We came here to celebrate my best friend's birthday and unfortunately left disappointed with the…read moreoverall experience. From the moment we sat down, the service set the tone. Our server didn't greet us and instead immediately asked what we wanted to order...less than five minutes after being seated, before we had even looked at the menus or been asked if we wanted drinks.
We told him we'd like to start with drinks, and although he reluctantly took the order, he returned a few minutes later empty-handed and again asked us to place our full order, without even bringing the cocktails to the table first. It felt rushed and disorganized right from the start. Throughout the evening, every interaction felt pressured, despite the restaurant not appearing particularly busy, which made what should have been a relaxed birthday dinner feel uncomfortable.
When our first round of drinks was finished, he never once came back to ask if we wanted another round, which was surprising given the setting and price point.
The most surprising part was learning that our server was the owner/chef's son. When we casually asked who Padre Pio was, he couldn't answer, which felt like a missed opportunity to share the story behind the restaurant.
As for the meal, the total came to about $500 for cocktails, wine, four appetizers (grilled calamari, baked clams, eggplant rollatini, and insalata di campania), and entrées including ravioli, spaghetti Padre Pio, chicken scarpariello, and branzino, with sides of mushrooms and escarole and beans. While some dishes were decent, others fell short--particularly the spaghetti Padre Pio, which was overly soft and lacked texture. The ravioli also tasted very similar to JB & Sons from Yonkers. The clams were mushy and overly saturated in oil. I did enjoy the eggplant rollatini. The complimentary eggplant caponata was oddly sweet.
The menu itself was oddly presented. I've never seen chicken scarpariello listed with add-ons and separate pricing depending on whether you want it on or off the bone or with sausage, it felt more like ordering a pizza with toppings than ordering from what's supposed to be an elevated Italian menu. It cheapened the overall experience rather than enhancing it.
Service issues continued throughout the meal. When our entrées were brought out, no serving utensils or extra plates were provided. When he later asked if we wanted new plates, he simply dropped a stack on the side of the table rather than setting them properly, which felt inattentive and unprofessional.
Additionally, the bus staff were overly aggressive when clearing the table. At one point, a busboy dropped dirty utensils directly onto my friend's lap and into her purse that was next to me.
To top it off, instead of offering us a dessert menu, a piece of cheesecake was simply brought out alongside the check. After spending this amount of money, especially for a birthday celebration, this felt dismissive and frankly rude, as it removed the opportunity to choose or enjoy dessert as part of the experience. Moments later, the lights were turned on, making it very clear we were no longer welcome to sit and enjoy the end of the evening.
Overall, for the price point and the occasion, we expected a much more welcoming and attentive dining experience. Unfortunately, the service and pacing overshadowed the meal.