The lunch we had was fabulous, great service, beautiful ambiance, and well priced! Highly…read morerecommend the salmon and Pasta Alfredo with shrimp.

Azzurri had the freshest, most generously portioned, most reasonably priced, and most delicious…read moreItalian food I've had in Newport News. While others may have a more extensive wine list, Azzurri blends family-friendly comfort food with a warm, inviting, and clean atmosphere. Pair that with the friendly, personable staff and restaurant full of regulars and locals, and you have a winner all around. I even saw one couple walk in, hold up two fingers, and were recognized and seated immediately by the owner (by the way, this place is owned and run by a family--one gentleman even cooks in the kitchen some while his mother serves guests.) I've ordered the same dish elsewhere and this was the best I've had. It was absolutely clear to me that everything truly was homemade. If I had any suggestions, it would be a more extensive wine list and olives in the house salad! But that's trivial really, because this place is already a total gem. I look forward to many more meals here. Not pictured here is the pizza; a local fan favorite that I can vouch for.

I decided to give Mamma Rosa's a try for takeout dinner, and unfortunately, it was a bit of a mixed…read moreexperience. I ordered the Italian sub, chicken marsala, and a Greek salad. The highlight of the meal was definitely the Italian sub. I added sweet peppers, and that was absolutely the right move. It was fresh, flavorful, and packed with quality meats and toppings. If I come back, it will be for the sub alone--and maybe to give one of their pizzas a try. The chicken marsala, however, was a letdown. The chicken cutlet was thicker than I prefer and ended up being a little tough. More importantly, the marsala sauce lacked the rich, hearty flavor that makes this dish so comforting. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't have the depth or savory mushroom-forward flavor I was expecting. Overall, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The Greek salad was fresh and a nice addition to the meal, but it wasn't enough to make up for the disappointment of the entrée. Since this was a takeout order, I can't really comment much on the overall service. The young lady who handed me my food wasn't particularly friendly, but she wasn't rude either--just kind of neutral. The interaction was quick and uneventful. Overall, Mamma Rosa's wasn't a bad experience, but it also wasn't one that left me eager to return. The Italian sub was excellent and is the only thing that would bring me back, along with maybe trying a pizza. As for the pasta dishes, I don't think I'd order those again

Ok want to visit a hidden gem located in the Phoebus area of Hampton? You must have a meal at…read moreMamma Rosa's Italian Restaurant. Having dinner with friends, the food was phenomenal. I ordered a veggie pizza, which was really delicious. The pizza was large enough to provide me several extra meals with what I took home. My friends all had various pasta meals which they really enjoyed. I will be back! By the way our server was very attentive and the owner stopped by to check on us. Very pleasant evening.

Wasn't impressed with the staff at all. Slow and inattentive. Food portion is really good but…read morethey charge so much to share. The sauce is a darkish brown which looked unappetizing to me. The garlic knits were so hard I couldn't eat them. I'm sure it's good to most people, but with the prices and staff I wouldn't go back.

