It was the first time trying Paisano resto for lunch with my coworkers. We made reservations to be sure we secured seating given the holiday season. They were great with giving us a booth as it was cozier to dine. Great first impression of the space, it's spacious and when you enter there's a grand piano in the center of the restaurant. Not sure if they have a piano player in the evening as that would be a nice touch if they did. The overall seating space is large with several areas. Place looked clean. They offered a lunch menu or you can order a la carte off a more extensive menu; we went a la carte! Lots of menu options. We ordered the appetizer platter with brushetta, grilled shrimp and calamari. Everything was tasty and made well. Good first impression with the food so far. We all ordered something different for our mains and we all thought the food was delicious. Their portions were very generous! One person ordered the chicken parm and it looked like it can feed 2+ ppl. I made the chicken pesto pizza, it had a of toppings and the crust was thin. The only draw back it that they served the pizza still on the metal pan they used to bake the pizza. This looked a bit cheap and it would've been better served without the pan. It's obviously the pizza isn't made in a wood fire oven. If they did, I think this would push their food over the top. Others had the gnocchi in rose sauce and linguini w/ shrimp and they were happy with the portions and the flavours. Our server was Alfred. He was friendly and somewhat attentive as the restaurant got busy that we had to wave him down a few times. I think their wait staff needs to up their game if the restaurant owner wants to elevate their establishment towards fine dining otherwise it's kinda middle of the road. They lessen their impressions with guests with having cheap laminated lunch and dessert menus. Their dessert menu reminds me of a menu from Cora's because they have pictures of the dessert options. I think the owners need to think where they want to with their establishment..fine dining or more family style. There were several contradictions with their ambience (grand piano), wait staff to menu presentation (laminated pictures of food vs lovely extensive a la carte presentation) . Overall, I had a good experience with the food quality & quantity but I'm not sure I'd be running back there again. read more

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myself and two friends made a spontaneous stop at cocina de paisano last night, as we had a craving for Italian. first time there. atmosphere was great. was not let down by the food. all service was excellent and additionally, Elia was exceptional! professional, attentive, engaging and entertaining! will definitely be back. read more

The Caprese salad is almost as amazing as the waiter whose name is Elia. I highly recommend both to everyone visiting Toronto.

Had dinner here tonight, i would say the experience in this restaraunt was mediocore. Its a basic italian restaurant, with a basic menu. Food was okay, not the best. But the service we got that night was really good. Food: Appitizer platter- with grilled calamari was good, garlic shrimp tasted like garlic and the bruchetta was the best part about it. Fresh tomotoes and lots of garlic just like how the italians like it. Chicken carbonara - was sub par, i dont know why they had to drown the perfectly cooked pasta with sauce. They couldve gone easy with it, my pasta was swimming im the sauce. Meat lovers pizza - good pizza, baked just perfect with sufficient toppings. Service - probably the best highlight of the night was our server. He was friendly and knowledgable about the menu. He had given us the specials of the night and even suggested menu items when asked about the food. He was also very accomodating and attentive, he would come over now and then and ask how things were and kept our glass filled with water. In my opinion, you can have the best food in the world but if your service is bad you lose points with me. I think part of the restaurant experience isnt just food but also the service read more

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Everything was perfect! I ordered the mushroom veal and everything was exceptional. Pasta was perfectly al dente, vegetables were not over cooked and the veal cutlet mushroom sauce combo was savory, rich and everything you would expect. I paired it with the merlot, which was rich and full bodied. The wine list gives excellent descriptors of what to expect. My server, Ebby was polite, courteous and attentive. I will be back with the family to enjoy it again soon! read more

This place is busy. The food reminds me of an old fashioned American Italian menu. But it is a good thing, because something you just want the traditional meal. The service is friendly enough. On the menu, they have some classics, but a good selection of pizza and pasta. The front can get a bit crowded at peak dinner times. read more

