I came to Nestico's hungry. Big mistake...the food took a long time. Not "they're slammed" long, but "this is how it is" long. The waitress was very sweet about it though, and she kept the group hydrated with rounds of refreshing drinks while the kitchen slowly did its thing. When the food finally came out, it was solid. It didn't blow my mind, but I still cleaned my plate (or maybe because I was famished). The spinach salad was fresh and clean, and I was very happy with my French onion soup. The sauteed chicken with artichokes was a simple pasta dish cooked just right (although it could've used a little more seasoning). It's a solid 4-star dinner spot where the service charm does some heavy lifting and the food delivers without showboating. Just don't come hungry and in a hurry. read more

See all

We went to Primo Nestico's yesterday for Mother's Day brunch. For starters, we had requested a table to accommodate a wheelchair. When we arrived, the table was completely set up and ready for my son to park his wheelchair without obstructing other diners or staff! That was a first for us! Our waitress was wonderful. Friendly, engaged and wonderful service. The food was delicious! We were all very happy with our orders and took home leftovers for another meal. We are looking forward to going back soon to have dinner. read more

Pretty quaint and delicious place. Not too big, feels very intimate inside. The menu was just big enough, not overwhelming. And It seemed there was something for everybody. I had the special. The salmon Oscar over rice and It was fantastic. Cooked to perfection! The waitress was so sweet and quick too. This is a great place for a date night or casual dinner. The lemon mascarpone was so good too. No cheesecake, but this cake hit the spot. read more

See all

I've been here quite a few times and always given top marks. Always been tip top. We went for a birthday dinner on Saturday night. I hate to downgrade any restaurant but I simply have no choice due to total disinterest in customer comfort and service. We were seated directly under a speaker which was really loud. I wear hearing aids which make things difficult anyway and there was a loud buzz of conversation so who wants music blaring anyway. I asked our waitress if she could get the volume lowered slightly. She said she would enquire and I never heard a word back from her about it. If she asked, then the person in charge took not the slightest bit of notice and never even bothered to come over and check. So my request was never addressed. It may be my imagination ( I was fairly pissed off) but it seemed almost as if they increased the volume slightly in a fit of petulance. I don't think a single person in there would have noticed if the music had been turned off. Good as the food is, it ruins the experience when you can't converse. Shame really as I've always enjoyed coming here. They need to keep in mind it's a restaurant, not a bloody disco.... read more

See all

Food is delicious! Pasta Pie is to die for. But just beware when ordering a glass of Cabernet. 9 oz glass is $17! I questioned it thinking a mistake because I order a house Cab. They do not have a house Cab and waitress did not tell me that. They have a red wine that's $12/glass. Guess I should have looked at the wine list before ordering. read more

Let me start by saying the service was OUTSTANDING... Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and very efficient. The atmosphere on Nesticos is welcoming, and the restaurant is nicely decorated. The food was a mix of really good and okay. The French onion soup was some of the best I've ever had. The mozzarella triangles were tasty but really could/should have been served hotter... they were just warm enough to have softened the cheese. My main issue and the reason for the 3 star review lies with our entrees. My wife and I both ordered tge pasta and meatballs, I had spaghetti, and my wife had pappardelle (I believe). The pasta itself was great and cooked well, but the sauce and meatballs were very underwhelming. There really was no flavor in either. I would be willing to give Nesticos another try and see how it goes, but as for now, this is the best I can offer . read more

The food was amazing, and our server (Laurie or Lori) was delightful!! We loved everything about Nestico's and will definitely be back.

Nestico's is great! We have been there and ordered delivery and with every order we are happy. Nestico's has one of the best meatballs in town. Had the meatball sub recently and I couldn't have happier taste buds and tummy. Their Arincini is a must have appetizer, that cheesey fried rice ball is a perfect appetizer. Not to mention that marinara sauce for dipping is drinkable by itself! The fresh bread is fresh, nothing special about it or the butter but wait!!! It's the perfect bread to soak up whatever sauce you have leftover, that's the move to make, trust me! My wife got the eggplant tonight and she was extremely happy with it. It was a great meal once again. I highly encourage you to Enjoy!! read more

See all

Nice Italian spot in North Syracuse. The mural on the side of the building is pretty cool and new. Service was good but they could use more help when crowded as my server had so many tables seemed hard to keep up. Tried a few different things on the menu and all were yummy. Bread served before meal was ok but dry with no oil or butter or something to dip into. Might of just been the weather but annoying nats inside. read more

