I've actually been here several times. Over Christmas, my parents were staying here, and they're big fans of eating right in the hotel. As always, restaurant competition is tough in Providence, and being a food snob, I was kind of like, "I'm sure the food will just be mediocre." But it was pretty good. I recall enjoying the sea salt french fries immensely. However, my latest experience was for the breakfast buffet, and it was unpleasant. Not because of the food. The food was really good, but the service was TERRIBLE. We were told the wait for a table would be twenty minutes. An hour later, after tables beyond us were sat, and I'm seeing a half dozen empty tables in the restaurant, we were seated. Then the unchipper server comes over to take our drink order. When we get up to the buffet, they were out of waffles. The chef at the omelet station offered to bring me some when they came out. Ten minutes later I go back to check on the waffle status and there they are, sitting in the tray and NOT brought to my table. This was also my second time at the buffet where they ran out of food. BUT, the omelet station is incredible, one of my friends raved about the bacon, and another about the warm, freshly baked muffins. Not to mention, my late waffles were light, crispy and delicious. They also comped us a mimosa for having to wait so long, but I guess I would've done more? I don't know. Take it with a grain of salt. It's yummy food that you have to wait an inordinate amount of time for and keep bugging the staff to bring out more of it. That's why these kind of reviews are always hard to write. I'll also mention that we are going back for the Easter brunch, but I made a reservation so hopefully that will help with the wait situation. We'll see.
Was staying at the Marriott that this restaurant is in and figured I'd give this place a shot. I regret not reading the review posted by Igor S., because everything was just as bad. Slow service, overpriced drinks and food, and poor quality. I ordered the seafood tri, which has shrimp, scallops, and lobster on pasta with cherry tomatoes. Tasted like dog food. Would not recommend ever. Go anywhere but here.
(1)
Igor S.
This place is slow, the food is terrible. Made the mistake of going to the restaurant of the hotel I was staying at. Don't get the Pan Chowder. It's a rip off. The Poricini strip - I asked them to make it medium rare, they made it rare. Not much taste either. My biggest complaint is the waiting time. Don't recommend to anyone unless you are staying at the Marriott and have no other choice.
(1)
Scottie M.
I wasn't so sure I was going to like this place when I read that it was located inside the Marriot hotel, but actually, I rather enjoyed myself. The lobby was crowded with business people in suits and ties on laptops and signing papers. When you get passed that, you see a little area labeled "Bluefin Grille". Everyone was friendly and a little quirky - I like quirky. We were seated and had our water glasses filled immediately. Our waitress was a little flighty and very slow! ....did I mention that there were only 2 tables occupied? Anyway.... The food was very delicious. Since I've been trying this whole diet low cal thing this week... I was pleased to see that they had a section labeled "Simply Fish" where I could choose: *Type of fish *Style of cooking *Sauce it is prepared in *Side dish This allowed for me to make myself a very healthy and tasty meal without going crazy with calories with all sorts of extra sauces and garnishment that I wouldn't eat anyway. The tuna was served raw and was seared perfectly. I chose the pineapple salsa and fell in love with it, they definitely don't give you enough of it, so you might want to ask for a 2nd or maybe even a 3rd side dish of it! My meal was yummy yummy in my tummy and even with a glass of wine I stayed under 500 calories! I'll be back!!
(4)
Jen L.
I had some friends staying at the Marriott from out of town so I figured we'd try Bluefin. Our server was John and he was awesome. He was friendly, funny, attentive, and went the extra mile by creating drinks and dishes that we requested. No complaints on the food, in fact the calamari was a delight. Not a crazy wait for anything as others experienced. I really enjoyed the warm rolls with specialty berry butter. Then came 2 filets and a lobster with risotto (not on the menu) and everything was delicious. We then ordered a chocolate lava cake and a warm apple tart with ice cream. Yum. Minus one star for the fly and gnats that were flying around our table throughout the night, kinda ruined the mood. :/
(4)
Ning T.
For the price, the food is OK. I went for a group dinner with some colleagues and ordered from the Prix Fixe menu. I got fish of the day which was swordfish cast iron blackened with remoulade and sauteed baby spinach which also came with a soup and a raspberry sorbet. The chef gave a complimentary mussel with curried apple sauce which I thought was very tasty. Back to the dinner, I thought the fish was good and the spinach was good, but I didn't like the combination, I guess the texture the sauteed spinach leaves in your mouth doesn't compliment the fish too well. The service was good and the food came out in no time. The taste of the food is definitely there but not enough to bring me back because it's expensive for the amount of food you get.
(3)
Terry S.
You can find better in Providence. If you're staying at the hotel and want something passable and convenient, this is not a bad place. The food was average, the wait was average, the prices were a bit high.
(2)
Rebecca C.
Horrible food! I went here with my mom and we both wouldn't go back. I had the filet with mash potatoes and I did not enjoy my meal.
(1)
Chantel T.
This review is my first because I felt obligated to share the fantastic time I had at this restaurant. I am from Providence and wanted to orchestrate a "Date Night" for my boyfriend and me. I called in on a Monday morning to make the reservation for 730. I joked with the hostess about "Date Night" and how we should get a romantic table in the back. Well, when we arrived the host kindly greeted us and said, "730? Date Night? We've got something special in the back for you." So, he walks us through the restaurant to the back room, at least 25 tables, and seats us at our own private table in this empty room. They had a different soundtrack of jazz and love songs playing in our room and specialties from the chef were brought out for us to try. The food was absolutely delicious (4.5 stars). We had the calamari, sun-dried tomato butter with out bread, pan-seared halibut, and made to order grilled swordfish in a tarragon vinaigrette followed by a delectable piece of New York style cheesecake. Their ginger-pear martini was unique and tasty, definitely worth trying. Their scotch list was extensive and thorough. The wait staff was pleasant and the atmosphere was tailored to perfection. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant to have "Date Night" at. Furthermore, I couldn't recommend this place any more than I already have. Give them a try.
(5)
Bill H.
This is a Breakfast Buffet review at BlueFin. Great options for buffet (real-time omelettes with awesome selection of mix-ins), meats, fruits, french toast, cereals, breads and drinks of every type. Free wifi so you can scan your NYT, drink a cuppa joe and have a tasty chorizo omelette.
(4)
Valerie P.
Skip it! If you are a guest at the Marriott, I highly recommend leaving the property for dinner. Do not go to Bluefin Grille out of convenience. I dined with a small group of friends this past weekend, and was not at all impressed. I was unable to finish my meal (40 Clove Bricked Chicken, roasted garlic, broccoli, mashed potatoes) and was left with a knot in my stomach until I eventually vomitted a short time later.
(1)
Darryl R.
Limited menu of fresh, well prepared seafood. Not worth going elsewhere if staying at the Marriott.
(5)
Kel S.
Ehhh. Not sure if the restaurant I went to was this one, but was inside the Marriott. Service was very slow. Not many tables, kind of squished together, so for a date, not ideal, depsite the fact my date thought it was. OK wedge salad.
(2)
Jay E.
If you are staying at the Marriott the Bluefin Grille is an excellent spot because of the convenience. We stopped by for lunch and ordered the clam chowder, grilled chicken sandwich and the buffalo wrap. The chowder was great, thinner broth like I like and flavorful, both sandwiches though were just alright, nothing special but the fries were tasty. The bartender was friendly and helpful. Bluefin Grille is a cool place to hangout prior to heading downtown.
(3)
Kevin S.
Originally I had posted a really negative review based on the amount of time it took to make a reservation (I was put on hold 5 times). I was so annoyed I ended up canceling my reservation. Decided to try again today so I could take advantage of my Groupon before it expires. Again, making a reservation was annoying. I was put on hold... and no one ever came back to the phone. I was curious how long they'd keep me on hold but after 15 minutes boredom outweighed my curiosity. Luckily, when I called back the same woman answered and quickly made my reservation (I think she recognized my voice). Come to find out that was all a waste... the place was empty at 7 on a Saturday night. I was worried. The greeter greeted us but told us wait a moment before seating us. She walked to the far end of the restaurant and talked with a man for a minute or two while they both looked over at my wife and I. Strange... still worried. Eventually we were seated and things started to change. The friendly waiter (a big guy, I forgot his name) brought us drinks quickly and surprised us with a tasty bite of yellowfin. We ordered some raw bar and our entrees. The oysters and clams were really tasty. Kinda hard to screw those up if they're really fresh. For dinner I had the George's Bank Scallops. They were cooked perfectly and the whole dish was excellent aside from a few grains of sand here and there that didn't get washed out of the scallops. I can overlook a little dirt, I suppose. I had a little of my wife's seafood ravioli. I thought that was good, but some of the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. The one big epic failboat of the meal was dessert. I got a bread pudding that was a disaster. It was burnt on top and cold (like ice cream cold) on the inside. It also tasted old and dried out. There's clearly some pride taken in the entrees that go out... I'm not sure the same can be said for deserts. Summary: A pretty good place for seafood... But be prepared for weirdness. Skip dessert.
