This is clearly a four-star restaurant. Why not a five? They are understaffed. Our waiter, was the only one present except for two busboys who, he said, were new. It seemed to me, however, that they tried pretty hard. This is off-season, but still..... It was interesting that when One of us requested a substitution of pasta for the vegetables he said this was not possible but he could sell her the pasta. It seems that the substitution should've been automatic. Note that this is not an inexpensive restaurant. The food, however, is what makes a restaurant great. The food here is fresh and prepared to order. Two appetizers, one of clams and one soup special were both good. Two of us had the sole, Outstanding. The other two had a pasta dish and the shrimp, both of which received raves. I finished with a good coconut sorbet. Worth a visit.
(4)
Kody B.
After hearing good things about this restaurant, we decided to have dinner there last week. I wish I had read the reviews online before wasting money. I now understand why they needed to put up a sign outside the restaurant telling people it was open. The room is nice and the waiter was attentive and pleasant. He explained to us that 4 parties came in within 10 minutes of each other and that was going to slow things down. We understood and had no problem with that. What we didn't know was HOW SLOWLY meals would come out of the kitchen especially as there were only about 20 people in the restaurant. Several tables were not filled. What would happen if every table had diners? We were served our drinks right away. We waited for 4 tiny pieces of bread to be delivered. Our salads came shortly after the bread. Then we waited and waited and waited. The waiter repeatedly updated us and apologized. Two parties who came in after us were served before us. It took 1 hour after our order was placed for our meals to be served. It wouldn't be fair to judge the food; by the time we got served, we couldn't enjoy the food. It looked like there was only 1 person in the kitchen - the owner/chef. I thought this was an off-season issue. After seeing several reviews stating the same complaint no matter the time of year, this is clearly an ongoing issue. Apparently, the owner doesn't care about what people say because he doesn't fix the problem; he needs to take some business classes. You can't stay in business by serving 1 table every 15 minutes no matter how good the food might be. Here's 1 patron who will not return.
(2)
Ed P.
Authentic Italian food. Owner/chief. Takes all the necessary steps to cook dishes from the heart. Absolutely great Italian food. I Had the seafood fraDiavlo Last night with fresh pasta. Was Ausome. Find this place you'll be impressed. ITS NOT a Meatball and spaghetti place . Can't wait to go back and try the veal dishes. I Know Italian food New York City born and raised
(4)
Anthony A.
My fiance and I decided to try this place on Friday, we both left disappointed. Considering the price of our meal I would expect exceptional service...no luck. The food did not disappoint but our waiter was was slow and not engaged in our dining experience. Food: 8/10 Great food, but overpriced with small portions. Service: 5/10 Server never introduced himself, no hint of the specials for the night, had to wave him down for drink refills, no offer of wine. It took about an hour after we ordered for our entree to arrive. Decor: 5/10 In need of a major update update all the way down to plate and silverware. All things considered, I would go back if the service improved.
(3)
Ignatius L.
Great dinner at Farfalla. Service (Mike, I think) was terrific as was dinner. Tuna appetizer, lobster bisque, Caesar salad and veal picata. As good as it gets. Lobster bisque was made with a lobster stock. It was different than the heavy creamy lobster bisque I'm accustomed. This soup at Farfalla is a real find, but if I recall, it was a special.
(5)
Oran F.
Couldn't get past 3 hostesses. Recently attempted to return to what we had thought was a great place to eat. Made 6 PM reservation for 2 on Valentine's Day. Got there 5 minutes early knowing there was no indoor gathering area or bar to wait if crowded. Noted people standing outside in 50 degree weather in normally warmer Florida late afternoon.(few prepared with coats or even sweaters). Indoors few waiters serving large number of guests, but 3 hostesses standing in front, taking names and saying sorry, but not really helping with busing tables, serving or in some other way expediting. No real attempt to improve comfort or inform waiting customers of how much longer wait would be. Having seen some periodically miserable reviews, understand now that management places a good food product out there, but they are unable to manage their diners experience in a repeatable and reliable fashion. Very unlikely that we will ever return. Too many great alternatives.
(1)
Karen H.
