Cafe Baci

I came here with my boyfriend because we were in the area looking for some yummy Italian place. As usual, I did my research on Unilocal and came by to try this place. What a good choice it was! Food was absolutely delicious starting from the pizza bread they bring you out. We ordered mussels and pasta. Both ! Not only are the food delicious, they give out hugee portions. More food=happy me. Love this place and I’ll definitely be back for more!

Best Italian restaurant on the island. LOVE their pizza bread. I always have to get more rounds because it’s so delicious. Food quality is on point as well as service

I would have given this place maybe a 4star. food is usually on point… unless it’s super busy. I avoid this place on the weekends… due to the wait time… I haven’t been here in months because at one point in time… I got stuck with the Same waitress who was the biggest pain in the ass four times in a row… I asked to switch areas hoping to get a different waitress but nope it was still her. I wasn’t going to even complain to the manager since she always hits on him… I used to visit this place at least twice a week…

We came here for lunch on a weekday, hoping to try it for the first time, and that it wouldn’t be nearly as crowded as it usually is whenever we drove past. We were in luck, finding the parking lot half-​full, and were seated immediately upon entrance. I like that the host gave us an option on where we would like to sit.
Water and bread were placed on our table immediately. Our server, John, arrived within a couple of minutes to greet us. We ordered the fried calamari for an appetizer, and I had a glass of Pinot Grigio, while my other half had a Diet Coke with lemon. For our entrees, he ordered the lunch portion of chicken parm with a side of rigatoni with tomato sauce; being a pescatarian for almost almost a year, I asked if I could order the oreganata panini with breaded eggplant instead of the panko-​breaded chicken; understandably, John told me that he needed to check with the chef to see if that would be possible.
The fried calamari arrived, and it was delicious! The portion itself, as well as the rings were huge, and there were no tentacles (I was told by fishermen friends that you want tentacles, but I’m not a fan). The sauce was on the sweet side, of which I’m not a fan, but it was ok. John the server checked on us, and also informed me that the chef said I could substitute the eggplant for the chicken.
Our entrees arrived just as we were finishing our appetizer. The food runner offered fresh Parmesan to my other half just as he took a bite of the rigatoni. Unfortunately, the pasta was cold. Not just room temperature cold, but according to him, it was frozen cold. The food runner immediately stopped what he was doing and offered to take it back to the kitchen, which my other half agreed to (you have to understand that he NEVER sends food back, so it must have been really cold). The food runner returned a few minutes later, offered him freshly-​grated cheese, and waited to see that the pasta was to his liking (which it was, and even raved about how perfectly «al dente» it was). He said the sauce was on the sweet side, but was ok; he just prefers a tangier sauce.
My food was also just ok — the wrap was hot and the cheese gooey, but a little on the bland side. I used the red pepper dressing/​sauce on the side for a little taste, but that unfortunately, was also lacking. I’m not sure if the dish would have been better with (the original) panko-​breaded chicken, but for an eggplant substitution, I think a balsamic sauce would have worked. Sadly, the side of fries were overcooked.
Overall, this place was just ok. You get huge portions for the price, but I guess you have to order the right things. The service, however was impeccable, and the small things, i.e. fresh Parmesan was a nice touch. The server and chef being accommodating, as well as the bus people being attentive — our table was cleared immediately after each course — are a huge plus.

Love the good here! Took it to go tonight and it was just as good as if we sat there and ate.

I have been coming to Baci since I was about 10 years old (now 27). Hands down my favorite restaurant of all time. Great for a celebration, date night, or even just stop in real quick after a long beach day. I religiously come here every year for my birthday. never gets old. Friendly, professional staff. Delicious food. Enormous portions. Perfection.
*Note: if you come on either a Friday or Saturday night you WILL have to wait at least 45 mins to an hour.

I don’t see how this place got good reviews. We came here for lunch and they have a lunch menu advertised on their site. Apparently the lunch menu for whatever reason wasn’t being served and that was a huge disappointment.
We waited an extremely long time for 1 appetizer (about 15 – 20 mins) and 2 entrees (an additional 30 mins). I understand it was busy but when 3 tables get their food before you and you were seated before them, I think it’s a little ridiculous. The pasta itself was pretty good but our dishes were salty and just lacking spices or something…
4 stars for service, our server tried everything to his ability to make our dining experience better. If you want good pasta, just go next door to Cheesecake Factory. At least they’re consistent.

OMG!
I have been here twice. The first time was to taste the food and see if this would be a great spot for a baptism… well it was, but they didn’t have any dates open for us. bummer, oh well we still ate, had wine and desserts. We couldn’t believe how delicious everything was. The lobster ravioli is so good I have ordered it for take out several times. The stuffed sole is amazing as well and I’m not one to like seafood. The service is great and the restaurant itself is really nice, not too noisy or crowded.
Perfect for a date night

Warning* The food portions are RIDICULOUS! You’ll always leave with leftovers, and if you don’t then kudos to you!
The pasta is delicious, and the service was great! The interior is a lot nicer than how the store-​front looks like, and parking is super annoying! (I had to wait in the lot until a spot opened up)
Definitely come during off peak hours, and enjoy yourself some great food.
PS. The cappuccino and tiramisu is the
! So save room for dessert!
Overall, I definitely recommend and will come back.

