They've upped their prices and downsized their portions A LOT. Our table was wobbly, like to where we had to put a napkin under it. The app and salad I love and spoke about ^^ and have been getting for YEARS are both way smaller and prices have gone up. The gamberetti used to take up the whole plate with nice sized shrimp. Now, it's just 6 bite sized shrimp for $16. The salad was the same good toppings but with less cheese and dried out, super thin arugula leaves. In the past, we have been able to look at our bill and think- money well spent. This time, it didn't feel like that. We are long time customers that left really disappointed for the first time in 15+ years going. Drinks were great though. read more

Very disappointed in service & expected more from the food for the price. Worst part of the experience was the restaurant was so hot inside it was extremely uncomfortable at that level of heat I wouldn't have even opened the restaurant, we had to ask many times for ICE because they kept serving us room temp water in this extreme heat. We couldn't finish our food with how hot it was so we packed it to go. If I had known their AC was broken or limited on the temperature setting we would have gladly booked our birthday celebration elsewhere that could accommodate a cool setting to enjoy the food. One of our guests became so dizzy and light headed from the heat inside the restaurant she was flushed which was when we decided to leave. Do better to inform your guests ahead of time that your restaurant is experiencing e difficulties with AC on a hot day so we could have a chance to find accommodations. read more

One of our favorite go to restaurants... and sadly may not he returning. The highlight used to be the free fresh bread/bruschetta at the table while you wait for your food. Now with charging for it, it adds to the cost of the already inflated costs. Seems as time goes on, the portions continue to decline. My wife's portion of potatoes, she only had 5, whereas before they used to overflow the plate. And the to-go salads are pretty sad, which would be our go-to lunch since we work around the corner. To-go salad and bruschetta, but now with charging for the bread and the salad getting smaller, the price doesn't match what we get. This has been our place for more than 10 years. Disappointed. Still love the ambiance and employees and food is delicious. read more

Pizzaioli is amazing and we're always so grateful for the constant attention to detail and exquisite food. We have been coming here forever and am thankful for the smiling faces when we arrive for lunch dinner. read more

I'm only giving this place 3-Stars because of catering. We have had somethings not made to order correctly and some prices quoted incorrectly. The Shrimp in tomato sauce has tasted like they used a can of Campbell's tomato soup. I have ordered the tortellini with chicken and jalapenos twice and once it's come with no chicken and once with no jalapenos. I have visited the restaurant and few times and have been impressed with the food and service. If catering could be improved, it would be a plus. read more

Let me just say I've been here at least a dozen times and I've yet to have a subpar meal. Don't listen to the haters. This is great food and service with the pricing in line with the quality. They start you off with complimentary bread and bruschetta. I could eat a couple orders of this alone as a meal by itself. I've tried a variety of food from pastas, salads, chicken to a New York steak special and they were very good, yummy, excellent and OMG. This review could have gone 5 stars but they caught me on a bad day. read more

Just to put it out there before you read this review...I am one to spend quite a bit on food without thinking twice being the foodie that I am. I used to live in NYC...and love driving out to LA just for a good meal. So....I came here with my husband one night craving italian. We have a favorite spot near home but decided to try a new place. The decor inside is really cute and inviting. I got a salad and a soup. My husband got a pasta dish. My salad was very mediocre and small. My soup (white bean...) was also mediocre. My husband asked the waitress to make his pasta meatless and requested extra veggies. They charged us an extra $7-8 for the veggies! She should have told us first and let us decide if we would be willing to pay that much for "extra veggies" given that we were omitting the meat. When we asked to speak to the manager, he/she, whoever they are, didn't come out to talk with us but instead sent our waitress back out to tell us that they would give us the difference between a pasta dish with meat and a pasta dish with only veggies in it?!?! What?! And my soup was $7-8! My salad $7-8! We were pretty disappointed. read more

