Basta Italian Restaurant

We had a very good time and the service was wonderful. My veal was a bit over cooked but the rest of the meal was very good. The Sazerac cocktail is highly recommended.

Very bad service. Our meal came and I asked for grated cheese and black and crushed red pepper and the girl never came back with it. I also ordered a second beer and it never came to the table. My water glass was empty and the waitress never came back to refill it.

Nice remodeling at one of may favorite restaurants in RI. Could expand the entree menus a bit, but still a nice meal. Calamari from Narragansett was outstanding 🍽

Way too overpriced ! We couldn’t even have a conversation it was so noisy

I’ve been going to Basta for many years. It’s right in my neighborhood, less than a 5 minute drive away, and is the best (most upscale) restaurant in Pawtuxet village.

The menu is limited and they used to make great brick oven pizza here, which they took off the menu.

The place has also seen a lot of changes with the management.

Last couple of experiences here have been disappointing, including the one last night.

The have three premium cocktails on their manu ($25 each). One of which has never been available, as I’ve asked for it several times over the last few months. Why have it on the menu if you’re never going to offer it?

The other, called Sazerac, is made with Remy Martin XO. Last time I was here I ordered this cocktail and I watched the bartender go to the bottle of VSOP (much cheaper cognac) to make my drink. When I confronted the staff about it, they said they were out of XO. Then, magically found a bottle for my next round. I felt this was very deceitful

My friend has heard me rave about the Basta Chop here, so we brought him here last night for dinner. Even though the place was half empty by the time we ordered the first round of drinks, the service was brutally slow. We had our appetizers out, and 3 out of 4 of us were out of drinks. Teo of us had ordered drinks 10-15 minutes ago, and those had not come yet, and looking over at the bar, the manager and three staff members were standing there having a very cool conversation, with no one moving. I’m not sure if our waitress forgot to order, or if they weren’t processing it, but I had to get up and go talk to the manager, in order to have someone come and give us some attention. The slow service remained such all the way to the end of the night.

We saw an old friend, who graciously bought us dinner, on his way out. Somehow at the end I was still given a bill for two rounds of drinks. I didn’t complain. Just paid and left. Good food. Poor service.

You MUST get the Basta Chop! Omg to die for! Everything is good, including mixed drinks. We've been twice, tried different things each time and can't wait to go back! Salmon, antipasto, smashed potatoes, Bolognese, saltimbocca, arrancini... Yes, we ate and loved it all.

As always - wonderful food, drinks and service.

Service and ambiance were very nice. I appreciated the vibe of the clientele - everyone was having a great time and conversations were animated. Drinks were good and wine was a generous 9 oz pour. First courses of Clams Casino and Caprese salad were excellent. The restaurant is known for house-made pasta but the Linquine e Vongole was difficult to chew and bitter so that was a disappointment. The Tortellini Alla Vodka was very good. The side of Broccoli Rabe was almost inedible and had a burned garlic flavor - could hardly be cut with a knife. I should mention that the Bread is outstanding and perhaps reasons enough to return and sample some other items on the menu. I would recommend this restaurant to others with some qualifications about being selective about food choices.

Arrived on time for a Saturday night reservation with my adult sons who travelled from NYC to make a visit. We were seated at a table with worn chairs and tattered upholstery; my chair was so unstable I had to have it replaced. The wait staff were clearly overwhelmed. Our appetizers came an hour after we were seated, and the main courses arrived late and cold, including carbonara which is unrecoverable. The manager took the wind off of the bill, which we appreciated. But you have to staff for what you book….

Meals took a while to come. Pasta was mixed, some with lines and some without, and some of the pasta was not cooked well. The sauce was a bit bland. The chicken was okay but there was a bit too much cheese. We have eaten there in the past and the food was fine, this time it was not that great.

The food and drinks were excellent. The service was outstanding and cheerful. We had a great experience. I highly recommend Basta. If you enjoy Italian food and like to feel relaxed while dining, this is a go-to restaurant. We ate indoors but there is also a beautiful outdoor dining area.

