Good Fettuccini Alfredo but the WORST pizza we've ever eaten. Pizza crust was dense, hard and not fresh. The cheese, tomatoes and pesto topping was cold and under-cooked. My son's panini was also cold and under-cooked. Other diners around us seemed to enjoy their dishes so maybe we just ordered the wrong things. Nice, clean restaurant but was not impressed with the food. read more

Paulie's is hands down my favorite Italian in Houston. It's super casual, they don't take reservations. All the food is homemade, and they update the menu regularly. The Bucatini Amatriciana is spicy, smoky, and so fresh. Now that I'm not eating meat, my go-to is the Canestri alla Funghi. It's creamy with a hint of sage that goes well with the mushrooms. They're desserts are amazing as well! It took me awhile to try anything from the bakery because there's no room for dessert after one of their entrees. My friend and I loved the chocolate cake and raspberry cookies. read more

Wonderful lunch spot on Westheimer with easy counter service, a parking lot in the back, endless iced tea, and lots of big, sunny windows The pasta options were a satisfying (yet healthy!) departure from typical sandwich/soup/salad lunch menus. I got Kathy's Pasta because I simply cannot resist eggplant. I was a little disappointed when it came out with just a single piece of eggplant but I do admit it was some of the most delicious eggplant to ever hit my mouth. read more

Got the lunch special with a couple friends on a weekday. Parking is kind of a pain even though they have a lot behind the restaurant. If it's full, try looking for spots in front of the restaurant along the street or on the street to the side. If I remember correctly, the lunch special was $6.95 and consisted of 1/2 a panini and either a salad or a cup of soup. I got the Petronella panini and a cup of mushroom soup. Petronella panini - wish there was a little bit more turkey in the panini and that it was slightly less greasy, the sandwich bread was pretty tasty though and it was a large portion Mushroom soup - plenty of mushroom, good balance of cream in the soup read more

Seeing that my experience was completely different from everyone else's on the list of reviews, I am not sure if while I was walking from my car to Paulie's I fell into some rabbit hole & ended up at some place completely different. I have only come here because of a current recommendation from a friend. First time going to Paulie's I've decided to order something simple, according to my own logic if a restaurant is not able execute a simple pasta dish then there is not much to comment on when it comes to their other dishes. I don't expect haute cuisine at an establishment like this, but my food to at least be edible. Rigatoni bolgonese is not that difficult to make, I don't know how mine ended tasting like pasta in red orange brine. Not entirely sure what they did with my tomato sauce, but I might as well have had a splash of sea water with my pasta. It ended up being in edible & I was dying of thirst afterwards. Not coming back because if the kitchen is unable to make such a simple dish properly, I don't expect them to make anything else on their menu correctly. read more

Based on our first experience, Paulie's was good, but not great. We came for the fresh homemade pasta--in particular, I'd read about the canestri alla funghi. Admittedly I had incredibly high expectations, but for all the richness of the dish I found it one-note, under-seasoned, and desperately calling out for some fresh pepper & parmesan cheese (neither of which were available). The pasta itself was beautiful, but the complete dish just didn't do it for me. The place is cute, and in theory I like that it's counter service--though on our trip they forgot to make our order and it was very complicated to sort out. I do find it absurd was that they process your credit card on an iPad that gives you only three options for tip--15%, 20%, and 25%. Since there is no waiter service and you have to pick up your own food, this seems a bit like highway robbery. Wine was very good though the happy hour specials were confusing. Parking is definitely lacking, but I prefer that to a huge suburban-style lot in the middle of Montrose. Bottom line: I may come back and try something else, but based on this trip we much prefer Giacamo's for Italian. Better food and infinitely better service at a similar price point. read more

The Canestri alla funghi (mushroom pasta) is my go to. Don't need to say much else, but then this review would be too short! It's a bowl of goodness that fills your tummy and heart.. It's just amazing, as are their other pastas. If you've had a bad day, need a pick me up, or just want to indulge, you must come here! It has a mellow atmosphere, ample parking, and great pasta. Their other dishes are alright. The wine selection is good and the servers happily give recommendations. The sugar cookies are adorably decorated and yummy, too! read more

Paulie's - Canestri alla funghi (mushroom pasta) is a must!!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a hidden gem; we highly recommend. The service was simple and the food was great.