This place is just the bees knees It's cute, it's quaint, it romantical... unless your partner is like my partner then not so romantic My boyfriend loves italian but he really loves this italian, not only did he scarf down his food like he was a starving kid from africa, but he scarfed down my food too. Which does say a lot because usually he doesn't risk his life trying to steal my food, but this time he did. He had the chicken alfredo, which looked good, I don't know it didn't survive long I had the classic spaghetti and meatballs which was delicious! and a very generous serving. Lots of perfectly cooked noodles, a great sauce and HUGE balls! Seriously, I felt kinda manly just having them in front of me. They also gave us bruchatta and bread, it was my first time trying it and it was good. my boyfriend inhaled the sh*t out of that too, but they kept bring more and that was his down fall. Our server was a sweetheart and very attentive our glass never went empty too long, poor girl could not keep up with the amount of bread though, but that is not her fault. My boyfriend is a animal. I would recommend this place for a cute date, or nice time out with friends. A million times better the olive garden! read more

Pizzaioli is a place that i hold very close to my heart. As a young teen, i would eat here every weekend with my mom and dad. Now that i am older and paying for my own meals, Pizzaioli is STILL a great place to eat! the ambiance is nice and their bread and bruschette is to die for. the food portions are nice and big, and you definitely get your moneys worth. Highly recommended! read more

I've eaten at this place twice now, and both times, the meals have been fantastic. Today, I had the Tortellini al Forno, which was a a generous portion of tortellini and sliced chicken breast in a cream sauce, with a slight kick of jalapeno peppers. The whole thing was covered with a layer of cheese, and then the whole dish was finished off in the oven so that the cheese was nicely broiled on top. For lunch, this dish was $15. The place actually has a pretty complete menu, and it looks like a great alternative to people in the area who are looking for an Italian restaurant that goes beyond the offerings of the major chain Italian restaurants in the area, and I think you know which ones I'm talking about. I've sat outside both times for lunch, so I can't even tell you what the place looks like inside with much detail, because I've only popped my head in real briefly, but from what I saw, it looked pretty nice inside. They have a covered patio area to eat outside, and quite a few tables for those who want to dine al fresco. It's not really decorated in the patio area, but for me, that doesn't make a difference, as long as it's clean. The wait staff was friendly, without being obtrusive, which was a nice touch. So, this place pretty much fires on all cylinders: great food, great ambience, and great wait staff. read more

Pizzaioli is definitely a hidden gem in Chino Hills, which has become inundated with restaurant chains on every corner. It's tucked into a corner of the Spectrum, and the average passerby probably wouldn't know what a great restaurant it is from the outside. I've been going there several times a year for the past 6 years. It's a treat when we eat there, because it's not exactly cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for. The bar has a great selection of wines. The owner actually owns a wine store as well, so this comes as no surprise. Depending on where you sit in the restaurant, and what time you go in, it can be an intimate feel or a lively atmosphere. Weekend nights are usually bustling, while lunches are quiet and calm. I think it's hilarious that a person below wrote that they give you bread and "salsa". If you don't know the difference between salsa and bruschetta, you probably shouldn't be reviewing Italian restaurants. And the bruschetta is delicious. I happen to love going in on weekends when they serve their tomato bisque soup. It is creamy and amazingly flavorful. I also like that they switch up their specials nightly. It allows me to always try something new, and I can honestly say I have never been disappointed. I've eaten their chicken, seafood, pasta, pizza, and salads and each dish has been unique and succulent. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Italian or French cuisine, or just good food in general. read more

I have no idea why anybody makes a big deal about this place. Besides the place looking nice there's nothing else to boast about. Let's see...the driest/toughest steak i've ever eatin and THE PIECE OF CARDBOARD we found in my wife's salad all for the price of $70 should easily point you in a different direction. They didnt even have the decency to comp her plate and their website doesnt respond to disgruntled customers. this place is overpriced and trying to kill their customers. thumbs down read more

