a bit pricey but delicious. excellent service and I love byob. small and charming

Unfortunately I did not have the same 4 or 5 star experience that others have had at this BYOB In Bala. To start our wine was opened promptly, the not-so-fine glasses were poured, the specials of the day were rattled off in a rapid litany fumbling over how the dishes were prepared, so much so that we had to ask for a repeat. In less than a minute the server returned to ask if we were ready to order, my thumb had just popped open the menu, so I responded "I would like to look at the menu first". Good idea? I think so. The bread served with an oily pesto and shaved parm was actually the highlight of the evening. See where we are headed? We split a 3 star arugula salad, very lightly dressed and the shaved parm barely noticeable. We then split the gnocchi of the day, spinach gnocci in a "veal demi-glace" so we were told. If there was a demi-glace involved in the dish at all, I'd be surprised. The gnocchi were mush, pure mush, and basically the dish was a waste of empty calories and no flavor to boot. 1 star here. For entrees, we ordered 2 out of the 3 fish specials for the evening. I had the striped bass which was a small piece of the tender fish ($30) over top of a sweet pea risotto, Again lacking flavor. For a plus, the risotto was cooked a perfect al dente, with no or very little cheese you would expect in a risotto, and by the time the server returned to ask if everything was alright, I said that the risotto could have used a little cheese, which she promptly returned and added to the two tablespoons I had left on the plate. My friend had the Branzino special ($30), which was good in it's own right, but had a soggy wet skin still attached so the skin was inedible. The mashed potatoes were average at best along with the asparagus. OK, time for dessert, let's try that "award winning" tiramisu. This was not bad, but not close to the best I've had. Let's give the dessert an A-OK. The tiramisu was served with the check shoved under the plate within seconds of the dessert appearance on our table. No lie, we did not even have time to pick up our forks off of the table. I guess they were trying to get rid of us as fast as we were trying to get this dinner over and behind us. No reason to go back again, it wouldn't even be worth a try. This is my 100th review of the year, I was looking forward to it being very favorable, what a shame. read more

We are blessed to live close to Pescatore. It is truly a gem in Bala Cynwyd. One of our favorite restaurants to go to to celebrate and have a great meal. Ambiance is comfortable, yet sophisticated and the staff and food is fabulous. It's also quite a bonus that you can BYOB your own special bottles of wine to enjoy. Highly recommend the lump crab flatbread salad, eggplant rollatini appetizer, the mixed ocean grill and nonna's Sunday gravy. They run on a seasonal and chalkboard menu, so the dishes are always changing in and out based on fresh ingredients. Yum! read more

Pescatore - Seafood Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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Came here for suburban restaurant week, but surprisingly didn't get the restaurant week menu. The regular menu just looked to good. Pescatore is pretty easy to find on Rt 23, and the free parking lot makes it all the better. The first thing I noticed was how popular it was with people from the neighborhood. You could tell how many people that the servers recognized. The dining room footprint is small, but they use the space well. The lighting is intimate without being too dark. The ceilings are high, and they put some stuff on the ceiling to keep it from being too loud. The meatballs are a really, really good appetizer. I could have had that on it's own and been satisfied, but this place is known for seafood, and I had to go with that. So, I landed on the seafood pescatore (natch). It's an excellent, well balanced dish. The only issue was the shrimp in it. Large, but well over cooked. Every other component was delicious though, and I'd definitely go back. read more

