Abrusci’s
3244 Youngfield St,Ste G, Wheat Ridge, CO, 80033
Abrusci’s Menu
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Starters
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Entrees
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Sides
Healthy Meal suggestions for Abrusci’s
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Starters
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Entrees
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Sides
Visit below restaurant in Wheat Ridge for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Wheat Ridge for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3244 Youngfield St,Ste G
Wheat Ridge, CO, 80033 - Phone (303) 232-2424
- Website https://www.abruscis.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Mary G.
Uh...nah! Service marginal. Smell inside "unappealing". We sat ouside. Bread (upon request) served cold & hard. First time, so we got a free dessert, which was pretty good. Prices good. Wine good. Overall, won't be going back!
(2)Ramon G.
Wow, it's been a while since I've thrown 1 star at a restaurant. I've driven by this place many times and finally decided to check it out. Upon arrival I we walked in and made our way up to the front. Nobody even acknowledged us or said "welcome...". Instead the two people were arguing over seating. After standing there like a schmohawk i saw the guy write down "black shirt" party of two. I assumed "black shirt" was me so we sat down and waited to hear "black shirt" called out. I wonder what they would write down if a group of people came in, one wearing an eye patch. Would they write "pirate dude" party of 5? Anyways...once Black Shirt was seated we were given some sort of hummus paste in olive oil. Pretty nasty as far as taste and consistency. The food- Gross to say the least. It's hard to find anything good about our meals. Something was really off on the risotto. It tasted sour and was by no means even close to being a real risotto. My pasta dish was bland and the pasta was mushy. I don't have any reason to try this place again. Ever. And I fear that if I did go back someone else might be wearing a black shirt. Imagine the chaos.
(1)Ashley M.
We ate their last night and everything was amazing! My boyfriend and I always order calamari and we were not disappointed with it here! It was light, crisp and had really nice flavors. Everybody that we went with (except for me) ordered the Abrusci's Famous Rigatoni and Sausage and it was amazing!! We see why they call it the best thing on the menu! I had the chicken Saltimbocca and was pretty impressed with it too. The chicken and good flavors, the green beans were yummy, and the risotto was just okay nothing to write home about. We will definitely be going there again!
(5)Jennifer H.
I've gone here several times including for Mother's Day. This restaurant is great! The food is delicious an the service is good. It's one of our local favorites. They never disappoint. Their baked ziti is delicious! I'll happily go again and again.
(5)John M.
Terrific service, great entre salads, and continue to return at least 3-4 times/year. Always confident of wonderful cuisine and a very cordial atmosphere!
(4)Phillip N.
This place is excellent. The clams and linguine is fantastic. A little high in price but the portions and the quality cannot be beat. The staff is fantastic and extremely helpful and courteous. Very clean restaurant. This place is highly recommended
(5)Jeremy H.
We stumbled across this place a few years ago while visiting the Golden, CO area. It was amazing! We visit the area every April/May and ALWAYS have to visit here for at least one dinner!
(5)Devin R.
In terms of gluten-free restaurants, this is the second best I've been to. Udi's at Grandview is better. I came here on the recommendation of a friend who is also gluten-free. They have excellent selection for gluten-free, however you do have to pay extra for gluten-free. Our waiter was super nice. They freshly made my gluten-free bread. 90% of the menu is gluten-free, which is fabulous. I had ravioli. It was the first time since I was diagnosed that I've been able to have ravioli! I will definitely come back!
(4)William S.
This place was just OK. Service was marginal, food passable, prices average. We stopped here once before and it has not changed much. In a pinch it works. it is not a gourmet type restaurant.
(3)Jenny C.
We stopped in here for the first time for lunch recently. We were seated right away, and our waitress found some crayons for our daughter. She also brought out a fruit bowl, which we appreciated. We ordered the artichokes appetizer, which was pretty good. The ravioli I ordered was all right, but I wouldn't call it the best damn Italian food I've had, though. The chips that came with my husband's sandwich were yummy, as was the bread and garlic dip. I think our waitress left before our lunch was over, as we had to wait a while for the waiter to bring our check and clear our plates. Overall, I don't think we'll be coming back.
(3)stacey S.
One of my favorite clients has made this her favorite meeting place. The homemade pasta is great and the salads are filling. I havent had problems with service, but she is a regular there, so we always get the best tables and waiters. It is worth a trip in for Italian- probably not a good take out joint though.
(4)Jaime T.
Cody and Troy are amazing. They really helped me decide on my wine choice and entree. They really know the menu well. Both have great energy and great customer service. I will definitely come back often. Thanks guys for a great experience :-)
(4)Jacqui Q.
Bf and I went for lunch the other day. I had the bruschetta and he had a bowl of soup. Very good. Service was great. Well be back for their dinner!
(5)Ken B.
If I could give zero stars I would. We placed a reservation 3 weeks ago for a party of 24. Each week we followed up until the day of the event and at 10 am we called to confirm the exact amount of people. We arrived and the manager told us we did not have a reservation "albeit it was written on the top of their chart, down the exact count of people". They spent about ten minutes finding a place for us, and then gave us one server (for 24 people). It took them 1:20 minute to provide us the food with people in the group receiving food over 30 minutes apart. The food was under cooked, cold or covered in sauces that were almost inedible. The bread baskets were empty and the water was dry. There was no attempt to give us cheese or any other item. Then comes the piece-de-resistance. The manager comes to me after complaining and tells me he has searched his phone records and that we did not call. What manager would tell a client that they are lying especially when our call was recorded on the chart that we witnessed. This meal cost us over $500.00. This event was for a man having over forty years of sobriety and then to be treated with such absolute contempt tells me I should warn every person I know to never visit this establishment. What a terrible experience. There is nothing in this statement that is inaccurate or untrue.
(1)Sara H.
Baked ziti was much different than expected but turned out to be pretty tasty. Abrusci's doesn't beat Patsy's Inn though for Italian food.
(3)Morgan D.
I have coming here sense the beginning, but it is a little different... Over priced for quality. Everything wasn't really worth it. Apps egh, salads bla (liked the salad dressing), sides oily and salty, baked ziti (chicken, artichoke, cherry tomato Alfredo sauce) 4 out of 5. Service was bla, but I think they were also in shift switch so we got the short end of the stick... All in all for $47, I would have liked more.
(2)Jamison E.
My family and I were headed toward the mountains for a ski trip and we stopped at Abrusci's on a whim. We were actually going to go to Chili's which is in the same parking lot but thought we would try this place instead and I'm glad we did. The restaurant is in a strip center and not much to look at from the front. The interior was also not super exciting, but the food was fresh and good quality. Homemade bread with olive oil and garlic paste is served when you sit down which was very good. I ordered Linguini al Abrusci (tomatoes, capers, red onions and fresh basil in a spicy white wine sauce. Finished with a bit of butter and Asiago cheese). They aren't joking about it being spicy, I probably had my water glass filled 5 times! It had a great flavor and pretty spicy but manageable and not overpowering. The prices might be on the higher side for the portion and simplicity of the dishes but probably comparable to that of Chili's so I didn't feel I was getting ripped off.
(3)Shawn S.