Unfortunately, our experience here as a party of seven was pretty disappointing…read more It started with the seating. Two small tables were pushed together, leaving three people on each side and one person crammed onto the end, with someone essentially sitting at the crease between the tables. When we asked for something larger, the waiter/hostess immediately told us no because they were "about to get busy." That really set the tone. It felt like they were more concerned about customers who might come later than the seven customers already there. The biggest issue was how my wife's allergies were handled. She has wheat, nut, and soy allergies. The waitress seemed flustered and eventually told us the only thing she could eat was grilled chicken and vegetables. When we asked to speak with the chef to see if there were any other possibilities, the waitress responded, "You thought you could eat at an Italian restaurant?" in a tone that came across as borderline accusatory. We were told the chef was also the manager and that he had already said chicken and vegetables were her only option. My wife ultimately ordered no food and sat there while the rest of us ate. Despite knowing this and knowing we had specifically asked to speak with him, the chef/manager never came to our table. Not even to say, "Sorry we couldn't accommodate you." Nothing. I don't expect every restaurant to accommodate every allergy, but I do expect a manager to at least acknowledge a guest who couldn't eat, especially after we specifically asked to speak with him. The garlic knots were cold and hard, and even the fresh batch we waited about 15 minutes for wasn't much better. My five-year-old took one bite and wouldn't eat another. I ordered an eggplant dish and thought the marinara was extremely thick and sour. I left probably 90% of my meal untouched, yet the waitress never once asked if there was something wrong with it. Service throughout the meal was awkward as well, including repeatedly passing plates over me and my five-year-old son. At one point I actually had to get up and move him so she could serve the other side of the table. To be fair, two people ordered salmon and two ordered steak, and all four said their food was good and enjoyed their meals. So this wasn't a case where everything coming out of the kitchen was bad. Unfortunately, the service overshadowed the good dishes. It even took another 15-20 minutes from asking for our check until we were paid and able to leave, plus there was a roughly 2-3% credit-card surcharge. There were some good entrées, but between the cramped seating, poor service, dismissive handling of my wife's allergies, and complete lack of attention from management, this was not an enjoyable experience for us.

For 15 years, I've been living in Newport News and never had the chance to eat at Al Fresco. I…read morelive blocks away and always shop at the same shopping outlet where it's located. I'm not big into Italian food so maybe that's why. But just this Friday, a friend in a social group celebrated her birthday. So I decided to join in and finally check out this spot. Let's see how the night went, shall we? Our party had a reserved table up front by the check-in booth and the bar. Inside the decor is a bit dated, but everything was clean and tidy. Overall, it's not that big of a restaurant, but it can fit a decent crowd. After enjoying some salad and garlic bread, we were all ready to order. My meal was Pollo Marsala. Overall, the dish was good. I preferred slightly bigger chicken breasts, but what I had was good enough. The protein was cooked nicely and there was enough spaghetti to mix with the chicken and mushrooms. I also had some grated parmesean cheese which added some flavor to the dish. What a wonderful night for all of us. Table service, hospitality and good food. You couldn't have asked for anything more. Yours truly will be back soon :)

Food service price all excellent A taste of Italy with class. Love this place. Bbb.read more

They have the best oregano EVER!…read more ............................................................................................................................

We visited on a Friday night, the weekend of July 4th and had a great food! We ordered a Chicken…read morePhilly and a Turkey and cheese sub with a side of fries. Everything was made to order. We did call it in and picked it up. The establishment is a good size. The staff were very friendly and attentive. There is plenty of parking in the plaza. They have ample seating if you would like to sit inside and eat. Their menu is vast as well. The food was delicious! Try them out!

The food was delicious with great portions sizes!! We got the quiche and steak tacos for brunch…read more The TOTs are a necessity. The server was so kind, and the Chef was awesome! The spot is relaxed with artsy decor. 10/10 recommend you try them out!

I am very disappointed with the service and food I received tonight at Venture…read more I ordered the pizza special of the day, and it was completely unacceptable. It was mostly bread with very little topping, and it did not resemble what I expected based on the description. What made the experience even more disappointing was seeing another customer receive a beautiful pizza that looked properly prepared. The difference in quality was striking. Because the pizza I received was so poorly made, I asked not to be charged for it. I don't enjoy complaining, but I felt this situation warranted it. I hope you will look into what happened and ensure that all customers receive the same quality and consistency.

I met some friends who had come in from out of town here. We made reservations, and am glad we did…read more The inside is quite tight on space, so I'd recommend the same if you're planning a night out. The vibe is warm and welcoming though. The food, as it should be is the star of the show. I ordered the Duck, which was the best duck I've had at a restaurant in a very long time. Some places can over cook it in an attempt to get that crispy skin, but here it was cooked to perfection. The skin was crispy, meat flavorful and juicy, and not overly greasy. The sweet potato puree was excellent and elevated the meal. The drinks menu was really good. Our friends are Wine Connessiuers and we're impressed with the selection. Not a Connessiuer myself, though I do enjoy a nice red every now and then, our selection was really good. Circa 1918 is a bit of a trip for us, but I'm sure we will be back and I'd recommend this place to anyone in the Newport News area.

