Paisano’s on Broadway
5614 Broadway, Richmond, IL, 60071
Paisano’s on Broadway Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Richmond for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5614 Broadway
Richmond, IL, 60071 - Phone (815) 678-4500
- Website https://www.paisanosonbroadway.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
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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Tom H.
Paisano's continues to raise the bar! I had some of the raw oysters as well as the Oysters Rockefeller and both were outstanding. But the highlight was the Mussels marinara, these were beyond outstanding!! Keep up the good work.
(5)eric e.
Great family run Italian cooking!! Lot of great food! Fish/pasta my picks alway busy--there is a reson why!
(5)Krystle M.
Their valet-service takes up the entire parking lot, leaving absolutely no space for those wanting to visit any other store/shop in downtown Richmond. The parking lot is supposed to be public, but Paisano's seems to think that it is their personal lot. Really isn't fair to any of the other businesses in the area, or those that aren't eating at Paisano's that night.
(3)Erin D.
We made reservations thinking it was going to be a busy Saturday night, but there were plenty of open tables that stayed vacant throughout our stay. Holly, Holly, Holly. You started off really nice, but seemed a little flustered. It took a little longer than usual to receive our bottles of beer but the bar did look busy. A lady sitting behind me had sent her martini back to be "fixed". The bread with oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese was delish. They give you a very generous amount of cheese and a whole bottle of oil but we were never asked for a bread refill because you disappeared for a very long time after our appetizers were delivered. I ordered the arancini and my hubby ordered the fresh oysters or clams, whatever they were. He loved them and the arancini were amazing. We then waited and waited and waited some more. We were thirsty and wanted our beers refilled plus we wanted to order our meals and can't forget about that bread. We sat up on some platform so we were high enough up to be able to see what was going on in the restaurant. We kept looking for our waitress, Holly, and could not find her anywhere for a good 15-20 minutes. The whole restaurant seemed to be run by teenagers or very early twenty year olds. At one point I saw and heard an older, round, white haired man wobble into the kitchen asking the staff "what do you want me to do". Maybe there was an issue in the kitchen although our food came out quickly, but our server literally disappeared. When she finally did arrive she seemed even more flustered and flushed. We ordered more beers and or meals. It kindly says on the menu "please no substitutions" but they were nice enough to let me swap out veal picatta for chicken. Again, we didn't wait long for our meals and our beer came out quicker this time. Let me put it this way, I consider myself a good cook. I'm no where near Italian but I can whip up a damn good Lemon Chicken Picatta and garnish it aesthetically. It looked like they took a whole chicken breast and pounded the hell out of it, like a schnitzel. (Which I can also make a mean schnitzel) breaded the hell out of it and threw maybe five or six capers on top of it. No pretty parsley or lemon slices to garnish. They served the chicken atop of linguine with a very strange butter sauce. I think it had paprika in it, it tasted like smoked paprika. I took three bites of both the chicken and pasta and pushed it aside. We were starving and didn't dare send anything back. It's not like we could have because she (Holly) again, disappeared. She never came back to make sure the food was to our liking with both the appetizers and main dishes. My husband ordered some veal dish that he couldn't pronounce the name of so I don't remember. The cutlets were paper, paper thin and the breading disgustingly slid off. Being starving and a man who will eat ANYTHING, he ate all five teeny tiny little cutlets in two minutes, flat. He let me try his pasta with meat sauce that he didn't like and I had to agree with him. Dry doughy pasta and mediocre meat sauce that they were not generous with. We sat and waited for our waitress to return to at least ask how our food was. Instead she came to the table and cleared our plates while asking us how the weather was outside. Then disappeared again. She returned and asked if there was any thing else that we "needed" and when we told her no she started to walk away again but my hubby stopped her and she says "oh, your check, be right back". This time she returned unusually quickly and hovered at the service station behind us while we discussed the check. Holly, I know your tip sucked, but so did you. I have no idea why this place gets so many great reviews. My husband is Italian and he thinks a bunch of Spanish kids were cooking our food. I gave it two stars for the appetizers, cold beers, and allowing a substitution. The floral ambiance is a little tacky as well.
(2)Steve G.
What has happened to what once was a good quality restaurant? Over the years Pisano's has always been good for a good quality meal, the last two times my wife and I have been there it has been awful. We are done. This past trip, a couple weeks ago I sent back the Lobster Bisque....I'm not sure what it was, but Lobster Bisque it wasn't. Sauce on the pasta was acidic, the pasta was cold, pork chop overcooked....I could go on, but why bother? They no longer seem to care about the quality of the product they put out, why should I?
(1)Alfasha Z.
First time here since we were sick of everything else in McHenry, Woodstock, and Wonder Lake. Not sure why we haven't visited once in the almost ten years we have been in the area! In the middle of nowhere, yes, but it's got such a cute and quaint atmosphere, you can almost imagine yourself in some touristy place like Galena. The restaurant facade is reminiscent of Italia and the building itself is pretty big. Up entering the restaurant, you immediately notice how cosy everything is and it's plenty dark in there, which can work when you're there on special dates. We came with our teenage nephew and that worked just fine too. The food was ridiculously good. Based on all the reviews on here and people's pictures, we ordered the lobster bisque (totally amazing with real huge chunks of lobster and they weren't stingy with the bites either!) and the special grilled octopus was cooked to perfection and done-ness (not to mentioned the added caprese salad it comes with was a nice touch) as our appetizers. The entrees were humongous and totally worth the money. We ordered the chicken & eggplant parmigiana with jalapeño sauce and my husband who is an ever critic of everything couldn't stop raving about how amazing the dish was. The special homemade stuffed shells with ricotta and Italian sausage was so filling I can only eat 1.5 shells (each shel was the size of my fist!), and the nephew has rigatoni bolognese, all good dishes. On to dessert-of course we had to get the homemade gelato, smooth and sweet, everything you could want on a nice hot summer day. The chocolate mousse cake was mighty, airy, and cholocatey. Exactly what you want and expect ^_^ Seriously come out this way, we need more restaurant choices out in the country and Paisanos may surprise you!
(5)Melissa P.
Delicious food and great service. Gnocchi was light and fluffy. The steak was perfectly done. They even gave us a free gelato since it was our anniversary
(5)Ed F.
Great service, really good food, nice atmosphere, but a little on the pricey side for what you get. Adjacent to the hostess station, were several video gaming machines - really seemed out of place for a quaint Italian place. Fortunately, the bar area is separate from the dining area, so no 'bleed-over'. I'm not at all against spending money, as long as you get what you pay for. Paisano's prices are towards the higher end for Italian fare, and the portions are generous, but it's à la carte - bread/oil/cheese on the table, and your entree. I guess, at $11 for a simple spaghetti plate, I expected a little more, not to pay another $5 for a house salad. We left satisfied, and certainly wouldn't avoid Paisano's, but want to be honest about our opinion, so that others may benefit.
(4)Betty D.
We had a party of five. We all enjoyed our dinner, and the restaurant is lovely,however, we asked for separate checks and were told that wasn't possible. We were told that your computer system would not allow separate checks. It's time to update your computer system to accommodate your patrons.
(3)Phyllis D.
Great food and service! The chopped salad is really tasty and a great way to start the meal, along with warm bread with good quality oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. The entree (eggplant rolotino) was delicious alongside a glass of nero d'avola. The service was attentive and the atmospgere was welcoming. I will be back!
(5)Marianne D.
Have been hearing how good this restaurant is and finally stopped here for dinner on the way to Lake Geneva. It definitely delivered. First, the facade on the outside is charming with the painted buildings, awnings and flower boxes. The inside is nicely decorated and intimate even though there is plenty of space. Our server, Tiffany, was very friendly and provided wonderful and attentive service. The bus boys were top notch clearing, refilling and friendly at all times. The bread was warm and crusty and the olive oil and cheese were high quality. I like that the cheese was on the table instead of having to request it. My husband and I ordered a good chianti and shared the special grilled octopus appetizer. It was served over a warm caprese salad and the tomatoes were grilled as well. The octopus was tender and a good sized portion. My husband had one of the house specialities which was a chicken and eggplant vesuvio dish with a side of homemade pasta. He cleaned his plate and said it was very good. I had the braciole with a side of homemade pasta. Very good...almost as good as my grandma's! The portion sizes of both entrees were large. I ended the meal with a perfectly-frothed cappuccino and my husband had a limoncello. This was a very enjoyable dining experience. Lucky for me, I'll be back on my girls weekend in Lake Geneva with all my friends. Looking forward to another yummy meal.
(4)Jamey S.
Nothing short of a 5 star experience! Mary the hostess treated me and my girlfriend like family from the second we walked in the door! The food was amazing, from the apps to desert, top notch. I drove here from Colorado, and I would have been super disappointed if I missed out on this place. Fast friendly service with a smile. And food to die for! I wouldn't change a single thing about my experience here! Thank you guys so much!!
(5)Rebeca L.
Amazing food, great atmosphere, I highly recommend for a great dining experience
(5)Jaime J.
Fantastic food. Amazing desserts. I do not love Italian usually but this place is amazing. Quaint seating. Small and great atmosphere.
(5)Bob T.
With our second visit I have to say they are really good at what the do. I try a place out and if I like it again I write a review. Ask for a table in the back room if your going for romantic setting (see photo with large flower pot). Let's work our way backwards. Dessert - save room as their high quality options are the best in the area. Then order the meal and eat half. A $14.00 pasta meal is $7.00 per serving and tastes great the next day. Go the the soup of the day and you have your meal. Service is outstanding considering it's a suburban location and it's hard to hire good help at the younger aged server level.
(5)Wendy D.
Having lived for over 35 years in San Diego, we were delighted with the excellent taste and presentation of the Chilean Sea Bass, in a our home state of Illinois. It was one of the best seafood meals we have ever enjoyed, and we are used to fresh seafood on a daily basis in California. Having dined in Belize, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic, we can say Paisano's rates at the top of the list. The Kobe steak and walleye were also excellent. Great dining atmosphere, friendly owners and personnel, too. We'll be sure to return.
(5)Lucy C.
After our trip to the corn maze was rained out, my friends and I decided to try out Paisano's on Broadway after reading some glowing reviews on Yelp. In all honesty, we crossed our fingers and hoped that it wasn't just small town standards. The signage on the door says the hours are 5pm to close. How incredibly genius is that? Not feeling it today? Close at 7pm. Having a great day? Still open at 4am. I'm sure they have actual set hours, but I didn't bother to ask. The mystery is kind of fun. We waited at the bar and watched some football while the fabulous staff set our table up. We were ushered to the back room with cheesy vegas/disney style Italian decor and wallpaper and inexplicable slot machines in the corner. We were greeted with a smiley server, deliciously warm bread, and water that was topped off a little too frequently. Our server listed off the specials which were all fish dishes; there weren't any on the regular menu. One of my friends can't have cheese and the server knew the menu well enough to recommend which items could be made without cheese. I had the Pork Chop Paisano which was definitely a bang for your buck. The meat was perfectly tender with a nice crunch from the crust. I substituted the mashed potatoes for the grilled vesuvio potatoes which may have been a mistake, as those potatoes were very salty and competed with the flavors of the pork chop. All my friends also seemed very satisfied with their orders, with the exception of one; though he enjoyed his walleye greatly, he was simply still hungry and proceeded to fill up on bread. That's what you get for being a bottomless pit. They don't allow separate checks at Paisano's, but it was the perfect opportunity for me to try out a new app I downloaded (free marketing! tabapp.co ). If you struggle with figuring out how much each person owes, I recommend checking it out, but I digress. Eat at Paisano's! Nothing beats good food, good service, and good company.
(5)Joe M.
Paisano's is one of my favorite restaurants in the Richmond area. I don't really care for the exterior approach. As one reviewer called it "Disney Worldish". I kind of agree with that assessment. Inside, it's very dark, especially in the late evening. It was so hard to see the menu and read the tiny print. Good thing I knew what I wanted ahead of time!! Amy was our server and took good care of our table, keeping the wine flowing and the food coming. We were very glad not have had Holly as our server, based on her negative reviews. I had the chicken piccata, my friends had the gnocchi with vodka ssuce and the angel hair pasta with bologanese sauce. Everyone enjoyed their meal. My only suggestion is to add Ramona pinot grigio to the wine menu. It's really a much better wine than your current 2 options.
(5)Shawn C.
I am travel a bit for work and am lucky to try many great dining experiences. My wife and I like to try different and new places and often don't return to the same place twice. Paisano's remains my go to place that I always look forward to returning to. I love the Lobster Bisque, Veal dishes, and always look forward to when Scallops are on the menu as one of the specials. Phil has a great handle on a quality dining experience. Love this place.
(5)Joseph K.
This restaurant was amazing! Out in the middle of the country is this Italian restaurant. The neighborhood surrounding Paisano's looks run down, but when you get in the house is packed! There were 50-70 or more people in this restaurant. It had a buzz about it! I ordered the Paisano Porkchops. These were lightly battered fried and smothered in amazing garlic and oil. The portion was generous and the chops were outstanding. My wife order gluten free alfredo and was very happy with it. Not even the Olive Garden does gluten free alfredo! Great Experience. Maybe adding an actual "gluten free" menu would help alleviate confusion. The server said that they could make almost everything gluten free, but our experience tells us differently. A secondary menu wouldn't hurt!
(5)Zach B.
This is an absolutely excellent restaurant whether it's date night with the significant other, a business dinner or a nice upscale evening with some friends. Despite the excellent food and upscale atmosphere, it's still affordable enough to take the whole family HOWEVER, young children would best be left at home. I've become a regular customer here and the food just never seems to get old. The steak and various pasta dishes are continually excellent and have yet to disappoint. The same can be said about the appetizers and deserts. The staff is always quick and attentive, happy to help in any way they can. It's genuinely a great upscale environment without an overly pretentious, uptight atmosphere. They've got a great bar as well. Highly recommended!
(5)Joe L.
My brother in law told us to stop in Richmond and have dinner at a great Italian restaurant. I thought he was joking. Last night on our way home from lake Geneva we decided to take an alternate route and give it a try. So glad we did!!! When we walked in we were very impressed with the bar and the decor/atmosphere. Very well done. We were immediately seated and from the very beginning to the end our service was perfect. Danielle was very informed on all the dishes. She served us on a timely matter. One of the best servers I have ever met!! The food was very very good. The portions were generous but not overwhelming. The entire experience was perfect. My wife and I will eat at paisanos every Sunday on our return trip from LG!!
(5)Stalkerkitty B.
This was my first visit, and I hope to be back soon. I loved the eggplant parm. It was perfectly fried and topped with a tasty marinara sauce and cheese. I couldn't say no to the blood orange gelato (next time I'll have to try the key lime pie) and loved every scoop. The staff was friendly and attentive and quickly offered to refill the parmesan bowl and bread basket.
(5)Kristine W.
