I came here with my family on Father's Day. With ten minutes of notice I was given a reservation for 6 in the midst of the holiday. We ordered a montaro pizza (similar to the margherita but with thicker crust), vodka penne, and two margherita pies. The margherita pizza is Il Pizzaiolo's bread and butter - I could have eaten my weight in margherita pizza. Word to the wise: an adult (and most kids these days) can easily eat a pizza themselves. We finished up dinner with tiramisu and cannoli. I'm not a fan of cannoli but the tiramisu was fantastic. The wine selection is large and beer options surprising. Our server, Lauren, was very knowledgeable and helped guide some of our table's decisions - can't beat that. I'd recommend this place as a nice break from any of the other beaten-to-death pizza options in the city. read more

Il Pizzaiolo - Margherita Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

For authentic Italian and pizza that is pricey but not quite fine dining, along with a decent wine list, no place beats this in our area.

Love this Mt Lebo favorite! Always a great meal - pizza, pasta, and everything in between! The arancini are a MUST for an appetizer. Highly recommend checking out this spot for delicious Italian eats! read more

Il Pizzaiolo - Pizza Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

While the food here is pretty good Italian fare, it just doesn't justify the price. I found it difficult to pay $22 for ravioli. Yes, ravioli. It's difficult to find even the simplest dish for under $20. Going as a group of four, only half of us liked our meals. Everything at this particular restaurant is overpriced. When I looked at the wine list, traditional wines that I would normally order at another restaurant was about 25-40% more, so I stuck with water. The waiting staff is excellent and know exactly what they're talking about. The ambience is also very nice. At the end of the day though, two meals without any sides, drinks, or any extras cost a whopping $54. The portions were also generally small. It's a place I'd maybe go to again for a special occasion, but there are definitely better Italian restaurants with much better prices. read more

my boyfriend & i loved this place. it was highly recommended to us. the food is delicious!! sarah was an amazing server. we will definitely be back !!! read more

Il Pizzaiolo - Margherita Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This restaurant intentionally circulates inaccurate prices on the internet. All real prices are much higher than advertised. If you choose to go, know that the cheapest plate of pasta is $19 and a cup of soup is $8. read more

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Il Pizzaiolo is my new favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. We came in without a reservation on a Saturday night and we're still seated immediately. First, they brought out a large jug of water and glasses along with toasted bread and oil. I ordered the caprese salad, and the tomatoes and mozzarella both tasted extraordinarily fresh. The tomatoes truly tasted like they were freshly picked out of a garden. I also had the margharita pizza and the penne rosa pasta. Both were absolutely outstanding - and vegetarian! The portion sizes were perfect, at the end of my three course dinner I was perfectly stuffed. Overall the food was spectacular, the service was fast and polite, and the location is perfect for an evening date. I will absolutely return soon! read more

Il Pizzaiolo - Pizza Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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My wife and I eat at this location every few months and typically spend $225.00 plus tip. Not anymore, never again will we step foot into this location. We where seated by 1 of 2 hosts, walked through the restaurant and was greeted with hello's from 6 staff members. Seated outside, I took a pic of a table with a glass still with wine and plates/ not ours. We where seated at 4:25. I was excited, hungry, and ready for our dinner date to begin. I wanted the VONGOLE POSILLIPO: Fresh Manilla Clams, Garlic, Oil, White Wine, San Marzano D.O.P. Tomatoes To start. Unfortunately we where not allowed to even begin the meal. No server came to us. Not to provide us with water. Not to speak to us about the specials. Not even to ask if we would like a glass or bottle of wine. NOTHING!!!! A busboy was seen, he cleaned up the table I had took a picture of earlier. After 25 minutes... I remind you, 6 staff members said hello as we where being seated, I said that's it. We walked back the way we came, where told goodbye by all the same people as we walked to the host/ bar in the front and handed our menus back to them. They asked if we enjoyed everything. I told them, "NEVER AGAIN will I spend money or step foot in thus place again! No-one came to serve us...25 minutes, and NOTHING!!!!" The hostess said "Are you serious?" Quick note, there was one customer inside this entire time so its not like we lost in the crowd. Service was non-existent so I cannot rate the food at this time. We left still hungry walked across the street and ate at Totopo That was great, Taco Tuesday!!! Great service, great Mexican food and overall a save to our night. "NEVER AGAIN will I spend money or step foot in thus place again! No-one came to serve us...25 minutes, and NOTHING!!!!" 225.00 plus tip...GONE. read more

