Don Angie

Don Angie isn't just another Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village—it's the place that turned chrysanthemum salad into a viral sensation and made waiting two hours for a table feel almost reasonable. Since opening in 2017, this neo-Italian-American spot from chefs Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito has become the kind of restaurant that sells out within minutes of releasing reservations, leaving thousands of hopeful diners refreshing Resy in vain.

The restaurant's impossible-to-get status isn't just hype. Don Angie earned its stripes by reimagining Italian-American classics with technique and ingredients that feel both nostalgic and revelatory. It's the rare restaurant where the food actually lives up to the reservation chaos—which only makes scoring a table feel that much more urgent.

The Restaurant

Don Angie occupies a narrow Greenwich Village townhouse that feels intimate and electric simultaneously. The 60-seat space buzzes with the energy of people who know they're eating somewhere special, whether they're celebrating an anniversary or just managed to snag a last-minute cancellation.

Chefs Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito met while working at Quality Meats, where they began developing the Italian-American concepts that would define Don Angie. Tacinelli brings classical French training to the partnership, while Rito's Italian-American heritage from New Jersey influences the menu's nostalgic-yet-elevated approach. Together, they've created something that feels both familiar and completely new.

The restaurant earned a James Beard nomination for Outstanding New Restaurant in its first year, and celebrity sightings are common but not ostentatious. This is date night territory for people who care deeply about food, with prices that reflect both the quality and the exclusivity—expect to spend $80-120 per person before drinks.

The vibe is sophisticated but not stuffy, with an open kitchen that lets you watch the controlled chaos of turning out dozens of those famous chrysanthemum salads each night. The wine list focuses on natural and small-production bottles that pair perfectly with the restaurant's Italian-American fusion approach.

What to Order

The chrysanthemum salad ($18) is the dish that launched a thousand imitations—shaved chrysanthemum greens tossed with lemon, pecorino, and black pepper that somehow tastes like the platonic ideal of a Caesar salad. It's Instagram-famous for a reason, and absolutely worth ordering despite the hype.

The spicy king crab with lemon and chilies ($38) showcases the kitchen's ability to elevate simple ingredients into something transcendent. Sweet crab meat gets a gentle heat from Calabrian chilies, finished with bright lemon and good olive oil.

Don't miss the dry-aged duck with salmoriglio ($45), where 21-day aged duck breast is served with the Sicilian sauce of lemon, olive oil, and herbs. It's the kind of dish that makes you understand why people fight for reservations here.

For pasta, the lasagna for two ($65) is an event unto itself—layers of fresh pasta, meat sauce, and béchamel that arrive golden and bubbling. The cacio whey tonnarelli ($28) reimagines the Roman classic with house-made pasta and a sauce enriched with cheese whey for extra funkiness.

The dessert menu changes seasonally, but the olive oil cake with whipped mascarpone has become a signature for good reason—it's the perfect end to a meal that balances indulgence with sophistication.

The Drop Time

Don Angie releases reservations exactly 7 days in advance at 9:00 AM ET on Resy. This timing is crucial because prime slots (7-9 PM, Friday through Sunday) disappear within the first few minutes.

The restaurant typically releases around 40-50 reservations per day, split between lunch and dinner service. Weekend dinner slots are the most competitive, often selling out in under 3 minutes. Tuesday through Thursday dinners offer slightly better odds but still require precise timing.

What the Internet Says

The reservation struggle is real, according to NYC food Reddit: "I've been trying to get into Don Angie for literally 6 months," wrote one user on r/FoodNYC. "Set alarms, had multiple browsers open, the whole nine yards. Finally got a Tuesday 5:30 PM slot and it was worth every second of stress."

Another Redditor shared their strategy: "Pro tip—if you can't get dinner, try for lunch. Same menu, way easier to book, and you can actually hear your date talk." The lunch service, which runs Tuesday through Friday, often has availability even a day or two out.

On Twitter, food writer @NYCFoodieLife noted: "Don Angie reservations are like Concert tickets—you need multiple devices, fast internet, and the reflexes of a gaming streamer. But unlike concert tickets, the payoff is actually worth the hysteria."

One successful diner on Chowhound revealed: "I noticed they sometimes release additional spots around 3 PM, probably cancellations. Caught a Friday 8 PM that way after weeks of trying at the regular drop time."

Pro Tips

• Set up your Resy profile completely beforehand—payment method, dining preferences, everything. You'll have seconds, not minutes, to complete your booking.

• Use multiple devices but the same account. Having your partner refresh on their phone while you use your laptop doubles your chances without violating Resy's terms.

• Consider the bar seats, which are often available even when tables are sold out. You'll get the full menu and the energy of watching the kitchen work.

• Tuesday and Wednesday nights offer the best odds for prime time slots, while Thursday has become surprisingly competitive as people treat it like the new Friday.

• Check for cancellations around 2-3 PM the day before—people often cancel when they realize they can't make it, and these spots rarely get snapped up immediately.

• If you're flexible on time, 5:30 PM and 10:00 PM slots are easier to secure and still give you the full Don Angie experience.

• Lunch reservations (Tuesday-Friday) follow the same 7-day advance booking but rarely sell out completely. It's the same menu in the same space with better availability.

Or Let Mise Handle It

Of course, if you'd rather skip the 9 AM reservation sprint and focus on actually enjoying your meal, that's exactly what Mise is for. Our automated reservation service monitors Don Angie (and dozens of other impossible-to-book restaurants) around the clock, securing tables the moment they become available.

Whether it's a last-minute cancellation or a newly released slot, Mise handles the timing, the clicking, and the stress—so you can focus on deciding whether to order the chrysanthemum salad or just get two of them. Because life's too short to spend it refreshing Resy at 9 AM, especially when that perfectly aged duck is waiting for you at Don Angie.