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Il Vicino - Nob Hill
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go
3403 Central Ave NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106-1431
United States
(505) 266-7855 | map
ilvicino.com
All beer are brewed at their brewery in Albuquerque: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13981
3403 Central Ave NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106-1431
United States
(505) 266-7855 | map
ilvicino.com
All beer are brewed at their brewery in Albuquerque: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13981
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by qjholler from New Mexico
3.93/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
3.93/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
The pizza is the main draw by a long shot, but the beer is great too. Il Vicino is a cool spot in Nob HIll that offers fantastic food with a solid complement of brews. As fancy as pizza can reasonably get without costing a fortune, and you can't go wrong with any of their (admittedly limited) selection of beers.
Mar 24, 2018Reviewed by jhines18 from New Mexico
3.7/5 rDev -6.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
3.7/5 rDev -6.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
I knew Il Vicino first for their pizza. This is a restaurant with great personal brick oven pizzas, highly recommended. As I got older I got more into their beer. Not the best in town, but up there. Could have a better selection and beers can be unnecessarily bitter.
Jun 20, 2013Reviewed by tronester from Oklahoma
4.13/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
4.13/5 rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Il Vicino is a popular Pizza Place in ABQ. Myself and some coworkers visited here on a Friday night traveling through. When we arrived, the place was quite crowded. There is a bar that wraps around the front, and allows you to view the brick oven pizza. You order your food and drinks at the front, and then it is served to you after you find a table.
The pizzas come as single personal sized. I ordered a pepperoni, as well as a glass of their Rye Beer.
The beer was very fresh, and reminded me a lot of Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. When the staff brought my pizza out, it was very charred on one side, so she immediately asked me if I would like another one, or if I liked mine super charred. I asked for another, which I appreciated that they did not try and just give me an overcooked pizza. The next pizza came out perfect, with a light amount of char. It was very tasty and fresh.
I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Albuquerque.
Oct 08, 2009The pizzas come as single personal sized. I ordered a pepperoni, as well as a glass of their Rye Beer.
The beer was very fresh, and reminded me a lot of Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. When the staff brought my pizza out, it was very charred on one side, so she immediately asked me if I would like another one, or if I liked mine super charred. I asked for another, which I appreciated that they did not try and just give me an overcooked pizza. The next pizza came out perfect, with a light amount of char. It was very tasty and fresh.
I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Albuquerque.
Reviewed by Ben4881 from Texas
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Atmosphere:
Il Vicino has a somewhat modern feel. They have a long bar along the right wall. The left wall is lined with bench that stretches the length of almost the entire restaurant. Aside from the bar and the bench, seating is quite limited. We arrived at 4:45pm on Sunday and there were not many people there. By the time we left, there was a long line to order food. However, there isn't ample space to have a line, as the line invaded the already limited seating area. The people coming in to enjoy the restaurant seemed to reflect the university neighborhood.
Service:
Our servers were excellent. Their policy is to order and pay for the food and beverages at the counter, then relax at a table while another server brings your order. The gentleman at the counter allowed us to sample their beer - high marks. He also offered us water - outstanding. However, we were served beer in frosted glasses - for shame - my fault for not requesting otherwise.
Selection:
The selection on this particular day was very limited. We were told that their tap system was in need of repair. Therefore, they had two soda kegs behind the bar hooked up to cooler taps - often seen at festivals. Their blonde and IPA were the only two available. However, it appears they have about 8-10 taps going regularly. Both beers were decent, with the IPA being exceptional.
Food:
We shared a house salad and a #5 pizza without onions. The salad had the right amount of dressing and fresh cheese. The pizza was a little larger than I expected for the price, great value. The pizza also tasted great.
Value:
We happened to stop in during happy hour. The beer was a great value and the food was very reasonable, considering we shared. Two beers (one of them a 22 oz.), a salad, and a pizza kept the bill under $20.
