We had dinner at Grano on Wed 8/19/26. They offer four course meals of $30pp on Tue, Wed, & Thu. Open from 4-10pm everday, but closed on Mon. Conviently located on State St next to Proctors Theater. Free public parking behind Proctors week days after 5pm & weekends. We ordered the four course special (rotating menu) from our attentive waitperson Michael. We ordered wine $10-12 per glass from their wide selection. Full bar offerings. Apps were fried oysters & mozzarella w/ blistered tomatoes & basil. Next was tomato bisque soup & mixed greens salads. Then the pasta course - gnocchi w/ marinara sauce & pasta primavera. Entrees were pork tenderloins & chicken Sorrento. All served appropriately hot or cold, very tasty, and just-right portion sized. Also warm, crusty bread w/ herbed butter. Excellent presentation. High recommendation for this upscale Italian+ restaurant. We will be back. Thank you Michael & all the staff at Grano. Nick, Liz, & Lauren Albany, NY USA read more

A longtime Italian American friend whom I have known since first grade recently asked me to recommend a restaurant. He and his family are meeting in their birthplace and mine --Schenectady-- for a sibling family reunion. They now live elsewhere but remember their hometown fondly. I immediately thought of Grano! It is a popular restaurant in downtown Schenectady known for its farm-to-table focus and authentic Italian cuisine served in a warm, urban atmosphere. It offers dishes like fresh-made pasta, mussels, and other Italian classics. The emphasis is on fresh, simple ingredients revered by Italian chefs. I like the selection of small plates and pasta dishes. We recently enjoyed Grilled Octopus (Potatoes, olives, celery, radish, tomato jam, blood orange lemon vinaigrette), Lemon Basil Ricotta Fritters, Chicken in Vodka Sauce, and Armondo's Zuppa Di Pesce (Egg fettuccine, cod, clams, shrimp, PEI mussels, scallops, marinara). The food was prepared with expertise and exceptionally delicious. I did not take photos because I was caught up enjoying the good food and conversation. Our server was experienced, attentive, and helpful with ordering. The crusty bread was perfect to mop up the sauces! They are also making a reservation at Cornell's, their choice. read more

Food was great, ambiance was lively, service was very attentive. A real gem in downtown Schenectady. Have been there three times this month! read more

I feel like the pictures speak for themselves That chicken parm with the fresh rigatoni covered in vodka cream sauce was an amazing combo The appetizer pictured was "mozzarella e carozza" panko crumb encrusted and fried bread carriages stuffed with mozzarella cheese, topped with marinara sauce, fresh basil and crispy prosciutto Not pictured is lobster risotto which was a huge portion PB Pie & Coconut Cream Pie (made in house) read more

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We love Grano for a pre-Proctor's play dinner. Great service and food, but i.must say, if the older maitre d is not working, the service lags. But that doesn't stop us from enjoying this restaurant about 6 times a year read more

Right in the heart of downtown, tucked next to Proctors -- Grano is that spot that makes you feel fancy without needing to Google how to pronounce the specials. Chef Armando is the real deal -- house-made pasta that'll make you question every box of spaghetti you've ever bought. Rich, bold flavors that slap in the best way. Specials change up, but they always hit. Cocktails? Straight . Wine list? Dialed in. The whole vibe walks that perfect line between trendy and old-school -- like Schenectady itself: got some polish now, but still knows where it came from. Service is friendly, smooth, and totally unfazed by how indecisive you get when everything on the menu sounds too good. Grano's got that Electric City swagger -- classy, cool, and built for people who actually appreciate good food (and a strong drink) read more

First off our waitress Georgia was very nice and did a great job. We had told her we were not in a hurry and she was great about not rushing us. We were at a table near the front, doors were open-it was great night to dine with open doors. We started with cocktails (Dirty martini and their specialty cosmo) then had app of Utica greens. Very good size portion. Spicy and delicious. The salads that come with the entree were also a very generous portion. The blue cheese dressing is excellent! We ordered a couple glasses of wine. Our entrees were the Shrimp and scallop Pomodoro and the spaghetti with white clam sauce. Both very nice. Plenty of clams in the shells, fresh pasta and a very flavorful sauce. Pomodoro was nice and light. Shared the key lime pie for dessert-really good! read more

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The $30 pp meal was terrific. Plenty of food. Service was wonderful despite it being a busy night. Can't wait to return.