Excellent dinner..best vodka sauce ever..made all the better by the expert service...well done!
(4)Mark M.
Best food in the Chicago burbs bar none. Not a bad meal on the entire menu. Must have a reservation because they are booked every single night. Cudos to Owner/Head Chef Phil. Great food, hospitality and service.
(5)emily m.
This was my second visit and the first was excellent. Unfortunately, not so much this time. We were seated on-time (8:30 reservations). Appetizers and salads were timely, grilled octopus special was delicious. We waited for just over an hour from the time our salads and appetizers were severed for our entrees. After a table that was seated 30 minutes after ours was severed their steaks (we all ordered pasta), the waitress came over and apologized and said it would be just a few more minutes. After about 20 minutes we received our pasta, poor rushed presentations. I order scampi with angle hair and received scampi with spaghetti, the waitress apologized and said that our drinks and deserts would be on the house and that the pasta is all homemade so it varies in sizes. Ok the variation could be a reasonable excuse, but it wasn't even close to angle hair. We then spoke to the manager, who apologized and said my entree would be taken off the bill and the kitchen was really backed up and they were not sure why the later table was served so much sooner than ours. At that point it was 11pm and we had enough, so no thank you on the deserts. Later received our bill, all the drinks were still included on the bill. Disappointed with the timeliness of the service and food consistency/presentation. Maybe they were just too overwhelmed last night? Maybe it's a good idea then to follow through on the offer to take the drinks off the bill?
(2)M B.
Best Italian food in Mchenry county. We have never had a bad meal. Service is great. Prices are affordable .
(5)Charlene W.
What a great addition to our little town. Excellent food, great service. A regular customer who has never had a bad meal. Italian specialties.
(5)Pedro P.
This restaurant pretends to be upscale. We were placed in a dining room with five loud video gambling machines that off duty staff began to play during our dinner! Really? Yes! These machines also have a loud alarm when one wins! The busboys literally stood by your side while we finished our dinner - then whisked away the plate. It was obnoxious. Why does this restaurant think the very best service is having a waitress come by every 90 seconds and ask , "Is everything ok?" Food was a seven out of 10, but the service and the placement of video gambling machines was so stupid that I suggest you pass on this restaurant.
(1)Ken K.
I kept hearing about this Italian place way out in the country that was supposed to be out of this world......Growing up in the city - I think of where I live now (Crystal Lake) as country.....I was expecting a farmer to give me egg noodles and ketchup out where we cut down our Christmas Tree every year......... I WAS WRONG!!!! One of the best meals I've had in years....reminded me of a modern version of old school places I used to go to when I was younger - The spicy Calamari was great....The Chicken and Eggplant Vesuvio was incredible - and my wife's Spicy seafood pasta thing was to die for! (Good bread, too) With the far N/NW suburbs filled with average places and chains - I can see why this place is booked weeks in advance............Make a reservation TODAY......and keep going to chains until your day comes to try Paisano's.........it will be worth the wait!
(5)Mike L.
Had the opportunity to dine here last night. Very nice cozy place. Tables are spread out nicely making the dining experience comfortable. Our server was spot on and perfect in every way. She was polite, knowledgeable, and timed everything perfect. Althought the fried calamari was a bit greasy it was tender and flavorful. Their stuffed clams were out of the world and oysters rockafeller were also outstanding. The lobster bisque covered in puff pastry was fair. I had the Waygu Strip and my wife the Sea Bass. The steak was cooked perfectly rare + as I'd asked. It was meaty, tender, and lined with awesome marbeling. The sea bass was super fresh, flaky, sweet, and rich. Homemade Gelto was almost like a super cold chocolate mousse. This place is pretty awesome...really.
(5)Mel B.
What an amazing restaurant! We were there Saturday night, 2 couples. We all sampled each other's meals and each entree was superb. I had the Ahi Tuna....I can't wait to go back and order it again. When we entertain out of town guests, we'll be heading to Paisano's.
(5)Angela E.
My boyfriend took me here for our anniversary and we both walked away disappointed with our meals. We were told the wait would be about 45 minutes (which is typical and fine for a Friday night without a reservation) but there was no waiting area for us to sit. We ended up sitting in the chairs at the video gaming corner. Our hostess took us to our table that wasn't even cleared yet from the previous customer so we stood there awkwardly for a couple of minutes watching them prep our table. The bread was great, we got the raw clams for our appetizer which was also good. The real disappointment came with our entrees. We both got entrees from the specials menu, I got the Cedar Plank Salmon and he got a dish that was steak, sausage and chicken in a tomato sauce. My salmon was bland and dried out, the pasta that came on the side and it looked old, was cold and mushed together. I sent it back and got mashed potatoes instead. My boyfriends meal was dried out and just flat out "not good" he said and he is not a very picky eater. The atmosphere was loud which was a little annoying, we were the only table for two set directly in front of the stairs surrounded by large tables. The waiter was nice but absent for most of the night. We left disappointed after reading all the rave reviews and then shelling out $90 for food we did not enjoy. We will probably not be returning.
(2)Mary Kate D.
Went for dinner last night with my bf. Food and service were exceptional. We both had the lobster bisque soup and really enjoyed it. I had the pan seared salmon and it was amazing. I would definitely go back for that. My bf had the Chilean Sea Bass and he really liked it. For dessert we split the chocolate hazelnut gelato and the key lime pie. I live downtown Chicago and I was surprised to find such a wonderful restaurant in Richmond. My family has a lake house in Powers Lake, Wisconsin and we always have a difficult time finding great places to eat. I would highly recommend this place. The owner stopped by and introduced himself and asked if we enjoyed our meals. I thought that was pretty cool. I had a martini and it was very good also. Looking forward to our next visit there.
(5)Amanda M.
Ultimately disappointed... After hearing rave reviews from friends who make this place their regular we wanted to celebrate my milestone birthday. My fiance called ahead to make reservations and mention it was my birthday to make the night even more special and a surprise. He was told they "would make a note and make it special." Instead we arrived, promptly seated but didn't receive a greeting until 10 minutes later and there wasn't a crowd. Food was very good. Menu selections great as well. Waitress was a disappointment, we had to request a drink menu and she then offered a specials menu as if we were a pain to be her customers. At the end of the meal the check was bought and left. No utter of a thank you or a happy birthday. SO disappointed that this referred location did nothing to make our night special but instead made us feel as if we were a bother. Even more disappointed to see other reviews on birthdays that were given such a great experience. The horrible customer service of server #15 truly ruined our night. And for this we have a very sour taste and wouldn't recommend to others.
(2)Kevin D.
I can't believe this restaurant is in Richmond. Food was fantastic, menu was astounding and the service was wonderful. The only negative I can think of is that it's PACKED even at off-hours. I didn't believe a restaurant out "in the middle of nowhere" would really need reservations, but you probably do.
(5)Phil R.
Stopped in this evening for an early dinner around 5:30. No problem getting a seat at that time on a Tuesday, however I opted to sit at the bar as I was dining alone. Came in knowing what I was going to have as it is my favorite dish. I ordered each course one at a time so as not to have food showing up before I was finished with the previous. Split pea soup with prosciutto was so so, I had a hard time finding or tasting the prosciutto if it was in there. Up next was a chopped salad, this was great as always. Now for my go to entree the Pork Chop Paisano! I have been looking forward to is for sometime when it arrived I was a bit confused by the two pan fried pork chops with gravy presented to me. Menu stated the prep was butterflied. In the past the prep was butterflied and hammered thin then pan fried much like a schnitzel. Garlic mashed were cool almost cold. The chops were moist and tasty but I prefer the old prep. Hopefully they change it back. Service was awesome and Phil the owner stopped by to check on me twice.
(4)Meredith C.
yummy! i was pleasantly shocked to find this across the street from the cute lil martini bar which had been the purpose of my journey. too early for cocktails, my friend and i decided to wander across the street and have dinner first. this place is friendly, inviting and cozy. they have a great menu, bread, and the bar and staff are beautiful. i had the gnocchi with the vodka sauce (suggested by the waitress) and it was divine. i could only eat 1/2 of it as the portions are huge. i had a nice time here and if i'm ever in the area again i will definitely be back!
(4)Karen V.
Made a reservation, prompt service ( with a smile ), reasonable prices for amazing Italian dishes!! Even one of the mngrs. greeted us at our table. Check it out, yo! ;)
(4)Erick N.
My wife and I went with her parents to Paisano's for a mother's day weekend dinner. All four of us have rather varied food preferences, but easily found items that appealed to us on the menu and enjoyed our food and experience. The menu features standard fare you would find at a typical American Italian venue, a few steak options and there is a large list of specials featuring more seasonal and options. The server reviews the specials with you as well as hands you a card with them summarized (most of the fish choices are on the specials and their also was a Kobe steak option tonight as well as a few other choices). Soon after being seated we were brought bread fresh out of the oven; the bread was excellent and there was olive oil and grated Parmesan tabelside. The lobster bisque had a really cool presentation with a domed breaded topping (kind of like a croissant in consistency) that turned it into a lobster pot pie of sorts. The bisque had a both sweet and savory flavor; I definitely recommend this if it is on the menu. I ordered salmon for my entree which was well cooked and tasty; it was served on a bed of hand cut pasta and garlicy spinach. The housemade apple caramel gelato made for an awesome dessert; it was served in a martini glass with caramel sauce and a small biscotti. Paisano's has a full bar with most of the wines being rather inexpensive. Service is fairly attentive and the food came out rather quickly (a three course meal took about an hour), but we did not feel rushed. The manager made rounds part way through the meal to check in with us. Portions were generous and extremely reasonably priced for the size and quality (a three course dinner with a drink will run approximately $45 with tax and tip). At the end of the meal our assistant waiter even offered to package up our leftover bread along with some leftovers which was a nice touch. While our overall experience was quite pleasant, Paisano's does have some flaws and room for growth. The bar area where you enter is beautiful with nice tin ceilings and an elegant vibe. However the dining area almost seems like it has an identify crisis. The tables are nice with white linen tablecloths and candles, but some of the decor (and the ceiling, painted blue and with clouds to mimic the sky) is just plain tacky, having the ambiance of an Italian restaurant on the Vegas strip. I have never understood why some Italian restaurants in the U.S. paint the ceiling to look like the sky; I have never seen any restaurant in Italy do this. Another black mark is the silverware is not replaced between courses even if soiled; Paisaino's seems like it strives for being an upscale venue (and the food is worthy of this distinction) but has more of an Olive Garden vibe when the server places your dirty fork and knife on the table as your appetizer is cleared. One final negative was as we entered we were asked if our entire party was present before we were seated; if the restaurant was busy this is certainly understandable, but it had just opened so this seemed unnecessary. As I am spoiled with a myriad of first class restaurants at my doorstep in Chicago, Pasiano's was nothing out of the ordinary, but it definitely is a good restaurant. If you happen to be in the area or live nearby I think you would be hard pressed to find a better option. Definitely make reservations as Paisano's is deservedly popular and enjoy your meal.
(4)Paul K.
Wow! We decided to pass on the nice restaurants in Lake Geneva to give this place a try and we were very pleasantly surprised. The food, service and atmosphere are outstanding! The Paisano's Calamari is the best we've ever tasted. The veal and fish were amazing. We'll make the trip back there from the North Shore as it's well worth it.
(5)Betty C.
Great food, excellent service. Although the Disney-esque Italian decor may be off-putting to those over 14 years old, the food and service at this spot are right on the mark. The bread basket was warm with a ciabatta like bread refilled as needed. Oysters Rockefeller were very tasty with the mandatory spinach and cream and a bubbly topping of cheese (horror you say? seafood with cheese? gasp!) yes - all those stuck up chefs that pronounce seafood and cheese can never go together need to get off their high horses and taste some of the good combos of cheese with seafood. Never say never is my motto. A dish of Paisano's calamari was tasty but a bit too oily and soggy once the fried rings were tossed in a spicy olive oil - better to just eat the fried calamari and offer a dipping sauce on the side. Veal parmesan was good but a bit too much tomato paste in the sauce. The linguine with spicy seafood (clams, shrimp, scallops) was delicious - although the pasta was overcooked so it did not soak up as much of the sauce as it could have. The skirt steak was delicious with a large pile of crispy onion strings - too many frankly! Desserts included pistachio and hazelnut gelatos ( hazelnut much more intensely flavored) and some super crunchy (yum!) biscotti. The cannolis were amazing - it is clear the shells are filled for each order as I have never had a restaurant cannoli be so crispy and fresh. Wines were very affordable by the bottle - $30 range for decent enough stuff. Water and plate busing service was constant and friendly. We'll go back if we are in the neighborhood but it is too far to head there just for dinner with so many other tasty and much more innovative places on the North side of Chicago.
(5)Carri N.
Worth the drive from Barrington! We don't get here enough, but never a bad meal when we do. Pasta, fish... All amazing! Dessert - Yum! Miss Gilardi's, but this is a touch better, despite the distance.
(5)Mary A.
Tonight our group had the lobster bisque, bone in filet, pork chop, sea bass, salted caramel cake and brownie cheesecake. Everything was fantastic and the service was top notch. Thanks for the great evening Phil,
(5)Christine V.
Move over Little Italy, Richmond is the new place to get awesome Italian eats. Wow! Meal Breakdown: Calamari to start (Classic Visona move) - Hot out of the fryer, tender not chewy and perfectly salted. It came in a cute mini fryer basket with sauce and a lemon wedge. It was gone quickly. Chopped Salad - Nice texture, flavorful. It had lettuce, garbanzos, tomatoes, some crunchy bits (I'm thinking fried pita chips??) Porkchops Siciliano - Show stopper right here! Broiled chops that were finished in the oven and topped with sauteed bell peppers and seasoned potatoes. It was beautiful as well, so happy with this choice. Cannoli and Espresso - Best cannoli I ever had the pleasure of eating. Crisp shell, delicious and velvety pastry cream, couldn't be happier. This meal was outstanding! Can't wait to come back to Richmond. On top of this, the service was great. They were friendly, quick to refill water, didn't visit the table too much or too little, the manager came to our table with a big smile, he looked as if he loved his job. It was just overall a very nice dining experience. Grazie!
(5)John M.
Hands down, they serve some of the best Italian dishes I've ever had!
(5)Adam Z.
