Paisanos is truly one of Lexington's hidden gems! If you're looking for authentic Italian food, this is the place. Their eggplant Parmesan is, without question, the best I've had anywhere in Lexington. My fiancée is 100% Italian, and after one bite she said it was the closest she's had to the food back home in Italy while living in the States. That's about as high of a compliment as an Italian kitchen can receive! The restaurant also has a fascinating history and story behind it. If you're lucky, your server might share it with you--but ask gently! You may have to take an oath first. It just adds to the charm and personality of this amazing place. Great food, warm hospitality, and an experience that's about more than just the meal. Paisanos has definitely earned a loyal customer! read more

The food was amazing, ambiance divine and Riley was impeccable with her service and attention to detail!! This is a hidden gem in Lexington that you MUST experience! read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Tortellini with house tomato marina - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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This is one of Lexington Kentucky's best kept secrets! It is now my absolute favorite restaurants in the world (and yes, I travel). It has an Elegant Dining room, relaxing Jazz played on the sound system and absolutely Delicious Italian food and wine. Incidentally, Try the Chicken Dante! It is NOT on the menu but the waiters will know what you mean. I first tried this well over 20-30 years ago and it is just as good. My favorite dish EVER! I love to eat, I have had lots of good and lots of bad. But this is the absolute best i have ever had. My only complaint is that they don't open until 5 pm. So no lunch menu. But the food is so good, i still have to give them the highest rating of any restaurant, EVER! read more

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Walked in to an empty house Ordered carry out at bar Wine glasses above bar are covered with dust Place was empty however a empty plate and jacket/ purse sat next to me for 30 minutes while I waited for below average food and service Sad that half of the people who came in only came because they didn't realize that planet Thai was closed on Monday Won't return to this place read more

Great food and service. The family that runs the place are fantastic people! They were very nice to my grandmother and put up with her requests like it was nothing when she was still around! read more

Wasn't impressed at all.The baked cannelloni was very dry and came with red sauce.Any real Italian knows cannelloni goes with white sauce

Really good. Italian sausage and peppers were very nice dish after a long work day. Served ce was fast and friendly. Will for sure be back. read more

Fat Man Reviews found its way to Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge in Lexington, KY. Paisano's is an Italian restaurant serving traditional pizza & red-sauce classics plus they offer a full bar. I started off with a cup of Minestrone soup containing green beans, corn, carrots, potatoes, celery, tomatoes and cabbage. It looked like the veggies came from a can. The soup was heavy on the Italian seasoning and had a slight bitter taste, possibly from red wine vinegar. It was different, not bad, just not my favorite. I tried the Paisano's Sampler, including chicken Parmesan, lasagna, Italian sausage, and spaghetti with meatballs. I could tell that pretty much all of it had been made earlier and sat for a while. The Italian sausage was excellent. The casing snapped, and the flavors were great, I really enjoyed this. The chicken Parm was not bad. It was juicy, breaded and cooked well. It just tasted a little old. I could tell by the cheese on top of the lasagna it had been sitting and when cutting into it, the top layer of cheese came with it. The noodles were a bit over done, but the flavors weren't bad, and it was not dry. The meatball was a little burnt on the outside, but it was not dry just had been sitting for a while. The spaghetti was ok. The red sauce was really, wonderful. It tastes authentic, homemade, with a little sweetness, light garlic and oregano flavors, and chunky. My fiancé tried the Baked Manicotti, large pasta noodles stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with homemade sauce and mozzarella. The shells were overcooked and dry, the cheese was bland but fresh. The sauce again was the star and delicious. Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge offers a lot of different traditional Italian dishes ranging from chicken to veal and veggie. They also serve several anti pasta appetizers, salads and desserts. They are a small place, so plan ahead. The service was okay, but the server was new. Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge is not Fat Man Approved. read more

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Old school Italian restaurant. Good food but not fancy at all. Tucked into a small shopping center so you could miss it if you're not looking. read more

We dined at Paisano's last night and had a wonderful experience! Our server, Lizzie, was flat out amazing--warm, charming, funny, and patient-- despite the fact she was dealing with ten of us-- including two 2 year olds, one 5 year old, and and one 6 month old. The fried mozzarella was so good we had to get multiple orders. It comes perfectly seasoned and with a delicious marinara. My baked penne was great, as was my husband's meat and pasta dish. The garlic bread and other dishes were all top notch. We love the charming, kitschy decor (must be a requirement for all old-timey Italian eateries to have the Tuscan murals, Roman statues, fake greenery, etc) This place has been operating in Lexington for almost 40 years but somehow flies under the radar of most folks. The prices for food and wine are very reasonable. After last night we resolved to eat at Paisano's far more frequently. I'm salivating as I relive the goodness of last night's meal. read more

