rustica

Stranded in Oak Harbor for the night because a storm interfered with the ferry crossing to Port Townsend. That was the first strike. We also had to divert to Rustica because my favorite dig in town, Fraisers, was completely booked out. That was the second strike.But luckily, the wind blew me in this directions because otherwise I might have never discovered this gem. Everything ordered was delightful, full 5 star level. And I'm surprised Rustica seems underrated here on Yelp.....We had the calamari fritti, a mixed salad, the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, and Picata with halibut and risotto. Everything just hit it out of ballpark, from the white balsamic vinaigrette to the (possibly) home made pasta to the Alfredo sauce to the mushroom risotto and back. The vodka martini and beer on tap was fine , although service might have been slightly more attentive. The atmosphere is casual, warmly, albeit not dimly lit, which might be much enhanced by more dimming and placement of small candles on each table. This place gives Frasiers a run for its money; it's time the secret is getting out.

Food was delicious. I wouldn't dine here if conversation is important. This was our first time eating here and did not expect how lively it would be and conversing during dinner was challenging because of that. But on the other hand, it does advertise Italian dining and a BAR so that should've clued me in lol

I stopped by here after a hike in a group of 12 for dinner. All the workers were very nice especially since their largest table only seated 10 by default. Like some of the other reviews mention, the food is on the pricy end. I got the shrimp scampi because who doesn't love pasta. Due to the size of the group, the food took a few rounds to get to the table but the waitress did a great job at getting the food out and getting us refills on the bottles of water to refill our glasses.The portion size for the shrimp scampi was decent and came with about 5 shrimp. I think the shrimp was seasoned well but it didn't offset the blandness of the pasta. I expected it to have the rich taste of butter like the shrimp. Looking back, the best bites to me had been the first few at the top of the pasta, making me think I was expected to mix my pasta some more before eating. Overall the consensus of the group was that the food was alright but felt somewhat pricey for what it was.

Amazing! It wasn't too crowded when we showed up, which was close to closing, even so they were very accommodating. Good music, clean tables, very inviting.Amber, our server, was incredible to us. She was kind and quick. The food was fantastic. First up was the meatball appetizer, they were DELICIOUS! Had to have a caesar salad of course ( that was tasty as well ), then we had the special which was some sort of chicken, pasta, pesto sauce, topped with pine nuts which was amazing! A couple drinks and two desserts later, the bill wasn't that bad at all. Would definitely recommend

After spending time at Deception Pass we were looking for a local place for dinner, and found rustica on Yelp. This is a great place, loved the interiors, very rustic. We had called ahead and made a reservation, and they had a table ready for us when we got there.We ordered Mushroom flatbread, bucatini carbonara, mushroom rigatoni, chitarra alfredo, bell's farm lamb chop and a couple arugula side salads. On the recommendation of our waitress we got the fresh baked focaccia. We loved the fresh baked focaccia, it came with olive oil and roasted garlic for dipping. The focaccia was warm, light and a great start to our meal. We loved the roasted garlic that came with it. We got the mushroom flatbread next, loved the flatbread, the pesto on it was amazing. Moving on to our entrees, we loved the pastas, each one of them great, with the bucatini carbonara being my favorite. The portion size was also right for us.For dessert we got Olive oil cake, cannoli, and the special chocolate dessert. We loved them all, specially the chocolate with the caramel sauce on top. The Olive oil cake was the right balance chocolate decadence.

Amazing food good prices. I had a breakfast meal that was not only a good value but perfectly cooked. Peppeed bacon and even locally sourced eggs . Really nice atmosphere and good service. Super good.

I really like Rustica. I met the owner by accident one evening when leaving yoga class. She was very warm and kind... someone whose restaurant you would want to support. So, when my family and I finally went (we don't have many reasons to eat out while we're in town), I was glad to find we liked the food, too.The menu is somewhat limited and, as a vegan, I have had to be careful with my choices. However, the waitstaff is super kind, the food is kind of fancy (which I like), and the ambiance of the place is sort of casual, which is also nice. Dress up or dress down; no one is judging. (If you enjoy "dressed up" pancakes or waffles, I'd like to share that they look amazing! )

Such good food!!! Omg everything we had was awesome! The bruschetta was perfect. Service was great, our server was really sweet & timely. It was a cool rustic ambiance, hence the name (:Chicken AlfredoFettuccine Alfredo

The place is very inviting and they have Very yummy food. But the prices for the portions you get are just not worth it. You are better off just making this at home for the same price. Im sorry but 11 dollars is a lot of money for 5 tiny slices of bread. I was shocked how tiny they were. The shrimp were amazing!! But the noodles were very lackluster. Just butter noodles with a hint of lemon. The grand total for just these two items was 42 dollars! This will not fill you up unless you are like a child or something..

Amazing food, absolutely amazing staff & management. Thank you Ashley, Kelsey, Mercedes, & Barry for making Dan's actual 70th night so special.