When I tried to make reservations for valentines, they told me that they only had 1 opening at 4pm, was not happy about dinner so early But figured I had no choice. Arrived at 4pm, place was empty. Left after 5pm only filled about half or less. Felt taken, not to mention asked before making reservations if they had a different menu for Valentines. They said no, got there and found a valentines day menus. Even the people who sat at the next table heard us talking and turned to us and told is that they had the same experience. Started going there back in 2000. Both my wife and I said to easy other, I think were done read more

You already feel the warm, family-like welcome when you step inside the restaurant. Servers, bar tenders, and even the owners greeted the regulars by name! Very good and authentic Italian food is served here. Everything is made with love and love is good. (5 stars) Taglio di Vitello Veal Chop: 14oz flame broiled, with porcini mushrooms in a Cognac butter sauce, served over mascarpone- parmesan mashed potatoes and sautéed rapine and garnished with crispy pepper (5 stars) Pollo alla Cacciatora chicken breast braised and sauteed with porcini mushrooms, onions, Roma tomatoes, and Chianti wine, over fettuccine pasta. read more

I'm unhappy. I have been here numerous times and the food and drink are usually pretty good. I'm usually with my family or at least my wife. Today, I went alone, walked in, no greeting, nothing at all... So I finally sat at the bar, no greeting, no service....................nothing. I'm a long time customer, usually spend a fair amount of money there... Never again. Good food is great but service sells. Breaks my heart to write off a non-commercial, local restaurant but I'm not good with being ignored... The service has failed me here in the past but this was a new low. In a nutshell it still gets three stars because I really like the food & the wine selection is beyond compare. It would get one if I based it on service alone. read more

Don't let the name fool you. This is one of the few fine dining restaurants in Chino Hills. There is a fully-stocked bar + indoor/outdoor dining. Pizza is only one of many items on the list. I usually get their Eggplant Parmesean (sp?) as it's always good! The prices are comparable to the service and quality of the food. It's location is deceiving, but don't pass up an opportunity to eat here. read more

We've been here many times, and the food is always delicious! The tortellini dish with a hint of jalapeno is one of my favorites! The bartenders are awesome. I was joking with one about a drink from a James Bond film, and he made it right up! A "Vesper" Nice ambiance too. read more

Great Hidden Italian Restaurant!!! The only reason I ever discovered this place was b/c my little sister worked there as a hostess one year. Their bread comes to the table with home made bruchetta, but I always ask for a side of their roasted pepper ranch instead. It's soooooooooooo good. By far, my fave dish is Tortellini al Forno, which is spinach tortellini pasta stuffed with cheese, baked sliced chicken breasts, creamy jalapeno sauce and topped with mozzarella. It's $18 and sooo good. They're panini's are huuuge and also amazing! Anything you have here is by far amazing Italian and a very large portion. All of the desserts are delish too, can't go wrong! Servers have always been kind and helpful. Real linen table cloths. Definately great for a date, or a family dinner. :) read more

A couple of years back I would've NEVER thought I'd be writing this review. We came here for birthdays, anniversaries and all other special events we celebrated. It was the BOMB. Eight months ago my husband and I came to have a nice dinner and I was expecting the usual good food and service. I was so disappointed. The menu changed and the service wasn't the same. My husband still enjoyed himself so I thought it may have been just me. But tonight (one hour ago) we BOTH left disappointed about pretty much everything! We walked in and it felt different. After being seated we were brought our waters but didn't see our waitress for a bit. This was unusual. When she came to our table our drink order was taken but they took a long while to get back to us. We ordered our food and in the meantime, our water glasses were empty and the bruschetta was gone. There wasn't anyone to fill even our water glasses. This time my husband was becoming irritated and a little impatient. We finally asked another server for water and told her how unhappy we were with the service. She apologized and we thought after letting someone know how we were feeling, things would get better. They didn't. I ordered the chicken special and my husband ordered the corned beef special. Mine was okay but his was really undercooked. I would've sent it back but because he used to work in a restaurant he doesn't complain. I don't think we'll be back anytime soon. It's extremely sad because this was our "go to" when we knew we'd have good food as well as great service. read more

