Shmoovchaz
Had lunch with a few friends. The location is great and the view of the runway is something else, watching the private planes taking off and landing. Had the Classic Burrger. Tasted great and It was cooked to perfection.
Went back for dinner with my wife. Wanted to share the experience with her. Not as much activity in the runway but still cool. Had the Rigatoni and my wife had the Tuscan chicken special with sweet potato risotto. Food was excellent. Risotto could have been a little warmer. Wasn’t cold but wasn’t hot enough. Our waitress Kelly was outstanding.
… moreCesar Losada
Restaurant Review: Volo – A Promising Culinary Gem with Room for Growth
I recently visited Volo for lunch and was pleased to find that the smaller daytime menu did not compromise on quality or flavor. Every dish I tried was well-executed, fresh, and delicious—leaving me eager to return for the more extensive dinner menu. The ambiance was equally impressive, blending tasteful design with an unbeatable view that enhances the overall experience.
Previously, this location was home to a restaurant called 121, which eventually closed. Thankfully, new ownership has taken over and opened Volo—a fresh start in the same space, and one that shows real potential. It’s clear that the kitchen has strong talent behind it.
However, while the food and atmosphere were both exceptional, the service fell noticeably short—a critical component in any dining experience.
My server consistently approached at inopportune times, often interrupting just as food arrived with premature questions about how everything tasted—before I had the chance to try a bite. More concerning was her absence during key moments, particularly when I needed a second drink. This happened more than once, and on each occasion, she was nowhere to be found.
I also witnessed an odd dynamic where she needed assistance from a second server simply to manage a table of four. She wasn’t new or in training—this seemed more like a lack of confidence or work ethic. Meanwhile, Jackson, a standout busser, was attentive, efficient, and even apologized for my server’s lapse, bringing my drink promptly with a professionalism that deserves recognition. In fact, Jackson displayed a level of service that should earn him serious consideration for a promotion.
Unfortunately, the floor staff appeared disorganized, with several blonde waitresses overlapping responsibilities instead of managing their sections independently. My server seemed overwhelmed and inattentive. She visited our table initially, then completely disengaged.
Despite the disappointing service, I still see great potential in Volo. My hope is that the management takes a closer look at service standards, as hospitality is just as vital as the food in this industry.
As for the gratuity, I felt the service did not merit a tip at all. However, my girlfriend chose to leave a 10% tip out of courtesy—something I personally disagreed with, as I believe accountability is essential in the service industry. The gesture was generous, and hopefully a reminder that consistent and attentive service should never be taken for granted.
I do plan to return for dinner, and I’m hopeful that the service will improve. Should that happen, I’ll be more than happy to update my review accordingly—whether for better or worse.
… moreFood of CT
My family and I used to love the former 121 Restaurant, so we were very excited to go back for a big family dinner before Christmas. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and it was a treat to get to enjoy the Oxford airport runway again. They had some festive drinks for the holiday, and though they took a little long to make, we let it go. Appetizers arrived, and all were good, though the garlic knots could’ve been a bit softer, and the complimentary bread was ice cold like it had just come out of the fridge. We arrived at 6 for our reservation and didn’t receive our dinners until nearly 7:30pm, and though it was a Sunday night before Christmas, the restaurant only had a few tables of people and wasn’t busy at all. The waitress apologized profusely and explained that most of their chefs were on vacation and that there were only 2 people back there cooking. We were shocked to hear that management wouldn’t have planned this better, or maybe not have allowed us to make a reservation for 7 people knowing they were this understaffed. My poor dad waited long after everyone had received their meals to finally receive his scallop special, and my mother in law ordered the Buddha bowl, and the rice was so hard that it seemed to be day old, or had to have been sitting out for quite a while. She only took a few bites and sent it back to the kitchen, deciding not to order anything else. Everything else was okay, but we weren’t blown away. I honestly would’ve given this review a 2 start rating, but our server really went out of her way to make it right in the end, and we were very appreciative of that. She took the scallops off the bill for the terribly long wait, as well as the Buddha bowl since my mother in law sent it back. They also took off the first round of drinks for the long wait for dinner, and she waived the automatic gratuity for larger parties. It’s rare to find a restaurant that will own their mistakes to this extent and make it up to the customer. For this reason, I would consider giving Volo another chance. While I feel the service may be better on a second visit, I’m not so sure about the food. I know they’re newer but I hope they can improve.
