Bambinos on Walnut — Restaurant in Springfield

My employer had contacted Bambino’s to ask to make lunch reservations for a small Christmas party of 8 and was told they no longer take reservations. So, we planned to arrive at Bambino’s at 11 when they first opened to ensure we could find a table for us all. I arrived at 11 and was the first customer to walk through the doors. I told the waitress we would have a party of 8. The waitress told me they had already informed us that they cannot take reservations. I mentioned to her that I didn’t ask about a reservation, but could we push some tables together so that we could all sit together. The waitress then told me she could not push any tables together and they had strongly discouraged us from coming to Bambino’s because they don’t take reservations. We would have to sit at separate tables. I mentioned to her that nobody had communicated to us that we couldn’t sit together, we were just told they don’t take reservations. I need to explain how the small dining room is set up so you can understand how ridiculous this waitress was behaving. On the East side of their current location on Walnut, they had a 4 top table and two separate 2 top tables that were pushed up against the east wall. I said I just couldn’t understand why they couldn’t push those 3 tables together so we could sit together. She told me they couldn’t accommodate my request because they wouldn’t have enough tables for other customers. 4+2+2=8. They were not going to be able to get more than 8 people at those 3 tables regardless of if the tables were left apart or pushed together. The tables pushed together would not have blocked their entrance, or block the entrance to the hall where the public bathroom is located. When our manager arrived, she went inside to speak with the waitress and they then pushed a 2 top table up to a 4 top table and crammed 8 people in a 6-person space. This waitress just refused to be accommodating and her excuses didn’t make any since. If they did not want 8 people to come in and eat at the same table, they should and could have nicely told my manager when she called to make reservations that their current location was not large enough to seat 8 people together and please reach back out to us next Christmas when we are back at our old location. They chose to act this way, so I will not be returning to Bambino’s...

For any visitors….my family and I tried this place. First let me start by saying the restaurant seating is small and if the weather is cold then be aware it’s an older building. Tried the bruschetta, not traditional but very good. The kids portions are decent and flavorful. My wife had the crab cake. Surprisingly very good. Spaghetti was ok and not very flavorful. I had the spicy pasta. All you could taste was heat. Thought the guy just poured red pepper flakes in a sauce. Alittle too spicy for normal but service was decent and friendly. It’s a maybe if we try again but their DoorDash...

I always love the food at Bambino's! The Delmar location is currently closed and we went to the new location downtown on Walnut. Everything tasted great except the pasta salad; it definitely wasn't seasoned, tasted like mayo only. Great atmosphere downtown. However, the person with me was disturbed by the fact that one of the employees wasn't working and merely holding a loud conversation with a young lady at the bar area. It took quite some time for our waitress to bring to go boxes and...