Amazing Service, Amazing Food! We go often and have always had such a great time. They recently renovated the outside and it look beautiful. It's such a great local neighborhood gem! We are so happy to have it down the street! Reservations are always good to have and very easy to make! read more

Went there on a recommendation from a friend, reservation was for 7 pm and we were seated promptly but at a table in the middle of the dining room of plenty of empty and more appealing tables Server took several minutes to greet us and only with a "can I get you something to drink" we had to request a wine list which was very extensive and impressive. Server told us the specials in a robotic fashion but made no suggestions or endorsements nor did she make an effort to engage with us, just another tip I guess. Meal pacing was fairly slow, after our apps we received a salad that was clearly made well in advance and we were not told we would be getting. The risotto was good but had sat for some time and my wife's chicken parm was decent but came with only about 6 oz of penne where most Italian places pride themselves on givin you more than you can eat. Server was never around, not only for us but absent from the dining room most of the night. Food was decent but not worth the charge and the service is what will keep us away from future visits. There was no manager or supervisor presence anywhere in the restaurant which may be the cause for the poor service. Also gentlemen, if you are a big guy and want to use the men's room you may not Fit down the narrow passage to the urinal. read more

Very unimpressed especially for the price. Beautiful building. Drinks were good. Everything just over priced for the quality. The sister restaurant bin 100 is much better. Probably will not be back. read more

I've been to Luce 4 times now and every time the food has been great. I've had the risotto, bolognese and the ravioli. No doubt anything on the menu would be good. Service is always good. Dessert menu is also very nice with a lot of options. Will return again at some point I'm sure. read more

My wife and I about a year ago decided to choose a different restaurant each month to experience. Last month Luce was on the list so that's where we went. To start my wife ordered the pasta fagioli and I had the calamari. My calamari arrived at the table about 15 minutes before her soup. That was the first disappointment, however, I can say it was the best pasta fagioli either of us has ever had, and I don't like it ordinarily. The calamari was average and obviously waiting under a heat lamp for some time judging by the texture. For the main course I ordered the fillet Mignon and she had smoked mozz ravioli. The ravioli was horribly dry (and not homemade) with a flavorless sauce peppered with mushrooms. The steak, like the calamari was tough and dried out, also warmed under a heat lamp for some time. It takes a lot to kill a filet, but they did. As a result of sitting on a plate, the potatoes which were likely fresh tasted like instant. For desert she had a creme brulee that was overly sweet. The service was sparse, getting little attention despite a relatively empty dining room. Personally, I hate when I am ignored by waitstaff, and that is how we felt. We will not return here nor recommend to anyone either. Waste of a date night. read more

Service was the worst ever The first thing was we placed our reservations on line, then called to verify - no e-mail received. Set up a 6:30 reservation, did not get seated until 7:15 - no server for 30 minutes, no drinks for another 20 minutes, had to ask for salads. Dinner was just okay, but we had to ask for that also. When we asked the server what the problem was, he was arrogant. Over all very disappointing for a meal that cost over $60 per person. Will not likely never go back again. We loved this place before, but after this meal - never again. This was a 3 plus hour fisaco read more

It is okay. We will go here every once in a while. It is definitely not a regular place we go to. The service can be really good or really bad. The food is generally consistently good though-so three stars for that. read more

Went hear Friday night, wasn't slow wasn't busy. Sat at the bar. Bartender was very nice. Food was really avenge at best but way over priced. It's one of those places where you expect an amazing meal from looking at menu but feel disappointed as your eating. Not terrible but wouldn't rush back. JUST OK. read more

The food was excellent!!! The food was served hot and not warm. It was one of my better dining experience in a long time. The service was fast, friendly, courteous and very professional!!! I usually don't write review but this place was well worth me taking time out to do one for them read more

