Kind of nondescript entrance. We thought we were walking up a flight of stairs into a closet, but once we got in the environment is great. Food was even better. They were accommodating for our little one with a high chair. Our server was kind and prompt. Most importantly the food was delicious. Loved the Scungili salad read more

Absolutely delicious food. The pasta is served family style with more than enough to share. The specials are so good, with the halibut and pork chops being my personal favorites. I love the intimate ambiance, with dim lighting and limited seating so it feels personal and special. I love this place. Don't ever change. read more

I was down in Richmond not long ago and found myself at edo's squid for dinner. We were fortunate enough to grab a table as a walk in, but they typically recommend reservations and I can certainly see why. This is not your typical Italian restaurant and without the sign, you wouldn't have a clue this place existed. Upon entry, you walk up a flight of stairs to find the dining area on the second floor of an older building. Definitely an inconspicuous spot, but I like these types of places. For starters I went with an aperol spritz and the fried squid. The squid was lightly breaded so it wasn't too heavy and it was cooked just right. The serving size is enough to share with at least four people too. For my entree I had the all'Amatriciana pasta and I was blown away. I've had this sauce before, or at least so I was led to believe. This was above and beyond any other similar dishes I've had in the past. Sweet and sharp, this dish had me coming back for more over and over. It was again enough to feed the whole table, and is something I would easily order again. If you are ever down in Richmond, highly recommend giving them a try. read more

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The food is delicious, my favorite bring the bean,sausage & polenta dish. It's a cozy place but usually full and service is not rushed so plan to spend some time on your meal. It's also tight with the tables so avoid bulky coats or bags. read more

My first impression of edo squid was weird. I walked up this staircase with a bunch of inventory at the top, and wasn't sure if I was trespassing or going in the back entrance. It was very unsettling. But once you walked in it is a cute spot. It's little cramped, but still a nice ambiance. The menu isn't very detailed, so you really had to rely on the server or google for any information. Service was spotty and a bit awkward. The girl seemed overwhelmed. The food was amazing. It made it worth our trip. I highly recommend anything in the red sauce and the broccolini. The rockfish was also cooked perfectly! This is the best Italian I have tasted in Richmond! read more

Don't let the front door fool you, this place rocks! Food was great and authentic. Wait staff were attentive and nice. They were PACKED, too! Loved the carbonara. read more

Lovely establishment. Very "hole in the wall" so be prepared to be next to other tables. Also, bring your stomachs because the portions are huge and it's all amazing. read more

It was a little tricky to find, but we are happy we did! The food was delicious, the service was friendly and surprisingly fast.

My brother and I go for our birthdays for the past 5 years. It is a tradition. The freshness of their ingredients to the kind wait staff always had us leaving happy and full. The ambiance is cozy and formal. Treat yourself out to a solo date dinner here! Meat lovers get the steak! Seafood lovers I can't recommend the tuna steak and the crab spaghetti enough!! More on the pricy side but well worth it. Beware of wait time during peak hours. Also if you feel like you're going up into a weird closet you're in the right place :) read more

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Last night was my first visit back to Edo's since I went to grad school in the area. And it did not disappoint. It's so great to have a memory of a place that sets such a high bar and have it validated years later. Makes the experience so much better. We were attending a concert nearby and decided to share apps instead of going for entrees. And boy am I happy we did. Do not sleep on the broccoli di rapa app when you visit. 10/10. We will definitely be visiting again! read more

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Seafood was well cooked but the sauce was in flavorful/lacked salt/spices. Bread was amazing and the ambiance was intimate read more

Edo's Squid - Mixed Seafood Pasta - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Have the flank steak, no idea how they do this steak but it is always memorable. Restaurant is stuffed with tables, it's loud, servers are purposely curt. Food is always amazing. If you have table of 6 will have to order family style but it's a great chance to try new things. Reservations are a must. read more

A great Italian restaurant to visit and have a great time. As soon as you walk through its doors, you know you are at the right place.

