Il Bambino

excellent panninis and awesome appetizers. the ingredients are high quality, and everything is always thoughtfully prepared. the atmosphere is cool and low key. bring your friends and have a couple beers in the rear garden... good times more

Il Bambino is a fantastic establishment that stands as a hallmark to the dining opportunities in Astoria. The menu is concise, but filled with variety--each made with the best ingredients complimented by a great wine and beer list. The staff is pleasant and prompt. The prices are unmistakably reasonable. I have eaten there a countless number of times and I have never been disappointed. I particularly recommend the rear garden if the weather is nice. It is a great space that you don't expect from the street. Definitely make a stop there. more

Living in the area I recently stumbled acroos Il Bambino on the way to work. And I love it. Why ist has become my regular stop. What I really like other then the food is that the place is always always consistant. Very clean and verry Good Menu, more

Felt good energy as soon as we walked in. Three staff greeted us with a warm hello and Patrick the waiter was on point and pleasent. Had the special potato/mushroom soup which was excellent. Enjoyed the Italian meatloat panini which was fresh and tasty. THe cupcakes score a 8 out of 10 and coffee very good.. The red wine special was full bodied and tasteful. Would definetely go back but and go with a specials again . more

Just go here. Amazing every single time. more

I've been enchanted by Il Bambino for the last several months now. Their simple but supurb menu selection of paninis, crostinis, and salads, the impeccable quality of their ingredients, how their food stands up to delivery wonderfully, the charming quaint atmosphere of the restaurant, (not to mention BYOB! yay!)... all adds up to a keeper. I think I'll be enjoying Il Bambino's sandwiches for as long as I live in Astoria. We're committed! Pros: Delisciousness, Service, Value Cons: Small seating area, but fairly normal for NYC and Astoria more

This little Astoria jewel is well worth trying. Not only was the food amazing, the wait-staff was super kind and very attentive. As far as the ambiance goes... Its quaint, cozy, and whimsical. My friends and I had a lovely dinner and bottle of wine for a great price. Its the perfect nook for a good book, glass of wine and hors d' oeuvre's. Pros: crostini's Cons: I ate too much more

I am writing this review mostly in response to the person who felt the corkage fee was absurd and the owner rude. more

Not the best food on the block, forget about the neighborhood. I have been there for salads a couple of times, they are good but overpriced. more

I went, I ate a sandwich and I forgot about it. That about sums up this non-descript tiny shop. Mostly overrate, dont buy the hype. more

The food is ok, not great. The bread on the crostini is often stale to the point of being a cracker (I happen to like chewy bread too). The truffle egg salad has WAY too much chemical flavoring in it (Bis-(Methylthio)methane) and while they have a wide range of meats they are not of particularly high quality. more

I go to Il bambino all the time and have had just about everything on the menu. The food is awesome. Whenever I eat there the experience is as if I am having it again for the first time. I am always blown away by how good it is. I agree with previous posts about the decor, it could use some work. But I'm all about the food so this doesn't really faze me.'The staff and owner have always been very pleasant and helpful, I always feel comfortable here whether I'm with my boyfriend or alone. And the corkage fee doesn't really bother me because you get such high quality food at dirt cheap prices. Check out the crustinis! Pros: Amazing food at low prices Cons: I have to take the subway to get there more

I moved to Astoria from Long Island back in February of this year. As I got to know the neighborhood Il Bambino quickly became my favorite spot. The panini's are really incredible. The owner/chef makes them himself right behind the counter, always uses fresh top quality ingredients and takes the time to make each one right (even though he makes hundreds every day). I've tried most of the stuff on the menu and my personal fav's include the chicken panini with spicy mayo panini, sausage & peppers panini, eggplant with pesto panini, the coffee & tea, bagels and muffins in the morning. Honestly , I've never had a bad thing from this place and that's why I keep going back. This place is really a treasure b/c everything is homemade. Plus they have a very cool staff that is always nice every single time I've been there (which is probably 2-3 times a week). This is the way a true neighborhood restaurant is supposed to operate. Do yourself a favor and try it. Pros: Panini's Crostini's, Staff, Coffee, Muffins Cons: None....this is one of my all-time favorite's more

I only recently discovered this cafe, but already it has become a favorite. The panini and cappucino are such a refreshing change in an area that tends to be oversaturated with eurotrash cafes. Love it! more

Loved this place the first few times I went there. The decor was nothing to speak of, but everything felt very european. Loved the fact that you could bring your own wine. Had 2 birthday dinners there for friends ( owner was rude on one occasion)- but still went back. In fact, our group ( 4 of us) turned alot of people on to the place. more

Great addition to the neighborhood. The food is fantastic and made with high-quality ingredients (truffle oil on a $4 crostini? Yes indeed!), interesting menu and reasonable prices. Coffee drinks are also of high quality. Pros: Fantastic food. Locally owned. Casual atmosphere. Good prices. Cons: Tacky decor. Too-loud music. Owner can be grumpy. more