Grano is immediately next to Proctors, which guarantees crowds on show nights. I booked a reservation far in advance and showed up early. I had my pick of a table at 530, but by 630 it was completely full. Contrary to the first impression, this place is huge. I walked in and took a seat right by the door by a window, and didn't notice the additional dining rooms until I went to the restroom. There are tons of tables, so it tracks that when it is busy, you should expect to wait. I was dining solo, which made for an awkward entrance. I made a reservation but the Host offered me the bar since it was just me, but I made a reservation because I wanted a table. He kinda shrugged it off and said just sit wherever you want. This was a little odd. It took a little while for a server to come and she also asked, are we waiting for someone, before I could say no, they said, oh they are in the restroom? When I said I was dining alone it was taken as surprise. It can be intimidating for some people to dine alone (not for me) and I think that entrance might be awkward for some. No big deal, turned out my server Jilly warmed right up to me and she was fantastic. I ordered a bottle of wine, they had several bottles around $30 which is reasonable and appreciated. Warm, fresh bread was brought out and it was great quality, but I tried to not fill up on the bread. When I ordered, I asked the server to pace my meal as I wasn't in a rush, and they obliged and I enjoyed the pace of the meal. For an app, I started with the Clams Oreganato, as I had been craving clams. It was okay, I should know better ordering little necks as they are small for my taste. Very little clam flavor in the dish, the broth was overly salty and any flavor in the dish was washed out with salt and maybe a hint of white wine. The bread crumb finish was unnecessary and there was just too much of it. For my entree, I ordered the Veal 3 Cheese over house made rigatoni, and I rarely alter dishes, but asked for no roasted red peppers as they just aren't my favorite. The server said they can serve the pasta under the veal so it was the same sauce, and yes that is preferred, but I noticed a $2 up charge for this on the bill. I don't know what the other option would have been, maybe on the side with marinara? Seemed weird to up charge to use less plates and less ingredients. I do appreciate that they offer a salad with all entrees, this is very uncommon these days. I ordered mine with blue cheese. The salad was good, I enjoyed the use of spring greens, the olives, red onion, and the house made blue cheese was thick and chunky and delicious. They really saved the best for last, because the veal dish was incredible. It was served without the peppers as requested, but I do think they forgot the "3 cheese" part of it. It was pretty much a veal marsala, which is exactly what I was craving, and they brought a little dish of grated cheese and pepper flakes to the table, so I was happy. The house made rigatoni was truly rave worthy, excellent bite to it, perfectly cooked, and you could tell it was house made. Veal is such a treat for me because I only have it when I am out, I actually avoid Italian spots that don't offer veal. My first bite made me close my eyes in bliss, so tender, melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked. This dish honestly sold me on the evening, it was perfect for me. Since it was closing in on show time, my server quickly wrapped up my leftovers and processed the bill. I was there about 2 hours and enjoyed my time. I didn't love everything, but I will probably return to try other dishes as I attend Proctors frequently. Good spot to try if you want to try somewhere other than Johnnys. Make a reservation, and make sure you get the house made pasta of the night. read more

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We sat at the bar for dinner. The bartender was great. I can't remember her name. She had long black curly hair. She was great. She had the perfect suggestions. I told her what I was drinking at my hotel. She made me the same drink. I was impressed. The food was delicious . We will be back . read more

The portions are amazing but the risotto is what will bring you back again and again. The service for our table of 5 was great and I had no complaints. We went in the summer and the front doors were open, which allowed a nice breeze. The lighting made it feel like we were on a patio & we were able to converse easily. read more

Third time here and it's still a charm! Love the atmosphere, the people, the bar and of course the food. This was a super enjoyable evening with Jennifer at the bar. Greens and beans appetizer could have been a meal in itself. Bread was awesome. We opted to have the salads to go so we could enjoy our entrees. I had the brasciole and he had the shrimp and scallops pasta. So much food...we were jammed. This will be a regular stop for us!! read more

