Ambiance!! The location is deceiving....fantastic charm and decor on the inside. Stay late to make sure you hear the chef do his Sinatra medley.
(4)
Selendra B.
I really wanted to place no stars but that isn't allowed. However, this place is horrible. I ordered Flamingo Shrimp with portobello mushrooms. The suave is a cream sauce that was very soupy and I could not enjoy the meal. I should have asked if the meal will be soupy or creamy, but this dish supposed to be creamy. Ugh! Mercury must be on someone's taste bud. I do not suggest this place if you really enjoy real Italian.
(1)
Bob L.
Homemade pastas. Homemade sauces. All done by the owner/chef who you can tell enjoys serving good food to others. Few restaurants remain where it is obvious the owner takes such pride in what he does. As some of the other reviews hinted, this place is a little quirky. Pictures fill the walls and the decor looks as if it was the offspring of a French country cafe and Bronx mafia hangout. Also, you may experience a few moments of awkward karaoke. But if you want the boring dining experience of the Olive Garden, I suggest you go there and feed yourself comatose on endless salad and bread sticks. The Italian Connection offers a dining experience and the only price for admission is what is charged for the wonderfully delicious Italian food you order. Those reading the reviews who are undecided... live a little, enjoy good food, and if the karaoke machine cranks up, sing along!
(5)
Laura M.
Wonderful homemade Italian food. The ambiance is very relaxing and quaint. The Shrimp Flamenco is my favorite. We had a rehearsal dinner there. Alex was very accommodating.
(5)
Marie H.
You have got to be kidding me..The absolute worst service and food I have had in Fort Wayne..Period...Hellooooooo..Salvatore's.Now that's Italian..
(1)
Allison F.
This is a favorite spot! My husband and I were engaged and had our rehearsal dinner here! Alex, the owner is so helpful and has amazing food! The atmosphere is so unique but cozy. We love this place! Especially when he starts singing!
(5)
Jacob G.
Ignore the bad reviews. Where else in Fort Wayne can you get house made pasta, dessert, and espresso for two under $50?
(5)
Alex M.
I'm not sure how this place got such a good reputation. Before I talk about the negatives, let me admit that the ambiance of this place is wonderful, and the singing is great! However, the food at the Italian Connection was the worst I had ever had. I ordered the ravioli and was regretting my decision as soon as I took the first bite. The meat inside of the ravioli was sour and tasted like it was 10 years old. The ravioli itself is so thin I could practically see through it. I have had $1.00 cans of Chef Boyardee that were 10x more tasty than is food. It was the most over priced, small-portioned, nasty-tasting food I had ever had. I was willing to take one for the team, however, and not complain about the food because we were there for a friend's birthday. However, I was taken aback by what happened at the end of the evening. As we were sitting around the table chatting, finishing up our evening and watching our friend open up gifts, we were listening to the owner sing karaoke. All of the sudden we realize that the owner is singing the national anthem on karaoke and one of the tables next to us (who were friends with the owner I believe) stood up during the singing. By the time we realized what was going on, the song was about over so some of us were standing up but a few remained seated. All of the sudden, the owner's friend starts grabbing our arms and yelling at us to stand up and practically forcing us out of our seats. Let me tell you, I'm one of the most patriotic people you will meet and I didn't mean any disrespect by not standing up. But to sing the national anthem while people are eating and not really paying attention to what was going on is just very strange. I believe the guy who forced us out of our chairs was friends with the owner because they were singing numerous karaoke songs together throughout the night. All in all, it was a very weird and unsatisfactory experience for me. I feel bad saying this because the owner seemed like a great guy. I was just so perplexed by the bad tasting food with all of the hype, and the fact that I thought I was going to be stabbed over not standing for a karaoke song just wasn't what I needed after a long day at work.
(1)
Rob C.
Best in Ft. Wayne. Don't pay attention to the bad review on here. If you're not going here, you're missing out.
(5)
Shawn A.
4 stars - intimate setting. Food was pretty good
(4)
Sam S.
I was not impressed. I made reservations and found a place to park in the virtually non-existent parking area, only to have the waiter take an eternity to serve us and forget to bring our drinks. The food was good, but it was not good enough to justify terrible service. I probably won't go back.
(2)
Green D.
I first dined at this establishment back around 1990. We were here twice, although I cannot remember the specifics, both times left me with the desire to return for the wonderful service, atmosphere, and food. Well, 20 yrs later the atmosphere is still wonderful, service is average, and the food quite poor. The House salads were premade, only consisted of shredded iceberg, and the dressing atrocious (some sort of thousand island/italian blend I think). The wine list was slim. I ordered the clam linguine and while the pasta was cooked very nicely the sauce was unremarkable. Our party also had the chicken parm and it appeared to be breaded and fried chicken fingers served with a bowl of pasta. . . again purely unremarkable.