Yay for the breakfast buffet! It costs about $15. It a bit expensive because they don't offer that many items on the buffet. They have an omelet station and waffle station. I didn't have a change to get an omelet because there was a huge line and there was only one person making the omelets (I felt bad for him 'cause some of the people in line were real assholes). Anyway... Other items on the buffet include: scrambled eggs, pastries, bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, oatmeal, lox, and cereal. The waffles were really fluffy! I put whipped cream, strawberries and syrup on mine - it was delicious! Orange juice, coffee and tea are complimentary. The service was a bit slow but generally good.
(3)
Carol L.
Grabbed lunch to-go and brought it to my hotel room, so I don't really have much to go on, but it was worth writing a review to get them started on Yelp! Ordered a crab cake sandwich -- the crab cake was amazing! It was soft and fell apart in my mouth. You could tell they actually made it, rather than grabbing some frozen brick and deep fry-ing it. However, I ordered fries with it, and they gave me a salad. The bun was also very dense and dry. If I stayed at this Marriott again, I would definitely go back downstairs and try more on their menu!
(3)
Joy L.
The halibut was excellent, and the New England clam chowder was good. I would like to have had dimmer lights and less noise. Service was very friendly.
(4)
K S.
I went here in December 2011 because I won a gift certificate, and I can't imagine going back. The wait staff was very attentive and I got the impression that the bulk was from Johnson & Wales or some other local college or university. It was downhill from there. The restaurant itself had a pretty cool look to be of the hotel restaurant variety, but the food was mediocre at best. The seafood left a lot to be desired. The clam chowder and calamari were pretty standard fare (i.e., you could probably get better or the same from Red Lobster and I have a pretty low opinion of Red Lobster), and the haddock was in a funky sauce that left an unpleasant aftertaste. Hubby had some special as his entree that was entirely unremarkable. The food wasn't bad, but given the price point, there is far better to be had in Providence. Unless you are stuck at the hotel for some reason, I would recommend looking for other dinner accommodations. .
(2)
Adam L.
This is one of two restaurants located inside the Downtown Marriott (the other being Aqua). As far as hotel restaurants go, this one's pretty good. I haven't had the opportunity to try anything besides dinner and drinks, but I've enjoyed those consistently. The drinks are always fantastic - the bartenders certainly know how to make a mix drink here. The bartenders are a little slow. Not too bad, though. Other than that, the service was excellent. There is an okay selection of food. For some reason, they have two separate menus to order off of. I don't really get that, but whatever. I haven't been disappointed by anything yet, though some things stand out - thai chicken skewers, their burgers, and their flatbreads. The food is also slow to come out, but again, not painfully slow.
(4)
John E.
The Bluefin Grill is the restaurant at the Downtown Marriott, I had the opportunity to sample both food and drink, mostly at the bar which was fairly busy when we returned from dinner after visiting area vendors. A couple of days in we finished early enough that I ended up being on my own for lunch - the Bluefin was just the ticket as I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of pints of beer (there was a list of local craft for $5 a pint - quite a deal). Although this is a Harpoon mug, it's actually a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA - one of my favorites! Service was very good and I could tell by the techniques employed by the bartender that she was well trained (not that pouring beer takes much but the mixed drinks she was making for others were very well done). Both the restaurant and the food were rather above par for a typical hotel. There was also a great "Gameday Special" cited "Burger and Beer $12" and "Angus Beef, aged cheddar, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle paired with a selection of one of the beers below" - I passed on the $3 beer selection and want with something crafty. I also ordered a side-salad instead of fries in an attempt to eat a bit healthier - not that I succeeded very well if you look at my other area posts. In all, the food, even as a special burger, was exceptional. I don't know if there's a better hotel in Providence, but the food at the Downtown Marriott makes all the difference in my book. (also posted in a much longer review on my food blog)
(4)
Chris W.
With all the great independent restaurants in Providence, I was not happy to be headed to the Marriott Hotel for dinner, but it was a big family event and completely out of my hands. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, as were all but two of the 17 of us. Many of us went with the three-course fixed-price dinner for $29.95. My starter of iceberg wedge came very clean and fresh, with more crisp green leaves than usual, plus generous portions of perfectly cooked pepper-crusted bacon and Gorgonzola, sweet cherry tomatoes and a very nice blue cheese dressing on the side. The grilled salmon was cooked perfectly and presented on a bed of very nice asparagus and fennel with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The fennel added a wonderful high note that harmonized beautifully with the balsamic -- all in all an excellent dish. My desert was an unremarkable raspberry sorbet. Others raved about the pork chop with butternut risotto and the seared scallops on risotto cakes (with a surprise layer of bacon crumbled in between), and the sirloin steak. An apple dumpling-type desert and chocolate lava cake also were big winners. The only downers were a seared chicken dish that offered an emaciated bone-in thigh and half a wing (maybe 4 ounces including bones!) and the service. One waiter for a party of 17 is madness resulting in long pauses between every course, no offers of a second glass of wine, and more delays as we waited for the server to bring everyone their course before starting (each course required four trips to the kitchen). We arrived at 5:30 and were essentially done by 7:30, so there's really no excuse for poor service. Both of those problems could easily be fixed. So, not spectacular but quite good food at a reasonable price. Granted, there are many much more interesting restaurants in the area, but the Bluefin Grille is not the typical hotel eatery to be avoided at all cost. I'm confident that a party of four would have a four-star experience here.
(3)
Monster I.
I would give this a 1 star, but the servers were nice and at least trying. Went there for breakfast after staying the night and the service was little awkward at first, the waiter left without taking one girl's order and we had to track him down. But then he got better as I am guessing his coffee kicked in. But the real issue was the food. It was HORRIBLE. I had a salmon fritatta of sorts and it was greasy and tasteless. But it gets worse, my boyfriend's hash browns had huge stands of plastic in them! He I took a bite and nearly choked on a 4 inch long strand of sauteed plastic! I informed the server who took the plate to the chef and returned to say, the chef confirmed that it is plastic from a canadian bacon package. uhh okay, no apology, no free hash browns, no complimentary coffee nothing. I sort of shrugged it off, when my friend asked the server if the hash browns would be comped and the server shrugged and walked away. Nothing was comped and the check was expensive and not worth a cent. We had to go out of a second breakfast shortly after. If you stay at this hotel take a walk to a diner or bring a breakfast far anything to avoid the Bluefin Grille.
(2)
Cristina P.
Hmm this place wants to be good.... the service is lukewarm, absentminded, forgetful and slow. The array of choices is great, except there is really no seafood available for lunch. I was excited to find a place that does NOT do Sunday brunch but I'm not sure I"ll be back. They were out of 3/7 of our dishes. My daughter's pizza seemed to have come out of a frozen pizza box. Overall I'd say I wanted to like this place but was disappointed.
(2)
Igor S.
This place is slow, the food is terrible. Made the mistake of going to the restaurant of the hotel I was staying at. Don't get the Pan Chowder. It's a rip off. The Poricini strip - I asked them to make it medium rare, they made it rare. Not much taste either. My biggest complaint is the waiting time. Don't recommend to anyone unless you are staying at the Marriott and have no other choice.
(1)
Jake S.
Was staying at the Marriott that this restaurant is in and figured I'd give this place a shot. I regret not reading the review posted by Igor S., because everything was just as bad. Slow service, overpriced drinks and food, and poor quality. I ordered the seafood tri, which has shrimp, scallops, and lobster on pasta with cherry tomatoes. Tasted like dog food. Would not recommend ever. Go anywhere but here.
(1)
Adam L.
