The Original Venice Restaurant

If I told you there was an Italian place right here in the heart of the South Bronx, that not only was true to its name but was a relaxed sit down restaurant, what would you say? I would assume you would laugh in my face and so would I, for good reason. Almost like a hidden treasure Original Venice is one of those locations that aren't too flashy when it comes to getting people's attention. Most likely if you lived in the area you would have walked past it, noticing the name, but also not observing the fact that it was a cool Italian spot there. Well here is your recommendation to visit the place, take a seat, and just enjoy yourself. Prices are good, food is plentiful, and taste. They say they do pizza but I'm all about that fried calamari. The place is a little on the small side, so if you're a group of 200+ I'd suggest having them cater. My brother orders from them on Uber eats all the time and I have visited several times. Whether to sit in, or take out, it all out. Thumbs up.

The food and the service is amazing!!! Make you feel welcomed and the like authentic Italian cooking.

I was craving eggplant Parmesan I googled and I found this place. This may actually be one of the worst eggplant dishes I’ve had in my entire life. They cut the eggplant so thin and put so much breading that you can’t even taste the actual eggplant. The bread that they put in the bag was also stale not like the good old fresh Italian bread. The price is unreasonable and I understand that we have to follow the inflation style but please if you are going to charge this much make it worth it. Lastly I also ordered chicken Alfredo and the quality of the chicken felt like fast food chicken put in good sauce.

Am a old timer...Customer when restaurant catered to police dept....That was good Italian cuisine. Now the meatball tastes like mush. When you mess up spaghetti & meatballs, don't want to see menu. Another down the drain.

The foods are prepared fresh. Their calamari was delicious. Overall the place is clean and well maintained. Staffs are great. Enjoyed our early dinner in this place. Will soon come back.

Back in the days as a young kid growing up. My aunt and uncle ordered either chicken, sausage, or meatball parmesan hero sandwiches. Whenever they would share their sandwich with me, it would make my mouth as if that sandwich was made with love and came straight from heaven. Venice Restaurant has since fallen off. Today I ordered 2 chicken parmesan sandwiches and those was the worst sandwiches that I've ever tasted in my life. The bread was hard and burnt the chicken was breaded and fried or baked to long, which made the chicken dried and It seemed as if they really didn't want to put any tomatoe sauce on it. Then when I called Venice to complain about the food, the female manager was unprofessional and very rude. She tried to blame it on doordash. doordash isn't responsible for preparing my food Venice is responsible. I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANY FOOD FROM VENICE RESTAURANT ON 149TH STREET AGAIN. The service sucks and the Food is Trash.

Has rhe food at Venice fallen off?! Yes! With a capital Y! And THAT Y begs to ask the question of "With the likes of Fresca Pizza and Giovanni's nearby, with cheaper prices and free delivery, are Venice s days counted? I think so.

Barely any sauce or cheese on this “chicken Parm sandwich.” Def not worth the price. Hope the owners revamp the cooking bc this restaurant keeps missing which is a shame bc many many years ago it was a phenomenal place to eat at.

Absolutely horrible service if you're ordering them through Ubereats. We ordered our food and waited 45mins only for the restaurant to decide to cancel the order while we had been waiting for so long, no explanation given, nothing. When we contacted Uber about it, Uber simply apologized on their behalf and it took the restaurant two days to refund us. Never attempting this again. Oh, and no one ever answers their phone.

Small but very nice, my wife and I have been coming here for over 30 years! One of her favorite places but the last time was a big disappointment because of the appetizer, forget the clams oreganoto, they were tough and chewy with no flavor, think of chewing on a rubber band! Otherwise the best part was the baked ravioli with mushroom ‍ sauce and the shrimp parmigiana was on the money like always! The service was great! The ambiance is cozy when it's not too crowded!

Amazing the best Italian restaurant in the south bx food service and super friendly. Prices are super good and you won't be dissatisfied

Ordered chicken francese for delivery. Everything was wrapped well and appreciate the sliced lemon they added. I was surprised they add mushrooms to the dish but as a mushroom fan I was not mad. The entree came with pasta but you could substitute for broccoli or salad. I have ordered here in the past but always for delivery so I've never seen the inside of the restaurant. They are a good local place and would order again. They followed the notes I wrote on the order which many places don't do which was a big plus.

This is my go to for Italian food in the Bronx. The food is delicious, and the prices are unbeatable! I'm not kidding. It's so cheap, and so good you cannot go wrong. I always get either the fettuccine alfredo or the penne a la vodka.

