Paisano’s Ristorante
2112 W 25th St, Lawrence, KS, 66047
Paisano’s Ristorante Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
2112 W 25th St
Lawrence, KS, 66047 - Phone (785) 838-3500
- Website https://www.paisanoskansas.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Laurel C.
I find this place to be the best Italian in Lawrence. The food is great and the service has been very attentive both times we've been here. Tonight we started with a Meatball Carbonara as an appetizer for half price time. Jeremy ordered tortellini and sausage, spicy but good, and I had a pizza. It was a very thin crust and very good.
(5)Eric M.
What a great meal. Awesome service. Excellent food and affordable prices. Highly recommend!!
(5)Tony B.
The decor is a horrible mix between a used-to-be Macaroni Grille and 1987! I wanted to escape when I entered and was greeted by the muddy floor-mat in the lobby and en route to the restroom in the dark corner of the restaurant. The food - meh, exactly. Nothing special. I felt bad for the servers who seemed to try very hard. Buon appetito!
(3)Terese O.
The Marinara sauce is homemade and perfectly sweet w a light hint of spice. The appetizer Meatballs Carbonara is a meal in it self. Wednesday is the best night 1/2 price appetizers. We ordered the meatballs and the fried eggplant. Ordered the house salad bowl for an additional $2.99 each. With drinks we finished at $21 for two Best Italian place in town. Very nice and helpful staff.
(4)Erica T.
We've been to Paisano's for lunch several times, and the food has always been good. They have a special from 11 to 11:30 for half price entrees with the purchase of a drink, which is a great deal! All of the main entrees come with a big bowl of salad and bread sticks. The salad is a basic iceberg salad with some black olives and banana peppers, and it has a zesty Italian dressing on it. The breadsticks are warm and garlicky. The pizza was good - the toppings were plentiful and I really liked the sausage on top. I've tried the seafood ravioli, and you see nice chunks of seafood. My favorite pasta is the sausage and torellini, which has a spicy cream sauce. The sauce is also great for dipping the breadsticks in! Yum! The service has always been great, and we are always satisfied. Try it out for yourself!
(3)Chris S.
First of all, if you're looking for authentic Italian food ... GO TO ITALY! I've been to many American-Italian restaurants and have yet to find one serving "authentic Italian". Lidia's in Kansas City (near Grand Station) is about as close as you will find (and it's good, but pricey). Being new to Lawrence, we have been trying different restraints in an attempt to find some we like. Our very first night here, my son wanted Italian and Paisano's was all we could find on a Friday night without reservations or a long wait. We were served quickly and our waiter was Jake, a nice lad and very helpful. He brought the salad and bread sticks, which I was not overly impressed with. If I wanted the Olive Garden, and I DO NOT, I would go to dinner there. The veal parmigiana and Marsala are tasty enough and portions are moderate, but the veal is too thick. Pound it out dadburnit! The meat sauce on the accompanying pasta is chock full of, no not nuts, ground beef, almost too much. There needs to be a bit more tomato, after all, it is pasta "sauce". It is good, even if it is a bit too thick. The ravioli appears homemade and was decent, but only 8 or 10 ravioli left us hungry for more, literally. The baked pasta "al forno" (in the oven) was creamy and savory, a better value for the price than the ravioli. The pesto, which my wife ordered over penne, was tasteless, seemingly watered down for no apparent reason. She NEVER adds grated cheese to pasta, Italians love their pasta after all, but she succumbed in order to enhance the taste of the dish. I wanted to try the "Sicilian" meatballs during one visit, not knowing what makes them different from other meatballs, but the server told us "we are out of meatballs tonight". An Italian restaurant out of meatballs ... seriously? On a recent visit I asked for a carafe of house wine as we were seated, normally $14 for a cheap, but decent red and a fair value, but our server told me "we don't offer the carafe any more!". I looked at the wine menu, but the sparse number of options started at $27 and increased from there and at $5 per glass for the house red, an price increase of 70% over the price of a carafe seemed excessive. I had water. Unfortunately for the server, she lost out on an additional $3 in her tip thanks to a shortsighted decision by management. Paisanos is "OK" as far as Lawrence Italian restaurants go, but that is, unfortunately, not saying much. We may return only because there are no better options in town ... unless you consider Olive Garden in Topeka (25 miles away) ... and I do not. Spending $27-$50 for a bottle of wine to accompany a mediocre meal seems a bit absurd and the absence of a carafe of house wine is a definite minus, possibly ruling out future visits to Paisano's. Lawrence is in desperate need of a visit from Chef Irvine and "Restaurants Impossible". I have never seen such a a poor selection of eating establishments in a city this size and do not foresee much improvement any time soon, particularly in the "Italian" category.