After nearly 15 years of driving past this place, we finally went in for lunch. There were so many delicious entrees on the menu that it was hard to choose but everything we ordered was delicious. I like their unique garlic/oil for the bread and their sauces were perfectly seasoned. Will definitely go back and try some more items on the menu.
(4)Melissa K.
We recently held the Rehearsal Dinner for our son's wedding in the Abrusci's La Terrazza room. It was fantastic! During the planning, Nancy, was incredibly helpful. She worked with us to meet the dietary needs of guests for gluten and a vegetarian diet. She was flexible, professional, and accommodating. The night of our dinner was exceptional. The food was remarkably delicious. We were given the opportunity to incorporate a lot of variety to meet the tastes of diverse pallets. Every item was wonderful. Our guests were very complimentary. The wait staff was friendly, efficient, and attentive. They anticipated our needs, assisted us on timing of serving, toasts, and gifts, and efficiently kept drink glasses filled and dishes cleared. In addition, the La Terrazza room is a very pleasing setting. The customized linen, music, and table decorations allowed the couple to incorporate their personality in the event. Every element of our special dinner exceeded our expectations. And possibly the best part was we were able to do it all within our somewhat modest budget. Thanks Abrusci's for a wonderful and memorable evening.
(5)Carl T.
YUM! Great gluten free options which seems hard to find for an Italian restaurant! the garlic stuff they give you with the bread is amazing but I'm not sure if my date appreciated it by the end of the date...didn't even care though! It was too good to stop eating! bread tasted like it was made in house and the sausage rigatoni was awesome!
(4)Shawn J.
Italian food, the right way, backed by great service is what you'll find here. While occasionally they'll have service hiccups as my comments from 2010 illustrate, this is one of the few places that I would drive all the way down from Evergreen in the snow to go get and take it back up. And if you've ever drove I-70 in a snowstorm you know this is not a decision taken lightly. But this food is so good! It's your classic Italian fare, everything from bruschetta to classic spaghetti to higher end dishes. There's not a miss on their menu. Yeah, you've heard that before. But their food is so good it holds up to travel. A 40 min drive back up the mountain can kill most food but they package theirs well and it's made right so it holds up to being true take out food. But if you go inside the service is pretty good as well. In 4 years of eating here I can count on one hand the number of times they've messed up and have 3 fingers left over. In my experiences that kind of service is ultra rare, and always great to experience! 5 Stars, without any question. Best of Denver list - No Question. But the best part is they are right off I-70 so if you're driving through Denver it's relatively easy to check them out, have great Italian food, and be back on your way!
(5)Mike E.
My dish had a caterpillar (cooked) right on top in the center of the plate. Sure, it happens, but the problem is what followed. They comped the caterpillar dish, but still charged me half price for the next dish (same thing, different caterpillar free pasta). It should have been free especially since I was unable to eat with my group and received it in a to-go box. When I was able to sit down at my desk to eat, I found the dish to be almost inedible. The dish contained 7 raw asparagus stems and one raw head. Mmm. Wood. I'm done with this place as is the rest of my office after the way this went down. Too bad because we used to go here frequently as a big group.
(1)Jeremiah Y.
AWESOME!!!! My wife Has Celiac Disease. So it is always hard to find a good restaurant anymore. Let alone an Italian Restaurant. The service here was outstanding. Ask for "Mary-Beth" One of the best waitresses We have had in a long time. Super cautious about not cross contaminating the food. So back to the food. Gluten Free Everything... Appetizers, Sandwiches, Pasta and desserts. All which meet my wife's expectations and beyond. The gluten free bread is great. The Gluten Free Calamari was better than the origional. She had the Baked Ravioli Gluten Free. YOU COULD NEVER TELL... If you suffer from celiac or don't and want some old fashion Itailan food in a great atmosphire. ABRUSCI'S Is the place. This is our new Italian Restaurant!!! Don't forget Ask for Mary-Beth... Thanks Again!!!
(5)Jack J.
Great food and atmosphere. I've enjoyed a few meals here and they have quite a few gluten free options which makes it easy to take friends there.
(5)Ingrid S.
I remember back in the day when Abrusci's was just being built and my father was looking for a good place to find home cooked good Italian food. When this place opened my father use to take me and my brothers there, and that was years ago. I only have fond memories of this place and I remember when my father got really ill and was unable to no longer able to come and enjoy the food and the family that he had called Abrusci's since it had opened, I believe it was around two years. I had gone in there a few times after that and they recognized me and asked about how my dad was and if there was anything they could do. They were always willing to go above and beyond to help my family. The atmosphere here is warm and inviting with yellow and red tones. They normally have live Jazz once or twice a week and an outdoor patio and full bar. Good food and if you stick around or become regulars the owners do take notice, you are not just a dollar amount here, you are a real person
(5)Scott N.
A very solid Italian restaurant with all of the trimmings. The service was friendly and prompt, the decor is classy (with some Italian charm), and everyone has a great time. The pasta is absolutely wonderful tasting and the wine list is extensive. The waiters are well-versed in the best wine pairings for the various dishes and are very willing to give you their opinion if asked. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of good and services you receive. My overall recommendation is to go here well before you even think about going to a Olive Garden or a Mac Grill, you won't be sorry.
(4)Laurie W.
Eating at Arbusci's was a good experience. My friend and I went there for dinner. We started with a glass of wine and bread with their house roasted garlic and spices in olive oil. Definitely delicious! Then I went for the Caesar salad and my friend had the minestrone. She liked hers, I thought mine was ok, but a little on the bland side. Huge portion, though. For dinner, my friend had the Carbonara and I had the Spinach Lasagna. Again, she liked hers, but I thought mine was bland. I took most of the lasagna home to Mr. Mixer and he agreed. Arbusci's has a homey feel to it, and the servers were quite nice. It was very busy at 7:30 on a Friday night, which is a good thing to me. Arbusci's is just comfortable. If I lived on this side of town, I wouldn't mind going to Arbusci's again.
(3)Sarah S.
I haven't had bread at a table in so long because I am gluten intolerant. I absolutely love that they have gluten free bread and pastas, and they were delicious. The only downfall is that the gluten free products cost more (about $3 per dish). The selection is wide, and everything tasted fresh. The service was great as well; people were friendly and we got our food in a timely manner. This is our new date night spot for sure!
(5)Lori S.
Came here for a business luncheon of around 50 people. Their catering crew rocks. Lots of great food that did not stop coming. I was amazed that the chicken marsala was fresh, juicy and very well prepared considering the size of the group. I would highly recommend them for catering. They have a great private room for parties on site.
(4)Samantha E.
During my mom's visit in February, she met a friend at Abrusci's in Wheat Ridge for lunch. She liked her salad so much that we went back a few days later after an appointment in Arvada. She raved about the grilled pepper chicken salad she had for her main dish on visit #1, and after the salads we got for appetizers on our second visit, I'd guess that salads are Abrusci's specialty. Both the spinach salad and the field greens (gorgonzola, oranges and vinegarette are a fantastic combination were fantastic). The complimentary bread with olive oil and garlic-- beware the pile of roasted garlic-- is delicious. We had pastas for our entrees, and they were good, but nothing I'd drive out of my way for. She had the linguini with roasted tomatoes; the roasted tomato flavor was good but the sauce needed more spices. I ordered the orecchiette with salmon. The pasta was cooked al dente and the salmon had a nice flavor to it, but the sauce wasn't memorable at all-- the asparagus and tomatoes were actually the best part of the dish. While I didn't love my meal, I saw a meatball sandwich at the table next to us as we were leaving and was wildly jealous. Another place I don't know that I'd drive out of my way for, but if I'm ever up in the area again, I'd be happy to stop by.
