Entered and staff was super friendly, helping accommodate our family of five right away (kid friendly) Food portions are large (more than enough for our family) Marinara was delicious and sopped up the rest with our bread after the kids downed all the spaghetti and crab cakes Raviolis also delicious, nice aldente pasta with a creamy filling (eat it fast and don't let it sit!) read more

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If you want Olive Garden and don't like real food than you'll love this place... Any Italian restaurant that does NOT make it's own pastas is robbing you. Buy a box of store bought pasta and a jar of sauce for cheaper. (I make both on my own) As someone with heritage from Palermo, this is a fair review. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina for us it's a YES,YES and YES. The food is delectable, the bread they serve is nice and hot when it comes to your table. We had calamari for the appetizer. Clam chowder (OH MY GOODNESS) Linguine seafood (On Point) Cioppino soup ( Delicious) Raviolis with Alfredo sauce (very tasty) Nice atmosphere, great music, and good times. I recommend this family. oriented restaurant for anyone that's not all allergic to delectable dishes We will be returning sooner than later read more

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My favorite lil spot for chicken picatta and some warm Italian bread served with a traditional balsamic oil and spices to dip in. The service is amazing and super friendly . Our server Alondra took great care of us and took our orders without even writing it down. Our meal arrived and did not disappoint. That slightly sour bite into the lemon capers in their white wine sauce cannot be matched. I have this d8sh elsewhere and it always makes me wonder why I would ever stray. The casual and family atmosphere is a crowd pleaser. I have been visiting this family run restaurant for years and will continue to do so. I approve and will be back. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Chicken picatta with mashed potatoes and broccoli and in the background salmon rustico - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

the Best Italian hole in the wall in the 209! everything is delicious! this is a must stop read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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Googled pasta near me , this place popped up while I was in the area. Walked into the restaurant the server Alondra was absolutely beautiful. I wanted the lasagna but I dont eat pork which it has. She recommended some alternatives I ended up going with the seafood linguine .. as a chef who deals with high quality sea food I have to say I was disappointed as I deal with fresh seafood . The pasta its self was a little over cooked and very under seasoned. Like I tell my kitchen staff a little s&p makes all the difference. My daughter had the spaghetti and meat balls she seemed to enjoy it . Not bad for the 2 of us was about 42$ more then very reasonable pricing. Kind of disappointed i didn't get to have the lasagna as it does look very appetizing. If they offered only beef lasagna as an option im sure they could bring in more buisness. I do recommend coming in and trying this place. read more

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The best pastas in town . Many options love dining in . If ever in town it is a must try . Service is great can get busy .

The food here is so good and comforting. It's a cozy place with great service. The dishes are hearty and seasoned and enough to share. We love to mix and match dinner for the whole family. read more

Lawwwwd! This hidden gem should not be missed! From the cleanliness and the ambiance (lots of space between tables), to the excellent service (Alondra, you rock!) and delectable dishes, Palermo is as wonderful as it is unexpected, popping up in a gravel parking lot among businesses and homes. We started with the pillow soft bread served with oil and vinegar, split a Ceasar salad, devoured the off-the-hook eggplant appetizer (not on the menu), then lived our best foodie lives with the chicken marsala and salmon rustico (all for $80!!). We tapped out on dessert, and I'm still wondering if that was a wise choice?! We will definitely be back to this little spot, which proves the old adage that you cannot judge a book by its cover. read more

We celebrated my moms bday a day earlier due to us not all being together for her actual birthday. She absolutely loved the food! We all did. They are not stingy when it comes to serving wine, the service is great only one server handling it all so smoothly. They have a drive thru too! That is so awesome, they implemented it during Covid era and have stuck with it. The restaurant is small but cozy it's located in not the best of neighborhoods, but that street has two great restaurants Lao's kitchen and this one. We will definitely be back and try more of their menu. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Pollo Picatta - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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Placed order for chicken parmigiana. Chicken was either old or overcooked as it was difficult to cut (definitely not a chicken breast) meat was dark and stringy. Fried calamari was good. Food usually good but not this time. read more

Been dying to try this place, only to finally go at 8:20 PM and be told they're to-go orders only. This kind of restriction really hurts small business owners. If your sign says you're open and your posted hours say you're open, customers should be able to come in and dine not be told they can only order to-go. If your hours have restrictions, they should be clearly posted so customers know before making the trip. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. Service was great. Perfect place for a date night or a quick family dinner

Food was very filling and delicious!! Tasted like pasted down recipes ! Recommend if you want Italian food! read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Shrimp Scampi - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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Great Italian cuisine in the valley! One of my favorites overall. Friendly service as well. Highly recommend!

