Do not book your events with them unless you start 6 months in advance and have back up plans!!!! Worst customer service experience of my life. So, I am really not one to post publicly my complaints about people/things, but I feel like I have to share my recent horrible experience at NUOVO in Worcester.. maybe it can save someone else some trouble in the future! I'm sorry--- this is going to be long!!! Early January, I contacted Nuovo about booking their function room for June 9th for Jaycie's birthday party. After playing phone tag (never got a phone call back), emailing the person in charge of this ( who turns out to be an owner),waiting a few days, emailing her AGAIN and then finally getting a response, I was told that the room was available until 4pm, which worked perfectly for me. She eventually sent me a contract for that date in an email saying, "sorry you'll have to be out of the room at 3pm, actually, not 4" I asked if a few other days in June were available instead to make it easier for everyone. Again, I had to call her (no call back) and email her twice to get any response. She finally responds saying June 10th is fully available all day. I said "great, if I could have the room then for June 10th 12:30-5pm that would be great!" I wait 10 days for a response from her before I emailed her AGAIN asking if she could please send me a corrected contract with the new date and time so i could just send her the deposit and lock the room down. She then emailed me with the corrected contract in which I faxed over to her with a deposit not even 48 hours after receiving it.... After emailing her RIGHT AWAY asking if she got it, she responds ... she got it, but unfortunately someone else has already booked the room for that time and date because they didn't get my deposit before they came in and asked for that date..???? Really??? Within 2 days, after I had to basically tell her how to do her job and send me the new contract so I could sign it and give her the deposit, and after showing obvious interest in that date and exchanging a month's worth of emails... she went and booked the room exactly when I wanted it without thinking of looking for my deposit or checking in with me after she had JUST sent me the contract!!! I have never experienced such poor customer service. And from an owner of the business. I was and still am shocked. Please take caution when thinking of booking your function there. I thank God I started planning so soon and have time to find another location!! read more

As someone who works in customer service, I typically do not post publicly about poor service and complaints about people or restaurants. But, it was disconcerting how we were treated. We came here for a friends birthday to celebrate six us total. We had such a wonderful time, despite the service. We enjoyed our own company but the waitress had a poor demeanor and it seemed like everything we needed was an inconvenience for her. She offered to bring the table rolls, which we ended up being charged for (i have never been charged for rolls at a restaurant!) She gave us a difficult time when we asked to divide the check into two and refused to accommodate us. She also was extremely judgemental and did not check up on us. The food was delicious and came fast. Overall, we are disappointed and I will hesitate before returning again. read more

Went there a few days ago, booking a reservation was really easy thanks to the amazing hostess. Even though I was a few minutes late-as always- there was no issue with seating us right in. I had an awesome night and that because of our fantastic waiter. He was really nice and funny, and was constantly making sure that everything was okay. 1000% would recommend Nuovo. read more

This is a good safe spot to eat during the on going pandemic. They're very clean and practice social distancing. Our server Brandon was very kind and welcoming. The food does take a while to arrive but nothing too bad. read more

Nuovo - Italian Near Me - Worcester, Massachusetts

The perfect spot for a birthday dinner. Great service! Food was tasty- especially the drunk Zuni and chocolate temptation. Will visit again!

Nice waitstaff, very friendly. From a couple staff members, I found out that if you order lasagna or eggplant parmesan for a catered event, they serve you Stouffer's premade, just doused with their sauce. If too many are bought for the event, they serve it to regular customers. Think of that when you she'll out $24.00 for a hunk of lasagna, or $16.00 for an order of Eggplant Parmesan. They charge $11.00 for 3eayballs that they buy frozen, and the owner claims it isn't worth making their own because people can't tell the difference. They use frozen french fries that they charge $9.00 for, and they buy their mashed potatoes premade on a bag. Their menu claims the chicken parmesan is pan fried, but it is cooled in the fryolator and finished in the oven. If Alex is on the line many times he'll oke a cigarette while cooking. I thought that was illegal. I have been told he also smokes while cutting the calamari. Disgusting. I would stay away from this place read more

