Vaticano Italian Restaurant Fort Erie in Fort Erie

Mediocre food Multiple failed health inspections Boycotted by local residents Dont be fooled by the positive reviews that are so blatantly bought and paid for Empty dining room 7 nights a week tells you all you need to know about this subpar establishment SPOILER ALERT none of the celebrities on the wall of fame dined at this restaurant The owner pays to attend TIFF every year and wants you to believe hes a celebrity chef

I detest giving a poor review on a restaurant. Id much rather build them up than knock them down. But..I hope they use this review constructively. The atmosphere is gorgeous. Right up until you start picking it apart. Details can make or break a restaurant. The tables are too small for functionality. There were cobwebs on the decor items. In the sub-par washroom there is a latch missing on one of the mens room doors. Last but not in any way least. LIGHTS PEOPLE!! They had at least 6 light bulbs out. In my experience. If you cant manage light bulbs. The rest of it will follow suit. The service was very friendly and courteous. However. They seemed poorly zoned. It was very hard to tell who our actual server was. The bill also showed up 15 minutes after we requested it. On top of that we had to chase down staff to get the bill in the first place. Also..they dont refill water. Or leave you a carafe of water. The food. 50/50. My wife got a Margherita pizza and loved it. I ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara and was very disappointed. The flavour was good. Not great. Ive definitely had better. More importantly. The Spaghetti was over cooked. Mushy and improperly strained. Watery mushy noodles. Thats my rant. I sincerely hope that they get on it and improve. It is an amazing restaurant in a great location. But you can only trade on your looks for so long.

Beautiful ambiance both indoors and out. You cant beat the spectacular view along the river! Delicious food and many options for amazing pasta dishes. We also love the sauteed mushrooms, rapini, artichoke hearts, broccoli and roasted potatoes. Professional and friendly staff. Delicious home made focaccia and vegan friendly. We love to visit.

Its a shame I cant give it six stars. Incredibly delicious food and drinks.

I enjoyed the food and there are lots of vegetarian options. You can come and try different veggie dishes.

Saturday night dinner (7pm reservations) with are out of town friends I invited to come to the restaurant that I m a regular at. Food is always great. Usually it s 45 mins wait for food. This evening 2 hrs later yet not dinners yet , took 1.0 to get water, 1.5hrs to get drinks. Only 4 tables here now. Need to improve your staffing on weekends. Sorry Felicia but unacceptable for a weekend. This is a special place for us because of the outdoor atmosphere and food.

Amazing Italian food. The place is owned by a celebrity chef. The patio is beautiful, nice view of the river Kid-friendliness: They have high chairs. But mostly a place for adults. I haven t seen many kids around

Food is art in this place. Absolutely tasty. Beautiful patio. Very cozy. Friendly to cyclists.

We have been here probably 10 times while on vacation and for our family American Thanksgiving and the experience has been great but this last time the service was slow...one waitress perhaps and one chef? Not sure but we were unhappy. The food was good except the bread was cold.

Dont bother. Service takes so long you should bring snacks. DO NOT ORDER SKIP THE DISHES FROM HERE. IT NEVER ARRIVES. ALREADY PAID FOR, THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THE CHARGES. Food : 1/5

It s a great place. Food is great and service is great.

Came with the family and all had different dishes. We loved them all!! Great view, great food and great service!!

Service a bit slow needs more staff But one of the best meals ever absolutely delicious. Lovely patio. Great atmosphere Definitely a great place

Food was amazing and we will definitely be back. But the service was extremely slow. Took almost an hour to receive our drinks finally had to go and ask for them. Once we finally got our food order in it didnt take to long. We were there approx 2 hrs. The views are great, and probably best chicken parm I have had.

Excellent Italian restaurant on the river. The atmosphere is nice. The food is Excellent and our server was awesome, very friendly and attentive. Everything is made in-house which is rare these days. If you are in fort erie I would definitely give it a try.

The place is tooo good with a nice viewpoint. The employees are friendly , especially Lucy. Vegetarian options: We ordered there FETTUCCINE ALFREDO with penne pasta & spaghetti with extra cream. It was tooo good.

I will say, our waiter was kind. Very sweet and personable. It took forever for our food to arrive. Between the appetizers and the entrees we waited 1 hour and 40 minutes. I was quite disappointed because there is so much hype about this restaurant. They very well could ve just had a bad day. The food was tasteless, the sauces were too sweet or too acid. The pastas nothing out of this world. I had just been really hoping for a good experience. I don t mind spending money on a good meal, but it certainly didn t warrant the amount I paid.

SERVISE is good and nice server but food is actually same as puke and over price and should not go out as some fancy date cuz its local restaurant lol seriously food was not possible to make a money and alcohol isnt right taste as well

Simply and profoundly superlative. Lovely intimate setting, extraordinary food including an adaptation of garlic infused greens that did not have a hint of bitterness, and unobtrusive yet personable service via Francesca. We will be back from CA. Maybe we will bump into Sly, Mr. Rocky himself

Dine on delicious Italian fare while you enjoy a picturesque view of the Niagara River. So many tasty options available on the menu a must try dining experience. Food

Dropped in for a meal while the bridge traffic subsided and pleasantly surprised with a great Italian pizza and real carbonara...enjoyed watching the boats cruise by and really nice service...highly recommended.

Amazing Italian food, excellent views of the lake from the patio and friendly service! What else can you ask for!

World class experience. A very clean place. Amazing experience with Chef.

I absolutely love the family feel and the food is really good.

