This post is all about my completely honest and non-sponsored Misi restaurant review in Brooklyn.
My dining experience at Misi took place in September 2023.
If I could describe my experience at Misi in a few words it would be: Boring, Overpriced, and Agonizing.
Misi is one of those stupid TikTok restaurants that have absolutely no personality (or flavor), but for some reason – everyone has it at the top of their NYC Foodie Bucketlist. Well, I guess we can all agree it does have one thing, and that’s a fantastic marketing team.
My Honest Misi Restaurant Review.
If you are still curious about dining at this overly hyped “Italian” restaurant, in this Misi restaurant review I’ll tell you everything you need to know about dining at Misi Brooklyn.
About Misi in Brooklyn
Misi is located in Williamsburg and was founded in 2018 by Chef and owner, Missy Robbins. She also owns Lilia, which generates the same kind of buzz that Misi does. It also has a very similar menu and aesthetic.
Reservations
It’s nearly impossible to score reservations at Misi.
Start on Resy. Reservations book up 30 days in advance and begin at 10 am EST every day.
Follow nycresx on Instagram. This account helps offer reservations not available through the apps.
The reservation I made was the last for the evening on a Saturday, which was 9:30 p.m.
We were seated about 20 minutes late, which is understandable but of course disappointing as it was already such a late dinner.
One of the biggest cons of getting a reservation that late, is they start running out of dishes and the service gets very slow. Were there for over two hours and were the very last people in the restaurant to leave.
If I were to do it again, I wouldn’t recommend dining at Misi that late if you can avoid it!
Ambiance
One of the biggest things that was lacking for me at Misi was the ambiance.
As you walk in, you’re greeted with a cold white-washed interior filled with coffee table books about pasta, everywhere. It is so beyond sterile, that if there wasn’t the scent of pasta wafting through the air, I’d mistakin’ it for a doctor’s office.
I’ll be the first to admit that this minimalistic Scandinavian vibe that is oh-so-popular, especially in Williamsburg, is so not my thing. And while I can wrap my head around it for something like a hair salon or furniture store… I just can’t see it for the setting of Italian food that is supposed to rock my world (and my wallet).
Food that is supposed to be warm, hearty, and inspiring shouldn’t be served in such a souless environment.
Food & Drinks
While I can excuse slow service and lack of inspiring decor, I cannot excuse mediocre food.
My dinner date is the kind of person who absolutely loves overhyped restaurants & experiences and will go to his grave claiming they are worth it. Even he was stunned by the bland-tasting dishes!
As we dove into our dishes, I could see the Misi effect leave his body as we got further into every bite.
Wine
Starting with wine, which our server was very knowledgeable about, she delivered delightful options after describing what I typically enjoy. The wine was definitely one of the highlights of the meal.
Appetizers
Next was appetizers, which were all a bit of a miss.
We ordered the viral Ricotta Crostini which was hands down the biggest confusing and disappointing order of the evening. I kept asking myself, how could such a bland and basic dish cause this much craze?
In short, it tasted like wheat bread topped with cream cheese. And nothing else.
Thankfully, we did order the slow-roasted tomatoes which were much more flavorful and enhanced the flavor of the unsatisfactory crostini when used as a topping.
Entrees
Finally, the entrees.
Of course, we ordered the Spinach & Mascarpone Tortellini which was actually really lovely. The tortellini was delicate, buttery, and melted in my mouth. While it was very delicious, it certainly wasn’t something I hadn’t had before or couldn’t get elsewhere.
Additionally, I ordered the Pesto Tagliolini which was so bone dry and tasteless, that I politely declined to take the large remainder home for leftovers.
Dessert
While disappointed that gelato is the only dessert on the menu, I was able to come to terms with the fact that if it’s the only dessert they offer, it must be amazing. And honestly, it was pretty tasty! They were out of several flavors so I just had a few bites of pistachio, which was creamy and light.
Prices
For two glasses of wine, two appetizers, two entrees, and 1 dessert our bill was around $145 which is pretty standard for a nice meal in Williamsburg.
I feel like simply because of the buzz and the hard-to-get reservations, Misi could have astronomical prices and I was happy to see they keep it reasonable.
Most entrees were priced around $27-$32 so if you want to eat at Misi on a budget, it’s pretty doable.
Service
At Misi, the waiting staff was top-notch. Our servers were extremely knowledgeable about every dish and the few things we did enjoy were their recommendations.
However, the service was slow. I don’t fault the service staff themselves as there are so many components that lead up to slow service. Specifically, there were very large time gaps between the food that was delivered, and it didn’t seem intentional.
We received our wine and appetizers immediately upon sitting down which was nice. And then our entrees came over an hour later.
By the time we received our entrees, it was 11 p.m. and I was nearly falling asleep.
If You Already Have Reservations at Misi
Already have reservations at Misi? I encourage you to still check out the restaurant if you’ve already gone through the trouble.
If you’re on your way to Misi here’s what I would have done differently:
Definitely order the slow-roasted tomatoes, Spinach Tortellini, and dessert.
Before you head over to Misi. check out the stunning cocktail bar nearby, Deux Chats.
Dress Code
Make no mistake, Misi is fancy so you’ll want to wear your Williamsburg best.
Aim for something that matches the vibe of the restaurant which screams “quiet wealth”.
Like something a rich grandpa who lives in the middle of nowhere would wear.
What I wore to Misi
Is Misi Worth The Hype?
While there are some really nice aspects about the restaurant, I do not think it is worth the hype or trouble to score reservations.
A few other restaurants that are similar to Misi but in my opinion are better are Aurora in Williamsburg, LaRina Pacifico & Vino in Clinton Hill, and Romans in Fort Greene.
This post was all about Misi Restaurant Review.
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