I want to give a 4.5 for the quality of the food. Everything but the lemon chicken soup, (which tasty nothing of lemon nor was there a shred of meat in it.) Salad dressings fresh, muscles fra Diablo excellent and the chicken dish and meatballs were both very good. But if service is one third of your meal, and you are not in Europe, the slow spotty service needs to improve greatly to charge this much. Not sure I'm curious enough to try it again. Too bad. With a more spot on and timely service, this could be 4.5 easily. Decor not a bonus. read more

What a great surprise! This place did not look special from the outside, but wow. Service was amazing and the food was even better. Three of us for dinner and we were all blown away at the quality. Definitely a gem with nice variations on the menu. Cioppino was the best I've ever had and that was a huge surprise. Try it and you won't regret it. read more

Great food but even better service!! Our server Miranda was awesome!! We got the Salmone atlantico and fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli. Pretty good. Miranda was attentive and professional but also builds such a great rapport with customers. Will definitely be coming back again. read more

Needed help pulling together a wedding reception for 15 people with two weeks notice. We live in NJ and the ceremony was in Worcester Massachusetts. Checked yelp for options and happened on this restaurant. Loretta answered the phone when I called and said not to worry, we can do this- She recommended an awesome bakery, who delivered the most beautiful cake based on a picture I sent through email. Our guests ordered from the menu- each getting exactly what they waWe can't say enough about the hospitality the owners showed. They even ensured we had a Spanish speaking waitress who could help those who did not speak English. read more

Nuovo has been a go-to for my wife and I since we met. We had our first date, wedding rehearsal dinner, and many other meals here. They never cease to disappoint. The limoncello lemon drop martini is my favorite pre-dinner cocktail, and I usually get the chicken Parmesan from there. (Why switch it up when I know it's delicious?) My wife usually orders different things when we go, and each meal she's had has been just as good as the last. Additionally, Nuovo has knocked it out of the park with accommodations of the COVID regulations. They built a beautiful outdoor seating area out back, and it's excellent! I highly recommend supporting this business, especially now. read more

Great food and service. Our waitress was very sweet and conscious of distancing. She was very polite with us and was very accommodating. The food is amazing and portions are kinda big. read more

We had a reservation for 7 and we're not seated until 7:40. Although apologetic, they did not offer a complimentary drink or appetizer for waiting patiently. The beet salad was tasty and enough for 2. I ordered the special stuffed haddock and lobster ravioli, which ended up coming with a salad. The waitress asked if I wanted to forgo the salad instead of offering a reasonable alternative. I had the salad which was good. we waited a long time before our entrees came out. We were not served bread or even offered bread. The meal came out and I can say for the price, I was disappointed with the portion of haddock and the lobster ravioli were warm at best. the flavor was good, but barely warm ravioli was very disappointing. my wife got the cioppino, which was full of seafood, but again, no bread, no crostinI. The waitress was nice, but not very attentive. By the end of the meal we were so disappointed we didnt even bother to stay for dessert or a drink. We will not be returning. The price of the meal for 2 people was absolutely not worth it. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Love, love, love their food. Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Worcester. They offer an Italian/Mediterranean twist with lots to choose from. I usually order some type of seafood pasta dish which is always amazing. Their drinks are delicious as well! Perfect place for a special occasion as they are a little on the pricey side, but well worth it. The staff is very attentive, friendly, and offer suggestions. Would highly reccomend. read more

Went here to celebrate a Birthday tonight and it was alright. First, the bad: They ran out of hamburgers/cheeseburgers for the kids and with the other options being pasta, chicken fingers or grilled chicken, nothing sounded appetizing to my daughter who went with the pasta but it was flavorless. I don't think I've ever had to use salt on a pasta dish but it needed it. She couldn't eat much of it though and I don't blame her. I ordered a certain wine and was given a different one. It was a Birthday and we ordered a couple of desserts but they didn't have candles, nor did they sing as they said they would (which is fine but the children usually expect it). Now, for the good: very cute/romantic restaurant, nicely decorated and clean; the prices are decent for the most part, they have a great wine selection (too bad they got mine wrong) and the staff was pretty friendly. : ) read more

