XO Café

When I didn’t see reviews about dinner, I was leery, but «most romantic place» caught my eye and I decided to go for it. So happy I did. We had the most amazing waitress named Tammy. All waitresses should take a lesson from Tammy. From ease of ordering, diverse intricate menu, delicious food– beginning to end, we will be back to XO. For those interested we had the Buffalo cauliflower, not to be missed Kung Pao Brussel sprouts to start, Scallops and risotto and homestyle meatloaf amazing and lavender buttermilk cake with French press coffee for dessert.

Delicious! Went for Father’s Day brunch. Eggs Benedict with fried oysters on the side with bacon and hash browns were delightful! Bloody Mary’s were amazing! Our server Tammy was super friendly and on point with everything! Highly recommend this place! We drove here from western Mass and it was totally worth the ride!

Xo café was fantastic. Comfortable atmosphere and the food was delicious. For an appetizer we tried the buffalo cauliflower which was great and for the entrée I ordered the sea scallops which came with lemon-​fennel risotto which I will be daydreaming about for sure. Super good.

I wish I could say I loved XO but my party of 12 (including 3 octogenarians) waited over an hour for our brunch to be delivered. Our waitress and the manager basically said the kitchen was busy without an apology. I had to bolt my food and run for a plane before everyone was finished eating so I don’t know if they adjusted the bill in any way or anyone even apologized to the group.

Best Calamari I’ve had to date! Well Above average food. Mediocre staff.

I ate at XO for the first time on February 13^th after reading about it in a magazine article. I had made an online reservation which was confirmed by email. This was to be a special night out for me. After handing off my car to the valet, I met my partner inside, and was told the hostess couldn’t find our reservation. After I showed her my email confirmation she looked again but still nothing. She was very apologetic and said she would call the manager over. He came over, and when I tried to explain that I had a reservation on my phone he interrupted me and said he didn’t care if it was on my phone if he didn’t have it in his book. Extremely rude. He then never looked our way again and jerked his head in the direction of a table right next to the door and said to the hostess that «they could sit there». This table was the worst table they had and it was zero degrees that night. After being crowded by new people entering the restaurant as well as freezing, I asked if we could sit somewhere else. We were moved away from the door.
That being said the server was very nice and very efficient. Those sitting around us seemed to be regulars and liked the place. I had ribs which while good, was a very small serving. One small rib and the other piece was just a bone.
We also had ordered a Caesar salad and calamari for appetizers. The salad was so bland that I wouldn’t even know what I was eating if I had been blindfolded. The calamari was dry and overcooked.
Before going to XO I had actually signed up for their VIP program, hoping to come back for brunch sometime. But, after taking the time to write a letter on the XO website explaining how rudely we were treated by the manager, I never received a response. Too bad. I had looked forward to trying this place and it didn’t work out.

This was such a great place to get brunch. Apparently, wear your PJs and get a free mimosa or bloody! Kim is literally one of the best bartenders I have ever had and trust me, I have had a lot of bartenders. The service was quick, attentive and thoughtful. The food was different but impressionable. ALSO there wasn’t a crazy line unlike most of the smaller places in Providence.

Came for brunch and I am currently waiting for my food and it has been an hour and a half. People who have gotten here before my group have already gotten their food and finished. Service not great is an understatement.
Update: finally got our food. Came for brunch and got the eggs florentine which was decent but I was so hungry by the time the food came anything would have been good. Thought maybe the food would have huge portions and that’s why it took so long but they were normal sized and kind of cold. The waitress was not accommodating about making any changes or switches to what the menu said. The only thing about this place that was convenient was how fast the check came.

So I had heard tons of good things about this place so I was pretty excited going in but I can’t say I walked out that happy. I think there is a fine balance of how many choices to put on a menu. While options are good, too many can definitely be overwhelming. On the flip side, in my opinion having like 6 – 7 options though is too little. I’m not personally vegetarian but a couple of my peers are so that hugely inhibits their ability to really choose what they want. They even had two specials that were off menu but both were appetizers so that didn’t really help the variety problem.
With the limited selection, I honestly couldn’t find anything that appealed to me. As a result, I just ended up ordering a couple apps for myself. I had the calamari, these lamb balls they had as the special, and the Paroe Island Salmon Pastrami. I thought the calamari was very average. Like not bad but didn’t have unique seasoning where you’d go to a nice restaurant and get it. There was a hefty portion though. The lamb balls were not appreciated by the table at all. They had a very strange after taste and the pita bread that came with it was burnt. The plate though was really good. If I were here I would definitely order this off the appetizer menu. its a very small amount so meant for 2 maybe 3 folks max. But its nicely plated.
For those who had actual dishes, everyone seemed to agree that the Mushroom Fettuccine and the XO burger were the biggest hits. If you are getting the pasta, note that the half portion is very very small so even as a single individual I would definitely recommend the full order.
Hope this helps someone!