Nestico's - Cheese appetizer - Italian Near Me - North Syracuse, New York

See all

Overall I would say takeout would be fine but I would rather not dine in ever again. Food is good the pizza was fresh but otherwise the food is nothing special and from here it's all downhill. The inside of the place was VERY hot with little to no airflow and smelled of mildew. Service was okay. Our server was not very attentive and was a bit chaotic with handling tables while we were from what I could tell only her second table and one of five tables by the time we got our check. She walked past us ignoring us on multiple occasions and we never got additional water despite being completely out, with no way of asking for more as she was really not around. I asked if it was okay to do the seafood pasta with vodka sauce to which she responded everything on the menu is made to order and can easily be swapped out. What she did not mention is that changes are an up-charge ($3). I have been a server and I firmly believe that misleading and up-charging your guests is completely rude. When she asked to box our food she left our food in the back for 5-10 minutes before addressing us again. As a veteran server I understand you have other duties but if she was so busy I would've rather her let me box my food myself. I asked to do it and she insisted she had it covered but then left it in the back which honestly makes me uncomfortable. read more

Some of the best, most consistent, authentic Italian food and dining in this area! Wonderful ambience, staff is professional, attentive, and always accommodating. We've been going for years, always a great experience. If you're seeking great Italian food in a wonderful setting in Syracuse New York, we highly recommend Nestico's. read more

We love Nesticos. The food, service and prices bring us back time and time again. The staff here are so nice and the service is excellent. They offer a nice variety of dishes and the price is extremely reasonable. This is our go to restaurant. We will return!!! read more

Nesticos is an Italian restaurant that has become a staple in North Syracuse. Situated right on RT 11, they are known for their Italian specialties, but say they are so much more than that. They have a casual environment that is suited for anyone and any meal. My wife and I came to Nesticos a long time ago. It's been so long that I honestly remember nothing about the experience. We had wanted to give it another try, and recently were able to purchase a Groupon for them, so we decided to give them another try over the weekend. It was pretty busy on a Saturday night, but we were able to be sat right away. Our server came and brought us our menus. We had a couple questions, including what exactly their pasta our was, which she answered was spaghetti in a cheese cause baked in a spring pan on top of a mushroom crust to look kinda like a cheesecake, then placed on a bed of their red sauce. My wife chose the pasta pie as she loves mushrooms, while I went with their Sicilian Grilled Chicken, a dish of grilled chicken breasts topped with their house balsamic on top of a bed of Utica Greens. Bread was brought over, which was pretty tasty garlic topped warm bread with some fresh butter. Our dishes were brought pretty quickly, but we were very disappointed with them. My chicken breasts we're fine, but the Utica Greens were not good. I LOVE Utica Greens, make them at home all the time, and I understand that restaurants cannot make things like this to only suit ones taste, but there are two key ingredients in the flavor of Utica Greens...garlic and cherry peppers. There wasn't nearly enough garlic and there wasn't ANY cherry peppers in it. The spiciness of the cherry peppers is what makes the flavor of Utica Greens, and they were completely missing. My wife did not enjoy hers either and wouldn't finish it. I tried a bite myself and it was pretty bad. It was explained that the spaghetti itself is put into a cheese sauce, but it was dry and crumbly, and the sauce it was on was not very tasty. I hate to say this, but the sauce reminded me of eating Spaghetti O's when I was young. Extremely bland, sweet sauce, no seasoning. Our service was good and very polite. That and the bread is really the only reason they're getting 2 stars. The place is decorated nicely, but kinda stuffy and outdated. I don't believe we'll be back after this experience. read more

Nestico's - Nesticos Sicilian Grilled Chicken dish - Italian Near Me - North Syracuse, New York

See all

Surprised to see just 3.5 stars for this Syracuse OG! Ignore those and give it a try! Friendly staff (even in the midst/aftermath of COVID), delicious Italian and American dishes and beautiful indoor seating. Peter Nestico, the owner, works hard to make this restaurant thrive. There are many new places to try in Syracuse but don't forget about the places that are still standing! read more

Went here for Valentines Day with hubby on the recommendation of a couple friends. They were busy, as expected on this particular holiday. We had reservations and were seated very promptly. Took a little while to have our server show up, but I give them a pass here considering how busy they were. Ordered our appetizers and meals, then they brought out some fresh bread that was warm, soft and very tasty. Appetizer of fried calamari arrived quickly and was honestly the highlight of the meal; the calamari rings were crispy, tasted great, and the dipping sauce was yummy. No complaints there. Then the wait began for our entrees, which took about a half hour to arrive. I had the chicken parmigiana and hubby had a filet and shrimp scampi risotto combo. My chicken was a little over cooked, and I was not a fan of the red sauce. Hubby ordered the filet medium but it arrived very well done. He said it was a good cut of meat but not seasoned at all. He did really like the shrimp scampi risotto. We passed on desert. I'd give them a second try sometime on a normal night, but really the busy holidays are when you'd expect them to be on top of their game. read more