Visited: Saturday - January 14, 2012 - 5:00 PM I hosted a dinner for 12 dining club members at 5pm. It is an accepted practice to arrange separate checks when possible. Tonight was no exception. I arrived about 4:45PM to greet the anticipated diners. The table was nicely arranged in the corner of the room with ample space between seats. Pesto, thinly sliced cheese, with Italian bread was presented among the guests. Careful - no double dipping the chewed bread in the pesto! I had the Octopus salad as the appetizer. The waiter indicated that kalamata olives were an ingredient. I don't like kalamata olives due to their highly-salted composition but, ordered it. The octopus appetizer was very good. The characteristic kalamata olives briny taste was pleasantly subdued. The arugula salad was surprising hard to eat. The leaves were tough and string-like. The thinly sliced cheese did nothing to improve the taste. The cioppino was quite good - perfectly cooked stripped bass amid clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and slightly undercooked risotto. I washed everything down with a cup of decaffeinated tea and marbled cheese cake...yum! The wait staff was very good and the separate checks were calculated without a hitch. The true test of efficiency and quality of a dining establishment is best gauged by their performance on a Saturday night, separate checks, service, and of course food. My co-diners enjoyed their experience. Despite the arugula salad, and risotto, Pescatore performed admirably - kudos! read more

As we walked in it sorta looked closed. They have these weird curtain drapes at the door, I'm guessing it was to combat potential wind from coming in, in the colder months. We did not have a reservation but they sat us down anyway and told us we had an hour before their reservations begin to come in. Me and my husband sat down, our waiter was very thorough about the delicious specials and we decided on the stuffed calamari. AMAZING! Sauce was great. For entrees I got the crab Mac and cheese, it was seasoned great, wish there was a little more crab meat. My husband got the scallops and in his words they were "f*cking phenomenal" I even stole some off his plate. Oh yeah they bring out complementary bread with olive oil spread and fresh Parmesan cheese. The service was super fast and polite, we will be back we loved it. It's byob but a little early we didn't care to bring wine. read more

Pescatore - Seafood Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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Second visit to Pescatore was disappointing. Service tonight was very spotty. Seems like the restaurant is understaffed. Table was not ready when we arrived and we had to wait 10 minutes in the alcove. Another long wait before waitress came for our order. When we were done with our appetizers, she came by to clear the plates and, seeming frazzled, said "were those your appetizers or your entrees?" As far as food, the appetizers of eggplant rollatini and mushroom stuffed with crabmeat were both excellent. We didn't fare that well with the entrees, however. My stuffed pork chop was underdone (had to send it back to the kitchen) and the linquine pescatore was underwhelming. Other than garlic and oil, it seems to have no sauce. The seafood ravioli was OK but the portion was very small. One thing I can't understand is why this restaurant, named Pescatore, has almost no fresh seafood on the menu. Tonight's special was sauteed salmon- not exactly exotic. Why is there no local fresh fish? I thiink it will be a while before I return to Pescatore. For good food and service in Bala, I prefer my old standby, the New Tavern, where food and service are both reilable. Afterthought: there are a surprising number of 4 and 5 star reviews for this restaurant by people who have joined yelp just to post this one review..this strikes me as odd for a small restaurant in Bala Cynwyd to have attracted a large following of new yelpers...just saying. read more

Pescatore offers a cozy welcoming atmosphere with excellent service and superb food. When we arrived our expectations dropped as we opened our menus to find nothing but the dark leather insides of the menu, thankfully once we were given new menus that had actual printing in them, our experience soared from there. Our server Pisello recited from memory a long list menu additions and specials flawlessly, I was impressed, I could barely remember everything he said, I definitely couldn't do his job. His interaction was professional, warm and friendly. We decided to start with the mussels, and for entrees my wife chose the Osso Bucca, and I had a dish called Nona's Sunday Gravy. The mussels were remarkable cooked in a slightly spicy sauce which truly brought the appetizer to life. I have had a lot of mussels in my time and these are a close second to the ones at Monks Cafe. Our entrees were beyond our expectations, my wife raved about the Osso Bucca and she is an extreme foodie. While I could never define myself as a foodie, I tend to be particular but not too adventurous, Nona's Sunday Gravy was a combination of the best traditional Italian food has to offer. Sweet italian sausage, Nona's Meatballs, Pasta, long hot peppers and lamb ragu. Wow!. It was breathtaking, and with those long hots that could be taken literally. A truly amazing dish. We both left part of out entrees for take home next day lunch as the portions were quite generous and we wanted to sample the dessert menu which my wife chose a peanut butter tartufo that was again impeccably done and I had the Tiramisu which was so unique that I was floored by the flavor. That along when an excellent cup of cappuccino ended a perfect night (well not count the menus) out at a truly exceptional establishment. Pescatore has won our hearts, minds and stomachs. I suggest you make a reservation and enjoy the culinary bliss. One FYI, Pescatore is a BYOB establishment. They are happy to provide wine glasses or have various mixers on the menu that you can use with the liquor you bring. read more

