The food was good, no doubt. But a few things chipped away at this rating. After being seated, we were approached by three different people and weren't sure who our waiter was until the order was placed. The first two said they didn't have a kids menu & couldn't make anything special, but the third and final waiter thankfully said different. It took three attempts. Then they didn't have decaf coffee; odd, but not too big of a deal. The waiter and assistants were all friendly. The worst though was when we left, we found a $28 parking ticket. When we looked closer there were signs and a meter al the way out front, but it was too dark to see them from our parking spot, it was 20 degrees so we rushed right into the building, it was our first time there, and it was after 5pm when all city parking is free anyway. The "citation" was from a private valet company that is scamming people & profiting off a few small businesses. Sadly, we won't return. read more

My review has to be 3.5 stars. Overall I had a good time here. The food was good, and the service was just ok. There's nothing really stand out about Tuscan Blu. I went here for Triangle restaurant week and I would probably only go there again if it was during TRW. The wait staff isn't the nicest and they don't attend to the tables enough. When I went with a group of my friends it was only 3 tables full in the whole restaurant and we barely got any attention, and there were plenty wait staff working. The prices are OK for the amount of food you get, though some entree's are kind of small. Everything tasted great though and the Tiramasu was amazing! read more

This restaurant is AMAZING! The atmosphere is lovely, would be a great romantic dinner, though we were there as a group while at a conference. But the food! All I can tell you is over half of us were grabbing more bread at the end in order to mop of any leftover traces of sauce. If the bread hadn't been there we'd probably have picked up the plates and licked them clean. I got the pear/cheese fiocchi and it was one of my top dinners of all time, but I know the people who got the mushroom ravioli and the fettuccine alfredo felt the same way. From our experience, you can't go wrong. The service was also wonderful! I will absolutely be back whenever I'm in Raleigh! read more

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would gladly do so. The reason for my negative review is due to the lack of class, manners, and customer service I had received on behalf of the manager at this restaurant. I had ordered a steak to be cooked rare and it came out medium-well. I had a chat with the manager about it and asked for a discount since the cook screwed up on it and he very rudely told me that I wouldn't receive a discount and then he started talking down to me as if I was looking for a free meal and didn't know the difference between a steak that's cooked rare and a steak that's cooked medium-well. My girlfriend and other patrons sitting at nearby tables were appalled at the manager's disrespectful, rude, and classless behavior. I definitely won't EVER return to this place again! read more

Great service. The Pear Fiocci (sp?) is unbelievably good. Atmosphere is nice, and the owner is very good at making you feel at home.

This restaurant is a favorite among my colleagues. I must admit that I am surprised by the negative reviews. I've visited Tuscan Blu on several occasions and have never been disappointed. I have never personally seen any yelling or bad behavior. In fact, just the opposite. On one of our recent trips my boss, who is from Italy, joined us for lunch. The owner and his wife both came to our table to speak in what sounded like friendly Italian (can't say for sure though, prego is about the limit of my Italian). On different trips there I have tasted the lobster ravioli (ok, several times on that dish), lasagna, and spinach ravioli. All were excellent, the the lobster ravioli being my favorite. There is lots of lobster in it and the pink sauce it is served with is delicious. The prices here are quite reasonable, with the aforementioned lobster dish clocking in at only $9. One downside is that it seems like the bread is not always fresh. A big disappointment for an Italian restaurant. On the upside...parking! They have a lot in front, which is always a nice surprise in downtown Raleigh. read more

Food ok. Service outstanding. What is off putting is the smell of air fresheners the monute you step on. Why? Why? Why? A restaurant should amell like food, if the food is good. If the food is NOT good, what are you trying to hide? Hmmmmm? read more

Avoid this place , there is nothing authentic about the food here. After reading several raving reviews we were excited to be going out for an Italian dinner. We ordered the Caprese salad and calamari for appetizer. Both were awful, so we cancelled the rest of our order, paid for our bottle of wine and split . We come to Raleigh often so we know there are plenty of great restaurants, no need to be ripped off for bad food. read more

Food was decent! The bread wasn't very good. Cute atmosphere in a great area. You could find a better Italian place

