This was my first visit to Pastaio, though my wife and daughter had eaten here once before and highly recommended it for a special occasion. We were celebrating a birthday, so we decided to pull out all the stops -- and I'm really glad we did. I'll say right up front that the prices are a little higher than what I would normally spend on a meal, but honestly, it was absolutely worth it. They started us off with garlic bread that was incredibly delicious, and from there the experience only got better. Our server, Andrew, was fantastic. He mentioned that they might have been a little short-handed and apologized that he felt he couldn't be as attentive as he normally would be, but honestly, we never would have known. He did an excellent job keeping our water glasses full and making sure we were taken care of throughout the evening. At our table, we ordered the Chicken al Pastaio, Spaghetti Carbonara, Gnocchi Romana, and I had the Chicken Parmigiano. Every dish was excellent. I sampled a few bites from the other plates and genuinely enjoyed all of them. The real highlight for me, though, was the Beggar's Purse appetizer. It was pasta filled with goat cheese and pear, and it was absolutely divine. I can completely understand why they also offer it as a main course because I could have happily eaten an entire plate of it. For dessert, we shared cheesecake and tiramisu. The cheesecake was more traditional than what you'd typically get at places like The Cheesecake Factory, which caught me a little off guard at first, but it was still excellent. The tiramisu was also delicious, and we all got a good laugh when one of our guests accidentally inhaled a little cocoa powder off the top and started coughing and sneezing at the table. It honestly just added to the fun of the evening. At the end of the night, nothing we ordered disappointed, the service was wonderful, and it turned out to be a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Great service and ambiance. I had the bronzino and my wife anger the lasagna...both were good. Wine was good. Just a nice Cozey Italian place to have dinner at with friends...good food. I'm sure there are more specials that are better. My wife and i will be back at some point Ty read more

I went here with my parents, my FIL and SIL for my hubby's birthday dinner. I am still bummed the location in RO closed. Ordered a large Italian salad, side Kale Caesar salad, spaghetti primavera, gnocchi Romano, chicken tutto fresco, Langosta lobster scallop special with arrabiata sauce, pumpkin agnolloti mascarpone ravioli. $189.67 The house Italian bread with EVOO and Parmesan cheese is good, even after 3 plates of it. They don't have the pizza funghi, as the RO location used to and it was quite good too. Bummer. We are seated in the back, better for conversations. The Italian salad is a colorful blend and tastes good. The Caesar is decent. Arrabiata sauce is good. The lobster and scallops was maybe a bit overcooked, still not bad. Garlic slices are good. Good heat. The gnocchi is good, soft bites. Pasta primavera was good, lots of spinach and tomatoes. The chicken tutto is good. The waiter halved the plate for my FIL and his girlfriend. The agnotti pumpkin mascarpone ravioli was yummy. read more

No flavor. At All. My glass of Prosecco saved the night. It's a hearty proportion but the seasoning is lacking. I would come back and try the chicken parmesiagno. It was the bartenders first choice. It was also about a 20 minute wait for our food on a Saturday night. Meter parking requires change or download an app. read more

Pastaio - Cavatelli Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

A real NYC vibe. Drinks or drinks and dinner, this place is great for Grosse Pointe. Chef never disappoints. Prices are reasonable.

Delicious food. Yummy mocktails (try the Strawberry Mule). The lasagna was fantastic. Service was excellent; very attentive. We were very pleased with our dinner and we will definitely be making a return trip. read more

Pastaio - Strawberry Mule (Mocktail). - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

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This is a great happy hour spot!!! The food on the happy hour menu is fantastic. I had the Burrata Caprese (forgot the pic) It's loaded with both grape tomatoes & heirlooms and two generous pieces of burrata. I also love the Vinny the Gin from the cocktail menu. Happy hour prices are only available if you sit at the bar, which fills up fast & happy hour ends at 5:30. Bartenders are fantastic, Bobby is a favorite. read more

