I know this is a Richmond institution bc it's been around forever. It's good but I feel like it could be even better. Very old school with no online reservations which is not super convenient but hey I can get behind it if they are going for an exclusive vibe. Very much an old style Italian restaurant but feels like they have really packed the tables in here - like sardines- so yeah it feels a little tight for my tastes. Service was friendly and helpful. (Making the reservation over the phone was not overly warm and fuzzy but hey I get it you probably are tired of having to take reservations over the phone all day lol). We got a popular app- the squid,white bean and arugula which was bright and flavorful so lived up to the hype but a little disappointing in that there was not a lot of squid so $18 for beans and arugula seemed a bit much. Also got the seafood bisque which was pretty tasty. For entrees we got the halibut, the monk fish fra diavolo and the spaghetti with crab meat. The spaghetti with crab meat was shockingly good. It better be for $40 but I don't always like crab bc it can be overly fishy in a not good way but this entree was very good. We also liked the halibut- nice piece of fish perfectly cooked. The MonkFish had a nice flavor, but the bones in it was a little bit overwhelming, and kinda made eating a lot of work. Seemed pricey to me since only one of us had a glass of wine and no other drinks, but I guess $50 a person sans cocktails and dessert is the new norm?! read more

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Calamari fried and ALSO in broth with arugula, pine nuts and lemon. Veal scallopine Brocoletti and shrimp read more

Forever one of RVA's best hidden GEMS Year after year nothing changes. The ambiance , the quality of food and service, remains at five diamonds!! Just took Mom for dinner,, ABSOLUTE DELICIOUSNESS‼ I give this place three thumbs and four toes up, and one elbow!! P.s. the Branzino!!! OMG.. It COULD be better than Stella's!! I cannot believe it . I'm gonna have to order it again to be sure!! read more

The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and cozy. The service was great, the food was served with a smile. I enjoyed every bite. I shall return when I am in the area. read more

Edo's Squid - Squid, White Beans, And Arugula, Branzino (Mediterranean sea bass) and Monkfish. - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I just love this place. A Richmond staple and go-to for authentic Italian dishes with the biggest portion sizes I've ever seen. The service is top notch as well - attentive and fast. I made a reservation on Thursday for a Friday 5pm dinner with no issue. There was already a line at 4:45 and the place was packed by 5:30, so be sure to call ahead. It's a relatively small space/room but I didn't feel cramped, although it was definitely loud. The food is just incredible. The broccoli rabe appetizer was perfectly cooked and fresh with the garlic and lemon. I got the shrimp diavolo and it was SO good. It came out hot and my plate was piled high with pasta. It was not too spicy and the sauce on top was generous. For $25, it was easily enough for two people. The cannoli was the perfect nightcap. The tiramisu was good, but the ladyfingers were swimming in espresso, so the coffee taste was a bit overwhelming. Overall, a wonderful dining experience. read more

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The pasta is honestly fine, maybe I need to try others. The place is tiny and homey which was lovey, like you were in Nonna's apartment. But let me tell you....THE SQUID DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. I swear I wanted to take a bucket of these to a movie and pop em like popcorn they were so good. No sauce needed, just a little spritz of lemon and I was off. Heaven. I'll be back. Also pro tip, get their spicy sausage on the side it is PERFECTION. read more

Edo's Squid - Penne with Sausage on the side - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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One of my favorite restaurants and past due for a review. Service is always impeccable and ambiance is dark and cozy. I have had quite a few items there but my immediate recommendations are the calamari, grouper cheeks and baked cabbage for appetizers. Main course favorites include the pork chops (wow!!!, sauce says it all), shrimp fradiavlo (consistent and delicious), crab spaghetti and hanger steak (first time having and impeccable). My favorite sides are the white beans, which are spicy, savory and slightly meaty with the pancetta and the buttered pasta which sounds so basic yet is complex and delicious. read more

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I understand why Edo's squid is such a staple in Richmond. I really enjoyed the antipasti dishes (braised fennel and scungilli insalata). I never tried conch before (scungilli insalata), but the texture and flavors of that dish meshed so well together. The braised fennel melted in your mouth. I usually order the broccoli rabe with ricotta pasta, but I decided to try the puttanesca which didn't blow me away but did have a little spice to it which I enjoyed. The tuna, though, had a black pepper crust that was so delicious. They are super busy for dinner service. If you are a party of 2, you will most likely be crammed in the middle, so I recommend coming with a party of 4 to have a chance of getting the tables near the windows (not as crammed). We also ordered a bottle of red (alteo Chianti reserva) which was dry and smooth. read more

