We came here on a Sunday afternoon, and there were a lot of tables available. The ambiance felt like a genuine Italian restaurant. I was told that the pasta is homemade! I had basil pesto cream with radiatori, and it was the best pesto pasta I've ever had. The waiter also served us bread with olive oil, which was so good that we had seconds. We came here with a toddler and a baby, and I wish the toddler could have been given a plastic cup and plate instead of glass ones. If they could add more Italian desserts in addition to gelato, such as tiramisu, I would be very happy and would order it every time! I was actually looking for a dessert menu, but there wasn't one except for gelato. We'll definitely come back here again! read more

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I didn't know this was here! We saw a few people walking down the strip with ice cream (and they corrected me and informed me that it was gelato) and they pointed us in the right direction! This is in a great location - it was easy to find and get to. We were greeted when we went in. I had said we have never been there before so the employee gave us a rundown. We were encouraged to try samples of gelato until we knew what kind we wanted to have. There wasn't a flavor that I tried that I didn't like but I settled on cappuccino flavor. It was SO strong which I loved because alot of cappuccino ice creams are not super strong / flavorful but this was! The texture was smooth. We also got a cookies and cream and mango. The employee was super kind and patient. It is very spacious inside with a bar area and a decent amount of seating. We will definitely be back! read more

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This restaurant is a cozy little visit in the strip District. It's authentic homemade Italian food and it's very very yummy. I recommend coming here for lunch or for dinner. You can't go wrong with either. You also have the option to sit in the dining room room or the bar room where the gelato is held. I've had their pepperoni pizza before and their pizza is very good it's very fluffy and it's square. During my visit here I came for lunch and I got their wedding soup and their chicken dish. So good The waitresses are always very polite and the employees are very kind read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Chicken dish - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Came here for an event and I was so impressed that I came again the next day! From fresh homemade pasta, to their unique focaccia pizza and gelato, everything was so yummy! The spacious venue and friendly staff really made it a wonderful experience. Can't wait to come back to sample something else! read more

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First time coming here among all the other places in the strip. There was no wait on a Sunday afternoon and the service was excellent. We were started off with fresh focaccia bread which was delicious and warm. Then came the pasta which was homemade and plentiful. I only ate about half and was stuffed. Loved the Carnegie Carbonera on the Radiatori pasta. Maybe the best pasta I've had in Pittsburgh. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Homemade Radiatori pasta with Carnegie Carbonera sauce...out of this world delicious! - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I went to Papa J's for the first time a couple weekends ago with my fiancé's family! I made a reservation for 7:30 pm on a Saturday. Half our party got there early around 7 pm, and they sat us early. I got the Basil Pesto Cream with spaghetti + veal meatball - this is one of the best pesto dishes I've ever had! And that meatball was great. We shared the Fried Zucchini - we all enjoyed it. I loved the breading. The complimentary fresh focaccia was incredible. You get free refills, AND they give you MORE if you have leftovers to take home! My fiancé got some of the focaccia pizza: Slice of Classic Italian with Pepperoni & hot honey, and a slice of Margherita. He loved this! I took a couple bites & it was delish! Our server Sheresa was AMAZING! @ Papa J's management - she deserves a raise! She was so sweet and so on top of everything. She even cut and served the outside cake we brought (shoutout Oakmont Bakery). She also brought us free samples of their gelato, which were amazing. This was a 10/10 experience and I can't wait to go back. read more

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Went here for the gelato, quick and great service. Delicious gelato with good flavors : ). no complaints! cute interior read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Papa J's is a newer addition of Italian goodness in the Strip! I've had dinner there a few times and my top recommendation is to come hungry because ordering an app, entree, and gelato are all non-negotiable. The banana peppers or a slice of pizza are great as a first course. For pasta, I love that you can mix and match your desired sauce and pasta shape. During my most recent visit though, I tried the classic eggplant Parmesan and it was delicious! The generous portion was enough for lunch the next day, too. But the best part for me is the gelato - which is saying a lot since I'm normally not a dessert person. I highly recommend the classic lemon gelato or one of the seasonal flavors! I highly recommend for good food and friendly service. If you love it, you can also take some of their grocery products home with you! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Eggplant Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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My fiancé and I took the dough making class recently at Papa J's. This is absolutely a bang for your buck! This is a hands off class which I won't lie I was hesitant about but I am so glad we booked this. Michael is really passionate about what they do at Papa J's and answered any question we had. We were welcomed with a glass of wine, charcuterie, focaccia, and cooked banana peppers. Everything was so delicious. Michael made us 4 types of pasta with 4 sauces. Everything was portioned perfectly but there was no pressure to finish they packaged up what we weren't able to! We had to end the night with an affogato of course which was perfect as always! I love coming here and am so glad I got to learn more about how they make everything! read more

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Everything was perfect, friendly, & delicious. Michael was an outstanding host!! We will be back soon with friends!

