Had a really great experience here. If you like seafood, you have to try the Filetto di Bronzino. The dish was huge, and every aspect of the dish was completely amazing. I don't normally like tomatoes and olives, and I'm not the biggest fan of asparagus, however it was all delicious thanks to the white wine & lemon sauce. The sauce brought everything together like gravy on Thanksgiving. The fish and the mashed potatoes were out of this world, and I was especially impressed with how well everything in the dish went together. Olives and tomatoes, asparagus and olives, mashed potatoes and bass: no matter what you combine on your fork, it was amazing. A year ago my wife and I were enjoying seafood in Aruba, and this dish really took me back there. It cost $38 but I would have paid double. The waitress was really nice and attentive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Simon
We were seated promptly, Every set up was clean and in order. Our food was absolutely Delicious! No rush, Service was spot on!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Short Ribs-Brasato
PhilC
My wife and I were celebrating her birthday and Blue Cave always reminds us of our trips to Italy. Its truly authentic Italian cooking! Everything is so fresh for example the arancini is house made, not prepackaged frozen. Same for the tiramisu, you can tell because it's irregular in shape. When tiramisu is perfectly squared it comes from a purveyor, and is loaded with preservatives. Thank You Mario for bringing Italy to Buffalo. Phil & Beth
David Seifert
I really do want to leave this review. We were so excited to try Blue Cave, but our trip can be summarized in one word: disappointing.It was nice to see looping videos of the Italian country side, but there was no music to help establish ambience. A minor thing, but you notice the lack of noise right away.For our meals, I ordered the Pasta al Brasato. Sure, for $32 you got a lot of food. It did not live up to expectations. The “gravy” was more like a thin broth, so this sauce didn’t stick to the pasta (nor did the flavor really absorb into the pasta).My wife ordered the Risotto ai Crostacei. We know ordering seafood at non-seafood restaurants is taking a chance. The rice was overcooked, there was hardly any crab, and the flavor was one dimensional.For dishes that cost $32, they did not live up to expectations.We ordered tiramisu for dessert, which is my personal favorite. This was pretty bland and wet. Yes, I know this dessert involves soaking ladyfingers/pastry in coffee, but it was wet in an unappealing way.Regarding service — the hostess was very kind and inviting. Our server was also nice and attentive.Based on the reviews we saw prior to having dinner here, we were excited. We’d like to chalk this up to “maybe they were having a bad night.” I don’t enjoy leaving reviews that aren’t positive, but I hope the restaurant can use this to create a better experience for future customers.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
Jonathan Higgins
This is a great example of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. The blue metal building we pulled up to is home to a truly impressive kitchen that has been the best Italian food we’ve had in the city. I had the Gemelli con Salsiccia e Funghi and my wife had the Orecchiette al Salmone…both were incredible. We finished with the crème brûlée that we shared. It was both delicate and delicious.My one critique would be for the space—I think adding some sound absorbency to the walls would limit some of the chatter bounce.Definitely recommend this place, we’ll be back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
DSVP
I rarely eat at Italian restaurants because I'm always disappointed. As a child of Sicilian immigrants the restaurant's logo caught my eye- trinacria. We decided to give it a chance because my family obviously loves Italian food. Arancini, panelle, caponata- all phenomenal!! Pastas, braciole- wonderful. Lovely service in a very cute space.
Cath
Unfortunately I was very disappointed with the Mediterranean bass. Usually sea bass is a nice thick, delicious cut of fish, but this meal consisted of several very thin filets stacked upon one another, with a lot of slimy skin attached, which is not appetizing. I could also see the tail ends so I know this was a cheaper cut leading to the fishy taste. The potatoes and asparagus were tasty, however.