The authentic Italian food served at Tuscan Blu is delicious! The owners are very friendly and I've dined there a couple times and so far, I've had great service. They're open for lunch and dinner and are also available to host private events. The penne with chicken and spinach in pink sauce is one of my favorites. They have a new lunch menu too so you can get a salad, a drink (sweet or unsweet tea) and an entree like this pasta dish or something else like Chicken Parmigiana for just $10. I've been full each time and haven't been able to save room for dessert like tiramisu. What's very nice and convenient is the FREE PARKING! This restaurant is located in the old Rail Depot in the developing Warehouse district, so you can park in their parking lot for free and there are more places to go out to before or after dinner like Videri Chocolate, Crank Arm, The Pit, Flying Saucer, and the Contemporary Art Museum! That's very convenient if you're not walking from your apartment or office in downtown Raleigh. It's just a couple blocks from the Raleigh Convention Center too so if you're there for a conference, it's a quick trip for lunch or dinner. They also have outdoor seating for when the weather is nice or if you want to bring your dog. One thing to change: their website. It looks outdated, and to compete with the current restaurants and growing businesses in downtown Raleigh, they need to have a better website as well as a better presence on social media. Overall, a great restaurant and wonderful food! read more

Tuscan Blu - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Deliscious! Ingredients including herbs were very fresh. The tomatoes used to make the sauce tasted as if they had just been plucked from a garden. They tasted like tomatoes are supposed to taste. Prices were quite moderate (menu is available on their website). The only disappointment was that their crab supplier was late so I couldn't order the crab dish that was highly recommended. Instead I ordered a shrimp based dish and was so happy I didn't feel like I missed anything. We had a party of 8 at the table and everyone was extremely happy with their meal. Part of the party goes there regularly and the rest will certainly be back. read more

Unfortunately, staff was unpleasant, and food was underwhelming. Bottles of wine can be bought for 10-12$ at Wegmans but bought for 20-40$ at this restaurant. Would not recommend. Granted some members of our party enjoyed their dishes so perhaps some food is good but not all. The owner seemed nice and lively so I would go back due to his vivacious personality but unfortunately the cold food and rude staff did not do him any justice. My husband's lasagna was cold and my chicken was cold and salty. My husband will eat anything so he finished my plate and I went across the street and ate a hot dog. Ambience was lovely and the decor was well thought of. There were dim lit candles and an air of elegance that filled the room. Overall, perhaps we went on an off night as others highly recommended this establishment but, I don't think we will go back. Hope someone has a better experience than we did. read more

Simply the best Italian food you can find. Great setting, service was great! Owner was very kind and attentive! Would highly recommend Tuscan Blu! Being someone who used to love Olive Garden I have been won over by Tuscan, the food is incredible!! read more

I always have a great meal at Tuscan Blu. This time I went there as a part of restaurant week and it did not disappoint. Great food and great service! read more

First timers and we will definitely be back. The Calamari was the best I have had in the Raleigh area. Also have Lasagna, Lobster ravioli and the Portabello stuffed ravioli were to die for. Best of all, the service from Hillary was worth the trip in and the return. The owners were extremely personable and welcoming. Greg and Jackie Z read more

Excellent food and excellent service ! Our first visit to this Restaurant and won't be our last. Authentic Italian, Highly recommend :) read more

Tuscan Blu - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I met my sister here for a quick lunch and we really enjoyed it. The table bread and oil was very good. We got the caprese and a house salad, neither of which were particularly impressive. The showstopper as some other reviews have mentioned was the fiocchi. I have never had a pasta dish like this, the pink sauce was so flavorful and the pear and cheese pasta filling was unique and delicious. I would probably return just for that dish. read more

Great food and great service! We came here with a group of 40 and they got us all in and out in a hour and a half. The food was great, and I couldn't wait to eat every bite of my Penne Buttera. read more

Italian food, with a side of ineptitude. No food is worth compromising your rights or dignity of others. There are times when you must speak and this is one. My husband and I visited Tuscan Blu because of WTVD did a review of the restaurant. This review showed beautifully prepared Italian cuisine. When we first arrived we were seated. It was a small venue but their was a private party and another large party seated. It took over 15 minutes to receive water. Several more minutes passed and they came to take an order for an appetizer. The wait staff was hyper focused on the private party and not on the main hall. Once our appetizer arrived ---it took over an hour for our actual meal to come out. No apology or explanation. No one came back to check offer anything or communicate why there was a delay. The large party behind us still did not have their appetizers ... A large dispute with this party and the owner progressed. They asked for their checks to pay for their drinks and the appetizers they ate but stated they had already waited 2 hours and did not want to wait any longer for the food. The owner became irate and started to yell, saying he was going to charge them for the food regardless. He told them to sit down and finish waiting for their food. He blamed them for bringing a large party. He said when they come back again he will charge their cards upfront. He then proceeded to stand right behind one of the patrons and yell. He blocked the door so they could not leave. Another 15-20 minutes passed and plates started to come out to their table. He forced them to stay and eat. They were afraid of his aggressive behavior when they asked to leave. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN INEPT DISPLAY FROM A RESTAURANT OWNER. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN RACIALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL BLACK. There were other Black patrons there---he went to the tables with White patrons to explain/apologizing for the display. He never came the table of any of the Black patrons. read more

Delicious--really, delicious--food; perfect portion size (not too big--I could enjoy wine and dessert along with an entree); fabulous, attentive wait staff; no rush for my leisurely date night. (No evidence at all of any negative attitudes as mentioned in some reviews either.) Highly recommend. I will definitely go back. read more

After reading many outstanding reviews on Facebook about this restaurant, I picked this place during restaurant week to celebrate my birthday, NEVER AGAIN. My food came out 15 minutes after the others in my party. I ordered the New York Strip, it was very fatty and undercooked. After one bite, which took 5 minutes to chew. I gave up and asked for a box. I told the manager about my experience and he acted as if I was lying and that I should pay $30.00 for a steak that was inedible. He was extremely rude and unapologetic. My advice to you if you are thinking of eating here....DON'T! read more

The owner sits at the table drinking with a group of friends and walks around standing and just staring at tables without saying anything. We brought to his attention that my aunt (it was her birthday) received her food almost 20 minutes after the rest of us. He asked what does she want from him.. then took $10 off without coming back or apologizing. They have wait staff who are not not trained and almost gave us a free meal unknowingly ( I'm glad we're honest people). I will not be spending my money here again and I hope this makes you think twice before spending your hard earned money here. read more

I do not rate many places a 5 because I think there is always room to improve. However, this is hands down some of the best and true Italian food I have had. I had the fettuccine and my wife had the lobster bisque and a salad. Both were great meals. Staff were all great, we will be back. read more

Amazing service and food to die for. Definitely enjoyed the night out with the family and finishing it with Tuscan Blu was extraordinary. If you have a taste for Italian cuisine than you should come check out Tuscan Blu! read more

My wife and I went for a late lunch on a Saturday (just after opening at 2PM.) We were one of the first to enter the restaurant, so keep that in mind when reading my review. The food was wonderful and the service was top-notch. There was nothing of concern at all. We had the Tuscan Sausage Bites, Ravioli Toscani, and Lasagna Della Nonna. Food was excellent. The server was pleasant and very attentive. I have no hesitation in recommending this restaurant if you want a wonderful dinner in a peaceful historic setting. We were a bit concerned about the few negative reviews. There are some people that will always complain, or maybe they caught the owner on a bad day. The owner is obviously proud of the quality of the food prepared in his restaurant (as he should be) and insulting him is not productive. The restaurant is in a beautifully converted historic warehouse building. Complaints about the location near the train station/railways are pretty silly. Be sure to stop by the chocolate factory store for a special treat on your way to the parking lot. read more

We dined during restaurant week, maybe not a good judge of service or food. It was noisy, couldn't heard server, fish portion meal was tiny. Had to ask for refill on drinks. We'll try again sometime.p read more

Excellent! I never realized that seafood at an Italian restaurant could be this good. There must be something more to this place. I will definitely be coming back. read more

I took my family (party of 5) there tonight March 24th 2018 and went in and told the owner/manager that we have come here for our 22nd wedding anniversary, hoping that he will get the clue that it was an important night for the family. We were seated and sat there for good 30-45 minutes without any sign of a waiter that is when we were served water, our order came after about an hour of placing order and nothing in between to munch finally we were greeted by cold food no one filled the water. Finally I complained to the waiter who said thank you and did nothing. We cam back think this happens when you inform them of the importance. read more

My meal on Thursday was absolutely delicious. Real Italian food prepared by an actual Italian chef.