A few days ago I had the great pleasure of having a wonderful dinner with my accountant Steve and his family... Well you see, I am a Master Chef and I haven't written a review for a restaurant in a very very long time... I've lived in Italy for over a year and there really is no comparison to the Italian restaurants in Italy and the ones over here... The food in Italy is o die for. Now please believe me, the food at Pescatore's is also to die for. I wondered off the menu only to see if they would accommodate me. I ordered Veal, Chicken, and Shrimp Francese and that plate was unbelievably great... This restaurant is the 1st Italian restaurant in Philly to score a perfect 100 with me... I love Italian food and this restaurant is the best in all areas of what Italian dining is all about!!! Chef Carl Redding read more

I live in city so I rarely go out to eat in the suburbs and when I do... it is not my choice. I was so pleasantly surprised when I stopped in to Pescatore for the first time after seeing a movie at the theater across the street. Service was excellent. Extremely professional but with a certain old South Philly charm. (Maybe that was all of the Frank Sinatra and Frankie Avalon that was playing... which I kind of loved.) The food. Ahh the food. Everything we had was super tasty but the Sunday Supper was absolutely ridiculous (in a good way). The flat bread Caesar was also something I could probably eat every day. No joke. Everyone else loved their food and one of my friend's is gluten free/celiac and they were super accommodating . I have been back a couple of times now (ssshhh don't tell my city friends) and it has been excellent every time. Damn them for making me leave the city. #worthit read more

First off, I got to say that the complimentary bread, PESTO, and Parmesan is FANTASTIC!!!! Where have you ever gotten PESTO & Parmesan for free!?!? I had a pasta dish and it was really fresh pasta. They make it home-made. They also offer several entrees at appetizer poriton/price which allows you to enjoy a shared appetizer and an entree without feeling completely full by the end. If you want a good meatball, order the Meatball appetizer, DELISH! read more

I frequent Italian restaurants every weekend. How did I miss this one? Tables were closer than I like them to be, but the upscale reserved clientele know how to act with close seating, We were only about a foot away from a table of 4 on either side of us and had no problem. Very nice clientele! Food Excellante!!!! The veal was to die for and Nonoos Sunday dinner is the best! I would personally like a softer bread but it was good. The flatbred Ceasar with Shrimp and Crabmeat was an excellent appetizer for 2. Bravo! I shall return! read more

Wow - wife found this place on OpenTable and we gave it a shot. Reviews were great on OT and Yelp and all those people were right. We were met promptly upon arrival at 9PM last night and seated. Our waitress was VERY impressive relaying an extensive list of daily specials. Since this was our first time she also guided us through some of her favorites. We started off enjoying the bread, pesto and shaved parmesan cheese while also enjoying our house salad. The baked Mozzarella en Carozza was AMAZING. i would eat eight of those until i exploded. Then dinner. Delicious. I had the spaghetti pescatore which was a delicate wine sauce and crab, mussels, shrimp and clams. Thank you to our waitress for the suggestion. My lovely wife had the daily special ravioli which were covered in a sundried tomato and pesto sauce. Dessert was very good too. I had the ricotta cheesecake and my wife had the tiramisu. Even the decaf cappuccino was good. My wife and I will DEFINITELY be back and have already talked about what we will get next and who we should tell about our lovely experience there. read more