Nice ambience, friendly, knowledgable waitstaff. The ingredients are fresh and the portions are generous. The owner is very gregarious and, if time allows, will come to your table. The carpaccio is delicious.
(4)
Georgann S.
We tried this restaurant two times now. Food was good but Valentines Day was not the best. I like to dine on this holiday and have a special dessert and coffee. NOT possible here tonight unless you want s takeout. It bummed me out. I saw the table next to me get drink dessert but I guess we weren't important. Our money is as good as the anyone's. We're done
While I can say the food is pretty good I find the waiters a bit pretentious. They pretend like it's a five-star dining restaurant. Every night they have a medley of vegetables as a side and if you ask for say spinach instead, the waiters will nearly refuse to ask "Chef" as they refer to the pope of this establishment. I refuse to go there any more because i was forced to choose between a side of horrible mixed vegetables which is not made to order or to "buy" a side of spinach. "Chef" food alone does not make a restaurant. Customer service is 50%! Had you simply given me my request you'd have a customer for life but I won't rest until you get this message loud and clear. Please explain why you can't provide such an easy substitution. Educate me and the public with your response.
(1)
Beth L.
We have driven past this place 100 times since we live about 2 miles from the restaurant and every time we have tried to go, the restaurant was closed. We were hoping this time, the experience would be special. I knew we were in trouble when we first walked in, only a few tables were filled, and the waiter/host said "you don't have a reservation?". When we were seated, it felt as if we were a burden to be there. We ordered a glass of Chardonnay, the only selection by the glass, and when we received it, it literally tasted terrible...like vinegar. When we asked the waiter about the wine, he said "well you ordered the cheapest one" as if to say "you're cheap". We explained that we ordered the wine by the glass as far as we knew. Shouldn't any wine they serve be acceptable to drink even if it's not the most expensive? The food was "mediocre". The pasta fagioli soup was underdone and under-flavored. The meal was not worth $123 considering my wife had badly done soup and a salad for dinner. The $9.00 Tiramisu was the size of two dominoes stacked together. The chef's 17 years of experience that has bragging rights in this place definitely exudes through the decor and screams "stuck in the 80's" and he and his staff should come off their high horses and be real people instead of something they're not. We won't be back and won't recommend this to our colleagues and friends. Nino's just down the road offers great family style food, wonderful servers who know you by name, and treat you with dignity and respect and a big smile, and that's worth everything!
(1)
Jack B.
The food was good. The service good as well. However there were about five or six too many tables jammed into the dining area. Tables and chairs were so close to others that the waiters kept banging into people trying to serve them. Not a good environment.
(3)
Alec A.
Valentine's Day. Restaurant managing more reservations than it should of accepted. My wife and I waited for an hour and we had reservations! There were at least 30 to 40 people waiting about the same time. Thy should of given us a discount on our bill for waiting instead of free wine. The food was good. That was the only positive note. The service was indifferent and did not try to be understanding to the situation. Take care of your customers! We will not be back and we are permanent residentsof Estero. Please train your staff to be more sympathetic and amiable, not just there.
(3)
Ellen H.
We were excited to go there, my husband made reservations through the chef/owner. This was the worst dining experience we have had in a long time. Started off with calamari that was way under cooked and rubbery, we didn't complain. My friend ordered fish that was prepared in a parchment paper, she asked for them to hold garlic & onions-she had a medical condition and can't eat spicy food. She started eating the fish it had so much pepper on it she almost choked. When she called the waiter over and said it was too peppery or something he was not very happy and commented that they held the garlic & onions so why should she complain. He finally offered her another entree. She then asked for some pasta with a little butter. The pasta came and it wasn't cooked enough. My pasta w/ bolonese was pasta & meat, no sauce. (I didn't complain) the waiter at this point was very mad. He brought our leftovers- my husbands and mine, and a third one which we thought was the under cooked pasta---but he had brought back out her fish that she couldn't eat in the first place. We asked to talk to the chef/owner but he wouldn't come out. The waiter then said a Nasty "Good Night" and we left. Never got a sincere apology about anything. They even tried to charge us for the fish that she couldn't eat. We had to ask for it to be taken off the bill. Left no tip, which we NEVER do-but the waiter was so nasty and rude. We will never be back. Would give it NO stars!
