Grainsley's Kitchen & Drinks — Restaurant in Warwick

I had high hopes for this restaurant even before it first opened. The interior design and graphic/artistic elements (signage, menus, logo, etc.) that I could see from outside would be a huge upgrade from the joint that was there previously. And Grainsley's original planned menu seemed like it would be more ambitious than any other restaurant I've ever seen come to Conimicut.

It looked like they planned to offer a nice variety of lunch entrees, small plates and/or tapas options, daily dinner specials, and deserts. But shortly after they opened, the pandemic hit, which apparently really chipped away at that ambitious vision of an upscale cafe and bar they originally had.

I finally went inside the restaurant to eat this February ('22) hoping that there would be some semblance of that earlier version I was so looking forward to. I will say, both the restaurant and the bar were just as charming as I expected. But, the quality of the food and the very limited menu offerings were a huge disappointment.

There was nothing more than basic pub food: wings, sandwiches, a few salads, and pizza. And none of it was unique or creative in any way. At least 25 other pizzerias and pubs around Warwick would offer me exactly the same dishes, of similar quality, and at similar or even lower prices.

So in the end, all I can say is that it's nothing special, folks. The only selling point is its convenient location for residents of the Conimicut neighborhood. It fills a gap left when the previous pizza place in that location closed down. It's a shame, because the opportunity to offer something more original for a wider clientele from all around Warwick was theirs for the taking. And, I'm hoping now as the pandemic is winding down, that we'll see the original vision Grainsley's owners had will eventually emerge....

So this is my second time at Grainsley's. The first was for pizza month in 2023. At the time the pizza was delicious, but took just over 45 minutes to come out (after about 20 we were informed the chef was on break). I reserved judgement assuming it was an off night, and because the actual serving staff was very kind and apologetic.

I went last night for wing month excited to give them a second chance. We sat down, were suggested the buffalo and garlic Parmesan wings, which we took the suggestion for, and ordered then with two iced teas. We were informed the tea was unsweetened, which was actually perfect for us as we prefer them that way.

The tea came out, definitively sweetened and flavored which was a bit of a disappointment, as the wings cooked and we continued browsing the menu. We planned to order a pizza when the wings came out that we could take home with us. The wings were brought out (a little over 30 minutes later) and before I could order a pizza togo the server/bartender had to run over to a table asking for him. We assumed he'd check in soon, so we started on our wings and they were delicious.

Meaty, well seasoned, saucy, and a little crispy, we were more than happy with them. Unfortunately, we didn't see a server again until they were fine. We weren't next for anything, but by then our hunger for a pIzza was gone and if it weren't we wouldn't have wanted to wait however long for it to cook.

The food is good, as were the prices, but the time it takes to get that food has been a bit much both times we were here. I'd go again with foodfights coupons, but idk that it's a place I'd visit outside of that.

Again those who handled the service were very kind, if not a touch overworked by lack of staff, but there was just nothing that stood out...

A few people told us about this place, so we decided to try it. I'll be honest, looking at the menu online, I wasn't too impressed, seeing as there isn't much for vegetarian options, but I went with an open mind. Figured the worst that could happen was I order a cheese pizza, no biggie. Walked in, and immediately was welcomed. Small, quiet and casual, yet a very cool vibe going on. Plenty of room at both the tables, and bar area. We started with the scratch made mozzarella triangles. These were incredible. Tons of flavor, great crunch, not greasy, absolutely one of the best I've had. My husband chose the garlic parmesan boneless wings, and I opted to build a pizza, Cheese, mushroom, onion, and tomatoes. While we waited, had a couple of drinks, a good selection, not a large selection, but you will definitely find something you like. The food came out, and I will say, I'm glad I had an open mind, as this pizza, was filled with a crazy amount of flavor. The sauce is top notch, crust is nice and thin, but not like cracker thin. I only wish I had remembered to take a photograph of it all, but we were too busy enjoying the food and the conversation with the bartender. If you're looking for a cool place in the Warwick area that isn't stuffy, or overpriced, I would highly suggest this place!

This is a place we will definitely return to, I can only hope they expand a bit on their "Non" meat options. Maybe run some intermittent vegetarian specials.

Edited to add 2 photos of their crispy chicken sandwich and the angry Hawaiian pizza, without bacon. They may not have many vegetarian dishes on the menu, but are very accommodating when...