Don't believe the hate on here. This place is the real deal. Let me break it down for you. Get the fried sugartoads if they are available. You won't regret it. The service is good and friendly. Bartender was very hospitable while we waited for a table. I personally love the ambiance. It is a tight space but the staff make efficient use of every inch of the place. Love the giant bust of Caesar. Still so good after all these years. Been a staple since my wife was going to school at VCU over 10 years ago. read more

So I'm from Richmond and even lived a few blocks from this place! It's hands down my favorite place for pasta in the city! It's consistently delicious and I'm drooling right now thinking about it. The only not consistent thing is the service. It's hit or miss. Sometimes it's great and other times you're left alone in the corner for almost an hour. Anyway, the last time we went the service was on point, but just go with a relaxed vibe and you'll be fine. We got the ricotta pasta with broccolini. It's our favorite! We started with an order of fried calamari which is also a must and a bottle of Chardonnay. They always serve delicious fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The food came out fairly quickly and was everything I wanted and more. We did ask for some more grated Parmesan for the pasta which added a little more zest. Wow, this is the best dinner ever! You won't be disappointed. read more

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Fantastic food. Came in later in the evening and was seated right away. Eggplant parm as an appetizer was amazing. Carbonara for a main meal was wonderful. Ambiance of the restaurant was great. Would def come again read more

Alright wow. What angers me is the majority of the "bad" reviews here are using huge portions as a... negative? Are you people ok??? They also knock the restaurant for having little space. It's RICHMOND. This isn't a chain restaurant. The tables are close together to accommodate as many people as possible. Personally, I think it adds to the charm! Not to mention, they take reservations. Now for my experience, 10/10. I went for lunch and walked RIGHT in. No wait. No crowd. Immaculate service. I was immediately given a menu and bread. Because I did my research, I already knew I was ordering the sausage, ricotta, and broccoli rabe pasta. I sat waiting for my pasta as an employee sitting at a table next to me was hand peeling cloves of garlic. I thought it was the sweetest thing. I kid you not... that was the best, most comforting pasta I've had in Richmond (the best being in Philly). You could taste the love in the dish. Aside from the fool proof ingredients, the detail!!!! Heat, salt, slight sweetness even! Absolutely stellar. The price point is wildly cheap for the portion, so I'm also surprised people complained about that too. Overall, I will be sending everyone here. I will also be back many times because I intend on testing the entire menu after today! read more

This place is crazy busy and rightfully so! Best opportunity to eat here here is get in line by 430 pm, if you don't have reservations .... plan to wait a while. Service is incredible and the food is to die for! Start with the squid appetizer....it is the best. Pasta is plentiful and sausage is nice and spicy! My wife always gets the seafood and always says it's fantastic! If you leave hungry? Shame on you! read more

Wow carbonara was tasteless... couldn't even finish the 1/3 of the portion. I wouldnt recommend this place

You know, I didn't love it. I wanted to - but I didn't. The concept is cool and it does kind'a remind me of cafes in Italy - but I didn't love it. Came here for dinner before a show at VMFA and called early in the afternoon for a 6pm reservation for two - they easily accommodated that and had the table ready when we arrived for dinner. I'm glad - because we needed to get in and out. Parking is tight because it's on a small street and beside VCU - there is 2-hour pay to park right outside and after two trips around we got lucky and got one right out front. I would never come here without a reservation because it's on the second floor of a small building - up a nondescript hallway - with NO room to wait. It's one single small room with tables lining the outside and a bunch of tables crammed in the middle - you sit there elbow to elbow with others while the servers bump into you walking around bringing food and clearing tables. So it's really intimate. The menu specials are written on the walls - I saw some things like fried scallops and pork chops and others. The menu is simple and has a number of starters - we chose the fried squid and the arugula salad. The squid was delicious, fresh and crispy, while the arugula was not - it was plain with a small amount of oil drizzled on top and shaved parm for $10. I need to do better at remembering that arugula tastes like dirt to me... I chose the Broccoli Rabe penne with ricotta and other cheese mixed in. It was slightly spicy with red pepper flakes and a ton of oil - it was delicious but was like 2 pounds of pasta. Definitely enough for two to share. It is a heavy dish. I probably ate 1/4th of the plate. My date chose the Karl with penne which is basically a pound of sautéed mushrooms with red peppers and oil. Light and simple but yummy - the mushrooms were good and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The menu is basically you get a choice of penne or spaghetti for $11 - then some more complicated entrees for $14 - then some even more complicates ones for $18 or so with seafood and meats. Like a tier system. But always with penne or spaghetti as your base. Or some of the specials on the wall like steak or pork chops. For dessert I chose the tiramisu and a coffee because I love tiramisu - the coffee was too strong for me but the tiramisu was good and fresh. It was a bit too soaked in the espresso for my taste and was squishy but it was still good. By the time we left there were about 15 people standing around the door hovering and staring at everyone - there is nowhere else to stand but along the walls at the door. It's really crowded inside and I know I would never stand there for 40-65 minutes waiting for a table and staring down everyone inside hoping they leave soon. I probably would not come back - unless it was a quiet week night perhaps. I don't drink alcohol either but I'm sure it would be great if you had one of the tables by the window and a glass of wine with your pasta instead of out in the middle getting bumped into the whole time. It's a local gem and the food is good if you enjoy heavy pasta dishes and some wine. Service was good. Just not to my taste. read more