(3)KJ P.
Are you daring, adventurous, and spontaneous? Go somewhere else. Do you still ride with the training wheels on your tricycle? Do you think that Mrs. Dash is a wicked crazy spice? Do you remember that time you went to Topeka for the quilter's convention, had a Roy Rogers, two Shirley Temples and jaywalked twice as one of the craziest nights of your life? My friend, Abrusci's is for you! This is best described as a Mom and Pop Olive Garden. This place is safe, completely unoffensive and thoroughly underwhelming. Really two and half stars.
(3)Elena C.
I'm shocked at these great ratings. I can only assume that this probably used to be a great restaurant and has suffered. The bread was awful. It tasted like it needed to have stayed in the oven a couple more minutes. Everything tasted like it was canned. For example, the minestrone soup tasted like Campbell's. The red sauce was very acid tasting - like it had been sitting in a can for a long time. I wasn't expecting farm to table, and I realize that a lot of restaurants used canned food (especially tomatoes, which can't be in season in the winter), but when I'm eating dinner out, I want the food to taste like food, not like someone dumped out a can on a plate and heated it up on a microwave. Chef Boyardee would have been better. I like to always talk about the positives, so the service was very good. The wine prices were VERY reasonable. Other than that, I would never go back.
(1)Caroline F.
"The best Italian food, period?" Pardon my French, but you've got to be fucking kidding me. I was thrilled to find this place on Yelp when I did a search for gluten-free restaurants (which Denver is obviously in dire need of), especially because this place is a three minute drive from my house. My mom was visiting from out of town, and because she's gluten-intolerant, I like to find restaurants where she doesn't have to struggle to find something she can eat on the menu. I really can't express how disappointed we were about this place. Our servers (we had several- a different one came to our table every time... ?) were inexperienced high school kids who you could tell didn't give a shit about the food and just wanted to go home. The ambience was ridiculous- bright lights, screaming babies, uncomfortable chairs. But the food is what was really disappointing. Maybe it's because my family is from New Jersey and we're used to great Italian food, but when you say it's the "best, period", you should know what you're talking about. The salads were mediocre. My chicken marsala was very undercooked, my boyfriend's spinach and sausage manicotti tasted worse than a frozen dinner (the cheese on top wasn't even melted), and my mom's gluten free pasta was hard and barely edible. My dad said his chicken dish was pretty good. I won't give you the gory details, but my stomach was not happy when I got home. I've only given out five 1-star reviews so far, and I don't like to do it, but this place deserves it. I actually feel offended that they call this crap "Italian food".
(1)C C.
Had dinner with a large group. Waitress was very cheerful. I had chicken parm It arrived lukewarm and almost unappetizing looking. Tasted ok but would have been much better steaming hot. Dinners do not come with soup or salad but you can get it for extra $. To me, 16.95 for chicken parm should come with something... Dessert of tiramisu was ok, nothing great. At $32+ for my meal (including soda) I didn't think it worth the price. The bread was really good though.
(2)Laconiglio T.
It used to have a wonderful caesar salad. Haven't gone in a year, and ordered one last Friday, to go. It felt light, but oh well. Wish I would have checked. It had VERY little lettuce, and what WAS there was brown on the edges and about 5 crusty croutons. I got a small container that tasted like Kraft caesar dressing! $6.50 !! And I tipped on top! Never again!
(1)Dannielle R.
Vibrant Italian food, excellent customer service paired with a good ambiance is the best explanation I can think of for this family establishment. Both our plates were very good, best Italian I have had in a while. Loved their choice of a house wine too. The staff's professional attitude of pride and appreciation to serve took it over the top for us. Easy 5 star place.
(5)Anna R.
I'm italian, so I feel I am a good judge of italian food. We are traveling and wanted a break from cooking so we thought we'd try Abrusci's. I felt the ingredients were of poor quality. I know cheap pasta when I taste and see it. I ordered the lasagna and hubby order spaghitti with meat ball. I felt the lasagna was cooked ahead of time without the sauce and when ordered, just heated up and sauce added - not impressed with the texture. Spaghitti noodles were same. Sauce tasted canned, yet hubby liked the meatball. Ceaser salads were very bland. The oil with roasted garlic for bread dipping was super! And that was the highlight of the meal. It was a bit over priced, yet the service was fantastic! Maybe I'll just return for the bread and olive oil. Three stars for service and the bread and olive oil.
(3)Michelle H.
I've found that most places who say they have the best food, usually don't, and this place is no exception. We ate there for lunch. The first thing that put me off was the limited lunch menu. A few salads, 2 soups, some sandwiches, and pasta dishes which basically were just spaghetti and sauce. No entree style things. The minestrone soup tasted like very bland, watery vegetable soup. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan sandwich. Chicken was undercooked so I sent it back. When I got it the second time, it was definitely cooked, but had a weird coloring to it. I'm not sure if they put dye in it or what. However this time it was overcooked and was dry in several spots. They may be better for dinner, judging by all the high reviews, but I definitely won't be going there anytime soon.
(2)Helmut S.
When you walk into this vile yellow explosion of a dining room, you are bombarded with the slogan that they have the best Italian period, lmao! The only people I would think that would agree with this statement are those that think Olive garden is authentic Italian food. The service is spotty to be generous and the food is prepared like the someone thinks they need to prove they know what they are doing....c'mon onions in meatballs, your Nonna didn't do it that way.
(2)Erin T.
Hands down the best Italian restaurant in town.... Abrusci's is known nationwide amongst the Celiac community for their efforts to bring high quality gluten free Italian food to their patrons. Not only have they succeeded, but they are the benchmark all other GF friendly Italian restaurants aim to achieve. Everything I've tried on the menu has been fresh, delicious, and super memorable. Frankly, it's been difficult to order something different from Steve's Penne and Sausage or the Penne Gorgonzola... but I manage. My husband and non-celiacs enjoy Abrusci's just as much as I do. We come here for many of our special occassions because they do such a stellar job. Good service, amazing food, and extraordinary entrepreneurs that have gone above and beyond to make my life better. 5 Stars!
(5)Manuel B.
After sufficient time has passed, it's fair to say that the management chooses not to respond. I recommend going elsewhere.
(1)Bruce B.
Mussels were great. Had them with the diavolo sauce. Steve's rigatoni was great baked.
(4)Peter T.
This place does lots of things well however they go above and beyond in the realm of Gluten-Free options. For most restaurants, GF options are always an afterthought, not Abrusci's. They offer just about everything on the menu sans-gluten and they do it really well. The atmosphere is average, nothing spectacular but their menu is great. Make sure to try the Eggplant Parm and their Gorgonzola Salad is fantastic.
