This site is closed to new comments and posts.

Notice: This site uses cookies to function.
If you are not comfortable with cookies then please don't browse this website.

Is Primo Atto Closed? — Brooklynian

Is Primo Atto Closed?

peanuts
peanuts
edited November -1 in Park Slope
Gates have been down all week and the curtains are drawn. If they're closed, I wouldn't be surprised....food was good but service was spotty. They also had the bad luck to open during a recession...and they had no specials like some other restaurants in the area (prix fixe; 2 for 1 - and they did not participate in restaurant week - some people use that week to try a restaurant).

I remember at Cocotte (I still miss them) - they had one runner/bus boy and he kept things moving...Primo had so many people there and none of them knew what they were doing. I spoke to the manager more than once about service - he listened but I don't think he had a clue of how to fix it.

I just felt that they didn't know how to run a restaurant...owner was a nice guy but....I was there Valentine's Day...3 people walked in without a reservation...owner told them they could have a table in 30 minutes so they said they'd leave and come back...they came back and they were told they couldn't have a table for 45 minutes...they asked to see the owner who told them he came out and looked for them when 30 minutes had passed (not true-I was sitting in the front) and he had to give up the table (I don't think he ever told the hostess so a table wasn't held). Needless to say, they were pretty miffed

Still - I liked the food and if they are closed...I'm sorry - hate to see a business fail

Comments

  • verucasalt
    verucasalt
    on citysearch it says the days they are open are mon, thurs,fri,sat sun. If so, this is new. I hope they didn't close. I really enjoyed them.

    Although, i think the prices were a little high for the area.
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    the food was very very good and when they first opened, they had this one waiter, Nate who was excellent. yes, service got spotty after he left, but, the food was good and the owner was really trying. Opening any business during this recession is killer, i know we don't go out to eat like we used to and especially not to higher priced places such as Primo Atto.

    I just walked by and they were closed just now as they were on Tuesday evening and there are no menus in the window. i think they are gone, which I find sad. Now all we have left is terrible Italian food around here, all those stupid Voce restaurants, La Villa, Aunt Suzie's, blech!!! Al di la is still around at least.

    As for the prices being high for the area, seriously? This is Park Slope where people pay cash for apartments going for 700k (true story)!
  • j0518
    j0518
    Never got to go there....I think they gave AA miles, though, so I may have missed out on that.

    I've always said....if you're going to open an Italian restaurant in the same neighborhood as Al Di La, you better bring it. Sadly, not many other places do.
  • blevine77
    blevine77
    No! This sucks -- great food there. Went there twice -- once on a Sunday night when it was not crowded at all and the service was fine, and again on the aforementioned Valentine's Day Massacre, where the service was atrocious (we forgave it because it was their first "big" night and the food was still great). We still haven't tried Al Di La, so I guess that's our last hope for top-notch Italian fare.
  • belzjm
    belzjm
    gotta agree with you there jo518. never felt the need to try any other italian places when we already have one of the best around in al di la. primo atto wasn't even all that much less expensive than al di la, and it was a really tacky looking space.

    sorry to see a business fail, but i do hope it's replaced with something better.
  • danielle123
    danielle123
    LongTimeSloper wrote: ...Now all we have left is terrible Italian food around here, all those stupid Voce restaurants, La Villa, Aunt Suzie's, blech!!! Al di la is still around at least.

    I only had the pizza at La Villa once but thought it was excellent and would go back in a heartbeat for more (not sure if you're just hating on the pasta dishes).
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    Not just the pasta dishes, not crazy about the pizza either. I am a big fan of Anthony's pizza though, love me some good brick oven pizza!

    Ah, belzjm, you never even tried the food there, so how could you say you hope it's replaced by something better?

    Oh, and I just called their phone number, number has been disconnected,so, they are gone.
  • MOD
    MOD
    Belzjim, did you delete your reply? Or am I seeing things? (quite possibly!!LOL!)

