Placido's Pasta Shop — Restaurant in Eugene

This review is for the handful of times I have been to this restaurant from when they first open to the date of this review.

The freshly-made pasta is probably the best feature. My girlfriend orders their Roasted Garlic Gorgonzola Ravioli with added shrimps almost weekly! If you aren't a vegan and enjoy pasta, you will likely enjoy your meals at Placido's Pasta Shop. If you are vegan, you may want to skip this place as their salad isn't worth the money.

The ambiance is quaint. They have limited space inside so it feels slightly tight. The outdoor seating is nice with umbrellas for shades.

The service range from incompetent to exceptional.

The guy who works at the bar counter (Aaron or Eric), handles takeouts, and sometimes fills in as a waiter provides excellent service by listening to customers' requests and figure out solutions. Sorry I forgot his name.

Summer, the waitress, does an exceptional job of connecting with customers with her genuine conversations and recommendations. She is friendly but not the fake-friendly type. She cross-sells other products like wines and desserts but isn't pushy. Recently I accompanied my girlfriend for an outdoor meal and wasn't eating a meal or drinking water. Summer brought me a glass of water and said, "I can't have you not have water." Way to go out of the way to please, Summer!

The worst service my friends and I received at Placido's was with their manager in fall 2023. A large group of us were there to have a goodbye meal with a friend who was heading back to Columbia. Two of us showed up just before they opened and asked if we could join two outdoor tables together for the whole group to sit together. The tables were a couple of feet apart. The manager, a taller slender guy, perhaps bald or balding, said no to our ask—citing that would prevent cars from moving in and out of their parking spots. My friend and I could not understand how he came to that rational because moving the tables closer didn't reduce the depth of how much space cars had to move in and out. If anything, it would clear more space for a car to backup! Feel free to reference the attached pictures and judge for yourself.

When another guys, the one cited above who works the bar counter, came out to take our orders, we again asked to move the tables together. He said he would check with his manager. The manager came out and told us he already said no and went back inside. We asked the waiter if the manager's logic and decision made any sense. We worked through that situation so we could enjoy our goodbye dinner with our friend.

That manager was the wrong hire. He had poor customer service skills and lack the competence to work with people to find solutions. Why would anyone hire him to manage people is difficult to comprehend. Imagine working for someone who doesn't listen well and fails to find solutions to challenges. He negatively impacts the morale of the team, drives engagement of team members and customers into the ground, drives away quality team members and customers, and reduces sales to the company.

The food quality is decent to good but that manager's hiring...

OOOOOOOOOOOHHH MY GOD! YES that is how I'm starting this review off. This place was so amazing I almost cant even explain it. But I will try my best!

Upon driving into the parking lot it was rather small. But the atmosphere of even just that was amazing. The way the building looks the landscaping outside, everything. It's very very nice and beautiful!

Upon walking in we were greeted immediately. We decided to sit at the bar. The bar is rather small. About 6 seats. BUT there's plenty of tables in the restaurant.

They have a great drink selection. And do have a full bar here.

I made my order a bit special. On the menu... but not on the menu. SPINACH AND CHEESE RAVIOLI Ricotta cheese and organic spinach stuffed in spinach-flavored pasta raviolis toppied with our house-made organic marinara. BUT I requested it instead with a meat pink vodka sauce. And I'm serious when I saw this. It was the best pink sauce ever! Not to rich, not to salty. Just right.

ALL the pasta is made in house here. That is one of the most important things to remember. The owner and chef here really have put a lot of love and dedication into their restaurant & business. AND IT SHOWS.

The only sad thing I have to say about all this is. I LIVE IN California! and all I can think of now is going back there to have amazing pasta.

To the entire staff. Thank you for making my dining experience one to remember. I will without a doubt return.

I HIGHLY recommend coming here.

Food: Way above average. Staff/customer service: amazing never had an issue. Always attentive. They go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience. Decor: Updated and new. I like it. Bathrooms: N/A...

The fresh pasta here is absolutely delicious, and the food overall is fantastic. I highly recommend the salmon ravoli. However, the customer service leaves much to be desired. On several occasions, I've experienced rude, passive-aggressive behavior from a few of the staff members. During one visit with my girlfriend, we noticed unfriendly attitudes and received what felt like an inauthentic and unwelcoming attitude from our waitress. I won't mention names, but she's the blond one. She lacks class or professionalism. It was disappointing, especially since dining out is about enjoying not just the food but also the atmosphere and service.

On another occasion, there was a mix-up with my order (beef was added instead of salmon), and when I called to address it, I was met with dismissive and defensive responses. Instead of resolving the issue kindly, the staff member insisted they don’t make mistakes and seemed unwilling to accommodate without unnecessary hassle. The lady on the phone demanded I bring in the food to prove I was not lying. I did bring it in and she started to gaslight me saying that was unnecessary to bring it in and gave me more lip. Maybe its the weather that makes the people here rude. That's not sometime a high class restaurant would do but this is not a high class restaurant, just a take out spot.

While I’ll continue to recommend this place for takeout because the food is that good, the customer service needs significant improvement. The quality of the food deserves better representation through...