This is one of two restaurants located inside the Downtown Marriott (the other being Aqua). As far as hotel restaurants go, this one's pretty good. I haven't had the opportunity to try anything besides dinner and drinks, but I've enjoyed those consistently. The drinks are always fantastic - the bartenders certainly know how to make a mix drink here. The bartenders are a little slow. Not too bad, though. Other than that, the service was excellent. There is an okay selection of food. For some reason, they have two separate menus to order off of. I don't really get that, but whatever. I haven't been disappointed by anything yet, though some things stand out - thai chicken skewers, their burgers, and their flatbreads. The food is also slow to come out, but again, not painfully slow.
(4)
John E.
The Bluefin Grill is the restaurant at the Downtown Marriott, I had the opportunity to sample both food and drink, mostly at the bar which was fairly busy when we returned from dinner after visiting area vendors. A couple of days in we finished early enough that I ended up being on my own for lunch - the Bluefin was just the ticket as I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of pints of beer (there was a list of local craft for $5 a pint - quite a deal). Although this is a Harpoon mug, it's actually a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA - one of my favorites! Service was very good and I could tell by the techniques employed by the bartender that she was well trained (not that pouring beer takes much but the mixed drinks she was making for others were very well done). Both the restaurant and the food were rather above par for a typical hotel. There was also a great "Gameday Special" cited "Burger and Beer $12" and "Angus Beef, aged cheddar, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle paired with a selection of one of the beers below" - I passed on the $3 beer selection and want with something crafty. I also ordered a side-salad instead of fries in an attempt to eat a bit healthier - not that I succeeded very well if you look at my other area posts. In all, the food, even as a special burger, was exceptional. I don't know if there's a better hotel in Providence, but the food at the Downtown Marriott makes all the difference in my book. (also posted in a much longer review on my food blog)
(4)
Rachel M.
I've actually been here several times. Over Christmas, my parents were staying here, and they're big fans of eating right in the hotel. As always, restaurant competition is tough in Providence, and being a food snob, I was kind of like, "I'm sure the food will just be mediocre." But it was pretty good. I recall enjoying the sea salt french fries immensely. However, my latest experience was for the breakfast buffet, and it was unpleasant. Not because of the food. The food was really good, but the service was TERRIBLE. We were told the wait for a table would be twenty minutes. An hour later, after tables beyond us were sat, and I'm seeing a half dozen empty tables in the restaurant, we were seated. Then the unchipper server comes over to take our drink order. When we get up to the buffet, they were out of waffles. The chef at the omelet station offered to bring me some when they came out. Ten minutes later I go back to check on the waffle status and there they are, sitting in the tray and NOT brought to my table. This was also my second time at the buffet where they ran out of food. BUT, the omelet station is incredible, one of my friends raved about the bacon, and another about the warm, freshly baked muffins. Not to mention, my late waffles were light, crispy and delicious. They also comped us a mimosa for having to wait so long, but I guess I would've done more? I don't know. Take it with a grain of salt. It's yummy food that you have to wait an inordinate amount of time for and keep bugging the staff to bring out more of it. That's why these kind of reviews are always hard to write. I'll also mention that we are going back for the Easter brunch, but I made a reservation so hopefully that will help with the wait situation. We'll see.
Hmm this place wants to be good.... the service is lukewarm, absentminded, forgetful and slow. The array of choices is great, except there is really no seafood available for lunch. I was excited to find a place that does NOT do Sunday brunch but I'm not sure I"ll be back. They were out of 3/7 of our dishes. My daughter's pizza seemed to have come out of a frozen pizza box. Overall I'd say I wanted to like this place but was disappointed.
(2)
Scottie M.
I wasn't so sure I was going to like this place when I read that it was located inside the Marriot hotel, but actually, I rather enjoyed myself. The lobby was crowded with business people in suits and ties on laptops and signing papers. When you get passed that, you see a little area labeled "Bluefin Grille". Everyone was friendly and a little quirky - I like quirky. We were seated and had our water glasses filled immediately. Our waitress was a little flighty and very slow! ....did I mention that there were only 2 tables occupied? Anyway.... The food was very delicious. Since I've been trying this whole diet low cal thing this week... I was pleased to see that they had a section labeled "Simply Fish" where I could choose: *Type of fish *Style of cooking *Sauce it is prepared in *Side dish This allowed for me to make myself a very healthy and tasty meal without going crazy with calories with all sorts of extra sauces and garnishment that I wouldn't eat anyway. The tuna was served raw and was seared perfectly. I chose the pineapple salsa and fell in love with it, they definitely don't give you enough of it, so you might want to ask for a 2nd or maybe even a 3rd side dish of it! My meal was yummy yummy in my tummy and even with a glass of wine I stayed under 500 calories! I'll be back!!
(4)
Jen L.
I had some friends staying at the Marriott from out of town so I figured we'd try Bluefin. Our server was John and he was awesome. He was friendly, funny, attentive, and went the extra mile by creating drinks and dishes that we requested. No complaints on the food, in fact the calamari was a delight. Not a crazy wait for anything as others experienced. I really enjoyed the warm rolls with specialty berry butter. Then came 2 filets and a lobster with risotto (not on the menu) and everything was delicious. We then ordered a chocolate lava cake and a warm apple tart with ice cream. Yum. Minus one star for the fly and gnats that were flying around our table throughout the night, kinda ruined the mood. :/
(4)
Ning T.
For the price, the food is OK. I went for a group dinner with some colleagues and ordered from the Prix Fixe menu. I got fish of the day which was swordfish cast iron blackened with remoulade and sauteed baby spinach which also came with a soup and a raspberry sorbet. The chef gave a complimentary mussel with curried apple sauce which I thought was very tasty. Back to the dinner, I thought the fish was good and the spinach was good, but I didn't like the combination, I guess the texture the sauteed spinach leaves in your mouth doesn't compliment the fish too well. The service was good and the food came out in no time. The taste of the food is definitely there but not enough to bring me back because it's expensive for the amount of food you get.
(3)
Terry S.
You can find better in Providence. If you're staying at the hotel and want something passable and convenient, this is not a bad place. The food was average, the wait was average, the prices were a bit high.
(2)
Rebecca C.
Horrible food! I went here with my mom and we both wouldn't go back. I had the filet with mash potatoes and I did not enjoy my meal.
(1)
Chantel T.
This review is my first because I felt obligated to share the fantastic time I had at this restaurant. I am from Providence and wanted to orchestrate a "Date Night" for my boyfriend and me. I called in on a Monday morning to make the reservation for 730. I joked with the hostess about "Date Night" and how we should get a romantic table in the back. Well, when we arrived the host kindly greeted us and said, "730? Date Night? We've got something special in the back for you." So, he walks us through the restaurant to the back room, at least 25 tables, and seats us at our own private table in this empty room. They had a different soundtrack of jazz and love songs playing in our room and specialties from the chef were brought out for us to try. The food was absolutely delicious (4.5 stars). We had the calamari, sun-dried tomato butter with out bread, pan-seared halibut, and made to order grilled swordfish in a tarragon vinaigrette followed by a delectable piece of New York style cheesecake. Their ginger-pear martini was unique and tasty, definitely worth trying. Their scotch list was extensive and thorough. The wait staff was pleasant and the atmosphere was tailored to perfection. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant to have "Date Night" at. Furthermore, I couldn't recommend this place any more than I already have. Give them a try.
(5)
Bill H.
This is a Breakfast Buffet review at BlueFin. Great options for buffet (real-time omelettes with awesome selection of mix-ins), meats, fruits, french toast, cereals, breads and drinks of every type. Free wifi so you can scan your NYT, drink a cuppa joe and have a tasty chorizo omelette.
(4)
Valerie P.
Skip it! If you are a guest at the Marriott, I highly recommend leaving the property for dinner. Do not go to Bluefin Grille out of convenience. I dined with a small group of friends this past weekend, and was not at all impressed. I was unable to finish my meal (40 Clove Bricked Chicken, roasted garlic, broccoli, mashed potatoes) and was left with a knot in my stomach until I eventually vomitted a short time later.
(1)
Darryl R.
Limited menu of fresh, well prepared seafood. Not worth going elsewhere if staying at the Marriott.
(5)
Kel S.
Ehhh. Not sure if the restaurant I went to was this one, but was inside the Marriott. Service was very slow. Not many tables, kind of squished together, so for a date, not ideal, depsite the fact my date thought it was. OK wedge salad.
(2)
Jay E.
