Bologna Via Cucina

I’ve eaten at some of the best Italian restaurants from hidden gems in New York to Carbone’s in Vegas to a few highly rated places in South Florida. I came here for my birthday and I wasn’t sure what to expect as I’ve never eaten in Rochester before. We were greeted by the staff opening the door for us. I dressed up however the restaurant doesn’t seem to have a dress code. Once you step inside, the atmosphere was a bit unsuspecting and the space is smaller/cozy. We were taken care of immediately. And the staff was super friendly. I asked for a custom order of spicy penne (my favorite from carbone is the spicy rig) and I ordered the traverse city chicken and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s easily a 10/10 dish. It will seriously blow your mind with how unique it is. The sauce has a savory umami, salty, and sweet (cherries) flavor profile and the chicken was cooked perfect. I’ve never had anything like it and can’t stop thinking about it. Highly recommend this place with an open mind. Overall I would give this place a 4.5/5 stars. We ordered 3 entrees and 2 5 oz wine and the total was around $80 for 2 people. We’ll be back!

We have had nothing but positive experiences at Bologna’s. It is a more casual environment, with terrific ambiance and service. It has an upbeat vibe. Isabella, is hands down, the best server. Always smiling and hustles, remembering everything you ask for. Service like hers is rare these days. I’ll take a more casual venue with great food and service, over a high end venue with sub par service any day.

I really enjoyed the space, the service is amazing and the bartenders are great. I liked that the place is small and pretty cozy. On the dishes side, the pizza had a little bit more of salt than usual and the lasagna got a little bit toasted on one end.

What a quaint little restaurant. Nestled in the heart of downtown Rochester hills you'll find Bologna Via Cucina. We celebrated my father's birthday here and had a group of just under 20. We notified them ahead of time and they set us up in the back room. The party was a surprise and the staff were fully into it and so helpful. Even though we had a large party the waitstaff was so attentive. The fresh bread could have easily been my meal it was so delicious but alas my lasagna showed up and outshined the bread. Unfortunately (actually fortunately) the portion was so large I wasn't able to finish. Although suddenly I found room for dessert. We had a taste off and although all were good, the cheesecake won out. The atmosphere is lively hip casual up front where the bar is and alitte more subdued in the rear for a more laid-back experience. Everything was wonderful all around but I feel I need to give one more shout out to the staff, I wish I remembered our waitresses name as she was top tier. I happily recommend.

The service was spectacular. Emily, the manager was great. I have a gluten allergy and have been looking for the best gluten free dough. I think I have found it. This GF dough was by far the best ever. The reason I didn’t give five stars over all is due to the saltiness of the sauce. The sauce was heavy on the salt. I will come again, but next time I will request either a different sauce (if that’s an option) or just ask for light sauce. The layout of the restaurant was interesting, but I would definitely come again.

I truly believe this is one of the best spots in Rochester/Rochester Hills. Incredible food from appetizers to dessert, as well as a stunning atmosphere and an incredible staff that always has smiles on their face. The owner and his family are some of the best people I know. If you had to try one thing here, I would recommend the carbonara americano, but why try one thing when you could try everything! The family at bolognas makes this place very special and one of a kind. Do yourself a favor and see for yourself!

Horrible customer service. Was in town and made a resy here to meet friends I haven’t seen in years. Walked in and didn’t get greeted. Stood there for a lady named Kim to ask how many is in my party. I told her 3 and that I had a reservation I prepaid for ($30 online) and she said we have to wait because the back is closed. We stood there past 7:40 and no other person would come up and check us in. We walked out. I’ve never seen such unprofessional customer service ever. Don’t take a $30 deposit from customers for a reservation if “your back is closing” and you can’t properly seat them.

Food was good, I expected a smaller restaurant but this is tiny. We were literally a foot away from the next party. Incredibly uncomfortable. We waited well over 10 minutes to get our menus, our waiter was either overwhelmed or maybe having a bad evening. Sadly, regardless of how good the food was, we’d never go back.

Food was very good. Service was great. Had calamari, bruschetta and goat cheese for appetizers. First two were great. Goat cheese was more tomato sauce than goat cheese. Bread was excellent. Good selection of wines. No draft beers which many at our table wanted. All the meals were good. Definitely go again.

This was my second time here and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. There is a small seating area in the front and a larger dining area behind the kitchen. Our server was friendly and offered great suggestions. We started with the crispy Brussel sprouts that were crispy without being burned like some places. Three of us ordered the pollo alla joey (breaded chicken, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms in a creamy sauce). The portion is large but could use some type of pasta to soak up the sauce. When I reheated the next day I made my own side of pasta and it was delicious. One person in our party ordered the pumpkin gnocchi and said it was full of flavor. I also had the old fashion as my cocktail, it's strong and taste good. I can't wait to go back.

