I recently visited this casual Italian restaurant that offers a spacious, open space perfect for larger groups or a small groups. The menu features a variety of classic Italian dishes, pizza and sandwiches. They offer specials every day of week. We ordered the 119 sticks, famous lasagna and portobello ravioli. Starting with the cheesy pizza sticks, they were very gooey and the crust was soft. It's basically cheesy garlic pizza without the sauce; however they do come with a side of marinara. The lasagna offered layers of noodles meat, creamy cheese and sauce. There were some larger chunks of meat (I prefer more mine to be more ground) and didn't have quite the flavoring I was looking for. It was comforting and filling, but could have used a bit more seasoning or herbs to really make it stand out. The portobello ravioli came with a red sauce and was all served over a bed of angel hair pasta. The extra pasta appeared to be common on the menu. The flavors of the mushrooms inside the ravioli really hit the spot. To make it pop more, adding some portobellos to the top of the dish would be a nice touch and the extra angel hair pasta was a little too much. The side salad was fresh but simple and refreshing with a mix of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing of your choice. This salad was included with the entree orders. Although staff were friendly, service was slower than expected, and all of our food came out at the same time with the cheesy sticks then the entree then our salad. If you're in a rush, this might be the spot but if you have time, check the place out. I was eyeing up the pizzas and would try one next time I visit. read more

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Went for the first time recently and got the fish fry. Started with the French Onion Soup and it was HOT and DELICIOUS! We were given bread and butter for the table. I got the Trio: shrimp, perch and cod with the fries. Options for sides: baked potato, garlic potato, spaghetti, hasbrowns, fries or broccoli. Service was great. Plenty of seating on a Friday night for 2 after 7pm. Parked out front on the street. Looks like others didn't like their Italian. I'll just come back for the fish fry. read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - French Onion Soup - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin

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Waitstaff was friendly and super attentive. Pizza was amazing and ready much quicker than you would expect. Calamari left something to be desired. read more

Ever intend to order one thing when planning to go to a restaurant and once there order something else? Review based on dinner August 30, 2024. I dined with a partner at Avantis on a Friday night. What I presume was a regular was chatting up the young hostess for awhile, with a drink in his hand seemingly oblivious to the time and what positions in a restaurant are meant for socializing. We were directed to sit along with other couples. There were empty tables at this time but we presumed they had their reasons for keeping those vacant. It eventually felt like we were forgotten so we checked back in at the hostess stand to ensure eventual seating. Minus one star. My dining partner had the fish fry which suited his admittedly pedestrian tastes. I can't speak to the specifics of the pluses on it. I had intended to order the Friday fish fry but ordered Spaghetti and Meatballs with Homemade Red Sauce (and cheese bread). Sauce had that Sunday sauce slow cook flavor and thickness. Meatballs seemed fine and the noodles were properly cooked. What I did not finish I had the next day. Other reviews from the past that indicate differently...my experience, as a person who cooks Italian from scratch at home, is that this entrée is legit. I vacillated about a fourth star. As ambiance and setting count in these reviews I kept it to three due to the volume level being so extreme. There is no way I could bring older adults here as the nature of the setting is overly loud. We were seated in the middle of the dining room, on the elevated portion with the bar on one side and tables on the other. My dining partner and I were shouting at the top of our registers to speak to each other to combat the volume. So unless you like struggling to speak and hear your dining companion during a meal, you may consider going somewhere else. I was checking this as a place to bring senior adults, and there is just no way they could communicate in this environment. Avantis please figure out noise absorption remedies! While I would not normally travel from the city to a suburb seeking Italian, if you are in the Verona area try Avantis before you travel in to the city. read more

Fast service, good for a group of 6. I had the Eggplant parm which was enough for leftovers:)

We were in town for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds bike race and decided to stay in Verona. This place looked like the perfect place to carb load before the race, we ordered a decent amount of food. When we left, we forgot a pair of sunglasses, we called the restaurant the next day, and we were told they had them, staff was friendly and happy for us almost expecting our call. We told them we would stop by in 20 mins to pick them up, they placed us in a brief hold just to then tell us that the glasses were gone, can't be found and "there's nothing they can do", everything changed from that point, they were rude, dismissive, and lied saying they never said they had them in the first place. We stopped by but the manager continued saying they can't find them and the "person that found them is off today". I called again today to follow up, I was transfers to the manager and he rudely hung up on me. We just want the pair of glasses back, this was a gift and has a sentimental value to me. read more