Paisano - Clam linguine with a white wine garlic sauce - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I came here for lunch while in the neighborhood on a Saturday around noon. This is an Italian eatery with the classics. The restaurant is spacious. There's a grand piano in the middle! Lunch time was quiet. A few tables. We ordered the Italian salad, pan seared veal with pasta, cheesy garlic bread, shrimp and scallop pasta. Veal came with too much creamy sauce. But the vegetables were cooked perfect for a little one. The food is as expected for a family type restaurant. It's a comfortable environment. Great for kids. Service was friendly and attentive. We enjoyed our lunch. I'd like to come back and try dinner. I expect it will be a different atmosphere and experience. read more

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If you are looking for an authentic Pizza place unfortunately this is not the place to come. I think there pizza was bought at the grocery store and put into the oven with a few fresh toppings. Very disappointing!! 0 star for the pizza The best thing about this restaurant was the service we had a server named Michael and he was probably one of the best servers I have ever encountered. 5 star for the server! read more

Came here for dinner and our waiter (Calvin) was extremely nice and helpful. My boyfriend wasn't too sure what to get but the waiter gave a breakdown of the menu. Apparently they are known to have the best spaghetti and meatball in North York. The meatball was soft in texture and flavourful. The raffaella's rose sauce tasted amazing and the chicken was very tender. The food probably came out within 10 minutes! We were quite hungry and our waiter made sure our food came out fast. Overall, we would definitely come back again and try the rest of the menu! read more

Paisano - Top: Spaghetti and Meatball Bottom: Raffaella - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Service - Been there many times and the service is always great. Friendly staff that always have a smile on their face and very pleasant to talk to. Food - If you're looking for pasta, this is a great place to go to. I've had many pastas from the salmon fettuccine to the carbonara, and they have been amazing every time. Though their pizzas lack a bit in comparison, I highly recommend the pastas. Price - The price is average, not too high and not too low, but it's very worth it for the quality of food that you get. Atmosphere - The atmosphere is very nice. Thy have some great decor that gives you a more Italian vibe, from the murals on the walls to the pillars, it's a very Italian feel. Somewhat romantic too, so a good place for date night if you're looking for something semi-formal. read more

Paisano is a recently opened Italian spot near where I went to high school. I came on a Saturday night with my softball team. We were a large group of hungry young adults, so yeah, we were loud and wanted food lol :P XDD The decor reminded me of Olive Garden somewhat and the waiter who served us was informative and friendly. I had the spaghetti with meat sauce, which is one of my favourite dishes in that cuisine, ever since I was a kid. It was good, but nothing extra spectacular. The meat sauce was nice and hearty. The atmosphere was a bit noisy for my liking. There was some live music, which I don't mind, but I found it a bit distracting. The portions are large, so come with an empty stomach! I would go here again to have a casual Italian lunch/dinner with my family and/or friends, but it's not the most stellar Italian food I've had. It was still good though. Would recommend. read more

Paisano - Spaghetti with meat sauce - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Very nice Italian restaurant. Came here for dinner for the first time and enjoyed every bite. My friend recommended the place and was happy to try it out. The bruschetta was amazing! Light, good bread, and loved the side of tomatoes. The minestrone soup was very good! The chicken carbonara was excellent with great flavour, and right among of meat and sauce. Overall enjoyed this place and would come back for more. read more

Tonight was not their night, nor for the three other tables around us. Slow on service, two of our six dinners were delivered to the table beside us. They were half way through the chicken dishes before they realized they were not eating the fish they ordered. Meanwhile our dinners got cold awaiting the final two. I praise the patience of two children at our table while we then waited longer for the chili flakes asked for. In the distance we hear yet another table asking for a manager, the wait for them was unacceptable for their meals. More importantly For all of this was that they chose not to compensate in any way for mistakes and delays, no complimentary appetizers, nothing. I was not going to ask for it either. They've paid for it in future visits. It was our last. read more