Mouth wateringly good food and world class service. Best Italian restaurant in metro Detroit.

I came here on July 8 for my birthday. We don't get Italian very often so i picked something different for a treat! My bf and I sat at the bar and our bartender was fantastic. The vibes were great and she really made sure I enjoyed my birthday. I got the lasagna and he got the Italian sliders that were on special. Both of them were fantastic . We cant wait to come back , our new favorite Italian spot .

It's a lot smaller inside than I thought it would be but a lovely restaurant with really nice service. For appetizers, we had the meatballs which were fantastic, the bacon wrapped dates were not good at all in my opinion, and the winter crostini which was alright. We all loved our entrees - the pistachio salmon had a unique pesto and was cooked perfectly. The lasagna was really delicious too. The desserts were wonderful too - the tiramisu wasn't too heavy and the chocolate hazelnut cake was delicious. I would definitely return!

Ambiance is cute although a little tight on space. Service was good, no complaints there. I was actually surprised that the food came faster than I thought. We ordered chicken piccata, a make your own cavatappi w mushroom and olive sauce, salad with chicken, and stuffed shells. Everything was enjoyable!

Good happy hour deals! Very little seating so come early or get reservations. I ordered the limoncello martini which was good but not great, too tart. The chicken Marsala had amazing flavor but I wish it was served with a starch. This is a great place for a more intimate date night.

A very nice restaurant with a quaint vibe. The service was great. The waitress was very friendly with had a good sense of humor and checked on us appropriately. The other staff was courteous and sweet while refilling the water and removing plates. The drinks- Orangecello Martini and Italian Old Fashioned were very good. The food was excellent. We had the calamari which was lightly covered in a white wine sauce - perfect. I had the Florentine Shells stuffed with spinach and ricotta - delicious. My BF had the blackened salmon - the portion size was small for him but he loved it. Oh and the fresh bread - amazing. We signed up for the rewards program so we will definitely be back.

The vibes at this restaurant were stellar and enough for me to want to come back. Bologna is the type of place where everyone is greeted and acknowledged by the owner. In fact he was the one who seated us at our table. It's the type of place where it's not weird to chat with the strangers next to you. Everyone is so casual and welcoming and it feels like family. Of course the food and service were great too. The pizza was yummy and I'd also recommend the tips arrabbiata. We finished our meal with a limoncello slice. I dont recommend this restaurant for large groups because it has limited seating and they don't take reservations. But for date night it's great!

OK...the naming of this place and the branding on their website is kind of confusing...is it Bologna? Or Via Cucina? Or both? Other than the identity crisis, everything else about this place was great. It was a perfect place to go after checking out the lights on Main Street on an unseasonably warm night. They don't take reservations, but when we we called they told us we could put our name on the wait list on their website. The system told us it would would have to wait about an hour, but we were pleasantly surprised when we received a text 5 minutes later notifying us that our table was ready. We got a great little table in the back corner of the restaurant. Our server, Sarah, was very friendly and attentive. We started with the one of the appetizers on the specials list. It was brie and it was quite tasty. My only complaint was that the proportion of bread to brie was off by a bit. The entrees came out just a minute after the appetizer which was a little quick for our taste, but we made it work. We each tried something different for our entrees - others in my party had the Fig 'n Pig flatbread, gnocchi and the build your own pasta. I went with the Tuscan Shrimp which was quite delicious. I'm generally pretty pleased with most Italian restaurants and this one was definitely a winner!

Beautiful restaurant in downtown Rochester that's very deceiving from the outside. There's a sitting area in the front, then a kitchen and then more seating. It's pretty cozy, and maybe not ideal for extra large parties. Almost everyone ordered an espresso martini and it's delicious; I got the Italian old fashioned and I liked that a lot too. We started with some eggplant parmesan, Brussels sprouts and steak bites for apps. Each one was special but the eggplant in particular was phenomenal. The tomato basil sauce it was sitting in was so flavorful. For the main course, I went with the lobster ravioli and they didn't skimp on the lobster at all. It's a very flavorful dish; the roasted red peppers and asparagus all in a cream sauce and it was seasoned well. The description said it was saffron pasta, and I don't think I tasted that but it's a dish I would definitely order again. There was an order for stuffed shells and we all agreed that was the best dish. Great place, very good food and I would definitely put this in the rotation.