I was a little nervous when I saw the three star review but it was close to where I was in town so decided to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. The manicotti dish was delicious and big portion. Customer service was excellent and the setting very nice. I would highly recommend trying them out!! read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - Manicotti - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin

Great bar with good beer and wine choices. The bartenders were very attentive and friendly. The problem is the food. Each item on the menu is a small amount of something and then put on a bed of cheap pasta. Why would a couple pieces of ravioli be put on a more pasta? It was bizarre. The italian dressing on the salad was quite good. I really wanted to like this place but many other better places in the area. Stop in for a drink and eat somewhere else. read more

Unfortunately I've never had a great experience with food or service. The food is truly one of the least authentic Italian I've had. If you have low expectations and are fine with fried food or prepared food that has been thrown in a microwave or over cooked steak. That is what you may get. And considering it is an Italian restaurant the wine selection is very cheap and unkept. I had two glasses of bottles that were clearly opened for too many days. Truly, I wanted to like this place since it is close and convenient. But it has not given me a reason to go back. So much room for improvement. read more

A classic little Italian place. Warm, quiet, and charming, Small menu but with all the great Italian classics. Food has always been excellent. Service can be hit or miss. read more

The atmosphere was good, restaurant was clean, the staff was friendly and the food was good.

Amazing food and service! The soups were delicious and hearty. The lasagna and spaghetti were tasty.

First time dining here. I ordered the Thursday special, chicken piccata. It was not chicken piccata. It was over microwaved frozen chicken tenders cut up and mixed into overcooked pasta. Sauce had no lemon flavor and I saw exactly one caper on the plate. I couldn't eat it. My wife ordered a small pizza and she said it was under cooked and she couldn't even finish half. The bar pizza at Hop Haus a block away is better. Service was okay. Wife said the bar looked inviting, but I will not return. Find a different place to eat. read more

I recently visited Avanti's for the first time. It was on a Thursday night. When I walked in I saw a sign saying that one of the specials for the night was "Chicken Piccata". It was described as served over angel hair pasta. I love chicken piccata, so I decided to order it. I'm pretty sure nobody at the restaurant has ever actually had chicken piccata. What arrived at the table could best be described as "chicken pasta alfredo". The chicken was deep fried chunks of chicken about the size of chicken nuggets, but with minimal breading. There were capers in the alfredo sauce, but they had no taste. There was no piquancy to the dish at all, but there was a lot of alfredo sauce. The rest of the food was swimming in alfredo sauce. If I had ordered something called "chicken pasta alfredo", I'd say the dish I received would have met expectations. As chicken piccata, this is one of the worst chicken picattas you will ever have. The service was both good and quick. I like the ambiance of the place and might return sometime, but definitely would not order the chicken piccata. read more

I just really wanted a glass of red wine and a good piece of salmon and this kitchen knocked it out of the park, crispy, but perfectly moist inside - hard to do. Lovely meal. read more

I found this old review that I guess I never published from back when I first moved to Verona back around 2003-2004... Just had lunch at Avanti's. I had their Daily Lunch Special. This includes a 6" pizza and a salad for $6.99. The salad was good. It had fresh Mozzarella cheese on it, tomatoes and lettuce with homemade ranch dressing. The pizza on the other hand was among the worst I've had the displeasure to eat. An 8" inch pizza with pepperoni and sausage. The crust was bland, to match the tasteless sauce. The amount of cheese was perfect but it's saltiness was the only flavor to be found on the pizza. How hard is it to ad some spices to a flavorless sauce. It tasted as bland as a Papa Murphy's pizza. I will not return. Fast forward to a month or so ago, I know Avanti's has new owners due to the old owners being a bit shady... So here we are 20 years later and my wife and I wanted Italian food for dinner and decided to try Avanti's. What a mistake that decision was. I agree with another reviewer that this is hands down the worst Italian food I have ever eaten. My wife ordered the ravioli, I ordered the spaghetti with meat sauce. We laughed when we saw the ravioli arrive. It was 3 or 4 raviolis on a bed of spaghetti noodles... what? Yes, pasta served on top of another pasta... lol... How about just serve the ravioli on top of ravioli. Amazing. Anyway, my spaghetti arrived and it was spaghetti served on top of spaghetti. I don't think they have heard the term "al dente". The noodles we very soft and borderline mushy. It took me a couple bites to place the flavor of the red sauce on the pasta, but pretty quickly I realized it tasted almost dead-on for Spaggetti-O's. My wife's bed of spaghetti that her ravioli came on was also way over cooked. We didn't finish our dishes and we definitely did not take home leftovers. We will not return. It's too bad because they did have pretty good Old Fashions. Overall it was another disappointment in trying to find a nice place to grab a good meal and a decent drink in Verona. read more