Circa 1918 lives up to the hype. It's a tiny, charming joint nestled in the row of boutiques and…read morerestaurants in Historic Hilton Village. This has been high on my "want to try" for a long time and finally saw an opportunity with an available reservation, went for it and am so happy I did. I dined solo, which I rarely do, but this was the perfect place for it. It was apparent that most people dining were regulars. The owner was chatting with just about everyone and diners were popping over to other tables to say hello, as well. Felt like a very small town. Service was perfect - not overbearing, but perfectly timed for a good flow throughout dinner. Their menu changes often, so some of the items I loved, may not be available - but it does seem like their fried oysters are a mainstay and holy moly, they were delicious. I had one cocktail - I believe it was called Watermelon Sugar. It had vodka, aperol and fresh watermelon. Refreshing and smooth. I tried two apps: the fried oysters and the bao buns. Both were fantastic. Perfectly prepared, so much flavor. I think that next time, I would stick to the appetizer section and try many rather than getting an entree. I got the scallops, which were delicious, but the apps wow-ed me more. Prices aren't low, but you get what you pay for - really high quality dishes with lots of thought and execution embedded. I don't say this lightly - this has been added to my top 10 list in all of Hampton Roads!

My wife and I stopped here for dinner on a Wednesday…read more Location: Not the easiest place to find and even though there are marked parking in the rear of the building, the entrance is in the front. Not a lot of parking in the front, but plenty behind. There is a large patio that has vinyl walls, but it doesn't look to be air conditioned at all. Inside is very small and is essentially the kitchen. They were remodeling so the dining room section was closed off. Unfortunately, it was very warm in the area we sat in. Waitstaff: Absolutely wonderful! Our server made our drinks and was knowledgeable in all of the cocktails we asked for which was a breath of fresh air because many places we have gone are not familiar with The Last Word or a Boulevardier (seems odd to me). Food: They started off with some bread and salted butter. We thought it was a little too salty for our tastes, but good none the less. We tried the watermelon salad and clams. Both were really, really good and would highly recommend both. We finished with a fig tart that was excellent! Overall: For the evening, I would rate this a 4.5 restaurant. Kind of funky with the seating, not thrilled with the temperature, but the food and drinks made it worth it. I would definitely recommend.

Ambiance is a 3. Food is a 3. Service is a 4. Appetizers were good: clams and cheese tart (which…read morewas really more of a quiche). Steak was under seasoned, sides were underwhelming, potatoes were not cooked thoroughly, still had that undercooked crunch. Not sure if it was an off night but there are other restaurants we can try for the $$.

I remember this location as a Thai place. Parking is ample at the end of a shopping center. This…read moremay be a bad time to measure my first impressions but I was with over 32 people in one group. There were other patrons scattered in the front/bar area, we were off to the side in a large room. The interior is basic with minimal decoration. The menu he looks small but is chocked full of Italian dishes. I orders a medium meat lovers calzone and an ice tea. The calzone was huge, massive, and was crazy good...honestly a great value with so much left over I took half of it home. My only complaint, and again it may not be fair, was service was slow with multiple servers and the wait for food after orders were taken was considerable. In retrospect, I'm giving them an affirming score but reserve the right to change my comments and rating on another visit with significantly less people.

Is this place trying to shot down? I have eaten here several times and always enjoyed the meal. On…read moremy past 3 attempts I couldn't even get a meal. Twice arriving only to be told they are closing early and have stopped serving and another totally closed, open sign lit and typed note on door closed. I am done trying.