I wanted a burger so stopped in for take out. The burger was a bit subpar generally - no real flavor and over cooked. I thought since it was takeout and the restaurant more an Italian place, I'd give it another chance. I went it with some friends. Service was friendly and just fine. I had some sort of dish with white sauce. I could barely eat it due to the high salt level. wow. Took most of it home but it seemed even saltier upon being warmed up. Luckily the dog wasn't so picky.
(1)
Mitch W.
Ok... The outside of this place is so dilapidated that it makes you think they've gone out of business. Once you spot the flashing OPEN sign you make your way in to the foyer that smells, umm, ...gamey. You're greeted by the hostess stand and two giant lotto vending machines that sit at the end of a dividing wall like guards prompting you to choose your fate: left to the dimly lit bar or right to the dimly lit dining area. We chose the right side where natural sunlight could be seen pouring in from a second dining room that has windows, which we made our way to. Shortly after a server arrived to take our order. She wasn't rude and I really don't have any complaints about her, but I wouldn't say she was cheery or friendly. We each got a pizza and split an onion ring basket. The rings came a short bit later and were pretty good with a nice light tempura like beer batter. Mildly oily, but quite good. The pizzas came, and as another reviewer had mentioned it was moist. I wouldn't say soggy, but once you have a slice out you do have to tilt the pan to help it drain a bit. This isn't really an issue in my eyes as it sometimes happens with pizza on a pan. No biggie. I couldn't definitively tell whether the dough was homemade or not, but it was good dough regardless. But the toppings were the money shot. The bacon is the thick cut crispy, crumbly kind (yum!) and the Italian Sausage is real deal sausage links busted up and spread around. The pepperoni and cheese both seem to be of a good quality. A tasty pizza, indeed. Not something I'm gonna drive 45 minutes out of my way for, but would definitely order again should the occasion arise. Even though the building is abysmally dismal, the food here shows promise and I wouldn't mind trying some of their other fare. The menu picture of the Manicotti looks super good. Might have to make a follow up trip soon.
(3)
Alex M.
Today was the second time I have been here, both times for lunch. A friend from work needed to do something nearby so we thought we would give it a chance. I don't think I will be back here again. Neither the food nor the service is really up to par. I ordered the $7.99 special of Chicken parmesean, comes with spaghetti and a side (salad). It certainly was not fresh and pan fried as advertised. I have a feeling it was cooked some time ago and reheated. The portion was big, two breasts, but they were not even pounded thin like should be done with chicken cutlets so they cook evenly. Beyond that, the sauce is no better than average, large chunks of tomatos, seemed like a can of crushed tomatos with a little spices. My plate was practically covered in it after I had finished the spaghetti, which was cooked decently well. I did not finish the chicken. The salad was wet iceberg lettuce, some croutons and a wedge of tomato. Very very runny ranch dressing. Bleh. I am super curious about the positive reviews because it is hard to believe that the folks that served the food we got today could put together something beyond three stars.
(2)
Lacretha P.
Worst Dining Experience EVER!!!!!! My husband and I went here for lunch before going to a movie. At first sight the place was dark and dank and empty,, with a smell of dirty mop water. There was no sign giving us direction on whether we were supposed to seat ourselves or wait to be seated. We found out from a waitress whizzing by. We seated ourselves, and waited 15 minutes to even be noticed by a waitress who'd been in and out of the room several times. She informed us that they were short staffed and took our drink order. I ordered a Merlot and my husband ordered a Bud Light, one of the few beers they had on tap. My wine tasted old. And I immediately noticed the pink lipstick mark on my dirty glass!!! My husbands glass had a never disappearing ring of grime which he kept wiping and making worse. Even after he took a napkin to it, it didn't go away. After cautiously sipping our drinks for another 20 minutes, someone finally came to take our food order, we ordered from the 8.99 lunch menu, I ordered the chicken parmesan, and my husband ordered the veal parmesan. Both came with one side. He ordered the chili, which he said he enjoyed, and I ordered the salad. My salad consisted of iceberg lettuce which was wet, two cherry tomatoes, and a few really hard croutons, the ranch was runny which resulted in a white cloudy puddle in the bottom of the bowl. And there were several large drops of Italian dressing running from the edge to the inside of my salad. I ordered ranch. After eating our chili and salad, we waited and waited and waited another 35 minutes passed and we had to ask the waitress what was the status of our order. She rushed off to go check, and came back to inform us that our order never went into the computer!!!!! We sat there for over an hour and never got to eat any real food!!!! My husband then asked to be cashed out, and she actually brought us a bill!!!! She apologized, and then rubbed my arm and said, "Sorry hun, please come back to see us!" I'm pretty sure she knows that will never happen. This was our first time going here and our last. I recommend that if you have other options choose them. Even a quick burger from a fast food drive through would be better than this place. Dine at your own risk...