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Had a friend and his girlfriend visit us from Canada and decided to bring them here for dinner. I had never been here before but heard really good things. I don't remember everything we ordered but we got oxtails, calamari, clams, and a couple other things. Everything tasted great and we enjoyed the dinner. The clam pasta was really good but it was basically soup with the amount of sauce they put in it. The menu is not very user friendly for new customers and it's not very clear that everything you order comes with a giant bowl of noodles of your choice. Our server wasn't the friendliest of people but she didn't get anything wrong from our order so can't complain too much. The restaurant itself is very small and has a very narrow steep set of stairs to get to it, but once you get seated the dining experience is nice, the place was buzzing and had a cool vibe. read more

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All I have to say is HUGE portion sizes. We really could not finish an appetizer + a main course shared between two. Fried Calamari: Pretty good. Well seasoned and well fried. Sausage, ricotta, broccoli rabe penne: Solid dish. Penne itself was average, but I did like the broccoli rabe and the sauce. I wasn't wowed by any of the dishes, but you do get a lot of food for the price. The dinnertime rush tends to pile up quickly, so getting there early is a good idea. Service was good. read more

Edo's Squid - Fried calamari - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Great Anniversary dinner on a Saturday night. No reservation, stood in line at 4:45P and was able to get a table for 2 when they opened at 5P. Our waitress arrived moment later after we sat, with water and bread. Acknowledged us and we put our fried squid in. Came back in a few minutes and got our entrees. It was great service. I've never been served fried calamari without sauce (usually marinara or a white sauce), but this dish didn't need anything but a squeeze of the lemon. It was the best fried squid I've had in my life. It was tender and fried perfectly, seasoned well. I would just eat this as an entree honestly. All the dishes were amazing. I've never had branzino before, but wasn't afraid to try a different fish. It was so meaty, fresh and well seasoned. Everything came out in great time. The space is an upstairs duplex. They are able to get in a bunch of tables. It's set up quite quaint. I think the service is great. If you're looking for super bubbly personality, you may be offended. Service is not the cheeriest, but it's downtown Richmond. They're kinda tough and need to be. It's great service and they say their thank you and you're welcome. They're all pretty and they work really hard from what I've seen. Can't wait to go back. read more

Edo's Squid - Carbonara, seafood pasta and branzino - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Fantastic spot for a group dinner. The servers were extremely friendly, making excellent recommendations and chatting with us throughout the evening, which made the experience feel personal. We shared a few pasta dishes and some wine, all of which were delicious. The restaurant tends to get crowded, but the atmosphere was lively without ever feeling too loud. The lighting is quite low, which made reading the menu a bit tricky, and the space in general is tight--but our table for six was comfortable enough. Overall, a cozy and enjoyable spot for a medium-sized group looking for good food and great service read more

Edo's Squid - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is my kind of place. No frills, delicious, decadent Italian food. I came here for a work dinner with a small crew and I highly suggest this place. The restaurant is not that large, so maybe not fit for larger groups, but definitely great for a small families and groups of friends. Something about this place that is especially close to my heart. Is that where we walked in the staff was killing tons of garlic. As a garlic lover, this amplified my experience. Definitely a try. read more

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A must GO TO spot for dinner! Highly recommend calling early in the morning for dinner reservations! Thursday - Sunday is their usual busy days. Best ITALIAN food in Richmond, all the food was delicious! No complaints what so ever! Best Squid (calamari) I've ever had. Cooked to perfection. Carbonara was the best I've ever had, while my sausage, ricotta and broccoli rabe was seasoned perfectly with the perfect amount of spice. High quality Italian at its best... come with an appetite! The portions are HUGE. Perfect spot for a date night. Minimal lighting sets the mood very well for some high end Italian dining. Can't wait till next time! read more

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I love Edo's recently came in with a group of friends for a dinner and it was incredible as always. The service is always top notch. The food is the best italian food in Richmond, simple but always perfect. read more

