Reviews of Basta Italian Restaurant (Restaurant)

Vivian Humphrey

We sat outside on the patio which is lovely and complete with a fireplace. We had the chicken parmigiana which had a great crust. Red sauce is sweet and a bit spicy. Bibb salad was fresh and presented well with Granny Smith apples.

Melissa Banks

we had an dinner here last night. the food was amazing and the service was great! loved it!

Krystina Lisi

The food was great but my experience turned out pretty bad at the end. We came with 10 people and asked to split the check. The waitress said she could only split it three ways so we told her who was going on which check. The bill came and she didn’t separate it at all. She said “one person can pay the whole thing and everyone can pay them” she offered no assistance in working out the totals and it ended up being 10 of us trying to figure out who owed what for about 40 minutes. The manager came over and apologized and said that he wasn’t sure why we were told the bill couldn’t be separated. He brought us shots and felt bad but stood there and watched as we were adding numbers up and didn’t offer to step in and assist or come back with a depressed check. We would have been cool with it if the bill at least paired the drinks with each mean ordered but it was all over the place and the shortened descriptions of the drinks ordered made it difficult to figure out who ordered what. Like I said, the food was great and if I was with a small group, I probably wouldn’t have a complaint. I would not recommend them for larger parties at all. I was visiting from Florida and the last hour of my night spent with friends i had not seen in years was spent with a calculator and a lot of confusion and frustration.

Conrad Johnson

33 birthday, chops were cooked raw, Plastic pieces found in pasta. Bastas seems to have lost it ways, this place is ideal to spend an easy $200 for two. After this mishap, the staff continuously apologized and did nothing more. Didn’t even get tiramisu for the birthday celebration. Nice to be forgotten on your bday. Dinner arraignments were booked at 12:30 pm for a 7:15 pm reservation. In my opinion this place is no longer worth the the dollar, I rather have had a steak from long horn.

philip johnson

I have eaten here many times and I always enjoy the menu. Very nice outdoor atmosphere as well.

Deborah Deborah be Deborah

Good drinks, EXCELLENT pizza

Jack Beller

Attractive restaurant courteous staff. Food was only ok. We were visiting from NYC and perhaps are just accustomed to more flavorful dishes

Michael Crooks

We have really tried to enjoy this place. However, the food is hit or miss and always way overpriced. The place is crowded and loud. My last visit I went alone, sat at the bar hoping to get a simple pasta dish, and after almost an hour, got pasta with a sweet sauce that was really quite disgusting. I gave it four tries; that last visit was the nail in the coffin. With so many really good places to go, why accept mediocre?

Enerida Ademi

Amazing. Delicious food, beautiful ambiance, and great waiter. Brian was great, attentive and knowledgable.

Saul Disla

The food here is excellent

Eduardo Nieves

Delicious food and great atmosphere

Rosemary H

My daughter and I took my granddaughter and several friends there last night, 4/1/17 for dinner, to celebrate her 17th birthday. Our waiter was anything but personable, he acted as if he was bored waiting on us. The food was just "ok ", to be honest, for the prices we paid, some of the portions were very small. We weren't even asked if we wanted a refill on our coffees. Our bill was $330.00, we left a $70.00 tip, at least a thank you would have been nice. Won't be visiting again, very disappointed.

Risk Romer

Not your average pizza. Exquisite.

Darlene

Great - Pricey - excellent waitress and manager - bus not on top of things putting more work on the waitress

Tom Worthington

Good food, good atmosphere good waitstaff. Pricey but good value.

Lisa Mauri Thomas

Yum, yum, yum! Delicious and elegant. Excellent selections, extensive wine list. Right in the heart of Pawtuxet Village!

Mark Vieira

Nice atmosphere and good food. Not far away either. My wife's favorite place to stop for a drink.

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David Cropper

Excellent, food service and atmosphere.

Kimberly Milewski

The food is absolutely delicious! Service is great! Will def be back!

Andrew Croan

Great meal. Excellent service. Fair pricing. Nice environment.

pamela leslie

It was awesome and delicious.

William Smith III

Great food and awesome service

KATHLEEN MACINNIS

Wonderful dinner in the fireplace room.nice and.quiet. really good dinner and.service

Samantha Bonsignore

So delicious!

Nicole Eller

We were blown away by the level of service we received from Rachel. We visited on Sept 3 (Labor Day) for our anniversary. We didn't set a high bar as our last outing for our anniversary was at another popular date night restaurant that did not live up to the hype. Going out was a last minute decision so we figured they wouldn't be thrilled with our late reservation. Thankfully, they were more than accommodating. The food was phenomenal and we were already planning our follow up visit before we'd even finished dessert!