If you are staying at the Marriott the Bluefin Grille is an excellent spot because of the convenience. We stopped by for lunch and ordered the clam chowder, grilled chicken sandwich and the buffalo wrap. The chowder was great, thinner broth like I like and flavorful, both sandwiches though were just alright, nothing special but the fries were tasty. The bartender was friendly and helpful. Bluefin Grille is a cool place to hangout prior to heading downtown.
(3)
Kevin S.
Originally I had posted a really negative review based on the amount of time it took to make a reservation (I was put on hold 5 times). I was so annoyed I ended up canceling my reservation. Decided to try again today so I could take advantage of my Groupon before it expires. Again, making a reservation was annoying. I was put on hold... and no one ever came back to the phone. I was curious how long they'd keep me on hold but after 15 minutes boredom outweighed my curiosity. Luckily, when I called back the same woman answered and quickly made my reservation (I think she recognized my voice). Come to find out that was all a waste... the place was empty at 7 on a Saturday night. I was worried. The greeter greeted us but told us wait a moment before seating us. She walked to the far end of the restaurant and talked with a man for a minute or two while they both looked over at my wife and I. Strange... still worried. Eventually we were seated and things started to change. The friendly waiter (a big guy, I forgot his name) brought us drinks quickly and surprised us with a tasty bite of yellowfin. We ordered some raw bar and our entrees. The oysters and clams were really tasty. Kinda hard to screw those up if they're really fresh. For dinner I had the George's Bank Scallops. They were cooked perfectly and the whole dish was excellent aside from a few grains of sand here and there that didn't get washed out of the scallops. I can overlook a little dirt, I suppose. I had a little of my wife's seafood ravioli. I thought that was good, but some of the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. The one big epic failboat of the meal was dessert. I got a bread pudding that was a disaster. It was burnt on top and cold (like ice cream cold) on the inside. It also tasted old and dried out. There's clearly some pride taken in the entrees that go out... I'm not sure the same can be said for deserts. Summary: A pretty good place for seafood... But be prepared for weirdness. Skip dessert.
Yay for the breakfast buffet! It costs about $15. It a bit expensive because they don't offer that many items on the buffet. They have an omelet station and waffle station. I didn't have a change to get an omelet because there was a huge line and there was only one person making the omelets (I felt bad for him 'cause some of the people in line were real assholes). Anyway... Other items on the buffet include: scrambled eggs, pastries, bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, oatmeal, lox, and cereal. The waffles were really fluffy! I put whipped cream, strawberries and syrup on mine - it was delicious! Orange juice, coffee and tea are complimentary. The service was a bit slow but generally good.
(3)
Carol L.
Grabbed lunch to-go and brought it to my hotel room, so I don't really have much to go on, but it was worth writing a review to get them started on Yelp! Ordered a crab cake sandwich -- the crab cake was amazing! It was soft and fell apart in my mouth. You could tell they actually made it, rather than grabbing some frozen brick and deep fry-ing it. However, I ordered fries with it, and they gave me a salad. The bun was also very dense and dry. If I stayed at this Marriott again, I would definitely go back downstairs and try more on their menu!
(3)
Joy L.
The halibut was excellent, and the New England clam chowder was good. I would like to have had dimmer lights and less noise. Service was very friendly.
(4)
K S.
I went here in December 2011 because I won a gift certificate, and I can't imagine going back. The wait staff was very attentive and I got the impression that the bulk was from Johnson & Wales or some other local college or university. It was downhill from there. The restaurant itself had a pretty cool look to be of the hotel restaurant variety, but the food was mediocre at best. The seafood left a lot to be desired. The clam chowder and calamari were pretty standard fare (i.e., you could probably get better or the same from Red Lobster and I have a pretty low opinion of Red Lobster), and the haddock was in a funky sauce that left an unpleasant aftertaste. Hubby had some special as his entree that was entirely unremarkable. The food wasn't bad, but given the price point, there is far better to be had in Providence. Unless you are stuck at the hotel for some reason, I would recommend looking for other dinner accommodations. .
(2)
Chris W.
With all the great independent restaurants in Providence, I was not happy to be headed to the Marriott Hotel for dinner, but it was a big family event and completely out of my hands. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, as were all but two of the 17 of us. Many of us went with the three-course fixed-price dinner for $29.95. My starter of iceberg wedge came very clean and fresh, with more crisp green leaves than usual, plus generous portions of perfectly cooked pepper-crusted bacon and Gorgonzola, sweet cherry tomatoes and a very nice blue cheese dressing on the side. The grilled salmon was cooked perfectly and presented on a bed of very nice asparagus and fennel with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The fennel added a wonderful high note that harmonized beautifully with the balsamic -- all in all an excellent dish. My desert was an unremarkable raspberry sorbet. Others raved about the pork chop with butternut risotto and the seared scallops on risotto cakes (with a surprise layer of bacon crumbled in between), and the sirloin steak. An apple dumpling-type desert and chocolate lava cake also were big winners. The only downers were a seared chicken dish that offered an emaciated bone-in thigh and half a wing (maybe 4 ounces including bones!) and the service. One waiter for a party of 17 is madness resulting in long pauses between every course, no offers of a second glass of wine, and more delays as we waited for the server to bring everyone their course before starting (each course required four trips to the kitchen). We arrived at 5:30 and were essentially done by 7:30, so there's really no excuse for poor service. Both of those problems could easily be fixed. So, not spectacular but quite good food at a reasonable price. Granted, there are many much more interesting restaurants in the area, but the Bluefin Grille is not the typical hotel eatery to be avoided at all cost. I'm confident that a party of four would have a four-star experience here.
(3)
Monster I.
I would give this a 1 star, but the servers were nice and at least trying. Went there for breakfast after staying the night and the service was little awkward at first, the waiter left without taking one girl's order and we had to track him down. But then he got better as I am guessing his coffee kicked in. But the real issue was the food. It was HORRIBLE. I had a salmon fritatta of sorts and it was greasy and tasteless. But it gets worse, my boyfriend's hash browns had huge stands of plastic in them! He I took a bite and nearly choked on a 4 inch long strand of sauteed plastic! I informed the server who took the plate to the chef and returned to say, the chef confirmed that it is plastic from a canadian bacon package. uhh okay, no apology, no free hash browns, no complimentary coffee nothing. I sort of shrugged it off, when my friend asked the server if the hash browns would be comped and the server shrugged and walked away. Nothing was comped and the check was expensive and not worth a cent. We had to go out of a second breakfast shortly after. If you stay at this hotel take a walk to a diner or bring a breakfast far anything to avoid the Bluefin Grille.
(2)
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Address :Providence Marriott Downtown,1 Orms St
Providence, RI, 02904
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Rachel M.
I've actually been here several times. Over Christmas, my parents were staying here, and they're big fans of eating right in the hotel. As always, restaurant competition is tough in Providence, and being a food snob, I was kind of like, "I'm sure the food will just be mediocre." But it was pretty good. I recall enjoying the sea salt french fries immensely. However, my latest experience was for the breakfast buffet, and it was unpleasant. Not because of the food. The food was really good, but the service was TERRIBLE. We were told the wait for a table would be twenty minutes. An hour later, after tables beyond us were sat, and I'm seeing a half dozen empty tables in the restaurant, we were seated. Then the unchipper server comes over to take our drink order. When we get up to the buffet, they were out of waffles. The chef at the omelet station offered to bring me some when they came out. Ten minutes later I go back to check on the waffle status and there they are, sitting in the tray and NOT brought to my table. This was also my second time at the buffet where they ran out of food. BUT, the omelet station is incredible, one of my friends raved about the bacon, and another about the warm, freshly baked muffins. Not to mention, my late waffles were light, crispy and delicious. They also comped us a mimosa for having to wait so long, but I guess I would've done more? I don't know. Take it with a grain of salt. It's yummy food that you have to wait an inordinate amount of time for and keep bugging the staff to bring out more of it. That's why these kind of reviews are always hard to write. I'll also mention that we are going back for the Easter brunch, but I made a reservation so hopefully that will help with the wait situation. We'll see.
(2)Darcey L.
Great décor, though a little dim (had to use my phone to read my menu). Friendly service, nice presentation. Fresh seafood that was perfectly cooked (and believe me I had some overcooked seafood on this trip). The Chioppino was nice though a bit over salted. A companion had the Clams, and that broth was VERY over salted. The lava cake was just right. Service was slow due to under-staffing. Our waiter did a great job, he was friendly and skilled at his job, but I don't know what the management was thinking when the put together the schedule- do they not talk to hotel booking? Dinner took almost 2.5 hours. Good thing we had the evening to spend together.