This place is a very cute establishment. They were pretty busy for a Wednesday night with the bar area full. They have $3 off apps weekdays and seems like good drink specials. Free bread and butter. Both my Mom and I got fish which came with a side salad and another choice of a side. Large portions served. My almost 2 year old got chicken strips and fries which he likes a lot. I'll come back to try their pizzas and pastas next. 5 stars for customer service! I accidentally left my purse here and the GM dropped it off to my house the following morning! Way over and above! Can recommend this place for sure! read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - a woman eating a meal - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin

Always great food and service. Bartender Spencer is a riot. Senior meals are a great option.

Love Coming to this place For sight seeing and food. Definitely would Come back again read more

Trying to be an Italian restaurant and a pub does not work, at least not in this case. There is no risotto. There is no gnocchi. What they have is the stereotypical; pizza and pasta. In the "traditional" category of the menu, every single option is served on, under, near, or [insert any preposition] pasta. It's as though the menu was developed with the assumption that almost all Italian food has pasta, and what doesn't have pasta is a pizza or a sandwich. An "Italian Beef" sandwich can be had with au jus, because nothing is more Italian than something that is commonly associated with French cuisine. Presumably for a bit of comic relief, the "Italian Sandwich" includes jalapeños or mild banana pepper rings. Nothing says "traditional Italian" like jalapeño peppers, right? The food itself - we had cheese curds and a margherita pizza - was fair. The curds appeared to be made in-house, but the flavor was overwhelmed by the spices in the batter. The pizza was bland. If it's good Italian food you want, look elsewhere. read more

Quite easily the worst "Italian" food in Madison hands down. The restaurant had some promising aspects as it was full when we first tried to get a table (but ended up going somewhere else that night). My partner and I came back a couple weeks later and saw lots of local regulars at the bar and felt that it must be a good sign! Sadly, the food is terrible all around and tastes extremely bland and is missing lots of flavor. Our ravioli and breadsticks appetizer was bland and tasted very store bought. The biggest shame of it all was that I was told that all of the pasta served was homemade. It was not only obviously store bought but also WAY overcooked to the point of being extra soggy with no texture. Unfortunately our 4 dishes (2 appetizers, 2 entrees) that we ordered were very dissapointing and lackluster. Not sure how this place still remains open, especially after all of the consistently negative reviews. If you want real Italian, you will have to go elswhere. I will say that the best part of the meal was the service from the server (minus being told that the pasta was all made fresh). She was enthusiastic and checked in regularly with us. I did find it a little strange though that she gave us estimated times in which our food would be done. For example, " your meal will be out in 7 minutes". I have never been given exact estimations and thought it was super nice of her to communicate promptness with us but was also a bit hesitant that perhaps a microwave was being used and that was where the estimation was coming from? read more

