Pastas was once our favorite place to eat. We would literally order atleast 3-4 times a week! Since Covid and the way they do lunch now, the food has went downhill. For someone who ate there so frequently, I can definitely tell the difference. Today I ordered 3 meals, for me and my children. Not only we’re our riggies bland like they have been the last handful of times, the chicken wasn’t even tossed in the sauce, which grossed us out to look at. Then the bread we received was big enough to feed a mouse. I’m never one to complain but I’m just baffled at the change! 30 dollars for something we didn’t even enjoy!
Great vibe to this place! No tv, so socialize! Lol, but staff is very knowledgeable on the food and gave great recommendations. Serving size will fill you up. They will give you a basket of bread and some house sauce for dipping. Like how they do chips and salsa. Don’t eat too much or you’ll be full before you know it. Have a great time!
I want to foremost shoutout our Bartender/Server Mark. He was the most amazing server I’ve ever had in my dining experience. He suggested amazing food for me to try, extremely attentive, welcoming and great personality overall. He also made the transaction of purchasing a box of their Tomato Oil pleasant and not awkward at all. The friendly service, food and atmosphere was 5 stars worthy. I’m not from the Syracuse area and I highly suggest to eat and drink there. If not for the food, please visit my man Mark.
Saw this place years ago on the Food Network and have always wanted to visit. I didnt have a chance on my first few visits to the area, but finally got around to visiting it during my most recent trip. Its located in a safe and walkable part of the downtown area. There are lots of metered street parking in the area as well. There is a bar there but no seating at the bar. There are a few seating areas: off to the right and another area toward the back. Currently there are plexiglass separators between the tables due to COVID. Also, the ordering system is very different...you dont necessarily get served in the traditional sense...When you enter the restaurant, you are seated at a table with a designated number. You then scan the QR code on the menu with your smart phone/device which takes you to a webpage where you order your food. You choose what you want, including drinks, substitutions and add-ons, and pay for it using your device. You can enter your creit card or pay using your wallet feature. You can add a tip at that time as well. You will be asked your table number before completing your order. When you food is ready, a server will bring it over on a tray in a disposable bowl/plate. I imagine this solves the take-home container issue, and prevent the re-using of dishes which can attribute to spreadable germs. Makes sense... My only gripe was that I wasnt explained this when I first entered...I was just taken to a table. It wasnt until I waited for about 15 minutes and another server noticed me looking puzzled before he came over and kindly explained the ordering process to me.I ended up ordering the Wicked Riggies Ive heard so much about and they definitely lived up to the hype. Pastas usually are okay to good...but this really stood out. It was creamy and spicy enough (more than expected actually)...the pasta was not over or under done either. The lunch portion was only about $13...which I think is a great deal. I was even able to take some home after. I would love to return again soon to try some other menu items...Be sure to visit their Bakery (Pastas Daily Bread) across the street for some sweet treats and other items to take home.
Pastabilities remains one of the busiest and most successful restaurants in Syracuse, and for good reason. You may wait for a table, but it will be worth it. Impeccable service and fantastic food.
My guy and U had a date night here. 9ne of his co workers told him this place was greatTo have a meal. We were totally pleased with the atmosphere and the service. They seem to work well as a team. Our server was very polite and very hospitable. We had starters and dessert being that we already had Sunday dinner. My love said we must make it a place we go to morw often when we are in town. The food was amazing. Everything we tried was great. I definitely recommend this place for a date night of family night out to eat. U will not be disappointed
We love the variety of options on the menu. They make their own bread which is the best and their own tomato dipping sauce which is famous. We ordered take out; its been a while since we ate inside. The food is always great. Most recently we had the garlic, broccoli & walnut pasta. We could have eaten that every day for a week. So good. We also had the broccoli, bacon & raisin salad which was just as good (we love broccoli).
