Lusi YYC Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria — Restaurant in Calgary

Decent first impression. Decor is lovely. Olives were wonderful but definitely a portion to share lol bigger in person than the angle of my photo....but all in learning the sizes there.

I would recommend from where I sat to find another area to do cutlery...that was wild. Smashing cutlery while drying it or putting it in bins or The digging in the cutlery to grab it to roll or i dont know i didnt turn around to stare or see their process..either It's just so close to my head and so noisey.. Then 2-3 servers will lend a hand and stand there to do it and of course you just hear their entire work day...shift assessment and plans later or personal things. So perhaps over by the bar at an end that is Less used or unsure if they would agree is disturbing to guests?? But it takes away from the care, the intention of the chef/what I read their goal is of the restaurant.... and my enjoyment of the meal. In my eyes anyways. I found that a bit much.

I did wish my server didn't smoke...but such is life, so I get that. But just followed them to the table mid meal. I hate cigarettes so that's on me a bit...unsure what would remedy that better. I could expect that in a pub but surprised in this setting. Wish there was a better option So it wouldn't be as fresh and prominent on them at the table when they get back.

I had the Creste De Gallo & Roasted Mushroom. I found the menu to be lacking description ... cherry tomatoes.... I had thought whole or blistered at most. They were non existent and just skins as they were incorporated in. Fine, all good.. just wish it said more so expectations are in alignment.

I did not recieve arugula on or even cooked in my pasta? Didn't bother to question ask because I was hungry, And when eating it there was a grit to the sauce. Like ultra fine sand or dirt.

No where does it say this was a pesto but when bringing it up insted of honoring the concern at first I got "told" its because "its a pesto". Okay? Put PESTO Cream Sauce ....?It says "Cream and Porchini mushroom" ? Not pesto. And again even so I would question the pesto if it was gritty. I have never had in my life any pesto ...basil, kale... arugula.. pine nuts.. pumpkin seed based or otherwise have grit in it or taste like grit or hear it in my teeth.

In the end they did compensate after I didnt eat more than two bites.

But the process was uncomfortable mentioning it and then making me feel like I had no idea what I was saying? And being slightly argumentative. Just made me feel like I didnt want to stay or choose another dish.

Id go back...things happen. But for sure wish that wasn't my experience. I hope its no...

I really wanted to love this restaurant. The interior was beautifully designed and the atmosphere had a great vibe, setting the stage for what I hoped would be a lovely night out. Unfortunately, the experience quickly went downhill.

Our server greeted us in an almost inaudible voice. We asked her to speak up, but it didn’t help — we still struggled to hear her and had to ask her to repeat herself multiple times. It quickly became awkward and uncomfortable.

When we asked for a wine recommendation, specifically something bold and full-bodied, she offered one option and said it was probably only popular because it was the only wine by the glass in that category. No further suggestions or insights were offered, which felt uninspired and unhelpful.

We started with the burrata appetizer, which was nothing like what the menu described. It was unexpectedly sweet, with what seemed like dates or figs — ingredients not mentioned on the menu. By the time the server returned, we just wanted to move on to our mains. Again, when we asked for her input on menu items, what was popular, or well-liked by pointing to different dishes, her responses were a simple “ya” and “yup.” Not exactly helpful.

For our mains, we ordered the Frutti di Mare and the Boar Pappardelle. The Frutti was unexpectedly spicy, with no indication of heat on the menu. The pasta was clumped together and overcooked, far from al dente. The boar dish had the same clumpy texture and an odd aftertaste. Overall, the descriptions on the menu were misleading and lacked key details.

Throughout the meal, our server barely checked on us. I had to flag her down for another glass of wine after sitting with an empty glass for far too long. When she finally brought the wine, she simply set it down and walked away, no check-in, no follow-up.

Dessert was much of the same story. We had to ask for the dessert menu ourselves, and when we finally got the tiramisu, it was the best thing we had, and it was just okay. It was on the dry side and lacked the richness we hoped for.

The most frustrating part? After clearing our plates, our server spent 15 minutes repeatedly serving the table next to us while we sat there with no drinks, no water, and no attention. We eventually had to ask for the bill and waited another 20 minutes before we were finally able to pay and leave.

Both of us have experience working in the service industry, and it was clear this server lacked basic skills in customer service, upselling, or guest engagement. Between the poor service and disappointing food, we won’t be returning, and we can’t recommend this...

My wife and I went to Lusi for the first time on June 7th for dinner. We became aware of Lusi through another Calgary favourite spot of ours, Broken Plate. Our experience at Lusi was, by all definitions, first class. We were greeted warmly when we arrived and shown our table (please note, you should make a reservation for dinner on the weekend). Our waitress, Phoebe, was just excellent. She had the just the perfect balance of guiding/assisting us and leaving us to enjoy our conversation and our meals. We each had a glass of red wine (Malbec and Merlot) and chose the grilled octopus as a shared appetizer. A beautiful, home made tomato sauce complemented the octopus which was, itself, grilled to the perfect extent. We loved it. Our entrees were the Frutti di Mare Tagliatelle (seafood) and the Boar Pappardelle. Neither dish was short on either seafood or boar, respectively. Generous amounts of each were evident on large, deep plates. The tastes were incredible: home made pasta, tomato sauce and other fresh ingredients were obvious throughout. In fact, both dishes were so generous that we had to take the extra food home with us. That was not a disappointment: we extended our experience to the next day. Lusi is an amazing restaurant. You will NOT be disappointed to dine here. Ours was an unforgettable experience; yours will be too. We look forward to...