This place is Awesome! Food was prepared perfectly. Had the salmon with lobster sauce and my husband had the the special!! So Good! Owner came out to meet is and sent free champagne for our Aunt's Birthday! Staff was professional and did not rush us at all. Very good experience. I would highly recommend Nuovo to anyone!! read more

Nuovo - Italian Near Me - Worcester, Massachusetts

Cute Italian restaurant on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. Great food, friendly staff. The prices are a bit high for the portion sizes, though the food is very yummy! We received a special champagne toast for a birthday, which was a lovely added touch. Free valet parking on Shrewsbury Street is a great added bonus! Never seems terribly busy there though we frequently have a hard time getting in on the same day. Based on our experience, I'd plan your visit a few days to a week in advance, as we've never had any issues if we do it this way. read more

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Nuovo is a very nice restaurant. Bring your date here, bring your parents here, and you probably won't be disappointed. I would say it's a bit unremarkable, though. Sorry, Nuovo-- but really you seem to be just another restaurant serving $15-$30 Italian food on Shrewsbury Street. To be fair, we didn't have a reservation, and seemed to have received one of the last available tables. The ambiance was nice, but could have been improved if there weren't so many tables crammed so close to each other into one small space. Salads are included with most entrees. A four dollar charge is assessed, however, if you want a different starch with your dinner. Odd. Our waitress was polite but a bit chilly with us, and I can't say we saw very much of her at all. (Perhaps because we were seated far from her other tables?) Dinner took well over an hour to arrive. Lemon chicken orzo soup was very tasty; try it if you come here. But... you won't miss much if you don't. read more

This is my second go at Nuovos. I really enjoy the food and the service has been wonderful. I have had a couple of chicken dishes. In both cases, the chicken was cooked perfectly. The pays us fresh tasting and I like the sauces that they use. The roasted pepper soup is wonderful and one of the better soups I have had. If I had to make a recommendation, I would say they should reduce the amount of sauce on some of the dishes. Also, since I have eaten at the bar area, I do think the TV detracts from the ambiance. All told, I would definitely come back. read more

Ordered takeout to support this local restaurant during the covid-19 restrictions. Had a big order, it was ready on time and still hot when I made it home (Salmon Atlantico was crazy good!). They missed one dish in the order. Before I even got home, they called to let me know they found the mistake and sent a driver to deliver it. He was at the house within 10 minutes. Also delivered some deserts to apologize for the inconvenience. Totally not necessary, but really delicious. Great meal and great service. Happy to support this local restaurant!!! read more

I really wish I could make this review a five star review. In this area, this is definitely a stand out restaurant. Right off of Shrewsberry, there are a lot of different kinds of cousines to choose from, but Italian is always my favorite and it seems as though this is the only Italian restaurant available. It is very cute, and classy. I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you're trying to go on the weekends, because it is a small restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and lively. My friend and I went there and couldn't get seated right away so we spent an hour at the bar waiting. I ordered my favorite go-to cocktail, a vodka martini extra, extra dry. Unfortunately, it was shaken not stirred, not my favorite and also the ice chips were there. A funky Olive will also disrupt the taste of the vodka martini and unfortunately that was the case here. When we left the bar and headed to the restaurant everything improved. We had a great server and a great meal. If it wasn't for that skanky martini, this would be a five star review. I haven't attended all of the restaurants in the neighborhood, but by far one of the best. read more

Nuovo - I should've dressed up a little nicer! - Italian Near Me - Worcester, Massachusetts

