Tabitha was so nice and took really good care of us at the El Paso location. This location is super clean and very rustic italian decor takes you away to Italy for dinner . Food well we ordered the 2 can dine specials And got the traditional delicious spaghetti and meatballs and a Hand Made Chicken Parm both amazing and then finished it off with a delicious lemon cake! ahh so satisfying. thanks Johnny Carino's your one of my favorite places to dine!! read more

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So so so sad. I remember Johnny Carino's when it was new and loved it. But this was a cheap (not price) imitation of what it used to be. The oil and bread was fine, the salad was fine but fine stopped there. Our main dish for both of us was not good. I would have loved to tell a manager but there just wasn't one around. Actually, there really wasn't anyone around at all...which is part of the problem. So, sadly, my Johnny Carino's days have ended. read more

This review is more about the service and experience we received. Sure the food was pretty good. Better than we expected. But what made me want to write this was the attention we received at lunch time. We tried to eat at a nearby establishment for what was supposed to be a quick simple lunch. Said restaurant wasn't that busy but we waited more than 40 mins before the server even checked on us one time. She then told us that there would be another 30 mins before our food would be ready. It was honestly just two of us, 12 wings and fries between the both of us. We ended up leaving and drove to Carinos simply because it was in the same parking lot. Talk about serendipity. The service was above par. The food (and prices) were fantastic. Without even knowing our situation, they absolutely saved our day. The staff was friendly and accommodating to whatever needs we requested. What should have been a quick and simple lunch stop actually turned into an amazing dining experience. Admittedly Carinos often gets overlooked when we go out. That day definitely changed our attitudes and we will most definitely stop by more frequently. read more

Love Carinos Italian food. The bread and dipping sauces are wonderful. My favorite is the chicken chili lasagne.

Went on Mother's Day. Had great service, great food at a good price. My go-to place for good Italian food. Great atmosphere also. read more

Absolutely terrible experience. The food was inedible. The so-called "red sauce" looked like mole but tasted like plain tomato paste with zero seasoning. The Alfredo was watered down and completely bland. For a table of four, they served just one tiny 6" piece of bread--insulting.We should have known better when we pulled into an empty parking lot. We were the only customers, and instead of tending to service, the staff were horsing around. Honestly, frozen microwave lasagna would taste better than what they're serving. Eat here at your own risk. read more

Johnny Carino's - Tasteless tomato paste - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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This place was a lot better two years ago. Today, I went for dinner or should I say I went hoping to get dinner I sat at the bar, I waited for about 15 or 20 minutes and nobody ever came up, it's too bad because your bartender lost out on a good tip. I usually tip $10 plus but nobody there even acknowledged me. There were only about two tables there and lots of wait staff. There was a bartender behind the bar when I got there, but he took off then some lady was rummaging around behind the bar and she never acknowledged me either so I just left. Not sure how you all are even staying open especially with that kind of service. read more

We ordered online for pick-up. Talked to the bartender and the manager about wine while we waited for the order, then the to-go waitress brought us our food... only it wasn't all our food. Once we got home and saw an entire pizza was missing, I went back to pick it up. The same waitress handed it to me with no apology. I wasn't rude but I did ask if they gave any credit or anything and it was denied by both the server and the manager. It would've been much better service to apologize and offer to comp a couple bread rolls or glass of wine or something, especially since I had already talked to them and they saw that I was not given the complete order. The food was pretty good, so the stars are for that! read more

I was looking forward to eating at Johnny Carinos since we were passing through El Paso for the day and they've pretty much close most of the California locations. Well, now I know why the low rating. Service was subpar for a not very busy Saturday night. Food was not as good as I remembered. They can't even serve you a decent glass/plastic cup of water. My first water served, and not even glass but a plastic (see pic) had a bad chip on it. So, i politely asked for another one, low behold I got the twin fake glass with the same chip. I guess the don't really care since it's plastic. I was just expecting better quality than that. I know it's just water but, come one. Oh and we had left overs and they only have a mini take out container so you can image how many mini containers we ended up with. read more

