We haven't been back to Oberlin for some time. We had a PPAC performance and were lucky to score a…read morelast-minute reservation on a Friday night. The hostess sat us at a table. We were lucky that another patron decided they wanted a table versus the chef's seat at the counter. For us, this is the perfect place to sit because it lets you take in the whole experience. The ambiance was great. I had the same great Negroni as last time, but also had a new take on an Old Fashioned called the Dinner Jacket. Very yummy! Our server was very pleasant and attentive. We ordered the Kohlrabi Caesar and sesame focaccia again. It was as great as the first time. The focaccia is amazing. My wife ordered the Anolini for her entree, and I ordered the fabulous rack of lamb cooked in the wood-fired oven. It was simply amazing. We ended by splitting the warm apple tart. Everything was fabulous...my rating is the same. Go and enjoy yourself.

The last time I came to Oberlin, they were in a smaller building (now Cielito) in the block over…read more So obviously, they've expanded and the place looks really nice. I loved the cream and gold aesthetics, as well as the cool art on the ceiling. They have a variety of seating areas including tables inside and outside as well as highchairs around the open kitchen and highchairs wrapping around the brick oven which is where we sat. We were warned that it does get very toasty, but it wasn't anything unbearable. My friend comes here often, so he noticed that they've made big changes to their menu. He highly recommended the crudo; it can either be ordered a la carte ($14 per fish serving) or one of each as a platter. I chose to try the black bass and bluefin tuna. We also ordered wood roasted sesame focaccia to eat with the crudo and the cacio and Pepe we ordered. Lastly, we ordered a Kohlrabi Caesar salad which comes with Boston blackened boquerones, croutons, and parmiagano. The food came out at different moments but we ate the salad, bread, and crudo together and saved the pasta for last. The crudo was very fresh and decent serving size. It seemed to only be topped with olive oil and salt, but that was enough to amplify the flavor. The focaccia was soft, easy to tear apart, warm, perfectly crispy/toasted, and every millimeter of the focaccia was covered in sesame seeds. It comes with olive oil to dip in. The salad was unique. I have never had kohlrabi before but it was similar to broccoli stems in its firmness, but not as sweet. It was not drowned in dressing which I was happy about, and has a good amount of parmesan cheese. I could taste the crunchy croutons which added an additional crunch along with the kohlrabi. I have never had boquerones before so I wasn't sure which flavor to look out for. The cacio and Pepe was okay. It was a little bland, but since it was my first time having it, I was not sure what to expect. The spaghetti was cooked a little under al dente and the sauce was a lower viscosity than I imagined. My friend had a drink and all together, our bill was close to $100 which is not too bad. The plates look small (about 6-8" in diameter), but the food is filling. I decided to check out the website for fun and I love the octopus art and that it's easy to navigate. The staff was very friendly and made us feel important and taken care of.

We attended a Maison Ferrand cognac seminar & tasting the other night at Sapphire & it was such a…read morefun & unique experience for us. The staff at Sapphire (Melissa, Marc, & Shiv), as well as the guest bartender (Vannaluck), went above & beyond to make the experience interactive & memorable. We were greeted immediately with a French 75 made with cognac - Did you know that the original French 75 called for cognac, as well as many other classic cocktails? No? Neither did I. The welcome aperitif was a great lil' treat to kick the night off with. We were given a mini charcuterie selection to keep us busy until the main event, which began about 20 minutes after we arrived. Vannaluck talked us through the history & characteristics of cognac. We were given 3 small pours of different cognacs to taste as well as a serendipitous, bonus mini pour at the end. Throughout the night, the kitchen sent out a variety of tapas that UTILIZED COGNAC. Cognac glaze, reduction, brine, etc. Fascinating! I went in knowing next to nothing about cognac & left with a decent understanding of the spirit. I've always wanted to do something like this, & Sapphire made it extremely accessible. It was also amazingly affordable. I'm really looking forward to more events like this one. Sign me up, please.

My husband and I decided to come to Sapphire for a drink...I had really enjoyed the cocktails and…read morethe food during the recent Yelp Elite even, so I told my hubby to check out this place with me. I loved the Jacobean cocktail, so we both got this smooth scotch cocktail...Melissa made the drink with an expertise that few have and while she was making them, we engaged in conversation with Marc, the beverage manager. Both were very engaging and very friendly, making the visit very relaxed and enjoyable....we also got some steakhouse sliders that were outstanding...the meat was just slightly medium, keeping all the moistness and flavor.... Overall a great place for a drink and/or light bites...... The ambiance is inviting and cozy and the patio outside is great for those nice warm Rhode Island evenings....