Emilia D. Peña-Disla

Excellent service, food and wine list.

John Sommer

Excellent food from Apps to Dessert

John Homza

Great food and service.

Marcus Borch

The service was average. Not bad, not great. The food wasn't over the top. Admittedly, I went in thinking it was going to be top notch based on reviews and a personal reference. The meatball appetizer was delicious. My wife got a steak with a butternut squash hash and a "potato puree." She usually orders her steaks well done and this one came out cooked perfect for her. She really enjoyed the meal. I thought the potato puree consistency wasn't good. She liked it. I got crispy veal stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella and topped with shrimp, and a side of penne. The marinara was really good, but the main dish was over powered by the taste of the breading and the grease. I couldn't really taste the veal or the stuffing at all. If I go back I would not order the same dish again.

Ruth Nickerson

Second visit and we enjoy it but was totally shocked that as the wrong dish was ordered..the waitress did not comp at least one glass of wine or dessert..the kitchen rushed the correct one but it was still 15 minutes..For a high priced restaurant, it was a major disappointment with this issue..

Pearla Francisco

Great stmosphere

Paul Buonvino

Food was outstanding and service was on point. Long wait for drinks, bar may have been understaffed but otherwise a very positive outing.

angela rumore

This Restaurant was AMAZING!!! We just hosted my parents' 60th anniversary party and it was FABULOUS! Everything went off without a hitch, from the audio visual equipment to my playlist I made for the occasion. The servers were so attentive and courteous. I would absolutely not hesitate to recommend this restaurant. I will be back often. The food was awesome, everyone loved it, from the appetizers to the dessert. The Cheesecake was to die for. Did I mention the food was soooo delicious. Shout out to Ashley, Dave and Mike who made our experience so special. Thanks, Angela

Ronald Rotondo

Food was great, service was okay..

Sharon LeBeau

Great atmosphere, whether you are going with a group or on a date. The service is always spot on. The food never disappoints.

Natalie Hojell

Super friendly service and great food. The pizza was standout! Really good!

Matt Mercure

Risotto was bland and flavorless. Service was decent. Atmosphere was typical for a generic Italian restaurant.

Karl Schaeffer

The food was very good and the server was top-notch! More stars would have been awarded if we could have split the bill in our party of 12 on more than 3 cards. Idiotic!

Halit Pinar

Expensive with mediocre cuisine. The waiters are also rude. Will be avoiding this restaurant in the future.

Ada Rojas

Great food but inattentive and unpleasant server, loooong wait between courses. Never again!

Maria Rees

Good food and service! Really good harvest red sangria, green apple, orange, cranberries and cinnamon. Delicious!

Nelson Pedro

Awesome restaurant in a great location (Pawtuxet Village, Cranston, RI) Somewhat pricey but usually worth it. Great wine selection.

Lori

I had reservations for party of 16 for my son's birthday, on a Saturday. They seated us in an area off to side, in the room with glass door ..it was great atmosphere. It gave us room to get up and move around to talk without bothering or bumping into anyone . Molly was our server and she was fantastic. She checked on us to make sure everything was fine and that we had everything. She was so personable, pleasant and professional. The food was all very good too. The Veal chop was a favorite among a few in the party. Thank you all.

Jillian Clifford

Excellent food, high quality ingredients, delicious drinks, and to top it off- service is stellar. Always a great dining experience!

Christopher Corbett

Flawless. So good. Understated elegance and great taste. Excellent execution and attention to detail. Delicious.

xoLadiieLa

Very good service and food! Sometimes they have a small band playing and it's very nice

Scott Kuzmeskus

Best Italian food I've ever had.

Terri Croft

Great food

Justin Braun

Great vibe, better food, and even better staff!

Brian J. McGuirk

Excellent food, but hot tip: the main kitchen closes at 9pm. Only pizza and salad after that. Their website does not mention that little fact.

Rosemary DeFrias

Looking for a great meal? You have found it in Basta!

Josh Singer

The best Italian meal you can find in Rhode Island. The cotoletta pazza (NOT pizza, stupid autocorrect) is incredible and well worth the price. The atmosphere is great and the service is perfect. Look no further for a special occasion, date night, birthday or meal alone at the bar.

Juliet Norvig

Delicious food, great service, good wine/cocktail selection. Thoroughly impressed!