The vibe, the food and service was great! The restaurant is quite clean and has nice employees. The vibes that get to experience there are so great, and the outside side of the restaurant has a great view on the lake and just the surroundings! I loved it 10/10

Service was terrible, dining area needs to be cleaned. Food was good. We were the only table dining inside and there were five tables on the patio on a Saturday night so not busy. Took one hour to receive our drinks and appetizers. Dining area had visible dirt and cobwebs. Wont go back.

45 min after ordering drinks and food we had to help ourselves to a jug of water from the bar in order to get something to drink, 50 min after ordering, the waitress told my husband his appetizer was unavailable, 55 min after ordering, the waitress told me my salad was unavailable and an hour after ordering, our food was finally served....cold!! This food was not freshly prepared so the 1 hour wait seemed unreasonable...we left without eating. Probably wont go back.

Wonderful first time visit for lunch today. The food was outstanding and service informative warm and welcoming. Will definitely be back!

There s is 4 of us went for a diner celebrating birthday of our friends the service was extremely pleasant the older lady was serving us she was very nice and friendly 5 we ordered different kind of food just to try it, and we where very disappointed with taste of the food we all agreed on one thing the food was tasteless and luck of flavour 1 , the meat was dry over cooked and everything extremely overpriced . TRE COLORI - tomato salad $18.00+ CALAMARI- $25.00 for 6 rings . VITELLO MARSALA - $37.00 with 2 slices of thin tasteless veal and we asked to change from rice or pasta that comes with it to Gnocchi it was extra $13.00 total meal was $50.00 that s insane for 2 slices of thin tasteless veal and some gnocchi, the gnocchi was good but not $50.00 for a pasta and some meat TIRAMISU - $15.00,. The prices are high for the kind of food they serve we all came to this conclusion no plans to come back not worth it

Absolutely amazing experience. They were short staffed, but that did not hinder our experience at all. We have been a dozen or so times, and Friday nights meal was the absolute best meal we have ever had here. The Chef waited on us the majority of our meal, and he truly made the experience that much better. Highly recommend Vaticanos if you are looking for truly amazing Italian food.

We started our bike trip of Niagara region in Fort Erie. There was no question we would return to our favourite restaurant from last years trip, Vaticanos. Once again we had an excellent lunch with outstanding service. Phil is so personable and skilled. There is no question that we will return when we are next in Fort Erie. We highly recommend for the food, the service the amazing patio view of the river.

Was a unique experience on Mother s Day!The service by Marco n Monica was great and the location by the peace bridge is simply beautiful Muscles were out of this world . Surely go back again Food

The gnocchi was simply the best thing ever . An absolute must try place if you love authentic Italian. Everything we ordered was so fresh and delicious. Highly recommended restaurant with beautiful picturesque views.

This is a Top in class Italian restaurant and their people. Whatever kind of Pasta you would like to have, whatever taste you like feel, The chef Got you. If I am in Niagara, I wont have a 2nd thought but would drive 30mins to have the best Italian dishes. Loved it. Vegetarian options: Were vegetarian too, purely vegetarian but chef has everything fresh he can for sure accommodate whatever you like yet the best taste.

WOW ! They gave us the most beautiful, easy, intimate wedding reception I could have dreamed of. The restaurant itself and setting is so gorgeous it only took a light touch of decor to make it look like a wedding. They worked with us to meet the dietary needs of our guests, the layout to fit our event, and our budget. We felt so welcomed and that everyone who interacted with us was happy we were there. 10 stars for service. The food was incredible, so delicious, I wish I had loosened my dress corset to finish the Mushroom Ravioli lol. I honestly cannot Thank the whole Vaticano team enough, everything was perfect and right on time and so amazing ! Thank You 500 stars amazing !

Outstanding food and even better service.

The gnocchi was absolutely the best thing I ve tasted. The house wine was perfect for our meal. Loved the ambiance. Definitely coming back.

Excellent service, amazing food, lovely ambiance. Patio would be wonderful in the summer.

Husband and I really enjoyed the dinner and atmosphere

We had an excellent experience here for our anniversary! Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the food, very personable and very on the ball. There were only two serving but she kept refilling our water and checking in. The food itself was excellent! I had the chestnut ravioli special, my husband had the Sicilian pizza, and we shared bread and a salad. All of it was excellent, and you could tell it was freshly prepared. Yes, it takes a little longer but that s what happens if you want fresh food to be savoured. All in all it was a great experience and we re very excited to return.

If youre looking for authentic Italian this is the place to try. Had such a great time and the food was so good. I decided to get the special and it was definitely worth the price. You can really taste the quality of the ingredients and everything is made fresh. What an experience. Our server Bo was very friendly and informative. It really made the experience so much better. We will definitely be back to try out more of the menu!

Incredible

across the board.... just come in enjoy the food.

Complete waste of time and money. The food was all made up and not remotely close to what was described on the menu. Every dish Had incorrect ingredients and was slapped together with absolutely no care or concern on this night. We definitely can name at least 2 restaurants that serve italian food between ridgeway and fort Erie that are what this place is supposed to be but at half the price.

I had a birthday there last October and it was one of the best birthday dinners and get together Ive ever had. Mainly my experience was such a great one because of the wonderful staff the amazing owner who was on site cooking a fantastic meal. Ill never forget it and I would recommend it to all my friends.

Excellent Italian restaurant. The waterfront view and atmosphere is incredible. Great authentic food, and service.

Good food

Best food in Fort Erie. My husband and I gladly travel 1.5 hours to have a fabulous meal here. Owner and staff are the best! Summertime patio has an awesome view of the Niagara River.

