Reviews of The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar (Catering)

Marjorie Pagel

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed dining at the Pasta Tree tonight (Thursday). It was so relaxing, the food was excellent, and we liked our waiter, Robert, and the bartender -- didn't get his name, but he takes his profession seriously. We'll definitely go back -- and take friends with us.

Ryan Konop

Came to celebrate an anniversary. Good: Given nice table by front door. Bad: 1. Odor in lobby at entrance. It seems it may be a temporary shelter for the homeless 2. Waitress seemed stressed 3. Ordered appetizers but after 20 minutes, we asked about them and they were sorry but they only had 2 people working and trying to get to everything...it showed up 2 minutes later. 4. Entrees were ok...special of the day was $28...and if u wanted a coke, they hand you a can and a glass of ice. That was weird. 5. Server was really underdressed 6. It just didnt feel like a $98 meal I've been to worse. I would just not return.

Dawn Roberts

The atmosphere was great and the good was even better. Would recommend this place anyone

Timothy Vertz

Great food great wine crazed sweet waitress.

Jason Langston

Beautiful quiet romantic spot to take your significant other for a nice dinner and drinks.

Sharlee Bourbonais

Delicious. Great service. Cozy atmosphere.

Madeline Strom

I got two recommendations from locals to try The Pasta Tree while traveling on business. I drove all the way across town to get there and when I walked in the restaurant was 1/2 full. A very disingenuous server told me that without a reservation, I was not welcome. That they were too busy for walk ins. I asked why they had so many empty tables if they were so busy, and they said that they weren't seating that part if the dining room. I walked outside, went to the restaurant's website and made a reservation for 15 MINUTES later... This person had the opportunity to help me figure out how to get a table but instead was more interested in wielding a power trip than helping me eat at that restaurant. It is worth mentioning that when I came back for my reserved time, the empty tables I pointed out earlier were being filled. I was seated 5 mins after my reservation and then waited a full 15 minutes for even a glass of water. The server who took my order was visibly overwhelmed. They listed off the specials for me and I stopped them to just ask how they were doing. They took a deep breath and that was honestly the most human interaction I had the whole time I was there. I will say this. The food was okay. Not memorable. Jarred whole olives and artichokes with overcooked shrimp and limp pasta. It was edible. But I will always remember how I was treated like a burden by staff that very obviously are working in a poorly managed restaurant without enough support. Two servers playing host, bartender, busboy, and handling a Friday night dinner push alone is ridiculous. And they have a single tablet to pass around to tables to pay so turning tables is additionally strained. The server from the start did come over and apologize to me but it was again to reinforce how it was not their fault that I didn't have a reservation and they weren't accepting walk ins. That my getting a reservation made them look bad. I'm sorry to say that I can't recommend this restaurant.

Susan Jacobsen

Food was pretty good, service was very eh. Slow and impersonable, but not bad or rude. I think if it weren't such a hassle to get to we might go every now and then, but I wouldn't make a special trip to go there again.

Nancy Bansal

Good food with bad service..

Craig Lind

Avoid, the place has degraded. Bad smells and odd environment

Lola Lopez

Place was great, came with friends recommending when heard a very talent guy men with a spice voice, our waiter was Robert, we would like a concert

S Hoop

Great food and staff. I hope they stay around for a long time.

cynitha gregory

I was treated very poorly by a staff member at The Pasta Tree In Milwaukee on the East side. I was asked to leave because the hot water in the pots were poured out and they were unable to take my order. It was 9:00pm the restaurant closed at 10:00pm, but I was told there was no hot water. I felt that I was turned away because I was not a white women. So If you are black and you want to try out the pasta at The Pasta Tree you might be refused service even if you have a reservation.. That's what happen to me

Rachel Noel

Awful service and the bartenders were more concerned with talking poorly about the hostess when she walked away. The entire staff should be retrained

Vincent Desing

We arrived at 6:45 and because it took so long for our food to arrive we were not done until 8:45 despite asking 3 times when we were going to get our food. Only about 2/3 of the tables were filled. And the food was mediocre especially considering the price. Had been there a few years back and everything was great. If our experience is indicative of the typical service received, the place has gone way downhill

Michael Mack

Overall a great experience. Service was nicely paced. Food was priced decently and the wine selection is nice. Good date spot.

STEVEN INTOCABLE

Called ahead of time and walked in 40 min before close and they refused me service. They lied and said the cooks left. Lazy, not worth it service.

Mark Klein

Went with another couple for dinner. Touted as the best "romantic" place to go. We were seated near the noisy kitchen-even though we were the first ones there so, not romantic. I ordered Caesar Salad to start. The only thing Caesar about it was the romaine and a couple of anchovies. No croutons, no Caesar dressing-had a vinaigrette, and no parmesan (I think it was mozarella). Pasta dish was under seasoned with canned rubbery artichokes. Other dishes were just okay. Left disappointed.