Pastaio - Vinny the Gin - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

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We sat at the bar and just missed happy hour (& the deals were amazing!). The service was great, the seafood risotto special was LOADED with seafood and lobster, the octopus was fork tender and the drinks were so good! It was our first visit, but we can't wait to go back. read more

Pastaio - Seafood risotto and octopus. Yum! - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Food and service mediocre at best. Cannoli martini so strong I was not able to drink it. There was some conflict between our server and another customer which got heated in the back of the restaurant with our server and management. Restaurant could use some updating in decor. read more

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| Pastaio - Grosse Pointe, MI @eatpastaio_grosse_pointe We had an absolute blast at Pastaio! From the moment we walked in, the energy was upbeat and welcoming, and the service matched the vibe--friendly and attentive throughout the night. The food? Simply fantastic. The freshly baked bread was a perfect start, followed by housemade meatballs that were incredibly flavorful and paired beautifully with their fresh pasta. We also loved the chicken piccata and carpaccio--both were standout appetizers that really set the tone for the meal. The handcrafted cocktails were just as impressive and added a great touch to the overall experience. Pastaio combines great food, a lively atmosphere, and excellent service to create a memorable night out. IG: @thefoodie.99 read more

The design of the restaurant is modern with hardly any soft surfaces So beware if you have hearing issues, I also wouldn't recommend this to new couples, as it is tough to carry a conversation Our server Kevin was pleasant and respectful he even gave us the history of chicken piccata that was a nice touch The ravioli, kale Caesar, and garlic bread are fantastic What a fun spot! read more

Pastaio - Kale Caesar - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

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This was the second or third time our family has dined at this recently-opened GrossePointe location and we definitely plan to return. The ambiance is lovely and very classy, yet still welcoming. Alex the host is kind, and sat us quickly for our reservation. The music was definitely a tad bit too loud, as another reviewer mentioned. On a previous visit, some of the food was cold. Tonight, after we mentioned that, it was definitely improved but still evident that the runners are working slightly on having the food all ready/warm at the same time. (Understandable for a new location!) I agree with another review that the wine and beer choices could be enhanced. The sauvignon blanc, $14 a glass, was from a screw top bottle which is $11 at the grocery store. It wasn't bad, but could've been a lot better. The house salad was very onion heavy, and served this evening without olives. We didn't want to say anything about this, but it was definitely a listed ingredient that was totally missing, which was disappointing. The dressing was the best part- both light and deliciously sweet! Our server was very attentive. Almost too much, though. She kept trying to take away my appetizer and salad plates before I was finished. She was very great at checking in throughout the meal, and even apologized when the kitchen was backed up. Overall, the food was tasty with decent portion sizes. We've tried all three desserts that they had. The tiramisu, chocolate cake, and cannoli were all delicious. If you have a chance to sit at the bar, I'd recommend it. We had previously sat there and it as a very fun experience. Bobby and Chris are both personable, charismatic, and pay great attention to detail. Overall, we are very happy Alex and the team have opened in GrossePointe! read more

We had a fabulous dinner here, but it was the service that really stole the show. Even though the whole restaurant was packed, the host and waitstaff were fantastic and really went above and beyond, communicating wait times and lots of nice small talk. The food - I mean. They make fresh pasta. Yea it's REAL good! Will definitely be back! read more

My wife and I are frequent customers of this restaurant as we enjoy the food. We have however encountered a couple of negative experiences with the gentleman responsible for seating guests. We made an advance reservation for two at 5:00 PM this evening. At the time the reservation was made we requested a booth and we informed the gentleman of that. He ignored our request and proceeded to seat us at table next to the door. The restaurant was empty and we did not want to sit next to the door on a 20 degree night. Of course we refused the table and he begrudgingly gave us a booth opposite the kitchen. When we left the restaurant at 6:15 PM there were two empty booths and no one waiting. This is not the first time we have been treated rudely by him. Three weeks ago we had reserved a table for seven to celebrate my wife. When we arrived we were told that there was a time limit on the table. That evening the kitchen was slow and he kept buzzing around our table as if he wanted us to leave. First impressions are important for any business. Unfortunately this gentleman needs to be schooled in that. It is likely we will not return read more