Good place for pasta and pizza and great place for gelato! It's in the Strip District super close to all the other new restaurants in the Strip, and it's a great addition. There is a large sit down area for meals and a bar area. The pizza has many options for toppings, and they do warm up the pizza if it's been sitting out for a while. It's more Roman style pizza than the Neapolitan/American pizza from nearby Pizzeria Davide, but it certainly hits your cravings! The buffalo chicken and the rosemary tomato are my favorite, but they're all pretty good. The pastas are decent as well, and the chicken parmigiano is good too. Now the gelato - soooo good! It's creamy and smooth, and the flavors are all great. They make the gelato in house, so definitely give them a try! The staff are very generous about letting you try many flavors, and they offer pints as well if you really like a flavor. Come here for the pizza and go home with a great pint of gelato! read more

We love Papa J's since they open up in the Strip. The classic Italian pizza is one of my go to and the gelatos. The staffs are always welcoming and the owner is always making sure we are taking care of. Great food and experience at Papa J's. read more

The pizza here is amazing. It has such a unique crust that I haven't found anywhere else. It's a 10/10 every time. And the staff is so friendly as well!! Awesome gelato with so many flavors to try as well. Would recommend this pizza to anyone. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Cheese pizza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Great pizza by the slice! Felt like I was back in Italy! They warm the slices individual and have nice seating inside for a quick meal. Friendly staff. read more

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I loved my dinner at Papa J's. The food was delicious, though mine was just a little cold when it arrived. The menu had plenty of options, with lots of room to customize. We loved our mains, and the bread was so good! We finished the night with a scoop of funky monkey gelato. Our waiter could've been a tad more attentive, and didn't seem to have too much intel when asked for recommendations, but other than that it was a great experience. I'd definitely come back! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Carbonara with mushrooms, spinach, and fresh mozz - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We stopped in here when after shopping in the Strip District. The staff were very friendly. The food was absolutely amazing. We had a pizza slice and also some gelato. If you have time make sure to stop in. read more