(1)
Will K.
got there pizza and it was wet and soggy....brought it home and tried to rebake it ...didnt work out...had there food besides the pizza and is OK...wont be back ...to many other options
(2)
Stephen P.
I have 2 words to say.... TOTALLY AWESOME Best ribs I have ever had John and Brian were great hosts and lots of fun I had the full rack of ribs and asked for half as bar b que and the other half as bourbon Very moist and fall off the bone Fish was awesome and lots of it as well Steak was good as well with a great sweet dip Highly recommend this place and will be returning.....
(5)
Lindsey K.
I have to say I avoided this place due to the Yelp comments. I stopped in recently out of necessity/convenience. Wow, I'm really shocked in the low yelp ratings. I guess it's all perspective. I have a couple of categories for eating out. #1- a place where you go for special occasions/have to get dressed up and #2 - a place that serves great food, is a clean/comfortable environment, and I can go in jeans and a hoodie. Personally I don't have that many special occasions and my going out preference is #2. The first time I went here it was so packed, we sat at a table in the bar. This worked out because we were right by the kitchen and watched plate after plate of awesome looking food coming out of the kitchen. They have a Friday night prime rib special, which looked really good. This place is definitely family friendly, with a good mix of age groups. The bar is a separate area and it seems to be busy all of the time. Sure the decor is a little outdated, but its clean. The food is excellent. Try the Fries. I think they are beer battered or something, whatever it is its awesome. Sandwiches are good and the Italian specialties are really tasty. As far as my judgement of Italian food- I haven't traveled the countryside of Italy, but I don't say EYE-talian either. I'd say this stuff is good. Pastas, pizzas, meatballs etc. You get a lot of food and the meals come with sides. The only minor dislike is the bread basket they bring out. I do like the packaged breadsticks (dipped in butter of course), but there's some kind of weird plain toasted bread in the basket that just seems like its ready to be ground into bread crumbs. Everyone working was extremely friendly. I will be adding this spot to my #2 rotation if ya know what I mean. I think it's time to give this place another shot.
(5)
Jennifer H.
Not sure why there are so many negative reviews! The food is delicious and the portions are huge for a good price. There is a lot of variety on the menu too! The service can be a little slow on occasion. On our most recent trip, it wasn't busy and the service was slower than you'd hope for but still attentive... If that makes any sense. Our drinks were kept full, etc but it did take awhile to get our meals. The decor is somewhat... 70's-ish but not gaudy or anything. It is clean which, to me, is what matters most.
(4)
Bonnie L.
Used to be my favorite place to eat I have been out of town for awhile could not wait to eat there again however it will be awhile before I return service bad and also the food not what it used to be.
(2)
Mary D.
It looks like its time for a newer review for this place. We were there last nite (Fri) with a group of 9. Service was very good, we were served our drinks promptly and didn't have to wait long for our meals. I got their $7.99 special that included a 6 oz. sirloin and 2 sides. Salad was OK, but the baked potato was wonderful! OVEN, not micro'd, and it didn't sit in a warmer. It was hot, and had that great baked potato texture. My steak was grilled perfectly. Hubby had the lasagne, which he said was just fair. It didn't taste homemade - more canned. 2 in our group had a pizza that looked really yummy. 1 of us returned her steak that was well-done rather than med. rare. A new was brought to her in 5 min., done perfectly. I was very pleasantly surprised and will be back.
