Pinocchio’s Pizza
1449 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91104
Pinocchio’s Pizza Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Pasadena for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1449 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA, 91104 - Phone (626) 791-7591
- Website https://www.pinocchios-pizza.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Jeff B.
This place is average at best. Pizza kind of sucked
(2)Anahit P.
Very nice and clean restaurant. I love, love the veggie pizza, the spinach artichoke dip and the bruschetta.
(5)Ali H.
This review more strongly relates more to one incident but it was enough to ruin the experience thereby nullifying any positive the restaurant may have earned. Discounts: They offer $15% for users of yelp. However they cap it at $50. Understandable which to me means that you can get a maximum of $7.50 off your check. Nope!!! It means if your bill is $49 you pay $42 but if your bill is $51 you are penalized and pay $51. Huh??? They apparently have no way of applying a discount without taking it off the whole check. Food: not bad, good quality food, served hot and prices reasonable. This would have gotten them 3 stars had they not screwed me on the money. Service: mediocre at best. Salad plates stayed on the table until past dinner. No beverages refilled. 1 touch back immediately after delivery but not even a dessert offer. This helped seal the 1 star review for them. And the nail in the coffin: Cover: **warning : hidden cover of $4 per person even children never disclosed prior. My nephew fell asleep he was so tired and my son covered his ears at times because it was loud. The band was good but it needs to be more clearly advertised prior not just when the check comes. How ironic: dishonest billing from a place called Pinocchio.
(1)Tisa W.
Our pizza, chicken wings and French fries where delivered hot and on time. Food Is very good! Thank you my follow yelp'rs reviews do help
(4)Norma M.
Loving their chicken lasagna. Although not on the menu, I ask for it with pink sauce. Delicious. Although service can sometimes be a little slow and they need to work out their kinks, we always enjoy coming here, especially when we get Victoria as our server. She's smart, friendly, and a hustler. She asks if we want a menu because she has our "usual" memorized. I think all of those with negative reviews should give them a second chance. I wasn't a fan at first, but now I am.
(5)Cindy N.
Best Italian food in Pasadena! Great happy hour menu. Huge screen to watch your favorite sports!!! My favorite restaurant in Pasadena!!!
(5)sheryl k.
This review is for another restaurant - Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio's - that restaurant is a five star. I've never been to this restaurant. The review I posted here was a mistake. The names sound alike ***** OMG this place is heaven on earth! I was first made aware of this restaurant from a friend about a year ago. It's about 15 minutes from my home, so we have to plan to go here. We were mind-boggled when we first went -- it's like what we'd imagine a New York Italian delicatessen/restaurant is like. The vibe is amazing and real. The food is out of this world! I'd eat here daily if I could (and then I'd weigh 300 pounds, haha!) Everything is amazing. The people are friendly, it's family friendly, sort of cafeteria style . Most everything is ready (except the pizza). I can't gush enough about the food. Oh my God! You have to go here!!
(5)Alisha C.
I ordered food from here for delivery through eat 24 the estimate was 45-60 minutes my order was super simple. I called them at 1hr 10 to see where my food was. Man on the phones said it would be 15 minutes its now past 15 minutes. I don't live far from them at all this is really insane.
(1)James R.
Great pizza with swift delivery. ALMOST a four-star rating, but they are a little pricy given their minimum price for delivery is $15 PLUS they have a two dollar delivery fee. But like I said, the pizza is very, very good.
(3)Lisa D.
Delicious, fresh, friendly, reasonably priced. What more do I need to say? Thank you, Pinocchio's for a very pleasant, satisfying experience. I'll be back soon!
(5)Doug C.
Fun, friendly neighborhood atmosphere with a touch of class. Good Pizza, and handled a crazy walk-in with multiple families and tons of kids graciously. They turned off the TV in our area on request (preferred to not have the kids watching it). They even gave us the Yelp check-in discount even though I had forgot to ask about it before the check came. Their beer list looks fantastic - will have to try it sometime when I can come back. Thanks!
(4)Pascale N.
All right they have redeemed themselves....I came here a second time because it was close to PIHOP and was less expensive than the soul food place next door. There were $8 of us. We used this coupon $20.99 for a 16" pepperoni pizza, 1 salad and one spaghetti bowl. The salad and spaghetti were pretty small. To accommodate all of our stomachs, we ordered two more 10" pizza (we should have gone 12" because there were more boys than girls). Either I was really hungry or the pizzas were good. 3 stars this time.
(3)Jeremy C.
Unfortunately I'm not impressed. Made a phone order for a pizza and side dish. Was told it would be 35-40 min for pick up. Arrived 40 min later they asked me to pay and was then instructed it would be another 15-20 min before my order was ready. The place was less than half full and not at all busy. No excuse in my opinion and was only offered a drink while waiting.
(1)Mama O.
Consistantly good food and service, nice draft beer selection too!
(4)Krysta B.
Had never eaten here before and I lived in the area so I went in with my mom. I didn't know what to expect. The atmosphere was calm yet exciting, and our server Brenda was so funny and welcoming. When it came to ordering she made an excellent suggestion by telling me to order the seafood Alfredo dinner! I'll definitely be coming back!
(5)Jade M.
One of the best happy hours around. Great beers on tap. Decent food. Love the bar area vibe. -1 star for service (or lack thereof). Blonde girl at bar is excellent, though. I'll probably just sit in the bar/lounge area from now on since each experience in the dining area has been subpar.
(4)Iris W.
I'm a regular here! Love their pizzas!! On Saturday night, there's great live music. Waiters and waitress are all very friendly!! Def recommend to come when you have a taste for Italian good!
(5)Urb4n M.
They have a prompt and trustworthy delivery service. The Pizza here is not like Domenico's but good none-the-less. A few beers on tap and an extensive wine selection. If you're going for Pizza. The Greek Mediterranean is a sleeper pick. The conventional cheese and the addition of feta, cilantro and spinach is a taste to behold. For you beer connoisseurs; they have Delirium here.
(5)Tony A.
Good food, generous portions, decent selection of import and domestic drafts, nice atmosphere, attentive and friendly staff. Good place for a date, if you want something intimate with quality food, but don't want to go over the top.
(4)Loreto P.
Found this place by chance coming back from a hike in the Altadena mountains. The name Pinocchio caught my eye ,then the happy hour advertised on the door pulled me in. The place looked new and clean, nice lounge area to relax in. I saw several happy hour choices on the menu at great prices, including a great deal on peroni beer, so I ordered a caprese salad, the bruschetta and the spinach dip ( I've been hiking what do you expect?)... see I'm a "caprese-holic" so I figured... meh, probably won't be that great. Boy was I wrong! They brought this large beautifully arranged plate with big pieces of firm tomatoes, nice textured mozzarella cheese .... ( and here's the best part) : huge whole basil leaves. Not your cut up small pieces of basil that's been setting in the fridge for days , but so fresh and bright green you could smell the basil as the server was bringing it out. A little olive oil , a little balsamic and a little pepper.... Wow! What a nice surprise . So after polishing that, the bruschetta and artichoke dip were also very good, nice mixed flavors with not too much garlic. But I had to order another caprese salad cause the girl I was with ate half of it ( how dare she ) so now it's "two orders" every time or you'll lose a finger. The parking ?.... well, just make sure your parking brake is in good condition. I haven't tried dinner here yet and I don't think I'm jumping the gun with a 5 stars review.... But the caprese salad : Mamma Mia ! Note to "some " of you other restaurants : Don't skimp on the basil, it makes all the difference in the world.
(5)candie s.
Called in for a delivery order on a Saturday night. The wait was a bit long before the food arrived, but it was sort of expected since it was around 7pm. I ordered the salmon entree with pesto linguine, the meat lasagna and an anti-pasta salad. Everything was quite tasty. The noodles were surprisingly cooked very well and not mushy in the least. I also appreciate that they packaged the dressing separately on the salad as opposed to tossing it in. I prefer Domenico's in reference to quality and taste, but the fact that Pinocchio's delivers with no additional charge will have me calling them up again.
(3)V E.
After 20 years of getting their door hanger advertisement we took the plunge and finally visited this restaurant. I'm thinking 2.5 stars, but let's be fair and go with the -1/+1 route for this review. Parking sucked (-1). Then, we waited about 2 minutes at the entrance (-1) when a hostess came by and said, "there's an open table over there." She did not lead us to the table (-1). We found the table and she set the menus down at the table next to us, as the table was dirty and I had to ask her to wipe it (-1). Thanks for wiping AND drying it (+1). She then handed us the menus in an odd fashion. Next time please hand the menu to the female FIRST (-1). We ordered three different pasta dishes. The salad came out quickly. It was the simplest and freshest salad I have ever had at a restaurant (+1), no joke. The entrees came out 2 minutes after the salads, which was way too quick (did I just complain about the food arriving too quickly??? -1 for me!). Please give us at least 5 minutes to eat our salads (-3). The beef ravioli and 2 different alfredo dishes were pretty good (+3). The portions were huge (+1). The garlic bread was also not too bad (+1). Don't stack it soo tightly - it gets soggy (-1). The decor is simple yet classy (+1). The bar/lounge area looks like a great place to chill and watch a game (+1). Normal people come to this place (+1 for no hipsters). The bill was around $40 for 3 people (+1), with enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch (+1). Using the PEMDAS order of operations, here's the final tally: (-1*4)+1-1+1-(-1)-3+3+(1*2)-1+(1*5) = +4 (you know you want to verify this in your head) Surprise, surprise. We'll be back.
(4)Justin J.
This place is okay. The owner is a nice gentleman and most the staff is good. The food is well above average than what you pay for and and the beers are perfectly chosen to go with such meals ranging in many flavors. One waitress there by the names of Betty is very friendly and sweet. She will go out of her way for any customer and always earns more than her tip no matter how much I leave her. There is one day out of the week (Which I can't remember which one.) when a band will play live music and they love to switch up the styles of each band they invite for each night. Most the time the band has a Jazz sound to it and is perfect to relax and enjoy, but not good for if you wish to have conversation over dinner. I would give them 5 stars, but it just isn't a five star building. (Still great for a date though.)
(4)Amanda M.
Let's keep this short and simple: Their food? Eh, It's OK but I've had better italian. The pizza is fine but the crust is hard and tastes like cardboard. Their Service? I have never experienced worse service. If you go to eat here, you'll be there for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or 2 hours.
(2)Ed A.
Great happy hour specials, $5 cheese pizza and $1 for each topping. Decent selection of beers and a mellow ambiance. I've been here multiple times and the staff is absolutely friendly and outgoing. The parking lot is on the small side, but it's on a single family residential area, so there is an abundance of street parking. I've had their calamari (crispy and light, they know how to fry), cheese bread with marinara and various pizzas. This is a good place for a low key dinner with friends. The have live music on weekends, but I'm yet to visit on those days. It has a "neighborhood restaurant feel", I like this place.
(4)Jessica L.
I really wanted to like this place. I wanted it so bad I continued to go back despite repeated terrible experiences. It's one of the few restaurants in Altadena; it's spacious, serves beer and wine, has decent happy hours, and occasional live music. That's where it stops. The food is mediocre; everything I've ever ordered has been blah. It also takes forever to come out. I could deal with the forgettable food but the customer service is so awful it is difficult to sit through a meal without it becoming a huge distraction. I've eaten there a handful of times (each time with the wishful thinking that maybe things would improve.) Every time someone in my party ended up walking up to the bar counter to ask for something due to multiple failed attempts to make eye contact with the server or politely waive someone down. It's hard not to feel like the servers deliberately avoid looking at their tables as they walk by. The place is usually dead so there is no excuse for that. Once, the food was delivered and the server walked away so quickly we didn't get a change to tell him we still didn't have our place settings. The server then completely disappeared. We just sat there starring at our food get cold until one of us finally got up to retrieve some forks from the bar. Another time my husband's credit card was never returned after it was taken with the check and when he asked for it back the server said he didn't have it (he then searched for it and brought it back without any apologies.) The last time we purposefully said as we ordered that we were in a hurry, since the service is so incredibly SLOW. When the food came out, we asked for the check immediately. We were pleasantly surprised when the server returned with it right away. My husband instantly put his credit card in it, then our server became so engaged in a conversation with a patron at the bar he completely forgot about us. Once again, my husband had to walk up to the server and ask him to run his credit card so we could get the hell out of the place. Time and time again, we've felt ignored, as if we were an inconvenience to the staff. The servers are unfriendly, unwelcoming, and show zero sense of urgency in meeting customer's needs. For a place with no customers and bland food, this is a bad combination.
(2)Robert S.
Great place for music on Saturday nights, mostly jazz and Latin. Excellent local bands like Tujunga Social Club and the Allan Wasserman Big Big Band. Music, Italian food and wine and beer, what could be better?
(4)Albert R.
I really think they should take the word "pizza" out of their name because it is definitely the worst pizza I've ever had. The cheese was cheap and old, pizza was lukewarm and the crust was hard. We were the only ones in the restaurant during lunch hour and it took 30 minutes. My guess is the 30 minutes were for them to run to Little Caesar's and buy a pizza, then switch into their own pizza box. It costs $10 for the pizza so that scenario could be very realistic.
(1)Rache S.
Had dinner with the family after church one night and we were pleasantly surprised. Parking was a bit difficult, but there was a tiny lot behind the restaurant with free parking. We walked in from the back entrance and were shown to a booth that was free. The decor is nice and simple, clean and updated. There was a nicely lit Christmas tree up by the front window that was simple, yet festive. Both my husband and I really liked the set-up of the bar/lounge area at the center of the restaurant--looks like a nice place to hang out and watch a game. The restaurant is moderately sized---about 5 or so booths and several tables surrounding the lounge. There is a separate room with a brick wall and chandeliers off to one side that can be used for banquets. My son ordered the garlic mozzarella cheese bread for an appetizer--it was served with a marinara dipping sauce and could have easily have been his dinner (since he ordered cheese pizza anyway). Flavor-wise, it was okay--nothing too special. Lots of cheese, but I didn't care too much for the dipping sauce. The hubby ordered a caprese salad for an appetizer which was a decent size and delicious. For my entrée, I opted for the beef lasagna and was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it! The sauce had a nice balance of sweetness (which I like) without being too sweet, just a kick of spice, and a nice roasted tomato flavor. It came with generous serving of garlic bread and was more than enough for dinner and leftovers for the next day. Two meals in one for $11 is pretty good. Hubby split a pizza with our son--half cheese and half chicken pesto. The pizza was okay. The dough was on the thinner side, but I'm not sure you can classify it as a "thin crust" pizza. Flavor was okay, though. I didn't try the chicken pesto, but hubby said it was decent. So, I'm not sure the pizza was a winner, but I would definitely order the lasagna again. Dessert was delicious--we ordered the chocolate ganache cheesecake. Yum! Hubby is not a fan of semi-sweet or dark chocolate, but he said this was actually good. It is a layer of chocolate ganache on top of a New York style cheesecake with a chocolate crumb crust. Topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Service was okay. Our server was nice enough and re-filled our drinks a few times. Overall, we were pleased and would go back again for dinner or lunch. In fact, I think we caught the tail end of happy hour which is 7 days a week and got a few dollars off of our appetizers. Bonus! :)
(3)Melissa M.
Poor service really ruins this experience. I've ordered twice for delivery through Eat 24, and was nearly chewing my arm off from starvation before the deliveryman arrived. You pay a delivery fee of $2 in addition to over $12 for a pasta dinner and then wait over an hour for your food to arrive. The restaurant doesn't call to inform you they're running behind. Of course, you've already tipped the driver when you placed your order. I'm sorry, but I think that if you're paying for delivery, it should at the very least arrive within the promised time window or a phone call should be placed. Now, I will agree that the meat sauce is very good and flavorful and the meal is packaged up nicely so it won't spill all over you when you open it, but this restaurant seriously needs to hire another driver or two. I remember years ago that this same place always had an excuse for late delivery, so I quit ordering from them for a long time. I do believe I will avoid them from now on.
(2)Grace Y.
Yum!
(4)Content O.
I was in the Pasadena neighborhood last night & was taking a pleasant stroll up n' down the street to find a place to eat dinner with my brother. I decided to eat at "Pinocchio's Pizza Italian Restaurant." When we entered the place, we waited to be seated. The nice server named Victoria gave us the booth of our choice. To my delightful surprise, the food here is actually VERY GOOD! I ordered the shrimp & mushrooms pasta dish with angel hair & my brother - spaghetti with meatballs. Dinner entrees come with a garden salad & garlic bread. Everything was GOOD! Their portions are HUGE! If you like eating in moderation, then I would suggest ordering 1 entrée & sharing it! For dessert, I ordered a chocolate soufflé & it was fantastic: rich, sweet, melt in your mouth & oh so yummy! Victoria was so nice, friendly & accommodating! She gave us great service for the 2.5 hours we sat & ate & watched t.v. on their plasma screen. There was lastly a live jazz band playing super loud music. Bring a pair of earplugs, if you have sensitive ears. I will definitely go back with an empty, empty stomach! You gotta try this place! d:o) d:o) d:o)
(4)Tyler B.