(4)Tammy F.
GLUTEN FREE heaven! Ok so the service wasn't great but the food was delicous! This place is busy and pricey but for the care they take in providing a gluten free experience we will be back!
(4)Boroka B.
OK. There is hope for humanity... Gluten free Italian food does infact exists! When I was diagnosed with Celiac disease, I thought I will never taste another bite of fetuccini alfredo with shrimp... And well, Abrusci's not only has it (along with a wide range of other gluten free dishes) but their food rocks! Great noodles, great alfredo sauce... Heaven on a plate. Now, the service can be trying. I try to be patient, but their servers can be inatentive and so far, both times that we made the treck down from Boulder, they were always grouchy. We had 2 different servers, the first time we were there they weren't that busy, and the dude just seemed too bored to serve us. The second time, a different dude... and he seemed too busy to serve us. Kinda sad, but since their alfredo rocks, I grinn and bear it. :-p
(4)Carrie G.
Long story short this review is about the FOOD and not the service. My wife surprised me with dinner this evening since it was our 1 yr anniversary and I was very excited for the two us to go out. Service was prompt by a very friendly waiter from start to finish. Our food on the other hand was less then to be desired . We had the fried ravioli with tomato sauce, followed by our entrees; Chicken Marsala and Spinach Lasagna. The ravioli were as if they came out of a box. They were not homemade at all....my Chicken Marsala was served with asparagus and risotto. My chicken was juicy but lacked a very key ingredient, the Marsala. My asparagus came out cold and was not prepared properly...meaning that they had left the woody and unpleasant part still on it. My risotto was very bland and had no flavor what so ever. It seemed that they had used white rice in lieu of Aborio rice, which risotto is made with and substituted water for chicken or vegetable stock to cook it with. ABSOLUTELY NO FLAVOR. My wife dish was crunchy, and after tasting it seemed to also come out of a box. Not sure how this restaurant got such good reviews, but it seems crazy to me that no one knew bad Italian food when they have it. Again...the service was great. Our sever and also the manager who listed to my complaint about the food. He removed 50% from our bill, even after we had already paid and followed that up by buying us dessert and asking that we give them another chance at a later date. BY THE WAY THE DESSERT (MADE IN HOUSE) AND GELATO WERE DELICIOUS. We do very much appreciate his offer and his service. So to them, I say "Thank You". The reason given as the possible explanation for the bad food was that since it was New Years Eve, they had several specials and he thought maybe the kitchen had focused too much on those rather than on their "regular" entrees. While this may be the case, I would suggest that in the future, they place their focus more evenly on their food, and consider reducing the amount of specials if necessary...
(2)Maggy N.
I wasn't too impressed, being from Boston and comparing it to the North End is probably unfair...however, if that's what you're looking for I wouldn't visit. The restaurant is in a store front area and while it has some Italian themed, decor it lacked ambiance considerably. The food was all right, and there is a gluten-free menu...but I would still double check with the cook about things.
(2)Suzy S.
It was a Tuesday night and there was only one other table being utilized, yet we were sat right next to the kitchen partition, right next to the cash register. I suppose this made it convenient for the waiter, whom also found it more convenient to talk to us as he was approaching the table, rather than when he arrived. He was also talking very loudly to other staff as he entered the dining area throughout our meal. The meal itself was OK... worth 3 1/2 stars, but the service screamed "get out! We want to go home!" . It was only 7:30 though.
(2)Kate G.
I came here for a cousin's birthday with a group of 7. A family member was a regular here and because of that, and probably the birthday, our service was great. We were seated at a big table near the front corner windows and could watch the snow falling outside on a bustling Friday night (we had reservations). I really enjoyed my meal, starting with the bread and herbed olive oil for dipping to the fried artichoke hearts to the chicken marsala. My husband enjoyed his lasagna but said it wasn't his favorite, and not as good as the lasagna he had at Gaetano's. Not that he left any of it on his plate... It will be hard for Abrusci's to make it back to the top of the rotation, but only because there are so many Italian options in NW Denver and beyond.
(3)Marggaret W.
Great lunch with our Grandkids! In a shopping mall, but once inside it's just a great Italian restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Try it you'll like it!
(5)Douglas B.
I have been eating at Abrusci's for around 6 years now and I have never had a bad meal. This is top notch Italian food and the prices pretty well match that fact. Like the old adage, "you get what you pay for". How anyone could say their food tastes like it came out of a can is beyond comprehension. The room is not much to look at and not real cozy, but the food is outstanding.
(4)Andrea F.
This restaurant gets 4 stars -- mainly for their bread. The food is good, but I am almost always so full from my bread gluttony that I don't get to enjoy it. . . The bread is home-made. It is not warm when it comes to the table, but that doesn't matter. They bring a plate full of delicious roasted garlic goop, upon which they drizzle streams of olive oil. I could happily roll around in the roasted garlic and olive oil mixture. When the bread runs out, they bring a new loaf. In the meantime, however, I am tempted to lick the garlic plate. I'm always surprised when I don't have an oily garlic trail running down my chin by the time I get to dinner. I've eaten quite a few entrees here. I love getting something family-style (including the salads -- which are SO good) and sharing it around. One dish is always plenty to feed three or four people (especially after they have each consumed half of his or her body weight in bread.) Nothing really stands out as being a "must have" -- but I have also never had anything even slightly on the bad side of the continuum. The service is also just fine -- nothing to write home about, but quite good.
(4)Patricia A.
So Italian it will make you cry. I will make the 1 1/2 drive to eat here. Shrimp Bisque, spaghetti and meat sauce, Cannoli, The soup is Divine. Oh, as I sit here I am salivating over my keys. The food is the best Italian in Colorado. It I could talk Italiano and make sense I would. This place makes ya want to dance when you are here. Just get up and do a happy dance. That is how great and wonderful the food is.... Ohhhhhh I could weigh 200 lbs again and still be happy with myself.... Every chance we get we are here. Came here for our anniversary after traveling hours from Buena Vista. That is how important this place is..... This is the best coming out of Italy since I was stationed in the military there for a few weeks in cooking school.
(5)Joseph C.
I got the chance to finally try this place a few nights ago and with a slogan of "Best damn Italian food...period." Abrusci's in my opinion makes a seriously strong statement, that I cant agree with, especially when your restaurant is nowhere near the shores of Italy. So on behalf my Italian ancestors (of which I haven't any) I take a little offense to such a bold and ridiculous statement. The service here is really on point in my opinion. I was impressed that our waiter could tell me from their extensive wine list by memory which wines were by the bottle or by the glass. He was very attentive and wasn't in the least bit overbearing. The food is good, but not great. But based on the crowded dining area inside and the patio outside on this evening they look to have a very solid following. I think some of this has to be that this place is a haven for those who are of the gluten free variety. They offer an entire separate menu of gluten free items. Though not necessary, reservations are a good idea. 3 stars for the wine list and service that pays attention to detail. Ciao!
(3)Toni L.
