Faso’s Restaurant

I’m ordinarily very open to trying new places. Having seen so many good reviews on Unilocal, I was pretty excited to see what all of the fuss was about.
My opinion? Won’t be going back. Not just because the food was okay (at best), but because our waitress was absent, rude, and abrasive.
Definitely expected more from a family-​run business.

There was a hair in the spaghetti parm, which also had very little cheese. There were Italian spices just plopped on top of all the dishes as if someone had knocked over a spice jar onto it. The tripe portion was tiny and smelled rank. All in all, this place left me with a bad taste in my mouth, probably wouldn’t order from here again.

Fasos has a fun atmosphere, friendly and competent serving staff, and delicious traditional Italian food.
We dined here for the first time recently and will definitely try it again! Homemade manicotti and lasagne were both excellent, and the eggplant parmesan was outstanding.
I definitely want to try the pizza and the linguini with clams in the future.
The prices were reasonable; beer and wine selections a bit boring but adequate. Dining here was a little like going back in time for a traditional restaurant experience in a homey, neighborhood kind of way.

What a pleasant surprise! Driving through Buffalo and used my trusty Unilocal App. Got off a random exit and UnilocalED. I found Fascos… simple pasta & sausage with a side salad… and delicious garlic knot bread. Not much of a crowd but waitstaff was very engaging. I give it a 5 stars for food… Atmosphere was shabby chic… at best… gotta try it.

Excellent fresh and tasty food. Amazing choices, each one sounds better than the last. Very reasonable prices. Family run business that is quaint and charming. Scallops Mary were tender and juicy, cooked in a wine sauce with peppers, onions and spinach over angel hair pasta. Awesome! Pork medallions in marsala wine sauce were to die for. Wish we had time for dessert but had to run to a local theater performance. Home town service, made us feel right at home. We go often to Faso’s and recommend it to our friends and family.

Amazing food, this place is old school. The keyword Old. Meaning expect to walk in to a place that’s been around for over 30 years. The décor is holiday splendor almost magical and the minimal staff is very welcoming. The Bruchetta was amazing app, the sauce delicious, and the food is hot and made to order. House dressing is a fav. Homemade Peanut Butter pie is not to miss. Don’t expect high end wine list, but it was good.

Walking in, my husband was put off by the décor. Then … he he was downright taken aback by the cleanliness. He pointed to a high chair with what I thought was dirt, and realized it was mold. We should have known there would be a problem when the beer was warm, and they asked if I wanted ice with my glass of Reisling. The woman who was our waitress was extremely friendly and accommodating. We were seated by the window. We started of with Bruschetta. What a disappointment. It was some sliced bread that was toasted, a layer of mozzarella cheese, and then sliced tomatoes topped with some dry oregano or parsley which was then heated under a broiler to melt the cheese. My husband ordered the spinach ravioli. I think they were frozen and not even made by them. My husband said the red sauce had no flavor to it, and the raviolis were just bland and unappetizing. I ordered an eggplant dish. It was like a glob of flavorless glue. Again, the red sauce had no flavor to it Afterwards, my husband complained of his stomach feeling like it was filled with lead. Worst meal ever. We have another Groupon for this restaurant … but the food was so bad, we will eat the cost of the Groupon rather than return to this restaurant.

Faso’s is great. Family friendly and the family that owns and runs this place is friendly! Linguine with clam sauce was great as was everyone else’s dinner. The dining room is quaint. The home cooked food is delish and good for the soul. Check this place out!

This was my second time at Faso’s. I liked it so much I had to come back again. I had the Tripe and my date had the Braciole, which I ended up eatiing.
The décor is a tawdry mixture of Italian Christmas, the Papacy and vintage Buffalo. Some may say it’s dated but I love it. It’s charming and quite romantic.
The food is also great, my tripe was nice and tender, not too chewy. We also had some wine and Italian beer, pretty big selection of the vino.
As for the service it was great Pat and her husband are dears and work to please. I would also recommend this place because it’s never too crowded. Unlike other places you can hear yourself think and have an enjoyable conversation without being interrupted by the table next to you. I will be coming back. In my mind one of the best Italian places in Buffalo, as far as food, service, and general ambiance.