I hadn't been to Paulie's in a while, but suddenly in the past month, I've been twice for lunch, so I have a new love for this place. Their food is fresh and made from quality ingredients. They have a short menu, I love it to not drown in options, and they make it even easier for lunch with their lunch special -- half a panini and a bowl of soup or salad for $7. You can't beat that! I do however get envious of the daily dinner specials that they have posted. I guess I need to make it back for dinner soon! They change out the soup daily, so I was lucky enough to get the gazpacho, which was different than what I am used to, in that it was chunky, so not as uniformly thick, but I really enjoyed the freshness. For the other lunch, I got the meal-sized Summer Salad and added 3 shrimp. I'm a sucker for arugula, and this salad was quite tasty, though maybe a tad on the dry side. Two other things I love: - Their complementary water is actually something above and beyond. It's been cucumber water both times I went, but I would be interested to see if it changes. They also have great tea and ginger lemonade. - Their cafe has free wifi in the afternoons (2pm-5pm). Beware though, they turn it off outside of those hours, so you can't get there early or stay late. read more

man..seeing a recent review reminded ive been here too!!! damn shame all the places ive been before i started yelpin!!! I really liked this place; ive been 3 times - 1st time had burger & fries-damn good!! 2nd time had shrimp blt-damn good!!! 3rd time had the grilled tuna w that wasabi mayo - oh yea!!! damn good sunnnnn!!!! I need to get back over there..fuhsho !!!!! read more

I thought this was a good restaurant a year ago, but have tried it several times since then, including today, and each time is worse than the last. Had the canestri and broccoli today--was great a year ago. However, it was absolutely AWFUL today--hardly any sauce--large plain noodles, a metallic taste, and couldn't find the cheese that was supposed to be on it. My son had the potato salad and a pork sandwich. He said the potato salad lacked mustard or mayonnaise and was totally tasteless. A few weeks ago I had the pimento cheese--worse I have ever had-and I usually love pimento cheese. Seems to be a popular spot--just not sure what others get. Live close by so keep trying, but am about to just give up on this one. read more

Nice place with informal atmosphere. They have the best chicken parmeggiana in town!. I suggest swaping the spaghetti side for the parmesan potatoes. Dishes are usually 12-18$. They have a half order and a full one. Half order is plenty for one person. We usually ask for a full order when we are sharing. You have to order at the counter and then they give you a beeper that goes off when your food is ready for you to pick it up and bring it to your table. Tipping options in their ipad go from 15 to 25% which is crazy when the only service they offer is to take your order at the counter.. anyway, the food is good enough that I come back everytime time and just use the custom option. read more

Holy cow. How have I not written a review for Paulie's yet? Paulie's is not anywhere near my house but thankfully it isn't too far from work. This place is so good that we order it to go every Friday at our office! I have dreams about their food...totally not kidding. Go ahead and call me a fatty because I don't even care! Ahem. Anyway... You should definitely listen to everyone about the portion sizes. They are HUGE! I usually get the small Mediterranean Pasta Salad, but today went with the regular size and it fed two people, me and my inner hungry chick. Just kidding, I shared with my boyfriend. The parking is just like most Houston establishments, but the food is worth the hassle. It's a self serve type of joint and isn't a fancy waiter service restaurant. They make their pasta in house and you can definitely tell. I've only ever been for lunch so I have no clue what it is like for dinner service. Happy eating! read more

Love Paulie's. I've had the shitake mushroom, fresh made pasta dish. Highly recommend. Also, they had half off cocktails the few times I've been on Fridays during lunch hr. HALF OFF FROZEN PEACH BELLINIS = $2.50, a necessity during this Houston summer heat. read more

