Bella Regina

First time here yesterday and the entire staff were friendly. It truly is a family-​run restaurant. The portions are very large and filled with flavor. Best riggies! I recommend the chicken riggies with sweet peppers but anyway you do it you’ll love it.

Riggies, riggies, riggies!!! Service was fantastic, food was great on the first and second night. Peaceful, fun, environment. If you are in a hurry go to a fast food establishment. Too satisfied to embellish like a wanna be food critic

Really fun place to eat! My husband, daughter, and I were in town looking at a local college and the hotel recommended Bella Regina for dinner. The Unilocal reviews were good so we decided to give it a try. The décor and music are really fun — Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Broadway musical playbills, Sinatra music — loved it! Service was great and the waitress was really friendly and helpful. The Eggplant Rollatinis were great (even if I can make them better :) and my husband was very happy with his Veal Francaise. My daughter was very happy with her pizza. Would definitely go back if we end up in Utica again. :)

I called them tonight at 7 to order takeout. The guy asked if I was willing to wait until 9 for the food to be ready, and I said, «Never mind.» Their riggies are still very good, but this place is obviously more of a hobby for the owner than a professional restaurant if a single take out order requires at least two hours.

I’m going to start by saying that after 32 years, last Saturday night was the first time that my wife and I and our son dined out in down town Utica. Generally speaking it was nice to finally do that. Now about this restaurant. My son has been there numerous times and suggested it so we went. Right off the bat we were pleased with the style of the restaurant and it smelled great when we arrived. Unfortunately it went down hill from there. We were seated early at one there vinyl with god knows what lurking in it covered tables. Paper napkins with cheep flatware rolled up inside like the local greasy spoon. These features are not becoming of the pricing on the menue. Either get decent wood or stone top tables and use cloth napkins or cover the tables with table cloths and use cloth napkins. A glance from our table toward the street and you see the filthy front windows, I mean filthy!
So once past that we were greeted by our server who was very nice but exceedingly slow. She did not take any drink order to start but instead began by taking an appetizer order. I had to press her for cocktails. Soon we were brought some complimentary starters and that was nice to see and they were enjoyable. We ordered chicken riggie rice balls and calamari and both were very good though I thought the calamari was very battery. For an entrée my wife had haddock with Utica greens, my neice had Chicken Parmesan, my son Chicken Francaise and myself Veal Francaise. All came with a side and a salad. The choices for side were all white starches except for sweet potato which three of us ordered. Soon our salads arrived and they were straight out of the bag walmart grade salads, I didn’t finish mine.terrable. This was when we got the news that they were out of the only healthy choice for a side the sweet potato. Soon the entrees came, served on Corelle type dishes and while they were acceptable I have to say that my veal was extremely tough and both my sons and mine was very much over battered and swimming in sauce. I had ordered mine over a bed of spinach, $ 2 extra. I was expecting cooked spinach but again raw baby spinach right out of the bag swimming in the sauce is what I got. The waitress paid us numerous visits but never asked if we would like another round of drinks so I had to ask her and at the end of the meal they came and collected all of our dishes but never asked if we would like coffee or dessert so we just decided to pass on that. This restaurant could be great, it’s a real shame that no one seems to pay attention to detail. Think we’ll try another place before we return here.

Bella Regina is one of the best restaurants in the area! Since moving to Central New York almost four years ago and eating out frequently, this was one of the best dining experiences I’ve had.
We were in Utica for an event and were looking for a good place to eat. The other Unilocal reviews were overwhelmingly positive, so we quickly decided to give it a try. The environment is a little kitschy, but very warm and inviting. Like others have said, it’s like walking into an Italian family’s home and being welcomed with open arms. The server was very kind, answered all of our questions, and made great recommendations. She seemed to love working there, which made us love being there.
We started with the arancini, which were huge! Very cheesy-​stretchy and even better dipped in marinara. For my entrée, I had the chicken riggies. I say this without an ounce of hyperbole: some of the very best food I’ve ever tasted! I still dream of those riggies. They are the gold standard for all riggies. The noodles, chicken, and peppers come floating in a moat of rich, creamy, rosy sauce. The tangy punch of the cream cheese really comes through, which is amazing. My wife had the chicken anna bella, which comes covered with ham and mozzarella over a bed of rice and broccoli. I had a taste, and it was very good, too.
As others have commented, the portions are ridiculous. I have an appetite, and I got two very filling meals and a few snacks out of what I ordered.
We drive from Syracuse just for Bella Regina. If you’re anywhere within a 100-​mile radius, please, do yourself a favor and try Bella Regina!

Had chicken riggies and Utica green for the first time tonight. Happy this place was recommended to us. Service was great. Food was awesome. The pasta could be cooked slightly longer. But all and all an awesome dinner

Went there and had eggplant rollatines. Fiancé had chicken parm. We were both very disappointed. Both dishes covered in way too much sauce. Dinners had almost no flavor. Service was great. Food was very disappointing. Won’t go back.

