OPTO

Feel confident in saying this is the worlds best gluten free fried calamari. The dips also had gluten free pita and the tomato sauce on the durade was incredible. Service was slow, cocktail menu just okay and it was quite hot inside the restaurant which takes it down to 4 stars but a great food menu that shines if you’re looking for gluten free options.

The atmosphere was genuinely lovely — cozy vibe and nice decor that made it feel like a great spot for a night out. The service was also excellent — the staff were warm, attentive, and truly did their best to make us feel welcome. Unfortunately, the food was a major letdown. The octopus was completely burnt — it was blackened to the point of being inedible, tasting only of charcoal. It was honestly disappointing, especially considering how excited we were to try it. Also it was paired with creamy mashed potatoes, which tasted like mayo. The drinks were okay, nothing memorable but decent. Another small thing — it was pretty warm inside, which made the overall experience a bit uncomfortable. I appreciate the kind service and atmosphere, but I wouldn’t come back for the food. I hope the kitchen improves because the staff and space definitely deserve better dishes to match.

Service was truly fantastic. Everyone from front of house to the servers were incredibly attentive, kind, and just so genuinely nice! Cherry on top was that the food was really good. The tuna carpaccio melted in our mouths and the pastas were absolutely delicious. The interiors decor and atmosphere was on point without being pretentious. Would highly recommend.

Went on a Saturday and really impressed. The grilled octopus was the best I’ve had, and the Greek salad was amazingly fresh with delicious tomatoes and cucumbers. The ricotta and labne dips were amazing, I did prefer the labne. Dinner wise the lamb chops were amazing and the lemon pasta was so tasty. The brazino was so light and flavorful, but the lamb chops were slightly better if you have to pick one. We tried the carrots and the potatoes as sides and both were great but the carrots were so tasty and refreshing. Dessert wise I like the cake the most, although the cookies were good too. Ambiance was nice, good music, nice layout, good lighting. And I’ve never had better service in NYC. Do yourself a favor and try this place.

We had one of the most incredible meals at Opto in Flatiron—start to finish, it was perfection. The vibe is chic but warm, and the service was attentive without being overbearing. We started with the ricotta, octopus, and gem lettuce—each dish beautifully balanced, fresh, and bursting with flavor. The octopus was especially tender and charred just right. For our pasta course, we shared one dish and were genuinely blown away. It was like being transported back to Italy—rich, perfectly al dente, and deeply comforting. We actually debated ordering a second round of pasta because it was that good. For mains, my husband had the lamb chop, which was cooked to perfection—juicy, flavorful, and beautifully plated. But the real standout for me was the branzino—hands down the best I’ve ever had. We ended with the chocolate mousse, which was decadent, silky, and the perfect ending to an unforgettable meal. 10/10 would recommend. This is the kind of spot you want to keep coming back to—and bring everyone you love with you.

Truly excellent in every way. Everything we ordered was delicious, fresh and flavorful (loved the octopus) and the cocktails were on point. We sat at the bar and enjoyed taking with both bartenders, who were very friendly and attentive. Looking forward to going back again soon!

Really enjoyable dining experience. Everything we ordered was very tasty. My favorite was the tomato pasta and the chocolate mousse dessert is a must. I definitely wanna go back and try the other items on the menu.

Great dining experience at OPTO. Service and food were excellent. Go hungry as portions are VERY large. We ordered the oysters, octopus, artichokes (my favorite), lemon pasta, branzino, and mushrooms. The entire meal was delicious. Can’t say enough about the servers - very attentive and personable. Especially the Venezuelan server and bartender duo! Would absolutely recommend coming here if you’re looking for a NICE and upscale meal in the city. The chocolate mousse was also delicious, very rich.

