Excellent food, service, drinks and The BEST restaurant in Colchester Ct.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimberly Conderino_Realtor
What a wonderful meal! Reminding me of eating at Italian friends houses when I was a child. Deliciously flavorful dishes! The waitress (Amber) was sensitive to my gluten free allergy as well. Definitely worth the drive from Waterford! And listened to a great band down below đ¶
Dietary restrictions: Sensitive to allergies
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alice Mccahill
This place is a hidden gem!! The food was amazing, we were not rushed between courses. Portions were large and quality was amazing. Highly recommended
Kharma_neutral
We ate there a couple of months ago and I forgot about it. The food was skimpy portions but the bread was delicious and plentiful. Our server was way too friendly and somehow got orders correct, between long conversations about mutual friends that not everyone knew. She needs to focus on her customer, and cut out the buddy buddy chit chat, which was unprofessional and annoying. At lunchtime, the atmosphere was dull and dark. I didn't enjoy the food much as it was just okay. I can get a better meal cheaper in Colchester.The whole experience was forgettable so I won't go back. I won't give a 3 star because most of it was ok, not awful. Four stars is ok. But not 5 star that's for sure.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Brian Hurlock
We decided to try this spot for the first time and were eager to see what it had to offer. Hereâs our honest and detailed review.
For appetizers, we ordered the arancini and fried artichokes. The arancini were solid overall. Each was about the size of a small tennis ball, with properly cooked risotto that was hot, cheesy, and fresh. However, the prosciutto flavor that was supposed to be a key element was barely detectable. The marinara sauce served alongside was watery and unremarkable, offering little to elevate the dish. At $9 for two, the portion felt a bit steep for what you getâ$4.50 per piece. While enjoyable enough, they didnât feel special or worth the price.
The fried artichokes, unfortunately, were a disappointment. These appeared to be canned or jarred artichokes that were halved, dried off, and battered before being fried. The exterior was crisp, but the interior was overly soft and squishy, offering almost no texture contrast. They were served on a bed of mixed greens with the same watery marinara and a mayo-like aioli that lacked the promised lemony flavor. For $12, the portion was underwhelming (about seven halves), and the flavor profile left a lot to be desired. Unless fried canned artichokes are your preference, weâd recommend skipping this dish.
For entrees, we ordered the calamari and the âchicken parm 2.0.â The calamari was the highlight of the meal. It arrived as a generous portion of rings and tentacles that were cooked properlyânot rubberyâand were well-seasoned. However, there was an issue with the inclusion of hot peppers, which were not mentioned on the menu. These peppers were visually similar to the calamari and packed significant heat, so they could easily catch someone off guard. While the calamari itself was fine, the lack of transparency about the peppers could be problematic. At $16, it was decent, but not extraordinary compared to similar dishes at other Italian restaurants.
The chicken parm 2.0, unfortunately, was the most disappointing dish of the night. It featured a very large, thin chicken breast pounded to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. While fried to the edge of being overdone, the chicken itself was acceptable, if slightly dry. However, the pasta it came with was wildly overcooked and sat in a pool of watery sauce. The linguini tasted terribleâso bad, in fact, that I couldnât eat more than a single bite. The menu stated that entrees come with a vegetable and starch of the day, but these sides never arrived. Given the quality of the dish, that might have been for the best. At $25, the meal felt overpriced and poorly executed.
The server, to her credit, was friendly, attentive, and tried her best to make up for the kitchenâs mistakes. She offered a complimentary dessert as compensation for the issues with my meal, which I appreciated. I opted for the Boston Cheesecake to go. Although I had requested the Boston cheesecake, but the server returned to say they were out and had already bagged the mud cake for me which she said was good and put it on the table, boxed and bagged. It was dry, dense, and small, with a clear âstore-boughtâ vibe. At $8, it was incredibly overpriced, and the flavor didnât redeem it. While the gesture was appreciated, I would have preferred to choose a different dessert.
The atmosphere was another drawback. Despite it being a Thursday evening at 6 PM, the environment was incredibly loud, more akin to a bar than a restaurant. The volume of patrons yelling (drunk) across the room made it difficult to have a conversation or even communicate easily with the server.
In total, our dinner for two came to $61. While the serverâs efforts to make amends were appreciated, the overall quality of the food and the dining experience did not justify the cost. We had high hopes for this newer spot, given the always-full parking lot, but now we suspect itâs more popular as a bar scene than a true dining destination. Unfortunately, we left underwhel
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
Debbie Ruttkamp
We love their food. This time it was not that good. Ordered kids spaghetti and meatballs and got 2 meatballs and no spaghetti. The chicken tenders were burnt. Was very disappointed.
