I first dined at this establishment back around 1990. We were here twice, although I cannot remember the specifics, both times left me with the desire to return for the wonderful service, atmosphere, and food. Well, 20 yrs later the atmosphere is still wonderful, service is average, and the food quite poor. The House salads were premade, only consisted of shredded iceberg, and the dressing atrocious (some sort of thousand island/italian blend I think). The wine list was slim. I ordered the clam linguine and while the pasta was cooked very nicely the sauce was unremarkable. Our party also had the chicken parm and it appeared to be breaded and fried chicken fingers served with a bowl of pasta. . . again purely unremarkable. read more

I love this spot! Handmade noodles and a nice serenade as well! It's such a great family spot in Fort Wayne and very cozy.

This is by far my wife and I favorite restaurant. It is one thing to find a restaurant with great food but when you find a Gem like this, great food and great people it is hard to make the decision to eat somewhere else read more

WARNING.. this place is terrible. Don't waste your money. The salad was so sketchy. First off the door was locked for over 10 minutes after they opened. The only reason they unlocked it was because we called. Then they sat us down and the water was already sitting on the table. How long has that been there?? We got the artichoke dip and it was greasy and basically only cheese. The noodles were hard and not cooked. The lasagna was most likely frozen. I'm glad we didn't stick around and see the "entertainment". So many better Italian restaurants in Fort Wayne. Honestly fazolis is better. WOW read more

Absolutely one of the best Italian restaurants in Fort Wayne. Authentic made from scratch pasta they even have gluten free options which amazes me for such a small family run business. The ambience of the inside is steeped in tradition... bottles of wine shared by others celebrating over years. What a quaint and amazing restaurant. Service is always attentive. Expect To be surprised by this little 'off the beaten path' place. I drove by for years and assumed it was more like a diner. Boy was I wrong. My favorite dish is the gluten free chicken parmesan. read more

A homey, quirky atmosphere- the "hole in the wall" that is typical of a long established one man show. The service was attentive. The portions were generous. The price of the entrees were appropriate. I found the lasagna to be a bit bland. The pasta had a great consistency and would have been an excellent dish with a bit more pepper and garlic. The desserts were the strongest part of the meal. We tried three different dishes and they were all excellent. read more

Italian Connection - Dining room - Italian Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Literally the worst meal I have ever had. The pasta was undercooked, the white sauce was DISGUSTING in my both of the meals we ordered. The seafood was disgusting, the salads were small. The service was good, but it didn't make up for this flaming pile of garbage read more

To much B/S just to go eat some Pasta. I don't want to hear you sing ok buddy? I don't want spoiled beef ok buddy? When meat goes bad you toss it in the trash not down my throat. You lost your mind? ok guy? You get my drift? or do I need to come back up in there and knock your block off? read more

Average Italian food. The atmosphere is unique. WARNINGS: If unlucky enough to be seated in a specific waitress's area be prepared for a very rude demeanor and (2) If you have party of 6 or more look at the check to see if they already added the tip. We did not look and tip was added and we tipped again and was not told by waitress. Had to call place to get credit. read more

Excellent place for date night! Reservation-only, empty tables between customers, and the waitstaff wore face masks. The food and atmosphere were nothing short of spectacular! Thank you for a much-needed break from quarantine. read more

I'm not sure how this place got such a good reputation. Before I talk about the negatives, let me admit that the ambiance of this place is wonderful, and the singing is great! However, the food at the Italian Connection was the worst I had ever had. I ordered the ravioli and was regretting my decision as soon as I took the first bite. The meat inside of the ravioli was sour and tasted like it was 10 years old. The ravioli itself is so thin I could practically see through it. I have had $1.00 cans of Chef Boyardee that were 10x more tasty than is food. It was the most over priced, small-portioned, nasty-tasting food I had ever had. I was willing to take one for the team, however, and not complain about the food because we were there for a friend's birthday. However, I was taken aback by what happened at the end of the evening. As we were sitting around the table chatting, finishing up our evening and watching our friend open up gifts, we were listening to the owner sing karaoke. All of the sudden we realize that the owner is singing the national anthem on karaoke and one of the tables next to us (who were friends with the owner I believe) stood up during the singing. By the time we realized what was going on, the song was about over so some of us were standing up but a few remained seated. All of the sudden, the owner's friend starts grabbing our arms and yelling at us to stand up and practically forcing us out of our seats. Let me tell you, I'm one of the most patriotic people you will meet and I didn't mean any disrespect by not standing up. But to sing the national anthem while people are eating and not really paying attention to what was going on is just very strange. I believe the guy who forced us out of our chairs was friends with the owner because they were singing numerous karaoke songs together throughout the night. All in all, it was a very weird and unsatisfactory experience for me. I feel bad saying this because the owner seemed like a great guy. I was just so perplexed by the bad tasting food with all of the hype, and the fact that I thought I was going to be stabbed over not standing for a karaoke song just wasn't what I needed after a long day at work. read more