Despite their cocky advertising, I like this place. While I don't agree that this is the best Italian food period as they purport, I did enjoy myself. Anything smothered in garlic has to be good, right? Food: Sticking with the garlic theme for the night, the waitress brought out a plate of olive oil containing some weird almond colored paste in the center. Turns out it was pureed garlic coated in a generous helping of shredded rosemary. Absolutely delicious with the complimentary bread ( yelp.com/biz_photos/l15b… ). I split a single family sized order of veal marsala ( yelp.com/biz_photos/l15b… ) with my parents. Each entree comes with two sides and we chose the garlic mashed potatoes along with the garlic green beans. The potatoes were much tastier than the beans, which were also done quite well. As for the meat, it was tender and dripping with delicious marsala sauce and mushrooms. The menu said this dish contained onions, but I only found one square shaped piece that looked like it had slipped in accidentally. It was pretty good without the onions, though. Atmosphere: Don't be fooled by the entrance. The mundane greeting gives way to a spacious dining room with loads of translucent, decorative wine bottles lining a ceiling-level shelf. All the glass glows nicely when the sun sets. Service: Wonderful. Our waitress was super helpful and couldn't stop smiling/laughing. The food came out faster than I had anticipated. Synopsis: I'm not sure what their pasta dishes are like, but the entrees are great. I'm starting to slowly learn that family owned businesses are serious contenders in the restaurant rat race.
(4)Gideon S.
Stopped by here for Dinner. I have to say I was throughly impressed with their Gluten-Free Menu. On top of that the food was great. It wasn't the best Italian food I have had, but it deserves the 4 stars. Had the Gluten-Free Calamari, Ravioli, & Gluten-Free baked Ziti. I will most certainly be revisiting here! Two thumbs up for local business!
(4)Holly W.
Abrusci's means love in my relationship. Perhaps my man knows how much I love the warm gluten free bread served before dinner or maybe having a whole gluten free menu to order from without having a long allergy conversation has something to do with it. The wine list is fantastic, by the bottle or by the glass. Our favorite appetizers are the lettuce wraps: chicken and white bean combo with perfect pesto to drip over, the fried calamari: clearly the largest portion I've seen anywhere, and the sausage/pepper combo: sure to fill you up before dinner. Their salads have to be about the best in town, I like the spinach: strawberries, goat cheese, pistachios. (Get the dressing on the side as I've found it can be too much of a good thing on the individual portions.) Hands down the best meal is Steve's Penne: spicy sausage, cream sauce. We've never had the room to try the gelato. I've always adored their lunch menu: meatball sub? You bet. I always ask for extra sauce, right up front. I've considered drinking their tomato sauce right from the little bowl, but bread dunking gets two birds with one stone. Perhaps change isn't always good. They've just changed their gluten free bread vender. The portions are smaller. Sure, the bread is crispy, but we wanted more. Sadly, last night we veered from our favorite meal by ordering Linguini Carbonara and found it ordinary rather than exciting. We tried our friends' entre, and it didn't hold a match to our favorite. For now on, we'll order our favorite meal when we go: calamari, spinach salad, Steve's penne. Now. That's love.
(4)Elizabeth E.
Mediocre to good italian food. Wasn't impressed with the meatballs but everything else was delicious.
(3)Meggin R.
I was very disappointed. I was very tempted to give it a 2 stars. It came recommended so we went to try it. The service was terrible. I think the waiter had someone he was flirting with in the back. It took quite a while to get us drinks. We ordered an appetizer and we never got it. He took forever to come back out of the kitchen, and when he did he almost didn't take our order. I had to flag him down. The food was only slightly above average Italian. The hostess asked us if we wanted Parmesan. I naturally thought it would be the block in the shredder that was done over our plates. But no, it was a pizza shaker with not very good fake cheese. We probably won't be going back. It's sad, because we like to go to local restaurants, this one was just not up to snuff. You would be better off to go to smash burger down the street.
(3)Doug Y.
revised 5/2/2008 Had dinner here tonight with friends. After feeling a little gun shy about making my own choices (my good food radar is on the fritz) I stuck with the waitresses recs. The bread and olive oil w/garlic and dried herbs was okay but the bread was cold. The gluten free bread was interesting and tasty but the texture was... Herman (her man) made the right call. It was very similar to sponge cake? The spinach salad was a little light on all the wonderful ingredients promised (strawberries, goat cheese, pistachios) but I enjoyed it probably because of the dressing. We ordered the Steve's Rigatoni with Sausage family style recommended by our server and touted on the menu as "hand's down the best thing on the menu". I hope not. It was good but far from great. The Chicken Picata also recommended was a little dry and the side of spaghetti with marinara was cold and under seasoned as were the green beans. It was a friday night and the place was packed and with a party of six we were still seated right away but I think a little love was lost in the frenzy because I couldn't taste it in the food. Oh and no pizza is served at dinner time because they don't want to tie up the tables with the wait for baking pies. WTF! Best Damn Italian! Scuzi? Lost a star. 3/2/2008 "We Have the Best Damn Italian Food Period!" I met some friends at my bud's house for some food and company before heading out to hear some music. They ordered in from Abrusci's because our friend Holly has Celiac disease which prevents her from being able to eat gluten and Abrusci's has a gluten-free menu. I usually don't like to order pizza delivered or take out but both gluten pizzas that Holly picked up were excellent (especially the Michelangelo. Thank you Holly!) and she loves the gluten free items here (she had a gluten-free Michelangelo). Holly says that A's is her favorite italian restaurant and I get it. You might have seen the sign in the Applewood shopping center touting the 'Best Damn Italian" and thought like I did, "Fungu, you guys have some balls" but best or not, some people believe it. I guess this is another place on the neverending list of places to visit for the true pizza experience, fresh and hot out of the oven.
(3)Roxanne A.
A few of us had dinner there last Friday and it was fun, service was fast. The server was a little abrupt, even though it wasn't a busy time and he charged me for something I hadn't ordered.Ordered a family size pasta entree and after 3 of us ate we still had leftovers. Also ordered a family size salad and the price was very reasonable.
(3)Kaye B.
I love Steve's Rigatoni with Sausage. This family-owned business in Wheat Ridge/Applewood is worth the drive from Denver. Great for kids and families. Plan for it in conjunction with a trip to AppleJack's!
(4)Daniel T.
I've only ever been here for lunch, but have been constantly impressed with the quality of the food. It takes a while because of the huge lunch rush, but the wait staff tries to keep up and the food is great. Be sure to check out the home made garlic potato chips. Yum
(4)Jelena W.