The food, service, servicers, ambiance, all of it, fantastic. My husband and I ordered the prix fixed meals...great portions, not smaller because of the prix fixed plan either, at least it did not feel that way! Everything was fresh and the tasted beyond delicious. Fried calamari was cooked to perfection and the pane cotta was just as fantastic. The pork chop milanese was cooked to perfection as well. Get the vibe here...everything was excellent! The restaurant is beautiful. My husband and I will be back for sure...sooner than later! We will be sure to tell friends and family too! read more

Pretty fabulous and delicious foods. Nice formal service and a nice selection of wine. Three times this week and loving it!! Great ambience, fab food and wonderful service all around. No joke! read more

Before I get to the specifics let me say that we all really enjoyed the meal, the service, and the atmosphere. We needed a restaurant where we could celebrate a very special occasion with the in laws but also bring our 2 year old. Luce is a little too upscale for a 2 yo normally but when I called to make the res, they said they would put us in a room that is fairly private. It worked out really well and I appreciate the accommodation. The wine list was fantastic. The food was excellent - I had the seafood risotto and my husband had the Vognole (I noticed that another reviewer said many of her clams weren't open but my husband didn't have that issue). Both super tasty. As an app we shared the crab cakes (good but not extraordinary) & for dessert the tiramisu (yummy!) The in laws really liked their dishes as well though don't remember what they got. Some reviewers complain of the service being "slow" but that is what fine dining is all about - taking time to enjoy the wine, food, and company. Certainly pricey but well worth it for a nice evening. read more

Food is outstanding. On weekends its a little too crowded for my liking, but I guess that also proves what a great place it is. Highly recommend. read more

This place in amazing!!! Just a few things turned me off about the place the min me and my girl friend walked in we didn't get sat or anything or any friendly hello the waiter was looking at the tv it took another waiter to tell him 2 times to look in back of him to notice some one was behind him.. So we finally got sat but the waiter said the kitchen is closing in 10mins... It was about to be 9PM.. Now why would you sit me down if the kitchen is closing, shocked that they closed so early on a Wednesday night..So we ended up staying and getting a few apps and meals the crab cakes and the NY York style calamari it was great we couldn't stop eating it!! And then our side salads came didn't care much for them so I told the waiter you can bring over our meals any time knowing that the chefs probably couldn't wait to leave.. I got the Risotto which was mixed in with seafood it was excellent and my girl friend got some kinda chicken dish didn't care much for! So it came to dessert time the table next to us had an excellent waiter he named off the dessert they had.. So when our waiter came over I asked him whats the desserts tonight he said hold on a min! He came back with a dessert menu and give us 15mins to look at it while he kept looking at the tv the dessert menu sucked I loved how this place looked and the set up it had but I'm sorry to say but you have bindi Italian desserts that are frozen!! Just why just why!!!!! That makes me so mad this is a beautiful place hire a pastry chef it's a 100 times worth it so we didn't end up getting anything left a nice tip because I wanna come back for the fact that I enjoyed the food but the service sucked!! I'll definitely be back tho read more

The four of us had a very good meal here Saturday night. Its an attractive restaurant....nice looking bar as you walk in....brick covered walls inside. we almost opted for outdoor dining but decided it was a little too warm. I usually judge a bar by how they make my Manhattan and this time Luce didn't fare well at all. the color was off on the drink...taste was "off" also....didn't send back but wasn't happy. 2 in our party enjoyed their wines. Food here is a winner. salad comes with our meals which surprised everyone. decent salad and the bread and butter were fine. I had veal with asparagus,tomato and cream sauce. delicious but not a huge portion. side of spaghetti was a nice added feature. my wife had salmon served over asparagus risotto and absolutely loved it. my buddy had the jumbo shrimp served over linguine...and while he didn't complain...the shrimp appeared in fairly short supply. he was very happy with his choice. his wife had the veal dipped in egg batter with cheese and sautéed spinach. she gave it a very high rating. service was fine....not over the top fantastic but more than adequate. overall....this spot delivers good food....in a pleasing atmosphere....and while not perfect...does come recommended by me. read more

have been here so many times and have never had a meal that was less than spectacular, service is perfect, room is very nicely done. maybe the best italian in new haven area, possibly in connecticut read more