Make sure you make a reservation and that your party is there and ready to be seated. It is up on the second floor of a building. There were quite a few groups waiting in both the hall and the front area, but we were greeted and seated pretty quickly after our reservation time. The tables are very close together, but that is because they are making the most of the space that they have. The service is truly down to a science because there is already olive oil and vinegar at your table and they drop sourdough off quickly afterwards. The specials are outlined on the rolls of paper on the wall behind you. We knew that the portions were going to be large so skipped out on the appetisers for two pasta dishes. They were super understanding about what dishes were vegan and helpful to walk us through the menu because it was our first time. We got the eggplant cooked in a red sauce and the broccoli rabe with garlic and olive oil. It was so basic, but so flavorful. We didn't need to add anything to the dishes and they were outstanding. Normally I do not like paying for Italian that I could make at home, but the way they do it is something else. The food was prepared quickly and we didn't feel rushed at all. It took us less than an hour to be there and honestly such good service. They knew to check on us, but not feel smothered and we were not left alone despite how busy the place was. read more

Edo's Squid - Broccoli Rabe, Garlic, Olive Oil Eggplant - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Every time I call for reservations it goes to voicemail. Talked w a manager and she was not nice. She said she has been on the other line. I had called for 2 days. Wish they had other options for making reservations. Sadly we don't live close by so we don't have to reserve a table read more

I used to love this place but the amount of oil they have started putting in their food just makes me feel sick now. read more

Edo's Squid - Olive oil swimming pool salad - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Great Ambiance. The restaurant environment perfectly matches the large family style plates filled with light yet fulfilling flavors, making you feel like you're dining in a family owned alley restaurant of Italy's streets. The service was excellent for how busy the restaurant was, the line was literally out the door. read more

Edo's Squid - Calamari and Borro E Parmigiano - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Came here for a special occasion and was highly recommended to me by multiple folks. The space is small and very homey - closely arranged tables and we made reservations. Starting off with the bread - slightly disappointed that the bread wasn't warm. In fact it tasted slightly stale. The fried calamari was okay, not sure if it was timing of things but it arrived slightly soggy. We ordered the sausage/ricotta/broccoli pasta - this was by far our favorite dish. Creamy sauce with fresh pasta. We also ordered the hanger steak that came with a small salad and penne with marinara. We ordered the steak medium rare and it came out unevenly cooked with some pieces on the well done side and even the sort of medium rare pieces were chewy. The steak didn't have much seasoning to it otherwise. The upside is the portions were huge - pasta on its own can feed two to three people. Service was also overall really slow with most of our food being cool by the time it got to us which could be attributed to how busy it was but still. Simple things like flagging down the waiter for water multiple times. With how much we paid for the dinner - it didn't leave us as satisfied despite how highly recommended it was by so many people. Not sure if it was an off night or maybe we didn't order the right item. May have to be something we come back for a 2nd chance. read more

Edo's Squid - Sausage, Ricotta, Broccoli Rabe, hanger steak - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Delicious spot! Someone had recommended the spot to us while we were in Richmond and it did not disappoint. Make sure to find the door with the broom on it up the stairs- that's the restaurant. We got about four dishes, which were very generous so portions are definitely not something to worry about. Highly recommend getting the tiramisu for dessert- It was amazing. read more

Outstanding food! Interesting (but small) space. Great experience, great service, outstanding food (did I say that already?)!

Awesome!! Scungelli, tuna awesome! Service was outstanding. Go early! The smell of garlic as you start up the steps gets you ready for their delicious entrees! read more

Don't go here unless you want to receive your food an hour and forty-five minutes after your reservation time. Paying $240 this experience was frustrating and disappointing. read more

There's always a line at this walk-up restaurant, I thought to give it a try. Serving large portions but just average Italian food. Nice, clean restaurant but just tables & uncomfortable chairs. Our waitress was friendly & attentive. Not sure I'd frequent for average food and lack of parking. read more

Edo's Squid - Spaghetti with red clam sauce - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I made a reservation here about a month back, anticipating it to be very busy or difficult to get a reservation. I was pleasantly surprised, very easy to pick a reservation, and the times were mostly available a month out. Upon arrival going up the stairs, I was skeptical, but once I got in the dining room, I realized I was in the right place. A dimly lit dining room with excellent natural lighting. My party was seated quickly and at the table we wanted, which was awesome! Shawna/Shauna, our server answered all our questions about the menu and put in our orders quickly. She was very helpful! The dishes themselves, OOF! Amazing, heaping piles of spaghetti, greens and seafood, just stunning to look at and an amazing culinary experience. I'd heard about how good it was but man oh man, I was just blown away! read more

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Went on Saturday night, packed and popular. Didn't think we'd get a table soon (30 mins!). Amazing dishes, had the "mixed seafood " broth had just enough spice, seafood "A bunch!", make sure to get bread to dip in the broth! Just fantastic. You have to dine here! read more

very quick service, friendly staff, and large portion sizes. arrived at 5:30ish and got sat immediately. read more

