We were offered dinner menu's at 2 pm when asked for lunch menu it's was a strange look, even though lunch ends at 3. So that's how it started. Moving on it was a large group of us but we got separate checks in couples yet 20% tip was added anyways. The main disappoint was the food. Broccoli ched soup - Was not mixed enough had a pile of cheese at the bottom not melted in Crab soup - Really chunky and too thick, not soup thickness. Pasta with shrimp - shrimp still had the tails on. Sauce to pasta ratio was way off literally drowning like thin soup and overall it just tasted like garlic. Short ribs pasta - Tasted like veal or some "wild" meat, when questioned the waitress didn't even know if it was beef, veal or "pig" (LOL) Lasagna - Tasted like frozen Stoffer's box, literally. Hamburger - Decent, but average and also not what we came for. Breadsticks were 5/5, best thing I ate there! and desserts were massive I mean enough for 3 people each but just ok tasted almost frozen or just really really cold or not thawn. I think what's worse is we told the waitress we didn't like some of the dishes and there was nothing in return besides "I'm sorry." They did offer to box our leftovers and give us breadsticks to go, that's the reason for 2 stars, instead of 1. Big disappointment after seeing some of the other older great reviews. But more recent reviews also state the food is bland / tasteless, and we agree. We won't be returning here. I don't suggest it. read more

We are back again for a Mother's Day celebration with the family. My order has been the same including my husband ~ Double crab cakes well seasoned with lump crab meat), creamy Brussels sprouts and white sangria. My daughter got the Alfredo pasta. The food and service are 10/10. The food is delicious. The waiter was very attentive for our large party. Can't wait to return. read more

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Wow A trip back to the high school cafeteria at Basta Pasta!! Friday night at 8 pm. A few tables were filled. Many empty. Did they formally use table-clothes?? They no longer do. That is ok, but the tables look worn and that doesn't look clean. We were sat at a booth. My husband had a seat with a tear about 9 inches across. There were many other places we could've been seated. In a previous visit, the food was good - based on that- we still stayed. Our server was attentive, just not welcoming. I've never had bruschetta delivered with sliced pieces of toast and a bowl of uniformly chopped seasoned tomatoes. It was a large bowl. But the tomatoes did not look fresh. They had an off taste that was slightly sour. It didn't taste like a balsamic vinegar, it tasted off. The tomatoes didn't look fresh and bright. They looked mealy and prepackaged, I could not eat it, but I did eat the toasted bread. waiting for butter with dinners bread. The salad was served in one large bowl. We were supposed to use the same dirty dishes that we used for the bruschetta . There were chunks of iceberg lettuce onions , black olives , croutons (good)and grape tomatoes. One item was either a pale olive, a rotten tomato, or some kind of weird pepper. We asked for the dressing (only italian is available) on the side, and it was rather gelatinous. it looked like a cornstarch base, not olive oil. They need to make more options. Four little loaves of bread came out. That was plenty of bread for two people. However, those loaves were pale, pasty dense, doughy. The crust or outside of the bread was not crisp or baked it was rather soft. It makes me think the bread was not freshly baked or freshly purchased loafs . But perhaps a par baked bread. It had no resemblance to Italian bread. If you know Italian bread, it's dense yet chewy and has lots of air holes and structure from the yeast. Their little bread didn't taste like they were fermented at all. They didn't serve fresh butter, what they did was put a slick of spread( garlic - margarine-salt ) on top of each little loaf. Was that to hide the fact that the bread itself had no flavor? I didn't have time nor did I want to eat my stuffed shells. They did look good. I had them today and they were so so. I would much rather buy a frozen bag and a jar of marinara and eat at home. And I know I will. That was the food, but then we could look at the surroundings. It was freezing in there at 8 o'clock. We had a sweater and sweatshirt on. It was not enjoyable to eat in such a frigid atmosphere. Were they trying to help patrons out the door by making it colder inside? Or is it always that cold in there? And the staff. They had plenty of staff - more staff and they had customers it seems. So that's a plus. It was kind of funny because the staff mostly looked like high school children. The hostess and another female were braiding their hair at the hostess stand. Two young teen boys customers were sitting behind us, and two young servers came over to chitchat and offer them everything on the menu. These young boys got lots of attention. These young girls were having the time of their lives. Hence it was just like a high school cafeteria. The kicker was there were still several tables eating maybe five or six. And they started using a vacuum to clean the rug so they could get out in time. I'm not talking little brush and broom to pick up breadcrumbs and keep it looking clean. I'm talking about a Hoover that kicks up the dirt. the dust the debris, and the grime from the rugs - blowing right to the customers plates while they're vacuuming. They didn't skip the tables. One young lady was vacuuming and was told to vacuum by a particular table and there was a baby sleeping there. And she did have enough sense to say there's a little baby sleeping here. But they still wanted her to vacuum. Maybe Friday night they don't have any managers? Maybe the owner doesn't care anymore? There's no point in my addressing a manager when it's obvious when you walk in and the whole experience is subpar., there was nothing attractive about that restaurant. The atmosphere : they were playing music that maybe the young staff liked. Some of it just did not seem like music you play while you're eating. Again maybe they were trying to rush everybody out because they had better things to do on a Friday night. So aside from the cooking that I would be embarrassed to serve, to the state of the cleanliness and vacuuming while people are eating, which I'm sure the health department would not allow, to the chilly atmosphere, which describes almost the entire establishment. If you go, just know that it's great. If you're a young teen, you don't really care about the quality of the food. Or you're just going to hang out, and your expectations are not that high. Portions are large. But that's not enough to keep people coming who actually are looking for an enjoyable meal. The good news parking was plentiful! read more