Fantastic restaurant! My girlfriend and I were so pleased with the menu – it was difficult to decide what to order. After discussing with the server, who, by the way, was simply delightful, we both settled on the Artic Char dish. We both gobbled up the whole thing. The cranberry cobbler dessert was a little too bitter for our taste, but we were so happy with the rest of the experience that it didn’t really bother us.

I stopped in by myself for dinner on a dreary, cold Wednesday night. The server was so sweet and let me pick my own table. She was never too far but also didn’t hover. I followed the menu’s advice and ordered dessert first — pumpkin crème brûlée, kind of out of season, but my favorite! What a treat to be able to have some in February. Then I got the Wednesday night fried chicken special to go. I loved the interesting seasoning in the batter — not spicy exactly, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I substituted the ginger sweet potato mash for the greens and LOVED the good amount of ginger. They had a great kick! The mac and cheese was just ok, which was fine because I was stuffed.
The bar/​dining room where I ate was dark and cozy. I’d like to take a date back there. XO!

The single worst brunch experience of my life. (Try Kitchen, Nicks, Julian’s, Duck & Bunny, The Grange, Brickway, West Side Diner, or any of Providence’s phenomenal brunch spots … or just go to saddest Wendy’s in America, and you will still have a better experience).
1. WAIT TO SIT: 30min
We put our name in, and told the host we’d wait right outside, waiting for our name to be called. After 20min, we checked back in. «Oh, are you ready to sit?,» she asked. «We’ve had a table waiting. I’m so sorry, I must have misunderstood you.»
2. WAIT TO EAT: 60min
The waitress told us some staff had called in sick: «We’re swamped. I’m so sorry.» She sad this repeatedly during the half hour it took to get our coffee, and the additional half hour it tool to get food.
3. WAIT FOR GOOD FOOD: Still Waiting
My friend asked for eggs over hard, and the chefs apparently missed it. So 10 minutes after we all got our food, our waitress brought him over a plate of eggs, over easy, with bacon and toast … and an additional plate of just eggs, over hard. «I’m so sorry,» she said. «We can take it all back and combine it, or you can do it.» She kept standing there with the plates and wouldn’t hand them to him, and his brain broke. «I think … I think just give me the eggs, and I’ll figure it out,» he stammered. So she dumped various types of eggs onto his plate, said «I’m so sorry» and walked away.
(The eggs were terrible. My other friend also got cold french toast).
This is not a real problem, but life is short — spend it at GOOD brunch places.

We went here for valentine’s day brunch. This was so disappointing. :(
We had a reservation and still had to wait. The waitress was very nice but it just didn’t help. We ordered lobster hash and two entrées. The lobster hash came out cold with clearly frozen potatoes and poor quality lobster. We sent it back to be heated with my cold omelet that was also missing fillings. It came back the same and they just opened my omelet and threw in the missing ingredients. All of this was also left on the bill. It was a major fail.

Brussel sprouts were off the hook. So delish with a nice Malbec. Just wish the staff matched that amazingness :(

We went for the «Fried Chicken Wednesday’s“that looked absolutely delicious. BUT the chicken lacked flavor. No seasoning at all. You need that for good southern fried chicken. The batter was light and crisp but no taste. :-(as well as the Mac n cheese, cheesy and crisp but needed a big dose of flavor!
The collard greens were the best part and the biscuit with honey butter was my favorite. The staff is #1 and I like other dishes here but this was not a winner. And that’s 5 out of 6 people’s opinion. Great idea though.

The first time I came to this restaurant was for my birthday. The food was delicious and presentation was beautiful. The second time (and perhaps the last), I had a terrible experience.
I arrived 20 minutes before the party showed up. We were offered a menu and that was it. When everyone finally arrived, it took them another 20 minutes before water arrived to the table. One member of our party ordered a beer and it took 30 minutes for his drink to arrive. After placing our order, we waited 45 minutes for our appetizers, which didn’t all come out at once. Once we finished our appetizers, after waiting another 45 minutes and multiple check-​ins on our food, our main dishes still had not arrived. We talked to the manager, and he was hostile and rude towards us. Instead of being hospitable and understanding he was defensive and blamed our waitress for the problems. After another 10 minutes, the food finally came out. We had ordered two XO burgers. One burger was not cooked as requested and the other was lukewarm. Sometime during all this I asked a bar tender where the bathroom was, and I was responded with a short and seemingly annoyed «Over there».
The food was nicely presented and very tasty, but that is no excuse for bad service and rude staff.