Was looking for a cool Italian restaurant to meet up with some friends and after checking out Yelp...found Nuovo. Looked like a great option. We arrived just about 4 pm when they opened and were seated right away (of course, even without a reservation). Awesome! The waitress was doing a great job, she was patient with my sister, who never can figure out what she wants to eat. The food came out within maybe 15 min after ordering, continued great job! The taste? I had the Chicken Piccata with Penne and it was great! The house salad that came with it was a good mix of spinach and iceberg lettuce with a cucumber and tomato slice. Ranch dressing was a good choice. Definite 5 stars to this point. No issues with drinks on the table getting refilled. Then....the reason they lost a star happened. For some reason, the great waitress decided that we were all done, and wanted to box everything up. I didn't get it, but I knew I wasn't going to finish mine anyways, so I let her do it as did everyone else. Then she quickly dumped the check after bringing the boxed up meal (we hadn't been there an hour at this point). So with boxes on the table, we all kept talking and stayed another 90 minutes, when it did start getting busy, so we finally left. No, we were not asked to leave....but what's up with the quick box and check when you only have 3 tables busy? Not sure. So maybe on my next visit, they can earn that 5th star like they should have today. I would definitely come back here as the food was great, most of the service was great. Parking can get tight, but anywhere in Worcester towards downtown, it's tight. Chicken Piccata for lunch tomorrow.. woo hoo! read more

We ordered takeout for the first time tonight from Nuovo for our anniversary and it was the perfect choice! We got the calamari, pasta and meatballs, cioppino (Fra Diavolo style), and lobster mac and cheese. The food was ready in 20 minutes and everything was delicious, even after a 10-minute drive. Thank you for making a less-than-perfect situation pretty great! read more

Very good ambience! We ordered bruchetta, eggplant parmesan, and a couple vegetarian pastas. The sauces were not at all creamy but the food was still very tasty. The service was good. The next time I go there, I would reserve a place in the lounge area, so I could hear the piano. read more

Extremely disappointed with the owner Loretta. Well who claimed to be the owner. Extremely disrespectful and not even the least bit courteous toward a reservation I had already made weeks in advance. I was told I could call to add more guest to my reservation and she refused and even said it was inconvenience trying to accommodate the party I had already reserved for. Awful customer service. I played it safe and reserved at Fogo De Chãu read more

Some friends and I were looking to eat outside on a nice Saturday evening. Nuovo was the only place that would confirm and outdoor reservation. Small mix up, was supposed to be for 5 and they had written down 2. They accommodated us, but the hostess seemed very frustrated. Tried new duck appetizer - duck was really chewy and over cooked, and calamari was pretty tasteless. Highlights of the meal - Fig Mascarpone appetizer, and the Red Pepper and crab soup (both of which were fantastic). No one in my party was particularly wowed by their dinner entrees. I think I'll stick with appetizers and cocktails if I return here. read more

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Wonderful evening. Service and food were outstanding. Piano player made it a night out that was more than just a meal. Reservations suggested as we sat at the bar, which we still enjoyed. Can't wait to go back read more

Absolutely love Nuovo!!! Great food and atmosphere!!! Nancy has waited on me multiple times and she is always very friendly and makes you feel welcomed. Drinks are usually pretty good from the bar. Only downside is the valet service they use. The kids are careless with cars and the slips they give you. They spend way too much time on their phones and don't pay attention. More often than not, I end up parking myself. Which is fine but then they hassle you and make sure you're going into Nuovo and not just using the lot to go to another restaurant. If you paid attention in the first place, you would know where I was headed. Otherwise the restaurant if great and the owner is awesome! read more

Where to start, the entire dinner from drinks to appetizers to entree just got worse and worse. DO NOT GO, bad food and way overpriced! It was a battle getting the right drinks to start. My wife ordered a martini that at first came out as vodka on the rocks, then she eventually got it right. I couldn't get a mojito because they were out of Mint. The wine was fine that people got. For appetizers between the 6 of us we got calamari, grilled octopus, and crab cakes. The grilled octopus and calamari were decent enough. The crab cake was something you might mistake for a hashbrown from McDonalds! There was no noticeable crab in it, and just 2 rounds of pure fried something. The entrees were the worst. Four of us got the Filet topped w/ shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat. There was ZERO shrimp, 1/8th of what I am guessing was a scallop, and FAKE CRAB MEAT. The orange stick kind you get at a grocery store. The filet wasn't cooked right for any of us, and even wasn't very good once you got past the cooking. The two other entrees, one was supposed to have crab meat on it, and it had none, not even the fake stuff. The other entree had prosciutto on it that was the thickest, saltiest prosciutto I have ever seen. On top of all that, it took a long time to get the check and get the heck out of there. read more