A nice waterfront location and decent atmosphere. Unfortunately the food is frozen and poorly prepared. Prices are quite exorbant for such poor quality and flavour. And prices on the bill dont match the menu. Vegetarian options: Vegetables are almost non existent here.

My favorite restaurant in all Canada. Love the food especially the pizza Parma!

The Pizza Parma is delicious!! The enviroment is great.

We first discovered this place 2 years ago. Feel in love..Lovely environment. Great location. Easy to get to. Plenty of parking. Great view. Great interior. Great menu. Fairly pricey. You can tell a lot of heart into all of this. Food was outstanding. We over ordered entrees, appetizers, soup, salad! Dessert. We had a smorgasbord for the experience and authenticity & leftovers. It was so fresh (made to order)so allow for this, & so delicious. Taste was back into food we were eating. It was outstanding!! The service was caring careful and reasonably attentive. Relaxing delicious experience (with taste that felt like I was a young child back in the presence of my Italian grandmother & grandfather). Could not say enough positive about it nor wait to return. Due to covid our return was delayed. A much anticipated return when we finally did. That turned sad & sour. Service was poor. We just rolled with it*. This time the food was off. The two Appetizers were spot on! As we waited for water to be brought to the table and a return of silverware. Til entrees appeared (40 min. after appetizers). A lil long. Unfortunately not good taste. Mine was doable mygust was NOT. Waiting once again for service or acknowledgement. *This was then turned on us when we mentioned our concern for the one entree in paticular. Lobster dish. Not palatable. Off taste. Strong. Fish dont recall this it Lobster. Ever. Server blamed it on something else, like the water it came out of. We considered that for a quick minute. Thinking possibly but no not likely. And the remark insulting. It was getting late and wanted to head out. We asked for the check. Nearly a full plates left. She asked if we wanted both wapped up. No. Not both. Definitely not I could not eat another bite of this foul taste why would I want to take it home? Please? After some time she brought the check with no adjustment for the one entree. Saying we should have said something sooner. Huh. You werent around and then when we did you blamed the water it came out of.. im sure this was disappointing for the kitchen. And you. But am certain the chef know from the get go. This was unpleasant and disappointing for sure.

My family and I were so very pleased when we saw the Vaticano we know and love in Toronto was now in Fort Erie after moving here! We often enjoy a night out here. The food and the atmosphere never disappoint and staff is always friendly and knowledgeable.

Went there for dinner on Wednesday at around 5:00 PM (two of us). All I can say is WOW. The place was completely empty (most likely popular in the summer), Phil was our chef and waiter and Drew was the bartender. They were both very polite and kind, and our food came hot and quick. The view was stunning, we sat by the window with Lake Erie on full display. I got the gnocchi and the other had the pasta special. Both dishes were bar none amazing, very filling as well. While we waited for the dishes, Phil brought out homemade bread and spicy olive oil on the side. It was incredible, and I really loved the olive oil. For dessert we shared the (I believe) cherry cheesecake. It was mouth watering, and it had two chocolate dipped strawberries on the side. Seriously the best Italian restaurant Ive had in a while, and my personal favourite restaurant in Fort Erie. Highly recommend it in your in the area, the food is so worth it.

Best Italian meal I have had in a long time! Great atmosphere, highly recommend it!

This restaurant is a hidden gem in the Niagara region. It is beautiful inside, tastefully decorated, first rate Italian food. Great service, desserts are outstanding.

Went here for a romantic date night. The atmosphere in the restaurant definitely delivered. Our server was beyond great. She was attentive, professional, observant and kind. The menu refers to dishes as being fresh and homemade. I am a full time cook and I can be certain that some of the dishes we were served were frozen at some point. Our arancini was cold in the middle and had little to no seasoning, much like the rest of our dishes. Our pastas seemed to be overcooked and bland. I was reaching for the salt and pepper hoping to add some flavour but was still disappointed. The bruschetta bread was very disappointing as it was simply fresh tomatoes with olive oil, s&p, and a full basil leaf. We were informed the bread was baked fresh daily but found it very hard and dried out. Perhaps the chef was having a bad night, but being one of the two only tables in the restaurant, I expected more love to be given to the food.

Wonderful service and the food was absolutely delicious, the best Italian food we have had in years, we will be going back for sure. Vegetarian options: there are gluten and vegetarian options Parking: street parking Wheelchair accessibility: Tables are such that a wheelchair can fit at table.

Top notch everything! Parking: Excellent location Food : 5/5 |

Absolutely hands down the best Italian food in town; I can not stress the quality of thier food enough. Set with a beautiful view of the upper Niagara and a dramatic view of the international Peace Bridge. Nothing will top the view and or atmosphere at Vaticano. -Prices are very fair- given the portions and quality of food. Hopefully this encourages you to go and find out!

I finally ate as well as if I were in Italy!!! I got fried calamari and they were delicious!!! Accompanied by a mayonnaise-type sauce. Then I got spaghetti barti and they were very good. Congratulations also to the staff for the service. Spectacular river views.

Went with my grandfather for dinner and had the ravioli and it was superb, staff is amazing and super kind

delicious food, amazing place,

Came for mothers day Absolutely blown away!! FANTASTIC FOOD!

I ve been wanting to check this place out for some time. It was a last minute Mother s Day treat for my mom. Got to the restaurant and it was not busy at all. Maybe three tables at the most. I will say, our waiter was wonderful. Very sweet and personable. It took forever for our food to arrive. My mom and I both ordered gnocchi with tomato sauce. The gnocchi itself was amazing the sauce not so much. I was quite disappointed because there is so much hype about this restaurant. They very well could ve just had a bad day, and I appreciate that. I had just been really hoping for a good experience. I don t mind spending money on a good meal, especially for Mother s Day, but it certainly didn t warrant the amount I paid.

