I've been here twice in the last couple of months. I would have to say this is one of my new favorite restaurants. It's a little pricey but well worth it. They offer cajun and creole type foods that are amazing. Hard to find this kind of flavor in northeast Ohio. I had a Mojito which was quite delicious. My husband had a couple of martinis but they were a bit too sweet. One in particular the lemon drop was nasty. If you love Creole or teacher or a little bit of spice you Will love this place. The hostess is amazing. We thought we made a reservation online but apparently it had not been confirmed. When we got there she told us we were not on the list. We were disappointed but pleasant. The hostess was amazing and still fit us in even 15 minutes what we thought we had made our reservation time. Our waitress was quick and efficient. We could've used a few more glasses of water but we saw her running around like a mad woman trying to take care of everyone as best as she could. The second bar was understaffed but we didn't have any problems getting our drinks pretty quickly. We had the cooked oysters, crab claws, the breaded fish appetizer, the apple salad, and the fish in a creole sauce. Everything was delicious. The crab claws were the only thing in my opinion that weren't super exciting because they basically just steamed them and add a little side of mustard nothing fancy. Everything else was fancy well prepared and delicious. The apple salad was amazing. read more

Russo's - Mojito - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

We were just here the other night, and we realized that there are only one or two other places in the Falls with as much class as Russo's! We love creole cuisine (my wife has family in Louisiana) and this is probably the best we've found in NE Ohio! Gumbo, jambalaya, bbq shrimp, seafood etouffee...we've tried it all. The other half of the menu is Italian. I have ordered the Cavatelli and the Meat Raviolis. Bottom line: everything I've had is excellent here! Service is also fantastic. Just remember to make a reservation! read more

Russo's - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

If you are looking for franchise-y feel, go somewhere else. If you like delicious food, desserts, fun vibe with open kitchen like out of Food Channel, Dave Russos has been an Akron mainstay for almost 30 years. Great place for date night or anytime read more

This place has a nice vibe inside with a cozy atmosphere and bar. I guess it's reservation required kind of place. Not sure why. It's really not that nice. But if it's working for them... The food was honestly just okay. The E'toufe or whatever it's called was really spicy and not a lot of chicken and not much rice. Lots of spicy sauce though. I wouldn't order it again. Tried the schrimp and grits. It almost tasted like someone emptied a baby food jar of custard in the grits. It was okay but nothing above average. Prices were higher than they should be. The service was decent. However when I mentioned how hot the E'toufe was, she just laughed and said sometimes they make it hotter. No offer of anything else. Overall, just average food, average service or below and nice atmosphere, and slightly over priced. It won't be on my list to revisit. read more

We've never had a bad experience. We enjoy their menu and the service is great. It can be a little loud at times, but that's to be expected from a place that's usually packed with patrons read more

very noisy. high price point for a casual place. absolutely no substitutions of side dishes. first and last time. had the menu said no side dish substitutions, we wouldn't even done. the "dining room" is combined with the bar and kitchen, which adds to the noise, so everyone has to tell, makes everyone yell. we literally had to raise our voices to hear each other and there were only two of us. I ordered nothing but bread. ridiculous. again, first and last time! read more

Very disappointed. You go to Russo's for a nice dining atmosphere along with good food. We had reservations but got sat outside at this rickety table that really needed a tablecloth. We weren't even under the outside patio awning, we were sat under a second awning that wasn't a permanent fixture. We could have high fived people driving in the parking lot. At some point our server went missing and we waited 30 minutes for one dessert to arrive. We never got drink refills and 25 minutes into dining my husband gets a call from the hostess asking if we were going to show up for our reservations..."yes we are and you already sat us 25 min ago"! Overpriced and won't go back. read more

Russo's - Our dining table. - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

