Prospero

Loved this place, tried to make reservations and was recently told that the place is now closed.

Cozy little restaurant. The owner /​Waiter all-​around guy does it all. The lasagna was good, But it was reheated from the day before, Small piece for $ 20.
The Dessert turtle pie was excellent at seven dollars a small to medium slice.
Way overpriced, Food not fresh.
Would not go back or recommend.
I was not offered any homemade butter
And the owner waiter took the half basket away after he served our food. I think he gave it to the other table.

Food was delicious. The wine was great. Staff was friendly. Not much more you can ask for. I had the chicken parm and it was cooked perfectly, my wife had a create your own dish with pesto that was also great. They make their own butter for the bread. I would suggest going on a Tuesday or Wednesday where it’s two meals and a bottle of wine for $ 45.

My wife and I dined at Prospero in April 2013 after deciding to take a trip to the Buffalo/​Niagara Falls area. Our waiter, who I believe was one of the owners (very vibrant personality), was absolutely fantastic — the type of waiter you remember because he made your meal enjoyable. Everything from the wine, to the appetizer, to the main courses, to the dessert was awesome. I see some people complaining in these reviews and I just don’t get. Small place. Cozy. Romantic. Fun. Next time we’re in Buffalo, our money is going back to Prospero. Service — 5. Food — 5. Experience — 5. Praise all around.

BAD CHICKEN, BAD FISH, BAD BUSINESS ETHICS
I decided to go to this place using an Amazon deal.
First the good then I’ll give you the why you shouldn’t go here. The waitress was super nice, and since it is so small most likely you’ll get her. Also, they have a good lasagna, with a bad menu name «lotta lasagna». I bet if you stuck to just the pasta dishes with no chicken or fish you would be fairly happy.
We unfortunately got a chicken pasta bowl special, I forget its exact name. A few bites in to this $ 30 dish my wife spits it out and says the chicken isn’t fully cooked. I being dumb say «let me try» and I bite right into uncooked chicken and spit it out too. We tell the nice waitress, she says how sorry she is and takes it away. THEN WHEN THE BILL CAME THEY CHARGED US FOR THEIR BAD DISH. I was ready to battle but my wife wanting a nice night out told me to say nothing. We paid it and I’ll just let the world know about them instead.
There were 2 other tables that were at the resturant at the same time, and one of the other tables complaining about how bad and dry their fish was and sent it back.
In my book 2 out of 3 unsatisfied customers is not good in 45 mins. Do me and yourself a favor and skip this place.

These guys work hard. If you’re going to spend and you want Italian, it’s hard not to ask: why not tempo? Well, this place has pricing specials and a great location next to kleinhans. The food isn’t tempo-​caliber, but it’s tasty.

Delicious Italian food. They have great steak and seafood and even have vegetarian plates. The place is small so reservations are preferred. Excellent wines and desserts. Great for drinks before a show at kleinhans. I recommend the artichoke appetizer. Sometimes I stop in just for those! They also have specials on certain days, like dinner for 2, or 3 appetizers, etc. which are great for those on a budget.

After being rejected and sent out the door due to the lack of a reservation, I was hoping my dinner would be out of this world when I finally returned the next week WITH a reservation. This dinner was definitely a great disappointment.
Reasons:
#1: After placing the order, we had patiently waited for the bread, and waited, and waited, after 10 minutes (no joke), I had to ask the waitress point blank if I can have my bread basket
#2: Bread was cold
#3: One of the condiment bowls used for the spread and oils for the bread was chipped, the spread itself was actually to hard to be useful
#4: One of the plates set on our table was chipped (what’s up with all these chipped dishes? use them in the kitchen so the customers don’t have to)
#5: Never offer to refill my bread basket, even though a waiter and a waitress saw the basket empty, after 10 minutes, I had to flag one of them down to ask for it
#6: Caesar Salad lacked dressing, I haven’t seen one this dry for years, the salad was made mostly with the dark outer leaves although the menu specified they used romaine hearts, tsk tsk tsk
#7: Mediterranean Steak dish: the pasta part definitely needed salt, very oily, not much in the flavor department, and it was spaghetti noodles, not vermincelli, as stated on the menu; the steak, though, was great, this was the only good part during the whole experience
#8: Had to flag someone down again to ask for the check
Conclusion: definitely do not recommend this place, Amici’s on Elmwood is way better!