Nice place

Not sure if this was ever anything but a tourist trap, but it certainly is now. Cocktail menu stuck in the 1980s, comically terrible wine selection. Our meals were variable in quality but all of the proteins were overcooked. View was nice.

The wait staff was very friendly and accomodating! Quick service too. I asked for something that was not on the menu and the chef prepared it for me! It was delicious!! Fresh warm, bread to start. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming! We would definitely go back again!

Some of the best pasta Ive ever had, paired with some fine wine.. Overall it was a wonderful fine dining experience!

FOOD: I ordered the Agnolotti alla Sasha (ravioli, stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, served in a truffle cream sauce - see photo). It was delicious! While I thought the five raviolis wouldn t be enough, it was! It was creamy and flavourful. I also ordered the bread and dip (unlimited for 2.99). The bread was freshly made and the spicy garlic oil it came with was so delicious that I purchased a jar to go! SERVICE: The service was attentive and welcoming. She was a great conversationalist and provided excellent recommendations. ATMOSPHERE: The decor was unique and provided lots to look at; so much so, I began walking around to see more lol. Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free options available. Parking: Free parking Kid-friendliness: The food is kid-friendly, lots of pasta and chicken options.

Great food, great service, and an amazing view! Bo gave us the best service! Very pleasant

I am very impressed by this place The sign outside is getting replaced so it looks as if theyre closed for business but they are not! Theyre just getting their sign updated. Parking lot right next to the restaurant and available for free. They have spent so much work and effort on the decor and atmosphere.. the patio is absolutely stunning!!! Right by the river and you can see the waves and all sorts of jetskis and boats.. beautiful seating area inside and outside. I took some pictures to show the inside, but there were a lot of people outside so i couldnt take more pictures there so as not to invade anybodys privacy. We had our parents here for dinner and they were really impressed too and the atmosphere helped them stay relaxed and enjoy the evening. The menu has a wide variety of italian favorites and everything is made in house fresh so food will take some time to get to you (1h to 1.5h) but they give you bread to pass the time a bit and curb any severe hunger. The food when arrived it was really delicious and the right temperature. I ordered the gorgonzola pizza it was okay, i never had figs and honey on my pizza before but it turned out well! I probably would try the eggplant parmesan next time since my mother raved about it. Their prices are reasonable i would say for a nice sit down restaurant and their portions are good! I shared the pizza with my fiancé. You can find items to eat at the $17 mark but also things at the $45 mark. All in all i would definitely come here again.. i appreciate restaurants that put thought into their atmosphere and ambience because that is one of the main reasons i go out to eat, to have a change of scenery. Thank you Bo for your wonderful service. Vegetarian options: They have variety of options for vegetarian and I think you can also ask server to not add meat to your pasta or pizza for example.

Horrible service, got there 5 pm , never was served until 7 pm. Rude staff, mediocre appetizers. It was our worst dining experience.

This is the absolute best italian food weve ever had!!! So fresh so delicious, the chef is amazing and so is the ambiance. Will drive 2 hours any day to go back. If i could give it 10 stars i would...a must try!

A little taste of Italy on the waterfront. Food was exquisite, and Bos service was even better. If youre looking for fresh ingredients, cooked on-site by a master chef, and delivered to your table by someone who treats you like family, then this the place to be.

Cant say enough about this restaurant - amazing food and the atmosphere on the patio with the water and the live music - highly recommended!!!

Food was delicious and fresh. I enjoyed the Polo Parmigiana - very tender. The service was great as well. Great spot with a lovely patio right on the water.

If I could leave a 0 star I would. The place is an absolute disgrace. Waiting over 2.5 hours for our food and the owner was so ignorant when we asked for the bill. Stay far far away.

This was our second time visiting Vaticano. Our experience was just awful. We were a party of seven adults, we had reservations. My husband ordered the Sea Bass which we were told would take a half hour to cook, were they going to catch it first in the Niagara River, or maybe run to Sobeys to get it, or fast thaw under coldwater. Five out of six dinners were sent back to the kitchen as the food was cold. The apps were good except for my rice balls which were burnt, i was so hungry i ate them anyway as it took 30 minutes for them to come out, by this time i could have chewed my hand off . We sat down at 7 we got our dinner at 930. We have all worked in the restaurant business and know what its like to serve, we never ran our server around at all, yet she got snippy with my nephew which was NOT called for at all. Well needless to say we will not be going back.

The location is beautiful & server really nice. Food over priced & just plain- pizza dry & no extras for spaghetti like fresh Parmesan cheese or fresh ground pepper - was just noodles and tomato sauce.

Good food, very good pizzas. Average service. Just watch out: if you get a bottle of flat water, rather individual glasses, they will charge you $6.50 for the 750ml bottle, saying that is filtered , same price than for a San Pellegrino sparkling water bottle.

Everything made fresh, food tastes amazing, all for a great price! Parking: Parking at the side of the building. Food : 5/5 |

Tonight was my second time going to the restaurant. First time I went there it was very busy but my food took a long time and when it came it wasn t the right thing I ordered. Going there tonight I thought I d give them another try this experience was the worst. Didn t get proper drink orders . Appetizer was wrong . Service was poor. To make matters worse it took an hour for appetizers and two hours waiting time for our meal. No compensation just poor excuses. The food wasn t that great and it was extremely over priced.