Do not recommend booking a large party. Our reservations for a party of about 20 were double booked. While they made other accommodations for us to open the wine room to only our party, we arrived to a populated wine room. We were told it should be cleared out soon; However, we waited over an hour and a half for it to be almost cleared out. Considering we have parents in our party with sitters back home, waiting any longer for a reserved space wasn't ideal for our party nor should it be appropriate for anyone with well-planned reservations. We left. The bartender during this ordeal was impolite while we were waiting. Management was defensive blaming our party for not being willing to wait any longer. read more

We really enjoyed our first time here! It was a Saturday night and we had a 25 min wait, but were directed to the cozy wine bar which had a nice fireplace where we could wait and had an awesome wine selection. We then ordered wedding soup, lemon chicken, and sausage pizza. All of the food was fantastic. Bread and oil comes with the food. The oil was not very good in our opinion so that would be the only downside. Staff was very friendly and helpful throughout our service. The ambiance was very nice and relaxing. Perfect for our anniversary dinner. read more

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We've lived in the area for about a year now, and you all have been a favorite for a while. But today, we had by far our best experience. It's our fourth wedding anniversary, and we were bummed we couldn't come in person. However, I called earlier today, and you all delivered us an incredible meal. Thanks to everyone involved and Sarah for delivering. We're excited to support you all during this time and look forward to coming in when this is over. Thanks again! read more

Decided to try Il Pizzaiolo for our anniversary...needless to say we were very impressed. We arrived a little before 6:30pm on a Friday and had only about a 20-30 minute wait for the courtyard seating. (I was expecting more because the weather was beautiful that night). The waiter delivered us the wrong pizza and quickly apologized and hurried to put in the correct order. However, the pizza did take about another 20ish minutes to come out but we had our bread and drinks to not make a fuss about it. The waiter immediately took the pizza off our bill for our long wait. Dinner was longer than expected due to the wait of the pizza but we were in no rush to leave because the atmosphere, drinks, and each others company made it all the better. We will be coming back! read more

I absolutely love this place. I've been here a Few times now. Everyone is always very nice, the food is always amazing. They had a special appetizer before, burrata, which is amazing! I've had almost all the pastas. The goal is to try everything on the menu! Def go to the back bar for happy hour! They have a great wine special and app specials too. The little fried meatballs are soooo good! read more

Still great after all these years. Had the Quattro formaggio and Diavola pizza with a perfect lemon dessert. Service and atmosphere were excellent. read more

For as many times as we have dined here I am very disappointed and will not likely return based on how we were treated today. Called for a takeout order and were told they were too busy to fill, to call back in an hour and a half. Did so, then was told a half hour more. Did so, and then told they would not do takeout for us. Could have said so on the first round so we could have eaten elsewhere. Very, very rude to have us keep calling back and then deny altogether. Very unprofessional and discourteous. read more

I have been here a few times, and I am always pleased with the food. My most recent visit I got the pizzuvio pizza which was basically crafted by angels. It's half calzone half margherita pizza and it was killer. I also got the wedding soup, and that was equally as delicious but that pizza really tied that visit with a delicious little bow. No drinks this time, but the wine selection is great. It can get a little crowded, so I would try to plan your trip in advance. My husband and I went at like 3 on a Saturday, and we didn't have a wait but people started really coming in as we were leaving around 4ish. read more