Been here a couple of times, mediocre at best. The wait staff are poorly trained the food was below average and very over-priced. Go to Pizza of Venice instead.
(2)Rosie A.
I drive 17miles if I want this place. I love the pasta and the prices in this place! Good service.
(5)Maddie M.
The pizza was good but delivery took a bit longer than I would have liked. It wasn't quite worth the wait
(3)Shea J.
This is a great spot for pizza, beers and big-screen sports! A clean and comfortable restraunt with friendly staff and excellent food.
(5)Donna S.
We used to like this place a lot. Good food at good prices. We've been here several times, just the two of us, and we always sit in a booth. We like booths. Well this time we went in for dinner, and we were looking forward to their lasagna. The place was fairly busy, nobody seemed to be seating people, so we flagged a server and asked for the back booth. She said "just let me wipe it off." So she did and when we went to sit down another server came up and and asked us to sit at a table because they "like to save the booths for parties of 4 or more." However, two of the other booths has only two people at them. So we pointed this out to the server, who said she was sorry, but she didn't offer to let us sit in the booth. So we left. I know it may sound petty, but what is up with that. It's not like there were people standing in line to get in. We went right next door and enjoyed a terrific meal at Big Mamas. In a booth. I guess we'll have to find a new favorite Italian place.
(1)Mike D.
First off, the pizza is very good. It's the other stuff that's the problem. I called in with a timed order for pickup at 6:45. My wife showed up at 7:45 and it wasn't ready. They claimed they made the pizza and then tossed it out because we were "late," since the place was extremely packed and looked disorganized and understaffed, and other people on here also report their pizzas not being made when they were supposed to, I'm willing to bet they never made it. I mean, 15 minutes to wait for a pizza to cook is not the end of the world, but it's annoying to wait when you put in a timed order well before showing up. Hello, the reason people put in timed orders is so they don't have to wait. The manager wouldn't give any discount and brushed it off like it was no big deal. I guess they do it every day. Yes, the food is way better than Domino's or Papa John's. Sadly, the service is on par with fast food - forgetful, slow, unaccommodating.
(2)Stve C.
Pizza was awesome loved the wings good place to eat when u don't wanna cook fast and convenient
(5)Rebecca T.
My boyfriend and I were driving around, looking for a place to eat, and decided to stop here on a whim. ...it was a good whim. The interior manages to be both spacious and cozy. On our visit, the restaurant was filled with all kinds of people, all kinds of ages. It's a classy place, but still kid-friendly. Our food was really tasty! I couldn't fully decide what I wanted off of the menu, so I got half spinach ravioli, and half meat ravioli. It came with meat sauce on top (from the meat ravioli selection). It was delicious! This place definitely has that "home-cooked" flavor to it - not heavy and unsurprising like something you'd find at the Cheese Cake Factory. (No offense to CCF - they're good - but I liked this more.) My boyfriend got the chicken parmesan. That was good - but didn't leave as much of an impression on my memory...probably because I was too busy scarfing down my raviolis. ;) We also got the fried calamari as a starter, and boy-oh-boy, that was good too! It came with a side of their homemade marinara sauce (which was also on my boyfriend's chicken parmesan). Tasty, tasty, tasty! I guess it's safe to say I liked the food. The pizza menu also looked fabulous and we plan on going back so we can adventure into it. The staff could have been slightly more attentive, but they were certainly friendly and helpful when it came to ordering.
(4)Kai R.
This is an out of the way pizza / pasta joint (North Lake Ave area). Decor of the restaurant is pretty nice. We went for lunch (weekday) / it was empty except one other table. Usual menu of different pizzas and pastas (Americanized). Had the Greek pizza, which was pretty good but would have preferred a thinner crust. Also had a seafood pasta dish that wasn't bad, but way over-sauced. It is fairly close, but there are better Italian restaurants closer to the house, so we probably won't go back.
(2)Aaron G.
My quest for really good local pizza has again come up dry. We got two specialty pizzas. Despite the fact they came loaded with ingredients, the whole affair was strangely tasteless. The crust wasn't very good and one of the pizzas was slightly burned on the bottom, which caused several of us to peel off the toppings and leave the burnt carcass on the side. Most damning of all, the next day when people look for leftovers, and pizza is ideal leftover munchies, everyone just sorta brushed it aside in the fridge. Like, hmm theres pizza....what else we got in here? Its just not a good look. Its not the worst pizza I've had, and to its credit, it was a pretty looking pizza when it got here. But if the best thing I can say about your pizza is that it looked nice, then.......
(2)Victoria L.
Been coming here for over 20 years....my home away from home :) banquet room for parties...games always on the 4 tv's they have....plus really good beer on draft! St. Bernardus is the best! Only place other than old town that has it!
(5)Jerry H.
If you live in North Central Pasadena/Altadena this is the spot for family dining and to watch games. My wife loves the spinach lasagna with "pink" sauce. They have great happy hour specials too. It used to take a long time for the food to come, but I hear they've hired additional help. Now the food comes right away. Support your local small business!
(4)Maria N.
After so many times of going, today was the last! Worst service ever, not to mention the hair I found on the plate. I brought to the waiters attention and he took the plate came back 10 minutes later and said that the cooks didn't know where it came from. I use to like this page when it was a whole in the wall.
(1)Allison E.
Great little place with really nice atmosphere! It's like you're in a trendy Old Town Pasadena restaurant when you're really on North Lake! =D Happy Hour is REALLY inexpensive! Cheese pizzas are like only $5-6 and they give you eight slices-PLENTY of food for two people! Drinks were not much money either! My friend and I were on one check and we had pizza, bruschetta, and a drink EACH for less than $20 and in Pasadena? Seriously. Unheard of. The staff is very nice and they still manage to keep things running swiftly and well even on a Laker Game and March Madness night. Not an easy thing to do! Plus it was our friend's birthday and they brought out a piece of cake and ice cream to him and we all sang "Happy Birthday." Super cute. I will definitely go back again when I am in the area.
(4)Sara C.
Here is the thing, I have NEVER given a yelp response to ANY RESTAURANT.....EVER....and primarily because I have worked in them for so many years and completely understand that sometimes service is inadequate and food does not ALWAYS come out the best......ALTHOUGH....let me just explain the past couple experiences that I have had with Pinocchios crappy ass pizza.... And before I continue this yelp post on Pinocchios, I should point out that my review is 90% based off of customer service and 10% on food.... First and foremost, when I say 'crappy ass pizza' I do not literally mean that their pizza was crappy....in fact, I have never had a slice of pizza from this establishment, and I honestly believe that PERHAPS they may serve a decent slice of dough....who knows....but, this is what I do know.... There is a manager, Armen, whom is the son of the owner, and he is one of the most inconsiderate, RUDE, inhospitable, and unapproachable people I have ever met in the restaurant business. First of all, my girlfriend sat down at the bar (3/4/12) while I was in the restroom and instead of greeting her, asking if she wanted a drink, or just offering her some decent customer service.....his FIRST question was "are you here for take out?" She quickly answered no and stated that she was here for dine in and asked if it was ok if she sat at the bar....and he literally shrugged his shoulders and said "I guess." Now....may not seem like a big deal to many people, but this is so incredibly rude. Those who are unfamiliar with restaurant customer service should understand that this is one of the worst approaches to a customer. Granted the fact that her and I have been here once before, (and actually had fairly decent food) we were actually expecting a pleasant dine in experience...so we completely ignored the fact that he was part of management, if not ownership, and decided to proceed with eating at the establishment... We asked Armen for a couple of recommendations, the breaded mushrooms to be specific, and he literally said "uhhh, they are ok, not a customer favorite." We actually appreciated his honest response and decided to go with the bruschetta. (Which was FANTASTIC!) Not one person came by after we were served our appetizer and it took us LITERALLY flagging down staff for them to come and take our final order.... After our final order was put in, and we received our linguini shrimp pesto pasta, there was not ONE server that actually approached her or myself. And let me just tell you....for the THIRD time our pasta was served incorrectly. And any other person would think....STOP ORDERING THE SAME PASTA....although, the first time we ordered it (when Armen was NOT in the establishment) the pasta came out amazing, and SO delicious! There was one time in particular that we ordered Pinocchios and had it delivered to our home, and the pasta, once again, was made incorrectly, and they re-delivered it - and it turned out great!!!! Although, when we called back to thank them, the same manager on duty (Armen) told us that we would no longer be delivered to.....such a crock of crap! Instead of just canceling out this restaurant all together, we decided to give it multiple attempts, and unfortunately, it has failed every single time.....at least in the perspective of customer service. There was NO reason for them to tell us that they would not deliver to us any longer (considering we are less than a mile away and tip way too much to their drivers/servers) especially when it was THEIR fault from the get go. I am not advising anyone NOT to go and try out Pinocchios....in fact, I encourage everyone to go and at least give it one honest attempt....but when you walk in the restaurant and feel as if you are a burden to their business and more of a hassle than an appreciation, turn your back and WALK OUT!! The sad thing is, this company could truly be so amazing and serve so many of Pasadena's finest residents.....the only screw up is....THE MANAGEMENT!!!!!! Good luck to all!
(1)Leana N.
I went here on Tuesday night and it was pretty busy. Fortunately my boyfriend and I still got great customer service by our server. We split the cheese sticks and the marina sauce was so good! I come here once in a while because I really crave their cheese sticks; they have the best here! We also split the special which was the lobster ravioli and a medium pizza. The food came out in a timely fashion and everything was really good. I have to commend Pinocchio's for the way the restaurant looks it's always so clean and the booths are very comfortable and cozy. The lighting was just right in the dining room at night. Even though we could tell our server (Arthur is his name) had several tables he was able to manage well and kept checking up on us and making sure we were pleased. I really don't understand why Pinocchio's has such a low yelp score; great food and great service..must of not had our server on their experience. This will definitely be a weekly dining spot for my boyfriend and I from now on!
(5)Carmen L.
Oops! I reviewed the wrong place. I was thinking of the Pinnochio's in Burbank. Someone sent me a note. Okay, if you want fresh pizza dough go to the Pinnochio's in Burbank. So sorry!
(5)Tony R.
We've eaten here a half dozen times and they are consistently good with the food and great with the service. Have yet to try the pizza because the other dishes and salads are so yummy but it's coming soon because the pizza also looks great. Portions are plentiful, and although I'm a tea totaller, the guests I've brought here tell me they like the beer and wine selections. My only advise would be to time the salads, breads and entrees a little further apart.
(4)Mella H.
If I could give no stars I would. This place is a mess. We were really looking forward to trying a new pizza delivery place and so we ordered some pizza, salad, and appetizers for a date night in. We were quoted 45 mins for delivery. After an hour with no call and no knock at the door I called to inquire about where our food was. The hostess said that the driver was out on another delivery and they had to wait for him to get backhand then bring our food but it was ready. Great, going to be cold and soggy, but I shrugged and chalked it up to the rainy day weather and hung up. TWO HOURS LATER we still had no food. I called and spoke to a manager who offered to comp the meal. I said I didn't want it at all unless it was there fresh and hot in the next few minutes. It arrived 10 minutes later (surprise, a miracle!) soggy, cold, and old. It was disgusting and the customer service was atrocious. I really don't understand how a restaurant can treat their customers this way and still stay in business. We'll be ordering from Bella's in the future.
(1)Erica H.
Great happy hour. Decent pizza. Amazing people.
(4)Eric P.
If you order food to go be prepared to wait!!! I don't know if I'm a sucker, an optimist or that there is no viable alternative. The wife and I order food from here once or twice a month. Every time, they tell us it will be ready in 30-45 minutes. I learned early on that this translates to 1 hour or more. So, I usually won't show up to pick up the food for at least 60 minutes. Lessons learned, right? But, last week really took the cake. Placed the order and was told the customary 30-45 minutes. I showed up 75 minutes after placing the order. Food still was not ready. I had to wait an additional 15 minutes. I honestly don't even think they had started on our order. If you are busy and it's going to take longer, that's fine, just tell me. But DON'T tell me 30 minutes if it really takes 90! I really wish there was another Italian restaurant that was nearby. As others have mentioned, the food is so-so. It's not spectacular and it's not bad either. It's just food. Interesting thing is that the pizza tastes different every time. I don't understand how they do that. On the other hand, if you are having a group event there in the side room, they do really take care of you at a reasonable price.
(3)Krysta S.
We love to eat out...and since relocating we have been busy trying new places. We especially love italian food and so last weekend gave this place a try. We were seated right away and overall acknowledged pretty quickly. They have live jazz music and after 8pm the place was packed. The chicken spinach lasagna was delicious, I would definitely go back and order it again. Reasonably priced, small place with good atmosphere. They probably could have used another server but overall it was satisfying experience.
(4)Jessica L.
Watched the SuperBowl at Pinocchios. Great experience! They have an AWESOME happy hour with discounted prices on appetizers and drinks every day (yes, even weekends) and even had the happy hour on Super Bowl Sunday. (Unheard of!) We had pizza, chicken wings, salad, bruchetta and (several) pitchers of beer. Everything was really good and the pizza was my favorite. The service was quick and there were plenty of flat screen TVs to watch the game on. The inside is nicely decorated and I heard they have live jazz music on the weekends so we are definitely going to be back and check it out.
(4)Chris A.
It's a chill spot to eat out with the boys to watch the game and have some drinks. The food is good but the beer was eh. A cool thing is you get a discount if you show the waiter your Yelp check in. There's parking right in the back that is hard to see, it's behind a house or something like that.
(4)Darren W.
The food was good enough--well, at least my pizza was. It took about 15 minutes before the waitress took our order. There were five of us, and the food came out about two dishes at a time, with 5-10 minutes before the next would arrive. A couple of the last dishes to come out (about 45 minutes later) were cold. The waitress honestly felt bad about how long it took us to get our food, but only ended up giving us a 10% discount.
(1)Kat C.
Shame on you Pinocchio's - more like, SHAME ON YOUR MANAGER!! My husband and I have been in here a few times, after some poor experiences about 2 years ago we had not been back. I saw they had a groupon deal and thought, Why not? Well, the same young man is still the manager who was there about 2 years ago when we had our last bad experience, and he has learned very VERY little in customer service over those last two years. SO - Long story shot: I go in with my groupon, ask if it is acceptable, order my family food, then go to pay with said groupon. The manager DENIES the groupon, says that AND I QUOTE: "This gives you too much of a discount and I dont make enough profit from the sale" WHAT!?!?! I am taken aback by his honesty and asked "so, it is more important to you that you make profit of this one sale than having good honest customer service?" He says to me there is nothing he can do and AGAIN repeats that he is not "making enough profit" and that he will be changing my check amount!! He does, in fact, change my check amount and charges me an extra 10 bucks!! I am disgusted by this establishment, what horrible customer service. It is also sad that this poor 'manager' does not have enough common sense to understand that while yes, he may have to make less of a profit form time to time b.c someone got a good deal, that he would in the long run make it out MUCH better if he treated his customers well. He has LOST a LOT of profit and I would HIGHLY recommend not going to this establishment. I will also be contacting groupon to let them know how this was handled as well as calling the owners of the establishment.
(1)Michele C.
It's sad that this place was completely deserted when I entered today at about 3:30 pm. I know it's an odd time to eat, but I still expected some people in there. This place has a lot of potential, it's got a classy bar/lounge/restaurant feel to it. The space is so versatile, I wish they had more business. Anyways, I came here since I had a groupon for $20 worth of food. The waiter was nice enough to let us combine the groupon offer with the happy hour offer (2-7pm everyday, $4-$5 apps and drink specials). The calamari was overcooked and a bit tough to chew. It could also use some seasoning, just dipping it in the marinara sauce didn't cut it for taste. I got a 16" Chicken Alfredo Pizza to share with two others and it was really big. We had about a fourth of the pizza left over. The pizza is really good when it's hot because the cheese is gooey and contributes the most flavor-wise. But after the pizza cools, and the cheese isn't gooey anymore, the pizza is quite tasteless. It tasted very healthy though, so maybe my American taste buds are just too used to overly salted and sweet things to appreciate the pizza. Service was really slow even though we were the only people there. And the waiter looked really bored, but I can't blame him. The thing I like the most about this place is the space inside. It has so much potential to be a classy sports bar or even a place for a rehearsal dinner. Yes, it can be both! Hopefully, they get some business and are able to stay open. PROS: Great price on food and free entree promo! And 10% off if you check-in via yelp. CONS: Slow service and food lacks flavor.
(3)Lisa M.
I love this place! They always remember my drink even though I don't come that often! Very accommodating, always pleasant! I love this place!
(5)Jose O.