This used to be a wonderful restaurant for great Italian cuisine and now it's all freezer burnt microwaved stuff. I ordered a sausage parm hero from there a few years ago. Not only was the sausage dry, but they packed in the sauce in a different container. After eating the sausage parm, I was literally up all night with food poisoning. I had chills, diarrhea, and nausea and very nearly went to the hospital. Their quality has gone from A+ to a D- on a good day. I never ate from new Venice ever again.

Great reasonably priced Italian food, restaurant conveniently located in the Bronx on 149st

Food is pretty cheap I got 4 slice pizza garlic bread lemonade for under 20. Great service theyre super kind and the place itself is nice. They always decorate for the season or holiday, I would say though it usually pretty dark inside. And there is usually no one inside so it's nice and quiet and relaxing

My boyfriend and I have ordered from here a few times lately and we have been so disappointed. The food tastes so stale. We always order the chicken parmesan and Alfredo ravioli. The ravioli alfredo was literally just reheated and when that happens the dairy and oils separate from the Alfredo, Leaving it with this gooey oily substance. Not pleasant at all. The chicken parmesan had a rubbery texture and tasted like left over chicken. The marinara sauce was dry and it didn't have enough on the chicken. This is the 3rd time this has happened. I don't think we're going to order from here again.

I ordered spaghetti and meatballs and also meat sauce. The meat sauce was ok, the meatball not so much, they tasted like it was from a supermarket (pre-made). The spaghetti felt a bit undercooked. I mean it was ok for what I've ordered. But I wouldn't go crazy over it.

My daughter 8th birthday was last night. We ate here and the food was amazing!! For real authentic good quality Italian food, I highly recommend this place.

I used to frequent the Venice as a young girl and teenager. back then, the food was strictly, real Italian made dishes from Italian chefs. they only spoke italian, but knew the menu very well. the food was very good. I went back about 3 yrs ago and was sooooo disappointed with the food service. it was def frozen food and did not have that Italian vibe. disappointed.

I placed an order online and called the restaurant to pay for it by card. My order came with the wrong kind of bread and no fettuccine noodles. When I called the restaurant they said it doesn't come with additional noodles and blamed it on the website. I asked why didn't he mention that before taking my money and he said he didn't notice it. But even though it's a website they chose to present to their customers and an oversight on their end they did not give me a credit or anything to resolve the issue. All they offered was for me to wait for the correct bread to be delivered to exchange. I was extremely hungry and my order was wrong and the ravioli didn't even taste good. Never ordering here again. I spend my money where it is valued. In the hood or not.

Had a taste for fried calamari for sometime now And I know there was only a couple of spots in my area that did fried calamari so I settled on Venice And I was delighted on my pick, not only was it good it looked it amazing exactly what I wanted and he looks and taste how did twice in one week must try

Order from here on Saturday. My daughter wanted shrimp francese with linguini in Alfredo sauce. I had chicken Piccata with angel hair and broccoli rabe and my son a typical chicken parm. First of all I most say that all the food was bland, my daughter pasta she had to add garlic, salt and pepper, I did as well. My son said he sandwich was good. I called the place to assure they got my order and to ask if i could add broccoli rabe to which the response was yes. I asked how much and they charged me an extra $10 I added cause I was craving it. Also he asked if its ok the shrimp will have mushroom to which I responded yes. The shrimps came plain and my chicken only had like less than 10 capers. Thanks God I had at home and added some. It is unfortunate that I had such a bad experience. Will not be ordering from here again.

The best hidden place on my neighborhood. Delicious. I love everything. All the dishes are good.

great food, friendly staff, fair prices... thoroughly enjoy eating lunch here when in the area for work.

Ownership has changed but the food and atmosphere hasn't ...the food and bottles of wine we had was delicious and not entirely over priced....we will be coming back when the service gets better....

Their food is well portioned. Great taste always. I usually buy fettuccine chicken Alfredo and every time it's delicious. My husband also agrees that this place is way better then buying at Fresca's. Just saying the facts. Penne Alla Vodka is great as well. We always order from them and they always have the orders correct. Great customer service very professional. They need to put a restaurant right here on 138th street. Hint Hint.

I just ordered my first meal from Venice Restaurant and it did not disappoint. I was craving calamari with linguini and red sauce. The portions are HUGE and the food was good. This restaurant delivered to me in Manhattan and the food arrived warm and on time. Unfortunately, no good Italian food by me. The driver experienced a lot of traffic and was unable to park but was very polite. I will be ordering again. Thanks for satisfying my craving.

*rdered a chicken parm hero and got a chicken parm plate. I like it, but i really wanted it on a hero. FYI: the calamari is BOOM!