Went to Luce's for dinner tonight, our 40th anniversary. We were seated at a table for 2 against a wall. Waiter was very nice (John) and told us about the nightly specials, one of which my husband ordered. Sirloin with a pink lobster sauce, mashed potatoes, vegetables. I ordered veal, and it was good. His sirloin was tough, and he was not happy. My biggest complaint - the noise level was just awful, we could hardly hear what one another was saying. Salad that came with the meal was just very ordinary. For the price, it just wasn't worth it. Try Avanti's in Meriden instead - Reasonably priced, better food, and your wallet will thank you. read more

The food was very. I had the lobster ravioli. The portion was a bit small but delicious. The meatball appetizer was great. Very nice decor. Our service was very slow and it wasn't a busy night. read more

Have not been to this restaurant for several years. Went on a very busy Saturday night. Waited a few minutes to be seated and they sat my wife and I at a table for four. We thought that was strange but seeing no other empty tables, we thought they decided to seat us here. We started reviewing our menus and we were told they were going to move us to a table for 2 in a different section of the restaurant. I was OK with that since we did not get far but it was the way we were told vs. asked. OK, did not start great but we were fine. It was so busy we finally were greeted by our waiter who took our drink order. In summary, service during the night was adequate but not great due to a busy restaurant. Still OK, we did not have any immediate problems. We ordered our food....am appetizer to share and we both had fish. Very good appetizer. Wife liked the Salmon. I thought the Tuna was OK. Both dishes were served with a risotto side (different kinds) that I would describe more as some sort of lumpy puree. Something that can be pre-made that they could just slap on your plate. Not OK. Overall review is that LUCE is rather expensive and the food is.....well.....OK. read more

I recently started going back to Luce not too long ago. The food is always great, and the service is very friendly. I especially enjoy this restaurant now because of the handicap accessibility that it has. My grandfather is in a wheelchair, and you would be surprised of how many places say they accommodate wheelchairs, but they really don't. The waiting staff has been amazing accommodating us when we come in, and we really appreciate that. He can go and enjoy a great meal comfortably, and easily. read more

i have been to a lot of restaurants in my 57 years and i must say this place is all time winner for rudeness---i dont know why this place has such a high opinion of itself --their food is ordinary--their service bad and the management is snooty ...we had a 500 dollar dinner partyu there and after we finsihed our desert we were asked to leave because someone was waiting for OUR TABLE --however there were plenty of open tables --we had reservations a week before and i doubt that the people waiting even had reservations but because we had the table is a private alcove--we were rudely asked to vacate i would recommend this place to anyone who wants overpriced food, shoddy service and rudeness big tony o b read more

I live almost across the street from this restaurant and would never ever go back. Once was enough. We had a reservation. They never greeted us, we had to hunt down a server after 30 mins of waiting to be seated after more waiting they set a table next to the door in the hallway. NO WAY, not with a reservation, so we waited again. Finally we sat down an hour later, really with a reservation???? The service was mediocre and snobby. The food was not memorable in any way. I do need to mention this was back in september of 2010. Hopefully they have improved but I doubt it. Far better restaurants in the area to waste time and money on going here. read more

While arriving at the restaurant a secluded table was accommodated. After receiving a cold chicken parm dinner (pasta following 10 minutes after the dinners were brought to the table) and a salad with black artichokes i was not pleased. Not to mention the server was inattentive about everything the whole time we were there!! When asked to speak to a manager the "server" just brushed it off ignoring the situation and once again acting careless about the situation(not to mention it was a MONDAY night) After receiving the check I had walked to the front of the restaurant to ask another co-worker for the manager..turns out our server was the manager. Food wasn't horrible but I hope the owners become aware of the poor service and unprofessional style of management that has been taken place. read more