So it is true that it takes only one thing gk ruin a place for you... sadly the one thing that ruined this place for me was the driver who delivered my food. I figured I would give this place a try and since I could not leave work to get dinner I was glad to see they delivered. The food showed up and looked great. I asked the driver if he needed to see me card since that's how I paid and he just stared at me. Then I said is there anything he needed for me to sign and again just stared then the only words were "What no tip?". I was in shock I had already planned on giving a tip but after that I felt I shouldn't have. To me that is the rudest thing in the world when people EXPECT tips. Its lime really that's why you get paid. I will not order from them again because I do not want to deal with that jerk driver again.
(2)Monica C.
Great Food. Love that they have Happy Hour. I was able to order a bunch of appetizers at a low price. Service was great and very fast. I have been ordering food from Pinocchio's for years and the food has always been very consistent. & very fresh. I love their Margarita Pizza!! Yum Yum!
(5)T. D.
Best happy hour near Altadena. Really good wings and fries. All items are $5.00 Love this place
(5)Speedy C.
The design and decor are nice. The prices are reasonable. The food is pretty good I got a small pizza for myself and didn't leave a single slice it must of been really good or I was just really hungry after the hike in Altadena. The reason why I give this place 3 stars was because the waiter didn't seem all that friendly she was more on the rude side like it was a drag for her. I mean you are in the customer service business.
(3)Teresa B.
Thank you Yelp and Lisa B. for bringing this place to my attention. I have driven passed this place so many times but never thought to give it a try. The outside appears very unassuming...but once inside the inside decor is clean, inviting and beautiful. First of all, let me tell you that beer and wine are only $2 before 7 p.m., and oh yeah, did I tell you that beer and wine are only $2 before 7 p.m.?!!! That's just a bonus that goes along with some of the best Italian-American food I've ever had in the six years that I've lived in Los Angeles. I'm not boasting that it strives for authenticity. It is just simply fresh, delicious, economical and well- proportioned. The antipasto is loaded and by far outshines any other I've had. Crisp romaine lettuce, tomato, crunchy cucumber, croutons, pepperoncini, kalmata olives, red onion, hard boiled egg, pickles, ham, salami, mortadella, pepperoni, cheese and Italian dressing that can easily serve 3-4 people for only $8.99. I had a side of meatballs smothered in melted mozzarella. Now, I finally know what the phrase "Mama Mia! That's a spicy meatball," means. As I write this there is the smell of garlic permeating my surroundings, in a good way. There goes all of my "Twilight" fantasies for tonight. A 10" pizza is only $8.99 and the pie looked much larger than that. I sampled some toppings from my friends pepperoni and sausage combo, which was bursting with flavor. I'm only giving four stars because this was my first visit. I'm hoping to elevate it to five stars soon.
(4)Kris B.
As much as I've frequently pinocchio's and wanted this place to succeed, this last customer service debacle was the final straw. We ordered a pizza and salad for delivery (about a 7 min drive), and the food didn't appear for an hour. We called, they say the were "on route". 20 min later food hadn't appeared and we talked to the manager, who argued that it had only been 45-60 minutes, even though we had an official time stamp of 80 min at that point. He refused to handle the matter professionally, which I think it pretty unacceptable as a business.
(1)K J.
We are regulars here, but the service has always been very good. It's what made us keep coming back... we have gotten to know the staff and enjoy them. Armen is the manager and he is always attentive to patrons. Arthur is another server who is super sweet and helpful, as is Betsy. You can eat pretty healthy at this place -- our kids get broccoli (its perfectly steamed every time) to start and then they can eat all the pizza and spaghetti they want. We get to enjoy happy hour specials of beer and wine ($3!) with our salads and fare. The food is okay-to-good, usual Italian fare, but their caesar salad is very good and what I get most often, next to their salmon penne (I would add basil to it but it's good and s-d tomatoes are yummy!) Our kids love the pizza of course and even the veggie one. We also hosted a nice big party in their banquet area, very reasonably priced and it was really easy to have the group in there and get good service all to ourselves. Oh lastly if you like football or games they have biiiig TVs so it's easy to hang out while watching the game. thanks Pinocchios!
(4)Chris F.
I come into Pinnochio's from time to time and happen to click on Yelp to check in. I was pretty shocked to see such a low review. The food is good, the people are nice and they have good happy hour specials. I don't get the rough review treatment. I wish the happy people would write a review. This place is worth a visit. The best? No but great value for the money which gets 5 stars from me!
(5)Ruth K.
So this is how it went ... It has a young hip vibe when you walk in and I was sort of excited to try the place. It's a pizza joint, so that's what we ordered instead of other Italian entrees on the menu. I think somebody was doing something weird in the kitchen though because this was the most "uneven" pizza I've ever had. We expected the advertised "thin" crust NY pizza, but just imagine dough variances similar to the peaks and valleys of the Himalayas. It was so thick in some places that we just discarded our usual approach and decided to fork the "good stuff" off the top and dump the dough. But that wasn't the only uneven hand in its making. Being the polite guy he is, the spouse turned the platter on its arrival around so that the slice implement was facing me and I could take the first piece. Subsequently, as we scraped off the topping of each piece, he ended up with a good amount of sausage, cheese, bell pepper and onion on his plate. I on the other hand ended up with about a tablespoon. As this went on piece after piece after piece, I was definitely getting disgruntled. Of course, all he would say was that he was being courteous in the first place and the subsequent amount of good stuff was his reward for being a nice guy. As the designated driver, I had to order a nonalcoholic beer, but they only had one choice, O'Doul's, so they could improve that selection. I have to say our waiter Arthur was great. However, the REAL story is the other diners. A birthday party of 8 sat next to us. Periodically, this hideous Halloween witch's cackle would erupt from the table. We tried to ignore it and just roll our eyes at each other, but after a short while we were almost choking on the pizza in an attempt not to laugh. I looked over and pegged this blond ponytail as the source. I leaned over the table and whispered, "Hey, it's the cute blond on this side of the table who's doing all the squawking." He waited and then surreptitiously leaned to get a better look, then came back to say, "No, honey, it's the cute brunette on the other side." We started a friendly argument about which one it was. So I'm trying to appear to be doing anything other than what I'm doing, which is staring at these people trying to figure out the cackle source. And I'll be if the brunette ponytail didn't start doing it, too. And then they were doing it as a duet !!! It was at this point that my ear picked up a similarity in timbre and I told the spouse that they had to be sisters. I guess a few splits of champagne had done the trick. All Mr. Picky would say was that in his younger days one date with that type of raucous cackle would end any hope of a relationship if he was dating either of them ... so I wish both women the best and hope that a good friend some day has the guts to explain the problem when they bitch that there aren't any good men around.
(3)Anna L.
Small little bar/restaurant.. in pasadena. Service was good. Ordered the sweet and spicy pizza which was pretty good. Had a minestrone soup that could be better but not bad.. I think I would still come back again and try other dishes. Haven't tried the bar yet.,
(4)June M.
Slow/ bad service, rude fresh out of school bartender / waiter, so disappointing, a real let down. Frozen pizza next time!
(1)Omee H.
OK, rating this review, I wanted to give this a 2 star rating, but because the food was actually pretty good, I could not do this. The location looks nice and clean, with big screen TV's and a center area that kinda looks like a lounge, I could see how this place would be a very cool hang out for a boys night out. Why 2 stars? Service Service: Stinks honestly. Time for them to come even greet us was about a minute or two, so that was not that great, and it did not look even too busy, I did not see anyone for a least a minute. Refills on drinks took a long time and had to ask twice. Food took a little longer that I would have hoped for. Customer service was OK friendly. Not the best. Food: Everything seemed very fresh and cooked to order. Maybe this is why it took a little longer than I hoped for. The salad was extremely fresh and seemed like the cucumbers and tomatoes were just cut seconds ago. The Pizza was awesome and I also had a pasta dish, with Penne noodles and sausage. AWESOME. I took some home and reheated the next day, tasted just as good as the night before. Basically, if you don't mind waiting for a bit and are ok with MEH customer service, but want to have some good pizza and pasta.....this is the place. If the service was better, I probably would have given this location 4 or 5 stars.
(3)Monica S.
I love this place! The food has been great to me from day one, never letting me down. YES the service is slow but it's worth the food, and no one has ever been rude to me. They have a lounge area in the center of the room and they do show sports games. They now have a banquet room open for rentals, and a bar. I believe its mainly beer and wine.
(4)John H.
The service here is amazing. I just really feel like I am appreciated as a customer when I come here.
(4)Robert M.
Came here with my family and we enjoyed our pizza! The service was good and prices were good as well. I forgot the waiters name but she was really nice and even recommended a local shop for my wife to go shopping too. Over all this restaurant was good.
(4)Larry H.
Once upon time lived a hungry jerk named Larry. In the tradition of many angry jerks, he had a brother named Tony. One day, when Larry and Tony want to go out and eat as an attempt for them to escape their lives (albeit temporarily), both are absolutely dumbfounded about what to eat. "What are you in the mood for?", Tony says. "I dunno. What are you in the mood for?", Larry replies "Japanese?" "We had Japanese last night" Tony gets a bit annoyed. "What about Mexican?" "I had some with Lydia a few days ago". A bit more angry and angry, "Shit, you're difficult to please! What! What do you want to eat then?" "Italian!" "Italian? Italian!? I'm okay with that!" "Huzzah". Tony drives him and Larry up the street from where he lives to discover a place adorably named Pinocchio's Pizza. Both having fond memories of classic Disney version, they decide with a name like Pinocchio's, it must be decent in some level. When they enter, the interior stuns them. It looks less like a pizza place and more along the lines of a cheap nightclub. Never mind the look, they both think. It's the pizza we came for! Our bellies and tongues need only the satisfaction that comes with eating greasy cheese. They both sit in a booth and patiently await. The old Armenian waitress comes up. "Can I get you something to drink?". Immediately, her thick Armenian accent is noticable. Tony replies, "May I have mineral water". "Mi-na-what?" "Mineral water. Mineral water. Bubbly water" "We have water" Tony is confused and annoyed. "No. Mineral water. Carbonated water." "We have San Pelliiii... San Pelliii... San... I just get you flat water." Larry finally chimes in, "Can I just have a Coke?" Immediately, Tony and Larry are stunned, but refuse to fight or anger that already surly waitress. Instead, they order a pepperoni and sausage pizza, a combination that rarely disappoints. After the excessive amount of time of forty minutes, our pizza finally arrives. Our eyes sparkle in unanimous glee and we grab a slice each. As soon as we bite into it, are taste buds are slammed by luke-warm pizza and the flavor of mediocrity. Never before did they figure pizza could be so bad, but here they are. The cheese is of the utmost poor quality and the toppings are absolutely sparse. This isn't so much as a pizza, but an abomination. On top of this disgrace of a pizza, the Coke poor Larry ordered was as flat as the flat water Tony didn't want. After paying the check sans tip, they split ways. Tony goes back to his lair of five cats, Larry goes back to his lair of one wife. When Lydia, Larry's wife, asks where her and Tony went, Larry says the truth about eating bad pizza. Lydia gets a bit depressed and asks why Larry didn't bring any back. That depression turned to a fit of anger when she said that Larry is never considerate of her feelings. Larry explained all the nice things her does daily and she realizes she was over-reacting. To settle things straight, they lie down together on the sofa to watch re-runs of Dexter's Laboratory on Boomerang. The moral of this story, children, is to not each at Pinocchio's Pizza. Cute names like Pinocchio's Pizza can be deceiving!
(1)Joshua R.
Awww man, im stuffed!!!!! This place has one of the best coupons I have ever signed up for!!! the coupon is that for 20 bucks you will get a large pizza, pasta and a salad and no it's not small portions, they are huge!!! The only thing missing is a nice, cold beer to wash down all this food :-D and during happy hour they have pretty good deals for beers too!!!! Either way, it's a win win!!! Also, it is a good ambiance to go watch the Lakers,Dodgers, Clippers and Kings game!!! The staff is great, they attend to your needs and are very friendly too.
(4)Eugene U.
Was here for a banquet so it hard to judge the service and food quality as it usually differs a little from restaurant service. From the outside this place looked like it has potential. It looks kind of like a sports bar/pizzeria. The banquet food we had was mediocre, at best. The service was just like the food - mediocre at best. The servers just weren't very professional - they seemed rushed in everything they did and didn't take the time to make sure everything was okay. It's understandable to try to get to everyone when you're busy, but there's a way to do it that the patron feels like they're still being catered to. Probably wouldn't be coming back here unless I really had to.
(2)Kenyon C.
I pretty much take all my friends here even though I have to drive almost 30 minutes to get there. The only person on the wait staff that I deal with is Betsy and let me tell you she took the time to remember my order from my previous visit (which by the way was the chicken lasagna. Which is superb and I recommend it to all.) I have never ever had a bad experience in this establishment and outside of Chicago this is some of the best Italian I have had. If you are in the Pasadena area I recommend you try this place out and tell Betsy I sent you.
(5)Nidrah W.
Worst Pizza I ever had. EVER...
(1)Cesar M.
Awesome happy hour with a great selection of beers. Good service and discounted appetizers. The best part is I can walk home if I had too much to drink. I'll be returning again and again.
(4)Cathy E.
I have been having pizza from this place since I was a kid and it never disappoints! I love thin crust pizza and it's always has the right crunch. Not too tomato-y but enough cheese to make you drool.
(4)Jack C.
This place is great. The best Italian food in the Altadena/Pasadena area. QUICK PICKS: Pinnochio's Famous Pizza (AWESOME - very good.) Fettuccini Alfredo Chicken Spinach Lasagna All of these three are cream sauce based. I'm not always a fan, but Pinnochio's consistently does it right. I'm totally surprised by all the negative reviews (my "favorite" is written with both characters and quotes.) I'm an Altadena local and we go here all the time - day/night/takeout. This place rivals (and in my opinion surpasses) Mi Piaci in Pasadena. THAT place has spotty service and underwhelming food.
(5)Anna L.
I came in on Friday night around 9:00 with 10 other people. It was mine and my boyfriends first time there. We were celebrating my sisters graduation. It was a very beautiful place. Seating was a little small but it fit 11 of us either way. It took them awhile to take our order but we all got our food :D. I ordered the steak plate, boyfriend had the hamburger, and my sister and friends had pizza, large mix pizza, and calzone. We all were eating our food everything tasted amazing. By The time we got our bill we were all pitching in money to pay. I realized that my plate cost more than wat i ordered. I spoke to the waitress that brought me my food and asked her if the food she brought me was the Ala carte or the dinner steak plate? she told me it was the dinner plate and i told her i ordered the Ala carte not dinner. So the waiter that took my ordered already went home. So they just took 2 dollars off the bill. that was very nice of them. so we paid and everything went swell. Even if it was my first time I enjoyed every bit of it.
(4)The-Pizza-Nazi S.
Good pizza (NY)! The restaurant is really quite nice too. Last time I was there, years ago, it was totally different. NY pizza is good. Crust is thin but not exactly "NY", as it's not quite thin enough, and isn't crisp on the bottom. The cheese is actually very good. Nice texture, slightly browned on top, a little oily, and slight hint of salty. Real good. Overall, it's a good pizza. If you're on the quest for the perfect "NY" pizza....it's not quite there. But, most people just want a good pie, and this place does deliver.
(4)James S.
This place us nice. With friendly staff and great food and drinks. Quick tip if you check in on yelp you get 15% off the tab which is great especially for a family of 4 if your trying to save some money.
(5)Taryn A.
I was kind of surprised at how all over the place these reviews are. I agree with most, the pizza is mediocre. Not bad....just nothing special. Our order was pretty simple, just a pizza and a soda, so I cant say we had the same service problems. Our pizza came at a reasonable time, but it was an empty sunday night. The happy hour prices seem pretty good. but overall this place is just average.
(2)Alex L.
I live 2 blks from this place and was so excited when we moved in that there was a cool looking place so close to home. My husband and I have been there several times. The food is usually blah and the service is is down right awful every time. The last time we were there the service was the worst, slow, unfriendly, rude, brought us the wrong meals all together then said that's what we ordered. I asked to see a manager and was told there was none there at that time. I ended up leaving no tip and never went back.
(1)Cheryll R.