Ignore the bad reviews. Where else in Fort Wayne can you get house made pasta, dessert, and espresso for two under $50?

Loved it!! Family friendly atmosphere and delicious Italian food..just like my grandma would make it. Can't wait to go back next time I'm in town. The singing is a delight, too! read more

Best in Ft. Wayne. Don't pay attention to the bad review on here. If you're not going here, you're missing out.

Two of my friends love this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, so I was excited to finally try it! My, what a disappointment this establishment turned out to be. It took our waitress 45 minutes to take our dinner order. You read that right, forty-five minutes! By the time we got our dinners, another table was already in and out! I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, which came at a decent price since it includes the small salad that comes before it. The lighting is very dark, so come prepared to squint. Our waitress was not attentive or friendly. She actually gave us some sass when we informed her that she rang our checks up incorrectly, without apologizing or offering to correct the problem. We ended up being there for 2.5 hours for a simple dinner because of how slow the service was. As we were leaving the restaurant, a fight broke out in front of the house next to the restaurant. Yikes! I give Italian Connection two out of five stars for the average food and price, but horrible service and location. read more

Italian Connection - Spaghetti with meatballs. Nothing to write home about. - Italian Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

See all

Ok if the owner wants to sing a few songs of Karoke fine. But to sing for an hour straight with strobe lights and bubbles that is not my idea of a great dining experience. It was obnoxious and I could not hear my dining companion over his singing. Not to mention when I got my dish they forgot to put the sauce on it. Just gave me plain pasta with meat. Unacceptable for the kitchen to forget to add the sauce to an Italian dish. When I pointed it out instead of remaking my entree they brought out a bowl of sauce for me to add. I was given no compensation for it. Never again. read more

I was not impressed. I made reservations and found a place to park in the virtually non-existent parking area, only to have the waiter take an eternity to serve us and forget to bring our drinks. The food was good, but it was not good enough to justify terrible service. I probably won't go back. read more

A truly memorable experience! Not the everyday restaurant. If you're celebrating a special occasion and you want great Italian food in an intimate setting that is truly a family business, look no further. However, the hours are a little strange, so make sure you call ahead and book a reservation. Our appetizer of garlic cheese bread was delicious. The chicken alfredo was great, and the pasta was made fresh, and tasted like it. The sauce had an unexpected lemon flavor. My husband really enjoyed his lasagna, and my Mom raved about her eggplant parmesan endlessly after we left the restaurant. But, despite how good the food was--and it was very good--the best part about visiting The Italian Connection is seeing how much the owner cares about the business. It's funny, because the huge corporate Italian restaurant Olive Garden's slogan is "When you're here, you're family," but at the Italian Connection, you are actually treated that way. We visited to celebrate my graduation, and my Mom told them it was a special occasion when she made the reservation, so the owner came over to our table to personally greet us even though we'd never been there before, and then he rolled out the karaoke machine and sang a song dedicated in my honor for my academic achievement. The staff and owner of The Italian Connection made our special occasion a truly memorable one, long after our food was eaten and the bill was paid. read more

I really wanted to place no stars but that isn't allowed. However, this place is horrible. I ordered Flamingo Shrimp with portobello mushrooms. The suave is a cream sauce that was very soupy and I could not enjoy the meal. I should have asked if the meal will be soupy or creamy, but this dish supposed to be creamy. Ugh! Mercury must be on someone's taste bud. I do not suggest this place if you really enjoy real Italian. read more

Wonderful homemade Italian food. The ambiance is very relaxing and quaint. The Shrimp Flamenco is my favorite. We had a rehearsal dinner there. Alex was very accommodating. read more

Went here for a first date and loved it! They have an amazing wine list and a great atmosphere. Very romantic but quiet and fun with the decor. We had excellent service and the food was fabulous. Looking to go back when the owner sings karaoke on Fridays and Saturdays. I have lived in FW for 5 years and never knew of this place. A hidden gem for sure. I will be back!!!! read more

