Had reservations for party of 6 at 8 PM on a Saturday night. Arrived a little before 8, was told table would be a few moments. Waited in the bars but, no room in the bar as it was full, all bar seats full with partied eating dinner, all tables in the bar area also full with parties eating dinner. So our party, one pregnant and one disabled, stood in the bar area dodging waitstaff bringing meals though. Host checked in on use every 5 minutes, giving us updates - he was great. Not his issue, the restaurant over booked and left no where for the overflow, there was no place to stand comfortable and no way to get a drink at the bar. Once seated, service and meal was exceptional. Charcuterie board and Pizza Margherita as apps were great - some of the best charcuterie I have every had (Porchetta was phenomenal and made in house). Meal was excellent also, 3 of us had Rigatoni with Veal Bolognese and requests for different pasta were accommodated with no issues. Do not recall what others had but they all enjoyed their meals. Dessert was also very good. Wine list is very extensive but has a range of mid-high priced wines, our wine paired perfectly with the meal, one party member had a mocktail and she really enjoyed it - very flavorful. But, that short wait with no where to go and no possibility of a drink from the bar, very annoying. Bacaro is not alone in over booking and crowding the bar area but I'm not sure I'll be back to Bacaro (even though I really want more of that porchetta) until they address this issue. read more

I had a lovely evening with my brother here...in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Italy, I decided this was the place to discuss some details and get in the mindset with some delicious Italian food, and it certainly fit the bill! We started with oysters and soup, moved on to the Northern Italian board, and shared a pizza. The food was all delicious, the service was great, and they had some nice wines by the glass options. I really enjoyed the space. It was very nicely decorated and arranged, and the view of the sunset across the river on a winter's evening was a nice touch. Will certainly be back...I want to try entrees and desserts! read more

I really love Bacaro! They brought the wrong meal out to me one time (had butter all over it and I'm lactose intolerant) and they were so apologetic they gave us a substantial amount on a gift card to come back. We did go back and enjoyed delicious wine, fun trays of various foods (Italian tapas), and beautiful salads. They also have an open kitchen, which is really neat. Loved both their upstairs and downstairs dining rooms. Cool vibe. We will definitely be frequenting this restaurant! A tip: go for a good bottle of wine here. They have a good selection and it's worth it. read more

It's hard for a new Italian restaurant to impress me given all the heavy hitting Italian restaurants that have been around forever, but WOW! It feels like your eating in some futuristic part of Italy. The whole dining experience was so different and unexpected. The tapas style antipasti was perfect. We assembled our favorite combos of meat, cheese, and olives, with none of the fillers or overly large portions that keep us from getting it for just the two of us. It went perfect with their Italian bread! We shared the pasta with egg plant and it was incredible. The pasta was so fresh and oddly shaped (in a good way) that we asked if it was homemade. Nope, just flow in from Italy. Flown in by a De Lorean I wonder? This place was not gimmicky at all. Just really great food in a nice modern, light and airy atmosphere. While it may be more of a splurge then then your local Italian restaurant, for us it was completely worth it. Bacaro is a really fun. read more

Walked in, fist time, woried that it wasn't packed on a Saturday night. Then they walked us up stairs, and it was mobbed. You get a menu, pencil and, a check off sheet with about 70 different italian cheese and sliced salumi etc. This adds an additional twenty minutes looking at the menu. FORGET-ABOUT-IT Just read the real menu it has cheese and salumi combo's. After the others at my table ordered there main courses, and saw no one got the pizza, I knew what i had to do. Tasted everyone's dish. ( of corse )Then went for Rhode Islands famous grilled pizza. The bottom was very thin but well-done. The top bright with fresh sauce, but missing the best part, The Crust. TOOK A BITE AND COULDN'T STOP TILL EVERY LAST CRUMB WAS GONE...... read more

