Allegro Italian Restaurant and Lounge — Restaurant in Rocky Hill

Within the very first couple of weeks of Allegro opening I booked a party for my son's first communion here. We always used the previous business in this location, Rudy's, for our family parties and I wanted to give Allegro a chance for use to continue the tradition.

I will not be back.

When we got to the restaurant and went to the back room area there was already a large party taking up most of the space.

We were seated in the remaining couple of tables in the back room at an angle around a corner so that we couldn't all even sit near one another. Many members of my family felt just shoved around the corner.

When I expressed to the manager that I was disappointed in the seating arrangement he told me that the other party that was taking up the great majority of the space did not have a reservation until the night before and that he hosted them as a special favor to his uncle.

So despite me planning for literal months to have our party there we were shoved out of the way because the manager's uncle wanted the space the night before.

I cannot imagine worse customer service.

The food was amazing like it always is but the service was very slow because of how many extra people they were serving with a whole extra other party in the room.

It really is disappointing when I think about the experience we could have had if our reservation was honored the way it should have been. The couple hundred taken off the bill as an apology is really a drop in the bucket compared to the amount we paid for the place.

We paid a great deal of money to have our large 25-person family here for a meal and we really felt like second class citizens shoved in steerage.

Allegro has lost my business for the...

Ok, I have to say that I really enjoyed this place, so much I went back again and it was even better than the first. As a former restauranteur, I really feel the need to let the world know when something good comes along. First trip was on Valentines Day, we started with the Arancini which were perfect with a great marinara sauce. My wife got the Sole Francaise, and I got the Chicken Parm with a Bolognese Sauce instead of the Marinera, freaking awesome. I always get Bolognese on my chicken parm, best of both worlds. The garlic parm knots are the best I have ever had...EVER. Second Trip even better than the first, we started with Clams casino, fried mozzarella, eggplant rollatini and of course the Arancini again, all great and hot. For our entrees, being lent and no meat Friday's, we had Zuppa De Mussels, Penne Ala Vodka, and Frutti De Mare, again all awesome. The tartufo dessert was a knockout, very good flavors. As far as the overall, portion size is OK, the only negative comment I have was the price of the Frutti De Mare as a special, a bit high but our fault for not asking how much before we ordered. We will be back again and soon! It was our anniversary, and we went with our kids and 23-month-old granddaughter, she could not get enough and ate everything, it...

My husband and I dined at Allegro last night and had the pleasure of being served by Nick, who made the evening even more enjoyable. He was attentive, efficient, courteous, and personable, striking the perfect balance of professionalism and warmth.

The food was delectable, with portions that were more than generous. I started with the penne a la vodka, which was creamy and satisfying, though I think a touch of red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt would have elevated it further. The complimentary garlic knots were delicious, though I would have loved a splash of balsamic vinegar mixed into the olive oil for dipping. My husband ordered the home-grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and spinach and reported no notes at all. His empty plate was a clear indication that he enjoyed every bite.

The ambiance at Allegro is another highlight. The space is calm, clean, and airy, making it ideal for a relaxing dinner.

Overall, we left thoroughly pleased and already look forward to returning…most likely sooner rather than later. Allegro has quickly become a spot we’re...