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    Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant

    3.5 (862 reviews)

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    NICOLOSI'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant

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    Tiny Bowl of Vegetables Instead of Pasta, an hour and a half later!!
    Heather S.

    I ordered the capellini dish through GrubHub and waited over an hour and twenty minutes, only to receive a very small bowl of vegetables with no noodles, for $42 (with GrubHub fees). It was really disappointing after such a long wait and for the price point. When I called to speak with the manager, the response felt dismissive. There was no "how can we make this right?" or any effort to address the issue, just a simple "ok." That lack of care made the experience even more frustrating. I definitely will not be ordering from here again.

    Melia P.

    We have dined here a few times and have not had a bad experience. Each time the food is delicious and great quality. If you like blue cheese dressing, it is homemade and soo good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service is good and dinning area is cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    9/6/2024
    Robert Z.

    Visited 9/6/2024 Hello My Yelp Friends. Well here is my latest Foodie adventure this time in Santee Ca. I Was in the mood for Italian Food and I found it at, Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant 9420 Cuyamaca St, Ste 100, Santee, CA 92071 [[HIGHLIGHT]]What a nice long standing Family Restaurant that's been serving San Diego for over 65 years in different locations this being the latest move.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They say it's family secret recipes that keep customers coming back for more. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice place with lots of indoor and outdoor seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Friendly Staff that take very good care of your dining needs. My Server (Laurie) has been working for the owners for many years and always has a smile on her face and was extremely attentive. A Very nice lady. For lunch I ordered The Trio Combination Plate. It has, Lasagna, Beef Stuffed Ravioli, and Spaghetti. I requested All with The Home Recipe Meat Sauce. All three we're quite good. It was a generous amount of food with half going home with me for another meal. I also had to try a House Italian Sausage on the side. It went good with the Trio Plate. The Bread service was very good and I ate the whole basket. For dessert I had the Mini Trio Cannoli's. Loved Them. I Met an elder gentleman and his wife that's been dining with them for over 30 years and still comes in once or twice a week for his favorite restaurant. He told me I should come back for the famous pizzas and The Baked Spaghetti. I will be back for that one day. I've posted pics of all menus. This place is legit and worth a visit. https://nicolosis.com/

    Medium Blanco
    Abegaile S.

    06/29/24 - Late Post I came here for lunch with my sister and her 7 month old baby. We ordered the following: * Medium Blanco Pizza - White Sauce, Fresh Garlic, Provolone, Romano, Gorgonzola and Mozzarella topped off with our Sicilian pepperoni * Antipasto Salad -Small - Assorted fine Italian meats, Provolone cheese, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, pepperoncini, olives, and optional anchovies * Butter spaghetti for the baby [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is really nice. I think it just opened when we went but there were more people when we left.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We came around early lunch time. Our host was really nice and friendly. They served us a good amount of fresh bread and butter which I enjoyed very much. I probably would've been okay with that. BUT the pizza was very good. The pepperoni and crust had a nice crisp to it and the cheese and sauce was very savory. I loved that the garlic flavor was just enough not to overpower the overall flavor of the pizza. The antipasto was also good, but I just wish it had more greens. Blasphemy right?! but it had such a good amount of meats and cheeses that I felt like it needed more greens. Overall, I highly recommend this spot. I want to go back but just haven't been able to since I don't live there, but excited to try their other menu items and pasta.

    Penne Pesto Chicken
    Ana F.

