Insider Pages Reviews for Vito's Cafe

1 Stars: WILL NOT GO BACK (by Samantha M.)

Samantha M. — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:39:00 GMT

I had a terrible experience with Vito's Cafe. My fiance and I went with a church group and were happily surprised when all the waiters and waitresses sang during our meal. That part was delightful. I will even go so far to say that the restaurant itself wasn't in bad shape - it was kind of cute. But the atmosphere wasn't any help when the drinks took longer than ten minutes to come out. Having joined the group late, we weren't given bread until we asked for it (and we only knew to ask for it because of someone at another table) which was over twenty minutes after we sat down. Our group stretched out over four tables. The first two tables got their food 45 minutes after they ordered, which is an acceptable wait. The next table (which had their order taken after our table) was served 15 minutes after that - which an hour wait isn't terrible either. But after 1 hour and 15 minutes of not being served, one of the members of our table questioned a passing bus boy (our server, Kelly, was no where to be seen once the food started coming out) about our food. The bus boy went back to check on it and came back telling us "It will only be a couple more minutes." After another ten minutes went by, Vito finally came out. He did not stop by our table first. Instead, he went around to the other tables, checking to see how they liked the food (by this point, almost all of the people in our party had already finished their meals and desserts). When he came by our table, a very hungry gentleman who was sitting at my table started getting angry. Vito quoted him "a couple more minutes" on the food and he told him he's already been waiting 2 hours (a slight exaggeration by a half an hour). The man only got angrier, having already been quoted that time by the bus boy and having to wait 10 minutes to be quoted that time again. Vito, instead of handling this like any manager would, yelled back at him saying, "We don't want your business anyway. I don't have to talk to you." He threw his hands up in a fury and left the table. HE NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR THE WAIT. Then, after another 5 minutes went by, Vito's wife came out. Vito's wife told the gentleman that if he didn't want to wait for the food, he could leave now and they wouldn't charge him. But we came in a party and the people that he rode with already had their meal at the other table. It wasn't as easy as getting up and leaving or the whole table would have done that after waiting a 1/2 hour more than the rest of their party to get their meal. The food finally came out. And I was more disappointed. I had 6 pieces of Cheese Ravioli on my plate - a meal that costs $19. Needless to say, I was still hungry after I finished my plate. For the twenty dollar price, there was no sides or a salad. My fiance and I had one drink each and one entree each and the bill was $72. OUTRAGEOUS. I would have been okay with it if the service had been good or if the food had been more filling. But we didn't get the pricier food and we didn't have specialty drinks. After the meal, Vito got on the microphone and told the guests about giving money to their tip jar on the piano. He kept saying, "A lot for a little price." He must have repeated that 20 times. Then after begging for money, he said "If you had a great experience, tell your friends. If you didn't, keep your mouth shut." Then as our party was leaving, Vito's wife asked OUR CHURCH GROUP TO NEVER COME BACK. We will never be back. And you better believe I'm telling every single person I know about the experience I had at Vito's. IT WAS TERRIBLE!!!!

1 Stars: Will NEVER go back (by Leslie K.)

Leslie K. — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 00:55:00 GMT

My husband and I will never go back to Vito's Cafe and would not recommend it across the board. We recently went there for his birthday with my parents. After waiting for an hour to even order our appetizers (during which time we were already hit up for tips for the awful singers), we were "suggested" by our unattentive waiter to avoid getting the bread basket because "we had ordered a lot of food"... isn't the goal of a restaurant to sell you lots of food?

Since we had sat there for an hour before even ordering, we knew what we wanted by the time our waiter came by. He proceeded to feel the need to explain every item on the menu regardless of the fact that we'd just paid the order. We wanted the food-- we didn't need the post-order sales pitch.

My mom and husband ordered the "wheel of cheese". When it came to the table, we realized it had to be the most unsanitary food item on the menu. Made at your table, it's a combination of butter, cream, parmesan cheese, and white wine. The burner went out while the chef was preparing it and my mom and husband were left eating fettucine that tasted like alcohol.

By the time we FINALLY got out of there (3.5 hours later), we were hit up for tips THREE TIMES. I was actually embarrassed for all of them. How awful is it to be peddling the entire time you are trying to serve your patrons? Vito's needs to decide to do well on one thing or the other-- food, or entertainment. A simple piano player would be plenty of entertainment for most folks.

5 Stars: Barb (by Barbara H.)

Barbara H. — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:25:00 GMT

My husband Mike and I love Vitos Cafe! Ive noticed a few bad reviews on this site regarding Vitos..to each his own..not everyone appreciates class when they see it .. please dont let these critics color your view of Vitos, its worth the trip.
I rave about the music, atmosphere and food to all our friends. The owners Vito and Mary add their warm personal touch to everything in the restaurant.
A unique experience!

5 Stars: Vito' s food and entertainment was great! (by Casey T.)

Casey T. — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:19:00 GMT

We had dinner at Vito's this past weekend and the food was amazing. They have a new chef these days and she is doing a fantastic job. We had a pork osso bucco the was great. The service was great and so was the singing. The restaurant is an experience that can't be missed! The only problem we encountered was Vito himself, he was pushy and in our face, but don't let this stop you from eating at Vito's.

5 Stars: Vito's Cafe is our favorite place to go! (by Stephanie R.)

Stephanie R. — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:16:00 GMT

Vito's has always been a special place for my family....such a pleasure to the palate and to the ear!
Vito and Mary always go out of their way to make sure that we enjoy every moment of our dining experience. We love to go to Vito's!!!!!