I had to plan a rehearsal dinner for somewhere in Pasadena on an exact day for an exact time for a couple who already seemed to have an idea of how they wanted dinner to go down. Thankfully I found Pinocchio's and started with Arman's (one of the owners) sister at the bar the day I walked in. She was very helpful. I told her and Arman that I had a rehearsal dinner to plan for 25 people. I did not care to have it in the banquet room if having it in the restaurant meant it would be less expensive. After much chatting with Arman, we came up with setting off a section of the dining room for 25 ppl with white tablecloths etc, Ceaser Salad, Pizza cut into small squares for an appetizer, Spinach w/smoked cheese Ravioli (for the vegetarians), Chicken Marsala and Red and White wine for everyone. All custom designed at a price pleasing to both sides. When we arrived, everything was set up beautiful and the waiter came over, introduced himself (I would have liked to see more than one waiter for a party of 25 though) and he was good as well as friendly. He tried to serve the salad immediately, but the entire group was all over the place (not his fault) but then they forgot to slice the pizza into little squares and serve it as an appetizer. I was a little bummed about this part, because we really discussed that it would make a fun appetizer. They also forgot to bring out the garlic bread right away with the salad. Usually the food is mediocre at a banquet, but the Chicken Marsala practically melted in your mouth. the salad and ravioli were wonderful as well and everyone said the wines were delicious and the Caesar salad was excellent with fresh shaved parmesan cheese. Also, a big plus in Pasadena, they have their own little parking lot and if that lot fills up they use the one catty corner and all for FREE. We had no isssues whatsoever with being in the main dining room and everyone left the evening full, satisfied and happy and the night went off without a hitch.
(4)Casey S.
I have had a number of different experiences here. The worst was that my buddy ordered a Well-Done burger and it came out, I don't know, bloody. He was a good sport though. He was more unimpressed with the service. I agree. Tis a bit irregular. I just stick to the pizzas. Reminds me of when I was a wee young lad. We use to get these every weekend. What's cool is its still the same recipe. The dough has a unique taste, which I enjoy. I would not say I am in love with it, but they got me some how. I don't like how there is barley any sauce on it though. And its a couple more dollars than most places in Pasadena. No me gusta~ The place is beautiful. I had not ever seen it packed before. They had lively jazz music on SAT night. Very pleasant. Great happy hour for wine.$3 a glass! I am sorry, the four huge flat screen TV's are totally and hugely tacky tack tack. I can see one at the bar with no volume, but 4 all blasting? COME ON!
(3)Karen E.
My review is simply for take-out. I've never eaten inside but I do plan on stopping for happy hour one of these days. We have been ordering pizza from here for years and I love the taste. I don't know why but I would rather get a pizza from this place than Pizza Hut or Domino's. I usually just pick up since we live so close which means a large pizza is only $13. For the taste and size I'm satisfied. I do agree that the staff could benefit from some help in the waiting department but this place has been a favorite of ours for so long I'm not too angry. I will probaly post a review once I get the chance to dine in.
(4)Amanda G.
My husband and I have been to Pinocchio's several times, as they often feature live music and a good friend of ours performs there every other month or so. Unfortunately, we have yet to experience good service. When they hire musicians to perform, you'd expect that they'd do this to generate business. Yet, when people come and fill the place, the management acts surprised, and the employees are clueless as to how to run front-of-the-house. Initially, we understood that perhaps they didn't expect to draw such a crowd, and we cut them some slack. We've been there probably 5-6 times now, and not much has changed. At this point, it's inexcusable in my opinion. The food is so-so. As others have mentioned, your salad may accompany your meal, or even come after you've started eating your entree. If you're lucky enough to get your food in a timely fashion, there's a good chance it'll be cold if it was intended to be hot! There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the timing of things, and definitely no concern on the part of servers or management as to customer satisfaction. In previous trips, food has taken up to an hour and a half (for a PIZZA) while we sat, and sat, and sat some more! When we meet friends, we typically end up eating in shifts as meals NEVER come out at the same time! This weekend, we visited to support our friend again, and were astounded by the nerve of our server. Both my husband and I had ordered an appetizer and entrees, but had waited at least 20 minutes for our initial drinks to arrive. After finishing those, and before anything else arrived, a waiter tapped my shoulder. I turned, and he pointed behind the bar to our server, who was motioning for me to GET UP, WALK TO THE BAR, and FETCH our refills!! Being this is a sit-down restaurant and not a lounge or bar, I found this incredibly rude. Why couldn't the server, who had a free hand to tap me, just deliver our refills? 10 minutes later, our server brought out the garlic bread (to accompany my pasta dish--no pasta, of course) and said "Sorry you had to get your drinks, I'm just too busy." Unreal. If you're planning to visit this establishment, I'd recommend you eat first. If you arrive hungry, you may end up ordering delivery from another restaurant--it will definitely arrive before anything comes out of this kitchen. Also, when there are service issues, management can't be bothered. They offer you a very insincere apology, with no attempts to reconcile the situation with any type of compensation. If there is an upside to this place, it's that they have very clean restrooms.
(1)Erin T.
We live in the neighborhood. The food is pretty good but the service is AWEFUL! The last time we went there, we had to get up and ask the kitchen ourselves for my husband's plate which was just sitting on the counter for 15 minutes (everyone else had their food at our table) while our waiter chatted it up with a table of people he knew. This wasnt the only time, let me tell you, that the service was bad. It's a shame too because the food is pretty good, the decoration is nice and its close to home.
(2)David C.
Hm... Lemme see... Oh yes I came here for a friend's bday gathering. First off, this place's parking lot is hidden. I parked on the street close to the pizza joint. When you go into the pizza place, you're going to see that in the center of the restaurant is a sorta... lounge type setup that you can mingle with people and sit by to drink your drinks that you can grab from the bar nearby. On the sides of the restaurant are tables where people are seated for eating and etc. I came here on a Friday night and my friend's friends had reserved about 3/4 of the restaurant for their private bday party so I didn't see any sort of live band playing there. I tried 4 different types of pizza there. 1. Cheese 2. Pepperoni and Cheese 3. Chicken, onion, bacon 4. Hawaiian After overeating on each different type of pizza, I can say that the pizza's good. However, it's just pizza... nothing really blew me away about it. It's sorta a pizza joint that's safe, which is fine. My favorite was the hawaiian. Service: I liked the service a lot. The waitress was very attentive to our large party and was always there to help clean up and help bring whatever we needed.
(3)Teriy M.
Pee-No-Chi-Oh's is a cool place to hang out for happy hour! The service is great! We ordered appetizers and cheese pizza. The cheese pizza and bruschetta were tasty. I didn't care too much for the spinach artichoke dip or mozzarella sticks, but I'm not going to complain because they were cheap. They're very generous with their drinks. I think I paid $3 for a glass of wine that was filled almost up to the brim.
(4)Joanna B.
First, I have to agree with the complaints about service- it is the worst! I don't know where they get their workers but there is obviously a HUGE need for both training and decent management. Now, if you can get past the terrible service - which we do by going when it is not busy or ordering take out - the food is very good. The prices are reasonable, the happy hour is great and we do like the pizza, salads and tortellini. The house wines are also decent. I would give four stars for the food but the service brings it down to 2 stars. It is too bad that they do not seem to care about getting better service as this place could be SO good. But then it would only be more crowded and we like the quiet weekend days
(2)Marie A.
Pinnochios pizza is a great family place to go eat dinner on a week night when the dinner at home just didn't happen. It's tasty, the people are nice and service is good! Even for a girls or guys night out this is a great place to watch the game and have a beer. I definitely recommend going and trying it out! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Marie L.
We've been coming here for over a year now. I really like the place. It's run by a nice family that seems to spend every waking hour there. I like to frequent restaurants that treat their staff well, and it appears they do. The servers look happy. The restaurant is clean and maintained well. I love the four big screen TVs and the bar area. Great for catching sports. They also have a great Happy Hour (beer and wine only). Their thin crust pizza is a bit on the thick side, so ask for extra thin crust. I love their dinner salads. They're loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and lots of mozzarella cheese. The beef ravioli is very good. If you get the meatball sandwich, I suggest a side of marinara. I like their pesto pasta. The pesto isn't overwhelming in flavor like some can be. If you're looking for a casual, comfortable, kid-friendly restaurant that serves good food at affordable prices, I highly recommend Pinocchio's.
(4)Erin V.
I really like the food here everything tastes really fresh especially their salads. They also have very good family specials. Its a nice place for a casual dinner with friends or family or even a date. They have a little sports bar in the middle and the new renovations really brightened up the atmosphere. If you haven't tried it yet, I would definitely give it a try!
(4)norm l.
Good food. Good energy. Recommend. Pizza is tasty (American style).
(3)Jose D.
This is a pizza parlor that needs to decide what it wants to be. Impersonal and a tad pretentious for the area, it is however pretty clean and comfortable and, frankly, I'd rather have non-descript impersonal decor than the grit and grime of more famous spots. It seems as if the owners of a lot of the businesses in Washington Boulevard really go for this international mall-decor. We ordered a caprese salad that was excellent and very fresh even though the proportion of basil to tomato and mozzarella was heavy on the basil. The dressing was great despite the fact that it was a simple vinaigrette with a sweet aftertaste. We also had pepperoni pizza which was on the mild side but not greasy or overpowering like that of Domenico's which my partner prefers. I had a spinach calzone that was fresh an delicious with a nice mild tomato sauce. I wish they had been more generous with that sauce because it was good. The clientele is mostly locals, a surprising amount of gay couples as well I must say. The service was friendly and the manager/s a bit too serious. It gets an extra star for trying .
(4)Max W.
I would have given the restaurant 2 stars but the customer service is just barely adequate. I lived in Italy for almost 2 years and any real Italian would come after this place with pitchforks and torches. The pasta is bland and heavy, the pizza is just a notch over dominos. If the prices were 1/2 what they are the place wouldn't be a bad local joint to pick up food on a lazy night, but I can probably get the same quality with a Boboli pre-made pizza crust, old cheese and anything close to pepperoni. My girlfriend is much kinder calling it "mediocre but she doesn't always want to throw up her food."
(1)dee w.
Stopped in because waiting for car locks to be repaired ( great place down the street) , was hungry and had to kill some time. Saw what lookeqd to be a really cute place ( and it is)! Sat in a very comfortable booth in this eatery that more resembles. French bistro than an Italian place ( Edith Piaf singing La Vie en Rose in the background added to the franco atmosphere. ) Had a good lunch special penne with pesto sauce, garlic bread, a lovely salad with tomatos that actually tasted like garden fresh actual tomatos --special was $8.. A bargain. they kind of got in extra $$ by charging $2.50 for a coke, so lunch became a bit less of a bargain, but overall was very good with larger portions than I could eat. it was very pleasant to sit and extend lunch --the location is very quiet ( at least off hours), pleasing Tuscan yellow walls and dark wood panels,music was subdued and flatcreens on mute. The bar area looked very inviting also and could imagine hanging out and comfortably watching the game.
(4)SomeRandom C.
The food wasn't nasty but certainly not good enuff 2 put up with the terrible service. Our waiter Armen, literally sat down at a table with some friends all the while, never asking if we needed refills or anything. After sitting around 20 minutes after our food was gone, we had 2 call for our waiter 2 bring us our check. The icing on the cake was when Armen lost my credit card. After waiting another 20 minutes I had to ask what was taking so long to return my credit card & his reply "I didnt give you back your card?" "No sir, I just saw you swipe it." "You saw me swipe your card?" "yes sir I did." Was this a scam? I dont know, but spare yourself the trouble if you can. Don't b fooled by the fancy decor. Its not that good.
(2)Corina B.
This place is awright... barely... but super annoying! They are known for their take out service but once I waited 40 mins for my take our order after I arrived per their suggested time the food woudl be ready! I was ANGRY! When I have eaten at the restaurant the service is horrible, slow and the waiters seem confused. They are just unprofessional. I stopped going and will not go back.
(2)Lance A.
I'm also shocked by the low reviews. This place is very nice. My wife had the Chicken Spinach Lasagna which she thought was very good she asked for a little extra sauce which really gave it that extra zing. I had the Veal Parmigiana which tasted delicious. We used a coupon which gave us one entree free. It also looks like they have a great happy hour. Best part was that it was not that crowded on a Saturday night which allowed for great conversation as the jazz music played in the background.
(5)Eric G.
i dont really know much about italian restaurants, but this has to be one of the worst restaurants out there. i went today around 8pm and it was semi crowded. so i was thinking since there was a groupon for this place and it was classy looking i should take my girlfriend on a date here. boy was i wrong my waiter was nice and sat us down soon after we arrived. she then got us two glasses of water and left. waiters make themselves seem very busy but when you look for them they are mostly talking in the back infront or behind the bar. she then came back but i felt like she didnt really want to serve us. she seemed like she had better things to do. we had to hunt her down to order our food. we ordered our food and our food was brought out a tad laterthan expected but this was no biggie we then started to consume our meal and as my girlfriend was halfway into telling me what the descendants was about, a band starts playing. the reason why i didnt like the band wasnt because i didnt agree with the kind of music they were playing, but it was because they were way too loud for the small restaurant we were in. we struggle to get through the movie and finish our food and decided that we have had enough of yelling at each other. we orderfor the check and are surprised when we see that the waitress tipped herself! her service was not very good. i was thinking of tipping a dollar for the one time that she refilled my drink. she didnt even get my girlfriends drink right. she ended tipping herself 18% which was 17% more than i thought of tipping. the food was a bit over priced.
(1)Jeffrey C.
Whenever one passes by a place and decides to stop for lunch on the spur of the moment, one always recognises the presence of risk - you win some, you lose some. Chalk this dining experience up in lose column. Frankly, i can't be bothered to write an elaborate description of this crappy place so, - Upon first entry, the restaurant smells like old carpet - The food is tasteless, meatless (in a beef lasagne!) bilge. Such a sorry excuse for garlic bread. - The wait for the food was silly - My orange juice was like a suicidally depressed man. Even my friend's Coke had zero bubbles - There's no real lunch menu, all the dishes are at dinner prices and the cheeky f$#%$ waiter tried to charge us the higher dinner prices (in the middle of the day) - Very low density of seating (not surprising, as they've probably been removing seating as their footfall tanks) - The interior is far from a disaster but they need to get rid of the stupid TVs, stop playing Coldplay during service and remove the big, black borders on the windows. Pathetic. I don't understand why these crappy restaurants don't watch the ubiquitous restaurant TV shows for advice on how to turn their business around - hint, start with the food and the prices. Avoid.
(1)Jason P.
Some of the worst Pizza sauce I've ever had the displeasure of drinking. The first time I went, this place was pretty good. It's fallen down the charts considerably. If you are forced by gunpoint to go here, stick with the garlic bread. It's not made from old puke.
(1)Kirsten O.
Great service, good beer and fantastic live music. I have to say, the talented singer ( ColleenKelly ) is what kept me glued to my seat. The food was what you would expect from a decent Italian restaurant, we just got a pizza and it was pretty good. The service was outstanding. Our server was quick, attentive, and never left our drinks empty. Good Stuff!!
(4)cory c.
My girlfriends and I craved for pizza last Saturday..selected Pinocchio due to a discount coupon I received in the mail that promotes 'Buy 1 Entree and get the other Entree free (of lesser value). Sounds like a great deal! The interior of the place is not the usual homey Italian restaurant but we were excited ordering the Grilled Salmon Pasta and confirmed that we are indeed receiving the Chicken Parmesan for free as part of the Entree list. We also ordered a cheese pizza with anchovies and sausage to complete the meal. I ordered white house wine only to receive the red house wine. The salad was ordinary, the minestrone soup was salty. The pizza was luke warm, tasted like toast with cheese and the anchovies was nowhere to be found -we even wondered if we did indeed ordered anchovies. The pasta sauce tasted like Prego instant pasta sauce. The salmon looked dry and unappealing. Everything was left to be desired. Worst of all, when the bill came- they used the pizza which was half the value of the entree as the discount. According to them, pizza was considered an Entree. Then why the heck would you have a specific Entree list on your menu and a specific free Entree from the coupon if pizza, which was nowhere close on the Entree list was considered an Entree?! Excuse me, but we are not that stupid. I told the manager that Pizza is not considered an Entree in Italy and other Italian restaurants. It is a side dish. So we won, giving us cash back since they already charged my card but it was an unpleasant experience for an Italian restaurant. The only thing was true was their name matches their deal.... Pinocchio was a liar and so was their advertisement.
(1)Becky B.
I was looking forward to an easy pizza delivery tonight and was told that it would take 30-40 mins. After 1 hour and 30 mins and 2 phone calls to the restaurant the pizza arrived cold only to be told by the manager that he could only reimburse $3 for the trouble. We ended up eating cold pizza and caesar salad drenched in dressing, complete with a curly hair (ugh!). I will not be ordering from here again nor will I recommend it to anyone I know.
(1)Norberto O.
I've have been going here for years and it is always good. The parking is not the best. But, the food is great. The service is also good.
(5)Gamward Q.
Good food. Good service. Good prices. Nice selection of wine. Beer available by the pitcher. The prices and the menu fit a neighborhood pizza joint. The families and the comfortable couples, plus the TVs on the walls showing sports affirm that. Then there are that sofa-and-low-tables lounge space in the middle of the room, the Tuscan decor, and the jazz trio that tell me it's aspiring to be a bit more upscale.