Beware of Table 39 2nd Floor My wife and I have enjoyed the Bacaro experience for years. Last night 9/25 we took friends visiting from California to our favorite RI restaurant. We always request a 2nd floor table, window is the best. Last night we were seated at table 39 on the 2nd located next to the kitchen entrance and directly across from both men's and ladies bathrooms. We could actully see the toilets in each bathroom as customers entererd and exited. Went downstairs and asked the manager reseat us at any table. After a long somewhat "canned" explanation by the manager the bottom line was that all open tables at the moment were already reserved for "other guests still to arrive and we couldn't possibly move them...but we do apologize for your table" . So faced with either leave or take table 39 we decided to stay. I don't think we are the first to complain but we tried to make the best of it on a Saturday night with few other dining options. So our two and half hour, $350 dollar dinner experience took place during a seemingly endless stream of servers and bathroom visitors using or waiting to use the bathrooms. Needless to say my wife and I were embarrassed and apologized to our guests. The ownership of Bacaro should be embrassed as well, but maybe not. This table is a reputational liability when ownership allows the seating of guests in such an unpleasant environment. The Bacro product and service are always terrific. Table 39 just screams that the revenue is more important than the guest experience for those who are unfortunately seated at this table. Not the five star experience we've had in the past at Bacaro nor what we promised to our guests. Wayne Byers read more

I love to eat and through my travels around the world I have come to really enjoy small plates and sharing food while dining. I know it's not for everyone but for me it's the only way to go! I was treated to my 37th Birthday dinner at Bacaro and was not disappointed. My hubby and I toasted with delicious basil muddled gimlets dined on oysters on the half with bing cherry granita, grilled mortadella stuffed with Taleggio (my favorite cheese) served with amarone chutney, wild boar salumi and buffalo mozzarella with arugula, we had to add an order of homemade papparadelle with grilled swordfish cherry tomatoes and toasted breadcrumbs, and the delectable ricotta canoli was our dessert. I would say more cheese in the grilled mortadella and taleggio and I had wished the sword fish was whole and not cubed, those would be my only suggestions... change for the better! We shared all dishes and you can multiply those gimlets by 2 each and the bill was just over $100... I think a fantastic deal for happy and full birthday celebrating bellies!! I also like the options for dining, you can chill on the patio, mingle at the wine bar, or take on the course challenge at a quite table with a city view. read more

Stopped here for a bite to eat on my way home from the airport. I had a very nice dinner at the downstairs bar. The bartender Beckey was excellent and the food was great. I am a big fan of Olives and they have quite a varied selection....not seen to often. Worth a stop. read more

Can't say enough good things about this place. We've been many times since they opened and never disappointed. Just had the pleasure of introducing my visiting family to Bacaro and they were blown away by the food and service. They get many ingredients fresh locally and you can taste how much the chefs care about their product. Some tips from our many visits: Try whatever seasonal pizza they have at the time, especially if it has pumpkin or corn on it. Save room for dessert. Check the dessert menu early as sometimes you have to pre-order with dinner for items to be done in time. Their two menu staples Pasta con Fungi and Crispy Chicken are both seemingly simple but wonderfully executed. I could eat the crispy chicken every night. Have wine. If you're unsure, ask. Their servers all seem to know their way around the list and I've found them quite helpful when making decisions on what to order. They have an outdoor patio in the summer that looks beautiful, although I've never eaten out there. If you haven't been to Bacaro, you must go try it soon. You will not regret it. read more

We never wright reviews until we encountered this disaster!!! What a disappointment!!! This was the second time that I have eaten at Bacaro and is definitely the last!! The first time we came the food was a 4 out of 10. The pizza was very bland and the chicken dish my wife ordered was extremely dry! The only reason we came back a second time was because the service was great! The hostess was very professional and polite and the server went above and beyond and she made us feel like royalty! With that being said we decided to give it another shot! This time was the same except the food was worst and I was disgusted by what I saw from management!!! The tenderloin was god awful to eat and was anything but tender and my wife's bolognese was worst than canned spaghetti o's! The service was amazing again, except I don't know how the servers can even work there considering how they are treated!?!? The woman who seemed to run the show was a disaster and seemed to be on too much of something?!?!?! She had an awful look on her face the whole time while snapping at the servers and pretty much degrading them from what we could see? We will never ever go back there and feel bad for anyone who does!!! They don't even deserve a star for the way they treat they're employees!!!! Disgusting!!! read more

