Azzurro Restaurant

Really cool place. Just had a big dinner here with some coworkers and was suprised I hadn't heard of this cozy Italian haunt before. The food was reasonably priced for large parties. I called in advance to set up a special menu and they were very accommodating. Beautiful Patio, Nice Decor, Great Service and Good Food. I highly recommend the Eggplant Rollatoro. Professional Management and waitstaff. more

I was stationed in Italy for two years and have missed the food so much. My husband looked into finding a Italian restuarant that I would really enjoy and boy did he he find it. This place was divine and the food out of this world. We ate three courses and stuffed outselves silly , it was so good we can't wait to go back again and try more !! If you are looking for really good Italian place, you will be in heaven... Pros: awesome service, very authentic!! more

We attended Azzurros last night for an evening out with our family while in town. Let me say, we were impressed by not only the attention to detail each member of the staff gave us, but also the crowd they amassed during what is supposed to be a ""recession."" Pros: Attentiveness of Waitstaff, Lasagna Cons: Parking was difficult more

We arrived without a reservation and were told the wait would be about 30 minutes and that we could wait outside. After 40 minutes, we finally got fed up and went inside to see what the problem was. It was the confused state of the staff. They had completely forgotten about us! In a nutshell, don't go here unless you like to wait. Cons: Poor organization more

My husband and I have been Saturday night regulars for many years, and each Saturday night has been a wonderful experience. Beginning with the awesome manager, who is unfailingly classy, gracious and concerned, to the amazing waitstaff, who are intelligent, beautiful (guys and girls alike, inside and out!), efficient, interested and knowledgable (they also have a great sense of timing and never bring out the next course before the current course is finished, always clear in a timely fashion, often come by to quietly and subtley check on you, repour your wine, refill your water, etc--something that doesn't always occur in some of the best restaurants i have visited in large cities), to the gorgeous ambiance, whether indoors in winter w the fire, or outdoors on the patio in nice weather, to the delicious appetizers, creative salads, out-of-this-world entrees (their sauces are all to die for! the ravioli tartuffo-w black truffe cream sauce, the eggplant rolatini, the perfect risotto, the best shrimp gazpacho in town..just to name a few! yum!) and desserts (love the tiramisu and the bomba), to the wine list (if you are unsure, they are GREAT at choosing a nice pairing, and are respectful of your budget!), Azzurro is hands down the best place in town. We have taken many out-of-town guests there and all have raved. It is loud but if you ask when you make reservations, they will seat you in the quieter areas. Italian friends say it is the ONLY authentically Italian restaurant in town. You can find a ton of delicious items if you are vegetarian (more difficult for vegans as they use a lot of cheese...but the marinara and always perfectly al dente pasta are the bomb!). They are really busy so absolutely you need a reservation for most evenings. And if you are especially celebratory, don't forget to order a Godiva martini!!! Pros: Service, food, atmosphere Cons: noisy at peak times more

I needn't delve into their service, most know it is the most courteous and most gifted in Richmond. Every time I revisit Azzurro (hoping I can sit outdoors most of the time), I find myself to have a better experience each time overall. I was hosting a birthday party for my girlfriends earlier this week (after eating lunch al fresco that day), a couple of us were having issues with the amount of vegetables in the Gaspacho. Our service wait candidly offered to correct the situation immeadietely (most people would frown upon this and I felt bad having to complain) and in addition asked us if we would try pairing a Rose' with the Gaspacho to receive the full enjoyment of eating it. All of us tried and I had never had a Rose' with soup before. The rest of the meal came out timely. The Manager checked on us a few times and he came by to make sure the air conditioning was comfortable enough for us since we were sitting under a vent. Everyone had a hand in assisting our party as the front end hostess filled our waters and the food runner cleared our forks and knives in between courses. I just feel that everyone that works here goes above and beyond in making sure we have a great experience every time. I love it. Pros: Service, Availability of seasonal dishes, Wine, Staff more

We ate there with a few couples last weekend and the entire place was loaded with people (inside and out). I have been to this restaurant in the West End only a few times in the last 3 years and they are very efficient. The Maitre'D or manager always seems to be very helpful and the staff seems to always be moving at the right place and the right time. We split the fresh Mozarella salad (which was very good), and then went on to having their crisp Calamari and a Pasta with Bolognese sauce. We were in a noisy corner and the Manager was quick to move us to a more accomodating, and less noisy location in the restaurant. My wife is a big fan of the Martinis, I'm a bigger fan of the food and wine list. This is a very good restaurant that produces great food and accomodating service. Pros: Good Food and Service, Managers Cons: Some areas are noisy more