Had dinner here as it was across the street from my hotel and convenient. Not bad food but not the authentic taste of Italian I was looking forward to. I ordered the Veal Parmigiana and started with a caprese salad. The salad was more of a salad with some mozzarella and a couple of tomato slices on a bed of lettuce instead of just mozzarella and tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic. The veal was prepared ok with a somewhat sweet sauce and served with penne pasta. They also serve some warm ciabatta bread which was good. Service was pretty good but it was very slow when I was there. A couple of cold Peroni's along with the nice staff helped make the dinner enjoyable. Ok for a convenient dinner but not where I would go for a nice night out. read more

The food was excellent but the service was horrible. After we got our drink, our waiter did not return until 45 mins later with our meal. After that he disappeared again for another 20 mins then when he finally came back, we asked for the bill. He served food to 3 tables before coming to us with the bill. You could just imagine how frustrating it was to constantly be waiting. read more

Paisano - Blackened Salmon and Seafood Linguini - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We arrived on a Friday night. We waited at the door to be sitted for at least 5 minutes. We had a coupon to dine in. This coupon was delivered to our door. It was for half price the second meal. I was pretty sure that we are getting that. My friend suggested me to check with the waitress. I thought it wouldn't do any harm. I showed the waitress the coupon. It took them three people to go back and forth to figure out what coupon this is. It was their coupon sent out, but no one knew about it. After all back and forth, the third person told us that the management is not accepting this coupon. The coupon was meant to be used in weekdays and not on weekends. The sad part was that when we asked to talk to the manager, they said he is not bothering to show up at that point as he is busy. We can order and then he will show up. The sadder part is that the restaurant wasn't even half full, and they lost us as their customers for the rest of their business life. It was very rude of them. We left. It wasn't a pleasant visit. We won't recommend this restaurant for its level of service. I don't care how good their food might be, which I doubt it's going to be any good reading the reviews. read more

I'd give the food a 3, but given everything else that happened last night, I'd rather not give them 3 stars. I came in with high expectations. I had a friend let me know they thought it was good, and I'd seen the reviews. I came in about 6:45pm last night and we had to wait 5-10 minutes for a table. I was impressed. I didn't think there'd be so many people. Our server was attentive, but perhaps a tad overbearing, if only in his voice. He was helpful with recommendations though. I had the eggplant parm. My brother had the veal aglio e olio. Our friend had the spaghetti and meatballs. I think my brother made the best choice of the night, value-wise. I'd have gotten it too, but for variety's sake, I opted for something different. It wasn't particularly special, but it was a solid choice and it was alright for the price. I was expecting bigger portions, having been told their portions were good. My eggplant was large, portion-wise. I'm beginning to realize that I'm not a fan of eggplant or veal parm though. The tomato sauce over the breading just makes for soggy messes. My favorite part of my dish was the broccoli on the side. That was nice and garlicky. That says something about the rest of my meal as well though. I had a bite of our friend's meatballs. They were beefy and soft. They were also very one-dimensional in flavor. I'm taking points off largely for two reasons. The first is that we waited between 40-50 minutes for our food to come out after we ordered it. I can't think of one reason why that would make any sense at all. The second is that halfway through our meal, somewhere, the lights got dimmed and it was very dark. I understand mood lighting, but this was on a different level. Everything was quite shadowy. It was just our side of the restaurant, too. There was significantly better lighting everywhere else. If I come again, it won't be for their regular menu. I'm going for specials or takeout. They're cheaper. The restaurant setting does very little for me. read more

First time trying the new location. Everything was good but nothing was spectacular. Our favourite was the Eggplant Parmigiano, we also tried the garlic bread, clam chowder, pesto chicken pasta, and a pizza. read more

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Their pasta is fresh (and delicious) but their recipes aren't very authentic. Their carbonara used cream sauce :S with very little egg-y taste and bacon instead of pancetta. And they use very similar sauces across their pastas and pizzas. The portions are decently size and wait staff was friendly and helpful. Not a bad time but I did expect more authenticity. read more

