Excellent food, service, and ambiance! 11/10 Mmm creamy spaghetti just like her mom always made growing up! Your favorite regular, John Francis Gootee Schafers ;) read more

Paisano's Ristorante - I love you Julia! - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

I ordered Marco Polo to go. The chicken was inedible. Dry as a bone and barely chewable. The dish was very bland and unseasoned. This is not the typical quality. Tonight was a waste of money! The last time I was there and dined in-house I came with a group of people and I got my lasagna after the rest of my party was done. The quality was poor. Food was barely hot. I'm so disappointed as this has been a fave for years. I hope these occasions were a fluke. Might be a long while before I try again. read more

The salad & breadsticks were great; we didn't even need an appetizer. Best entree was the creamy Surf & Turf Pasta! Best drink was my Dirry Paisano Martini. Quick and friendly service, good food, and a well-stocked bar! Awesome! read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Nice spot for dinner! - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

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Mama Mia what a great restaurant. Greatest hidden gem definitely coming here again. It doesn't matter what you order here it will all be the best Italian food in Topeka read more

The food was delicious and the service was attentive and friendly. It was a beautiful weather day, so we ate on the patio, but the interior dining looked cozy and comfortable. read more

Paisano's Ristorante - The food is delicious and the servers are all attentive and friendly. - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

Best Italian around! Homemade dishes, cream sauces are always think & flavorful. Service has been great the last few times we went (except june2024 but I am excluding that becuz I got the wrong drink, my Roman twins were ice cold, plus - we were seated in the middle of the back room and it was not necessary when plenty of cozy booths were open. I didn't complain as I wanted my date to enjoy the occasion.) When they seat you in a good place, with good waiter, you are golden. Roman twins is my favorite (if hot) and chicken spiedini is husbands fave. Good local place, our go-to for special occasions. read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Spinach artichoke ravioli. Melts in your mouth. - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

Lunch special (only until 2 pm) is great! You get a full sized dinner entree for 1/2 price!! The food is always so fresh, flavorful, and delicious! Marc is also a great server!! This is a gem of a restaurant in Topeka! The Marco Pollo chicken entree with the almond cream sauce is my new fav!! The salad and hot breadsticks are a must have, even if it's a slight up charge to the lunch special. read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Taste of Italy. Fettuccine Alfredo, lasagna, and chicken Parmesan. - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

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I really looked forward to trying this place, in spite of some critical reviews from coworkers. The place itself is nice and the staff friendly. My wife enjoyed her meal, but I could not eat mine. I had the "Taste of Italy": a sample of baked lasagna, chicken parm, and fettuccine Alfredo. The Alfredo was bland and not cheesy at all, texture was like a tomato sauce, not thick like cheesy Alfredo. So bland. The chicken in the parm was tender and seasoned well, fried coating was crunchy and greasy, I pulled that off and scraped off the marinara, which was dark and bitter with the texture of tomato paste. I did not like the tomato sauce at all. Maybe that's authentic Italian, I don't know. I prefer Prego in a jar I guess. The lasagna was more dark paste but with meat. The meat was also pasty like canned dog food. I'm not talking about the taste, just the texture. As for the taste, bitter as if cooked too long. Noodles were not fresh, they looked like pasta that sat out in a colander drying because they stuck to the colander and missed the meal. Again, my wife liked her meal, I liked the salad, which I ate. I also ate much of the piece of chicken but the waitress took my dish back to the kitchen and offered me a dessert to make up for me not liking my meal. I can't do dessert on an empty stomach. I spent $50 to find out that I do not like Paisano's food. Might just be me, might be them. It isn't something I can recommend though read more

Went with a group of 30. My food was delicious, others I spoke to said the same. Service was great, very on top of their game. The price was great for lunch around $450.00, and included bread and salad. read more

Not the same old Paisano's but still good food. service was a little slow the last two times we went But we were not eating in a hurry. Will still go there occasionally read more