Not impressed with Ristorante Luce at all. Lacklustre service with a couple of bad mistakes, average food with very inflated prices. Won't be going back. read more

On a Tuesday Luce's was not crowded at noon and the small central dining room was perfect for a business lunch. The menu was varied but sesame crusted salmon special with farro was our choice and was delicious. Salmon portions were very generous.,necessitating taking home leftovers.... might be worth a try for dinner as menu looked great. This restaurant is tucked in the rear of a shopping center on Whitney Avenue, easily accessible from Merritt Parkway or I 91. read more

Very nice atmosphere but not worth the money. Very small and bland entrees. Very hyped up place but does not live up to the hype

Delicious Italian food and an extensive wine list. The staff is always friendly and helpful.

Love this restaurant! Delicious, authentic high-end italian food. Fantastic wine list. HUGE portions, pricey but not over priced considering all the food they serve you. Excellet prix fixe summer menu option for $30 per person (appetizer, entree and dessert)! Only reason for getting 4/5 stars is that service can be slow, the place fills up pretty fast, too. Will ALWAYS return. read more

The food was great, no complaints there. The service however, was awkward and abysmal. Our waiter, John, was obnoxious. While I understand trying to be friendly, I don't understand having to hear someone's life story. I don't care what your day job is and I highly doubt you cure cancer if you're a waiter at night. He also seemed aggressive somehow. It was very off putting. I was considering having a corporate event there, but if he's there I don't feel safe bring staff and clients! read more

Luce has been one of my favorites for years now. I go about twice a year when I want a guaranteed good meal and nice night out with my wife. The food and service has never disappointed. The menu is great, but I usually find myself ordering one of the specials that sounds too good to pass up. The wine list is great as well with affordable options to go along with more expensive bottles. I highly recommend Luce. read more

Hostess was a little bit snotty but after that obstacle everything is superb waiters are spot on and the food is absolutely delicious and reasonably prices.highly recommend. The bread and salads were wonderful and we both loved our entrees.a bit on the" get dressed up side" just to let others know. read more

My wife and I went last Friday night on a recommendation from a friend. We had a reservation for 8:00 PM, and were seated right away in the main dining hall. The decor was a bit lugubrious, and the dinnerware looked dated, like something out of the 90's. The place was packed, and our waiter was very nice, but seemed to be in a rush every time he came by. He was efficient, but lacked a personal touch. We had two appetizers (a special buffala mozzarella and an antipasto) that were mediocre. We also ordered two pasta entrees that came with salad, which they brought to us drenched in creamy itallian - we were not offered dressing choices. The salads had been made well in advanced, so they were not fresh ,and the lettuce tasted like it had sat in a fridge for a while. The scallops over pesto pasta were a green, soupy mess. The mixed-seafood linguine in red sauce was clearly made from frozen seafood, the pasta was overcooked, and the sauce was watery - the pasta was not coated at all. We had a bottle of wine, which was the best part of the meal, though we payed 200% more for it than at the store - beware of the huge markups Luce puts on their wines. After a few bites, we asked for the check, and left most of the food on the table. We were looking for good food, and left very disappointed. We will not be going back to Luce. read more

Good food, good service, small portions for the price you were paying. You can find the same delicious taste but bigger portions in new haven read more

The service was very slllooowwww, the dinner tasted like a box of salt was poured into the dish, would not recommend nor return.

Great food, reasonable prices. The wine list is extensive and pricey. Will be back again!!