Really great and amazing Italian restaurant my family and I are regulars there when its not dine in we always support them ordering over Skip The Dishes we are absolutely in love with their vegetarian fettuccine alfredo with extra sauteed mushrooms as the main course and don't get me started on the three later old fashion chocolate cake its heaven in your mouth for dessert I highly recommend read more

My father-in-law has loved this restaurant since they were at the old location, and goes there for every special occasion. Well, he turned 90 this week so last weekend the family surprised him with a party, organized by my sister-in-law (Montreal) and me (Boston). Organizing a party for a mobility impaired man in a city neither of us live in could have been a big challenge, but Paisano's was so accommodating they made everything easy. The separate room was all set up when we arrived, and the balloons had been delivered. We chose Party Menu #2, omitting the tiramisu as we were doing birthday cake (we got a discount for that). Dad was very surprised to see family from all over the country and the USA, and the staff gave us plenty of visiting time before beginning service. Michael and Tiffany were superb! They introduced themselves, explained the menu options we had chosen, and paid very good attention to the wine glasses. They sang happy birthday with us, and congratulated the birthday boy. The food was excellent, according to all dinner guests. I particularly loved the bruschetta, and my chicken parmigiana was lovely. Hubby had the seafood creole and enjoyed it. We were never rushed, and they had no problem splitting the bill into two so both kids could each pay half. All in all, it was a very painless experience planning the party and a warm and enjoyable evening. We have mom-in-law's birthday in a couple of years, and won't hesitate to chose Paisanos again. read more

We had a large family gathering here at the York Mills location on a Saturday afternoon. We were 39 people (kids included) and the space worked very well for us! The service was fantastic and we felt well taken care of. We also went with party menu 1 which was a good value and everyone enjoyed their meal. Would definitely recommend for family events. We took some great photos and had some wonderful memories! read more

Whoa I didn't know Paisano opened in York Mills. We've been going to their Willowdale restaurant. So change of plans. Forget Japanese food. Got to have Paisano. We walked in for dinner. It was a busy Sunday night. I'm not too crazy about its decor with a piano in the middle. I assume they have nights here with music. I forgot to ask. We were seated in the corner, a little dark but we don't mind since we have no reservation. All tables with windows were taken. We ordered the Shrimp Portobello and Manicotti. Our server is nice and friendly. The servings are big so we end up taking home almost half full for tomorrow's lunch. What can I say but the food is excellent! read more

Paisano - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Had a wonderful experience on Aug. 10, 2020. The food was excellent. Very fair pricing. Generous portions. We ate bruschetta, chicken parmesan and bowtie pasta with shrimp and mussels. All safety protocols were followed. We received our napkin and silverware inside individual bags. Our contact info was requested. Sanitizer by the washroom was provided. Nice dessert selection. The waiter was most attentive. A lovely tent covered the patio area. Would definitely come again. Helen read more

I came here for my birthday and the food was 8/10. The service was great though! The roasted duck was something special. read more

This is my favourite Italian restaurant, and I'm so glad they have a location close to my home now. They serve you fresh bread and butter before your food comes. Their grilled calamari is the best! It's grilled perfectly and served over a bed of greens. The price is very decent too! You won't break the bank for good Italian food here. read more

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I came here with my family for the first time, and it was an enjoyable experience. We came on a Sunday around 11:30, so we were the only guests there. The service was great; our waitress made light conversation and jokes with our table, and it made out experience that much better. Seating is plentiful and there is a bar with a small selection of beers and cider. The menu is pretty basic; it has many Italian restaurant staples. The food was good but not spectacular. I will say, though, that the food was piping hot when it came to our table. We were all served at once, and the service was incredibly fast. The prices were VERY good. I ordered their carbonara and it was creamy and quite flavorful. The server came over to the table and offered parmesan and pepper. Overall, a good experience; I would definitely come here again! read more

What a disappointment. Only two good things about the entire meal were the mushroom salad and the amazing waiter (whose level of service seemed out of place for this restaurant which felt like a large chain restaurant inside). The buns clearly were from Costco's bakery (first sign there was something off.) Then the "tiger" shrimp I ordered were no tiger shrimp I ever had. Medium sized at best. Imagine being told, with a straight face by the same great waiter that "shrimp shrink when cooked.". Seriously? With all the wonderful Italian restaurants in Toronto, no need to go back. read more