Food: 2
Service: 4
William Katzer
Stopped by last month on our way home from Mohegan Sun. We had an amazing meal. The food was great! Our server, Tyler, was very professional and answered all our questions. Can't wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
T H
Found this place coming from Hebron Light Show. The driveway was very icy and almost slipped twice but made it inside. Sat by the door, right away but wasnt given menus. After a bit we asked for some and the items on the menu and specials sounded delish. They gave us bread which was a bit overdone but honestly was very tasty. I ordered Lemon Chicken and my fiance ordered Pappardelle Bolognese. I had a few tweaks because of allergies and it wasnt a problem . The one thing I did notice was the host was not just doing her job but she was helping her waiters .She sat the people, she took away dishes and took the bill. I was very impressed and told her so. The food was very delicious and I ordered a salad instead of my vegetable. Salad was very fresh, a little to much dressing for my liking but very delicious. There honestly wasnt anything negative about this night. This place is a redo place. Place was handicap accessible. Very enjoyable
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle B
Excellent food, worth the price. The waitress was accommodating and prompt. Definitely will return
Nice place. We celebrated a birthday. Good food. Good service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese Ravioli Lunch
Lizzie Borden
Everything about this restaurant is amazing. Atmosphere, staff and the food. Best filet I have ever had!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michelle Neddo
My hubby & went there for our first time tonight⊠We are beyond happy. The service was the best we have had in years. They see your drink is empty & they come right over to see if you need another. We have been to restaurants where we want another drink but the server never comes back after dropping food lol. Which brings me to the food.. Holly crap!!! Soooooooo good, every thing we had was AMAZING!!!! We canât wait to go back, thereâs so many things we want to try now.
Kamryn Kozikowski
I recently discovered Fornarelliâs through my grandmother who had stopped by there while she was in the area recently. I made my way down there today with her for my first time and it definitely wonât be my last! Everything about this place was amazing! The staff was very quick and attentive and the atmosphere makes you feel at home. I 10/10 recommend this fabulous restaurant to everyone!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Camilla Cameron
Good spot! Started with the Arancini balls, then ordered the lemon chicken (VERY lemony) as my entree and the snickers cheesecake for dessert everything was tasty & our server was amazing! 10/10 free parking available and accepts credit cards!
Excellent food, service, drinks and The BEST restaurant in Colchester Ct.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a wonderful meal! Reminding me of eating at Italian friends houses when I was a child. Deliciously flavorful dishes! The waitress (Amber) was sensitive to my gluten free allergy as well. Definitely worth the drive from Waterford! And listened to a great band down below đ¶
Dietary restrictions: Sensitive to allergies
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is a hidden gem!! The food was amazing, we were not rushed between courses. Portions were large and quality was amazing. Highly recommended
We ate there a couple of months ago and I forgot about it. The food was skimpy portions but the bread was delicious and plentiful. Our server was way too friendly and somehow got orders correct, between long conversations about mutual friends that not everyone knew. She needs to focus on her customer, and cut out the buddy buddy chit chat, which was unprofessional and annoying. At lunchtime, the atmosphere was dull and dark. I didn't enjoy the food much as it was just okay. I can get a better meal cheaper in Colchester.The whole experience was forgettable so I won't go back. I won't give a 3 star because most of it was ok, not awful. Four stars is ok. But not 5 star that's for sure.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
We decided to try this spot for the first time and were eager to see what it had to offer. Hereâs our honest and detailed review.
For appetizers, we ordered the arancini and fried artichokes. The arancini were solid overall. Each was about the size of a small tennis ball, with properly cooked risotto that was hot, cheesy, and fresh. However, the prosciutto flavor that was supposed to be a key element was barely detectable. The marinara sauce served alongside was watery and unremarkable, offering little to elevate the dish. At $9 for two, the portion felt a bit steep for what you getâ$4.50 per piece. While enjoyable enough, they didnât feel special or worth the price.
The fried artichokes, unfortunately, were a disappointment. These appeared to be canned or jarred artichokes that were halved, dried off, and battered before being fried. The exterior was crisp, but the interior was overly soft and squishy, offering almost no texture contrast. They were served on a bed of mixed greens with the same watery marinara and a mayo-like aioli that lacked the promised lemony flavor. For $12, the portion was underwhelming (about seven halves), and the flavor profile left a lot to be desired. Unless fried canned artichokes are your preference, weâd recommend skipping this dish.