Julia Faller
This was my second time eating in this restaurant. It was excellent two times in a row. We got the appetizer sampler which was presented well and tasted delicious. It was a generous portion of food and four of us split it. All excellent, but the caponata the best part!The wine was reasonable priced. The citrus old fashioned was excellent and the server highly recommended this from the drink menu. Woodford Reserve is used as their well bourbon.We each ordered a main course that we were very happy with. I especially loved the gnocchi. Very large serving and I had to take it home--excellent as a left over.Creme Brûlée was a nice sized serving and tasted deicious. Coffee freshly prepared and a wonderful end to a great experience.The restaurant was filled, but not too loud. It is a fairly casual atmosphere with lots of people seeming to enjoy themselves. The service was timely and the courses were appropriately spaced out.I will return and highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John
Our waitress was really nice and she was the only thing good about this restaurant.I’m sorry but the food was not good; I’m would even say the food was “bad”.We started with the appetizer sampler and it was very bland. The arancini balls didn’t have any flavor and the chick pea fritters really shouldn’t be on any menu. They were greasy, flavorless, and weird.We had high hopes for the Insalata di Fichi but were disappointed to find the almonds were stale, it was overloaded with blue cheese, and served with very little dressing.I ordered the beef braciole becasue the waitress said the cook was “famous” for that dish. The word “famous” must be self imposed because the meat was PAINFULLY dry and it didn’t appear to have anything stuffed inside of it. I picked through it to find any sign of cheese or garlic or herbs and only found pieces of the tooth pick that I bit on. The dish was served over some severely over cooked orecchiette pasta tossed in some very bland tomato sauce. This dish was TERRIBLE. (Is it too much to ask that you learn to tie the braciole and not use toothpicks? And how about learning to make pasta to order?).My wife ordered the Salmon in Crosta and she should’ve known better because even the description was unappetizing. When the dish came to the table, we could easily see the salmon was very over cooked, the spinach was under cooked and it was dry as a bone. It also had an VERY strong fish flavor. I’m not going to suggest the fish wasn’t fresh, but it did smell and taste very “fishy”.My wife complained to the server and the manager came over to tell us she knows the salmon is fresh because she saw him make it “early that day”. (I’m guessing that’s why it was so fishy).I should also mention the restaurant itself wasn’t very nice. It’s a big garage that’s been converted into a restaurant. The tables are cold and made of metal and the seats aren’t very comfortable. It has the feel of a sandwich shop and not a what you’d expect from an Italian restaurant.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
Mike
My wife and I were warmly greeted at the door by the hostess and promptly taken up to our table. Our waitress was pleasant and accommodating. I ordered the Arancini appetizer which was terrific and my wife ordered the Panelle which she enjoyed. Our entree's were generous and inviting. The Braciole was tender and delicious, served over orecchiette pasta with a delicious tomato sauce. The Gnocchi Bolognese featured homemade ricotta gnocchi which were tender and delightful. The menu was packed with so many difficult choices that we will certainly be going back with friends soon.
First time for both my boyfriend and I and will not be the last. The Arancini balls were so yummy and such a great starter. The drinks were very good and and the pasta entrees were incredibly delicious, I did not mind having leftovers to eat the next day. (One recommendation would be t get higher tables on the second floor, we did have to lean down a bit to eat our food, wasn't bad just might be easier to sit and enjoy their food if the seats and tables were accommodating.) Can't wait to come back!!
Cara Clary
Excellent Italian food prepared by chef Mario unmatched by any restaurant in the area. The atmosphere, service and ambiance is perfect! Everything on the menu is a must to try. Bring your appetite, you’re going to want to taste everything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
B Ritter
Clean, contemporary atmosphere and fantastic Italian cuisine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Braciole
CJ Jojo
Excellent food that out shines the setting and service.The food was perfect from the chicken's s tender delicate texture to the perfectly balanced sauce. Neither too sweet nor bitter nor too spicy. Just the right balance. Perfectly thick yet fresh.The seating is non handicapped accessibleA long yet sturdy flight of stairs is great for the mobile but for my 80 + year old dad it was torture.The decor was industrial/shipping container. A harsh contrast to the delicate meal and slow service.Beverages were served painfully slow, to the point every one at the table was looking at the ice as the only source of moisture. This is not an exaggerated example. Order a soda and it would take over 10 minutes.The food though slow was obviously deliberately done that way because it came back warm if not hot and very very tasty. No complaints about slow food as long as it's done the way it was. I only deducted for the terribly slow beverages.Another big problem I had there was I received a bill that was not itemized. It was just for a price. This never should be done, especially at a restaurant. Especially when there's four of us in three of us ordered drinks. Three of us ordered sodas three of us are ordered coffees. We had two appetizers. The total bill was $189 and with tip it was just 230.To head insult to injury, my family ordered two more coffees and one more soda and the waitress charged us for them. For a loss of another $10 or something that should not have charged for something we already paid for.Enter as it stands, with the cramped interior and stairs, and the lack of an itemized bill. (Which I find fatal for a restaurant and) You will not go back to a place. We really enjoy the food. Bummer
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 2
Sarah Jane Thurn
Dinner last night with friends was amazing, from the food to the service to the atmosphere! Will definitely be back soon!