… moreJavier Rodriguez
@Nicole Baldwin that is an interesting review and perspective about the day of the superbowl because I was there too. It is also funny that you said “as a Southbury resident I feel like I have to apologize (on the previous review) to assume that we are not Southbury residents because we are all Southbury residents! Oxford, however is a different town sweety..Nobody wanted ALL of the televisions to play the halftime show, I specifically asked for the television playing something else, to be turned down because as soon as the halftime show started, the volume on the television at the bar, skyrocketed! To the point where we could not make out what was playing in front of us. If you advertise a buffet style special for the halftime show and we are paying customers for this event specifically, why am I hearing and watching something else? Imagine signing up and paying for salsa classes that was advertised and you get pole lessons instead. It was obvious that frustrations came from the other side of the isle also because when the volume was up and turned down at the bar, hands went flailing like wildfire as if they were upset that they had to hear Bad Bunny playing. There was clear division that I have never seen before in my life, it felt like the 1800’s and very sad to experience. There were no other patrons in the dining area than us, solely those at the bar, and if that isn’t a clear message alone then I don’t know what is. This was NOT our first time at Volo but will certainly be our last. Not to mention every other time we have visited, a lot of your students/teens/servers working the tables spent a lot of time chatting and giving food and drinks to their other friends while I waited A LONG time to get my food. I have not written a review before because I like to think that management is paying attention and then maybe next time it will not happen, a person of second chances, until now. The staff working that night was excellent, very very, amazing service but I almost can’t help but to think the service was great because we were a large, paying, table, but not because everyone is treated equally here, because every other time, and that night, horrible experiences overall. Me and my family have experienced this similarly before in a pizzeria nearby, the stares and poor service, it doesn’t bother me to be the one and only, I embrace it, but it bothers me that we are still like this in 2026 and my money will not go to these places.
… moreChelsea
Our family of 4 loved it. Our two small kids enjoyed sitting outside & watching the airplanes come & go. We had the whole outdoor seating to ourselves at 1230 on a Sunday. Food was great & so was our service. Looking forward to coming back.
… moreoceanofjelly
I love Volo. I come as often as I can. The food is great and the staff are even better. Shout out to Ari and Hailey, but everyone has always been super nice and attentive. I would encourage everyone to try it. You won’t regret it.
… moreErik Grudzien
Very happy to see something open back up in this spot where The 121 was after being absent for so many years. Working down the road this has always been the quickest spot to go to for lunches, not to mention the amazing views. Came “back” for the first time this week to try out Volo for lunch and was not disappointed! Our servers were very police and quick. Food came out nice and quick as well! We had a pair of burgers, my Volo burger was amazing and priced at $19 for this loaded burger and fries is a great value these days. Cooked perfectly, tasted amazing! We happened to also catch a military Osprey taking off while here, quiet the view! Hope to be back many more times in the future.
Noteworthy: There are currently no alcoholic drinks (Beer, wine, cocktails) as they are pending permits for do so. They did offer some mocktail options though for the time being! Once this happens this will be the spot for after work dinner and drinks with amazing views!
… moreM&M DuBoys
Great place. Wandered in for a early dinner and we were greeted quickly and seated up against the windows for a perfect view of the planes coming and going. Ordered drinks which were served chilled and made well.. Caesar salad was fresh and very tasty. Cauliflower bites need improvement and were a bit big for apps.
Volo Burger was amazing and rigatoni with spicy sausage was very tasty. Thank you.
Will return soon.
… moreAndrew
This is a really cool hidden restaurant. We were able to watch many airplanes take off and land while eating lunch. The waitress was very attentive and the food came quick, was hot and tasted good. We will def be back with the kids to enjoy. Wings were very good!
… moreGina
I read mixed reviews on this restaurant before deciding to try it out. I picked this because my three year old loves planes, and it was a great experience for her sitting outside watching them takeoff and land. There were issues with the service, however. The glass of wine I ordered came from a bottle that had been sitting for days, which you could smell and taste. The manager/bartender (not sure who) opened a new bottle and brought out a new glass. Our party of 6 (4 adults, a toddler, and a 7 month old) ordered our meals. When the food came out, everything but the salmon came out & the sever told us it would be a bit longer. About 15-20 min later, we had to ask someone else when the salmon would be out. Once it finally arrived, we asked what happened & the server told us she forgot to put the order in. Then it was time for the bill. Up until this point I could have ignored everything else. We received a bill with no discount for the servers error, and on top of that, were charged an automatic 20% tip for our party of 6, counting a 7 month old baby as a person, who obviously didn’t eat anything. The service was slow, and the restaurant was practically empty. Overall it wasn’t a good experience food/service wise, but the views were nice.
… more