Johnny Carino's - Our water served on a plastic tumbler both were chipped and one had a crack going through it. - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Delicious Italian food. They have so many great choices to choose from like pizza, pastas, salmon, chicken Alfredo and so I had the lasagna. I loved it and my family loved what they had as well. A lot of people gave this place a bad review but none of the bad reviews were true. I love this place. It's worthy enough to post about. read more

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We ordered takeout from Johnny Carino's when craving Italian food. Our usual Italian place was closed that day and without a wide variety of Italian food options in El Paso we went with Johnny Carino's. We had a very good experience in comparison to some of the reviews I have read. The menu has a wide variety and it is pretty pricey, but the service was quick and all of our food was well packaged to take home. We loved the lasagna and how fresh the side salads were. We will definitely be back! read more

Johnny Carino's - Takeout packaging - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This was our third visit and now our last time giving this place an opportunity to improve on service. What does one consider normal or excellent service ? Our waitress waited 25 minutes to take our order and had the nerve to ask if we needed more time?! Nothing sucks more than entering a restaurant happy and hungry and leaving upset becuase of poor service. If I sound critical it's only because it's the same thing over and over. Table of 8 and only two breads ?! Cmon man!? No refills!? Well needless to say those I'll be out last time. If you don't care about waiting a long time and poor service this is the place for you:/ an hour later and our food is not out yet ugh! read more

I was so excited to eat here, it's been a minute. Service was great, food was poor quality. So disappointed.

We came for an early dinner so there wasn't a lot of people and we were seated quickly. The service is adequate and the food arrived in a timely manner. The bread with the garlic oil and vinegar is fantastic but the pasta is just above average, although I must admit my husband did have a lot of seafood with his pasta. Because it was early the place was quiet but I would imagine it can get lively later in the evening. Although we are just visiting this fair city, we might come back. read more

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Ordered Johny Carino's through Uber. The order arrived earlier and the food was very good for delivery. It arrived in good condition and well packed. I ordered a "box" with Spaghetti and Hand made meat balls. This also included a salad and a dessert. I didn't realize that the "Box" servings are much smaller. Im glad I ordered an appetizer and extra dessert otherwise based on their usual servings I would have been disappointed. For an appetizer I got "Baked Stuffed Mushrooms" they were different but tasty. Last, we got the Pumpkin Cheesecake. It was a bit too sweet for me but tasty, nothing black coffee can't fix. I definitely suggest Johny Carino's to anyone with a craving for Italian. read more

I didn't expect much from Italian in El Paso but didn't want bbq Mexican or steak. Prices at this restaurant are reasonable but the food was average. The lasagna portion wasn't overly generous and the meatballs side were not worth the price. Taste was okay but nothing notable. Since this is a chain I'm certain it was made at some central facility. Of course I can't prove that so can only say it tasted like it. The sauce was a bit acidic and plain. The meatballs were hard and bland with a texture like previously frozen ones. Or they were over baked. Both items were hot when I got them which is a plus for takeaway. On the plus side Josh taking phone orders was awesome and really represented the restaurant well. In the end my meal wasn't bad just not noteworthy. In the current market it was probably appropriate for the price. I was full when done. read more

Johnny Carino's - $2 each - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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We decided to drive down to El Paso from Las Cruces to dine at this establishment. My wife was craving Cariños. To our surprise, the food was not up to par, the sliced chicken in my grill chicken bow -tie festival had wired taste to it. My wife had spicy chicken Romano also had a weird taste as well. Needless to say that we are not feeling well , both of us with upset stomach's . On the good side, our waitress was attentive and helpful (good job). We won't be returning to dine at your restaurant and wish the best. read more

Came here to celebrate Mother's Day and Alfredo sauce tasted bad and old . 3 out of the 4 of us got Alfredo and everyone took it home . I warmed it up and added my own seasonings and I can tell an ingredient is bad . Good service but food is not good anymore . read more