Good food! Great Service! Overall, I am impressed. First of all, when we walked in the front door, the owner, Phil, was the first person to greet us. It made me warm and fuzzy. When the owner is as involved in the operations as this guy is, it really sets tone for a good experience. He was greeting, seating, checking on tables, etc... It just says a lot about the place and that's what was going through my mind before we were even seated. Also, our waitress was very friendly and had all the specials and their descriptions memorized for us. Even the "bus boy" was on top of things and boxed up our leftovers for us. After a long streak of encountering incompetent people in all kinds of businesses, it was a breathe of fresh air. My girlfriend and I shared a bowl of broccoli cheese soup. It was decent. I had the chicken tortallacci Alfredo and it was REALLY good. They melt in your mouth. My girlfriend had the sausage rotini and it was ok...you could tell it was fresh, but overall there was more to be desired. We also shared a cannoli. It placed a strong 2nd on my list of best cannoli ever. The best being in Galena, IL at Procento's. Sorry Phil, just being honest, but 2nd place is nothing to be ashamed of :) . Overall it is a great restaurant run by people who are proactive and care about its success. I would definitely go back to try more entrees. They have a lot of specials that aren't listed on the website, and from what I heard, certain specials are only good certain days. I wanted to try the lobster bisque but I think it's only available Friday and Saturday?
(5)Peter P.
There is nothing I can add that hasn't been mentioned in the other reviews on Yelp. All I can say is that I have probably dined at most every quality Italian restaurant in Chicago, NYC, and Boston, and Paisanos is better than nearly all of them. My only question is.....RICHMOND ILLINOIS???!!!
(5)Max O.
We had the pleasure of dining here a few nights ago. We had a table 5, we received excellent service, awesome food and we all agree we can't wait to go back! Everyone agreed the best dish at the table was the Seabass... wow!!!
(5)Rob Z.
Paisano's is hands down my favorite Italian restaurant (and I've been in more than my fair share around the country and world). The menu is authentic and well prepared. While I limit myself to a few times a year, I, nor anyone I've been with, have ever had anything less than excellent. The "specials" should be on the menu though since they haven't changed in the 3 years that I've been going... Just a friendly tip, don't try to go on a Friday or Saturday evening without a reservation... you usually need to plan about 2 weeks in advance. Since I've never been on any other night (except for a Sunday), I can't speak to needing reservations on those nights...
(5)Jeanne N.
If you don't want to experience sub par food everywhere else, don't come to Paisano's! The food is so incredibly delicious, you absolutely cannot find anything comparable anywhere else!!!! The calamari and bruschetta are just like you'd find in Italy- and trust me since living there, I've searched far and wide! The lobster was divine! Pork Chops to die for!
(5)Leslie M.
This is SINCERELY the most amazing place within a 100 mile radius or more. From the moment you pull up, the valet parking person, Mike, is more than just a Valet guy, he watches and has your car ready BEFORE you are done eating. Karen and Phil are the hardest working business owners we know. They go out of their way to make sure their customers feel valued and appreciated! Now, ON TO THE FOOD!!! It is the best quality food around no matter what you eat. From the filet (which is better than Ruth Chris any day, to the seafood, homemade pastas, gelatos, and literally everything on the menu is over the top amazing. It is worth the crowd, the wait, whatever might stop you from enjoying this wonderful place. Will NOT disappoint!
(5)Matt R.
Typically a very good place for Italian. Tonight was not the best experience. Loud and tight seating. Very slow service. When appetizer showed up it came twice. Main entrees took a very long time to be served. Sadly all came with an issue. The host fixed the situation but adding more time. Food was good but quality may be slipping at this typically very good place. I hope not and may give them one more shot again some day.
(3)Mike U.
Excellent food and service every single time. An upscale Italian restaurant with real Italian food. Love it!
(5)Rob O.
If you're looking for world-class food off the beaten path, check out Paisano's in Richmond. It's tucked away in a quaint area of Richmond; just before the Wisconsin border. We have been going to Paisano's since they opened and they keep expanding, without compromising quality of food or staff. The waitstaff, bartenders, managers, and owners are all extremely nice. I have yet to have a bad experience at Paisano's, they treat everyone like family. The food is out-of-this-world, and the pricing is very reasonable.
(5)Carlos N.
Well all the way from Cambridge, MA what a pleasant surprise to be taken to PAISANO'S's on Broadway in Richmond IL and find ourselves in a restaurant that could easily have been on an old Boston North End's street. We were greeted by the owner and served by a wonderful server who treated us with warmth and knowledge. The drinks were delicious, the food well prepared and very tasty. The portions are generous and the price point incredibly generous. The restaurant itself is spacious, comfortable and funky. We loved the decorated rooms and ceilings mimicking dinner in a small Italian village. Very enjoyable ambiance. As we left we thanked the owner and he told us that we could order food for delivery...yes all the way back to Cambridge. So any time you are heading towards Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, make sure make time for dinner at PAISANO'S.
(5)L B.
Excellent Service, Delicious Food, Hidden Gem. Karen & Phil, the owners made the experience personal!
(5)Molly K.
Just like home! My family is Italian. My grandparents owned and ran an Italian restaurant both in the city and the suburbs for years. Needless to say I've grown up eating the most amazing Italian food imaginable. Walking into Paisano's is like walking into home. The smells bring back so many warm and happy memories. I've never eaten at any other place that gets as close to that "homemade taste" as this place! Every singe time we go here the service is great, the food is great, and we are well taken care of. On one occasion (my husband and I's first wedding anniversary) my mother called and asked if they could make sure to give us a romantic and secluded table, and she took care of our bill, all without telling us. They did all of that for us. It was a great night. I highly recommend trying the specials, and the gnocchi is one of my personal favorites. Be sure to try the martini's while you wait at the bar, I'd say they surpass the bar across the street!
(5)John W.
Add 100 stars. This is the finest classiest restaurant in Northern Illinois. The food is always by far the best. Phil is always friendly and gracious He makes it a real fun place to be. The Tuna The Chilean Sea-bass The lobster bisque soup The pork chops The eggplant I could go on and on the whole menu. Everything is superb. Once you have eaten there you know why you need reservations.
(5)Jason R.
Favorite restaurant in the area - when I was in Italy I craved Paisano's - no joke. Friendly owner and staff, delicious fresh food, awesome atmosphere, can't ask for more!
(5)Brian F.
Very cool Italian restaurant in a tiny little town on the border with Wisconsin. We showed up with 3 adults and a baby at 7p on Sunday night without reservations. Luckily the very agreeable host was able to squeeze us in after a short wait. For starters we were served a nice hunk of crispy bread with a huge dish full of freshly grated Parmesan and a bottle of olive oil for dipping the bread. After a few bites though it was clear that something was off though and we soon found that the oil was slightly rancid. I'm pretty sure the waitress had no idea what we were talking but dutifully took the bottle to the kitchen so the chef could taste the oil. Hopefully it won't get re-served. Even though the menu and specials combined made for some pretty interesting choices, we decided to stick with the basics this time around. Meat and Cheese Lasagna and Chopped salad were very good and the portions were immense. Paisano's passed the first test. I'm looking forward to trying some of their more demanding dishes like the yummy sounding Chilean Sea Bass next time I'm in town.
(4)Jaime J.
Great food! We loved our experience here.
(5)Patrick H.
Great Food, Drinks, Service, Was just there for my Wife's Birthday, Holly was are waitress... She was wonderful.. Didn't rush us, & took great care of us... We have been here twice & will be back again & again..Chef made my Wife something not on the menu that she wanted... No problem ! The mark of a great restaurant ! Reservations are a must !
(5)Jimm B.
Definitely a step up from olive garden. Didn't care for the bread
(3)Jori C.
What a wonderful meal! I had the Broadway shrimp, my husband had the Kobe steak. Both were amazing. The decor is a work of art-good job!!!
(5)Larry B.
had dinner there last night to celebrate my wifes birthday. we were placed in the far newer addition which has low ceiling and no sound proofing bats on the walls. the noise level is very high. plus they seated some drunken blowhards mid way thru our meal and the noise was ridiculous. we compplained to the waitress who apologized but di d not offer to move us. we also complained to the hostess who also said she was sorry. nothing else, no comped drink or dessert. nada. while the food here is still excellent, i will never sit in that area again. the management needs to address the sound issue in there, our server had to literally shout out the specials.
(3)Matt N.
Absolutely fantastic, I love this place. Richmond, the town of 1000 people but man do they have some good dining establishments! Very well decorated environment. The owners are always there checking on the patrons and are very friendly and approachable. They have put together an exceptional staff with great training. Usually they have to memorize 5 or 6 specials and will recite them to you in extreme detail, impressive! They have a full bar with fantastic wine selection as it is an Italian restaurant. I have had their steaks and seafood and enjoyed it all! I definitely recommend reservations as far ahead as possible to get the time you want, especially on the weekends. However, in the event that you have to wait you should walk across the street to Olive Black. it's a little martini bar that will call over and check on your table for you up until the time you are seated. This is top notch operation that could easily be found in downtown Chicago, it's that good!
(5)Steven D.
This place is a gem in the small town of Richmond on the IL-WI border. Well worth the trip from almost anywhere. Great food and service. Exccellent cocktails. Be sure to go early or make reservations because the place fills up fast.
(5)Joseph M.
Been twice, both meals sucked. Last night had veal vesuvio, I have ordered this dish several hundred times over the years at quality Italian restaurants and it has never looked like, tasted like, the crap I had last night. Not sure why this restaurant gets high marks (on Yelp) I can only assume its because of the location (Small town USA), there is such a lack of any competition that any restaurant with table clothes is loved. My wife's Shrimp was cold, and tasted just terrible, not sure what they were thinking when they came up with that recipe. 1 out of 4 in our party liked their dinner, Not Good!! On a lighter note, the place is fairly clean, and our waitress was nice but not very attentive. Good luck to you if you decide to dine here, if your from lower WI, you'll probably love it.
(1)Lisa K.
Excellent food!! Great service. I don't know if it's the owner but some guy walks around making sure everyone is happy and thanks you for coming in. Fantastic customer service. Prices are reasonable and food choices are great. Would absolutely recommend this place to others and will be coming back. The only negative thing I will say is that it seems louder in there than most places I go to but they still deserve 5 stars.
(5)Peter G.
The Gem of the Northwest Suburbs I took my wife to Paisano's on Broadway to celebrate our 17 year anniversary. The place was recommended by two friends (this was our first visit) and we'll be going back for sure. The décor is beautiful, reminiscent of a charming Italian village. We had reservations for 8 p.m. and waited less than 10 mins for our table. The staff; from the front of the house man to the bus boys to the wait staff was wonderful. Our server was friendly and knew the menu well; she answered all of my questions quickly and accurately. Our bread was nice and warm and the parm cheese was freshly grated and wonderfully peppery (just the way I like it). For an appetizer we had lobster bisque served in a tureen with puff pastry over the top, never had it that way. The bisque was delicious, with generous chunks of lobster claws, and so big my wife and I shared it. For dinner my wife had Chilean Sea Bass, spiced rubbed and served over wild rice. I had the lobster, also spice rubbed and broiled that was served on a bed of garlicy mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus. I loved the veggies, they were cooked just right, a little crispy. I also noticed the wine pours were very generous (about 6 ounces, I'd say) and at $7.50 a pour very affordable. For dessert we shared homemade gelato with toasted coconut. The owner (Phil) stopped by our table and congratulated us and gave us a free Champaign flight to celebrate our anniversary. In total, we had one appetizer, three drinks, two entrees, dessert and espresso for $116. In my opinion, very affordable and I was so impressed with the place from start to finish I tipped 25%. I highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to go back.
(5)Lyn W.
This was my first time here and it won't be the last!! Great atmosphere, excellent food and service! I had Broadway shrimp and it was mouth watering! Huge portions!
(5)Brandon D.
We started with mussels and raw Oysters and they were amazing ....fresh and delicious....it only got better from there! From the amazing bartenders making our group the best drinks to the great choice in pasta, seafood and steak! Our server was on top of everything and made the night one to remember!
(5)Irish M.
Phil and Karen do an excellent job. Great food, fun atmosphere, and wonderful customer service. Best and most consistent restaurant experience in the area.
(4)Mary A.
Wonderful food. Wonderful service. And it's in Richmond. How crazy is that. It's one of the best places in McHenry County for dinner. And, you can stop at the martini bar across the street before or after your meal.
(5)Chelsea H.
Set in a cozy downtown spot, Paisano's has just raised the bar on my expectations of great Italian dining. Our waitress was a delight. Between four people, I believe we managed to sample a little bit of everything. From start to finish, the whole thing was absolutely delicious. We shared oysters Rockefeller and raw, both were fresh and tasty. So much, that one of our group is now a lover of oysters, who had never been before. The Chicken Tortellacci Alfredo was the phenomenal. Our wines were perfect. The deserts were an excellent completion to a wonderful evening
(5)Ed R.
I took my wife here for her birthday and the experience couldn't have been better. It started before we even set foot inside, with the free valet parking. Once inside, the atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for--a nice upscale restaurant where you can dress up and not feel out of place. The food was simply outstanding. The menu had a good selection that included the traditional--and sometimes boring--such as spaghetti and lasagna along with a few things we hadn't seen before. The pasta fritta, for instance, was very nice. Nevertheless, here's a note to the chef: If you can't fit anything else on the plate other than the meat, maybe it's time to take a look at the portion size. My wife's chicken Parmesan was just obscenely large. It was almost scary when the waitress brought this large dinner plate with only a giant portion of chicken (the side of pasta was served separately).
(4)Mylo B.
Best Italian food I've ever had! I've been here three times now since I found this place last year and have always had a great meal. Well worth the trip!
(5)Regan L.
The best Italian food I've ever had the pleasure of devouring. I've tried almost everything on the menu and have never had a bad meal.The owners Phil and Karen make your dining experience a pleasure with a well trained waitstaff.
(5)Ron K.
Food was very good. The veal scallopini was excellent. Prices are very reasonable and the service was top notch. A very pleasant experience
(5)Dagwood S.
Hands down the best restaurant in all of the north/northwest suburbs. It is a drive out to Richmond, but I classify Paisano's as a destination restaurant where even if I didn't already live close, I would drive there to have dinner, which is why this is clearly a 5-star to me. I really loved the scallops but the extra side of pasta was a bit overpriced yet the waitress immediately removed it when I said so and even mentioned it was as well. You really must get a reservation if you plan to go on a weekend. Love and go back as much as we can!
(5)Douglas R.
I am actually angry with myself That I did not try Paisano's Earlier. -Chopped Salad Fresh, and vibrant. -Alfredo Pasta Complex, flavorful, rich sauce..tender pasta. -Pork Siciliano I am salivating. The peppers, potatoes, and pork each better than the next. What to expect: *Excellent Service *Exceptional Food, which i thought impossible to find in such a removed location before this experience. *captivating atmosphere. I had high expectations, being cynical in nature. I was and remain ecstatic about the experience I had here, and hope to return very soon.
(5)Sophie C.
Went to Paisano's last night, WOW!! I was born and raised in Italy. Closest to the real thing! Its better than any Italian restaurant I've been to in the U.S. I was reading Yelp reviews, what was the Richmond woman thinking?! Claims she's Italian yet calls pasta "noodles"?! Obviously, she's never been to a good Italian restaurant. I would recommend Paisano's for food, service and ambience. It's a keeper! Even though I live 35 miles away, Paisano's will see me often!!
