I was hoping for 5 star, but my overall experience was a disappointing 3 stars. Not bad, but just OK.
BAR: First impressions are huge. After I was seated, I watched a server wipe sweat from his forehead and using the same hand grab a piece of fruit for a garnish before adding it to the drink. So gross. Thoroughout the evening, I observed other servers forage around the fruit to stab it on a toothpick and add it to drinks. Please. Stop. Doing. This. Use tongs for Pete's sake! My first tip is to stick to beer or wine which is less likely to have germy hand contact.
My cosmo was well made, but a bit small in size for $15.50 (Tito's).
After we ordered drinks, we heard the bartender asking another patron if they wanted the happy hour wine. We were not informed of a happy hour when we were handed the drink and food menu. I added a photo of the happy hour items from their website for easy access. House chard is Woodbridge, so although $7 is a great price, it would be nice to have a slightly higher quality wine for the house choice. HH is from 4-5:30.
ATMOSPHERE: Nice selection of outdoor, bar and indoor seating. I'd recommend requesting a booth if you are inside as they are a bit enclosed to limit the noise factor.
SERVICE: The bartenders are energetic and friendly, but there were a few occasions it was difficult to get their attention. When bars get busy, I understand it is a challenge to attend to everyone at the exact time they need. Experienced and talented bartenders who have that peripheral vision to acknowledge when a patron is looking for assistance can be a difficult find.
If you want to make reservations on a Saturday, a credit card is required and if you cancel in under 48 hours you are charged $75 per person.
They do have a Wine and Dine club you can sign up online. The bartender said once you spend $500 you get $25 off. On the website there are more details on all benefits if you choose to sign up.
FOOD: The meatballs, which arrived less than 5 minutes after we ordered them, were in a sauce which was flavorful and a generous portion which was perfect for the fresh, warm bread to be dipped into. The meatballs themselves were a bit chewy/dense. This can be a personal preference, but I find meatballs which are less dense seem to have better flavor. The shrimp scampi was good, however the lemon risotto was mushy. The bean soup was mostly broth and few beans. These items arrived in less than 10 minutes after we ordered.
None of this stuff was so awful it needed sending back. It was just meh and with so many other options in Naples, not likely I'll return to Pazzo. read more