It was a restaurant that I had heard a lot about and It wasn’t everything that I thought it would be. Food was ok not the best I have had. Quiet until they sat a party of seven lovely, lively women next to us! Not sure I would go again or rave about it.

Ambience is very nice. Service was excellent. Food was very good. Parking is limited.

We ate outside and the weather was perfect. The food was good, the service was excellent however it did take a little bit to get waited on but honestly I think that is the result of staffing issues at so many restaurants are experiencing. I would definitely return.

Our server at the bar outside tonight was very pleasant and helpful throughout our stay. One of our favorite places to go for dinner!

Everything was delicious including desert. Our server was very attentive and checked on us every few minutes.

Everything was great. We loved this spot.

Not as good as good as the last time. My food wasn’t warm, service was terrible.

My husband's birthday was celebrated in style, with outstanding service and a culinary delight! Thank you Samantha and all the others that helped make it a wonderful night!

The service was wonderful Host, waitress table bus great group made our night. We sat out back and it was just lovely. The food was only just okay and things were missing on Menus. I would try it again.

Great service and food

Our waitress and buss boy were fantastic and food exceptional

It is a wonderful restaurant with a trendy vibe. The food was great but this time the service eased mediocre at best. Normally that is not the case. I'll definitely go back the whole party enjoyed the meal

We went for my daughter’s birthday and truly enjoyed the experience! She especially loved the birthday treat at the end!!

Excellent!

Very disappointing. Our server was very sweet but not trained. Did not know what Bourbons or Tequillas they carried. We shared a selection of appetizers...no serving utensils. Food was NOT hot when served and all meals did not come out together. When they cleared the table, our son was still eating his dinner and they took all the utensils, including his.

Make sure you check your bill. We ordered a $36 bottle of wine and was charged $44 for it.

Always a favorite of ours - was disappointed that the menu had changed and no chicken marsala! :)

We have visited Basta previously and was somewhat disappointed with this occasion. Service was ok however more disappointed with the flavor of the food which was bland. This was not expected because we have never had a bad meal here before. Overall the restaurant is very good.

The roasted beet salad was unbelievable.....very tasty and beautiful presentation.
The seared tuna was also exceptional.

Everything was perfect! We can’t wait to visit again!

Overall a decent experience. I had made reservations for 8 for my husbands birthday online a week in advance. The day of, there was a mishap and we decided to go just the two of us and our baby instead. When I called to change, they said it was fine to go from 8 people to 2 people and a high chair, but when we got there we still had to sit at a table with 8 seats. There was also no high chair. My husband was a little embarrassed and said he felt like it looked as if nobody showed up to his dinner. When we paid I used a $25 gift card but she only took $20 off. Other than that, food was good.

I’m going to miss Mike Ciresi, the now former assistant manager, he was always so pleasant and attentive. I hope his departure was on good terms. Hopefully his replacement will be just as accommodating, we saw him last night but didn’t have the opportunity to make acquaintance.

The food at BASTA is exceptional! Very tasty and well prepared and you can chose among many menu options. I love the service at the place and the staff is so friendly with the guests and always take care to offer the best quality! I highly recommend this place. Cocktails are fantastic…

Never fails to have a night out at Basta. You must get the Basta Chop

Loved the atmosphere but the food was bland. Disappointed, to say the least.

Overall, Basra is an excellent choice. Our corner booth was ready, by request, and there was a Happy Anniversary sign there.

The calamari was very tasty, especially the broth, but could have been cooked a little longer. My saltimbocca was delicious and the portion was fairly large. The side of arancini was fabulous! Very crisp with a creamy interior. Dessert was a great chocolate peanut butter cake with a caramel tuile containing vanilla gelato! Our server, Gabby, was most attentive and even the owner and manager came by to check on us ! We will be back.

Great service and ambiance!

Excellent food and service. The restaurant was very accommodating with our special requests.
Highly recommended for excellent Italian food.

Food was fantastic & service was great!

Food and service are top notch. The bone in veal parmigiana is my go to, always cooked perfectly. If you leave room for dessert the Tiramisu is our favorite. We never feel rushed no matter time we dine. Their attention to detail is like no other...a great date night spot. A very relaxing and enjoyable dinner spot.