In terms of Greek origin philos = love. In my experience Filos= love. I recently held an event here and from the second I walked in the door I felt like family. Mike and his team understood my needs and went above and beyond to fulfill them. From start to finish everyone was so kind and accommodating and by the end of the night it was hard to tell who was who in the room as the staff perfectly mingled and intertwined with my party, all while (I'm pretty sure magically) makes sure everyone was fed, happy and having a good time. Thinking back on it was remarkably spotless throughout the event, but I don't even remember seeing dirty dishes and empty cups leave the room. There was plenty of parking and so much space inside I couldn't even believe it when he said there were two other events going on concurrently to mine! I may not be sure how the magic happens in those four walls, but I am sure I will be returning again soon. 10/10 recommend read more

The food is here is great and the staff is excellent. The staff is friendly, organized, and quick with replenishing food. I would highly recommend this restaurant for dinner or your next big event. read more

* THERE'S A BACK ENTRANCE FOR PIZZA PICKUP * My cousin Cindy & I always go here when going to a movie or to The Little Theater of Manchester. The food is great, the service is fast, & you can get in & out quick! It's never too loud in here! There's always something on the menu whether it's a special or an everyday item on the menu, it's just gonna be delicious! The restaurant one clean & I've never even hotter a dirty fork here. That said, the size of the salads are huge! So if you get one as an entree you will not regret it! The pizza is delicious as well! I've had so many things on the menu that I wish I'd remembered to take photos! I want to only gave 4 stars because I hate those tiny booths on your right when you first walk in, but let's be honest they earned 5. read more

Tried again, disappointed again. Sports banquet food for the high school was so awful we had to eat afterwards at a fast food joint. Won't go back. read more

Filomena's Cafe - Pistachio martini - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

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Went to visit a friend in the Waterford area and we came here for a bite to eat. Walking in you see a bar and a few tables. It looks like they might be updating the place. I also notice there is a room for bigger parties. We are greeted by the waiter who was very friendly and welcoming. It seems to be a slow night and we were able to pick a table of our choice. I ordered the new crispy chicken sandwich and my friend got the Chicken Francese. For $14 chicken sandwich, I expected a much thicker chicken. What I got was a thin chicken cutlet. The side of fries was also an extra $4. Beside that the sandwich taste good and the topping was fresh. The fries were crispy to my liking.My friend said her meal could use a bit more seasonings but overall enjoyed it. Although the food was bit underwhelming, we had a good time. I would give this place another try. read more

Filomena's Cafe - Menu - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

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I hosted my niece's baby shower at Filomena's today. They did such a great job setting up, the food was awesome and the servers were very attentive to the guest needs. It was the perfect choice for this celebration!! We will definitely consider them for future events. Thank you Mike and your crew! It was the perfect day read more

Great food. Great service. Reasonable prices for the high quality of this restaurant.

We arrived at Filomenas in Waterford on Friday the 14th for our daughter's annual swim banquet. We were immediately welcomed by the friendly staff and escorted to the private event room. There we found the owner (Mike) personally serving each person, as they made their way through the buffet. Mike is a charismatic guy, with a big smile, who likes to interact with his patrons. He passed through the room several times to check on each table. His staff is equally as friendly and attentive. The food was exceptional with excellent presentation and flavor. My wife and I dine out often and are usually disappointed with some aspect of the dining experience. Lastnight Filomenas was all Aces! Very impressed from start to finish!! Great job!! - Pete Schiro Preston, CT read more

Came here for a catered baby shower and it was just right! The servers were friendly and the chicken parm was to die for! Decent sized reservation areas. Bar choice was decent, margaritas were watery. read more

Our family recently held a luncheon at Filomena's Cafe, following the funeral and interment of a beloved family member. We arrived at Filomena's the morning of the service with some of our own desserts and memorabilia for a display. We were met by Mike, who took care of the preparations for us, leaving us free to get to the service. Later, after the service we all arrived for the luncheon and found everything in place and ready. The respectful, attentive and efficient staff members, provided absolutely excellent service. The food was plentiful, visually appealing and delicious. Overall, Mike and the dedicated staff provided us a warm, memorable event, that everyone in attendance highly appreciated. Thank you Mike, and Filomena's staff. read more