The size of Abrusci's ad in the Yellow Pages would make it seem like the foremost authority on Italian food in the entire phonebook, which prompted a trip here for my pasta-lovin' self, my brother, and his girlfriend. The restaurant, located in a strip mall, looks quite unimpressive from the outside, except for its ambitious motto: "The best Italian food, period." I had hoped to be convinced of said motto's veracity, but, sadly, I was disappointed in that regard. The atmosphere was more Olive Garden than Tuscany, though the wait staff seated us promptly in a desirable spot. We came at a late hour, with few other diners present, and were rewarded with a great deal of attention from our waitress, who filled all of our water glasses- none of us ordered anything stronger- the instant they dipped below half full/half empty. My favorite part about the food we ordered was the giant salad that came first. The entire table chose side salads with their meal, so instead of sending three little salads to each of us, the kitchen sent out a giant salad bowl, a pair of tongs, and three plates- we got at least twice as much delicious salad with our meals as we would have had it been served individually. As a certified saladophile, I was delighted with the mixed greens, and the Italian dressing was excellent. The entrees, however, failed to impress. I ordered chicken marsalla, and was underwhelmed by the rubbery mushrooms and slightly overcooked chicken. The bed of pasta on which the chicken rested was quite good, but I wish I had asked them to leave the sauce on the side- there was quite a lot drenching both chicken and pasta. My brother and his very cute ladyfriend were similarly neither turned off nor delighted by their entrees. In the end, Abrusci's is just what you'd expect from the location: Strip mall Italian. But not bad, and a fairly large menu with something to appeal to everyone- might be a good choice for large groups with varying tastes.
(3)christine h.
Yum. I have had great experiences here. I love the bread with the olive oil mixture that comes prior to the food. My meal was plentiful and tasty. I prefer to support family owned businesses and this one that I am impress with.
(4)Bryan H.
It is the best damn Italian food period!
(4)Kurt W.
This is our stop for the trip up and back from the slopes. Right off the 70 and easy on and off. The food here is truly incredible. The oil, garlic paste, and herb bread dipper could suffice for dinner with a bottle of red wine! All the pasta dishes are amazing.
(5)Jennifer J.
I was really debating between giving Abrusci's 3 or 4 stars. The food is so good it makes my taste buds weep, however, the service makes me want to pull my hair out. I went to lunch with 4 others on a weekday. We were told it would be a 20-25 minute wait, but after waiting 30 minutes and having several other smaller groups who arrived after us be seated before us, we decided to tough it out at a 4-top in the bar. Being squished together at a table meant for 4 would have been bearable if the bartender/waitress hadn't been the worst server I've had in a VERY long time. We (5 women) obviously weren't who she was interested in flirting tips out of during lunch. She practically ignored us. When she brought out our drinks she piled all of them on one side of the table and walked away, leaving us to pass the drinks around to the appropriate person. We had to ask to order, ask for refills twice, ask for boxes, and ask for the check. When I asked for a larger box, she huffed away and took another 5 minutes to bring it around. Enough negative, let's discuss the food. I had the cheese ravioli with meat sauce. It was AWESOME!! Absolutely bursting with flavor - primarily garlic (note to self: no more garlic lunches when I have to go back into the office). Everyone else enjoyed their lunches as well, and we all brought home leftovers. There are lots of good things about Abrusci's, after all we do go to restaurants to eat. But I also expect decent if not good service when I'm paying more than $5 for my meal. Great food + local business + convenient location (for me) - BAD service - unpredictable wait time = 3 stars
(3)Dwight M.
This has become a favorite restaurant for me. I've been there a dozen times now, and have only had one meal that was so-so - it was their "not on the menu" special of the day and was a bit overpowered with rosemary. Every other experience has been great service and great taste. I'm not gluten-free, but have shared many a gluten-free dishes there and their menu choices are plentiful. Steve's Penne is my favorite. I recently turned the big 40. I decided to have a wine education/tasting in my living room and had Abrusci's delivered. The gluten free and gluten full Steve's penne/rigatoni, salads, eggplant parmesan and the Penne Grilled Vegetables were ordered in half-pans to feed 26 people. They delivered and setup the pans with sternos and racks. Maybe it was the wine tasting that preceeded the meal, but I think the food tasted even better after transport and reheating than in the restaurant! I think the Penne Grilled Vegetables was my favorite - tasted superb and received a lot of compliments. But everything was perfect. And there was leftovers for days - The eggplant was especially great reheated the next day. It was a wonderful birthday celebration, even if we did almost burn the house down trying to put out the sternos... I would highly recommend their catering.
(5)Jeb R.
Best Italian in the city so far, barring some hole in the wall place we've not heard of, always open for that possibility. It helps that i really like Ziti and they have a daily selection, the good ol ziti of the day. Good selection of lighter white wine sauce pasta like the linguine abrusci, which i appreciate not being a huge fan of overly rich sauces. The wife digs the Gorgonzola pasta and the salads are great. Not to be overlooked, the bread with oil and garlic paste, damn good way to start a meal.
(4)Muriel P.
We have been many times and got take out much. Mainly on friday evening, as i am running out of dinner idea, and they are usually busy. Which means that take out people are just a pain in the butt for them (or so it seems). Anyway, my biggest issue is that we always order the kitchen sink salad, family size (it is supposed to be for 4 people). Well when you get it to go, you are lucky to have 2 small portions on it. I mean, i pay the same price than the people that sit down, except i'm out of your way immediately, take out it such a bigger margin than sit down people. Why then do i get less food ? I also have to ask for bread. They give you 4 little pieces (again for 4 people). If you are 2 for sit down, you get half a loaf... Just saying, i go to this restaurant mainly for the bread and the salad. When we do take out, both are just underwhelming. Argh, just righting that, i get frustrated. Anyway, there i said it.
(3)Jeramyn F.
Really good for lunch. I've never been there for dinner but their lunch is great. No competition for Cafe Jordano's but a good convenient stand by. Their daily specials are the way to go for some variety.
(4)Kathleen B.
Very good, the service was fine, a full gluten free menu. I had gluten free ravioli, it was excellent. Loved the gluten free bread to dip in my own olive oil, I have never had that in a restaurant before. My son and husband had a family style Ziti and Sausage in cream tomato sauce, they inhaled it. Very nice atmosphere.
(4)Peter P.
great Italian food for both lunch and dinner - great variety of salads and appetizers; the usual traditional dishes, plus some unique ones. we've eaten here a number of times and have consistently been very pleased with the service and especially the food.
(4)Brandon K.
I was in town for the night and I was in the mood for Italian. This place was great. The portions were a good size. For some reason the tipping policy is controversial, but it really works for me. I am all for restaurants that take a stand to help their team out. This could go both ways. Tipping is to insure proper service, but it is also not fair that places only psyche servers $2 an hour. Our service was great and was worthy of 20% He food is the real reason we went so it's not really worth discussing a few extra dollars. If you are looking for Italian and want a local, great family meal then this place is worth the stop.
(5)Erin N.
The three strikes rule has officially been applied. #1. Food poisoning about 2 years ago after eating a pasta dish with shrimp on it. I thought the shrimp tasted less then fresh but erred on the side of "I'm starving." Poor decision making on my part. Did not go back until #2. #2. Stopped in with my padre last winter on our way to the mountains and had impeccably rude service in the bar. Clearly we were not regular enough customers to provide basic customer service to during a time of the night, when they were not busy enough to be able to use this as an excuse. We were debating about bouncing when they finally waited on us; regardless, we did not merit drink refills or even bread with our meal. They were so rude to us, I was literally embarrassed as someone who had brought a guest there. #3. Tried them tonight for a small catering order. Had not been back since #2. Requested order to be ready at 5pm when ordering via phone at 3:30p. Thankfully I was running late, because when I showed up at 5:25p I was told the order wasn't ready yet. Damn near a half hour after requested catering time. Wtf? Really? So that's it - Abrusci's you're as dead to me as a friend who moves south of Hampden.