The pumpkin pizza was out of this wild! Excellent meats, cheeses, grilled pizza and desserts all in a comfy but elegant atmosphere! It is certainly on the pricier side but if you're in the mood you won't have a bad meal read more

We came to Bacaro Wednesday night for a nice night out and we received that and more. We had never been before and came at the suggestion of my sister. Heather took care of us and answered all of our questions about the menu. We asked her for suggestions and started with an octopus appetizer and some drinks, including a pomegranate lemonade. Great start. My wife then went one step further and asked Heather to pick her entrée which she did (fungi pasta), and my wife said it was the perfect choice. I had linguini pesce (spelling?), and it was also wonderful. Heather was so patient and attentive, you would have thought we were regulars. She had also suggested the bombellinis at the beginning of our night, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint. All in all, we had a wonderful date night and incredible meal. We will be back and if possible will be asking for Heather, and her suggestions, again. Thank you! read more

This is a 'looking back' review as I'm new to Yelp. I found Bacaro when I was looking for a special place that Mary and I hadn't been to for celebrating our then 1 year anniversary of being together. I also wanted something convenient to the Providence Waterfire event which was also happening that night. Honestly, we could have ended after leaving Bacaro and felt the night was great. To begin, Bacaro is situated right on the Providence River which actually is very nice at sunset and even better once the torches are lit for Waterfire. We were able to get a window seat, all the better as our meal overlapped both. The waiter was incredible- aside from his enthusiasm he was very versed in all of the dishes and wine pairings. We started with a wonderful cheese and olive board and pinot grigio that was perfectly chilled. Mary is a big risotto fan so that was her order, and she was more than satisfied with how it was prepared. I had the pork chop and mixed vegetables which was equally terrific. For anyone thinking of heading there before Waterfire, try a 5:30 or 6:00 booking to give yourself an hour and half or so. You'll want it to truly enjoy all that they offer. Parking at that time and in that area on the street is usually available, another plus. read more

Yum. The menu can be overwhelming. Entree? Mouth-watering tapas paper-menu check list? Northern, southern, or self-selected board? You know what: take your time, enjoy whatever you select and change your mind as your meal unfolds. Well, at least that is what we did. Our server, Adam, deserved 5+ stars. Fine dining attention to detail, knowledgeable to the nuances of the menu, and a wonderful personality. He truly made our meal spectacular. Not to say the food wasn't phenomenal as well. It was. Narragansett-caught oysters and grilled pizza to start. I had the pasta with mushroom, and truffle infused egg: to die for. It seemed impossible for a meal to be both so light and so rich! I can't remember everything the rest of our 5 dining companions had: but we shared, and it was delicious. The ambiance is nice, brightly lit and somewhat minimalistic. This can be nice, but also can make a busy night quite loud and difficult to carry on conversation with your table. But the food and service: definitely out of this world. read more

I hate saying anything is the best...My Dad used to say that about seemingly pedestrian places, but Bacaro is the best meal I have had in recent memory. Bacaro is an Italian restaurant near RISD and off the water. It has two floors with a main bar off the first floor. The menu is beyond extensive with endless combinations of salami, cheese and Italian style tapas Whatever you do start with the pizza. The crust is thin yet crispy with a really bold sauce and ample amount of cheese. Neither element overpowers the other. This pizza is absolutely fantastic Salads are good as well. I had the roots salad, which was thinly sliced vegetables with a light sauce. My friends enjoyed their Caesars with grilled croutons I had the salmon, which was perfectly cooked in a nice red caper sauce. The salmon was flaky and flavorful Onto desserts. Desserts have to be ordered before the meal and are really unbelievable. I should know as we split three.....the apple crumble with salted carmel ice cream, the apple tart...not sure about the third it was espresso ice cream with a baked Alaska topping and cake served in a sundae glass. All rocked As I said, I hate calling anything the best, but Bacaro may have changed my mind...Really top notch restaurant read more