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Went here for the first time yesterday! I have past it a few times over the year of being here but hadn't gone. Finally went with the family! We ordered the cheesesteak eggrolls and the meat tasted like taco meat that you make at home so that was different and unexpected. Also ordered the vodka pasta and added steak, kid mac n cheese and kid cheese fettuccine. The steak and noodles for the dishes were all cooked very well! The mac n cheese was delicious! However the sauces for the vodka pea pasta and the fettucine was lacking flavor. I love trying vodka pasta and different restaurants because it's one of my favorites! This one, for me, missed the mark. The salad and bread was a nice treat! I want to try the salmon and pizza next time! The staff was AMAZING! So kind and sweet with such amazing customer service! Overrall a great experience and I will be back to try something new! read more

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We visited yesterday evening. Last day before resuming my diet. Was hoping for a low carb dinner. Steak with a salad and broccoli. They have a couple of options a 8OZ Filet and a 16 OZ Ribeye. The Filet is $50 and come with 2 sides salad and bread. The Ribeye is a Whopping $55. They brag about it belonging to Creekstone Farms. Comes with the same as the filet. Notice to owner or management. Your customers in Eldersburg Marylanders don't care about a farm in Kansas. I'm wondering how many you actually sell. I can name 5 other places where a Ribeye with the trimmings is approximately half the price. My wife order Chicken Piccatta which she says was very good and had 3 large pieces of chicken breast for $23. I went for the Chicken Alfredo which was very good. Thankfully the waitress/bartender told me that they put broccoli in the dish. So I elected to get it on the side. I'm guessing folks are shocked when they get delivered a Alfredo dish with Broccoli in it. I'm Italian and I've never gotten chicken or shrimp Alfredo that had broccoli in it. Thanks for advising me! Dish was great ... but would've preferred a reasonably priced steak with broccoli and salad to save on the high calories of a pasta dish That's said the place is always clean and the service is always good. read more

Very impressed! We made a reservation so we were seated immediately. Staff were very attentive. We didn't have to wait it ask for refills. The food was exceptional. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that loves pasta or seafood. Try it and enjoy! read more

Been here numerous times and never had a bad meal. I always get chicken parm. Decided to order takeout and gave specific notes about no onions in the salads (allergy), extra dressing. My pasta was cold, the chicken was very tough to cut and the texture gave me the ick to the point I threw it out. Not the same as what they serve when in house. My husband's lasagna was tepid and both salads had a lot of onions so we couldn't eat them. Looked forward to their normally fluffy and delicious bread sticks, unwrapped them and they looked old, uncooked, someone sat on them - not sure. Also terrible and did not eat them. I rarely write reviews but this was really bad for a restaurant that is usually very good. read more

Basta Pasta - Bread - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

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Came in with my bestfriend and niece for lunch today. Our server Braden was great! The food was awesome and the dirty martini I had was perfect. Definitely will be back! read more

I visited on a Saturday afternoon for an early dinner with my nieces, but unfortunately this experience was disappointing. Our server lacked adequate knowledge about food allergies particularly gluten. She asked my niece if she wanted her gluten-free crabcake fried, without confirming whether the fryer was dedicated or shared-an important detail for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance as cross contamination and a shared fryer or opposes serious health risks. Also, the cocktail menu was underwhelming, offering mostly overly sweet fruity options with little variety or balance. read more

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I ordered the blackened chicken and shrimp and got 2 shrimp. 2. Seriously? The side of spinach was just that...spinach, not a hint of flavoring of any kind and plenty of stems to pinch. This place is okay for folks who can't or don't like to cook. read more