1/15/23 Had a fantastic lamb shank as my entree! There was plenty of tasty meat on this bone and the side dish that came with it was wonderful as well. The Cesar salad with anchovies was very good. The bread was alright, but nothing special. Downside to this dining experience was the drinks. There were limited options and the Long Island iced tea I ordered just wasn't that good. Also, the atmosphere is fine, but not quite as nice as you would expect for the pricy options available. I'll come back to try something else, but am not in a hurry to return. read more

Food was disappointing and customer interaction was worse. When the Seafood Creole did not contain the scallops as indicated in the written description and the Crème Brulee was burnt then covered up with confectioners sugar. When speaking with the Management (owner, also head chef) I was informed I did not know what I was talking about in regards to the Creole and that the Crème Brulee is torched and that happens sometimes. When informed that it also tasted burnt, my party was informed that he had been doing business for 22 years and did not need us, he has his clientele and rudely escorted us out of the restaurant with a "Do not come back". Of course, this was after he collected our payment for poor service rendered and communication with a confrontational owner. We will not return and suggest you don't either. read more

This place is a big hit for some reason. Again there are better Italian restaurants than this and they're prices are crazy for what they serve. Food just doesn't have any flavor. The dessert was good but the food wasn't worth a dime. Not to mention the parking is horrid and it's pretty far. Service was equivalent to eating at Applebee's. Not the place for me read more

My husband and I went to Russos for my birthday. We had gone there a long while ago and forgot about the place. Our past experience was so great, however, this time it was just ok. First, it took almost an hour to get our food. But once we got the food, it was cold. I know the food came out of the kitchen hot, so it just sat around. Yuck. Second, we ordered dishes with seafood. However there were only 6 shrimps in the whole dish!. That would be alright, but not for a $22 dish. The food was good, not great, but just not worth the price. read more

When you enter the place they have a very large bar which to eat at - but,,, don't make the mistake i did and walk up to the bar and think you can sit down (the bar holds 20+ people) now, there was only 3 people at the bar when i walked in - and this guy comes over and barks at me - "WE ONLY TAKE RESERVATIONS" and treats me like dirt - mind you it was 6:30 on a Tuesday-- now, there was only 3 people at the bar - with 17 bar stools wide open - not a very nice man - I think this restaurant could easily do without him - read more

Delicious food, great atmosphere. My family and I eat here often. My family enjoys their Amish wings and fried perch appetizers. I personally enjoyed the seafood pasta. Definitely a must try. read more

Server was great, food was not. Frustrating to spend several hundred dollars on a disappointing meal and then feel pressured to lie about it. read more

Honestly the worst experience I can ever remember at a restaurant. They made the excuse that it was Fat Tuesday, but I can't let them off for the following issues: 1. They sat us in this back room that severely lacked insulation, so it literally was 45 degrees in there. 2. They had a limited New Orleans menu that was ridiculously overpriced. A tiny cup of Jambalaya for like 8 bucks, for example. My colleague had to eat three of them to get filled up (yes, $24 of Jambalaya) 3. Everything was in styrofoam and we were given feeble plastic tableware that was so flexible I couldn't use it to cut my sandwich. The napkins were as thin as airport toilet paper. 4. Apparently they have two kitchens. The Jambalaya and soup came out immediately, the other food literally took over 30 minutes or more. Nothing came out together 5. Place was incredibly understaffed and servers weren't apologetic for the poor service 6. The food, despite the pricing, just wasn't very good. Sorry Russo's, I just can't let all this stuff slide because you were gearing up for the night's upcoming party. read more

I am seriously kicking myself for not coming here earlier. Very solid Creole food. Best Creole east of Heaven on Seven in Chicago. I would come here just for the beans and rice. read more

This was my second visit. The first we had reservations to sit at the counter & watch as the cooks pushed out wonder food. The counter for 2 is a great seat plus we got extra samples of food we didn't order. This time we had a table. The voodoo oysters were perfectly prepared & divine. He had pork loin that was served with red beans & rice and collard greens. The smoked turkey ladened greens were so good I ordered a side to go. I had the redfish with crawfish sauce over stir fried veggies it was heavenly. The 2 baskets of bread was perfect for "fare la scapetta." Everything was perfect even the drinks & especially the service. Make it a point to go here if you're a food lover, they do everything well. Italian meets Creole with intense flavorful sauces & beautiful presentation. read more

