We went a 5:45 and were seated right away. When seated the waitress got our drinks and brought a bread basket right to the table. Our salads and appetizer came in a timely manner and so did our entree'. It was a two hour dinner which is what I expect when I go out for a evening. I don't want to be rushed in and out. Let's just say for people complaining about the wait it is a small place, it's very popular. Make sure you call ahead of time if you don't want to wait, find out if they have any slow times. If you come at 7-9 expect a wait. The only issue I didn't give 5 stars was the tab. A little costly for pasta dishes. read more

Cafe Amici is just...bland. Every time I order from there, the pizza is not hot at all, the calamari is very salty and the portions are small for the price. I want so bad for this place to be good, but we gave it 3 chances and every time it was a let down. The 2nd time I went, a teenage boy was working there and he was mouthing off to the manager. She told him to do something (I believe he was a bus-boy) and he gave her a huge attitude and began to be disrespectful. She actually turned toward me and said "can you believe this? If I did this when I was a kid..." etc. I have given up on this place, and the worst part of it is that it is within walking distance for me. I won't go there anymore and don't even want to give it another chance...to many let downs. read more

My parents were in town this weekend, and my dad was craving some Italian. Cafe Amici is only a short walk away, so we decided to go there. Very bad decision! The atmosphere and service were fine- nothing exciting, but nothing poor either. Just what you might expect from a local Italian joint. We started with the calamari, which was pretty mediocre. Two of us had salads and two the minestrone soup... all of which were again mediocre. In particular the soup only had vegetables- no noodles or meat and few beans, ie this wasn't really minestrone. For our main courses we had a variety of dishes. Mine was the penne with rabe and sausage. The noodles looked tired and reheated. The flavor nearly made me gag- it was so bitter. My mom thought that something might have gone wrong. My father had the veal marsala- again everything tasted canned and not quite right. My mom and husband also didn't like their dishes. It's too bad- I wanted to like this place. read more

This place was just blah. The only nice part was the patio. The staff were surly and unfriendly--I'm a server myself and know that it is not an easy job, but the attitudes here were just terrible. I felt uncomfortable being there. The food was very salty, overpriced and poorly presented. Very disappointing. Won't be back. read more

Terrible experience. I've been on the receiving end of poor attitudes there in the past, but nothing severe enough to prevent me from returning - until tonight. I called in the afternoon to request a reservation for 6:00 tonight. The gentleman on the phone (pretty sure he's the owner) explained that they don't accept reservations for small parties. I completely understand that, but explained that I planned to bring my 80+ year old mother and she can't stay standing to wait for very long. He then asked what time I planned to arrive and assured me there would be no problem getting a table for two (on the patio or dining room) at that time, which was 6pm. Great! So we arrived a little before 6, and waited 15 minutes while different staff members kept saying 'we'll be right with you' to then be told they had no available tables for two and suggested we eat in the bar. I explained my conversation with the gentleman earlier in the afternoon. The woman repeated that they do not take reservations and again said we could eat in the bar. Disgusted by the response and attitude, we left. And I will not be returning. There are other great options for Italian food within a short drive at places where they have their act together. read more

Slow service just ok food and a busboy who didn't know how to smile. Took 2 hours to get our meals

We have eaten there several times and the food was very up and down. We gave it one last shot and had take out the other night. I ordered Scrod Siciliano and the fish was absolutely disgusting. It smelled bad and looked grey, I didn't even taste it, I was afraid of getting ill. Maybe they thought they could get away with it since we were not eating there and coudn't send it back. Also, in the past we were asked which salad we wanted and what type of pasta we wanted and then found out that we were charged extra for them. That is a sleazy way to upcharge the meals. read more

This review really only pertains to Hamden restaurant week, because you can tell that this is a restaurant that doesn't do a ton of business and therefore was completely unprepared for a special occasion. My first impressions of this place started when I walked in the door and the waitress said "be right with you," five minutes later she returns to tell me there is a 20 minute wait. I was like "okay... you couldn't have told me that the first time?" So my girlfriend and I finally sit and basically had to beg to get drinks and bread (since our waitress refused to look at our table for some reason). I got the short rib ragu and my girlfriend got some shrimp dish. It was okay, but I've had better Italian food at Olive Garden to be honest with you. Events like restaurant week are supposed to make you want to go back to places like this, it did exactly the opposite for me read more

We went here on a Restaurant.com adventure to try some new places in the neighborhood. I had a similar experience to Anthony W.'s description below. The place looks great on the outside, nice in the front, and then there's the back booths near the bathroom. The waitress took forever, but the Mexican bread lady was lovely. We ordered the mozzarella appetizer with capers and pine nuts...huge mistake. It was like a soup of soggy cheese and clumpy batter. I took one bite, and back it went. Our main dishes were fine, and they took the appetizer off the tab. Even the waitress was embarrassed by it. We went back a second time and had an o.k. experience. The pasta and pizza here are pretty good, but I would recommend not getting adventurous. The lasagna is made-to-order, huge, well priced, and quite good. read more

