This restaurant was a recommendation from a couple we sat next to while dining at Wildland in Carlsbad. They are residents of Vista and highly recommended Papa Bambino's for great pizza. As we always do when eating at a new restaurant, we went for lunch,and tried the one topping pizza with pepperoni, and added sausage. Also, we had the crust cooked longer because we like it more "crunchy". All I can say is that it was a great, delicious, well balanced, and a satisfying meal. The dough, the Italian sausage are made in house and ate absolutely amazing. We will definitely make another trip from Oceanside to try more of the menu choices. Don't be put off by the simple tables and chairs and lack of decorations inside the building as the food is outstanding and there is discount if you pay your bill in cash. read more

My experience here was nothing short of perfection. This was my first time coming here. I was on my way home from a completely horrible day at work when I saw this shop. When I entered, I was met with smiles and warm greetings. The owners were very nice, outgoing, bubbly and attentive. Their food menu had a lot to offer, there weren't any prices on the menus but they had a large selection. The shop was very cute on the inside and seemed very clean. I will definitely be back as I shared a love of excessive amounts of garlic with the owners! My pizza was amazing and probably the best pizza I've had in a long time. Their ranch was to die for!!!!! This definitely made my day 100% better. read more

Papa Bambinos - Margarita pizza - Pizza Near Me - Vista, California

The olive oil pizza and margarita pizza were amazing. Small eating space but service and food were really great. The olive oil pizza was definitely the same as what I remember from growing up and going to Bruno pizza! read more

I've been going to their restaurant since it's original location on San Marcos Blvd. I've never had a bad meal or a less than exceptional service. Being from Chicago originally, I am very particular about my pizza, and this place always delivers. Highly recommend you give it a try. read more

Showed up today at 12:45p. Reported to be open at noon. Place is dark. Tried calling them no answer. Nothing posted on the door.

If you loved Bruno's in San Marcos back in the day you'll be pleasantly surprised by this little spot! Try the olive oil pizza!

I heard this place is owned or run by someone who was involved with Bruno's back in the day. We went for the white pizza and it didn't disappoint! It's exactly how we remember it at Bruno's. read more

I love their olive oil pizza but they are never open!! No one ever picks up their phone. I have tried ordering from them 4-5 times now and the phone keeps ringing and no on seems to answer. I called Friday 10/23 to make sure they were open on Saturday 10/24. The lady on the phone said yes they'd be open. I also gave her my order with a pick up time of 5pm. Well here we are on Saturday trying to confirm our order of 2 pizzas for today and sure enough they are not open. We also drove over to see if they were open and sure enough door is locked and lights are turned off. It's so unfortunate and frustrating that they cant keep posted hours. I guess I'll try again later to see if anyone picks up the phone. But I doubt it. Time for plan B. read more

Stumbled in for a late bite. Never heard of the place, and it wasn't a planned trip. But I want about to go to Tom's, and I've been craving a meatball sammie! Ordered my sub, paid my 6.50$ for it. This is nitpicky, but the cashier got my change wrong. Not really a big deal, but I'm a stickler for details. She gave me a time estimate, which ended up being wrong. Again, not a big deal, but if I'd been in a hurry this may have been an issue. The sandwich itself was very good. Working at a bakery, I pay extra attention to the bread, which was lightly toasted to perfection and had a good taste + texture without being overpowering. The meatball was broken up and tasty (rather than one huge meatball, or a few smaller ones) with a delicious meat sauce to go with it. I prefer a bit more cheese, but for what it is... this hit the spot. Good price, good food; what else do you want from a hole in the wall eatery? It's not far from Twisted Horn (a mead hall without a true eatery of its own) so I'll probably return. Now that I know it's there, I'll give one of their pies a try! read more

My boss recommended this place, so we checked it out. I decided to try out the calzone. It's pretty big, can feed two people. The size comes out to be around 8" x 14". The pepperoni calzone is pretty good, but the sauce is a little bit on the plain side. Although, you will not be disappointed eating it. The pros for sure is the reasonable pricing. The calzone was 8.95, for two people... nice. read more