What a great meal!!! Several Yelpers had told me that this was a great restaurant and were they spot on. We had friends in from out of town who love tapas. We had a blast going through the extensive menu of meats, cheeses, veggies and other delectables. The hardest part was not ordering more. Everything that came out was perfect! We loved the mini panninis, the eggplant rollatini, the charcuterie plate, duck breast, tapenade, polenta (with speck and with the grilled onions) and the olives. The only miss (and it was slight) was the not so flavorful caponata. Otherwise, all four of us enjoyed our plates a great deal. While the dessert menu looked to die for, we passed because we were too full. . . next time for sure! Our server was prompt, courteous and helpful. The atmosphere featured a great view of the river but it was a bit dark. More than one patron (ourselves included) needed to use a flashlight to read the menu. This would be a very nice place to take a date as a more dressy attire would have been appropriate (three of the four of us were wearing jeans and we didn't feel too underdressed). There is parking on site. The wine list was very nice and extensive- we got a very tasty bottle of Montepulciano for about $40 (not too terrible a mark up) but they had a wide variety of options including half bottles and tasting sizes (3 oz). Overall this was a highly enjoyable meal and one of the best we've had in Providence. Without a doubt we will be back with more friends to try out the whole tapas menu and the rest of the desserts. A Providence gem for sure! read more

Nom nom double nom, this place was DELISH. The hubs and I checked it out for a special anniversary dinner and were not disappointed. The upstairs dining room was understated but gorgeous. I'm not sure which was better, my view of the city or my husband's view of the open kitchen. From other reviews it sounds like the service here is really up and down, but our waiter was awesome. He was professional but super laid back, knew the menu extremely well and did a great job in assisting us with our choices, and paced the meal perfectly. It was two hours from the time we arrived until we left, which was perfect because we definitely needed some time to digest the massive amount of food we ordered. I wish I remembered his name because I would give him some props here and also ask for him again next time. I started with the absolutely delicious sangria (even better than Spain's). We built our own charcuterie plate which was amazing, and followed that up with a basil pizza. The pizza was really tasty but my one complaint of the night was that I felt it was quite overpriced at 24 dollars. Instead of ordering entrees we selected from the tapas menu. I think we ordered 7 or 8 things, which was way too much with all the other food, but oh well. The standouts were the duck, the adult grilled cheese, and the squash blossom. Nothing was bad, but the Gorgonzola crostini was a tad too moldy for me. Moving on to dessert, I ordered the brownie ice cream sandwich. The homemade ice cream was an amazing, creamy delight. The brownies were good too but I like my brownies sweet and slightly underdone, while these were rich and cooked through. The standout dessert was my husbands blueberry tart. It was seriously a piece of heaven. The crust was flakey, sweet, melt in your mouth goodness, and the blueberries went perfectly with them. It was a special but it's the same crust they use in their other tart desserts. I'm usually a stickler that dessert must include chocolate, but when I come back I may have to branch out just to have that delicious crust. This place was perfect for a relaxed date for two foodies, and I can't wait to return. read more

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This is my favorite restaurant in Providence. Let me start off by saying that I am an absolute sucker for Tapas, and this place has, by far, the best tapas I've ever tried... at the same prices as any other Tapas place I've been to. About $5-9 each, which serves about 2 people. If you're living off the Tapas menu and skipping entrees (I'd recommend it, a much more exciting meal that way), get about six or seven tapas for two people. The rule is usually about three per person, but the portions at Bacaro are a smidge smaller than other Tapas places I've been to. Onto the food review. CHEESE Try the Pecorino Al Tartufo- pasteurized sheep's milk cheese from Tuscany with white & black truffles. You'll get two big slices of this cheese with a very potent truffle (garlic) taste. Made a bit milder with the sides of marmalade, spiced nuts and fig jam. I love garlic, so I love this. CICCHETTI ITALIAN TAPAS Since I come here every chance I get, I'm just going to go ahead and list my favorites: Stuffed "Mortadella alla Griglia" - Grilled purses of mortadella stuffed with talleggio cheese and served with Mostarda Fruits. Taleggio in "Carozza"- battered & pan fried sandwiches of Italian Taleggio cheese. Crispy Glazed Pork Belly- sweet, spicy, rosemary. AWESOME. Roasted Cracked Baby Potatoes in their Jackets with White-Truffle-Scented Crème Fraiche, Sea Salt and Fresh Chives. Crispy Fried Fontina & Prosciutto Stuffed Meatballs with Pomodoro. They also have these fried balls of potato, onions and cheese, which are great. DESSERT The dessert is simply fantastic. Again on the smaller side, so you might not want to share. Cannoli Cones are AMAZING - Sweetened Ricotta, Orange Water, Rose Water, Chocolate Chips, Candied Fruit, Pistachios in Marsala-Scented Cones. Every time I take a bite, I make a noise. Really, they're awesome. EVERYTHING ELSE This place is pretty dressy, but not over the top. Don't be surprised if you see a few guys in jackets (but no ties). Expect your bill to come to about $100 for two people. The view is nice, on the 2nd floor you have a view of the open kitchen as well as of the river. Very nice place to take a date. And they have plenty of entrees to choose from too if you want the traditional route, but since Tapas places are hard to come by, I'd come for those. read more