Late summer 2019, my previous visit and review. Upon entry I encountered Spencer the barkeep and perhaps also a manager. I used to visit late in the afternoon every week for a beer and a sample of something from the kitchen. Always delicious. Another face behind the bar looks familiar. But not immediately sure from where. After a couple passes across the menu and making my decision, I approach the semi familiar face, and say I'd like to make an order, the man looks right at me and walks away. I glance to the lady sitting there, oblivious. But she saw it. Had to. No seeing eye dog, or Stevie wonder black shades, she's not blind. Just blind to strange faces I guess. A bit later, while deciding if I'm actually going to bother to order, it comes back to me; the second barman was the owner of a nearby tavern, The Klassic, aka The White House. I recall a few bleary eyed visits and some amusing conversations with him and a few drunk regulars. Memorable to only myself I'm certain. Tonight. I'm thinking he's sort of a dickhead. Clearly since I m not drinking, he doesn't think I'll be tipping him. He's correct But in fairness I guess since he's tending here, his bar must've sunk. I wonder. This segment of these words might drop two stars from what I still expect to be a solid 4, presuming the Pizza and Italian Beef I'm now waiting on as to go chow. Tonight's visit is only for a to go dinner for myself and my son. A large Sicilian Pie and an Italian Beef. A busy crowd, great to see after the desperate year or more for countless businesses. The restaurant too appears to be near capacity though I am not certain if other dining rooms beyond my sight might exist. After waiting what actually became just shy of an hour (!!!) my order came up and not a min too soon. Some drunk mumbling man wandered up to my table and started babbling some incoherent blather. I tried in the most polite manner to ignore him, which is impossible and so unkind, finally in desperation I engaged. So dumb. He had a beer in one hand and as though by magic, two paperback PEANUTS (you know, Charlie Brown, Snoopy) in apparently mint condition. He dropped these on my table and, since I couldn't understand a word said, I believe tried to inform me that he found these at the thrift store across the street. I stated that I couldn't understand, or actually even hear, and tried to disengage. I think he then proceeded to inform me that these were valued at $120 ( or 160, or, he'll, I don't know what he was babbling) dollars and bla bla bla..., "Hey Spence, is my pizza order up?" I hollered towards my lifeline! "Yea, I'll get it!" Saved. The vagrant vanished. Yeah, I think he did, I literally turned back and him and Snoopy were gone! I paid my bill and bolted for the door. Oddly, a cop in full uniform slammed open the door and mowed right passed me! When I got to my car and was leaving another patrol car was in view still approaching, and an EMT truck partially blocked the alleyway exit. I wonder if the bum was perhaps their prey?!? Fwiw: the pizza was pretty good. The sandwich, lacked au jus and tasted like meat left over from possibly before yesterday. Decent flavor, but well beneath the standards of Avantis. Killing my review and desire to give a truly positive praise. read more

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Visit the place for the first time, Pasta food and service were excellent. I will return.

Oh. My. Goodness. Everything we experienced was perfection tonight. This was the first time we had been and we can't wait to return. Our hostess was darling and said she sat us at her favorite table. Our waitress, Lexie, was sweet as pie. The bartender made an amazing Brandy old fashioned. The atmosphere was grand-- reminded us of an old European pub. Now to the food: everything was superb. The crusty bread was hot from the oven, the cheese curds came out with the most delicious marinara sauce I've ever tasted, the French onion soup was so unique but tasty, and my fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp was the best I've ever had. My husband raves about his chicken parm and the taste I had was divine. Wish we had taken pics but we devoured the food before we could. I cannot recommend this place enough! Thank you for an amazing place to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. We can't wait to return and bring our kids! read more

Pizza is pretty darn good but I want to give a shout out to the great bar staff , I've gone back many times just to have a drink at the bar , Spencer is the gunslinger behind the bar , fun & knowledgeable about everything there read more

Delicious! Plentiful! Clean! Friendly warm atmosphere! Absolutely exquisite service. Loved this place!!

We had a nice work lunch. The place was empty and the service was prompt and fast. The sandwiches are a highlight here but I had a salad to balance out the big dinners. The salad was good with the basic toppings. The chicken was nicely grilled. There are not many options in town but I don't know that I would come back here again read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - Fried ravioli - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin

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The Tuesday night lasagna special is great! The lasagna itself is really tasty and to make it an all you can eat for an extra 2 bucks is a no-brainer. Service is usually quite good, and the pricing is 100% fair. read more

We were first timers.... The service was great. The food was mediocre. I had lasagna and my husband had the chicken parm. Both were ok...nothing special. Did not taste homemade. More like canned tomato sauce. The worst part of the visit was the extreme noise!!! Kids screaming, people yelling over each other... it was not a comfortable dining experience. If you're on a romantic date... this is not the place to go! read more

Food was very disappointing! Steak was over done and the Gambero s had no flavor. Server didn't seem to care that our meals basically sucked. I always give a place 3 try's. Not worth the return visit read more