One of the best little Gems...for pasta in Grosse Pointe City!! My friends and I enjoy this quaint ambiance with an amazing happy hour options.. this is truly what happy is but not just an hour! Beggers purse is a mouth pleasing explosion of flavors pear and cheese wrapped in homemade little "pasta purses". The bartenders are a great asset in their service suggestions and it feels so beautiful and comfortable to relax after a busy day! read more

Great food, great service & great space. It was nice that we could get different sauce on pastas & we had fantastic wine and literally ordered every dessert! This place is a real gem and nice to have another larger good Italian restaurant in the area. Will definitely be back. read more

We ordered the grilled octopus for an appetizer. It was excellent, I have never had it prepared so deliciously before. I recommend trying it. I ordered chicken Marsala for my entree. It came with lots of fresh mushrooms and broccolini. They have a very nice wine selection to choose from. Our waitress was very attentive. We had an early reservation at 5:15 pm for dinner. We did not have to wait. The host was very accommodating and sat us in a booth although our reservation seemed to be at a table. When the restaurant got crowded sometime during our meal it was quite difficult to carry on our conversation at a normal volume. We found ourselves kind of yelling at each other across the table! I think most people didn't seemed to mind that. I think we were just looking for a nice quiet dinner. The food was great but it is a noisy restaurant. Also, when we departed there were a lot of people standing by the front door waiting for a table. I am guessing they had to wait even though they probably had a reservation. When we made our reservation we had the choice of 5:15 or 8:15 pm. Don't try coming here without a reservation. read more

Server was fantastic. Ordered a $34 chicken dish. Two of us. Same order. Both of us. One excellent tender piece of chicken. The other piece so tough we couldn't cut through it. Offered to recook each of us another piece but we declined. No manager showed up! I feel it was left over prepared chicken from the day before and they tried to pull it off. Worked in restaurants for 50 years. They bought us dessert. Big deal! $50 per person left pissed. read more

New favorite place to eat! Have been there 4 times in the last week. The food is very good and comes out piping hot. I've had the spaghetti carbonara twice, rigatoni boscaiola and pappardelle bolognese each once. The carbonara and boscaiola are my favorite but all good. The side house salad also very good. Nice bar and comfortable dining room and waitstaff are professionals. read more

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Forgot to take picture of the espresso martini- one of the best I've had! It's got an interesting twist with a splash of Aperol. The garlic bread brought out was super garlicky and delicious. We have plans to go back and work our way through the pasta options. The Buccatini was delicious. A fellow patron got the grilled octopus and agreed with the bartender that is one of the best octopus dishes around. Entrance was handicap accessible but need someone to open the door. Did not check out the bathrooms. read more

Pastaio - Bucatini funghi. - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Great service. Nice ambiance. Overall the pasta is fantastic. Will be going back. Reasonably priced for homemade pasta. Sometimes the sauce is over spiced - so ask questions. The family of 10 were happy. Loved all the appetizers and tiramisu is awesome! read more

Excellent. Home made pasta. Fresh bread. Great pasta and dinners. Great food, atmosphere, and service. I go there every week. My favorite restaurant. read more

The worst meal I've had in a year. Beware the Caesar salad is kale (nothing wrong with kale if that's what you expect ) The house salad is overdressed. The salmon is overcooked and over sauced. The only highlight was the staff was friendly and attentive. read more