The drinks was very good. Lamb chop medium made really well. Tender and juicy. Service was fast. Staff was really welcoming. I would definitely come back again. read more

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Excellent crabcakes. Chicken Parmesan is amazing and you get a generous portion. Eggplant Parmesan is great toI love the Risotto Milanese; jumbo shrimp, scallops, and lump crab in a tasty sauce. Seafood pasta is also good. Meals come with Italian salad and bread, both are delicious. Desserts are good also, excellent cheese cake and tiramisu! read more

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My serve Grace Magday was honestly the best! She was always checking in on us at appropriate times and always had the biggest smile. She brought a comforting and welcoming environment to our table! read more

The food was very bland tasteless. Pasta dish with shrimp and chicken had 2 shrimp Disappointed to say the least2a read more

Happened upon this hidden gem when looking for a place for a quick lunch while working. I'm so glad I stopped in. I had the best Alfredo I've had in yearssssss. They shrimp and chicken were cooked perfectly and a nice complement to the recommended capellini. The bartender was so friendly and efficient. I'd take this place any day over Olive Garden. Absolutely no comparison. If I get another client in this area, I will be back. read more

Basta Pasta - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

Wonderful anniversary dinner with OUTSTANDING service and TASTY food. An abundance of chicken parmigiana and short rib that melts in your mouth, fresh baked bread, and a lovely made-in-house NY Cheesecake as an anniversary gift. Highly recommend! read more

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I posted a review when this establishment opened. Unfortunately, improvement is lacking. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a high school cafeteria... and just as loud. If you want to tune up your hearing aid to be able to decipher what your party members are actually saying, this is the place for you. The service is slow and spotty; more servers are needed to cover "specials" nights, especially Thursday night', steak night, a boisterously loud once-a-weeker. Additionally, as reported in several other reviews, the waiters often fail to notify the cooks of patrons' food allergens. Either that, or the cooks ignore the requests. The food is hit or miss, its freshness dependent upon how long it takes to be expedited to the party's table. Recently, a critic of this restaurant was very publicly derided on Facebook in what an objective person would agree as a personal castigation. Apparently, the reviewer falsely claimed that the baking of the deserts was not onsite, nor "home-made." That is a shame, but the Management should have addressed the reviewer directly on the review site, not on the very public domain of Facebook. This public reproach of Criticism can only be described as unprofessionally bad form. read more

Recently Basta Pasta offered an aniversary special - crab cake dinner for $20.17. Knowing that they have very flavorful dishes, I ordered a crabcake dinner. It was the best crabcake I've ever eaten - huge crabcake filled with chunks of crab, tasty, fresh - absolutely yummy. Dinner comes with a large side of broccoli, fresh bread, and a great Italian salad. I will definitely be returning to Basta Pasta even without the special anniversary price. read more

10 of us ate here last night. Most of their food is very good. Their pasta marinara is just OK. Their salad is very good and the bread is good. The Chesapeake chicken had a lot of shells. The Chicken piccata was not that flavorful. Their pizza is only fair. We did have a great server. The ambiance is also nice. Their prices are high, but their portions are big. The $15 a plate to share an entree is ridiculous! Very disappointed they would add this new fee. They should seriously consider waivering this fee when the bill is over $500. read more

I was out of town for a birthday dinner. We had a large party. It was about seven/nine guests. We were seated by the door, which I don't think was a great idea being as though the restaurant was totally empty and we could have gotten seated anywhere. There was one other table with about four guest seated when we first arrived so I think because it was snowing and 30° below zero outside that they could've offered us a seat a little further into the restaurant away from the door because every time the door opened up, we could feel cold air, so I had to sit at the table with my jacket on the whole entire time. The waitress was very friendly. She gave us great service. The food was OK. I wasn't a big fan of the food. I did not feel like it had much seasoning on it, but everything was made freshly and the food came out fast and it was large portions. My favorite things were the salad (the dressing was amazing), creamy crab soup and the crabcake so if you decide to go to this restaurant, I suggest you try those items. I do not live nearby this establishment so unfortunately, I will not go out of my way to return to this restaurant. read more

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Very disappointing experience. The restaurant tries to present itself as high-end, but the food and service don't come close. The wait time is excessive even when it's not busy, and when the food finally arrives, it doesn't justify the price or the delay. My noodles were undercooked and covered in sauces that just didn't taste good. Management feels unprofessional and dismissive, and the vibe they create carries over into how the place is run. The staff seemed more concerned with filming TikTok content and their physical appearances than taking care of customers, which isn't what you want from a sit-down restaurant. Social media should never come betore service. Slow service, inconsistent food, and weak leadership. Not a place l'a recommend. read more