(1)
John D.
2 1/2 STARS We ate here a couple of months ago and I waited to submit this update. I wanted to see if the dining experience improved at all in my memory. It hasn't. I ordered a steak that night. I like it a little pink in the middle and believe that to be somewhere between medium rare and medium. Experience has taught me to order medium, because medium rare often comes quite red in the center. So I ordered it medium. The steak came completely rare. Without question. Very, very red (i.e., uncooked) throughout. The three others agreed, so I returned it to be further cooked. It took forever, but when it came back it was still very rare. I gave up, kept it and took it home with me to be properly cooked. Not good. By the way, the other three meals that were ordered were just fine. The service was terrible. The waiter tried to sell us a bottle of wine for starters, and when only one of us (me!) wanted any wine and ordered a glass, he virtually ignored us for the rest of the evening. We had to summon another waiter to come to our table. I believe the owner/chef to be a nice guy and excellent cook normally, but perhaps success and an increase in business has made it difficult for him to maintain a high level of service & consistency. Location - 4 STARS Ambiance - 5 STARS Service - 2 STARS Food (mine): - 1 STAR Food (the others three): - 4 STARS
(3)
Bob M.
I have eaten here several times over the last few years. The quality of cuisine is outstanding--ingredients are top-quality, preparations are authentic, and presentation is very nice. This is not your "old school" spaghetti-and-meatballs, tomato-everything food, but more like what I've had in trattorias in Milan, Bologna, and around Tuscany. For instance, on a recent trip, lamb chops in a rosemary-wine reduction was some of the best lamb I have ever had. Service is often good, but inconsistent. Once, our waiter was so attentive and enthusiastic that it seemed as if he never stopped talking. Yet, most recently, our waiter was inattentive--we were kept waiting far too long to place our orders. Other times, service was flawless. More consistently trained floor-staff would be appreciated!
I have genuine restaurant guilt for overlooking Farfalla. Especially since it has been in the business of serving Italian-inspired dishes in an elegant room for more than 14 years. The white room with high back chairs and candlight level lighting overcome the dull, sidewalk approach to this resto in a strip mall. Many pages of entrees are offered and there were many pages of wines in its wine list. We had salmon poached in a tomatoe base, and vitello prepared in a barolo sauce with a few porcini mushrooms. Both entrees had sliced squash as its accompanying vegetable, and a potato that sadly, was a bit lost in a loose, cream sauce. A creme brulee was done very well, however, and finished to a rich smooth texutre and with just enough of a sugar burn for the spoon to easily crack through. We shared a sparkiling water and had two coffees. No wine. The bill was $73 before gratuity. Considering the price and the atmosphere, I would recommend Farfalle as a destination for any special occasion.
(4)
Torrey R.
The staff was very nice or I'd have given it one star. For a place that pitches itself as a upscale Italian restaurant the most important part fell short for me. The food. I ordered a cheese and spinach ravioli with red sauce which is a fairly easy dish and my better half ordered a seafood pasta with a white wine sauce. Her dish was bland, watery and had very little seafood and mine was okay at best. For these prices I expected better. Maybe I caught them on an off night but unfortunately I won't likely try them again.
(2)
John L.
A fabulous find and the early bird menu is excellent! Don't let the location let you think its not a terrific Italian restaurant. The chef is extraordinary.
(4)
Sandra M.
The food here was great. We had the Ahi Tuna Carpaccio appetizer and the crab ravioli for the main course...all were awesome.
(4)
Bonnie G.
