FG Waterman

On a frigid snowy Monday night in CNY we found a warm oasis in N Syracuse. Hot bread with a delicious dipping oil arrived almost immediately from a smiling Julie. She managed us efficiently and effectively the entire evening without being overbearing. The calamari and mussels were a delightful shared appetizer experience. The pork volcano and short ribs were exquisite in every way. A shared orange crunch cake tickled our sweet tooths. Can’t wait to go back and of course, will ask for Julie! Want a gem she and Grotto are!

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Mike

Italian bread hot out of the oven with a olive oil based dipping sauce both very very good..... One dish was called not your average Chicken Riggies It was very good olive oil based sauce as opposed to a creamy sauce other dish was eggplant parm served with mashed potatoes and green beans also very good..... Wait staff is very attentive, small establishment however they make room for everybody without squeezing people in..... If you like trying new and different variety of items this will be a great place to check out..... Prices are reasonable considering this is 2024......

Gabriella

I forgot the name of a grandfather. His service attitude was very good. He was very cute and I liked him very much. Their food was also very delicious. He would come over from time to time to ask if you needed anything. Including the bread was very hot, he was also very careful to remind you that the bread was very hot, be careful. Very good.

Carrie Luther

My brother and I enjoyed an excellent meal at this lovely establishment last week. I made reservations four days prior via phone, this is a hot little spot and definitely recommend reservations. Upon arrival we were promptly seated without any wait time. The ambiance is vintage style with decorative molding and a retro vibe that brings you back some decades. Our server was friendly and informative, service was steady throughout dinner. We started with stuffed shrimp that was delectable and fresh bread hot out of the oven and dipping oil. My brother ordered the Seafood Fra Diavolo which seems to be a signature dish listed first on the menu. I was interested in that as well but after hearing the daily specials, was swayed by the five cheese ravioli in a blush sauce with crab meat and shrimp. The blush sauce was absolutely splendid, three very large cheese filled ravioli’s swimming in the lavish sauce topped with three shrimp and generous amount of crab meat. The Seafood Fra Diavolo is also excellent with generous portions of seafood in a spicy sauce. Excellent as well. We finished with cannoli’s that they make the filling fresh and order the shell ordered from local bakery. I don’t know why I have not been before and my brother that travels internationally was very impressed with the food. We will be back!

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Andi Mook

We just had a family dinner here that was excellent. we had a large party of 13. Mark was our waiter, he was fantastic, always checking on us and filling our water. The food was unbelievable,so fresh and delicious. they even give you hot warm bread from the oven with oil and garlic to dunk it in. I would definitely recommend this place and go there again. nice white table cloths and linens too .

Jennifer O

Absolutely delicious! Julie was such a great server. The place filled up fast even with a reservation. We had the seafood soup, scallop dinner with pasta, and the short ribs with veggies and potatoes. For dessert we had the raspberry Chocolate cake and fruit tart. Even the bread and oil dip was fantastic. The food was amazing and it was a great choice to celebrate a birthday here. Would absolutely return again.

Ed L

The hype is real, y'all. Based on many great reviews here, we took a trip to check out Grotto in North Syracuse. It was well worth the trek. Its a smallish, unpretentious venue, staffed by friendly folks and the owner who was on site overseeing things. Julie was our server, a real pro, so good, we will probably ask for her next time. For starters, hot crusty Ciabatta loaf with dipping oil, we had the Hearts of Romaine salad, and the wedge which featured crumbly and creamy blue, bacon, and a touch of balsamic. Delish. For mains, Eggplant parm on a massive bed of ziti, and the short ribs served on a pile of creamy, cheesey mashed with veggies. The au jus was rich and beefy, the veggies still had some crunch, and I still have enough for lunch tomorrow. Two beers, two glasses of Bordeaux, 2 starters, 2 mains, $96 + tip, which is extremely reasonable these days. Service 10/10 Food 10/10 Pacing (an element that seems spotty around town) 10/10 Give it a go.

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Lynn Wyminga

Had a good meal with exceptional service! We had the crab cakes (good), hearts of romaine (loved the crispy capers instead of croutons), stuffed pepper wrapped in chorizo (good but probably wouldn’t order it again) and NY strip with mash (good). Bread and spiced olive oil a great start. Nice atmosphere (loved the tin ceiling). Fantastic waitstaff.

Selime Bozan

First time eating here. Small place bar area separate from dining area. All of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. For appetizer we had cold water clams it was amazing. For entrees we had scallops and fillet mignon it was excellent. Reasonable price. Julie, our waitress provided great service. We will return!

Les Lusk

The Grotto is a local gem in North Syracuse. Unassuming on the outside it give old world charm on the inside. Primarily steak and Italian cuisine and some of the best cheesecake I've had in the area. One word of caution, it may not be the best place for a quite, romantic dinner and the echo in the rooms can get a bit loud once they are more than half full.

Bill Frame

The server seemed to be on another planet, but everything else was great. Excellent food, great atmosphere, seated quickly. We had a toddler in the group, they had a high chair available. Comfortable noise level, good mixed drinks. Even with the snow, there was reasonable parking across the street.

N N

Friends introduced us to this popular restaurant in North Syracuse on a Saturday evening. It's important to have a reservation because the main dining room is rather small, perhaps a dozen tables. There was also a second dining room that was hosting a large party. We ordered four appetizers to share. This included the Grotto Greens, a delicious take on Utica Greens. The salad is built on wilted escarole rendered hot by cherry peppers, crunchy by toasted bread crumbs and sauteed, small-diced pancetta, and a little salty by shavings of Parmesan cheese. Stuffed Anaheim peppers were wrapped in prosciutto crudo and filled with sausage set in a delicious creamy sauce. The crab cakes were served with a spicy hot aioli. Finally, the breaded and fried calamari came with a tomato dipping sauce. What a wonderful way to start a meal. Unfortunately, my main dish, veal saltimbocca, was a bit disappointing. The veal and bucatini pasta were perfectly cooked, but the translucent sauce was greasy and fairly tasteless. Adding salt brought out some flavor, but I would not order the dish again. My wife loved her chicken marsala. It had a beautiful dark-colored, flavorful sauce, meaty mushrooms, and tender, lean chicken. She also enjoyed the cheesy mashed potatoes that accompanied it. The bread served for the table was excellent, and the service was great. Also, the ambience was conducive to enjoying an extended conversation with our friends.

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