Get on the wait list early…we were on the wait list over 130 minutes, but it was sooooooo worth the wait. We stayed in our hotel to nap until we were about 10th in line. And then arrived to the restaurant when we were 5th in line. Tomato oil dipping sauce, with bread and cheese bread….hard to not fill up on just that. Flavors incredible. All the pastas were fresh, hot and delicious. Tried the pesto Fredo, spaghetti and the meatball riggies. Deserts also very good. Afogado ice cream with coffee- excellent! We will definitely be going back!
2.5 hour wait and yet they refuse to take reservations. This was after driving 45 minutes to get to the restaurant. Im really disappointed because I was hoping Pastabilities might have a fresh pasta and sauce dish that was way above the really average spaghetti Im used to being served in central NY. Im really passionate about good pasta and have very high standards. Ultimately we left, went to Dinosaur Barbecue, got seated in 20 minutes, and had awesome barbecue. I called Pastabilities several days before trying to get a reservation and they said they dont take reservations for parties under 7. Because I love spaghetti so much, I thought I would take a chance and try it even though they dont take reservations. When I told my wife they dont take reservations she sarcastically said awesome. So if you have 3 or 4 hours to kill, go for it. For me it is doubtful I will ever go back. What am I going to do, register to be seated, then drive home and wait for 2 hours for a text message saying its time to drive back?
The staff were very accommodating. We brought our daughter with us for dinner and she was a bit cranky but the staff helped entertain her and were very helpful. They were sympathetic to us when she was all done and we had to leave. I cant wait to go back and show my appreciation. The food was amazing.
One of my favorite Syracuse restaurants. I love pasta,but house made fresh pasta and sauces. (everything is fresh!) It is very clear that their mission statement is working,team oriented customer service.every employee shows pride in what they do. I have always felt like a V.I.P. tonight our server Dan was exceptional,party of 9 treated like royalty. The bread and spicy tomato oil is addicting.
Wonderful dining experience. Great food and atmosphere. I will definitely be going back.
Never dined-in, but I did get take out for the first time last night. Everything was delicious :) I did notice that I was missing the Mac and Cheese I ordered when I got where I was going, but when I called about it they were quick to apologize and make it right by refunding the cost of it on my card with an extra little discount for the inconvenience.The girl I spoke with when I ordered, Ally, was so sweet and helpful. Even though the interaction was quick, she gave me the best customer service interaction I’ve had in recent memory, and I needed it! Thank you for being the sunshine in my day, Ally!
I LOVE this place, BUT it is always very difficult to get a seat for dinner, and the hostesses can often be very rude to guests not already on the list. The last time we went (a few nights ago), we had a few signature cocktails, duck breast flatbread, and 2 pasta dishes... all of which were AMAZING. The only problem we had was with the hostess, Colleen who was extremely rude and made us feel very uncomfortable and unwanted.
Was not expecting much at first, but when I showed up the line was already 7 long 15 minutes before open. Make sure you arrive early, because it is DEFINITELY worth it. Great food, free hot tomato oil and bread is amazing!
This is a place you go to impress your SO. The spicy tomato oil is ridiculous, I would have been satisfied with just that.
Pastabilities is a Syracuse gem, and they have the wait list to prove it. Wait times for in-person dining were over two hours on a Monday night.Due to the wait times for a table, we sat at the bar and ordered food there.The Spicy Hot Tomato Oil (which theyre famous for) is a wonderful way to start the meal. (It does contain honey, so vegans take note.)I ordered the Vegan Meatball Riggies, such was flavorful and good. My omnivore friend was very happy with his Pasta Bolognese.Overall, Pastabilities is definitely a great place to eat. Id love it if they expanded someday; they definitely have the demand to warrant it!
It was decent food. Im part Sicilian so cant beat grandma.
Great food great vibe. Bartender Jayce was awesome. Definitely recommend. Reservations are a must. Come hungry,come early . Excellent restaurant.
Great homemade pasta. The place is busy, so I recommend reservations, or take out. We did take out and it was pretty quick.