(4)Jake S.
Was staying at the Marriott that this restaurant is in and figured I'd give this place a shot. I regret not reading the review posted by Igor S., because everything was just as bad. Slow service, overpriced drinks and food, and poor quality. I ordered the seafood tri, which has shrimp, scallops, and lobster on pasta with cherry tomatoes. Tasted like dog food. Would not recommend ever. Go anywhere but here.
(1)Igor S.
This place is slow, the food is terrible. Made the mistake of going to the restaurant of the hotel I was staying at. Don't get the Pan Chowder. It's a rip off. The Poricini strip - I asked them to make it medium rare, they made it rare. Not much taste either. My biggest complaint is the waiting time. Don't recommend to anyone unless you are staying at the Marriott and have no other choice.
(1)Scottie M.
I wasn't so sure I was going to like this place when I read that it was located inside the Marriot hotel, but actually, I rather enjoyed myself. The lobby was crowded with business people in suits and ties on laptops and signing papers. When you get passed that, you see a little area labeled "Bluefin Grille". Everyone was friendly and a little quirky - I like quirky. We were seated and had our water glasses filled immediately. Our waitress was a little flighty and very slow! ....did I mention that there were only 2 tables occupied? Anyway.... The food was very delicious. Since I've been trying this whole diet low cal thing this week... I was pleased to see that they had a section labeled "Simply Fish" where I could choose: *Type of fish *Style of cooking *Sauce it is prepared in *Side dish This allowed for me to make myself a very healthy and tasty meal without going crazy with calories with all sorts of extra sauces and garnishment that I wouldn't eat anyway. The tuna was served raw and was seared perfectly. I chose the pineapple salsa and fell in love with it, they definitely don't give you enough of it, so you might want to ask for a 2nd or maybe even a 3rd side dish of it! My meal was yummy yummy in my tummy and even with a glass of wine I stayed under 500 calories! I'll be back!!
(4)Jen L.
I had some friends staying at the Marriott from out of town so I figured we'd try Bluefin. Our server was John and he was awesome. He was friendly, funny, attentive, and went the extra mile by creating drinks and dishes that we requested. No complaints on the food, in fact the calamari was a delight. Not a crazy wait for anything as others experienced. I really enjoyed the warm rolls with specialty berry butter. Then came 2 filets and a lobster with risotto (not on the menu) and everything was delicious. We then ordered a chocolate lava cake and a warm apple tart with ice cream. Yum. Minus one star for the fly and gnats that were flying around our table throughout the night, kinda ruined the mood. :/
(4)Ning T.
For the price, the food is OK. I went for a group dinner with some colleagues and ordered from the Prix Fixe menu. I got fish of the day which was swordfish cast iron blackened with remoulade and sauteed baby spinach which also came with a soup and a raspberry sorbet. The chef gave a complimentary mussel with curried apple sauce which I thought was very tasty. Back to the dinner, I thought the fish was good and the spinach was good, but I didn't like the combination, I guess the texture the sauteed spinach leaves in your mouth doesn't compliment the fish too well. The service was good and the food came out in no time. The taste of the food is definitely there but not enough to bring me back because it's expensive for the amount of food you get.
(3)Terry S.
You can find better in Providence. If you're staying at the hotel and want something passable and convenient, this is not a bad place. The food was average, the wait was average, the prices were a bit high.
(2)Rebecca C.
Horrible food! I went here with my mom and we both wouldn't go back. I had the filet with mash potatoes and I did not enjoy my meal.
(1)Chantel T.
This review is my first because I felt obligated to share the fantastic time I had at this restaurant. I am from Providence and wanted to orchestrate a "Date Night" for my boyfriend and me. I called in on a Monday morning to make the reservation for 730. I joked with the hostess about "Date Night" and how we should get a romantic table in the back. Well, when we arrived the host kindly greeted us and said, "730? Date Night? We've got something special in the back for you." So, he walks us through the restaurant to the back room, at least 25 tables, and seats us at our own private table in this empty room. They had a different soundtrack of jazz and love songs playing in our room and specialties from the chef were brought out for us to try. The food was absolutely delicious (4.5 stars). We had the calamari, sun-dried tomato butter with out bread, pan-seared halibut, and made to order grilled swordfish in a tarragon vinaigrette followed by a delectable piece of New York style cheesecake. Their ginger-pear martini was unique and tasty, definitely worth trying. Their scotch list was extensive and thorough. The wait staff was pleasant and the atmosphere was tailored to perfection. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant to have "Date Night" at. Furthermore, I couldn't recommend this place any more than I already have. Give them a try.
(5)Bill H.
This is a Breakfast Buffet review at BlueFin. Great options for buffet (real-time omelettes with awesome selection of mix-ins), meats, fruits, french toast, cereals, breads and drinks of every type. Free wifi so you can scan your NYT, drink a cuppa joe and have a tasty chorizo omelette.
(4)Valerie P.
Skip it! If you are a guest at the Marriott, I highly recommend leaving the property for dinner. Do not go to Bluefin Grille out of convenience. I dined with a small group of friends this past weekend, and was not at all impressed. I was unable to finish my meal (40 Clove Bricked Chicken, roasted garlic, broccoli, mashed potatoes) and was left with a knot in my stomach until I eventually vomitted a short time later.
(1)Darryl R.
Limited menu of fresh, well prepared seafood. Not worth going elsewhere if staying at the Marriott.
(5)Kel S.
Ehhh. Not sure if the restaurant I went to was this one, but was inside the Marriott. Service was very slow. Not many tables, kind of squished together, so for a date, not ideal, depsite the fact my date thought it was. OK wedge salad.
(2)Jay E.
If you are staying at the Marriott the Bluefin Grille is an excellent spot because of the convenience. We stopped by for lunch and ordered the clam chowder, grilled chicken sandwich and the buffalo wrap. The chowder was great, thinner broth like I like and flavorful, both sandwiches though were just alright, nothing special but the fries were tasty. The bartender was friendly and helpful. Bluefin Grille is a cool place to hangout prior to heading downtown.
(3)Kevin S.
Originally I had posted a really negative review based on the amount of time it took to make a reservation (I was put on hold 5 times). I was so annoyed I ended up canceling my reservation. Decided to try again today so I could take advantage of my Groupon before it expires. Again, making a reservation was annoying. I was put on hold... and no one ever came back to the phone. I was curious how long they'd keep me on hold but after 15 minutes boredom outweighed my curiosity. Luckily, when I called back the same woman answered and quickly made my reservation (I think she recognized my voice). Come to find out that was all a waste... the place was empty at 7 on a Saturday night. I was worried. The greeter greeted us but told us wait a moment before seating us. She walked to the far end of the restaurant and talked with a man for a minute or two while they both looked over at my wife and I. Strange... still worried. Eventually we were seated and things started to change. The friendly waiter (a big guy, I forgot his name) brought us drinks quickly and surprised us with a tasty bite of yellowfin. We ordered some raw bar and our entrees. The oysters and clams were really tasty. Kinda hard to screw those up if they're really fresh. For dinner I had the George's Bank Scallops. They were cooked perfectly and the whole dish was excellent aside from a few grains of sand here and there that didn't get washed out of the scallops. I can overlook a little dirt, I suppose. I had a little of my wife's seafood ravioli. I thought that was good, but some of the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. The one big epic failboat of the meal was dessert. I got a bread pudding that was a disaster. It was burnt on top and cold (like ice cream cold) on the inside. It also tasted old and dried out. There's clearly some pride taken in the entrees that go out... I'm not sure the same can be said for deserts. Summary: A pretty good place for seafood... But be prepared for weirdness. Skip dessert.
(3)Todd V.