I worked in food management most of my career, including 8 years of fast and casual dining. I know there is a pitfall in casual dining, the shift change. Also it is important to be aware of seating new tables. You need to have a clear plan of communication between the host and the service staff in the afternoon, when tables are more random. This is the first star I took away when I was seated for almost 15 minutes, and alone (should have been greeted and asked if more were coming, and offered a beverage in that time). I watched a server working on tables all around me and he eventually came up to me and asked, "Have you been helped?" I said no. He apologized, took my order and returned with my beverage, breadsticks, and the side salad I had asked for in less than 5 minutes, showing me how quickly I could have been served. I ordered the "Meatball Grinder and fries" adding the salad for $2. Then I waited for the Meatball sandwich and fries. It seemed like another extended wait and a different server came by and said SHE would be taking care of me. A few minutes later she asked what I ordered and I told her. She asked if I wanted ANOTHER salad? I was confused if this was an admission that my food was late, but she didn't take the first salad dish or ask if I wanted a refill for my root beer. When the sandwich and fries arrived, they were hot, which was a relief, but the bun was very soggy and the meatballs and sauce were leaking through the joint in the bread. It was a "grinder" because rather than being covered in marinara, the meatballs were moist with sauce and covered with onions and peppers. For my taste the meatballs, or sauce, were heavily flavored with oregano, but light (or none) of garlic and basil. The fries were obviously homemade and very good. I was confused by the presentation of the sandwich and fries on a folded linen napkin on the plate (was it supposed to be absorbing something? The plate under the napkin was obviously an older plate that had a few scuff marks on it. My last observation is that I chose Paisano's because of other reviews that showed a dish that had Parmesan chicken, fettuccine and an individual lasagna on a single plate. Parmesan chicken is one of my favorites and I assumed they would have a plate with just chicken and some pasta, but I reviewed the menu front to back and didn't see it. And in my frustration with the service I was in no mood to ask questions. I suggest that a Chicken Parmesan with pasta and salad would be a great seller. read more

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Probably the most bland food i've had in a restaurant, tasted like the food was slapped in a pan and thrown straight on a plate. No seasoning at all... at least it was cheap i guess! read more

I try to come to this place whenever I'm in town. This place never disappoints. My coworker and I went on a Tuesday this time and they had all you can eat pasta and sauce!!! We both tapped out after the first. The potion sizes are big!! Next time I'm going to have to try more. This place has a very Italian feel. They definitely didn't skip a beat on this. Our service was good especially since they were closing. I didn't feel rushed but I thought our service could had been just a little more attentive at the end. read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Shell Pasta with Vodka Tomato Cream & sausage - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

Visiting Topeka. Ate here on a Friday night and arrived at about 7:30. Was not real busy and was seated immediately. They were out of the spinach artichoke dip my girls wanted so we got bruschetta and it was decent. My 17 year old twins split the chicken Marsala (they had to upcharge us $3 as the bread and salad are family style). The girls said they liked both the chicken Marsala and the fettuccine that comes with it. The chicken breasts are decent sizes but not real large. I saw the seafood cannoli on the online menu but it's not on the current menus so I got the ravioli Del Mar. It was decent but nothing spectacular. The salad was average and the breadsticks reminded me of generic Walmart breadsticks. We split a piece of chocolate cake and it was pretty good. Service was good. Overall, probably wouldn't go back. Nothing really grabbed me as something I could recommend. read more

I haven't had Paisano's for several years and was excited to try it again. Our order was to go, which may have affected the quality of the food. Nonetheless, the pasta was seemed like a bulk purchase rather than something that was made locally, but the rest of the food was solid. I had the spaghetti and meatballs. It was a solid dish, the meatballs were hearty, but the sauce could use a little more flavor. The meals that other folks ordered ranged from standard Italian (chicken Parmesan) to variations of pasta (Cajun trio). If you're looking for a true, home-style Italian restaurant, know that you'll get a combination with this restaurant that takes bulk pasta and builds from there. read more