Man, what a place. Neighborhood is a lil ruff saw a few homeless folks walk by and the surrounding buildings are a little older including this restaurant. Nonetheless those things dont effect your dining. I got the spaghetti cabonara and a to go cal zone. Ive never had cabonaro at a restaurant before so I hold this one as reference to any other ones i have. Green onion is added to this cabonara. A traditional one doesn't have it. It was a nice addition, it was delightful. Not sure what type of bread is served but it was hot and tasty with the combination oil, balsamic vinegar and some seasoning was great. Got a second serving to eat with the spaghetti. The cal zone was a large enough for two adults. Great ingredients soft dough. It even came with parmesan cheese and more bread. The best cal zone I've had. I dont eat much cal zones tho. Soda is by the can at least the coke is. Water with lemon. Service was great. It was only me and a couple at the time. I will visit again. read more

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THE FOOD IS AMAZING. My husband was Italian. The Salmon, mashed potatoes and veggie medley, the Chicken Picatta with potatoes, mashed potatoes and veggies or you can get this with spaghetti in place of potatoes, Spaghetti and meatballs is so GOOD. I've never had better Italian food unless it was at my husband's Grandmother's home. I have to either eat there or get take out every week. Please try it you will love it. read more

We had done a google search on Palermo about a month ago and we just postpone our visit because we were skeptical, so on Sunday May 31st we decided to head over for Dinner and Im soo glad we did!! It is a very small restaurant but it made it feel very cozy, the girls that we're taking orders and bussing the tables were friendly and attentive, we got the calamari for appetizer and it was a 10/10 however it was missing a marinera sauce for my personal preference, we got a kids cheese pizza for my son he loved it, I ordered the capellini pomodoro it was delicious, my daughter ordered chicken alfredo & she liked it, my husband got the linguine fradiavola I think that's what it was called the one that has the sea food his was soo tasty! We all got a sodas they are served canned and if you ask for water they give you a water bottle, for dessert we had the banana pie & tiramisu I prefer the Banana the tiramisu was lacking on the coffee flavor for me. It can get pretty loud so just be aware of that it is not a romantic setting more of a family ambiance, plenty of parking on the lot next to the restaurant, food is made fresh so be prepared to wait and enjoy the bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar! It is on the pricey side FYI with tip included our bill for a party of 4 was almost $200 read more

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Me and my bf came here randomly when we were going out to dinner at a different res and they ended up being closed so we yelped other Italian restaurants open and found this one. I'm so glad we did the food is amazing I got the vodka pasta and it was so delicious the bread and garlic dip was so good as well. It's nothing fancy inside but the food is 10/10! read more

Food is insanely delicious. Very small and personal location. Their farfalle and carbonara is so good. I've had plenty of italian spots before and this one is among the better ones for sure. read more

Food and service is really good. We've been twice. Hot fresh bread is good. We got the calamari appetizer, it was ok, I've definitely had better. I had a seafood pasta, had a little spice, but was pretty good. Shrimp was definitely over cooked. Wife had Shrimp pasta and she said the shrimp was over cooked as well. We have tried something different both times. Overall pretty good. We'll go again and probably try something different. read more

Amazing lasagna and calzone. Iced tea is excellent. Service perfectly done Small place Off street parking read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

Best pasta in town! Great customer service and Alondra was helpful too. Was able to customize our dinner. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

The food was excellent, great Clam Chowder, the chicken Marsala was delicious and more than enough food. The bread is also excellent!! Service was friendly and expeditious. Great food and service. read more

So good!! Great staff and delicious. Stopped by on our way up north and it was the perfect rest stop. The bread was the best and our server was super nice read more