My husband and I have a date jar and one of the dates was to pick an ethnic restaurant we have never been to. He picked The Italian Connection. As soon as we walked in it was like we walked out of Fort Wayne straight into an Italian Bistro in Italy. The ambiance alone was worth the trip here. A small place with a very Italian romantic vibe. We started with a bottle of Prosecco which was the best we have ever tasted. It was smooth and delicious. For our appetizer we had their fried meatballs. It was like tasting a piece of Heaven. The bread was hot soft and with the garlic butter it just melts in your mouth. The salad had a fruity vinaigrette that was very unique and tasty. I had the Shrimp Flamingo and my husband had the Chicken Parmesan. Both were so delicious and tasted authentic. I have never tasted Italian food like this before. My taste buds were in Heaven. As for the dessert it was so amazing we had gelato and cannolis and a cappuccino coffee. And as we sat there eating our dessert the owner got up and started to sing. Nothing like that bit of magic to end our date night. This is a must try. It is one of the cities hidden treasures. We will be back very soon. My taste buds cannot wait. read more

How often does you chef not only make your meal from scratch, but then sing to you when he has downtime? At Italian Connection, this is a nightly affair. Every time I walk in I feel as though I am stepping back a few decades in time to a period when people put their whole hearts into preparing a plate of food, while others shared their hearts with friends and family over the same plate. It is beautiful. It is small. It is a secret gem. It is intimate. It is fun. But perhaps you want to know if the food is good; don't worry, its terrific! read more

Had a reservation on a Friday night. When we arrived, they sat us at a table butted up right against a wall with only two chairs caddie corner from each other, one chair literally staring right at a wall. I ordered a soda and the waitress brought the wrong one. When I asked for her to fix it she got all defensive. For dinner, I ordered chicken Parmesan, a classic. It came out dry and sauceless, served with a very small "side" of red sauced pasta. The pasta was average at best. Waitress was not attentive whatsoever and never asked if either of us wanted more drinks or anything. After I paid the bill, we sat talking for 15-20 minutes. The waitress came up to us to let us know the next reservation for that table arrived, pretty much insinuating that we needed to leave. I have never been asked to leave a restaurant before. Overall, food was mediocre and the service was poor. Fort Wayne has better options elsewhere for Italian food. read more

The Italian Connection has been around for more than 30 years, and you will not be able to get homemade Italian food anywhere else in Indiana. Yes, the owner is quirky, so if you don't want to eat out to have an "experience," then don't come here. If you want to enjoy great atmosphere, family pictures more than 100 years old, a chef that sings to his customers, and daily handmade pasta, then this is your place. Yes, it can take a while when it's busy, so don't come if you are in a rush. Other than that, this is the place to go! Highly recommend the fork tender veal (I prefer the picante') and for a little upcharge get the cream sauce or clam sauce on your pasta side. Also, HOMEMADE GELATO! I love the banana rum. The Zabione is a delicious rich custard, but it is a small portion, so I recommend it if you are stuffed from dinner! read more

The food was excellent. The atmosphere is quaint and cozy. The best part is the staff who work there. They are very friendly and attentive. This is a great place to go off of the beaten path. And definitely a unique experience. read more

Italian Connection - The owner and chef singing to the patrons. Delightful! - Italian Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

See all

I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the music. The service and food was excellent. I definitely would recommend a romantic dinner here. I'm coming back soon!!! read more

Our prior dining experiences at the Italian Connection have been wonderful, which is why we chose this restaurant to celebrate our daughter's 16th birthday. Unfortunately that was not our experience this visit. Everything was blah..from our waitress to our food. Our waitress even seemed annoyed with us. I wanted to whisper, "We are excellent tippers...for excellent service". read more

Upon a rave review of a friend, my husband surprised me with reservations, as I had always wanted to try the Italian Connection. It did not live up to the hype. The area of town is not nice, broken down cars in the parking lot and houses next door. The ambiance is nice, but the decor is old, outdated. Our chairs & table were cheap metal folding chairs, which the waitresses took down during our meal. The bathroom was tiny, outdated and had no paper towels in the dispenser. The house salad was iceberg lettuce only with a terrible dressing that tasted like pure vinegar. Complimentary bread was good with an amazing garlic butter, but husband's chicken alfredo was okay - deep fried chicken on top of the noodles and his side of meatballs were burnt on the outside. I ordered the Alex's Special and they didn't drain the noodles, so any sauce that they put on it was washed off into a wet pool of water. The waitress was nice, apologized and took my meal off the bill. I was surprised that the food was so bad/just okay as I have heard that lots of people like it. If this is authentic Italian, I'd rather eat unauthentic, yet tasty, Italian food at Olive Garden. read more