(5)Ashley M.
Wow, this place is a gem. Sleepy little town, but Paisano's is hoping! Called on Friday for a reservation on Saturday, could only get 5p since they were all booked up! The guys all had the lobster bisque special soap - holy cow, talk about presentation. And it was delicious. We had a few orders of the cedar plank salmon special, scallops special, and the sea bass. Only one person actually ordered off the regular menu. However, I have to say, buyer beware. The menu posted on their website must be old, cause the prices are much higher in the restaurant. Also, the waitress didn't mention the prices on the specials (and we didn't ask), but they weren't cheap. I would say it's comparable to what you would find at a nice restaurant in the Chicago suburbs, just more than I expected for little Richmond. Also, it was my daughter's first birthday (dinner was for the adults :)), and so they presented her with a bowl of gelato with a candle. Very nice touch and the gelato was awesome. Will definitely be back when I'm up this way!
(4)Anthony V.
You would never know about this place if you hadn't received it from a referral. It's located on a side street in a small suburban town. I wanted to take my father and wife to this place as it received high marks from a co-worker of mine. It's a far drive for us to get there, however I have no problem traveling good lengths if the food comes highly recommended. We arrived and were seated promptly. The server was very professional. The food didn't take long before we were served. The menu is very diverse with lots of Italian cuisine. The food was exceptional! My dad was very impressed with his Seafood Diablo and he is very familiar with good authentic Italian food. Everything from the appetizer bread to the Seafood Diablo was authentic and fresh. The portions are huge and all our meals were perfect! The only reasons holding this place back from receiving 5 stars was the following: Reservations must be made far in advance. Reservation times are scarce as the only time we would get in was 4:30pm. The prices are steep as this is like a Chicago authentic Italian restaurant. The location is far from civilization as it is located in suburban Richmond, IL. That being said, it was all worth it as we will definitely be returning again!
(4)John C.
Wonderful True Italian Food served by truly attentive waitstaff hosted by gracious owners in an exciting environment all priced very reasonably.
(5)Susan V.
This is the best restaurant we've found lately! And so close to home. We've now been twice and both times have been a wonderful experience and the food has been beyond delicious. Note to Pamela B. - you really need to go again. Phil, the owner, is great - he always comes to your table to say hello and the service is exceptional and friendly. We're going again next week and plan on going a lot more!
(5)Anna C.
This place is absolutely wonderful! I happened to drive through Richmond last weekend, and looked for a dinner spot. Yelp reviewers led me to this place. The ambiance is warm and inviting with a large bar, specialty drinks, and tv screens in an upscale setting. There are 3 separate rooms of tables and many large parties came in while we were dining. Reservations would have proved helpful to reduce wait time, but the staff and owner Phil were so nice and entertaining that the wait flew by. Phil performs various magic and card tricks for the kids entertaining both young and old with his perfect timing and execution. The bartender was efficient and friendly. She immediately served us drinks with a smile. The dinner specials were all very enticing: Shrimp on spaghetti served with chopped tomatoes and spinach in a garlic olive oil, basil parmesan encrusted salmon over pappardelle with a light lemon sauce, and braised short ribs over mashed potatoes. The menu items ranged from pastas, to fish, to steak and chops. The food was absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection and very tasty. The dessert menu looked fabulous too, but we were too full for dessert. I saw someone eating the apple caramel gellato served in a martini glass which looked yummy. This place is definitely worth a visit, even if you have to drive a distance to get there. Mangia bene!
(5)Stefanie A.
Whole experience was great! My husband and I split our dish and we still had huge portions! Restaurant was very warm and comforting! Good service, too!
(4)Celia D.
My FAVORITE restaurant! Amazing, fresh and authentic. Phil, the owner is always there and usually makes it a point to stop at your table and make sure everything is excellent. Beautiful hand painted murals and exquisite overall.
(5)Sherry D.
The only reason I didn't give the restaurant 5 stars was that we ordered chicken piccata (instead of veal....not on the menu, but if you ask, they will make it) and it came with rubbery, UNbrowned, GROSS skin on the chicken breast. I have never heard of such a thing. The sauce tasted like canned, not fresh lemon by any means. It was the first time I've encountered a disappointing menu item. HOWEVER, we have been here before, and have always loved our meals. The servers are always friendly, the ambience is very nice, and they have added a huge bar area (4 months ago, I believe) which makes it nice when you have to wait. Don't go without a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6:00 and a group of 4 walked in expecting to be seated. No so. They did let them stay and wait, however, which is rare, because usually the place is packed. One reason being they are the only decent restaurant in the area. Second, they are all very friendly, and the food is reasonably priced. The wedge salad has an amazing blue cheese dressing and it's big enough to share, which they will split for you with no problem. The Broadway Shrimp (not on the menu but ALWAYS a special) is delicious. My husband loved his gnocchi with vodka sauce. A lot of the menu is basic and typical, but their specials are usually nice. The portions aren't particularly huge, but you walk away feeling full. We will return, but if I order anything with chicken breast I will be SURE to request no skin (the waitress said that unless you ask, it comes like that....blech).
(4)Chuck E.
We are locals and usually love Paisano's but tonight was a mess. The appetizers were good and the oysters tasted very fresh. It however took 45 plus minutes after being seated to get them. Drinks took 30+! Our reservations were at 7 and seemed a bit busy for a Sunday night. Entrees finally came 20 minutes after the appetizers. My wife ordered chicken stuffed pasta but it was brown and tasted like sausage? My sons steak, order medium, was burnt on the outside, and my veal parmesan was over done and tough. We were never offered dessert and after 1.5 hours of less than stellar Mothers Day dinner we were ready to leave. Maybe the waiter we had, Wyatt, and the kitchen staff were having an off night but there were a multitude of miss cues. It was a disappointing evening and will likely be some time before we visit again.
(1)L. F.
Who would have thought that little Richmond would have such a gem of a restaurant as Paisano's?!?!? I have been to Paisano's several times and each time they have not disappointed. I usually have one of their specials. This last time I went, I had the scallop special - DELICIOUS!!! I have not had a pasta dish because my thought is, if I want pasta, I can make that at home. Their italian dishes are quite tasty and savory! You can not go wrong with this place...unless your unfamiliar with what a good meal is; and with that...to each his own ;-)
(4)Rob M.
It is always easy to critique a restaurant when the food is simply amazing. Portions are adequate. Great atmosphere, and very good waitstaff. The owners are usually in attendance and check in with customers to inquire about their meals. We will definitely return! This a very popular restaurant, I would not attempt to go without making a reservation.
(4)Bob W.
Went to Paisano's for the first time on Friday evening. The place was packed but the the food and service were both exceptional. Had the sea bass, it was excellent.
(5)Nancy W.
Starts out with valet parking. Unique restaurant, especially for the area. Charm throughout the entire building from the fresh flowers to the hand paintings on the walls. Staff is excellent, food is fantastic, and don't forget to order wine! Excellent choices on the menu as well as house specials. You will enjoy your whole dining experience and want to frequent often. An amazing find!
(5)David R.
Maybe Paisano's can have a bad day, but 7 out of 8 mediocre dinners and 2 appetizers that missed the "gee that's pleasant" mark at one table was disappointing. I feel they might have grown to a point that they are so busy that details are lost in the confusion. I will say the reasonably priced bottle of wine was very nice for the cost. But the pasta frita appetizer was made from quality ingredients, then covered up with salt at a level that burnt my taste buds.The lobster bisque was also made with quality ingredients and then covered up to a point that I only could taste 2 flavors. The 2 flavors were once again way too much salt and heavy herbal from tarragon. We ordered the special seafood diablo. That means hot and we new that. Now I can eat fresh sliced habanero peppers with a sandwich, so I know hot, but this dish was HOT! 3 of the four in our our party couldn't eat it and they had to plead with the owner to remove the cost from our bill. I think they took off 1/2. The meatballs where bitter from brunt garlic as was the scallop dish. Maybe this is an Italian style I am not aware of, but burnt bitter garlic is not fine dining in my book. The steak was dry but the walleye was great. The fish had a crispy crust and was nicely cooked. 2 mediocre appetizers and only 1 out of 8 dinners were good, hmmm. The atmosphere is very nice, the menu options are wonderful and there is nothing else like Piasono's around these parts. So, I surmise that folks are not taking the time to taste properly. In closing, be aware that everything is a la carte, so if you want a 3 course meal without dessert and drinks, it can easily cost $45 & upwards per person. For that kind of cost, I expect a more pleasant dinning experience.
(2)Kevin S.
Incredible! The absolute epitome of what an italian bistro should be. Very casual, amazing service, and most importantly spectacular food! I'm 21 and my girlfriend is 20 and we often frequent the restaurant and the crowd is typically a wealthier, more mature-aged crowd. Many restaurants have not treated me with respect for being younger but not this place. Phil the owner, always makes sure to stop by and say hello and see how we are enjoying ourselves and that really goes a long way in my book. Quick story, I went to Paisano's 2 weeks after my 21st birthday and ordered a beer and the waitress checked my ID of course. After our meal she came out with a cup of gelato with a birthday candle on it as a birthday gift! 2 WEEKS AFTER MY BIRTHDAY! I was so impressed with the above and beyond service here that I recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Jill P.
Very good! Their red sauce is legit - I had a special flank steak that was very very tastey. My friend had good old spaghetti and meatballs -they were huge. My cousin ordered the hat pasta, they were out but served the same way with different pasta. My husband had the linguini and white clam sause. Definitely a come backer - but make reservations even for 5pm on Saturday!
(5)George K.
Super food, great drinks and appetizers. Here in Richmond is the hidden gem. Outstanding service. Need reservations, this place is packed on the weekends, and even though we got in as a walk-in there was a long line at 8PM when we left. Wanted to go back to try some of the specials, all sounded good. Prices were very fair, but the quality of the food and service is what makes this restaurant outstanding.
(5)Gone F.
Paisano's has some pretty amazing food. I would agree, service can be anything from stellar to pretty amateur, thus 4 stars instead of 5. Folks, we are talking small town here, with a restaurant that could compete with the grown up places in Chicago. Finding competent staff has to be a pretty big challenge for a place that is always bustling. Reservations a must and do so a few days before you want to go to get the best time for your schedule. Though they have expanded, this restaurant is in the historic district of Richmond. When first opened, you could barely turn around in the place. Now, with expansion, things are roomier, but this is one of the only games in town for decent dining. The decor is fabulous and you can dream you are in Tuscany. People watching is great, the bar is well stocked and those bartenders know how to mix a mean martini! (they have competition across the street from a martini bar if you choose to get especially sloshed before or after dinner or in the event you didn't make a reservation and need a place to wait). LOVE the Vodka Gnocchi. Wasn't really impressed with the veal. It was a bit too salty, but the prep and presenation was good. Had their london broil the other night. That's something that could be pretty sketchy...Impression: I want MORE!!! Portion was huge, loved the onions on top. YUMMY...Enough to bring home for another meal. Their homemade gelatto will make you think you finally made it to heaven. The owners have been there every time we have been there (lots). They are attentive and accomodating and have a good sense of humor. Paisano's...Thumbs up!!!
(4)Tina T.
This fairly new Italian restaurant, way up in the little antique shopping mecca of Richmond, was a great surprise; the owners formerly owned Gilardi's in Lincolnshire, and after retiring, decided to open up this cute, intimate little spot. I loved the ambience; they have beautiful murals on the walls depicting scenes from Italian villages. The prices were unbelievably reasonable; my friend and I both had fish specialties with salads and a side of vegetables and a couple of glasses of wine for under $75. But it's an upscale environment, and the owner, Phil, comes to each table to inquire about the meal and small talk. Highly recommended!
(5)David M.
great food in a place (Richmond IL) where you wouldn't expect it....been there several times...have tried many more times but couldn't get a reservation ... now that's a strong hint right there...has all the 'to be expected' ... plus some extras...5 kinds of veal dishes...loved the veal francese....also the rolled eggplant...all good...but do call ahead for a reservation...not just that day...very popular for a good reason
(5)Pamela B.
My sister called earlier in the day and was told we wouldn' t need reservations on a Thursday night. We get there and are asked if we have reservations because they are so busy. They then proceed to seat us at this tiny table that is totally out of place, right by the stairs leading to the bar. I didn't complain because I was just so happy to see my sister and wanted to get down to some catching up. We ordered the calamari which came in huge chunks covered in a light uncripsy coating I think was cornstarch. Gross. We both ordered the Seafood Diablo which was on special. To me $18.95 was not a special and what a disappointment. We were given very large plates with only 6 shrimp, each topped with a smidgen of unspicy sauce and a skimpy portion of pasta with nothing on it!!!! No olive oil and cheese as I had expected. They had the nerve to charge $6.50 for a 7&7. Our bill was almost $60 and I left hungry. And today I find out they have another dining room so why did they put us at a table in such an odd place? I'll never know because Sissy and I won't be back.
(1)Robert I.
This is the best Italian food in Northern IL. It's well worth the drive if you're not local. The setting is beautiful, too. Phil and Karen always remember us and treat us like family. They've even come to retreive us from the bar across the street to let us know our table is ready. What great service! We're hooked:)
(5)Eric G.
Great homemade Italian with an upscale twist and very reasonable prices. The fish dishes are always fresh -- try the Seafood Diablo with a variety of shellfish and a spicy sauce -- very tasty. They keep their entree prices down by doing the ala carte thing with salads, but even the salads are very reasonable. The place is small which means that reservations on a Friday or Saturday go pretty fast. If you are planning a group larger than 6, it'll be tough to accommodate. Keep it to 2 or 4 and you're fine. If you save room for dessert, try the homemade gelato - I had a lemon gelato and it was the perfect end to the meal. Husband and wife owners Phil and Karen Gilardi are always around, so the service is always top-notch under their watch.
(5)Kirsten G.
My husband and I just moved to the area and decided to try out some of the local flair. This restaurant is great! The food and ambiance is excellent. I've heard they will be expanding in the near future! But for now you must call and make a reservation.
(4)margaret s.
We went to Piisano's for an anniversary dinner with some good friends. When my husband received his $25 entree, the shrimp were freezer burned and super tough. Our waitress had disappeared, so by the time that a manager came over to see how our dinner was, we were done eating, and my husband had picked around the shrimp to eat the other seafood in the dinner. We told the manager about the food, and he offered to "fire us up a new order", very nice of him. We said that he could just pack it to go, we were ready to order dessert. So, he came back later with a to go bag and again apologized and we finished dinner and left. Well, we get home and my husband goes to open up his take out container and all they did was take out most of the little hard shrimp (most, not all!!) and replace them with 5 other shrimp over his old noodles!! We couldn't believe it, why go to all the trouble of making sure we thought they'd remake his dinner? We paid $200 for a dinner for 4, I will never spend another penny at a place that does that to it's customers. There are plenty of nicer places to eat.