Awesome an new Lunch spot opens close to my office. They are planing on having a Pasta/ Pizza Buffet and Salad bar open soon. We ordered the 14" pizza special for $5.99, such a deal. Not a bad Pie, medium crust with light sauce and the cheese was good. I prefer thin crust NY style myself. This place offers lots of sandwiches and pasta dishes and all the pricing looks reasonable. I cant wait to try more dishes ....yum read more

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We have been coming here for years, started when they were located in San Marcos over 10 years ago! Sooo good! The pizzas are huge with great flavor! The Penne Arrabbiata is spicy but sooo good! Sweetest kindest family that put their love into their dishes! Come and support them! read more

I like to ditto on pretty much everything Steven M said on his review. The $6.95 lunch buffet looked fantastic but I had already ordered their special deal $5.99 pepp 14" pizza with additional toppings. The pizza was as good as any of my N county favs like Big Bobs and Paradise but for much less. I mean you can't beat that even with Domino's or Pizza hut. The dining room is very welcoming, comfortable and clean as you can see with the photos I took. And they had some nice tables and chairs outside, not the usual hard iron chairs that hurt your tooshie. One thing you should know is that all their pasta is made in house fresh by chef Bambino and NOT frozen like some of the places you see on TV Kitchen nightmares and Restaurant Impossible. And what I like most about this places is that it's casual not pretentious or uptight Italian cuisine with quality food that won't make you feel like you just wasted your money on over rated or mediocre food. read more

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The pizza was way below average for the price.. It was served to me in a to-go box. When I opened to look inside it seemed like it was yesterday's leftover. The owner was very rude. Did not want to accommodate in any way. Told me to get out.!!! read more

We get the potato pizza twice a month and every time we go in, we are greeted nicely. The owner, wife and son are very friendly. We always recommend this place to friends to help support local business and of course their food is delicious. read more

Have only eaten here once, based upon a recommendation and we were "in the area" so to say. We bought a large pizza, knowing we'd be taking some home, and a sandwich. Both were amazing to the taste buds! The pizza was loaded with the goodness I requested and the crust not too thick. Baked to perfection, for sure. I had leftover pizza for days. As for the service - it was late afternoon and the woman working there was filling take out / pick up orders, but squeezed ours in between. I did not find the wait to be prolonged and the food was fresh and hot when we received it (we ate in). They have a reasonably priced weekday lunch buffet I would not mind trying out, if in the area during that time frame. Overall, not very many customers for a weekend. But, I am thinking they cater to the businesses in the area (when open) and nearby apartment complexes. If they were more centralized I am sure this place would be popping off with business. I recommend you try dining in, or ordering in if taking it home, in lieu of delivery - as that (delivery) seems to be many of the complaints on this forum... read more

By far the worst pizza on the planet! You have been warned! The food is disgusting and the owner actually spit at me for informing him of the lack of quality of what they are serving to their customers. Unbelievable negative experience to the 3rd degree! I ordered a pepperoni pizza and the first bite the stale cheese clumped up in my mouth and formed a hard ball of gross in my mouth. I love pizza but this was BAD! The owner actually followed me out of the establishment and almost came to blows. He actually spit at me! You have been warned! read more

I don't know what these people are thinking..... Based on the reviews we tried takeout and was very disappointed! Cheese Ravioli was frozen, meatballs smelled old, sauce was out of a can....the best part of the meal was the bread! Reviews must be all family members or something....it wasn't cheap either. Sorry to be such a bummer........ read more

I try to only post when things are really excellent or really terrible. This place was worse than really terrible. Went in for "lunch" last week with my Mom. The lady that was working on the front was very nice, and apparently the only person working there. We ordered a Cesar Salad and Shrimp Scampi with mushrooms. The Cesar Salad had NO cheese, NO croutons, and the dressing tasted way too heavy on the anchovies. It was terrible, to say the least. Next comes out our Shrimp Scampi. I have never seen a Scampi look or taste like this. On one side was the shrimp, which looked like frozen shrimp, covered with some garlic onions and canned mushrooms. I took a half a bite of the shrimp and couldn't eat anymore. The second half of the plate was spaghetti with marinara sauce. What the hell kind of shrimp Scampi is that? It gets worse though. Since I like spaghetti I figured I would stick to eating that. Well, three bites in and I found a hair. Last straw. Had to get out quick, never to return. The only good thing I have to say is the garlic bread was decent. Only decent. But they are generous with it. read more