Been here several times and happen to know the owner. With that said, I can honestly say I have always had a great meal. Everything is tasty and great portions.
As a side note, I grew up in Westbury and this building when I was a child was called the Rickshaw Express, its actually kind of cool that much of the décor on the ceiling is still the same, however the bathrooms are super small and awkward. I think they should be redesigned and made larger — just a suggestion.
Definitely check this place out and enjoy some great Italian food!

If you are Long Islander, love Italian food and never dined at Baci then you are missing out. I have been coming here for the longest while however in the past three years everytime I try having dinner I always ended up leaving because the wait is always too long.
Today wifey and I arrived at 5.45 pm the restaurant was filled but the wait was minimal.
As usual the food was excellent and our server was fantastic.
On the down side parking is tight and so is the wait to get a table.

Food is delicious… service is lacking a little. We come here once a week and decided to come for my husband Birthday with my family. We weren’t asked if we needed and wanted anything. We would of liked refills on our drinks but were never asked. My niece wanted her food wrapped to go but the waitress never brought it back. We decided to go have desserts somewhere else cause even though they weren’t busy service was extremely slow. We give a 5 star rating for food and 3 stars for service

Has been my go-​to Italian restaurant for years. Large portions of quality fresh pasta and other Italian dishes. Have randomly been given a free (appetizer?) thin pizza from the chef when with my boyfriend and a friend that was really tasty. Always good and friendly service. The PIZZA BREAD appetizer is almost a reason in itself to come here. My boyfriend is absolutely obsessed with it.
Why not 5 stars? Over my dozens of visits, I can count on one hand the amount of times they seemed to have dropped the ball. Even when my dish did taste a bit off, they were happy to take my dish back and let me order something else with no problems.

I have spent 42 of my 52 years living either 2 miles South or 2 miles East of Baci. it has to be here almost 30 years. Before that it was Rickshaw Express, a no frills Chinese restaurant that I was never lucky enough to be in and prior to that I think it was an Arbys.
I must pass by Café Baci no less than 100 times a week, yet never ever think of eating there. Typically we enjoy a more exciting cuisine and pasta is usually not a part of that. No hipster vibe, no valet parking and no mention of truffle oil or quinoa anywhere to be found at this solid, good service, ski lodge feel dining room.
But we were celebrating my daughter’s 15^th birthday and when she was looking for a simple place where she could get some great Penne ala Vodka or ravioli, she said «hey…what about Baci»??
Good choice. The kids had ginormous plates of food that made me appreciate Baci even more the next night when I didn’t have to cook for them. One had the Chicken Parm that is enough for 3 yet at 20 dollars I would have been just as happy to have half the amount at half the price. The birthday girl had the Trittico al Bacio, cheese filled ravioli, tortelloni and agnolotti in a tomatoe sauce that she loved but could only identify 2 of the 3 pastas and felt confused by that. Whatever… they all taste the same, just different shapes. Both kids wanted the pink vodka sauce and although it is not unheard of, there was to be a 3 dollar up charge for each, which was fine with me because they can have whatever they would like, but come on…20 bucks for chicken parm and it’s only a slightly different sauce on a small portion of pasta… in any case, on the bill the up charge was 4 bucks a piece… so yea, that tics me off to waste 8 bucks plus tax and tip on an upgraded sauce, which here doesn’t contain procutto, so really costs them maybe a few cents more. Lee and I only dream about a bowl of starch and enjoyed salads with added perfectly grilled chicken. Mine was a wedge, which is something (along with mussels) that I will always order when it’s on a menu. Good, but not great… the bacon being a bit salty and well done. No wedge that I have ever had comes close to the one at The Outback… whatever they do there, it just comes together right. Even much finer or trendier kitchens do not send out a wedge salad like they do.
We shared the brownie sundae with a candle but no singing, as requested by the birthday girl. It was warm and ample for the 4 of us, though the actual ice cream was nothing special.
All in all a very good and local choice, especially if you are looking for a variety of exceptional pasta or chicken dishes. And kudos for them celebrating such a long and prosperous tenure on a street loaded with dining choices. No reservations, challenging to park at peak dining times.