We needed a space to hold a gathering after a funeral. I called Filomena's and spoke with Mike, the owner. Due to religious restrictions, I informed him I wouldn't know until 12 hours before the event. He was kind, reassuring and patient. He said "We've got you." When I called back with only 8 hours until we needed the space, he again said "No problem. We got you." When we arrived later that day, we were greeted by not only a friendly staff member, but Mike himself who gave me a warm hug. We were led to a private room that perfect. The decor was simple and elegant. The food was delicious and the staff was attentive, checking on us frequently. Mike checked in a few times to make sure we were doing ok and he personally helped me check out. It was a relief to have things taken care of and not to have to worry about a thing. We would DEFINITELY come back for a future event! read more

Filomena's is fantastic for private events. I've been here for a pre-wedding party and a retirement party (that one was years ago), and each had a different tone based on how the organizers wanted their events to feel. Filomena's matched that tone perfectly - the staff catering the retirement event were fun and jovial because the organizer loved them being involved, and the staff catering the wedding were out of sight but kept food moving. I recall every dish being well portioned and delicious, I know I cleared my plate both times. Would definitely recommend for events! read more

Really nice atmosphere - the live music was great. Very friendly service. Pricing was pretty good for food and drinks. Unfortunately the meals we ordered were not our favorite - the chicken in both dishes was pretty tough and the pasta was a bit crunchy. Probably just went at an off night. Would try one more time. read more

We had an 80th birthday party there and it couldn't have gone better. Between the staff being exceptionally attentive to the food being phenomenal to the atmosphere being top notch, the experience couldn't have been better!! read more

4.5 stars for the lobster ravioli it's definitely delicious. Service is spot on nice low key ambiance. read more

Filomena's Cafe - a white plate of food on a wooden table - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

I recently had my office Holiday Party at Filomena's, we had 23 people and a could not say enough about the service that was provided by Mason David and Mo! From the Appetizers,Entrees,Desserts and Drinks everyone in my party enjoyed themselves! We even had Mike B the owner tell some stories of past experiences in the Restaurant! Thank You again to the Staff for making us feel at home for the holidays! read more

We were a party of 6. The food was very good old school Italian food. The atmosphere was lively. There was a good sized crowd, a good sign of the popularity of the restaurant and bar. Our server was very friendly, attentive. She was able of answer our questions about the dishes and specials like she know how the dishes tasted. This is our go to place for a warm environment, great service, always reliable for great food. read more

Although a very nice and accommodating wait staff I must say this was the best part of our experience. The food was less than what we expected and quite frankly not good and tasteless. Our chicken piccata was horrible. The chicken was far too tough and far too much horrible sauce more like soup. All this over roasted potatoes which ended being more like mashed potatoes under my soup. Our first and last meal here. read more

We had my baby shower at Filomena's this past weekend! We worked with Sara from the beginning and it was seamless and very smooth! From start to finish, I had no worries or complaints. On the day of, Mike was a huge help and the staff were amazing! The food was exactly what we wanted and came out hot and on time. I highly recommend hosting an event there! A huge thank you to Sara, Mike and everyone that made the day successful! read more

Filomenas!!!!! Thank you isn't enough for what your staff did for us on Tuesday Oct 29th. We had a sudden death in our family and needed a place for a repast. We thought maybe 50 or so family would come... Well, that number more than doubled! Sara smiled the entire time, and hugged and consoled us. She and the rest of your staff were AMAZING, courteous and kind. Thank you again for assisting our family during one of the most difficult times. We love you forever! ~the ELDER/TARLTON/ DANTZLER family read more

VISIT: Had an early lunch on a Tuesday for a party of 14. LOCATION: at a strip shopping center on Rte 1 in Waterford PARKING: ample, shopping center lot AMBIENCE: Bright. Airy, looking and smelling clean SERVICE: One waitress served us all but got every order correct. Pleasant, helpful, efficient. FOOD: every individual found their order surpassed expectations. Flavorful, well seasoned and presented well Highly recommend read more