$8.95 lunch pizza is sooo big... Wasn't expecting it to be this big....lol! Server is super friendly too.... .. The bathroom though needs some serious cleaning. That was the only downfall for me. read more

I have had the pleasure of working with Papa Bambinos for a couple of my corporate customers as well as started having their pizza personally the service and pizza is excellent! read more

The best budget Italian food in San Diego. If you are not ready to pay for 5 start dining this is the place. Try the lunch buffet. I suggest you come during lunch hours to do that. You will not be able to show up at 5 minutes to 2 pm and say why is your buffet Old or Cold? Seriously some of these reviews leave me shaking my head. Just some sycophants that call San Diego home and chances are a competing business. I get Pizza from Papa Bambinos and I am a regular.I am heading there to get a pie right now. You have tried the rest, NOW TRY THE BEST read more

Stumbled onto this place when driving down Sycamore in Vista. The $5 Pizza sign caught my eye and I was in the mood for some non-chain pizza! Very small place with about 6-7 tables but the menu is pretty large and the family that owns it were all there and very nice/friendly. I ended up ordering a 14 inch cheese pizza for $5 and a mortadella sandwich on their homemade bread. The owner even let me try the bread before I decided. It was great! Pizza was great - though I like my pizza very thin crust and this one was a little thicker than I prefer. The mortadella sandwich was HUGE and so good. I think it was only like $6 too. For $11 plus tax my hubby and I had dinner and lunch for the next day! He said they are opening up a buffet very soon. We'll definitely go back to try that! read more

The folks here at Papa Bambino's are always friendly and accommodating. You can tell that it's family owned, because the employees remember you when you go in a few times, and always ask if you want your usual order. I was a little bummed that they didn't have beer or wine, but that's not essential at lunch time. She remembered after only a few visits that I either order a root beer or an iced tea, so she knows to ask for which one of these options I would like. They always have a great deal for lunch. Their lunch buffet is a great deal at around $13 after tax, and includes a fountain drink. This might seem a little crazy for someone who doesn't know the immediate area, but this area in particular does not have many food options within walking distance, so you can count on spending more than $10 on a meal. At least here at Bambino's, they provide a great value for what you are spending. Most places have a specialty that sets them apart, and at Bambino's, they have great crust! They use the same crust in their pizza as the sandwiches, which I believe is made with semolina flour, but don't quote me on that. It does taste fresh every day, so I would bet they either make it in house, or get it from a nearby source as it is always fresh and delicious. The Buffet always includes a salad bar, and sandwiches right at the start around noon. As lunchtime proceeds, they begin to bring out pizza, grilled veggies, lasagna, and other pasta dishes. Every day has a different selection, which is great for people who love variety and have a big appetite. In my recent visit, they did not have their buffet going on. While I was a little bummed, I decided to see what their normal menu was like, and get my own selection for lunch. I decided to order a "mini" calzone and a side salad, so I can make sure to get some veggies in too. The salad was on point, simple but delicious with fresh greens, olives and tomatoes. It was simple, yet refreshing and a great price at under $3. When the calzone came out, I was astonished when they brought a 14" family sized calzone big enough to share with one or two people. This is a great value, as it was around $9, and for that price you'll be lucky to get a personal sized pizza or calzone at another restaurant. I was taken off guard, but satisfied to see that I was not going to leave hungry. The total came out to be less than the buffet, and I had plenty of leftovers. All in all, Papa Bambino's is a great place for lunch with a great selection in their buffet, and an incredible value for their menu items.This is my number one choice for lunch in this area, definitely try it out if you like Italian food and like to support family owned businesses. read more

Honestly, I only love this place because they deliver... even though it takes 30 minutes longer than it should. I work front desk at a motel, and I don't have the luxury of choosing much besides pizza. Papa Bambinos has pretty decent sandwiches, and they are sizeable enough to split! The salads are wet & sad, we usually take one bite and toss them out. TL;DR order food [sandwiches!] way before you're hungry. read more

I enjoyed the Olive Oil pizza that I have not had since Bruno's in San Marcos closed.

