A full-circle visit with flavorful dishes and a memorable return after 17 years. I hadn't been to Johnny Carino's in about 17 years -- the last time I was here, I was pregnant with my daughter. What stood out to me back then was that it was one of the few meals I could actually eat and keep down during that time, so coming back with her for an early dinner felt like a true full-circle moment. We were seated right away in the bar area, and our waitress was very kind and attentive. The menu has a little something for everyone, which made it easy to find options we'd both enjoy. I started with the Italian wedge salad, which came with candied pecans and the usual toppings. What I appreciated most was that it didn't have an overwhelming amount of raw red onions, which can sometimes take over a wedge salad. It was well balanced and really enjoyable. For my entrée, I had the lasagna, which was flavorful, saucy, and satisfying. I would have liked a bit more cheese, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. My daughter ordered the cheese ravioli with Alfredo sauce along with a vanilla Italian soda with cream, which she really enjoyed. The complimentary bread service was also a highlight -- served with olive oil that had pieces of roasted garlic. We added balsamic vinegar, and it was delicious. I had the blackberry iced tea, which was refreshing and paired well with the meal. Overall, this visit was a great reminder of why this place has stuck with me over the years. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to -- and not waiting another 17 years next time. read more

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Well. Had high hopes. Food is not good. Tried it for a late lunch. Got the buffalo wings. Smallest wings I have ever seen. Said "15 min wings worth the wait". They came in about 5. Tiny with franks red hot poured over them. Not great. Decided to try again for dinner next night since hotel next door. Got the chicken parm. It's basically a couple frozen patties with tomato sauce dumped over. Do your self a favor and skip this one. I ask the Hispanic bartender what the most Italian thing in the menu was, she laughed and said no Italians work here! Bartender was nice. read more

Johnny Carino's - Tiny wings with hot sauce dumped over them. - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, California

They sent out a mailer this week (the week of Easter) offering a free dinner with purchase. The fine print said valid through 5/17, not valid on Mother's Day. We went in today and were told not valid on holidays. It seems like a bait and switch. They know when they sent it out. They excluded one holiday in the fine print, but not the nearest one, and then refused to honor the offer. They didn't even seem busy. I'm not eager to return. read more

Johnny Carino's - Unhonored offer - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, California

Johnny Carino's in Fairfield, CA, is a classic Italian restaurant that blends familiar comfort dishes with a modern touch, all served in a warm, family-friendly atmosphere. Conveniently located at 1640 Gateway Blvd, Fairfield, CA, it's an easy and welcoming spot whether you're going for a casual dinner or a special night out. Their menu boasts a wide selection of Italian-inspired favorites including hand-tossed pizzas, freshly made pastas, hearty chicken and steak entrées, crisp salads, and shareable appetizers. There's truly something for everyone, from traditional comfort dishes to slightly bolder, contemporary flavor combinations. I was really impressed with the ambience of the restaurant--cozy, inviting, and perfect for relaxing over a good meal. The food is absolutely 5 stars. For starters, they serve warm, freshly baked bread with olive oil infused with garlic and herbs, which immediately sets the tone for the meal. We ordered the appetizer platter, which was generous enough to easily share between two people and already felt like a full experience on its own. By the time our main courses arrived, expectations were high--and they delivered. I had the spicy shrimp and chicken with penne pasta in a light creamy white sauce. The pasta was perfectly al dente , with just the right balance of spice and richness. My guest chose the Chicken Parmesan, which was beautifully plated, flavorful, and comforting in every bite. They also offer a solid selection of drinks, including wines and spirits, which pair well with the menu and elevate the dining experience. Pricing is $$, and honestly, every bite feels worth it. The service deserves special mention as well--our servers were attentive, friendly, and genuinely welcoming without being intrusive. They made sure everything arrived promptly and checked in at just the right moments, which added to the overall experience in a very natural way. 5 Stars Doris S. read more

Spaghetti and meat sauce kind of reminds me of Olive gardens. The pizza was delicious according to my husband and step dad. My mom said the meatballs and sausage on the spaghetti was good but a little spicy in her opinion. We ordered pickup/togo so can't speak on service or ambiance. read more

the service was amazing. i ordered the spicy tilapia pasta which was good but not that spicy & lacking a bit of flavor so i added salt, which helped. i tried the tiramisu which was not my favorite but my boyfriend loved it! it was very cold inside & well decorated. read more