1 Stars: Vito's Cafe is a HUGE disappointment! (by Holly K.)

Holly K. — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:12:00 GMT

We made a return visit to Vito's for my husband's birthday, and treated two friends from out of town. We ordered dinner around 7:15. At 8:15, the waiter said it would just be a few more minutes. At 8:55, Vito appeared and told me they were out of Risotto (I had ordered shrimp with risotto, so this was a big deal.) I said a side of pasta was OK.Finally, at 9:00, the food was served. The Eggplant Parm looked like it had been under the lights for 30 minutes. The spaghetti was cold. I ended up with about 7 shrimp, and pasta that was inedible.Our daughter told the waiter to skip the singing of 'Happy Birthday', as my husband wasn't in the mood.After all that, Vito offered us free dessert. Big deal!The check came to $180 and we left a $40 tip (after all, this was not the waiter's fault.)We will never go back, and we will warn all our friends.

5 Stars: Vito's Cafe is a home run every time! (by Joyce P.)

Joyce P. — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:24:00 GMT

I have been dining at Vito's for about 5 years, once a month. I live about 90 miles from Fort Thomas, Ky., but that has not stopped my frequent visits! I have taken numerous groups from my church, and I am always being asked when is the next trip! The food is always delicious and is server by courteous, competent, and talented performers. In the summer for the past nine years , I have lived on Mackinac Island , Michigan, and enjoy the many fine dining establishments there, including the Grand Hotel. Vito's can be proud to stand along side many of the wonderful restaurants on the island. As I talk with people in the summer, I recommend Vito's to those who live in the Greater Cincinnati area. I carry a supply of Vito's business cards for this purpose, and will be spreading the word when I arrive on the island June 1!

4 Stars: Vito's (by Joseph S.)

Joseph S. — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:50:00 GMT

Have eaten at Vito's a number of times--both private parties and "nights out". Vito's meets and exceeds expectations. The entertainers, students at CCM, can stop a bite of food in mid-air. They are that good.Slightly clumsy food delivery for large parties. All food is prepared to order and there are pretty major lapses in timing for food delivery. However, when it arrives----worth waiting for.

5 Stars: Four Stars? Someone was drunk... (by Donna S.)

Donna S. — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:19:00 GMT

This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. I had the Amish Chicken dish. The breast was about half the size of one I would have prepared from Kroger, the mashed potatoes were dry and tasted like they were from a box, and I had a whole eight tiny green beans for 17 dollars. Deal or no deal? NO DEAL!!! My friend who went with me for the first time made the mistake of ordering the seafood ravioli. Again, six little ravioli with even less seafood for 17 dollars. What a rip-off. The owner who prepared our wheel of cheese ( more like the wheel of death since the chicken and pasta were not edible) was almost surly while preparing the dish for other guests at our table. We waited two hours for food and almost gave the food up for dead, which may have tasted better. The singing was overwhelming, especially the Maria Callas knockoff. The owner would do well to sell this restaurant to someone who would do it justice.

3 Stars: Vito's - The vittles suck and music's yuck (by Megan P.)

Megan P. — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 07:05:00 GMT

Ok, let's go to a so-called authentic Italian restaurant where Chef Boy-R-Dee is the competition and the singers are all wanna-be opera stars. The owner is reminiscent of the lion in Wizard of Oz. I walk into the place and throw down a lot of money to receive slow service, lousy food, and a rude proprietor. The piano playing perfunctorily in the background (couldn't hear one bass note), and the singers are all about opera, or well mostly. There are a couple who sing show tunes, or try...Well let's just say I had an experience I wouldn't wanna repeat....Ciao Baby

1 Stars: Pushy and unaccomodating (by Angie F.)

Angie F. — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:28:00 GMT

I tried to make reservations for a mid size group and the owner wanted me to get on their web site and create a special menu. He said that we couldn't order off the menu as our food wouldn't come out all at the same time. I just wanted to order off the regular menu. He then back stepped what he already said and suddenly he could do this, but he was so pushy I have no desire to go. He told me we were making a mistake going somewhere else. More reason to not go.

2 Stars: Making sure they get every cent....... (by Trista S.)

Trista S. — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:49:00 GMT

While the food was good, the size of the portions were on the skimpy side (for the price). The entertainment was amazing~ but we found it to be too intrusive while trying to have dinner and a conversation. We knew people who went to Vitos, and for some reason they were not charged correctly, so Vito called them the next day so that he could authorize another amount on their credit card! That is just tacky! Ferraries in Maderia, great food, lots of it for the price, and the owner won't call you for their mistake!

1 Stars: Bad restaurant (by Solid S.)

Solid S. — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:48:00 GMT

We had to wait a long time for the food to get out, our waitress was rather pushy (as is the owner himself), and the singing was more annoying than anything as my wife and I were just trying to enjoy a good conversation. Perhaps I didn't "get" this kind of restaurant, but I really didn't have a good time.

4 Stars: Fun Atmosphere (by samantha g.)

samantha g. — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 09:20:00 GMT

The food here was good. What i liked most about it was the singing and the piano playing. The piano is centered in the middle, so you can see. I personally enjoyed when the owner Vito got up to sing. That was enjoyable. The people were very friendly and polite. I would recommend this place for a nice evening with a different kind of dining experience.

5 Stars: Fine Italian Dining and a Show (by T A.)

T A. — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 18:26:00 GMT

Vito's Cafe in Fort Thomas is a great restaurant! They serve excellent Italian dishes, and vary their menu frequently around a few mainstay items. So you'll never have to look far for something new to try when you go, and it's all fantastic. If the food wasn't reason enough to go, all of the staff are student's at Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music and perform show tunes and opera pieces all night long. Even Victor ("Vito") gets in on the act every now and then. The prices are generally between $15 and $20 per dish, where else can you get dinner and a show for that price? The atmosphere is also very classy, which makes this a great restaurant for a nice evening out.

PROS: Great Food, Great Entertainment, Nice Atmosphere
CONS: None