Jul 28, 2008Il Vicino has a somewhat modern feel. They have a long bar along the right wall. The left wall is lined with bench that stretches the length of almost the entire restaurant. Aside from the bar and the bench, seating is quite limited. We arrived at 4:45pm on Sunday and there were not many people there. By the time we left, there was a long line to order food. However, there isn't ample space to have a line, as the line invaded the already limited seating area. The people coming in to enjoy the restaurant seemed to reflect the university neighborhood.
Service:
Our servers were excellent. Their policy is to order and pay for the food and beverages at the counter, then relax at a table while another server brings your order. The gentleman at the counter allowed us to sample their beer - high marks. He also offered us water - outstanding. However, we were served beer in frosted glasses - for shame - my fault for not requesting otherwise.
Selection:
The selection on this particular day was very limited. We were told that their tap system was in need of repair. Therefore, they had two soda kegs behind the bar hooked up to cooler taps - often seen at festivals. Their blonde and IPA were the only two available. However, it appears they have about 8-10 taps going regularly. Both beers were decent, with the IPA being exceptional.
Food:
We shared a house salad and a #5 pizza without onions. The salad had the right amount of dressing and fresh cheese. The pizza was a little larger than I expected for the price, great value. The pizza also tasted great.
Value:
We happened to stop in during happy hour. The beer was a great value and the food was very reasonable, considering we shared. Two beers (one of them a 22 oz.), a salad, and a pizza kept the bill under $20.
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
The name means "The Neighbor" in Italian and they were downright neighborly to me during my visit. This was one in a chain which is notable only because they were too small at this location to have their own brewing system. They did offer four house beers during my visit - Wet Mountain IPA; Pigtail Blonde; Slowdown Brown; and Stout, as well as Amber as a Manager's Special.
Entering, there was a sort of barrier/holding area due to its immense popularity with the m.d.s./cashier off to the right. The entire menu, and it was extensive, was on display in the overhead, again to the right of the entry. Since I planned to eat and drink at the far end of the long, snaking, "S"-shaped bar, I was asked to order and pay before taking my seat. The reason for this was that the front part of the back bar was for wine display, although each of the beers plus redundancy were available on-tap. No matter, since the back end of the rear bar was where the action was (thanks, Rob Halford of Judas Priest), in this case, the pizza kitchen with dough continually being rolled, pounded, tossed, flattened, and adorned with good stuff before being consigned to the ovens. The center area and the left wall were filled with standard restaurant tables and chairs. All of the way aft were the lavatories.
I had the # 8 (Angeli) pizza, which consisted of grilled chicken, gorgonzola cheese, portabella mushrooms, and chopped artichokes, made in a wood-fired oven. Quick - What happens when a boy named Arthur eats too fast? Artie chokes! Ha ha. The pizza was a riot of flavors, washed down by a great, hoppy IPA. My number, for tracking purposes, was Trente Sixte (36) and I sat next to 10, 12, and 13, all of whom had been there for a while and were just finishing up. Just a bunch of us Villagers, although 1, 2, and 6 were nowhere to be found. Probably out gathering information.
Summary: Good food? Check. Friendly atmosphere: Decent, but they were really slammed and I was lucky just to get a seat. Good beer: Hell, yeah! Gimme dem hops! Mom Test: Oh, yeah, but she would want to sit at a table. Eating at the bar is anathemic to her.
May 02, 2008Entering, there was a sort of barrier/holding area due to its immense popularity with the m.d.s./cashier off to the right. The entire menu, and it was extensive, was on display in the overhead, again to the right of the entry. Since I planned to eat and drink at the far end of the long, snaking, "S"-shaped bar, I was asked to order and pay before taking my seat. The reason for this was that the front part of the back bar was for wine display, although each of the beers plus redundancy were available on-tap. No matter, since the back end of the rear bar was where the action was (thanks, Rob Halford of Judas Priest), in this case, the pizza kitchen with dough continually being rolled, pounded, tossed, flattened, and adorned with good stuff before being consigned to the ovens. The center area and the left wall were filled with standard restaurant tables and chairs. All of the way aft were the lavatories.