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Edo's Squid is an Italian restaurant, located upstairs, and is only open for dinner. The hubs and I were able to make it for dinner - we ordered: broccoletti di rapa (with garlic, pine nuts, and red pepper), fried squid, spaghetti (with karl-garlic, olive oil, and mushrooms), penne (with broccoli rabe, garlic olive oil, and with ricotta), penne (with sausage, ricotta, and broccoli rabe), and spaghetti (with clams in white sauce). The pasta were all cooked perfectly al dente; our most favorite was the penne with the sausage, ricotta, and the broccoli rabe, as it was so flavorful, so savory, and a nice creamy dish. The clams pasta was good, too, but it wasn't washed properly, as it had grit/sand - no bueno! The service was friendly, and the environment was relaxing and laid-back. +good al denta pasta +penne with the sausage, ricotta, and the broccoli rabe +friendly staff +located upstairs +limited street parking read more

Best Italian Food in town!! Perfect atmosphere! I adore this place. Delicious and delightful read more

Edo's Squid - Gorgonzola w peas. Sausage , ricotta, broccoli rabe - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We went to Edo's Squid based on a few friend recommendations during our one-night stay in Richmond, and it was soooo good. There was a 30 minute wait for a table for 2 people around 6pm on a Tuesday, so we grabbed 2 seats at the bar area & ate there. The bartender guided us with our orders & he did a great job with both the wine & the food. While the restaurant gives an old-school italian restaurant vibe, with authentic italian food, we didn't order any pastas! And it was all sooooo good. I'd definitely return to try a pasta but was happy with our orders & cant wait to return to order again. Note the bar area is small so if you plan to go with a large group, i'd call to see if they'd take a rezzy first read more

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Iv had almost everything on the menu and I have never been disappointed! I would recommend going with friends as it's a little loud for date night but a fantastic place to get a small group together to eat good pasta and drink wine! read more

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Third time at this restaurant, and felt like previous dining experiences and probably better. Consistency in seasoning. Nice and casual ambience. We were a group of five. Fried oysters to die for a must. Also had the calamari with white beans, branzino with spaghetti in a extremely delicious garlic and olive oil sauce, spaghetti carbonara, cod cheeks with an Asian soy dipping sauce, duck breast with crispy on the outside creamy on the inside polenta and beans. Very efficient and friendly service. We always make it a point to dine here when in Richmond. Worth climbing up those stairs where food heaven awaits you! read more

Excellent food. I would recommend making a reservation. It gets busy early and can be noisy but good and service are excellent. The potions are huge and you get a mountain of pasta on your plate. We loved the dishes we had read more

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Went to dinner with my sister and brother in law a few weeks back and a few dishes stood out that I wouldn't have expected. We ordered to share and for appetizers we got the burrata with roasted red pepper and the fennel. When I say GET THE FENNEL, I mean it. For mains we got the rockfish, the red mussels and spaghetti, and the carbonara. Hands down the Carbonara was the favorite. The Rockfish was ok but I think I was expecting more flavor from all the rave reviews. The mussels were good and the portions were HUGE. A tad expensive but worth the splurge for a nice night out. Forgot to take pictures of the food but the atmosphere is cute and very Richmond-y. Tables are close together as the space is small but I enjoyed it. read more