This place is phenomenal. The food is absolutely incredible. You can taste that it is all home made. Because of this, there is a bit of a wait, but it is completely worth it. It was our first time visiting but it quickly became a favourite! Vegetarian options: Quite a few of their pasta dishes are vegetarian

We would NOT recommend this place for a meal. First thing was the $6.50 flat water. We were not notified that it had a charge to it. Service was a tad slow but it was a special night for us so we were okay with the pace. But worst of all, my wife s main course came out wrong. The waitress was definitely willing to bring it back and have the chef prepare the correct course. However, I had my pizza in front of me and my wife knew I d be finished and looking to leave by the time her correct dish would arrive. To top it all off, there was no token or gesture on the bill to acknowledge what we considered to be a serious error. Not even some free flat water .nothing. The food that we did get to eat was nice but my wife nibbled at half the dish she didn t want. Needless to say, our wedding anniversary dinner was memorable but for the wrong reasons. And it wasn t busy at 5.30 on a Tuesday evening. I d hate to think what it s like when it s busier. We drove from NOTL for this because we like to explore and try new spots. This place will definitely not be on our list for a repeat visit. Too bad .so sad ..

One of the best pizza s I had in years!

The food was good. The service was bad. Waited and hour for our meal after we ordered. Two tables that came after us were able to order, eat and leave before we got our food. Its pricy. $75 is the minimum for a bottle of house cabernet. The view of the river is beautiful and the live music was nice. But I dont like to wait for overpriced meals so wont return

On the cycle path Terrace on Lake Erie Real Italian, the bread, the pasta, the tiramisu . Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp

Great food and our server Bo was great

We just had a birthday dinner and all were so happy with the service and food. BEAU was our server and he was very friendly and did a great job. We highly recommend this restaurant for everyone. It was our second visit and it didnt disappoint.

For a truly authentic Italian meal in a divine setting, run, dont walk to Vaticano. Perched beside the headwaters of the Niagara River, the outdoor patio provides a mesmerizing view of the roiling waters. The interior is warmly cozy and intimate. The Spaghetti Carbonara is the best I have ever had. Everything is as one would expect from a dedicated chef/owner and his devoted staff. Wow.

Beautiful decor, great late night conversation with the Chef, Phil, and fantastic wine and tiramisu! I did not eat dinner, but can t wait to come back with my wife. Thank you!

Fresh everything, with a patio surrounded by fresh herb and tomato gardens! We always get the feature - tonight it was pasta florentine with 3 tyoes of mushrooms .) Recommend their Caprese starter!

Beautiful atmosphere! The food was fresh and hot! Our server was always on top of things and was very nice!

Bo was awesome. He made sure we had a great experience and food was top shelf. Vegetarian options: Food is great. They modify order for you Food : 5/5 |

The food was incredible, service from Beau was awesome if you like authentic Italian food you must check this place out!

Our server Bo was wonderful. Yeh atmosphere is great and the location by the river is spectacular. Excellent food. Very pleasant dining experience

Good food , expensive, one waitress, not even a cupcake with a candle for a happy birthday.

Ive never had food this good. Period. There l said it. I spent a week in Rome and this guy is a better cook than any l experienced there. We had the Ameritriciano and the Carbonara (make sure you get the carbonara story). View was beautiful and the server had lNTIMATE knowledge of the food. The place is beautiful. You need to eat here. I cant imagine why John Catucci hasnt visited. Dietary restrictions: I spoke w/ the server/cook/owner and explained my woes to him....we worked it out in 5 seconds at the table. No issues.

If you can t get to Italy this is the place to go for AUTHENTIC Italian food. Add to that the amazing service and beautiful ambiance (don t miss the patio in the Summer) and you have a must go. Felice never disappoints. Nuff said.

My first visit, excellent meal and excellent service, looking forward to my next visit to Fort Erie

I love this place and their outdoor patio, obviously better in person

Excellent food, great service, good italian setting

This restaurant is worth a trip to Fort Erie. Amazing food prepared from scratch with plenty of pride and love mixed in and it shows. Each dish arrives at your table like its own little masterpiece. Situated with a view of the Niagara River this place has it all. We would like to thank Phil again for his outstanding service, attention to detail and warm hospitality. Put Vaticano on your list its definitely worth it.

Beautiful atmosphere. Excellent service. Amazing food. Everything we ordered was super satisfying from the wine to the main course. Even the appetizers and desserts were so delicious.

We had a divine dinner. Lovely service. Thank you Helena.

Absolutely the worst service and food. Tried to talk to the manager for two weeks acter but the server there kept making excuses to why he was not available. Avoid this restaurant- I don t know how people are giving it 5 stars but it feels suspicious.

It s a lovely atmosphere and the waitress was very attentive. However a small suggestion perhaps have the chef remove the shrimp tails that were included on them in the pasta red sauce. It presents as a choking hazard for the elder clientele who are accustomed to your exclusive pricing structure . Thank you.

I just ordered a large pizza and fries from here. Food took over an hour and a half to arrive. Once it got here the food was cold. I called in and basically got told it s ok and not to worry about it. Very bad experience.

Great Italian Restaurant. Food was outstanding. Top notch Italian Chef & owner!

Service was good, pizza ok, wine wsy over pricef

Good Italian food!