Went there on at 6:00 on a Thursday night - the establishment was empty. Should have been a sign we should move on. We were seated immediately and a very nice booth. Our waitress arrived and took our drink order. When she returned she gave us the very short list of specials. The escargot appetizer stopped me in my tracks - so I immediately order them. My husband ordered the Oysters Rockefeller. The escargot were cooked perfectly and the presentation was very unique. Escargot were served flowing out of reamed lemon halves...my husband's oysters were not as successful. Served luke warm the cheese in the filling was overpowering. Could not even be sure that the oysters were in there. I ordered Veal Oscar described as veal with crab meat, asparagus and hollandaise sauce. This is not what I received. What appeared on my plate was veal with a brown gravy - the crabmeat disintergrated when I touch it...and was not edible. The asparagus were so severly overcooked they were limp and all pruned. Oh, the hollandaise sauce may have saved the dish...but I didn't get any sauce. My husband's veal parmesan, while presentation was fantastic, was dry and tasted as if it had been fried some other time and reheated. The server assured us it had just been made...however, the mozzarella on the top was rock hard. Not melted as "just cooked" parmesan would have been. We had key lime pie for dessert. Not made on site - it was delicious. Service was overly attentive and at time obtrusive - but as there was no one else to wait on we were the focus of attention. We met the owner who came to our table to apologize for the terrible food. She assured me this was not the norm. The chef had taken a couple of hours off for a family function and left someone else in charge of the kitchen. My feelings are that it must have been the dishwasher! We were offered a gift certificate, but declined as I do not see us returning any time soon. Decor is very nice and restaurant is as clean as can be. read more

I've been here three or four times with mixed results, but it averages out to 'good.' Sometimes a little better, sometimes a little worse. The fish tends to be more cooked than I like, but not too bad. Recently my wife got the shrimp and lobster alfredo and it was pretty fantastic. There was a good amount of well cooked seafood to it. More importantly (and rarely) the alfredo sauce was thick, not greasy or oily, and coated the perfectly cooked pasta... perfectly. There was no giant pool of left over sauce at the end. If you're going to get anything here give that a try. The flourless chocolate torte is also delicious. Places do it differently, here it is a thick puck of condensed dark fudge. If that is your thing you will be pleased. 5 dollar cocktails that are nice and stiff are a big plus. The waitress told me they treat 3 olives as a premium vodka, though, which I thought was odd. read more

Got an amazing Easter family style lamb dinner with amazing mashed potatoes and chocolate cake for dessert! We appreciate you staying open to serve takeout!! read more

Really great food. I mean really. Fresh. Perfectly done and perfectly flavored. Rivals Boston or Providence. Don't drive so far. For instance had a Caesar salad. Every flavor in the dressing came through with none being over powering. Literally perfectly seasons. Everything else also compared. read more

Went to Nuovo on a recent Saturday night because we have been to almost every other restaurant on Shrewsbury Street and wanted to try something new. We did the valet parking which was easy, and I had made a reservation on OpenTable beforehand, so we got seated right away. The hostess and waiter were extremely friendly. The interior of the restaurant was cool. There was a man in a tux playing the piano near the bar. For an appetizer, we had the Sweet Red Bell Pepper Bisque with Crab Meat which sounded good in theory but was kind of odd. It was very red peppery. For an entree I had the Penne alla Giardiniera, which seemed impossible to pronounce. It was supposed to be in a white wine sauce but was pretty dry - I couldn't tell that there was sauce on it at all. It was an average pasta dish. Needed more flavor, I thought. I'm glad we tried someplace new, but I think next time we'll go to Via. read more

What is not to like about Nuovo? We stopped in for a late lunch a month ago and it was great! Service, food, ambiance... So decided we'd be back. Made dinner reservations for last night and started with a glass of wine at the bar before we were seated. The "bartender" is more a sommelier than drink server. We talked various vintages and wineries and settled on a nice bottle of 2012 Mount Veeder. Seated by the window with live piano music we had the mussels and figs for appetizers. So yummy. My wife had the salmon stuffed with artichoke and goat cheese with ravioli, while i had the italian seabass. The wait staff was attentive but in true European style, gave us lots of time between servings. The food is spectaclar - the atmosphere romantic or fun depending on what seating YOU choose and the service is fabulous. Then the bill came... Wow! So much less than I expected. We were Via regulars, but don't think we'll be back there as Nuovo will be our new " go to" read more