Had a really great experience here. If you like seafood, you have to try the Filetto di Bronzino. The dish was huge, and every aspect of the dish was completely amazing. I don't normally like tomatoes and olives, and I'm not the biggest fan of asparagus, however it was all delicious thanks to the white wine & lemon sauce. The sauce brought everything together like gravy on Thanksgiving. The fish and the mashed potatoes were out of this world, and I was especially impressed with how well everything in the dish went together. Olives and tomatoes, asparagus and olives, mashed potatoes and bass: no matter what you combine on your fork, it was amazing. A year ago my wife and I were enjoying seafood in Aruba, and this dish really took me back there. It cost $38 but I would have paid double. The waitress was really nice and attentive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were seated promptly, Every set up was clean and in order. Our food was absolutely Delicious! No rush, Service was spot on!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Short Ribs-Brasato
My wife and I were celebrating her birthday and Blue Cave always reminds us of our trips to Italy. Its truly authentic Italian cooking! Everything is so fresh for example the arancini is house made, not prepackaged frozen. Same for the tiramisu, you can tell because it's irregular in shape. When tiramisu is perfectly squared it comes from a purveyor, and is loaded with preservatives. Thank You Mario for bringing Italy to Buffalo. Phil & Beth
I really do want to leave this review. We were so excited to try Blue Cave, but our trip can be summarized in one word: disappointing.It was nice to see looping videos of the Italian country side, but there was no music to help establish ambience. A minor thing, but you notice the lack of noise right away.For our meals, I ordered the Pasta al Brasato. Sure, for $32 you got a lot of food. It did not live up to expectations. The “gravy” was more like a thin broth, so this sauce didn’t stick to the pasta (nor did the flavor really absorb into the pasta).My wife ordered the Risotto ai Crostacei. We know ordering seafood at non-seafood restaurants is taking a chance. The rice was overcooked, there was hardly any crab, and the flavor was one dimensional.For dishes that cost $32, they did not live up to expectations.We ordered tiramisu for dessert, which is my personal favorite. This was pretty bland and wet. Yes, I know this dessert involves soaking ladyfingers/pastry in coffee, but it was wet in an unappealing way.Regarding service — the hostess was very kind and inviting. Our server was also nice and attentive.Based on the reviews we saw prior to having dinner here, we were excited. We’d like to chalk this up to “maybe they were having a bad night.” I don’t enjoy leaving reviews that aren’t positive, but I hope the restaurant can use this to create a better experience for future customers.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
This is a great example of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. The blue metal building we pulled up to is home to a truly impressive kitchen that has been the best Italian food we’ve had in the city. I had the Gemelli con Salsiccia e Funghi and my wife had the Orecchiette al Salmone…both were incredible. We finished with the crème brûlée that we shared. It was both delicate and delicious.My one critique would be for the space—I think adding some sound absorbency to the walls would limit some of the chatter bounce.Definitely recommend this place, we’ll be back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
I rarely eat at Italian restaurants because I'm always disappointed. As a child of Sicilian immigrants the restaurant's logo caught my eye- trinacria. We decided to give it a chance because my family obviously loves Italian food. Arancini, panelle, caponata- all phenomenal!! Pastas, braciole- wonderful. Lovely service in a very cute space.
Unfortunately I was very disappointed with the Mediterranean bass. Usually sea bass is a nice thick, delicious cut of fish, but this meal consisted of several very thin filets stacked upon one another, with a lot of slimy skin attached, which is not appetizing. I could also see the tail ends so I know this was a cheaper cut leading to the fishy taste. The potatoes and asparagus were tasty, however.