Didn't get a picture! But updating to describe the excellent cocktail Bianca made me!…read more I've been getting the espresso martini by default here cause they are quite good...but my drink of choice is usually a citrusy gimlet of sorts. I mentioned this to Bianca when I was ordering and she essentially said "say less"... made me the perfect drink. I was so pleased... it can get quite busy but if you know the general profile of what you're into- Bianca will get the vision and make you the perfect cocktail. It's that personalized touch that'll get me back again and again!

XO is cute! Always a great spot for celebrations. I've been here on various occasions, mostly…read morebirthdays. The drinks are expensive, but not shocking given the feel of this bar. The weekends are always busy and booming. Good vibes.

It is a cute place to have some small plates and a glass of wine. But it is not a place for a quick…read moremeal because the wait for food was very very long. The food was interesting and delicious. I like that when you walk in the server explained what food they're serving and ask if it is okay or if it is what you are looking for. They don't really cook there more like assembling canned fish and other ingredients together and present it nicely. You can see in the photo the presentation was lovely. Also remember to ask for more bread if you are three or more people, a few little slices will not be enough for three adults. The stools were not comfortable if you have back problem needs support. But the cold color goes well with the decor.

My family and I had dinner here and it was just as close as you're going to get to dining in Italy…read more The food is imported from Italy and they have an amazing wine menu, all coming from small vineyards in Italy. There's no other authentic Italian wine bar on federal hill, and it's perfect for wine tasting and trying all their amazing Italian small plates. They also have a market next door where you can buy the wines and food you ate! Luigi the manager was also excellent and gave great menu recommendations. Will definitely be back it's truly an underrated spot on the hill.

A chic, modern seafood restaurant with a variety of raw and hot selections. Lots of oysters to…read morechoose from, and most of them are local from RI. Our knowledgeable server helped recommend the types that we'd like, as they knew the specifics about each type of oyster. $2 for happy hour is a deal!! Another must‑try dish is the raw scallops. Not only is it beautifully plated, the taste is intricate with the sesame oil mixed with fresh raw scallops. Btw, they have sake on tap!

Cute place with $2 buck shuck from 4p-5p. Upon entry, we were greeted and seated rather quickly. We…read morechose the bar for more table space. We ordered oysters and scallop rolls. Everything was so delicious... especially the scallop rolls. Bookmarked this place to visit again.

Unable to get a reservation at the legendary Al Forno, this nearby Italian restaurant was alright…read more Wood-Grilled Crispy Baby Octopus: Apparently their signature dish. The octopus body was grilled to a tender tenderness, though the tentacles were slightly charred and bitter, which is normal, but the sauce was far superior. The kale was cooked until smooth and thick, with a distinct sweetness that completely eliminated any strange vegetable taste; the white beans were also soft and creamy, adding thickness and aroma to the sauce. This sauce paired perfectly with the bread served before the meal. Pizza with Sweet Corn & Spicy Oil: In Providence, you absolutely must try grilled pizza. The waiter recommended this one, saying it was his favorite. It was the first time I'd ever had a pizza like this. The crust was thin and light, with noticeable charring, and a slightly crispy texture, which inexplicably reminded me of the Indian roti that I always had at Cantonese restaurants when I was a child. The tomatoes and corn were in season, and a touch of chili oil brought out a lively blend of sour and sweet flavors. Delicious. Bacaro's "Farmer's Salad": This was the first time I'd had a salad with snow peas, and it had a raw taste. I also tasted a hint of minty, refreshing herbal flavor, which was interesting. I searched for the ingredients but couldn't find the source, and the waiter couldn't explain it either.