Every once in awhle, you find a gem. A new place you know you will remember and will go back to. Paulie's was one of these! I took my wife here for a weekend lunch date and it was great. Ordering at the counter was more casual than I had expected, but it worked out just fine. In the end, I think it was better than the full waiter thing. I had the grilled vegetables with penne pasta. It was AWESOME! The vegetables where plentiful, very fresh and grill perfectly. The seasoning was spot on and the portions were perfect. I have nothing to be critical of. The dish rocked. My wife had the spagetti and meatballs. Once again, the dish rocked! The meatballs were beyond the standard fare. It was unique, tasty and memorable. The dishes are served with a toasted crusty bread dressed with olive oil and spices. MMMMmmmm olive oil and spices! The service was very friendly the atmoshere was casual. The place has all sorts of antique shops around it so there is a lot to do after luch. Great place, great atnosphere, great food in a great location. Best of all, Paulie's made me look good in the eyes of the Mrs.! You rock Paulie! read more

You know what's awesome? Having an affordable local Italian bistro that makes their pasta in-house and has awesome desserts, drinks, and food. Paulie's is what every neighborhood establishment should aim to be. There are a lot of little things that really make this place shine. They offer half servings of almost all their dishes. This allows you to both try new things as well as avoid engorging your poor body with delicious food (opinions may vary). My favorites: Rigatoni Bolognese; rich and creamy with just the right amount of meat and cheese. Summer Salad; refreshing arugala mixed with cucumbers, tomatos, and melon. get the half order. Skirt Steak; tender and flavorful with excellent gnocchi on the side. read more

I love Paulie's. Great cute Italian spot with amazing portions. Some of their dishes are spicier than you'd expect, so I'd ask before you order (we personally love the heat). Be prepared to wait in line for dinner especially on weekends, but it's worth it. read more

Fantastic casual Italian restaurant located in the Montrose/Westheimer area. There's no waiter service here, so when you arrive go up to the counter to place your order and then go find an empty table to sit. So far I've tried the Canestri alla Funghi and the Rigatoni Bolognese. Both were absolutely delicious. They offer a small or a large portion. The portions are very generous. I would say that the small is even sharable with 2 people. A large probably would be perfect for 3 people. Looking forward to coming in and trying more of their dishes. Their salads are really good too and as it seems to be the theme here, great portions. Hard to find places where quality of food is this good and at the same time you get great portions for a very fair price! read more

Paulie's - Canestri alla Funghi. (Mushroom Pasta) - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Cute little place, would always hear great things about this place so finally got around to trying it out. Got the Fettuccini Alfredo and it was delicious, easily one of the best I've had. Staff is also really nice! read more

It was my first time trying this place out with a couple of friends. It was packed even at 8:00ish so the parking was horrible but gladly I found parking right behind the restaurant while my friends who arrived there a little bit before me had to park across the street. The parking lot is also very small that can take up an amount of cars so it's best to carpool if you have to. The pastas itself were good. I ordered the shrimp scampi while my friends ordered the Primavera Aglio e Olio and Spagetti and Meatballs. My pasta tasted the best out of all and the garlic bread that came out with our pastas tasted fabulous. The scampi had a hint of citrus flavor that complimented the pasta but the Olio tasted so bland to all of us that my friend who ordered the pasta resorted to adding lots of Parmesan cheese, salt, and lastly tabasco sauce. lol. My warning to you who like flavor in ya's pastas, DON'T get the Olio or you'll regret it like my friend did. lol We also had couple of coffees to end the night with a lil chit chat. One iced and one hot. Both tasted about average good. Nothing much to say about there. Overall, it's decent for first-timers and I would come back again to try the steak. Nice customer service, nice people behind the counter, nice shrimp scampi. read more