Delicious food! Their meat sauce was one of the best I've ever had. The lasagna portion was huge and cheesy and enough for 2. The meatballs were so tasty! Lovely couple running the place and the interior was a bit weird because of covid but they were so hospitable. I can't wait to try their puzza!! Totally recommend this place! read more

This establishment was highly recommended by a fellow co-worker about a month ago. Our shift at work, which is 12 employees on a weekend decided on having a pizza day. So, we all pitched in with the mula prior to our pizza day which was supposed to be delivered 11:30 am Sunday. Instead, it was delivered to the night shift 11:30 pm Saturday night. It was already paid for so the night guys gladly accepted free pizza. Not really a big deal though. That problem was solved. We postponed our pizza day for a few weeks and called on Papa Bambinos again, and this time they were right on time. Personally, I was hungry like a rabid dog when the pizza arrived. It was still warm and I was one of the first employees to dive in. That's where all the possible love for Papa Bambinos ended! I don't want to say that this is the worst pizza I ever had, but it's close. Maybe other items on the menu are tastier? I really don't want to go into specific details on my personal critique. It's just not worth more than the time that I've already spent. In a nutshell, all employees but the recommending subject were totally dissatisfied with the end product. I'm with Matthew R. on his review. If this site allowed an 1/8 of a star, that would be my vote. Respectfully, -Lost Customer read more

I went there for lunch today. I had the buffet and it was good. Nothing to write home about, but a solid pizza/Italian buffet. The service was fine. read more

The lady who works here is so nice! The pizza is amazing as well as the sandwiches I've ordered! Highly suggest!

They are still just as good. I can only vouch for ordering take out on the following items. Spaghetti, manicotti, and vegetarian pizza. Repeat customer since 2013. Give them a hour heads up when ordering manicotti, although they won't tell you that. read more

Great pizza. It's one of the better pizzas I've eaten. The mini lunch pizza is 14". Really good crust and sauce. The lunch buffet is really good. They have lasagna, chicken, pizza, salads and soup. read more

Not many superior pizza places in North County but Papa Bambino's is among the best. Close to genuine New York style, excellent crust, cheese - really, all is first rate. read more

What HORRIBLE customer service. We spend lots of money at this place because it is the only place close by. So after spending $70.+ I ask for a cup of ice and they make a big deal when I ask for a soda cup and we were offering to pay for it, but they couldn't figure out the cost. The unprofessional lady at the counter says "Well, this is a business and we can't give away things for free." I reminded her that I offered to pay and corrected her by telling her that 7-11 does it all the time to which she replied "Well, then take your business to 7-11". Her and that rude owner have no concept of customer service and it's not like their food is that good anyways, like I said, it is really the only place close by to work. Skip this place and go somewhere with quality customer service. read more

I didn't know this gem was here. I ordered 2 medium calzones and they were HUGE! Delicious calzones and lovely lady making the food. Will absolutely return. read more

Great people, great food, and delivery? Yes please! Awesome place...and we will be eating here again fo sho

Best Olive Oil Pizza in the USA! Not only authentic, but Chris and Virginia (owners) add the right ingredients and a ton of love to it. Thanks Papa Bambinos!!!! read more

Nice little Italian restaurant ... we ordered pizza and salad and it was all delicious... their garlic bread was delicious also... can't wait to try their other food... read more

I've been going to this place for 10 years, when they were located in San Marcos. I'm really happy to see that they're back in business, very near my office in Vista. It's run by an incredibly hard working family that really care about what they're doing. They do great pizza, which is what we always get there. The crust is not ultra thin, but not thick either. My favorite crust in the area! They also do an assortment of pasta dishes, but to be honest I almost never buy pasta in a restaurant - too easy to make at home! The location is small, with only a few tables. They've only been open a short while in this location, but are getting it dialed in pretty quickly. They tell me they will have a lunch buffet opening soon. read more

Best Pizza in SD! I used to go to this place all the time when they were located off San Marcos BLVD. Then all of a sudden they disappeared and were replaced by a Del Taco :/. So it came as a great surprise to me when I stumbled accross their new location off sycamore. Their new location is much smaller but the food is still as good as I remember. Their pizza crust is that perfect combination of crunchy, chewy, and flaky. So DELICIOUS! I can't wait to go back and try their eggplant parm (one of my favs from the last location). Great food, great service, and very reasonable prices. This place is truly a hidden gem! read more