Dante NYC
Italian restaurant · 79-81 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, United States · United States
★ 4.5 on Google · 2,785 reviews · View on Google Maps
Manipulation score
CleanCompleted Jul 19, 2026 · 47 reviews flagged
How this score works
The score estimates how strongly this place's review record matches known manipulation patterns, from 0 (no signs) to 100. Verdicts: Clean below 40, Suspicious from 40, Likely Manipulated from 70; Review Drive when the flags are mostly staff asking customers for named reviews. It rises with the share of reviews flagged and how suspicious each one is.
- Burst
- — an abnormal spike of five-star reviews in a single day compared to the place's usual pace.
- Low activity account
- — the reviewer has almost no other reviews, photos, or Local Guide history; throwaway accounts look like this.
- Duplicate text
- — the wording is nearly identical to another review of the same place.
Verdicts are statistical estimates based on public review patterns, not accusations. Full methodology, signal definitions and known limits →
Case conclusion
What the numbers say
999 reviews examined
- Google rating
- 4.5★
- Not-flagged average
- 4.6★
- Flagged
- 5%
- Coverage
- 36%
All reviews shown by Google
952 examined reviews
47 of 999
999 of 2,785 Google reviews
“Not flagged” means no configured Revdict signal matched; it does not prove a review is genuine. Data fetched Jul 19, 2026.
Review brief
What reviews not flagged by Revdict say
Reviewers report that this establishment offers an extensive and highly-praised cocktail program, featuring a wide variety of negronis and martinis alongside Italian-style dishes. While many guests enjoy the lively atmosphere and attentive service, others note that the space can be very crowded and loud.
+ Repeated strengths
Cocktails
Reviewers frequently highlight the exceptional and creative cocktail menu, particularly praising the negronis and martinis.
3 supporting reviews
5★ · 2023-05-23
It's on the 50 Best list for a reason. Excellent drinks, the best I've had in New York. Very elegant and relaxed atmosphere during the day, a bit livelier at night but still elegant.
4★ · 2023-06-24
Some INCREDIBLE cocktails are here! Would highly recommend the Dante Martini. I originally came for the espresso martini, but didn't enjoy the dessert cocktails as much. The food is good, but the cocktails are certainly the star of the show...
5★ · 2026-07-07
Gorgeous place, amazing food & cocktails. One of my favorite spots in the city
Food
Many patrons report that the food, including the pasta dishes, burrata, and tiramisu, is delicious and high quality.
2 supporting reviews
5★ · 2023-06-15
Dante NYC in the West Village exceeded my expectations in every way. To start, their espresso martini was absolutely great, perfectly balanced and full of flavor. The oven-fresh bread, accompanied by salted butter, was a delightful way to k...
4★ · 2023-06-28
Very valued Happy Hour for drinks 🍹
Service and Atmosphere
Numerous reviews mention friendly, accommodating staff and a charming, vibrant atmosphere that makes visits memorable.
1 supporting review
5★ · 2025-09-07
Amazing place! I discovered it by chance while looking for somewhere to eat for my birthday. Excellent atmosphere, great service from the waiter, and world-class food! 100,000% recommended
− Repeated complaints
Crowds and Noise
Reviewers often complain that the venue gets extremely crowded and loud, making conversation difficult.
2 supporting reviews
4★ · 2023-07-27
Really good and different styles of Negronis. Insanely loud but that’s expected. Didn’t get to try food but would come back.
5★ · 2026-06-10
This place has been on my list for a while now and so glad we got to come here on my most recent visit to NYC. It makes sense why they’re consistently rated among the best bars in the world, but don’t sleep on the food either. We had a few...
Staff Attitude
Some guests report encountering rude or aggressive behavior from hosts and front desk staff.
2 supporting reviews
1★ · 2023-09-08
Rude staff with a hostile attitude, nothing worth being there and being exposed to the unacceptable behavior of their front desk
1★ · 2024-01-22
I came here on January. 20, 2024. I came here to see my two friends that flew in from Chicago. They were seated by a corner that had a lot of traffic, and they put a seat at the table that had me in the way of traffic. I got up to move the...
Pricing and Value
A number of reviews state that certain food and drink items are overpriced for the portions or quality provided.
2 supporting reviews
2★ · 2023-06-07
I'd say everything was very nice, the food was good, but really expensive. Water was $9. A little focaccia was $14. We had a first course, an appetizer, and two desserts, and we paid over $100.
3★ · 2025-09-13
I was there for lunch and had a $35+ burger which didn’t even include fries. We also ordered a few other things and think it’s small portions, not that delicious, and overpriced. This place is not worth the hype.
