This is the real deal. I have dined in Italian restaraunts all over the world to include Italy and Parma is right at the top. The people in Fresno are lucky to have such a great Italian restaraunt in there town. Yes the pace is slow but so is Italy, they want you to enjoy the company and taste the food. read more

Sweet atmosphere. The server was incredible and the wait for food was very minimal. A bit pricey, but I believe the food was incredible. The freshly made parmesan cheese was incredible, remember to crumble it up and nibble it. With the right wine, the cheese is GREAT!! The owner comes around to each table and gives a real hello, not those fake causal stopovers. Highly recommend if you want an intimate and romantic restaurant that is off the normal grid. read more

I went there with a friend last week. The entire front room was empty, and the patio was half full. The busboy sat us, and just as we were reading the menu, the manager came out and said "We are running 45 minutes behind. We are really busy right now, so you might want to go somewhere else". I was shocked at how a restaurant at less than half capacity could turn away business! The old, small location was a decent place, but I dont think they have the means to run a location three times the size. From what I hear, the female owner is rude and very till-tempered. Has a hard time keeping staff because she is mean spirited. I will not be back, and I will tell EVERYONE who asks about my experience here. Avoid this travesty at all costs. read more

In the interests of full disclosure, we try to dine here once a week, so we are big fans. Our reasoning boils to 1) we think it the best meal in Fresno 2) we've grown close to most of the staff 3) we look forward to each return. The owner Elena is warm, kind, witty, generous and demanding of her kitchen and wait staff and keeps them hopping. She moves from table to table introducing herself and looking after her guests. She works as hard as any of them and no task is too small for her to perform. She is always there. She also makes all the pasta herself each morning and it makes a huge difference. Nowhere in the Central Valley can you find pastas this delicious, creative and inventive. While each pasta is worth trying and exceptional in its own way, I do think her lasagna is her signature dish. It is simply sublime. Make certain it arrives very hot for maximum enjoyment. Once or twice I've had to send it back for reheating, but I don't mind and think it's worth the wait. The selection of first courses are a mix of traditional dishes and a few wholly original creations and regional specialties from her native Parma and keep us very happy. Particular favorites are the escargots, spinach salad, beef carpaccio & parmagiano and the Caprese salad. Beyond her pastas she offers a selection of meat dishes that keep this carnivore docile. Her bacon wrapped beef tenderloin with balsamic reduction make you want to slap your Mama. It come with a potato and cheese side that is crazy good and her amazing Parma spinach. (Note to readers: Parma spinach is beyond question the finest cream spinach I have ever had, and I have had many at top steakhouses all across the country.) Her veal chop is just as remarkable and I have enjoyed it a couple of dozen times. Her lamb chops, chicken and her rabbit are all divine and highly recommended. Deserts float on the same elevated plane. While we're usually too full to partake, there have been occasions and they are phenomenally wonderful. I can't recommend one over another as I can never remember their names, but each has been a sinful delight. We usually just have her amazing polenta/almond/lemon cookies (gratis) and cappuccinos which are of course perhaps the best we've ever had. Elena is great with her Italian wines and always pulls a perfectly suited bottle based on our food selections. The bottles are fairly priced. She also has a full bar and serves generous and well constructed cocktails. We have dined here often enough to have seen the occasional unhappy table. Here is what I think is the bottom line: sometimes the kitchen gets backed up and you have to wait for your food and when it's busy the staff can get fairly overwhelmed. We accept that. This is fine dining in a fairly elegant but relaxed atmosphere and it is best to roll with it. Parma is our go to restaurant, our respite and the end of week event we look forward to. Take it for what it is and you may feel the same way. read more

My favorite Italian in Fresno!!!!! Everything is so delicious!! Especially the asparagus pasta and the creme brûlée.