This was one of my favorite places to go in GP. Nice ambiance and good food & drinks. However I was just aggressively and rudely yelled at by the bartender because my friend and I apparently stayed too long at our table. We were informed there is and hour and 15 min limit for two people and an hour and 45 limit for 4 people, something we were unaware of. Also note that is it after 8pm on a Sunday and they close at 9pm. We were admittedly there over the limit at our table, but unknowingly, and there were no parties waiting to be seated. He came over and aggressively bussed our table while mumbling something about reservations. Then ultimately cane over and yelled at us, I mean super rudely, to leave. I've not experienced this type of behavior at a restaurant where I am a frequent guest. He has waited on me at the bar several times so knows that I come often. I'm just really offended at the treatment and won't go back. Sad, because I really liked it. read more

We had an amazing experience here! We made a reservation for 6pm and were seated shortly after we arrived. Our server, Eric, was phenomenal. He described the restaurant and food with great detail and knowledge and was so kind. They bring out bread with olive oil and Parmesan and it is so amazing, when you finish it just keeps coming out LOL. We ate so much bread we did not order an appetizer. I got the bucatini funghi with a house salad. It was absolutely delicious and fresh!!! My boyfriend got the spaghetti carbonara, he said it was decent. Others at the table got the special of the night and they enjoyed it. Dessert was a cannoli and it was delicious as well! I will say I appreciated how staff was constantly filling up our water cups - we NEVER once had to ask for more water. It's the little things! Can't wait to return. read more

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3 different entrees that were ALL amazing. The beet salad was large enough to share. Garlic bread: was so garlicky!!!! We were seated in the back room. Quieter for our group. We loved our meal experience!!! read more

The service and food were great! We sat right by the entrance, hats off to the host who kept his cool when multiple entitled customers came in berating him. read more

Service was splendid. This was my second time here and I was hoping I had just gone on a bad night shortly after they first opened, but nope. Same bland sticky cold pasta. And clean your back windows already. read more

Tried Pastaio on Kercheval and were lucky to score immediate seating without a reservation on a busy Friday night at 7:00. First, the baguettes are absolutely to die for, perfectly seasoned with OVO, garlic and cheese. We gobbled two plates worth and my friend typically avoids gluten carbs. She ordered an Italian salad, Chicken Marsala, and Potato Croquette, and I ordered a Kale Caesar, and Short Rib Ragu Pasta. Italian salad had perfect cherry tomatoes bright red and a varietal, and lots of olives. The entrees were spot on, but a little more short rib with my Ragu would have been nice. I ordered the pasta al dente, and bite and flavor were excellent. Heated bowl would have been nice to keep the pasta warm. Marsala was very good, but GP competition is keen, with Cafe Nini and Salvatore Scallopini. The crispy Potato Croquette, an a la carte add, is heavenly, though not light as a cloud. The bottomless Arnold Palmer was a nice touch on an exhausting day. Eric our server was very attentive and friendly! Decor is meh, another blacked out dining room! Kind of loud due to all hard surfaces, would have preferred Rat Pack tracks to the thudding house music. read more

Daphne was lovely. She was very attentive. Took my order and brought me my bottle of wine right on time. The carpaccio was very good and I will be returning. The restaurant was a little chilly every time they open the door, but it made it up with good food and drink. read more

There was an amazing young man there this evening who thought he would be our server, but he was asked to run expo and I will tell you ... this young man RAN the restaurant this evening! He was handing orders and carryouts and running to tables. FLAWLESSLY! Way to go young man, I wish I knew your name so I could commend you personally. I hope at the very least you were well compensated for the job you did this evening. You are a DIFFERENCE MAKER! read more

Food: 6.5/10- I had the Rigatoni dinner, and it was enjoyable. I would've liked a bit more flavor, as there was little flavor to the sauce. Service: 8.7/10 Hostess attended to needs right away; And waitresses were very nice/ attended right away Ambiance : 9/10 amazing spot for date night/ dine in with friends. The bar was a bit tight-- if you're ordering carryout/picking up-- you have to wait next to the bar which can be a bit uncomfortable. Overall experience; pleasant. Im not sure if this would be included in my top spots for pasta, but definitely a good spot for vibes! read more