(3)Kelsie C.
Paisano's is one of my all time favorite places to eat. The food is fantastic, especially the penne Alfredo. It is a large restaurant and they are well staffed. So there is rarely a long wait for a table. Tonight a group of friends and I went here for dinner. Our waiter was charming and funny. It was a good time had by all.
(4)Stuart H.
Really enjoyed this place its local and delicious. I'm kind of a traditionalist I had lasagna. my wife had the house special we both enjoyed our entrees and enjoyed the salad. Looking forward to our next time because we didn't have enough room for dessert
(5)Ashley F.
Since the mid 1990's, I have had a love affair with Paisanos Penne Abruzzi. After recently visiting the Lawrence location, I can give this update: the food is still delicious, especially the penne abruzzi. Service was acceptable for a busy Saturday night. The decor, however, has not been updated since the '90's. Cleanliness is severely lacking as well; the bathroom was wet all over and looked like no one had cleaned it in days. If I didn't love the food so much, I would give Paisanos zero stars. I have no intention of returning in the future. For the love of God, please remodel with white tablecloths, fresh paint, new upholstery, maybe even granite in bathrooms and on the bar. You could charge $10 more per plated entree, guaranteed. And then maybe, just maybe, I would return for the Penne Abruzzi. Until the remodel and deep cleaning, I'll be trying out my own PA recipes at home!
(2)Kristine J.
I've always enjoyed eating at this restaurant. I love the choose your pasta, sauce, add on combinations. A nice place with good food and quiet enough to actually hear the conversation at your table. But, this week they jumped to my favorite place ever. Due to a family emergency, my sister needed a place to host a small wedding with 3 days of planning. I gave them a call and asked if we could book the banquet room and bring a cake and they said sure. They had the room downstairs ready to go and then when we found out we had a guest that couldn't do stairs they quickly rearranged and let is take over the lounge area. Erica our waitress for the day was fantastic and attentive without being intrusive.
(5)Michael T.
This is Lawrence's version of Olive Garden so don't expect the best italian food you've ever eaten, that's simply unrealistic! The endless breadsticks and salad are excellent for large groups and the pasta dishes are halfway decent if you decide to go beyond a simple penne marinara dish.
(4)Jeremy C.
My friend raves about this place and after trying it, I agree that they're a pretty good place, overall. They have an easy appeal and more over, delicious food. The food alone should prompt you back at least once and a while, even if the service is comparable to just about any other chain restaurant - that is, they are predictably friendly and accommodating. But again, it's the food and the wine selection that'll keep me coming back.
(3)Cassie G.
Usually our experiences here have been great, but not tonight. We were there for almost two hours. The food took forever, our waitress was dismissive and a little cranky, and I paid $21 for ravioli and tenderloin although there were only 3 tater tot size pieces of steak. Very disappointed. Hope this was just an off night for them, but scared to go back and try again.
(2)Anjali K.
Love this place--great Italian comfort food. Really like the Sophia's Slim Selections--I like being able to eat Italian without the guilt! Great for lunch or a nice dinner out.
(5)Jocelyn M.
I like this place okay. Nothing special, but it is American-Italian style food, in the vein of an Olive Garden, but I think, a little better. The menu is what you would expect, with very little innovation, but a few interesting items. Sometimes I just crave the basic, Chef Boyardee-type "Italian." Don't judge me. The thing that bumps this up from 3 to 4 stars: They bring the standard salad and breadsticks and they layer the salad so if you are the last to get to the bowl, there are still olives, croutons and tomatoes for you!!! And the breadsticks are always soft and warm. I have also always had really nice servers here.
(4)Green E.