We had been looking for a nice Italian place to have dinner at for our anniversary and after reading reviews we decided to come here. We had made reservations just in case they were busy. As we arrived my husband told them that we have reservations and they seated us at a table in the back of the restaurant all set up for us. It was so sweet our waitress, the owner and the owners wife all came over to our table and wished us a happy anniversary. They start you off with homemade fresh bread. It was warm and delicious! It was so good we ate the whole loaf lol. To celebrate we ordered a bottle of champagne. Both of us ordered pasta dishes which were excellent! Since I'm part Italian my hubby wanted to make sure we had some good homemade pasta and let me tell you this pasta is homemade!! The waitress was very attentive and made sure to keep our glasses full. We had a great night and will definitely be back to try more dishes. They do have a patio as well which was really cute. It is a cute, cozy restaurant. The lighting is on the dimmer side which was perfect to make the dinner romantic. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants homemade pasta! 5/5!!

Food is excellent. Can't go wrong on pizza, ravioli, bolognase pasta, chicken dishes. Service is always excellent. Tiffany at the bar is the best All the rest of the staff are excellent. They are always waiting on you. Ambiance is old world Italian. Playing classical Sinatra, Martin, Pavorati music. This is the best restaurant in Rochester.

Tiffany has helped us at the bar both visits and she's so sweet. Professional, friendly, and knowledgeable! This lovely Italian restaurant has a well stocked bar, homemade bread, and food options for all diets. Nearly all their delicious pasta is vegan (as it should be made with flour and water). A tomato based vegan sauce and build your own pasta plates. Great salads too. Price is moderate to high. Build your own pasta gets pricey. Parking is street or lot in back. Rochester charges for everything unless you park after 9PM. Definitely check their hours before coming in. Like most restaurants these days, they aren't open late. Great little spot downtown near fourth street.

Happy hour is legit for food and wine! We loved the Brussels, meat balls, and calamari. Good for kids too!

Food portions were little so i didnt get completely full. Good service. I love consistent water. Free dog meal.

Horrible experience. From the minute we were seated. The waitress was upset because we had 7, not 9 people. She was the RUDEST most miserable server I've had in a long time. One of our guests asked about the kids menu (gastric surgery menu) & the waitress told us there was t one and wouldn't tell us what was available. My daughter asked for butter instead of oil. After 20 min, had to ask again. We asked her if she wanted to know how the bills were to be split up, she was beyond put out. There wasn't an iota of her service that was too worthy, yet we left her a smidge. The only good thing was the casalinga. Great bolognese.

Stopped in with the kids (5 and 2) this evening for dinner. We happened to arrive during happy hour. We ordered the margarita pizza, meatballs, calamari, Brussels sprouts and a small mushroom pizza + wine. Service was fast and pleasant. Food was delicious. Place is super small but we're able to accommodate a high chair. Probably wouldn't stop in with the kids on a Friday/saturday. But week night was perfect. Decent amount of people popped in for takeaway orders while we were there. Always a good option.

Our meals were good but not great tasting Italian cooking. We expected a little better. Interior is interesting but a little dark.

Boom goes the dynamite!!!!!!! Wouldn't it be funny if that was the entire review? People wouldn't know what to order, or drink, or anything about the place. Let me clear up the first question on everyone's mind...how is this place pronounced...Baloney? Or Bologna? Or is it pronounced Bulbwney? IDK. Let's just call it pasta or Italian place on main, or breadsticks. Now that's a place I would go...breadsticks!

Terrible, we ordered the calamari but it was just a pool of butter garlic. I love butter garlic, but Jesus it was overwhelming. The server was alright, she did her job. Ordered a couple other dishes, and when you're spending so much on a dish you'd think it was presentable. The noodles were over cooked, and the sauce tasted like canned sauce. It was a little too nosey inside, and no one looked like they were enjoying their meal. Do better Bologna! Everyone I talked to raved about you, but I did not see the hype.

This was our second visit and lets say it was night and day from our first visit. First time we tried this place it was right after Covid so I felt like we needed to give it another shot. Lets say we are now hooked. The owner was there and intrudeced himself which was really nice. The food was really great. The pasta tastes great along with great service. The drinks were impressive and they have a great pour.

Excellent calamari and the entrée offerings were enough to satisfy everyone's cravings. Cocktails were very well made. Server was very good, knowing the menu and ingredients (severe food allergy) This place is small and very comfortable. Well worthy of many return trips for us.

'Superior Service' hold on a minute yet no reservations taken? In this day of staffing shortages, I think it would only be polite to call ahead reserve a table and make sure you can handle a small group. But, hey you dont want me to spend my money with you, well our party can and will go elsewhere.

They have catered several events for our family. The lasagna is delicious! All the food is well prepared, and the service is excellent. I've not eaten in the restaurant, but I highly recommend catering your next event or family gathering from Bologna!