On the hunt for a place to take a certain special someone I was suggested this place by a friend.
It was exactly what I was looking for; ambient romantic lighting and a very mellow scene. It helped that they had a separate dining area other than the main room where the bar is located.
We cycled through a few different drinks /​wine throughout the night, all of which were good, but could’ve been a bit stiffer (for the $ 10 tag attached). For food we started off with the Bento Box which was delicious and probably would have been more than enough with a side. However we went on to order the bacon Mac & cheese side, caesar salad, and the «free range chicken breast» entrée. All of the food was absolutely delicious and I have zero complaints as the food was cooked to perfection, the taste was phenomenal, and the chicken so tender it fell apart.
I would’ve given this place 5 stars, however I thought the prices were a little much on the entrees for what you actually receive.
I will be back.

XO Café seems like one of those inoffensive restaurant concepts that would have been trendy circa year 2000… Eat dessert first! Molten chocolate lava cake! Vodka vodka vodka! Bacon mac and cheese! Look at this overly explained menu with the same old entrée options in disguise! The fun-​themed furnishings! I get it, I get it. The grown ups that have kids that are old enough to leave home alone without getting themselves arrested need a night out on the town too sometimes. Oh, and it’s «Girl’s Night» friendly!
On the other hand, XO is also one of those convenient restaurants that you can take even the most picky eater with poor conversation skills to distract them with all the menu options and busy atmosphere to pass some time uneventfully (read: above average for business dinners). The food is pleasant. The service is usually pleasant. The atmosphere is pleasant. Most importantly, my friends or clients that have accompanied me have found XO pleasant.
Overall, I think you a’ight, XO. 3.5 stars. Especially with an expense account.

XO is a great culinary experience, ranging from local farm fresh fair to exotic desserts and everything in between. The salmon appetizer was accompanied by a mustard made on premise! Tammy was a pleasure to have as our server!

Went to XO for a xmas gathering with friends
The experience started out well but went downhill from there
After 2 bottles a of wines and 1.5 hrs waiting the entrees finally showed up
4 of the 5
One entrée never show up after asking for the manager
We were told that they had dropped one on the way
If that was the case why did it take them over 10 mins to inform us while everyone else’s entrée got cold
First time there and last time there
As a regular diner in providence I have never experienced such poor service and would not recommend this restaurant
There are so many great restaurants in providence
Why put up with poor service

I’d give this place another shot, but I didn’t love my meal here. For an upscale restaurant, the food we ordered was mediocre and did not seem worth the prices we paid. The apps we ordered were all tiny and nothing memorable. As my entrée, I had the grilled pork chop, which was way too salty… I also took a couple bites of a friend’s scallops, and they were decidedly average.
However, dessert (lava cake and crème brûlée for us) was delicious.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by XO. I went for a birthday dinner last weekend and even though we had reservations, our server had the large task of waiting on 12 of us. She was friendly and cooperative, a bit forgetful but I didn’t mind.
The ambiance at XO is dark and romantic, which is enjoyable for me. Always beats the bright lights and bustle of some chains. The menu was eclectic yet showed some skilled restraint. Definitely on the pricey side but worth it for a special occasion.
The part that really impressed me was the food, and more specifically the chef. He came out several times with a few questions as to how some of us would like our dishes prepared. Each plate was his work of art. The presentation of my dish was amazing and tasted as good as it looked.
At the end of the meal, I came to find out the price of my swordfish special was right in line with the other menu items (I’ve found some restaurants gauge on specials).
They’ve found a repeat customer in me.

My boyfriend and I had been trying to go to XO Café on and off for a while. Our problem was that we kept forgetting they don’t do brunch on Saturdays. Also, we weren’t really trying that hard to go.
Now that I have been, I feel underwhelmed. The food was nothing special and felt overpriced. Maybe I ordered the wrong menu item, but there was barely any ham in my omelette and a strange dryness while eating it. The potatoes were heavily charred, but not yet burnt and could have used hot sauce or ketchup or something. Our waitress didn’t offer any condiments and, honestly, I didn’t ask for any either. I left the potatoes mostly untouched.
I do have to say that the drinks are well made. You can easily go through two before you meal finally appears! I almost wish I had ordered the breakfast burrito, because those were practically flying out the window, even for tables that had been seated well after us.