Slowly but surely, Paulie's has grown on me. It's just not one of those places that immediately comes to mind when you're in the mood to eat out, but there's really no reason it shouldn't be. It's casual, the food is good and dependable, and even on a weekend evening there isn't a wait for tables. I have tried both their dine-in and catering, and Paulie's is solid in both regards. It seems like the kind of place where you could find a menu favorite and make it into one of your regular hangouts. They first started to win me over with their catering. The boxed lunches are generously portioned - sandwiches were very large. It's the best boxed lunch deal I could find in the area, when you consider it includes fruit salad, an awesome pesto pasta salad, sandwich, bottled water, AND one of their famous cookies. A lot of places do just one side, or don't include a drink, or charge extra for dessert, etc. If you don't specify the cookies you want, they may give you all oatmeal raisin (blech for me, but my coworker loved it). But if you ask for a variety, they are happy to provide it. The peanut butter cookie was awesome and very filling, and I heard swoons over the chocolate chip. I don't know why everybody only talks about the sugar cookies, maybe the other kinds of cookies aren't always available in the restaurant. But they should be, they are really great. Once they added the fresh pasta to the menu, I was sold. That mushroom pasta, I could probably eat that everyday (well I could, but I'd have to buy a new wardrobe of elastic waistbanded outfits). It's just counter service, but they've made a real effort to train their employees well and leave you with a good impression. I took a group of coworkers there for Lunch of the Month, and there was a sugar cookie in a completely unidentifiable shape. 15 people must have asked the guy what that thing was during the time I was drooling over the dessert counter, and he told every single person "it's a purse!" with a smile, never losing his patience. There are still so many menu items I've heard raves about, so many great things yet for me to discover at Paulie's. If I ate out more often, I would definitely make this a regular stop so I could try it all. read more

I've been seeing some mixed reviews of Paulie's as of late, so I wanted to chime in with my 2 cents. I've been hitting up Paulie's for some time now. As a lover of all things eggplant, I normally go there for the Wednesday Eggplant Parmigiana special. (Quick tip: call ahead if you want to get the special as they run out rather quickly and you can call and have them hold an order for you.) Another favorite is the Canestri alla Funghi pasta. Home made pasta and yummy mushrooms? Yes, please! One note on this dish too: reheating it as a leftover typically gives you quite the greasy mess. So I usually ask for a half-order and don't have to worry about taking it home. Personally, I have not run in to rude staff (in person or on the phone) or terrible food, but maybe I'm just a lucky one. =) read more

Very nice little place. The foods are not bad either, the pasta made fresh daily. Very limited parking space at this location. read more

Everything I have ever tried at Paulies has been great. The food is always fresh and cooked to order. My all time fav dish is the shrimp BLT with the pasta salad. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is always clean. I love the exposed brick walls, the local art on display and most of all the way the sun drenches the dining area. Can't go wrong dining here. read more

Love this place!! Whether I've been out shopping on a Saturday or want to grab a quick bite for dinner, Paulie's is always a trustee pick-never to disappoint. I found Paulie's about 7 years ago and one thing that I love about this place is the owner's really have not deviated from the standard menu they offered 7 years ago. Paulie's is an order at the counter kind of restaurant. Prices range from $9-15. They have a small, but good wine selection and AMAZING frozen Bellini's! The decor at Paulie's is simple and modern-one of the great things about Paulie's is the art that is featured by local artists that can be purchased. So it's always a little different every time I go-depending on what adorns the walls. My favorite thing on Paulie's menu is the Yezzi panini (sour dough bread, fresh spinach, feta and roma tomatos)---really doesn't get much better than this. They have a great lunch special, half a Panini and soup/salad for $6.50. They also offer small and full size portions, so you really have a choice when you dine with them. Overall, they have reasonable portions with their sandwiches being on the larger size. When you visit Paulie's don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table, as it's a popular place gets crowded around lunch time. Also, Paulie's is closed on Sunday's...I've found this out the hard way...so just be forewarned! read more