Typically, I look forward to hotel food about as much as I do a trip to the dentist. There are times when you think that they're cooking merely out of convenience and want to be able to say that yes, they have a restaurant. Normally, hotel food served in a restaurant is no different than that which is brought to your room and eaten off your bed while watching episodes of "Law and Order". Thankfully, this is not the case with the Bluefin Grille found in the Providence Marriott ( yelp.com/biz/providence-… ) I never in my life thought that I would be able to find great seafood in a hotel. Least of which a hotel that I was staying in. The Bluefin defies all reasoning and brings to the table an adequate décor for a hotel dining room and fantastic food and specials that are well worth the price of admission. You know you're on to a good thing when the locals actually speak highly of food and venture in themselves. The wine list is quite decent, and if you need, the scotch menu from the bar is more than adequate to satisfy most. What comes out best here, however, is the food. It isn't just the seafood they should be proud of. Yes, their seafood ravioli which comes in a two-tone pasta folded over a huge scallop and large chunks of lobster is fantastic. This place was the first place I ever had pork chops served to me that were anything other than well done. I didn't know that it was okay to have them any other way until my server said so. What do I know? I have now had nothing but medium cooked pork chops, and I have the Bluefin to thank for it.
(4)Q S.
Yay for the breakfast buffet! It costs about $15. It a bit expensive because they don't offer that many items on the buffet. They have an omelet station and waffle station. I didn't have a change to get an omelet because there was a huge line and there was only one person making the omelets (I felt bad for him 'cause some of the people in line were real assholes). Anyway... Other items on the buffet include: scrambled eggs, pastries, bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, oatmeal, lox, and cereal. The waffles were really fluffy! I put whipped cream, strawberries and syrup on mine - it was delicious! Orange juice, coffee and tea are complimentary. The service was a bit slow but generally good.
(3)Carol L.
Grabbed lunch to-go and brought it to my hotel room, so I don't really have much to go on, but it was worth writing a review to get them started on Yelp! Ordered a crab cake sandwich -- the crab cake was amazing! It was soft and fell apart in my mouth. You could tell they actually made it, rather than grabbing some frozen brick and deep fry-ing it. However, I ordered fries with it, and they gave me a salad. The bun was also very dense and dry. If I stayed at this Marriott again, I would definitely go back downstairs and try more on their menu!
(3)Joy L.
The halibut was excellent, and the New England clam chowder was good. I would like to have had dimmer lights and less noise. Service was very friendly.
(4)K S.
I went here in December 2011 because I won a gift certificate, and I can't imagine going back. The wait staff was very attentive and I got the impression that the bulk was from Johnson & Wales or some other local college or university. It was downhill from there. The restaurant itself had a pretty cool look to be of the hotel restaurant variety, but the food was mediocre at best. The seafood left a lot to be desired. The clam chowder and calamari were pretty standard fare (i.e., you could probably get better or the same from Red Lobster and I have a pretty low opinion of Red Lobster), and the haddock was in a funky sauce that left an unpleasant aftertaste. Hubby had some special as his entree that was entirely unremarkable. The food wasn't bad, but given the price point, there is far better to be had in Providence. Unless you are stuck at the hotel for some reason, I would recommend looking for other dinner accommodations. .
(2)Adam L.
This is one of two restaurants located inside the Downtown Marriott (the other being Aqua). As far as hotel restaurants go, this one's pretty good. I haven't had the opportunity to try anything besides dinner and drinks, but I've enjoyed those consistently. The drinks are always fantastic - the bartenders certainly know how to make a mix drink here. The bartenders are a little slow. Not too bad, though. Other than that, the service was excellent. There is an okay selection of food. For some reason, they have two separate menus to order off of. I don't really get that, but whatever. I haven't been disappointed by anything yet, though some things stand out - thai chicken skewers, their burgers, and their flatbreads. The food is also slow to come out, but again, not painfully slow.
(4)John E.
The Bluefin Grill is the restaurant at the Downtown Marriott, I had the opportunity to sample both food and drink, mostly at the bar which was fairly busy when we returned from dinner after visiting area vendors. A couple of days in we finished early enough that I ended up being on my own for lunch - the Bluefin was just the ticket as I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of pints of beer (there was a list of local craft for $5 a pint - quite a deal). Although this is a Harpoon mug, it's actually a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA - one of my favorites! Service was very good and I could tell by the techniques employed by the bartender that she was well trained (not that pouring beer takes much but the mixed drinks she was making for others were very well done). Both the restaurant and the food were rather above par for a typical hotel. There was also a great "Gameday Special" cited "Burger and Beer $12" and "Angus Beef, aged cheddar, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle paired with a selection of one of the beers below" - I passed on the $3 beer selection and want with something crafty. I also ordered a side-salad instead of fries in an attempt to eat a bit healthier - not that I succeeded very well if you look at my other area posts. In all, the food, even as a special burger, was exceptional. I don't know if there's a better hotel in Providence, but the food at the Downtown Marriott makes all the difference in my book. (also posted in a much longer review on my food blog)
(4)Chris W.
With all the great independent restaurants in Providence, I was not happy to be headed to the Marriott Hotel for dinner, but it was a big family event and completely out of my hands. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, as were all but two of the 17 of us. Many of us went with the three-course fixed-price dinner for $29.95. My starter of iceberg wedge came very clean and fresh, with more crisp green leaves than usual, plus generous portions of perfectly cooked pepper-crusted bacon and Gorgonzola, sweet cherry tomatoes and a very nice blue cheese dressing on the side. The grilled salmon was cooked perfectly and presented on a bed of very nice asparagus and fennel with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The fennel added a wonderful high note that harmonized beautifully with the balsamic -- all in all an excellent dish. My desert was an unremarkable raspberry sorbet. Others raved about the pork chop with butternut risotto and the seared scallops on risotto cakes (with a surprise layer of bacon crumbled in between), and the sirloin steak. An apple dumpling-type desert and chocolate lava cake also were big winners. The only downers were a seared chicken dish that offered an emaciated bone-in thigh and half a wing (maybe 4 ounces including bones!) and the service. One waiter for a party of 17 is madness resulting in long pauses between every course, no offers of a second glass of wine, and more delays as we waited for the server to bring everyone their course before starting (each course required four trips to the kitchen). We arrived at 5:30 and were essentially done by 7:30, so there's really no excuse for poor service. Both of those problems could easily be fixed. So, not spectacular but quite good food at a reasonable price. Granted, there are many much more interesting restaurants in the area, but the Bluefin Grille is not the typical hotel eatery to be avoided at all cost. I'm confident that a party of four would have a four-star experience here.
(3)Monster I.
I would give this a 1 star, but the servers were nice and at least trying. Went there for breakfast after staying the night and the service was little awkward at first, the waiter left without taking one girl's order and we had to track him down. But then he got better as I am guessing his coffee kicked in. But the real issue was the food. It was HORRIBLE. I had a salmon fritatta of sorts and it was greasy and tasteless. But it gets worse, my boyfriend's hash browns had huge stands of plastic in them! He I took a bite and nearly choked on a 4 inch long strand of sauteed plastic! I informed the server who took the plate to the chef and returned to say, the chef confirmed that it is plastic from a canadian bacon package. uhh okay, no apology, no free hash browns, no complimentary coffee nothing. I sort of shrugged it off, when my friend asked the server if the hash browns would be comped and the server shrugged and walked away. Nothing was comped and the check was expensive and not worth a cent. We had to go out of a second breakfast shortly after. If you stay at this hotel take a walk to a diner or bring a breakfast far anything to avoid the Bluefin Grille.
(2)Cristina P.
Hmm this place wants to be good.... the service is lukewarm, absentminded, forgetful and slow. The array of choices is great, except there is really no seafood available for lunch. I was excited to find a place that does NOT do Sunday brunch but I'm not sure I"ll be back. They were out of 3/7 of our dishes. My daughter's pizza seemed to have come out of a frozen pizza box. Overall I'd say I wanted to like this place but was disappointed.
(2)Igor S.
This place is slow, the food is terrible. Made the mistake of going to the restaurant of the hotel I was staying at. Don't get the Pan Chowder. It's a rip off. The Poricini strip - I asked them to make it medium rare, they made it rare. Not much taste either. My biggest complaint is the waiting time. Don't recommend to anyone unless you are staying at the Marriott and have no other choice.
(1)Jake S.
Was staying at the Marriott that this restaurant is in and figured I'd give this place a shot. I regret not reading the review posted by Igor S., because everything was just as bad. Slow service, overpriced drinks and food, and poor quality. I ordered the seafood tri, which has shrimp, scallops, and lobster on pasta with cherry tomatoes. Tasted like dog food. Would not recommend ever. Go anywhere but here.
(1)Adam L.