I can't believe this is my first time coming to Bacaro! I was very impressed with the experience as…read morea whole. We were a party of three, but it could have been a party of six with all the food we ordered. We had the first reservation at 5 PM. We parked on the street, but you can park in the lot and they will validate your parking for you. The service was a 5/5 and the ambiance can be casual or fine dining. The lighting is perfect for a romantic night out and the view of the Providence River right over your shoulder. We made our own board: Umbriaco di Raboso "Drunken Cow" - amazing cheese, very high quality, sharp, not over powering. Definitely get it! Provolone - sharp very good quality provolone cheese Proscuitto di San Daniele - sliced very thin, soft and flavorful. I was very pleased with the portion size and the flavor. A must have! Spicy Olives - assorted olives with a spicy olive oil. All of the olives were fantastic and there definitely was a good kick from the spice. They threw in the pickles, jams, nuts and honey, all were fantastic. I really liked the blueberry jam. The warm tapas came out at all different times. Fried Bolognese olives - Although these were unique and delicious, I would skip these next time. The Bolognese is just a pinch on the inside of the olive. It would be a game changer if there was a side of Bolognese sauce to dip them in instead. Eggplant - Definitely a must order. Super simple sauce packed with flavor and the buffalo mozzarella is to die for. The pork belly is also a must order. Tons of flavor and not a lot of fat, which surprised me. It was a good sized portion too. Now of the the pizza...we ordered Pizza Salumi. Very thin dough, wood fired for the flavor and the crisp. There is a good amount of sauce, which can make the crust floppy, but it's so worth it! The flavor of the sauce is so good. All fresh and top quality ingredients. The soppressata was perfect, taking this pizza to the next the level. It was cut super thin, as it should, and gave the pizza the flavor a margarita is missing. It would be tough not to order this next time. So just as we should have been walking out of the door because we were so full, we had the duck and the wood fired NY strip to split among the three of us. The duck - The duck dish came with the two legs so it was the dark meat with crispy skin. The duck was flavorful, moist, tender, and had some sort of apple based sauce to accompany it. The mashed potatoes were great and the Gorgonzola chunks were a treat, especially while sipping the sangiovese/cab red wine blend that we ordered for the table. The NY Strip was my favorite. The steak was tender and came with the flavor from that wood fired grill. The sauce was so good that I dipped every piece in it, trying to reserve some for the mashed potatoes. I ordered the steak medium rare + and it came out just how I wanted it. We ordered the lemon tart for my mom's birthday dessert. I would skip the dessert next time, but I always skip dessert. My mother loved it...very fresh and vibrant. I would have to say that Bacaro is my favorite RI restaurant, especially for a special night out. It is also a perfect spot to go and grab a snack or two with friends after work with a drink. It is affordable as you want and can find high end alternatives as well. The bottle of wine was $48 and you couldn't have asked for a better pairing with all of the food. We also ordered an after dinner cocktail, called the Call to Italy...very refreshing for a digestive type cocktail.

I was early to a dinner reservation, so I walked by this place and ended up stopping in. The staff…read morewas very nice, the music was great and the whole vibe of the place was on point. I had two drinks. The first drink was a spicy. Margarita, it was really good but rather small. The second drink I had was it ginger drink that was phenomenal. Great before dinner spot!

Have been multiple times now and every time I leave having had an excellent drink…read more I love that Lambrusco is making its way on menus and there is no shortage of delicious wine on the menu at Glou. The lighting is dark and intimate, perfect for a drink on a date! While the wine list is what I go for, there's also cocktails, beer, and a variety of non alcoholic options, which was great for meeting friends here during dry January. Can't wait to be back in the summer with the patio!

TLDR: Ambience: 10/10…read moreFood: 7.5/10 --OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE! DRINK: 10/10 Friend and I needed a place to go after a community event. A lovely woman in the restroom overheard my friend and I unsure on where to venture, and she suggested this place! Moody and welcoming. Absolutely loved it. We went in ~10:45 on a Wednesday pm. Apparently they do live jazz weekly as well, but we'd come too late. A handful of bar patrons, a couple making out in the back of the dining room at their cute table, a lovely bartender, me& my bff. We really hit the jackpot for ambiance last night. Decor in there is so cute. I wish I took a picture of the table lamp on the bar. It was embellished with beads hanging on the rim of the shade. Our drinks were top notch. Mine was a citrus vanilla profile and hers was a savory martini. The sandwich, I had one bite of it was yummy. I don't like imitation lunch meats though. CATFISH was breaded and fried fabulously. Not oily. Crispy and crunchy. So happy to have discovered this place! The bartender told us they just celebrated 6 years of business!

This is a great atmospheric bar with a variety of comfortable seats. There's a food window with New…read moreOrleans inspired fair and there's a great menu of custom cocktails. I went on a Wednesday night to hear jazz and it was a really nice place. The prices seem very reasonable.