For entrees, we ordered the calamari and the âchicken parm 2.0.â The calamari was the highlight of the meal. It arrived as a generous portion of rings and tentacles that were cooked properlyânot rubberyâand were well-seasoned. However, there was an issue with the inclusion of hot peppers, which were not mentioned on the menu. These peppers were visually similar to the calamari and packed significant heat, so they could easily catch someone off guard. While the calamari itself was fine, the lack of transparency about the peppers could be problematic. At $16, it was decent, but not extraordinary compared to similar dishes at other Italian restaurants.
The chicken parm 2.0, unfortunately, was the most disappointing dish of the night. It featured a very large, thin chicken breast pounded to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. While fried to the edge of being overdone, the chicken itself was acceptable, if slightly dry. However, the pasta it came with was wildly overcooked and sat in a pool of watery sauce. The linguini tasted terribleâso bad, in fact, that I couldnât eat more than a single bite. The menu stated that entrees come with a vegetable and starch of the day, but these sides never arrived. Given the quality of the dish, that might have been for the best. At $25, the meal felt overpriced and poorly executed.
The server, to her credit, was friendly, attentive, and tried her best to make up for the kitchenâs mistakes. She offered a complimentary dessert as compensation for the issues with my meal, which I appreciated. I opted for the Boston Cheesecake to go. Although I had requested the Boston cheesecake, but the server returned to say they were out and had already bagged the mud cake for me which she said was good and put it on the table, boxed and bagged. It was dry, dense, and small, with a clear âstore-boughtâ vibe. At $8, it was incredibly overpriced, and the flavor didnât redeem it. While the gesture was appreciated, I would have preferred to choose a different dessert.
The atmosphere was another drawback. Despite it being a Thursday evening at 6 PM, the environment was incredibly loud, more akin to a bar than a restaurant. The volume of patrons yelling (drunk) across the room made it difficult to have a conversation or even communicate easily with the server.
In total, our dinner for two came to $61. While the serverâs efforts to make amends were appreciated, the overall quality of the food and the dining experience did not justify the cost. We had high hopes for this newer spot, given the always-full parking lot, but now we suspect itâs more popular as a bar scene than a true dining destination. Unfortunately, we left underwhel
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
We love their food. This time it was not that good. Ordered kids spaghetti and meatballs and got 2 meatballs and no spaghetti. The chicken tenders were burnt. Was very disappointed.
Food: 2
Service: 4
Stopped by last month on our way home from Mohegan Sun. We had an amazing meal. The food was great! Our server, Tyler, was very professional and answered all our questions. Can't wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Found this place coming from Hebron Light Show. The driveway was very icy and almost slipped twice but made it inside. Sat by the door, right away but wasnt given menus. After a bit we asked for some and the items on the menu and specials sounded delish. They gave us bread which was a bit overdone but honestly was very tasty. I ordered Lemon Chicken and my fiance ordered Pappardelle Bolognese. I had a few tweaks because of allergies and it wasnt a problem . The one thing I did notice was the host was not just doing her job but she was helping her waiters .She sat the people, she took away dishes and took the bill. I was very impressed and told her so. The food was very delicious and I ordered a salad instead of my vegetable. Salad was very fresh, a little to much dressing for my liking but very delicious. There honestly wasnt anything negative about this night. This place is a redo place. Place was handicap accessible. Very enjoyable
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food, worth the price. The waitress was accommodating and prompt. Definitely will return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Butternut Squash Ravioli
Friendly staff. Goog food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Parmesan
Restaurantji Recommends
Nice place. We celebrated a birthday. Good food. Good service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese Ravioli Lunch
Everything about this restaurant is amazing. Atmosphere, staff and the food. Best filet I have ever had!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My hubby & went there for our first time tonight⊠We are beyond happy. The service was the best we have had in years. They see your drink is empty & they come right over to see if you need another. We have been to restaurants where we want another drink but the server never comes back after dropping food lol. Which brings me to the food.. Holly crap!!! Soooooooo good, every thing we had was AMAZING!!!! We canât wait to go back, thereâs so many things we want to try now.
I recently discovered Fornarelliâs through my grandmother who had stopped by there while she was in the area recently. I made my way down there today with her for my first time and it definitely wonât be my last! Everything about this place was amazing! The staff was very quick and attentive and the atmosphere makes you feel at home. I 10/10 recommend this fabulous restaurant to everyone!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good spot! Started with the Arancini balls, then ordered the lemon chicken (VERY lemony) as my entree and the snickers cheesecake for dessert everything was tasty & our server was amazing! 10/10 free parking available and accepts credit cards!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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