(4)
Catherine G.
The food was awful. I can't believe there was a wait to get a table at this place! Service was fine, but fairly slow and certainly not spectacular. My boyfriend ordered the lasagna, which they advertised on their sign outside. It had pepperoni inside, which worried him, but he gave it a try. Not good. I sampled the onion rings, which I do have to give them credit for. They are really thick, beer-battered and really greasy, but good. Their ranch is also "good ranch." But my steak was horrible. Completely over-cooked (I asked for medium well and it was dried out and almost impossible to eat.) There was no sauce or juice of any kind. It came with broccoli, which was just boiled and thrown on the plate. No seasoning, they barely bothered to cut it into manageable pieces. They only have three beers on tap - Bud, Bud Light and Labbatt's, I think. The place is dark and crowded and not a pleasant dining experience.
(2)
Steve T.
In general, I think this place is trying to live on the reputation of what was "Casa Nova". Years ago, the old Casa Nova had great pizza. Lots of high quality cheese, etc. The rest of their food was pretty tasty as well. The name might be the same. The food isn't.
(2)
Lorraine H.
I thought the lasagna was Stouffer's frozen microwave. Really lousy. Cold in the middle. The pizza's okay. This place is not recommended by me.
(1)
Anne H.
Awful. I guess they don't believe in bussing tables. Slow service and bland pre-packaged microwaved food.
(1)
Iris S.
Actually, I don't think of this place as gourmet at all, but I do believe that for the price, you are getting a good deal. The bf and I went a couple of times when we still lived in the area and it really isn't that bad. The pizza is pretty tasty and he was brave enough to try the steak, but I didn't try it. The service has always been friendly and the place crowded with diners. It is what it is, as my mom says. If you want classy, check out the Knight Cap, otherwise the value here for a light wallet is quite reasonable.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Jenny C.
I wanted a burger so stopped in for take out. The burger was a bit subpar generally - no real flavor and over cooked. I thought since it was takeout and the restaurant more an Italian place, I'd give it another chance. I went it with some friends. Service was friendly and just fine. I had some sort of dish with white sauce. I could barely eat it due to the high salt level. wow. Took most of it home but it seemed even saltier upon being warmed up. Luckily the dog wasn't so picky.
(1)Mitch W.
Ok... The outside of this place is so dilapidated that it makes you think they've gone out of business. Once you spot the flashing OPEN sign you make your way in to the foyer that smells, umm, ...gamey. You're greeted by the hostess stand and two giant lotto vending machines that sit at the end of a dividing wall like guards prompting you to choose your fate: left to the dimly lit bar or right to the dimly lit dining area. We chose the right side where natural sunlight could be seen pouring in from a second dining room that has windows, which we made our way to. Shortly after a server arrived to take our order. She wasn't rude and I really don't have any complaints about her, but I wouldn't say she was cheery or friendly. We each got a pizza and split an onion ring basket. The rings came a short bit later and were pretty good with a nice light tempura like beer batter. Mildly oily, but quite good. The pizzas came, and as another reviewer had mentioned it was moist. I wouldn't say soggy, but once you have a slice out you do have to tilt the pan to help it drain a bit. This isn't really an issue in my eyes as it sometimes happens with pizza on a pan. No biggie. I couldn't definitively tell whether the dough was homemade or not, but it was good dough regardless. But the toppings were the money shot. The bacon is the thick cut crispy, crumbly kind (yum!) and the Italian Sausage is real deal sausage links busted up and spread around. The pepperoni and cheese both seem to be of a good quality. A tasty pizza, indeed. Not something I'm gonna drive 45 minutes out of my way for, but would definitely order again should the occasion arise. Even though the building is abysmally dismal, the food here shows promise and I wouldn't mind trying some of their other fare. The menu picture of the Manicotti looks super good. Might have to make a follow up trip soon.
(3)Alex M.
Today was the second time I have been here, both times for lunch. A friend from work needed to do something nearby so we thought we would give it a chance. I don't think I will be back here again. Neither the food nor the service is really up to par. I ordered the $7.99 special of Chicken parmesean, comes with spaghetti and a side (salad). It certainly was not fresh and pan fried as advertised. I have a feeling it was cooked some time ago and reheated. The portion was big, two breasts, but they were not even pounded thin like should be done with chicken cutlets so they cook evenly. Beyond that, the sauce is no better than average, large chunks of tomatos, seemed like a can of crushed tomatos with a little spices. My plate was practically covered in it after I had finished the spaghetti, which was cooked decently well. I did not finish the chicken. The salad was wet iceberg lettuce, some croutons and a wedge of tomato. Very very runny ranch dressing. Bleh. I am super curious about the positive reviews because it is hard to believe that the folks that served the food we got today could put together something beyond three stars.
(2)Lacretha P.
Worst Dining Experience EVER!!!!!! My husband and I went here for lunch before going to a movie. At first sight the place was dark and dank and empty,, with a smell of dirty mop water. There was no sign giving us direction on whether we were supposed to seat ourselves or wait to be seated. We found out from a waitress whizzing by. We seated ourselves, and waited 15 minutes to even be noticed by a waitress who'd been in and out of the room several times. She informed us that they were short staffed and took our drink order. I ordered a Merlot and my husband ordered a Bud Light, one of the few beers they had on tap. My wine tasted old. And I immediately noticed the pink lipstick mark on my dirty glass!!! My husbands glass had a never disappearing ring of grime which he kept wiping and making worse. Even after he took a napkin to it, it didn't go away. After cautiously sipping our drinks for another 20 minutes, someone finally came to take our food order, we ordered from the 8.99 lunch menu, I ordered the chicken parmesan, and my husband ordered the veal parmesan. Both came with one side. He ordered the chili, which he said he enjoyed, and I ordered the salad. My salad consisted of iceberg lettuce which was wet, two cherry tomatoes, and a few really hard croutons, the ranch was runny which resulted in a white cloudy puddle in the bottom of the bowl. And there were several large drops of Italian dressing running from the edge to the inside of my salad. I ordered ranch. After eating our chili and salad, we waited and waited and waited another 35 minutes passed and we had to ask the waitress what was the status of our order. She rushed off to go check, and came back to inform us that our order never went into the computer!!!!! We sat there for over an hour and never got to eat any real food!!!! My husband then asked to be cashed out, and she actually brought us a bill!!!! She apologized, and then rubbed my arm and said, "Sorry hun, please come back to see us!" I'm pretty sure she knows that will never happen. This was our first time going here and our last. I recommend that if you have other options choose them. Even a quick burger from a fast food drive through would be better than this place. Dine at your own risk...
(1)Will K.
got there pizza and it was wet and soggy....brought it home and tried to rebake it ...didnt work out...had there food besides the pizza and is OK...wont be back ...to many other options
(2)Stephen P.
I have 2 words to say.... TOTALLY AWESOME Best ribs I have ever had John and Brian were great hosts and lots of fun I had the full rack of ribs and asked for half as bar b que and the other half as bourbon Very moist and fall off the bone Fish was awesome and lots of it as well Steak was good as well with a great sweet dip Highly recommend this place and will be returning.....
(5)Lindsey K.
I have to say I avoided this place due to the Yelp comments. I stopped in recently out of necessity/convenience. Wow, I'm really shocked in the low yelp ratings. I guess it's all perspective. I have a couple of categories for eating out. #1- a place where you go for special occasions/have to get dressed up and #2 - a place that serves great food, is a clean/comfortable environment, and I can go in jeans and a hoodie. Personally I don't have that many special occasions and my going out preference is #2. The first time I went here it was so packed, we sat at a table in the bar. This worked out because we were right by the kitchen and watched plate after plate of awesome looking food coming out of the kitchen. They have a Friday night prime rib special, which looked really good. This place is definitely family friendly, with a good mix of age groups. The bar is a separate area and it seems to be busy all of the time. Sure the decor is a little outdated, but its clean. The food is excellent. Try the Fries. I think they are beer battered or something, whatever it is its awesome. Sandwiches are good and the Italian specialties are really tasty. As far as my judgement of Italian food- I haven't traveled the countryside of Italy, but I don't say EYE-talian either. I'd say this stuff is good. Pastas, pizzas, meatballs etc. You get a lot of food and the meals come with sides. The only minor dislike is the bread basket they bring out. I do like the packaged breadsticks (dipped in butter of course), but there's some kind of weird plain toasted bread in the basket that just seems like its ready to be ground into bread crumbs. Everyone working was extremely friendly. I will be adding this spot to my #2 rotation if ya know what I mean. I think it's time to give this place another shot.
(5)Jennifer H.
Not sure why there are so many negative reviews! The food is delicious and the portions are huge for a good price. There is a lot of variety on the menu too! The service can be a little slow on occasion. On our most recent trip, it wasn't busy and the service was slower than you'd hope for but still attentive... If that makes any sense. Our drinks were kept full, etc but it did take awhile to get our meals. The decor is somewhat... 70's-ish but not gaudy or anything. It is clean which, to me, is what matters most.
(4)Bonnie L.
Used to be my favorite place to eat I have been out of town for awhile could not wait to eat there again however it will be awhile before I return service bad and also the food not what it used to be.
(2)Mary D.
It looks like its time for a newer review for this place. We were there last nite (Fri) with a group of 9. Service was very good, we were served our drinks promptly and didn't have to wait long for our meals. I got their $7.99 special that included a 6 oz. sirloin and 2 sides. Salad was OK, but the baked potato was wonderful! OVEN, not micro'd, and it didn't sit in a warmer. It was hot, and had that great baked potato texture. My steak was grilled perfectly. Hubby had the lasagne, which he said was just fair. It didn't taste homemade - more canned. 2 in our group had a pizza that looked really yummy. 1 of us returned her steak that was well-done rather than med. rare. A new was brought to her in 5 min., done perfectly. I was very pleasantly surprised and will be back.
(4)Catherine G.
The food was awful. I can't believe there was a wait to get a table at this place! Service was fine, but fairly slow and certainly not spectacular. My boyfriend ordered the lasagna, which they advertised on their sign outside. It had pepperoni inside, which worried him, but he gave it a try. Not good. I sampled the onion rings, which I do have to give them credit for. They are really thick, beer-battered and really greasy, but good. Their ranch is also "good ranch." But my steak was horrible. Completely over-cooked (I asked for medium well and it was dried out and almost impossible to eat.) There was no sauce or juice of any kind. It came with broccoli, which was just boiled and thrown on the plate. No seasoning, they barely bothered to cut it into manageable pieces. They only have three beers on tap - Bud, Bud Light and Labbatt's, I think. The place is dark and crowded and not a pleasant dining experience.
(2)Steve T.
In general, I think this place is trying to live on the reputation of what was "Casa Nova". Years ago, the old Casa Nova had great pizza. Lots of high quality cheese, etc. The rest of their food was pretty tasty as well. The name might be the same. The food isn't.
(2)Lorraine H.
I thought the lasagna was Stouffer's frozen microwave. Really lousy. Cold in the middle. The pizza's okay. This place is not recommended by me.
(1)Anne H.
Awful. I guess they don't believe in bussing tables. Slow service and bland pre-packaged microwaved food.
(1)Iris S.
Actually, I don't think of this place as gourmet at all, but I do believe that for the price, you are getting a good deal. The bf and I went a couple of times when we still lived in the area and it really isn't that bad. The pizza is pretty tasty and he was brave enough to try the steak, but I didn't try it. The service has always been friendly and the place crowded with diners. It is what it is, as my mom says. If you want classy, check out the Knight Cap, otherwise the value here for a light wallet is quite reasonable.
(3)