The food is very good but I always felt that the restaurant is a bit snobby. Called this evening to order dinner to-go right when they opened at 5 pm. I was told they couldn't fill the order until 9:45 pm due to reservations. The woman didn't even ask what I was going to order to see if they could accommodate. This is not good service. read more

I went to Bacaro tonight with 9 of my coworkers to celebrate life, food, and.. Restaurant Week 2012! I ordered from the pre-fix menu. I enjoyed all the food, the service, and the bustling atmosphere. Bacaro is definitely fine dining. Thanks for a fun night! read more

Obviously one of the better restaurants in Providence. Parking : easy access into the parking lot and accessible wheelchair ramp into the building (can only stay on 1st floor however) Best experience : go to 2nd floor and try to get a table by the window. The bad news is that we reserved a gorgeous table by the window, and had to wait 45 minutes before they told us the table was still unavailable and placed us in the middle of the restaurant. The food was very similar to Al Forno's. The upstairs ambiance is so much more worth it ... even if it takes you longer to get seated. If you grab a drink downstairs at the bar, be prepared to smell waves of pizza take-out orders from local Rhode Islanders dying for some Baraco pizza : it' s to die for. Overall, worth the experience and close to everything downtown. The wine selection is unusually broad including Italian, French and newer continents (South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile). read more

Such a total package place: perfect location for dinner before migrating to see Waterfire (and has a parking lot!), warm but spacious dining room, friendly and solid service, reasonable prices, and most importantly, an insanely extensive menu of delicious cicchetti, salumi, and cheeses (not to mention the standard and comprehensive Italian menu). For 7 people: Bad: Nothing OK: Bread Foie Eggplant parm Cippolini onions Good: Speck-wrapped mozzerella Salumi (no idea what kinds I had though!) Pork Belly Pan seared scallops Eggplant caponata Chickpea puree Pizza w/prosciutto and arugula Pineapple cake/coconut ice cream Great: Duck breast on brioche Wood grilled flatbread w/ chickpea puree Peach Tart (made to order!) $ after Tax/Tip: $37 !!! Can you believe it? =) I wish Bacaro would give a cue to the Boston Italian restaurants and show them how it should be done. (Yeah North end, I'm lookin' at you, take some notes!) read more

Bacaro is easily one of the best restaurants in Providence. The service and atmosphere is pretty good, but the food is just to die for. They have an extensive Italian tapas menu from which the glazed pork belly and arancini risotto balls are my absolute favourite. Their main menu is composed of salads, appetizers, pastas, meat, and seafood. I usually order the pasta con i fungi - a light pasta dish with mushrooms and a poached egg. The dessert menu changes seasonally, but everything is always amazingly delicious and fresh. I've been thinking about this a lot, but Bacaro really is my all time favourite restaurants hands down. read more