    Honestly I would give it 3.5 but it doesn't allow that so I have to stick with 3. My friends suggested this place as a meet up after we went to Off Broadway a couple of weeks ago. It was during dinner time and we didn't have reservations so I don't fault them for not having to seat us right away. They did have bar stool seating but since I'm a bit short I hate bar stool seating. We only had to wait for like 15 min to get to sit at an actual table which was for the 4 of us. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It did have a nice family atmosphere which I liked.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have plenty of huge TVs there so you can't miss the big game. The artwork was nice and the " Legalize Marinara" mural on the wall made me laugh.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The menu did have plenty of options . Since I'm new to this restaurant I went with my mood. I felt it was a pesto and chicken night. I ordered the Penne Pesto Chicken. It was loaded with pesto sauce which sided on a bit too greasy and heavy for my taste. The chicken breast came in small cubes which were a bit dry but, after saying those two things, the flavors were there. I tasted the chicken and the pesto. They didn't hold back on the portion. The gave us a generous amount of Parmesan when we asked for some. It was a generous portion of food and I couldn't finish it. The pasta was cooked just right. The waiter was friendly and present. The whole experience did make me want to go back and try another dish someday. My friend loved her lasagna, so maybe I'll try that one next.

    Large Barb's CHX
    Gwyn C.

    We heard about the move from downtown El Cajon to Santee and had a coupon so we thought we'd check it out. We used the coupon to buy a large pizza and get a free small (or was it medium) pizza free. We enjoyed that it's a family owned business and getting background on the restaurant. Sounds like the family has done very well and has a few locations. My parents enjoyed the pizza making it their new top pizza location! I was a little more persnickety wanting more flavor in the sauce and even the cheese. For me it was a bit bland but my folks were happy which is more important! I was eyeing the ravioli which we may try next visit. One hesitation is that it's a bit pricy but I understand that portions are large so perhaps we can try splitting. Overall a good experience and definitely one of the better Italian restaurants we've been to lately.

    Message sent by server

    First time here and I should've read the reviews before deciding to come here. We ordered a half pepperoni and half margarita pizza. They charged us $10 more for half and half and the server never told us that there was an extra cost. Nor does it say it on the menu. I asked the server why he didn't tell me and he just said I forgot. My daughter ordered Cappellini and there was no fresh garlic, basil and tomatoes, it was just sauce. We will definitely not be coming back. *** Update - The server then sends me a message after posting this review. You have to click on the photo to view. Wow, this establishment isn't going to make it with unprofessional employees like this ***

    Tuesday dinner
    Charles C.

    Nicolosi's in Santee is now the new headquarters of the restaurant, since the other branches have now closed. The interior of the restaurant is pleasant, with a bar up front where you enter. On each side of the bar are multiple hightops on two sides. The dining room is on the far right. There are paintings on the wall with amusing sayings. As for the food, i Ican recommend the Tortellini, if you order it with light cheese and sauce. And the "Tony's Special Pizza" is better than expected.

    Come visit this place!
    Joshua L.

    Came here for lunch today, and I really enjoyed it! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was really clean, and the service was top notch.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] However, the food was pretty amazing. I ordered calamari as my appetizer, a margherita pizza for my main, and the lava cake as my dessert. And, I can confirm that everything was fantastic! Despite the fact that the calamari could have been a little crispier, it had good flavor, as did the pizza which was vibrant, bright and really tasty. However, they definitely know what they're doing in the dessert department, because the chocolate lava cake was absolutely phenomenal! Overall, I'd recommend giving this place a try. They even have a really diverse menu, so even if you don't like something they have, you have the option to just choose something else completely different, which basically ensures that you will have a good experience!

    Sampler Trio
    Emma S.

    Welcome back Nicolosi's!! When Nicolosi's moved from Waring to Navajo is just wasn't the same. I had little hope when they moved to Santee but we decided to give it a try. Oh My Gosh it was DELICIOUS!!! I had the Gnocchi Parmesan and my husband had the trio (spaghetti, lasagna and ravioli). We topped our dinner off with their Frittole (deep fried pizza dough topped served with a berry and a chocolate dipping sauce). Even though we were UBER stuffed, we demolished the Frittole. So good!! Our server Victoria was delightful and the restaurant has a great vibe. The only 2 things I wish for are for them to bring back the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and I'd LOVE for them to sell their sauces jarred. I personally would have bought at least two jars of their Marinara to take on an upcoming trip to Texas. One of my best friends completely misses Nicolosi's.