I love this restaurant. I go every chance I can. I noticed this last time I was there sitting at the bar when my husband ordered a beer the bartender would fill the glass with water and ice to chill the glass. Then the bartender would dump out the water into the sink and pour the beer into the glass. Since we are in a drought in CA I think the restaurant should chill the beer glasses in the fridge. I mean over the course of a night, a week, a month... there is way too much water being wasted going down the drain to just chill a beer glass. read more

I used to work in a 5 star Northern Italian restaurant in N.Y. when I was a young adult. I grew up in a town which was predominately Irish and Italian descent so I have had my share of great Italian food. The Pasta at Parma was the best I have had. The service was top notch. I wanted for nothing during the meal (there is nothing i hate more then the "missing waiter syndrome") The wait staff was always available and on top of things. read more

Great food!! The meat appetizer is so awesome to start with. The Flatiron Steak was cooked perfectly and the Gnocchi with pesto is full of delicious flavor! Service was great, friendly and enjoyable. read more

very nice place for romantic dinner i bring some friends too..... food was excellent but the portion was a bit small but that's what u expect for a good restaurant..... highly recommended AAA+ read more

I found this restaurant to compete well with fine restaurants that I have dined at in Rome and neighboring villages. I had chef's choice with three pastas. Two were spectacular, lasagna and pesto. The third was veal ravioli. It was less expressive but equally yummy. The appetizer plate was fun elaborate and very tasty. Service was helpful fast attentive and sensitive. The kitchen was a bit slow but I enjoyed the anticipation. My daughter rated the mushroom risotto as ten stars! read more

Excellent food and service. The owners are Italian and they are working with the staff and are not afraid to get their hands dirty. Food is great and it's a great place for special occasions! Definitely would come here again. read more

Very disappointed. Our reservation was for 7:30, party of 8. It is now 9:40 and we are eating our dinner. Our waiter has not visited our table for our opinion. One appetizer had "fingernail-like" product in the pasta. Food arrived lukewarm to warm. We will not return. read more

I went with my fiance around 7PM at night for dinner. At that time, nearly everybody was wearing some type of dress shirt........I got the lasagna alla parmigiana and my fiance had the Tagliolini. We also got the caprese salad. Now then... the salad came with a whole tomato worth of slices, a whole mozzarella worth of slices, followed by a handful(literally) of veggies. My fiance dish came with a 1' feet plate that contained a handful(literally) of pasta which she stated was under cooked since it was pretty hard and on the other side of the plate was a 8" drizzle with some fancy veggies. I thought the lasagna was horrible.. it was mushy to the point I could not even swallow so I scarfed three cups of water through the night( I didn't even finish it). It had way too much cheese and barely any sauce. They gave packaged bread sticks........... and the regular bread was solid.....On top of all of this, the price was roughly $20 a plate. This was our first time, it's most likely our last time.... read more

I went to Parma for my birthday and mothers day combo dinner prior to a scheduled surgery the following day. My daughter in law called and talked with the owner directly to make reservations and some added details. The moment we arrived the staff was scrambling and didn't even have a table ready to seat us. They walked us through the restaurant and wanted us to "pick our spot". The entire night from that point woresned! We never had a waiter the whole night.....our dishes were horrible, the pasta was hard and undercooked! For a four star restaurant and one of the "best Italian restaurants" in Fresno ......it was a complete disaster and a HUGE DISAPOINTMENT! The first and last time for sure! read more

i just joined Yelp and wanted to comment on another restaurant I found through yelp that was excellent. So while I am here I wanted to inform fellow valley yelpers on a policy at Parma that winos should know about. I have been to Parma on several occasions, the food is always very good service excellent but on this occasion we went for a celebratory party, 10 people in all. We expected to have a long meal as this is the norm for Parma but, waiting an hour to order was unacceptable. We also brought six bottles of our own wine. We understand why restaurants have corkage fees, but at Parma they never stopped charging us, we would never order six bottles off their wine list as it is overpriced, but that did not stop them from charging us $25 a bottle, $150 to open wine and pour it in a glass, come on. Other restaurants have a limit to how much they will charge in total. When I complained to the owner she just made excuses for her policy. Their is no excuse, she has an overpriced wine list with a large profit that she wants to protect. Most high end restaurants will also at least bring new glass for every bottle opened, not at Parma. All that being said the food is very good. I have been back since the above incident which was in January. The service was very good, we were seated on time and ordered in a timely fashion. I will never again bring my own wine nor order wine off their list. Waiter more water please. And our group of wine lovers will find another restaurant to celebrate in. read more