Where's Gordon Ramsey when we need him?! While Paisano's may be a beloved Lawrence tradition, I've had to dine here twice for work-related meetings and all I experienced was an old, dark, dirty restaurant with an uninspired menu. This is 'Italian Food' in the style of 100 of 'different dishes' that are essentialy the same pasta, sauce, and meat presented in various shapes. Limp iceberg lettuce salad, cheap tepid wine, and wait staff that while courteous, almost seem embarassed to be serving such huge plates of tasteless noodles. I guess it could be a good place to take your grandpa, or maybe pick up a container of cheesy pasta take-out if you are on a limited budget and craving hangover comfort food. Otherwise, skip it.
(1)Zach G.
Ya know, I went in expecting the worst...what I have heard around town combined with what I have heard on Yelp, plus the fact that I love real, true Italian food made me fear my meal and my service. Maybe it's because I went in with these low expectations, but...I had a nice meal here. Was it authentic or one of the best Italian meals of my life? No way in heck. However, was it tasty, affordable for the portion, and served up in a timely manner by a friendly waitress? Absolutely. In honesty, my one experience here made me almost give it 4 stars, but I decided to give it 3.44 stars...so 3 ;) First, I had a couple dirty martinis, which were fairly tasty and at a good price...it was special night, so they were $5, but I think the normal price is only $6 so...while not a great special, it does mean they are not expensive by any means on any night. They came with gorgonzola stuffed olives...holy cow. I am an olive snob with my martinis, as I think they can make or break a martini, and these were really great olives...I was incredibly surprised. Salad and breadsticks followed after ordering our entrees...the breadsticks were warm, tasty and unhealthy. The salad was ok...it tasted crisp and fresh enough, but there was too much dressing for my taste and the dressing was almost like water, with about the same taste...really, the weak part of the meal. My entree was the Penne Abruzzi which was huge for about $14...definitely three meals worth to me! The pasta was cooked well, the sauce was tasty, and there was enough cheese to support the Wisconsin economy for a whole year. The meatballs were somewhat dry and not the best tasting, but not bad either...but probably, combined with the salad, the weak part of the meal. All throughout, my water was kept filled, the waitress was attentive and friendly. I was surprised as heck to enjoy my experience here...but I did.
(3)Jacob B.
Show up looking for an authentic Italian dish and you will go home oh so sad. Show up expecting to be served bastardized Italian dishes cooked by well-meaning Kansans and you might be blown away. Paisano's is not like anything you would find in Italy, but it certainly is not the Olive Garden (thankfully). Yes, the cream flows heavy here, just as heavy as the sauces that the cream is made into do, and even more American than that is their portion sizes. You get your money's worth with each dish being a two-to-three serving gut bomb. You are guaranteed to walk out with leftovers. Now, I am a big guy, and though I have spent the past year running and eating right, when I feel like flying off the rails--I mean really flying off the rails, folks--Paisano's is there for me in that regard. When you are ordering, stick to the "Paisano's Specialties" or one of their two pasta sections. You will be disappointed if you deviate from those sections. I can honestly say that while nothing in the menu sections I recommend is bowl-you-over-authentic, it is all pretty damn tasty. I can forgive the wait staff their ignorance of the wine list because unlike many higher-end eateries, I am familiar with just about every bottle Paisano's offers up (which does not say much about myself or Paisano's now that I think about it). Excluding one experience, the wait staff has always been friendly and attentive. If you have read any of my other reviews, you know that atmosphere is pretty important to me. Paisano's is really hit-or-miss in this regard. If you are fortunate enough to get a booth, you have your own little slice of privacy, which can be real nice. If you make the rookie mistake I made my first time through and did not specify your preference for a booth, you are likely to end up at a table in a major thoroughfare getting elbow-checked by the patrons en route to their superior seating. Unless you are in one of their coveted booths, you will quickly come to the conclusion that what would really improve Paisano's the most is a little remodeling.
(2)Kris S.
The one word I think best describes Paisano's is consistent. I've eaten in both the Lawrence and Topeka locations and the food and service are always good but never great. But in this instance, it's fine because I don't expect much from the place. I consider it an independent version of Olive Garden. My chief complaint about the place is that they nickel and dime you when you split a meal and by forcing all at a table to chip in to cover the cost of the family-style salad, even if you really and truly won't be eating it.