We've been to this restaurant a few times when visiting Pittsburgh, but after this experience, it'll be our last. We had a reservation and were seated without any issues. At first, things seemed fine, but it quickly became clear that the service was pretty disorganized. Part of our group arrived slightly earlier than the rest, which could explain some early confusion, but even once everyone was there, it didn't really improve. Drinks and appetizers came out at random times, and multiple drink orders were wrong. The drink situation was especially frustrating. At one point, the server came over and asked if the beer tasted right. When we said no, he admitted he already knew it was the wrong beer and that it had been served incorrectly twice, even in the wrong glass. Despite knowing this, he still brought it out. Then on the bill, we were charged for the more expensive beer that was originally ordered, not the cheaper one that was actually served. We placed our food orders and ended up waiting over an hour. It was a busy night, so some delay is understandable, but this felt excessive for a restaurant at this price point. When the food finally came out, several dishes were cold and overall just not very good. To put it in perspective, the "family salad" was $30 and was literally just a head of lettuce with a few cherry tomatoes cut up and some oil on it. The biggest issue was a family-style dish that was brought out with meat, even though it was ordered by two people who don't eat meat. There's just no scenario where they would order a dish with meat. And if the order had actually been read back correctly, they obviously would have caught that immediately. Instead, the server insisted that's what was ordered. When we asked to have it taken off the bill, he pushed back and suggested the meat could just be picked off, which completely misses the point. Rather than wait another hour for a replacement, they just didn't eat. On top of that, every single dish came out to the wrong person. The server would place plates down, realize they were wrong, move them around, then come back again and still get it wrong. This happened over and over for the entire table. At that point, we decided to calmly speak with one of the owners just to explain what had happened and see if anything could be done. The response we got was, "So what do you want me to do?" in a pretty rude tone. That alone was surprising, but it got worse. The other owner then came over to our table and, instead of helping, actually raised his voice and blamed us for the mistake, saying we ordered incorrectly and that the server had confirmed it with us, which never happened. Not joking, this actually happened. The owner of the restaurant came up to us and yelled at us over a mistake that was clearly on their end. That's the part that really stands out. It's one thing for a restaurant to mess things up on a busy night. It's another thing entirely for the owners to come over, blame the customers, and offer zero effort to fix anything. No apology, no accountability, nothing. Just doubling down and putting it on us. Honestly, it was hard to believe this was even real. It's kind of mind-blowing that two owners could run a restaurant this way and think that's acceptable. And after looking at how the owner responds to other reviews, it's pretty clear this isn't a one-time thing. You can see a pattern in how they talk to customers, calling one reviewer "the rude woman with the jaded face," labeling people with even slight negative feedback as "internet trolls," and even saying things like "shame on you for imposing your issues of race traumas." That kind of response tells you everything you need to know about how they handle criticism. Meanwhile, there's an automatic 20% gratuity for large parties, which we understand in normal situations, but in this case, with everything that went wrong, it didn't feel justified at all. Still, they refused to adjust it. We don't expect perfection, especially on a busy night. But we do expect basic accountability and some level of respect from management. Between the disorganized service, incorrect orders, long wait times, cold food, and the way the owners handled the situation, the experience just didn't match the price. No one should have to deal with that, let alone a customer paying hundreds of dollars. It's disappointing because we've come here before, but after this, we won't be back. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. I have been to PapaJ's 3 times before last night. I kept coming back. I ordered Divine style sauce with Radiatore fresh pasta every time. Last night was special for my family having a reunion of sorts with a table of 14. We made a reservation weeks in advance. The restaurant was full. I saw that other large parties waited for their orders. My family was double the wait time, 1.5 hours. Our waiter Ken was a wonderful human being, kind and empathetic to our experience. and wait. Tough night for him, was very new and did not know the menu. On the job training. I asked another waiter for some help with water when Ken was busy with another table of 4, and he told me I was not his waiter. Curious response. Was he trained that way? When the food came out ken had trouble identifying the dishes and who ordered them. I approached the hostess/somebody important and asked if we could get Ken some help handing out dishes? One person obliged for 2minutes and then was no where to be found.Half of my family was finished eating and eating gelato/dessert before I received my meal. My meal was hot. My wife's meal was cold. My son's meal was less than lukewarm. My entire table was flabbergasted. We liked our waiter. We knew he needed more training and support. As the check came, $600 bill, I asked for the manager to stop by the table just to inform him of our experience. He commented he appreciated our business and said he was sorry for the delays. I mentioned the cold food and lack of support for Ken. And could he do something for us to keep coming back. He said no. I mentioned the bill and how much we appreciated Ken the waiter and he responded with calling the police for not paying my bill. Curious response. Apparently, Micheal is the OWNER. Sorry, Micheal, the restaurant business is tough these days. I don't think you'll last long by disappointing parties of 14 like that. Any kind gesture would have us coming back. Our party of 14 will tell everyone about your response and the horrible experience. I see the 6 negative reviews stacking up from last night. I guess I will move on to the other restaurants I frequent and praise them for bringing expected service or atleast some humanity to difficult consersations about a singular bad experience. read more

The carbonara was so creamy, delicious, and just packed with flavor. The fact that they have fresh pasta sold me on this place instantly. The service was excellent, our server was constantly updating us on the status of our order. The food came out so so quick, I think we were done with our drinks, app, meals, and desserts under an hour. After one meal, I've come to love this place and might be back within the week, it's just that good. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Affogato - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Gelato fans, come here for gelato. Excellent gelato in the Strip District. Lively local vibe venue. Friendly service staffs.