Here to update my review and apologize. I stand corrected. Basta Pasta is in fact the best Italian restaurant in Eldersburg/Sykesville! Since my last review we've eaten at Basta Pasta pretty much exclusively for Italian. Had dinner tonight from the place I used to think was the best and wow was I sorely mistaken! Everything about Basta Pasta is better. Food quality, portion sizes, selection, restaurant decor/style, etc. read more

We came in with a large party, and while the food was great, the service truly stole the show. Gary went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly from start to finish. Managing a big group is no small task, but he handled it effortlessly--friendly, attentive, organized, and genuinely awesome the entire time. Everyone felt taken care of, orders were spot-on, and the experience was stress-free because of him. Great food + exceptional service from Gary = we'll definitely be back! read more

this is the third time ive been to basta pasta, and every time i come i enjoy great food and even better service. Ive had Alyssa, Hailey, and Jimmy as my servers and all were fantastic. would definitely go back again and request either one of them. 10/10 recommend. read more

I'm a tiny bit of a crabcake snob. Ok. I'll take it on, big crabcake snob! I like a broiled LUMP crabcake, not the cracker and mustard filling, green and red peppers added grossness of the fakers. Basta Pasta has a tasty crabcake, and I enjoyed it, but it didn't make my top 5 list. I'm picky, and during CV19's lockdowns, I made my own, so maybe it's just not fair to compare! We had great service, good cocktails, and a great happy hour assortment of snacks. I'll definitely return, but guess what I probably won't order. read more

We found this restaurant through friends at church. It has become our favorite restaurant. Not only is the food delicious, the service, excellent, but the added costumer attention is exceptional. My wife and I went there on Friday for their cheesesteak subs and got there after the lunch menu was over. Instead of just allowing us to leave, the young lady (Anita), invited us to stay and they made us the subs! The welcoming accommodation makes this a very special place to eat! ps, the subs are worth waiting for!! read more

Basta Pasta - BP's cheesesteak subs! - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

Beautiful interior! The restaurant was clean and staff was friendly. We shared the fried mozzarella as an appetizer- it was fine. The salad and bread were a great addition to the meal. The rolls were warm and buttered as well! for my entree I got the seafood pasta, which has scallops, blue crab, and shrimp. With the alfredo sauce. Sadly it was disappointing. For the $30 price point you would expect to taste something else in the sauce besides cream. No garlic or salt. The restaurant was not busy at the time of ordering, so I expected better flavor. I digress, the seafood was cooked decent. However no sear or any color whatsoever on the scallops. It was if they had been boiled. But they tasted fresh. However this dining experience is extremely comparable to Olive Garden. Might as well save yourself a couple bucks. read more

Nice location and food was good - drinks were better especially this Lemon Drop! Will definitely return to try more dishes. Had the mussels (sorry forgot to take pictures) it was that good read more

Basta Pasta - Grand Lemon Drop! This is definitely - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

We used to enjoy Basta Pasta. But after oir recent experience it is off oir list. It started off pleasant. Warm greeting by the hostess, friendly server, the salad was good, fresh and crisp. But when our server took our order WITHOUT writing anything down, I was concerned. Especially when one in our party specifically told her about a food allergy. Asked her to check with the kitchen to see if the dish was safe. She shrugged it off, said "I'm sure you can eat this". Our friend took her at her word (Yes, he should have insisted she check with the kitchen). Another one in our party asked to change the sauce and the type of Pasta. I was even more concerned when she didn't recite our choices back, given that nothing was written down. Our food arrived. The Pasta change was not made. That was no big deal. But the sauce was also not changed as requested. And the person that had no changes had barely any sauce on their pasta. And our server was nowhere to be found. After 10 min went by, we flagged down a busboy and asked him to tell our server we needed more sauce. She eventually brought it put it down and quickly walked away. The bigger problem was 3 out of 4 dishes had little or no taste. We would have had a better dinning experience buying TV dinners. AND, to top it off the person with the food allergy had a rough night. Starting on our ride home, spending half the night in the bathroom. Clearly either our server did not convey the message to the kitchen, or the kitchen ignored the allergy. WE WILL NOT GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE read more

If I could give more than 5 stars for our experience, I would. From the time we first spoke to Anita, the manager, about having a 55-year reunion at Basta Pasta, she has been more than helpful. She gave us wonderful suggestions, made payments easy and worked with us every time we had a question. Today was the gathering and Hailey and Alyssa were our servers. They did a wonderful job and were more than accommodating to all of us. The food was delicious and we all left with smiles and full stomachs. Thank you again. WE will be back read more