I've heard so many good things about Edo's Squid and I was super excited to finally try it out! I had a good experience overall but it kinda fell short of my expectations. For appetizers, the roasted red peppers with fresh mozzarella was pretty good! The peppers were tender, flavorful, and paired well with the mozzarella and basil. I got the squid genovese, which is a pasta made with pine nuts, basil, and onions. The squid flavors were strong and aromatic. The squid pieces itself was delicious/tender, but I would have preferred the spaghetti itself to be more al dente. For some reason, I was under the impression that the pasta would be in a thicker sauce, but it was more soup-like with a watery sauce? It probably contributed to my pasta texture. My friend said that his Karl pasta (with garlic, olive oil, mushrooms) was alright. The mushrooms and garlic smelled super yummy but again, there wasn't much sauce and seasoning except for the mushrooms. I did appreciate their big portions though! The ambiance was very nice. The restaurant is tucked in a little upstairs attic-like space with tight seating and great Italian vibes. I liked the bricked walls, wine bottles, and candles everywhere. I know Edo's Squid is always super popular and the wait times are long but I didn't feel like the food was as satisfying enough to offset the long wait times. They do take reservations but they encourage you to call when its not during peak dinner hours. Given what other's have told me about this place, I do want to come back to give it another chance and try some other things on the menu. read more

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Don't let the entryway fool you, this place is must visit in Richmond. Food is great in this urban environment setting with great flavors and friendly staff... well our waiter was anyway! read more

Edo's Squid - Mussels marinara , fried oysters to the right , fried squid in the center, Broccoletti Di Rapa top and Broccoletti And Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Edo's Squid was my first dine-in restaurant experience when I moved to Richmond and it was an absolutely warm welcome. There is ample street parking but certainly hard to miss if you don't know what you're looking for. You walk through the front door and have to go upstairs and walk through another door and finally, you're in the charming, rustic dining room. I remember watching them serve food while I was waiting to be seated and I thought to myself, "oh this is family style" because the portions were massive. It wasn't until after my seafood pasta arrived, I realized I had enough food to eat 4 times and all of this for a very reasonable price! The cherry on top of the cake was that the food was delicious! We also had the fried oysters to start which were cooked to perfection and they have a lovely wine menu to fit whatever your needs are! In terms of accessibility, I did not see an elevator, but I also did not go searching for one but certainly something to keep in mind! read more

We have been coming to Edo Squid's for a long time. Unfortunately, last couple of times was a miss. The hostess took people who came after us to tables, we were then seated in one of the tables that are squeezed together where you are elbow to elbow (have to ask others to get up to let you through), it was too packed and too loud. The food especially the cabbage and pasta/sausage/broccoli rabe has gotten too spicy. Perhaps the red pepper flakes could be offered with the Parmesan. Our waitress was not attentive (seemed bothered when we inquired about a couple dishes on the specials board), never asked if we needed anything (additional drink, water, bread), slammed the beer and cannoli down and we had to ask for boxes and the check. The food we did get was great and a lot of it. Overall though very poor experience. read more

food was excellent and would get Tuna steak evertyime service was exceptional and did not rush us and made great recommendations on pairing wine ambiance was good as we had someone new in town and they really enjoyed the place. congrats on a great evening read more

My first experience was amazing. The second was not as great and extremly uncomfortable. The food was great. They know the food is great so they cut on service and space big time. The waiter was very snarky. Asked for questions but responses were extremely condescending. The couple we were with was there for the first time so there were a couple of questions. Literally two.The waiter was the only person that seemed to have a problem. The others staff that assisted were friendly and helpful. If you are looking for good food, this is the place. Is you are looking for comfort and great service, it is hit or miss. read more

Great meal, very generous portions, just enough service. The eggplant parm was excellent, the cauliflower pasta special was to-die-for. Three of us enjoyed all the tiramisu we wanted from a single order. Yum. read more

Very good Italian food. Hoppin' atmosphere. Lucked out with a seat at the bar and had a fabulous meal with my VCU student. Will be back!