Larschelby Kidd

Small comfortable and intimate. I really enjoyed my time here. Delicious Appetizers.

Zach Walters

Meh. Not great

Megan Bassett

Best restaurant in Milwaukee! What a great atmosphere and the staff was stellar. So friendly and entertaining. The food was delicious, the best pasta I've ever eaten.

David Pendley

We wanted to like this place because its close to our new home and looked rather quaint. Bad food, service and over priced. I felt so bad for the couples around us as we all experienced the same thing. Beware of the specials....29.50 for boney chicken on a bed of rice. How does an Italian restaurant get the bread wrong?

Charles LoMagro

Great food, a little pricey. Great place for a date.

Cole Macejik

The vibe is a perfect balance between classy but not fancy. Food was delicious and our server was a baller! Very relaxed and comfortable feel and easy to talk to. Great first date experience

Megan Klein

I went there as a "romantic dare night" with my fiance. I will say this was a wonderful, cozy, romantic place to eat. The food was amazing, and I highly suggest the lasagna.

Steve Vieira

We were disappointed that they did not have lasagna or soup, both items were on the menu. (Two of our group of 4 planned to order the lasagna and were very disappoimted when we were told they did not have any) Also, It also took a very long time to get our food ( And it wasn't very busy when we ordered). Once the food arrived, it was good (but somewhat pricy.) I will say that our waiter was awesome and very personable. Over all I'm glad I tried the restaurant but I'm not sure I would go back.

christine knops

Food poisoning...no fun, thanks:/

Bre Ricks

Great dining experience and service! Staff was attentive and warm, good place!

Grant Garson

Several great vegan options

Yekaterina Zelikman

Service was awful. The waitress didn’t acknowledge us when we came in the door. The bartender offered us to sit at the bar and wait to be seated, but never offered us a drink (or at least a water). We had a reservation but showed up early, there were 3 open empty set up tables visible to us, the bartender looked around and said he thinks it shouldn’t be a problem to squeeze us in. The food was underwhelming. I had the roasted eggplant pasta: my eggplant was undercooked and the pasta sauce looked like it came out of a jar.

Jim Madson

Good food, poor service.

Maxx's Munchery

Drove here to pick up a order a customer placed online. Drove all the way from the south side and was greeted by a locked door at 9:15pm when the sign says closes at 10PM! Tried to call and no answer, no employees or customers anywhere in the restaurant and no way to leave a voicemail due to mailbox being full. Probably full with complaints from people who wanted to try your food but can't because you close all the time.

Carroll Elger

Always wanted to go to this restaurant, and I certainly did not regret the choice when I did. Even with a party of 15, the service was friendly and fast. Incredible, house made pasta, beautifully prepared scallops, everything tasted incredible. A hidden gem of Milwaukee.

Alexis Jordan

Smells likes a litter box. Very outdated. The food was not good.

Fort DragonSlayer

It was my wife's and mine 18th anniversary, so I heard about the restaurant, and decided to try it out. They didn't honor my coupon I had purchased earlier, which put a damper on it--now, I have to not only fork over an additional not-expected amount, but I have a coupon I have to put on hold...I could have spent the monies elsewhere. Plus, they ran out of Lasagna. Come on! If you know that you might run out of something, why didn't you make more for the next day? I ordered Manicotti, which was beyond fabulous, but was really looking forwards to having that Lasagna. My wife ordered fetuccini, which was also very good. I felt that service was rather frank and impartial, and was no consideration for my frustration. I will only be going back because I have that coupon that I am going to use, and not return again.

Nelson Day

Ask for Jonathon to be your server. Best in town.

Deborum Henning

The service was great. The food was excellent. The only thing i didnt like was the parking which wasn't pasta tree fault(they have a parking lot across from them on curtis street but it was full) i had to park on brady and walk 3 blocks. I would reccomend to take a uber so u can wine and dine and not have to worry about parking

John Piraino

Great pasta selection. This place can't be missed.

Terisa Robichaud

Cozy little place for intimate dinner conversations. The food was PHENOMENAL. Tried the carbonara and the gorgonzola alfredo. Both to die for. Apple brandy cheesecake for dessert. Equally delicious. I do recommend making a reservation. Definitely going again.

Carni Girl Life

BEST Day ever!!! We had a wonderful Sunday at The Pasta Tree with 20 friends and family. The food was amazing, we had 15 different dishes~ The Pasta could not have been more perfect. The Italian Donuts, OMG, I didn’t even think I liked donuts. Amazing.

Kathi Boziel

Came on a weeknight. Overhead music was too loud, made it difficult to talk to each other. Had their "classic clam dish." Too salty took away from any other flavor that may have been there. Overpriced. Service was good. Good atmosphere.

