Andino's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Providence

Update to my review: as a business owner you should be open to all the feedback, not just the ones that you would like to see (the positive ones only). Your rude and arrogant response to me, calling me names tells me you haven’t lived outside your bubble. 😂 Hence such a narrow mind and filthy mouth. I stand by my tasteless existence at your place and I am warning other vegan/vegetarian and people with certain dietary preferences to avoid this place. Even if your food was good, the way you responded to me tells me about who you are as a person. I would never eat and support such a business who can’t be open to all the feedback and instead attacks a customer for sharing their experience. Bravo - you Italian keyboard warrior. 👏👏

After seeing so many great reviews we decided to visit the place for dinner during our stay in RI. However, we were completely disappointed. The menu doesn’t have very many vegetarian dishes which is very unusual for an Italian place. Typically we always find enough vegetarian options and most of the time chef always is able to prepare a vegetarian pasta dish bursting with flavors. We were able to request apenne pasta with their spicy sauce and some added veggies. My husband and I weren’t very hungry so we decided to split the dish and we were charged the spilt fees ( not a huge problem). The pasta was very basic, very thin/runny sauce and no flavor at all! We were charged $40 for a single serve pasta along with split fees and extra charge for spicy sauce plus extra for veggies. We felt like we were being surcharged outrageous amount for the quality and quantity of the food. We have had plenty delicious Italian food and this certainly doesn’t even come close! The fast food level food being served as a high end restaurant dish - you are overpaying!! Oh, well!! We weren’t able to finish the dish due to no favors/taste. We DO NOT recommend this place for vegetarians/vegans, can’t speak on the quality of...

I think the glory days of Providence Italian restaurants have come and gone. Our visit to Andino's, which many call the "best Italian restaurant in Providence", is proof.

Andinos gets good reviews, but to a foodie who made a special trip, it was...meh.

We started with the polenta app and the squash blossom special app. The polenta was a slab of cornmeal smothered in red sauce. Not recommended. The squash blossoms were tasty, but presented poorly, especially for a special. They looked like limp little rags swimming in a pool of butter lemon and wine. The squash blossoms actually contributed nothing to the taste of the dish.

Our server was friendly but occasionally in a huge hurry. We had a nice chat during one of her visits to our table, but the next time she tossed things on the table as she ran by. She pitched our entrees onto the table like a paperboy doing a drive-by delivery.

We had the lasagna and that was not a hit. We're talking a slab of lasagna about 4 and 1/2 in high and 5 in wide and 5 in deep. A brick. A block. Again totally smothered in red sauce. The center was cold. I would imagine they bake this up by metric ton, cut it into 5 inch slabs, and refrigerate. When you order it, and they slide out a brick, heat it, and throw some red sauce on it. Lasagna is difficult to make to order, obviously, but some are made in a lasagna dish and they are baked to order. That's the kind of lasagna I would prefer.

This "famous Italian restaurant" lasagna was no better than your friend's mom's lasagna. Your basic bulk Italian cooking. Definitely not "famous Italian restaurant" lasagna.

We had a cup of the pasta fagioli soup that was straight out of a Campbell's can. It was definitely not worth having. Skip it.

If this is all the "best Italian restaurant in Providence" can toss on the table, then the glory days of Italian food in Providence are definitely over....

I recently visited Andino’s on Federal Hill in Providence, RI, and while the atmosphere was lively and inviting, the overall experience left me with mixed feelings. The restaurant was bustling with laughter and conversation, creating the kind of vibrant energy you’d expect from such a popular spot. The bartender, who impressively juggled multiple roles as waiter and cashier, was exceptionally attentive. His service stood out—a rarity these days—as he ensured orders were delivered promptly, cleaned up efficiently, and even tied everything neatly into plastic bags (albeit not the most appealing presentation).

Now, onto the food. While the dishes looked scrumptious when they arrived, the flavors fell short of expectations. With a name like Andino’s, you anticipate an authentic culinary experience, but what I encountered was, unfortunately, a bit bland. The sauce lacked depth, save for a few green sprigs whose flavor I couldn’t quite discern. The calamari, typically my favorite dish, came close to delivering, thanks to the pickled peppers and garnishes, but the excessive oil overshadowed the freshness. It felt more like eating something fried for the sake of it, rather than a seafood delicacy.

What truly soured the experience was feeling rushed. As I was still enjoying my drink at the counter, I suddenly noticed my items packed up and my drink gone. The bartender insisted I had finished it, but my instincts told me otherwise. While I appreciate the efficient service, it gave the impression I was being hurried out, which left a sour note.

All in all, I tipped the bartender because his service was commendable despite the shortcomings. However, if given the choice, I likely wouldn’t return for another meal. The experience may suit others, but it simply didn’t meet my...