I'm 100% Italian and I have eaten at so called "Italian Ristorante"s" and nearly puked by what they have the bacci's to serve!! I love cooking and I have been cooking since I was 3 years old and taught by REAL Italian immigrants who are my grandparents... Thank goodness I had the foresight to want to learn... So I'm going to say this to everyone... We, as Italians, are very proud of our food our cooking our humility our all because it is who we are as proud Italians. However, my ancestors go way back to the 15th century and further back. My people come from Napoli é Bari, Italy on both sides of our families. That being said, we cook very different from the Sicilian people, are Sicilian NOT Italian! it's an insult to us that people can't make the distinction between the two countries which are SEPARATE. Just sayin!! When I grew up I can count on one hand how many times we ever went out to eat because me and my mother cooked everything so there was no need to eat out. Daddy took us to Dairy Queen three times before I was 22 years old. He was a stickler for food and he loved my mother's and grandmothers sauce. We put lamb in it bracciola which is the best of the best of the flank steaks. We didn't eat sh*t meat either. Butchers, is where we went and they actually knew you by name. My mother and Nonna could make sh*t taste delicious lol back in my time and their times, most Italian female bambini learned to cook out of necessity (I taught all four of my children to cook and my "Amerigan" husband from Topeka, Ks to cook and he tried to steal my recipes and say they were his. My point in this whole Italian Ristorante thing is, DON'T eat at Italian restaurants because nothing is homemade it's all mass produced by big companies for the little guys to purchase. oh! and btw, at Olive Garden, NOTHING is homemade. My late son worked there and was telling me how they drop food and give it to the customers anyway. I was appalled. someone else in my family worked at the Burger King in Belton MO and told me rats are everywhere and they also drop biscuits and put them back on the tray to serve unknowing customers.... he quit immediately after he told the mgr and he did nothing to fix the issues there. Unbelievable. I used to love BK but after what was seen in the prep food rooms I stopped going.... read more

I wanted a great fettuccine Alfredo- authentic is what I was hoping for - I was seated promptly and my waiter stopped by and took my drink order. No water offered but was requested and never received. I ordered the Trio. PROS - The salad was great. Bread sticks were ok. Slightly warm but dry. CONS - the world famous 15 layer lasagna sampler tasted as if it had been reheated one too many times and the sauce was thick and dry. I tried Several bites and the taste nor texture improved. I substituted the chicken parm for eggplant parm - 2 bites into it and it was just not good. Thick bland red sauce. I removed the excessive breading and the eggplant alone was ok. And the main reason I tried this particular Italian restaurant was the decent reviews for their 'homemade' Alfredo sauce - sadly it was terrible. Also served Luke warm, with a Tasteless very thick bachamel like paste for sauce. My waiter was too busy with the two other tables right next to me only asking once, mid-stride if everything was ok. I never received my water nor a refill on my primary drink which had been empty and sitting at the edge of my table for most of my meal. He did return finally only stopping at my table to give me my check. 6-7 total bites of my entire entree was enough for me to know this is not my definition of 'homemade' Italian food. Very disappointing. read more

Topeka has a lot of great food options, but sadly Italian is not a well represented cuisine. I was hoping that Paisano's would be a welcome remedy, but it was as disappointing a restaurant experience I've had without any major food safety concerns. The food was as Americanized as you could get, with proportions clearly out of balance. I got the Marco Polo, a dish with chicken and veggies in an almond cream sauce on top of fettuccine. The sauce had no almond notes, tasting like an Alfredo missing its cheese. The main complaint was the salad bowl amount of pasta was accompanied by (maybe?) 4 oz. of chicken, making it a confusing dish at best. My wife's lasagna wasn't even up to Stouffer's standards of excellence, and our server said maybe ten words to us the entire service. I'm sad to say that our journeys for good Italian food will still involve driving to Kansas City until something better comes along. read more

Came in for a pre race dinner while here visiting in Topeka. Was greeted sweetly by the hostess and sat right away. Server Christal was extremely attentive and patient with me as I was unsure of what I wanted. The salad and breadsticks were delish and the perfect way to start my meal, no need for an appetizer. I got the chicken Marsala and although the portion of chicken was smaller then I thought it would be, the taste was superb. And you cannot beat the price for what you get. Would absolutely go back! read more

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Food was great but the wait was extremely long. Our server was incredibly nice and the breadsticks and salad were phenomenal. The bathroom was under renovation so it wasn't the cleanest. Would come here again! read more