To say this place is mediocre would be too kind. The spaghetti factory on The Esplanade would rate higher and that is not a compliment to the spaghetti factory. It was new years eve, and like a sauna in this place, totally understaffed likely due to the increase in minimum wage (not their fault, thanks Kathleen Wynne for leaving this legacy behind for us to live with). The food tasted processed and not homemade. Our waiter worked his butt off to provide service and was very nice. Not only would I not come back her, I likely would not even drive on that part of Yorkmills Road again. read more

This is our first time been to paisano...We had checkin soup garlic bread..meatball spaghetti.which is really good .. especially the sauce and meatballs ..highly recommended~ not so many dessert option though ...but we had raspberry Greek yogurt ...excellent service ...will come back again . read more

Paisano - Dessert ...raspberry Greek yogurt cheesecake with tea ... - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Food is a 4 out of 10 at best! The service was absolutely horrible. They forgot about us and I had to call the restaurant at my seat to get service. We didn't even receive an apology. We asked to speak to the manager or owner and were lied to and told no one was on duty! SAVE YOUR COINS! Not worth it and I will most definitely never return. read more

I love the lunch special here. I always get the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with the Pesto cream sauce. The pasta sauce is delectable and the portion is perfect for me though some may say it's a bit small. Their tiramisu is also pretty great. The service is a hit or miss. Sometimes the servers are attentive but sometimes you have to flag them down. Overall it's still a good spot for Italian food in the area. read more

Had the Shrimp Arrabiata and the Shrimp & Mussels pastas, and of the two I would recommend the Shrimp and Mussels over the spicy arrabiata. The thyme cream sauce had better flavour (as opposed to the arrabiata's spice covering any shrimp flavour). While nothing was *bad*, I don't have anything *great* to say about it either. read more

This has been my second time and have enjoyed the food. We had the chicken carbonara and pesto pizza delicious. I know taste is so very subjective.. it's hard to compare with my last italian review. I felt our experience with the food, atmosphere, and service was worth the time. Cheers. read more

Started the evening with an ice cold Birra Moretti. Nice! Enjoyed the veal parmigiano, the bartender said all their parmigiano was tasty and the favorite! She also told me the portions were big....she isn't a liar! Yummy veal, pasta and amazing veggies. Glad I stopped in. read more

Paisano - Veal parmigiano, yummy. - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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i ordered from here previously. I got the fettuccine and it lacked flavor. I gave them a call to complain and they wrote an email to receive a free entree from them. This part was nice, so i decided to give them another shot and this time i got the fettuccine salmon with rose sauce instead of the cream sauce thinking this might have more flavor...i was wrong. it was very bland. The same reason i didn't like them before, the salmon tasted funny, and i love anything salmon but i took like 3 bites and couldn't eat anymore. I definitely won't be going back. I gave it an extra star because the food was free. read more

I had lunch here during the week and the crowd kept the servers busy. The meals came to our table quickly and we had reliable service. read more

Paisano - Mediterranean Pasta - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The restaurant decor was very nice. I ordered the meat lovers pizza and it was pretty good; large enough for my meal. The servers attended to my table at a reasonable frequency. I would come again. read more

The food here is mediocre, and the prices are too high which is never a good recipe for success. The menu is too lengthy, they should focus on making a small group of dishes well and cut redundant dishes from the menu. Their meatballs were nothing special and the pasta was just okay. The seafood in their seafood creole tasted neither fresh nor flavourful. I can't see myself coming back. read more

THE BEST GLUTEN FREE PASTA anywhere in Toronto! You won't believe it's gluten free. The chef had to prove it to me. It was THAT good! I've tried lots on the menu and everything is delicious! Wonderful and attentive wait staff. Patio dining on warm days during covid. Try the sangria. read more