Reviews for BELLA REGINA in Utica, NY
Tried to drop an order off for 8 lunches, 24 hours in advance.. we were informed that they were too busy for 8 lunches.. I mean,... we will never order there again. Good luck to anyone who does, the owner is a real joy. Read more
Initial experience started off as one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. Waited an hour to be seated (clearly... you need more space and tables). While waiting, we ordered drinks. I ordered a glass of riesling and asked what brand it was.This guy wouldn't give me a brand but insisted it was a great wine. THIS guy insisted we go sit down before pouring our drinks.I stepped back into view long enough to see him pouring us a glass from a bottom shelf box of wine. It tasted like apple juice.So much for quality wine. The female staff working the dining room were MISERABLE. They complained loud enough for us to hear.We saw them rolling thier eyes and shaking thier heads constantly while waiting for a table. We finally get seated and thisyounger man was our server - he was incompetent. As a server, you should know what cocktails your restaurant offers. He didnttry to explain menu items we were confused about. He actually made it a painful experience for us to order. He answered none ofour questions the entire meal. He was friendly and it was clear he was trying a little. If he wasnt so focused on idle chitchat, he could have asked someone else to come over and answer our questions. Overall, our experience was on the awful side. Thechicken riggies were amazing but the experience was just so bad. If we are ever in town again, we've discussed possibly orderingtake out but we will never dine in again Read more
Obviously Google has not updated the location to North Utica. I have gone to the downtown location for years. They both have... their advantages and disadvantages. I miss the to go cooler. If there was one, I did not see it. They got my order 95% right, left off the ricotta on my Veal parm. It was way over breaded. It was good, but the extra breading overpowered the otheringredients. It was also chinsey on the mozzarella. It was more convenient for me downtown, I doubt I will make the effort togo in North Utica. Danielle's and Ventura's are closer and better. Read more
The food was salty I ordered chicken Alfredo and seafood soup actually chowder the sauce was kind of spoiled.. food was terrible... ????... Don't eat here they don't put love ???? in the food. Sad take on Italian food...... I'd like to say I don't even thinkyou care about the black community purchasing food from your restaurant... Just know that we are a big contribution to ourcommunity and mom and pop shops and eateries in Utica NY and the world!!! Your reply isn't even professional let's see if youlast long with your attitude towards our complaints didn't even offer a replacement SMH!! Read more
Hands down, best Italian in Utica, NY. The decor is campy and lighthearted. It?s nostalgia at it?s finest. The food is the same... in that perspective. The ambiance captures the nostalgia of the food. It brings me back to Sunday dinners at my best friendshouse. The food is made to order and the owner, Regina, pours her heart into this food. If this is a lunch break situation,order your food the day before. This is not Olive Garden, where everything is frozen and reheated. This is made fresh, but theowner, herself. The portions are extremely generous and trust me you will have leftovers for days. The seafood and chicken rigsare exceptional and order the long hots and rice balls too! RJ, our server, was great at offering recommendations and beingpatient with my friend and I trying to decide what to order. He made the experience, he was friendly, professional, andengaging. If you are in Utica, do not miss this hidden gem! Read more
This place is one of the best for a real dining experience. All the food is made to order by Regina, who is an absolute gem if... you get to talk to her. The wait staff is also very chill and will guide you in the right direction on what to order. RJ washands down a fantastic waiter and was very patient with us as we worked out what to get. The restaurant itself is one of a kindand I'd recommend it to anyone around. As a heads up though, the portions are huge so you will be bringing some home with you. Read more
Giving it 5 stars because my experience was 5 star. Service was good, despite what some of the poorer reviews said. The food was... delicious. I went off some local recommendations and ordered ?chicken Riggie? and it did not disappoint. Great flavor andmonster portion. The portion could have fed 2-3. Personally, I go to restaurants for the food, not decor, however I willcomment that the decor was an odd mix of Italian, Elvis, and random stuff. (See photos). Yes, I would absolutely return. Read more
I was born in Utica and we comeback to as often as possible to visit family. Part of our ritual is to visit the local bakeries... and shops to stock up on local favorite's. The experience would not be complete without dinner at Bella Regina. They NeverDisappoint. We are heading in today and looking forward to it. Read more