Alfresco Restaurant

I will start off by saying that I’ve only eaten here once, and the food was decent but what stood apart was the great service. CT is certainly not known for being friendly, but if you are looking for some friendly service, go here. It feels like family when you are here as Daisy and the gang really take the time to get to know you and act like human beings. If you’re in the East Hartford (where this place really is, not Hartford) or Manchester area, I say check this place out.

The girl who answered the phone was very pleasant and got our order correct without a flaw! The food was delivered in a timely manner and was absolutely delicious! The salads were fresh and the pasta dishes were flavorful and generous — we definitely recommend this place and will order again for sure!

Horrible service. I ordered calimari, soup, fries and potato skins for delivery. They said it would be 45 minuets not a big deal. About half an hour later I get a call from them asking my address I give it to them, they tell me next time to give them a different street, guess I don’t know my own address, and the guy then says do you see my car? No! I’m not outzide, no one rang my door bell, you didn’t even say you were here, just confirmed the address. So I say ok IL be right out. I go outside the guy isn’t at the door so I wait, I then see that he’s still sitting in his car. The guy wouldn’t even come to the door. I wouldn’t have cared if he wasn’t so rude. I gave him a 20% tip and he just huffed at me. I go insid3 and realize, they forgot half my order
I call back tell them they say that they are backed up and that they can give me ceedit. I tell them no I want m order. So they say ok in a pissy tone and hang up. So now it’s ten minuets before they close I just called then asking about my food. Said it’s on the way it’s really not that far from my house. So rude. I just wanted my food. That’s all. Horrible service. Oh yea the food we did get was soggy.

This place is amazing!!! What a gem, especially in East Hartford. Who would have known. I never would have tried it but for Unilocal (thank you thank you previous posters). Ok, now let me stop swooning over this place and get to the details…
Tried two items off their specials menu — the Rhode Island Fried Calamari and the Crab Ravioli with Shrimp. They were both AMAZING. The calamari was incredibly unique — not the usual fried calamari with marinara sauce. It was also huge. The Crab Ravioli was stuffed with delicious crab, but even better, the sauce it was in was AMAZING. It was cream based which is usually too heavy for me but the flavor made it perfect. It also came with some steamed broccoli which was a nice touch. This was ten times better than any Olive Garden variety of this dish. It was one of the best cream sauces I’ve ever had.
My husband had the steak and cheese grinder which he enjoyed. I had a bite and thought it was very good. Nothing extraordinary but it is certainly not a dish you’d try if you want extraordinary anywhere. He exclaimed in particular how much he liked the melted the cheese though.
The service was great too. Seemed like the waitress was running the whole place herself and was doing an excellent job keeping up with my husband’s endless soda habit. They also serve complimentary bread and oil. The oil had roasted garlic — amazeballs! Looks very nondescript outside and not in the nicest area but go inside — it looks great and clean.
Now GO!

We’ve been coming here for years — but since we’re out of the area we only come when we’re passing through. Bottom line — consistently delicious Italian comfort food at super affordable prices. Tonight — Fried mozzarella, chicken Parm, cheese ravioli and a meatball for my 6 year old. Nice house wine, fresh bread and a sweet and attentive server. Also apparently under original ownership again but same staff and chef. Al Frescos is a total gem!

Great food, great service. Went with the wife and kids. I got the scallop ravioli, my wife got the linguini with clam sauce, son got veil parm, daughter got chicken Alfredo. All of these dishes were great. Very generous portions. We brought a lot home.

Foodies pay attention, you Have to go here…
Don’t leave when you pull up because the place looks closed. You will find some of the best food in the area at unbelievable prices. Again, don’t let the look of the outside deter you, go right in and let the friendly staff seat you anywhere you want to go and look to the «SPECIALS MENU» only, in my opinion. I’m not saying that all the food isn’t wonderful, but the specials menu is off the chart fantastic. The appetizers are incredible and so are the desserts. One catch, the chef who creates these spectacular dishes is not on the premises Tuesdays or Sundays, so try to work around that. Yesterday I had a pesto shrimp appetizer with feta cheese, watermelon, cucumber and fresh dill and basil. So yummy and refreshing. My mom had the pierogi’s which were the best Ive ever had (sorry New Britain!) and my mother in law had the Spanikopita which is served on a bed of Greek salad. The pierogis could have been an entrée it was so ample. Dinner for me was the panko cod over a bed of spinach and mashed potatoes and a clam cream sauce. PLEASE!!! This was so good I’m going back Monday and hoping its still on the SPECIALS MENU. In case I haven’t mentioned it, that is where all the magic of this place lies… Trust me, you will be amazed at the food this place puts out, how little you’ll spend for what your getting and you don’t have to dress up!

Went there first time for lunch 3 weeks ago and came back 4 times since!!! Homemade ravioli is out of this world, I already tried chicken and mozzarella; duck; salmon; and caramellis that look like candy :) prices are very reasonable for homemade food. All entrees come with soup or salad and the soups are amazing. The original owner just took over the place again and they are remodeling a little bit and the place is becoming nicer and nicer every time we go there. This is one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve been to in a long time. Will be coming back a lot!

Food was just «OK», not a place that I’ll frequent.

Excellent quality food! Pizza, grinders, fries are all top notch! Your regular everyday Italian dishes (lasagna, spaghetti, etc.) are amazing.
But on top of all that, what impresses me the most about this place (and I’ve probably been here 50 times, literally), is that outside of their regular menu, they have a chef’s specials menu which change up every few days and anything (and I mean ANYTHING) I’ve ordered off of this menu has been DELICIOUS! You’re getting the same quality entrees off the chef’s specials menu that you would be getting at a well known restaurant in a big city… but at half (if not less even) the price!
Atmosphere is so-​so but the quality of the food is some of the best in the Greater Hartford area, maybe even the state. Unfortunately not in the best location so not much traffic so I don’t think the place is really that known… I think the majority of its business is from locals in the East Hartford Burnside area getting take-​out. That’s too bad considering how great the food is here.

Standard italian grub, but its a great little/​friendly family owned establishment. The food is good, the service is great, and you feel good being here.