Food was good but only one person serving, busing and bartending . Not her fault. She did her best but that's not getting me to come back. No bread available because they hadn't made it yet. Management needs to step up read more

The food and ambiance were terrific. All of us ordered different entrees or pasta--all delicious. Kale Caesar salad--also delicious. I ordered the Tommy Gun cocktail to start--perfect. Nice wine and beer menus as well. The service was good. The seating was the real issue. I appreciate that it's a small restaurant and floor space is at a premium. But we were sat in the back room, directly in front of the of the back door to the parking lot. Every time someone came in or out we were blasted with cold, winter air. This spot is untenable--we could never have enjoyed our meal here. We very much appreciated the host/hostess finding a different table for us but a more permanent solution is needed--that seating simply does not work in cold temperatures, we could not have stayed there. read more

Food was absolutely delicious with generous servings. Our server Andy was very attentive. Would highly recommend this place

Pastaio is a welcome addition to Grosse Pointe's Village shopping district. It is very new and still working out the kinks, but shows a lot of promise. The food is fresh, flavorful and the portions are large. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the side kale Caesar salad, although the kale could have used a bit more massaging. The wine list is decent and not overpriced -- they know their audience -- Grosse Pointers are often frugal. It was our 29th wedding anniversary, which I indicated on the Resy reservation. But the host didn't acknowledge it. He seemed a bit overwhelmed, he broke a wine glass during bussing when we were there. Our server was friendly and attentive and asked if we were celebrating. (Maybe she noted we were dressed up a bit, the restaurant is pretty casual, there's a giant TV behind the bar broadcasting sports games.) I was hoping for a comped dessert, but instead she wrote a sweet card that she delivered with the dessert. It was a nice touch. (She actually brought the wrong dessert, we ordered cannoli but she brought tiramisu, we opted not to send it back.) The calamari was tasty, as was my husband's lasagna. My gnocchi was good, but the marinara had a bit more spice than I was expecting, I would have preferred a pesto sauce, but I didn't want to rock the boat when the kitchen is new. It took a while to be served, but they were very busy, especially for a Tuesday. It's noisy, not intimate, especially at the middle tables. I'm looking forward to checking it out again and updating this review in a few months. read more

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Tried this place for the first time and absolutely fell in love! Cute spot, conveniently placed in the village, not very big. The waiter was super nice and friendly. We got the beggars purse which was fantastic, I could have made a whole meal out of it. Then we got the chicken piccata, which was good, exactly what you'd expect. As well as the langosta pasta special which was also really good flavor except the lobster was definitely over cooked, it was small, tough, and shriveled plus there were also only 2 shrimp and 2 scallops. The drinks were okay, we both said they weren't how we typically like them made, we didn't say anything but it did keep us for getting a second round. Over all I'd definitely go back, though I really didn't like being right next to a belligerently drunk woman who kept screaming and shaking the booth, though the staff seemed to enjoy her because they were going over and laughing and making plans for when she'd come back. read more

Pastaio - Beggars purse - Italian Near Me - Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Ordered Bolognese and lasagna. Both were cold and dry. Sauce tasted like tomato paste. Pappardelle noodle was good but sauce made it stick together. Took 40 min to be served. We did not order wine. read more

Waited an hour after our reservation time to be seated. No apologies or concern by the manager. Ordered a gluten free meal only to have with gluten served. It was quickly whisked away but took another 30 mi. For gluten free entree to arrive. Waiter was apologetic. But they lost this customer read more

We had a great time at Pastaio tonight. Eric, our waiter, was the best! We had a few mishaps with our food due to a new chef's misunderstanding our order. Between Eric and the manager, things were resolved as quickly as possible. The food was outstanding and we'd go back in a heartbeat! Go soon, and ask for Eric, he was wonderful. read more