See all

Our family once again enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner at our favorite restaurant, Nestico's. The pasta, sauce, meatballs, salmon, riggies, mozzarella triangles, salads, and drinks were cooked to order and delicious. Thank you so much for serving my brother's birthday cake! Our server is top notch, and we will back to enjoy a delicious meal soon! read more

We are here often and have never had a bad meal. The food is served hot and tastes great. We went on my husbands birthday and they gave us a little bottle of Prosecco to take home. Out favorites are the Chicken Parm, large enough for two meals, and the Pasta Bolognese. We have also enjoyed the Calamari and their fabulous desserts. Support your hometown restaurants. This one is top notch. read more

2 stars is a bit harsh, I wish Yelp would do half's. I went here for dinner for the first time in many years. This place was packed but they got us a table right away. Service here is excellent. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The food was ok. My mother wanted to eat light I guess so she ordered a French onion soup. She said it good. She then ordered the calamari. I tried some and it was average. If there is no tentacles and only rings, that's a bit of a red flag. I had fillet mignon that came with a shrimp risotto. I asked for medium well and it came rare. We waited an hour for our entrees so I just ate it and didn't say anything. It was bland, I had to put salt and pepper on it. The risotto was was also underwhelming. I'm guessing it was just an off night because it was slamming in there. I'm willing to give it another chance. read more

Fantastic! I ordered the Sicilian Grilled Chicken. It did Not disappoint..... Utica greens had a wonderful flavor and the greens were chopped nicely We will return. read more

my family and i love this place, we come here for every celebration from birthdays to raises, anything you can think. we've hardly ever had a bad experience. all of the waitresses are wonderful and very attentive and you can't order a bad thing here. some of my favorites are the seafood pasta rosa, the ginger glazed wild salmon, and the eggplant rollatini. read more

Nestico's - Saute Chicken Francaise - Italian Near Me - North Syracuse, New York

See all

This place is a great local Italian restaurant. It is definitely homemade Italian. The owner can be seen walking around and chatting with guests. The staff has been there for years. During COVID they added customized dividers to the back of the booths. This has blocked allot of noise and created a more enjoyable dining experience. My favorite is veal parmigiana. Their seafood bisque is awesome. I have tried other menu items and they are good as well. read more

Always busy I recommend reservations , but you must have 5 or more in your party to do so. We are typical Italians so we take a few hours to chat and eat, finishing with coffee, and on rare occasions dessert. No dessert this time we were way too full. Sauce never disappoints, we had a variety of meals, chicken parm, scallops and shrimp with spicy sauce, salmon and asparagus with rice,, and traditional pasta with meatballs. All dishes were pleasant and we shared so all had a taste. Staff is always friendly and the owner works right alongside which makes you feel at home. Love this place and was thrilled Ed to find a Groupon for $50 off a meal for 4! After Groupon, including alcoholic drinks for all, 2 salads, and coffee following, with tip $170. We all had lunch packs for next day. read more

This was the first time a restaurant went completely out of the way to make things right. I drove 30 minutes to pick up an order that should have consisted of two spicy shrimp riggies and two breads. I've been here before and loved their food. Upon arrival, staff was friendly, line was short, and the pick-up was fast. They also had separated the sanitized pens with the used pens which I thought was neat especially during the Coronavirus pandemic. I drove home to find out that one of the riggies didn't have shrimp in it as requested but chicken instead. I called the restaurant and the owner/manager immediately asked for my address and phone number to deliver what we had ordered. I mentioned the length of the drive and he had stated that he didn't care and wanted to make it right. Within 45 minutes, the owner/manager arrived with a whole new order of spicy shrimp riggies, bread, butter, and Parmesan cheese. I offered to tip for the delivery and he refused. Extremely generous and courteous person. Thank you! The food was also delicious as well. We will definitely be eating here again. read more

Good food, and dependable. We had the Aunt Josie special and eggplant rollatini. Very heavy on the garlic, and while neither was outstanding, they were still fine. The garlic pizza we had was okay, although the crust wasn't crispy and it hardened very quickly. Middle of the road, but convenient and the ambiance was fine. read more