    I only went once but the service was very attentive and I wanted them to succeed because the servers obviously cared a lot about pleasing the customers. My pasta dish was good and the wine was excellent. I've not stopped talking about their lamb special and how my boyfriend just had to try it and compare it to Blue Ribbon's lamb chops. Sadly we wont be able to do that. Also sad, because some people really liked the place. But it was bad timing all in all. With the recession and layoffs, not many are going out to eat at nice places. First year businesses are screwed, big time.
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    Yes, i feel bad for any businesses that started out last year,
  • voodoonyc
    voodoonyc
    I went twice, once with Mama when they first opened ( :D ) and a second time about a month or so later. Service was impeccable the first time and really (really) lousy the second. Food was great both times, it's really a shame but it always seemed pretty empty.
  • veets
    veets
    I had posted on this place a lot because the first 2 times we went it was terrific. Then on a more recent visit the servie was terrible and the food was not go great. Too bad it is over. What's next?
  • peanuts
    peanuts
    Like I said, I'm not surprised they closed but I am sad...I really enjoyed the food and liked the owner...I watched him as he was "building" the restaurant.
    As for LaVilla...haven't tried the food but LOVE their pizza (I will definitely miss Primo Atto's homemade pasta...yummy)
  • zebra
    zebra
    They only opened last October. I thought it was a rule of thumb in the restaurant biz not to expect to make money the first year or even the first several years. Did they have a six-month plan? I wonder how Al di la did in their first six months; I bet not so great.
  • veets
    veets
    Zebra, you make a good point about the place only being opened for six month. However, other factors aside I think opening in October 2008 might be a good part of the reason why this resturant went under. It might be better to compare it to other restaurants that opened 6 six months ago.
  • jbob
    jbob
    We had dinner there the week before last. The waiter told us they were closing for a few weeks and would reopen with a lighter more casual menu, and possibly some changes to the decor. They were also going to put a pizza oven in the back room where the bar is now. Its going to be the same people involved, and he thought the chef could occasionally be talked into preparing that buffalo mozzarella appetizer from time to time. Lets wait and see!
  • gjones
    gjones
    jbob wrote: We had dinner there the week before last. The waiter told us they were closing for a few weeks and would reopen with a lighter more casual menu, and possibly some changes to the decor. They were also going to put a pizza oven in the back room where the bar is now. Its going to be the same people involved, and he thought the chef could occasionally be talked into preparing that buffalo mozzarella appetizer from time to time. Lets wait and see!
    that's good news. I liked it the one time I went - especially the mozzarella dish. Hopefully they will have learned a few lessons regarding service
  • peanuts
    peanuts
    That's very good news! I wish they had posted a sign about that!
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    Wow, I wonder how much of a lighter menu they are going to come up with? i would hate to lose some of those appetizers and pasta dishes!

    If the pizza oven in the back is going to be a brick oven one, i am all for that!

    And, yes, they should have a sign in the window stating that so people don't just give up on them.
  • peanuts
    peanuts
    I think they're gone....I pass by every day...no one has been there and nothing has been done. I'm sorry about this...I think they did some things wrong, but was hoping things would work out for them.
  • zebra
    zebra
    Does anyone miss the Dominican restaurant that was there before Cocotte?
  • pastoralia
    pastoralia
    I wish the owners of Robin du Bois and Bar Tabac would open something there.
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    Zebra wrote: Does anyone miss the Dominican restaurant that was there before Cocotte?
    we used to go there sometimes because my hubby liked it, it was ok, wouldn't say I missed it. And, if you want a place like that with food like, then there is El Gran Castillo
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    pastoralia wrote: I wish the owners of Robin du Bois and Bar Tabac would open something there.
    Never heard of either of those places, tell me more.
  • zebra
    zebra
    LongTimeSloper wrote:
    Never heard of either of those places, tell me more.
    Smith St. restaurants in Boerum Hill. French-styled bistros.
  • pastoralia
    pastoralia
    They are like stepping into a Paris bistro: simple tasty food, surly but charming French staff, loud, busy, and just all around great (IMO...I'm a bit of a Francophile).
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    I looked up both on Citysearch and while Robin des Bois has good reviews (4 1/2 stars), Bar Tabac is sort of iffy (3 stars ). Robin des Bois sounds like a place I would like, will check them out
  • pastoralia
    pastoralia
    Robin des Bois is more funky (in a good way) and has a great garden in back.
  • peanuts
    peanuts
    My husband saw someone in there last week, but now they have a stop work order sign on the door....not sure what's going on.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In

Categories