This is my 1st review, so hope I don't blow this. I had high hopes for Canales's, but left wanting. Maybe the timing was bad... snowstorm and all. I was really looking to get some seafood, and felt like Italian. Canale's was recommended (well, not really recommended, someone just said, 'Canale's is italian....). I came in at 7pm, which i think is still a reasonable hour for getting dinner, but due to weather, a little sparse. I sat at the bar, since i was by myself and wanted quicker service. I got the house cabernet, which was pretty good and reasonably priced. I could've had more of that... I ordered the seafood alfredo ($18), containing shrimp and scallops. Came with a house salad and bread, and another side which i ordered twice-backed potato. Bread was brought, and it was just plain French bread, cut thick. Soft center, but VERY plain. Salad came next, I ordered the house italian dressing. Salad was 99% iceberg lettuse, perhaps 1 whole slice of cucumber and 3 slivers of tomotoe, each about the size of my pinky fingernail. The dressing was terrible, no flavor whatsover and just seemed like olive oil was poured over lettuce and soaked (marinated?). Lettuce should be crisp, fresh and something to introduce what you can expect for dinner. I had a bad feeling about this. Main course came next, and this was pretty good, tasty and creamy. As typical, the linguini far outlasted the seafood. The very small twice baked potatoe was almost cold, and the portion on top that was twice baked was... i don't know. It seemed like powered cheddar cheese or something, but was not good either. I feel when you go to a restaurant, you pay for it all - the bread, the salad, the side. All of that was very forgettable (i love bread, had 1 bite, i love potato's, i had 1 bite, i ate the salad and entre'). I also was never asked how my food was. This place seems like a restaurant that has a loyal clientelle, so I am not sure how interested they are in obtaining and keeping new customers. read more

Great sauce, and they give you a lot too! You can ask for certain amounts though if you're not a fan of sauce. The pizza is amazing and has excellent crispy crust! The meatballs are huge! Some of these plates you can share with someone else and still have leftovers. read more

Extremely expensive, mediocre food at best. So loud from the obnoxious regulars at the bar you couldn't hold a conversation. Simple Hawaiian Pizza I ordered, the dough wasn't seasoned, wasn't cooked through and they never drained excess water from the toppings so the whole pizza sat on a plate filled with water. Absolutely horrible. read more

The first time I was there I wasn't impressed. I left thinking does the cook know what salt and pepper is? 6 years later and the food is still terrible. My eggplant parm was swimming in oil. My boyfriend chicken Alfredo wasn't good either. The chicken was dry, the pasta was way over cooked, the Alfredo sauce wasn't that good either, the bread was cold, and the salad was overdressed. read more

Well, the salad was good - a little soupy but fair. Ciabatta bread garlic was awesome. But, apparently Seafood Alfredo includes three descent pieces of shrimp and three descent scallops only. Glad the whole meal was over $30 plus tip. Because it was worth it -? So glad I only order once in a great while. Though to be fair, I had 3 scallops, & 3 shrimps --at $30 + tip dinner equals $5 per seafood piece. Shoulda done price chopper tonight & cooked meal myself. Oh well, I'm tired & lazy. Lesson learned. read more

Maybe I'm spoiled coming from NYC where I ate out 5 nights per week, but this place just isn't that good. I ordered goulash, sounded appetizing on paper, but didn't deliver on taste. I have made better. There only reason they get a 3 is because I like the pasta sauce and Italian salad dressing. read more

I had high hopes for this place, because everyone locally seems to love it. We went to the location in Oswego, no idea if Liverpool is any different. The place seems like you are sitting in someone's basement. drab, dark, and closeted. The seating is incredibly uncomfortable if you are tall or wide. You have two options, a booth, or a table with weird captains chairs, that looked like they would fit children. Then on to the food, we ordered bruschetta "thinking that this can't be too bad" , wrong, it came on the wrong kind of bread, in fact they "toasted" cut corners of food service ciabatta rolls, and they were squishy, and stale, then topped with the most flavorless, mushy tomato mess, and covered with tepid cheese. Brushetta should not be served hot, nor should the cheese be a nasty melty mess. Then we had to wait around for our pizza, that was on a par baked crust, which for those of you not in the industry, is something that schools do, the crust is half way baked at some earlier time, then the sauce, and cheese are added. It tasted like beer, and made us sick. It was also a soupy mess, because they do not use pizza sauce, but use their thing marinara sauce. On to dinner, we both got chicken parm, which in itself wasn't too bad, but also tasted like it had been previously cooked then reheated, and really salty. Their sauce is nasty, salty, thin, acidic and no flavor at all. How can they be famous for that? We actually didn;t really touch our food, and brought it home for our dogs, because it was disgusting. The service was unbearably slow, and we were there for almost 2 hours, when we arrived before dinner rush even started, at around 4 pm. The server was okay, not really friendly, just kind of there. I would not be back, but guess I should have expected it to be bad, because every restaurant in Oswego is. read more