I just want to say that I have traveled to many places big and small and have never felt more at home and had a better meal than I had at Parma. I was alone but they made me feel welcome. The pasta is homemade and it shows! The bartender, Stephan took great care of me. Elena, the owner works the window and visits every table. I really can't imagine why such talented people are in a small town. Fresno is lucky to have them. I was lucky to visit. Thank you Parma! read more

The food sucked. The ambiance sucked. I would recommend going to Cracked Pepper Bistro next door. They make it look pretty but everything was horrible! Don't ever go. I'd give it 0 stars if I could. read more

Parma was amazing and the waitstaff were consistent and worked seamlessly together to provide an wonderful and seemingly effortless experience. The food was as great as I had expected. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

We have been going here for years in both locations. Her new place is fantastic including the beautiful patio. We took my husband there for his 83rd birthday this past Saturday and were not dissapointed. This is not your typical Itallian food, but a cut above with the house made pasta. The assorted appitizer plate is the best. The mellon and the ham is special.Try and leave room for desert even if you have to share. Will be back soon.We were lucky enough to be here twice this week, Once with a fair size group and once for my daughters birthday. How lucky could I be? Awaiting my next visit. read more

This is by far the classiest place to eat in the Central Valley--try and get a table outside. The food is exquisitely prepared and served. The owner, Elena Mastro personally ensures your dining experience is perfect. I ordered the chef's choice choice 2, which includes 3 appetizers, 2 pastas and a desert for about $30. The goat cheese with the apples was one of my favorites. My husband ordered the steak and it was cooked perfectly with potatoes that were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. He is not a big vegetable fan, but even he finished the grilled and thinly slices zucchini and squash. Elena even remembers to bring steamed milk to the table for your coffee so it does not cool down when you pour the milk in. Attention to detail. PLease support this establishment--I am so pleased we have such a lovely culinary retreat in Fresno. read more

Overly priced, unreadable menu, waiters hard to understand, and customer service is slow

My dear friend Debbie and I ditched the traditional Thanksgiving fanfare this year and went all out decadent. This amazing piece of Italy did not disappoint. Debbie had the Tris di Pasta - a trifecta of homemade delights. As a carnivore, I was thrilled with their selection of Le Nostre Carni. I had a terrible time deciding between the rabbit, duck, lamb or filet mignon. However, the Filleto di Manzo is ham wrapped filet mignon. What carnivore could possibility resist. My generous friend let me sample all of her scrumptious delights which included an amazing antipasta first course that thankfully truly was enough for two. Each morsel was not just good, it was off the charts. And just when I thought you couldn't get any better my entree came and with the first bite I had died an gone to heaven. Best steak I have ever had!!!!! Her darling boyfriend Alan thought so too. He enjoyed my leftovers. read more

The food was OK but the service was awful. We had to ask for drink service after a long wait. Plates sat on the table long after we finished eating. Wait staff never returned after delivering food to inquire whether everything was all right. Ordered balsamic never arrived. Same with after-dinner coffee. Sheesh how do they stay in business and justify the prices? The pasta is fresh, but so is Sam's Deli. Never again! And too bad because fine dining is limited in Frez and we hoped to add this to the mix. read more

I took my daughter to dinner at Parma the other night. We were seated in the far back corner. Although I've eaten here several times and had great service, this time was very different. Our waiter open and poured our wine, but never came back to pour more wine. He served our meals, but never came back to check on us. The food was great. The pasta with duck confit was outstanding. The carpaccio was very good. The mushroom risotto absolute perfection. The service sucked. I've had better service at Denny's. If you know someone who is a regular go with them, you'll get stellar service and a better table. read more