My wife and I came here to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We got all dressed up and drove the hour from Oswego for a romantic dinner out. When we arrived, something happened that made it look like we would not be able to eat there. I won’t be too specific because I don’t want to blow any cover, but the hostess and wait staff did something so remarkable for us that it made our anniversary dinner truly memorable. The food, the ambiance, and the service are always first rate, but now add to that their willingness to do something special for their guests. Thank you so much, Pastabilities. Give your hostesses a raise.
The spicy hot tomato dip is a delicious and strangely addictive item that is served with the *amazing* stretch bread and is aMUST have item (its only McDonalds Spicy Chicken level spicy so dont let the term spicy fool you). It reminds me of dipping bread into the pot of Sunday Gravy to steal a taste. Our two dishes were generous portions and delicious. While our food came out fast, follow up service to get drink refills or more food was annoyingly difficult with their strange way of ordering (order at bar or via app ONLY no one came to take our order) so much so it keeps them from being 5 stars.
Delicious and great vegan options! Always a wait because its a great restaurant. Call ahead to hold your spot! Worth the wait :)
Excellent service. They were a very busy restaurant but the servers were very well attentive to everyone. You got to see the cooks in action too which was nice
I have not been to the restaraunt yet but I have tried their sauce which I picked up at wegmans. It’s incredible and you can do so many things with it right down to just dipping bread. Has just the right spices. When I go to sera use I will look forward to do i g there. It’s in the top ten in the area so it’s a sure bet
Visited today on Father’s Day. Despite the large crowd I was seated quickly and not a long wait for the food to be prepared. The prices are very low. Very good value. Everything was excellent. Young staff eager to please. There is a reason this restaurant is always busy and long standing. low prices and well prepared food. This is a top restaurant in this city and well deserved wonderful reputation. The owner should be very proud.
Our family ordered take out from Pastabilities. We have ordered out from many local restaurants to support them during the pandemic. Pastabilities, by far, had the BEST ordering and pick up system in the area. The food was perfectly prepared, and tasted delicious. See photos and descriptions of what we ordered. This restaurant was 5 stars when it was open in the past, and certainly earned 5 stars during covid 19. Highly recommended.
My order from here was absolutely remarkable. remarkably disgusting, that is. the chicken was so undercooked that i expected it to start clucking at any moment. not to mention the sauce was chock full of basil……there is not a pastability that i will be coming back. you would have to drag my dead, cold, decaying corpse into the building and pry my mouth open to get me to eat the salmonella special ever again.however, the meatball was very good.
Absolutely amazing, the best chicken parm and meatballs I have ever had. The drinks were also amazing and the presentation was like I was in a big city.
Decent, cant beat grandmas cooking though!
Excellent food and service. The hot tomato oil was Devine, I bought some to take hone. Absolutely great experience 👍 Id definitely recommend this place!
Great atmosphere I added chicken too my salad it was not alot of chicken. I was a little bummed. Bread with oil was incredible
This place is extremely popular and always a long line but we eventually got a table. I got the chicken parm and it was unique but just ok. Others at my table seemed happy with their food. Nice place but not sure it lived up the hype for me personally.
Absolutely amazing. I’ve dined in London, Toronto, New York, Tampa, LA… now Syracuse and they crush it! Started with an Amazing Bourbon (Blantons) then move to insane good adapted Caesar salad. Then Short Ribs, paired with the Super Tuscan… I need to retire here!!! Sat at the bar and had the best service… don’t miss this place! Only disappointment is the flys some other guy had visit never showed up! Oh well… Mother Nature is unpredictable. Cheers!
Great pasta combinations and friendly service. The pesto Alfredo was excellent. I cant wait to get it again!
Honestly not sure why I keep coming back with hopes its going to be a different experience. Had the cauliflower appetizer, vegan, and the small cuts held the batter, tasted amazing. The huge cuts, which made up the majority, didnt hold the batter and ended up burnt and inedible. Others were pleased but not wowed by their pasta dishes. Always seems to be a solid 6/7 out of 10 so think its time to move on to some of the other restaurants in town.