The bad first. Its a little pricey as has already been mentioned. Parking is a minor annoyance. But what really bothered me was the noise level. Sound just bounces off the hard walls and makes it very difficult to have a conversation. But once you taste the pizza none of it matters. The crust is a tiny bit soggy and it doesnt detract from it even a little. The sauce. That sauce. Simple. Fresh. Mind blowingly delicious as pizza is meant to be. As close to a real deal New York old school pizza as it gets. Dont spoil it with too many toppings. Just try a simple Margherita and see what the fuss is about. read more

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Everything here is fantastic. The drinks and food always leave us fully satisfied. They really give extra care and attention to cocktail specials and menu items. The downstairs bar staff and manager are especially great. They all have a strong passion for excellent service. If they are really busy, you may not get a seat, or sometimes they might close early on slow nights, but that's just the way it goes. It's just smart business tactics. The really negative reviews on here seem to be mostly frivolous not pertaining to their product. So those should be ignored. Anyway, we keep coming back for more of the good stuff, and eventually we hope to try the entire menu. read more

Complete disregard for COVID and are rude to those who work in healthcare. Multiple food safety violations before the pandemic and they've only gotten worse. Avoid read more

I've lived in the south hills my entire life and as an Italian, I personally think their food and pizza is insanely overrated. *MORE IMPORTANTLY* this restaurant does NOT require their employees to wear masks during a deadly global pandemic. I am officially not going there again I've already informed all of my friends and family who loved this place. ADDITIONALLY, they have 11 health violations. If you want to go to a place that literally does not care if you get sick from a lethal virus or food poisoning this is the place. read more

The service by our waitress was great but that is where the positive review ends. The food was just OK - I had pasta bolognese. The sauce was nothing great, my husband had a chicken dinner which was OK. We had the lemon pound cake for dessert - that was good. We both ended up with a bit of food poisoning when we got home. Yuck! The acoustics in this restaurant are terrible. It was very, very LOUD. Two women were seated behind us. The one was so loud her voice was reverberating off of the windows. We could not wait to get out of there as we could not hold a conversation since the noise level was out of control. If you want real Italian food go to Pasta Too or Muriales's in Fairmont, WV. Definetly worth the drive. We will NOT be returning to Il Pizzaiolo. read more

Amazing food and atmosphere. I don't crave Italian food from any other restaurant except for this one. Our favorite pizza is the one with prosciutto and arugula on it! Our favorite pasta dishes are the spaghetti pomodoro and the penne rosa! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Always get the charcuterie board. They have the best fresh mozzarella. I am a sucker for a good vodka sauce and theirs is amazing. Never had a bad meal here. Even the wood fired pizzas are good. Tip- ask to sit in the wine bar. The regular restaurant is noisy and crowded. The patio is nice but I'm Not an outdoor water. The wine bar is cozy. Not too many tables and you can sit in the couches in front of the bar while Waiting for your table with a glass of wine. Go to date experience. read more

I'm not sure why all the mediocre ratings. I ate here a few weeks ago. Food was excellent. Wait staff excellent. Outdoor dining and social distancing was perfect. I will say the waitress or hostess we made reservations with was incredibly rude. We stopped by during the day after hiking to make reservations for that night. We were staying at a nearby hotel and happened upon the restaurant. Perhaps she didn't like our post hike appearance. But we cleaned up and our waiter that night was excellent. Maybe don't judge a book by it's cover? read more

Order for pickup. Had to cancel. Cooks and servers not wearing masks. Restaurant was 100% full. Blatant disregard for the pandemic and people's lives. Will not support a business like this. At least have your staff wear masks and gloves. read more

We love eating here and highly recommend the outdoor back area in the summer. Very true Italian feel and great food with high quality offerings. Every visit has been enjoyable. read more

After having a Italian craving I stumbled onto this place for lunch. On walking in I was greeted and had a seat along the window. I liked the design of this place as it's very clean and has a comfortable vibe. I also like how you can see the brick oven and some of the food being made. I wanted lasagna but it wasn't offered on the lunch menu but the server was happy to still offer it to me but with mentioning that it will take some extra time to prepare. I wasn't worried about the wait. I started with the deep fried risotto balls 2 meat and 2 cheese. I have to admit they where outstanding and loaded with flavor. As for the bread it was good but the oil for dipping was absolutely terrible and completely flavorless. Now for the lasagna it was a smaller portion then you would expect but it had decent flavor and the sauce was great. It wasn't really loaded up with sausage and meatballs but overall I enjoyed it as I'm not a big lover of Italian food. I could definitely see my self returning here to try other items on the menu. read more