Christie Stevenson

Would not recommend this place. Service was not great, food was overly priced, it smelled like sewage when we walked in- I assume from dirty, wet rugs, and I got food poisoning from the Carbonara.

Julie Santi

Visiting from out of town. We are Italian and love trying new Italian restaurants. The food was really good but the service was extremely slow. The waitress walked by our table numerous times without acknowledging us or checking in with us if we needed anything and had zero personality. We will not be returning to this establishment upon our next visit to Milwaukee.

Rick Sperko

The food was great. Good service

Sabrina Stangler

Lots of specials, super tasty wine recommendation

Matthew Voiers

Of course I hold bias being a chef here. But out of any restaurant I've worked I never would eat from there.. I have no qualms about eating food from the pasta tree. And it's good even after all the times I cook these base menu plates for our guests within night, I still love to eat from here whenever I can. Fresh pasta made in the restaurant, high quality food, and an extremely waste conscious process makes me proud to call the pasta tree home and makes me hungry just talking about it! Specials tend to be a little pricier, but believe me. It's worth it, splurge a little you won't be sorry. Oh and for dessert u have to try our Chocolate Nemesis flourless torte. Raved as the best in milwaukee by food critics and guests alike, there's a lot to see (the old Italy dining room), a lot of fun (it's not just a "date night" restaurant. Bring your friends too, we do romance well, but we can kiki too

indubitably01

Nice setting, food was great and the portion size was good because of the pasta. Pricey

Cindi D

A great place to take your date. They even have gluten free options.

Miranda Etzel

The food, while excellent, will not warrant a return visit. The staff couldn’t care less. Our food took a solid 40 minutes, and a drink order took more than 20 minutes. There was no warmth, no regard for anyone. My suggestion would either to take fewer reservations per hour, or add more (polite) staff. There was a gentleman running around refilling drinks and bread who seemed to be the only person (aside from the host) who didn’t have a lackadaisical attitude. Maybe have him serve? He was great! The bartender and our server were both very inattentive and seemed inconvenienced by having to serve us.

Christopher Barksdale

Amazing place to eat

jeff truss

I've never written a review before, but this place warrants one...and not in a good way. 4 of us out for dinner and drinks. Actually got seared close to our reservation time, and then it went downhill from there. Our first clue of how the night was going to go was the 2 tables around us getting the manager and complaining about the wait and having their check wrong. I'm not going to get into the wait for our server....it was long and painful. So was the wait for the appetizer and food! Ridiculously long. The "old fashion" didn't taste anything like an old fashion should. It was strong, but a strong crappy drink is still a crappy drink! Food...dull and bland. Everybody's noodles on their plate stuck together in a big glob. The chicken in the chicken pasta plate look like an over sized chicken nugget and not like a filet. The shrimp still had the tails on them in the shrimp pasta plate! Who does that?! No one was happy with the meals. Won't ever recommend this place!! Oh yeah, and good luck finding parking

Tracey Sperko

Excellent service. Chill atmosphere.delicious food. I would recommend and I will be back.

Dan Brandner

I simply don't understand why anyone would give this a bad review, this place was simply amazing. Food was very delicious and pretty reasonably priced for the fantastic quality. I told them when I made the reservation that I planned on proposing that weekend, so they set us up at one of their nicest tables without a second thought. Overall great experience, we'll be going back there many times.

Brian M.

While the Pasta Tree used to be a favorite of ours many years ago, the luster has worn off across the board. The interior was dirty (spider was literally hanging four feet above our table), the staff was cold and not friendly and didn't engage in any conversation, and the food was subpar. The interior could use some heavy cleaning. The darkness doesn't hid the cobwebs and spiders hanging above the lights. Our server was about a personable as a piece of cardboard throughout our service. The Caesar salad had pieces of brown-edged iceberg lettuce and was missing any hint of flavor. It was almost as though there wasn't any dressing on it. The pastas we tried were just OK. Nothing great and flavorful, just OK and swimming in a lower grade olive oil which had an off taste. Not a great showing Pasta Tree and after being at the top of our list as a favorite, it's now easy to pass you by for the many better alternatives. Sad day.

Steven Schmelzling

Been coming here for 15 years. Food always wonderful. Ambience is quiet, romantic, intimate. Service perfect, recognize a server here for years. When looking for a relaxing evening in the hussle, here's the place.

Sandy Gallo

Quaint location for fabulous food.

Connie James

Great place to celebrate

Lisa K

Delicious food, wonderful staff, very large portions, enough that we can again enjoy our dinner at home tomorrow!

gavin rice

The Pasta Tree has been here for as long as I can remember and has always been good. It’s not new and flashy, but it is cozy and tasty, and that’s much more important.

Anna Paterson

Delicious and comforting

Joe Dexter

I went in here alone. The waiter was slow and getting me what I wanted. He seemed to pay more attention to the tables with couples! Never asked how was my food! The food is pricey for the portions you get. Don't bother!

