Provino's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Buford

Despite living here for over two decades, I'd never tried Provino's, so I finally went! Admittedly I am extremely particular of pasta, so take my review with a grain of salt - food pun intended.

Let's start with the seating - bussing is slow, but the staff is extremely friendly, and usually you're seated in a fair amount of time. The place has a great atmosphere, though for such a romantically-lit place I expected a bit more privacy between booths. No worries, here on a solo excursion, so I wasn't concerned 🤣

The servers come around just often enough to get things done, and always with a smile on their faces! Management is always visible, and assists the staff in their duties, up to and including bussing tables. The server wasn't very experienced in wine suggesting, but hey, I'm not not at all experienced in drinking it, so I didn't mind.

The food is what took it down a notch for me. I always question Italian restaurants because the prices seem very high for what is normally one of the cheapest mass-produced foods on a grocery store shelf. I understand more goes into cooking it than I anticipate - I've hand-stuffed my own manicotti, it's a pain - but hear me out.

This isn't a sleight against Provino's, but Americanized Italian food in general. I find more and more that I can go into a restaurant and order BBQ or a steak - both of which are up currently in cost, mind you - and come out hurting the same or less on my wallet than an Italian dinner.

That being said, the actual bread, salad, and pasta tubes I ordered were not up to what I'd deem the price range of the restaurant. I can walk into Buca di Beppo and order a similarly-priced dish, and get about four times the pasta I found underneath all the cheese and spinach in my dish. Also, as an afterthought, I ordered veal - not spinach. But that's not the point.

There was so little actual pasta in the dish, after sifting through the cheese, sauce, and more cheese. Flavor was pretty decent, though, so I'll not dock them more points on that. For someone like me completely unversed in wine, it was exactly what I described I was looking for. All-in-all, I still haven't found an Italian joint I'd make a...

I was so very disappointed. We were celebrating two birthdays. First, the waiter kept passing our table to wait on the other tables around us. He was not very personable, and we had to ask for refills even though we had left our empty bowls on the end of the table to be seen. He simply kept passing them by. Next, we asked him if they did any kind of birthday celebration like bring cake or ice cream. His response was we had to talk to his manager and show him our identification cards. I clearly said, "we are not looking for the free meals. My birthday is actually tomorrow, and the other birthday isn't until the day after mine." I know their policy is that it has to be the day of your birthday to get the free meal. I was not asking for that. Although that is disappointing considering it was the place we chose for our celebration and the reason we were a day early is because my daughter had to work the next day (my actual birthday). However, I just wanted the recognition especially for the other birthday guest. But, he didn't listen, and so the manager was sent to our table. I told him the same thing. We simply want to know what the restaurant does for birthday celebrations. Do you get ice cream or anything? He did send two bowls of ice cream to our table. So, that was at least something. But then, literally two minutes into our ice creams, we heard the staff singing to someone at another table. I felt shattered and hurt. I mean really? That was all I had wanted in the first place. I would have paid for the ice cream. At that point, I got out my license and so did the other birthday guest. We showed the waiter because I guessed maybe he hadn't believed us. I said, we just heard someone's celebration. Why didn't you do that for us? His response was that people have to specifically ask for singing, and that it is discouraged. Really? Unbelieveable. I never leave reviews, but this time I really just wanted someone to know that instead of feeling special on my birthday, I just feel slided. I will chose somewhere...

Took my farther to lunch today for his birthday only to find out that because his birthday was the very next day he would not be eligible for any sort of birthday accommodations. With less than 6hrs till his birthday he was denied. The birthday policy is ridicules. Being carded to determine a birthday while practical only serves to alginate a customer. After spending as much as we were about to to be treated as con artists for a 4oz dessert and happy birthday song blows my mind. My father works a job that makes him unavailable on Sundays so the possibility of rescheduling is not an option. Our server was great it has nothing to do with her, but the policy it's self. Not only will I never celebrate a birthday here but I will actively encourage any one I know to do the same.

I waited to post this review hoping that management would rectify the situation they didn't. After stating our situation to the manger on the way out calmly without any sort of ill intent the best we got was a "thank you" not even a sorry. Business lost forever not only for my family but for every person I'm close to or any one ever asking for a recommendation for a place to eat on there birthday or for any other reason.

If you want great Italian food in Buford go to Dominic's instead 22 Buford Village Way, Buford, GA 30518

I'm fully serious when I say I've called multiple family members letting them know. All our future family functions will never take place here again. We celebrate almost all birthday functions at the Buford location typically tables close to 15-20 people. Never never never again.

Lastly to the manger with zero understanding you have cost your location not only face but also way more money than the cost of any single birthday accommodation. What a great business decision truly feel good knowing you made...