This was my second time eating in this restaurant. It was excellent two times in a row. We got the appetizer sampler which was presented well and tasted delicious. It was a generous portion of food and four of us split it. All excellent, but the caponata the best part!The wine was reasonable priced. The citrus old fashioned was excellent and the server highly recommended this from the drink menu. Woodford Reserve is used as their well bourbon.We each ordered a main course that we were very happy with. I especially loved the gnocchi. Very large serving and I had to take it home--excellent as a left over.Creme Brûlée was a nice sized serving and tasted deicious. Coffee freshly prepared and a wonderful end to a great experience.The restaurant was filled, but not too loud. It is a fairly casual atmosphere with lots of people seeming to enjoy themselves. The service was timely and the courses were appropriately spaced out.I will return and highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our waitress was really nice and she was the only thing good about this restaurant.I’m sorry but the food was not good; I’m would even say the food was “bad”.We started with the appetizer sampler and it was very bland. The arancini balls didn’t have any flavor and the chick pea fritters really shouldn’t be on any menu. They were greasy, flavorless, and weird.We had high hopes for the Insalata di Fichi but were disappointed to find the almonds were stale, it was overloaded with blue cheese, and served with very little dressing.I ordered the beef braciole becasue the waitress said the cook was “famous” for that dish. The word “famous” must be self imposed because the meat was PAINFULLY dry and it didn’t appear to have anything stuffed inside of it. I picked through it to find any sign of cheese or garlic or herbs and only found pieces of the tooth pick that I bit on. The dish was served over some severely over cooked orecchiette pasta tossed in some very bland tomato sauce. This dish was TERRIBLE. (Is it too much to ask that you learn to tie the braciole and not use toothpicks? And how about learning to make pasta to order?).My wife ordered the Salmon in Crosta and she should’ve known better because even the description was unappetizing. When the dish came to the table, we could easily see the salmon was very over cooked, the spinach was under cooked and it was dry as a bone. It also had an VERY strong fish flavor. I’m not going to suggest the fish wasn’t fresh, but it did smell and taste very “fishy”.My wife complained to the server and the manager came over to tell us she knows the salmon is fresh because she saw him make it “early that day”. (I’m guessing that’s why it was so fishy).I should also mention the restaurant itself wasn’t very nice. It’s a big garage that’s been converted into a restaurant. The tables are cold and made of metal and the seats aren’t very comfortable. It has the feel of a sandwich shop and not a what you’d expect from an Italian restaurant.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 4
My wife and I were warmly greeted at the door by the hostess and promptly taken up to our table. Our waitress was pleasant and accommodating. I ordered the Arancini appetizer which was terrific and my wife ordered the Panelle which she enjoyed. Our entree's were generous and inviting. The Braciole was tender and delicious, served over orecchiette pasta with a delicious tomato sauce. The Gnocchi Bolognese featured homemade ricotta gnocchi which were tender and delightful. The menu was packed with so many difficult choices that we will certainly be going back with friends soon.
Restaurantji Recommends
First time for both my boyfriend and I and will not be the last. The Arancini balls were so yummy and such a great starter. The drinks were very good and and the pasta entrees were incredibly delicious, I did not mind having leftovers to eat the next day. (One recommendation would be t get higher tables on the second floor, we did have to lean down a bit to eat our food, wasn't bad just might be easier to sit and enjoy their food if the seats and tables were accommodating.) Can't wait to come back!!
Excellent Italian food prepared by chef Mario unmatched by any restaurant in the area. The atmosphere, service and ambiance is perfect! Everything on the menu is a must to try. Bring your appetite, you’re going to want to taste everything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Clean, contemporary atmosphere and fantastic Italian cuisine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Braciole
Excellent food that out shines the setting and service.The food was perfect from the chicken's s tender delicate texture to the perfectly balanced sauce. Neither too sweet nor bitter nor too spicy. Just the right balance. Perfectly thick yet fresh.The seating is non handicapped accessibleA long yet sturdy flight of stairs is great for the mobile but for my 80 + year old dad it was torture.The decor was industrial/shipping container. A harsh contrast to the delicate meal and slow service.Beverages were served painfully slow, to the point every one at the table was looking at the ice as the only source of moisture. This is not an exaggerated example. Order a soda and it would take over 10 minutes.The food though slow was obviously deliberately done that way because it came back warm if not hot and very very tasty. No complaints about slow food as long as it's done the way it was. I only deducted for the terribly slow beverages.Another big problem I had there was I received a bill that was not itemized. It was just for a price. This never should be done, especially at a restaurant. Especially when there's four of us in three of us ordered drinks. Three of us ordered sodas three of us are ordered coffees. We had two appetizers. The total bill was $189 and with tip it was just 230.To head insult to injury, my family ordered two more coffees and one more soda and the waitress charged us for them. For a loss of another $10 or something that should not have charged for something we already paid for.Enter as it stands, with the cramped interior and stairs, and the lack of an itemized bill. (Which I find fatal for a restaurant and) You will not go back to a place. We really enjoy the food. Bummer
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 2
Dinner last night with friends was amazing, from the food to the service to the atmosphere! Will definitely be back soon!