(2)Joe W.
Imagine the Olive Garden, only with really ugly, dusty decor. Italian Wedding Soup was bland, bland, and bland. Nothing homemade.
(2)Stephie G.
Paisano's isn't such a horrible place. Sure, it's not your "authentic Italian" restaurant. But in Lawrence, there aren't very many. I'd say Paisano's would be in my top 3 choices for Italian in Lawrence, if you're craving it. Sure the portions are large, but I honestly don't mind leftovers, especially if it's good. I tried their Baked Pollo Florentine, which is penne in a spinach artichoke sauce with grilled chicken and mozarella, then baked. It was heavenly. I packed extras in a To-Go box, and realized I left the parking lot without the box. I drove back, and luckily they had saved my leftovers!! Phew...
(3)Ann T.
We recently had a wedding rehearsal dinner with approximately 50 guests at Paisano's. The manager and owner were terrific to work with. They were both very accommodating, with a goal of making sure we were pleased. Justin was able to answer every question we asked and accommodated our requests. The staff working with us the night of the reception were wonderful and made our guests feel very welcome. The food was delicious...everything was tasty from the salad to the entrees and the desserts. Wine and beer selections were excellent and reasonably priced. Everyone had an enjoyable evening (especially us as hosts). We were very pleased with our experience with Paisano's and would highly recommend them if you are planning a party.
(5)Bren T.
I had driven by Paisano's quite a few times and wanted to try it because my husband and I LOVE Italian food (but are not Genovese fans), but I read these less than stellar reviews so I did not go until tonight. We were pleasantly surprised! The restaurant looks a tad sketch on the outside, but is much better on the inside. It is a little too dark for my taste... I did like the rat pack-style music... The decor could be better for the money, but we both absolutely LOVED our dishes (The Tour of Italy and Twin something or other) and could not stop eating! I am now painfully full! I said, "We should come back here soon" and my husband suggested Saturday (it's Tuesday). All in all, the food is excellent and the ambiance is just okay, but come on -- It's a college town. Eat here! Yum!
(4)Sara Z.
Paisano's was a favorite with my roommates and me in undergrad at KU, and we visited here more often than I can remember. The food can be a bit pricey depending on what you order, but mostly it's ok. The wait staff is hit or miss, but I've met some of my favorite servers at Paisano's. It's not exactly Olive Garden, but it's close, which I don't think is necessarily a good thing. (Hey, I love the OG as much as the next person, but when there's local cuisine to be had, I tend to stray from the standard and yummy breadsticks and salad. Sue me. I don't hate!). Paisano's serves salad and breadsticks with every entree', and I could eat just that and be happy. I don't really have a favorite dish on the menu. The toasted ravioli appetizer is pretty good, and I usually just do the "create your own" pasta dish where they let you pick the pasta and sauce and add chicken or shrimp and all that good stuff. The wine list is good and they have a full bar, the bellinis are great, and I don't think I've ever had a real dessert there. A good standby for romantic dates, fun meals with friends and the like. Not my top favorite, but many fond memories here.
(3)Tim Y.
The chicken spadinee (??) is served in 3 flavors but my favorite is the original and have the side pasta as angel hair with olive oil as the heavy cream Alfredo is too much. Always good service and never have to wait long. The Chicken Marsala is too die for. I spent some time in Italy and no this isn't the real thing but hey it's college town KU and it's pretty darn good.
(4)christian C.
I suppose it's unfair writing a review when I'm used to dining frequently at restaurants that serve real, high quality, tasty Italian meals in a setting that doesn't feel funereal with a wait staff that are of age and have some knowledge of the wines they sell. If you're willing to accept these conditions, then I'm sure this restaurant will suffice for a meal if there are no other options.
(1)Blake W.
Uninspired. Caned, traditional American Italian fare. The place is in desperate need of an update.
(2)Alison M.
Paisano's serves American style Italian food (think Olive Garden) in a strip-mall atmosphere. The service is friendly, but the dishes are pretty bland, the portions are huge, and the breadsticks seem like they are from a frozen box. The salad is similarly uninspiring. It would be ok if the prices were lower. For a long time this was the best Italian option in town, but now that there are others, I'd skip this place.
(2)