We stopped in because we were staying at the Hampton inn right next to the restaurant and I would…read moresay it's definitely a gem of a restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the arancini balls and Bolognese pasta. The flavor was top tier and the pasta was cooked perfectly. Our server was extremely nice and the service overall was fast!

Yum yum yum! This is a hidden treasure in the NE part of town…read more Everything we ordered was delicious. The calamari was perfectly seasoned and "just right" crispy on the outside but tender inside. I hate it when the calamari is too crunchy that it might break your teeth. The half salads were flavorful. The half size portions were perfect. The rest of the appetizers were good but my favorite was the calamari. Excellent and friendly service awaits you at this restaurant. Mercedes gets a five star. She was our waitress as well as responsible for making our drinks. So just need to be patient. Spacious, clean great and ambiance. Parking garage next door and validated by Palio. Highly recommend this place.

We came to Bistro Bella Vita for our anniversary. The food was delicious. We loved the pesto rotini…read morepasta best. Was quite noisy with large parties seated next to us- that was the only negative.

We went for lunch. The Caesar salad and Bolognese were excellent! Perhaps a bit understaffed but it…read morewas midday.

Russo's is a true hidden gem! This family-owned Italian spot feels warm, welcoming, and has great…read morefood! Service was genuinely friendly and attentive, and the prices are very reasonable for this quality. Perfect for date nights or family dinners. If you want authentic Italian food made with heart, this is the place. We eat here regularly! Highly recommend.

This place is perfect for a quick stop while shopping. We…read morewere pleasantly surprised by the food!! The cheesy bread is sooo good - we couldn't stop eating it. Our waitress was great too. The dining area is spacious, clean and welcoming. 10/10 for a mall eatery.

Amazing place for Ada let a lone GR. Always love the food and the service is also great. One thing…read moreI will say, the ac needs to get fixed for the summer. Know it's an older building however we were sweating in there eating. Again, awesome spot but don't go if it's too hot for your liking outside. Will be just as hot in there.

Gorgeous place, wonderful food, and kind people! My husband and I went to Nonna's for our…read moreanniversary dinner and it was the perfect spot to celebrate. Upon entry we were greeted by friendly staff and given a menu to review while we waited for our table. After being seated we were able to order drinks and food quickly! Everything came out in a timely manner. We also got a free dessert for our anniversary which was such a wonderful touch! The dining space is a little small which made it difficult to converse at some points but this was truly the only downside. We can't wait to return to this spot for another delicious dinner! Food: -Calamari: beautifully seasoned and breaded. Great portion size with amazing flavor! -Chicken Scallopini: Creamy lemon goodness! Rich flavor with perfectly cooked chicken. The angel hair pasta did get a little soggy underneath the chicken- maybe swap it would for an alternative noodle?

Came here for my partner's birthday and had a wonderful experience…read more The restaurant has a nice fancy tavern/fine dining ambiance and was kept clean. Our server Mark, was super personable and was a delight to us. The food was extremely flavorful. For my partner's birthday, we also received some chocolate vodka dessert (not pictured) as complimentary.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! If I had an hour left to live I would spend it here stuffing my face ‍. I got…read morethe Fiorentina and it was soooooo good. They also gave us free bread to take home. I went here when I was really little with my family and it had a more rustic feel to it but it's changed so much! It felt like walking into a family dining room. It was also really busy when we went and I'm so glad it was. Everyone needs to eat here at least once if not like 50 times

I had noticed Licari's moved into the old Red Hot Inn space but didn't realize their Fuller/Knapp…read morelocated had closed. I'm glad I got to visit the new(er) spot recently! The space is cozy and pretty large, with what looked to be a private area with a birthday party going on towards the back. Our server was really friendly and patient as we explored the menu, which features Sicilian items like pizza, pasta, and several starters. We wanted to try some appetizers so we ordered the cozze di mare (mussels) with white sauce, rotoli (eggplant rolls filled with Prosciutto di Parma, house-made tomato sauce and provolone cheese, baked then topped with basil), and a Caesar salad. The mussels and eggplant dish came out first and were delicious. I personally loved the eggplant rotoli the most - the eggplant was tender, the sauce was savory, and it was stuffed with cheese and prosciutto... yum! I would get this as a meal with a side of garlic bread for dipping. The mussels were nicely cooked and the sauce was subtle. The salad was crisp and fresh and I liked the different toppings (fresh tomatoes and sun dried tomatoes). The Caesar salad only comes in the large size, but it was good to share with the group. For dinner we shared a couple of pizzas - the bocce and a margherita. The freshly grated cheese over top was perfection - don't skip this! I loved all the toppings on the bocce (basically a version of a supreme pizza) but the pepperoni was my favorite with how crispy it got. The crust was missing a bit of flavor for me, but it was cooked well and not soggy. We were too stuffed for dessert but I'd come back for their cannoli or rotating cheesecake flavors! I want to try their pasta next also.