Loved it!! Great food, wonderful staff, just so nice over all. It was such a cozy little restaurant that made it all feel like they wanted you to stay and eat they were great with my reservation of 10, and we hope to go again! read more

My wife and I found ourselves at this place for the first time on Valentine's Day. The decor and ambiance were unremarkable...nothing fancy and the place is located in a somewhat shady part of town just west of hwy 99 on H Street. Also, the dining area is a bit small, and the way the tables are situated made me feel like people were standing right over our table as the place started to get busy. Interestingly, the menu is on the table top located between the table and a glass top with lots of dishes to choose from. So, what they lacked in decor and ambiance they certainly made up for in flavor and service. The wait staff were very friendly and engaging, definitely knew the menu, answered questions, and gave excellent recommendations. As for our meal, for starters, we had the fried calamari 4/5. It was a little bland but it was breaded perfectly and cooked perfectly. Nothing a little extra seasoning in the breading wouldn't fix. One drawback, though, was that it comes with basic tartar and cocktail sauce served in a plastic "to go" cup like you would put salsa in from a local taqueria. Even the Parmigiano cheese is served in the salsa cups. My wife ordered the Fettuccine Rocka 5/5, which came with sundried tomatoes, shrimp, and scallops topped with a delicious creamy sauce. I have never had Cioppino, so I ordered the Cioppino Soup 4/5, which was definitely a soup and not what I expected from viewing tons of photos on Yelp. It didn't come with crusty bread for dipping like I have seen in so many pictures. I also think they were a little lite on the amount of seafood they put in the dish, but THAT BROTH! OH MAN, IT WAS THE BOMB! SO much flavor! All in all, we had a pleasant time and will definitely eat here again to try other things on their vast menu, and the portions are generous. Btw, they do make pizza, which ironically is not listed on the menu. They get 4/5 stars from me, not so much due to little things like the salsa cups, but due to their price point. I think it is overpriced for such a lack of amenities as of the date of this review. It could be a deal breaker for some, as you will see when you expand the menu pic. Like I said, I will eat here again, just not too often. read more

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We went on a Tuesday and it was somewhat busy, but there appeared to be only one waitress working. After being seated, it took about 20 minutes for her to return and take our drink and appetizer order. I ordered a Caprese salad and my husband ordered a Caesar salad. About 30 minutes later, we were still waiting for our appetizer when a couple was seated right next to us. When the waitress came to take their order, I had to flag her down to let her know we were ready to order our entrees. Even though our order was submitted around the same time as the couple next to us, they received their food, ate, and finished before we even received our appetizer and dinner. When our food finally arrived, it unfortunately didn't make up for the wait. My husband's lasagna was bland and tasted like a frozen meal--he didn't finish it. My cioppino was mostly a salty, soupy broth with very little seafood (I could count the pieces on one hand). The Caprese salad was simply a Roma tomato cut in half with a slice of mozzarella on top, swimming in balsamic vinegar and oil, and surprisingly no basil. We did voice our concerns to the waitress, and she was very apologetic and offered to bring me another dish. It honestly seemed like they were understaffed and overwhelmed. Since going viral on TikTok, the restaurant has clearly gotten much busier--but it feels like they may have lost their touch in the midst of the growth. Hoping they can get back to the quality and service we once experienced. read more

Can I give it 10 stars? We've been here 4 times and everything from the service to the food is amazing. If you are lucky to get Alondra as your server you are in for a treat! Friendly,fast, knowledgeable and is there to answer any and all questions. I asked for a different sauce on a dish and they were happy to oblige. It's a small place so get there by 5. People talk about the location being sketchy but we haven't felt unsafe at all. Seriously the BEST Italian food and service in Modesto. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Fettuccine Rocka - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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Wow! This place is a hidden gem. Food is phenomenal. Staff is great - Alondra is the waitress. She is fantastic. It is small inside and fills up quick. read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Meat Lasagna. Big portion. Melts in your mouth. - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

I went in today and omg 10/10 food amazing, loved the atmosphere in there ,staff was really friendly the food is so so amazing like I said ! Go try it ! read more