We often go to Grano for a nice unrushed meal prior to a show at Proctor's. Last night was particularly mentionable. Our server, Ari, was friendly and suggested an excellent wine to complement the dinner which was fantastic. I ordered the strip steak and as I regularly ask I wanted it Pittsburgh. All too often it will be over done but not at Grano! It was perfect. Add that the restaurant has reasonable prices and the atmosphere is relaxing and not too loud. We'll be back and soon. read more

4.8, but only because i've only been once. It was a total love at first visit; I'm so eager to go back! Everything is locally sourced and homemade, the staff is SPECTACULAR with both the host with the most, the bartender (who later became our table staff when we decided to move to a high top after first cocktailing at the bar) were super friendly, knowledgable, and FUN to engage with during our visit. Let's talk about the cocktails!! Friends - we arrived moments after opening, and within 15 minutes, the bar was full of patrons requesting a variety of speciality and classic cocktails (martinis of both categories seemed to be a hit.) Our table was split with a draft beer, a speciality martini, a glass of red, and a classic vodka soda, each poured perfectly for our celebratory event. We claimed Grano a great happy hour spot off the bat. And then we sat for dinner. We had great recommendations from our bartender turned waitress turned personal plate stylist who helped us navigate the menu and made suggestions for each of us based on our individual considerations. We laughed over our beverages as we started breaking bread together - literally - as the most delicious, warm homemade bread and butter was delivered to the table in an instant. Followed by every single bite our server recommended was perfect - from the appetizers shared to the entrees we each hemmed and hawwed over. Once we started eating, the table grew silent by deliciousness. Foods enjoyed: cold antipasto, grano classic meatballs, arancini, eggplant parmigiana, rotini grano, and the seafood pasta special of the night. Will go again. read more

Grano - Bada Bing! - Italian Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Love the food, service and ambiance. Always a great meal. Their bread is the best in the area. The weekly 4 course meals for $30 can't be beat! read more

Not accommodating! A reservation request means nothing. The requested area of tables were occupied. I refused to sit next to the men's room door. I was told that I am not welcome anymore. They eventually rearranged tables. Food good! read more

Absolutely wonderful experience. We have dined here twice before shows at proctors and both times did not disappoint. We had the cosmo on the menu for drinks. I had the bronzino piccata and it was out of this world. I highly recommend this place if you are going to a show The service was amazing and the ambiance is wonderful. read more

Made a 5:30 reservation as we were going to Proctors for a 7:30 show. Bread, drinks and salad arrived by 5:45. Our meal was finally delivered at 7:05. Our waitress was very attentive to other tables, and several times we inquired about our meal and was told it was coming. We had 15 minutes to eat our meal. We requested the check and boxes for our meal after 10 minutes which took us to 7:25. We just made it to the show. The service was terrible. Having been a regular at Osteria Danny's we were expecting the same quality for the food since Danny is now one of the chefs. It was very disappointing. We all agreed we would not be returning any time soon. Extremely disappointing all around. read more

Heard so many good things about this place and unfortunately the only thing I was able to have was a glass of wine and cesare salad. Yes it was a night of a play and busy but we arrived and were seated 15 minutes early. So why would we think that 2 other tables that arrived after us would get their food before us. But yet that's what happened. The play was starting in 30 minutes, hardly enough time to enjoy an entree. So we told them to not bother bringing our food out. I was surprised and glad that they didn't charge us for our entrees but they sure did take it upon themselves to add an upfront 20% tip, which I know restaurants do for large parties but since when does a restaurant do that for a table with only 2 people at it. So disappointed with the whole thing. read more

This has been on my list for quite some time but just never got around to trying it because there are so many great Italian restaurants already on my list. Now I can add another. I actually had a lot of dishes that I was torn between and ended up choosing the Rigatoni chicken vodka. Vodka sauce is very hot or miss for me and I can confidently say Grano is a contender for one of the best. I think it is at least in part due to the fresh rigatoni they make. The sauce was rich but not overpowering and the sauce to pasta ratio was perfect. The dish was a nice large portion too. Service was good and the prices are reasonable. The dining area was more spacious than I expected also. read more