Above average Italian Restaurant
Been going here since I was young, I feel like this place has been around forever
Clean, great service and large portions
Great place for all occasions, but keep in mind it packs out most of the time
I should probably give this place 5 stars, but over the years, there has been some competition that I prefer…
But… by all means, this places is killer…

I absolutely love this place. I have been coming here for years as the food is consistently good and the portions are more than enough to fill you up and still have left-​overs to take home.
The food is best described as contemporary Italian. You will find staples such as Chicken Parmigiana as well as their own spin on popular items.
Service is excellent. Parking may be a challenge on a weekend as their private lot fills up fast.

Did an early dinner here. It’s only Monday, but I’ve already had a long week so I was looking for some solid comfort food and found it in spades!
The pizza bread is as good as people here say. I generally don’t touch the bread if I’m ordering pasta, but I’m glad I let myself indulge (even more). Fresh from the oven with a nice crust on the bottom and great flavor on top.
I’ve been on a major mushroom kick lately so opted for the Cavatelli Tutto Funghi. It was everything I’d hoped after looking at the menu online. Great mushroom flavor and the chicken wasn’t overly dry and had a good roasted flavor to it. The pasta had great texture – it definitely seemed homemade – and its shape really grabs the sauce well.
To top off the excellent food, the service here is remarkable. Everyone from the hostess to the servers and bus boys are polite, warm, and attentive – and it doesn’t come across as fake or overbearing; they just seem to really enjoy their jobs and working together. I don’t require cheerful service, but it really does improve the overall experience.
The décor is awesomely 80’s chic teak with exposed beams. Love it. Took me right back to my childhood. Very clean and well maintained, it feels cozy.
My only wish is that the pastas came in half-​sizes. A full order was far too large; I easily took 66% of it home. I’d rather pay half for a half order. That said, if I find myself traveling through Westbury again, I’ll definitely come back. I have a feeling I’m going to be jonsing for this mushroom pasta in the future.

I came here for lunch on a Friday with the mister. I’m taking a star away mostly just for the décor, this place could really use some updating. It felt super old inside.
The food and service were good, we were seated and given both bread & water promptly. For an appetizer we had fried calamari and ordered the Bolognese & Baked Ziti as entrees. Both were large portions that we took home, surprisingly tasted just as good when we heated it up for dinner!

Came to Café Baci on a for a date and fell in love… with the restaurant that is lol. Loved the décor and ambience. We sat at the bar instead of a table and the service was great! The bartender was very down to earth, fun, and knowledgable of the menu. I don’t have her name but to the female on the bar Tuesday 10÷13÷15 around 8:30pm, the shoutout is yours! You were awesome! :-)
Pinot Grigio is my favorite wine so we ordered a bottle of the Velante. Very good choice! For my entrée I ordered the Baci Parmigiana with Chicken and angel hair pasta. I’m not even too sure what he ordered but both meals were so hot and fresh! He had something along the lines of filet of sole topped with crab meat and penne pasta on the side. The food was delicious and the portions are huge!
I really enjoyed everything and I will definitely return to try other things on the menu. Great spot!

After reading a bunch of reviews (especially from friends), I decided Café Baci would be a perfect dinner location before the show at NYCB nearby.
We went on a Saturday around 6pm and the parking lot was already packed. They told us the wait was 45 minutes, sounding almost like that was a good thing. With no other backup plan, we decided we’d wait. 15 – 20 minutes in the car went fast and we walked in just in case they can seat us earlier. They don’t really have a waiting area (but they should) and people were crowded around between the bar and dining room. Luckily, we did not have to wait too long to get seated.
We ended up at the table right by the kitchen which I wasn’t too fond of but the host made the experience enjoyable with jokes. For dinner, we ordered the Insalata Bella Vista, Cavatappi Secreto for me and Spaghetti Solari for the wife.
Table bread —
Honestly, after reading about the pizza bread, I did not even touch the plain Italian bread. My wife opted not to eat them to save room for the dinner so I oblige, eating at least 3 warm pieces. They definitely met my expectations.
Insalata Bella Vista —
This was an awesome salad to start off our meal. The pears weren’t anything great but all the other ingredients made for a great salad combination. My wife especially loved the candied walnuts.
Cavatappi Secreto —
I take a lot of pride in the amount of food I can eat but I have to be honest here. After all the pizza bread and salad, I think I was already 50% full by the time this entrée came out. To top it off, the portions were humongous. The pasta itself was very nicely cooked and the dish had nicely-​sized (?) sausages and meatballs. The sauce itself was very flavorful but I must admit, the shaved parm did make it a bit too rich after a while (or I was just too full).
Spaghetti Solari —
The portion for this was also ridiculously large but not as much as mine. I stole a few mussels, scallops but did not really try the dish. My wife enjoyed it although she did say the leftovers were a bit tasteless and she added tobasco sauce to spice it up.
(My leftovers tasted good reheated.)
Overall, I’d definitely come back here whenever I have something going on in Long Island. As good as the food is, I think the service was just as on par. The waiter, even while so busy, was very attentive and courteous than your usual. I believe his name was Tim (if any of the restaurant owners are reading this).