Not happy at all!! The wait was almost 2 hours, we ordered our food and it was not what we expected. Pastabilities was on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives but showcased only the hot tomato oil being made, I see why now!
Good food, awful dining experience. It began from the very first call: after calling at 3:30 to note that we wished to eat around 7pm, we were told to call back at 4:30 to be put on a waitlist. We did, only to be told to call back AGAIN at 5pm so that our spot on the waiting list would give us an approximate 7pm seating. Okay, sure.We didn’t sit down at our table until 9pm. This, after spending what felt like forever waiting around outside the restaurant and aimlessly walking around the area to pass the time.Once we sat down, the wait didn’t end. The food wasn’t brought out for a good while, despite us ordering our entrees from the very beginning (which we had decided on while waiting outside). What’s more, they completely forgot to give us something we had ordered, so we ultimately had to cancel it from our bill. The food itself was perfectly fine—and it did taste great—but certainly not enough so to justify the entire ordeal of a night it was just to get it.We really wanted to like this place but I think next time we’ll look elsewhere.
Pastabilities always had great food and drinks! Make sure to call ahead to be put on the wait-list or you may be waiting a while. It was my fiances and my first date that lead to first our lifetime together 😊
Pastabilities is a Syracuse institution for good reason. Always, always receive warm and friendly service here. The food is outstanding. Their stretch bread with spicy tomato oil is to die for, and their pastas are always really good. The ambiance inside the restaurant is also solid. Once you try them theyll become a staple of your dining routine. Love them!
We love the variety of options on the menu. They make their own bread which is the best and their own tomato dipping sauce which is famous. We ordered take out; its been a while since we ate inside. The food is always great. Most recently we had the garlic, broccoli & walnut pasta. We could have eaten that every day for a week. So good. We also had the broccoli, bacon & raisin salad which was just as good (we love broccoli).
The duck bacon pizza is savory! Sweet and salty. I didnt think I would like it because of the cherries on it but they are little and more crushed and soft. The duck bacon tastes like normal bacon, you would not know its duck. The dough is amazing, the cheese and sauce is🔥 truthfully would order it again!
Amazing food and atmosphere but the staff favors older clientele from my personal experience. Saw a guy tip the hostess 20$ and got moved to the front of the line with his 4-5 person group while we had been waiting easily 30 minutes. Drinks arent the best in terms of price but its a nice place to go to if you dont mind a long wait.
My initial concern was the pricing. Everything was expensive but the more I read the menu the faster I realized most of it was made in house. Most of the noodles and all the sauces, plus the bread too. This is a great spot to grab some dinner with a date or hang with some friends too. The food is fire but the prices are high, however it is worth it because its so good. Everything is amazing including the customer service as well. I was greeted with a smiling server and plenty of refills on my water. So all in all, good good good food. Keep it up pastabilities team👍🏻.
Fantastic food and even better service definitely a 5 star review
Food was very good and reasonably priced. Covid19 ordering very confusing, and I knew there was no way theyd get it right, and they didnt. BUT, we make allowances for these difficult times. They tried and everyone was very friendly
The fried chicken special was fantastic, and I enjoyed the calamari appetizer. Pesto gnocchi was good. Service was excellent, server friendly and knowledgeable, though they was a big gap between app and main course. ( This was on a Friday night). No reservations allowed, though they is a wait-list app that you will have to keep an eye on.
1000% always worth the wait! Food is incredible and our waiter Stephen F was incredible!
You need to go here. A must dine when in the area. Great food. The wait speaks for itself. Servers were on point.
Decent pasta, but only go if you are young and pretty. Our 50ish age party of 3 waited for a table while other younger guests were seated before us. Age discrimination was clear. We were seated at the very back of the restaurant. As the evening wore on near closing trash was wheeled past us. So if you want their unique pasta you may need to endure some of these things.