Can't even think of anything other than good things to say. Great food, great service, reasonable prices. SO GLAD Yelp! helped me find this little gem!!! read more

Had great dinner and drinks here after following reviews on yelp. Great Italian food and appetizers. Raviolis though good in sauce were small but tasted good. Swordfish special excellent. Drinks were well made and generous in serving. read more

Very well know local italian restaurant.... the decor is lacking, the customer service is ok and the food ...well is just ok....nothing to drive more than 12 feet for but if you receive a gift card I don't see any reason you should not visit or just use as a re-gift hopefully not to me. Where is the homemade pasta? Who knows maybe one day. read more

I decided to give this place a shot after passing by it many times and noticing it seemed to be consistently busy. I'll admit I was put off a bit by the two highly negative reviews on Yelp, but two reviews is not enough to form a consensus in my opinion -- and on Yelp, the first reviews to appear are often posted by shills or competitors. So when my family wanted to get together for a birthday celebration, I suggested we try Cafe Amici. It's a small place in a storefront that was once a local pharmacy, with big windows fronting onto Whitneyville. A little strange for a restaurant. I was concerned when we entered because it took the staff a few moments to notice us, and we had to wait in an area with pop music blasting. Not good. After a short interval they seated us, and gained immediate brownie points when they barely blinked at my mother's service dog, who sometimes gets an unfriendly greeting. The fare was pretty standard American Italian food, with chicken, veal, seafood and pasta available in various assortments of diavolo, Florentine, Siciliano and carbonara presentations. There were also price fixee menus for about $25 with salad, soup, an appetizer, a choice of several entrees and dessert. I noticed a special on the menu -- ravioli stuffed with marscapone and porcini mushrooms in a truffelled cheese/butter sauce. It wasn't one of the standard price fixee entrees, but I asked if I could substitute and they said no problem. Another brownie point. I also ordered panecotta as an appetizer, and pasta fagiole as soup. The panecotta came first. It was good, but unimpressive -- more like a home-cooked comfort food than what i expect in a restaurant -- there was no surprising flavor or ingredient to distinguish it and make it memorable. Salad was similarly unspectacular -- but when do you expect a spectacular salad? It had a variety of fresh greens and veggies, with a tangy and tasty vinegrette. The pasta fagiole was similar to the panecotta: good, but undistinguised -- except that every now and then I'd bite into a piece of smoky pancetta; a little bit more of that flavor and this would have been exceptionally good. The entrees arrived. My wife got pasta with a red sauce, and I was impressed. The sauce was light and tangy and bright red -- spiced and seasoned just enough to complement the taste of good, fresh tomatoes. It's easy to make a good red pasta sauce and very difficult to make an exceptional one -- this was close to exceptional. My sister-in-law was already digging into her chicken Florentine when my raviolis arrived. We immediately swapped bites. The expression on her face told me everything I needed to know about the truffled raviolis: She stopped talking in mid-sentence and her eyes popped out of her head as she began making ecstatic grunting noises. I popped one in my own mouth and confirmed it: This was something truly special. They did not skimp on the truffle flavor, and you could see specs of it swimming around in the buttery, cheesy, sweet sauce that coated the raviolis, perfectly complementing the truffles' earthy nuttiness without overpowering it. This was seriously good "wow" food, and I spent the rest of the meal defending my plate from intruding forks. There's lots of mediocre Italian restaurants in the New Haven area, and a few good ones, but it's rare to find an eatery that serves excellent and unpretentious Italian cuisine. Amato's in New Haven manages it. So does Lucibella's in West Haven. I'm adding Amici to my list, even though I wasn't completely blown away by everything on the menu. The only downside was slightly spotty service; as often is the case, we were served quickly and efficiently, but then seemed forgotten when it came around to bringing desert and settling up the bill. The problem seemed to originate in the kitchen, but the waitress did not try to pass along blame. read more

This place looked nice for dining outside but the food was tasteless and the service was extremely lacking. Extensive waiting for any of the three waitresses give us menus and then downhill from there. What a waste to our evening. If I wanted to be essentially ignored for 2 hours and get poor service I would have stayed home. read more

Probably the best Italian restaurant in the town of Hamden the owners are the cream of the crop....food..... Is phenomenal they are a place where you can come casually and still get top notch food and service this is clearly the hidden gem in the town of Hamden.... read more

Great restaurant. Every dish we have had was made to perfection. Apps. are great with several super choices. If your looking for a great restaurant experience including the servers at a reasonable price you need to try this place. JaV read more