I think this place is a little harshly reviewed, but I can understand the sentiments of it. Overall the food itself is slightly better than A-Ok and we had a fabulous server, so that definitely helped in terms of the review trends this place has been getting. But honestly, for a gastro pub, with Italian, rustic decor, and cheap drinks. This place isn't so bad! So what should you get? Cheese bread is a must. I mean anything with cheese is good, but this serving comes with more than enough to share and will be enjoyed by all. If you have a big party definitely venture to get the 99 cheesy sticks, because they said it is an entire platter worth and delish! Cheap drinks for happy hour is an easy fav. Happy enjoying! read more

A wonderful local spot! Spencer and team are the best!!! Go for the Thursday night rib special!!! YUM!!!!

We got pizza and cheese bread to go as we were staying down the road at the HIE. Both were solid. good but not great. Food was ready quickly and hot and super convenient. Would eat here again. read more

Great food and great service. I've ate here several times while visiting friends in town and I always look forward to and enjoy eating here! The restaurant is very comfortable, clean, and welcoming. read more

We found ourselves in Verona this past weekend for the Wisconsin middle level Honors concerts, and not being from the area Googled around for a restaurant to have dinner at afterwards. We decided on Avanti's because Italian is usually a hit. We were a party of 10 and at 5:45 pm on a Saturday we were seated right away. It is a casual atmosphere, great for families and kids. There's a big TV near the front with football on. Our server was amazing, and the service overall was fast and attentive. We had the mozzarella sticks and garlic bread as appetizers which were very good. The ranch dressing is probably the best I've ever had anywhere. The marinara and meat sauces on the pasta dishes tasted good but were watery. My father-in-law said his grilled chicken was dry. The vanilla ice cream and chocolate lava cake were hits at dessert. They even have sprinkles! If we ever end up in Verona in the future we wouldn't hesitate to eat here again. It's nothing fancy but it's solid. read more

I was in Verona on some business and I felt like some Italian food so the hotel suggested Avantis. I find a parking spot, (parking was a huge b*tch at that time because of the construction), and I walk down to Avantis. I walk in, sit at the bar and give my order to a very nice gentlemen. I ordered a seafood/white sauce meal, (don't remember the name), and a side of their signature bolognese sauce. Both were awesome and the prices weren't too bad. All in all, if I'm in Verona again, I will definitely be stopping by Avantis for some good Italian food. read more

Beautiful old place. The bar has a nice rustic west look to it with rich wood. Service was awesome and the staff were polite and courteous. Food (manicotti) was delicious. Had Avantis homemade red sauce which was packed with flavor but still a lightness to it. A must stop of in the area! read more

Really cute place. It's super clean and in a historic building. The food is ok and the service is great. The complimentary bread is good. The pasta dishes were ok just needed salt. read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin

called and made reservations for a Saturday night when we got there they did not have a reservations and we waited another hour to be seated. our server was quite short and rude with us all night long. the food was not good at all. I ordered the Chicken Alfredo. with Alfredo it comes out to be a nice and creamy coding on the noodles. This was not the case. The noodles were hard and no sauce. on top had a large amount of parmesan cheese that looked like it was put in the oven. it was very very salty. the chicken had so much pepper on it I could not eat it. we asked the server for water and never received any or refills on our sodas. we will not be going back read more

The atmosphere is more "Wisconsin Bar" than Italian restaurant. Country music was playing when we walked in, and there are neon beer signs in the windows which is fine for a bar, but not something you would typically see in an Italian restaurant. That being said, their food wasn't bad. I had the grilled salmon which was served over angel hair pasta with a lemon caper butter sauce. The salmon was over cooked, but the sauce and the pasta was fantastic. My husband had the lasagna and enjoyed that as well. The dinner salad that came with my meal was pretty good, although I would have preferred to have a house vinaigrette instead of the only house dressing option being Ranch. They had a decent beer and wine selection with many local options to choose from. They seemed really understaffed. There were only two women serving, seating people, and clearing tables. There was a family that walked in while we were eating and left because they were never greeted by anybody, and also multiple tables that needed to be cleared off and weren't cleaned the entire time we were there. read more

Avantis Italian Restaurant & Pub - Grilled salmon over angel hair with lemon caper sauce. - Italian Near Me - Verona, Wisconsin