(4)Miguel J.
this place gets no stars.i ordered in for dinner n it came pretty fast but the food just wasnt good.i have been living in pasadena all my life this was my 4th time trying this place.i would rather eat @ gales i hav never had a bad meal there and its the same price and just super authentic
(1)Hugo A.
Terrible service. Especially their delivery. Never again
(1)Joanne D.
I was on one of my very long walks and walked here. I thought,mmmm give it a try. The sign said wait to be seated, so I did. I should have just sat myself like others did. after me. Once seated the waitress Betsy came right over. I ordered a glass of Chianti only to find out they are out of it. Ok, made me leery. I am an old Italian for petes sake, how do you run out of Chianti? Went with the Pinot Noir, nice wine. I ordered asked how was the Eggplant, she said good. I went with the dinner. Very surprised. The salad had tomato's, cukes and onions beside the romain lettuce and cheese. Yeah not just a bowl of lettuce. The meal was three nice slices of very well cooked eggplant, with a wonderful sauce. The pasta was a Fettacini Alfredo,, al dente and mmmm good. The garlic bread ok. Over all it is decent and cost of a full meal with two glasses of wine $22 bucks. Pretty nice price.
(3)Scott R.
Wife and I stopped by the other day for dinner. We'd eaten there before and knew what to expect. . . passable meatball; sandwiches. What I didn't expect was the service: worst I've seen in possibly my whole life. The server was not rude. . . just actively indifferent (if that is possible) and blankly unapologetic about the ridiculously long wait.
(1)Siva A.
I absolutely Love Pinocchio's!! I don't know where to start from..... The bruschetta, The spinach artichoke dip, anti pasta salad, the Pasta's, the Alfredo Sauce is yummyyy and the Pizza is absolutely the Best!!! The banquet room is stunning, I love the decor!! I can't wait for another great party at Pinochio's! I definitely recommend everyone to try it out as you will Happily return to Piinochio's!
(5)Debbie Y.
Came here last night for dinner. My friend and I shared the antipasto salad and a 14" pepperoni pizza. The salad was pretty bland, nothing special about it. There was only a few pieces of deli meat and cheese. The italian dressing is just some supermarket bought dressing that tasted like Kraft. I was not impressed. However, the saving grace of the meal was the pizza. It was actually pretty good. The crust is medium thick and not too much cheese. There is the perfect amount of pepperoni on it as well. The decor of the place looks like Bed Bath & Beyond art was splattered everywhere. Though it was clean and modern, I think it lacked character. The service was attentive, but out waitress was a tad bit on the ditsy side. Maybe she is new? Anyway, it was a comfortable place to eat and gossip with a girlfiriend for a few hours, but the food is just ordinary.
(3)Michael B.
Pizza is great, with generous toppings. Food in general is good. If you can overlook the main waiter, who has the personality of a kitchen sink, then you'll do fine. Their buy-one-get-one-free meal deal is good but a little misleading. You actually have to purchase an "entree" for the deal to take, and they are the more expensive items on the menu: one steak and pasta dish, three parmigiana dishes, one marsala dish, and one salmon dish (which I don't recommend). The ambiance is good: low lights and candles, away from the madding crowd, with jazz some nights and on alternate nights a flatscreen or two showing some mindless game. Service can be slow at times (but don't complain or Mr. Kitchen Sink might get testy), but overall, as food and ambiance goes, it's a decent meal experience.
(4)Hilary S.
This restaurant has the worst service ever!!!!! I order a pizza for delivery at 6:15 and went out for the evening, leaving my two girls 14 & 7 home for the evening. They delivered the wrong order, so I called and they said they would replace it. At 9:00 PM., 3 hours later, the pizza had still not arrived. When I called, I spoke with Sara, the "acting manager" who explained that it was" not their fault, they were very busy". When I complained, she hung up on me! The new pizza finally arrived at 9:45. By then my girls were beyond hungry and the driver refunded us less than half of our money. The food here is less than average to begin with and considering the other one star ratings on this site, I'm obviously not alone in my thoughts. I will never dine here again!
(1)LISA B.
MY REVIEW.......! with help from others who consumed the food!!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!! was the overall rating given when the first slice of pizza was DEVOURED!!!!!! The poor PIZZA had no idea what was coming Our MOUTH'S"S !!!! This restaurant has upgraded tremendously from its past tiny little place closer to LAKE and CALIFORNIA!! Very spacious more elegant decor and even a small bar with two TVs GREAT for GUYS!!!!!! Who want a really good PIZZA and BOOZE!!!! Lots of seating room also!! Now the FOOD PART.......................... order: 1 12" PINOCCHIO'S Special 1 spinach dip/arti dip (app) 1 pce of TIRAMASU total: 25.00 split by three people.......................... the ingredients were SO fresh the pizza crust was perfectly tossed. It had enough structure to hold the four ingredients ( green bell ppr, onion, mmmm mushrooms and pepperoni) and the cheese was evenly distributed amongst the fresh toppings. At first bit the crust was light and fluffy and nor hard or stale. The dip was great perfect amount of cheese spinach/arto finely chopped. The seasoning was just Right so as to not loose any of the flavors. And its consistency was just right for the DIP!! Now I'm one who loves the small little toasted slcd French bread (others were expecting lamo cheap chips) to dip. And the small slices is what we got I WAS SO HAPPY!!!! Dessert this is where I deducted one star i was so longing to taste this dessert but even 45 min later my treat was still frozen. :( overall i will def be visiting this place again!!!!!!! and hope that eating their will not make my nose grow JUST MA BELLY!!!!!!
(4)Sloane P.
Sloane- I have ordered delivery 2 times from this place, so this is from the delivery view. The food is excellent,but the delivery is beyond awful. First order was at work, i wok in the 300 block of N. Lake. The order was placed through Grubhub. The order was 90 minutes late, grubhub called the restaurant, and the guy claimed I had told him to meet me 2 locks from my building. Tonight was at home in Arcadia,ordered at 6:30, food did not come until 8:40. Pizza was cold, and they refunded. The food had left the place at 7:40, but the driver Alberto claimed he did not know what city to deliver to, and was driving around pasadena. Gruhub did a treat job in calling the place, and when the guy showed up no receipt. We went inside and found the order was misding the spinach. We call grubhub again, and the ip shows up at 9:00;the driver lamed the restaurant. But the food aside from old pizza was good. So I would only eat there or pick up. Never delivery again...
(1)Michael S.
Three stars, two stars, three stars, two stars, I can't really decide Being new in town, and not having a stove or a refrigerator for the first week and a half that I lived, I would often just climb in my truck and drive around to find some food. Just pick a direction and drive. Not having anyone to dine with I've tended to more casual or take-out places. This was my first pizza experience in Pasadena, and it continues the streak of completely mediocre pizza in California. Granted much of that has been limited to Pizza Factory and California Pizza Kitchen., but the few locals places I've been to, from Barstow to Bishop to San Fransisco, have all been... unremarkable. Pinocchio's is well, a pizza place. No ambiance, pretty much a room with tables and chairs, a counter to order at, and a big friggin' TV. So as for the food, I ordered a small pizza with my standard topping of Italian sausage, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. I took it to-go since the place was creepily-empty. When I got it home, I found a thin-crusted pizza with a generous helping of decent quality toppings and not too much cheese. This was a good start, however, where the pizza fell short, and where many pizza fall short, for me at least, was the sauce. I tend to like a little more sauce and this was a little lite on the sauce. On top of that, the sauce was very, very thin and kind of looked and tasted like Hunt's Tomato Sauce from can. "sigh" It was close. Still, it certainly didn't taste bad, I ate my fill and had leftovers the next day. The quest continues... When looking for appliance, I sought out a mythical used appliance store on Green St. in Pasadena. I saw pizza place down there that was very crowded, can't remember the name, but I bet it's worth checking out..
(2)W. Steve S.
Great neighborhood pizza parlor. Great happy hour prices. Good service. Big screens for the latest games! Fantastic salads. The pizza is really good! Clean, attractive and inviting dinning area. We passed it by for several years and we're sorry that we did... but no longer!
(5)Kirt F.
So, we've eaten here twice. First time, take out. Roughly 45 minutes for a cheese pie, to go. I found that odd, but the pizza was good. While they exclaim that the crust is thin, it isn't anywhere NEAR thin. It's roughly 1/2 inch thick. The cheese, has a chewy consistency to it, that makes eating it enjoyable. A little more sauce then I prefer, but it is really delicate and sweet sauce. So sweet, that the oregano that my son and I put on it added a bit of a twang to the overall flavor bouquet. Our eat in experience was uneventful. There were two folks waiting tables that evening. A dark haired gentleman and an attentive lady with blonde hair, roughly half way down her back. She was really great, root beer when the drinks got low, brought us out some oregano when we asked and was very polite. A great balance of service and didn't at all hover. The guy, on the other hand, was disconnected, disinterested and seemed to spend more time watching Monday Night Football than attending to his tables. When he came to our table to light the table lamp, he stood on one side of our pie, reaching over it, grabbing the torch. He then, while holding it OVER the pie, tilted it on its side so he could light it. I sat there, aghast, staring at him. He went to set it down and when he realized it wasn't lit, he followed the same thing he had just done, right over the pie. I was floored, and he was incredibly oblivious. May try some of the other offerings if we go back. Since my professional life centers around customer service, that almost always a deal maker or breaker for me. The guys lack of any type of care or consideration really tanked my impression. With the incredible variety of options in the Pasadena area, not sure if we will be back for a third visit.
(2)Steve R.
This is our second "visit" - both visits being for take-out service. Ordered 2 xtra large pizzas with Pep, sausage, and black olives. The pizza was very good, not too greasy and about the right amount of toppings. Tonight when I went in (Saturday), the place was packed. There was a jazz band playing and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I can't really comment on the dining-in service, as my order was carry out, but both times the pizzas were ready at the time I was quoted on the phone. I also ran across a "2nd pizza for 50%" coupon for this place in my junk mail the other day, so that'll help. The 4 stars are for the pizza only and we'll be ordering from here again.
(4)Kate N.
pass on the spinach and artichoke dip, it was too watery. The pinocchio's famous pizza was okay, the broccoli didn't add to the pizza at all and we ended up taking most of it off.
(2)Jess P.
This is a great neighborhood place to catch some good pizza and beers. They've got quite a few big screen TVs and it was the first place that came to mind when the wife and I wanted to watch Friday's NCAA games. It was a great time as always. Definately recommend this place to anyone and everyone. J
(5)K M.
We recently went for dinner one evening. We enjoyed the food very much. I had a bad experience with their delivery service many, many years ago - so, this time I was actually pleasantly surprised. The service is not great, but the food is good and its close to home. We'll be back!
(4)Rick M.
The scene is relativly nice - but the food is mediocre at best and the service brought the rating down to 1 star - its not only bad they are RUDE! If I wanted Italian "style" food I certainly wouldn't endure the horrible service at Pinocchio's!
(1)Eric T.
I dont know what all these people are talking about giving a bad review. I recently tried Pinocchio's and instantly became a fan. the pizza is amazing, try the specialty ones they are great. and the starters are to die for. the brusectta and the spinach artichoke dip are wonderful.
(5)Jill L.
The food is pretty good, the happy hour specials are great, but the SERVICE is pretty underwhelming. I've been there 5 times in the past 6 months and have had bad service from each of the two servers. They are slow, and when they get your order wrong they give you defensive attitude about it. If it wasn't so close with such great happy hour prices, I wouldn't go there again.
(2)Angie M.
Wow this place is really bad! Overpriced and the pizza tasted like cheap frozen pizza! The fried chicken is dry. COSTCO pizza is so much better!
(1)Janice D.
We used to love this place... not anymore. TOO crowded and noisy. The service was awful. Not enough servers so they avoid eye contact and keep you waiting. The food is pretty decent, but not worth the headache.
(2)Greg G.
This is one of those great neighborhood places where they welcome your business but they aren't willing put up with bad attitude. We've always found the pizza great and the salads absolutely awesome. The wine too - for the price - is great. It's a pizza restaurant mostly with good wine, good service, very good pizza and great salads. It's the latest version of a place that's been here for decades and is much loved in the neighborhood. They recently moved a block up and opened a whole new restaurtant and they just expanded into the corner space with more wine and drinks. You won't find cutting edge Italian cusine but you will find traditional American Italian food done the way you wish it always was.
(5)Chris C.
no frills mom and pop pizza shop. probably good for take out and delivery rather than the dine-in, due to reasons mentioned in other reviews. the chicken parm was pretty decent, and i hear both the turkey/avocado/bacon sandwich and spinach calzone were big winners, though i did not try them. if i ate pizza in california (which i do not), i would probably give Pinocchio's Pizza a shot. definitely higher than 2 stars, and will at least temper an east coast craving, which is more than you can say for many places.
(3)M P.
Well let's start with the fact that my husband and I read reviews on here and on yahoo, (yahoo having the better reviews which we agree with.) We did not know what to expect and were a little hesitant about coming here. However it has to be the best place we have eaten at in Pasadena. Our service was great. We had the hot wings with fries ($4 for their Happy hour until 7 pm, but it was worth paying full price); I also ordered the anitpasta salad because I did not know the wings came with fries. My husband ordered the eggplant paramsen sandwich with onion rings. And let me tell you the food was so amazing. The wings came out breaded (and I normally hate that) came with fries thay were both cooked and seasoned to perfection and were amazing I never did eat my salad, I did nibble on it and it tasted very fresh. My husband loved his sandwich so much he never put it down. The onion rings he said were the second best he ever had. With this being said if our service is ever slow (as per other reviews) when we go we'll know what is waiting for us behind those kitchen doors. And it will be well worth the wait.
(5)Carine A.
very pleasant place for the Happy Hour and the live jazz can be a lot of fun
(5)matt g.
First time. First of all, not a pizza snob, but i am a good cook. Almost no sauce, rubbery cheese and the crust is different - just not a traditional pizza crust but it wasn't bad or anything. i think some people will like the crust more than others. It's normal thickness, not sure how to describe. Main thing is - all 3 of my kids didn't like it. Guy who answered phone was kind of a douche. 20 bucks for two mediums.
(2)Bryan L.
Lived right up the street from this place for years and just tried for our first time. Inside this is definitely a contemporary, nice restaurant. They have a separate banquet room, a decent sized bar (just beer, wine & soju), a lounge with comfortable leather sofas / chairs and a spacious dining area. Flat screens all around showing all the current games on. They serve large frosty pitchers (glass to boot) of beer at reasonable prices. I had the meatball sandwich, bowl of ministrone, salad with ranch. I split a caprese salad with my wife to start. Thought the food was great and all the other patrons' food looked good. You rarely find an inexpensive place with this much to offer being in a rather funky, out of the way neighborhood. Only downside is the staff, there is no welcome vibe there or thanks for spending your money here in this recession.. They are efficient and professional though. By the way be careful driving up and down here, generally speed traps and an occassional sobriety check point on Lake. Stay below 40 and don't run yellows if you live south of here and going home.
(4)Breanna B.
This place is phenomenal, I hosted a baby shower for my sister here and everything was just perfect! We had the perfect size banquet room, great service and great hospitality by a server named Arthur, he was on top of things and very professional. I would totally recommend this place to anybody looking for any kind of celebration place AMAZING food! Amazing experience in FULL !! I will definitely be back!
(5)JC M.
The wine is quite FINE. See photo of the FANTINI in the tips. The meat sauce is really good this week. The chicken cutlet without all the parmigiana is quite tasty with a Caesars salad. Not on the menu but easy add on. The steak this week has been quite good. Linguini with garlic and shrimp is a good choice
(4)Dari A.
Bliss: I had not been here for a long time but what a great decision to watch the Clippers winning while enjoying a delicious Italian dinner. They recommend the pizzas but I had the Seafood Alfredo which was excellent and, for a great price at dinner ($12.49), came with a decent salad and real good bread. Didn't try the house wine but instead had a Montepulciano which ended up tasting like a house wine (I had to verify the bottle, this was one of the rare not excellent ones). Service was friendly and gracious. Lighting is great with pretty small candles. Deserves the 4 stars for the price/quality ratio.
(4)Kristin J.
Great lunch specials.This is one of my favorite lunch spots. The pizza is great here. The crust is perfect, not too thick and not too thin. The Alfredo and tomato pizza sauce is both very fresh. I will come again.
(5)Pedro G.
The food was great. Yummy appetizers and the pizza was big and delicious. They accommodated our party of 6 really nicely at the lounge and we had a great time. The sangria was also good. And I'm picky about my sangria !best happy hour in Pasadena
(5)Lena S.
Our absolute favorite restaurant! We have been coming here for almost two years and it is our spot! The staff is amazing and the food is so fantastic!
(5)Kathi Y.
Great food and service at a decent price. This is our go-to place for happy hour and after hours. Food is terrific!!
(5)Rebecca H.