Great restaurant with a wide selection of options to go with the pasta. Honey Ranch fried chicken was amazing and well worth the wait. Highly recommended.
Take into consideration we went there on a Friday night at 6:15 on a nice summer night. We gave them our name at 6:15. They said the wait was 40-60 minutes. That was accurate, we were seated around 7:00. The reason I gave four instead of five stars is because I think they have too many seats and not enough kitchen to accommodate. We ordered calamari, chicken parm, and spinach gnocchi. While waiting for the appetizer, we were served bread and their oil sauce. The whole dinner started at 7:00 and we paid at 8:30. The server was top notch. The food was delicious. The whole meal (two entrées, appetizer, two glasses of wine and appropriate tip) was $100. We will go back. It was a good experience.
The food is so amazing that on a whim, we jumped in our car and drove 3 hours from home last night to dine there. I had the fried chicken dish which was outstanding. The manager and staff are very friendly.
Such a nice restaurant. I was too late to order food. A pretty waitress still let me order. And the food was delicious!
This is a place that knows how to treat their patrons well! My family’s dinners were delicious but they screwed up my salmon...twice...and yet they made it one of THE BEST EXPERIENCES in a restaurant. The manager, Rylan, was very helpful and apologetic and knew exactly what to do and say to make our visit a great time. We will definitely be back...but I may not order the salmon. ;)
I want to give this place more than 5 stars. It was incredible. Went for lunch, we were seated quickly and ordering was a breeze. Spicy hot tomato oil is to die for. Worth trying even if you are scared of spicy. MmmmmmGarlic oil pasta and linguine and homemade tomato sauce were delicious and feed us a few times.Run dont walk!
The food was delicious, the wait to be seated wasnt to long either especially since they are starting to be fully open. The staff was also very friendly and I would definitely visit there again
Great pasta and sauce staff friendly and efficient I will be back next time in Syracuse
The food was decent and the server was friendly. She seemed a little too busy because I ran out of water and never got a refill. My mac & cheese bake was pretty good, nothing exceptional just mac&cheese. I also ordered the chocolate chip cookie dessert. It wasnt bad but not worth $3.50.
Amazing service by Dan! Amazing food and Amazing ambience! First time in Syracuse for the holidays and I happened to go out for dinner with my girlfriend on a Monday night...every other restaurant was dead and this one had an hour long wait... which was really only 40 mins...but well worth the wait for sure!! Cant wait to come back!
Not to be missed if in the area. Delicious food. Go here if you can get in.
Great food great people off the hook pasta cant wait to get more
Excellent food and service. Great deserts
Everything is fantastic the bartender was awesome the service is great love the menu with some awesome options. If I was being really critical the scallops were a little tough
It was quick, delicious and theres leftovers for dinner!
Had to stop in when in town from Charlotte to my favorite place, the absolute best pasta! Service was great, loved the ability to order via phone from the table. I got the pesto fredo over linguine with vegan meatballs, my mom got the half vodka over penne with meatballs, both were fantastic! Wish they could ship to NC!
Table was gross (not wiped down before or after being seated). Lunch service is disorganized. You have a staff member taking enough time to explain how to scan a menu QR code to place an order online or order at the bat, when they could just write down your order since they bring it to you anyway.Pasta was gross/mushy, not enough sauce, meatball was bland.
The best Italian food I’ve had in a while. A few recommendations I have. It is best to get there around 5-5:30, you can beat the crowd to a booth, otherwise you are working with a first come first serve. The chicken riggies is to die for and the Alfredo was the best I’ve ever tasted, so smooth and delicious. If I may recommend a wine on the menu for red lovers it would be the Baby Amarone, it’s smooth, full bodied and perfect with an Italian dish. On the cocktail menu, the Guns and Roses is spectacular, you can taste the rose water!