Awesome food, great vibes, amazing drinks - this was our first time here and we'll be back!

This place will bring you back to your first bite of pasta from your grandma as a kid. I sat down at this restaurant for the first time a few months back. I was blown away by the calamari. That is what brought me back today. This calamari is untouched by competitors. The lemon garlic butter sauce, not even comparable to anything else. The peppers, Hungarian I believe. Spicy, cooked to perfection. The onions, sweet and acts as a perfect compliment to the dish itself. The spice level. Enough to have a drip of sweat garner upon your forehead. A perfect spice. The superstar, the calamari. The batter is what makes this dish. It makes the consumer emotional. It will make the consumer appreciate the little things in life. I had a tear swell up in my eye as I ate it. After eating most of the calamari, I had a rum and coke. Served with a little lime, it was perfectly blended. Kudos to the bartender. Now, the dish. Casalinga. A hearty meat sauce served with two meatballs and an Italian sausage. The waitress hooked it up on the Parmesan, too. That pasta was damn good. I ate it all. Hurting afterwards, but it was well worth it. I'm lactose intolerant. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for authentic Italian food. The staff was very nice and accommodating to my lactose intolerance. Also gluten free. 10/10

I've been to Bologna's twice with huge groups. Once for an engagement party, a second time for a baptism. They do a great job with large groups! The pizza is great - you can tell it's really good quality. Last time, I got a salmon caesar salad without croutons and it was surprisingly less boring than it sounds. the salmon was cooked perfectly. We shared a bunch of appetizers and my friends loved the meatballs. My favorite thing about Bologna's is that when you order glass of wine, they ask if you was a glass OR a glass and a half. The answer is always a glass and a half.

Amazing food and service!! Such a cozy place. We tried the margherita pizza, Gorgonzola gnocchi, butternut squash ravioli, and bruschetta. Nothing disappointed. Can't wait to go back. Waitress was sooo friendly. And we discovered their 9pm happy hour food and drinks which started 20 mins after our arrival. How cool is that.

Went here for a date night. Super busy but really nice atmosphere and the food was great

If I could give this place 10 stars I would! They have hands down the best Italian food around. It's a small restaurant and they don't take reservations but they're worth the wait if you find yourself in the area. Their Bruschetta, Carbonara, Pollo Picatta and anything they have on their specials will make you salivate with how delicious they are. Every dish is full of flavor and well made. I couldn't say enough great things about this gem of a restaurant. Go here!!!

Came here on a slow Monday night for the first time and it was a great experience. My boyfriend and I walked in through the back door and were immediately greeted with a handshake and welcome from the owner. It's rare that an owner is so hands on and friendly and I was pleasantly surprised. Our server, Kim, was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. She offered suggestions and actually made an effort to get to know us. Their menu is pretty large with lots of pizza and pasta choices. We were served fresh, warm focaccia bread with olive oil. Apparently they make all their bread and pizza crust in house! My boyfriend got the carbonara americano and loved it! I ordered a make your own pasta and it was delicious. I got pappardelle pasta with fra diavolo sauce. It was a chunky spicy tomato based sauce with a bunch of peppers and onions in it. I added extra tomato too because I love tomatoes. Servings were very generous and we both left with a bunch of leftover pasta. Although a pricier meal, it was so worth it. It was wonderful experience from start to finish. We will be definitely be back!

Great everything! Get in there and you'll give a 5 star review too! Especially if new to Rochester, put at the top of your need to visit list.

Friendly service, food not so great Pass on the ravioli - rubbery and the sauce taste like a thick tomato sauce.

Absolutely awesome food... drinks are outstanding... the service was perfect. Highly recommend this quaint family-run restaurant!!

V we y good food and atmosphere are. We are promptly greeted and seated for a party of 7. Food was extraordinary and the service was exceptional.

Tried their pizza for the first time. Really liked it. First impression is it looks like a homemade pizza, a really good one. Reminded me of one I could make but it wouldn't be this good. It was thicker than I thought it would be. I guess I expected a thin crust Italian pizza but it wasn't that. More like a tossed pizza. The crust was unique, flaky slight baking soda hint and tasty. The sauce and cheese dominated and it worked. Could have used more mushrooms but I really liked it. I would say 4.5 out of 5.

Awesome small Italian spot. Great food and very friendly team that is clearly working hard to provide the best experience possible. The fried eggplant appetizer is a must. Absolutely delicious. You also should try the limoncello martini as the limoncello is homemade. Definitely check out if you are in the area.

