The Blue Grotto Restaurant, Providence

Great combination of old school italian food, with big city selections. Wife had Chicken Parm, top notch, I had the Pistacchio crusted scallops which were great as well. They have a great Hot Antipasto platter we had for an appetizer, it had calamari, sauteed shrimp, crab cakes, and risotto balls. Almost a meal in itself. Also don't find many places that have Barolo by the glass. We were stuffed but took tiramisu to go, excellent as well. Service was on point as well. Will be back soon.

OK, I will say that I was a little apprehensive based on the mixed reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised. I agree the interior is a little dated, but the new exterior look great! The best thing about the interior is it is very comfortable and spacious. I will take not having to raise my voice when having a conversation over a hip decor any day. Nice fireplace tables too. The service was attentive without being intrusive, we were never in need of anything. The food was excellent, and the choices were great. Old school italian, as well as contemporary items as well. My calamari and Osso Buco was great, my wife had the risotto balls and was brave and tried the Braised Rabbit, which she really enjoyed. Got Chicken Parm to go for the kids. Wasn't cheap, but worth what we spent.

This was my first and last time eating at the Blue Grotto. I made reservations through their web site. It was easy but as we approached the restaurant, I began to feel uneasy. The atmosphere wad not as elegant as the web site portrayed. Both inside and out were dated. We were seated right away because no one was there on a Friday night. First clue. By this time I thought I might have made a mistake in coming and my wife asked, “You look disappointed. Do you want to leave?.” I thought we should stay and see how it goes. My beer was not cold. The bread came out but with no butter or oil. My water glass was not filled after the first glass was finished and it was very slow in the restaurant. The food was not bad. My wife though her food was “great”. The portions were usual. After spending $90 however, I expect better than mediocre. I will not go back or recommend it to anyone else. With dozens of fine restaurants so close your money would be spent better somewhere else.

excellent......a definite recommendation!! the atmosphere from the staff is above average, the food is always a delight!!! the desserts are as good as the entries......salads best i've ever had.....

3 stars for average. Thought Federal Hill would have bomb-proof Italian eateries but we picked a weak one. It was a business dinner & I did not want to appear unappreciative to my host; had I been there on a personal visit I would have returned my dinner to the kitchen. Plus: great wine selection, attentive staff, tasty Pear & Goat cheese salad. Cons: weak/tacky ambiance, mediocre bread, the WORST gnocchi I've ever eaten - almost embarassing. Were rubbery and hard, not light and fluffy. Heavy sauce. Disappointing. Higher prices than seemed worthy. Verdict: unpredictable food, so I recommend you find another place.

Excellent wine selection. I particularly enjoyed the wine "flights". Wonderful to be able to order prosecco by the glass as an apertif. Good food with diverse, unusual selections. Excellent, personable service.

With non-existent atmosphere and very good food, Blue Grotto shines in its wine selections. When was the last time you saw Amarone and Barolo by the glass? The service is excellent, the food is good Italian fare, but the wine is sublime! Well worth a visit.

Since my wife and I were flying in and out of Providence airport on our trip to the Boston area, we wanted to find a nice place to eat that was near our hotel. I had seen this restaurant listed on the Wine Spectator website and so looked at the menu on the restaurant website. That's how we ended up at Blue Grotto. We were not disappointed. Service was excellent, from being welcomed at the door to the wait staff. It was a weekday night, the restaurant was pleasantly busy, but not crowded. The menu is Italian-inspired and the atmosphere reminded us of a small family restaurant you might find in a town in Italy, with a family or two enjoying a meal, a group of older men conversing at another table, several couples enjoying a quiet dinner together, etc. I ordered a seafood risotto, and it was loaded with clams, shrimp, lobster, etc. The mashed potatoes and steamed fresh yellow and zucchini squash as a side dish were fantastic. My wife's chicken entree was equally pleasing. Another nice touch was a special "Flights of Fancy wine-tasting" on the wine menu. I decided on the Italian "flight" and enjoyed tasting 3 different white wines from Italy. The wines were placed on a long card with the names and attributes of each listed. Easy to find and convenient to downtown.

an italian restaurant with an old worl flavor. Worth the trip

Comfortable and Relaxing Atmosphere, Classic Italian Dishes, and desserts to die for! You must try the Tiramisu or Triple Chocolate Torte. Highly Reccomended