Not quite sure how folks can rate the food here high. I had potato gnocchi that was tasteless and bland. Frozen pasta would come out better. My date has spaghetti and meatball and ate maybe 3 bites and gave the rest to her dogs. It was not a great dining experience. The décor is tacky as all hell. It’s like Christmas every day at Fasos. I gave two stars because the owners are nice. But the food was just edible barely. It was really disappointing.
Old uncomfy chairs. Nothing updated probably since it opened. This is one of those places that probably has its regulars, but I won’t be among them.
Maybe it was an off day but I have a hard time believing they do better.

I’m ashamed that it took me two years after buying house (and 3.5 since moving into Black Rock in general) to try this excellent mom’n’pop Italian eatery. It was worth the wait, or rather I was foolish for waiting for so long.
Ambiance: The inside is a lover-of-all-things-tacky’s dream — Xmas lights, several giant virgin Mary statues flanked by huge gold swans, a stuffed (I believe real) Buffalo head, and ornaments dangling off of… well, everything. The place is much larger than it appears when you first walk in, with another larger dining room off the back of the main room (which also houses a long bar). There were a variety of table shapes and sizes, some small enough to accomodate initimate dates for two, others appearing to seat 8 – 10. My only real complaint was a tiny tv blaring FOX News of all things. Not only do I find the channel idiotic (and the use of the term news an oxymoron based on their programming) but having a tv on in general seemed to clash with the low-​lit, gentle-​Italian-​music-​streaming-​down-​from-​above vibe of the place.
Service: We were greeted warmly & seated by an Italian (actually from Italy, not an –nth generation I don’t know any Italian except throwing «paisan» into conversation) gentleman that I believe is one of the owners. He made several visits throughout the meal to ensure we had what we needed and were satisfied with the food quality. The waitress was prompt, clearly seasoned and very attentive. When my friend and I commented to one another that we hadn’t noticed the second dining room, a lady I believe to be the owner’s wife happily invited us back, turned the lights on (they were near closing) and showed us around.
Food: First of all, I was impressed at how big the menu was and how many «lighter» ingredient & seafood dishes were available. Too often Italian «fine dining» winds up being pasta with red sauce or alfredo, or pasta stuffed with cheese or meat with red sauce or alfredo. The portions were HUGE but quality didn’t suffer. I got eggplant florentine — thin lightly breaded and fried eggplant layered with spinach, cheeses, and red sauce, topped with mozz and sauteed fresh mushrooms. I was very happy with the flavors and textures of the ingredients. This blew away most Buffalo «favorites» like Frank’s Sunny Italy. My friend’s chicken alfredo was also tasty — a rich, not heavy sauce with great texture, large chunks of tender chicken and al dente pasta. Both were served with a very fresh house salad — the house dressing (described by the waitress «as classic Italian but BETTER») was excellent, particularly with the fresh bleu cheese crumbles we opted for — and garlic mini rolls. We polished off what we could eat (hello leftovers) and opted for a cannoli and chocolate ganache cake with whipped chocolate and raspberry topping. O. M. G.
I can’t wait to walk the mere two blocks to this place in nicer weather and enjoy their patio!

What a fun experience! I recently dined at Faso’s because it was on my list of Italian restaurants to try. I had not known much about it, but the little I did know was positive.
As far as first impressions go, I could not believe my eyes! Faso’s is festive! On a mid-​April evening, we were greeted with holiday cheer! Gaudy, lavish, tawdry, yet AwEsOmE on so many levels. I was smiling ear to ear! How funny is that? Sure, some people might be freaked out, but what is so bad about that? My mother said that the garish chandelier reminded her of something you’d see in Miss Havisham’s house. Totally. cool. Supposedly, they do not like to take the decorations down every year, and they decided to leave them up! If you saw the intricacies and abundance, you wouldn’t want to do it either.
Everyone was wearing smiles, and the people gave off a great vibe! The server was a doll, and was very knowledgable, and down to earth. The food is all homemade by «mom.» Everything is made to order and if a guest has any special requests, «mom» can usually accommodate it. The menu is very large, and there were various seafood dishes and other Italian dishes you can’t get at other Italian restaurants. The linguine with clams was fresh and delish, and the «little knots of heaven,» the name given to their bread knots by pleased customers, were warm and melted in your mouth! I also tried their pasta e fagioli, which I get it at many restaurants, and it was the best I’ve had in a long time!
Some of the items that they have on the menu that are not served everywhere include: tripe, braciole, carbonara, gnocchi, etc.
I have to add that the cannoli was yummy. The filling was creamy and homemade. One of the better ones I have tasted.
I had no complaints about Faso’s! Even their placemats were adorable!