The prices keep creeping up, and the quality slowly declines. Was once a 4.5 star BYOB. Now rather self-satisfied. Bread is a good indicator. The last time I was there, service was slow and the bread was served cold to the touch. The manager insisted that the bread comes in fresh every day. If that is so, they must put it in the freezer immediately! and served in the process of defrosting. The waiter promised to replace with warmed bread and never did. The manager insisted it was today's fresh bread. Excusable if acknowledged and an apology issued. Inexcusable if not, and a warning to be on the lookout for other flaws. Nonna's meatballs used to be outstanding. Now they are just ordinary. read more

We had a mixed experience at Pescatore on a Friday night. While some of the dishes we ordered were good others were weak because they lacked elevation and flavor. The presentation could be better with minor efforts. Extremely fatty and heavy food. This is what happens when the food does not have enough herbs and flavor. These are easy changes, They need just a little attention. The staff was fine. read more

We've been going to Pescatore since it opened, including take out during the pandemic. The food and service are always great and there is usually plenty of available parking. read more

Ryan is the absolute best server in the world!! Ask for him when you come. Best in the CITY. Get the Sunday gravy. read more

My girlfriend had heard good things and suggested we try Pescatore. We were both very impressed by the atmosphere, food, and service and plan on returning soon. The bread and parmesan are amazing and set the tone for the entire meal. read more

Great corner Italian restaurant. It's my second time here. Love their signature salad, really delicious. BYOB.. Good service read more

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This was the very first place my boyfriend took me to when I first came to Philly to visit him. Maybe I was really hungry after the flight or the chef was on his A game because the food was superb. Wish I could say the same about my second visit... We had an 8 o'clock reservation and had to wait 15 minutes to avoid sitting in the middle because the patrons that night were so loud. It was the strangest sight seeing the host bus the tables and set them up, very strange. We got a nice little table closer the wall and placed our order. I got the tuna tartare as the appetizer and the bolognese as my entree. My boyfriend got a rendition of a chicken parm. It took about 15 minutes to get our sodas (who the host also brought to our table, not our waitress) and another five to get the bread with pesto. The bread with pesto is a great little snack. The cheese is fabulous and brings that extra saltiness to the pesto. My tuna tartare came out and it was alright, it lacked some flavor and there was a seed left in it that looked like a olive pit but was told was an "avocado pit" either way it shouldn't have been in my tartare. The bolognese was delicious but was way way way too salty! Pretty disappointing but I fixed it with the ricotta. I didn't try the chicken parm because I'm just normally not a fan of it, but judging on the small portion of leftovers my boyfriend left, it must've been good. Also both generously portioned. Perhaps my memories were fonder than reality. It was good just could've been much better with a little love. read more

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Today I went to the restaurant to celebrate my husband's birthday made reservations on OpenTable last night. traffic was a little hectic I thought we was going to be late but we got there just in time I made reservations for 6 p.m. and my husband noticed that they didn't give us the special menu three-course menu. So I was taking care of a business call and ask the young lady about the menu and she said sorry it was from 5pm to 6pm. I thought the time was from 5 to 7 unfortunately we did not stay because I was not trying to spend over a hundred and something dollars today we did it two times at this restaurant don't get me wrong the food is delicious but I wanted to try the three chords for only $25 so hopefully we can try another day and he was off and it was his birthday so we will have to go try another restaurant sorry for the inconvenience but I know what my pocket says. And then the young lady at the desk said with a little smart attitude that is from 5 to 5:45 and I said okay but again and we was on time so we had just made it to even put our meal in cuz we already knew what we wanted only thing was the desert. But again like I said we will try again. But if you was in there before 6 they still should have honor the deal oh but I forgot she said 5:45 which doesn't make any sense. read more