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Original review: I have only had a few things off of the menu as I usually sit at the bar & have a glass of wine or two. I love the buzz about the place: watching the chef prepare meals, the ambience, the energy of the staff & customers, etc. A little pricey, but worth it. Clean & classy. Would recommend my boyfriend taking me here any time for dinner! Try the lounge in the back- drink & food specials and low key. Update: I stuggle greatly with this review, because I really do like this place and WANT to like it so much to keep going back; however, I have never had good service while dining. One night, boyfriend and I went for dinner. Our service started our poorly and ended just the same. It took 20 minutes to get water! We debated whether or not we should have stayed. We did, but regretted it. As soon as our waitress came to our table, we ordered water & food- we weren't sure if we were going to get another chance. As luck would have it, they were out of their chili rellano, which was a disappointment. I forgot what we ended up ordering- not very memorable, We never even got any bread, or service, for that matter. Oh, Russo's, I have tried at least on six occasions... read more

Russo's - Jumballia ( half portion) - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

This restaurant never disappoints, the flavors are out of this world, the quality and the quantity of food is life changing. Everything tastes great here. The staff is very attentive. The kitchen is amazing watching the chefs work. This is a must go to restaurant if you're ever in Stow area of Ohio. read more

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Wonderful heated outdoor patio. Seafood Creole ingredients may change (always ask wait staff to clarify what is in dish) but the dish has never disappointed. Steak and Shrimp tacos were delicious and plentiful. Frozen mango dessert is a must have. Unique menu. Place can get busy and service might slow down a bit. Highly recommend. read more

We came here last Tuesday for my husbands birthday dinner, and though the food looked tasty it was more SALTY. We have driven by here hundreds of time over the last few years and finally decided to give it a shot. The decor is nice, but a little dated and the food was not only extremely salty but also overpriced for what it was. We started with the calamari to share, it was extremely thin and tasted like a jar of salt was poured on top of it...the marinara dipping says was ok. Our salads came and were very plain, just mixed greens...no other veggies and the white French dressing was pretty bland. I got the surf and turf which was a 4oz filet with 2 scallops, 1 piece of zucchini, 1 piece of yellow squash, an inedible grilled green pepper and mashed potatoes drowned in an overly salty gravy. For dessert we tried the peanut butter pie which also some how tasted like salt! For the prices they are charging I would expect a lot more, we will not be coming back. read more

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The food was excellent. A very authentic creole food offerings with a twist of Italian. Tried the jambalaya and loved it. One of us tried the shrimp and grits They also have a wide selection of wine The place is in the middle of nowhere but take your chance in Akron read more

Cute place off the hwy. Really wanted to try something different and Italian Creole caught my attention. I loved the ambiance, seemed a bit too fancy for me at first, but the loud atmosphere toned it down a bit. Service was good, our waiter could have been a little more attentive, but they were all really friendly in general. read more

Russo's - Louisiana firecracker shrimp - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

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Three months ago I reserved Russo's as my rehearsal dinner venue. Last week, the manager informed me via email that they were no longer honoring my reservation. They did not offer any explanation or alternative solutions such as moving the date/time. Because of this, I didn't even realize they were actually cancelling my reservation. I sent three emails back to the manager and got no response. It wasn't until I called the restaurant and the hostess relayed my message to the manager that I got a response to my last email - still vague and confusing. I called the restaurant one final time. The manager was "busy" and made the hostess have that uncomfortable conversation for her. The hostess told me that the owner "changed their policy" around hosting large parties on weekend nights. When I questioned the choice of cancelling all existing reservations the hostess had no response and told me that she would have the manager return my call. It's been over a week and the manager never called me back. She also never responded to my final email, which was sent after my interaction with the hostess. While this is a unique situation it says something about the restaurant as a whole. I would have never fathomed my event being cancelled months prior to my wedding. This, along with the lack of respect demonstrated is a huge disappointment. read more