It's so sad that this place was once a restaurant that I enjoyed dining at, after my recent stay that has dramatically changed. We walked in and nobody was there to greet us (no biggie) the host who eventually came to the front informed us that it would be a 20 minute wait (despite all the empty tables we seen) in order for the 1 waitress to catch up on serving tables. We were in no rush so waited. Seated in a nice booth. Our poor waitress was so kind however you can tell she was very overwhelmed running all tables by herself. She was probably also the bartender now that o think of it. Food quality was terrible, drinks super sugary, half of us got our food at one point while the other half go their food 20 minutes later. I don't recommend and won't be back. read more

Yum, pasta! I come here primarily for the pasta. I have tried a few of their pasta dishes and my favorites are the Fettuccine Alfredo and Baked Cheese Tortellini. You can have either plain or with chicken or shrimp. I found the pasta cooked to al dente. The sauces are very flavorful even if you order it plain. I have tried a few of the desserts but find them a bit bland or full of filler. For example, the tiramisu only had lady finders around the edges of the middle layer. The entire center was just cream and it lost a lot of the traditional coffee taste. The same goes for the chocolate cake. It was not very sweet and slightly dry. The best dessert I found was the Turtle Cheesecake. I just recommend asking for extra caramel. They sometimes drizzle a lot or a little and I order extra just in case. read more

I used to really like Johnny Carino's years ago, but I hadn't been in years. I recently received a coupon in the mail for a free pizza with purchase, so I figured I'd give it another try. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. I ordered the baked tortellini and the free thin crust pizza, and both were honestly terrible. The pizza was like a soggy tortilla covered in greasy pepperoni cups filled with oil. The baked tortellini was hard and crunchy, like it had been overcooked or sitting out too long. Definitely not the quality I remembered, and sadly I would not go back. read more

"Didn't come for a club sandwich, but left a believer." Let's be honest -- when you walk into an Italian restaurant, you're thinking pasta, pizza, maybe chicken parm. But I decided to roll the dice (casino pun intended) and ordered the Grilled Chicken Club -- and jackpot. Perfectly grilled chicken, apple-smoked bacon, lemon basil aïoli, mozzarella, lettuce, and tomato -- it was fresh, flavorful, and honestly one of the best club sandwiches I've had in a while. Who knew an Italian kitchen could pull this off so well? The fries were crispy, golden, and seasoned like they had something to prove. The side salad was your basic side salad -- fresh, dependable, and just happy to be included. The bartender was friendly, quick, and kept the good vibes going -- exactly the kind of service that makes you want to stick around for another round. Overall, a solid win: great sandwich, killer fries, decent salad, and excellent service. Not bad for a place I thought would only serve spaghetti. read more

Johnny Carino's - Side House Salad - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, California

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We just had lunch at Johnny Carino's and had a great experience. We came in because of an offer we received in the mail for a free meal, and I'm glad we did. I ordered the linguine with ribeye steak and the lasagna, and both were absolutely delicious. We also ordered the mozzarella sticks, which were just as good. My wife had the chicken parmigiana, and she loved it. My mother ordered the meat platter, and that was delicious too. The service was great, and our waitress did an amazing job taking care of us. Thank you for the wonderful experience -- we will be back. read more

This place has horrible customer service. Our server was so rude we left and I called the manager to give a heads up and was basically hung up on. Don't bother with this restaurant. Would give a zero if I could. We left and went to olive garden and were treated like they actually wanted us to be there. read more

Unfortunately this has to be an unbiased negative observation of my recent experience at Carino's! This is a serious knock against the management team allowing such unprofessional behavior to go on without the proper coaching. The service staff was unwelcoming and borderline rude. Argumentative over a special that was mailed out directly to our home. The food was assembled with as much love as a traffic citation. When a family started off with nothing but smiles and anticipation of a good meal and all ending up agreeing that this would be the last time I spend my hard earned money in this establishment! Says a lot about our dinning experience. Success and satisfaction starts with actually caring and the pride you put into your existence. Come on Carino's you can do better.... read more

Unfortunately I am changing my 5 star to a 1 star. After having such a great time and such a great server, my boyfriend and back and we brought in the coupon thing that was sent in the mail and we got the server who before we could even order drinks was telling us about how we can't use that and then also have the other person in order food from the daily menu. We've eaten here probably 10 times and have both always been able to get our own thing and it's advertise that these are the specials and that you can do them on this day. She's the only server that was ever just out to tell us no repeatedly about everything. She was rude and unhelpful so we left before we ordered anything. Unfortunately no we won't go back read more