This is my first review ever, in all my 69 years of life. Today I stopped in at Bosa Pasta to get a crabcake platter. First of all the service was fast. Restaurant clean. Because it was a takeout , I was eager to get home and bite into it. Paying $43 for this meal I was expecting a deliciously seasoned crabcake, roasted potatoes and a salad that would be worth the money. Not true! Had I known that the crabcake was not seasoned AT ALL, I never would had purchased it. This was such a disappointment. Even the salad left something to be desired. I could not in all honesty recommend this meal. read more

This was our second visit to this establishment. The first time wasn't horrible, but wasn't as good as this time. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals as the salmon was seasoned perfectly and the shrimp and crab (opted out of the scallops) was tender and tasty. The breadsticks are TO DIE FOR! My lemon martini was also flavorful with the right amount of vodka. The ambiance is always pleasant and our waitress was attentive and amazing. We will definitely be back for a third visit. read more

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Horrible Service: Waited 32 minutes to get a Bloody Mary mixed drink, draft beer, and glass of wine. Service staff allowed dirty dishes to pile up on the table. Food: Seafood wrap for $26 had a few pieces of shrimp and very little crab cake. Tasted mostly like the wrap, and the accompanying side salad consisted of all lettuce and three cherry tomatoes. They told us that they don't provide the family style salad bowl with lunch, but served all other tables the family bowls containing lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, croutons, house Italian dressing. Ambience: People are crammed in and the room is very noisy. Overall Value: I've been a faithful customer of this Basta Pasta for 10+ years and watched the quality or food and services erode over time. Prices on seafood have gone way beyond post-Covid market adjustment. This place is only interested in separating you from your money. read more

Basta Pasta - Horribly overpriced Seafood Wrap - Avoid this one - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

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The food is always good but I need to understand why it cost me $8.00 to share my plate with my child? $8.00??? That's just crazy. I can see a dollar or two, but 8? I'm a petite woman with a child who also has a small appetite. What does it matter if I share the plate with my child. Would you charge me the same $8 extra for carry out? I think we need some common sense here or 1/2 portions available for those of us with smaller appetites who don't like to waste food. read more

Been to Basta Pasta twice now, and I was between 3 and 4 stars. But the most recent visit had me leaning towards 3. I was excited to try one of their "house specialties" listed on the menu - chicken Chesapeake. It was chicken breast topped with their huge crab cake. While I'll say the crab cake was enormous, and not bad...the dish as a whole was quite lacking. All around pretty bland, drenched in sauce. I would go back, but I wouldn't get that dish again. read more

Basta Pasta - Chicken Chesapeake - Italian Near Me - Eldersburg, Maryland

A pleasant surprise all around. I've driven by this strip mall restaurant many times and given no thought to stopping until recently. First of all, we were pleasantly greeted and seated right away despite having no reservation. I immediately loved the decor. Our server was very helpful and full of tips. There were plenty of gluten free options for my daughter. Salad, bread, and caprese were delicious. I had the carbonara and was Very happy with it. All of the other guests at My table were delighted with their food. Cocktails were also on point, specifically the spicy margarita. So nice to find a good place and still be able to avoid the city and crowds! We will be back...often. read more

I'm originally from Sykesville and I'm extremely pleased Basta Pasta decided to expand to our town. Basta pasta is by far my favorite restaurant in Sykesville due to the quality of the food and the price point. Every time I'm visiting my parents I request we stop by and get some food. The endless salad and bread is to die for. Olive Garden can't touch their salad even if they tried. I was originally going to get one of their crab cakes, but due to "supply chain" issues the crab cake was $40. That's absurd. They didn't increase the portion or anything, so I declined and went another route. I got a veal Marsala and it was okay. The veal was over cooked and a bit tough, but the taste of the Marsala was great. read more

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One of the best restaurants around. Have tried many different dishes and everything has been fantastic. My favorite is probably their lasagna Clearly five stars read more

First time and definitely not the last! Salad and fresh baked bread came after the apps. Everything was good (portions: which were lunch, taste and service)! Came to celebrate a friend and although we took most of our entrees home the waitress bought the cheesecake which we shared. It's tucked away and now on my list of favs!! read more

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Our second time visiting this location. We made a reservation but we were told they were behind. We sat at the bar and asked the bartender if the bar seating was open. They were very nice in checking our reservation and getting us seated in the bar earlier. During our first visit the service was lea than stellar and the food was great. The food was still great and with added service our experience was more enjoyable. I had the seafood pasta that was tasty and a huge portion. My wife had a bruschetta appetizer and salad that was more than enough for her. The highlight was the experience with the three bartenders /servers. We'll be back because of how they treated us and made us feel welcomed. read more