After imbibing a goodly portion of pinot grigio, I'm feeling pretty magnanimous toward Farfalla, hence the 5 stars. Pasta special was crab-stuffed ravioli which they were kind enough to make into an appetizer portion for me. My first choice would've been a small portion of the truffle risotto, but, since it's made to order, would've taken 30+ minutes. Good to know it's the real thing. Salad was the lone weak link -- a generic greens/vinaigrette concoction. But the cioppino was awesome. Again, without the aforementioned pinot grigio, I may have been less lusty in cracking the crab claws and making a big mess, but, hey, I was mellow. Huge piece of swordfish, several shrimp and clams in the shell completed this dish with a delicious sauce served with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables which were pretty much an afterthought after I'd demolished the huge crab portion. And the tiramisu was absolutely sublime, like a cloud on the tongue (uh,oh, pinot grigio talking here again). Spouse had some veal dish which he said was excellent and the special black forest cake for dessert. I don't recall details of his meal. Pinot grigio, remember?
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Neil S.
This is clearly a four-star restaurant. Why not a five? They are understaffed. Our waiter, was the only one present except for two busboys who, he said, were new. It seemed to me, however, that they tried pretty hard. This is off-season, but still..... It was interesting that when One of us requested a substitution of pasta for the vegetables he said this was not possible but he could sell her the pasta. It seems that the substitution should've been automatic. Note that this is not an inexpensive restaurant. The food, however, is what makes a restaurant great. The food here is fresh and prepared to order. Two appetizers, one of clams and one soup special were both good. Two of us had the sole, Outstanding. The other two had a pasta dish and the shrimp, both of which received raves. I finished with a good coconut sorbet. Worth a visit.
(4)Kody B.
After hearing good things about this restaurant, we decided to have dinner there last week. I wish I had read the reviews online before wasting money. I now understand why they needed to put up a sign outside the restaurant telling people it was open. The room is nice and the waiter was attentive and pleasant. He explained to us that 4 parties came in within 10 minutes of each other and that was going to slow things down. We understood and had no problem with that. What we didn't know was HOW SLOWLY meals would come out of the kitchen especially as there were only about 20 people in the restaurant. Several tables were not filled. What would happen if every table had diners? We were served our drinks right away. We waited for 4 tiny pieces of bread to be delivered. Our salads came shortly after the bread. Then we waited and waited and waited. The waiter repeatedly updated us and apologized. Two parties who came in after us were served before us. It took 1 hour after our order was placed for our meals to be served. It wouldn't be fair to judge the food; by the time we got served, we couldn't enjoy the food. It looked like there was only 1 person in the kitchen - the owner/chef. I thought this was an off-season issue. After seeing several reviews stating the same complaint no matter the time of year, this is clearly an ongoing issue. Apparently, the owner doesn't care about what people say because he doesn't fix the problem; he needs to take some business classes. You can't stay in business by serving 1 table every 15 minutes no matter how good the food might be. Here's 1 patron who will not return.
(2)Ed P.
Authentic Italian food. Owner/chief. Takes all the necessary steps to cook dishes from the heart. Absolutely great Italian food. I Had the seafood fraDiavlo Last night with fresh pasta. Was Ausome. Find this place you'll be impressed. ITS NOT a Meatball and spaghetti place . Can't wait to go back and try the veal dishes. I Know Italian food New York City born and raised
(4)Anthony A.
My fiance and I decided to try this place on Friday, we both left disappointed. Considering the price of our meal I would expect exceptional service...no luck. The food did not disappoint but our waiter was was slow and not engaged in our dining experience. Food: 8/10 Great food, but overpriced with small portions. Service: 5/10 Server never introduced himself, no hint of the specials for the night, had to wave him down for drink refills, no offer of wine. It took about an hour after we ordered for our entree to arrive. Decor: 5/10 In need of a major update update all the way down to plate and silverware. All things considered, I would go back if the service improved.
(3)Ignatius L.
Great dinner at Farfalla. Service (Mike, I think) was terrific as was dinner. Tuna appetizer, lobster bisque, Caesar salad and veal picata. As good as it gets. Lobster bisque was made with a lobster stock. It was different than the heavy creamy lobster bisque I'm accustomed. This soup at Farfalla is a real find, but if I recall, it was a special.
(5)Oran F.