I love Italian food. Lasagna is one of my absolute favorite meals and Paisano's has a good lasagna. For years, I would go between their lasagna or chicken parmesan, however in the past year or so, I have been hooked on their chicken marsala. The flavors are all there and each time I've had it, the pasta was done perfectly. There isn't much to choose from in Topeka when it comes to Italian, but 10 out of 10 times, I will choose Paisano's over Olive Garden. Period. read more

I am a bit confused as to why this restaurant is listed under southern food...they do not know authentic Italian cuisine never mind southern cuisine. Service: my date and I waited 15 minutes for someone to greet us plus two other families behind us. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant as far as customers were concerned. The food when it finally arrived was swimming in grease so I had to give it to a family member. If you want to experience authentic Italian cuisine this is not the place to go to. read more

Absolutely recommend Paisanos for a good Italian dinner date night. I always get the shrimp Alfredo because the sauce is so thick and creamy. I have never had an issues with service. The wait staff is always kind and speedy. Definitely get ready for some delicious pasta here! read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Shrimp Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

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Waitress was very pleasant and knowledgeable about flavor of food, warning of spice & light fragrant sauces! However NOT knowledgable on wines at all recommending a cab/Sauvignon with shrimp & scallops when actually should of been the "Sean Minor Rosè of Pinot Noir, California" instead! Breadsticks taste home made and fresh baked. Minestrone soup was good but, very heavy and unlike any I've had with Cauliflower, whole green beans that should of been smaller & very little zucchini, celery or carrots. It was nice they could leave out the pasta to make it 100% vegetable. Ambiance was very nice, Frank Sinatra in the background with other Italian singers. The Mediterranean seafood was good but, needed some citrus like lemon zest or squeeze of lemon on the side and a bit spicy. read more

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Service and food were great! All you can eat salad and bread sticks. We didn't need refills. We got plenty. We will have another meal for left overs. We will go again when we are in town. read more

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The ambiance is a bit like a 50's diner mixed in with an Italian restaurant. The booths are tiny and the bar dated (and not in a good way). Service was slow and our server didn't check on us for quite some time after being seated. Check ins on us were infrequent. When we pointed out the spaghetti was incredibly dry we were told adding some type of sauce would be an "up charge". Pretty audacious when serving something that bordered on inedible. Spaghetti was bad, chicken spiedini with amigo was pretty good and spiedini with red sauce was pretty bad while the penne with pesto was pretty good. read more

only live a minute away yet have avoided from previous bad food. Gave another shot, well over a year later and gotten worst! AVOID! Burnt sauce, salad from bag, no sausage "medallion" and tortellini was hard. Just close as I can't see ya going anywhere else from here with pride you've taken in last yr. Laroccas across town by 15 mins and travel happily. read more

Hmmm, we had the ravioli Del Mar, Marco Polo & myself the Mushroom Lasagna.... The Rav is the "go to" for pops and what can I say...he apparently does not veer from this course. The Marco Polo same for mum....she cannot pass it up...note: they are not adventurous eaters and both dishes appeared delish, heavy cream and butter sauces...."time for a nap" food. My lasagna....oof read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Entrance - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

Pretty subpar food. Got the meatball grinder, which came with some frozen crinkle cut fries that were terrible. Wife had the spaghetti; sauce was super thick as if it had been sitting on the boiler for a few days. Used to really enjoy Paisanos in Lawrence years ago. Won't be back unfortunately. read more

Came as a 8 person BD party in Sat eve. Dia gave outstanding service! Every member in party enjoyed their various choices. Several had cheese cake and raved about it. Do not understand the one star reviews at all. read more

Great authentic Italian cuisine. Sauces are satisfying in all of their options. Perry Commo, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and many other classic Italian artists piped through the dining area for that back home feel. One of the few places in town with Campari. Each visit has been a virtual tour of Italy through a well designed menu. read more

Fantastic food, excellent service, great options on menu. We always go here for office lunch or dinner meetings and highly recommend the pink sauce! read more

We got there about an hour before closing and had a great waiter. The food was delicious and it was a cute restaurant.