(1)Chantal M.
Abrusci's Famous Rigatoni and Sausage - get it baked. So, so good. I also love their bread and garlic oil stuff they bring out as an appetizer. The prices aren't bad ($10-$15), but I've only eaten here for lunch.
(4)Clancey L.
Ordered to go and the food was amazing.. Quick and tasty gluten free options and a wonderfully pleasant staff! The family that owns the restaurant are absolutely wonderful and so accommodating. I was surprised to read a single negative review. We will be back again soon! Top notch! *****
(5)Bob P.
This place rocks. The food is fantastic. The staff is getting paid a great wage because the owners went to a non-tipping policy. Support this restaurant as they took a risk for their employee's benefit. They even give them a share of the profits. The people that object should realize that the employees overall benefits are more important then their desire to control their wages.
(5)Neil H.
The food here may be the best Italian around. Veal Marsala so tender the knife was never soiled. Salad was fresh and crisp and the beverage was expertly prepared. However.....the 20% forced tip was waaaay too much for our clumsy, terse waitress. I'm not dissing the majority of staff, just our dingy waitress. Most items are delivered by support and was timely and efficient, but I thought I would perish before SHE even came to the table. This restaurant is so good I will continue frequenting, only with different wait staff. Try it, you'll love it.
(4)Megan S.
This was my first time here came with my two aunts for lunch and I was really impressed. The wait staff were really friendly. The food was so yummy. I had the meatball sandwich and it was so good. I had a great time and I am looking forward to going back.
(4)Amanda M.
We went here last night because I'd read that they have lots of gluten free options (they do!). Our waiter was great and very cautious in dealing with food allergies. When he didn't know an answer, he made sure to ask. One thing I asked about and hadn't seen mentioned in other reviews is that they cook all their pasta in the same pot, gluten free or not. They said they could arrange to do it separately but I didn't end up taking the risk. Definitely important to know and ask about if you have Celiac, though. My boyfriend loved his gluten-filled meal, for what it's worth, and I actually got to eat bread with my meal, which never happens!
(4)Ryan S.
When you first walk into this restaurant you are greeted by a sign on the door saying this is a no tip restaurant.. but later to find out on your receipt they surcharge you 20 percent for a tip. I don't mind tipping 20 percent if the waiter or waitress is on top of their game but our waitress was lackluster never brought bread out to the table. All of their food is about $5 to high per plate! I had the veal marsala here and I personally think I've had better meals out of a hungry man TV dinner. Definitely not going back
(1)Brandon Y.
Just a quick update from my last review. Because of some family connection with this place, we decided to use their private dining area for dinner after my wedding. It was a very small affair; only 25 people. They did an excellent job. Great service. Friendly. Good prices. Everyone was happy. So thanks, gang. We appreciate everything.
(4)Aaron M.
I have patronized this resturant and the food is decent. But this is to help out fellow yelp users who check out reviews to find maybe a new place, or who are just visiting. The policy is changing and you will now be forced to tip 20% they call it a "service fee" but I hear tip. This is to provide a living wage to the employees. You should know before you sit down and are surprised with the bill.
(2)George L.
First time in and as I always do, I am going to try the house Abrusci's Lasagna. I firmly believe that a Italian restaurant is only as good as it's classic dish. The lasagna was actually quite good. Came out with plenty of sauce and had a nicely flavors Italian sausage in it. I will say that it could have used not cheese and was slightly dry as you cut through the large serving. This however can be attributed to being premade and having to be reheated. I still enjoyed the dish overall. For desert I had my all time favorite of Tiramisu. I was told that this is made fresh daily in house and it shows. Great flavor and a light coffee liquor used to flavor the cake fingers. The cream was well made also. I would like to say that this could be one of the top 3 I've had...but it was missing something that could set it over the top. If they were to incorporate dark chocolate shavings into this...it would simply be the best I've had in the last 15 years. Overall had a great experience here and will return again.
(4)B. A.
We've been going here for a while and have seen the up's and down's of this place. I would have to say they're in a "down" mode right now. What is going on here? They now include the "tip" in the price of the food ( 20% increase in price of item ) and you no longer tip the wait staff. This, they say, is to pay the staff a living wage. I know that they've lost many of their good staff due to the change in this tip policy. Also, we find that the food is very inconsistent in terms of freshness and flavor. Sometimes it's "okay", sometimes it's not. But I would say we've never had anything that we would consider "excellent". There was a time that my husband got very ill after eating here. The food seems to be less than acceptable. So at this point, we will probably not be going back. Primarily due to the lack of consistency in their food quality.
(2)Shaun H.
Great food AND service! Tip included is a great idea & I always get good service. I will keep coming back & I highly recommend. Frankly i'm disappointed to see people trash talking on yelp. Sigh.
(5)Michelle H.
I love the food! And now I have another reason to love this business... looking out for their employees! Way to go!
(5)Sian S.
Thank you to Abrusci's for treating their employees with such respect. I will definitely come so I can support a business that is so caring. Your practices will gain customers.
(5)Jennifer D.
we tried out this restaurant for the first time this past week. Kind of an older style looking restaurant. I had the lasagna and my husband had the chicken piccata. Both were very good dishes but small portions for the price. It would have been nice if paying the high price included a salad. I was very surprised to find that I had already tipped 20% (per the restaurant). I do believe the service deserved 20% (quick to freshen drinks, bring out food, friendly staff), and I would have tipped that anyway. I would have been upset if I did not get 20% service and it was automatically added to my bill. I probably won't go here again, simply because I feel as if it is overpriced.
(3)Stephanie G.
After driving past for year we finally decided to come in and try Abrusci's as I have always heard good things. Italian is my favorite food and so I have high standards. The hostess was very nice as well as our waiter who was very friendly and explained that they get the bread from a local bakery, which I thought was very cool. The garlic puree they bring for dipping is very good as well. We also noticed that they have recently become non-tipping, which I have mixed feelings about. I think it is wonderful to pay employees a good wage, not relent on tips, but had I had a poor waiter I would feel worse about the automatic 20% added on to the end of my bill. So basically until we got our food I was having a wonderful evening. The food came and while the portions are a good size the food itself looked and tasted like it had been sitting out all day, longer even. There was very little flavor at all and we both ate less than half of our portions and declined a take home box. I was so disappointed because this place has so much potential and the service really is great but the food was not anywhere near worth the price.
(2)Amy B.
LOVE their happy hour appetizers and drink specials. Never quite busy that time of day and great service, very nice and friendly. Love the patio!
(5)Jay B.
I will patronize this restaurant because this new non-tipping policy is great. It would be even better if they would just raise the menu prices by 20% and then eliminate all fees and tipping except for sales tax.
(5)A W.
I'd like to give it more stars, but it just wasn't our taste. The marinara sauce has some kind of flavor that was just not right. And the lasagna also had a strange texture and off flavor (separate from the marinara sauce). Maybe this is a problem with our taste, others also at the restaurant seemed to really love it, but we really did not and were disappointed. It does seem like the food all had a fresh and homemade quality, so other people may like it more than we did.
(3)Glenne W.