Italian night! We arrived shortly after opening time and were the second table to be seated. We were greeted as we stepped into the restaurant and were told to take any open table. Hot rolls and olive oil and balsamic were brought out as we perused the menus that were on the table under glass. The rolls were excellent while hot and still okay as they cooled. The server offered additional rolls to the other tables, but we didn't finish ours, so we weren't asked. She wanted Crab Cakes. There were two Crab Cakes to the order. They were cut in 1/2 and laid out with sauce under and on top. Half of the plate was taken up with Salad. For the price point, the Crab Cakes were okay, but the salad was even better, especially after we dragged it through the warm sauce from the Crab Cakes. Kind of like a creamy Italian Dressing with Capers. I think that if they had laid the Crab Cakes on top of the sauce and not put more sauce over the Cakes, they would have been crunchier and more to my liking. She like her Linguine and enjoyed the quantity of seafood that it came with. I thought that my risotto was okay albeit a bit salty, but then I'm salt sensitive. Service was decent. He gave us as much time as we needed to figure out what we wanted and then checked back with us several times. I guess we must have looked full. No dessert menu was offered, so we paid and left. read more

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Came for the first time tonight and the food was definitely great! To start with the fresh bread and balsamic dip started the experience.. the table got a variety of foods linguine seafood, fettuccini Roka, calzone, and shrimp scampi!! All great food! The server was so tentative. Place is definitely a hole in the way to be considered a gem! read more

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Very good food. Not cheap though. And the neighborhood is poor. Take out available. read more

The food is outstanding -- truly. The bread alone is phenomenal, and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone based on the food alone. Unfortunately, my experience was affected by an interaction with one staff member. When I arrived, my waitress was initially friendly and accommodating. As I was leaving, I asked for restaurant recommendations in the area since I travel for work. While she did offer a few suggestions, she then looked me up and down and began commenting on dress codes. I was wearing sweats to a casual restaurant on a Sunday night (which I had researched beforehand), and in that moment I felt judged and embarrassed. I didn't speak up at the time, but I hope this feedback reaches her. Please be mindful of how comments and mean looks can affect guests. You never know what someone may be going through or why they are dressed the way they are. That evening, I was dealing with a very difficult mental health battle and simply wanted a quiet dinner to feel better. A little awareness and kindness can go a long way. Sincerely, The girl in sweats dining alone. read more

I just had a birthday lunch at Palermo Restaurant. It was WONDERFUL! Food as well as staff were simply AMAZING! I highly recommend Palermo and it is my go-to for Italian food and an extremely comfortable environment. read more

I have never been disappointed with any meal here! I love the penne paisano the most! the service is so great too! the waitress knows exactly what we want everytime we go. read more

Alondra had the best customer service! It was my first time here and she recommended the best dishes. Everything was a 10/10.

Ok how do i start this review? The location is very sketchy. It's not in the best area of Modesto but I wanted to know the yelp hype. I wanted to see if this place was really worthy of all them stars. We walk in and there were two families enjoying meals. So far that's a good start. The interior is nothing fancy. We were quickly greeted and seated. We glanced over the menu and I was wowed. So many delicious options. So many that I had the waitress pick between two options. She suggested the spaghetti carbonara. There is only one bathroom. The weird part is there is a sofa seat in front of the toilet. Is that the waiting chair for the toilet? Haha As we waited for our food, the waitress brought out bread. Now if the bread is good, you know darn well the food will be good. The bread was DELICIOUS! I am screwed. One piece turned to two pieces. I had to cut myself off of the bread. I would keep eating it. The food came out and it's time to eat. Everyone please be quiet while I enjoy this delicious meal. This food was delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The sauce was thick and creamy. Talk about not judging a book by its cover or let's say location. This place was so good that the wife and I want o bring the kids in to enjoy. We es it was that good. A huge shout out to our waitress. You were WONDERFUL! read more

Palermo Restaurant Italian Cucina - Addicting bread - Italian Near Me - Modesto, California

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Wow, The best Italian food ever. I had the chicken cacciatore my wife have a lasagna. Best clam chowder. We will definitely be back at least once a week. Our server Chendre was amazing. thank you so much for the amazing food and great service. read more

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