Kelli Jackson

The staff is friendly and the food is great! I had the smoked salmon alfredo and I highly recommend it. I will definately be going back!

Jay Gross

It was ok. They seemed way under staffed. Our table and the one next to us took 2 hours to go from sitting down to leaving. They had 4 people and were pretty upset, we had 5 and just chatted a lot.

Jillian Handley

Incredibly disappointing. Bought a Groupon for $50, the waiter scanned it, but then said we could not apply it to our bill as the groupon states it is for ‘ 4 entree’s ‘ and we ordered 2 entree’s and 2 appetizers so it could not be applied, even after the waiter scanned the groupon which redeemed the groupon. So We ended up having to pay the $100+ bill and the $50 groupon. Would have appreciated if he would have made an exception for this circumstance. Food was not even that good. Not impressed with service.

Joann Henricks

Went in early (5 ish) on a Saturday. Very few people there. It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get our food. I ordered the tuna. When it came, it was extremely over done and actually tough! Tuna should be served rare. Definitely did not want to send it back after waiting so long. The person I was with was given the completely wrong dish, but she did send it back. Someone new in the kitchen perhaps?

Danny Mccanna

When we got to this place I seen all the negative reviews and I don't understand why. The service, due to being a bit understaffed, was a little slow. I also thought the prices were a little high. But the food was really good. We had calamari for an app, my wife had tortellini and I had a bleu cheese chicken Alfredo. And everything was awesome. I would come back.

Todd Zinkgraf

Excellent food, great atmosphere. Robert provided outstanding service!

Stephanie Ganoe

This was our second time going to the Pasta Tree. The first time we went was my birthday, we seemed to have a great server who was friendly and knowledgeable, after placing our appetizer order another server stole the table from him, complained to us, and made us order again. The new server seemed to have a really bad attitude the entire time and wasn't very helpful, however I used to be a server myself and I understand some nights just aren't great so we didn't hold it against her. I also was not feeling well and wasn't able to eat much so we wanted to give it another try. Fast forward to our second time going (new year's eve). We were seated on the other side of the restaurant where you had to walk through a part of the kitchen to get to, which was weird. Our table was VERY close to other tables and I was seated on a couch while my boyfriend was seated in a chair. The couch sat much lower and far away from the table which was awkward and uncomfortable and by the end of our dinner my back was hurting pretty badly from it. When my boyfriend ordered his dish the server asked if everything in it was okay, including mushrooms which made it seem like part of the dish. She ended up charging him $3 to add the mushrooms, which would've been fine if she mentioned that it wasn't part of the dish and would've been extra, but she didn't. The worst part was when another employee brought us our food, he spilled some of the boiling hot dish on his lap. Our server did try and help by bringing club soda over so it wouldn't stain his brand new pants, but it still did. Long story short, I don't think we will be going back.

Latoria Burnett

Delicious Foods great deals on Groupon dinner was almost free!

ryan hanks

Delicious with great service!

Alicia Smith

Was a great place until Robert left. Not the same place, vibe and overall quality isn't the same.

Wayne Vanderploeg

Wait staff is top shelf! Unique menu. Good beverage list. Don't tell your mom they you found better pasta than her's.

Rachel

You pay for the food and location, but not the service. My server was very rude. I sent in a complaint because her behavior was really inappropriate, and I have yet to receive a response months later. I love treating myself to expensive restaurants, but I've never felt like such an inconvenience, just for dining. I don't recommend this place to the people I know because it's clear they don't care if customers come back.

Emily Gehrke

The pasta is divine. The waitress appeared to be the only one there, but she was still super friendly and on top of everything...just felt a little bad for her

barbara herr

Food was fantastic and atmosphere was great. Parking is awful.

TIM Banks

Good small portions tasty

Juliet Katravas

The food was amazing! the atmosphere was pretty dark and grungy and the wait staff was preoccupied and unattentive three of our seven glasses had either lipstick a bug or a flower petal in it one. They dont know how to split bills... So do it yourself at the table...trust me.

Calvin De Leon

Good food, but you're paying more for the atmosphere than the food. Still would recommend the place, just unfair heads up. Good for dates.

Barbara Boettger

My very first time at the Pasta Tree was during the late 80's. A friend took me there for dinner and it was great !!!! The atmosphere was charming and the food was outstanding. While in town last August (2015) visiting a friend, we went for dinner and I was very disappointed with the food. The service and the wine was good. Don't think I would go back again.

captain

Really looked forward to this dinner. From the start we felt two things about the staff: we were a bother and they were understaffed/rushed. Service was quite slow and restaurant was maybe at 60% capacity Saturday Night. Food was good but certainly not the best we ever had at a pasta place. Steak was good, rated four out of five by my guest. It was 160 bucks for three salads, four Entrées, three drinks. Seems overpriced. Will not return.