Good food & service. Too bad I'm too far north to get sweet tea. Love the old world charm. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Penna Alfredo with chicken - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

I just got the chance to try this family style Italian joint near my house the other day for a friends 24th birthday! It was very cute and quiet! It was literally us and one other couple there on a Wednesday night at 7! Not sure if they're busier on weekends or a lot of people don't know about it but I have been living in Lexington my whole life and never heard of it before! I also used to live on the other side of town so that may be why and it's a little bit hidden FYI! Anyways our service was absolutely outstanding! The waiter looked like a mix between Justin Timberlake and Napoleon dynamite and was so sweet! When I forgot my I.D. He was even willing to let me show him a picture on my phone. Even though I think he didn't even care lol. We had some great but affordable bottles of cab and Pinot and some yummy apps! Fried mozzarella and calamari paired with some garlic bread and rolls with butter. Then some Caesar salads that were Caesar all the way down until the dressing lmao. I think we either got Italian dressing or they need a new Caesar dressing. For dinner I had the chicken roma. Which is chicken stuffed with ricotta, olives and broccoli. Covered in a white sauced and paired with penne and red sauce. It was really good but could have used more flavor. When I ate my leftovers I threw some hot sauce on there to spice it up. But that's just me. I tasted my friends carbonara and hers was the same way. Which that shouldn't need any spiciness because it's supposed to be a really salty dish with all the guancialle in it. Overall everything was pretty good and we were very pleased with what we got for the price. I think In the end I helped pay for an appetizer and tipped and split a bottle of wine, got bread, a salad and my meal for $45. Not bad at all. Will definitely go back! The menu is extensive so I have a lot more to try and this time I'll be adding red pepper chili flakes and bringing Frank's in my purse!! Lol. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Chicken Roma - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

Best: Service and Rolls Worst: Entrées, Salad Dressing & Selection of Drinks Lasagna: 4/10 Shrimp Pasta Primavera: 2 /10 (Bland & Cold) Cost for 2: $50.00 Likelihood of Returning: 0 (Zero) DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! read more

I'm really surprised the ratings here aren't higher. I had great service and a good meal. I'd definitely come back. For an appetizer, we ordered the fried mozzarella. It is super tasty, but a little small for $7.95 in my opinion. They also bring out house rolls. These are super tasty, and combined with the pasta sauce left over from the mozzarella, is so addictive. My main meal came with an option of soup or salad, and I went with the salad with in house made Italian dressing. The dressing is quite good. For the main meal, I went with the sampler. It had a sampling of Italian sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmigiana, and lasagna. They slightly overlooked my chicken, and it was a little stiff, but the flavor was pretty awesome. The Italian sausage and lasagna were good but not spectacular. But the spaghetti and meatballs meal is not to be missed. The meatballs are some of the best anywhere. I read other reviews stating that the service was poor. My experience was the exact opposite. The waitress was excellent. If they hadn't overlooked part of my meal, I'd consider giving five stars. But I don't think anything less than four is truly giving the place justice. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - The sampler - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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Went to Paisanos to celebrate my son's birthday (his favorite Italian). The food and service was wonderful, as always. The waitress was very attentive. We had a few special requests which the kitchen took care of without a miss step... We had a wonderful time! read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Veal piccata with capers and piccata sauce instead of marinara on pasta! - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

