Emma G.
Yelp
I first encountered Harry's last year during a brief dalliance with MealPal (a pre-paid subscription plan where you can order specific lunches throughout the week at certain establishments - definitely worth a look if you're working in the city consistently). They had a Penne Vodka lunch option that I grabbed one or two times for pickup. It looked like a decent Italian place, a bit hidden in the depths of the Financial District, and yesterday seemed like a good opportunity for a sit-down visit. If it hadn't been close to 100 degrees, I would have taken advantage of the pleasant outdoor seating section, which would have provided viewpoints of a pretty gentrified neighborhood. This is an area that's typically a bit congested with narrower streets than other parts of the islands, but this block actually has some space to work with.
I stopped by around 1:30PM for a solo meal. If you're one of those people who is reluctant to go to a restaurant in the city by yourself, the chances are EXCELLENT that you will get amazing, primo service. I literally am batting close to 1.000 with this. I'm positive the restaurants are super nervous because by definition you have no one to talk to while you wait for your food. Their worry is your gain. It's a nice-looking place; you're probably a five-minute walk or so from the Seaport so there IS a bit of a touristy vibe here but nothing over the top - and for what it's worth, the vast majority of patrons I saw were clearly there on their lunch break like me.
I perused the menu beforehand and settled on the lunch portion of the Gnocchi w/ Tomato & Basil ($16). I was provided with a free bread/oil combo to munch on while I waited, but the entrée showed up literally in less than five minutes. The bread was just okay - it's room temperature and honestly a little stale. I still had a pretty significant portion to consume once I finished the gnocchi, and I dipped it in the sauce rather than the oil, which tells you something. But it was still nice to have.
The Gnocchi was solid - it WAS the lunch serving but it was a perfect portion for someone who accidentally had a cookie earlier. Have I had better versions of this? Yes; my all-time favorite is probably at E&V in Paterson, NJ, which has a melted cheese component that would have spiffed this up a bit, in my opinion. But it was good. I have a texture-based palate so I was a little suspicious at the thickness of the sauce, but it didn't cross the line for me - no giant chunks of tomato or onions to get me riled up. And the gnocchi itself was exactly the right consistency.
I'd describe this as "mainstream" Italian - it doesn't have a homey, old school tablecloth feel but it delivers an above average pasta dish at least. And if you're a solo diner on a schedule, you can easily be out of here in less than half an hour.