(1)Bob W.
Went to Paisano's for the first time on Friday evening. The place was packed but the the food and service were both exceptional. Had the sea bass, it was excellent.
(5)Nancy W.
Starts out with valet parking. Unique restaurant, especially for the area. Charm throughout the entire building from the fresh flowers to the hand paintings on the walls. Staff is excellent, food is fantastic, and don't forget to order wine! Excellent choices on the menu as well as house specials. You will enjoy your whole dining experience and want to frequent often. An amazing find!
(5)David R.
Maybe Paisano's can have a bad day, but 7 out of 8 mediocre dinners and 2 appetizers that missed the "gee that's pleasant" mark at one table was disappointing. I feel they might have grown to a point that they are so busy that details are lost in the confusion. I will say the reasonably priced bottle of wine was very nice for the cost. But the pasta frita appetizer was made from quality ingredients, then covered up with salt at a level that burnt my taste buds.The lobster bisque was also made with quality ingredients and then covered up to a point that I only could taste 2 flavors. The 2 flavors were once again way too much salt and heavy herbal from tarragon. We ordered the special seafood diablo. That means hot and we new that. Now I can eat fresh sliced habanero peppers with a sandwich, so I know hot, but this dish was HOT! 3 of the four in our our party couldn't eat it and they had to plead with the owner to remove the cost from our bill. I think they took off 1/2. The meatballs where bitter from brunt garlic as was the scallop dish. Maybe this is an Italian style I am not aware of, but burnt bitter garlic is not fine dining in my book. The steak was dry but the walleye was great. The fish had a crispy crust and was nicely cooked. 2 mediocre appetizers and only 1 out of 8 dinners were good, hmmm. The atmosphere is very nice, the menu options are wonderful and there is nothing else like Piasono's around these parts. So, I surmise that folks are not taking the time to taste properly. In closing, be aware that everything is a la carte, so if you want a 3 course meal without dessert and drinks, it can easily cost $45 & upwards per person. For that kind of cost, I expect a more pleasant dinning experience.
(2)Alfasha Z.
First time here since we were sick of everything else in McHenry, Woodstock, and Wonder Lake. Not sure why we haven't visited once in the almost ten years we have been in the area! In the middle of nowhere, yes, but it's got such a cute and quaint atmosphere, you can almost imagine yourself in some touristy place like Galena. The restaurant facade is reminiscent of Italia and the building itself is pretty big. Up entering the restaurant, you immediately notice how cosy everything is and it's plenty dark in there, which can work when you're there on special dates. We came with our teenage nephew and that worked just fine too. The food was ridiculously good. Based on all the reviews on here and people's pictures, we ordered the lobster bisque (totally amazing with real huge chunks of lobster and they weren't stingy with the bites either!) and the special grilled octopus was cooked to perfection and done-ness (not to mentioned the added caprese salad it comes with was a nice touch) as our appetizers. The entrees were humongous and totally worth the money. We ordered the chicken & eggplant parmigiana with jalapeño sauce and my husband who is an ever critic of everything couldn't stop raving about how amazing the dish was. The special homemade stuffed shells with ricotta and Italian sausage was so filling I can only eat 1.5 shells (each shel was the size of my fist!), and the nephew has rigatoni bolognese, all good dishes. On to dessert-of course we had to get the homemade gelato, smooth and sweet, everything you could want on a nice hot summer day. The chocolate mousse cake was mighty, airy, and cholocatey. Exactly what you want and expect ^_^ Seriously come out this way, we need more restaurant choices out in the country and Paisanos may surprise you!
(5)Melissa P.
Delicious food and great service. Gnocchi was light and fluffy. The steak was perfectly done. They even gave us a free gelato since it was our anniversary
(5)Ed F.
Great service, really good food, nice atmosphere, but a little on the pricey side for what you get. Adjacent to the hostess station, were several video gaming machines - really seemed out of place for a quaint Italian place. Fortunately, the bar area is separate from the dining area, so no 'bleed-over'. I'm not at all against spending money, as long as you get what you pay for. Paisano's prices are towards the higher end for Italian fare, and the portions are generous, but it's à la carte - bread/oil/cheese on the table, and your entree. I guess, at $11 for a simple spaghetti plate, I expected a little more, not to pay another $5 for a house salad. We left satisfied, and certainly wouldn't avoid Paisano's, but want to be honest about our opinion, so that others may benefit.
(4)Sophie C.
Went to Paisano's last night, WOW!! I was born and raised in Italy. Closest to the real thing! Its better than any Italian restaurant I've been to in the U.S. I was reading Yelp reviews, what was the Richmond woman thinking?! Claims she's Italian yet calls pasta "noodles"?! Obviously, she's never been to a good Italian restaurant. I would recommend Paisano's for food, service and ambience. It's a keeper! Even though I live 35 miles away, Paisano's will see me often!!
(5)Marianne D.
Have been hearing how good this restaurant is and finally stopped here for dinner on the way to Lake Geneva. It definitely delivered. First, the facade on the outside is charming with the painted buildings, awnings and flower boxes. The inside is nicely decorated and intimate even though there is plenty of space. Our server, Tiffany, was very friendly and provided wonderful and attentive service. The bus boys were top notch clearing, refilling and friendly at all times. The bread was warm and crusty and the olive oil and cheese were high quality. I like that the cheese was on the table instead of having to request it. My husband and I ordered a good chianti and shared the special grilled octopus appetizer. It was served over a warm caprese salad and the tomatoes were grilled as well. The octopus was tender and a good sized portion. My husband had one of the house specialities which was a chicken and eggplant vesuvio dish with a side of homemade pasta. He cleaned his plate and said it was very good. I had the braciole with a side of homemade pasta. Very good...almost as good as my grandma's! The portion sizes of both entrees were large. I ended the meal with a perfectly-frothed cappuccino and my husband had a limoncello. This was a very enjoyable dining experience. Lucky for me, I'll be back on my girls weekend in Lake Geneva with all my friends. Looking forward to another yummy meal.
(4)Jamey S.
Nothing short of a 5 star experience! Mary the hostess treated me and my girlfriend like family from the second we walked in the door! The food was amazing, from the apps to desert, top notch. I drove here from Colorado, and I would have been super disappointed if I missed out on this place. Fast friendly service with a smile. And food to die for! I wouldn't change a single thing about my experience here! Thank you guys so much!!
(5)Rebeca L.
Amazing food, great atmosphere, I highly recommend for a great dining experience
(5)Jaime J.
Fantastic food. Amazing desserts. I do not love Italian usually but this place is amazing. Quaint seating. Small and great atmosphere.
(5)Bob T.
With our second visit I have to say they are really good at what the do. I try a place out and if I like it again I write a review. Ask for a table in the back room if your going for romantic setting (see photo with large flower pot). Let's work our way backwards. Dessert - save room as their high quality options are the best in the area. Then order the meal and eat half. A $14.00 pasta meal is $7.00 per serving and tastes great the next day. Go the the soup of the day and you have your meal. Service is outstanding considering it's a suburban location and it's hard to hire good help at the younger aged server level.
(5)Wendy D.
Having lived for over 35 years in San Diego, we were delighted with the excellent taste and presentation of the Chilean Sea Bass, in a our home state of Illinois. It was one of the best seafood meals we have ever enjoyed, and we are used to fresh seafood on a daily basis in California. Having dined in Belize, Hawaii and the Dominican Republic, we can say Paisano's rates at the top of the list. The Kobe steak and walleye were also excellent. Great dining atmosphere, friendly owners and personnel, too. We'll be sure to return.
(5)Lucy C.
After our trip to the corn maze was rained out, my friends and I decided to try out Paisano's on Broadway after reading some glowing reviews on Yelp. In all honesty, we crossed our fingers and hoped that it wasn't just small town standards. The signage on the door says the hours are 5pm to close. How incredibly genius is that? Not feeling it today? Close at 7pm. Having a great day? Still open at 4am. I'm sure they have actual set hours, but I didn't bother to ask. The mystery is kind of fun. We waited at the bar and watched some football while the fabulous staff set our table up. We were ushered to the back room with cheesy vegas/disney style Italian decor and wallpaper and inexplicable slot machines in the corner. We were greeted with a smiley server, deliciously warm bread, and water that was topped off a little too frequently. Our server listed off the specials which were all fish dishes; there weren't any on the regular menu. One of my friends can't have cheese and the server knew the menu well enough to recommend which items could be made without cheese. I had the Pork Chop Paisano which was definitely a bang for your buck. The meat was perfectly tender with a nice crunch from the crust. I substituted the mashed potatoes for the grilled vesuvio potatoes which may have been a mistake, as those potatoes were very salty and competed with the flavors of the pork chop. All my friends also seemed very satisfied with their orders, with the exception of one; though he enjoyed his walleye greatly, he was simply still hungry and proceeded to fill up on bread. That's what you get for being a bottomless pit. They don't allow separate checks at Paisano's, but it was the perfect opportunity for me to try out a new app I downloaded (free marketing! tabapp.co ). If you struggle with figuring out how much each person owes, I recommend checking it out, but I digress. Eat at Paisano's! Nothing beats good food, good service, and good company.
(5)Joe M.
Paisano's is one of my favorite restaurants in the Richmond area. I don't really care for the exterior approach. As one reviewer called it "Disney Worldish". I kind of agree with that assessment. Inside, it's very dark, especially in the late evening. It was so hard to see the menu and read the tiny print. Good thing I knew what I wanted ahead of time!! Amy was our server and took good care of our table, keeping the wine flowing and the food coming. We were very glad not have had Holly as our server, based on her negative reviews. I had the chicken piccata, my friends had the gnocchi with vodka ssuce and the angel hair pasta with bologanese sauce. Everyone enjoyed their meal. My only suggestion is to add Ramona pinot grigio to the wine menu. It's really a much better wine than your current 2 options.
(5)Shawn C.
I am travel a bit for work and am lucky to try many great dining experiences. My wife and I like to try different and new places and often don't return to the same place twice. Paisano's remains my go to place that I always look forward to returning to. I love the Lobster Bisque, Veal dishes, and always look forward to when Scallops are on the menu as one of the specials. Phil has a great handle on a quality dining experience. Love this place.
(5)Joseph K.
This restaurant was amazing! Out in the middle of the country is this Italian restaurant. The neighborhood surrounding Paisano's looks run down, but when you get in the house is packed! There were 50-70 or more people in this restaurant. It had a buzz about it! I ordered the Paisano Porkchops. These were lightly battered fried and smothered in amazing garlic and oil. The portion was generous and the chops were outstanding. My wife order gluten free alfredo and was very happy with it. Not even the Olive Garden does gluten free alfredo! Great Experience. Maybe adding an actual "gluten free" menu would help alleviate confusion. The server said that they could make almost everything gluten free, but our experience tells us differently. A secondary menu wouldn't hurt!
(5)Zach B.
This is an absolutely excellent restaurant whether it's date night with the significant other, a business dinner or a nice upscale evening with some friends. Despite the excellent food and upscale atmosphere, it's still affordable enough to take the whole family HOWEVER, young children would best be left at home. I've become a regular customer here and the food just never seems to get old. The steak and various pasta dishes are continually excellent and have yet to disappoint. The same can be said about the appetizers and deserts. The staff is always quick and attentive, happy to help in any way they can. It's genuinely a great upscale environment without an overly pretentious, uptight atmosphere. They've got a great bar as well. Highly recommended!
(5)Joe L.
My brother in law told us to stop in Richmond and have dinner at a great Italian restaurant. I thought he was joking. Last night on our way home from lake Geneva we decided to take an alternate route and give it a try. So glad we did!!! When we walked in we were very impressed with the bar and the decor/atmosphere. Very well done. We were immediately seated and from the very beginning to the end our service was perfect. Danielle was very informed on all the dishes. She served us on a timely matter. One of the best servers I have ever met!! The food was very very good. The portions were generous but not overwhelming. The entire experience was perfect. My wife and I will eat at paisanos every Sunday on our return trip from LG!!
(5)Dagwood S.
Hands down the best restaurant in all of the north/northwest suburbs. It is a drive out to Richmond, but I classify Paisano's as a destination restaurant where even if I didn't already live close, I would drive there to have dinner, which is why this is clearly a 5-star to me. I really loved the scallops but the extra side of pasta was a bit overpriced yet the waitress immediately removed it when I said so and even mentioned it was as well. You really must get a reservation if you plan to go on a weekend. Love and go back as much as we can!
(5)Douglas R.
I am actually angry with myself That I did not try Paisano's Earlier. -Chopped Salad Fresh, and vibrant. -Alfredo Pasta Complex, flavorful, rich sauce..tender pasta. -Pork Siciliano I am salivating. The peppers, potatoes, and pork each better than the next. What to expect: *Excellent Service *Exceptional Food, which i thought impossible to find in such a removed location before this experience. *captivating atmosphere. I had high expectations, being cynical in nature. I was and remain ecstatic about the experience I had here, and hope to return very soon.
(5)Ashley M.
Wow, this place is a gem. Sleepy little town, but Paisano's is hoping! Called on Friday for a reservation on Saturday, could only get 5p since they were all booked up! The guys all had the lobster bisque special soap - holy cow, talk about presentation. And it was delicious. We had a few orders of the cedar plank salmon special, scallops special, and the sea bass. Only one person actually ordered off the regular menu. However, I have to say, buyer beware. The menu posted on their website must be old, cause the prices are much higher in the restaurant. Also, the waitress didn't mention the prices on the specials (and we didn't ask), but they weren't cheap. I would say it's comparable to what you would find at a nice restaurant in the Chicago suburbs, just more than I expected for little Richmond. Also, it was my daughter's first birthday (dinner was for the adults :)), and so they presented her with a bowl of gelato with a candle. Very nice touch and the gelato was awesome. Will definitely be back when I'm up this way!
(4)Anthony V.
You would never know about this place if you hadn't received it from a referral. It's located on a side street in a small suburban town. I wanted to take my father and wife to this place as it received high marks from a co-worker of mine. It's a far drive for us to get there, however I have no problem traveling good lengths if the food comes highly recommended. We arrived and were seated promptly. The server was very professional. The food didn't take long before we were served. The menu is very diverse with lots of Italian cuisine. The food was exceptional! My dad was very impressed with his Seafood Diablo and he is very familiar with good authentic Italian food. Everything from the appetizer bread to the Seafood Diablo was authentic and fresh. The portions are huge and all our meals were perfect! The only reasons holding this place back from receiving 5 stars was the following: Reservations must be made far in advance. Reservation times are scarce as the only time we would get in was 4:30pm. The prices are steep as this is like a Chicago authentic Italian restaurant. The location is far from civilization as it is located in suburban Richmond, IL. That being said, it was all worth it as we will definitely be returning again!
