Cassarino's Restaurant — Restaurant in Providence

It’s upsetting to have to write this review I must admit after taking planes, trains, and automobiles just to be here and after having it talked up to be the best of the best. Coming from the standpoint of having worked in a finer-dining Italian restaurant in Michigan and having the familiarity with seafood that comes with having lived between Spain and Thailand for 5 years (and having spent over a month of my life in Italy), this restaurant experience was simply sloppy and disappointing. After being promised by the sweet host that I could sit somewhere next to a wall plug to be able to charge my phone at the same time, the plug did not work. That was not necessarily anyone’s fault but still messy. One food runner tried to help me out, which excused that mess, but almost immediately and during us trying to sort that situation, my waiter came off a bit strong with getting the ball rolling even though I was making it clear I had not yet looked at the menu. Oh well, personality’s in the service industry can be strong. Meanwhile, while inside, I began sweating due to poor air circulation, which to me is just annoying because it could not be clearer that this place has the money to have that not be the case. The next tough moment came when I tried multiple times to get my waiter’s attention while at the table right beside me for quite a while but to no avail, which was so ridiculous that the table next to me began to laugh with me about that. Not appropriate, but I do understand being tired towards the end of a long shift - it’s excusable enough. However, in that moment, I was attempting to order chili flakes to go with my pasta, and after being persistent enough, I did successfully land them on the table prior to food arrival. What I did not yet understand was that I also needed to request Parmesan because, unfortunately, once my food arrived, I waited at least 2-3 (if not more) minutes to have Parmesan with my pasta in arguably Providence’s top Italian restaurant - inexcusable. I ordered the Frutta di Mare pasta, and the table next to me originally ordered a shrimp dish (which they sent back), both of which we were not pleased with due to the shrimp being very obviously double-cooked (way too tough to properly enjoy) - inexcusable in Providence of all places especially. Following this, I did have the opportunity to bring some of this up with my server. (But c’mon, no one likes confrontation in a fine dining experience especially). He offered me a second round of wine on the house, which I accepted because it felt like the least he could do, and he apologized, but unfortunately, did write off a number of my complaints as due to management, which is always extremely upsetting to hear. All in all - and the table next to me agreed with me here - the entire production at this restaurant was quite sloppy for us, which just upset us being able to see clearly that there are more than the means necessary to fix all of these mistakes. I unfortunately don’t think I could return or...

We had a 6pm reservation on a Friday night & I wouldn't recommend any other way, unless you enjoy a long, painful wait. Once seated,our waiter came to our table within two minutes. He was efficient, knowledgeable & very pleasant. Our drinks & appetizers were served almost immediately. However, we waited way too long for our entrees (atleast 45-55 mins). We had to stop our waiter as he passed by our table to inquire about the delay. He apologized & stated that they were understaffed. Within 5 minutes, our entrees were served. I will say that the food was excellent & I felt that the portions were generous. No rolls (or bread) were served with our entrees, which surprised me because this staple is always a given in any Italian restaurant ... Except this one. It wasn't even offered so this was a first for me. It was missed because who doesn't enjoy some warm rolls & delicious bread while waiting for their dinner? The ambience and atmosphere did not impress me whatsoever. We were seated on the 2nd floor & were informed that a 3rd floor is also available for dining. An inviting ambience wasn't even a possibility. The lighting was on the brighter side, there's a mix of tables for four & tables for 12+. These larger tables were occupied by "party people" who were steadily drinking while dining, resulting in a very loud & happily buzzed group of customers. Aside from the extremely noisy neighbors who filled the room with bellowing voices & non-stop laughter, coupled with the overly bright lighting... in my opinion... if you're searching for a romantic, softly lit & relatively quiet place to dine... This is not your place. But, on the flip side... If you're craving some excellent Italian pasta, an enticing list of chicken prepared in many delicious choices, filet mignon that touches your lips & melts in your mouth or a generous selection of various seafood dishes sure to please... Along with a menu you need to see to believe... Then look no more. Just plan on tuning out your noisy neighbors, expect the ambience of your own kitchen, bring your appetite and... Oh, yeah... Your own rolls & bread. I promise that you will leave there with your belly stuffed with an amazing meal & a great, big smile on your face. And, the only thought you'll be pondering on the ride home is whether or not you really did miss the...

A Celebration Ruined by Rushed, Rude Service

We chose this restaurant for a special family celebration—my mother’s 61st birthday and my uncle’s 60th—expecting high-end service to match the high-end prices. What we got instead was an appalling display of poor planning and even worse hospitality.

When we arrived, the hostess asked if two hours would be enough for our dinner. We told her clearly it would not be, as we were there to celebrate two milestone birthdays. Despite this, we were seated at a table that was already reserved for another party just two hours later. This decision, whether careless or calculated, set the tone for the rest of our disappointing evening.

Our dinner felt like a countdown from the moment we sat down. The staff made no effort to pace the service according to the occasion. We were never offered dessert—not even a mention of it—on a night when we absolutely would have ordered it to properly celebrate. Instead, after taking our order and rushing us through the meal, we were abruptly told that the next party had arrived and we needed to leave. We hadn’t even had the chance to toast the occasion or properly enjoy our meals.

To top it off, there was no offer to compensate for the disruption, no apology beyond a perfunctory “we’re sorry,” and no sense that our presence—or our celebration—mattered at all.

At this price point and reputation, we expected a restaurant that values its guests. What we got was a place that shuffles people in and out with no regard for hospitality, timing, or the very basic courtesy of letting people finish their meal. Needless to say, we won’t be returning—and we’ll be encouraging others to take their special moments somewhere they’ll be respected.

The hostess mishandled the entire situation and we did not even...