Surprised Surprised! Who knew a pizza joint can look this classy! I was a bit wary hearing that someone is throwing their Bridal Shower there but I figured the couple was super low key that I shouldn't wonder. Load and behold I walk into a side room and it was not only big but it had High ceiling with beautiful antique chandeliers. Everything had its place and it worked! The bruschetta was delicious, I must of ate about 7 of them! Pizza wasn't bad and everyone really enjoyed the Pastas! The dessert were authentic tiramisu..SOO good!
(4)Felicia G.
I have passed by this place millions of times and finally stopped in. First and foremost let me say that the environment is clean and very well put together. In addition, the servers are very attentive and timely. My party of five were courteously attended to and received our food fairly quickly. There was no wait and I especially enjoyed the food. I ordered a mushroom pizza lunch special with a salad. My party ordered the fried zucchini and wings. After tasting the wings and fries I had a very hard time stopping. The wings are fried to perfection and the fries are also just as good. I've been day dreaming about the wings ever since. I suggest you try Pinnochio's during Happy Hour. An 8 piece wing and fry plate will cost you only $5.50. In addition, a pizza lunch is only 7.99 ! I will not be passing this place up any time soon again.
(5)Jeannette G.
Lovely dinner date spot in Pasadena. Small, yet quaint - this what appears to be a family owned restaurant knows it customers and wishes for them to have a good dining experience. And, a good dining experience is what I had. The pasta is cooked al dente and the servers do not leave you waiting between dishes; everything is brought and cleared out timely. This place seems like a good place to watch sports; they have big clear TVs and strategic locations. I would not mind coming here to catch a few games.
(4)Abs S.
I ordered the lunch special of Linguini with Marinara sauce accompanied by Minestrone soup. It was delicious! Great texture, fresh marinara and the soup hit the spot as well. 5 stars!
(5)Banfield S.
My wife and I have been coming here since before the moved from across the street to they're current location. Family owned and one of Pasadena's hidden jewels, Pinocchio's is a great place to bring the family, watch the game or just have a romantic dinner with your significant other. Live music, classic Italian cuisine, fine wine, and lets not forget the mozzarella chili cheese fries! Wow! By far the best pizza in Pasadena! I give it 5 stars!
(5)A. m.
Pizza is decent but nothing special. Got a salad that looks like it was prepared by a three year old chopping vegetables with a butter knife. Any prep cook should know not to put lettuce stems in a salad, come on, man.
(2)Clarita O.
We love this place. It's just as good quality as the restaurants in Old Town Pasadena, but more affordable. It even has it's own parking lot - a huge bonus in this area. Really great happy hour. We love the calamari, the caprese salad, and the drink specials - affordable house wine reminds me of Italy. Great atmosphere and family-friendly too. Good homemade Italian-American food. I hope no one else comes here so we can keep it a secret for ourselves!
(5)Katie A.
I wouldn't know how the food is because it's currently 35 minutes later than their promised time on Eat 24 and it's not here.
(1)David R.
Pizza is good, and the online ordering via it's yelp page is fantastic. I really enjoy ordering from here, it's always hassle free. We have ordered a few times online, I think it's time to step inside the brick and mortar... Thanks Pinocchio's for making a pleasant online ordering for this online ordering nerd.
(4)Selena V.
Love their happy hour!! $2 off draft beers 3pm-close. Their breaded zucchini is soooo good! Not too much into the pizza but the service is good and get there early if you want a seat near the bar for happy hour 630-close. The three stars are for the pizza and the fact that they didn't have a lot of the beers that were on the menu.
(4)Peter C.
I'm pretty upset with myself right now, becuase I have driven past Pinocchio's Pizza hundreds of times. Literally hundreds. It's on the way to my favorite local golf course, and right next door to my chiropractor. Ten years later, I decided to stop in for lunch. There's a lot to like about this place. The inside is beautifully done with a mix of tables, booths & a bar area with big windows & lots of light. I got pizza & salad for lunch, which came with a whole pizza for about $10, which is a great deal. The salad is pretty good, too, with a viniagrette dressing served on the side of greens with shredded mozzarella & red onion. I thought the pizza kind of took a long time to come out of the kitchen, but when it arrived I could tell it was made fresh because I could feel the heat just by putting my hand over the pizza. Great place! Coming back for sure.
(4)Caroline W.
The staff are very friendly! They have a back lot for parking, so many deals it's crazy, and a nice alcohol selection. I asked for my own specifications because of my allergies and they delivered beautifully! Definitely coming back.
(5)Logan B.
Just ordered a pizza at 1:00pm for delivery. It is now 2:15pm and I have no pizza only 1.5 miles away from this place. I called and ordered and everything seemed to be ok. After 45 minutes frustrated because they told me it would be there in 30 minutes I called back, they make up some BS excuse saying the pizza took longer to cook and I will be there in 10 minutes. Now it is 1:55pm I wait and give them an extra few minutes. By the time 2:15 came I was just so frustrated so I called and cancelled my order and the person on the phone seemed like they could care less and didn't even try to resolve the issue. Will not have my business I rather drive 10 miles to buy a burnt little Caesars pizza. Horrible service.
(1)Rick M.
I like the service. Everyone is super nice independent of the obvious. Not sure what days but sometimes they have a jazz band, and change a small cover charge. I don't mind. I've tried their spicy chicken cacciatore and Greek salad and liked it a lot. They do have a decent beer selection but the wine is a little behind. You're ok with either one though. When I read their reviews I think the reason they aren't rated higher is because they are away from other more popular locations.
(4)donald m.
This is a wonderful gem right here in Pasadena . Good staff and great food. They also deliver and it is always hot when it gets here. Strongly recommend Ponochios. Great atmosphere while eating there also
(5)Breana G.
Pinocchio's is one of my favorite local restaurants as a resident in the altadena area. The pizza is cheesy and delicious and the spaghetti is saucy and is served so beautifully. For families there is a special deal of pizza, spaghetti, garlic bread and salad for 24$!! Amazing deal for a family of 4-5. The atmosphere is nice and service is friendly.
(4)Tricia C.
I live and work close to Pinocchio's, which is really the only reason I continue to patronize this restaurant now and then. After my 5-10 visits over the last eight years, I finally decide to write a review. What I have noticed overall has been okay food that is a little pricey, and slow service that sometimes borders on apathetic, although once in a while you will encounter a really nice and pleasant person. My experience tonight seemed to be a perfect recap of all the experiences I've had at Pinocchio's. I was at work one block away, so I called in an order of mozzarella sticks for pickup. I asked how long it would be and the person on the phone said: 10 minutes. I waited 15 minutes then went to pick up my food. The person behind the bar was very nice and asked the cooks if my food was ready. They said "no" (with attitude), so I stood at the bar and waited. After another 15 minutes (30 minutes total), I was handed my food, paid and left. When I returned to work and opened up the box, I saw seven mozzarella sticks, no marinara sauce, and no napkins... All for $7.
(2)Ron Y.
I love this place. This is a Pasadena original. Good food, good service and great prices!
(5)Xander H.
I have plenty of pictures to relate to the brilliant atmosphere and food choice for my first experience here.
(5)Pauline B.
Thank you Arthur for delivering 5 star service to our 50+ guests yesterday afternoon! Your spacious banquet room combined with the excellent food made our family baby shower very enjoyable!! Many of our guests mentioned to me how impressed they were with your above and beyond service. We highly recommend Pinoccho's!!
(5)Raymond M.
Excellent food and service!!! Great banquet area. Will definitely come back. Fist time at Pinocchios Pizza!
(4)Be M.
We love this place. It's got to have the best happy hour in Pasadena. I'll give the food a strong 3.5 stars. It's not gourmet, but it's good (great wings). I'll give the service 4 stars and the prices 5 stars! You can't beat $5 appetizers. Non-happy hour menu is also good but pricier. Overall, great low-key, casual neighborhood spot to watch a game or just grab a drink. No crowds, easy parking and very nice set up.
(4)Luis C.
Longest delivering time ever!!! Took over 1.5 hours for the deliver guy to show up on a Monday night. Decided to cancel the order and get food nearby. Hope they get a better delivering service.
(1)Lori R.
This restaurant is the perfect blend of beautiful atmosphere, good fresh food and professional servers. I love the fact that I see the same servers when I come here. I ordered the pesto pasta and my fiancée ordered the Italian sausage. Both were so delicious.
(5)Pat G.
Excellent salad, sandwiches, service. This will definitely be a regular. The best Italian I and friends have had in ages
(5)Bridget S.
Wonderful neighborhood eatery ! Yummy down home Italian food :) plenty of parking and great ambiance . Great customer service as well
(4)Chelsey O.
Great place to come for a happy hour menu, as long as you sit in the bar area! Food is great for the happy hour discounted price. We only got appetizers so I can only speak for those! Its a chill weekend spot! Plus you get a free dessert with a yelp review. Can't go wrong!
(4)Matthew J.
Good pizza, good service, they didn't complain that I dined in 15 minutes before closing. The pizza actually tasted pretty good. Wouldn't hesitate to go again.
(5)Andrew C.
I attend Toastmaster's groups in their private room and came here for the first time the other day. I had a beer (which they have a great happy hour) and some fried calamari. The only downside was that they only had marinara to dip the calamari in and not a garlic aoli. But besides that point, the service was great, food was good, and I'm looking forward to trying everything on the menu. It's great they're so accommodating with groups in the community.
(4)Jackie G.
Super super delicious!! This beats Carmine's blaze Pizza Hut and all the rest overall!! I love love there pastas!
(5)Chris M.
This place is a little on the crazy side. It's like 1 part authentic Italian cuisine, 1 part local neighborhood restaurant, and another part sports bar! The food is pretty delicious (particularly that Chicken Pesto Calzone), and the happy hour is awesome. I've had a couple mixed experiences with service, however as a server myself, I'm both understanding on a busy night, and critical when I feel the delivery could be better. But despite any stumbling blocks, Pinocchio's definitely does deliver.
(4)Lori H.
We had been ordering regularly from Pinocchio's for almost two years- ever since we moved to Altadena. However, today we received our order an hour and a half after we ordered it (we live literally 2 minutes up the street), and the pizza was completely cold! When we called to complain and ask for a refund, a young women said there was nothing they could do. When we called back and asked to speak to the manager, we waited on hold for several minutes before a young man said that the manager Armen had "just stepped out." What a joke!! He said if we wanted a refund, they would send somebody back to pick up the cold pizza! NO. JOKE. So, that is exactly what we asked for. We will see how long they take to come back and get the cold pizza- just to throw it out, I presume. They already have plenty of bad reviews, so I guess this one is nothing new. They just lost good repeat customers for life. With service like this, I am very surprised they aren't already out of business. We will never ever order from Pinocchio's again. Please don't give these horrible people your business.
(1)Adriane V.
Came here for the first time and I ordered a pizza and ravioli. The food and the service was fantastic!
(5)Lydia T.
This place rocks! It's a combination of funkiness and fine dining. The food is unique in flavor, my favorite is the chicken spinach lasagna. Lasagna never tasted like that before. Also if you like jazz, this is your kind of place!
(5)Genevie G.
Pinocchios is almost a weekly meal!! Love their pizza regular large pepperoni! You can't go wrong with the family meal for 25$! On days were feeling fancy we upgrade the spaghetti to fettuccine Alfredo with it's creamy goodness and the regular house salad to a chicken Cesar salad! Perfect meal especially the nights they have jazz playing, it's quite a treat!
(5)Irma C.
Food was DELISH!!!..Service was good..they should schedule more servers if there's going to be a party during business hours. Took a lil while for server to bring drinks but overall I enjoyed my dinner.
(4)Jennifer M.
I'm been to Pinocchio's several times. The food is always good, but the service is always slow. Usually, it is almost bearable, but the other night it was so bad that we left. They had a large party in a separate room which they obviously knew about and should have staffed for. They also had a large table set up so they were expecting another large party. However, they only had 1 person working all of the tables. It took about 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. Once we were seated we got menus and then we waited 30 minutes before we decided to leave. The only reason I give any stars is because the food is good if you can get it. However, they need to staff better or they will continue to loose customers.
(2)Karina P.
Really great place. Great service and great food. Took a little long but only because of the big party that was here. Other than that, everything was great.
(4)Mark M.
It's interesting reading reviews on Yelp before visiting an establishment. There is such a wide divergence of tastes that one wonders how any kind of accuracy can be attained. The reviews for Pinocchio's contained one review saying it was the best Italian food the person had ever had. Another review said it was terrible. Not surprisingly, reality lies somewhere in between that chasm. I made my first visit last night to hear some jazz and have a little dinner. I was greeted immediately upon my entry by an attentive hostess, and didn't have to wait more than a minute before a waitress came by to take my drink order. She was new and didn't have answers to all of my menu related questions, but quickly obtained them. She was attentive, but not overly so, throughout my meal. So I'm not sure why the other reviews on here panned the service, but at least last night, I had no complaints. I ordered the flat iron steak which comes with fettucini alfredo with broccoli, and glass of chianti. I don't know if you all know about the flat iron cut, but it's a cheap cut of steak, not known for its tenderness (it's a good steak for restaurants to serve because it's less expensive for them). But the piece I got was prepared perfectly. It was tender, flavorful, and cooked to my specifications (medium rare). They use prime beef, which I think is important for a flat iron, and the fact Pinocchio's chef recognizes this is a good sign. The Alfredo was just OK, but certainly acceptable. I'd give it a "B". The pasta was a bit overcooked. The sauce was fine. It's hard to mess up an alfredo sauce. It had the correct ratio of parmesan to butter and cream. I did not try the pizza, although probably will on my next trip. But one of the ways you can tell if a pizza place has a decent chef is to eat something OTHER than pizza. (there are many pizza places that should ONLY be serving pizza) And in my opinion, Pinocchio's passed that test. Only downside to my evening were the screaming kids at the table next to me who were, amazingly, louder than the amplified band, but this is a family restaurant and that can be expected. Overall, the music was great and the food was decent-plus. I will go back.
(4)Melissa W.
I was invited to happy hour here about a week ago. The food was pretty bland, but the prices were great so I wasn't to upset about that. The real turn off was the terrible service. When I would pass by I always noticed the lack of diversity at this eatery, but I didn't think anything of it. I am more aware now.... The treatment of myself and the party I was with was awful. Sadly the worst of the treatment came from the owner/ manger. We wanted to discuss the concerns with her/him so we asked the waiter and she lied to us claiming she wasn't there. We continued to press our issue and all of a sudden our waiter goes to the back and we here the owner yell " I don't want to talk to them" I've never in my life been treated in such a manner and I would think if a paying costumer had concerns about something, they would be eager to make the costumer happy so they could come back. They were beyond rude and I will never set foot in that establishment again.
(1)Adam R.
Just received delivery and it's just like some people said... AMAZING! The pizza is still hot. Taste... is amazing! The gentelman who delivered the pizza was very nice and ready to provide the best customer service. I'm a little picky (eat healthy) when it comes to food, but if I'm going to go all out, I might as well go all out! This pizza is pretty darn good! Thanks for the great pizza!
(5)Cathy K.
Arrived at 1:00PM with a party of four on Saturday afternoon, and the restaurant was all but empty, except for an event in an adjoining room. We were greeted immediately and seated in the "lounge" area, because almost all of the tables in the restaurant still has dishes on them from previous customers. We ordered simple food that shouldn't take long to prepare (two Caesar salads, a sub sandwich, and a plate of spaghetti). Thirty minutes later, we still hadn't received our food. The waitress finally brought out the two salads, but completely forgot a soup and an order of garlic bread. When we did get our order, the soup and bread were still missing, but she brought the soup, after a reminder. The cheese on the Caesar Salads tasted off, and the dressing was obviously bottled. The soup, submarine sandwich, and spaghetti were all passable, but really nothing to shout home about. Trying to get the attention of the waitress to get our check was strangely a struggle, since the restaurant was still mostly empty, but she finally brought it, and we made sure the undelivered garlic bread had been removed from the bill. As we were leaving the restaurant, I noticed that all the tables that hadn't been cleared upon our arrival were STILL full of dishes! Absolutely unacceptable and disgusting. I now understand why the restaurant was empty. This restaurant can be certain we will NEVER be customers of theirs again!
(1)Cynthia F.
We've been ordering from Pinnochio's for over 15 years. Seen them at their best, and at their worst. On a good day, their pizza is great, driver finds us and we enjoy their delivery. BTW we most often order from them through Eat 24, because the phone service at the restaurant is usually pretty amateurish. Tonight we ordered our usual pepperoni pizza with a salad, to be delivered. Over 2 hours ago. We've called twice - once were told the order's on its way (no answer as to why it took 2 hours). Then, 20 minutes later we call again, and now they have no record of the order at all. After 20 minutes on hold, we're told again the order is on its way. No apology, no refund, no explanation. I'm typing this review, still waiting for dinner to arrive and frankly starving. We would give up but it will take just as long to start over with a different restaurant. Order initiated at 7:48. Now it's 10:10 . . . still hungry. Still waiting. I'm willing to forgive when people make a mistake, but it's up to them to admit they made a mistake and do something to make it right. Still waiting. I think I'll go make a PBJ. Next time we'll call Pizza Man - he delivers. p.s. 10:29. Pizza just arrived - piping hot. Musta just come out of the oven. Salad? Not the one we ordered, but it's got lettuce. Gonna eat now.