My husband and I dined at Pescatore because everyone boasts about the restaurant, however, we did not have a great experience. We ordered the special salad over flatbread. It was large but not $25 worth in taste. I ordered the $30 ocean mix. The plate contains 1 lobster tail, 1 scallop & 3 shrimp. Thank God I was almost full from the bread and salad! The biggest disappointment was that all of the fish was overcooked! My husbands classic pasta dish was really good but nothing to boast about. The staff was nice but there were a lot of teenagers working and didn't bother to clear our small table of the little dishes taking up room we needed. The website doesn't state any prices and now I know why. I was expecting the best food on the mainline but once again we are still searching. read more

Celebrated my sister's birthday here and although the food is DELICIOUS the service with the one of the waitresses needs some tightening up. I'm not sure if they were just overwhelmed by the holiday rush, but it definitely showed in the service. Our waitress was Maria. She was all over the place. Rushing us to order. Then once we placed our order for appetizers we didn't see her anymore. She never even came back to see if we even wanted water. We brought bottles of wine with us and she couldn't figure out how to chill them. The gentleman at the door, who I think is the manager came over and helped us out. I had a birthday cake and our waitress was moving so fast all about the restaurant that I couldn't get her to put the cake in fridge. There was another woman there who was working at the adjacent table who saw the cake and offered to place it in the fridge. At some point the other lady took over and became our waitress. Even the busboy was more attentive than her. Despite, our experience with Maria ( I only know her name from the receipt) I will back. read more

Pescatore - Seafood Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

Seriously how do they make such GREAT food. I ordered a ceasar salad and the shrimp scampi pasta.. So So So So GOOD!!!! The bread and olive oil I wanted to lick the bowl and the pesto they add into the olive oil is the best.. I know real Italian food and this is it!!!!!!!!!!! The portions are huge!!!! Will definitely be back again... read more

I've been here many times but tonight I came to celebrate my father's 80th birthday party and Tyler and his staff did a magnificent job creating the best atmosphere for our party. The food was excellent and we felt like we were your favorite guests. Thank you for treating our special night with your very best!! read more

Pescatore - Seafood Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

We dined at Pescatore after my son's graduation. The service was superb and professional. we tries a lot of different food and we were all very pleased with our selections.We had several desserts and they were all very tasty.We brought in our own beer and wine and they cooled it for us as quickly as possible since it was a very hot day and the alcohol had been in the car for a while. Definitely would dine there again. read more

Flatbread Caesar - Amazing Nonna's Sunday Gravy - Amazing Chicken Sacco - Amazing The fact that you can get all that food, dessert, and bring your own bottle of wine for under $100 makes this spot perfect for date night! Even the bread they bring out with the pesto and cheese is incredible. read more

Checked out Pescatore for dinner with a few out of town friends on a Friday night. We all LOVED it! The bread with homemade pesto & parmesan is delicious, and they give you as many refills as you want! We all shared a caesar salad topped with shrimp and crabmeat that was to die for! Everyone was very pleased with their entrees. Had a lot of specials that night and the wait staff is very knowledgable. AND they're a BYOB, can't beat that! Reasonably priced, each couple paid about $70 for an unforgettable meal. The energy is vibrant, definitely not a place for a romantic dinner when it is crowded. But a great space for a larger group... make sure to make reservations! read more

The other 5 star reviewers have said it all and well. Great food and service. I was a little afraid to go because I have been to this location with prior restaurants more than 6 years ago. It was too noisy then. But Joe has solved this problem and the sound was not an issue. All the food is quite delicious. Service just right. The place filled up on a Thursday night in July, so get your reservations. read more

This place has the best food that's affordable. I love coming here when I have the chance during lunch. The environment is nice.