(1)
Yum C.
This place is a Ft. Wayne gem. A great family restaurant with a warm, homey atmosphere and ultra-friendly staff, there's no better place in town for a homemade Italian meal. The pasta is fresh, and there's a decent little wine list with a good variety of Italian wines. The desserts are variable, but the gelato is a consistent winner. The gem that sets this place apart from all the rest is the Frank Sinatra karaoke performance put on by Alex, the chef and owner, toward the end of the evening after he's finished in the kitchen. After the show, Alex walks around to talk with the diners. Nary a more fun eating experience!
(4)
Dave M.
Great Italian American. Wonderful family atmoshpere--family photos are plastering the walls. Wine bottles from patrons' special events commemorate countless special evenings. Everywhere you look is an interesting story waiting to be told. And the food is amazing--fresh, hand-made noodles and made-to-order sauces will knock your socks off. The home made gelati are outstanding as well. Everything has a very mediterranian feel, look, and taste. One of a kind, hard to find, and memorable. This is a great first date place (or anniversary, or birthday). Tell them Dave and Keri from Warsaw sent you. ****UPDATE**** Alex has updated his Fettuccini Antonio. It now has italian bacon in it in addition to the proscuitto. It is very good. A little more salty now, but I like it a little better.
(5)
Sheila C.
Just returned from a lovely evening at The Italian Connection. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary and had a terrific meal. For an app we shared the antipasti plate, my husband had the special - spinach ravioli with bay scallops, portabella mushrooms and shrimp in a cream sauce and I had the chicken manicotti with red sauce. Both entrees were just delicious and the sauces were so fresh and tasty! The house salad and dressing were great as was the yummy bread and herb garlic butter. Everything that was served was WONDERFUL and we were served very nice sized portions. We had spumoni and zabaglione for dessert and both were out of this world... I have dined in different Italian restaurants in New York City & Chicago and I must say that your restaurant was head and shoulders above the rest. Our waitress was wonderful and very attentive, the ambiance was great and overall we had a fabulous time! We will definitely be back !
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : 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.
Chris J.
Ambiance!! The location is deceiving....fantastic charm and decor on the inside. Stay late to make sure you hear the chef do his Sinatra medley.
(4)Selendra B.
I really wanted to place no stars but that isn't allowed. However, this place is horrible. I ordered Flamingo Shrimp with portobello mushrooms. The suave is a cream sauce that was very soupy and I could not enjoy the meal. I should have asked if the meal will be soupy or creamy, but this dish supposed to be creamy. Ugh! Mercury must be on someone's taste bud. I do not suggest this place if you really enjoy real Italian.
(1)Bob L.
Homemade pastas. Homemade sauces. All done by the owner/chef who you can tell enjoys serving good food to others. Few restaurants remain where it is obvious the owner takes such pride in what he does. As some of the other reviews hinted, this place is a little quirky. Pictures fill the walls and the decor looks as if it was the offspring of a French country cafe and Bronx mafia hangout. Also, you may experience a few moments of awkward karaoke. But if you want the boring dining experience of the Olive Garden, I suggest you go there and feed yourself comatose on endless salad and bread sticks. The Italian Connection offers a dining experience and the only price for admission is what is charged for the wonderfully delicious Italian food you order. Those reading the reviews who are undecided... live a little, enjoy good food, and if the karaoke machine cranks up, sing along!
(5)Laura M.
Wonderful homemade Italian food. The ambiance is very relaxing and quaint. The Shrimp Flamenco is my favorite. We had a rehearsal dinner there. Alex was very accommodating.
(5)Marie H.
You have got to be kidding me..The absolute worst service and food I have had in Fort Wayne..Period...Hellooooooo..Salvatore's.Now that's Italian..
(1)Allison F.
This is a favorite spot! My husband and I were engaged and had our rehearsal dinner here! Alex, the owner is so helpful and has amazing food! The atmosphere is so unique but cozy. We love this place! Especially when he starts singing!
(5)Jacob G.
Ignore the bad reviews. Where else in Fort Wayne can you get house made pasta, dessert, and espresso for two under $50?
(5)Alex M.