My spouse and I went to Vaticano to try this Italian restaurant, Im Italian and a pretty good cook. We ordered the special, Linguini with Shrimp and Chicken Parmesan. My dinner was good, unfortunately my spouses shrimp was so overcooked that they sprouted two legs on each side of the shell. I could not believe how dry and overcooked the shrimp was. I showed one of the shrimp to our hostess, she apologized and took one of the shrimp back to the kitchen (I would assume to show the chef). She came back to apologize and said she would be giving us a cookie basket in leu of the shrimp. This is where I was prompted to write about my experience. When the hostess came back to the table, she presented us with a small plastic container with 4 small cookies which I noticed was given to another table when they left, so these cookies are a thank you gesture for dining at the restaurant, it was clearly not given to us for the very overcooked shrimp. This restaurant obviously doesnt take pride in what they cook and certainly do not care about their new customers concerns on how their meal was cooked. I will never return to this establishment. The meal bill was over 100.00 and I still tipped our server 25.00. The very least the owner or the chef could have come to the table offering maybe a free desert or even a sincere apology. Instead we got nothing. Shame on the owners.

Our newly found Italian treasure in Canada. Great setting, service and food. We will return!

I have had the best Italian food I have ever had here, but also some of the worst. This place is hit or miss. When its good its good and when its bad its bad. For what they charge it should be a hit every time but its not.

Very good and kind staff, great place

Food was very good and delicious. Staff was friendly and helpful .i will go back there definitely. I will recommend everyone to go there and enjoy authentic Italian food with a nice view of lake erie.....

The food and service were fantastic. The atmosphere was great nice view of the river. Everyone enjoyed the food from appetizers to dessert. Very generous portions.

For lunch I introduced a friend to this fabulous restaurant. Our entire experience was amazing. The made from scratch meal was better than Mamas home cooking. Service and ambiance at this location is top notch.

I went out with some friends we had a great dinner excellent service, the chef truly knows what he s doing, the entertainment was life it was fantastic we spent almost 4 hours there. Really enjoyed it I highly recommend anyone wanting to try something new and classy and maybe visit once a week. Go enjoy the river view on the outside patio fantastic meal and live music

This restaurant is top notch! The food was amazing, everything made from scratch with quality ingredients and so fresh. Yes it is a little on the pricey side but well worth it. The patio is beautiful with an awesome view overlooking lake Eerie. They even grow their own herbs which you can see on the patio as a beautiful border in the gardens. They also make their own pepper infused oil for bread dipping which is wonderful, I bought a jar to take home. I wanted to end this review by mentioning our wonderful waitress Fran. She was so so friendly and helpful. You can tell she is proud to be apart of this establishment and takes pride in the food. She was very knowledgeable about the menu. She was the sweetest! Thank you Fran for the amazing service. We will surely return !!

Sadly we made reservations and at time of booking they took our phone number. And yet when we arrived We were told by waitress they were understaffed! And it would be over an hour to receive any service. Well if that was the case, why did they not bother to give us a call prior to our reservation time which was 6:30 pm. We traveled from Toronto for our 2nd wedding Anniversary. Quite disappointed and honestly frustrated at the lack of communication. Tried to reach out to owner and they didnt bother responding.

Such an amazing dining experience! Chef Paul and staff take such pride in the fact that everything is made from scratch. The dishes were outstanding. Our friends were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and the meal matched the milestone. Best eggplant parm, lasagna, veal picatta and the show stopper was the tiramasu. Staff was friendly and efficient. Highly recommend

Like being in Italy

I love sitting on the patio in the summer next to the basil I dine here frequently. Love the lobster pasta and Broccoli e Olio. We also love their pizza! Dining inside is also a great great experience But we love to take advantage of summer dining outside!

Amazing place to come get a fresh cooked meal, service is impeccable. Enjoyed a nice meal on the patio highly recommended!

Delicious food, great service.

Amazing Place with incredible staff! Restaurant was closed when we were looking for a decent place to eat after a show and the Soux Chef was kind enough to welcome us in and treated us like gold! Gorgeous patio and food was some of the best Italian we ve ever had finished by the best cheesecake we ve had. Wished we didn t live so far, but will definitely return. Highly recommend!

Love it. Always a great meal

The food is amazing and the restaurant is very nice and clean, the staff is always very friendly and the chefs are fantastic.

As long time patrons of Vaticanos in Yorkville, Toronto, we were excited to visit the Fort Erie restaurant. In true fashion the food was excellent and owner Felice is a real charm to speak with. The patio along the water is stunning and indoors the custom decor creates a romantic ambiance. We will be back for date nights and special events!

Fantastic! You will not find a better Italian restaurant!

Beautiful view, great veal picatta!

Great patio and atmosphere. Food was good

One of the best, Amazing.

The waitress we had was ABSOLUTELY NASTY and UNPROFESSIONAL!!!! We waited for 30 mins without drinks with only 6 people in the whole place. Then she starts to come to the table just to stop and aimlessly wander off then come back go get a drink for people already eating then not come back for 15 mins until we walked out without even a water after 45 mins waiting!!!!! The food way over priced for the service and amount given. Online reviews are showing this place is better then what we experienced today, good luck getting first class service!!!!

Loved the ambiance and the live band. Wife ordered the ravioli and I ordered a margarita pizza. The pasta blew us away, but the pizza was the worst Id ever had. But based off the service and the pasta, willing to give it another try someday.

A surprise gem. Perfect ambience including live music inspiring dance if so inclined .Would not be out of place in Italy. The food,wine and service enjoyable with a summer patio by the Niagara river. Parking: Pleanty and free.

Used to love going to Vaticano s. The food is great however they charge $70 for a bottle of wine. Biggest rip off ever. So disappointed that they made the decision to upcharge the wine by such a large amount. Went for dinner in NF where we know they have a tourist tax however their wine was $44. Interesting Vaticano s!

Excellent food and service

Best Italian food in town. Good flavor profile, and hand made pastas and ravioli. You can taste the difference that everything is made fresh, hand made, and buy authentic Italian chef. Dishes are priced well. I recommend dining here.