This is one of two restaurants located inside the Downtown Marriott (the other being Aqua). As far as hotel restaurants go, this one's pretty good. I haven't had the opportunity to try anything besides dinner and drinks, but I've enjoyed those consistently. The drinks are always fantastic - the bartenders certainly know how to make a mix drink here. The bartenders are a little slow. Not too bad, though. Other than that, the service was excellent. There is an okay selection of food. For some reason, they have two separate menus to order off of. I don't really get that, but whatever. I haven't been disappointed by anything yet, though some things stand out - thai chicken skewers, their burgers, and their flatbreads. The food is also slow to come out, but again, not painfully slow.
(4)John E.
The Bluefin Grill is the restaurant at the Downtown Marriott, I had the opportunity to sample both food and drink, mostly at the bar which was fairly busy when we returned from dinner after visiting area vendors. A couple of days in we finished early enough that I ended up being on my own for lunch - the Bluefin was just the ticket as I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of pints of beer (there was a list of local craft for $5 a pint - quite a deal). Although this is a Harpoon mug, it's actually a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA - one of my favorites! Service was very good and I could tell by the techniques employed by the bartender that she was well trained (not that pouring beer takes much but the mixed drinks she was making for others were very well done). Both the restaurant and the food were rather above par for a typical hotel. There was also a great "Gameday Special" cited "Burger and Beer $12" and "Angus Beef, aged cheddar, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle paired with a selection of one of the beers below" - I passed on the $3 beer selection and want with something crafty. I also ordered a side-salad instead of fries in an attempt to eat a bit healthier - not that I succeeded very well if you look at my other area posts. In all, the food, even as a special burger, was exceptional. I don't know if there's a better hotel in Providence, but the food at the Downtown Marriott makes all the difference in my book. (also posted in a much longer review on my food blog)
(4)Rachel M.
I've actually been here several times. Over Christmas, my parents were staying here, and they're big fans of eating right in the hotel. As always, restaurant competition is tough in Providence, and being a food snob, I was kind of like, "I'm sure the food will just be mediocre." But it was pretty good. I recall enjoying the sea salt french fries immensely. However, my latest experience was for the breakfast buffet, and it was unpleasant. Not because of the food. The food was really good, but the service was TERRIBLE. We were told the wait for a table would be twenty minutes. An hour later, after tables beyond us were sat, and I'm seeing a half dozen empty tables in the restaurant, we were seated. Then the unchipper server comes over to take our drink order. When we get up to the buffet, they were out of waffles. The chef at the omelet station offered to bring me some when they came out. Ten minutes later I go back to check on the waffle status and there they are, sitting in the tray and NOT brought to my table. This was also my second time at the buffet where they ran out of food. BUT, the omelet station is incredible, one of my friends raved about the bacon, and another about the warm, freshly baked muffins. Not to mention, my late waffles were light, crispy and delicious. They also comped us a mimosa for having to wait so long, but I guess I would've done more? I don't know. Take it with a grain of salt. It's yummy food that you have to wait an inordinate amount of time for and keep bugging the staff to bring out more of it. That's why these kind of reviews are always hard to write. I'll also mention that we are going back for the Easter brunch, but I made a reservation so hopefully that will help with the wait situation. We'll see.
(2)Darcey L.
Great décor, though a little dim (had to use my phone to read my menu). Friendly service, nice presentation. Fresh seafood that was perfectly cooked (and believe me I had some overcooked seafood on this trip). The Chioppino was nice though a bit over salted. A companion had the Clams, and that broth was VERY over salted. The lava cake was just right. Service was slow due to under-staffing. Our waiter did a great job, he was friendly and skilled at his job, but I don't know what the management was thinking when the put together the schedule- do they not talk to hotel booking? Dinner took almost 2.5 hours. Good thing we had the evening to spend together.
(4)Cristina P.
Hmm this place wants to be good.... the service is lukewarm, absentminded, forgetful and slow. The array of choices is great, except there is really no seafood available for lunch. I was excited to find a place that does NOT do Sunday brunch but I'm not sure I"ll be back. They were out of 3/7 of our dishes. My daughter's pizza seemed to have come out of a frozen pizza box. Overall I'd say I wanted to like this place but was disappointed.
(2)Scottie M.
I wasn't so sure I was going to like this place when I read that it was located inside the Marriot hotel, but actually, I rather enjoyed myself. The lobby was crowded with business people in suits and ties on laptops and signing papers. When you get passed that, you see a little area labeled "Bluefin Grille". Everyone was friendly and a little quirky - I like quirky. We were seated and had our water glasses filled immediately. Our waitress was a little flighty and very slow! ....did I mention that there were only 2 tables occupied? Anyway.... The food was very delicious. Since I've been trying this whole diet low cal thing this week... I was pleased to see that they had a section labeled "Simply Fish" where I could choose: *Type of fish *Style of cooking *Sauce it is prepared in *Side dish This allowed for me to make myself a very healthy and tasty meal without going crazy with calories with all sorts of extra sauces and garnishment that I wouldn't eat anyway. The tuna was served raw and was seared perfectly. I chose the pineapple salsa and fell in love with it, they definitely don't give you enough of it, so you might want to ask for a 2nd or maybe even a 3rd side dish of it! My meal was yummy yummy in my tummy and even with a glass of wine I stayed under 500 calories! I'll be back!!
(4)Jen L.
I had some friends staying at the Marriott from out of town so I figured we'd try Bluefin. Our server was John and he was awesome. He was friendly, funny, attentive, and went the extra mile by creating drinks and dishes that we requested. No complaints on the food, in fact the calamari was a delight. Not a crazy wait for anything as others experienced. I really enjoyed the warm rolls with specialty berry butter. Then came 2 filets and a lobster with risotto (not on the menu) and everything was delicious. We then ordered a chocolate lava cake and a warm apple tart with ice cream. Yum. Minus one star for the fly and gnats that were flying around our table throughout the night, kinda ruined the mood. :/
(4)Ning T.
For the price, the food is OK. I went for a group dinner with some colleagues and ordered from the Prix Fixe menu. I got fish of the day which was swordfish cast iron blackened with remoulade and sauteed baby spinach which also came with a soup and a raspberry sorbet. The chef gave a complimentary mussel with curried apple sauce which I thought was very tasty. Back to the dinner, I thought the fish was good and the spinach was good, but I didn't like the combination, I guess the texture the sauteed spinach leaves in your mouth doesn't compliment the fish too well. The service was good and the food came out in no time. The taste of the food is definitely there but not enough to bring me back because it's expensive for the amount of food you get.
(3)Terry S.
You can find better in Providence. If you're staying at the hotel and want something passable and convenient, this is not a bad place. The food was average, the wait was average, the prices were a bit high.
(2)Rebecca C.
Horrible food! I went here with my mom and we both wouldn't go back. I had the filet with mash potatoes and I did not enjoy my meal.
(1)Chantel T.
This review is my first because I felt obligated to share the fantastic time I had at this restaurant. I am from Providence and wanted to orchestrate a "Date Night" for my boyfriend and me. I called in on a Monday morning to make the reservation for 730. I joked with the hostess about "Date Night" and how we should get a romantic table in the back. Well, when we arrived the host kindly greeted us and said, "730? Date Night? We've got something special in the back for you." So, he walks us through the restaurant to the back room, at least 25 tables, and seats us at our own private table in this empty room. They had a different soundtrack of jazz and love songs playing in our room and specialties from the chef were brought out for us to try. The food was absolutely delicious (4.5 stars). We had the calamari, sun-dried tomato butter with out bread, pan-seared halibut, and made to order grilled swordfish in a tarragon vinaigrette followed by a delectable piece of New York style cheesecake. Their ginger-pear martini was unique and tasty, definitely worth trying. Their scotch list was extensive and thorough. The wait staff was pleasant and the atmosphere was tailored to perfection. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant to have "Date Night" at. Furthermore, I couldn't recommend this place any more than I already have. Give them a try.
(5)Bill H.
This is a Breakfast Buffet review at BlueFin. Great options for buffet (real-time omelettes with awesome selection of mix-ins), meats, fruits, french toast, cereals, breads and drinks of every type. Free wifi so you can scan your NYT, drink a cuppa joe and have a tasty chorizo omelette.
(4)Valerie P.
Skip it! If you are a guest at the Marriott, I highly recommend leaving the property for dinner. Do not go to Bluefin Grille out of convenience. I dined with a small group of friends this past weekend, and was not at all impressed. I was unable to finish my meal (40 Clove Bricked Chicken, roasted garlic, broccoli, mashed potatoes) and was left with a knot in my stomach until I eventually vomitted a short time later.