Couldn't get past 3 hostesses. Recently attempted to return to what we had thought was a great place to eat. Made 6 PM reservation for 2 on Valentine's Day. Got there 5 minutes early knowing there was no indoor gathering area or bar to wait if crowded. Noted people standing outside in 50 degree weather in normally warmer Florida late afternoon.(few prepared with coats or even sweaters). Indoors few waiters serving large number of guests, but 3 hostesses standing in front, taking names and saying sorry, but not really helping with busing tables, serving or in some other way expediting. No real attempt to improve comfort or inform waiting customers of how much longer wait would be. Having seen some periodically miserable reviews, understand now that management places a good food product out there, but they are unable to manage their diners experience in a repeatable and reliable fashion. Very unlikely that we will ever return. Too many great alternatives.
(1)Karen H.
Nice ambience, friendly, knowledgable waitstaff. The ingredients are fresh and the portions are generous. The owner is very gregarious and, if time allows, will come to your table. The carpaccio is delicious.
(4)Georgann S.
We tried this restaurant two times now. Food was good but Valentines Day was not the best. I like to dine on this holiday and have a special dessert and coffee. NOT possible here tonight unless you want s takeout. It bummed me out. I saw the table next to me get drink dessert but I guess we weren't important. Our money is as good as the anyone's. We're done
(1)Annette T.
Lots of great food here. It is in a strip mall. Many restaurants seem to be! Fresh, crusty, light, warm italian bread. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar & butter brought to your table right away. Friendly staff. Fantastic prince island mussel appetizer with delicious broth. Hated to not finish sopping up with their crusty bread! One dinner was veal Picatta. Tender & delicious. Great scalloped potatoes & sautéed vegetables alongside. Second dinner linguine Genovese. A bit too much pesto. But still delicious. Wine suggestion excellent, a good pour as well. Nicely done Creme brûlée finished meal. 3 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, dessert & 2 coffees. $100.
(4)Carmen T.
While I can say the food is pretty good I find the waiters a bit pretentious. They pretend like it's a five-star dining restaurant. Every night they have a medley of vegetables as a side and if you ask for say spinach instead, the waiters will nearly refuse to ask "Chef" as they refer to the pope of this establishment. I refuse to go there any more because i was forced to choose between a side of horrible mixed vegetables which is not made to order or to "buy" a side of spinach. "Chef" food alone does not make a restaurant. Customer service is 50%! Had you simply given me my request you'd have a customer for life but I won't rest until you get this message loud and clear. Please explain why you can't provide such an easy substitution. Educate me and the public with your response.
(1)Beth L.
We have driven past this place 100 times since we live about 2 miles from the restaurant and every time we have tried to go, the restaurant was closed. We were hoping this time, the experience would be special. I knew we were in trouble when we first walked in, only a few tables were filled, and the waiter/host said "you don't have a reservation?". When we were seated, it felt as if we were a burden to be there. We ordered a glass of Chardonnay, the only selection by the glass, and when we received it, it literally tasted terrible...like vinegar. When we asked the waiter about the wine, he said "well you ordered the cheapest one" as if to say "you're cheap". We explained that we ordered the wine by the glass as far as we knew. Shouldn't any wine they serve be acceptable to drink even if it's not the most expensive? The food was "mediocre". The pasta fagioli soup was underdone and under-flavored. The meal was not worth $123 considering my wife had badly done soup and a salad for dinner. The $9.00 Tiramisu was the size of two dominoes stacked together. The chef's 17 years of experience that has bragging rights in this place definitely exudes through the decor and screams "stuck in the 80's" and he and his staff should come off their high horses and be real people instead of something they're not. We won't be back and won't recommend this to our colleagues and friends. Nino's just down the road offers great family style food, wonderful servers who know you by name, and treat you with dignity and respect and a big smile, and that's worth everything!
(1)Jack B.
The food was good. The service good as well. However there were about five or six too many tables jammed into the dining area. Tables and chairs were so close to others that the waiters kept banging into people trying to serve them. Not a good environment.
(3)Alec A.
Valentine's Day. Restaurant managing more reservations than it should of accepted. My wife and I waited for an hour and we had reservations! There were at least 30 to 40 people waiting about the same time. Thy should of given us a discount on our bill for waiting instead of free wine. The food was good. That was the only positive note. The service was indifferent and did not try to be understanding to the situation. Take care of your customers! We will not be back and we are permanent residentsof Estero. Please train your staff to be more sympathetic and amiable, not just there.