(4)John C.
Wonderful True Italian Food served by truly attentive waitstaff hosted by gracious owners in an exciting environment all priced very reasonably.
(5)Susan V.
This is the best restaurant we've found lately! And so close to home. We've now been twice and both times have been a wonderful experience and the food has been beyond delicious. Note to Pamela B. - you really need to go again. Phil, the owner, is great - he always comes to your table to say hello and the service is exceptional and friendly. We're going again next week and plan on going a lot more!
(5)Anna C.
This place is absolutely wonderful! I happened to drive through Richmond last weekend, and looked for a dinner spot. Yelp reviewers led me to this place. The ambiance is warm and inviting with a large bar, specialty drinks, and tv screens in an upscale setting. There are 3 separate rooms of tables and many large parties came in while we were dining. Reservations would have proved helpful to reduce wait time, but the staff and owner Phil were so nice and entertaining that the wait flew by. Phil performs various magic and card tricks for the kids entertaining both young and old with his perfect timing and execution. The bartender was efficient and friendly. She immediately served us drinks with a smile. The dinner specials were all very enticing: Shrimp on spaghetti served with chopped tomatoes and spinach in a garlic olive oil, basil parmesan encrusted salmon over pappardelle with a light lemon sauce, and braised short ribs over mashed potatoes. The menu items ranged from pastas, to fish, to steak and chops. The food was absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection and very tasty. The dessert menu looked fabulous too, but we were too full for dessert. I saw someone eating the apple caramel gellato served in a martini glass which looked yummy. This place is definitely worth a visit, even if you have to drive a distance to get there. Mangia bene!
(5)Stefanie A.
Whole experience was great! My husband and I split our dish and we still had huge portions! Restaurant was very warm and comforting! Good service, too!
(4)Celia D.
My FAVORITE restaurant! Amazing, fresh and authentic. Phil, the owner is always there and usually makes it a point to stop at your table and make sure everything is excellent. Beautiful hand painted murals and exquisite overall.
(5)Sherry D.
The only reason I didn't give the restaurant 5 stars was that we ordered chicken piccata (instead of veal....not on the menu, but if you ask, they will make it) and it came with rubbery, UNbrowned, GROSS skin on the chicken breast. I have never heard of such a thing. The sauce tasted like canned, not fresh lemon by any means. It was the first time I've encountered a disappointing menu item. HOWEVER, we have been here before, and have always loved our meals. The servers are always friendly, the ambience is very nice, and they have added a huge bar area (4 months ago, I believe) which makes it nice when you have to wait. Don't go without a reservation. We were there on a Sunday at 6:00 and a group of 4 walked in expecting to be seated. No so. They did let them stay and wait, however, which is rare, because usually the place is packed. One reason being they are the only decent restaurant in the area. Second, they are all very friendly, and the food is reasonably priced. The wedge salad has an amazing blue cheese dressing and it's big enough to share, which they will split for you with no problem. The Broadway Shrimp (not on the menu but ALWAYS a special) is delicious. My husband loved his gnocchi with vodka sauce. A lot of the menu is basic and typical, but their specials are usually nice. The portions aren't particularly huge, but you walk away feeling full. We will return, but if I order anything with chicken breast I will be SURE to request no skin (the waitress said that unless you ask, it comes like that....blech).
(4)Chuck E.
We are locals and usually love Paisano's but tonight was a mess. The appetizers were good and the oysters tasted very fresh. It however took 45 plus minutes after being seated to get them. Drinks took 30+! Our reservations were at 7 and seemed a bit busy for a Sunday night. Entrees finally came 20 minutes after the appetizers. My wife ordered chicken stuffed pasta but it was brown and tasted like sausage? My sons steak, order medium, was burnt on the outside, and my veal parmesan was over done and tough. We were never offered dessert and after 1.5 hours of less than stellar Mothers Day dinner we were ready to leave. Maybe the waiter we had, Wyatt, and the kitchen staff were having an off night but there were a multitude of miss cues. It was a disappointing evening and will likely be some time before we visit again.
(1)L. F.
Who would have thought that little Richmond would have such a gem of a restaurant as Paisano's?!?!? I have been to Paisano's several times and each time they have not disappointed. I usually have one of their specials. This last time I went, I had the scallop special - DELICIOUS!!! I have not had a pasta dish because my thought is, if I want pasta, I can make that at home. Their italian dishes are quite tasty and savory! You can not go wrong with this place...unless your unfamiliar with what a good meal is; and with that...to each his own ;-)
(4)Rob M.
It is always easy to critique a restaurant when the food is simply amazing. Portions are adequate. Great atmosphere, and very good waitstaff. The owners are usually in attendance and check in with customers to inquire about their meals. We will definitely return! This a very popular restaurant, I would not attempt to go without making a reservation.
(4)Stalkerkitty B.
This was my first visit, and I hope to be back soon. I loved the eggplant parm. It was perfectly fried and topped with a tasty marinara sauce and cheese. I couldn't say no to the blood orange gelato (next time I'll have to try the key lime pie) and loved every scoop. The staff was friendly and attentive and quickly offered to refill the parmesan bowl and bread basket.
(5)Kristine W.
Excellent dinner..best vodka sauce ever..made all the better by the expert service...well done!
(4)Mark M.
Best food in the Chicago burbs bar none. Not a bad meal on the entire menu. Must have a reservation because they are booked every single night. Cudos to Owner/Head Chef Phil. Great food, hospitality and service.
(5)Betty D.
We had a party of five. We all enjoyed our dinner, and the restaurant is lovely,however, we asked for separate checks and were told that wasn't possible. We were told that your computer system would not allow separate checks. It's time to update your computer system to accommodate your patrons.
(3)Phyllis D.
Great food and service! The chopped salad is really tasty and a great way to start the meal, along with warm bread with good quality oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. The entree (eggplant rolotino) was delicious alongside a glass of nero d'avola. The service was attentive and the atmospgere was welcoming. I will be back!
(5)Steve G.
What has happened to what once was a good quality restaurant? Over the years Pisano's has always been good for a good quality meal, the last two times my wife and I have been there it has been awful. We are done. This past trip, a couple weeks ago I sent back the Lobster Bisque....I'm not sure what it was, but Lobster Bisque it wasn't. Sauce on the pasta was acidic, the pasta was cold, pork chop overcooked....I could go on, but why bother? They no longer seem to care about the quality of the product they put out, why should I?
(1)Mike L.
Had the opportunity to dine here last night. Very nice cozy place. Tables are spread out nicely making the dining experience comfortable. Our server was spot on and perfect in every way. She was polite, knowledgeable, and timed everything perfect. Althought the fried calamari was a bit greasy it was tender and flavorful. Their stuffed clams were out of the world and oysters rockafeller were also outstanding. The lobster bisque covered in puff pastry was fair. I had the Waygu Strip and my wife the Sea Bass. The steak was cooked perfectly rare + as I'd asked. It was meaty, tender, and lined with awesome marbeling. The sea bass was super fresh, flaky, sweet, and rich. Homemade Gelto was almost like a super cold chocolate mousse. This place is pretty awesome...really.
(5)Mel B.
What an amazing restaurant! We were there Saturday night, 2 couples. We all sampled each other's meals and each entree was superb. I had the Ahi Tuna....I can't wait to go back and order it again. When we entertain out of town guests, we'll be heading to Paisano's.
(5)Kevin D.
I can't believe this restaurant is in Richmond. Food was fantastic, menu was astounding and the service was wonderful. The only negative I can think of is that it's PACKED even at off-hours. I didn't believe a restaurant out "in the middle of nowhere" would really need reservations, but you probably do.
(5)Angela E.
My boyfriend took me here for our anniversary and we both walked away disappointed with our meals. We were told the wait would be about 45 minutes (which is typical and fine for a Friday night without a reservation) but there was no waiting area for us to sit. We ended up sitting in the chairs at the video gaming corner. Our hostess took us to our table that wasn't even cleared yet from the previous customer so we stood there awkwardly for a couple of minutes watching them prep our table. The bread was great, we got the raw clams for our appetizer which was also good. The real disappointment came with our entrees. We both got entrees from the specials menu, I got the Cedar Plank Salmon and he got a dish that was steak, sausage and chicken in a tomato sauce. My salmon was bland and dried out, the pasta that came on the side and it looked old, was cold and mushed together. I sent it back and got mashed potatoes instead. My boyfriends meal was dried out and just flat out "not good" he said and he is not a very picky eater. The atmosphere was loud which was a little annoying, we were the only table for two set directly in front of the stairs surrounded by large tables. The waiter was nice but absent for most of the night. We left disappointed after reading all the rave reviews and then shelling out $90 for food we did not enjoy. We will probably not be returning.
(2)Mary Kate D.
Went for dinner last night with my bf. Food and service were exceptional. We both had the lobster bisque soup and really enjoyed it. I had the pan seared salmon and it was amazing. I would definitely go back for that. My bf had the Chilean Sea Bass and he really liked it. For dessert we split the chocolate hazelnut gelato and the key lime pie. I live downtown Chicago and I was surprised to find such a wonderful restaurant in Richmond. My family has a lake house in Powers Lake, Wisconsin and we always have a difficult time finding great places to eat. I would highly recommend this place. The owner stopped by and introduced himself and asked if we enjoyed our meals. I thought that was pretty cool. I had a martini and it was very good also. Looking forward to our next visit there.
(5)Amanda M.
Ultimately disappointed... After hearing rave reviews from friends who make this place their regular we wanted to celebrate my milestone birthday. My fiance called ahead to make reservations and mention it was my birthday to make the night even more special and a surprise. He was told they "would make a note and make it special." Instead we arrived, promptly seated but didn't receive a greeting until 10 minutes later and there wasn't a crowd. Food was very good. Menu selections great as well. Waitress was a disappointment, we had to request a drink menu and she then offered a specials menu as if we were a pain to be her customers. At the end of the meal the check was bought and left. No utter of a thank you or a happy birthday. SO disappointed that this referred location did nothing to make our night special but instead made us feel as if we were a bother. Even more disappointed to see other reviews on birthdays that were given such a great experience. The horrible customer service of server #15 truly ruined our night. And for this we have a very sour taste and wouldn't recommend to others.
(2)Max O.
We had the pleasure of dining here a few nights ago. We had a table 5, we received excellent service, awesome food and we all agree we can't wait to go back! Everyone agreed the best dish at the table was the Seabass... wow!!!
(5)Rob Z.
Paisano's is hands down my favorite Italian restaurant (and I've been in more than my fair share around the country and world). The menu is authentic and well prepared. While I limit myself to a few times a year, I, nor anyone I've been with, have ever had anything less than excellent. The "specials" should be on the menu though since they haven't changed in the 3 years that I've been going... Just a friendly tip, don't try to go on a Friday or Saturday evening without a reservation... you usually need to plan about 2 weeks in advance. Since I've never been on any other night (except for a Sunday), I can't speak to needing reservations on those nights...
(5)Jeanne N.
If you don't want to experience sub par food everywhere else, don't come to Paisano's! The food is so incredibly delicious, you absolutely cannot find anything comparable anywhere else!!!! The calamari and bruschetta are just like you'd find in Italy- and trust me since living there, I've searched far and wide! The lobster was divine! Pork Chops to die for!
(5)Erick N.
My wife and I went with her parents to Paisano's for a mother's day weekend dinner. All four of us have rather varied food preferences, but easily found items that appealed to us on the menu and enjoyed our food and experience. The menu features standard fare you would find at a typical American Italian venue, a few steak options and there is a large list of specials featuring more seasonal and options. The server reviews the specials with you as well as hands you a card with them summarized (most of the fish choices are on the specials and their also was a Kobe steak option tonight as well as a few other choices). Soon after being seated we were brought bread fresh out of the oven; the bread was excellent and there was olive oil and grated Parmesan tabelside. The lobster bisque had a really cool presentation with a domed breaded topping (kind of like a croissant in consistency) that turned it into a lobster pot pie of sorts. The bisque had a both sweet and savory flavor; I definitely recommend this if it is on the menu. I ordered salmon for my entree which was well cooked and tasty; it was served on a bed of hand cut pasta and garlicy spinach. The housemade apple caramel gelato made for an awesome dessert; it was served in a martini glass with caramel sauce and a small biscotti. Paisano's has a full bar with most of the wines being rather inexpensive. Service is fairly attentive and the food came out rather quickly (a three course meal took about an hour), but we did not feel rushed. The manager made rounds part way through the meal to check in with us. Portions were generous and extremely reasonably priced for the size and quality (a three course dinner with a drink will run approximately $45 with tax and tip). At the end of the meal our assistant waiter even offered to package up our leftover bread along with some leftovers which was a nice touch. While our overall experience was quite pleasant, Paisano's does have some flaws and room for growth. The bar area where you enter is beautiful with nice tin ceilings and an elegant vibe. However the dining area almost seems like it has an identify crisis. The tables are nice with white linen tablecloths and candles, but some of the decor (and the ceiling, painted blue and with clouds to mimic the sky) is just plain tacky, having the ambiance of an Italian restaurant on the Vegas strip. I have never understood why some Italian restaurants in the U.S. paint the ceiling to look like the sky; I have never seen any restaurant in Italy do this. Another black mark is the silverware is not replaced between courses even if soiled; Paisaino's seems like it strives for being an upscale venue (and the food is worthy of this distinction) but has more of an Olive Garden vibe when the server places your dirty fork and knife on the table as your appetizer is cleared. One final negative was as we entered we were asked if our entire party was present before we were seated; if the restaurant was busy this is certainly understandable, but it had just opened so this seemed unnecessary. As I am spoiled with a myriad of first class restaurants at my doorstep in Chicago, Pasiano's was nothing out of the ordinary, but it definitely is a good restaurant. If you happen to be in the area or live nearby I think you would be hard pressed to find a better option. Definitely make reservations as Paisano's is deservedly popular and enjoy your meal.
(4)Paul K.
Wow! We decided to pass on the nice restaurants in Lake Geneva to give this place a try and we were very pleasantly surprised. The food, service and atmosphere are outstanding! The Paisano's Calamari is the best we've ever tasted. The veal and fish were amazing. We'll make the trip back there from the North Shore as it's well worth it.
(5)Phil R.
Stopped in this evening for an early dinner around 5:30. No problem getting a seat at that time on a Tuesday, however I opted to sit at the bar as I was dining alone. Came in knowing what I was going to have as it is my favorite dish. I ordered each course one at a time so as not to have food showing up before I was finished with the previous. Split pea soup with prosciutto was so so, I had a hard time finding or tasting the prosciutto if it was in there. Up next was a chopped salad, this was great as always. Now for my go to entree the Pork Chop Paisano! I have been looking forward to is for sometime when it arrived I was a bit confused by the two pan fried pork chops with gravy presented to me. Menu stated the prep was butterflied. In the past the prep was butterflied and hammered thin then pan fried much like a schnitzel. Garlic mashed were cool almost cold. The chops were moist and tasty but I prefer the old prep. Hopefully they change it back. Service was awesome and Phil the owner stopped by to check on me twice.
