Basta has great food and a great ambiance. Unfortunately service was very slow (second time in a row) and the AC could not keep up with the demand. Too many other great restaurants in RI at or below this price point for these things to be acceptable.
I've been to some of the best restaurants, and Basta is certainly one of them. The ambiance was warm, and welcoming. The drink selection was great and some of their specialty drinks were unique. We had the calamari and jumbo shrimp for appetizers and they were both great. The calamari was cooked to perfection and the breading had a great flavor. The jumbo shrimp was delicious too. The main course was a filet mignon cooked to the perfect temp. The sides complimented the dish. My fiancee has the Shrimp and pasta (forgot the name of the dish). She said it was delicious. For dessert I got the butter cake, which came with caramel and vanilla creme. It was great. She had the creme brulee which is her go to. She loved it. We will definitely be back.
We usually have a phenomenal meal every time but last night it was horrible along with horrible service. We waited an hour and a half to get dinner and the prices....omg highway robbery. Wont be coming back for a long time.
Horrible experience. Unfriendly and in attentive server. Took 15 minutes just to get water. Didnât even get standard bread that every other table had. Asked for app to be splitâ¦.it wasnât. Took 1 hour and 20 minutes from time of seating to being served the main course. While we were waiting server never told us what was happening or offered anything like a snack or drink. When food was finally served it was far below the usual quality. Finally after main was served only then manager came and apologized. Offered to comp drink or dessert but by that time all we wanted to do was leave. They took two drinks off our bill at time of payment. I understand staffing is difficult post-Covid but if a restaurant canât handle the number of covers they get, then they should reduce their seating capacity accordingly. It is put greed of the owners to have too many seats and not enough staff. Unkind to the staff and bad for customers. We used to come regularly, wonât be back for a while.
Very Enjoyable Evening. Food, service and atmosphere, great!
Basta used to be our favorite restaurant. But, with its limited menu and what appears to be a quality issue now, we just look elsewhere for a great meal. Family had come into town and wanted to go to Basta. We did. The pizza oven was on the fritz (my daughter-in-law wanted pizza) and my wife ordered the 'special' (a scallop and shells fare). The 'special' wasn't...not at all. Only a few TINY bay scallops and LOADS of tasteless shells. Complete disappointment. To Basta's credit, the did take the cost of the 'special' off of our bill (not important; a satisfying meal was our objective). Anyway, it'll likely be a L-O-O-O-N-G time before we go back. Tighten up your QUALITY, Basta...and get more than a dozen items on your menu! Thanks in advance...
We had a 6:45 reservation and were seated. We were not even acknowledged or give menus until after 7. Drinks were slow and meals even slower. One person in our party had to take his to go because at 8:25 we had not yet been served. Appetizer was very good, meals were not. Chicken was undercooked. We completely understand staffing issues in the current environment, but this was well beyond that.
The co reviewer and came back to Basta for dinner as we were in the area.The restaurant was clean and comfortable and we sat outside for the evening. Service was good.We tried the La Posta “Laura” drinks and they were as feisty as their namesake!!(Worth trying with whiskey or bourbon instead of vodka)We had the huge tomahawk steak and the chicken Saltimbocca. Both were tasty and served hot.The cheesecake that night was definitely not the same as the ones that have wowed us in the past. It was kind of odd?
The restaurant is a hidden gem. The food here is great, and worth the money . I came here for my sister’s birthday, party of 3, and it was about $180 plus tip. So if your in the mood to celebrate or have a date night, this is a fine place to go. The place is pretty.. especially in February! Luckily my birthday is in February, they decorate with 1,000 real roses every year .
Great food, really cute patio. Prices are a touch high, so would recommend for an occasion or special night out!