(1)elizabeth s.
We usually order for Delivery- Don't know how they do it, but the food arrives hot and in the timeframe they estimate. Also we have been there for post graduation family dinner, they handled a jaeger party just fine. Like the pizza especially the New York crust, REALLY like the chicken lasagna with cream sauce, great chicken Parmesan.
(5)Daniel W.
Small but great beer selection. Accommodated us with vegetarian options. Tasty sides that were cheap because of happy hour!
(5)Kiana S.
"Little puppet made of pine, awake. The gift of life is thine." ~Pinocchio I've dined here a number of times with friends and each experience has been pleasant overall. This last time was no different. Had dinner on a Thurs nite with coworkers and the place was packed! There was a party in the private room and main floor was pretty much all filled. Fortunately we got there early enough and didn't have to wait like other patrons who had to stand a while to get seated. Pros: 1) Location: Conveniently located on one of Pasadena's main drag; north Lake Ave. 2) Ambience: Charming & quaint but relatively spacious. Love the layout of the place. Has a good mix of table options; formal dining, family-style and lounge seating. Place is somewhat of a paradox because it has an element of romantic warmth but also has a sports bar-esque quality as well. Ergo, game being shown on huge pull down screen. 3)Happy Hour makes for happy customers!!! All apps are $5 with a good selection of happy hour drinks. 4) Chicken wings! : Ain't no thang but a super crispy, tasty chicken wing!! I am obsessed! I would have been perfectly content to have just the wings and my glass of beer and call it a night. Loved it so much, we ordered 2! 5) Pizza: No complaints about their pizza. It's not an authentic NY pizza but compared to others who boast being NY style, theirs is pretty decent. The spinach pizza is quite tasty. 6)Cost: Very reasonable! There were 5 of us and we're not modest when it comes to food! To us, eating is practically a sport! Not including our drinks, we spent a little over $100! What we had: 4 plates of apps, a plate of shrimp mushroom linguine, a medium pizza, a large garden salad, and 3 decadent desserts!!! 7) Customer Service: Alexis or as we'd like to call her, "the gorgeous, half-African American, half Italian, ALL goddess!" was fabulous! She was patient, helpful, totally accommodating and incredibly good humored in spite of our incessant questioning and unfiltered declarations of how gorgeous she is! She truly is stunning! But I think it was her sweet personality that really won us over. She's a great addition to an already great staff! Thank you, Alexis! Cons: 1) Parking: Can be a pain. They have some spaces out back. But, on a busy night like it was that evening, be prepared to park on adjacent street and do a bit of trekking. 2) No waiting area: Again, we were lucky to have gotten there early with no wait. But I felt bad for those who arrived later and had to stand around waiting to be seated. 3) Fried calamari: Meh! It wasn't bad, but not anything to rave about either. Was under-seasoned and a bit on the pale side. Overall, I have been pleasantly surprised with my experiences at Pinocchios. However, even though it does get busy, I do prefer Happy Hour and dinner times over the lunch hour. Staff is certainly more pleasant. There's a guy who usually waits on us during lunch who isn't the most personable fellow, but service was still decent. "Uno non può pensare bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se non ha mangiato bene." ~Virginia Wolf (One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one hasn't eaten well.) ~K
(4)A P.
Just discovered this place. We were seated quickly and our waitress made every attempt to ensure our drinks were refilled. The thin crust pizza and garden salad were just awesome. As we ate, the place became very busy. Based on the conversations that we heard, many were repeat customers. Other dishes that we saw included a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, and maybe a noodle dish with olive oil and garlic. We will be returning to this restaurant to try other dishes.
(5)Diane T.
We like to eat vegetarian food (although we don't insist on it) and when we found a new Italian place in our neighborhood that serves up a delicious veggie pizza, we said "Momma, I'm home"! Pinocchio's veggie pizza is generously topped with slices of yellow, red and green bell pepper, onions, and tons of gooey cheese on a fresh, fluffy crust. We paired it with a luscious Greek salad, (the veggies were fresh and tasty), and we were stuffed by the time we finished eating. I've also tasted their vegetarian ravioli, which is ravioli stuffed with minced vegetables, as well as their spaghetti and meatballs, which were cooked to perfection. Our server, Arthur, was a happy guy who had a smile and an easy-going attitude that made it fun to be there. Pinocchio's is a family friendly restaurant, there are always families with kids there, as well as groups of people who enjoy sports and beer because they have large screen TVs showing the latest games. I simply can't wait to go back and enjoy our tradition that we call "dessert night out" where we order one of EVERY dessert on the menu, and share bites of all of them....too good to be described, you simply have to try it to know you've found heaven!
(5)Annie C.
The Pizza would have been great ----- if it hadn't taken 2 hours for the delivery! It was luke warm!
(3)Heather J.
Ordered through GrubHub, and that was easy enough. The good: - Tasty food - On time delivery - They have cacciatore! The meh: - Request for extra sauce on pizza was ignored - Our pizza came cold - The cheesy garlic bread was pricey for what you get, and not very garlic tasting We ordered the 18" NY style pizza; pepperoni & basil with extra sauce. -The pizza was delicious but showed up somewhat cold and with no extra sauce, making for a dry pizza. The basil definitely saved it! We also ordered the chicken cacciatore dinner. The pasta part of the dinner: -Delivered extremely hot (maybe why the pizza was cold?) and an awesome portion; it fed my boyfriend and I that night and for lunch the next day. It is usually a spicy sauce, which this was listed as, but no real kick to it. The mushrooms and onions were cooked perfectly though, and the sauce was yummy! The rest of the "dinner" part of it: -The garden "side" salad was huge for a side salad, and the garlic bread was a nice portion but pretty dry. The side item we chose was the mozzarella garlic bread: -Tasty, super cheesy but just not really garlic bread; it was more like buttered bread with cheese. The sauce that came with it was good though, just wish they gave you a little more. For $6, the portion of cheese bread isn't quite fitting, and they can afford a little more generosity with the sauce. I'm pretty sure the next time I order for delivery it will be via phone though, since I think the pizza sauce problem was a fault on GrubHub.
(4)Valentina L.
Great prices! Great place! Pretty cool that it is a sort of neighborhood restaurant. I really didn't expect it to be so tasty, let alone the presentation of the food be so 5 star! Since it came from a recommendation, I took it with half an ear. Great drafts, and beer prices and deals. I checked in on Yelp and got a break on my meal! THANKS YELP! They deliver, so on lazy days, I just get the amazing food brought to me in my jammies! Well...I mean I wear them, NOT the delivery guy! That would be just WEIRD! and unlike Pinocchio...that is the TRUTH!
(5)Johnny S.
I been here 15 times or so, I love the classy place because the beautiful music , classy people but be aware as they are not perfect. In all honestly 14 out of 15 times I was very pleased. But, there was this one time when the cooks did not did ensure the salmon was cooked completely. As I ate my greek salmon salad, I was three-fourths of the way through when I noticed the discoloration of the meat and unsavory flavor of bland salmon that was still partially frozen. Upon realizing this I stopped eating but it was already too late, I relaxed, and within 10 or 15 minutes I started to feel the symtoms of food poisoning. My body started heating up,my head started to hurt, i felt akward,hot and sick, I then felt the sudden urge to throw up. I headed to the bathroom and threw up my whole dinner. After, I recovered my energy, I went back to the restuarant and spoke with the manager. I addressed my issue with my meal politely and professionally. However, he had to make a snide remark that I could not prove it occured at his establishment. I understand the legal ramifications of being under pressuree so I just let him know that I am generally a happy customer and this does not happen often ,so I will not press further, but to rest assured, if i call the ambulance and the police check the food. They will find the salmon to be under cooked. As it is easily visible to anybody. In any case, he apologized and I decided to let this go. Money doesnt make right. Its not about money, its about the dangers of undercooked meat. The cooks need to properly cook meals with the same standard for every meal or not be working in the establishment. Anyway, i still look forward to eating here, and no , I cant sweep this under the rug like he wanted. He did not even offer a comp on the meal. Or a refund, only a apology. In return, i shall oblige him with the truth. 14 out of 15 good eating....rarely .. Reasonably ... Sickness.
(5)Jose G.
Perfect service I have 7 years of food service experience and am well aware of good and bad, but this was a great meal for a great price and wonderfull service.
(5)Sandra C.
Delicious food, great happy hour and to top it all of their staff are wonderful people. Super kind and always on it with their service. Love coming here!
(5)Grace L.
I am a new customer. I ordered for delivery service for the first time ever, today. I ordered Shrimp Mushroom Linguini & Calamari... they're delicious! Yum! Will definitely order again next time, for delivery.
(4)Clyde J.
Absolutely amazing pizza!
(5)Alison B.
Chill atmosphere, somehow able to be good both for watching sports and date night. Great beer selection with reasonable prices. Appreciated that they were willing to turn a few tvs to soccer. Food was good. We really enjoyed the pesto shrimp pasta and the garlic bread.
(4)Mona S.
I ordered food from Pinocchio's Pizza through Grub Hub for delivery. I live literally 3 minutes driving distance from the restaurant, so typically, I would just get my order for pickup, but on that particular day, I was without a car. I ordered the meatball sandwich and mozzarella sticks for delivery. It took ONE HOUR AND A HALF from the time that I placed my order for my food to be delivered to my address located 3 minutes away from the restaurant. I even had to call them to find out what was happening. The delivery arrived 40 minutes later than the expected delivery time AND when the driver finally arrived, instead of delivering to my door like the delivery service is supposed to do, he actually called my phone to ask me to come out to his car to get the food myself! WTF?!?! This is the worst service that I have ever received! On top of it all, the food was cold and the meatballs were tasteless and dry.
(1)Vanessa M.
This place is what it is, a small family owned Italian restaurant. My boyfriend and I came for happy hour. Great beer selection. Very busy but still received friendly service. We got lucky and got to sit on a couch table facing the TVs. NBA playoffs were on and the sound was great! Every time I come, I have to get the mozzarella chili fries ($5) and they are incredible. My boyfriend's Shrimp Alfredo was amazing. It was huge! It had broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes and enough bread for a family of four. Thank You, Pinocchio's!!! We will be back soon!
(4)K. Zachary A.
Excellent service most nights, decent pizza, wonderful Greek salad, but what's especially noteworthy is St. Bernadus ON TAP and only $5 during happy hour!
(4)Mary T.
Ordered eggplant parmesan for pickup. Got huge pile of pasta, in a little bit of a bland and greasy cream sauce I guess? 4 little rounds of eggplant!!! For $14? Never doing that again, what a rip. The eggplant wasn't bad. But we don't eat pasta, so most of the meal was a waste of money. Bleh. So disappointed.
(3)Joanne G.
We ordered the family meal and it was perfect. I love their green salad, pizza and spaghetti.
(5)Jane P.
This review is for the private event space they have at the side of the restaurant. We had our rehearsal dinner here and it is a beautiful space! Huge brick wall with gorgeous windows, large chandeliers, chiavari chairs, etc. The food is not necessarily the best italian I've ever had (but I studied abroad in italy and have been spoiled with amazing italian food), but the ambiance, service, price point and private event room is really great! I'm so glad we found this space for the rehearsal. It was lovely. I did not interact with them a lot, because the husband's family was in charge of the rehearsal dinner, but they said they were fantastic to work with!
(4)Patricia O.
Great neighborhood restaurant! Salmon with pesto pasta is excellent. Great happy hour, too!
(4)Steph C.
Matt B. and I went to Pinocchio's Pizza on Saturday to see our friend Bret H. perform with the Tujunga Social Club, a local Latin jazz band that plays this venue on the third Saturday of every month. We ate pizza, drank beer, and enjoyed the live music. It was a fun night in a part of Pasadena we hadn't explored before. The restaurant was casual, charming, and comfortable, with the look and feel of a neighborhood pizza parlor without greater pretensions. Service was on the leisurely side, but friendly and unproblematic. We went on the Saturday before Christmas, and there was a lovely tree that made the place feel like pretty homey. The Tujunga Social Club was fantastic. They played a fun mix of jazz and Christmas songs. It looks like Pinocchio's lines up live music every weekend. The relaxed atmosphere and intimate space are well built for it. We enjoyed the music with beer and pizza. The beer was great, ordered off a short, solid draft list. I had a glass of Hop Notch IPA and Matt had the Ale Smith X American pale ale. The pizza was on the mediocre side. We each got 10" pizzas, which were personal size pies. I actually liked my combination pizza, which came topped with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, red onion, black olives, and strips of yellow and green bell pepper. The slices were thick and the crusts were chewy and satisfying in that delivery pizza way. The toppings were tasty and plentiful. I had half of the pizza right out of the fridge later in the week, and it hit the spot. Matt's plain cheese pizza was much less successful. The cheese was thick, rubbery, and gloopy - the pizza was just greasy and kind of terrible. It would've been better if it were like the combination without the toppings. Still, I liked my pizza and the space and atmosphere were lovely. Pinocchio's is a pleasant neighborhood pizza joint, and if you come in with moderate expectations, you should walk away happy.
(4)Plaz C.
Good portions and price for dinner. We got pizza and seafood Alfredo. Fettuccini was cooked well, we like our food salty so added a bit of salt. But it was creamy and shrimp was tender. Pizza was flavorful and I added a bit of salt. Nice decor. The free ice cream with yelp review had nothing to do with the five star
(5)James M.
First time going to Pinocchio's. Ordered 2 Sangria's very dry! Waitress told us she would credit our bill. The waitress gladly replace them with two other drinks. Ordered Pinocchio sub sandwich and Spinach Lasagna. Spinach lasagne was excellent. We were served a sausage sandwich we questioned it she told us that it was a sub sandwich??? Received the bill drinks were not credited. Went to bar they took care of it, but the waitress flat out lied about our choice of sandwich.
(3)Lauren P.
I went to Pinocchio's this past weekend and honestly nothing has changed much since my last visit. Food/Price NY chocolate cheesecake $6-7 wasn't bad but nothing special Tiramisu $6-7 pretty bad, dry cake and half frozen Service The staff was a little bit more attentive but nothing noteworthy. Atmosphere The atmosphere isn't bad but I feel like they have lost their appeal because they can't decide if they want to be a sports restaurant or an upscale restaurant. They have live jazz and TV's playing sports. Where's the concept? Overall The only reason I ever come here is to see the live Jazz Band and if it weren't for that I would probably dismiss this place entirely.
(2)Jenelle B.
I'm on a death to food chain binge, thus freeing myself from chains (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Denny's, etc). Exploring and reviving the small business in my community is my ultimate goal, one yelp review at a time. With that being said..... This place is seriously a gem! My roommate first told me about it and although I never heard about it, I was eager to try it out. I'm a huge fan of Italian food and I know my boyfriend loves pizza so I figured they would have something to appease us both. The Atmosphere: Very cozy but with a very trendy feel. Lounge in the middle of the restaurant with plush seating overlooking the bar area. The booths and tables outline the restaurant. They even have a separate dining section for large parties, which would be great for hosting birthdays or other large events. +1 The Service: Our server/hostess seemed to be "off" that night, kind of spacey. She didn't being us water untiil mid meal when we were already choking on our food. Spotty service! The Food: I got the shrimp linguine. The description said sun-dried tomatoes but it came with diced roma tomatoes, garlic and mushrooms. Really tasty dish. I wasn't really impressed by their vegetarian options so opted for seafood instead. REALLY tasty dish and because it came in olive oil I was able to repurpose it the next day by adding my own pesto getting a two-for-one. Still amazing the next day. Shrimp was MEH. Overall very chill place to grab italian. REALLY close to my house with a nice vibe. Will be back! OHHH and did i mention 15% off entire bill with a yelp check in ^_^
(4)Lewis B.
We tried it for the first time last night for dinner and some Thursday Night Football. It was a great setting to watch a football game with numerous screens. The staff was very attentive and the service couldn't be better. The food was just ok. The antipasto salad was lacking greens and cheese but had a tremendous amount of meat. The meat pizza was a thin, crispy crust that again had plenty of meat but was thin on sauce. The seafood fettuccine was a generous size but was on the bland size.
(3)Cara E.
Sub-par pizza and took over an hour when we live less than a mile away. Hate to say, Pizza Hut would've been a better choice.
(1)Sarah M.
Gets 2 stars because the food was edible, but this is some of the WORST pizza I have ever had.
(2)Colette W.