Edo's Squid - entrance - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Had a little trouble finding it. Don't let the outside scare you! The inside was still classy and cozy. We had a reservation and got here a little early and were seated immediately. The Prosecco came in personal bottles which was cute. The food portions are huge so if it's just two of yall I recommend sharing. I got the eggplant parm and it was so cheesy and delicious! The bread had a good crust on it although it was a little dry/stale. Our waitress seemed to be having a bad night (it was super busy so maybe just stress?) but the food was AMAZING! The fried squid was fried perfectly! Overall we will definitely be coming back to this hidden gem! read more

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After 17 years of living in Richmond I FINALLY made it to Edo's Squid. It was a Monday, November 20th to be exact. This was easy to remember because the love of my life and I were celebrating 7 years of romance. We knew they didn't open till 5:00pm so we sat at The Village Café and patiently waited for 5pm to roll around. We gave them a 10-minute grace period but there were already four people who managed to sneak in there. Reservations you say? What are those? OpenTable? Resy? WHAT ARE THOSE? This place is absolutely full of itself. You walk up this weird staircase to some random ass door wondering if you're even in the right place. Once you enter and see the bar and tables you know you've reached the right place. The lady asked if we had reservations, the irony of the absurdity of this question was not lost on me. We politely said no and were seated right away. Keep in mind it was 5:10pm and I felt super stoked to be sitting down at a table for two. I saw the other tables which are nicely squished together. At those tables you get the privilege of sitting so close to a stranger you're inevitably get to make a new friend. Or you can just sit there all awkward for an hour like an anti-social. Our waiter came over and we put in an order for some red wine. Many of our friends recommended several dishes so it was very hard to narrow it down. We landed on the 'squid, white bean, and arugula' for our app which was delicious. The citrus and balance were perfect. For the main course we ordered the eggplant parm and pasta broccoli rabe with garlic and olive oil. The pasta broccoli was overhyped but delicious. The eggplant parmesan on the other hand was like tasting a masterpiece. My words fail to encompass how absolutely delicious this dish is. When Mama Zu's closed its doors, I was devastated thinking I would never be able to eat this masterpiece. Thank God in Heaven Mama Zu's sister restaurant Edo's Squid carries on the world class eggplant parmesan. We mortals may never know what sorcery is performed in the kitchen but I can assure you, it's incredible. If you have any affection for southern Italian cuisine, even a slight lean towards tomato sauce and cheese, then get your ass over to Edo's Squid and order this. It's enough for two so skip everything else and zero in on this. I'm not sure how much weight my Italian heritage carries or my 11 years as a Yelp Elite so you'll just have to trust me. Edo's Squid is a total vibe. All the locals are used to it. They can afford to be some kind of way due to the cult like following of its patrons. When you put out a dish that damn good it's hard to argue. Edo's Squid takes no prisoners and it doesn't have to pander to anyone. My experience was perfectly fine. Could the waiter have more hustle? Well of course, but it's Richmond. In this city you're waited on by a group of mindless zombies all mad at the world. I've been here for 17 years so I'm used to it. I know this review takes some weird turns and if you made it this far try your best to find your way here. The eggplant parm is 100% worth it. read more

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A hole in the wall spot that I wouldn't have guessed would be as tasty as it was. We had a reservation for 6 and were not seated until 6:37. While this would normally not be an issue the space is so tiny that there's not really room to wait at the bar until your table is ready. We got the mussels and calamari as our appetizers. They were absolutely delicious. I got the broccoletti and shrimp which was a healthy serving and I probably could have split with someone else. My husband and I split a bottle of Pinot Grigio. We would definitely come back but not when we have somewhere to be at 8 pm. read more

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Service: Good, nothing out of the ordinary Food: 10/10, very good, no complaints Ambiance: Very nice, soft lighting Price: more expensive but worth it read more

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The portions are massive! The place itself is small but lively, feels like you're almost stepping back in time. The food was excellent and the staff were great. Would recommend getting a reservation! read more

Edo's has ruined us for being able to enjoy other restaurants due to Edo's superior dishes. Much has been said about the noise, the speed, and amenities. We go there because there is no finer duck dish, brocholetti , white beans and squid, Carbonaro, rock fish, or even tiramisu to be found in the many states where we have dined. Prices have increased which has impacted our frequency, but it is still our favorite restaurant ever. When my daughter visits from Europe, this is her first choice on arrival. After spending 2 weeks in Italy, nothing there could compare. read more