Grano - Rigatoni Chicken Vodka - Italian Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I can't say enough great things about this place. Every time I'm in Schenectady I have to stop in. The food & service is exceptional. Although disappointing that this past time we couldn't do the four course meal since there was a show happening next door at the theatre, we still got to be seated without a reservation despite how busy they were. Frank, who always seems to always be the host upon arrival is phenomenal and was able to find us a table for two even though we didn't have a reservation. We had the rice balls, which were amazing, and the three cheese veal was exceptional. Although, the rigatoni with chicken appeared to be cold and dry the waitress was so lovely and allowed us to order some thing to replace it & took it off the check for us. She was such a great waitress & made our experience a memorable one. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Food is always hot and delicious. Large portions that fill you and have leftovers for days! We visit often and share small plates and dinners so we can continue to try everything on the menu! Love it here ! read more

Grano - Small plates - Italian Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Came in for dinner one evening and was super happy with the whole experience. Our server Gina was very personable and made sure we were welcomed right away. The food is excellent with all homemade pastas and sauces. Huge portions too! Super value as any meal really could be taken home as a second set of leftovers. I prefer my clam sauce with minced up clams as the sauce vs just the whole clams on top, but regardless it was very tasty and great wine wine garlic came through nicely. Mussels marinara were a generous helping, and the radiator pasta with veggies was chock full of veggies. Super good! All in all, a perfect meal! read more

The dining room is very similar to the prior establishment , Aperitivo. We sat at a hightop next to the kitchen so it was very loud and busy. Our appetizer arancini with a fresh tomato sauce was the best dish of the evening. I ordered a nightly special appetizer for my entree Shrimp and Scallop risotto. The flavor was strong but the preparation was not proper. The risotto was mushy and lose. Tons of excess sauce too. My friend ordered a spaghetti with cream sauce entree Straw and Hay. The prosciutto was missing from the dish. Nothing remarkable to note . Dinner took 90 minutes Saturday night , longer than expected. read more

A+++++ My partner and I went on a random Wednesday night. Made reservations mid day. It was our first time and we were unsure where they were located so my partner called during the day and the owner called back. He was super impressed..y'all the bar is really low. The space is absolutely stunning. I was in awe of the decor. We were promptly greeted again by the owner and sat at our table along the brick wall. Our waitress came over promptly and gave great recommendations and we want with the chicken vodka and a shrimp special. Followed it up with a homemade tiramisu. Before dessert, the owner came back to the table and offered to give us a tour of the whole restaurant. Maybe we got lucky with a slow evening but we felt very welcome and will definitely be back! read more

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I recently attended dinner at Grano before a show at Proctor's Theatre. While the location was prime for attending a show, and they specialize in a limited menu on show nights to keep guests moving and on time to their event, the restaurant seemed SEVERELY understaffed. It took nearly 30 minutes for just drinks to arrive - and not even all of them were cocktails. It took an hour for our entrees to make their way to the table, forcing us to rush to eat and get the check in order to make it on time to our show. While the waitress was apologetic and even comped the cocktails, it is clear they need more servers on shift to accommodate the crowds they get. I got the steak which was cooked well, but I just wish I would have not waited an hour for it. I would give Grano another try, but I hope they are able to have more staff on shift to appropriately manage crowds of guests grabbing a meal before attending events at Proctor's. read more

Wow!!! I have no words. We always stop here on our drive from NH to Rochester, NY enroute to see our son in college. Tonight we tried the Italian nachos. If you are an olive tapenade lover, there are no words for how delicious the Italian nachos are. I can't put words together to describe it, just WOW! I feel like ratatouille in the movie with all the flavors popping over my head. This was only the tip of the iceberg in food we had here. If you are not eating here you're missing out. The service is impeccable from the bartender, Jennifer, to the host Frank who is sweetest person. read more

Was before a show so we rushed! The food was delicious! Can't wait to go back! Always a hit I think on Tuesday and Wednesday they have prefix Which is a good deal read more

The food was great , good atmosphere , good service , although the parking isn't the easiest

First visit to Grano's was with a group of 13. The restaurant was so accommodating for the group. They let everyone settle in took drink orders and throughout our visit were constantly making sure drinks were filled. Service was excellent. We had one server (Christopher) for the whole table and you can tell he's been serving for a long time, he handled the large group with ease. The brunch menu has something for everyone. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with bacon vs. the sausage that was on the menu. I'm pretty sure it was served on a homemade roll. I also tried a bite of the carbonara with homemade pasta, it was delicious. Another member of our party had the crabby patty and said it was very filling and had tons of crab meat. The inside is really cute and it's a close walk from the parking garage. read more