I was very disappointed with both the service and food quality in relation to the expense. I just visited Luce for the first time with a friend. It looked very inviting on the outside and also upon immediately entering. After waiting a few minutes (15 or so) despite there being vacant tables, we were brought to the large dining room. The lights were so bright I felt like I was in the supermarket. The server was extremely slow and miserable. He was so unfriendly that we felt uncomfortable. I had the Crema, a shrimp dish. It was okay but had a funny aftertaste. My friend had Penne Pollo, which she thoroughly enjoyed. We never received our salads and our martinis were made incorrectly. Additionally, we had to flag down our server as he never once checked in to see how our food was or to see if we needed anything. Lastly, the service was slow but honestly, that wouldn't have been a problem at all -- it's the Italian way--if everything else went well. Luce has mediocre food and at least, one poor server. On a high note, the bussers were excellent. The experience was a bummer. read more

I went to Luce last night for a special dinner with my parents and husband. My Dad loves to eat out but can't afford to do so often so I was hoping it would be a very special night. The prices were insane for what it is, especially with so many competitors near by. It was $15 to add salmon to a salad, which is nuts. At Esca in Middletown, a very similar spot, it is $8. My parents ordered the fixed price menu and ordered clams casino and fried calamari. They said they clams were "meh" and enjoyed the calamari because it was very lightly breaded. I ordered a salad with salmon on it and the salmon was hammered when it arrived--like canned tuna. I've never sent something back but for the money I did, and received a much smaller piece of salmon back. Not cool. My husband ordered a breaded pork dish that was overcooked as well. Everyone echoed the sentiment that the food was "meh" but did enjoy dessert. I wouldn't go back because over cooking a nice piece of fish is a big no no. read more

My girlfriend and I went to the restaurant for a $50 gift card as a present for someone and decided to stay for a quick drink at the bar after a long day of moving into our new house. The initial service was fine and the chocolate martini my girlfriend ordered was good. On the other hand my drink was completely wrong but I could have overlooked this and just told the bartender if we had seen him again. Unfortunately he was to busy with other customers, not bothering to ask us how the drinks were, if we would like to eat something or 30 min after we finished our drinks, cared to ask if we would like another. It seemed as though other patrons had bread to munch on and menus to glance at. Not even bothering to bring us our gift certificate until he dropped off the check well after we had reached our aggravation point. We would rate the food if given the opportunity to order any but all the better, we complained to the bartender who didn't care and canceled our gift card. At over $11 a martini, it is well overpriced and now we will not recommend this Establishment to others. read more

We decided to got to Luce b/c we've heard great things about it. So we decided to go and my husband is allerguc to shellfish. The first thing we mentioned to the waiter was that he was allergic and to please let the chef know so there wont be any cross contamination. Well, we order our appetizers and dinner. The food was okay I wouldnt say it was over thr top or out of this world. I have def had better. We get home and my hsuabnd breaks out in an allergic reaction, we had to call 911 and take him to the hospital!!!!!!!!!!! We spent $160.00 on our meal and drinks and this is what we get in return!! no repesct!!! we call the manager and he of course had to put his two cents in that his son is allergic to peanuts. he aplogized and stated that people come with different allergies and they accomodate to. Well what happened with the shellfish allergy! He didnt offer a refund OR a gift card NOT that we wanted it b/c we will never ever go back there again! read more

Went there with some friends , party of 3 altogether. When we got there , we learned that it was Restaurant week. We were given the worst table in the house. Cramped in a back corner, next to the busboy stand. Two of us arrived first and were seated, we told the hostess, we would have a glass of wine and wait for the 3rd person. After 10 -15 mins waiting for our waiter, we asked the busboy if he could find him so we could order a drink. He arrived with a bit of an attitude, no apology for the wait. In fact , he was not very nice the entire time. When we were done, we had to again go find him to get the check. The restaurant was not crowded, quite a few tables empty, so I didn't understand the lousy seating and service! We have been to and enjoyed this restaurant in the past. However, I won't go again, to a place where you felt as if you were a bother just to get your order in. I will say the food was very good, but the atmosphere not so much. In an area known for good restaurants , you can get both good service and good food. They aren't the only game in town. Wished I had enough never to leave him less than the 15% tip we ended up leaving. read more