Service was good, ambiance was good. Italian margarita and Italian nachos were great! Unfortunately my main dish, gluten free penne with spicy marinara and meatballs really missed the mark. As far as gluten free pastas go, this one is really lacking. I've had GF pastas that are so obviously gluten free. The "spicy" marinara was very sweet. The complimentary bread with olive oils for dipping is really good! Not my destination for GF pasta, but l would return for the nachos and margarita though! read more

The customer service here is just horrible. The staff that I interacted with wasn't even trying, it seemed like they were all just zombies going through the motions. Upon arriving I asked simply for a seat for 1, even informed them I would be happy to sit at the bar and eat. The hostess informed me it would be a 30 minute to 45 minute wait. I said "thank you" I'll take it as I wanted to eat the Lemon Rosemary Chicken. I proceeded to the bar area to wait until I was called and I found a seat with a purse in it. I asked the lady next to the purse if I could use the bar chair, and she kindly moved her purse for me. Great, now I have a seat at the bar without needing to wait the 30-45 minutes for a seat. I sat there for 55 minutes and not ONCE did Candy/Kandi the bar tender ever ask if I wanted anything to drink, or eat. Business opportunity missed big time. She did see me, and would look at me every so often seeing I was sitting there with a menu I grabbed myself, and no drink whatsover. So 55 minutes into it, the hostess comes and notifies me that she has a table ready for me. She sits me at a booth that is 4 steps away from where I was sitting at the bar...... About 10 minutes goes by and the bar tender now comes over to me at the table and asks if I would like anything to drink. At this point I can't further support the customer service where they aren't even trying at all, so I just ask for water and the Lemon Rosemary Chicken. The kitchen manager brings out my food once it's ready and drops it off and doesn't even say a word. There was no follow up by the kitchen manager, a food runner, or my waitress/bar tender herself. The chicken was still cool on the inside, almost as if it pre-cooked, frozen, and reheated in an oven or something. It wasn't even hot at all. Would I come back here and give them a second chance, or recommend this place? Sorry, I can't based on just the simple lack of effort by the staff. read more

Best Calzone in El Paso and our server was awesome!! We walked in with party of 16 and they happily accommodated us! read more

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Great food and excellent staff. I really enjoyed my visit to El Paso. Highly recommended.

Do not go. Prices, service and food are awful. I remember it used to be good. Don't waste your time and money go somewhere else.

The gang decided it was Italian night and we recalled driving past this particular restaurant just last night so we decided to give it a try. Three of us were seated right away. Took a few minutes for our server to greet us. Took even longer for drinks (2 beers and a glass of wine) to be served. It didn't seem as though anyone was actually working the bar on this evening. Order the stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer. Fresh baked loaf of bread with a seasoned oil plate arrived. I didn't partake but my colleagues enjoyed it. The stuffed mushrooms were just ok, but I'm not sure I enjoyed the spinach in them. For the main course, I ordered the Italian Combo and chose the chicken parmesan and lasagna, along with a caesar salad. The caesar salad was really good with just the right amount of dressing, shredded parmesan cheese and croutons. As for the entree, I wasn't a fan of the lasagna or the spaghetti sauce. Lasagna wasn't the italian style lasagna that I'm used to with Italian seasonings, ricotta cheese, etc. This style of lasagna tasted like it was specific for this region/area. The spaghetti sauce had a heat kick to it that I wasn't expecting. Ok, so forget all that and let's just focus on the Tiramisu that I had for dessert. It was 1) not low in calories, 2) delicious, 3) light & fluffy, 4) delicious, 5) still not low in calories! Only a 3 star for this place. Food was just ok. Service was good except for the time it took to get drinks. read more

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Not great. Very disappointing. Food was average at best. I remembered it being much better. Not a great value for the money. read more

Complete disappointment. Five star prices without the five star service. We arrived at 1104 am (they open at 11). It took a minute to be greeted which wasn't really an issue. After being seated we waited 10 minutes without even being offered drinks. We of course promptly left. Absolutely poor excuse for customer service especially when we were the only customers in the restaurant. This was not our first time here, but I will be our last. It's painfully clear the level of service has become horribly degraded. read more