LOVED the flavor and portions of the food- especially for the price. The tiramisu was authentic and felt homemade and not store bought. Our service was helpful, attentive and kind. The ambiance was superb- bright, happy and clean. Happy we discovered and we will be back because you get so much food for the price. read more

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The service is great. The one waitress I deal with is Amanda and she seems to be honest. She works very hard to keep everybody happy make sure she always comes back to see if you need another drink water more bread. I loved going there. read more

This was my first time ever coming ever and I don't think I realized this place has been here for many years. I was invited to a dinner with a family who comes here to host large parties. The area seems very convenient for large groups, you can order for groups and you have a large space. There are party packages to order and we were super full with leftovers! There's complimentary bread with oil and balsamic vinegar. We had Caesar salad, chicken pasta, pepperoni pizza, a chicken pizza, and some of the kids ordered tiramisu and cheesecake. They also had pitchers for water and soda. Service was so quick and we were in and out of there but we also had the area to hang out. The quality of food wasn't bad and seems convenient for larger parties. Parking is easy, service was great. read more

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I have gone here several times. The waitresses are all so rude and they're too old to be acting like mean girls. Grow tf up, this isn't high school. The food is not worth the hostile service. I'm done with this place read more

I always have a good experience dining in. First time ordering online was awful. Got the family platter and the salad and Italian nacho upgrade. The nachos were just a bunch of chips with tomato's and olives spread around. Cheese was only on a few chips. The spicy shrimp and chicken family platter had a handful of chicken and shrimp To split between a few people. The loaf of bread didn't come with any oil and garlic. Just a bad experience and waste of money. Ended up tossing most of it. read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian nachos. I got it with no jalepenos but online says it's supposed to come with either sausage or chicken. No meat and barely cheese - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, California

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Please come back towards Antioch Brentwood area. I miss Johnny Carinos. I love the Italian nachos. I've heard a couple people also say they've missed that place. read more

I see why this place only has 2.5 stars. I ordered food for delivery and the food was uncooked and cold. I called the store and the lady hung up on me when I asked them to resolve it. Don't order from here if you want good food and service. read more

I highly doubt I will be back. My food was served cold. The slice of cheese was just sitting on my lasagna. I did request it to be reheated. It helped a little, made it a little better. The fried ravioli were the worst I ever had. They were actually baked and very dry. They were served with sweet chilli sauce that's usually used for lumpia's. My son's BBQ pizza was ok, not horrible but ok. It had peppers on it, that were not in the description on the menu. The spaghetti wasn't so good. read more

Let's start with the pro's- The food was fantastic! It was my first time eating there and I was really impressed with everything! Even the house salad was delicious! Con- Theresa our server who happened to be the manager was short, didn't introduce herself when she approached the table and simply wasn't friendly. We had time to burn and opted to leave because the atmosphere was so unfriendly. Also there is a fee for refills on bread despite our table of 3 receiving 1 loaf to serve all of us. Lastly I ordered bottomless meatballs had 1 serving and when I asked for some to add to my leftovers I was told I couldn't get any more. So my bottomless meatballs was 1 serving of 2. It's a shame because the food was delicious, but I won't be eating there again. read more

My family are long time customers and the last couple of years the quality of the food has not been as good. We enjoy the atmosphere as it's nostalgic of time with my late brother. Sometimes my parents order the family meal or mega meal and bring it to my home to eat with other family members. It always comes with salad and bread. Tonight my parents ordered a family meal and a mega meal and it was nearly $200.00. There was no salad, they shorted us on bread, and when we called to ask about it, staff argued and yelled at my 85 year old mom. Evidently salad is an add on which we never knew or requested before. No offer was made to allow us to pay the difference and pick up the salad, no offer to get our missing bread ready, no customer service whatsoever. The manager apologized for the miscommunication but failed to help remedy the issue. Not a good look. read more

Have been mourning the loss of the Antioch location for years - excited to find this location in Fairfield still open and booming! Food & service was great - will be back! read more

Service was ok considering the entire restaurant was dead when my family and I went in for dinner. Pasta dishes were a little bland and not what I was expecting. My daughter ordered the kids cheese pizza but it came out with pepperoni on it. They took it back and literally picked the pepperonis off and brought it back to the table and it was looking pretty rough and wasn't very warm anymore. We won't be back. read more

This used to be our spot. Straight garbage now. Not sure is they flipped the kitchen, or owners. I can't even eat my leftovers. 200 gone.