Very good atmosphere, staff was attentive and kind. Chef is outstanding as the food was very special. Vegetarian options: We are vegetarians and loved the mushroom appetizer and vegetarian pizzas. We will be back - The flavors were new, tasty, deep and just loved the staff and atmosphere. Thank you Chef for preparing amazing dinner.

My sister and I took our Mom here for her birthday recently. Our first time here. Drew served us. Drew was excellent. Very attentive to detail, ensured we enjoyed the food and quickly brought things when requested such as a drink or plate. The food was simply amazing. All their pasta is home made and you can absolutely tell when you eat it. As a picky eater they easily accommodated modifications to my dinner. I had the pork tenderloin. Came out with just a hint of pink, super tender and the sauce used was unlike anything I ve ever had. It was amazing. Everyone else really enjoyed the dinner. We will return. Absolutely recommend.

Just took the experience to walk by the water and their back sitting area. Very beautiful place

Overpriced. Average food. High turnover of staff. I keep giving this place another shot but it never seams to get any better. This restaurant must be financed by the Toronto location as there are barely enough customers every time I have been there,to support the overhead. Bloated piece of chicken...sauce had no flavor. My stomach was upset I suffered minor food poisoning well into the next day. This is the very last time I will attend this place. Fort Erie standards for fine cuisine must be set very low.

Went on a Monday night and we were the only ones there. Waitress was polite and attentive. Had the classic spaghetti which was ok. Will be a beautiful place to sit at in the summer right by the water. I would give the other menu items a try.

Beautiful decor, food was delicious, staff are awesome. A bit pricey. I also did not see a childrens menu

Ive ordered twice from them trying 4 different dishes. Food is average and portion size is small, yet the price is quite high. There are better options than this place. I recommend getting food from somewhere else

Amazing food. We got take-out and it was great! Everything was fresh. Once restaurants re-open, we will go inside to eat

Phenomenal food - the chef & owner is an awesome thoughtful man and his staff is just as good as him :) and very thoughtful. Thank you for an amazing dinner & lunch - yes it was that good I returned later from Niagara Falls just to enjoy dinner too... The food elevates the experience - the restaurant is right by the Niagara river - its beautiful and I cant wait until spring/summer whenever the patio opens up - I enjoyed the seafood pasta, lasagna, branzino and the bread was to die for as well - it was like sitting in Italian on a beautiful summer day without leaving home. I am a foodie and this has just become my favorite restaurant - the restaurant is the same quality as you get in Yorkville (yes it is the same owner!!) but you have the charm of Niagara Falls.. Everything is made to order and is authentic and homemade but with sophistication and elegance.

Delicious food. Fantastic service. Very personable.

Fantastic pasta, great atmosphere, will be back for sure. Try the tiramasu.

Visited here today for the very first time. I am moving to fort Erie soon, so I came down to check out the area. Saw that this restaurant had great reviews so I decided to check it out. We did take out due to the pandemic but we hope to eat in soon, as the ambiance was gorgeous. Overall the food was amazing quality . Owner and chef extremely warm, hospitable and accommodating. My family was not eating meat today but absolutely loved all of the vegetarian options. Order the mushroom Ravioli with truffle oil, it is incredibly divine. Their spinach angolotti, eggplant parm and Della salad was impeccable as well. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area looking for high quality Italian food

Kabir is an excellent host. So kind, friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. The restaurant is immaculate and the ambience superb. The food is so delicious. The chep is really top notch and takes pride in the food he prepares. You taste it with every bite you eat!!! We will definitely go back again!!!

Its my first time ordering in this restaurant and the food was fantastic! The owner is very friendly. The Agnolotti alla sasha is a must try!

The food was superb, especially the Agnolotti alla Sasha and their calamari. The owner is so accommodating and friendly. This restaurant is a must try and we ll be back for sure.

Inedible. We just spent 60$ on 2 pizzas and a lasagna. The food was filled with so much salt we could not eat it. Horrible whomever prepared it today.

We visited this restaurant last Wednesday. Before making reservations we check the menu posted on their website and it was quite impressive. We didnt mind spending some$$ on good dinner and decided to make reservations. Well, frankly...the food was disappointing...nothing special. Just overpriced and definitely far from how it was presented on their menu. We definitely wont be coming back again.

Wow is the best way to describe Vaticano. Im really not one for Italian food but this place has changed me. We went last night and enjoyed sitting by the lake on the patio. At first we werent sure where to enter (back or through the front) but figured out that we needed to go through the front. When you enter, the vibe transports you away and makes you feel like you are on vacation instead of in Fort Erie. The back patio with the adorable herb gardens, music, and ambiance made me feel like I was in Italy. The food takes a while but it is so so worth it. We tried tonnes of menu items between our group and were blown away with each one. I cant believe anyone would leave a negative review about the food here because it was absolutely magnificent. The food is full of comfort, made from scratch, and so wholesome. You can really tell that the chef cares.. probably why he has so many photos up at the front of the restaurant with celebrities. When our food came, the table was silent because we all were so in love with our food. I tried the Sicilian pizza, my partner had the Mamma Laura, and our friends had the Gnocci and Montecassino. There were no leftovers other than myself because I ate too much of the complimentary bread with Spicy Oil earlier. Overall an amazing, romantic, and authentic Italian restaurant which I will for sure be returning to. So glad to have gone here.

Dont waste your time. Left 2 messages to book a reservation for a party of 5. No return call, waited for three 3 days. Tried to call several times. They do not answer their phone. Tells me a lot about their service. Wont ever get my business!!!