Came here for dinner on a Saturday night and was easy to make a reservation for 4 day of! The staff are so kind and attentive and the inside is beautifully decorated. The restaurant was pretty packed but not too noisy at all. We started with the ricotta and labneh dips which were both amazing. Over the two I preferred the ricotta but both were delicious. We also got the oysters which were super fresh and the octopus. The potatoes in the octopus dish were incredible but the dish overall was quite salty so I would not necessarily recommend. We also got the gem lettuce salad which is a must! It's perfectly crunchy and the dressing pairs perfectly. For our mains we got two pasta dishes, the pomodoro and lemon tagliatelle which were both delicious! The pomodoro was perfectly chewy and the lemon tagliatelle was light and refreshing (my favorite of the two). To end we had to try the dark chocolate mousse and it is phenomenal. It's rich but not too sweet and I am still thinking about it to this day! Great food and incredible service!

I came with some friends for dinner and got a few plates to share: calamari (good and better without the sauce), whipped ricotta (probably my favorite), gem lettuce salad (refreshing) and the macaroni al pomodoro (the pasta was too hard - not al dente). Overall a nice place but very pricey. Service was attentive. The restaurant is very cute inside.

A bit of the Mediterranean in Flatiron. A menu with significant Greek and Italian influences. Restaurant is located on the basement level and requires stair to access. I started with one of their house cocktails which was a spin on a gin and tonic. For the second and third rounds I switched over to a Dirty Gin Martini. They rang my drink up as a Dorothy Parker, so I don't know what to make of that. Cocktails were pricey but good. We shared a bunch of appetizers as starters. We had toasted sourdough with whipped ricotta, a Montreal style bagel with labneh, fried calamari, and the grilled summer squash with manouri cheese. The fried calamari was a hit. The medium thickness breading that was generously seasoned with a pepper based blend. Super crispy Sam's it was the first plate cleared. For the main course, we shared three pastas. We decided to honor the Italian flag by ordering a red, white, and green sauce. The red sauce was a light pomodoro with a thick udon like noodle. It was cakey and doughy with a big chew to it. The white sauce was a creamy lemon sauce with taglioini - essentially a fancy fettuccine Alfredo. A nostalgic item and another hit at the tables. Green sauce was a pesto with a long thin pasta called trenette. It was served with potatoes, green beans, and pine nuts giving it a home style feel. Service was attentive. Atmosphere was dim and had an intimate Mediterranean cave like ambiance. Pacing of the food was good. There were gendered restrooms.

This is a newer pricier Mediterranean restaurant located in the same space as Periyali which was there for 40 years. The inside has a classy ambience and would be nice for a date and the service was professional though perhaps a bit slow which was especially the case with ordering. The prices match the ambience being on the relatively high end but the dishes are mostly pretty shareable and we overall had a good time. To drink, I had one of their many excellent sounding cocktails which was the "Truth Is Rarely Pure" for $19 which is one of their spritzes with Japanese whiskey, Aperitivo Nonino, and prosecco with the cocktails on the menu ranging from I believe $16 to $22 or so which is the usual for a nicer spot. While I'm not usually the hugest fan of drinks with prosecco or other sparkling wines, this worked here with the drink having a nice mix of bitterness and sweetness with a slight bite at the end from the whiskey and I would recommend it for those who like negronis. Another person had a glass of Basque wine (the rosé) which they enjoyed. The only appetizer we started with was the Whipped Sheep's Milk Ricotta for $18 with chestnut honey and grilled bread. The ricotta had a nice soft texture and the pieces of bread had a mix of softness and hardness with some being perhaps grilled a bit too long. There was definitely a bit of sweetness from the honey though I think the dish itself was missing something extra such as either salt or perhaps an herb as the flavor was a bit one note. It was fine though overall our least favorite of the dishes. We otherwise got two larger plates. The smaller of the two was the excellent Macaroni Di Bussa Al Pomodoro for $32 with Vesuvius tomato, basil, and pecorino Sardo. The pasta had a nice texture to it being chewy but not too much so. The dish had a good kick to it with some saltiness (presumably from the pecorino) and there was a hint of spice from the tomato sauce which was a nice touch. This was a very tasty pasta dish and I would recommend it and it would make an excellent solo main dish. Much larger and much higher priced was the Rocky Mountain Lamb Chops for $85 with black garlic, ras el hanout, and mint chermoula which we ordered two of. The price might leave you a bit wide-eyed but it was actually worth it as the four lamb chops on the plate were massive being I would say 1.5 times the size of usual lamb chops. The lamb was cooked a perfect medium rare as requested with them being very tender with a slight chew to them. The dish had a light sweetness, some warming spices, and a bit of sourness from the chermoula with none of this overpowering the excellent quality chops. I would recommend this for a group and I think two people could split this easily with the last lamb chop being easy enough to cut in half as long as a person doesn't mind getting the bone. We didn't bother with dessert though we were tempted by the mousse. The restaurant is pricey but it's good quality and the portion sizes make up for the price point at least for most dishes that we ordered. If I could give a 4.5 I would but I can't so I'll bump it up as it's an early review.