Jonny Stacey

Always a good meal and great service. Our go to for special occasions.

Kelly McCormick

Food, atmosphere, and service were all fantastic!

Jake Jachym

Great atmosphere. Plenty of menu options. Generous portions. Car Valet (Wes) was great to deal with too.

Robert Salmani

Very good food but a little on the pricey side compared to other Italian restaurants in the area. Still would recommend for ambiance and food.

eve pires

Good food and services. Great PRICES.

Norman Gray

First time, good food.

Ron DeFrancesco

reservation at 4:45 in the afternoon. service great, food was great. have the meatballs. I'm Italian and make excellent meatballs but these, I'm afraid, are better.

Christine Bolduc

Superior authentic food! I had the risotto with corn and tomatoes. It was delightful! Topped with 4 generously sized bay scallops perfectly seared and tender. Best meal I have had in a long time. Excellent service as well. Will definitely be back!

JP

Great food and drinks

Jessica Rhodes

I was thrilled with the atmosphere of Basta, the food and the service! If you can, sit in the back by the fireplace. It's a lot quieter than the front of the house. The homemade meatballs were to die for, the flight of wine was delicious and the pasta was homemade. The food was brought out at the right time; didn't have to wait too long and we didn't feel rushed either. Highly recommend Basta for date night!

Juliet DeMasi

Great Italian spot for an extensive wine list and classic food with interesting modern twists. I suggest the seafood fettuccine with lobster. And the chocolate gelato to finish! Best gelato I've ever had. Went today for an early dinner with some girlfriends and we all enjoyed everything.

william petteruto

The food was lackluster, the area I was seated in was in a cluster of other guests when most of the restaurant was empty which left me with little privacy to have a conversation. The staff was great, which was the only saving grace. I was really looking forward to go il ng here, but in the end I left disappointed.

Antonio Batista

Excellent

Andrew Xenos

Fantastic food and great ambience. Highly recommend jazz nights for great music and drinks at the bar.

Marissa Cartwright

Deep rich flavors, but surprisingly light food. Excellent wine selection and knowledge by the staff!

Matt Gendron

In the top tier of Edgewood food. Basta features great pizzas, terrific specials and seasonal fare. I would note that they seem to have changed their veal chop recipe, so if you had that 5 years ago and were looking for a repeat, you might be disappointed. It's not bad, just different.

Theo Aschman

We had a wonderful dinner. Jonathan was an excellent waiter; he was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and professional. Their home-made marinara was wonderful, as were the wine and desserts. We'll be back soon.

Demetria Hammond

We attended a rehersal dinner here,Atmosphere was great, decor amazing. Outdoor bar staff the absolutely best! The food was god awful all left hungry and went to tacobell. Sad bc we had high hopes bc everything else was 5 stars. Half our meals came out late or missing items and the selection to choose from was terrible. Will not be back

Ken Oliver

Excellent service delicious food

Ken Pichette

I had high hopes for a restaurant that always came highly recommended. Ended up being one of the worst meals that I’ve ever spent over $200 for a party of four. That includes only two glasses of wine and no dessert. Food was bland, meat was dry and unappetizing. Highly disappointed in what I thought would be a great night out for some great food.

craig minichiello

First visit was amazing. More to come

Juni LeFevre

Food is yummy! Although, place is a little bit loud later in the day when it gets darker. It's not the best for kids, but it has some good options just in case you happen to be with a kid. :)

Rob R

The food is amazing!

Charles Moore

Best tortellini with cheese sauce you’ll find. 2nD only to Al Forno. Very loud though, it’s hard to talk w/ friend(s). Find it hard to see owner doesn’t respond to reviews. I own a retail shop, and Always respond to reviews.

Minone Morse

Great food & wonderful service! I only wish they would keep the passion fruit margarita on the menu all year round... but then I'd be in trouble.

Mark Pagliarini

Food is delicious with wonderful specials. Service is excellent, including the bar service. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is warm.

Corcoran Mcelwainn

Wife and I have been coming to Jazz nights for a while now and have never been disappointed. Great food, music and service.

Timothy Kelley

I write this review on 10/16/18. What happened!? I have been coming here for quite some time. Maybe 2-3 times a year. I get the urge for outstanding pasta and veal parmesan, then I visit the mecca of just that. Today, something has changed... for the worse... pasta was apparently cooked out of a box, veal was tough plus burnt, and the appetizers were flavor free. Basta, you break my heart. You have succumbed to mediocrity. Next time I'll go to olive garden if I want less than mediocre Italian food. I'm heart broken over what used to be a class act restaurant. Not to mention excessive prices for what you get, today I was robbed of $120.