Excellent food and service. Highly recommend.

Excellent food and excellent service by Kabir! It is super romantic so I definitely recommend this restaurant for a date night. They have a beautiful terrasse by the water. They even have gluten-free options which I was not expecting.

Waiting time a bit long, food, drinks and waiter service amazing we have to understand difficult times we are living, so patience is a must, restaurant owners are doing their best to keep business open. Had to clarify this koodos to all BUSINESS OWNERS

Food is delicious! They offered us tiramisu because they just made it...the beat I have ever had!

Vaticano Restaurant was great. The place itself is very nice and spotless. We were served by Fran and shes the best. She was so unbelievable helpful, professional and so kind. We will definitely come back when in the area

I went on Saturday to eat a delicious pasta, but the service was very bad ..... I arrived at 7:20 pm and they brought me the food until 9:00 pm , the bolognese was salty and past cooking pasta. Its sad because a friend recommended the place to me but the experience was not very good. The waitress was very attentive, but I dont know what happened to our order ...

Fantastic experience! Excellent and delicious food. Beautiful and eclectic decor. The staff were courteous, friendly and attentive. One of the best restaurants I have been to. Thank you!

Exceptional service; inspired food; a perfectly made spicy v. caesar; heavenly cheesecake and tiramisu like Ive never tasted; a lovely visit to our table by the chef! A wonderful dining experience, and it is evident that the owner has a passion for his art and for his clients. So nice to enjoy a meal in a restaurant where you dont feel rushed to turn over the table. Thank you for a memorable evening!

The food is very good. Arguably the best dining experience that Fort Erie has to offer. For those outside the area it is worth travelling to Fort Erie for the pasta alone. My wife and I did shared plates for 5 dishes and they were all very good. The pasta dishes were exceptional given that everything is made to order. Kabir was our server. He appeared to be the only server and he did an outstanding job managing 7-9 tables during the course of our 2 hour dining experience. Note: As many reviews will indicate; expect a slow service. Personally I enjoy a slower dinner service and I do not see this as a negative. Having said that, if you are a custom to faster service, this might not be the best place for you.

Very good food, Excelent views of Niagara river. Recommend highly

beautiful patio,great ambiance and service! the food was excellent. will definitely go again and again!

Service was impeccable, food was fabulous, atmosphere was incredible! Well worth both the trip to Fort Erie and the price.

Incredible food, staff and atmosphere. Truly a dining experience I will never forget. The food tastes like it was prepared by a chef with passion for his art, the staff were attentive and friendly, even laughing along with us, the atmosphere and decor blew my mind, I often get up from my table to walk around and appreciate the design and art. 10/10, Id go back in a heartbeat.

Nice place, excellent food professional staff!

There was only one server. Took forever for food to come and when it did it was cold. I know I wont be returning there. Would not recommend that place to anyone. All 3 of us were very disappointed in the place.

We were there today in off hours (4pm) Phil was pinch hitting as chef and server he did an excellent job I had veal marsala it was perfectly done my wife had carbonara also great. Sevice was great!Thanks Phil

Classic place, good food

great experience overall!

Very good service and very good food, all provided by Phil. In addition, the musical choice is excellent. Beautiful view of the United States and the bridge.

The presentation of food dishes was good. The patio is beautiful. However, when asked for a wine list The waiter said he would tell us what they had...no list. When I made the wine selection...a bottle of Montepuchello (not sure of spelling) it was brought to us in a carafe. The waiter said they dont bring the bottles. It clearly states on the food menu that there is an upcharge for substitutions. Thats okay but I changed from penne to spaghetti or said whatever kind of pasta they had available and the charge was $6.98. The wine was $52 and I think we should have had the bottle and I think the upcharge was a bit hefty. Overall I think the prices are a little high for the quality of food. Just my opinion.

Great staff, amazing setting and wonderful food.

Very good food, huge portion size, nice view of the river from the patio, will be back for sur

I cannot say enough fantastic words to describe this establishment. The service and the food are truly a 12/10. Every time I m in Fort Erie I must make a trip to eat at Vaticano s. I have never left this restaurant in the 12 times I ve been not 100% satisfied. We ve gifted our friends and family the hot oil and jars of homemade sauce and everyone absolutely loves it. Would highly highly recommend visiting if you re in the area!

Excellent restaurant. Food and service is superb. Needs a bit of TLC in the restaurant but if youre a lover of fresh pasta, fish & Wine this is a must stop.

Eggplant parmesan was over cooked and a small portion and over priced. But the patio with friends was fabulous and great view and our waiter was wonderful

This place is amazing. Cant wait to return. Staff was extremely attentive and food was great. Atmosphere was great for a date night.

Beautiful restaurant on the shore of Niagara. Great food and friendly welcoming service. Highly recommend.

Absolutely fantastic, food and service and very nice atmosphere

Fresh and Delicious food , great service by kabir. Owner is such a humble and down to earth gentleman.nothing negative all super positive experience. Highly recommended !

So happy to find gluten free options!

If I could give this 6 stars I would!! I don t think I ve ever had a better meal in my life!! Decor is beautiful and cozy. We were the only people there and the owner, Felice, made me Chicken Piccatta which was truly the best Ive ever had! We told our (sweetest, friendliest) waitress, Fran, that we were having a belated birthday celebration trip. After our dinner, she and Felice came out with homemade cheesecake (also mind-blowing) with a candle and sang happy birthday to me. I was so tickled I just wanted to jump up and hug them both. Such a great experience and I now have a new favorite restaurant!

First class. Presentation and service make for special memories.