My boyfriend and I found this place on yelp and decided to go check it out. The service was excellent. The server was so nice. We ate garlic bread as we waited for our food. The place had a nice homey feel to it. My boyfriend and I had a really nice time here. We went on a Wednesday around 6:00. It wasn't busy at all. I had the seafood salad which was so good. My boyfriend had the pulpo salad. We definitely plan on going back here. It was a very good find.

Ordered the baked ziti with meat sauce very good. They provide you with warm bread on the spot. The atmosphere is small and kinda quiet depending on what day.

So it was a late night and I ordered take out from this place. I ordered the baked clams and baked pasta. The baked pasta was really good. The baked clams however were horrible. They could have done a better job as far as baking them. They were mushy and didn't really seem cooked fully. Just disappointed by the overall presentation as well. I wouldn't recommend anyone ordering these, and I don't think I will order from this place again.

Since the pandemic reopening this is my first visit. I was not pleased with my meal of penne a la vodka with chicken and shrimp. The food didn't taste as fresh as it normally does. . It was ok. Despite that, i am grateful the staff have returned and the restaurant has reopened. I will continue to support in hopes the food will get better.

Great food, but the delivery staff is super rude. Make sure to order through DoorDash

Quality of food and service is up to par. The hostess are very friendly and helpful. I definitely recommend this establishment for food and services.

Ordered today. I got the same thing that I got 5 years ago, and it arrived and tasted the same exact way that it did then. AMAZING. I got a chicken parm hero, and mozzarella sticks which come with a out of sight marinara sauce.

For the third time in a row during COVID I ordered a half tray ... and three times in a row they sent me the wrong order .. I always buy Penne Vodka with Chicken or Penne chicken w broccoli and each time they sent just Penne !! Never any chicken !! Never no chicken at all !! What a bummer ...

if i can give no ratings i fucking well. I came 30-45 before they closed and then the waiter comes up to MY family and says "we close the kitchen in 10 mins so you need to hurry up" like excuse me ?

My first time eating here with friends today on 8/30/19. Food was superbly tasty. I had a mixed vegetable salad and calamari. Best calamari that I've eaten in a long time. The salad was fresh and very tasty with a vinaigrette dressing as I always use. Our waitress was cordial and attentive. The restaurant was empty except for us at the time so the food did not take a long time to prepare and serve so I wondered what would a busy afternoon be like? Overall, I enjoyed the food very much as my 2 friends had eaten here many times in the past. Congrats to a well worth reasonably price dish

Just got a takeout sandwich from this place the other day; don't get me wrong, they actually do a decent job, but as you could expect from this next of the woods, they aren't exactly a gourmet restaurant. Frankly, I think its amazing that this place has survived since the 50's anyway, and it is actually pretty popular in the community. Anyway, I got a chicken parm hero with sauteed red peppers and onions. The overall product was pretty good, and it was very cheap for a footlong. The chicken was pounded very thin, although there coudl've been a little more of it and the cheese they used was cheap. The sauce was very flavorful--especially with the peppers and onions added--but they didn't need to put on as much as they did. The bread was very good as well, specifically made for sandwiches. The only reason I'm not rating this 3 stars is because of how I felt after I ate the sandwich. I didn't feel sick from the sandwich, but I felt sick at the thought of finishing it. Thats something that never happens to me, and while I enjoyed the sandwich because I was really hungry, I don't think it wouldn't have been as good if I wasn't starving. I could be wrong on this as its very subjective, but I'll definitely get lunch from them again soon and then maybe I'll update this. Even so, this place is one of the last of its kind in this area, and if you're looking for something out of the area's norm (Latino), its defin itely worth a try.

I love the food made with love always but the employee at take out is very rude I opened my food to see a lovely note . Very disrespectful will not be coming here anymore .

Had dinner with some coworkers of mine a few weeks back. My buddy has been bragging about this place for years. Probably because he is a long time customer and frequent flyer. Had to check this place out. Not impressed one bit. Issue #1- The Decor. Place was dimly lit very poor lighting. Nothing on the walls. Just very plain and very drab. Did not remind me of Venice Italy at all. Issue #2- Food. We ordered Veal Parm which taste like a baked mess. Not succulent and juicy. The sauce was plain sauce from a can. No flavor what so ever. Fried calamari had way too much batter on it. Mannicotti was average but decent with the same plain sauce on it, and the spaghetti was soggy swimming around in that tasteless sauce. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed being that I was looking to have a stellar meal after not eating all day. Stay away from this place if you only want friendly waitstaff, good service with extremely poor quality of food. Eat at your own risk. Cheers.