Dinner with a good girlfriend brought me to this little place where the homemade pasta is amazing and the sea bass is just as good, the sauce was a little heavy on the capers, but it was very good. The calamari appetizer was good as well...it didn't come with your typical marinara sauce...it was some kind of lemony goodness that went really well with the bread, too. There are two separate dining areas, both small and cozy, along with a bar. The waitstaff is attentive and courteous.

Amazing food. We had a girls out there and we all got something different from the menu, and got to try it all. Everything was very very good. Rosie the bartender was super friendly and had a lot of recommendations for us.

I think this is certainly one of the better restaurants in downtown Rochester. The food is always hot, filling, and good. I have been here multiple times and never had a bad meal. The wait staff has been good (not outstanding most times - but solidly good). Had the lasagna last time i was there and it was really good. Put a some apps on top of any meal and you are likely taking some food home. Only suggestion could be to add some more liquors for availability (bourbon :) ), but since this isn't supposed to be their specialty then not that big of deal. Will be back.

Best Italian in Rochester, good selection and quality, the family pack is amazing value, pizza and pasta great

We came here for a Saturday night and there was a 30 minute wait. The restaurant is small and intimate. When I was walking past tables, I accidentally hit two people with my purse- but it couldn't be helped, there was no room! When we were seated, we were seated in the back. I would say the restaurant is a mix of upscale and tavern. The design is fancy but then you see TVs in the corner. The service was great. I ordered the Traverse city chicken. It was amazing but the portion size was too big and the main plate only comes with chicken. No sides. The plate came with 3 pieces of chicken. I could only eat 1/2 of 1! Be prepared for yummy leftovers.

the worst service I have ever had at a restaurant. from the time we came in the waitresses (Kimberly) attitude was piss poor. she was upset that our reservation of 9 turned to 7, due to people not being able to attend and said we "shorted them", although the table could only comfortably sit 7-8. We were only given 4 menus , and when someone asked for a drink in our party she would not even look at her. She was rude from start to finish. When someone complained about their food, although not wanting to send it back, she insisted no one ever has issues with that dish. Her attitude was horrendous the entire time. When it came down to the check we asked to split and she made a face and followed with a snarky comment and stated she assumed we would all pay together. Although we only needed 3 separate checks. Manager asked how the experience was and when we said poor, he just made a face and walked away. Terrible experience and we were there to celebrate a birthday which now was a bad time. If I could leave 0 stars, I would.

Bologna is our new favorite date spot! We discovered it in late fall last year and have been back 4 times since. Every time bringing with us friends or family because we love it so much! Rosie is an amazing waitress, we've dined with her all but one time. She's so attentive, and bends over backwards for her patrons. Tonight, Rosie went above and beyond! On the drink specials there was a red wine sangria, personally I prefer white. I didn't see a white sangria on any drink menus but Rosie said "No worries I can make you one." She delivered! It was so refreshing! I usually get a custom pasta dish with gluten free pasta, bolognese sauce, mushrooms, Italian sausage, and baked mozzarella (essentially the Casalinga, sans meatball and gluten ) - tonight I wanted to try the carbonara I've read and heard amazing things about. Typically the bechemal sauce in it contains gluten. But Rosie was able to get the chef to make a gluten free option for me. I couldn't believe it! It was AMAZING!Boyfriend had the pizza tonight. He said it was also great! 5/5 stars! Keep doing what you're doing Bologna! We'll keep coming back!!

I was so pleased to try this restaurant where I had t been before. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. We went for lunch and ordered several things to try including the Carbonara, Chicken Marsala, Spicy Chicken Alfredo, and though it was not on the menu any longer, they Chef made me the most wonderful Caccio e Pepe by my request (it costed me lol but I have NO REGRETS). This is the place to go!!! Really some of the best Italian food I've had in awhile. The potions weren't huge for the price however you can tell the ingredients are superb !!!

I really like this place! Very good food! Sauces are excellent and the pasta is home made and very good! I have favorites too numerous to name. It is a bit small and does not take reservations so be patient and enjoy!

We love Bologna. The food is delicious! We have only done take out so far but still great! We love the value of the family meals and all that you get for your money. And the mini cannolis are delicious! Highly recommend for families and date night.

Solid dinning establishment, with a friendly attentive staff, and delicious Italian food. Their seafood and pasta dishes were delicious, rich, and a great change from home cooking. The staff was attentive, caring, and helpful in navigating the menu. The great food and delightful staff was paired with an ambiance perfect for a date night or more causal meal. All in all this adds up to a great restaurant, that is perfectly priced for their quality of food and level of service. Looking forward to returning in the future, and would recommend to anyone looking for a mice Italian meal at a reasonable price.