Ah yes, Italian food. Indeed my favorite cuisine. I especially like this venue as they serve it in the traditional way; flavorless. $15 pizza served on a cold plate so the crust instantly becomes mush and $20 alfredo that has separated on the overcooked and clumpy linguine noodles. I will certainly visit again. read more

We had always liked the Paisano's in Lawrence, Ks but since they are no longer here, we decided to try their location in Topeka for our anniversary. Their description said an upscale romantic restaurant. My husband made reservations for tonight and asked for a nice booth since it was our anniversary. We arrived on time and were shown to a small table next to an exit door and a fire extinguisher. We were moved to a booth next to a large table which was soon occupied with a family of 10. In Lawrence, the restaurant had candles on the tables, the wait staff dressed in black skirts or pants and white shirts and the booths were in a quiet area separated from the large family tables. In Topeka there were no candles, no intimate areas and our waitress was dressed in torn jeans. The walls also had many unrepaired places where they had moved pictures. They did have cloth napkins, but this was the extent of upscale. They also did not offer fresh grated cheese for the salad. We asked and they brought a pizza shaker of parmesan. That being said, the food was very good. Apparently the restaurant changed hands about a year ago, but they are using the same recipes. We ordered the Eggplant Parmesan, Marco Polo and Tiramisu. All excellent. Our waitress was good and the food was timely and hot. I would recommend this for family dining and we will probably go there again for lunch. My suggestion would be fewer tables or look for a larger location as they seemed busy on this Valentine weekend. read more

It has been a while since I have been to Topeka! I decided on this place since it is in the same strip as the grocery store. Very convenient! I placed an order over the phone, and it was ready 15 to 20 minutes later as promised: Toasted ravioli - I am a fan of this dish. Frankly I like Imo's in St Louis better. The toasted ravioli was not as crispy as theirs. It was okay. The accompanying marinara sauce was good, but hopefully a different sauce is used for pasta. I think the sauce is a bit acidic if eating with spaghetti. Make your own plate - I chose the vodka cream sauce, fettucini, and two meatballs. The meatballs were overcooked and looked burnt. The pasta and sauce had solidified by the time I made it to my hotel less than ten minutes later. However, the taste of the sauce was really good. It was just a bit difficult to eat. I suggest serving the sauce and pasta separately or even coating the pasta in olive oil or butter so that it does not stick so much. I do not believe I have had an issue at other restaurants like this one. The above also came with 4 breadsticks and a small side salad. I did not eat the salad, but the breadsticks were ok. I also took some Andes mints at the bar. Execution is the main reason for 3 stars. The bartender, who has your order, was polite and friendly. I would probably return again if I visit Topeka! Ravioli $6.99 Pasta $11.49 Meatballs $3.99 Tax $2.06 Total $24.53 read more

Paisano's Ristorante - Toasted ravioli, garlic breadsticks, a salad, & make your own: meatballs with fettuccini & vodka cream sauce - Italian Near Me - Topeka, Kansas

Food 5, service 5 (Taylor) Ambiance meh! Had too much salad and breadsticks but enjoyed my leftovers on my road trip. Traveling from Texas to Iowa and found them on yelp. read more

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It's perfect for family dinners, gatherings, or those looking for a convenient and filling meal. it offers great value for its portion size and fresh, scratch-made ingredients. Compared to pre-made lasagnas like Stouffer's or Lean Cuisine, Paisanos stands out for its authentic flavor and homemade quality. I highly recommend this lasagna for its rich flavor, fresh ingredients, and generous portions, making it a great choice for families and individuals alike. It's well worth the cost for the quality you get. Overall, I would rate it a 5/5. read more

Should have listened to the Yelp rating. The food was really good but the service was a struggle. We finally got the breadsticks after we were done eating. I had to ask a couple of times for a water refill and it finally came after she dropped off the bill. The table next to us was comped a meal because they waited so long for their meal. Cool restaurant but the service needs help. read more

Hands down the best Italian food I've had in a very long. Everything is hand made and very fresh. The service is outstanding and the restaurant is very clean. They also have outdoor seating. Good place for Italian food! read more