Paulie's - Yum! Bellini! - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great place for a quick sit down bite. They have daily specials which are totally affordable if your on a budget. they have everything from pasta to yummy Panini's. its super casual and the people here are so warm and welcome. a good place to have a casual lunch or dinner. they also have flavored water! totally refreshing!! everything is pretty average so don't expect too much. the only thing I'd complain about is their parking during peek dinning hours. it's kinda a hassle, but what isn't near this area, right? Happy Eating..... read more

I'm not a big fan of pasta but this place is pretty amazing. For most pasta entrees they offer two sizes and the smaller one was extremely filling for lunch with leftovers to take to-go. I got the pesto one with the olives and pine nuts and it was delicious. They also have a coffee/pastry counter with a variety of cookies and cakes to pair with some coffee for dessert. It does get pretty busy on the weekends during the dinner hour and weekdays during the lunch hour. Parking can be annoying because the lot behind it isn't too big, but I've always been able to find street parking on Westheimer or down the street in front of the houses. read more

We finally tried Paulie's last Saturday. The long lines and the small space were always off-putting but we decided to try it. I must say, we absolutely loved it! I loved my pesto pasta dish, my husband's salmon dish was excellent and my son loved the kid's spaghetti and meatball dish (the tomato sauce was very authentic and not drowned in herbs). My husband asked for some modifications to his salmon dish and they were more than happy to accommodate. The portions, even the small, are huge. Since it was our first time and they ask patrons not to hold a table prior to ordering, we were getting a bit nervous while waiting in the long line, but somehow there was a smooth flow of people and we nabbed a great table. This can be a bit daunting if you come with kids and did have to wait for a table in that small space. I knocked off a star because it would be helpful if they had a PRINTED kids' menu. The cashier listed them off to me when I asked but the process took a while and it took even longer when my son and I had to think about the options on the spot. Considering we were waiting in line for a long time prior to ordering, this whole process seemed inefficient and tiring. Also, be prepared to wait a long time in line, then for your food afterwards. I just considered this to be very European of them and went with the flow. You definitely cannot rush here. The staff was friendly and accommodating and we absolutely loved the food. Will definitely return. read more

It's hard to find a better value in Houston for pasta. It's all homemade and delicious. I've been several times, and I've never been disappointed. Canestri & Broccoli is simple, garlicky and never a bad choice. Canestri alla Funghi is not light on the mushrooms. Creamy and comforting. It's perfect for colder weather. The Bolognese is fantastic, especially if you're not feeling especially adventurous. Now, for the reason I wrote this review: bucatini amatraciana. It's my favorite thing on the menu, but DO NOT order it if you aren't prepared to sweat a little. I love spicy foods, and this lives up to every single promise of spicy it makes. It's absolutely fantastic, but not for the faint of heart. Don't miss out if you love a BIG kick. They have a solid wine selection and a pretty killer frozen Bellini. Apparently their pizzas are good, but I can never convince myself to stray from the pasta. Don't leave without a cookie! read more

Paulie's exemplifies what I enjoy most about Houston dining. Unassuming, consistently good food across the menu, great staff, and a casual atmosphere that reflects the neighborhood it calls home. This is one of those "safe" places where even the most picky eater can find something they like. At peak times seating can be a little scarce and the line at the counter can get long. My favorite dishes: The Salmon entree. The best I've had in Houston. Grilled cheese (sub the fries for a cup of tomato soup) You gotta try the cookies. read more

You gotta try the steak its amazing! It was soo delicious with a large servings including the sides. I dislike tomatoes but these are very good. Worth the price, I would not only recommend it but also buy it again for myself. A word of caution: it can be a bit spicy if youre not used to hot spices. read more