This is our favorite restaurant in Fresno. By far the best! The food at Parma is excellent, the service has always been great and the restaurant is just the right size for a great atmosphere. I cannot recommend Parma enough. read more

Wow! Yum!! We went there about a week ago. We chose to sit on the patio which at night the ambiance was gorgeous! The waiter was fast and attentive. He helped us pick a great bottle of wine. The pumpkin ravioli was the most amazing thing ever!!!!! And the lasagna was fantastic too. Can't wait to go back! read more

Went to Parma this evening (early evening) with our 4 year old granddaughter. The was no one at any table in either room. One woman sitting at the bar. Parma had always been my favorite Italian restaurant but a place that is empty "has no tables available". I guess children are not welcome. Last time I go there. read more

Great food, great atmosphere and great service. Defiantly one of my favorite restaurants.

This place is a bit hidden but worth looking for. The use fresh pasta and it shows. Be aware the plates are generous. We order the chefs price fix and it is a ton of food. The lasagna and the pumpkin ravioli are spectacular. read more

Had a great meal here. I got the trio of pastas. I really liked the gnocchi and the pumpkin ravioli. A few pieces of the parpadelle was, undercooked but the rest of the experience made up for it. Service was phenomenal. read more

the dinner was fantastic as usual & elana, joe & their staff as well, wonderful!!!!! chio!!

Wow. I just read some of the awful reviews. My husband and I ate there for the first time October 27 2012. This is my new favorite restaurant in Fresno. Great service and great food. I am going to have to go back and see if I was just delusional because I have been raving about the place ever since we ate there. read more

Absolutely incredible restaurant. This is some of the best Italian food I have had in the entire state! Their menu is seasonal, so they change it up. Incredible selection of wines, and fresh ingredients in all dishes. My favorite is the rabbit, and their pumpkin ravioli. The owner is an eloquent looking, Italian lady who actually plays waiter occasionally. Really friendly and great service. A little pricey, but recommend to anyone who want a true taste of Italy. read more

Very disappointed. Wait staff rolled their eyes when we didn't have reservation and said he'd 'try to find somewhere for' us even though the restaurant was completely empty. Bread tasted like it had been in the fridge next to something bad. CO2 was out, so no sodas. Lasagna was cold inside and cookies were stale. We won't be coming back. read more

We've been eating at Parma for as long as they've been in Fresno and we usually love it. The food is worth the price and the wait. But we ate there tonight and it was less than we expected. The antipasto misti was pretty delicious, but the entrees sucked. The spicy seared chicken was so dry and flavorless, the risotto was cold and the pasta dish just tasted off. All in all, the service was good, but the food was just off this time. read more

recently went here for a pharmaceutical dinner, what great food and the owner she is so nice. highly recommend! fantastic food! pumpkin ravioli wow! read more

Excellent Italian restaurant in Fresno. This is the real deal folks. Quality and authentic ingredients. Food is Northern Italian (as opposed to the southern Italian food at Annex Kitchen). Pasta is fresh and appetizers are delicious. Outdoor patio at the right time of year transports me right back to Italy...there is nothing like dining al fresco. read more

Parma is hands down the best Italian restaurant in Fresno. Elena, the owner, as well as all of the servers are very friendly and attentive. The food is delicious and it has a very good wine list. Highly recommend. read more

Excellent food and service. We have eaten here several times, each time has been won2! Hope they are here for many years to come.

My wife and I tried Parma on a friends recommendation and we will be back! The owner and staff really care about providing great food and a wonderful warm, casual yet intimate atmosphere. Very nice menu selection. The cheese provided with the bread is wonderful. The presentation is colorful and very appetizing. The taste and texture live up to the expectation of the wonderful presentation. We will recommend Parma to friends and bring family to Parma when they visit. read more