Hubby and I decided to give this place a try for dinner and were pleasantly surprised. We opted to try the restaurant week menu for $30 per person. Appetizer (Calamari), salad (house for hubs, spinach for me), rigatoni with sausage for me, chicken alfredo for hubby, and creme Brulee for dessert. All was very tasty and just the right portion sizes. Oh and the crusty bread with garlic and oil was also great. The server was very nice and attentive. We will definitely come back and try more stuff off the regular menu. They have a good wine selection too.
(4)jar g.
Great service. Food was pretty good too. Sauce for bread a little too strong should be chopped garlic. Veal Marsala was good. Calamari was greasy. Sausage penne was great but a little on the acidic side.
(4)Samantha G.
The food was amazing. Eating gluten-free for me usually means one item on the menu, and a tasteless dinner. The whole menu was pretty much able to be gluten free, but nothing tasted like it at all! Amazing. My husband and I will definitely return. We sat at in the bar area and had a great romantic dinner. Michele, our waiter/ bartender was wonderful! He totally completed the experience.
(5)Angela S.
Generous glad of wine. Classy atmosphere. Gluten-free items. I or the spinach salad with chicken. The chicken is pretty spicy. But it's delicious ....
(5)Shannon W.
From out of town, but Abrusci's is a must stop for us every time we're here!!! The staff is absolutely the best around always super helpful. If you are a fan of wedge salads, Abrusci's is top notch. Best Italian in Wheat Ridge!
(5)Holly G.
The hubs and I got take-out from here last month - so I can't really speak for the service or atmosphere but I wasn't a fan of the food. I was really excited to see that they had Eggplant Parm on the menu since a lot of places don't offer it. The hubs really wanted Lasagna so he called in our order for Eggplant Parm and Lasagna. I go with him to pick it up, we get back to the house and I bite into my meal and it is Chicken Parm. Ugh, and since it's takeout it's not like I had the option to exchange it for the thing I actually ordered and wanted. So long story short, the hubs and I split his half order of lasagna instead. Totally not being in the mood for meat, his meat lasagna didn't hit the spot either, but it least it was something. But there was some weird flavor in the sauce which I was not a fan of, almost sour-like. Also, they gave us some bread and it was so poorly wrapped that basically half of each slice was just out into the open - why bother wrapping it in the first place? I'm going to continue to drive 6 miles to my favorite Italian food instead.
(1)Jason O.
A good lunch. I had the pizza. It was pretty good. It beat eating at a chain restaurant and I was in and out fast.
(3)Kellie C.
There was an overwhelming smell of old fish when I walked in the door which was very unappetizing. Then the bar tender told me to hold on while he found a wine glass for my glass of House Chianti...out of wine glasses in an Italian restaurant? That doesn't seem right...
(1)Megan B.
Excellent food and service. The garlic bread with fresh garlic is so tasty. We ordered a great beer, Barmen Pilsner - which takes 7 minutes to tap pour. The penne pasta with chicken was great too.
(5)Philippe M.
Wonderful, wonderful accommodating staff and delicious food. They catered our company Christmas party! They were early, super friendly and helped set up. They were able to prepare an extra pan of food at the last minute to accommodate additional guests! All the while they were especially attentive and professional. We've eaten there in the restaurant in the past and found the service equally on point. You can tell the servers and the other staff enjoy their job and the people in the kitchen must also enjoy their job based on how tasty the food is. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone at anytime. Even better they're locally owned and really committed to their neighborhood and customer base.
(5)Jessica D.
Way overpriced! The food was decent but not worth $17 a plate. Service was a little slow and they were not that busy. Table was dirty and waitress gave us a rag to wipe it down instead of doing it herself. Will not be coming back.
(2)Robert G.
Actually stumbled onto Abrusci's by accident, was going elsewhere but I have to eat gluten free and their sign outside caught my eye. Being GF when going to a restaurant I usually just feel lucky if I can get something decent to eat. Their GF pasta is excellent. Had a side salad which was also very well done with fresh ingredients and better than you see in most restaurants now days. They have flourless chocolate cake which disappeared off of my plate I don't know where it went. I will definitely be coming back for more next time I am in the neighborhood. I saw another reviewer comparing them to italian restaurants in the northeast. I say give them a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.
(5)Chad P.
Have been going here for years, great place, good service, clean place, reasonably priced. Get the baked ziti of the day or soup and salad or the famous sausage and pasta, forget that name. Good for a quick lunch or a nice dining experience. Wine list is decent. We have catered them for lunch and learns at the office and they have yet to disappoint
(4)Gianna M.
Stumbled across this place on my way through Colorado. Phenomenal service! Everyone was so helpful and welcoming. My family and I were on our way to Steamboat for some snowboarding, after just landing in Denver from SoCal. We mentioned this to our waiter and he recommended another over to talk to us and give us insight on snowboarding and other things to possibly do in the area. The food was delicious! And at the end of the meal to "welcome" us to Colorado they brought out their homemade tiramisu. Great start to our trip! We will be coming back our next time to CO for sure!
(5)Sheldon L.
Fantastic gluten free pizza crust. Will try again.
(5)Lesley W.
My mother, sister, and I are all gluten-free. Number one place you CANNOT go as a gluten-free lady? Italian. Nope. Bread, bread, and more bread. So, when we found out that Abrusci's has gluten-free almost everything we stopped in our tracks. Huh? Gluten-free bread, pasta, AND sandwiches? We weren't missing this in our 3 days in town! The bread and roasted garlic/olive oil combo was divine. We just kept asking for more (you do get charged if you're gluten-free for each loaf though....) We also just HAD to get the gluten-free fried calamari. Also amazing. My sister and I both had the spaghetti bolognese and were very impressed. The gluten-free noodles were perfectly cooked & the sauce was awesome. Mom had the spinach salad which she really loved. As we were leaving I just kept talking about how glad I was that this place wasn't near me in Texas, because I'd be broke & obese. Just awesome. A MUST if you are gluten free and missing Italian, but a great choice for the bread eaters too.
(5)Alexis D.
The BBQ chicken pizza was amazing! Not your traditional flat crust but rather a pillowy crust that leaves you full at the end of your meal. The 2nd best part of the meal with the garlic and olive oil they give you to dip your bread in when you first sit down. I've never had this at a restaurant before and it was incredible!!!
(5)Teresa L.
Went back for another try tonight and definitely had a better experience than we had 2 years ago. The food was all well-seasoned, and service was good. When we were seated, it took about 7ish minutes for our server to come and see us. He was extremely apologetic and offered us free dessert to make up for it....sold! They were accommodating of my request for a slightly smaller kids' meal for our almost-2 yr old kiddo....and she ate all if her spaghetti, which she never does at restaurants, so she must have liked it. Wine was good, bread was warm now (used to be served cold...ick), and pasta was not overdone. Still a little pricey, but for an occasional splurge, it fits the bil!
(4)Beth W.
Went to the restaurant for a family dinner. I had used online reservations, which worked vey well. Got the table that I had asked for. Food was very good with generous portions. Entrees were between $12 - $15. They did not include salad with this price. Salads were an additional $6, or family style for $16. That adds quite a bit to the dinner price. Service was great.
(4)