Pure and udder chaos for Mardi Gras--- We were very excited to celebrate with a Mardi Gras dinner at Russo's, and all expectations were vastly destroyed. There was no direction, hospitality, or service to be seen. We waited 20 minutes before even seeing a server, and at that we were forced to flag one down. Having picked up on a sense of delay, drinks, appetizer, and entrées were ordered promptly all in one. Our Jambolaya came out first, almost immediately. I was shocked to see that they had given us a to go container, no more than 8 ounces of this $10 entrée. Apparently we had missed the memo that all food will be served in Styrofoam this evening.... awesome. Approximately 10 minutes past and still no drinks, again forcing us to flag the waiter down. I could go on and on regarding the delays, and nonexistent service. Instead, I will save my time and simply state that the entire restaurant was chaotic, that I would be embarrassed to call hospitality We will not be returning, or recommending. read more

I love this place. Cajun Italian! What's not to love! Their Jambiya is outstanding. It is defiantly my go to. The garlic head is another great staple when I order. The chocolate peanut butter cake is fantastic as well. Service is wonderful. read more

We recently moved to the neighborhood across the street, and EVERYONE kept telling us to go to Russo's. Last night we finally did. It's definitely one of those places that people love because it doesn't change. It's always packed. You MUST have reservations to get in. The food is good, BUT my husband and I are mostly vegan (we will convert to vegetarian if the situation deems it necessary). There are VERY few vegetarian options on the menu let alone any truly vegan ones, and I wish they'd add a few so we could go more often. What we did have: Vietnamese cucumber salad, okra, and cavatelli with marinara were quite good. My husband had the mushroom pasta, which was disappointingly bland (it really needed salt). So overall we were happy with it but probably won't go back often. read more

We love Russo's!!! You need to call and request a seat at the bar.. they cook the food in front of you!! We love this place read more

Russo's - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

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Oh my gosh how did I not know of this place before!?!? So glad I saw the light. We went over the weekend and I have to say it was one of the best meals I've had lately. My guy and I love trying new food, so we typically just get a few things and split it all. We got a bottle of wine from Italy, ordered the roasted garlic & bread (UH AMAZING) and then split the friend green tomatoes & calamari (both were absolutely delicious). We then had the cavatelli & it came with sausage & a meatball. All was amazing. We finished it off with peanut butter pie. Definitely safe to say I was in a bit of a carb hangover after. But perfect meal! read more

Russo's - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

This is our go-to place for special occasions, entertaining out of town guests, after work business dinners, you name it. Food is always fantastic and have never had anything less than stellar service. I'm a foodie and am pretty particular about restaurants but Russo's definitely does it right! read more

Was looking for a good Italian and/or Cajun restaurant and was so excited to find Russo's. Unfortunately even though the martinis & appetizers were good the food (entrees) were subpar and honestly not that good especially for their prices. The Sudado de Res (Colombian Short Rib) was extremely gamey and just didn't taste right and the rest of the items my family ordered were just ok. I truly wouldn't recommend this restaurant since their are better options that are also at a more reasonable price (comparative to taste) read more

Fantastic, felt like I was back home in Long Island for the night. Had the Veal Scallopini, calamari along with the andouille; all were fantastic. Look forward to coming back read more

Nice atmoshpere, service is SLOW - portions are SMALL --prices are HIGH Have been there many times, the last few times service has been REALLY slow, from drinks to appetizer to entree. They also have taken the standard salad off entree's. Drinks took OVER 30 minutes to get, bread came out after our appetizers arrived. They brought the wrong appetizer, then we were told the appetizer we ordered was now out. When our meals finally arrived 1 hour after we were seated, my $28 dollar piece of fish was about 4-5 ounces, my side of rice and beans was in a "monkey dish" and was about 5 teaspoons... UNREAL! I said something to my server about the portions, she came back and said we'll take it off your bill...well we had three others that ordered the same thing. I like the flavor of their food but the service is NOT good and the portions are VERY SMALL for the money! read more