I had the # 8 (Angeli) pizza, which consisted of grilled chicken, gorgonzola cheese, portabella mushrooms, and chopped artichokes, made in a wood-fired oven. Quick - What happens when a boy named Arthur eats too fast? Artie chokes! Ha ha. The pizza was a riot of flavors, washed down by a great, hoppy IPA. My number, for tracking purposes, was Trente Sixte (36) and I sat next to 10, 12, and 13, all of whom had been there for a while and were just finishing up. Just a bunch of us Villagers, although 1, 2, and 6 were nowhere to be found. Probably out gathering information.
Summary: Good food? Check. Friendly atmosphere: Decent, but they were really slammed and I was lucky just to get a seat. Good beer: Hell, yeah! Gimme dem hops! Mom Test: Oh, yeah, but she would want to sit at a table. Eating at the bar is anathemic to her.
Reviewed by JudgeRoughneck from Louisiana
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
NOTE: This review is for Santa Fe location, tried to add it as a new place and didn't work for some reason.
The atmosphere in Il Vicino is cozy and inviting, though it can be rather loud at times. It is pretty much your typical wood-oven pizza set-up, a nice place but very casual. I have sampled a wide range of things on the menu and find them all excellent, but the calzones are a particular favorite. While service is usually friendly. I've been less than impressed on a few occasions and I have noticed a pretty high turnover of employees.
Selection is a menu of gourmet pizzas, a few calzones, and some really great salads. There are usually 5 or 6 beers on tap, including a rootbeer. Stay away from the middle taps, the red and brown are decent, but pretty unremarkable. The Stout is really wonderful its is very rich, full bodied and lives up to its "dark and lusty" namesake. During the winter I fill my growler with this stuff at least once a month. I'm not a huge IPA drinker, but their IPA is possibly one of my all-time favorites for its dizzying hop bouquet and abv. The rootbeer is really pretty impressive in its own right, and though it cost the same as a beer, I often get it anyway.
To really do it right, you gotta hit the late-night special. 7 bucks gets you personal cheese pizza and a pint. By Santa Fe prices, you don't get a better deal than that. The special starts at 9 pm.
Dec 13, 2005The atmosphere in Il Vicino is cozy and inviting, though it can be rather loud at times. It is pretty much your typical wood-oven pizza set-up, a nice place but very casual. I have sampled a wide range of things on the menu and find them all excellent, but the calzones are a particular favorite. While service is usually friendly. I've been less than impressed on a few occasions and I have noticed a pretty high turnover of employees.
Selection is a menu of gourmet pizzas, a few calzones, and some really great salads. There are usually 5 or 6 beers on tap, including a rootbeer. Stay away from the middle taps, the red and brown are decent, but pretty unremarkable. The Stout is really wonderful its is very rich, full bodied and lives up to its "dark and lusty" namesake. During the winter I fill my growler with this stuff at least once a month. I'm not a huge IPA drinker, but their IPA is possibly one of my all-time favorites for its dizzying hop bouquet and abv. The rootbeer is really pretty impressive in its own right, and though it cost the same as a beer, I often get it anyway.
To really do it right, you gotta hit the late-night special. 7 bucks gets you personal cheese pizza and a pint. By Santa Fe prices, you don't get a better deal than that. The special starts at 9 pm.
Reviewed by SeanChouffe from New Mexico
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
Il Vicino is a very reliable dining experience, and a fun place to go in Nob Hill. The service is almost always great. There is always a line. The décor is very modern., and well designed, however noise levels are very high and space is at a minimum. The pizza has occasionally been middle of the road, but the spinach salads are always great. My experience with the beer, however, is mixed. The beer I had this evening, Slow Down Brown, was fair. The last beer I had there was just ok as well. They Usually have about 4 of their beers on tap, one root beer and bottles of Peroni.
Feb 27, 2004
Il Vicino - Nob Hill in Albuquerque, NM
Place rating:
3.94 out of
5 with
11 ratings
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