(1)Darryl R.
Limited menu of fresh, well prepared seafood. Not worth going elsewhere if staying at the Marriott.
(5)Kel S.
Ehhh. Not sure if the restaurant I went to was this one, but was inside the Marriott. Service was very slow. Not many tables, kind of squished together, so for a date, not ideal, depsite the fact my date thought it was. OK wedge salad.
(2)Jay E.
If you are staying at the Marriott the Bluefin Grille is an excellent spot because of the convenience. We stopped by for lunch and ordered the clam chowder, grilled chicken sandwich and the buffalo wrap. The chowder was great, thinner broth like I like and flavorful, both sandwiches though were just alright, nothing special but the fries were tasty. The bartender was friendly and helpful. Bluefin Grille is a cool place to hangout prior to heading downtown.
(3)Kevin S.
Originally I had posted a really negative review based on the amount of time it took to make a reservation (I was put on hold 5 times). I was so annoyed I ended up canceling my reservation. Decided to try again today so I could take advantage of my Groupon before it expires. Again, making a reservation was annoying. I was put on hold... and no one ever came back to the phone. I was curious how long they'd keep me on hold but after 15 minutes boredom outweighed my curiosity. Luckily, when I called back the same woman answered and quickly made my reservation (I think she recognized my voice). Come to find out that was all a waste... the place was empty at 7 on a Saturday night. I was worried. The greeter greeted us but told us wait a moment before seating us. She walked to the far end of the restaurant and talked with a man for a minute or two while they both looked over at my wife and I. Strange... still worried. Eventually we were seated and things started to change. The friendly waiter (a big guy, I forgot his name) brought us drinks quickly and surprised us with a tasty bite of yellowfin. We ordered some raw bar and our entrees. The oysters and clams were really tasty. Kinda hard to screw those up if they're really fresh. For dinner I had the George's Bank Scallops. They were cooked perfectly and the whole dish was excellent aside from a few grains of sand here and there that didn't get washed out of the scallops. I can overlook a little dirt, I suppose. I had a little of my wife's seafood ravioli. I thought that was good, but some of the seafood was overcooked and rubbery. The one big epic failboat of the meal was dessert. I got a bread pudding that was a disaster. It was burnt on top and cold (like ice cream cold) on the inside. It also tasted old and dried out. There's clearly some pride taken in the entrees that go out... I'm not sure the same can be said for deserts. Summary: A pretty good place for seafood... But be prepared for weirdness. Skip dessert.
(3)Todd V.
Typically, I look forward to hotel food about as much as I do a trip to the dentist. There are times when you think that they're cooking merely out of convenience and want to be able to say that yes, they have a restaurant. Normally, hotel food served in a restaurant is no different than that which is brought to your room and eaten off your bed while watching episodes of "Law and Order". Thankfully, this is not the case with the Bluefin Grille found in the Providence Marriott ( yelp.com/biz/providence-… ) I never in my life thought that I would be able to find great seafood in a hotel. Least of which a hotel that I was staying in. The Bluefin defies all reasoning and brings to the table an adequate décor for a hotel dining room and fantastic food and specials that are well worth the price of admission. You know you're on to a good thing when the locals actually speak highly of food and venture in themselves. The wine list is quite decent, and if you need, the scotch menu from the bar is more than adequate to satisfy most. What comes out best here, however, is the food. It isn't just the seafood they should be proud of. Yes, their seafood ravioli which comes in a two-tone pasta folded over a huge scallop and large chunks of lobster is fantastic. This place was the first place I ever had pork chops served to me that were anything other than well done. I didn't know that it was okay to have them any other way until my server said so. What do I know? I have now had nothing but medium cooked pork chops, and I have the Bluefin to thank for it.
(4)Q S.
Yay for the breakfast buffet! It costs about $15. It a bit expensive because they don't offer that many items on the buffet. They have an omelet station and waffle station. I didn't have a change to get an omelet because there was a huge line and there was only one person making the omelets (I felt bad for him 'cause some of the people in line were real assholes). Anyway... Other items on the buffet include: scrambled eggs, pastries, bacon, sausage, corned beef hash, fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, oatmeal, lox, and cereal. The waffles were really fluffy! I put whipped cream, strawberries and syrup on mine - it was delicious! Orange juice, coffee and tea are complimentary. The service was a bit slow but generally good.
(3)Carol L.
Grabbed lunch to-go and brought it to my hotel room, so I don't really have much to go on, but it was worth writing a review to get them started on Yelp! Ordered a crab cake sandwich -- the crab cake was amazing! It was soft and fell apart in my mouth. You could tell they actually made it, rather than grabbing some frozen brick and deep fry-ing it. However, I ordered fries with it, and they gave me a salad. The bun was also very dense and dry. If I stayed at this Marriott again, I would definitely go back downstairs and try more on their menu!
(3)Joy L.
The halibut was excellent, and the New England clam chowder was good. I would like to have had dimmer lights and less noise. Service was very friendly.
(4)K S.
I went here in December 2011 because I won a gift certificate, and I can't imagine going back. The wait staff was very attentive and I got the impression that the bulk was from Johnson & Wales or some other local college or university. It was downhill from there. The restaurant itself had a pretty cool look to be of the hotel restaurant variety, but the food was mediocre at best. The seafood left a lot to be desired. The clam chowder and calamari were pretty standard fare (i.e., you could probably get better or the same from Red Lobster and I have a pretty low opinion of Red Lobster), and the haddock was in a funky sauce that left an unpleasant aftertaste. Hubby had some special as his entree that was entirely unremarkable. The food wasn't bad, but given the price point, there is far better to be had in Providence. Unless you are stuck at the hotel for some reason, I would recommend looking for other dinner accommodations. .
(2)Chris W.
With all the great independent restaurants in Providence, I was not happy to be headed to the Marriott Hotel for dinner, but it was a big family event and completely out of my hands. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, as were all but two of the 17 of us. Many of us went with the three-course fixed-price dinner for $29.95. My starter of iceberg wedge came very clean and fresh, with more crisp green leaves than usual, plus generous portions of perfectly cooked pepper-crusted bacon and Gorgonzola, sweet cherry tomatoes and a very nice blue cheese dressing on the side. The grilled salmon was cooked perfectly and presented on a bed of very nice asparagus and fennel with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The fennel added a wonderful high note that harmonized beautifully with the balsamic -- all in all an excellent dish. My desert was an unremarkable raspberry sorbet. Others raved about the pork chop with butternut risotto and the seared scallops on risotto cakes (with a surprise layer of bacon crumbled in between), and the sirloin steak. An apple dumpling-type desert and chocolate lava cake also were big winners. The only downers were a seared chicken dish that offered an emaciated bone-in thigh and half a wing (maybe 4 ounces including bones!) and the service. One waiter for a party of 17 is madness resulting in long pauses between every course, no offers of a second glass of wine, and more delays as we waited for the server to bring everyone their course before starting (each course required four trips to the kitchen). We arrived at 5:30 and were essentially done by 7:30, so there's really no excuse for poor service. Both of those problems could easily be fixed. So, not spectacular but quite good food at a reasonable price. Granted, there are many much more interesting restaurants in the area, but the Bluefin Grille is not the typical hotel eatery to be avoided at all cost. I'm confident that a party of four would have a four-star experience here.
(3)Monster I.
I would give this a 1 star, but the servers were nice and at least trying. Went there for breakfast after staying the night and the service was little awkward at first, the waiter left without taking one girl's order and we had to track him down. But then he got better as I am guessing his coffee kicked in. But the real issue was the food. It was HORRIBLE. I had a salmon fritatta of sorts and it was greasy and tasteless. But it gets worse, my boyfriend's hash browns had huge stands of plastic in them! He I took a bite and nearly choked on a 4 inch long strand of sauteed plastic! I informed the server who took the plate to the chef and returned to say, the chef confirmed that it is plastic from a canadian bacon package. uhh okay, no apology, no free hash browns, no complimentary coffee nothing. I sort of shrugged it off, when my friend asked the server if the hash browns would be comped and the server shrugged and walked away. Nothing was comped and the check was expensive and not worth a cent. We had to go out of a second breakfast shortly after. If you stay at this hotel take a walk to a diner or bring a breakfast far anything to avoid the Bluefin Grille.
(2)