Actor Chazz Palminteri shows his skills behind the scenes at his namesake restaurant.

“I’ve always wanted to own an Italian restaurant, especially after I got to know Frank Sinatra,” says Palminteri. “He would tell me about the great New York City restaurants he would go to, such as Toots Shor and Jilly’s. He always said you need a great place to go and eat when your friends are in town.”

If the right opportunity came around, Palminteri recalls, he would consider it. “But it had to be the right fit.”

Finding that perfect match

Palminteri became acquainted with brothers Jack, Jeff and Russ Sinanaj who started Empire Steak House in 2010 on Manhattan’s west side and later went on to open a second location on the east side.

“Their restaurant was top shelf all the way,” says Palminteri. “I mentioned my desire to own an Italian restaurant, and we started talking. After a year of talking about it, we decided to do it.”

Delighting in excellent cuisine and ambience

Many celebrities that participate in the hospitality industry have a reputation for being involved in name only, but Palminteri is hands-on and tries to be at the restaurant at least once or twice a week.

“When I was with the show, you would find me there four nights a week, and now that the show has gone nationally, I’m still there,” he says. “Many of the customers are often surprised to see me. But I really enjoy it, and it’s so much fun. I’ll take photos with customers, and they love that. Everyone is wonderful, and the food is fantastic.”

In fact, the food is what the actor says distinguishes Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant from other spots and places them in the conversation of best Italian food in New York. While curious patrons of the restaurant may go there because of his name, they come back for the delicious cuisine.

“People will come to the restaurant once because of me,” says Palminteri. “No matter how much they love me or love my movies, they are not coming back if the food isn’t great. And it’s not just the food—it’s a gorgeous restaurant and extremely classy.”

This semi-private dining room gives a glimpse into the warm, intimate spaces within this Times Square establishment.

Sample one of the specialities on the menu, Salmon Selvatico "Palminteri," a grilled wild salmon dish with mango salad.

Starter: The creamy burrata is a wonderful way to kick off your meal.

Main: A Bronx Tail features a lobster tail, clams, shrimp and mussels, over your choice of homemade linguine or spaghetti, with a light, spicy brandy sauce.

Dessert: The tiramisu, layered with delicious cream and a flourless chocolate cake, is the perfect ending to your meal.

We also asked the actor to name three of his favorite movies: a starter, or a movie he would recommend to someone who is not a film buff; a main, or a film he enjoys immensely; and a dessert, or a guilty pleasure.

Starter: The Usual Suspects is Palminteri’s choice, and not because he stars in it. But he loves to see people’s reaction to the final twist at the end.

Main: On the Waterfront is his favorite movie of all time. Palminteri loved Marlon Brando in this classic film and calls it the perfect movie. “Everything about it is wonderful,” he adds, including the writing, acting and directing.

Dessert: Finally, he says that Young Frankenstein with Mel Brooks is one of his all-time favorites. “I can’t get enough of it. It’s so great and funny,” he says.