First time back since pre-covid. Same vibe. Same positives and negatives. Prices have gone up. Food is still delicious. Questionable cleanliness. Hubby asked for the garlic pasta as his side and the waitress told him he had to get the marinara pasta as his side (seemed flaky to me that he couldn't select his choice especially with all the garlic they were peeling lol) and the fact that the side of pasta comes with the meal. read more

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Very cheap service. Server couldn't tell us her her name. Told us "it's none of your business" Wouldn't recommend. They have been in Richmond for 25 years, I've been here 28 years no wonder why I haven't heard of it or visited. Do not come here unless you want to be treated like trash. Avoid the short haired server. read more

When I walked into Edo's Squid for the first time... I walked right out because I couldn't figure out if I was in the right place. And then, I walked back in and up the stairs to one of the best restaurants I've tried in RVA yet. The first thing I saw when I walked in upstairs was a few people at a table peeling dozens and dozens of garlic cloves... and this was the first great sign because I am a Garlic Girl. Be aware that the menu is very bare bones - just lists the name of each pasta, appetizer, and beverage without any descriptions or further info (so maybe not the place for people with food allergies or dietary restrictions). Luckily our waitress was happy to answer my (many) questions and was willing to accommodate our very out of the normal order way of ordering - we decided on entrees first, then wine, then antipasti because we were very indecisive. I got the pasta with broccoli rabe, garlic olive oil, and ricotta - there was a choice of penne or spaghetti, I chose penne. We also got a bottle of pinot grigio and the roasted red pepper with fresh mozzarella appetizer. To put it frankly, everything was amazing. The pasta was so flavorful and the roasted peppers with mozzarella tasted extremely fresh. The wine pairing was perfect. I'm normally one who adds seasoning to my entrees and I didn't doctor this one bit. We were so pleased with this meal and I'm very excited to try more of their pasta dishes in the future. The only qualm I had was that their windows didn't have any curtains or blinds - so I (as well as several people at the table behind me) were sitting in excruciatingly direct sunlight and this was uncomfortable, I had to cover my eyes the entire time we were there and I heard the people at the table behind also lamenting about the sun. read more

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

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Last night was my second visit to Edo's Squid (so sad that Mamma 'Zu is closed now). Let me just say that both visits were worth the wait and the food was just as good as Mamma 'Zu. I always get the mixed seafood pasta, and it doesn't disappoint! Clams, mussels, shrimp, fish, and calamari on a piping hot bed of spaghetti with red sauce... so delicious! My wife had the rockfish which was excellent. The bread, house red wine, appetizers, everything was amazing. The first time we went was on a Saturday (with a reservation), but still had to wait 45 minutes for our table. The second time was on a Wednesday evening (with a reservation), walked in and seated immediately. No complaints except for the street parking. read more

Edo's Squid - Mixed Seafood Pasta - Italian Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Came here recently for a friends birthday! It was not my first time. A few things to note- we had a party of 7. We were only allowed to have a maximum variety of 4 pastas. This worked out for us, as we luckily had a few people who wanted the same things, but if all 7 people (or even 5+) wanted different pastas, that would've been a problem. I will say, they did let us know this when we made the reservation so we were able to plan for this. Also, we did pay all together with one card. Pretty sure this was required as it was just simply brought out when the time came. We also were expecting this, based off of coming here previously. We started with the calamari. It was really good! I loved that it had a really even ratio of tentacles to to rings, and it seemed fresh and it was lightly battered- not drenched. The whole table loved it. We then ordered the spaghetti and meat sauce, the carbonara, and the the seafood pasta to eat. My one friend ordered a salad for some reason which he obviously regretted. Not because the salad was BAD, but because pasta is the obvious choice. I'd rank the seafood pasta first. It had great variety and flavor. The spaghetti was a close second and the carbonara was last. I actually prefer the carbonara at Bacchus because they have peas in it and I find it more flavorful, although I do think the one from Edo's is probably more traditional if I had to guess. I just found it a little bland. Lastly, the staff was pretty nice! I remember coming in previous years and thinking the opposite but I stand corrected now! read more

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