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I wanted to like this place because it had such great reviews and I love wood fired oven/Neapolitan pizza. But, unfortunately, we were disappointed. First of all, I just don't understand the design. I think they are trying to go for a rustic look with the tables that look worn out, but it just looks out of place. For the menu prices I had higher expectations for how things would look on the inside. Also, this place is super small and if it's just two of you, expect to be placed at a tiny table. On to the food. We had a burrata appetizer special and shared a pizza. The burrata itself was so good (how could you go wrong with burrata) but its presentation alongside thick slices of undressed tomato and whole basil leaves was strange. At other wood fires pizza places we have had burrata (priced over $10 cheaper, but I will admit the quality of the burrata itself not as good) which they serve with dressed greens and bread toasted in the wood fired oven. That's the way to do it - toasted bread is key! They give everyone a bread basket but the appetizer itself should have been served with bread fresh out of the wood fire oven in my opinion - it would have helped to elevate the burrata even more. But I did appreciate not having the extra calories and I do love tomatoes. I still felt like something was missing. The pizza we shared was the mushroom and it was really disappointing. The crust was too thick. We have been to several wood fire oven/Neapolitan pizza places in a couple different states and one thing they usually all have in common is a thinner crust which I prefer. I found the pizza to be average in taste too. :( sad.....and expensive which would have been fine if everything was on point. read more

I had a great evening here this past weekend. I would like to start with the overall ambiance of the place, which is both classy and trendy, and beautifully decorated. The service was top notch with friendly wait staff. We started with the burrata special, served with fresh tomatoes, basil and peppers, and then moved on to our main courses including the chicken with sweet sausage, branzino, and pasta bolognese. Of the three options, the branzino was my favorite, delicately cooked and simply tasty. The chicken was tender and juicy. We topped it all off with tiramisu, which was packed with soft marscapone cheese and pungent coffee taste. Overall great experience! read more

If you ask anyone who knows me what my favorite restaurant is... the answer would easily be Il Piz. The Mt. Lebo location will always be close to my heart, I love literally everything about it. In my opinion this is their best location! I've been coming here for years and have tried just about everything on the menu at ll Piz- some of my favorites being the Marghertia D.O.C pizza, Panzarotti, Arancini, Insalata Caprese, Penne Alla Vodka, and of course their wide selection of wine. Their food is fresh and so simple that it melts in your mouth. It reminds me of food that you would eat while in Italy. The restaurant atmosphere is amazing, and what's better than the court yard on a Summer day or the wine bar on a cold Winter night? The court yard is so cute, it is my mom and mine favorite thing to do in the summer! I also love the wine bar, it is the "hidden gem" of Il Piz, located in the building behind the restaurant. It is a cozy atmosphere with a small bar, fireplace, some couches, and a few tables to eat at. Their service is always amazing, I've never had a bad experience with a waiter here. Il Piz has everything to offer for a true Italian girl like myself! Amazing atmosphere, Italian food, and wine!! read more

AC was out. Hot, Hot, Hot. Sunday sauce was great along with pizza. My wife had ravioli's which came relatively warm. We had a large party of 9 and again most people didn't have hot food. It's interesting they don't allow you to bring your own wine. They had a pretty good list of Italian wines that were served at room temp. I think the food hits on flavor but complete delivery of food temp, wine at 68 degrees was a miss not to mention how hot it was in there. In fact, bringing out a small fan to blow on table. I also think the Aracini were a miss. read more

Soooo super busy! Definitely expect to wait if you're coming for dinner. The store is very clean and service is outstanding. The food is delicious and it's sincerely authentic. Highly recommend read more