Great food for a quick Italian place. Service and prices were great. Lasagna and chicken parm sandwich tasty

I love this spot the Lasagna is delicious I have been twice and was totally satisfied with the food. Staff leave something to be desired. If you want some delicious Italian food pass up Olive Garden and come here the food is delicious. read more

Johnny Carino's - Inside - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Here for the first time on a night to celebrate my 17yrs wedding anniversary. Ordered the crab crostini for an appetizer. Very good. My main meal was angel hair with chicken breast and artichokes. Delicious artichoke hearts appropriately cut up. My wife's was the spicy shrimp and chicken pasta. You wouldn't know that it was spicy because there is no tinge of red other than the sundried tomatoes. Our drinks were BlackBerry Italian Soda for me and an Italian Sangria for my lovey wife. I eventually succumbed to an Italian Bourbon Pinch that had the right amount of kick of alcohol. Server was kind and accommodating. Compliments to the staff, cooks, and tender for a pleasant experience amid the COVID restrictions affecting all diner lives. All tummies matter. Ty Johnny C. Will come again. read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This was my first time to this chain of restaurants and it was very good! We had tried to go to a couple of other places but one wasn't open for lunch and the other had a 40 minute wait. Carino's menu looked great so we decided to walk over here for lunch as a backup plan. I'm so glad we did because we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavors of the dishes here. I had a huge Caesar salad with shrimp and shared the stuffed mushrooms. Others with me had the wedge salad (small, but good) the shrimp penne pasta (a decent portion and delicious!) and the cheesecake with strawberry syrup. Our server was very patient and attentive with us and all of our dietary needs. We enjoyed our meal and I would gladly come back the next time in town! read more

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Love their bread with roasted garlic oil! The pecan chicken salad was good but too much dressing (I forgot to ask for it on the side so my bad). The green chile lasagna was okay but wished it had been spicier. The tiramisu was average. So sad to learn they no longer make the Italian Chile Soup. We used to love that. Please please bring it back! read more

Me and my parents and siblings had to wait 35 mins to get asked for a drinks and food while the restaurant was empty and 2 waiters walked past our table looked at us and kept walking it was about 10 minutes later when the manager told a waiter to come and service us and a couple walked out because they did not get serviced read more

It Wasn't horrible but it wasn't great. Price cheaper than OG but kind of bland Italian.

Unfortunately I am rating this restaurant a 1 due to deceptive marking practices. I have attached an image of the chalkboard sign at the entrance of the restaurant indicating that wine is 1/2 off. Today is Tuesday and the sign is posted leading you to believe that the special is today. I will not return to the restaurant simply excuse of these deceptive practices. You should charged with fraud! Oh an apology is the minimal action you could have taken! Thanks for your response owner: I sent it directly to corporate- what an idiot you are! read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Came at 5:30 on a Friday night and got seated right away. I ordered $5 margaritas a Caesar salad and a calzone. OMG the food and drink were delicious. The calzone was huge so I'm taking the other half for lunch tomorrow read more

Johnny Carino's - Supremo calzone - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Don't call it a comeback - I just couldn't stay silent. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I wanted to pay $100 for apathetic service and mediocre Italian food, I would have just gone to Olive Garden with ten friends and had a much better time. Lettuce gone bad. Servers that wear tight shirts with neat haircuts so you don't notice how little they care to actual make the meal time a pleasant experience. And all at such a ridiculous price. Don't go here until they get a handle on the skeleton crew and pricing. read more

If you want mediocre Italian food this is the place. The restaurant wasn't busy but we had a long wait. Taste of food wasn't bad and the flavor was there, but it was cold and not good. Meatballs were not fully cooked. Do yourself a favor and go to the Olive Garden. read more

We were hesitant about going in because of all the bad reviews on service. But I'm glad we went in. Our experience with the service was excellent!!! Our waitresses name was Candy. She was very attentive and polite. And the food was great!! We ordered a Lemon Basil shrimp tortellini. Super tasty and filling! Give it a try! read more

