finish them. Although we opted out of desert, Luciano brought out complementary tiramisu and a slice of hazelnut cake for the table to share. I definitely enjoyed my experience.

Food was fresh and of a high quality. We ordered: Burrata e Prosciutto, Polpettine and the cacio e Pepe. Everything was delicious! We also ordered a bottle of Terlano Sauvignon Blanc Winkl. Different compared to the New Zealand Sauvignon blanc but still very good! I would not recommend sitting at the bar if you are also ordering food. Everything was great otherwise. Spent about $200.

Lovely place but i might i FIRST add to the staff - dont be stubborn to customers who want to sit and drink without ordering food and tell them they cant sit WHEN THE PLACE IS EMPTY. Your rules are made up and you should always make exceptions to provide the best service at all times! Drinks were good but that comment ruined it for me! Bye!

I love this place and miss going so so much. Their cocktails are great, the ambience is cute and cozy, and the Cacio E Pepe is to die for. Service is prompt and the servers are friendly and helpful

I've been here a few times, mostly for a drink/appetizers or post dinner next door. It's got a nice atmosphere, but it isn't a place that I would really have "pop out" in my head about being cool. Nibbles are decent, arancini and wine

Very cool vibe! Unique interior design, a little more character than the average Italian restaurant. Let's get to the drinks! Fantastic Old Fashions, we also nibbled on the arancini, also great. The customer service was lovely, very attentive. For more go to @the_foodservations on instagram

I stumbled upon Bar Felice while trying to go to another wine bar across the street. That didn't work out well, but I was already in the area so I went searching for another wine bar that was open and would be for at least an hour longer, as UES is notorious for closing early in comparison to other areas of Manhattan. Felice, the restaurant, was closing in 25 minutes but they showed us to Bar Felice. I loved the decor for the most part. It had a great loungey feel, good for dates or even drinks with friends. My only problem with the decor was the TV playing sports games... Not that I'm against that in other places, but it didn't fit with the vibe of the bar at all. The wine list was okay. Not fantastic, but good in a pinch. They had one or two interesting bottles and some wines by the glass. When I asked for a taste of a wine by the glass, the waiter brought it out in a stemless glass and must have seen the look of utter horror on my face because when we finally ordered wine, we got glasses with stems. The stemmed glass was a relief. Overall, it's a pretty nice place. I am not dying to come back or anything considering all the fantastic wine options in the city, but I would if I was in the area with some time to kill.

Overall we had a nice experience here. The place itself looks nice, but the covid plastic cubicles vibe was a bit annoying. Service and good were good. I did have to chase down the waiter once or twice though. Good experience though.

This place is a hidden little gem on 1st Ave in the UES. Wine cocktails and bar bites are the way to go here. Martinis too. Tasty menu of Tuscan style Italian eats and bar vittles. Wonderful complimentary bread basket and bread sticks. Drink specials pretty much every night of the week. Live jazz on Wednesday. The trio of sliders made with brisket and short rib are juicy and delish. The ricotta crostone are wonderful crispy pieces of bread with figs, almonds, and cayeene pepper spiced honey drizzled on top. I need to try out more of their bar menus next time. Cool ambiance and classy decor with a touch of coziness thrown in. Some tv's too showing a game or two. Super nice staff here. Surprisingly nice little bar attached to Felice restaurant. A great find and nice addition to the hood. Good to see more of these spots taking up a home on the UES/Yorkville part of town.

Came here a few times because the vibe is cool enough (for UES) but for a place that prides themselves as authentic Italian, the food is a real letdown (not to mention pricey). My first time here was on a date and we ordered the mussels and meatballs, the mussels had no flavor and the meatballs were a strange rubbery texture. Against my better judgment I came a few months later to give this place another chance at redemption. I ordered the pasta (spinach ravioli, my date had the fusilli). Although they advertised their pasta as house-made - you could tell one bite in that this was probably BS as the pasta had no flavor and was extremely undercooked. To top it off, the AC kept dripping on my date and when we mentioned it to the waiter he shrugged it off apathetically and didn't offer to move us or comp a drink, nada. Ciao, Felice.

I planned my 30th birthday party here (group of 12 people) and it couldn't have been more perfect --they set aside delicious hot and cold appetizers along the entire length of the table, and had both a bartender and host waiting on us the entire time, allowing us to take up the booth side of the bar. I would absolutely book another group function here, or simply come for a great glass of wine, apps and service! Thank you, Bar Felice.