I went here originally on the best bites tour but only tried the pizza. Was looking forward to trying the pasta. I got the divine sauce, and that's exactly what it was. I had gotten it to go - topped it with my fresh parmigiano Reggiano from Penn Mac down the street and it was perfection. (I'm a cheese girl living in a cheese world) I also purchased fresh pasta which I'm using for homemade chicken noodle soup tonight. The staff was more than helpful and got me the fresh pasta shape I wanted right from the fridge! Will be back read more

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Very delicious spot for comforting Italian fare in the Strip! I'm sad to say that I never had a chance to check out Papa J's in the original Carnegie location prior to the building fire, but I'm grateful that they've become such a staple in the Strip District food scene in their second life. I've been a few times now and I've enjoyed my experience on each occasion! They are a great option for a crowd (lots of long tables for bigger groups) and they serve things family style for the most part. The pizza is phenomenal (Roman-style cuts versus triangular slices from pies), and the pasta is house-made (huge portions, too). I really enjoy the focaccia, and the drinks are always good! I think they might benefit from some more artwork or decorations in the large space, but otherwise, it's very comfortable and friendly in terms of ambiance. Make sure to try the gelato, too! read more

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Sitting at the bar at Papa J's might just be my favorite dining experience in the strip! The servers and bartenders are lovely and treat you like family! We ordered the burrata, this was truly amazing and the seasoned bread it came with is something I still think about. I ordered the chicken parm with their divine sauce, a mix of red sauce and Alfredo and WOW it's good. And a huge portion so I could enjoy leftovers the next day. The blackened chicken that came on my friends salad was also crazy good. We always have to end the night with gelato, and the hazelnut cookie crunch hit the spot. Nice and light but sweet enough to satisfy the after dinner craving! read more

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Some friends and I stopped by on Sunday around 8pm. It's a little confusing when you walk in because there doesn't appear to be table service and you just order your pizza and your gelato at the counters and pay for them there. There's some high tops near the pizza and gelato and another dining space with more tables towards the other end of the restaurant. The Roman style pizza with the chewy crust is delightful. It's very reasonably priced as well - the two squares in the picture were a little over $6 total. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Potato pizza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Homemade everything! Foccacia pizza. Great salad and homemade pasta. Food made with love and appreciation for great ingredients

Food was good but the bad service made for an uncomfortable dining experience. Although their website says that you can make reservations up to an hour before the time, that is not the case. Upon arrival we were lectured about the nuances of their reservation system, despite the fact that the restaurant was barely populated. Our food came in good time but we were eating for only 15 minutes when our server came up asking if we wanted boxes already. My friend was still mid bite of her pasta! Overall, we felt very rushed and although the food and ambiance were good, the service made it so that there won't be a repeat visit. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We have been to this restaurant many times and in general have had very good experiences. But our experience last time was terrible. The restaurant overbooked their reservations and we're not set to handle the amount of people. When the owner came over, he was arrogant and unapologetic. We brought a cake for my father's birthday and at first we were going to have them cut and plate it and pay the plating fee but because of how busy and how long we waited, two hours for food, we decided to cut it ourselves. We brought our own paper plates, napkins utensils everything he threatened to call the cops on us if we did that ourselves and didn't pay a plating fee. read more

Terrible dining experience. Had a reservation and still waited over 90 minutes for food. When the food did arrive the pasta and vegetables were cold. Was approached by the owner and when he didn't hear great things from our group he gave every excuse in the book including how busy they were. You are a restaurant down town that took our reservation and then couldn't accommodate. We are supposed to be good with that?? Owner rudely walked away from our table and at least 2 others that were complaining. When walking to the restroom owner and several staff members were screaming at each other. Plenty of other excellent restaurants to spend your money on. Don't waste your time on this one! read more

Pastas were amazing, our waiter was so kind and friendly and gave great recommendations, and the cocktails were delicious!! The only thing I think they could improve on is the ambiance, but personally with great food and staff thats all that matters to me. Highly recommend the Affogato Correcto Gelato cocktail - well worth the price, so good! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Affogato Correcto Gelato Cocktail - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A Strip District Gem. Fantastic food, a great drink menu, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere. The owner clearly takes pride in making sure every customer has an amazing dining experience. If you're hungry for authentic Italian food, this place is highly recommend! read more

TERRIBLE SERVICE!! Had reservations at 7:15 and at 9:00pm still NO Food! So disappointing as this was a birthday celebration with friends from out of town! They couldn't care less!!! No apology or anything! I don't recommend this place to eat! Our Server was Berano and was not attentive at all! We left hungry with no food!! 2 1/2 hours of my life I'll never get back! read more