OMG! Just moved to the area, lucked out grabbin' 2 seats at the bar, dropped $250 w tip included and couldn't be happier...it was crowded and we had no reservation but timed it w luck to eat at the bar. Our opening salvo included some Campari-champagne cocktails and some liver somethin my wife always gets if available--fabulous--and after my 1st glass of wine, I opted for a bottle. Our entrees...my wife got an amazing duck dish while I, not very hungry, lookin for somethin lighter, got some pene doused in olive oil and garlic--holy sh!!--this was the best simple pasta dish ever...so much minced garlic it bordered on spicy and the shrooms were great...I'm a meat guy and I loved this dish. This is getting long, but my Somm. wife and our bartender headin to Baltimore, and the stairs up to this quaint place...ambiance vibe atmosphere stellar. Hard to sum up, but this is a hip, neighborhood, foodie gem. 5 stars. read more

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We went the other night for the first time with friends who'd been many times and highly recommended the place. The food was okay, not great. Huge portions, they've got that going for them. But the service was the rudest I have ever seen anywhere in my life, and I've been to Dick's Last Resort. I was absolutely astounded that this place is able to stay in business, treating customers with such disrespect. And it wasn't just one server, it was *three* of them, plus the manager. Our friends ordered an appetizer they've often had before and loved (the braised fennel). It took 40 minutes to come out (not a typo -- that's four-zero, forty), and when it finally did, it was inedible. They politely told our original server that it wasn't prepared properly, and she flat-out told them they were wrong! She didn't taste it, just said they obviously didn't know what it was *supposed* to taste like. They tried to explain that they'd had it -- *there,* at Edo's Squid -- numerous times before, and *knew* what it was supposed to taste like, but she wouldn't listen. She called over another server, who was equally rude, and then a third, and then the manager. All were rude. The rest of the meal, as you can imagine, was a disaster. And when we left, the manager came after us and shouted that we were no longer *ever* welcome back -- as if coming back was the remotest possibility. (By the way, despite all the rudeness, my wife and I tipped 20% anyway, and our friends -- who took the brunt of the bad behavior -- still tipped 10%.) A truly AWFUL experience. Afterward, I private messaged the owner, not wanting to call them out publicly, but didn't even get the courtesy of a response. So, okay, time to warn others of the possibility of this kind of treatment. Enter at your own risk. read more

Food was absolutely delish! It felt like we stepped into Italy - the flavors and smells delighted my small group.

Wonderful delicious food. The atmosphere is so nice and warm as well as welcoming. The staff is very friendly and they know the specials as well. I love this place so much. read more

Came here on a Friday night and man was it packed! We had reservations and I highly recommend doing that because the space is small and seating fills up quickly! We came on a day where the high was 96 and you could definitely feel the heat in this restaurant, from the body heat from so many people in a small restaurant to the hot food coming from the kitchen, but overall it was a wonderful experience. We got the squid for the appetizer which was lovely but would have loved a dipping sauce! I got the veal with pasta while the other two people I was with got the pork chops which came with their beans, and soft shell crab with pasta. Overall, the food was so flavorful and thought it plated. My favorites were the beans (surprisingly) and the squid. The pork chops were a little tough in my opinion. Lovely restaurant and staff! Would come again when I get the chance. read more

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Edo's squid is If you know you know. located in the heart of Richmond around VCU so you know parking is a pain here! but no worries they have a parking spot that you can park and thankfully it is not a lot. Whenever I got visit Richmond this is a must stop for me to eat. but!! before you go here make sure you have reservations and don't give up because they are always busy so it is a constant ring and you just need to keep dialing lol. Ambiance: this is located in a 2 story almost like house alike, underneath is a lower end hibachi place and you enter on the side door and go up on this super old stairs lol and you will probably think "what did I get myself into?" once you get on top you will be entering in this very small and dark place, they have small bar, counter and the rest is the dining area. Food: We never had bad food here, last time we were here we ordered family style since we have more than 5 on our party. We got the Calamari, fried oysters, garlic oil olive pasta, tuna steak (which is my favorite), rockfish. ohhh my goodness! everything was on point! The Tuna steak you have to order it raw and the cooks there knows how to prepare it. If you have not been here, do yourself a favor and go make reservation for your dinner and I do believe that they are also open for lunch. read more

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