Avery Upendo

Very good

Jacqui Labott

Always love going to the pasta tree! Excellent service, Superb food. Quality drinks. My favorite for 20+ years

Fred Latzke

Expensive and main items are less plentiful. Qualify of taste is still very good. Out of Vermouth for martinis.

paul sweeney

Nice atmosphere, good food, friendly staff.

Patti

We had the most amazing Grapefruit Rosemary Moscow Mule last night at the Pasta Tree. Our dinners were amazing as was the Chocolate Nemesis dessert with Salted Caramel Gelato - the flavors mixed perfectly. Another 5 star experience at the Pasta Tree. I need to mention the service was outstanding. :)!

M. P.

Ate dinner here tonight with my husband...um....definitely have mixed feelings. I had their beet salad as an appetizer from the specials menu. It was delicious however, it was a little overpriced for my taste ($10 for 5 slices of beets with a little bit of greens and chopped walnuts). For my entree I tried the gorgonzola fettuccini. Again, really good and I would definitely recommend it. My husband on the other hand had the chicken pesto dish which had lots of potential but the chicken was way overcooked. It tasted chewy/rubbery. I mean, c'mon, when you pay $20 per plate it should taste like you paid $20 per plate. Now for the atmosphere...not good. Given it's location you expect that it is going to be small but when you have to walk through the kitchen (which doesn't even look clean or presentable - I'm telling you it looks so bad) to get to your seats that should tell you something. There wasn't even any attempt to close it off from view. As we approached our table we seemed to be walking into a 15 ft-wide hallway where there were long benches lining the walls. The tables lining the hallway were teeny and way too close together. You probably have about 3 ft between you and the person at the table next to you, no joke. The chairs and the benches are very uncomfortable and don't go there expecting to have a nice, private, intimate talk with your significant other because chances are your neighbors at the next table can hear your every breath. Like I said, my food was really good but my husband's food wasn't and the environment totally killed it for me. We went because we had a Groupon but I don't think we will be going back unless there are some major changes.

Amanda Horejsfield

Great atmosphere, the food was very good. Do not recommend the Mozzarella in Sugo, it was a bit overcooked and the sauce it was served with looked more like soup.

Jose Galvan

It had been more that 17 years since I went and I'm glad I made it back. Great food and service at reasonable prices.

Michaela Peck

Delicious as always. You can't beat their homemade pastas and their sauces are amazing. The cannoli afterward was delicious too!

Jeremy Miller

The posted hours on the building and the site are 4:30 on Wednesdays. However, when my mom and I got there we walked in to chairs in the walkway and vacuums yelling out to us. Fix your hours. You open at 5. I don't see my mom often. Granted, we had an early dinner, but we went off of your hours. Nonetheless, the food was fair. Matched with their Groupon, I'm happy to have gone. Without the Groupon? I probably wouldn't return. It's worth a go.

Scott Barker

Wonderful food and a really awesome staff

Mark Pryor

Enjoyed this place with my wife on her birthday and with friends. The food was good, the atmosphere was nice and romantic with soft lighting and music to compliment my company. Would definitely recommend to others reluctantly being I would like to keep this place a secret.

Eric Torres

I really like this place. I've been here twice with my gf and neither times did it disappoint. Great food, decent service.

Jon Wyatt

The food was as good as ever, but I can't recommend it based on the entirely disinterested service. We were one of two tables on a Tuesday night, the staff seemed to have vanished.

Aditya Karandikar

Have been here more than once and have found the entrees to be spectacular each time. Dishes are well prepared and delicate, delivering across the menu. Each time I've visited, however, the service has left something to be desired. In my opinion, it's enough to make a note of it and keep off a star.

Ethan Van Thiel

Cute little place. Chocolate Cake is great. Be sure to reserve a table. Service was a little slow.

Rachel Hahn

Staff is so friendly and the place is really cozy! Fresh pasta made for your dinner, including gluten free.

Venus Tostevin

Delicious Fresh pasta, great wine selection, friendly staff.

dave stern

A really nice setting and find memories of great meals but it wasn't that great. Out of multiple menu items which was disappointing and service average

Shane Kowal

Incredible food. The staff was very friendly.

Naturally Exquisite

Homemade pastas, fresh baked breads daily. The place has been there since I was 16 years old I'm in my 4l0s now. Its changed owners n management over the years but the quality is still the same .