    Near entrance inside. . Has outside patio, too.
    David F.

    As a "kid" I worked at "the" Nicolosi's, on El Cajon Blvd., when Sam Nicolosi owned the restaurant. Sam got the place from his father, who started the restaurant in 1952. Sam was a great guy to work for and had me on the day shift during the summer, Monday through Friday, so I could hang out at OB to surf with my buddies. I was impressed that many of the ladies that worked there then actually retired many years later. How many servers today work 15-25 years at the same restaurant? When a new freeway was built through the 40th Street intersection, Sam moved to a location on Waring Road. Sam had no children to pass the baton to. So I believe when he decided to retire he sold it to some nephews or cousins. They moved the restaurant to another location but it wasn't the same. Now, the Burn's family owns Nicolosi's in a small shopping area, and the place has a more up beat sports-bar feel to it. Very little, if any, of the restaurant's history is evident. Food was not bad and better than most places (chains) I've been to for something Italian. Had a half pepper steak sandwich (soggy) with marinara for $17 and a small lasagna for $24. The sauce was a little watery but not bad. The bread was fresh although they don't bake their own anymore. Service by Betty was good. This new location is more for the "locals" in Santee. Too far for tourists to drive to as there are some excellent Italian restaurants closer to the beaches and downtown. Overall, I wouldn't say great but it was good. Last thing: Very expensive as noted above and two scoops of spumoni was $9 and a glass of soda was over $4. I know rent in San Diego is high but this seems excessive.

    Lasagna
    Dan E.

    I'm so happy to have visited Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant's new home in Santee! In business since 1952, Nicolosi's has been a legendary Italian food institution in San Diego, alonside the likes of Filippi's, Ottavio's and Pernicano's. Over the last 70 years Nicolosi's has continued it's incremental move east. Starting in Mission Hills, then El Cajon Blvd, Grantville, San Carlos and now Santee. I suppose at some point they'll be in Alpine or Descanso. Who knows. Anyway, they've been around for generations and they're steeped in rich history. I just love places like that. The new Santee restaurant is interesting. I believe the former occupant of this space was a Pizza Hut, so it's pretty small. The vibe is very much "sports bar" throughout. Big screen TVs on all the walls, even in the dining room. It feels like an Oggi's. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just don't go expecting romantic or intimate. All the servers and staff were so nice and patient. They do seem to be suffering from staffing challenges like many other businesses. There was only one server on duty at the time we visited on a Saturday afternoon. Had to wait to be seated despite a mostly empty dining room. My experience with the food was a mixed bag. Everything came out in a timely fashion. The dinner salad was outstanding. Liberally dressed with a delicious Italian dressing, just how I like it. Tasty croutons that were somewhat airy. Pasta dishes are served with a warm bread basket and a few small packets of butter. Bread service was very good. I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. It came out piping hot which I appreciate. Unfortunately the chicken was quite salty and the spaghetti pasta was overcooked, well past al dente. The marinara was thick, sweet and fairly unremarkable. My son really enjoyed his pesto pasta dish. My wife liked her manicotti, however half the plate consisted of steamed vegetables. Kind of a small portion.

    Medium Meat Lovers
    Tony A.

    Came in here for a late lunch last sunday. Ordered the calamari appetizer, also had a meat lovers pizza and my girls had the gnocchi and spaghetti (not pictured). The calamari had a very good flavor but they didn't have the other creamy sauce usually served with calamari, just the marinara. Still.....the calamari was tasty. The pizza was also very good, my only complaint was I'm a fan of a nice crust and there wasn't much crust on this pizza. But the sauce was good, and the sausage had a nice herbaceous flavor to it. So many times you get sausage from these places and it's gritty and flavorless but not here. Also we were given very good service, I came in after working on my truck and had quite a thirst. Our server was very quick with the refills. Would definitely come back to try different menu items.

    Lasagna

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    Pizza was soggy. Not much else to say. Just super disappointing. Too much cheese. Probably won't be back.

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