My 5 point review. Food:(1/1 star) Good Service:(0/1 star): The service was not very good. Environment:(1/1 star): decent Value:(1/1 star): Good price Experience vs. Expectation:(.5/1 star): Real Italian read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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The atmosphere resonates aged by loyal hearts. Tables have plenty of room to enjoy dinner with friends; loved the wheels on the chairs. The waitress was bubbly. Unfortunately, after offering to bring bread then being asked several times she never delivered any bread for the dinner. One friend ordered the mussels and pasta which she enjoyed; my husband ordered the veal masala with a starter of minestrone. He claimed to enjoy the dish though the masala sauce was unlike any I have ever had. Another friend enjoyed the sampler platter but could not eat the meatballs as he said they tasted like they were too old. I had veal piccata with capers. It was like eating a tablespoon of salt; the sauce was greenish brown and clearly had not been cooked with the capers. There was zero lemon butter flavor. Last but not least, the veal cuts were chunks of meat not think slices as it should be. The side serving of spaghetti was served with spaghetti sauce which, had I known, I would have requested just lemon butter. Neither veal entree had the promised side of zucchini and potatoes. I should have requested another entree but I did not want to make anyone uncomfortable by complaining. It was our first visit after living here for decades. I was really excited to experience Paisano's but sadly will not be returning. read more

We've drove past the sign for Paisano's forever and finally decided it was time to stop. Unfortunately it's a one and done for us. The service was friendly and food was delivered quickly but that's where it ends. All three entrees ordered by our table were extremely bland. The salad that comes with the meal is just iceberg and a few shredded carrots. One really odd thing that we all commented on as soon as we left was that everyone in the restaurant stared at us both arriving and leaving for some reason. Even as we were leaving a van in the parking lot stared us down. It's no fault of the restaurant but just seemed really odd. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

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If you grew up in Lexington in the 80's then you've heard of the great Lexitalia. My granny, my mom, my aunts and uncles all worked there at some point. This was THE place for authentic Italian food and far exceeded all of the competition. Well, I tell you that to tell you this, the owners and/or the cooks of Paisano's (hi Yamma!!!) are the ones that used to work at Lexitalia. At least, that's how it was. Maybe they sold. I eat here a lot but I enjoy it and leave them to their art. They knew me as a kid. Not so much as an adult. So you've eaten at Guiseppi's. Meh. Ok. Now, eat here. This is the best kept secret for Italian food. Very unassuming. But a powerhouse in flavor. Do yourself a favor, skip the crappy parking and pretentiousness of Guisseppi's. Eat real Italian with real history. read more

I won't start the argument of "what is the Best Restaurant in Lexington", there actually is many fine dining choices, but the Linguine Pescatore at Paisano's is by far the Best Italian Dish, maybe the Best Dish period, in the city of Lexington KY. read more

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Normally I'm such a huge Paisano's fan - I even have a loyalty card - but the last experience left me a little flat. That said, everyone has an off night. I almost always order a traditional red sauce dish, or the trio combo, but I went off script to try the Penne Carbonara, a straightforward dish I normally would enjoy anywhere. Opting to take the server's advice of adding shrimp, I admit it was yummy but not worth the extra $5 for tiny, rubbery (clearly frozen) shrimp. The prices are always good and the portions are huge, and the same goes for the wine. I'll be back, but definitely not veering from the norm again any time soon. read more

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Got food to-go for my birthday and the meal itself was good. I got the Linguine Pescatore, but there was nothing special about the meal to make it memorable. I ordered the Alfredo version of this meal and the sauce seemed too thin and not creamy enough to be an Alfredo sauce. I'm not sure if the meal would have been different if we ate in the restaurant. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Linguine Pescatore - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

I had the shrimp marinara pasta with minestrone soup delivered for the first time and it was all amazing. Definitely the best minestrone soup I've ever had. The shrimp were big and it was just enough to go with all the pasta. Everything was well-seasoned, too. I recommend this place...I imagine the food is even better at the actual restaurant. read more

Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge - Shrimp Marinara pasta - Italian Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

terrible service the servers are very unprofessional and the uniforms are too casual to have a decent dinner read more

I would not even give one star to this place. The worst service ever and a manager that was more concerned with playing on her phone than talking to an upset customer. Food is equivalent to frozen entrees at your local grocery. Dave your money and your time. A frozen lasagna from Trader Joe's is a step up from this place. We love to visit local, family owned business but will not darken the doors here again. read more

Best Italian food in central Kentucky, not to be missed! Love the charm and the authenticity.