Warm atmosphere with hi volume so put your seatbelt on! I like a lighter marinara sauce not the thicker style they serve , however everyone has their own MAMA"s sauce to compare it to.I always enjoy the eggplant parmesan and the salads there.They really do spend money in keeping the place nice as it has been in Oswego forever. Service for our family has always been polite and attentive. It is a faster pace restaurant with to -go or even delivery to your home on a cold winter night...that is nice !! read more

I've been coming here since I was a toddler. I adore Canale's. It's an institution and the food and service are incredible. My favorite item on the menu is the Chicken Parmigiana. I've also held private parties in the upstairs here and it was fantastic. The restaurant workers helped me craft an amazing night with good food and to the budget needed. I also love getting takeout here when I don't have time to come in and eat. Baked Ziti is also do die for. I hope Canale's stays open forever. I live across the country now but come here on every trip to Oswego. read more

I would not recommend getting food for take out. We typically have an okay experience eating at the restaurant but take out never goes well. This review isn't based on a single experience but multiple times we have ordered from Canales. I like that they offer gluten free options but they need to learn how to cook it if they are going to offer it. More than once I've ordered GF pasta and it comes mushy and falling apart which means it's either over cooked or left over pasta that's been reheated. Both of those possibilities cannot be done with GF pasta. I was very upset this last time when I ordered GF ziti to go which cost $13 and it was so mushy that it couldn't be eaten. It was also very dry (which often happens so I typically order extra sauce which I forgot to this time) I'm not impressed. read more

So this is supposed to be the big dog Italian place in Oswego huh? Sorry but not impressed, but sort of... read on!! The wine selections are small but good so I give it to them for that. Next, the food is good but wouldn't rate it as classic Italian... just different. I had the fried raviolli which was sort of a bit hard than usual and less fresh so I question if it were frozen or handmade. Plus I had the chicken scallopini which was ok. The chicken portions were bigger than usual but wasn't as tender as most dishes I've tasted in different places, plus it didn't come with any pasta unless requested, and I do know some places do that and some don't but wasn't told. Now the plus to the name Canales, is the frozen food. I got the gnocci for work and microwaved it and the results were way better than I expected and the portion size was great. Unfortunately I can't eat too much frozen food dishes but this was a great surprise. read more

I was very pleased with this restaurant. The atmosphere was very comfortable and the staff was very nice. I ordered chicken parm, house salad and an appetizer of Utica Greens. The greens were much different than I'm used to (being from the Utica area my entire life). They had beans and meatballs in them- honestly they were pretty tasty. I do have to note that the entrée portions were quite small, however the prices were less than $10! So it worked out fine. read more

Amazing chicken parm and stuffed peppers! Not a bad price either, about 15 bucks a person. The staff is great and coming here is always a treat! read more

Pretty standard Italian-American cuisine--heaps of pasta slathered in sauce form the backbone of the menu here. They do a good job with their pasta 'n sauce, but don't expect anything out of the ordinary here. It also has a nice atmosphere and is probably your best bet in Oswego for a nice adult dinner out. I've always found their service to be very slow, but then I've always been there on very busy nights, I've heard it's much better during off-peak times. read more

Poor service we walked in and were met blank stares from waitresses who looked mad we can't at 8:00

Solid diner food. The place is a good spot to grab lunch or something. I ordered the Reuben and it was good.

Super delicious Lasagna! Biggest clam strips I have ever seen! Recommend both!

Amazing I love pasta and meatballs I love their meatballs I love that they have a nice glass to drink wine out of and I love the outside area it's very beautifully done read more

Is it spectacular? No. Is it terrible? No. It is a decent Italian restaurant, really *the* Oswego restaurant, around for over half a century. Comfort food in an okay atmosphere with service that's usually good. At "prime time" the place is always busy, a lot of food is served, a lot of people come through. Sometimes, they mess-up, as other reviews here indicate. I love the marinara sauce. The Italian bread they serve could be a lot more authentic. Prices are reasonable, portions large. It's a comfortable place. Usually, you leave feeling very good. read more

Quite simply the BEST Italian food in Oswego if not all of New York State! Family owned and run, friendly waitstaff, delicious food... what more could you ask for? read more

We recieved a gift card for this restaurant so we thought we would give it a whirl. The service was amazing and we were seated quickly. We started with buffalo wings and clam strips. The wings were okay but the clam strips were very tough to eat. After appetizers we had cesar salad and it was pretty good and a great portion size. For dinner i had one of the combo dinners which had chicken parm, sausage, and meatball with rigatoni w/ vodka sauce. The chicken parm was amazing but the meatball and sausage was just okay. The chicken stole the show. Overall it was a decent dinner and hopefully we make a trip back in the future and give it another try. read more

Was get nice lighting nice booths great food really nice people comfertable seating fast survives great food for a decent price two people could deffantly eat for under 25 bucks and they do offer lunch all day AMD the food is do heavy that a lunch portions is we'll enough to leave you full AMD they aren't stingy with bread and they give great services read more

My family and I ate at Canale's this past Saturday evening. I ordered the basic can't miss spaghetti and meatballs with a side order of sausage. The lone sausage arrived at room temp, so I added it to my meal to warm up. The meatballs were leaden and flavorless, the pasta overcooked. My wife and two grown children love gnocchi and all three ordered Canale's homemade specialty. They lacked flavor in two different sauses, and had the texture of ricotta marshmallows. All four meals were on a par with college dining hall food. Our server was gracious and attentive, but our experience was very underwhelming. The Olive Garden serves more flavorful food than Canale's, and I would rather eat Chef Boyardee than eat at either place again. I am being very generous with 2 stars. Are Oswegonians just happy with this mediocre family restaurant because it's what they've grown up with? read more

Great Americanized Italian Cuisine! I love this place and often choose it for dates. Their sauce is delicious and their gnocchi is homemade! Restaurant is always full but you can usually get a seat in a matter of minutes. Their party catering is a good choice too. Prices are reasonable and portions are HUGE! I always leave with a doggy bag! read more

Canales was okay. The food was good. For an Italian restaurant though, it was extremely odd that side salads did not come with entrees. First time for everything though. read more

I'm not sure what they put on their salad before they serve it but it tastes amazing, some sort of spiced oil? They take the time to make their own pasta, which really goes a long way, and you can tell. I have always loved their food! read more

The only reason this review has 2 stars is for the food. The service is terrible! The waitress walked by us multiple times before actually finally taking our order. After our food was served, not once did she ask how it was. After we were sitting there obviously done she again walked by multiple times before asking us for boxes. Once everything was boxed we asked for our check. The table behind asked after us and were taken care of way before. When we finally got the check she basically threw it on the table! She could not have been more rude! I will not come here again! read more

Oh Canale's ... I love the chicken parmigiana from here and am a huge fan of their sauce. It has ruined other sauces for me...prego, ragu, some other brand I can't think up right now...bleh. Also, the shrimp scampi and bread are delicious. I recommend that if you get the shrimp scampi you dip your bread in whatever sauce it comes in. Don't be intimidated by the portion size (it's huge, and for me I take it home and have a two for one meal). To be fair, sometimes service isn't the best, it's been hit or miss for me. Also, it is a bit pricey, so expect to spend money if you go. read more

There chicken parmesan is amazing, and maybe the best marinara sauce I've ever had. Definitely five stars!

Never been inside but delivery time is rather quick and their Chicken Parm is spectacular!

I paid 25 bucks for a burnt Delmonico steak. This means the chef cooked it until it was burned and the waitress looked at it and seen it was very visibly burned and decided to serve it to me anyways. Their excuse was that it's hard to cook a well done steak. I asked for a medium well steak not well done and certainly not burned. Avoid this place if you're looking for a properly cooked piece of meat. read more

Canales in liverpool has food you drool over . The house salad is too die for. Gnocchi is my fav along with the geddes bakery bread.

My favorite Oswego restaurant. The go to place for us. My favorite dish is Chicken and Artichokes. Love the Chicken Parm, Linguine with Clams and had Chicken Oscar last week! Delicious! Hope it makes it on to the regular menu..hint hint...Have to always have a slice of bread and a house salad too! Servers are always friendly and eager to please. read more

Not only is this a family owned business they also make YOU feel like FAMILY and right at home. The food is amazing.. Smells and tastes just like grandma made it. You feel so comfortable at this place you forget that you are out for dinner. Lots of laughs, great staff and the pricing is reasonable. You should come and visit or you can always have this food by take as well. When you are done with your meal you can buy their house spaghetti sauce to enjoy that same meal once again at home! read more

You want Italian food in Oswego? Your choices are limited if you don't want it out of a box that says Kraft. That said, this is a family-run old time Italian joint where you can easily eat well for under $30 for two. Trust me, you'll be rolling out the door - with some left over. The restaurant is a bit of an institution and is popular with locals who like a lot of food on their plate. I had the spaghetti and meatballs with a sausage. The dish was good - and the meatballs: above average. What's not above average is the bread: white, boring and bland. You should be concerned when an Italian restaurant serves mediocre bread. Also, the salads are iceberg lettuce. I stopped eating iceberg lettuce in junior high school and assure you there's no shortage of romaine in the world. So you've got a lot of overweight people [hey, it's Oswego] eating iceberg lettuce salads with creamy dressings, big bowls of pasta and stuffing their faces with white bread for good measure. Got the picture? read more

I've been here several times, and I have to say..my last experience was my worst in recent memory. I will start positive however..I have had a couple of good meals here, and the salad is good, and couple of bad meals. The pasta is average...the sauce is tasty, but when I found out what was is in it, I now am no longer interested in eating it (I knew one of the cooks for years)...I have had upset tummy from it before. The variety is decent and the place is always crowded, however, the food is just OK as far as Italian is concerned. I am disappointed with the service here, and the last time I was in, we had a really bad and embarrassing incident with them. I ordered one of their "specials" and honestly, it had no taste and I didnt enjoy my first couple of bites at all. I asked for another dish and one would have expected them to accommodate me as any good restaurant would have done. I had the surprisingly displeasure of having the waitress tell me she wasnt sure if she could do it, and that she might get in trouble if she did. She asked the manager, who came over and proceded to argue with me that the dish was one of their signatures and was named after the owner himself. My answer..WHO CARES?? I dont care what the dish is called, who its named after, etc..How is that even remotely relevant? How pompous and totally disregarding the customer. After finally conceding and stressing how she will make a special exception for me after debating me for 5-10 minutes, when I ordered my next dish, a pasta with Vodka sauce, she has the audacity to demean me by saying "Now, you have had THIS type of dish before, right sir?" Unbelievable..I almost walked out. Anyway, if you want to hear how much pasta costs to cook, or wish to have the self-righteous staff serve you, come here. Otherwise, avoid this place, and head to Vona's which is right down the street...food is great, service is quite good, and the people are far more friendly and accomodating. Suffice to say, I am not returning to Canale's. read more

I lived in Oswego for years but am now out of state. I ordered a delivery for my very dear friend who is in St. Luke's and talked about nothing else but wanting Canale's spaghetti for Christmas. I ordered on-line and they delivered it as promised and she couldn't have been happier! She not only had enough for supper but finished it off for breakfast the following morning. Thank you for taking care of my very best friend for her last wish! read more

Had the worse experience ever. We have been going here for years but the other night was the worst. The waitress didn't take our drink order for almost 10 minutes and then forgot a drink. My husband ordered a steak medium well and it came out raw. We had to find someone to take it back to the chef cause our waitress could not be bothered with us. It was thrown in the grill and brought back to him barely medium. The waitress asked how it was and at this point the rest of the table was almost done. He ate it but didn't enjoy it. No one came over to apologize or see if they could make it right for us. This is the last time we go there and will not recommend to anyone else. read more

Here for parent's weekend at Suny Oswego. Canale's is a great choice for Italian cuisine. The food was delicious, the waitress gave excellent service and it helped that we made a reservation on such a busy weekend. I would go back on my next visit to Oswego. read more

I took a group of five friends out to see a band and have dinner at Canales, I thought I was choosing the best Italian spot in Oswego. Both me and my friend had the Chicken riggies, while they looked great, the sauce was runny and the chicken was clearly processed and under cooked. Whatever the issue, both my friend and I were sick the day after. The best part of the meal was the band and the wine. Will never go back. read more