(4)Betty C.
Great food, excellent service. Although the Disney-esque Italian decor may be off-putting to those over 14 years old, the food and service at this spot are right on the mark. The bread basket was warm with a ciabatta like bread refilled as needed. Oysters Rockefeller were very tasty with the mandatory spinach and cream and a bubbly topping of cheese (horror you say? seafood with cheese? gasp!) yes - all those stuck up chefs that pronounce seafood and cheese can never go together need to get off their high horses and taste some of the good combos of cheese with seafood. Never say never is my motto. A dish of Paisano's calamari was tasty but a bit too oily and soggy once the fried rings were tossed in a spicy olive oil - better to just eat the fried calamari and offer a dipping sauce on the side. Veal parmesan was good but a bit too much tomato paste in the sauce. The linguine with spicy seafood (clams, shrimp, scallops) was delicious - although the pasta was overcooked so it did not soak up as much of the sauce as it could have. The skirt steak was delicious with a large pile of crispy onion strings - too many frankly! Desserts included pistachio and hazelnut gelatos ( hazelnut much more intensely flavored) and some super crunchy (yum!) biscotti. The cannolis were amazing - it is clear the shells are filled for each order as I have never had a restaurant cannoli be so crispy and fresh. Wines were very affordable by the bottle - $30 range for decent enough stuff. Water and plate busing service was constant and friendly. We'll go back if we are in the neighborhood but it is too far to head there just for dinner with so many other tasty and much more innovative places on the North side of Chicago.
(5)Carri N.
Worth the drive from Barrington! We don't get here enough, but never a bad meal when we do. Pasta, fish... All amazing! Dessert - Yum! Miss Gilardi's, but this is a touch better, despite the distance.
(5)Mary A.
Tonight our group had the lobster bisque, bone in filet, pork chop, sea bass, salted caramel cake and brownie cheesecake. Everything was fantastic and the service was top notch. Thanks for the great evening Phil,
(5)Christine V.
Move over Little Italy, Richmond is the new place to get awesome Italian eats. Wow! Meal Breakdown: Calamari to start (Classic Visona move) - Hot out of the fryer, tender not chewy and perfectly salted. It came in a cute mini fryer basket with sauce and a lemon wedge. It was gone quickly. Chopped Salad - Nice texture, flavorful. It had lettuce, garbanzos, tomatoes, some crunchy bits (I'm thinking fried pita chips??) Porkchops Siciliano - Show stopper right here! Broiled chops that were finished in the oven and topped with sauteed bell peppers and seasoned potatoes. It was beautiful as well, so happy with this choice. Cannoli and Espresso - Best cannoli I ever had the pleasure of eating. Crisp shell, delicious and velvety pastry cream, couldn't be happier. This meal was outstanding! Can't wait to come back to Richmond. On top of this, the service was great. They were friendly, quick to refill water, didn't visit the table too much or too little, the manager came to our table with a big smile, he looked as if he loved his job. It was just overall a very nice dining experience. Grazie!
(5)Tom H.
Paisano's continues to raise the bar! I had some of the raw oysters as well as the Oysters Rockefeller and both were outstanding. But the highlight was the Mussels marinara, these were beyond outstanding!! Keep up the good work.
(5)Adam Z.
Good food! Great Service! Overall, I am impressed. First of all, when we walked in the front door, the owner, Phil, was the first person to greet us. It made me warm and fuzzy. When the owner is as involved in the operations as this guy is, it really sets tone for a good experience. He was greeting, seating, checking on tables, etc... It just says a lot about the place and that's what was going through my mind before we were even seated. Also, our waitress was very friendly and had all the specials and their descriptions memorized for us. Even the "bus boy" was on top of things and boxed up our leftovers for us. After a long streak of encountering incompetent people in all kinds of businesses, it was a breathe of fresh air. My girlfriend and I shared a bowl of broccoli cheese soup. It was decent. I had the chicken tortallacci Alfredo and it was REALLY good. They melt in your mouth. My girlfriend had the sausage rotini and it was ok...you could tell it was fresh, but overall there was more to be desired. We also shared a cannoli. It placed a strong 2nd on my list of best cannoli ever. The best being in Galena, IL at Procento's. Sorry Phil, just being honest, but 2nd place is nothing to be ashamed of :) . Overall it is a great restaurant run by people who are proactive and care about its success. I would definitely go back to try more entrees. They have a lot of specials that aren't listed on the website, and from what I heard, certain specials are only good certain days. I wanted to try the lobster bisque but I think it's only available Friday and Saturday?
(5)Peter P.
There is nothing I can add that hasn't been mentioned in the other reviews on Yelp. All I can say is that I have probably dined at most every quality Italian restaurant in Chicago, NYC, and Boston, and Paisanos is better than nearly all of them. My only question is.....RICHMOND ILLINOIS???!!!
(5)Leslie M.
This is SINCERELY the most amazing place within a 100 mile radius or more. From the moment you pull up, the valet parking person, Mike, is more than just a Valet guy, he watches and has your car ready BEFORE you are done eating. Karen and Phil are the hardest working business owners we know. They go out of their way to make sure their customers feel valued and appreciated! Now, ON TO THE FOOD!!! It is the best quality food around no matter what you eat. From the filet (which is better than Ruth Chris any day, to the seafood, homemade pastas, gelatos, and literally everything on the menu is over the top amazing. It is worth the crowd, the wait, whatever might stop you from enjoying this wonderful place. Will NOT disappoint!
(5)Matt R.
Typically a very good place for Italian. Tonight was not the best experience. Loud and tight seating. Very slow service. When appetizer showed up it came twice. Main entrees took a very long time to be served. Sadly all came with an issue. The host fixed the situation but adding more time. Food was good but quality may be slipping at this typically very good place. I hope not and may give them one more shot again some day.
(3)Mike U.
Excellent food and service every single time. An upscale Italian restaurant with real Italian food. Love it!
(5)Rob O.
If you're looking for world-class food off the beaten path, check out Paisano's in Richmond. It's tucked away in a quaint area of Richmond; just before the Wisconsin border. We have been going to Paisano's since they opened and they keep expanding, without compromising quality of food or staff. The waitstaff, bartenders, managers, and owners are all extremely nice. I have yet to have a bad experience at Paisano's, they treat everyone like family. The food is out-of-this-world, and the pricing is very reasonable.
(5)Krystle M.
Their valet-service takes up the entire parking lot, leaving absolutely no space for those wanting to visit any other store/shop in downtown Richmond. The parking lot is supposed to be public, but Paisano's seems to think that it is their personal lot. Really isn't fair to any of the other businesses in the area, or those that aren't eating at Paisano's that night.
(3)Molly K.
Just like home! My family is Italian. My grandparents owned and ran an Italian restaurant both in the city and the suburbs for years. Needless to say I've grown up eating the most amazing Italian food imaginable. Walking into Paisano's is like walking into home. The smells bring back so many warm and happy memories. I've never eaten at any other place that gets as close to that "homemade taste" as this place! Every singe time we go here the service is great, the food is great, and we are well taken care of. On one occasion (my husband and I's first wedding anniversary) my mother called and asked if they could make sure to give us a romantic and secluded table, and she took care of our bill, all without telling us. They did all of that for us. It was a great night. I highly recommend trying the specials, and the gnocchi is one of my personal favorites. Be sure to try the martini's while you wait at the bar, I'd say they surpass the bar across the street!
(5)John W.
Add 100 stars. This is the finest classiest restaurant in Northern Illinois. The food is always by far the best. Phil is always friendly and gracious He makes it a real fun place to be. The Tuna The Chilean Sea-bass The lobster bisque soup The pork chops The eggplant I could go on and on the whole menu. Everything is superb. Once you have eaten there you know why you need reservations.
(5)Jason R.
Favorite restaurant in the area - when I was in Italy I craved Paisano's - no joke. Friendly owner and staff, delicious fresh food, awesome atmosphere, can't ask for more!
(5)Jori C.
What a wonderful meal! I had the Broadway shrimp, my husband had the Kobe steak. Both were amazing. The decor is a work of art-good job!!!
(5)Brian F.
Very cool Italian restaurant in a tiny little town on the border with Wisconsin. We showed up with 3 adults and a baby at 7p on Sunday night without reservations. Luckily the very agreeable host was able to squeeze us in after a short wait. For starters we were served a nice hunk of crispy bread with a huge dish full of freshly grated Parmesan and a bottle of olive oil for dipping the bread. After a few bites though it was clear that something was off though and we soon found that the oil was slightly rancid. I'm pretty sure the waitress had no idea what we were talking but dutifully took the bottle to the kitchen so the chef could taste the oil. Hopefully it won't get re-served. Even though the menu and specials combined made for some pretty interesting choices, we decided to stick with the basics this time around. Meat and Cheese Lasagna and Chopped salad were very good and the portions were immense. Paisano's passed the first test. I'm looking forward to trying some of their more demanding dishes like the yummy sounding Chilean Sea Bass next time I'm in town.
(4)Jaime J.
Great food! We loved our experience here.
(5)eric e.
Great family run Italian cooking!! Lot of great food! Fish/pasta my picks alway busy--there is a reson why!
(5)Meredith C.
yummy! i was pleasantly shocked to find this across the street from the cute lil martini bar which had been the purpose of my journey. too early for cocktails, my friend and i decided to wander across the street and have dinner first. this place is friendly, inviting and cozy. they have a great menu, bread, and the bar and staff are beautiful. i had the gnocchi with the vodka sauce (suggested by the waitress) and it was divine. i could only eat 1/2 of it as the portions are huge. i had a nice time here and if i'm ever in the area again i will definitely be back!
(4)Karen V.
Made a reservation, prompt service ( with a smile ), reasonable prices for amazing Italian dishes!! Even one of the mngrs. greeted us at our table. Check it out, yo! ;)
(4)Larry B.
had dinner there last night to celebrate my wifes birthday. we were placed in the far newer addition which has low ceiling and no sound proofing bats on the walls. the noise level is very high. plus they seated some drunken blowhards mid way thru our meal and the noise was ridiculous. we compplained to the waitress who apologized but di d not offer to move us. we also complained to the hostess who also said she was sorry. nothing else, no comped drink or dessert. nada. while the food here is still excellent, i will never sit in that area again. the management needs to address the sound issue in there, our server had to literally shout out the specials.
(3)Matt N.
Absolutely fantastic, I love this place. Richmond, the town of 1000 people but man do they have some good dining establishments! Very well decorated environment. The owners are always there checking on the patrons and are very friendly and approachable. They have put together an exceptional staff with great training. Usually they have to memorize 5 or 6 specials and will recite them to you in extreme detail, impressive! They have a full bar with fantastic wine selection as it is an Italian restaurant. I have had their steaks and seafood and enjoyed it all! I definitely recommend reservations as far ahead as possible to get the time you want, especially on the weekends. However, in the event that you have to wait you should walk across the street to Olive Black. it's a little martini bar that will call over and check on your table for you up until the time you are seated. This is top notch operation that could easily be found in downtown Chicago, it's that good!
(5)Steven D.
This place is a gem in the small town of Richmond on the IL-WI border. Well worth the trip from almost anywhere. Great food and service. Exccellent cocktails. Be sure to go early or make reservations because the place fills up fast.
(5)Joseph M.
Been twice, both meals sucked. Last night had veal vesuvio, I have ordered this dish several hundred times over the years at quality Italian restaurants and it has never looked like, tasted like, the crap I had last night. Not sure why this restaurant gets high marks (on Yelp) I can only assume its because of the location (Small town USA), there is such a lack of any competition that any restaurant with table clothes is loved. My wife's Shrimp was cold, and tasted just terrible, not sure what they were thinking when they came up with that recipe. 1 out of 4 in our party liked their dinner, Not Good!! On a lighter note, the place is fairly clean, and our waitress was nice but not very attentive. Good luck to you if you decide to dine here, if your from lower WI, you'll probably love it.
(1)Lisa K.
Excellent food!! Great service. I don't know if it's the owner but some guy walks around making sure everyone is happy and thanks you for coming in. Fantastic customer service. Prices are reasonable and food choices are great. Would absolutely recommend this place to others and will be coming back. The only negative thing I will say is that it seems louder in there than most places I go to but they still deserve 5 stars.
(5)Peter G.
The Gem of the Northwest Suburbs I took my wife to Paisano's on Broadway to celebrate our 17 year anniversary. The place was recommended by two friends (this was our first visit) and we'll be going back for sure. The décor is beautiful, reminiscent of a charming Italian village. We had reservations for 8 p.m. and waited less than 10 mins for our table. The staff; from the front of the house man to the bus boys to the wait staff was wonderful. Our server was friendly and knew the menu well; she answered all of my questions quickly and accurately. Our bread was nice and warm and the parm cheese was freshly grated and wonderfully peppery (just the way I like it). For an appetizer we had lobster bisque served in a tureen with puff pastry over the top, never had it that way. The bisque was delicious, with generous chunks of lobster claws, and so big my wife and I shared it. For dinner my wife had Chilean Sea Bass, spiced rubbed and served over wild rice. I had the lobster, also spice rubbed and broiled that was served on a bed of garlicy mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus. I loved the veggies, they were cooked just right, a little crispy. I also noticed the wine pours were very generous (about 6 ounces, I'd say) and at $7.50 a pour very affordable. For dessert we shared homemade gelato with toasted coconut. The owner (Phil) stopped by our table and congratulated us and gave us a free Champaign flight to celebrate our anniversary. In total, we had one appetizer, three drinks, two entrees, dessert and espresso for $116. In my opinion, very affordable and I was so impressed with the place from start to finish I tipped 25%. I highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to go back.
(5)Lyn W.
This was my first time here and it won't be the last!! Great atmosphere, excellent food and service! I had Broadway shrimp and it was mouth watering! Huge portions!
(5)Brandon D.
We started with mussels and raw Oysters and they were amazing ....fresh and delicious....it only got better from there! From the amazing bartenders making our group the best drinks to the great choice in pasta, seafood and steak! Our server was on top of everything and made the night one to remember!
(5)Erin D.