It had been several years since we had an opportunity to get down to Paisano's, (We live about an hour away & life gets crazy!) & frankly, we were grateful to find it was still in business. After dinner, we are even more grateful! Wow!! After living in Italy a couple of years, we don't often find GOOD Italian food, but tonight was a joy. We started with the calamari appetizer made with the house's special batter, and one bite proved that this calamari was fresh. No rubbery, doughy appetizer here! The batter was light with just the right hint of seasoning & the marinara dip might possibly have also have been made in-house as it was chunky & spicy. Entrees are served with soup or salad & we both chose the lighter salad to ensure room for our coming meal. The delicious hot rolls that were served with the salads were a terrific surprise & so tempting to overeat! Their Special of the Day sounded so good that neither of us could resist in spite of our past happy experiences with other items on the extensive menu. And what a treat!! Chicken & gnocchi with mushrooms & tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce!! The freshly made gnocchi and the chef's own pesto sauce were incredible! I hesitated to order the dish because I don't care much for mushrooms and was informed that I could get the dish without them as each is made to order!! I decided to try it with them anyway, and it was a very nice blend of flavors. The chicken wasn't just bland strips of meat but had been seasoned, providing a nice flavor on its' own. Hubby opted for spumoni for dessert, but I had no room remaining. Our server, Bailey, was outstanding: friendly, knowledgeable, & timely. Her recommendations were spot-on and her concerns for our desires genuine. While we had no alcohol, they did offer a wine list & rather large enough bar that anyone wishing to imbibe would have plenty of choice. My only two complaints: they don't serve sweet tea, so you must sweeten your own which any true sweet tea lover knows is not the same; and the motion sensor light in the ladies bathroom dimmed while I was on the toilet! Not my first time being left in the dark, so I waved at the wall & turned the light back on; I mentioned it to our server who assured me it would be addressed immediately. Just in case, Ladies, better take your flashlight! I think I won't tell you just how little we paid for all this fantastic experience as I fear the place will become so busy that we can't easily get in!! read more

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If you're looking for some authentic Italian food, look no further. This place has been in business for over 30 years so you know they've been doing something right and I'm here to tell you, so far from what I can tell, it's everything! If you like wine, there's a large selection to choose from in both reds and whites, and depending on the day you go there may be a special per glass or by the bottle. Each pasta entree comes with your choice of a soup or salad. If you get the house salad, I recommend the homemade Italian dressing - it's fantastic. You'll also get a basket of fresh baked rolls. The pasta plates are huge and delicious. I've had the Alfredo (shrimp and also the crab), and have also tried the spaghetti with meatballs. You will definitely not leave here hungry. If you do have room for dessert, the cheesecake is amazing here as well as the tiramisu. I almost dare you to find something that is unappetizing; I bet it cannot be done. Go - take the family - and enjoy a hearty, filling dinner. You won't regret it. read more

30 years! Oh my! What stays open for 30 years? A place with excellent food stays open for 30 years. This place is owner/chef proud. It's amazing. We both ordered the Sampler. Which is the best way to start if you've never been here. We enjoyed everything. The lasagna was amazing. A balance between heavy and delicate. While it stood alone it was still creamy, perfectly melded among the flavors. Rolls are warm, browned and crusty with fluffy centers. Deserts are delicious, "that cheesecake might be a top life cheesecake experience" my boyfriend said. That man loves his cheesecake too. My tiramisu was also a top 5 experience. read more

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This was our first time eating inside the restaurant. We waited over an hour. Never received our entrees and just had to leave. Terrible service. Very old decor. read more

We tired this restaurant a few weeks ago. There were 7 customers total at 6:30pm. That should have been our first clue. We just moved here from a city with a lot of Italian restaurants and have been looking for an Italian restaurant. We are going to keep looking. There is little that makes this restaurant stand out. The decor is the original decor from the 1980s is well preserved. I lost count on how many light bulbs were burned out. The cloth chairs were worn, some of the furniture is definitely from the 80s wicker era. The restaurant needed a good deep clean and paint job. No natural lighting came through since blinds were closed. Food was passable Italian for the Lexington market. If the restaurant was in area with more Italian heritage/clientele this place wouldn't have survived this long. Good portion for food but nothing special to set it apart from Olive Garden restaurant down the street. The bread was frozen and warmed in the oven. The salad was basic iceberg lettuce and carrots, nothing else. Lots of potential if the food and decor are updated....Lexington needs a good Italian restaurant that caters to middle class clientele. read more

Absolutely Love! Great place for the family. The server was on point fast service and good food. Really like there pasta. Great lil place for a date night. read more

Went here with my in-laws recommendation. What a find! Great atmosphere, reasonable price, generous portion, friendly staff, and good quality food. Is this the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to? No. Is this a solid choice for when I feel like eating out with family and friends? ? Absolutely. Looks like most negative reviews are 2 years or older. Perhaps it's made positive improvements lately. I just moved here from California, so I only know how it is now. Recommending it. read more