Kim Corr

This used to be a favorite date night spot but unfortunately the “used” to is now permanent as we will not return. Our last two visits have been exceptionally poor. Both in service and food quality. Last night it was just our family of four and It literally took 2 hours to receive our food yesterday. We didn’t order anything special just pasta with clam sauce, pasta with marinara meat sauce and a lasagna . We had to request our salads after waiting an hour & half for them and our server was unapologetic at best. As a matter of fact, when we asked at that time whether or food is coming she suggested it was on us that our noodles were taking a long time to cook. That was baffling as we were polite and simply inquired after 90 minutes - after hunting her down for salads. ..Should we not order pasta at a pasta restaurant??? Not sure why that’s our fault. Tables who were seated after us ate and left before our food even came out suggesting perhaps she didn’t put our order in? Who knows .. but we noticed 4 other patrons in her section get up to look for a manager or someone who might be able to perhaps get drinks or anything to their tables. Thankfully we ordered a bottle of wine right away that our server was unable to pour without spilling on our table and down the glasses themselves so we made that last the two hours until we ate. We actually never saw her after placing our original order unless we flagged her down. Our sons didn’t have a refill past their first drink which made for a long two hours of waiting. When the food did finally arrive there was no acknowledgement of the time lapse. Even worse the noodles were barely cooked. Crunchy actually and the marinara was scorched. Literally scorched. My son ordered lasagna that came out black. Burned and scalding. The unfortunate part was that if was supposed to be a special occasion that my husband planned for mother’s day so I felt bad that it was truly a bad experience. He tried to plan something cozy at one of our former favorite spots. If he didn’t make the reservation and try have a nice experience with our sons, we definitely would have walked out. Ironically when we did finally finish up, pay and walk out - we walked past the kitchen to see the chef texting on his phone! Standing in an open window for patrons to see - just head down on his phone. By that point it was comical. And also sad - as the server made sure to point out the tip line on our bill before we left. We are reasonable people. Not difficult. Not demanding. Mistakes happen but service needs to acknowledge there’s a problem and not make it the customers problem for ordering the food that the restaurant specializes in - which was disastrous when it finally arrived anyway. Sad to see the decline.

Ronald Cassidente

Just moved back to East Side. This is NOT the Pasta Tree we knew . Martinis ordered extra Dry came with extra Vermouth. Hiad to ask for missing

Mike Khan

Very rude employees. We end up leaving without eating.

Dr Juan Olmo Audiólogo

I came Saturday, arrived at 9 pm, they said they were closed, many tables available, but I think this people is racist because I look Latin (wich is true because I am). Please take this is a racist place before you come.

christopher dakin

Food was okay. Atmosphere felt rushed and non-cozy. Service was slow (waitress was constantly reminding us she was alone and told us service would be slow), but we got tired of the excuse offered. My beer was cold, so that's cool.

Emmanuel Valenzuela

We had a perfect experience in this restaurant. It started when our waiter helped us choose our wine. He really listened to our preferences and steered us toward a delicious, food-friendly wine. He patiently helped us with the descriptions on the menus so we could decide whether to go with a fixed price option or order a la carte.

Austin Fortner

It's a cute spot for date night. My dish was a bit over salted (and I like salt!) but otherwise I enjoyed it. My date asked for a extra garlic in a garlic-based dish and was charged $2.00 which seemed kind of outrageous especially since the waitress made no mention of the upcharge.

Thomas Billman

Good appetizers, calamari and mozzarella. The basil pesto pasta was average. Whole wheat noodles were mushy. Our egg pasta chicken dish was better in flavor and texture, but nothing to rave about. Nice environment. Was a bit expensive, probably won't return.

Kim Miller

The food was fantastic. The servers and staff were amazing and made great menu recommendations and even made this personalized dessert for my daughters birthday. Patio seating was perfect.

Brian Smith

Great food and cozy atmosphere.

Blanca Villa

Amazing food, weird staff that makes you feel comfortable!

Blake M

Pasta Tree is a Milwaukee staple, focusing on traditional pasta dishes in a small, Italian inspired space. Food: My wife and I had the calamari fries for an appetizer. This could have been a meal on its own, having about 10 or so large strips of calamari in a cream dipping sauce. Flavor was good, however had a bit of a chew to it. My wife chose Aglio Olio for her main dish, and I chose the Carbonara. My carbonara was cooked al dente, and the sauce had a rich taste with the smokey bacon coming through well. My wife’s Aglio Olio was simplistic, but incredibly satisfying. Such a simple, traditional dish, but very well done! We ended on a tiramisu, which was definitely one of the best I’ve had. Atmosphere: Very small, but made to replicate a small dinner in Italy. Intimate is the best word for it, and very nice. Service: Waiter was very kind and quick, and well versed in the specials. Bartender did a great job with the drinks. My score: 8/10. So there are two ways to look at Pasta Tree: if you are looking for very traditional pasta dishes done very well, than this place has it in spades. If you are looking for more modern takes on dishes, or more representation of Italian cuisine than just pasta, you may look elsewhere. That said, the taste and atmosphere was very good, showing why this long running establishment still brings them in.