(3)Ellen H.
We were excited to go there, my husband made reservations through the chef/owner. This was the worst dining experience we have had in a long time. Started off with calamari that was way under cooked and rubbery, we didn't complain. My friend ordered fish that was prepared in a parchment paper, she asked for them to hold garlic & onions-she had a medical condition and can't eat spicy food. She started eating the fish it had so much pepper on it she almost choked. When she called the waiter over and said it was too peppery or something he was not very happy and commented that they held the garlic & onions so why should she complain. He finally offered her another entree. She then asked for some pasta with a little butter. The pasta came and it wasn't cooked enough. My pasta w/ bolonese was pasta & meat, no sauce. (I didn't complain) the waiter at this point was very mad. He brought our leftovers- my husbands and mine, and a third one which we thought was the under cooked pasta---but he had brought back out her fish that she couldn't eat in the first place. We asked to talk to the chef/owner but he wouldn't come out. The waiter then said a Nasty "Good Night" and we left. Never got a sincere apology about anything. They even tried to charge us for the fish that she couldn't eat. We had to ask for it to be taken off the bill. Left no tip, which we NEVER do-but the waiter was so nasty and rude. We will never be back. Would give it NO stars!
(1)John D.
2 1/2 STARS We ate here a couple of months ago and I waited to submit this update. I wanted to see if the dining experience improved at all in my memory. It hasn't. I ordered a steak that night. I like it a little pink in the middle and believe that to be somewhere between medium rare and medium. Experience has taught me to order medium, because medium rare often comes quite red in the center. So I ordered it medium. The steak came completely rare. Without question. Very, very red (i.e., uncooked) throughout. The three others agreed, so I returned it to be further cooked. It took forever, but when it came back it was still very rare. I gave up, kept it and took it home with me to be properly cooked. Not good. By the way, the other three meals that were ordered were just fine. The service was terrible. The waiter tried to sell us a bottle of wine for starters, and when only one of us (me!) wanted any wine and ordered a glass, he virtually ignored us for the rest of the evening. We had to summon another waiter to come to our table. I believe the owner/chef to be a nice guy and excellent cook normally, but perhaps success and an increase in business has made it difficult for him to maintain a high level of service & consistency. Location - 4 STARS Ambiance - 5 STARS Service - 2 STARS Food (mine): - 1 STAR Food (the others three): - 4 STARS
(3)Bob M.
I have eaten here several times over the last few years. The quality of cuisine is outstanding--ingredients are top-quality, preparations are authentic, and presentation is very nice. This is not your "old school" spaghetti-and-meatballs, tomato-everything food, but more like what I've had in trattorias in Milan, Bologna, and around Tuscany. For instance, on a recent trip, lamb chops in a rosemary-wine reduction was some of the best lamb I have ever had. Service is often good, but inconsistent. Once, our waiter was so attentive and enthusiastic that it seemed as if he never stopped talking. Yet, most recently, our waiter was inattentive--we were kept waiting far too long to place our orders. Other times, service was flawless. More consistently trained floor-staff would be appreciated!
(4)Shari T.