Where do I begin? After reviewing over 100 establishments and visiting over 300 restaurants in the past few years, this has been my WORST EXPERIENCE EVER. The owner, "Peter" is the most inconsiderate, rude, and unfriendly person I have ever met. We "visited" Nestico's this week because we received a Groupon for this restaurant as a Christmas present. Being new in the area, we were excited to try this restaurant. We read the fine print on the Groupon and this is what it stated.... "$25 Value for Lunch or Dinner with Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Two or More Adults $50 Value for Lunch or Dinner with Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Four or More Adults" We received two $50 Groupons as gifts, however there were only two of us because we just moved to the area. I called and spoke with an associate to confirm that we would be able to use the Groupon once we got there since there were only two of us. The associate on the phone stated that we would be "all set", as long as we "ordered 4 entrees." Upon arriving, I asked the waitress about the Groupon before we ordered any food or drinks. The waitress checked with "Peter" and he swiftly came to our table. He was very rude, called me a liar, and told me that my "money was not good enough for him". He then walked away mid conversation. Needless to say, we immediately left without ordering food and I will NEVER return. Not only does the manager need to learn basic manners, he probably shouldn't work in the food industry as a whole. As I previously stated, I have reviewed and ate at hundreds of restaurants around the world and this has by far been my worst experience. I would rather throw my $100 Groupon away than have to see that man ever again, never mind give him business. read more

Pretty disappointed. We have lived less than a mile from Nestico's for as long as I can remember, we thought we would give it a try. We waited almost an hour after being told 25 min, that's fine. The folks from the table we FINALLY ended up with had to bring their check up to the hostess to get cashed out, they looked very frustrated, I'm thinking this isn't a good sign. We sat at the table for a good 15mins without being acknowledged by a server. Finally, the hostess did a drive-by breadbasket after watching us look more and more frustrated. A few minutes later the same hostess came back and tried to take our drink order, (still no server), we now have well over an hour invested and no food in sight. We finally threw in the towel and went to Panara, so we didn't go to bed hungry. The Hostess did tell us to have a nice night on the way out though, the best part of the experience. read more

Chicken riggies were super super good!!!! Everything is a bit pricey though. The creme brûlée is a lot bigger than a typical serving so id share with someone. read more

I want to give nesticos more stars but when I stop and really think about it, it's really only bc of their calamari w hot pepper sauce. That dish is why I keep going back there several times a year. Their food is always consistent and decent and the service tends to be good enough, yet if it wasn't for the calamari appetizer, I can honestly say I wouldn't have this on my list of places I wanted to go. They use to have great homemade bread they would bring out to the table too and they did away with that a couple years ago and went to these rolls which just don't hit that same mark. Overall you know you will get a decent dish and if you do take the trip make sure you get the calamari (as long as you like spicy things)! read more

My aunt and uncle are regulars here and have taken us every time we have come to town. We have enjoyed every minute of it. The staff is extremely friendly and you always receive top notch service. Every item on the menu is fantastic as well. The calamari with the spicy jalapeño sauce is absolutely to die for and the creme brûlée is also amazing. You are never disappointed or hungry when you leave here. I love the sign outside as well with the hours. Under bar hours it says open until ? My kind of place. read more

Nestico's - Italian Near Me - North Syracuse, New York

Nestico's was delicious. I loved the food, and our waitress was super friendly. They put us upstairs in our own little section because it was the only seating they had left but then kind of forgot about us for a second up there.. BUT like I said our waitress was a sweetheart, I can't wait to sit downstairs next time and really enjoy the ambiance. Will be back for sure!! read more

The garlic knots are to die for. We also had the baked ricotta, mozzarella sticks and Utica Greens. My fave was the ricotta. There weee 6 of us and we all thought the Food was phenomenal, service good and wine delicious. I would definitely eat there again. read more

First time even though I'm born and raised in North Syracuse- we started with two antipastos for our table of 6 - more than enough and probably one of the best antipastos I've ever had - I had the chicken riggies which were delicious- my wife had a margarite pizza which was excellent- we'll definitely come back- sorry I'm not posting any pics of the food it was so good we ate it right away before I could even think of taking any pics read more

Underwhelmed. Mid October and menu is extremely limited "due to covid". I asked how long until they'll have lasagna, and she said this could be the menu this time next year. Kinda rude, with a take it or leave it attitude. No lasagna at an Italian restaurant? No eggplant? No salmon? No scallops? From the host who sat us to the waitress, the service was sub-par. I opted for a margarita pizza, which turned out to be a garlic pizza with tomatoes. I asked the waitress, who informed me "that's what a margarita pizza is"... Um, no its not. And on flatbread?? She brought me some red sauce, but it didn't help much. I've been out to eat several times weekly for months now. If anyone has had a limited menu still, you can't tell. Disappointed, and won't be shocked if they close. read more