I attended a party last night and everything was spectacular. We were across the street and the hostess was asking if we needed help. I am in a wheelchair so I found that very thoughtful. My family went overboard on the food and everything was delicious. the waitstaff was excellent and extremely attentive and polite. You definitely should have your next family function here you will not be disappointed. Great job all around. read more

Went in and got sat immediately with a very attentive staff. This is the only reason they got 2 stars. I ordered penne with vodka sauce and sausage and my side ordered the Mediterranean pasta. My vodka sauce looked nothing like any vodka sauce I've seen before-it tasted sweets closer to marinara and without a hint of cream in it as it was a bright red sauce. The penne was cooked ok and the Sausage was good. However, small portions-maybe 4 oz of pasta and 1 link of sausage-for $20 I expected more in portions and flavor. My wife's dish had no taste. It had three slivers of chicken and was in a watery broth. Add some salt and reduce the sauce-its not that hard! To make matters worse, we complained about our dishes and the staff offered a free dessert or a round of drinks. When we declined both? They got our check, which was the full amount. It took me saying "my wife took two bites but you're fully charging us?" To get him to take her order off the bill. We won't be back. Nice staff but the food honestly sucks and lacks any compassion or flavor. Maybe use a bouillon cube if you're that confused about how to add salt. read more

Get the Italian Sausage Sandwich -- it's delicious! My daughter got the chicken wings, which had a really nice batter as well. Service was really friendly (I think the owner was our waiter). They mistakenly brought out the wrong entree for my wife, but cheerfully took it back and replaced it pretty quickly with the correct dish. Plenty of outdoor seating with umbrellas. read more

Filomena's Cafe - the outside of a restaurant - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Last week my father passed away and on short notice. Mike bassetto and his incredible staff made sure after my dad's funeral, that my family and friends had incredible buffet, an atmosphere to help ease the pain of losing my dad. We were able to use banquet room and weren't rushed out. How much time as we wanted? To visit and talk about my dad. Thanks again, Mike for making everything special. read more

Amazing experience. Food great... service off the charts. An unexpected family death-100 people for lunch- 48 hour notice- they delivered in a blink! High regards. read more

This restaurant became our oasis during the pandemic. The owners and managers did everything they could to provide a safe outdoor space with great food, drinks and an amazing assortment of live entertainment that starts early and ends early. Perfect for us old folks! Drop in for dinner, meet friends for cocktails and indulge in some dancing. It's good for the soul. read more

Filomena's Cafe - Dance the evening away with a great assortment of local talent. Come shake your groove thing! - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

We brought our son and daughter in law with us for a nice dinner . Three of the four dinners were tasteless . I ordered the chicken and chokes. It was flavorless and had about 4 thinly sliced pieces of chicken. A few prices of artichokes and a couple pieces of tomatoes. My daughter in law ordered chicken franchise which had no lemon in the watery sauce. It was dull and unseasoned. J The chicken parm was just ok . But I wouldn't say it was good. My husband did have a burger that he enjoyed. I will say the service was good. Unfortunately for the cost of our dinner and the quality of the food I won't be returning. read more

Staff was incredibly welcoming as we walked in. Nicole was kind and offered recommendations on the menu, even helping me decide between the salmon and seafood fra diavolo (her choice was ). They had tiny human options as well! Will definitely not be the last time we eat there. read more

We contacted Filo's on pretty short notice when we decided to throw a last-minute holiday get-together for work. They were friendly, accommodating and were able to make it happen for us. They kept in contact leading up to the planned evening to make sure everything was just right. They decorated nicely for the holidays as well, so we didn't need to worry about anything. Our staff was happy with the appetizers and excellent service. read more

Mike and his team at Filomenas are phenomenal! The staff always greets you with a friendly smile. The food was delish and the lounge was a perfect spot for a girls night happy hour. read more

Filomena's Cafe - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

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Great place. Quick response when I called for a place and sent sample menus within minutes. Came here after a funeral and was greeted as soon as we walked in. Had a nice warm cozy room with hot food waiting for us. It was delicious. Wait service was quick and often. Made a sad time nice for the family and friends. Thank you, Mike and Sara. read more