DO NOT GO UNLESS YOU HAVE A RESERVATION! We tried to go to what we thought was a nice restaurant. However they were not on Open Table and Akron doesn't have many restaurants that take legit reservations so we didn't think much of it. Wound up in the lounge in the back, dressed in anniversary attire, next to a dude in athletic shorts and sandals. The jambalaya everyone recommended was not on the menu at the lounge. My salad was simply spring mix, dressing, and chicken. My husbands Grilled chicken plate was thin slices of chewy chicken and only 2 fried green tomatoes. Definitely not the anniversary dinner we planned. Don't want to hurt Russo's score since we didn't get to try it but definitely not what we expected. read more

If I could give 4.5 stars, I would. This is my husband's and I go to spot for date night. Always be sure to make reservations - this place get packed. I had a reservation at the bar one night, and ended up still having to wait 25 minutes to be seated because they must have given up our seats (even though we were there on time). That was a little disappointing. However, the bar is the best area to sit, as you get to watch your food get cooked right in front of you. It can get loud - it is a small restaurant with another restaurant attached in the back. Drinks sometimes take a while to get served and I don't recommend ordering a Moscow mule at this place. My husband and I ordered one and I am not even sure what we received but it wasn't that. Didn't come in a tin cup, didn't have a hint of ginger beer. Excellent food - Like, amazeballs. We usually try something new every time we go. I have a shellfish allergy so picking new items can sometimes be tricky but I am never disappointed with a meal. Ever. Their menu changes ever so often so keep that in mind for every visit. read more

Mussels are awesome and I really love the sauce coming along with. It would be nice if they provide some breads before the meal. Jambalaya is a little salty, but comes with a lot of meat, which is awesome! read more

went with another couple before attending Cleveland Orchestra performance at Blossom the service is wonderful and friendly and the food!!! We were able to bring our own wine and were ok with the corkage fee.. got the bill and charged twice! that wasn't cool. The appetizers were delicious and so many choices. we were told that it's really fun to sit at the bar and watch the chef work work their magic read more

Russo's - menu changes all the time which keeps you coming back - Italian Near Me - Peninsula, Ohio

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First off, the service at Russo's is mediocre. Particular the hostess staff, they did not communicate well and we waited 20 minutes beyond our reservation for a table. Wait staff was fine, though. The food is a little overpriced too, I cannot lie. My cavatelli were cooked well and the meatball and sausage were fine too, but not worth $21. Several others in our party were also not overwhelmed by the meal. Overall, it was just "ok". read more

Russo's is getting a fabulous employee when they hired Nicole! Nicole is an awesome bartender and server. She is always upbeat, hard working and accurate whenever I have had the pleasure of Nicole serving myself and my family! I can't wait to go to Russo's soon and see Nicole shine like she always does!!! Great job Russo's in hiring one of the best worker that there is! read more

This is truly an unexpected place for some delicious cajun food. In the middle of nowhereish Akron, a friend who spent 7 years in Nola dragged us into Russo's. He claimed it was one of the best places outside of Nola to find a good southern meal, and he was spot on. The Crawfish Etouffe, Jambalaya, and Oysters here are dynamite. The fried green tomatoes have a nice crunch, and the cocktails are worth 6 stars. (on a 5 star scale) It was the best Sazerac i've had outside of....well, anywhere. Service was friendly and prompt, and the establishment is semi-formal. You can get away with a nice shirt and jeans here, but expect most of the well-to-do clientele to be dressed better than that. There's even a gorgeous back patio for those warm summer breezy evenings. Truly a hidden gem. read more