First time dining at the Italian Connection. Definitely a unique Fort Wayne dining experience. Food was authentic Italian and very good. Wife and I both had Chicken Parm boys had Chicken fettuccine. Pasta noodles are "fresh". Alex the owner is very involved and appreciated his customers business. If you can hang around until 9, he sings a few Sinatra tunes for his diners. Only negative I have is the dinner salad isn't much of a salad. Served on a saucer sized plate, literally took three small bites to finish mine. With entree prices between $16-$22, the expectation should be a full salad or salad served family style. Also, desserts were tasty, however, the serving sizes were very,very small. Again, looking for a different dining experience, give them a try. Ignore all the negative reviews, I was skeptical, but glad we went. read more

This is a favorite spot! My husband and I were engaged and had our rehearsal dinner here! Alex, the owner is so helpful and has amazing food! The atmosphere is so unique but cozy. We love this place! Especially when he starts singing! read more

The place is charming. The food is always delicious. And the staff is wonderful. I love eating here.

Great homade food, great coffee, great atmosphere. Been here several times and have always had those 3 items be constantly great. The service however.. We have had the same waitress on 3 different occasions who has-in no particlure order-forgotten to put our order in, forgot to bring salads and had to remind her then the entree arrives right after the salads placed on table, ordered a angel hair pasta dish and received a fettucine dish appearantly because she didn't write it down and the walk to kitchen is too far for her memory. Seems like she always has just a few tables but notice that our table is not the only one expeiancing these issues and more, last night was strike 3 with her and I will continue to go there but will now request a table anywhere but in her section, if seated in her section I will definitely ask for different server. So make a reservation, enjoy some great food but hope that Nicole isn't your server, if so ask to be moved, maybe this waitress is the same one other reviewers with bad service stories have had, hopefully it can get fixed but till then my reservations will be in a " No Nicole area"! read more

Just returned from a lovely evening at The Italian Connection. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary and had a terrific meal. For an app we shared the antipasti plate, my husband had the special - spinach ravioli with bay scallops, portabella mushrooms and shrimp in a cream sauce and I had the chicken manicotti with red sauce. Both entrees were just delicious and the sauces were so fresh and tasty! The house salad and dressing were great as was the yummy bread and herb garlic butter. Everything that was served was WONDERFUL and we were served very nice sized portions. We had spumoni and zabaglione for dessert and both were out of this world... I have dined in different Italian restaurants in New York City & Chicago and I must say that your restaurant was head and shoulders above the rest. Our waitress was wonderful and very attentive, the ambiance was great and overall we had a fabulous time! We will definitely be back ! read more

great local establishment. chef alex loves what he does and it is apparent. the food is fresh and wonderfully prepared. this is a great place to celebrate but a special event is not needed for cause to dine here. the singing alex does throughout the night is always a highlight. read more

The Italian Connection is our new family favorite. Excellent food, reasonably priced, quaint atmosphere, and you gotta love the singing!

overrated. Serves only beer or wine. Very dark inside, and very small, in a questionable neighborhood. This is a cult favorite - you either love it or hate it. I hate parking my car outside - their parking lot is only large enough for about four cars, then there is the street. read more

I went to celebrate an anniversary & was blown away by the food & atmosphere. Authentic, homemade pastas were absolutely amazing. We had an 8:00 reservation, were running behind but they sat us immediately. Enjoyed the herbed butter with breads & artichoke spread for an appetizer. It was spicy but right up our alley. The dressing on the salad was perfect, zingy & perfectly spiced. For dinner we shared the veal Parmesan & the shrimp flamingo with portabello mushrooms in a brandy cream sauce & ate every bite! After chef was finished in the kitchen he came out to serenade the guests including favorite by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, etc. Very romantic yet very relaxed atmosphere. Beats the pants off of Casa restaurants any day! Between a bottle of wine, appetizer & 2 dinners we were more than willing to pay the $75! Well worth the money & experience. Thank you Chef & staff for an exquisite & memorable experience! We WILL be returning & would highly recommend the restaurant & experience! read more