I should start by saying I normally love this place. That's about the only positive thing I have to say today, though. Caesar salad for lunch in Uptown Mt. Lebo - that's all I wanted. Seems easy enough, right? Only one place to get it that was local and easy (not cheap). I'm pretty excited, because it's like 1:30 pm and the lunch rush should be over. So, I get the ball rolling. I call Il Pizzaiolo; no answer. Call again; no answer. Third time, someone picks up. I order my caesar salad with chicken. I'm told 30 minutes (30 minutes to chop some lettuce and grate some cheese? Pretty sure the chicken was already ready to go. Neat.). Fast forward 30 minutes: walk down the street (10 minute walk) and pick up my [$17] salad [that probably cost $3 to make]. Walk 10 minutes back to the office. Get everything ready to eat... but that's when it hits me. NO DRESSING. A caesar salad without dressing is just chopped up lettuce and chicken. Or, a chicken salad, if you will. I didn't order a sad chicken salad, did I? Nope. So I figure ok, fine. Things happen. I'll call them and see if they can just have the dressing ready for me to grab. So I call - no one answers. Call again - "Il Pizzaiolo, can you hold please?" Sure. Sure I can. 2 minutes. 5 minutes. 7 minutes. I've already started walking back at this point. 10 minutes. 11 minutes. I walk in, still on hold and there are 2 people at the register. They look at me. I let them know I picked up my caesar salad (20 minutes ago, at this point) and there was no dressing in it. Then I showed them my phone and asked if anyone needed to pick up the caller on hold. I could see the red light blinking (for anyone who isn't following along: I was still on hold). "Who put you on hold?!?!" Lady, I don't work here. Other guy goes to kitchen. Gets dressing. Comes back. "Sorry, I dunno what happened there." Well, friend, if you have the time - I wrote it all out for you to review, on Yelp. Have at it. Did I mention I'm 7 months pregnant, and it's my birthday? (I couldn't make this up if I tried.) Xo. read more

I travel weekly and have eaten out for 30+ years 3-4 nights a week. This restaurant is the real deal when it comes to Neopolitan Italian. Everything is made in house with extremely knowledgeable servers. Sara our server directed me to her favorites and I must say she was spot on. I highly recommend this gem in downtown Mt Lebanon. read more

Pasta is my second language. Eating pasta is my sport! With that said, I'm always hesitant to get gnocchi because it never seems to be cooked right. It's always gummy and gross. But the waitress assured me the gnocchi here was homemade and very delicious. I took her advice and was served an incredible plate of melt in your mouth light and puffy clouds of Italian magic! Need I say more? Ok I will.... The sauce also tasted delicious and definitely homemade. I was torn between getting the gnocchi or pasta vodka. I would have been totally satisfied with that choice as well. Thankfully, my friend ordered the pasta vodka and I ws able to steal away a couple bites of it. The sauce was fantastic! It was so creamy and had a hint of Parmesan cheese flavor. Cheese makes EVERYTHING better in my eyes (and mouth)! Our server was really fantastic and did a great job with input on our meals and also filling us in on some upcoming events. They're having cooking classes and wine pairing nights, which I'm totally into! Such a great way to get people in the door and eating, plus drinking! Very quaint and cute inside. I went there Thursday and had to hold myself back from not going there again on Saturday. My pasta loving self will sure to be back soon though! read more