Food was delicious and perfect! Flavor of everything was soooo good. Honestly, no other restaurant even comes close to how authentic this top notch Italian is. From the imported olive oil to the delicious basil sauce, this restaurant is the best around! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Dining room - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The service and the food at PaPa J's Twin Plaza always exceeds my expectations!!! I have been working in the food industry since the early 1980's and this restaurant represents everything that I love about the business!!! Attention to what really matters.... Quality staff, serving quality creations, in a genuine and caring way!!!! THANK YOU!!! And thank you for allowing my dog Ruby to join read more

Highly recommend the Dulce de Leche gelato! Delicious, creamy, rich, and amazing texture. The lady who scooped our ice cream is nice and corrected our pronunciation on Dulce de Leche, when asked. Ambience was great! Quiet, not a ton of people, and the lighting was just perfect. Will certainly come back! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Dulce De Leche - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

AWFUL EXPERIENCE. We made a reservation weeks in advance for 6pm because we had friends visiting from out of town. We got sat immediately but didn't get drinks until 7pm and food didn't start coming out until 8:30pm. During our 2.5 hour wait a large table that was seated after us received their meals first and finished them before we even got our food. To make things worse the entrees came out so slowly that multiple people in our party were done eating before the rest of our party was served. The environment was chaotic and disorganized. I witnessed the owner arguing with staff members and overheard other tables addressing the staff about their terrible service as well. When we discussed our very poor experience with the owner, Michael, and asked for a discount on our bill, we were met with hostility and threats to call the police if we did not pay. Not once did he apologize or offer amends. Instead he rambled off excuses about being busy and how he pays hundreds of dollars when dining out with his family. He was very unprofessional and tried to walk off during our conversation. For owning a customer service establishment he was dismissive and disrespectful. Do not come here if you want to have a nice dinner. read more

Enjoyed a DELICIOUS lunch today at Papa Js. Starting with some homemade focaccia with balsamic vinegar and oil. So delicious. Divine (marinara and Alfredo sauce combo) with homemade malfaldini pasta and my friend had the homemade gnocchi aglio e olio. Both fantastic dishes. The sauce was perfect and not too acidic. The pata was delicious. The gnocchi was pillowy, melt in your mouth. Service was great! Additionally had a Bloody Mary to start - could be better, very salty not so much horseradish, needs some tweaking. But the dirty martini after it was perfect! And hit the spot. Prices were on the higher end but nonetheless a great meal and will for sure be returning! read more

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I had my baby shower at Papa J's in their private room. I worked with Jim on the event and he was extremely prepared and helpful! We met with him before the event to ensure everything would be set up properly and he understood our expectations. Jim and his team were so accommodating on the day of the event and everything went smoothly and according to plan. The staff was so kind, the food and gelato were great (the chicken Romano was a big hit) and everyone had a good time! The space is really nice and reasonably priced compared to other restaurants/event venues. I would definitely recommend Jim and Papa J's for your next event- thanks for everything Jim! read more

Eight of us had reservations to celebrate my husband's birthday. After waiting two hours for a food, six of the guests got cold food. We asked to speak to the manager who we found out later was the owner. He came over with a full-blown attitude and he told us what do you expect it's Saturday tomorrow is the great race and we're very busy. We told him that we had been waiting for two hours for our food and that it was so cold you couldn't eat it. He said well maybe next time it will be better. I believe they overbooked and did not have the staff to cover the amount of people or the kitchen space to deal with a large crowd. I will say his attitude was totally unacceptable. He never asked if he could make it right he more or less told us to deal with it. I will say the restaurant was very chaotic that night. Lots of people complaining and management was arguing with each other. There are lots of good restaurants out there. This one is off our list. We won't be back. I think it's very sad that an owner handles his customers in the manner that this man did. read more

Obsessed with this place. They have amazing Italian dishes and freshly made gelato. Their Biscoff Gelato is mouth watering! They have delicious pastas and pizzas as well as a full bar. Located in the heart of the Strip District. read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The pizza here is really good! Buff chix esp!! Bar service during happy hour- wonderful!! My biggest complaint, which is big in my mind-- an extra $3 for extra marinara sauce, when the eggplant Parmesan already is $17.99 (very over priced for what you get), so bringing our total to $20.99 for a small appetizer- is awfull!! ) This is insane- I feel robbed. And I don't even think we got extra sauce. It looked normal in my opinion. If this is extra, normal is nothing. Frustrated with this! read more

PaPa J's Twin Plaza - Eggplant parm (supposedly extra marinara worth an extra $3!!!) - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania