I learned the hard way to read reviews before getting food here! I ordered take out staff seemed nice but very disappointed in food! Almost 10.00 for lobster bisque that didn't even have a piece of lobster in it! My husbands lasagna looked like a child size potion covered with sauce! We don't want anything for free we just won't be back or recommend to anyone! I asked my hair dresser if she had tried this restaurant and she said no I just texted her if anyone else asks to tell them not recommended! read more

Went with big party. Mixed drinks were not good. Apps were below average and small. Mains were all good. Just as others have stated service was terrible. Servers were rude and condescending. Interrupted our conversations continuously with attempts to sell us something else. About 10 minutes after apps started we asked for oil and vinegar. We quickly learned why the staff sucks. The owner loudly informs us from his perch by the front door "it will be served with the bread just like every time!!" We just smiled knowing it was now 15 minutes since bread and apps were put on the out and no oil and vinegar was to be found. As I said the food was good but not worth the hassle of dealing with the owner and staff. The worst part was we could not tip appropriately because the large party surcharge was already applied. Save yourself the hassle and go somewhere where they appreciate your business. read more

Excellent, excellent service and taste! I went with a big group and they didn't skip a beat. Thank you!

These guys are over the top. Their service is incredible and they remember our names. Absolutely could not be more lucky to have such an authentic Italian restaurant in Raleigh. read more

Terrible dinner experience. There were a few bad reviews but many good so we hoped for the best hoping to enjoy a nice Italian meal with my son, husband, and elderly parents. We were confused as to why we could not order a glass of Pinot but indulged in a bottle. And the bread was good. But we were served calamari with ICE cold sauce. We were told by the man sitting by the door who I assume is the owner that that is the only way he ever serves it ? So we asked for it to we warmed up. Then our two steaks came out. Apparently they were cold because that is how medium rare food is- "how can it be warm if it's medium rare", as he proceeded to cut into the middle of my fathers plate. He took the steak back but charged $15 for the two bites "Open Food". My mothers linguini was ICE cold. And I guess we should have asked but lobster ravioli only comes with 4 SMALL ravioli. The icing on the cake was the owner being completely classless telling us to go back to NY. He will serve food cold or however he wants.... And if my husband hadn't lost his mind by then, the owner referring to me in a derogatory manner did put him over the edge. No excuse for cold food but no excuse for tolerance for disrespect from a business owner to a paying customer. Sadly not a good night. read more

We had reservations for a small wedding reception we spoke with the owner several times we were supposed to be placed in a private dining area and we were told we could do " anything we wanted for decor". When we arrived we were placed in the main dining area and while we were setting up the owner told us we never asked about bringing in a photo board which we did three times in our phone calls. He must of told us 5 times in front of all our guests and his staff that we never asked when we said we'd take it outside he said no it's here now but you never asked. Both the bride and groom were extremely upset. After that we packed up everything and went elsewhere as we were leaving he just sat on a stool by the door and stared at us. He was rude and ignorant please do yourself a favor and avoid this establishment. Can't say how the food was and never will. read more

Came here during restaurant week for dinner. They had two sets of dinner prices, one $20 menu and one $30 menu. We tried both and found both to be very tasty. The caesar was salad was very flavorful. The chocolate mousse cake and the cheesecake require special mention. We were already quite full from the salad and entree but couldn't stop eating the desserts! The place has a lovely old world charm and the servers were friendly and helpful. read more

See all

Had a reservation for 2. When seated by host, we were crammed into the middle of other small tables which were too small to set drinks and appetizers and plates without having to pick up multiple items just to help the servers place the order on our table. Prior to seating, I inquired about a table for 2 next to the window which happened to have a third chair. The host sternly replied that it is reserved for a party of 3. About 30 minutes later, two women were seated at the vacant table. No third person ever showed. So the host misled us or perhaps lied to us. Our server hovered several times and while courteous didn't seem to know when to leave customers alone to enjoy the food and conversation. Gorgonzola and tomato stuffed mushroom was very tasty (5 stars for that element of our meal). When dinner came, we had to help rearrange items and glasses on our table again. Finally, when we got to dessert, we asked about a dessert menu. The server said, "Oh, we are not serving dessert tonight." Bummer. There was a large party in the other part of the restaurant and they were loud and obviously took precedence over regular customers. I had to ask about validation for parking in the pay lot outside. The rest of the food was good, not great. Bread was a bit stale. Will not be returning - not worth the many hassles I encountered. read more

Made reservations for my Aunt's 40th birthday (1/29/22), hoping this would highlight her day. The food was good but the service was not as friendly as I expected. I appreciate the staff for being quick and direct but we as a group didn't feel well received.No smiling or personable conversation with our Server. The selection of wine was great but no variety of cocktails. I would still recommend based off the food. read more

Tuscan Blu - Penne Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Stopped at this restaurant to celebrate my fiancé's birthday. We were in town for 2 days and decided on this gem to round out our night after taking engagement photos. We absolutely love Italian food and were excited to try a new place. The service was wonderful, even on a later Wednesday evening, and the ambiance was perfect. But the food outshined the entire experience. Never have we even tasted such amazing Italian food - it's apparent there is care and a level of quality placed in the food cooked and served here. Tuscan Blu has raised the bar and is now the standard for us! Upon leaving, the restaurant owner took the time to walk us out and sincerely thank us for visiting. If you're looking for a restaurant that is an experience, please look no further!! We cannot wait to come back when we're back in town!! read more

Food was cold, bland or late a couple orders were brought out wrong and when the owner was made aware of this he argued and tried to make out party look foolish don't eat here plus the soda they served us were in bottles and expired 6 months earlier Response to owner The whole party had masks and made sure they were in when they left the table to do anything. Plates we clean because everything was put in boxes because no one wanted to throw away the food they had just spent a average of $20 a plate on stop using a global pandemic that everyone dealt with as an excuse for poor service which is a common thread in all reviews. Also you didn't have a mask when you were in peoples face telling them they were wrong for complaining. read more

Authentic Italian deliciousness in a intimate atmosphere. Great wine list & excellent service. Easy free parking for busy downtown Raleigh was a plus. We parked right at the door. read more

We lucked out on a Saturday night with a party of 6 and no reservations anywhere. We checked out the menu outside, a quick look at Yelp and they were able to seat us right away! Score. Appetizers included the bruschetta which apparently was really good, (I was too slow), but I did grab some of the calamari which was lightly breaded and very fresh tasting. Everyone had a different entree, and everyone commented about how good everything was. My only complaint about my linguini diavolo was that it wasn't spicy at all, though my shrimp were perfectly cool. The penne a la vodka was the best one of our party had ever eaten. The service was excellent. Attentive and informative. Everything is made with a sense of pride. Something to be said about that. Would I come back? Yes. I would. I'd come back with my wife, for sure. She has a lot of Italian blood in her, and she lived the food here. read more

I nor my friends will be returning to this establishment. I dined with a large party. There wasn't anything extravagant about the food, but it was decent and so was the service. However, when the time to pay came -- the restaurant lost my debit card and then accused me of not giving them a card multiple times as they couldn't find it. My debit card was found with the coffee and there was no apology for accusing me of not giving them payment. The older man who I perceive to be the owner was unfriendly as a baseline and very rude during the entire encounter. He took no accountability. Several times he told me that they couldn't find it like I was just supposed to pay with another card and leave without the one they lost. After they found my card, I gave them a different one to pay with since I had locked that one. Then they refused to give me a receipt stating that the printer wasn't working anymore. The server apologized outside after I had already walked out and brought a copy of my receipt -- for the bill which I paid in full. A mess. read more

We had the most incredible dinner at Tuscan Blu on a Friday night! We got to Raleigh and immediately started planning our supper plans. I called Tuscan Blu and was able to get a reservation for an eight o'clock supper. When we arrived, we were greeted by the owner and given a very nice little table outside on the patio. It was a nice night and a perfect Al Fresco dining experience. We ordered a great bottle of Super Tuscan to split. The wine list here is absolutely spectacular! We started with an order of Calamari. It was delicious, and the calamari "rings" were some of the largest I have seen anywhere. From there, we split a Caesar salad. It was divine. The dressing had just the right amount of dijon mustard and the fresh parmesan was outstanding. It was served ice cold and was perfect to split. For entrees, my SO had the Veal Parmesan. It was outstanding. He ate every bite. I had the Penne a la Vodka, which came with cut up salmon in it. It was delicious and light, and fit the bill for a nice summer supper. We were stuffed and couldn't find room for dessert, but we will be smart next time and show up hungrier. The service was wonderful. The staff works together impressively to refill water glasses and pour wine, as well as run food. We enjoyed our supper there and will go back next time we are in Raleigh. Tuscan Blu is a friendly and refined Italian restaurant where you will always be treated well and the food will always be spectacular. read more

Good service, kinda onerous parking/payment situation and food was fine. Not sure how many good Italian places are in the area but my guess is not many because this place is a solid meh, and doesn't seem pushed to do better. read more

Great restaurant with a great atmosphere and great food. Nice tucked away restaurant that everyone should try.

One and done for us. Our first encounter was with the owner sitting at the door...RUDE. We had a reservation, yet we were squeezed into a small table between other tables. The Caprese salad (how do you mess this up?) was meh. The tomatoes were mealy, the slices of obviously store bought mozzarella were small. There was no balsamic drizzle and no basil. My seafood over linguini was drowning in a spicey sauce. The menu described as evoo with a touch of tomato. The fish was supposed to be a combo of shrimp calamari, scallops and clams. There were no clams, only calamari tentacles, two tiny scallops and shrimp. My husband ordered the lasagna. He said it was tasty once he got past the sauce it was swimming in. The real shocker came when the bill arrived. The coke I ordered (came in a16 oz bottle, but they told me this upfront) was $4.95!!!! read more

Had reservations here for the night before the Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh Marathon/Half Marathon 2015. Giving it a solid 4 stars. Laid back and casual, must be "mom & pop" place since we were warmly greeted by a gentleman at the door and seated very promptly. Our server Lucas was super nice and we just proceeded to have a nice evening meal. Oil and bread was brought to the table - the bread nice and hot. Couple of different roll variety since I noticed some of the bread had a flaky crust while others were softer. The oil had a small kick (red pepper flakes in it) in a good way. I ordered the Rigatoni alla Norma. Japanese eggplant sauteed in fresh tomato sauce and topped with goat cheese. Perfecto. I also had a Cesar salad - nice way to balance all the heaviness. It was nicely dressed and had an ample number of croutons. The one snag in our meal was that someone ordered calamari for the table, but it never came. Later our waiter came by and realized he had forgotten to put it on the order, but luckily there was plenty of food, we were probably better off without it. We did order a tiramisu to share for dessert. Creamy and sweet (but not overly) it was a nice way to end the meal. Parking is a little tricky in this shopping center, but the parking lot is quite unique. Old cobblestones make the drive, but it doesn't look the parking lot can accommodate all the neighboring restaurants and shops. Luckily there is an abundance of street parking. read more

absolutely horrible, from wait staff to food. Hostess and waiter were unfriendly and rude. I asked the waiter for extra bread since there were ten of us and got only few pieces of bread, he argued that he brought enough already and he will bring more with the meal. The chicken Alfredo I ordered was absolutely tasteless and the cubes of chicken that came with it were dry as if has been reconstituted and old. My wife's chicken parmigiana was smothered with tomato paste . The house salad was skimpy with just some lettuce, spinach and few cherry tomatoes. Very disappointing. read more

This place has great decor, and that is the only positive thing I can find to say about it. The staff wasn't rude, but that's probably because they spent most of their time not delivering things to our table, and staying so far away that there was no way to catch their eye. We ordered a starter of meat and cheese. Our waitress took 30 minutes, and forgot about it, bringing out mains instead. When we reminded her she took the mains away, and took another 10 minutes to bring out a plate of cold sliced meat and cold sliced cheese- this requires absolutely NO cooking! There's no reason it should take longer than a few minutes to slice up some cheese and meat. When we finished these she brought out our mains which had clearly just been sitting on the side getting cold. I got a tortellini in tomato sauce. The sauce was acidic, and extremely unpleasant. The filled pasta was tough, and cold. I hadn't the energy to flag someone down and ask for the food to be reheated. Even if I had tried there was no one on the floor. My husband got the penne with vodka sauce. There was a reasonable portion of fish, but the sauce was bland, tasteless, and not worth even half the money. It took about 2 hours from start to finish to get one cold starter and two mains. We had been told there would be a tiny piece of chocolate cake for my husband, as it was his birthday dinner, but by the time the mains arrived we couldn't wait to leave. It took another 20 minutes to get the bill. By this time I noticed that at a table in the corner another woman was getting really upset because their billing was taking ages as well. I wish I could give this place negative stars. The food is outrageously priced considering that Chef Boyardee tastes better and the service is practically non existent, except when they're bringing you the wrong stuff. I wish I had photos but the lighting was terrible, and for most of the evening there was no food on the table. Horrible. read more

Will never go back - owner should be ashamed of himself. Our private party of 25 was opened with vulgar orders to "have a seat" My family travelled from all over the country and we were greeting each other as we arrived to the restaurant. The waitstaff were wonderful, hospitable, and handled several issues with food coming from the kitchen. Caprese salad no basil, salad no dressing (never even got delivered) pasta w/ sauce not butter (for a baby 1 year old) Gave us toddler silverware (cute idea) porcelain plates not even an option for 1 year old. We served baby on the table & there were stains on the white table cloth (she wouldn't have had sauce if they got the order right...just saying). Owner not only gave us dirty looks all night long - but came over to our table 3x's: 1st commenting saying we would have to pay for table cloth, 2nd time yelling that child could have sat somewhere else, 3rd time Big Belly in my face flailing his arms in Italian man fashion yelling & demanding we take the clothe home. I have never EVER felt so invaded in my personal space in a situation like this. Even if the food was (which is was not) amazing we will not be returning & highly suggest his qualified staff move on and find someone else to work for. If he was like that to his guests I can't even imagine how he treats his help. read more

Usually not the kind who writes reviews, but had to put this out so others won't have to face this treatment.. We were there for a birthday party and had checked before hand that they were OK with us bringing a cake from outside.. However, on the day, the owner asked us to pay $5 per person for a cake we bought from outside! and to top it all he went on to make racist comments while he was drinking away.. horrible experience and abysmal customer service.. read more

Husband and I went here for dinner last night for the second time.Let me start by saying we are Italians from Bklyn NY and we know authentic Italian food. This place is perfect across the board. The food,wine,service and atmosphere are just outstanding. The owner was extremely friendly and attentive,as was the waiter Brian.We enjoyed every bit of our experience here.We will definitely be back. read more

Classic example when bad customer service supersedes food. It doesn't matter how great is the food, when customers are treated badly. My first visit to this restaurant to celebrate a friend's birthday. Our group were the only people in the restaurant other than a waiter, waitress and the owner with his 2 friends sitting on another table and drinking. As it was a birthday celebration we were a bit excited, which was stated as too loud. To which we adhered, however the owner went on to pass racist comments. He said "I don't care if you guys don't come back and I don't need business from people like you" When people with ignorance and lack of service industry etiquettes end up opening restaurants, they should include in their website only certain type of people are invited and others are not.. it will be helpful and people won't waste there time going there. In this digital age, when old school racist behavior in restaurants like these surpass decency it's better to avoid them. Trust me you won't miss anything special that you won't get in a decent Italian restaurant. My reviews for this restaurant will be negative scoring if possible. Definitely the worst restaurant I visited in Raleigh. I did read a few google reviews before giving my comments to find the owner responds to negative comments as "customers were drunk" or blaming the customers. Please don't believe that as many of us in the our group didn't drink at the restaurant. Additionally if you read google reviews you will find there are others who have had bad experience. read more

I was surprised to see the mixed reviews here because I was pretty impressed. We had been looking for a good Italian option downtown, and I think we have found it. It is really nice that it located in "The Depot" in the Warehouse district. The depot provides for free parking which is great, because parking can definitely be challenging in the area. The service was good, and 9 people ordered several different dishes and all were pleased. I had the fettuccini alfredo, and I loved the deliciousness of the alfredo sauce. It was so buttery and tasty. read more

DO NOT GO HERE! GRAVY Italian is better....I am gluten free and waiter totally forgot! Thank god I asked when the food came because it could have been a huge problem. The waiter who had no personality said it would be 10 more minutes to redo. 20 plus minutes later and after my son who had finished his meal my food was delivered. I thought no way they would charge us but they did. I asked for manager and as I'm reading the reviews I got the nasty owner. I just thought that my meal should be taken off! He was very rude and I decided to pay my meal and be the bigger person but I will never go back. And I have never in my life been to an Italian restaurant where you cannot order a glass of wine? Only the half bottle. GRAVY is the best in town and the owner and staff care about customer service! read more

I chose this place for my birthday dinner. Should've known something wasn't right when I walked in to the smell of nothing! The food along with the waitresses were HORRIBLE. I started off with an order of "jumbo shrimp tossed in their special sauce" which just tasted like plain grilled shrimp. Then I proceeded to order Ravioli Toscani with Pesto sauce, unfortunately that had no flavor as well. Don't waste your money here like me! read more

Let me start by saying - this was the worst dining experience that we had in a long time - I mean we all have some bad experiences - restaurant business is tough we understand - maybe the server is having a bad day or the chef is not in at his best that day - but when the owner of the restaurant goes at great lengths to spoil the evening for you - that is another level. We reserved the restaurant for one of our friend's milestone Bday - for later half of the evening near the close time. We slowly gathered and there was no one else in there except owner and 2 of his friends sitting/eating and drinking. Many times during our brief 40 mins stay there- we were told that we all are too loud - we need to be sitting down all the time - and that we are disturbing others - when no one else was in there. Then came the fun part when we asked the server to get small plates for cake cutting - he clearly told us that owner mentioned $5 surcharge for each person present there if we need to do that - but when our friend reserved the place he clearly asked and they mentioned " no problem - there is no extra $$ for that" . We talked with the owner and he became very loud - stating he can't do this because not everyone has ordered food - he passed few racist comments which everyone in the group heard - stating he doesn't want business from our kind of people etc etc. We all confronted him but then he went back to his little table and kept drinking with his friends. This was a nightmare of experience - wish we had read a few comments from other customers with similar experience at this restaurant. People like to experience different places not only for the food but for the experience/ambiance as well - this is a mediocre place for food and worst place to ruin your special day - when all your near and dear ones are little excited. I'd give negative reviews/stars if possible - but in all - avoid the place if you can. read more

I love this restaurant. The food, service, and atmosphere is perfect. My fiancé and I love dining here...we've been going here for years because it's such a nice and romantic place. The owners are very friendly and make their way to every table to connect with the customers and to make sure each person is satisfied with everything. Keep up the great work read more

Food was great ! Staff was super nice ! Seemed a little boring upon arrival but the food was great so it made up for the environment initially. read more

What a find! I am originally a New Yorker who has traveled to Italy many times and this was a good as eating in Little Italy in NY and Dining in a restaurant in Tuscany! I highly recommend this little gem! read more

The whole experience here was fantastic and the food was just extraordinary. I was traveling on business and found this gem of a place that I will return to every time I'm in town. This is true, authentic Italian food - but with a couple of dishes I've never tried before- in an environment that reminds me of the nicer small, family-owned and run businesses I grew up with in Little Italy. The food was just some of the best I've had and the ambiance was exactly what I would hope for in a welcoming, relaxing Italian restaurant. read more

LUNCH STEAL!!! Popped in for lunch on a Thursday. They weren't very busy but the service was plenty attentive! I ordered the Lasagna and was given bread and a small salad before my meal. Everything was delicious! And only $11 for a lot of food. I'm impressed and will be back! read more

Stopped in for a drink before walking around at First Friday, March, 2017. We felt rushed as there was a large party due at 6:00 PM ( we arrived about 5:15 P.M.). Mr. Maurizio, the owner, was far less than welcoming... Our server poured a red wine and made a Gin & Tonic. Although neither required any particular skill the total for these two drinks was $18.86. After review, this cost is well above the average for a bar downtown. When handed the bill, we paid by card and specifically left off a tip. Our statement reflected an additional charge of $2.00 for a total of $20.86. I would remind all businesses that a tip is to be given by the patrons, not taken by the business. read more

Went there for the first time. Great Location! Parking available right out front! Cozy nice atmosphere! Food ? Our waiter, who showed up wearing sunglasses at a night time seating, took our order. Then came back 20 minutes later saying he forgot to put the order in. Then asked if we still wanted everything. Then came back to say they found the order and our main course is almost ready - do we still want the appetizer? I said, "no please maybe if later, maybe not at all." He proceeds to bring out the appetizer and then said "its ready now did you want it?" I should have said no. For an antipasto appetizer it had to be the least appealing one ever presented to me; 2 cheeses and 1 type of sliced deli meat, no pickled anything, no olives, ... Then our main food came out 3 minutes later. Apparently, the waiter placed the order in for table number 56. They do not have a table 56. We were at table 3. So the food had been ready for a while, sitting there getting cold, and served anyway (probably after a quick stint in the micro wave). Nothing was comped. Even though they knew that we knew it was a waiter error. Nothing was remade knowing our dishes were just sitting out and getting cold. Nothing was offered in way of a sincere apology like a dessert, or discount next time we come in nothing. I was embarrassed for the wait staff, the servers, but mostly the management. Good Luck hope your experience was better than ours! read more

I went during restaurant week. I really enjoyed the food. The food tasted authentic and delicious. I heard they have a lunch special daily and I'm excited to go back. The staff was also very nice and the chief came and asked how we liked our meals. The food portion was enough to fill us up. I enjoyed our experience. read more

Worst restaurant experience in years. The food was not great. They brought the wrong bottle of wine, but we didn't realize it because (unlike most restaurants) they didn't show us the label before uncorking the bottle and didn't offer us a taste before pouring the glasses. Our waitress took our order and then never stopped by for the rest of the meal. Literally, not once. We had to ask 3 different waiters to bring us our check before one of them finally obliged. The owner of the restaurant was getting snappy with his staff - right in front of us - and then did the same in front of others. They seated us at a 2-top table which was unnecessarily close to another 2-top. And when the other couple asked for a different table (of which there were plenty to choose from), the owner said no. Also, they refused to bring out bread before the appetizers. And when they finally brought the bread and appetizers, we had about 90 seconds to try it before our entrees arrived. And did I mention the food was not great? read more

If you are looking for traditional Italian, seriously look no further. I have eaten food all over the world and I was so very pleasantly surprised. I originally stopped in for a glass of wine on Raleigh's First Friday's! I came for (A) glass and stayed for appetizers that blew my mind and DINNER! lol The very unassuming Tuscan Blu serves up an Amazing experience! The food was so delicious that I have become a regular! I love this place! So! If you are in town or on business or are a local, YOU HAVE GOT TO STOP IN!!! The owner is always there. You will not be disappointed. read more

In a word, phenomenal. I dine out frequently, and in every city I go to, I always try an Italian restaurant, but the menu at Tuscan Blu was some of the best food I have ever had. The Fiocchi in particular was divine, unique, and will not disappoint. If you want authentic Italian, look no further. Furthermore, aside from the amazing food, the service was amazing. Very genuine owner, who is always available to give recommendations. And the décor is also perfect for a special night; the exposed brick gives a rustic feel, and the lighting helps create a quiet and intimate mood. read more