Full review with pictures in blog: Greeted by our server, a friendly college age girl with an ever-present smile, our waters were filled and menus presented while we were left time to decide - time that would be welcome given the large size of the menu and the fact that I would have liked to try at least thirty items. Discussing amongst ourselves while scouring other tables for evidence of portion size we eventually settled on one appetizer, two pastas, and a pizza...we then began the agonizing process of deciding which option sounded best. Baked in house the first basket was had only three options while the second arrived with a fourth. With each bread a great example of its particular type the baskets featured a smoky Rustic Italian, buttery Semolina Vienna, amply sour sesame seed crusted Sourdough, and a buttery moist Foccacia. While I rather wish the pairing would have been a nice olive oil as opposed to butter neither were really necessary with all the sauce that required mopping up. Beginning the meal as the sounds of eager diners bounced around the wonderfully decorated brick and tile interior was a delightful Arancini with creamy arborio rice providing a slightly toothsome contrast to velvety fried Mozzarella. An ample portion for a mere $6 the dish was only enhanced by resting the crispy balls of cheese in a pool of house-made marinara. Remember the comment about the bread - a whole basket was used to dredge the plate clean of the aromatic and slightly acidic sauce. Selecting two of the eighteen pastas the pair was delivered simultaneously and looking back I still cannot decide which was better. Beginning first with the Paglia E Fieno, a spinach and egg tagliatelle with peas, prosciutto di parma, parmigiano-reggiano, and cream I was stunned by the bouncy texture of the pasta to tooth yet its undeniable melt-in-the-mouth texture upon mastication...al dente done just right. Complimenting the pasta were sweet and snappy peas, a smooth and salty prosciutto, and a pungent parmigiano-reggiano that added texture and pungency. All balanced by a somewhat sweet cream sauce the entire dish was well thought out, well balanced, and divine. Not to be outdone, Gnocchi Di Ricotta featuring Ricotta Gnocchi, Butter, Sage, and Parmigiana-Reggiano was a dish that would have the three of us fighting for the last dumpling. Simply prepared, as one expects from a rustic dish like gnocchi, the dumplings were undoubtedly the star of the dish-literally melting puddles of potato and ricotta cheese that provided little resistance to tooth, yet enough body to support and absorb the subtly sweet and aromatic sauce. Topped with a quick grating of cheese and cracked black pepper the gnocchi was one of the best I've ever tasted-a skilled hand, perfect cooking conditions, and largely un-fussed-with. Enjoying all the previous efforts so much the "star" of the afternoon was nearly an afterthought-and one heck of an afterthought given that it is where the restaurant made its name. Opting for the Provola with Smoked Mozzarella di bufala, Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Baby Arugula, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil we watched as the dough emerged from the temperature controlled room, was rolled by hand, topped and was placed inside the stone oven for a mere 90 seconds. Emerging bubbly and charred the pizza was topped with a heap of fresh arugala, drizzled with olive oil and a quick shredding of Parmigiano-Reggiano before being plated and brought to the table. Squeaky and smoky the cheese was a perfect foil for the cornmeal accented and yeasty dough. Crisp and toasted around the circumference of the 13 inche pie and sopping wet at the center each ingredient was pronounced in flavor with the super sweet tomatoes and basil forming the foundation and the bite of the parmigiano and bitterness of the Arugula providing a nice compliment of flavor. Arriving quickly and in ample portion the house made desserts were both presented simply and unadorned. Beginning first with the Tiramisu-a rather standard example with buttery lady fingers, smooth mascarpone, high quality cocoa, ribbons of chocolate, and a hefty shot of rum-it was good, but like many pre-prepared versions it was largely unbalanced with the rum soaking the bottom layer and cream dominating the top. Significantly more impressive was the Cannoli, a crisp and slightly cinnamon accented shell housing a lightly lemon tinged ricotta cream. One end dipped in crushed pistachio, the other in chocolate chips, and sitting atop a bed of hand whipped cream-light, refreshing, and authentic. Great service, everything expertly prepared, and prices that fit the quality of the ingredients I was very happy with every aspect of our meal. Honestly, when the pizza, one of the best I've ever had was the "worst" savory...that is saying something. Clearly I need to start paying attention to that Verace Pizza Napoletana Association list when I travel. read more