Prospero was a very pleasant surprise. We went on a cold Wednesday night, dinner as an excuse to break up the week. We were seated promptly. The place is small, and every table is spaced well to give a feeling of intimacy. The restaurant has a full bar, but we opted for wine from their well selected smallish wine list and were not disappointed.
The menu itself offers many options. It being a cold night, I opted for the lasagna. It was a very meaty lasagna, filled with ground beef and Italian sausage. The lasagna was dense and although it had less ricotta than I expected, it was delicious. My partner chose the Ravioli con ragu di crimini, which was a generous portion of billowy ravioli filled with cheese and topped with many crimini mushrooms in a red wine sauce with truffle oil. Delicious and enough to take home for lunch the next day!
The Caesar salad starter was dressed lightly, and accompanied by a slice of prosciutto and artichoke hearts.
Dessert was a truffle mousse cake consisting of layers of white and dark chocolate mousse surrounded by white and dark chocolate cake layers and topped with a chocolate ganache frosting. It was terrific.
Service was very friendly and professional. We will definitely be back!

Ate here last weekend. Very pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. Being a little tiny it does fill up fast. We arrived about 5:30 and there were only 3 open tables which soon filled. Good thing we had res’s. As we dined the tables turned quickly and there was a line waiting when we left.
As for the food … eh. We enjoyed the Peppers Prospero and the Artichokes Calabria but the Arancini, not so much. The only soup available was Clam Chowder. So if you didn’t want a chowder your out of luck.
Now for the entrees:
Bistecca con Burro di Gorgonzola, not so good. Not a good Strip Steak. It had too much fat and gristle. Being buried in the the rest of the ingredients made it hard to find and cut this stuff out. Not a $ 29 meal.
Braciole, was OK. My problem was the bacon wrap. It wasn’t cooked enough. It was like under cooked bacon would be, rubbery. I would suggest that it be put under the broiler for a minute to crisp it up before serving.
The wines and desserts were good.
I was going to have the Chick Parm, Lasagna or Eggplant but wanted something that wasn’t offered at all your typical Italian type places. I would like to go back for another try but it’ll be on «specials night». Suggest you do the same.
Hope to raise their rating level next time.

The atmosphere is excellent. We were seated promptly & the staff were knowledgable & friendly. Drink prices were a little expensive. My husband ordered a vodka & tonic (it was quite small) priced at $ 6.50. I had a glass of Merlot. Whatever they use to wipe their wineglasses leaves lint. The server caught it on the first glass, but not on the second. Floating inside the glass were pieces of lint & cork. My husband ordered the lasagna. He said it was «OK», but it wasn’t a «keeper» meaning it was not something he would order again. I had the eggplant parm. Unfortunately, less would have been better. It was loaded with ricotta cheese & layers of pasta. The dish tasted like glue, and you couldn’t really taste the eggplant. Amici’s is definitely better.
We really wanted to like this restuarant, but the food fell short, so doubt if we will go back.

Place was small (only about 10 tables), but food was excellent. And Italian food is too often overrated. But the waiter was… a little off. He had about 3 lines he used («Who’s hungry?» «Peace & quiet coming up.» something else), and he used them for every table, sometimes multiple times, and within earshot of all the other tables. :/​Weird. But if you can get past that, food was A++

Simply the best! Love coming here, have come with and without a Groupon voucher and always have a great time either on a date or with friends!

AWEEESOOOOOOME.
This place has GREAT food, excellent service and a relaxed yet upscale (and I dare say even mildly tacky… but in a good way) ambiance. Try them out with their Tuesday and Wednesday «$ 40 for two dinners and a bottle of wine» special. The wine they suggested, from Bulgaria I believe, was excellent. We were expecting something much less flavorful for the special.
They have the best chicken parm I’ve ever sampled — from-​scratch sauce that isn’t overly thin or sweet, tender flavorful chicken, well seasoned crispy breading, pasta on the side. The tortellini in cream sauce with veggies I tried was also excellent. They had a good-​sized diverse menu that could please the fussy and the discerning alike. A tad pricey compared to some mom’n’pop Italian places but the ingredients were quality and the kitchen staff is clearly skilled. Decent sized portions, not a long wait for our food even though they were busy.
This place is quite small and gets crowded VERY fast. Always make reservations. If you have trouble finding a spot, park in Days Park nearby and walk.