I've been here several times and it never disappoints. The menu changes frequently because they offer seasonal items. When you go here, they hand you a regular menu along with a two sided paper tapas menu and a pencil. It's nice because you can order as much or as little off the tapas menu as you want. So if you want to try the squash flowers, you can get just 1 rather than commit to a full appetizer. Their pizzas are slammin - nice and thin and crispy. Entrees are always delicious too. One of my favorites is the grilled vegetable plate. It's $28 but the plate is huge and I'm never able to finish even half of it. It's a different selection of veggies every time you get it - you're getting whatever is fresh and in season. The restaurant is two levels. The bottom level is the bar and a seating area. Upstairs is an open kitchen and a larger seating area. I prefer to sit upstairs because there are huge windows that overlook the water. There is also outdoor seating available. read more

Food was great. Waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. cocktails were delicious! Unfortunately the hosted was not. After spending over $450 on our meal, we were told that they were running late on our table and asked to move us. It is very unfortunate that my friend's birthday celebration had to be cut short because of this. Again, food was great but none of us left feeling like we would want to come back because of the way that we were asked to move. I've worked as a hostess before and there are ways to approach people to let them know that you truly are sorry for the inconvenience you are about to cause. Today's hosted was lacking on people skills... read more

RI has numerous excellent Italian restaurants but Bacaro has to be at the top. Went there for the first time and I am not sure what was better the food or the service. I could have just had the appetizers and the boards were spectacular! We had duck and pasta for the main coarse and both were great. Hot donuts for 2 were also fantastic. Plenty of parking and short walk to PPAC. read more

The only reason they are getting 4 and not 5 stars is our initial service. Myself and 2 girlfriends made an 8:45 reservation. We are always on time and showed up at 840, we didn't sit down until 9:05 and the hostess were unapologetic. However, once we say down we were very happy. This was my first time and we wanted to experience a little bit of everything. The tapas menu is amazing and a great thing to do with a few friends. We each got 3-4 tapas and a cheese. The highlight for me was the bacon wrapped stuffed dates and eggplant Parmesan. The mango champagne tart for dessert was also delicious. Overall another win for a local restaurant. But they should try to get friendlier and more competent hostesses. read more

Went there on a Friday night and the place was sold out. The food was good, ambiance is better and the service was decent. However since I firmly believe the restaurant owns the overall end to end dining experience am giving it a poor for what happened during the dining experience. We had a party of 20 and while we eating inside some of us had their cars windows smashed and valuables stolen. We were parked outside the restaurant within an eye and earshot of the place. I called management to complain and got a bunch of ho-humm and that they were not aware that the neighborhood was anything out of the normal from a crime perspective or that any customers were parking outside on the street! Providence PD said that area is notorious for crime and that almost every weekend someone gets there car broken into. I had to remind them that they owe customers the benefit of a heads up. Even if the parking attendant did not catch it someone at coat check could have warned us and we would have parked in the fenced off parking lot. The Manager finally admitted that they could do a better job and warn their patrons. I hope they do it. read more

Been here many times the food is very good, as for the bartender Ben he is very rude. Speaking to him about how extensive his wine list is as well as other liquor, mid conversation he walked away with no indication the conversation was coming to an end. Ben only likes to wait on his regulars at the bar. Dinner service is pretty good, however it takes forever to get a drink and even longer for dirty plates and glasses to be cleared from the table, bus person was no help either. Maybe the owner should step up and help out and run the restaurant instead she's all dressed up walking around trying to look like a model. My last time to this restaurant, there are plenty other restaurants with the quality of food and much better service and environment. read more

Certainly one of the best in Providence. Food is always, always excellent. The salads are huge and delicious. Very fresh ingredients and home made croutons. Main dishes are great. Pasta outstanding. I have had fish and pasta many times. Delicious, and imaginative. Chef changes the menu frequently. Service is good, excellent atmosphere. Bacaro's also has its own parking which is a nice bonus. One thing nice is that on Saturday night you can get a huge meal, but you can also go by during the week and get a salad and pizza! The pizza is great. Great selection of deserts. Hard not to recommend this place, delicious and fun. What more can you ask? read more

Do not order takeout from Bacaro. The food arrived cold and unappetizing. When we called to ask what happened, the restaurant put all the blame on the delivery service even though we got a notification that the driver had been sitting outside the restaurant waiting for our food for over 20min. When we called the delivery service they pushed back blaming the restaurant. Poorly handled- Not a very good experience overall. read more