I've eaten at Pizzaioli for well over ten years now. I always find the food and the service to be excellent. I have learned to avoid the high volume Friday and Saturday nights, and prefer lunch to dinner there strictly based on pricing. They have an outdoor dining area that is great for an afternoon that isn't too hot, and the staff is courteous and attentive when it isn't so busy that they can't think straight. Recommendation: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Appetizer, Sauteed Spinach (not on the menu but they will make it upon request), and anything that is on the specials. With an excellent wine selection (for a restaurant located in a strip mall like setting). Avoid the weekend nights and give this non chain eatery a try, you won't regret it! read more

Best Italian Food I've had in the IE! Nothing short if outstanding service, food, and drinks. I highly recommend "The Lampone" if you want an awesome drink besides wine. Bruschetta is always fresh, so is the pasta. I am Italian, so trust me. Authentic and amazing!!! read more

We love eating here. Prices are getting a little in the high side. But all of the food is definitely home made. If you love bruschetta you can order pint sizes to go. I highly recommend it! read more

I was in the mood for Italian food and remembered this little restaurant while I'm out shopping. We decided to take a chance and try it out. We walked in, and there was only one other couple besides us wow! Are you kidding me?? haha We probably should've made a run for it but instead decided to give it a go.Too add it was New Year's Day so I somewhat cut them some slack... We were sat down, given menu's right away But the funny thing is that it took like 10 minutes for a waiter to come take our drink order HELLOOO!! The place was completely empty. I thought that was totally lame! Everyone on here is raving about the bread & bruschetta, but I thought the bread was cold, very dough. I love warm, crusty bread. Who doesn't right?? The bruschetta was super watery, & lacked flavor. My bf had to add the cheese from my salad on it to make it have some type of flavor. And speaking of salad.. I ordered a salad before my entree. The salad consisted of romaine lettuce, tomatoe, store bought mozzarella& Kraft parmesan cheese. Soooo not worth $ 7!! For my entree I ordered mancotti, & the bf ordered a steak salad. There was more workers there then needed So these little kids(waiters) were walking around talking, at one point they were huddled in a group messing around, and another waiter had to break them up & tell them to get back to 'work'. Sooo not professional & super annoying Oh and one them had a horrible cough completely gross stay home if your sick I don't want little germy's to fill the air or get on my food.. Our food finally arrived. Mancotti was ok, ricotta cheese tasted authentic but lacked flavor, marinara sauce too tomato-y for my taste buds. The bf's steak salad was 5 little pieces of steak (looked dry) and a spring salad mix with grape tomatoes w/ extra virgin olive oil as the dressing. I'm a vegetarian so honestly I didn't taste the steak but bf said it was ok. my generic salad was $7. bf steak salad $17. mancotti 14. Summary Not worth the money, please keep driving when you pass restaurant! LOL read more

This place was ok. I will go back and try it again. I think I just ordered poorly. First they have an awesome wine list! A little expensive for a glass of wine but a great selection if you truly enjoy wine. They bring you bread for the table and it comes with Bruscetta. It was very yummy although we wished the bread was warm. I had the chicken parmigiana which was just ok. Under cooked penne pasta but good chicken. My boyfriend had the Kobe beef mushroom burger and it was to die for! All in all a good date. Next time ill try the fish I hear its good? Oh yea the bill took forever to come at the end! read more

Cioppino is amazing. Bread is fresh and Bruschetta is fabulous. Caprese had mouth watering mozzarella. Will definitely be back.