Opto is a newer Mediterranean spot from chef Tubero; their menu changes often, as it's a seasonal menu. We came here for an early dinner with some dear friends, staring off with: +Periyali's Domades +Taramosalata - served with grilled bread +Whipped Sheep's Milk Ricotta - drizzled with chestnut honey and served with grilled bread +and, Green Market Fritto Misto - with charred jalapeno tzatziki and lemon For our mains, we tried: +the Trenette al Pesto Genovese - with potatoes, green beans, and Spanish pine nuts +Canary Islands Branzino +Herb Crusted Ribeye +Spiced Lentils +Wild Mushrooms +and, Bloomsdale Spinach Service was friendly, and the restaurant space is bright and cheery, with nicely printed seating, plants, and nice lighting fixtures. Making online reservations was a seamless process! +friendly service +making reservations is a seamless process

Hosted a group of six at Opto and they sat us at a fabulous round table. Pastas and desserts were the stars, especially recommend the Pesto Genovese, Lemon Butter Pasta, Lemon Torte and Chocolate Mousse. Octopus also deserves a mention. Didn't love the lamb chops (tasted overcooked?) or the whipped ricotta (stiff competition in NYC). Menu is setup well for sharing. Overall, I'd recommend if looking for a spot in the neighborhood, but wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

Stunning decor, great ambiance and superb customer service. I loved their drinks and the apps and the chocolate mousse dessert is a must order item. But the mains were meh at best (I was a little disappointed). You should order the whipped ricotta and the octopus. I'd skip the tuna carpaccio and thought the spicy lobster spaghetti was just alright. The burger special for the night was also a little underwhelming. If I do return, it will only be for apps and that chocolate mousse dessert!

This spot is incredible. The restaurant opened 3 months ago and my girlfriend had already been twice when she brought me here last week. Really cool ambiance - its a big space but feels small. Not just the space but also the fact that the owner (alex) makes a point to be present and get to know the guests. I am moving around the corner in about a month and plan to come back frequently.

Fabulous friendly professional service. Great vibes. Yummy food. The lemon risotto was phenomenal. Will return. Highly recommend! For celiacs: Almost everything is or can be made gluten free and it's amazing. The gluten free pita was the best gluten free bread I've ever eaten (and I've tried a lot).

Loved our meal here - started with the whipped ricotta and grilled GF bread, which was absolutely delicious. Also had their version of a margarita (I asked for a splash of Mezcal and they obliged), also very tasty. We shared the roast chicken, Trenette al Pesto Genovese, and Tagliolini al Amalfi Limone (they do risotto for GF folks for the pastas, which was great), all were great. Service was totally on point. Beautiful decor and vibe, with tables up front and another room in back. We will definitely return!

The food at OPTO is phenomenal--especially the gluten-free pita with ricotta and honey (a must), grilled octopus, limone risotto, tuna crudo, and gem salad. As someone with a gluten intolerance and a member of my party with celiac, I felt completely safe and impressed by the quality and care in every dish. That said, we had an 8:15 PM reservation and weren't seated until after 9, which threw off our plans. Service was kind but overwhelmed--water alone took 15 minutes after sitting down. Worth it for the food, but the wait and stretched-thin service were frustrating.

Had a celebratory dinner here and happy to have found such a wonderful local place. The food was delicious and service was excellent. The many different cocktails we tried were delicious Our server was so friendly and helpful as half of our group was vegetarian. He guided us well on what to order and every item was a hit. We will definitely be back.

Best new restaurant in town. The Canary Islands branzino was to die for, as was the salt crusted whole turbot.