So when I step into a place like Johnny Carino's, I'm like, "Aw...this is adorable. They're trying to make authentic Italian food." And I mean they're REALLY trying, unlike Olive Garden, which is basically just a cheesy (HA! see what I did there?) impression of Italian food. I'd even go as far as to say Carino's is only slightly better than Olive Garden, but mostly kind of middle of the road for me. Today, I'll be basing it mostly on the dish I almost, sort of enjoyed for lunch: the shrimp scampi. First of all, the service was actually impressively attentive. Like, you could tell this waitress wasn't just lobbying for a good tip (which I did give her). She was going for the Italian cuisine academy award here. From offering fresh ground pepper to my Caesar salad, to extra Parmesan cheese to my scampi, to consistently checking back to make sure I didn't need anything else; I couldn't really ask for more. I'm not that much of a demanding patron. So this was an honest delight to see. I was never left waiting too long. Second, the decorum is nice enough. Although I DO find it rather odd where and how they positioned their restrooms. The pathway leading to it goes right by the pass. You know...the one the servers go to in order to send and receive ticket orders. Right as I thought I was about to accidentally volunteer to wash dishes in the back of the kitchen or something like that, the waitress reassured me that I was totally allowed to walk back there to get to the restrooms. Thank Heaven, because I was about to go around the building. Third, the food: well..the salad was fine, for what it was. The shrimp scampi had a lovely enough presentation, they used large shrimp and plenty of them...which was a nice surprise. Most Italian restaurants are extremely stingy with their seafood portions. Hell--Olive Garden arbitrarily gives you medium to smaller sized shrimp in their rendition of shrimp Alfredo, for example; only to basically trap you into requesting extra shrimp for an additional surcharge. But I digress. The scampi sauce was...alright. The main problem I had with this dish was the fact that it was in dire need of some immediate therapy sessions with Mister Salt and Misses Pepper. Here's the thing about pasta (because I actually make quite a bit of it myself): seasoning the pasta itself is key to making a flavorful dish. It can really take the overall pasta ensemble a long way. Without that, you're stuck relying on the sauce providing all the flavor, which I've rarely seen done aptly anyway. Speaking of which.. The scampi sauce overall was also just...alright. Meaning, I liked the consistency and the fact that it coated the angel hair pasta really well. However, it was slightly bland. Oh, and they barely seasoned the shrimp either. Now, I'm not averse to adding a touch...a TOUCH...of salt and pepper. Here, I had to do this a few times over as I stirred over the pasta a bit more to evenly distribute. This wouldn't be a huge deal, except I feel I shouldn't have had to work so hard to finish this meal. Outside of that little detail, I liked everything else about the dish. I liked that they put tomato, mushrooms, spinach and...oh yes--now I remember the only other thing about this I didn't like. There could have been a bit more garlic. I'm an avid garlic fan though, so chalk it up to personal preference. In the end, I would return just to try out the crab ravioli in the hopes that it far surpasses the shrimp scampi, which I would describe as....average to borderline forgettable. But not bad for lunchtime. Perhaps I'll do an updated review, if so inclined by the ravioli or possibly the lasagna. The aforementioned experience ultimately leaves me describing this place as...middle of the road; not terrible by any means, but I've certainly had better. read more

Johnny Carino's - Shrimp scampi with extra Parmesan - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I ordered the food through the Yelp app, it was delivered by GrubHub. Delivered faster than expected and with all the food I hoped for. Always really delicious. Had a few notes for the delivery, they were followed. I asked for no dressing on the salad and extra parmesan cheese. They even included the fresh bread that is served in the restaurant with the olive oil. Spicy chicken and shrimp is a 9/10, with crisp mushrooms creamy sauce shrimp cooked perfectly, and spiciness is as spicy as red chili flakes. The tiramisu is an 8/10 with a nice portion size. read more

Johnny Carino's - Spicy Shrimp & Chicken and Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - El Paso, Texas