My family has been going to Pizzaioli since they first opened. We love it and it remains our favorite when we want to "impress" a visitor or have a great celebration. We have always experienced warm, attentive service. The food is outstanding. Steaks and seafood are the best in the area. Wine and martinis are diverse. Bread is plentiful and the bruschetta is amazingly good... goes great as a little add-on to their Salmon Caesar Salad! The only criticism that we might have is the dated decor, which is the same as it's been since first opening. Also, it can be somewhat pricey, although the portions are large and the food is very fresh and delicious. If you are going for carry-out the parking situation can be a little dicey, but there is plenty of parking in this large shopping center. If you have to park a little farther than you'd like for dine-in, consider it a gift... you'll need a nice little walk after you've dined! Try one of their panini sandwiches with the amazing rosemary potatoes for a great lunch or dinner treat! read more

The good, the bad, and the ugly... 1 star for the service, 1 for the martini, 1 for the caricatures on the wall. Well, it looked and sounded good on the internet. (Like a lot of dates I've had! lol) My 6:30 reservation ended up being 7 after the wait. My table was a bar style table with stools, in a corner against a window, staring at the patio table full of people outside said window - not very comfortable. The bar side is tiny, noisy, crowded - but it was a Saturday night. The service was excellent! Our waitress was great! They always came around looking to clear plates, refill water, etc. I can't stress enough how great the service was. The martinis were spot on. Fantastic selection of spirits it appeared on hand. I was pleased with the make your own bruschetta they give you instead of a standard bread basket. Had some Calamari Fritti, not the best I've had, not the worst - the breading was falling off, which leads me to believe it was not properly prepared. And it was kind of dry. But the sauce - MMMM that was some fantastic marinara! The pizza: medium Prosciutto e Fichi - prosciutto, figs, dried cranberries, arugula, mozzarella, goat cheese and basil. For which I was charged for a large Salami pizza when I looked at the receipt the next day. Well it was different, but a lack of moisture, cheese, oomph. Basically a dry pizza crust with little bits of fruits and arugula against a smattering of cheese. I would not order this again. Well actually I would not order the calamari or this pizza again. And then there was the BAR ROOM BRAWL. Good God, you'd think a nice little Italian place in a shopping mall, in the inland empire would basically be quiet and peaceful. They were on the floor, against the glass doors to the other dining room, breaking things, screaming - I'm talking full on brawl. Clearly no bouncer, no manager, no owner, no police, no security... as they eventually spilled out onto the front sidewalk and continued. Then about 20-30 minutes all of them fighting, and yelling, and arguing, and chasing, and just sheer mayhem all over the parking lot, left to their own devices unattended to scare away any potential or first time customers. Maybe these were the owners? Who knows. Crazy though. We're just waiting for the knives and guns to come out as I whisk my date away to the car through the gauntlet of drunken warriors. If I want a bar room fight I'll go to east L.A. lol ( another quiet neighborhood Italian joint called Charlie's where I was randomly assaulted once!) So I am not so sure I would come here again given the tally of pluses to minuses. Cheers? read more

Pizzaioli - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

If you like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill.... This place is NOT for you. This restaurant serves some of the finest italian dishes and some of the best wines in town. My wife and I always go here when we want to eat well and be served well. My personal favorites are the Ahi Tuna, Rib Eye Steak and most of the desserts. Plus a bottle of a good red wine to push everything down smoothly. read more

Staff chose not to cover their nose throughout the entirety of their shifts and took their masks off when speaking to each other. Terrible to see that a restaurant would take COVID precautions so lightly despite the rising death rates. There were also no temperature checks as stated in their health precautions. Will not be visiting again read more

This visit to Pizzaioli was excellent! I decided to splurge and ordered the Bistecca e Uova......yes the Bistecca e Uova. It came with filet mignon, eggs, red potatoes, and more. It was everything a body needs. We also had the Linguine e Polipette......very good as well. The service was great too! read more

Pretty good Italian food. Their Calamari Fritti appetizer ($11) is cooked well and generous. Maybe too generous- if you're out on a date, this alone might be enough to fill you up. The pasta dishes are tasty also. Careful with the cream-based sauces though - they can go down pretty heavily. The establishment is well decorated and feels classy. At first I thought it would be staffed by snooty waiters but that turned out not to be the case. The staff turned out to be responsive and friendly. They were also professional enough to quiet down a couple of their sauced-up patrons at the bar who were cursing it up. Overall, a good place to get you Italian fix. read more