I'm not sure how this place got such a good reputation. Before I talk about the negatives, let me admit that the ambiance of this place is wonderful, and the singing is great! However, the food at the Italian Connection was the worst I had ever had. I ordered the ravioli and was regretting my decision as soon as I took the first bite. The meat inside of the ravioli was sour and tasted like it was 10 years old. The ravioli itself is so thin I could practically see through it. I have had $1.00 cans of Chef Boyardee that were 10x more tasty than is food. It was the most over priced, small-portioned, nasty-tasting food I had ever had. I was willing to take one for the team, however, and not complain about the food because we were there for a friend's birthday. However, I was taken aback by what happened at the end of the evening. As we were sitting around the table chatting, finishing up our evening and watching our friend open up gifts, we were listening to the owner sing karaoke. All of the sudden we realize that the owner is singing the national anthem on karaoke and one of the tables next to us (who were friends with the owner I believe) stood up during the singing. By the time we realized what was going on, the song was about over so some of us were standing up but a few remained seated. All of the sudden, the owner's friend starts grabbing our arms and yelling at us to stand up and practically forcing us out of our seats. Let me tell you, I'm one of the most patriotic people you will meet and I didn't mean any disrespect by not standing up. But to sing the national anthem while people are eating and not really paying attention to what was going on is just very strange. I believe the guy who forced us out of our chairs was friends with the owner because they were singing numerous karaoke songs together throughout the night. All in all, it was a very weird and unsatisfactory experience for me. I feel bad saying this because the owner seemed like a great guy. I was just so perplexed by the bad tasting food with all of the hype, and the fact that I thought I was going to be stabbed over not standing for a karaoke song just wasn't what I needed after a long day at work.
(1)Rob C.
Best in Ft. Wayne. Don't pay attention to the bad review on here. If you're not going here, you're missing out.
(5)Shawn A.
4 stars - intimate setting. Food was pretty good
(4)Sam S.
I was not impressed. I made reservations and found a place to park in the virtually non-existent parking area, only to have the waiter take an eternity to serve us and forget to bring our drinks. The food was good, but it was not good enough to justify terrible service. I probably won't go back.
(2)Green D.
I first dined at this establishment back around 1990. We were here twice, although I cannot remember the specifics, both times left me with the desire to return for the wonderful service, atmosphere, and food. Well, 20 yrs later the atmosphere is still wonderful, service is average, and the food quite poor. The House salads were premade, only consisted of shredded iceberg, and the dressing atrocious (some sort of thousand island/italian blend I think). The wine list was slim. I ordered the clam linguine and while the pasta was cooked very nicely the sauce was unremarkable. Our party also had the chicken parm and it appeared to be breaded and fried chicken fingers served with a bowl of pasta. . . again purely unremarkable.
(1)Yum C.
This place is a Ft. Wayne gem. A great family restaurant with a warm, homey atmosphere and ultra-friendly staff, there's no better place in town for a homemade Italian meal. The pasta is fresh, and there's a decent little wine list with a good variety of Italian wines. The desserts are variable, but the gelato is a consistent winner. The gem that sets this place apart from all the rest is the Frank Sinatra karaoke performance put on by Alex, the chef and owner, toward the end of the evening after he's finished in the kitchen. After the show, Alex walks around to talk with the diners. Nary a more fun eating experience!
(4)Dave M.
Great Italian American. Wonderful family atmoshpere--family photos are plastering the walls. Wine bottles from patrons' special events commemorate countless special evenings. Everywhere you look is an interesting story waiting to be told. And the food is amazing--fresh, hand-made noodles and made-to-order sauces will knock your socks off. The home made gelati are outstanding as well. Everything has a very mediterranian feel, look, and taste. One of a kind, hard to find, and memorable. This is a great first date place (or anniversary, or birthday). Tell them Dave and Keri from Warsaw sent you. ****UPDATE**** Alex has updated his Fettuccini Antonio. It now has italian bacon in it in addition to the proscuitto. It is very good. A little more salty now, but I like it a little better.
(5)Sheila C.
Just returned from a lovely evening at The Italian Connection. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary and had a terrific meal. For an app we shared the antipasti plate, my husband had the special - spinach ravioli with bay scallops, portabella mushrooms and shrimp in a cream sauce and I had the chicken manicotti with red sauce. Both entrees were just delicious and the sauces were so fresh and tasty! The house salad and dressing were great as was the yummy bread and herb garlic butter. Everything that was served was WONDERFUL and we were served very nice sized portions. We had spumoni and zabaglione for dessert and both were out of this world... I have dined in different Italian restaurants in New York City & Chicago and I must say that your restaurant was head and shoulders above the rest. Our waitress was wonderful and very attentive, the ambiance was great and overall we had a fabulous time! We will definitely be back !
(5)