Food was excellent. Service was poor from start to end. I have had far better service in pizzerias and Diners and this place is priced much higher. It is disappointing that great food is ruined by bad service. read more

Have heard good things for years.I had high expectations. Maybe I caught a bad night but food was bad. Poorly seasoned breading on all the appetizers. The red sauce taste like tomato paste with garlic and a ton of Parsley. Salad was dripping water and the house dressing was very very strong on vinegar. None of the four of us finished our meal. Prices were fine,service was good and the beer was cold. Not what I had hoped for. read more

We have ordered take out from Paisano's several times in the last year. The food was always delicious. We decided to eat in the restaurant last night, and the service was terrible. Drinks, appetizer and salads came out promptly, but then we were forgotten. Twenty minutes later, we got bread, no dinner. Our server did not check on us and never apologized for the lateness of our meal. After about 40 minutes of waiting, we left a little money on the table and left without our dinner. I will add that the dining room was slow, with only three other occupied tables in the restaurant. Two of these tables had already finished their meals. We were literally outside when the server shouted out to us that our meal was ready. Still no apology. We will not be back and won't order carry out from this business again. read more

Had dine in service Food and service was really great. Love the Italian theme of the restaurant! Would love recommend it again to anyone.

It had been several years since we had an opportunity to get down to Paisano's, (We live about an hour away & life gets crazy!) & frankly, we were grateful to find it was still in business. After dinner, we are even more grateful! Wow!! After living in Italy a couple of years, we don't often find GOOD Italian food, but tonight was a joy. We started with the calamari appetizer made with the house's special batter, and one bite proved that this calamari was fresh. No rubbery, doughy appetizer here! The batter was light with just the right hint of seasoning & the marinara dip might possibly have also have been made in-house as it was chunky & spicy. Entrees are served with soup or salad & we both chose the lighter salad to ensure room for our coming meal. The delicious hot rolls that were served with the salads were a terrific surprise & so tempting to overeat! Their Special of the Day sounded so good that neither of us could resist in spite of our past happy experiences with other items on the extensive menu. And what a treat!! Chicken & gnocchi with mushrooms & tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce!! The freshly made gnocchi and the chef's own pesto sauce were incredible! I hesitated to order the dish because I don't care much for mushrooms and was informed that I could get the dish without them as each is made to order!! I decided to try it with them anyway, and it was a very nice blend of flavors. The chicken wasn't just bland strips of meat but had been seasoned, providing a nice flavor on its' own. Hubby opted for spumoni for dessert, but I had no room remaining. Our server, Bailey, was outstanding: friendly, knowledgeable, & timely. Her recommendations were spot-on and her concerns for our desires genuine. While we had no alcohol, they did offer a wine list & rather large enough bar that anyone wishing to imbibe would have plenty of choice. My only two complaints: they don't serve sweet tea, so you must sweeten your own which any true sweet tea lover knows is not the same; and the motion sensor light in the ladies bathroom dimmed while I was on the toilet! Not my first time being left in the dark, so I waved at the wall & turned the light back on; I mentioned it to our server who assured me it would be addressed immediately. Just in case, Ladies, better take your flashlight! I think I won't tell you just how little we paid for all this fantastic experience as I fear the place will become so busy that we can't easily get in!! read more

Foods good, service not so much. Ordered online and gave them turn by turn directions on how to get here. Driver called me and told me he couldn't find it. I asked where he was said he didn't know. I asked him to go to the intersection that was right by my home. He said it didn't exist and started yelling at me because he'd been up and down the street five times. I finally get him to listen to me long enough for him to figure out he's gone the wrong way because "that's where the GPS said you were, so I didn't go how you said". Get home and look at the order and the order's wrong. But do you think I'm gonna call and ask them to correct it? No, no I'm not, because I don't want to have to have another delivery driver yelling at me because they don't think I know how to get to my own house. We're just going to eat the wrong order and just go somewhere else in the future. read more

We were in from out of town to celebrate our son's 20th birthday and had a great experience! The food and service were both excellent. We even brought in a cake and they helped to hide and provided serving utensils. Some of the dishes we had were the eggplant parm, spaghetti and meatballs and stuffed shells. Would definitely recommend! read more