We made reservations thinking it was going to be a busy Saturday night, but there were plenty of open tables that stayed vacant throughout our stay. Holly, Holly, Holly. You started off really nice, but seemed a little flustered. It took a little longer than usual to receive our bottles of beer but the bar did look busy. A lady sitting behind me had sent her martini back to be "fixed". The bread with oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese was delish. They give you a very generous amount of cheese and a whole bottle of oil but we were never asked for a bread refill because you disappeared for a very long time after our appetizers were delivered. I ordered the arancini and my hubby ordered the fresh oysters or clams, whatever they were. He loved them and the arancini were amazing. We then waited and waited and waited some more. We were thirsty and wanted our beers refilled plus we wanted to order our meals and can't forget about that bread. We sat up on some platform so we were high enough up to be able to see what was going on in the restaurant. We kept looking for our waitress, Holly, and could not find her anywhere for a good 15-20 minutes. The whole restaurant seemed to be run by teenagers or very early twenty year olds. At one point I saw and heard an older, round, white haired man wobble into the kitchen asking the staff "what do you want me to do". Maybe there was an issue in the kitchen although our food came out quickly, but our server literally disappeared. When she finally did arrive she seemed even more flustered and flushed. We ordered more beers and or meals. It kindly says on the menu "please no substitutions" but they were nice enough to let me swap out veal picatta for chicken. Again, we didn't wait long for our meals and our beer came out quicker this time. Let me put it this way, I consider myself a good cook. I'm no where near Italian but I can whip up a damn good Lemon Chicken Picatta and garnish it aesthetically. It looked like they took a whole chicken breast and pounded the hell out of it, like a schnitzel. (Which I can also make a mean schnitzel) breaded the hell out of it and threw maybe five or six capers on top of it. No pretty parsley or lemon slices to garnish. They served the chicken atop of linguine with a very strange butter sauce. I think it had paprika in it, it tasted like smoked paprika. I took three bites of both the chicken and pasta and pushed it aside. We were starving and didn't dare send anything back. It's not like we could have because she (Holly) again, disappeared. She never came back to make sure the food was to our liking with both the appetizers and main dishes. My husband ordered some veal dish that he couldn't pronounce the name of so I don't remember. The cutlets were paper, paper thin and the breading disgustingly slid off. Being starving and a man who will eat ANYTHING, he ate all five teeny tiny little cutlets in two minutes, flat. He let me try his pasta with meat sauce that he didn't like and I had to agree with him. Dry doughy pasta and mediocre meat sauce that they were not generous with. We sat and waited for our waitress to return to at least ask how our food was. Instead she came to the table and cleared our plates while asking us how the weather was outside. Then disappeared again. She returned and asked if there was any thing else that we "needed" and when we told her no she started to walk away again but my hubby stopped her and she says "oh, your check, be right back". This time she returned unusually quickly and hovered at the service station behind us while we discussed the check. Holly, I know your tip sucked, but so did you. I have no idea why this place gets so many great reviews. My husband is Italian and he thinks a bunch of Spanish kids were cooking our food. I gave it two stars for the appetizers, cold beers, and allowing a substitution. The floral ambiance is a little tacky as well.
(2)Patrick H.
Great Food, Drinks, Service, Was just there for my Wife's Birthday, Holly was are waitress... She was wonderful.. Didn't rush us, & took great care of us... We have been here twice & will be back again & again..Chef made my Wife something not on the menu that she wanted... No problem ! The mark of a great restaurant ! Reservations are a must !
(5)Jimm B.
Definitely a step up from olive garden. Didn't care for the bread
(3)John M.
Hands down, they serve some of the best Italian dishes I've ever had!
(5)Carlos N.
Well all the way from Cambridge, MA what a pleasant surprise to be taken to PAISANO'S's on Broadway in Richmond IL and find ourselves in a restaurant that could easily have been on an old Boston North End's street. We were greeted by the owner and served by a wonderful server who treated us with warmth and knowledge. The drinks were delicious, the food well prepared and very tasty. The portions are generous and the price point incredibly generous. The restaurant itself is spacious, comfortable and funky. We loved the decorated rooms and ceilings mimicking dinner in a small Italian village. Very enjoyable ambiance. As we left we thanked the owner and he told us that we could order food for delivery...yes all the way back to Cambridge. So any time you are heading towards Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, make sure make time for dinner at PAISANO'S.
(5)L B.
Excellent Service, Delicious Food, Hidden Gem. Karen & Phil, the owners made the experience personal!
(5)emily m.
This was my second visit and the first was excellent. Unfortunately, not so much this time. We were seated on-time (8:30 reservations). Appetizers and salads were timely, grilled octopus special was delicious. We waited for just over an hour from the time our salads and appetizers were severed for our entrees. After a table that was seated 30 minutes after ours was severed their steaks (we all ordered pasta), the waitress came over and apologized and said it would be just a few more minutes. After about 20 minutes we received our pasta, poor rushed presentations. I order scampi with angle hair and received scampi with spaghetti, the waitress apologized and said that our drinks and deserts would be on the house and that the pasta is all homemade so it varies in sizes. Ok the variation could be a reasonable excuse, but it wasn't even close to angle hair. We then spoke to the manager, who apologized and said my entree would be taken off the bill and the kitchen was really backed up and they were not sure why the later table was served so much sooner than ours. At that point it was 11pm and we had enough, so no thank you on the deserts. Later received our bill, all the drinks were still included on the bill. Disappointed with the timeliness of the service and food consistency/presentation. Maybe they were just too overwhelmed last night? Maybe it's a good idea then to follow through on the offer to take the drinks off the bill?
(2)M B.
Best Italian food in Mchenry county. We have never had a bad meal. Service is great. Prices are affordable .
(5)Charlene W.
What a great addition to our little town. Excellent food, great service. A regular customer who has never had a bad meal. Italian specialties.
(5)Pedro P.
This restaurant pretends to be upscale. We were placed in a dining room with five loud video gambling machines that off duty staff began to play during our dinner! Really? Yes! These machines also have a loud alarm when one wins! The busboys literally stood by your side while we finished our dinner - then whisked away the plate. It was obnoxious. Why does this restaurant think the very best service is having a waitress come by every 90 seconds and ask , "Is everything ok?" Food was a seven out of 10, but the service and the placement of video gambling machines was so stupid that I suggest you pass on this restaurant.
(1)Ken K.
I kept hearing about this Italian place way out in the country that was supposed to be out of this world......Growing up in the city - I think of where I live now (Crystal Lake) as country.....I was expecting a farmer to give me egg noodles and ketchup out where we cut down our Christmas Tree every year......... I WAS WRONG!!!! One of the best meals I've had in years....reminded me of a modern version of old school places I used to go to when I was younger - The spicy Calamari was great....The Chicken and Eggplant Vesuvio was incredible - and my wife's Spicy seafood pasta thing was to die for! (Good bread, too) With the far N/NW suburbs filled with average places and chains - I can see why this place is booked weeks in advance............Make a reservation TODAY......and keep going to chains until your day comes to try Paisano's.........it will be worth the wait!
(5)Irish M.
Phil and Karen do an excellent job. Great food, fun atmosphere, and wonderful customer service. Best and most consistent restaurant experience in the area.
(4)Mary A.
Wonderful food. Wonderful service. And it's in Richmond. How crazy is that. It's one of the best places in McHenry County for dinner. And, you can stop at the martini bar across the street before or after your meal.
(5)Chelsea H.
Set in a cozy downtown spot, Paisano's has just raised the bar on my expectations of great Italian dining. Our waitress was a delight. Between four people, I believe we managed to sample a little bit of everything. From start to finish, the whole thing was absolutely delicious. We shared oysters Rockefeller and raw, both were fresh and tasty. So much, that one of our group is now a lover of oysters, who had never been before. The Chicken Tortellacci Alfredo was the phenomenal. Our wines were perfect. The deserts were an excellent completion to a wonderful evening
(5)Ed R.
I took my wife here for her birthday and the experience couldn't have been better. It started before we even set foot inside, with the free valet parking. Once inside, the atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for--a nice upscale restaurant where you can dress up and not feel out of place. The food was simply outstanding. The menu had a good selection that included the traditional--and sometimes boring--such as spaghetti and lasagna along with a few things we hadn't seen before. The pasta fritta, for instance, was very nice. Nevertheless, here's a note to the chef: If you can't fit anything else on the plate other than the meat, maybe it's time to take a look at the portion size. My wife's chicken Parmesan was just obscenely large. It was almost scary when the waitress brought this large dinner plate with only a giant portion of chicken (the side of pasta was served separately).
(4)Mylo B.
Best Italian food I've ever had! I've been here three times now since I found this place last year and have always had a great meal. Well worth the trip!
(5)Regan L.
The best Italian food I've ever had the pleasure of devouring. I've tried almost everything on the menu and have never had a bad meal.The owners Phil and Karen make your dining experience a pleasure with a well trained waitstaff.
(5)Ron K.
Food was very good. The veal scallopini was excellent. Prices are very reasonable and the service was top notch. A very pleasant experience
(5)Eric G.
Great homemade Italian with an upscale twist and very reasonable prices. The fish dishes are always fresh -- try the Seafood Diablo with a variety of shellfish and a spicy sauce -- very tasty. They keep their entree prices down by doing the ala carte thing with salads, but even the salads are very reasonable. The place is small which means that reservations on a Friday or Saturday go pretty fast. If you are planning a group larger than 6, it'll be tough to accommodate. Keep it to 2 or 4 and you're fine. If you save room for dessert, try the homemade gelato - I had a lemon gelato and it was the perfect end to the meal. Husband and wife owners Phil and Karen Gilardi are always around, so the service is always top-notch under their watch.
(5)Kirsten G.
My husband and I just moved to the area and decided to try out some of the local flair. This restaurant is great! The food and ambiance is excellent. I've heard they will be expanding in the near future! But for now you must call and make a reservation.
(4)Kevin S.
Incredible! The absolute epitome of what an italian bistro should be. Very casual, amazing service, and most importantly spectacular food! I'm 21 and my girlfriend is 20 and we often frequent the restaurant and the crowd is typically a wealthier, more mature-aged crowd. Many restaurants have not treated me with respect for being younger but not this place. Phil the owner, always makes sure to stop by and say hello and see how we are enjoying ourselves and that really goes a long way in my book. Quick story, I went to Paisano's 2 weeks after my 21st birthday and ordered a beer and the waitress checked my ID of course. After our meal she came out with a cup of gelato with a birthday candle on it as a birthday gift! 2 WEEKS AFTER MY BIRTHDAY! I was so impressed with the above and beyond service here that I recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Jill P.
Very good! Their red sauce is legit - I had a special flank steak that was very very tastey. My friend had good old spaghetti and meatballs -they were huge. My cousin ordered the hat pasta, they were out but served the same way with different pasta. My husband had the linguini and white clam sause. Definitely a come backer - but make reservations even for 5pm on Saturday!
(5)Gone F.
Paisano's has some pretty amazing food. I would agree, service can be anything from stellar to pretty amateur, thus 4 stars instead of 5. Folks, we are talking small town here, with a restaurant that could compete with the grown up places in Chicago. Finding competent staff has to be a pretty big challenge for a place that is always bustling. Reservations a must and do so a few days before you want to go to get the best time for your schedule. Though they have expanded, this restaurant is in the historic district of Richmond. When first opened, you could barely turn around in the place. Now, with expansion, things are roomier, but this is one of the only games in town for decent dining. The decor is fabulous and you can dream you are in Tuscany. People watching is great, the bar is well stocked and those bartenders know how to mix a mean martini! (they have competition across the street from a martini bar if you choose to get especially sloshed before or after dinner or in the event you didn't make a reservation and need a place to wait). LOVE the Vodka Gnocchi. Wasn't really impressed with the veal. It was a bit too salty, but the prep and presenation was good. Had their london broil the other night. That's something that could be pretty sketchy...Impression: I want MORE!!! Portion was huge, loved the onions on top. YUMMY...Enough to bring home for another meal. Their homemade gelatto will make you think you finally made it to heaven. The owners have been there every time we have been there (lots). They are attentive and accomodating and have a good sense of humor. Paisano's...Thumbs up!!!
(4)George K.
Super food, great drinks and appetizers. Here in Richmond is the hidden gem. Outstanding service. Need reservations, this place is packed on the weekends, and even though we got in as a walk-in there was a long line at 8PM when we left. Wanted to go back to try some of the specials, all sounded good. Prices were very fair, but the quality of the food and service is what makes this restaurant outstanding.
(5)Tina T.
This fairly new Italian restaurant, way up in the little antique shopping mecca of Richmond, was a great surprise; the owners formerly owned Gilardi's in Lincolnshire, and after retiring, decided to open up this cute, intimate little spot. I loved the ambience; they have beautiful murals on the walls depicting scenes from Italian villages. The prices were unbelievably reasonable; my friend and I both had fish specialties with salads and a side of vegetables and a couple of glasses of wine for under $75. But it's an upscale environment, and the owner, Phil, comes to each table to inquire about the meal and small talk. Highly recommended!
(5)David M.
great food in a place (Richmond IL) where you wouldn't expect it....been there several times...have tried many more times but couldn't get a reservation ... now that's a strong hint right there...has all the 'to be expected' ... plus some extras...5 kinds of veal dishes...loved the veal francese....also the rolled eggplant...all good...but do call ahead for a reservation...not just that day...very popular for a good reason
(5)Pamela B.
My sister called earlier in the day and was told we wouldn' t need reservations on a Thursday night. We get there and are asked if we have reservations because they are so busy. They then proceed to seat us at this tiny table that is totally out of place, right by the stairs leading to the bar. I didn't complain because I was just so happy to see my sister and wanted to get down to some catching up. We ordered the calamari which came in huge chunks covered in a light uncripsy coating I think was cornstarch. Gross. We both ordered the Seafood Diablo which was on special. To me $18.95 was not a special and what a disappointment. We were given very large plates with only 6 shrimp, each topped with a smidgen of unspicy sauce and a skimpy portion of pasta with nothing on it!!!! No olive oil and cheese as I had expected. They had the nerve to charge $6.50 for a 7&7. Our bill was almost $60 and I left hungry. And today I find out they have another dining room so why did they put us at a table in such an odd place? I'll never know because Sissy and I won't be back.
(1)Robert I.
This is the best Italian food in Northern IL. It's well worth the drive if you're not local. The setting is beautiful, too. Phil and Karen always remember us and treat us like family. They've even come to retreive us from the bar across the street to let us know our table is ready. What great service! We're hooked:)
(5)margaret s.
We went to Piisano's for an anniversary dinner with some good friends. When my husband received his $25 entree, the shrimp were freezer burned and super tough. Our waitress had disappeared, so by the time that a manager came over to see how our dinner was, we were done eating, and my husband had picked around the shrimp to eat the other seafood in the dinner. We told the manager about the food, and he offered to "fire us up a new order", very nice of him. We said that he could just pack it to go, we were ready to order dessert. So, he came back later with a to go bag and again apologized and we finished dinner and left. Well, we get home and my husband goes to open up his take out container and all they did was take out most of the little hard shrimp (most, not all!!) and replace them with 5 other shrimp over his old noodles!! We couldn't believe it, why go to all the trouble of making sure we thought they'd remake his dinner? We paid $200 for a dinner for 4, I will never spend another penny at a place that does that to it's customers. There are plenty of nicer places to eat.
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