With a nifty vintage store across the street and a gallery next door, this is a great date spot. My husband and I went here for the first time last night and I am so impressed. We didn't realize it was only BYOB, so definitely bring a bottle of wine if you're going. It seemed like a place that locals and regulars frequent, but the staff was super nice and the atmosphere was very comfortable. I had a seafood pasta and my husband (who actually isn't all that into seafood) had the Nonna Gravy dinner (or whatever that dish is called). Both were so good! It was like Italian comfort food. We also had the panna cotta with the cookie on top, and it was, hands down, the best dessert I've ever had. ALSO! The parking structure right across the street is free after six, so it's not a hassle like some places more in the city. read more

I can't believe that we didn't have the same experience some of the other diners had. We ordered eggplant rollatini, it was dry and tasteless, branzino tasted old and flavorless, grilled octopus was nothing special. My dinner of lobster raviolis were so salty, it was impossible to enjoy. Maybe we ordered all of the wrong things, but what we ordered are so simple to cook. So if you know how to cook yourself and dine out a lot, you shouldn't eat here. read more

Excellent meal!!! Burrata salad, Nonna's Sunday gravy and a Tartufo for dessert. Friendly neighborhood place. It's BYOB. Burrata was the best I have ever had! The Sunday gravy was a lamb ragu over pasta, meatball and really really good sweet sausage! Tartufo was so different! If in the neighborhood, check it out! read more

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Can't be a five star until after second or third visit. First visit impression was center city service and quality dishes. BYOB a huge plus. Seafood dishes both shellfishes and fish were exceptionally fresh, and served with equally tasty veg, risotto accompaniment. Have to return to try the pasta dishes read more

Pescatore - Veal chop with shitaki - Seafood Near Me - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

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Located in a cute town in Bala Cynwd. Street parking only and the place is not wheelchair accessible. Reservation is a must because the place is always booked. It is a BYOB establishment. Additional charge for sharing main entrees. The servers are very knowledgeable. Portions are large. The food is Amazing and delicious. They accommodate large parties and it also can be a romantic setting for a dinner date. I will definitely return back someday and even recommend this place to others. read more

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I never write these reviews but wanted to spare others. RUDE staff who rushed out my party at a special occasion dinner. Asking are you done while still clearly eating. The food was mediocre, the atmosphere uninspiring. Empty restaurant and still rushed. Terrible experience. read more

It was a wonderful dinner last night. The service was excellent. Their staff was incredibly gracious and the food was delicious. I definitely recommend this place. read more

My husband and I had reserved a table for dinner last night. This was our first visit back post-Covid. Our previous experiences there had always been positive, but after last night, we will not return. Firstly, upon entering we were immediately escorted to the back room, rear table, practically in the bathroom, near the only other African-american diners in the restaurant. There were plenty of available table so that was the first slight, but decided to not let it ruin our evening. We started with the flatbread salad which had been a "must order" with us was absolutely awful. They substituted shrimp for crab and the salad was dry and a poor effort of the original dish. I ordered the Scallops which were slightly overcooked and totally tasteless; the risotto was dry, undercooked, and again void of any seasoning. My husband ordered Nonna' Sunday Gray - extremely under-whelming! Unfortunately we went to the restaurant with an appetite, and left with an appetite. We've dined at restaurants before where food fell flat but we were able to eat something of our order. Neither of us ate our meal, and we left with the appetite we came with. I really felt that the girls waiting tables were also cooking in the kitchen. I don't believe a seasoned chef would send that food out. Needless to say, we will never return; expensive let down! read more

I can't believe we haven't been here before this. It was absolutely delicious. Every. Single. Plate. The service was excellent. Everyone was friendly. Nothing was forgotten. I can't wait to go back. read more

Checked this place it after noticing it driving by. Small, cozy, romantic feel. Very friendly hostess and wait staff. Food: Tuna tartare: beautiful presentation and excellent flavors. A bit too much peppers/avocado in the tartare for me, i am more of a minimalist for this dish. Mixed grill seafood plate: this was very disappointing. I LOVE seafood and everything on the plate was below average. Lobster was very tough, shrimp were mushy, and scallops lacked flavor. It was served on a bed of arugula that was sitting in a seafood liquid. For the price (32) this was a major letdown. Scallops: this was ok, the risotto wasn't my favorite. Cannoli: awesome. Cappuccino: pretty sure it was from a machine. We did see a ton of pasta dishes go out that looked, and smelled amazing. Will stop by again to check out a pasta dish. read more