It could all be so simple .. Listen. Life is hard when you've had a long summer day and delivery is the only option and for once in your life Indian or Thai ain't gonna cut it. I ordered through Eat24 and after searching the intense menu I went with the pastrami and fries, and a coffee. Pastrami was pretty dry which was wack and I only ate for the sake of eating. Eh It came fairly quickly, but the guy forgot my coffee. Sham. I called and they said that Eat24 has to refund me the coffee money and asked if I wanted the number or if I wanted them to call for me. Uhhhhhh. Yeah never again.
(3)Bill F.
I've been coming for 6 yrs now when I'm not in my home in hawaii I always make it a point to come to pinocchios it's got great food and the service is excellent!!!
(5)monique H.
Food,ambiance and service is always awesome! Great hole in the wall Italian restaurant.
(5)Kathy M.
I've only ever had the pizza to eat here and it has been delicious. They also have fun live music in some Saturday nights, and the place is packed. Consider bringing earplugs, because the music is loud and the tile floors make it echo. I keep meaning to get out to the happy hour here because the prices are something low like $3 a drink.
(4)Kari D.
This is a really cute place. Nice ambience, though I could do without the big screen TVs. It's a little on the loud side when people are talking but the Saturday night jazz was great. The food was decent. We ordered an Antipasto salad and cheesy garlic bread. No complaints there. The service left a lot to be desired. Our waitress only checked on us twice. Any other time we wanted her, we had to grab her. The place was busy but it felt more like our order wasn't worth her time because we weren't drinking. We were going to order dessert, but we waited for her longer than we were happy with so just asked for the check. Overall a mediocre experience.
(3)Karen G.
Tonight I ordered delivery from Pinocchio's in Pasadena, and it was HORRIBLE. The rudest most arrogant "management" team working tonight. We placed our pizza order at 8:30pm and it literally JUST arrived, its 10:30!! I called them to ask were my order was over 10 times!!! WTF is that, but of course with the service they provide all I got was the phone hung up in my face. NEVER order from this shit hole, you are NOT appreciated at this dump. BTW, pizza arrived cold as fuck and and not good! Would have been better off ordering pizza hut.
(1)Beata S.
This place is really a charming eatery, the space is roomy, and pristine (even the bathrooms). It hosts a full bar with really great beer on tap. SERIOUSLY really great beer on tap. The walls are filled with several TV screens that constantly air ESPN or anything else I would classify as man-TV. The wait staff are friendly, prompt, attentive, and courteous. The food is incredibly underwhelming. The pizza dough tastes like flat bread, which when compared with Blaze or 800 or Settobello is just disappointing. Their salads are blah with mass produced bottled dressing. If you're a dude looking for a ball game, and a beer, this is a place for you. If you're a woman or a man looking for a dude who's looking for a ball game and beer place, then this is the place for you. Everyone else I'd suggest any of the above mentioned pizza places in Pasadena.
(3)Kenny N.
My first response upon seeing their meatball sandwich was "how do I fit this in my mouth?" yeahhhh. Fortunately, it's cut in half, so grab ahold, squish it, bite it. Those were some good meatballs and bread. They went light on the cheese too, which I appreciated it. On a Saturday afternoon, they managed to accommodate our large group with aplomb. If you're in a rush, I do advise to order ahead so your food is ready upon arrival. Some people barely made a dent in their food within their 1 hour break. They also have a mid-day happy hour.
(3)tiffany t.
The pizza is fine. It's nothing special, but it's not bad. However, their customer service is not good. They sent me the wrong pizza, and when I called to report the mistake, the girl on the phone kind of apologized and said, "I don't know what you want me to do to reprimand the problem." And that's it. She just kind of sat on the phone quietly. Not super helpful, and here I am with a pizza I didn't order that I have no interest in eating.
(1)Monica M.
We had a party here, and got a buffet-style dinner. The place was nice, and the food was good. The beef was tender and juicy, and the alfredo was good. I liked the lasagnas too, but some people found them bland. It wasn't anything to write homw about, though. However, the ladies' bathroom....what????
(3)Elyse M.
Came to Pinocchio's on a Saturday date night. Good times: The live jazz was phenomenal. They played from about 8pm-11pm. The pianist was so good, literally he could play so fast his fingers were blurry. The pizza was awesome in my opinion, we got a twelve inch pan pizza. Sad times: Literally it took 20 minutes for someone to acknowledge that we had been seated. No joke, 20 minutes for the waitress to bring us water. And when she asked if we wanted any wine we had to ask for a wine list because there wasn't one at our table or any nearby to hijack. I understand semi-slow service on a busy Saturday night, but 20 minutes for water? No. And the caprese salad was not good. Bottom line: Come here for the jazz and pizza. Don't expect this place to be an Italian restaurant. Its a nicely decorated pizza joint with awesome jazz and respectable pizza.
(3)Kim H.
Best Italian food in Pasadena. The specials are a great deal and we love watching sports on their huge TVs. The pizza is our favorite.
(5)Char D.
First time eating here, great choices of beer (got straffe Hendrix) and the pizza was delicious and freshly cooked (got the combination pizza) and Greek salad. Very nice ambiance! Have flat screen tv with games!
(5)Tadeh T.
I come here regularly with friend or alone to watch games. Always a good vide here. The place is clean and well maintained. Food is great. Fettuccini Alfredo or the bbq chicken pizza are my go to meals. Family owned business, draft beer and wine.
(5)Taylor I.
Ordered delivery tonight from here for the first time, it took about an hour for it to come. The pizza has almost no sauce on it and was barely warm, the mushrooms and calamari were flavorless as were the sauces to dip them in and I most definitely will not be ordering from this place again.
(1)Jerome C.
Great place with great food and complimented with great staff. Had the some great appetizers with great breaded mushrooms and great garlic bread. Super fantastic
(5)Affonso L.
Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service and server in Mariam. We've been here many times and will return for the dining and the deals :)
(5)Danny C.
Best place to come watch a game. Food is amazing and the servers are always attentive. I come frequently to catch a basketball game or some football. They have a huge screen when popular games are on. And they carry sunday ticket which is a huge plus for me. Their lounge has a special happy hour ALL DAY!!! If you are a beer drinker i recommend trying St Bernardus,they have it on tap here.
(5)Ray F.
Great food and great atmosphere. I've been coming here for many years and the food is always fresh and service is always with a smile. My favorites are the Greek Salad, Minestrone Soup, Bruschetta, and Spinach Lasagne. They have awesome pizza that my son always loves to order! I highly recommend this place for a romantic dinner or if you're out with the family. They even have a Banquet Hall for a Large Party.
(5)C G.
My daughter had her baby shower here. Great venue. The private room was perfect with its own entrance and bathrooms. Food was excellent had 2 entrees of chicken Marsala and a marinara spaghetti with salad garlic bread and drinks you can either have it served or buffet style. We had buffet and the portions are very generous many guest took home some. Price very reasonable. Service was fantastic. Victoria makes sure you have everything you need and is very attentive. Plenty of parking. We will definitely be having our next affair again here. I highly recommend it.
(5)Lexie C.
i love this place! armen and his family always take care of me and whoever i bring in. food is great! the beer on tap is out of this world great! i love the mozzarella sticks! i love the antipasti salad! i love the chicken parmesan pasta! the dessert i am not a fan of. i tried the tiramisu and found out that they buy their desserts. they do not make them themselves. allagash white on tap yum! great selection of food! great service, victoria is my favorite! definitely will be back!
(5)Wesley G.
I Love This Place.......I hosted my Grandmothers 75th Birthday Here.......a Big Thank You to Arman and His Staff.....Great Food, Ambiance and Staff.....My Only Problem was the Small Parking Lot but you can also park on the street aswell....But Other Than That It Was A Beautiful Evening......Thanks Pinocchio's Pizza !!!!!!!!!
(5)Denise R.
This place is bad bad for its pizza you'll get a better pizza at a drive in movie. Do not order for delivery they will tell you 45min it actually took 90minutes and when I got the food it was cold and there was an egg shell or what look like an egg shell in the pizza
(1)Nick M.
I've been going to Pinnochios pizza since it was located at the top of lake and I was playing in work softball leagues at Farnsworth Park. I like the current location, it looks great and the banquet hall is a nice perk. I really wanted this to be my go-to pizza spot. Unfortunately the pizza just isn't there, I prefer Carmine's, Domenico's and Casa Bianca over their pie. On the plus side the bruschetta was good, but both Carmine's and Casa have it beat.
(3)Pettra T.
Gooooood happy hour with the bros!!!!! I was amazed!!!! #nopalaceNight
(5)Sylvia I.
Pizza was delicious, service was fantastic! My first time being here and it was a great one! I look forward to coming back soon!
(5)Laura J.
I love the angel hair caprese , it has small heirloom tomatoes & plenty of garlic , basil & fresh cheese on the top. It comes with garlic bread & for $2 you get a side salad with Persian cucumbers. Only thing I wish that is it was closer to where we live !
(5)Andrew C.
NOTE: My order was of the take-out variety, so I can't critique service, dining atmosphere, etc. I came here thanks to a coupon in a local magazine, which advertised large one-topping pizzas for $8.99 plus tax. That's dirt-cheap for a non-chain, so I took the drive to pick it up. Ultimately, the pizza was good, not great. The sauce seemed a little bland, and they could've been a bit more generous with the pepperoni. The food was nicely cooked, the cheese was tasty, and the value was top-notch thanks to the coupon, but there's better pizza in the area.
(3)Richard L.
Great place to come and get some drinks and food/appetizers. I would highly recommend trying to come during their happy hour times. If you happen to get a table in the middle section, the happy hour time is extended for just a little longer. We ordered a ton of food and shared it. The bruschetta and calamari were among my favorite appetizers. The chicken wings were also fried to a delicious crispiness. They also had a live jazz performance on Saturday night at 8 pm which was nice.
(4)George C.
Horrible meal! We ordered spaghetti with meat sauce and what we got was cold pasta with canned tomatoes. No flavor at all. Bread was hard and old, and they forgot our salad. Slow service... Will not return!
(1)Jenan M.
Let me tell you, this pizza tastes worse than what I would imagine cardboard covered in cheese would taste like! My sister and her niece were in town this weekend, and on Saturday night she decided she wanted pizza. I had passed by this place a few times and thought we should get give it a try. Well, the first time I called they put me on hold for 15 minutes, then came on to tell me that it's a 1.5 hour wait or more for delivery. I asked how long it was if I picked it up, and the guy said 35-60 minutes. At that point he asked to out me on hold and before I could answer he accidentally hung up on me! I called back and a girl answered this time and said 'please hold' before I could explain the situation. Another 7 minutes later, she came back and told me the pickup time would be one, to one and a half hours. I explained that the guys had JUST quoted 35-60 but then accidentally cut me off. Now I'm thinking, this pizza must be amazing if it's this busy and I've already gone this far, so I placed the order and my sister headed to pick it up. Let's just say, I almost spit it out at first bite! I mean, I was repulsed. The dough was terrible, the sauce was bland and honestly the cheapest frozen pizza would have been better than this! Wow, I can't believe this place is even in business. From now on I'll stick to my Brevile pizza maker with trader joes pre-are crust. Pinocchio's Pizza was honestly the worst pizza experience I've ever had!
(1)Elizabeth D.
I'm not sure why this place only has 3-stars. We went for a group dinner, 10 people and we had a blast! We made a reservation and they had the entire back room reserved for us, it looked like it was used for banquets or private events (including our own bathrooms) The privacy was perfect too because we can get a little loud ;) The meals were good prices $11-$15 and for really big servings too! I ended up eating the leftover for lunch and dinner the next day! I ordered the Seafood Fettuccine and they were not shy on the seafood! Plenty of shrimps, calamari and scallops. My husband got the Chicken Spinach lasagna and that was also delicious! For our group, they let us use the 15% Yelp Check in offer, put everything on one bill and then use as many credit cards we needed to separate the order. I'm not sure what time they closed but we were the last ones in the restaurant and they didn't even push us to get out, they really let us take our time and enjoy ourselves. After we realized the lights in the main room were turned off we looked for someone to say thank you for the great service and the woman even took a group pic of all of us! Definitely will be going back next time I'm in the Pasadena area!
(5)Tony U.
This is the second time me and my wife ordered from pinocchios and we were not disappointed!!! Food is off the chain. My personal favorite is the chicken spinach lasagna !! Mmmmm mmmmm mmm
(5)Alex M.
Food was OK... Service Was OK just an okay place clean .. Got a big screen projector there
(3)Sonnet A.
Pros - the food is pretty good. I'd love to go back and try more items - cute decor - there's lots of screens for the guys to watch sports Cons - don't drink the water. Yuk! I can imagine the fountain drinks may be a bit off too. - bring a cardigan. Brrrrr
(3)Kevin C.
Well I go here primarily for my toastmasters club but I've been a few other time for appetizers and beers or for take out pizza. Service has always been prompt and friendly, especially tonite, Christine was great and made plenty of good recommendations....to bad the keg kicked during our fill tonite. Get some more St. Bernadus ABT 12 back on tap. I like the mushrooms, calamari, and lobster ravioli to name a few items. Also enjoyed a bottle of the duchess de burgoune a great sour Belgium. Beer list is surprisingly good for this area and the food is pretty good too, 4/5 for food. I'll see if I get more excited as I continue to eat their food and I'll upgrade accordingly.
(4)Guthrie D.
Got a cheesesteak for lunch today, and I gotta say there's a reason its called Pinocchio's Pizza and not Pinocchio's Sandwiches, and its not just for alliteration. However, they still make a damn good pizza.
(4)Danielle B.
Just ate lunch here on Saturday, had their lunch special with penne pasta, salad and some garlic bread. Tasted absolutely fabulous, generous portions too. It was so good decided to meet a friend here for dinner before I left the area, had a veg style pizza. Just perfect, to top off the evening they had a jazz band for entertainment, the place was packed. Certainly a worthwhile trip if you don't live close by. Service was excellent, everyone was kind and the waitresses were sweet and friendly.
(5)Bonnie G.
YELP CHECK IN DEAL ALERT.. CHECK IN AND RECEIVE 15% OFF YOUR ORDER! (unfortunately I missed this until AFTER we left so didn't get the extra discount bummer) Was on a movie crew and came by to pick up our pizzas for the crew and some entrees. Pizza, 2 star, but I'm a hard sell on pizza being from Chicago. Entree's, were 4 star which is why I gave them 4 stars overall. We ordered Baked Beef Ravioli, This was my dish and it was awesome, 3 Salmon plates with pesto linguini, which was super delicious and the size of the salmon filet was HUGE and satisfied the three health conscious manly appetites that they were purchased for . I loved the pesto linguini which was served with the salmon, this also wasn't very garlicky . The Spinach & Chicken calzone was enough for two to share and they also did some special orders of a just a single baked chicken breast and a cheesburger no bun, plain, just patty and cheese without any hesitation. The pizza was thin crust and we asked for well done. I had a bite, but wasn't impressed. The small pan of garlic bread they included I think pretty much gratis (never saw it on the receipt) was nice and not too garlicky (I hate tons of garlic) . We got two half orders catering trays of of Ceasar & Green salad plus the 5 pizzas, 1 cheese, 1 Pepperoni, 1 Veggie & One Hawaiian & 1 Sausage.. the Bill came to $224.59 which was awesome and fed 35 people.
(4)Gay J.
I was impressed when I walked into the restaurant. Spacious and set up for different occasions. The salad was the best I've had in a restaurant in a long time. I'm a vegetarian so I had the Eggplant Parmigiana. Large juicy portions. Very moist eggplant. crispy bread crust and very tasty marinara sauce. Alfredo sauce very tasty. I tasted a pineapple & jalapeño pizza. Again it was juicy and very tasty. The service was efficient. I really liked the decor; the way the room was arranged very clean and not noisy. I'll go back again and again when I come visit my family.
(5)Craig V.
EVERY single time I have ordered food to go from this place, the service has been below average - sometimes rude, and the food has been cold or reheated. For some reason, I have given them another chance, thinking that MAYBE THIS TIME it will be different, and it has not. Tonight, called in Clipped Magazine Coupon order for a Lg Pizza, Wings, and some Fries. They said, 30 minutes (around 5:30pm). We got there at exactly 30 minutes, and the man behind the counter said, "5 more minutes." 10 minutes, later, frustrated, we said, "what's happening with our order? We ordered 45 minutes ago!" He said, "I know the heat is making everyone testy." Meanwhile, they are serving the few customers they have in their restaurant who came in after we arrived. Again, we said, "What's happening? You said 30 minutes. It's now 50 Minutes." He says, "Well, it's not an exact science." WHAT!?!?! Cooking is an exact science you jerk! And, to top it off, they never said, "We're sorry for the delay" or "May we offer you a soda while you wait?" or anything. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER will I go there again. And, I will tell everyone I know not to go there, too! They are amateurs who don't understand that their business is about customers - happy customers who return to do business over and over again. SO done! By the way, I have just shared this on Facebook and Twitter.
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