I have never been openly belittled by a host before Azzurro. He made my party feel like we were infected with some highly contagious disease for showing up for our reservation 15 minutes early. He made sure that we stayed out of his way for that 15 minutes while he seated four different groups who obviously had not called in reservations in advance. They have a noise problem. They pack as many people into their one dining room as they can and the acoustics are terrible. The tables are so close together that you are guaranteed to get bumped by waiters trying to navigate the narrow maze. Now on to the good parts. Our waiter was very courteous which leaves me to partly believe that the attitude may rest solely on the host. Our waiter was attentive but not overly so. He made suggestions regarding our wine and entrees that were spot on. The food had some hits but a few misses. I tried their seafood chowder special and the flavors where pretty good however the chowder was extremely thin. The flavors were okay but it was a rainy night and the soupy texture didn't fullfill my craving for a rich chowder. The salad on the other hand was amazing. Crisp greens, freshly grated cheese and a delicious greek dressing. Excellent! We had the Chicken Picatta and the Ravioli in a Black Truffle Sauce. The Chicken Picatta was good but not stellar. The lemon sauce suffered from the same overly thin consistency as the ""chowder."" Just okay. But the Ravioli almost made up for the rude host and ear bleeding atmosphere. The flavors were spot on. It was rich and just overall amazing. So there you have it. Hits and misses. Will probably wait a few months to hopefully see that the rude host has worn out his welcome and is off belittling folks at his neighborhood Burger King instead. And I will purposefully try to go when they are at their least busy to hopefully avoid doing any more permanent damage to my hearing. more

Only ate here once, but it was a Friday night during the recent holiday season, and the wait for 2 was only 45 minutes (we didn't have reservations). The service we received from the hostess, bartender and our waitress was excellent, and fortunately, the food was even better! We had the pappardelle and ravioli, and I cannot wait to get back for more! The seats near the bar are too crowded and noisy, but if you luck into a table in the back, you are set for an excellent experience... Pros: Great food and service, nice decor (holidays) Cons: Seats near the bar are crowded and noisy. Not private nor romantic. more

While I normally wouldn't respond to such garbage, it is necessary I defend my position on the manipulative statements made by OBXgirl. Let me make a quick distinction... ""Service"" is what we in this industry strive to perfect, and it is definitely what seperates the good restaurants from the pack. Anyone who has been a frequent customer of our establishment knows that we pride ourselves on great service and sustaining strong, lasting relationships with our guests. We are unilaterally dedicated to charity, providing transportation for guests, hosting events, and offering just about every ""service"" you can possibly imagine. In my opinion, when somebody blatantly tries to steal from you, it's prudent to define the situation in an applicable form of ""Service."" OBXgirl entered the bar, ordered food and bourbon, and began having conversations with herself. Customers signaled to me her strange mannerisms. She got up to use the restroom. Twenty min went by, she inched her way to furthest patio table until she was certain that it was clear to bolt to her car. These are not the actions of an honest, good natured customer. It gets worse. Her keys were in the ignition when I caught up to her and I asked if she was going to pay for her tab. She reluctantly gave me a credit card and it was, to no surprise, DECLINED. I returned and asked her if she had anything else. Of course, just like a predictable movie, she admitted to having no money. To summarize, she rang up a sizeable tab (a tab she never intended to pay), when asked to pay, she desperately tried to shift focus to her cell phone conversation, and as a result, I am the bad guy for catching her in the act. I have never seen her before, but I will certainly let it be known to the restaurant community that a very odd woman is in town, and she orders what she can't pay for, sneaks out, and then equates the situation to a lacking customer service issue. Unbelievable. W.M.S.-General Manager , Azzurro more

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Excellent food is ALWAYS a draw to me, and Azurro?s has always had some of the finest meals. But nothing can trump the service you receive as a patron. Over the years I have joined friends here for countless dinners and have brought clients in from out of town. But after my last experience, I will NEVER return. And if you value service over food, I'd advise the same. Pros: Ambience, food Cons: Service, Management Treatment more

After reading some reviews about this place I made reservations for my wife and I (it is a must, on a Tues people were being turned away). The food was really good, my wife ordered a brick oven pizza (Pizza di Medditerraneo) and I ordered the Vitello tre Scalini (Veal) both dishes were really good. Because the veal dish came with vegetables and the pizza also had a variety as well both dishes had a different taste with each bite. We also shared a Terimisu dessert. The service throughout the meal was excellent the waitress was very patient and attentive! Pros: Food and Service Excellent Cons: Louder than a food court at the mall...Not romantic!!! more

There is nothing bad to say about Azzurro. It is a wonderfully, cozy place and the food and service are both extraordinary. Be sure to order one of their brick oven pizzas. They make a great appetizer to share. Pros: Pizzas, Sorbets, Risottos Cons: None! more

Having traveled to many a city in Italy, I can certainly say that Azzurro offers the reality of experience in ambiance and flavor of any authentic Italian restaurant anywher in the world. Azzurro is a ""must go"" for anyone who knows real Italian food. more

Azurro could well be the best Italian restaurant in Richmond. All of their selections are heavenly, and the cheesecake is the best I've tasted. I failed to get a reservation, which is needed, but they made room for us anyway. The place is kind of loud, so it's not where to go for a quiet evening. I also felt underdressed in my jeans. I'll dress better the next time I go. It can be pricey, but you get what you pay for. The food, service, and ambiance make it worth it. Pros: Food, Service more