My daughter & I attended a our annual holiday party at Filomena's last night and we had the best time! The food was great and I loved the espresso martini :) The staff was friendly and accommodating to the kids table( there were five or six kids and everyone was happy). This is really the only time my nugget & I can go out to eat each year especially with the way the world is so thank you to everyone for helping make it special & My coworkers and i were talking this morning about how much fun last night was; never would have happened without the staff here! Appreciate yall happy holidays read more

We had a wonderful meal here. It was a celebration of life and it was the perfect location. Meal choices were amazing and delicious. The staff took wonderful care of us. The room was perfect for our function. read more

What is this place? Is it an Italian restaurant trying to be a sports bar, or a sports bar trying to be a restaurant? A friend recommended this place for our anniversary dinner. We usually go to Nino's in Uncasville ( exceptional food), thought about Tony D's in New London ( a bit pricier), but decided to give this place a shot. They had set up a nice area outside in the parking lot, but it was too cold to eat outside. Immediate trepidation walking in. There was some gathering that had taken over the bar area, and we went into the "dining room". Zero atmosphere. Tables are old, sticky, and worn. Tile floor needed a wash. Bright recessed lighting and neon beer signs. Huge flat screen tv (off thankfully) was indicative of the vibe. If you're a restaurant maybe a tablecloth, or placemats, or silverware, or even salt and pepper shakers on the tables would help. Food was mediocre. Not bad, but certainly no where near as good as the other places mentioned, and pricier for what you actually got. The house salad was disappointing. Barely enough chopped iceberg lettuce to cover the bottom of the bowl, and 5 half grape tomatoes, sprinkled with powdered Parmesan cheese. The house dressing was wine vinegar and oil. My entree was the Pesto gnocchi. The gnocchi, grilled chicken and vegetables were all prepared nicely, however, the pesto sauce was one of the weakest I've ever had. It was so watery that the entree felt more like a soup. My husband got the lobster roll "special". It was okay, but smaller than most for $23.00. Thought it came with fries, but the literal handful of fries was an extra $3.00 not homemade, just standard frozen fries. All in all, the bill was almost $56.00. Pricier than Nino's, and the food nowhere near as good. Ambiance is awful. Mediocre food, Zero ambiance. Why would I ever go back?? read more

We recently had both our kids' sports banquets there and the service was amazing! Mike and his staff are always friendly, professional and attentive. The food was great and everyone left happy! read more

We had my husband's 40-year USCGA reunion in October. Our Friday night reception was held at Filomena's and Mike, Sara and the entire crew did a phenomenal job. From meeting with Mike to discuss what we wanted, through execution, they exceeded our expectations. We opted for heavy hors-d'oeuvres (which were plenty) and open bar which was perfect for the 150 people in attendance. There was plenty of room for people to mingle or be seated. The open bar was perfect, and best of all, there was never a line to get drinks. The accolades from the guests were a testament to the great service, venue and menu. We highly recommend Filomena's for any of your events. read more

We had Filomena's cater my girlfriend's birthday party this past weekend and everything was fantastic. The food was delivered as the party was a surprise - and the driver was on time, the food was the perfect temp, and exactly as described. Mike was great with communicating with me as we planned the food choices, and made arrangements for the party. We had several Italians at the party who are pretty good cooks in their own right and when I heard people ask where the food was from - especially the delicious meatballs - I knew I made the right choice! The pasta, chicken cutlets, sausage and peppers - all excellent! If Filomena's can get trays of food to taste that good, you can be sure any dish you order while at the restaurant is also going to be great! I Highly recommend Filomena's. read more

Filomena's Cafe - Italian Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Mike was very flexible and accepted our big reservation on short notice! We needed a space for 42 and he was very accommodating given 72 hours notice! The food and service was exceptional, Sara made sure that the entire party had everything they needed. The waitresses were extremely helpful and attentive! We can't thank the Filomena's staff enough and should we need another team meal we will definitely be back! read more

Amazing afternoon of live music and attentive staff. We had a great time. Great place to catch a well made meal.