Venice restaurant is a gem right smack in the middle of the South Bronx. It might not be in the best location but they do provide a parking lot across the street with constant video surveillance. I've been going there to dine since the 1960's when they were on the opposite corner. The food is always good with excellent and fast service. They serve, by far the best fried shrimps I ever had. They are large, fresh and tasty. I normally get my fried shrimp with linguini and white clam sauce, it is one of my favorite meals. The dishes are ample and moderately priced. Great food like you would expect in Manhatttan but at Bronx prices, a win win! https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g47369-d7284211-r345870888-Venice_Restaurant-Bronx_New_York.html

I have been going there for years. This place is great!!! The food and service is amazing!! Miss Phil though!!!!!!! #familyowned LOVE IT!!!!

Ordered penne a la vodka & fried shrimp.. serving size was huge! Food was super tasty... staff professionalism was amazing

I had dinner here last night and was pleasantly surprised. We got there around 9:30, so it was pretty quiet. We were given garlic bread with cheese quickly and our order was taken right away. I had the chicken parmigiana and it was great. Good size portion. I couldn't finish the whole thing. My boyfriend had the penne with chicken. It tasted good too. Big portion for that too. We also had a salad and it was good. Whatever dressing they used was tasty. I'd definitely go back.

We had a family gathering there. We all really enjoyed the food. The staff was very accommodating and sweet. Made our family feel at home. The space was perfect. We would really like to do it again.

Awesome to see this place still open. I memba going here every birthday as a kid to pick up my all time favorite lasagna and still the best lasagna around. The calamari is awesome just uncover it so it stay crispy. Other than the chicken parm sandwich everything else has been so delicious. I always order extra meatballs to every entree because they a excellent. Also the price to quantity ratio is a bargain. After years of neglect I'll be going frequently.

Been eating at this Restaurant since I was a child! The amazing taste has been consistent for over 20 years!

With the other offerings in this neighborhood (think Kennedy fried chicken take out) this place is bound to seem like the best there is, but I found it somewhat uneven. I ordered manicotti with sausage, and broccoli sauteed in garlic and oil. The manicotti was just ordinary although the tomato sauce was very good and the sausage was excellent, full of flavor. I also liked the broccoli because it was not swimming in oil as those dishes usually are but had been lightly parboiled beforehand so just a little oil was used. Still I wished my manicotti had been better and that the radio wasn't blasting a talk show or advertisements, whatever it was that wasn't music. I do appreciate though, the fact that there are some remains of former glory in the Bronx and always try to patronize them.

Ate here tonight, ordered several dishes including a large pie Pizza, after an hour the appetizers and pasta dishes at the same time, Pizza never came out.

I love this restaurant. A cozy, romantic gem. The food is amazing and affordable. The service is great. I recommend it for date night.

I ordered mixed vegetables in garlic sauce and a margarita pizza. The vegetables were disgusting with burnt garlic at the bottom. None of it was good at all and I just ended up tossing out the whole tray. The pizza was the only thing I could say that was enjoyable. It wasn't fantastic but it did help after eating those over cooked vegetables.

This was officially the worst Italian food I've ever had. If you think this is marinara sauce than think again! Your sauce tastes of raw tomato and your sausages were made in the mid 1990's. This food all went directly in the garbage. ANY CHAIN restaurant would be better! STAY CLEAR!!!

The only thing I've eaten is the shrimp parmesan and was awesome. My friends have eaten other food here and it's all good reviews. I would recommend this if you want italian food.

Been eating at Venice since 1993 and they have the best chicken parmesean sandwich I ever tasted.

I've been in the Bronx for some time, and everyone has a story about a time they went to Venice. It might have been from the 70s 80s 90s... everyone's been to Venice, and with good reason! This was my first time! Walking in, I first glimpsed at the black and white old pictures from 'back in the day.' Passed the front entrance hall and you're in. It's a simple room full of customers (1 last empty table for me), with nothing glitzy. The walls were painted with Venice inspired images... and Easter decorations were hung around the room. I took a look at the dishes around, and they were big and smelled terrific. I opted for the very well known Chicken and Shrimp Parmesan and was glad I did. It was perfect! My boyfriend had the Chicken Francese with mushrooms. I couldn't finish all my food, which was okay for me. I was excited to take left over's home, since it meant I could eat & enjoy it again. When you're looking for the Bronx original vibe and flavor, this one has it. It was nice to go to a place with history, but most important, a place that has kept its authenticity. Everyone has a story about a time they went to Venice. My story ended the same as all the others; great food, people and forced to take a nap as soon as I got home! I'm already looking forward to going back.

I ate here my entire pregnancy. Great portions of food. Lasagna is the only thing I've ever tried.