Paulie's - Delicious steak! Order it. Right now. I will wait. - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Rarely do I eat pasta. All those evil, delicious carbs fatten me right up. But my best friend and I were craving it during my last visit. I had the Canestri alla Funghi, w/ chicken. They forgot my chicken but I went back up to order it. Not sure if they gave me more because they forgot it the first time but it was basically two whole chicken breasts. I could have just eaten the chicken and been full. The pasta was a little overcooked but the sauce was great, so creamy and full of mushrooms. I didn't want to finish it all at once since the portion was enough for at least two meals. Unfortunately, I ended up never finishing it. My friend ordered the Bucatini Amatraciana. Her dish was really flavorful, filled with bacon, pecorino and chili flakes. Unfortunately, she found a hair in pasta. They made her another one but it's kind of hard to eat after that. We shared a margherita pizza which seemed more like a flat bread that pizza. Not very saucy, cheese not very melted. The pasta was tasty and I'd head back, probably to try the same thing again. Hopefully I'll be able to eat carbs sometime in the next 1-5 years. read more

The best peanut butter cookies ever! I love the food here. Many options. Pasta is good, pizza is good, there's something for everyone. Good for families too. One of my go to places! Highly recommended! read more

Paulie's - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

THEY HAVE PASTA FOR $12!!!!! ITS SO YUMMY. I also got the grilled cheese and omfg the cheese was so good & I ate it cold bc I let it sit there after eating my pasta read more

I have tried to dine here on three different occasions but was unwilling to wait. Tonight was the night that we finally were able to grab a table. ( so Mondays may not be as busy*) The Italian family salad, mushroom to up and amatraciana pasta were fantastic! I had a frozen Bellini and my boyfriend had a La Fin Du Monde. The food was fresh, deli style cashier was very nice and I plan on returning often... When I don't have to wait in line for a table! read more

Came here after seeing all the great Yelp reviews. Very affordable with a lot of options. Portions were HUGE. Between four people we shared the regular fettuccini alfredo, small mushroom canestri and a small rigatoni. read more

Paulie's - Canestri with mushrooms, fresh and creamy. The half size was the perfect amount. - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ugh! I crave them everyday. The pasta, so fresh, so al dente, so yummy! This place is a must for pasta lovers! Be patient with seating but once you sit its all oh soooooo worth it. YUM-EEE! read more

Are you a mushroom freak like me? If so, this is your place. Order the mushroom pasta and it will change. your. life. It's officially called Canestri alla Funghi, but I can't pronounce it without sounding like a dummy, so my order usually goes something like this, "Could I get the cannes...uh, fungus...uh, the pasta with mushrooms?" It comes in two sizes (regular/small), and the "small" is more than enough to fill me up. I love coming here for lunch on the weekends, as there are large windows to let sunlight in and it's perrrrfect! Expect a wait at peak meal times. Their yummy cucumber water is an added bonus! Paulie's is definitely a gem in Houston. read more

Holy Italian goodness! This is, by far, the best Italian I've ever had (even better than Italy...obviously I did not go to the right restaurants but oh well). We got there right at 11 for lunch on a Wednesday, and it was already filling up pretty quickly - it was probably full around 12. You go up and order at the counter, and there's chalkboards (yes, real chalk!) with pasta, salads, sandwiches, desserts, etc. I asked the guy at the counter for pasta recommendations, and he said the funghini, bucatini, and bolognese pastas were the 3 top. However I wanted meat and the bolognese would've been too heavy, so I got the bucatini. It was deeeelicious! Perfectly spicy so that my nose was watering and I'd have to go get more refreshing cucumber water. As others have mentioned, it's spicy due to the enormous amount of red chili flakes they put in there, and there's smoked bacon to give it a delicious flavor. It came with some garlic bread as well so I could scoop up the sauce like a fatass. My other comrades got the spinach salad and the lunch special (sandwich and pesto pasta for like $7 I think) and they loved their meals as well. As far as parking, I didn't see the tiny parking lot (which, if you're going down Westheimer, you pass by Paulie's and turn right on the first tiny street and it's right there), so I just parked on the street. No biggie. read more

Asdfghjk. 1. Five star service. 2. Five star pasta. 3. Five star cookies. 4. Five star clean restroom. 5 Stars. It's not overrated, this place is underrated. I'll be back. read more