Growing up in Mt. Lebanon, I went to il Pizzaiolo years ago, but haven't been back in recent memory. I don't remember much about it before, and after my experience there last night, I will remember not to go there again. We were celebrating my friend's birthday. We got there about 7:45 with a party of 5, and there were a few tables open. The only table that was large enough to accommodate us, a table for 8, was available in the back. The brunette hostess starts to take us back there, but then the blond hostess says "we have a large party coming in and they're going to be eating and drinking for a while." She points to a small table for 4 and says "You'll sit there." Confused because the restaurant allegedly doesn't take reservations, we offered to wait until one of the 6-person tables opens up. The blond hostess refused. Paragraph in which I rant about the blond hostess: This girl can't be older than 17. The whole time she interacted with us, she was rude, dismissive, and acted like it was a bother for her to be doing her job. She gave us so much attitude, like she was doing us a favor by seating us at all. No wonder people always comment on how bad the service is at this place - if your first impression is with a condescending high schooler who needs an attitude adjustment, it would take a lot to negate that first impression. Also, someone needs to tell this girl that tights are not pants. If I wanted to see someone's a$$ while I ate, I'd go to a strip club. /end rant We were seated at the tiny 4-person table, two people on one side of the table (who wants to eat with a corner of the table sticking into their chest, as the hostess arranged the seats?). The 8-person table sat vacant for the first hour we were in the restaurant, and we were almost done with our meal when the allegedly expected party came. Funny how they don't take reservations, yet they would not sit us at the only table available that would accommodate our party. Our server, Ryan, was great and attentive. I think he realized how pissed off we were at the hostess and put in some extra effort. As for the food and drink, it was just fine. Severely overpriced, but fine. Piccolo Forno is much cheaper (and is BYOB) and has much better food. There are so many options in downtown Mt. Lebanon that there's no reason to put up with bad service, attitude, and mediocre, overpriced food. I won't be coming here again. read more

Il Pizzaiolo means the pizza maker, in Italian. Well, let me tell you that our pizza maker (Il Pizzaiolo restaurant in downtown Mt. Lebanon) has some pretty extraordinary food selections and spectacular brick-oven pizza. The rustic atmosphere and the intimate summer patio complement the restaurant, while the chic wine bar gives it a modern edge. Il Pizzaiolo is our favorite Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area and before I really started cooking at home it was our every other day go-to restaurant. We are still fascinated by their commitment to always serve excellent authentic Italian food. Il Pizzaiolo is so devoted to using the best ingredients available that they get their mozzarella di bufala straight from Napoli, Italy, every week. They also hand-make their own pasta, meatballs, sweet fennel sausage, etc... Some of our favorite items on the menu are the Antipasto Napoli, a delicious mixture of roasted vegetables drizzled with golden extra virgin olive oil; the light and at the same time hearty Prosciutto e Arugula Pizza; and the superb drunken pasta also known as Penne alla Vodka as listed on the menu. Please check my full review to learn more about Il Pizzaiolo and the other 13 exquisite dishes, lunch sandwiches and drinks with pictures that we've ordered during our many visits to Il Pizzaiolo, such as Vitello alla Milanese, Antipasto Misto or Linguine alle Vongole to name just a few: http://simplyromanesco.blogspot.com/2012/02/leave-gun-take-cannoli.html read more

This used to be one of my absolute favorite places to eat. However I had such horrible service here on my last outing that I will NEVER return here again. The server was rude and ungrateful. She reminded me of Lindsay Lohan filming her reality show. The atmosphere in the wine bar is fabulous and the food is decent. I really like the pizza and marinated vegetables. The meatballs are also excellent. Sadly I cannot support a business that provides such poor service. read more

Rating is based largely on the snottiness of the staff. We weren't sure if children or non-locals were not appreciated. We walked into a virtually empty restaurant at 6 on a Monday; got the once over; and the hostess said "i hope you have a reservation. We have a big crowd at 6:30. You can wait for 45 minutes at the wine bar." We walked outside and easily booked a reservation on Open Table for 6:15, so we walked back in and were seated right away. Food was ok--puttanesca tasted like yellow mustard but caprese was awesome. We repeatedly got dirty looks from the staff throughout our meal though. I should mention that when we arrived a family with small children were leaving after finishing their meal and they had a stock-pile of high chairs in plain view, so it was not unreasonable to bring our well-behaved girls (6 and 2 yrs old). By 6:30, there were still a number of empty tables. If you're not from Pittsburgh, there attending college or joining your college-aged child or have small children, I would avoid this place. read more