Douchebag central. Waited 5 minutes for a drink at the bar, which is 10 feet wide. Bartender finally threw a drink menu down and walked away. After 5 more minutes of no service from a bartender who was too busy chatting with a waiter, I left. Three strikes you're out! I've given this place 3 chances, it was a failure every time.

This is an intimate bar/lounge type place. It is dimly lit, but comfortable. It's perfect for a date or a girl's night out. The bartender was super nice and attentive, and the drinks were great. I tried a couple of the signature cocktails and they were delicious and strong. The bar bites looked good as well, I'll have to try next time I'm there. I have also been to their restaurant next door, but didn't enjoy it quite as much. However, it could have just been my order (pappardelle con salsiccia- reminded me too much of stogonaf) that I didn't like, as my friends enjoyed their pastas and the atmosphere there was also quite nice. Either way, I'll definitely be back to bar felice and am willing to try the restaurant again.

Rita is everything. Best service I've had on the ues in a long time. Vibrant sexy and all that!!!

drink: normal. food: meh... tapas style to satisfy your munchies. outside: dandy inside: classy, dimly lit vibe: old fashion, adults mid-late aged

This is definitely one of the nicest, coolest and most relaxed bars I have been to in New York City, in my six months of living here. Being a fan of dive bars, I sincerely enjoy a dimly lit place with great drinks....Bar Felice doesn't disappoint in that regard, while also not being a dive whatsoever. The decor is a combination of Italian cafe with a hint of classic bar. Featuring a wide array of speciality beverages, including their seasonal Apple Cider martini (DELICIOUS) and the Lucchese (ginger ale and brown sugar? Yes please,) the opportunities are endless and all extremely delicious. The general manager of Felice, a very nice Italian gentleman called Michele, ensures that the experience is great and will go above and beyond to be confident that your visit is perfect. This spot also has televisions, so you can enjoy a great game and munch on some great fried artichokes.....can't wait to visit here again.

Been here a few times and have had great service each time. The staff are lovely. Elizabeth was so helpful last night! The food is very good too, though we ordered a cheese and meat platter and there was a ton of meat, I thought there could be a bit more cheese to balance, but I dont' eat meat so I would think that ;) Thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside for hours, even in the rain as the awning was a pretty good cover to keep us dry.

Ahhhhh. I've been here twice and although I love the vibe and the food..whatever was going on tonight was a disaster. Under staffed is an under statement. The entire restaurant and entire outside area had one waitress and one bartender. I watched every table, including ours wait 30 minutes for a cocktail. I consistently don't understand how restaurant managers can underestimate the importance of staffing enough people to maintain the crowd. The owner or manager or whoever walked by at least 3 times and I have no clue why he was not aware of the blatant request of every table waving their hand at the waitress for service. The poor girl who was waiting on us was just swamped and it really wasn't her fault that service was horrible.

Bar Felice is right next to Felice 83, in fact, there's a door that connects the two. Bar has expensive drinks ($10-18 for a glass of wine on 1st Ave?!), uncomfortable room set up, but the main minus is the unfriendly, unpolished service staff. Was not greeted by the staff, even when I was standing at the entry waiting for someone to help me. In the course of having drinks, had to flag down staff multiple times. I would not come back here. Go to Bondurants instead.

I was so excited that Felice decided to expand and open a casual, but still nice, bar section. I love the restaurant and their food and wine, so I was so disappointed that so far, the bar did not impress. First, the good: The space is very cute and the service is good, and their chairs are freakishly comfortable. The drink menu looked very interesting so I decided to try one of their cocktails, which is where the not so good happened: The cocktails were the absolute worst. To say they were watered-down would be a crazy understatement because I was almost convinced that they had zero alcohol in them. They did taste like the fruit they were made with- in my case, raspberries, but that was it. No other flavor. I tried my friends drinks and they were pretty much the same, although mine was the worst. As my friend put it "it was the most expensive smoothie you've ever had." Except I love smoothies and they have way more flavor. I may try this place again, but definitely not for the cocktails.

What I had: Bottle of Red Wine Would I go back: Yes Story: Came here for drinks the staff was very friendly just the right amount of crowded without a wait on a Friday night - must be since this place is on 1st ave it seems like local locals only frequent this place which I very much enjoyed (being a 1st ave local and all). Restaurant next door looked very good have to come back for dinner.