Every time I go there I leave stuffed. The food is so tasty that you look forward to going again and exploring the other dishes rice balls are mouth watering the stuffed eggplant was put of this world. The main course I had last night was the veal sorentimo the veal was so tender and it was complimented with eggplant, mozzarella cheese and greens a Utica favorite.
The atmosphere in the place is sixties in the background u may hear a Sinatra tune or an oldie Goldie
Great coffee to top off a great dinner also the cannoli a were home made
Price was very reasonable also .
The service was up to par water glasses were kept full a good sign on the good service to come

My favorite food in Utica is prepared at Bella Reginas. Dave the hostess (and I believe part owner) is always nice! Would highly recommend the eggplant rollitini

If there was a Utica themed restaurant, it would probably be Bella Regina. The kitschy clutter urges diners to remember a different time, when the Rat Pack bellowed love songs, and the lights, other than cop cars, gleamed on Genesee Street.
To start, the portions are out of control – almost burdensome. While I am not opposed to taking some food to go, we ended up with several boxes stuffed with to go items, which became a bit of a mess. Despite the prominent use of sauce, the riggies that we had boxed were unceremoniously dumped in a styrofoam container, placed into a typical plastic grocery bag. The garbage back I keep in my car for emergency purposes saved my interior from the sloshing sauce, though I can’t say I would mind the smell.
Overall, the food was good. We tried the rice balls, since they came highly recommended. My chicken was very good, with my only complaint being that there was simply too much of it (where does one find a chicken of that size?). My sister reported that the riggies lived up to all of the hype. The service was average – it was pretty quiet when we were there, but it still felt like basic restaurant mechanics took a long time (getting drinks, the check).
I would recommend taking an out-​of-​towner here to give them a true Utica experience.

I can’t rave enough about their riggies, I had chicken my sister had shrimp they are the best in town! The shrimps were huge and full of flavor. The service was awesome, friendly, and personable. I will definitely be back again. The place is very cute with all the pictures, decorations, and nice lighting.

Best $ 20 authentic Italian meal I’ve had in awhile. Family establishment where son manages, his sister cooks and mom waits tables. Place was whimsically converted from a flower shop 1.5 years ago. Amazing home-​made Lemonciello was provided to deal the meal. Excellent!

Bella’s food is pretty good. Great rice balls and riggies — potentially the best riggies in the city of Utica. The service is always polite and efficient. Their atmosphere, however, is a total mystery. Statues of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis clash with Classic Italian décor and old Hollywood and Broadway posters. It’s a bit too eclectic. The worst is the lounge lizard singer that takes up residence by the front door.

My brother recommended Bella Regina to me– I believe it used to be the chatterbox nightclub if I’m not mistaken? Oh my gosh they revamped this entire place and it looks absolutely AMAZING!!! The décor is awesome, it’s all Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Broadway musical playbills– everything you can imagine and I fell in love with it. The host was a really nice guy with a charming personality and welcoming smile! He made us feel at home. The BF got the all you can eat chicken riggies & greens lunch special (includes salad) for $ 9.99– what a great price! He loved the riggies– they have a spicy kick to them– they were really delicious as well as the greens! I got a skirt steak sandwich– forgot what it was called but all the sandwiches have pretty cool names like «Elvis» and «the New Yorker» etc. it was really good, I ate the whole thing and probably gained like 5 pounds at this meal but it was worth it. Our waiter was a really laid back, funny guy. I saw that they have homemade sangria at the bar– I will definitely be back to try it. Def recommended! The atmosphere, service, food and ambience is all excellent! I wish I took pictures bc the décor is seriously awesommmme!

Portions were huge and food was good. Veal parm wasn’t what I expected but the riggies were very good. Be ready for a nice atmosphere with a family vibe. Live music wasn’t bad either

Terrible service! Waited over an hour to eat. They need to stop hiring all their family and hire people that actually know how to manage and run a restaurant. Lady cook in the back, put a hat on so your hair doesn’t get in the food. Your brother is not a good host and your mother doesn’t have a clue on how to take orders. And the food isn’t that great, we will not be returning. Because I don’t believe in being negative and not teaching, here’s something 1^st rule in running a restaurant,
You «Always» want your customers to return, so make them happy, not frustrated… Your Welcome!

Definitely worth checking out, there is a live singer Friday and Saturday nights singing your favorite old hits, delicious food, huge portions and friendly staff. On a busy night it took about 45 minutes to get our food but it was well worth the wait

I had a wonderful experience when I went. I think this is a good Italian restaurant to bring kids to on Friday and Saturday. Very family friendly.
A few things to know: 1) Don’t be in a hurry to go in, eat, and leave. The waitstaff is one of the most friendly I’ve encountered in the area but they’re not in a rush. You shouldn’t be either. 2) If Hagrid from Harry Potter were to live in Utica, he would eat here. The portion sizes are enormous. I can proudly put away a lot of food and I was only able to eat about ¹⁄₃ of what was served to me. 3) There’s a lounge singer there on Fridays and Saturdays. I was prepared to be annoyed, but it turned out to be kind of entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised.
I had the linguine with Alfredo sauce and chicken. Very delicious. I waddled out of the restaurant with a big smile on my face. My wife had an eggplant dish. She liked it, but found the marinara sauce to be too sweet.
Overall, I recommend that people give this place a try. Everyone who worked there was very personable and friendly. This isn’t the type of restaurant that everyone is going to fall in love with, but those who do like it are going to go back regularly.

As a rookie (to both Utica and ‘Riggies’) I enjoyed the lunch buffet immensely. Not only was the food amazing (so creamy and fresh) but the staff was beyond helpful and kind.
I was there after lunch and the place was nearly empty except for the wonderful smells and big smiles on the staff and patrons!
I will go back in a heartbeat… oh and be sure to order some garlic bread. Simple yet delicious!