Good for
- Cocktail enthusiasts looking for creative negroni or martini options
- Date nights or small group dinners in a lively setting
- Enjoying happy hour specials
Avoid if
- You prefer quiet environments where you can converse easily without shouting
- You are sensitive to high prices for smaller portions
- You want to avoid potential wait times or crowded spaces
Review anatomy
Reviews per month
| Month | Reviews | Flagged |
|---|---|---|
| May ’23 | 17 | 1 |
| Jun ’23 | 56 | 1 |
| Jul ’23 | 27 | 0 |
| Aug ’23 | 36 | 3 |
| Sep ’23 | 28 | 2 |
| Oct ’23 | 34 | 1 |
| Nov ’23 | 29 | 1 |
| Dec ’23 | 25 | 3 |
| Jan ’24 | 27 | 1 |
| Feb ’24 | 16 | 0 |
| Mar ’24 | 32 | 3 |
| Apr ’24 | 37 | 0 |
| May ’24 | 26 | 2 |
| Jun ’24 | 25 | 0 |
| Jul ’24 | 25 | 1 |
| Aug ’24 | 18 | 0 |
| Sep ’24 | 25 | 1 |
| Oct ’24 | 21 | 2 |
| Nov ’24 | 23 | 1 |
| Dec ’24 | 23 | 1 |
| Jan ’25 | 22 | 0 |
| Feb ’25 | 21 | 0 |
| Mar ’25 | 21 | 0 |
| Apr ’25 | 29 | 0 |
| May ’25 | 29 | 0 |
| Jun ’25 | 30 | 0 |
| Jul ’25 | 24 | 2 |
| Aug ’25 | 27 | 3 |
| Sep ’25 | 36 | 1 |
| Oct ’25 | 29 | 0 |
| Nov ’25 | 13 | 1 |
| Dec ’25 | 31 | 3 |
| Jan ’26 | 15 | 4 |
| Feb ’26 | 11 | 0 |
| Mar ’26 | 23 | 2 |
| Apr ’26 | 30 | 3 |
| May ’26 | 31 | 2 |
| Jun ’26 | 16 | 1 |
| Jul ’26 | 11 | 1 |
Rating distribution
Evidence
- low activity account 44 reviews flagged weight 0.8
- duplicate text 2 reviews flagged weight 0.9
- generic account 1 reviews flagged weight 1
Flagged reviews
Exhibit — 2 reviews, near-identical wording
I would give zero stars if I could. This place has the rudest staff ever. I will never go there again and neither should you.
- Gülin Göksu Başaran ★ 2023-09-08 suspicion 77
- Ys L ★ 2023-09-11 suspicion 77
Showing the 10 most suspicious of 45 remaining flagged reviews.
Ignace Manoury
408 reviews · Local Guide
★★★★★
2025-09-08
This restaurant leaves customers wordless. The workers handled our needs well. The dishes achieve top quality. This restaurant impresses at every turn. Only good experiences found.
Alexis Lawson
2 reviews
★★★★★
2023-05-31
The food is pretty delicious here and the service is some of the best. A friendly recommend the food here and really happy they did.
Hanna Lankler
2 reviews
★★★★★
2023-06-30
I’ve never left a review in my life but celebrated my birthday at Dante and it was truly the most beautiful experience. Planning was a breeze, Michelle was super responsive and took care of every detail down to the welcome drinks! The service throughout the entire night was amazing— they kept the dr...
Victor Mucharraz
1 review
★★★★★
2023-08-08
Colleen Ganin
2 reviews
★★★★★
2023-10-12
We had such an incredible dinner at Dante last night! We had a large party and Dante went above and beyond to make our dinner special. Their events team customized our entire experience and the service was exceptional. Most importantly, though, the drinks are the best in the city and the food was in...
David “Crazy” Moore
1 review
★★★★★
2023-11-02
Perfect
J
2 reviews
★★★★★
2023-12-07
My wife and I chose to have dinner at Cafe Dante for Thanksgiving this year (2023) and we couldn’t have been happier with the experience. YES, the food was wonderful but what really stood out - beyond the ambience which was immaculate - was the service! The staff was absolutely phenomenal and to h...
Richard Lee
2 reviews
★★★★★
2023-12-31
Armando Cortes
2 reviews
★★★★★
2024-01-25
Y Go
1 review
★☆☆☆☆
2024-03-04
Truly a sad experience. You would think that they’d have attentive service and that their cocktails would be up to par with their acclaim. Their cocktail menu is bland and lacks any innovation — save your money and get a dirty martini w a shot of olive oil at your local dive bar. Very rude managemen...
Report generated Jul 19, 2026. Reviews change — you can request a fresh investigation.
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