I took my husband to Licari's for a Valentines dinner! What a great choice! We had the house…read moreCabernet and ricotta balls for an appetizer. The wine was delicious very smooth with good body. The ricotta balls in red sauce melt in your mouth! Yum We ordered garlic bread for the main dish and it too was delicious crusty and perfectly cooked. My husband said it needed a little more garlic flavor but I loved it. He had spaghetti and meatballs and said it was the best he hahad in Grand Rapids! He is a tough critic so this is a real compliment. I had the Ricotta Salsicca for the main dish and it was fantastic! Seasoned perfectly. The sauce and cheese were amazing We had the cannoli's for desert! Delicious crispy with yummy filling! April was our waitress and she was on top of everything! She made recommendations and was pleasant and personable. We had been to the other location many times but the new location is gorgeous! Modern and spacious with a great parking lot! We will be back no doubt but thanks for a great Valentine's Day!

SUCH A FIND! My husband had been wanting to try this place out for a while after smelling it…read morewalking by and we were so blown away by the pizza! I got a pickle pizza and he got the pesto. Service was great and we loved having the hockey game on while we hung out. Crust is soft but still crusty and the ingredients are super fresh. I love how many options of sauces and toppings there are to customize. The menu all looks great and we absolutely will make this a regular stop for pizza.

My partner, his family, and I came to Fratelli's to celebrate his mom's birthday, and we had a…read moregreat experience. Since it was a Monday evening, it was nice and quiet, and we were able to choose where we wanted to sit. Our server was friendly and attentive throughout the meal. The food was delicious. I ordered the Aglio e Olio pizza with added chicken, and it was excellent. We started with the bread balls, which were a great appetizer. For dessert, the birthday girl got to choose something from the dessert menu and picked the cannolis, which we all shared and enjoyed. I also had the white wine sangria, and it was absolutely delicious. Overall, it was a wonderful dinner with great food, drinks, and service. I will definitely be back!

I recently went to Pietro's to celebrate a friend's birthday. My boss and other locals knew all…read moreabout the birthday celebrations which seem to be a big hit! The space is large and easily visible from 28th street. It's a little off the main road so there's ample parking and it feels less hectic. I was greeted and easily helped to my table. The server we had, Colleen, was an absolute pro. She was soooo much fun and did everything to make sure we had a great time. She had such a wonderful energy and really helped to make sure we all had a great time. The food was good, I liked that some of the options were more interesting than the typical local Italian fare but still made sure to include the classics. The menu was on these large ipads which was somewhat offputting to me and we realized later that you could tap on the items to learn more about each dish. I personally prefer physical paper menues but it was definitely a talking point.

Pietro's looks the part, but the kitchen is lost in translation…read more Remember that feeling of ordering a Western dish abroad and getting something that looks right but tastes totally alien? That's Pietro's. Walking in, the aesthetic is spot-on--clean, bright, with a reassuring wine and pasta shop that screams Luca's delicatessen. Once the food hits the table, however, the illusion fades into what feels like cafeteria-level execution. The Coffee: If you're craving a proper Italian brew like Lavazza, skip it. The "Italian blend" here is an undefinable mix from Canada. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms: Promised Hollandaise, but delivered a texture closer to condensed soup, dominated entirely by black pepper. Not much crab or Hollandaise flavor. Chicken Paisano: A muddy flavor profile where only the prosciutto managed to stand out. Again, the sauce felt heavy and processed rather than freshly made. The staff are incredibly pleasant and enthusiastic, but there's a clear disconnect from the food's cultural roots. For a place boasting an old-country immigrant origin story, the current drift is disappointing. Don't get me wrong--I was hungry, and I ate every bite. But not even a toe of mine stepped into Italy that night.