I have been to this establishment two separate times, hoping the second time would have been better than the first...but I was wrong. The waitress was kind but quite over tasked. It took her a half an hour to take our order and then getting drinks and bread were another story. The bread that was served was extremely hard, not at all tasty nor easy to chew. I'm not sure if it was the plan to serve it like that but I don't know as it was a great idea. Now for the main courses: I ordered the chicken pappardelle. The description sounds scrumptious but the reality is that it is a miss. There wasn't enough flavor and the chicken was very dry. My one daughter ordered the Margherita pizza and she loved it. The presentation was good and spices were right. My other daughter ordered the fettuccini Alfredo and she said it was tasty too. Overall I think this place is just mediocre and even though I gave it two chances, that is probably enough for me. read more

As a local this place represents upstate NY Italian cusine well ..from traditional to new style italian it hits all marks. The risotto balls in tomato oil is a 10. My last dish was the shrimp and chicken Alfredo /hot tomato oil sauce that was amazing. Try the pasta pie it's very unique to the area . Take it from this italian guy..head here . read more

I only gave 3 stars because they are always on Groupon. The one time I got a Groupon for the place after we ate and I got the check it seemed incorrect. When I asked the server about it all these certain items weren't included using Groupon, so at the end it was a simple $30 towards dinner like every place I use Groupon, so no thanks. You get the customer in the place then at the end you told these exclusions read more

Not impressed. I went there for lunch today with a few friends. The atmosphere's nice enough, but the waitress wasn't even remotely friendly. Almost annoyed to be there I'd say. I ordered the salmon and avocado salad. They brought out a tiny little salad with about 4 ounces of salmon. I was disappointed just looking at it. I wasn't going to say anything because I was with friends. I went to cut into the salmon and it was completely undercooked on the inside. A gooey, runny mess. Ew. So we call the waitress over. I explain the fish is undercooked then ask if I can pay more for...an actual meal sized salad. So my friends eat and I sit there hungry. I finally get my food, enough to be satisfied. Yay!! They charged $3 for the "upgrade." Boooo. I hate you, Nesticos!! read more

I have always had a great meal at Nestico's and have never been disappointed. I have gone here several times over the years when my family visits town. Almost every time I dine here I get the same thing - the Tuscan Roasted Chicken. This is a roasted dry rubbed half chicken. The skin is so crispy and the rub is very flavorful. It is served with a side of Utica Greens and a white bean and sun-dried tomato ragout. The Utica greens are always well prepared with just a hint of spice. Pasta here is always a good option I especially like the chicken and broccoli pappardelle. We usually start with a antipasto salad which is enough to share. This last time was during the romaine lettuce recall, so we got it with spinach, which was a good substitution. Service here is always great and the staff is attentive and ready to make recommendations. This is definitely a great location. read more

Nesticos is an excellent option if you're looking for an upscale restaurant in North Syracuse. A very nice, traditional Italian eatery. The highlights are: -Great garlic bread. One of my favorite things about Nesticos is the abundant garlic bread, served warm and crusty. Take advantage and order a couple loaves. -Fresh and vibrant ingredients. Really enjoyed the mediterranean style broiled haddock with fresh tomatoes, red peppers, and olives. The pasta options, with fresh marina sauces, are good choices as well including the rigattoni (with meat sauce), chicken parm, and eggplant parm. The stuffed chicken is also very good, but quite rich. My father usually gets the prime rib and thoroughly enjoys it served medium rare. -Excellent service. Wait staff is friendly, attentive, helpful and fast. -Best upscale option in the neighborhood. You likely won't find a better upscale spot in North Syracuse. Its by no means fancy, but its quite a bit nicer than the other options in the area. -Private Rooms. Not sure they still do this, but my family hosted a party in a private room upstairs. Enjoyed privacy and great service. It really made for a special night. I would say, however, that it is bit pricey for North Syracuse. The standard entrees do not come with a soup or salad and run from $12-$18 for the most desirable items. You can get comparable food at the Clam Bar down the street and its just as good and quite a bit cheaper (though not as upscale). Also, the clientele skews a bit older, like many options in the area. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but if you're looking for a trendy or chic spot--maybe for a date or special occasion--you'll probably want to head to Syracuse. All in all, I highly recommend Nesticos if you're looking for a traditional, upscale Italian restaurant in North Syracuse. read more

No longer offer whole wheat pasta. All bread also the stripped down version. Some of the salads and entrees had creative ingredients that sounded good. Others in my group liked their entrees. I didn't care for my Eggplant Parmesan. Broccoli tasteless. read more