Cafe Amici is a regular on our list of places to get really good food at reasonable prices. The pizza is good but they shine on traditional Italian dishes. Try the eggplant Parmesan or the baked penne, two of our favorites. read more

Had dinner there last night. Food was good, not mind blowing, but it was exactly what we were looking for, comfort Italian food and that is what we got! We sat outside, even tho it was a nice day the street was very loud and I would sit inside next time. read more

Cafe Amici is a great local restaurant! The food is delicious, I normally find a go to dish at a restaurant and stick with it but at Cafe Amici I find myself always ordering something different. The staff is all super friendly, and efficient. They always go above and beyond what I'd expect. As an added bonus they have outside seating for the nicer months! read more

Went last night for the first time for restaurant week after our first choice fell through. For a Wednesday night they were busy but not full. Service was quick & very attentive even sitting in the back booth by the bathroom (which we freely chose for privacy & it never bothered us once). My husband wanted the regular menu but it wasn't available so he ended up with a children's meal which didn't bother him either. All the food was average. Nothing was spectacular or outstandingly memorable but nothing was bad either. I do wish they had other dessert options other than soft serve ice cream since it tasted a bit odd but thanks for the sprinkles! We enjoyed the meal & of course, each other's company made it a very pleasant night. Overall, it was an average place & for the restaurant week price I didn't feel like we paid much more than what it was worth. I'd return but wouldn't make it my first choice. read more

We came during restaurant week and we were pleasantly surprised. The server was ok they aren't very personable but whatever I don't like chit chat anyway. We had bruschetta. Great. House dressing great. Calamari perfection. Pork chop really good. I had the shrimp limoncello which was good. Clams casino good. We had to ask for bread twice. I would add this to my list as I live around the corner read more

My wife and I have dinner at Cafe Amici often. We usually have drinks and an appetizer and I think we've tried just about everything on their regular menu and they feature a nice menu of specials as well which means there is always a surprise. This is the place where everybody knows your name and where we see people we know all the time. If you like a friendly atmosphere, great food, and a fantastic bar C'mon over! I love to sit at the bar enjoying a drink and watch the food come out. Often that is how I make my choice, otherwise I usually order one of several great veal dishes. I don't know anybody that does not love Amici! read more

Food was not bad. Service good. We had the ravioli and penne Bolognese. Both slightly over cooked but the gravy made up for it.

Great food and service! Love the veal Parmigiana and the amazing apps!!! Try the pizza it's absolutely delicious and the weekly specials are awesome. read more

I planned a birthday party for 12 but 15 showed up with gifts, flowers, etc. The staff was very helpful and friendly and immediately found 2 extra tables (one to hold gifts). The food was incredible---not one complaint but rave reviews from all. The price for all was very, very reasonable and about half of what I expected to pay. I have been visiting this restaurant for years and have never been less than pleased. read more

I think most of these people must have eaten at a different restaurant. My husband & I moved into the area about a year ago and discovered Cafe Amici about 6 months ago and have been eating there pretty regularly and have not had a bad meal yet. We have tried pasta, chicken, and fish dishes and everyone was delicious! We usually have the same waitress and she is always a delight and very knowledgeable about the menu. When making menu choices she knows what's in the food, how much you get and is very honest when asked what would you choose. I know that restaurants go through changes and maybe Cafe Amici has had a good one since the last review, so if you haven't been there or didn't like it the last time, give it another try! read more

Cafe Amici is a neighborhood favorite! I've never had anything from there that I didn't like - they also have good specials if you get on their email list! read more

Thought I'd walk down the street and enjoy a nice night at Amici outside in there dining area with a friend. If you like to smoke ( sucking on Poison )outside in the dining area this is the place for you! I know the law states that you can't smoke in the outside dining area and the owners know it too. However, their additude is, if it's ok with the other diners it's not a problem. If you like sucking down poison (smoke) head to Amici's After inhaling all that second hand smoke my food tasted like a dirty ashtray. read more

Even though they don't deliver it is by far the best pizza in Hamden. It is worth the drive to pick it up. As for the sit down resturant aspect it is also awesome. Great food, friendly service, I would highly recommend!! read more

Cute neighborhood restaurant. All local Spring Glen residents are within walk distance which is great. Family restaurant. Comfort Italian food. The eggplant tower appetizer is not only a work of art, but absolutely delicious! generous portions on the chicken and eggplant parm. The service is always very good and friendly. I do not like the unisex bathrooms. The outdoor seating is beautiful and a great addition to the restaurant. read more

Food 3/5 stars service 1 star. we waited forever for a seat outside to clear ~ 50 min, no one brought us bread once we sat down and we couldn't get a waitresses attention to order even though we were ready for another 30 minutes. read more