I am not going say much about the décor other than you have to see it to believe it.
Met a few people there for lunch today. We were quickly seated and drink orders were taken. Beer and Wine only, no booze. They have Birch Beer which was a nice score.
After she took our order they brought us some garlic knots that were outstanding!
My linguine with white clam sauce was excellent. Side meatballs and sauce was very good.
This my third visit here and its always been excellent. I think they would give Chef’s a serious run for their money for a lot less money.

All around, this little place wasn’t bad but it didn’t wow me either. It’s quite obviously a family business and it unfortunately suffers a bit for it.
The restaurant is a homestyle Italian eatery. As such, the same dinner may vary from person to person. For example, the chicken parmesan I ordered was a bit smaller and definitely not cooked as much as the two other orders of the same dish at the table; their cheese was baked and mine was barely melted. It was run of the mill fare with a very sweet gravy/​sauce. The salad and miniature rolls underwhelmed. The pasta, however, seems to be freshly made rather than store-​bought and screams authentic Italian.
Given the nature of the place, it’s not surprising that meal preparation takes a while. However, I came with a group of 25. We had pre-​ordered or meals days in advance and had set a seating time. Nevertheless, the dinner took over 2 hours from start to finish with at least a half hour wait for the food to arrive for some. Others waited close to an hour as the dish deliveries from the appetizers to the entrees were greatly staggered. This was obviously due to volume so I advise against sending a large group there.
The décor has been mentioned previously. It’s a shiny Italian Christmas wonderland in there (apparently year-​round) to the point of being gaudy in spots. The piped in music fosters the Italian atmosphere in a positive way though. The entire place may seat 50 people and the dining areas are squashed wherever they would fit. The bathrooms follow suit; they appear to be closets at first glance inside and out and are not removed from the dining area in the least. The place settings are evident of piecemeal collecting of everything from the silverware to the glasses. Necessity perhaps but a bother all the same.
It’s a cute place and not bad for the price at the end if the day, if only for the pasta. I would call it ideal for a quaint date night but not a family outing.

As a current proud resident of Riverside in Buffalo, I drive by Faso’s every day on my way to the 190 on Niagara St. On a late Saturday night, my boyfriend and I found ourselves driving and walking up and down Elmwood for a good dinner after a long day at work. Not surprisingly, all of the usual spots were packed and as you can imagine we were in no mood to wait, so with soaked feet and empty stomachs, we journeyed back to our own neighborhood to try out the place that I have so often seen and never tried.
The previous reviewer is absolutely right in describing the décor. We were sat quickly and immediately upon walking in, I knew I would eat well. Maybe not 5-​star well, but at least some quality home-​style cooking was on the way. Seated near us was a large Italian family, discussing restaurants around the area, who appeared to be regular patrons; another good sign. For the size of the restaurant, the menu was fairly lengthy, offering a variety of sandwiches and specialty pasta items, but at a small Italian place like this, I knew exactly what I needed to order; pasta fagioli and spaghetti and meatballs. Both were delicious and exactly what they needed to be. The meatballs were tender and flavorful and the soup was absolutely outstanding. We also ordered garlic bread, and received an ordinary side salad with their house dressing, which were both equally satisfying.
Although stuffed and exhausted I could not leave without taking home a canoli. I don’t know if they make them there or not, but I scarfed down that delicious treat as soon as I had recovered from my food coma.
I feel like we found a gem in Riverside at Faso’s and I’m sure I will be back when I’m craving some homestyle Italian cooking again.

Wow. This place is a hidden gem. It certainly doesn’t look like anything special when you see it from the street, especially considering the surrounding area, but the menu is absolutely amazing for the size of the place. Tons of italian dishes, and other local specialties, such as a a friday fish fry and roast beef.
The interior is kind of «funky», with some random stuff on the walls (signs, doll collections, etc). And it’s kind of small inside, but the prices are cheap, and the food is good comfort food. Their slogan is «Food so good, you’ll think we stole your momma!», and I have to agree with them.
Disclaimer: (although I’m only getting around to writing the review now, it was 2006 when I went there, so maybe it’s changed)