3 of us ate here without a reservation at 7pm on August 10 which happened to be during restaurant week. We used valet parking and were seated immediately. Initial impression was very nice in a darkened, black, white and silver setting with enough room between tables that you had your space and privacy. We ordered a bottle of the house Chianti red which was very nice and the uncorking was formal, nice touch. Our waitress gave us menus and also detailed the daily specials, we started with appetizer size salads, Jo had a perfect Italian mix of tomato, cukes, feta, black olives and evoo - she said it was perfect, like her grandfather used to make. Mike had the house greens which were very crispy and fresh and I had the Caesar with anchovy, it was perfect but I thought the Caesar dressing g was a tad too vinegary for my liking, otherwise it was perfect. Jo ordered from the restaurant week menu fixed at $24 she had the Brie, seared sashimi tuna with a decadent, creamy risotto that was all fabulous. Mike had the ala carte menu of salmon which was tender, very flavorful and some of the best salmon we've ever had. It was served over a ravioli which he liked very much and his wife Jo is a great Italian cook herself. I had the special appetizer risotto pancake topped with a parmesan cream and lobster tail which was wonderful although Mike said the risotto was not quite as full and creamy as he other risotto, it was not me at to be the same consistency since it was called a pancake and it was so good I wanted the recipe. The lobster tail was sliced in half vertically and it was a little difficult to get the meat out but it was cooked perfectly and was enough to share. My main course was a filet stuffed with seafood served on top of ravioli and white beans. The waitress said it was one of her favorites. The beef was cooked medium rare as requested and cutting it with a knife and fork was a bit touch, the meat was super tender but there was some gristle that I had to cut through and practically pull apart. The seafood was perfectly cooked but there was not much of it. Mike loved it, I would not order it again so it's a matter of preference. For desert we shared a triple chocolate cake that was very good and I ordered the vanilla gelato which was no more special than a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream and was the only disappointment. We will definitely visit again as we saw lots of satisfied diners. read more

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The quality of the food was subpar, though the service was good. The fried calamari was in desperate need of seasoning and was clearly not fresh. It tasted very rubbery and hard to chew. I was starving by the time we got there though, so I ate it anyways. I was disappointed because I've had better calamari at your local chain restaurant. Definitely frozen. My partner in crime had the veal parm and I had the special - branzini. The pasta was overcooked to the point of mushiness and the veal (if it was veal) was again unflavorful. The branzini was good, but come to find out it was $35! Everything on their menu was 15-25. I never would have expected it to be 35 given the range of prices and it was literally a fish on a plate with a small side salad. Overall, disappointed and won't be coming back. The waiter we had was good though and was likeable. read more

This place has $5 cocktails, which were not watered down. Super plus! I got the risotto and it needed some salt, but the rice was cooked perfectly. My friends loved their chicken piccata and something else. They give you crusty rolls which were great with the olive oil dip. I got some appetizer with mozzarella and figs, which was a little weird. When described verbally, I thought it would be like a bruschetta. It was not. Oh well, it was still good. Everything sounds great, so why only 4 stars? The service was slow towards the end. We were ready to pay and literally just kept looking for our waiter to pay the bill. One of our friends had to get to work. read more

The food is very good and well cooked but the service is not quite good. I was without water for about 15 minutes. I did not ask just to see when my server will come to my table to check. Well 20 minutes later I needed to ask some water hehe. Never leave a table without water first rule. So for food 5 stairs for service 1. Average 3 read more

Nuovo - Italian Near Me - Worcester, Massachusetts

Nuovo is one of the top spots to eat if you're in the Worcester area, and especially if you're an Italian food lover. The staff are very warm, friendly and accommodating to any specific dining preferences, from seating locations to serving modified dishes. The ingredients used are top notch, with clever combinations of flavors. I'd highly recommend Nuovo and plan to return again. read more