I give this place 2 stars, but my fiancé said to give it 3..and I did like the atmosphere of the place. However, they were lacking in almost every other regard. We came here for a nice, romantic Valentine's Day dinner, but unfortunately Farfalla left much to be desired. The service was awful to start. We were incredibly rushed through the entire meal. I understand it's a holiday and there are a lot of reservations, but we had a reservation too..and they tried to have us out of the restaurant in under an hour. When I'm paying well over $100 for a meal, I'd like to be given the time to enjoy it! They literally tried to put my main course plate down on top of my appetizer plate that I was still eating, as well as taking away the bread that we weren't done with! They brought the check before we were finished, and then took it and never acknowledged us again even though we weren't done yet! Very unprofessional. On to the most important part..the food. As it was valentines day it was a fixed menu, which left not many options unless you were there for seafood. I typically go to an Italian place for pasta, not seafood..but maybe that's just me. Anyway, we started with mozzarella caprese which is a favorite of mine. And I have to say, this is the only time in my life that I haven't enjoyed it! It was just...bland. For my main course I ordered some type of pasta dish that I'm not even sure what it was because the waitress couldn't explain it upon me asking, but it was one of the only non-seafood options. It ended up being egg noodles with peas, prosciutto and a light cream sauce. Very small portions and not much flavor. It really wasn't terrible, but it's not something I would order again..and I had to pick out all the prosciutto since it was too hard to even chew. My fiancé had the rack of veal, which he said was ok but nothing special and not worth the $36 they charged for it. The potatoes that came with his meal were delicious though! The complimentary dessert was one chocolate covered strawberry and biscotti the size of my pinky finger...I have no comment. Overall, the food wasn't terrible, but it was nothing special either, service was poor, and prices are absolutely ridiculous for what you get. Maybe it was just because we went on a holiday, I don't know. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. We may try it again when they have the regular menu. But all I can say from our experience today is I was really looking forward to going to this place, but unfortunately it left me much more disappointed than impressed.
(2)Joseph J.
Chef/Owner Fattah does a remarkable job with the menus.. Four of us and we had one veal and three groupers. Fresh sautéed veggies w carrots and wonderful zucchini.. Veal and fish cooked to perfection. A good time to give it a try, while the crowds are down.. Creme buhle and tiramisu were 10's!!! joe j ft Myers
(5)Jamie R.
I have genuine restaurant guilt for overlooking Farfalla. Especially since it has been in the business of serving Italian-inspired dishes in an elegant room for more than 14 years. The white room with high back chairs and candlight level lighting overcome the dull, sidewalk approach to this resto in a strip mall. Many pages of entrees are offered and there were many pages of wines in its wine list. We had salmon poached in a tomatoe base, and vitello prepared in a barolo sauce with a few porcini mushrooms. Both entrees had sliced squash as its accompanying vegetable, and a potato that sadly, was a bit lost in a loose, cream sauce. A creme brulee was done very well, however, and finished to a rich smooth texutre and with just enough of a sugar burn for the spoon to easily crack through. We shared a sparkiling water and had two coffees. No wine. The bill was $73 before gratuity. Considering the price and the atmosphere, I would recommend Farfalle as a destination for any special occasion.
(4)Torrey R.
The staff was very nice or I'd have given it one star. For a place that pitches itself as a upscale Italian restaurant the most important part fell short for me. The food. I ordered a cheese and spinach ravioli with red sauce which is a fairly easy dish and my better half ordered a seafood pasta with a white wine sauce. Her dish was bland, watery and had very little seafood and mine was okay at best. For these prices I expected better. Maybe I caught them on an off night but unfortunately I won't likely try them again.
(2)John L.
A fabulous find and the early bird menu is excellent! Don't let the location let you think its not a terrific Italian restaurant. The chef is extraordinary.
(4)Sandra M.
The food here was great. We had the Ahi Tuna Carpaccio appetizer and the crab ravioli for the main course...all were awesome.
(4)Bonnie G.
After imbibing a goodly portion of pinot grigio, I'm feeling pretty magnanimous toward Farfalla, hence the 5 stars. Pasta special was crab-stuffed ravioli which they were kind enough to make into an appetizer portion for me. My first choice would've been a small portion of the truffle risotto, but, since it's made to order, would've taken 30+ minutes. Good to know it's the real thing. Salad was the lone weak link -- a generic greens/vinaigrette concoction. But the cioppino was awesome. Again, without the aforementioned pinot grigio, I may have been less lusty in cracking the crab claws and making a big mess, but, hey, I was mellow. Huge piece of swordfish, several shrimp and clams in the shell completed this dish with a delicious sauce served with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables which were pretty much an afterthought after I'd demolished the huge crab portion. And the tiramisu was absolutely sublime, like a cloud on the tongue (uh,oh, pinot grigio talking here again). Spouse had some veal dish which he said was excellent and the special black forest cake for dessert. I don't recall details of his meal. Pinot grigio, remember?
(5)