Good food I ate here a week ago. There's an awesome beer joint called tastey beverage right beside it, with a patio with tables, I frequent this place just to grab a beer after work. Just now I saw the owner come out to sit down and dicking around on his phone, I took a sip of my beer and decided to approach him and compliment him on his food and establishment. I asked him if it was his restaurant, he looked me up and down like I was trash and said "yeah..." with a very unfriendly\unwelcoming bravado and demeanor. I told him I'm sorry to bother you but i wanted to let you know I enjoy your food. He looked at me like I was wasting his time and almost treated me as if he thought I would ask him for money...I planned on bringing a lady friend here tonight but I will not give my money to someone who treats people like trash because of their own ignorance. read more

Restaurant calamari was great. Service friendly Nice and Cosy family restaurant Offered free WiFi as well as cell signal in this area is awful. Good value for money. read more

Food was decent with good variety on the menu. However, the service was straight up awful. Our waiter appeared not to understand English very well and was totally inattentive. We ordered an appetizer that never came, and when it was mentioned to him at the end of the meal his only response was to offer to put it in a to go box. We could not get basic drinks or their complimentary bread without flagging him down to ask for it. We were also squeezed between two other couples who appeared to likewise have a bad experience with him, with one of them telling us "good luck" on their way out. Only tried it because I couldn't get a reservation at Caffe Luna/Gravy/Bellamonica for our desired time and date and it was definitely a bust. There are too many other places in Raleigh to check out to waste another date night here. read more

We used to love Tuscan Blu, but things have changed, went there this evening for Valentine's Day, I usually take lobster ravioli, decided to try Lasagna... woof!! Horrible, tasted like frozen pre-made dish... owner used to pass by tables, we have been there at least 12 times, this evening not friendly at all. Was my last time there... get much better welcome at Enrigos Waverly place. Thanks Tuscan blu for making this special occasion just blah... too bad we used to love this restaurant.. read more

Great atmosphere with food to match. Osso Bucco was delicious. Pasta was al dente. Great Italian dining downtown.

Small little restaurant with great service and flawless food. Not much else to say. Highly recommend trying it. Prices aren't bad at all, you can get a 3 course meal for $22 and you won't leave hungry. read more

We enjoyed our lunch here. For $10 you get bread basket, house salad, and a choice of authentic Italian entree/paste. You cannot beat the value. The server is very friendly and the wait time is short. read more

After spending the better part of a month planning out a weekend downtown for a friend from out-of-state, imagine our horror to discover that the italian restaurant we picked out on a whim was the worst restaurant we'd been to in Raleigh. The service here was incredibly slow. After promplty being seated, we were met with a much longer wait than I would have expected for a simple preliminary drink order to be taken. After our waitress provided our drinks, it was an even longer wait until she collected our orders for appetizers - so long, in fact, that we'd all already picked out our entrees. The calamari we picked out was on the soggy side, and when I ordered a beer to accompany the dish, the waitress completely forgot my order after receiving it. After another extensive wait, another gentleman arrived at our table with our entrees, and was very angry when asking who had which dish went to who, even though all but two of our group had ordered the same chicken parmesan meal. When trying to let him know who had ordered what, he grew impatient with us, rolling his eyes and storming off after setting down the plates. It left the whole group with a dark cloud over our dining experience, feeling confused as to what we had done so wrong to desrve that kind of treatment. As for the parmesan chicken - served with with a side of bowtie pasta - it wasn't anything special. The chicken had a rubbery texture, and the pasta was bland. Our waitress gave us only the most surface-level regard, and the time between our finishing the meal and actually receiving a check actually topped out at over half an hour. We finally had to flag someone down and ask for it ourselves in the end. What was supposed to be a fun saturday downtown ended up ruined by the atrocious service provided at Tuscan Blu. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. read more

Visiting from out of town on my birthday, what I lovely discovery, we had no reservation and the owners (Maurizio and Patricia) welcomed us all 7 and fixed us a table right away. Food was amazing, we had lobster ravioli, New York strip, everything was delicious! Best service and food what more can you ask. We'll definitely come back! Thank you! read more

Had a very nice holiday luncheon here. We ordered lasagna and fettuccine with chicken, which came with two side salads and warm bread. Both dishes were delicious and the portion-sizes were generous. Having had lots of average pasta over the years, it was great find a place with authentic Italian food in Raleigh's Warehouse district. The owner/manager was very gracious and checked on our table twice during our meal. It was clear she took great pride in what her restaurant turns out. Look forward to the next time we can visit Tuscan Blu. Clayton read more

One of my favorite Italian restaurants...I always have a hard time picking dishes; the foicchi is superb...I have to get it every time. Although it is listed as an entree, I like to order as an app to share and then get the penne a la vodka with chicken or one of their specials...and their lasagna is AWESOME! The wait staff was very attentive and pleasant...the owner/chef also was very welcoming and made sure we were having a great meal....we will continue to come back, gotta get that foicchi! read more