Buona Sera — Restaurant in Town of Malta

We love supporting local businesses and were so excited to try this restaurant! The views are magnificent, but they aren’t enough to salvage the experience we had. I will say, all of the tables around us seemed very happy and satisfied, so this was probably (I hope) and isolated incident. Our server basically ignored us the entire time. We were there for almost 90 minutes and no entrees had been served.

Let’s start from the beginning. 10 minutes until our server greeted us - that’s fine, no problem. 20 minutes later for a glass of wine - also fine, the bar was mobbed. Clams came out…rubbery, no sauce, nothing, just some parsley. We had ordered the clams and our entrees at the same time, so there shouldn’t have been a huge delay. Our server had to be flagged down every time we needed something, which is work, which isn’t fun, which isn’t the experience of dinner out (and we didn’t need much - just our entrees!).

The servers around us were buzzing around perfectly bringing all their guests every thing they needed. Everyone that sat down after us (also had appetizers) had gotten their (what I would assume) delicious meals and ate happily. Those same guests finished, got things wrapped up, got coffee and dessert while we waited. Every. Table. Was. Eating.

After trying to flag our server down unsuccessfully, I went to the host to inquire if there was someone that could help us. At this point, we were ready to get home and just order a cheeseburger. All managers were “in the kitchen”. Okay. Please get our check and we will be on our way to find some dinner.

Nope! We had to flag down two more employees! Finally, our server, who is probably a lovely person, maybe who is having the worst day arrives. Check in hand, no apologies but an excuse that “normal wait time is about an hour and twenty minutes “. Girlfriend, I would buy that if ALL of our neighbors weren’t knee deep in marinara sauce.

Again, don’t let this deter you. No business or person in perfect, but ya know what? When you are having the worst day, look to your manager and ask for help. Tell them about your guest’s experience so you can maybe make it better.

Not one gesture was made to have us come...

We tried out this new Italian restaurant on Saratoga Lake. When we arrived, it was not very busy, we were seated with a view of the lake quickly.

Our server was nice but never went over any specials with us. We assumed there were none, till the server for the table next to us read them off.

The food was very good albeit a bit pricey. In comparison to other Italian restaurants, the appetizer portions are quite small. We were a party of 3 - we ordered the pan fried mozzarella and bread board. While very good, it was gone within 5 minutes, leaving us longing for our entrées.

Our dinners came out and they were very good. My husband and I got the chicken parm and it was exactly how you want it to be, my nephew got the chicken Alfredo and cleared his plate.

Since this is a new business we're cutting them some slack but typically you get a soup or salad with your meal, that did not happen. Everything that comes to your table, you must pay for, nothing is included. I'm thinking/hoping once the business really gets going, this will change.

Lastly, the glasses. They are tall and thin - leaving you needing constant refills. Bigger glasses are a must. The person filling our water glasses was probably so happy to...

We recently visited Buona Sera with a party of 12, including 6 kids, and had an absolutely outstanding experience. From start to finish, everything was top-notch. The staff went above and beyond to make our children feel welcome and comfortable — something that’s rare to find at a restaurant with such high-quality food.

The menu is truly exceptional. The red sauce is hands-down the best in Saratoga — rich, flavorful, and clearly made with love. We started with the fried mozzarella, which was perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. The charcuterie board was beautifully presented and perfectly balanced.

Our entrees ranged from seafood to chicken to veal, and every single dish was a 10/10. No one at the table had a single complaint — just a lot of happy, full people. The kids’ menu is fantastic — way beyond the usual chicken tenders and fries. Generous portions and thoughtful options make it clear they care about even their youngest diners.

What stood out most was the warm, unpretentious atmosphere. Buona Sera brings big flavors without any of the snobbery. Saratoga really needed a place like this, and we’re thrilled it’s here. We’ll be regulars for sure.

Highly...