The 'hood is in dire need of a place like this. It is the more casual version of its neighbor, Felice 83, perfect for low-key nights of good wine, cocktails and fine dining. The venue is equipped with a couple flat screened TVs for sports enthusiasts, but it is cable, not direct TV, and depending on who you are this is very good, or not so much. Personally, I hate the sound and sight of a professional sports game and all typical bars that feature such games, but my bf ls the opposite. We find this a nice happy-medium on Sundays as we can watch the NFL four o'clock games but also enjoy good wine/cocktails and a meal. Usually, these two things are at odds; but luckily for us, not at Felice Next Door. I have tried a variety of the wines by the glass, and must say I am most impressed with the Felice label Sangiovese blends. The service is amazing and very friendly. They serve the full restaurant menu and also offer a nice selection of delectable, high-end bar bites (charcuterie and cheese, rice balls w/kale, lamb meatballs, etc). I highly recommend the pasta (always al dente) and the salmon...large portions to boot. Felice 83 never disappoints, but sometimes dining at the small tables feels kind of cramped and formal so access to the full menu in the low-key, chill vibe of Felice Next Door is really a win-win. I look forward to returning for low-key neighborhood nights out.

I really want to like this place as it looks so nice from the sidewalk. Service was really poor when I was there recently- sat down and waited for near 20 minutes before we eventually flagged down a waiter. To make it simple we did a price fix menu with food/wine. Glasses of wine were basically thrown at us with no explanation as to what they were. Food was bland, and not once did the waiter ask us how everything was. Not a good date spot

I didn't realize I lived around the block from such a nice cocktail spot. Bar Felice is a cozy welcoming bar that is attached to Felice restaurant. The wife and I both loved the Palermo cocktail - a nice smokey mezcal drink with habanero bitters. Ask for a little extra bitters for more of a real kick. The wife tried a fruity cocktail (the name escapes me) that was not very inspiring. They also carry an okay wine selection and a small beer list. The food menu looks good and I plan to try sliders on the next visit.

This was our first time at this restaurant. The wine was delicious but my husband ordered the special of " pasta with truffles" . It was very disappointing and the truffles had no taste. Which was surprising. The waiter omitted to tell us it was double the cost of all the other entrees. When we questioned this when the bill came he was totally unapologetic about it. Buyer beware if you go there .

The veal lemon zesty meatballs were delicious. Also the crostone fungi with the burrata was great. I'm not sold on any of the pastas there. The gnocchi saw supposedly their best but not very flavorful. Had the pasta norma and also very plain. Filet mignon was solid. Had a fantastic bottle of wine.

Love this place!! The food is ALWAYS on point - tasty, fresh, and perfectly portioned. Staff is attentive but not pushy. They actually want you to have a positive experience here! This is a fast neighborhood favorite.

One of my favorite local bars/date spots. Bar Felice never disappoints, and I much prefer a night here over its food arm, Felice 83, right next door. Super cozy and intimate setting. I've always have had great experiences with the staff. They have a really tasty bar menu (the lemon zest meatballs are out of this world good, always craving them), but the portion size can be on the small side so I recommend either ordering several options, or eating before hand. Most nights Bar Felice allows you to order off of Felice 83's menu. I am much more of a wine person, but they have killer cocktails. On Wednesday evenings, there is live jazz, which is a lot of fun, but it can get very loud. My only complaints would be that the food is a bit pricey for the portion size, and sometimes the crowd can be a little on the arrogant side. Overall, I recommend Bar Felice as a good go to for any occasion: first date, date night, or a night out with friends. Look out for their week night specials on wine/cocktails.

I was given what I consider the best Old Fashioned ever and the warning that it would be so good it would make me cry (courtesy of the bartender named Tommaso.) Well obviously I didn't break down in tears and question everything I thought I knew up until that point but it definitely was the best Old Fashioned I had ever had up until that moment. The decor was great, the bartender and manager were superb, the food (though we weren't there to eat at the time) looked good enough to return for, and the prices were more than appropriate for the skill behind each cocktail.

Great little lounge with amazing food and good wine selection and you have a casual spot right next-door or you can go as well.

A small, intimate gem on the UES for a nice conversation over some tasty drinks and small bites. And they make a damn good old fashioned!

Thie is just great! Real Italian food, great cocktails, great value! The staff is so kind and welcoming! Will go back soon

Great addition, excellent martinis, ended up here on above all days St Patricks and it was possibly one of the best. Fantastic martinis the way they are meant to be. Fried artichokes, Truffle french fries, Delicious! Great staff!