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Food wise: the pasta tasted like we were at Olive Garden, we definitely have had better pasta and I think we were expecting a different (higher end) experience. Salad was 'Ok'. Service was amazing by Ari! They were on top of their tables and was super inviting and nice! Initially another person asked if we were going to the show and we said yes (at proctors) and so we thought that would make our service timely. It was quite the opposite. It took over 35 -40 minutes for a persons entree salad, an appetizer (as an entree) , spaghetti with meatballs, and a steak. (This was 4 people at the table). I think that was the part that was most frustrating. We were rushed to get to the show even though I made it a point to get a reservation 2 hours early due to the show. We were there for over an hour and a half when I didn't think it would be longer than an hour. When we arrived we were one of maybe 4 tables seated so I was confident we would be served timely. Overall I would try it again but not any time soon. read more

My wife suggested coming here because she thought they offered just pizza and small plates. Boy, was she surprised. While they do offer some small plates (all of which called for me to return to try them), they don't offer pizza. But if you're ready to go beyond small plates there is plenty more to get your attention - salads, macaroni, and main dishes. We were having a difficult time trying to make some decisions, and then our server read us the specials for the evening. Our minds were quickly made up. We chose both of the special appetizers for the evening - Scallop Ceviche ($14) and Stuffed Squash Flowers ($12). We also chose two of the special main courses of the evening - Pan Roasted Halibut ($28) and Shrimp and Grits ($28). We recently had Squash Flowers at another Italian restaurant so this was a good opportunity to compare a dish that is usually very seasonal and not easily found at most Italian restaurants. I enjoyed them both and recognized the differences that were expressed by my wife with her preferences. The panko coating here was more crispy than the batter coating at the other location, but the herbs added to the panko were not to her liking. The ricotta filling here was richer, smoother and lighter, almost to the point of being foam-like. This seemed to match the delicacy of the flower's petals and allowed for more of the flower flavor to come across. Her final preference was Grano's. All I'll say about the Scallop Ceviche with pickled cucumber, onion, red pepper, and fresh fennel is that it was excellent. And yes, the glass it was served in was leaning. The Halibut was cooked perfectly, topped with a bit of Kosher salt, served on a bed of smashed green peas and pignolias, in a pool of lemon broth. Delicious! What they bill as Shrimp and Grits is actually Shrimp and Polenta. Our server told us that as he described the dish, but we had not focused on all of what he was saying so we were surprised when we first tasted the dish. But like Utah Phillips would say, "It's good though!" The shrimp had a nice grill flavor and the polenta was supper smooth. Wild mushrooms and roasted red peppers added another level of flavor and texture that was very pleasing. I ordered a cup of coffee that was very flavorful. I'd never had Café Vergnano ($3) before and found it to be very flavorful. It went extremely well with the house-made Banana Cream Pie ($10) that I enjoyed. The pie was very rich, very creamy, and very smooth. One more new thing that I got to try at dinner was a pint of Frog Alley's Cherry Wheat beer ($7). I was surprised at how good it was. A very light cherry flavor that was not at all sweet. Our server, Michael, was friendly and efficient. We recognized him from previous establishments in Saratoga. He is a true old-school professional. read more

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Came tonight with a group of 6. There was a show at proctor's, however we came early and definitely kept this in mind. It took forever for the waitress to come over and greet us. She took our order for everything right away. Drinks took over a half hour to be brought to us, but were good. An hour went by and the waitress came back and said "I forgot you all got salad with your meals what dressing do you want". Then proceeded to bring salads out 15 minutes later at the same time as our meal and appetizers. It seemed like maybe she forgot our order as a whole. Food was really good but we had to rush to eat it because we had to leave and I was annoyed everything came out all at the same time. Overall I think the food was really good however the service was absolutely poor. The only person in there who seemed like they cared was the nice bartender. Probably wouldn't try here again as I was not wowed. read more

My cousin and I visited Grano on Sept. 24th. Everything about this restaurant exceeded my expectations: the warm greeting we got from Frank, the host, the fresh and expertly prepared dinner served by Shelby; who was very helpful and knowledgeable about the food and wine, and the ample servings of both. The main room is friendly and roomy without being cavernous. That night Grano offered a 4 course special for a fixed price. There were multiple choices of each course and everything was freshly prepared. We were never rushed and although this was my first time at Grano, it won't be the last. What a find!! JQ read more