My husband and I had lunch here with my parents and other relatives. We enjoyed the ambiance. It had an old-school Italian vibe. The staff was helpful and courteous. We ordered: stuffed mushrooms, calamari, shrimp alfredo, 3 cheese ravioli with meat sauce, and Johnny's cheese/bacon cheeseburger. They also offer complimentary bread with butter, and/or olive oil with balsamic vinegar. We all enjoyed our food, especially my picky parents. We will definitely be back. Looking forward to trying the other items on the menu. read more

Amanda is a wonderful bartender ive seen her twice at Johnny Carino's and both times she has been great

The 3 stars are for the food. Have been here many times and it seems the food has gone down. We ended up with a bunch of appetizers and sat at the bar. We got a side of fries, boneless and bone in wings, spinach and artichoke dip, and fried ravioli. All of these items we've had many times. The food was not as warm as we've experienced in the past. The food was so so but the spinach and artichoke dip was just not good at all. It used to be one of my favorite appetizers here but now I can't even stomach it, I wonder if the recipe changed. The service at the bar is always great. We get served right away and the server is always attentive. Drinks are usually solid. The bar area is pretty spacious. Many TVs to watch sports etc. read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, California

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Friendly service and edible food. Nothing stood out and we didn't feel that anything would draw us back again. It seems that over the years this chain has gone from Italian romantic cuisine with a unique niche to a chain restaurant in league with the likes of Applebees and a less fancy Olive Garden. Hope the shift in business models keeps them going. read more

We keep trying it again because we always get a buy one get one entrée in the mail. It was alway ok, but the last 2 or 3 it's just been basic. It's not true Italian, not much flavor and not even hot. read more

Rude Staff, uncleanliness,dirty . The last 2 experiences there have been very bad, would not recommend for your hard earned money!

I had never heard of the Johnny Carino's chain. It reminded me of TGIF, Ruby Tuesdays and other similar suburban restaurants. Johnny Carino's has what appears to be good deals on the menu such as adding unlimited house salad for $4; it was a pretty basic salad mainly lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. I didn't bother with another plate. The 2 for $10 margaritas deal sounded cool so my dad and I each ordered one. His frozen strawberry came as regular but he didn't complain to the server. He said it was too sweet. My regular on the rocks was probably the worst margarita ever in my life. It was basically sugar water. No tequila taste, just lots of mix. I think they forgot to put alcohol. No one reordered from the bar. You get what you pay for. Or less. Our St Louis-style BBQ ribs with spaghetti were decent but nothing to Yelp about. We came with a huge party of about 36. So I know things would be a bit overwhelming for the servers. They did their best to keep up, but a manager had to step in to help keep things perking along, such as upon my request, getting salt & pepper for all the tables. The bill was not split according to how we told the server. We had to figure it out ourselves. Although our group had fun, it was a disappointing evening. read more

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The food was amazing. great service. Our sever Gloria was amazing she basically read our mind. Definitely recommend

This is my go to place for tasty food and great service. Bertha is always very kind and attentive, it's a big reason for why I continue to return. Touché! read more

Review skoobert made about the Mexican lady is entirely true. Had the house Salad today with stale croutons if I wanted stale croutons I would've dug in my pantry and made a salad on my own at home. 13.99 for endless salad after we were done with the first serving of salad our entree came out the lady took the plate away without asking if we wanted another serving. Had to ask her when she came around again for more salad. As we're finishing with the 2nd serving she came out with our dessert making it seem like she was shooing us away. As I was eating the rest of the salad she took away my plate and stuck her thumb in my salad. read more

The food was okay it took along time to receive our food and it was not busy as all , the service could of been better I used to be a waitress so I know good service read more

The worst experience I've ever had with my family. The waitress complained in front of everyone embarrassing and making us feel like crap about not giving her a bigger tip, crying about not getting paid enough and demanding a bigger tip. You give what you can, and what they deserve based on the overall service they provide. The worst experience ever!!!. read more

The atmosphere was lively, the service was really excellent. We enjoyed the food, it was fresh and delicious! We ordered fro. The appetizer menu, and the "Lunch menu" we were happy with all dishes presented I would recommend this restaurant as all their food seems super fresh! read more

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