Dee Grant

I went to this establishment with a couple of co-workers because it was recommended. My bland meal was served in a cracked ceramic bowl. It appeared that they were training a new staff who couldn't seem to figure out how to serve a dish without putting her fingers in the bowl. The food was bland, the service was mediocre at best, the prices would've been sufficient if the quality of the food was better. Not one of the 3 of us finished 1 of the dishes we ordered. My coworker said the can of Sprite she had was the best thing they served. Needless to say, I won't be going back.

Raè

We went here for our first anniversary and they sat us by the window. It was a perfect snowy evening and they made it so romantic. The food was incredible, including the dessert they made special for us. Everything about this place is 5 star!

Ken Erbe

Really nice food and overall experience

Anish Shah

Great pasta! Tastes fantastic and has a great homemade flavor.

Lindsey Keith

Chocolate cake is to die for! A very nice date night spot.

Yvette Farris

You don't get your money worth! And I give this place a 3 star! It needs to work on better services!

Janelle McGee

The wait was long even with reservation. They were out of housemade special within 1.5 hours. I went with a special ravioli, and it was the smallest portion size ever, especially for the price. Our waitress started introducing herself, the jumped to next table without notice to help them instead!?!? Husband order steak, didnt say there was a glaze on it...was very sweet. Olive Garden is better than this place. The booze and beer were good. The guy running food from kitchen was good too.

Larry Green

Not as good as it use to be

Bethany Blount

Tasty food, bad service. This experience was less than satisfactory. Our server was inattentive, and the staff just seemed indifferent to us. Possibly because our server knew we were using a Groupon... The first time our server asked about drinks, we hadn't had time to look over the menu. We were more concerned with food, so we hadn't looked when she returned. She said she'd check again when she took our order. Instead of asking about drinks, she took the drink menu without a second glance at us. After the host delivered our food, the server checked to see how we were. She said she'd bring us bread but neglected to bring any during the entire meal. She repeatedly checked on other tables including bringing another table bread, but she walked right by us without even glancing our way. In addition, the host, not our server, brought our food and dropped parmesan cheese in my boyfriend's water but didn't bothering offering to replace it after acknowledging what he'd done. I understand that people can have a bad day, but I watched our server chat with two other tables and treat them far better than my boyfriend and I were treated. I would also be more understanding if there had been a packed house, but there were only six tables occupied out of more than 30. One individual made us feel welcome. He recognized us as cyclists and greeted us warmly. Sadly, these were our only two interactions with him: hello and good bye.

Mariah Sinclair

If I could give this place 0 stars I would, however I’m giving two because there were a couple redeeming factors to our first time visit at the pasta tree. I made a reservation around 5pm for 7:45 on a Friday, and had established in the reservation that it was my anniversary (dating- while silly it is something my fiancé and I do) and we had just gotten engaged and were celebrating. Hoping we’d get a decent table and served well - we got the opposite. We were greeted by the hostess, who not only sat the party that came in after us, but then exclaimed that we weren’t going to get a romantic table because it was by the men’s room, when there was ample space to put us elsewhere; and while it’s not fault of the hostess, she sat us next to a couple who also happened to use our table as a leaning post which was rightfully annoying. We then waited 10 minutes for our waitress who took our drink order, but no food, about 5 minutes later she came back with the wine we ordered and took our food order, she was wonderful when she was around, it just was not a lot. Often we found her deliberately walking by our table and not asking if there was anything we needed, with either going to or going from her destinations as she kept walking by... however giving great service to the table leaners next to us. To further our already disagreeable service, a couple who came in 20 minutes after us were sat in one of the more private and romantic window seats, which had been open for some time after we had been sat... Finally after almost an hour and a half we were served our dinner by the hostess (not uncommon to do food running) who then bursted out saying it was her favorite dish and she was going to eat my food whether I finished it or not, which didn’t excite me, it made me feel uncomfortable... when I tasted the ever so favorite manacotti....it was to put it plainly, bland and boring, so I was ready to call her over and give it to her. My fiancé enjoyed his dish, the lasagna, but frankly I’m not sure how they manage to call rolled lasagna noodles and ricotta rolls - manacotti. There was NO seasoning to this dish except some parsley flakes, which you can hardly call an herbal ambrosia of flavors. The Alfredo sauce I opted for because I do not eat veal (which their meat sauce has) was subpar - I’d place it ball park with jar sauce. I was frank with our waitress and accommodating understanding it is no fault of hers, but I was beginning to be agitated as everything was stacking up. By the time she came to the table to do a check in, I had eaten about a quarter of it, and exclaimed that I had eaten a good portion and it was okay and not to worry and get me another meal - most in part I was not confident I would get it in a timely manner as it took almost an hour to get my entree AFTER my appetizer to begin with. Following that, she gave us the check and exclaimed they had taken my meal off, which was appreciated but not necessary, I understood that I continued to eat a dish I didn’t really like, but still left a good portion of it. We got the check and my fiancé paid, we began gathering our things as we waited for her to come back and run his card through, just as we were about to leave they came out with a plated tiramisu on the house, which was wonderful and thoughtful, but a little late. Generally, I will give a place another chance, as we are all human, but this first impression is going to make it hard for me to want to go back. We spent a decent amount of money still even after a meal coming off and a free dessert. Regrettably this will not be a restaurant I will be recommending to friends or family, and I’m very sorry that we had this experience at a place that shows a lot of pride in what they do. We spent two hours at this restaurant and most of it was waiting around for service or wondering where our food was, as we watched people come and go before and after we had been sat. It was so disappointing and I hope that everyone else who was there this evening had a much better experience.