Mmmm, Bacaro's...How I dream about Bacaro's. This place is my favorite restaurant. Period. Here's the thing: If you are seeking a traditional sit down restaurant experience (shared appetizer, single entree, dessert, etc) , you will not truly experience the wonder that is Bacaro's. Instead, suspend all expectations. Share an entree (or forego it all together), prepare to spend some dough, and immerse yourself in the hot and cold appetizers, grilled pizzas, salumeria, and cicchetteria. I daydream about their scallop ceviche and pork belly. Being a cheese girl, I could spend a day eating my way through their amazing meats and cheeses. The grilled pizzas are the inspiration for all grilled pizzas (and don't let any restaurants on the Hill tell you otherwise!). The arancini are both crisp and creamy with a hint of truffle oil. The ambiance and customer service will blow you away. If you sit upstairs, the kitchen staff will entertain you. The wine choices are phenomenal. Can you tell how much I love this place? If only I could afford to go more than a few times a year... read more

Great restaurant. Charming and comfortable place to relax while dining on above average food. We chose to go the tapas or small plates route. The tapas are listed on a separate page at the very end of their menu. The various crossing are shareable for 2 people. The chicken liver pate was excellent. The texture was like silk and melted in your mouth. The poached pear salad poached in wine and stuffed with gorgonzola was perfect. The sweetness of pear came through strong contrasting with the tang of the gorgonzola. The grilled polenta with caramelized onions was delicious, although the portion was small. The stuffed dates made us swoon. We ordered a side of polenta, plain with no sauce. It was exquisite. Try small bites held in your mouth to savor the flavor and after taste. The porchetra stuffed flatbread was also a delight. The only thing we didn't care for was the country pate which was too hard and cold. The flavor never really came through. The service was excellent. Our server was Alexandra. She was very knowledgeable and out going. We highly recommend Bacaro in Providence. read more

Good restaurant, not really Italian, but food is ok. Starters are good, salami taste good, mozzarella less good. Fish soup needs more salt and possibly red pepper. Scallops are really good, I suggest those! Cannoli cones are not Sicilian Cannoli, don't expect those. read more

Impressive decor and atmosphere - if I didn't know I was in Providence, I could be convinced I was in SF or NYC. I'd recommend sitting upstairs and having a view of their open air kitchen. I know that the food is exceptional based on my experience with their Southern Board which gives you a small flavor of this restaurant's depth as a SALUMERIA/CICCHETTERIA. The Southern Board had a little of everything. My favorites were the Buffalo Mozzarella, Caciocavallo, Castelvetrano Olives, Roasted Peppers Agro-Dolce, and the Roasted Nuts with Honey and Assorted Jams. We misordered on the entrees - Crispy chicken was eh, but the Pasta Fagioli was perfectly executed and almost made up for the chicken. Our second entree - a simple pasta dish with squid and calimari called Scuie Scuie was very good but not a dish that blew my mind I could recommend. Finally, the molton cake came out lukewarm at best. Normally, based on the food alone, I would throw this place two stars, but I'd consider going back because I recognize the talent in the menu and the food, I just don't think I had the best they had to offer. read more

Good place for a leisurely meal before strolling over to see the waterfire. We had a reservation and were promptly seated in the main upstairs dining area. This is a nice space with high beamed ceilings and an open kitchen. Service was friendly and helpful. The tapas were fun to try and if I were dining here again, I would probably elect to just do tapas and not order a main course just due the variety or textures, flavors, and fun involved with selection. I enjoyed our wine very much and would highly recommend trying that if you go and do tapas. The stone fruit dessert was also a winner. Wine: lodolaia 2007 / syrah maremma toscana Tapas: Friend stuffed squash blossom, cauliflower with truffle oil, duck break crostini, scallops, cheese and meat plate. Appetizer: Pizza Blanca Main Courses: Carbonara, Salad Dessert: Stone Fruit Tart read more