Patrick Benito

Best Italian food in the village. Great drink specials and food specials. Always enjoy my time eating there!

Steve Miller

Great food. Great staf......

Todd Stricklin

Always a terrific experience...

Nancy Zazza

Our newly-discovered fav. Delicious food, creative dishes.

Sherry Feldman

Lovely restaurant. First time I had been there. Nice ambiance and great food.

Jean Gesualdi

Great food and nice atomspher.

Melissa Howe

Great fresh homemade food!!! Went here for my birthday and I lived it plus the waitress was super nice!!! Will be back :)

Ross

A gem. Nice knowledable bartenders who suggested off-menu bourbon drink options. Good food and atmosphere. A bit loud.

julio vargas

Food was awesome my server Jonathan was amazing to us.. Good time with my wife.

Justin Perry

Excellent atmosphere. The food and dessert was very good as well. Everything was perfect when I attended.

Antonio Barros

Food and service was good...our leftovers which included a full meal was never placed in our take home bag. I was able to finally speak with the general manager after leaving a message with no response. She apologized for the mishap in the omittance of the meal and promised a gift card for the inconvenience. As of Oct 6, still no gift card from Rachel at Basta..check your bag if you have leftovers....poor follow up.

J Dub

It's my second time I've visited for dinner. They have an extensive wine menu and the pizza and pasta dishes are delicious. However it's as if a pizza and pasta joint moved into a really nice space and decided to become fine dining. The wait staff are always attentive but the menu itself is limited and some of the main course combinations odd. After the second visit when our group ordered an appetizer special and a swordfish main course you quickly realize that it's best to stick to the Italian dishes and pizza. So if you're looking for fine dining for pizza and pasta then go to Basta.

Bill Benson

Great experience, great food, great atmosphere. I highly recommend this Rhode Island treasure.

Chuck Hayes

Five stars. Eggplant dish has to be one on the best I ever had. I recommend start with the eggplant parmigiana with the house bread and evoo mixture. Our on-trays were fantastic full of flavor and cooked perfectly. We sat at the bar and had a great time, the bar staff is friendly, super efficient, and knowledgeable about the menu. Can’t wait to come back.

Erin Killeen

Cozy spot. Delicious cuisine. Huge bar.

Bradley Scruggs

The dining is very extravagant! They had a live musician that was very good. If you want Italian this is the place to go

WPS RI

Food was delicious and service was exceptional and friendly. Definitely visit there again:)

Stephanie Watson

The service, ambiance and food are fabulous. The meatball appetizer is out of this world. Can't wait to go back.

David Wolff

Calimari appetizer was great. Steak was cooked to my request. My companion ordered Salmon that was perfect. Our waiter was very attentive.

k turcotte

Delicious food, excellent service. Can't wait to go back.

Nancy Dube

Delicious italian food and great service. Gluten free options available.

Draya Fenandez

excellent food & excellent service!

Frederick Wright

Really outstanding modern Italian restaurant in pretty Pawtuxet Village. Huge dining room can get a little noisy but we requested a quieter table up front and they were happy to oblige. Quite expensive but worth it for the quality of ingredients and excellent service.

Tami Monteiro

Ordered steak medium rare came out over cooked and dry sent it back and it came out over cooked and dry again. My husband ordered the chop and it came out order cooked and dry. We love good food and don't mind paying as long as we get good food. Maybe if the chef was in the kitchen instead of at the bar socializing the food would of come out right the first time or at least the second time. Just awful!!!!!!

Eric Lonergan

This place has delicious food, a great and super helpful staff and incredible ambiance. It’s location is great for dinner followed by a stroll through town or down to the water. It’s really a top notch spot for a date, anniversary, special occasion or just a night out on the town!

CHIKITO POW

Another great place for an amazing dinner. I usually don’t eat sea food but I just had to try a few things while I was there. The food was amazing and I had the best Old fashioned drinks in my life. The live singer was a bit too loud for my taste but it was nice to have some music available. The service was great and they were very knowledgeable and eager to find something you will enjoy. Great ambiance!

Renee Fisher

Wonderful intamate restaurant serving up great dishes and classy entertainment! Overall worthwhile dining experience!

Andrew Sullivan

Below expectations. Average service at the bar. Average pizza. I'll give them one more try.

Andy Gell

Great pasta, wine, and service. It's pricey but lives up to it. Great date night locale.