Chris Borner

I ordered a sea food plate with egg noodles and got spinach noodles. The plate was supposed to have tilapia but didn't come with it. The waitress was just barely ok, nothing exceptional. I will definitely NOT be going back. It was a strange seating arrangement also.

Chris tadych

Absolutely delicious, decedent food. Presentation was outstanding, staff was very attentive. Excellent wine and drink menu. The main menu has something for anyone. Will not be displeased with your visit here. Quaint and romantic atmosphere. Nice quiet music playing in the background. Only downfall is the parking. Uber will get you there just fine and you can really enjoy yourself responsibly. Located in lower east side, perfect for a nice walk around afterwards. Excellent!! Hope you enjoy yourselves here.

Pat Staedler

Out to celebrate anniversary and experience was terrible. Sun night and not busy at all. Waitstaff was non existent and really lousy service and a fight in the kitchen. Lobster was tuff and rubbery. Lasagna was cold in the middle. Gave us a tiramisu for free as a result. Very doubtful we will be back. For the $93 bill, we expected a lot more. Very dissatisfied. We expected Gordon Ramsey to pop out and tell us to put the forks down and stop eating!

Alex Combs

Long wait, food is bland and it’s honestly overrated. The restaurant is out of date and looks dirty. Staff was very unorganized as well. Definitely will not eat here again.

Paige Massaker

I love it here, the place is very homey and they have good decorations. The pasta is yummy and comes out pretty fast. Must try the tiramisu for dessert. I keep finding myself craving their creamy pesto sauce.

Marco Briceno

The Carbonara Pasta is amazing. Order it, you won't be disappointed.

Lynne Treharne

Great food and service. I really like the laid back atmosphere. They have so many delicious things to choose from. The scallops were sublime!

ryetrost

Wow. You will pay a few dollar signs on this one, but the quality of food is well worth it. This adorable, romantic little restaurant accommodated our party of 13. The waiter was very friendly especially entertaining the kids in what could normally be a boring environment for them. Each dish you can tell was homemade as there was a lot of sharing going on. You can partake in an after dinner drink at the quaint little bar. Very delicious.

Donovan Perry

I had a 7 pm reservation on Sweetest Day for my girlfriend and I. She had flown in from New York the morning of. Upon arrival to the restaurant, a note on the door read “Sorry, closed early due to staff issues.” No one ever called me to tell me they wouldn’t be able to fulfill the reservation anymore. My first time to Pasta Tree and definitely my last time!!!! Very unprofessional!!!

Deborah Nance

Did not like the pasta

Marie Hayes

Great ambience! The owner & staff are very friendly & professional, & cater to your every need. The food is amazing & never disappointing, from the complimentary bread & oil, to the entrees, appetizers, & dessert. If you are a wine lover, they have an extensive wine list & knowledge about what is the best to pair w/ your dinner. Prices can be a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for! And sometimes they have a Groupon. :) Highly recommended.

Shazam! Computer Repair

Lasagna was the best I've ever had in my life, heck, it's even as good as the lasagna that I've made at home. Service was very good. Love the wine, just forgot what kind it was. Will be back.

david peterson

I really enjoyed my time with friends and some really great food at the Pasta Tree. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I tried their Gorgonzola Alfredo Fettuccini and really enjoyed a different twist on the flavor. Street parking can sometimes be a problem, but it's worth the hassle. Small and intimate. Great old school ambience.

Mindy

Excellent food, great atmosphere and wonderful staff! The scallops were incredible!

Jack Kaye

The food is hit or miss. I might be being a bit generous with 3 stars but they didn't quite warrant 2. Some things they do VERY well (I highly recommend the caprese with home-made mozzarella), while other dishes are a little bland which, considering the price, is disappointing. As for the wine list, frankly it's a bit of a joke. For a restaurant which also bills itself as a wine bar, and serves many dishes with light, creamy sauces, seafood and chicken, they have surprisingly few white wines on offer. So when the only two white wines sold by the glass which pair well with your meal are not just sold out but not actually available there any more, and the excuse is that the wine menu is "old and out of date", that's just not acceptable. That's not on the server - the service there is very good - but rather on whomever is responsible for maintaining the wine list and making claims about being a wine bar.