Peter and Rick know how to provide an excellent meal, with great atmosphere. My husband and I enjoyed our pre-Valentine’s Day dinner at Prospero; it was our first time there. The cozy feel, the little booths, and romantic candle-​lit tables are welcoming, with a great view of Pennsylvania Street and the historic neighborhood homes. As the snowflakes fell, we savored Pasta Rizzo (spinach, escarole, tomatoes and cannelloni beans) and spaghetti with pesto cream sauce and sun-​dried tomatoes. Simple, fresh and flavorful food, just like we had in Italy. Perfect. The enthusiastic and quick service was the icing on the cake. I returned with some friends months later and once again had a wonderful time; their food is always spot-​on, and the pricing reasonable for the quality provided. Give this little gem a chance; you won’t be disappointed!

Delicious, authentic Italian cuisine in a charming environment that lends itself to a backdrop for an intimate meal. Nervous that we were the only couple in the tiny establishment, my fears were extinguished by the huge flavorful portions and attentive service we received. The owner was quick to make lighthearted jokes and strike up a comfortable conversation with myself and my dining partner. By the time we left the establishment was filling up, and our stomachs were happily distended. Flavorful and well plated prepare yourself for a top notch meal.

Went there for a work Christmas party, and I can’t wait to go back. Intimate atmosphere, phenominal service and very nice menu with vegetarian options.

I went here on a date just last week. I got the very same seat as shown in the picture with the small fuzzy windows. On the outside, as mentioned, it looks a bit rundown. On entrance, it’s a very nice place, although a bit small. The smallness leads to a loud environment once it gets busy. We got there at 7, and there was one other table seated. By the time we left it was getting pretty noisy along with the entrance door that sounds pretty loud when it shuts. It was so loud to the point where I could hardly tell what my date was saying at times, which lead to a lot of repetition.
On to the food. As mentioned also, the size of the lasagna is kinda out of this world, and I can’t imagine someone that could actually finish it in one sitting. I didn’t ask my date what exactly he thought of it, but he said it was «good.» (No idea how good «good’ is yet on his scale) I ordered Chicken Parmagiana, It was good enough to eat the whole piece of chicken, but the «pasta side» tasted like generic or at the very best, forgettable, red sauce over some penne. For drinks he got water while I got a cosmo, which was pretty well made. A bit on the average side, the vodka was kinda noticeable, but kinda not, so it wasn’t bad. The bread was easily forgettable, but the butter was interesting tasting to say the least (it was a good interesting).
The service was pretty good. There was no waiting for anything, even when it got busy. I had nothing to really remark on other than not having to wait much at all.
Overall, I’d go back here and try something else, only because I don’t like just trying one thing off of a menu so nice, but I’d probably be just as tempted as to try somewhere else that’s completely new to me.

I dined in last night and the food was fantastic. I recommend the ravioli pomodoro and the eggplant parmesan, which is more like a fabulous lasagna. Our waiter took the time to review all of the menu items before we ordered. Don’t miss the house-​made olive butter that comes with a fresh basket of bread.

We stopped in for dinner prior to a Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performance this past weekend. The place was full, with the exception of one table for two off to the side. Since our party was for two, we graciously sat down. I ordered the lasagna, my significant other ordered a veal dish served with pasta. We both were *very* pleased with our dinners. (They were a bit spicy, but that’s how I prefer my food, so it was well-​received on my end.)
Alongside the food, the wait staff really stood out to us. We only had 50 minutes before showtime across the street at the music hall. Knowing that we were heading there, our waiter spoke with the chef and made sure they could accommodate us with the time restraint. They really were fantastic! We were served steaming hot meals with plenty of time to eat and not feel rushed.
I highly recommend Prospero. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and cozy, and the food and service are above and beyond. One of the best restaurant experiences I’ve had in Buffalo in a long time. Can’t wait to go back!
(By the way, this is an Italian eatery, although Unilocal is describing it as American.)