Steve Gareri

Went for Valentine's Day everything was on point. Rose's hanging from the ceiling amazing.

mary macro

My husband and I were extremely disappointed with the food tonight. The service at the bar was very good but other than that I can't even say it was mediocre. My caprese salad had under ripe tomatoes with the end of the basil stems, minuscule tiny little bits of basil. The shrimp appetizer was gross and highly salted. Caesar salad was OK, the Cici appetizer was basically Hummus with garlic and the bread served with it was so stale that you could snap it. We are thinking we either ordered all the wrong things or this place is extremely overrated. Definitely won't be returning.

jennifer Ferri

The food was excellent! The atmosphere of the people, wait staff, singer roses hanging from the ceiling was just absouluty amazing. I will go again. The Pollo Marsala & Chicken Parm was excellent.

Melissa S

Homemade pasta, very good pizza. Great neighborhood Italian restaurant.

Jaclyn McLeroy

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, no long wait time between courses, a little pricey

Matthew Page

My girlfriend and I always love our experience at Basta. The marvelous atmosphere only adds to the impressive and delightful food that is served every day of the week. Whether we are there for a four course dinner or a couple pies and drinks, we are never disappointed, and we can never leave without a slice of the best cheesecake around!!

pneilsson

Everyone on staff was very professional. Made for a nice dining experience. Something I consider to be a rarity. The wait staff was very attentive but not obtrusive. The food was ok. Undercooked salmon returned on the same bed of lettuce as it was sent back on. The Basta Chop was covered in what tasted like melted ice cream. Way too heavy and sweet. Took the second half of it home because I paid for it, not because i wanted more later.

Ryan Copeland

Great place to eat

snake eyes

What a beautiful place. My boyfriend and I got there yesterday shortly before 5 and sat at the bar. The 2 bartenders were very friendly, the one that waited on us was professional and attentive. Even as more and more people began arriving that didn't change. It still felt like we were in a low ley relaxed place. I ordered a pizza and my boyfriend got the sirloin, he loved it and so did I. I underestimated the spiciness of the spicy marinara, but it was a pleasant surprise for me. The food was worth every penny and so was the experience of being there. I would go back every weekend if I could. 100/10

Linda Faella

Excellent food very nice atmosphere and great entertainment!!

Carlton Rutherford

Good food, great atmosphere was very busy but don't have to wait for dinner..

Chuck Branchaud

Loud atmosphere. Inattentive server, didn't deliver the "experience" for our anniversary. Food is good, not always the high level expected from the high prices. Drinks are good. Overall, doesn't always deliver the quality expected.

Melissa Barretto

Fabulous atmosphere, food, and the entertainment was excellent!

Angela Reincke

Delicious homemade pasta. Every dish at the table was a plentiful and well made serving

Gloria rose

Food was good and atmosphere was romantic. They were very accommodating for our particular needs which I really appreciated.

Brenda StPierre

Molly our server was fantastic. The beautiful rose's hanging from the ceiling were a wonderful touch for Valentine's Day. Everything was so nice I guess I expected more from the meals. The meals were just ok. Don't know if I'd go back... a lot of money for most of the meals. Not impressed with the food.

Mark Walker

Always an enjoyable experience. Food and service are top notch, and engaging bar tenders

Magin Wood

My husband and I love to eat at Basta. We try to go at least once a month, or at least just grab a pizza or two. There is just no other restaurants that compare, the atmosphere is warm and inviting and the food is out of this world.

Jay Walker

Very attentive service & wonderful atmosphere, food.

Deb Peltier

Good quality, small portions. And high prices

Jack Sommer

Creative and delicious meal everytime.

Chris Cole

Excellent service , the waiter waitress, and manager went above and beyond all expectations. Made our anniversary dinner. Amazingly spectacular. If I could give six stars I would .

Jessica Bucher

Best Italian food ever. Everything is fantastic. I order the tiramisu every time I visit because it's so good. Sometimes I get an extra portion to go so I can enjoy it later. =D

Bryan

Great environment. Very busy at peak hours. Fantastic food. Bartender is excellent. Service was great. They make special touches to the food to make it memorable.

Brett Nazareth

Bolangnese was delicious. Server was on his game. Chicken special (not my meal) was a tad dry.

Cindi LaCroix

Delicious as always, fantastic service!!!

Connie Little

Dinner in the patio this evening was perfect with the exception of a few unwanted visitors in my wine that were flying around. Calabrian shrimp was delicious!