Came here for their Wednesday night fried chicken dinner special (comes with a free glass of wine if you make a reservation). Also got a couple appetizers — Kung pao brussel sprouts and calamari. Food was pretty good, not fantastic. Brussel sprouts were nice and crispy but too salty. Calamari didn’t hold up its crunch very well and the mayonnaisey sauce wasn’t my favorite match. The fried chicken was done well but not seasoned enough. The atmosphere itself is a bit gaudy with red lighting and animal print motifs. I say the deals like brunch and fried chicken would draw me back again.

Not only it’s a nice cozy place friendly staff as well. You can feel that they do care and want to be at their work place even asked my name so she can address me. The waitress suggested the breakfast Brito and sure it’s a nice one. I’m visiting here and wish there is one like this in Orange County, CA.

Picked up dinner from here on a Friday night — they must have been busy because we had to wait for 20 minutes from the time they estimated. The calamari and bacon mac & cheese were good and well priced. The tenderloin was okay but for $ 38 I expected a larger serving. All in all a good meal, I would recommend this restaurant.

Enjoyable each and every time I get the chance to eat here. Brunch is killer. Finding a place that knows how to make scramble eggs alone is worth the the trip. We had a fantastic waitress today who was attentive and personable with out being intrusive.

I have never waited so long for food to be served to me out at a restaurant, ever. Not only that, but I have never waited so long for food to be served to me at a restaurant while I am wearing pajamas.
Myself, my fiancé and our friend came here on a Sunday afternoon (yes, around 12pm) for brunch. Upon being seated — after already waiting for about 10 minutes with no hostess in view. We were greeted with a really friendly server who took our free drink orders — which you get when you come to brunch in pajamas. Afterwards, we put in our food orders about 10 – 15 minutes after getting our drinks. This was all around 12:30 — 12:45.Might I add, this is what seemed to be a normal business for brunch. There were open seats at the bar and 1 – 2 open tables. No where near a Sunday brunch wait at Nick’s.
We did not get our food until 2:10pm, I kid you not. Our server checked on us several times throughout that time, insisting the food would be out shortly and in the meantime we did put forth another drink order. The three of us were having great time and in no rush so initially we were not really concerned with the fact that it was taking so long. It was only until we realized how long we were actually waiting how insanely absurd it was. Our friend, who has worked in the restaurant business, said that it could have easily been a lost ticket or something of the sort, which usually the server offers some kind of compensation for. We were never offered any compensation.
The dishes, when finally arriving were good. Definitely not the best brunch I have had in PVD (and not because I was annoyed with the wait). I got the Meeting Street which did have a delicious butternut squash and brussel sprout hash, my fiancé got the steak and eggs and said it was good but the cut of steak was subpar and our friend got the John Smith which she really liked. The atmosphere of XO is cool, the whole idea of pajama brunch is a welcomed, fun and funny idea. However, the quality of food matched with the insanely slow service definitely does not have me itching to come back for more.
I FORGOT TO ADD: XO says that they are a Farm Fresh RI restaurant. This is what made me add the third star. I only eat at PVD restaurants that buy mostly local, so having never been to XO before, this definitely made me more inclined to dine there. This also is why I decided to give them one more star.

I’ve been here twice, and the most recent time has made me want to leave a stellar review because of the service.
It was a snowy Wednesday night, so business was pretty slow, but my date and I were treated like royalty. We were one of two couples in the dining room (I didn’t realize there was a dining room separate from the bar area), and our waitress –Lisa– was fantastic. I *sadly* was more interested in talking to her than I was my date (Lisa, if you’re reading this, can we be friends??) I love it when a server is helpful with suggestions, and she did a great job of helping me when I was indecisive between salads and apps and dinners and pairings… she was knowledgable AND excited about the menu, which makes her 100% awesome.
And I have to say the food was fantastic. I was really impressed. My first experience at XO was during restaurant week last year, and maybe I was just new to the scene, or they were overcrowded, but I felt the portions were small and there was nothing memorable beyond the soup dish (the literal plate that the soup came in, not the soup itself). But this time around, I would’ve sold a family member to eat another bite of their gnocchi. It had bacon in it, if that says anything. Lisa kindly offered to bring over a warm slice of bread so I could wipe the plate clean without physically having to lick it. There was no detail not attended to throughout each part of our meal, from the salad to the swordfish: everything was delicious.
Bonus: the desserts are listed first on the menu, so you know what to save room for. I’d recommend the chocolate tasting for two, even though I didn’t try it myself (if I hadn’t eaten a bar of chocolate the day before, I would’ve gone for it). I went for an apple and cranberry galette, which was lovely, and tasted the crème brûlée, which was WOW. And I don’t even like crème brûlée.
Well done, y’all.