Ok, no kidding...the red sauce is the best sauce I have ever had!!! Wow...it is amaaaZing! The pasta is great too, but it’s the sauce that makes this place memorable. I went for a late lunch/early dinner and before I knew it, the line was out the door for a table. It would be a good idea to make reservations.
Great food and service! You get so much food be prepared to take a lot home! From Vegan to meat eaters you’ll love it here
Great service nice atmosphere great food at reasonable prices
One of my favorite restaurants downtown. Cannot leave unless I get the burrata and my husband gets the chicken riggies. Only downside is it’s always extremely busy so if you get a wait time for less than an hour you are very lucky.
Amazing food, just wish it wasnt so loud! Great food and drinks
I cant tell its bad. But probably I will never back.
This was one of my best dining experiences Ive ever had. Service was great, food came to the table fast, and it was some of the best pasta Ive had in my life. Absolutely loved it and cant wait to go back!
Wonderful meal ! Enjoyed fresh linguine pasta with broccoli and walnuts with lots of cheese! Added a meatball ala carte which was delish. There is sausage mixed in the meatball. Includes an order of their famous spicy tomato dipping sauce and stretch bread. Service was friendly and prompt. Sat in booth in the bar area. Low lighting, but pleasant. Recommend to everyone!
We called for a reservation for 7 a few days in advance, our table was ready in time. So we walked in and sat right down. We were told by the hostess that we had a time limit of 2 hrs on the table. Caught me a bit off guard. I mentioned that a time limit should have been discussed when I called to make the reservation. Was told that they did because the manager takes the reservation. They didnt. No biggieIll start by saying that we had a few flys that buzzed around us the entire time we sat. Like relentlessly.The service was good. And attentive. The food was really not that good. The calamari was burned. They did replace it quickly but even that wasnt really that good. The macaroni and sauce dishes where good.The manicotti was COVERED in motz cheese. Alot. I think to hide the 2 very small manicottiMac and cheese meal was ordered with breaded chicken. They forgot the chicken. It was fixed quickly but the chicken was dry.Overall very over priced. Food dosent match the hype but it wasnt bad Gonna stick with avacolli in Liverpool
The best Italian food in town with the friendly service! If you’re looking for a great place with great portions and excellent flavor this is the spot! I have never been disappointed by the food quality here and the awesome people working behind the counter! 10/10 recommend ♥️🙌🏽
Took a flight into Syracuse and a group of people on the plane said I had to come here for the Chicken Riggies. I did just that and !!!! great meal. It is on the spicy side so you can ask them to kick it down a notch and they’ll add Alfredo sauce. The bread and sauce as an appetizer was delicious, a little spicy as well but not to bad. Atmosphere and service were great! Don’t skip this place if you’re visiting!
Great service! As stated by almost every review, the hot tomato oil is spicy and delicious. My winter solstice drink speci was a great cocktail to start. The fresh Maine lobster ravioli was the best pasta Ive ever had! The lemon shallot sauce was very lemony and delicious. Large servings. My boyfriend greatly enjoyed his steak. Thanks for the great experience!
Make sure you get the spicy hot tomato oil & stretch bread. It is amazing.
Oil & tomato was good. Beef stew, rib and chicken riggies all were very good. Not the best place for romantic dinner because it is too loud, but staff is very friendly. I dont think it is $$ cheap, I felt like a $$$ but you cant feel overpaid, because meals are so delicious. Also there were a music trio and nice decorative objects, so that you dont want to leave the place. Cheesecake was also very fresh and good.
Love it, their house hot tomato oil and stretchy bread is to die for, they also sell the hot oil at the local Wegmans.😉I usually get the antipasto salad with seared scallops, and boy do they know how to perfectly golden glaze the meat, cooking it just right.The wicked chicken/meatball riggi is a Syracuse special made really well by pastabilitiesThe possibilities of me eating at pastabilities at least once every time in Syracuse is 100%