What a wonderful place. Grano has a four-course meal for $25 and is more than worth it. The food is delicious, the wait staff is friendly and attentive, the environment is cool, and did I mention that the food was delicious? Because it really needs to be mentioned again. Tonight I started with the mussels as my appetizer in a delicious garlic cream sauce. Then I moved on to the tomato bisque which was a tiny bit chunky and all the right ways. For my pasta dish I had the rigatoni with spinach and portobello mushrooms and a garlic cream sauce, and it really blew me away. One of the best pasta dishes I've had in a long time in fact. My main course was a chicken alfredo which was a deliciously breaded, perfectly cooked, chicken breast, with artichokes in Alfredo sauce. Wonderful! Finally for dessert I had a pretty darn yummy cannoli. Love this place. Keep up the good work! read more

Had tickets for Proctors and needed a bite to eat before the show. Beautiful restaurant and they bent over backwards to accommodate us at the bar and make sure we made the show. We both ordered small plates and the food was amazing, hot and fresh. Angela at the bar ran around to make sure we all got out I time for the show and did it with a small on her face. We felt cared for as a guest. Would definitely eat there again, next time with more time so we could enjoy even more of the menu! read more

Very sad. Our Meetup group Film Fans (we have over 3000 members!) has visited Granos several times because we often attend movies at Proctors next door). When this location was Aperitivo (as the mosaic on their steps still says - too expensive to remove, huh?), we always lived it. But as Grano's it got souch worse! Our last - emphasis on last! - visit was on March 6. There were 8 of us. We had a reservation for 5 o'clock with our show at 7. At 5 the place was almost empty. Our waitress Ari even remembered seeing our group previously. The service was horrible! Whether it was the wait staff or the kitchen, but they ended up delivering food only around 6:15! Those of us who ordered "small plates" specifically to avoid along wait, were served last, AFTER the 4-course dinners! When I placed my order, I told Ari to please, give me the side of pasta to go.Nevetthekess, the pasta was delivered plated. I asked to have it to go. The dish was removed and NEVER showed up at all! Our group ended up late for the show But worst of all, we were charged close to $50 OVER!!!! Several subsequent emails and calls to Granos have not produced any response! DO NOT PATRONIZE THIS BUSINESS!!!! read more

I had been looking forward to going to Grano for a while. I love Italian food. My significant other and I ordered the braciole, meatballs, and tomato bisque. I also had a cocktail. It was called the Brigitte Bardot. Basically, it was typical St.Germaine and Prosecco with a splash of lemon. The fresh bread was wonderful. I was not a fan of the tomato bisque. It was so chunky. I am assuming some of the chunks were onion. I am not accustomed to chewing my soup. The quantity of meatballs were generous. There were three large meatballs. There was a small dollop of ricotta on the side. I would have liked more sauce served with the meatballs. The taste was good but they were a bit salty. As for the Braciole, we felt the spaghetti was not cooked quite to "al dente". My SO commented he must not like al dente pasta, I tried it and said, "That's actually pasta that wasn't cooked long enough." There was very little sauce and both gentlemen in our group said there was too much sausage. My friend ordered the ribeye and said it was delicious. He husband stopped eating the braciole and finished her ribeye. Service was good except I ordered decaf coffee and we all received regular. As I always have said. I never try a place only once. I will be back and try them again since so many have had a great experience here. This experience for us was not the best for the price. read more

Grano - Braciole - Italian Near Me - Schenectady, New York

We arrived a little later than our reservation and they were kind enough to accommodate us. Excellent gluten free options. Food was delicious. Whole family was happy! read more

We went on an evening that had a limited menu. This was a bummer as the main menu looked appealing, the limited one did not. The food was fine. Nothing great. The service was terrible. It took 20 minutes for us to get a two aperol spritzes. Luckily the spritzes were made well. Everything generally took a while as they were busy. The server was pleasant enough. They added auto gratuity to our party of four. Luckily I noticed it on the receipt, otherwise I would've tipped on top of it since we were just a party of four and it's not standard to auto-grat and the server didn't mention it. Also, a nearby table was vaping inside. Wont be going back. read more