A beautiful view of the water, tastefully decorated rooms, five star service and unique menu make for a great evening. We had a fabulous server named Coranee; she was very attentive. The menu is large and varied. Although I do notice that peppers are in many dishes to give it flavor. I always feel this is cheating and that an array of spices can achieve a similar effect. The dishes came out very quickly and were delicious. My friend had a bowl of pasta and I had the pizza Bianca. Both were excellent. For dessert I had the cappuccino bombe while my friend had the brownie. Again, both were great. The one problem I had was, based on portion size and it seems like every dish was $5 extra than it should have been. The only thing that was priced correctly were the drinks. I can't say I'd become a regular, but I'll definitely come back. read more

Ummm...holy crap. This place was amazing. I'd never even heard of it (somehow) before a couple of weeks ago, but after going for the first time with my father last week, I know that it's become a RI favorite of mine. First of all...Italian tapas? Way cool. I love their unique flavors and menu. And it's a huge menu! Not only do they have a large, two-sided tapas menu, they also have a regular menu with appetizers, entrées, desserts, etc. When I went, we just ordered a bunch of different tapas, and I think that's definitely the way to go, at least for your first visit. We tried out about 10 different things at least, and everything was delicious. We especially loved the aranchini. My dad didn't even know what that was when I first ordered it, but he ended up asking the waiter for seconds he loved them so much! They also have these little grilled cheeses that have a fancy Italian name that I can't remember...and those were incredible. I would have ordered 50 of them if I could've! That was probably my favorite dish of the night. I also ordered their Pomegranate Lemonade cocktail, which I really enjoyed. We also got dessert -- I ordered the brownie ice cream sandwich with salted caramel ice cream, but it wasn't as good as I was hoping it'd be. The ice cream was very tasty, but the brownies were hard and had chocolate chips in them (not a fan of that). I like my brownies warm and gooey, so I was a little disappointed, especially because the waiter highly recommended everything on the dessert menu because they "have an amazing pastry chef." But everything else we had was great! We will definitely be back. read more

My husband advertised this as an "Italian deli." While true in the most literal sense, Bacaro aspires to be a high-end restaurant. The online menu describes a rigatoni with veal Bolognese for $19 (believe the listed price this evening was actually higher), which is absurd. I figured I'd get fish if we were dropping big bucks. An old friend (Tom) was intrigued by the trout entree and a salmon special, so we decided to get both and split them. Our mixed drinks and salumeria (cold cuts, pickled fruit and veg, mustards, pates) were outstanding. Pickled blueberries were a pardonable offense. Then our entrees came out. Tuna was presented in place of trout: little did I know my waitress was trying to protect me. She returned, insisting I'd ordered tuna. Tom backed me up. We ate the salmon (which was excellent), and eventually got the trout. Tom ate it, I couldn't. Not only was it not fresh, it never should have been served. (This was a $30 entree.) Desserts and coffee were also grand. That said, you can't give your customers rotten food. Bacaro has to allow its servers to say either "we're out of that" or "it just wasn't up to our standard." Final tariff for four people (each of whom had one to two drinks, half an appetizer, an entree, half a dessert, and coffee) was $75 per person ($90 including tip). For that sort of money, this should have been a life-changing meal. It was lovely, with a giant hole shot through the middle. Many years ago I ate at a hot new Providence restaurant called Rachel's Pasta Nuovo, where I ordered (spoiled) salmon pasta. Rachel's is no longer in business. While our waitress informed us that Bacaro just celebrated its 10th anniversary, this sort of behavior puts its future in jeopardy. read more

This was an amazing dinner! We headed here for my sister's graduation dinner, and I did not leave disappointed. We split our order between the original menu and the "cicchetti" tapas menu. You could seriously make an entire meal off the cicchetti menu alone - it was that varied and mouthwatering! We ended up ordering stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, eggplant palmigiano salad, and a wood grilled piadini (grilled flatbread with chickpea puree, Jerusalem artichoke chips, lemon, and parsley) - everything was delicious My burrata salad entree with boar salumi was superb and blueberry viniagrette was superb! Between the five of us, we did a family-style sort of ordering; pizzas, salads, pastas, and more. Our eating consisted of everyone sharing and nibbling off of each other's plates. We capped off the meal with a rhubarb tartlette - what a beautiful way to end an excellent meal. If I'm ever back in RI, I'm eating here again! read more