Graffiti’s Italian Restaurant

Very good casual Italian restaurant. Really enjoyed the meal, serving sizes were large and the food was very fresh. Really enjoyed the soup d’jor. The is a non-​chain made fresh daily place. No dress code but most were business casual. Prices were reasonable given the high quality food, we will be enjoying again tomorrow for lunch.

Graffiti’s, according to the couple who we took there, used to be *it* on the west end of Little Rock, and was hopping every night. It’s got a lot more competition now, so you can get seated easily on a weekday night at dinner time, but that’s no ding on their food or their service. You’ll find all the Italian classics you love, and a kitchen that’s Atkins-​friendly, if need be.

As a person who has worked in restaurants and still works in handling private catering events, I don’t give one stars to eating establishments lightly. But my two encounters at this location were completely unacceptable for the price range and the atmosphere it is trying to promote.
Our first visit there we had a waiter that — though nice, was a bit obnoxious in that he wouldn’t leave the table. Even after our food came. He stayed and talked, talked & talked. After trying the food and not being even remotely impressed (my partner felt that it tasted like a frozen meal you get in the grocery store). Mine was acceptable, but nothing that made me say — I must come back or try this again. I was offered chocolate on my Tiramisu, which I accepted — only to have the whole thing completely drowned in a cup of chocolate syrup. I figured that it would be drizzled on, but I was wrong. I couldn’t even taste the desert I ordered. We joked about this place for some time.
However, I like to give a place three to five chances to prove that their mistake — or excellence — was not a one off event, before I pass judgement.
Some time went by and on another evening when there was 4 of us, we decided to go again and give it a shot. Two of the members seemed to like their dishes, but their tastes as young adults tends to lean heavily towards plain jane eating. My partner and I like ours a bit more adventurous. Plus he’s lived in St. Louis and in the NE where he had more access to Italian dishes & restaurants. His dish, according to him, was nauseous tasting. He said the more he ate it, the more he disliked the flavors of it. And he wasn’t too crazy about it when he first tried it. He ordered the Chicken Parisienne.
I ordered the Veal Saltimbucca — which was supposed to be veal rolled with proscuitto ham. It didn’t come out rolled, it came out what I would call layered. The veal was tough, the ham was so dried out and hardened that it was like eating beef jerky. The polenta with mine was fine, as were the veggies. The sauce (of which there was way too much) — I kid you not — tasted like the jarred gravy you would find in Kroger’s in the prepared food aisle. The one with the horrifying ingredient list. My meal alone was 25 dollars — so I was pretty appalled at the quality. Not liking something because it’s not your style is one thing, but trying to eat something your dog would pause before consuming, is another. As someone who has been around the food industry for over 20 and enjoys cooking & baking — I know when it’s me versus shoddy quality, bad recipes and ill prepared food.
Prior to our meal, we had waited at least 30 minutes and had to ask who our server was. They sent us a young lady, who got our order right and checked back on us one time during dinner. About 10 minutes after she had taken our order, a gentleman casually showed up to take our orders and offer the evenings specials. He never apologized for taking so long — and honestly, I don’t know if he knew how long we’d been sitting there. We told him a lady had taken our order — he said okay and we never saw him again at our table.
One of the owners checked on us once during our meal. The best guy of all is the one that came over and kept our water glasses full (we never really got offered anything else to drink). He really should have gotten the tip.
We were there for almost two hours (we had to ask someone to bring us the bill, too). In all fairness, we did not address any of the problems with management — but at this point, I was so appalled at the place — I just wanted to get out as did my boyfriend. We went elsewhere for dessert.
It’s really a shame — this place has been here in LR for a long time, I see it all the time because it’s on my route home from work, but it is NOT deserving of the praise people heap upon it on online review sites. There are better representatives of Italian food in Little Rock. We decided — the two of us who don’t care for big chain restaurants — that Olive Garden would have been a better choice that evening. I will not give this place a third attempt.

Love this place! They are the best Italian style in town! The wine list is one of the best in town!

Graffiti’s used to be at least a 4 star restaurant. I don’t know what happened but the food has really gone down hill. The service is good. I ordered a pasta that was so sour — huge disappointment.
I won’t be going back.

Close little place. I had the Chicken Mediterranean. It was very mediocre. It was nothing to say come back. The service by the waiter was poor. I guess maybe if we ordered wine, we would of had better service.

My experience here is that dressing up is not really necessary at all. In fact one of the waiters was wearing shorts and flip flops (noteworthy only because I’ve never see this at a nice resturant on saturday night before…)
Drinks: I think one of their best attributes is their wine list. There were many choices and I was encouraged to leave my table to go check out the random bottles not yet listed on the menu. While near the bar perusing the wine selection, I was helped by a knowledgeable and friendly bartender, and together we selected an appropriate bottle that would complement our entrée selections.
Food: For appetizers, we ordered stuffed mushroom (not so good) and meatballs (way, way to salty). Entrees: filet mignon– was small, sides were not filling (I left still hungry). Linguine with escargot– too saucy and not much escargot…
Overall impression: Bravo on the affordably priced wine selection. Boo for the poor quality food In the end, as a foodie, it is mostly about the food. Unfortunately, I don’t plan on returning to dine at Graffiti’s again.

Service was good, and field greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette was tasty. The garlic bread is tasty, too. But… And this is the sad part, the veal scaloppine was TOUGH! That little calf must have run a marathon before it was butchered, because it was chewy. Ugh. And the pesto sauce on the doughy, overlooked pasta was bland, bland. The wine selection is good, and the service was excellent, but it seems to me that much improvement could be done in the kitchen.

Graffiti’s is deserving of 5 stars. I really enjoy dining at Graffiti’s — I’d dare to say they are the best Italian style restaurant in town.
The lasagna is my favorite dish! It’s cooked to perfection. I’ve sampled a few other dishes, and they were also excellent. And, the waitstaff is extremely friendly and attentive.
All of this and more makes for a great experience! Good for groups, too.

Great food!
Wide selection!
Great Appetizers!
When you first walk in you get the feel that this is going to be quite the little speak easy with subtlety nice appointments but then you notice the décor is just a little too simple, the furniture is just a touch under par, however with the setting of the low lights the comfiness over looks and the always present aroma you instantly forget that this is not a five star presentation in décor but oh so close in food quality and this is the real reason you’re here and it’s definitely the reason you’ll come back!!!
It’s late and the wine is good, so I apologize about my spelling and sentence structure. :-)

This is an established Little Rock eatery where bistro flair meets Northern italian cooking.
A small, warm dining room adds to an intimate and welcoming atmosphere. Reservations are recommended for a friday or sat nite as it is always packed.
House made tortellini and other pasta dishes abound as do «big» salads! One of my favorite places to go in Little Rock. The lasgana is great! The service is attentive but not hovering and more importatly… Prompt! Every time I am back in LR I try and have dinner here-​well worth it for the quality of food and the price.