We went into Amici's wanting to like it.......expecting to like it! We were gravely disapointed by the food and especially the service! We went for my husbands 47th birthday with two of my three children. I had called ahead of time to see if they had a "kids" menu, but they said no, they offer chicken tenders and fries and 1/2 plate pasta. I figured, perfect! We sat out side on a beautiful evening, expecting a wonderful time. My husband and I order a bottle of wine. My older son ordered a coke and my younger son ordered a rootbeer. It would have been nice if the waitress told us it was a 1 liter bottle of rootbeer. My son ordered fried moz for an app. which I thought was "ok", my husband ordered muscles that were tough, to put it lightly! I ordered Chicken Parm, which TASTED EXACTLY like my son's fried moz (I can only assume they are using the same grease). The sauce with the fried moz and with the chicken parm looked and tasted like it was right out of a can.....no taste..... Whole tomatoes! When we were given our bread, they gave us a used butter packet. When I brought it to the attention of the girl who brought it over, she said "I grabbed it right out of the draw". I can only imagine what else they recycle! Our waitress was not very pleasant at all! Few words were spoken and attitude a plenty!!! At the end she snatched the bill from our table when we were done! I said to my husband, I cannot believe I just gave her a 20% tip, when she has been so RUDE to us the entire time!!! We were overall extremely displeased with what we thought was going to be an enjoyable evening. I can only hope that they were just having a bad night. Because we went there on friends advice! read more

In the heart of Spring Glen is this diamond. The Pizza is great, better than "New Haven" pizza. The food even better. My favorite pizza is the pear and gorgonzola. The chef's special are always creative and inventive. The food is not the typical fare found at a neighborhood restaurant. I have heard they have a new bar but, sadly haven't got to it yet. They do a phenomenal job. I will write a review of my next dining experience there. read more

This is my favorite Italian food in Hamden. The manger is very good makes sure everyone is happy with the food and service. The outdoor patio is a nice touch. Never had a bad meal. read more

I tried Cafe Amici once and I was really looking forward to it since Amici Tavern was amazing. The bread was not good. The house salad was horrible, although the caesar salad was good. The food was pretty good, but the service was awful. The gentlemen who brought us bread and water was in a hurry and literally dropped them onto our table, splashing us with water. The same guy was cleaning the table next to us while we were eating and spraying disinfectant all over us instead of on the towel or directly on the table - he also broke a few glasses (he definitely seemed off). I'm not sure if I'd consider coming back to this location. I hope Amici Tavern opens up again soon. read more

Awesome neighborhood locale. Great atmosphere. Great bar. Renovations in the dining room are amazing!! So warm and inviting ! Everything on the menu is amazing ! New specials every week are top notch !! read more

I so badly hoped I could give 5 stars to this restaurant since it's close to where I just moved to and their menu looked so good! I had driven by and seen it flooding with people, which I took for a good sign and thought the white Christmas lights gave the outdoor area a beautiful ambience. I went there this past Friday and was bummed it didn't meet expectations. We were seated quickly and served warm bread right away, so that was a good start, but then the waitress forgot about our drinks for 20 min. It took more than 30 minutes for our entrees to come out and neither entree were all that great. The penne vodka was served with undercooked pasta and the sauce wasn't flavorful or creamy like I had expected when you order vodka sauce- It was more like a marinara. My boyfriend ordered the liver, which looked to be about a pound of liver on the plate with no sides. I thought it was odd to be served so much meat with nothing else to go with it? Probably the worst part about our dinner was that it was incredibly loud! The acoustics must be way off for such a cozy place. The waitresses were literally running around (they even had sneakers on trying to keep up), which making it very un-relaxing and the noise made it hard to have a conversation. I may go back when it's not so busy and order something else. I wouldn't recommend it when it's busy though! read more

Food was amazing. The older Hostess at the door was miserable. Between the way she talked to people and how she treated the staff. She is literally the sole reason I wont ever be going back. read more

We have become regulars in this neighborhood cafe. The food is consistently great no matter what we order. Pizza is great for those want a pie and always order the steak pizziaola when it's on the menu. Melts in your mouth! The bread is addictive and you'll definitely ask for a second basket. The wine selection is adequate and well priced. One special feature is that the bar does not have a TV. No blaring TMZ or ESPN to interrupt your dinner conversation. The staff are lovely people and everyone is attentive. It's busy most nights of the week with a mix of families, dates and singles at the bar for a drink and a bite to eat. A meal here is every bit as good as one you'd get in any Little Italy in the northeast and probably half the price. Parking is free and right in front of Cafe Amici. Treat yourself this weekend. read more

I have gone here many times and have never really had a good meal. The prices aren't bad at all but the food could be better.