Let's just say I was tricked into going to the inland empire. Ok, now that we've put that behind us, let's talk about this restaurant. It's a quaint little spot tucked away in a shopping center, the decor has seen better days. But it feels comfy without being dirty or divey, and yet still somewhat classy. I found it kinda odd that there were TVs available for all diners, but I guess people in the IE need to be able to watch their nascar. The liquor and wine selection was adequate, but not amazing. Service was ok, but they could have done a bit more to offering to explain some of their dishes. The menu is classical italian, and by classical i dont mean buca, O-Garden, or the macaroni grill. I had the frutti di mare and was definitely satisfied with the fresh tasting variety of shellfish (scallops, crab, shrimp, mussels, claims) that was used. Pizzaioli is a nice little find within an area overrun with corporate chain restaurants. I'd definitely recommend giving them a shot. Oh one last thing, I wish they had Moretti instead of Peroni. :/ read more

This restaurant was recommended by a friend and we tried chicken piccata and chicken tortellini al forno ( mind my spelling). Ambience was decent and I actually liked their decoration. On the other hand, their food was only alright. Let's say that I wasn't impressed at all. If I want good food I would want Tulipano instead. My chicken piccata was bland and my husband's dish was a little better but in my opinion it was a little too salty and not enough kick on the jalapeno. We also tried tiramisu because my husband said it looked good on the picture and my waitress said it's her favorite dessert along with creme brulee. The tiramisu was pretty gross because it had a refrigerator taste. I don't think I can come back again. read more

I can't rave about this place any more. Probably the best Italian place to eat. Great Atmosphere. Superb Wine selection, maybe best in this area. Noodle cooked perfectly and sauce and Tiramisu is excellent. THey even make a mean steak here made to order. Mood and atmostphere is great for dates. read more

What in the world... this restaurant is just a normal restaurant. The only good thing was the service, but the food tasted whatever. It's a bit pricey $15-30 for mediocre food. I'm a huge Italian food fan, but I don't think I'll go back. The ambiance is just ok, the food took a very long time to come out, and the bread was just okay (it doesn't come with oil or butter unless you ask) Plus the parking lot is insane and this plaza is HUUUGE. It's pretty difficult to find the place, with all the surrounding plazas and stores and restaurants. Save the time & hassle, I'd say go somewhere else. read more

Overpriced Tedious This used to be one of our favorite places Last night may have been our last visit. Value: The menu has changed - again - the choice of meals has decreased, the prices have increased - again and the portion sizes have decreased. $20 for Chicken Parmigiana! $15 corkage for a restaurant in a shopping center. Also, takeout order portions are smaller than in-house, for the same price. One of my favorite dishes, the baked ZIti with sausage and mozzarella is gone as are many others. Service - they generally, and still do, have good, friendly service - not enough servers. Ambiance - fun bustling atmosphere, decor is really getting old, though. Three stars because I like the servers. Not much else. I can get food that's just as good, if not better over at Cannataro's on Mountain, for a much better value. read more

The Moscow mule taste was refreshing on a hot summer day . I had the salami and pepperoni pizza it was delicious. read more

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I tried this place for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I've been wanting to go back ever since. My husband and I split the artichoke chicken and pasta dish and it was more than enough for us. It's now one of my favorite Italian dishes. The bread they serve with the tomato chunks is amazing, and I don't even like tomatoes! The only downside is that it seemed a little pricey, however the quality of food was so good, it was worth it. Can't wait to go back! read more

I've been dining here since the 90s and they have been consistently good. I dream about their bruschetta and their specials are always on point. I did take out 1 star because they can be a little pricey. But still a great place I will keep frequenting. read more

I would have to say this is probably the best Italian restaurant I've been to in Southern California. The complimentary bread and bruschetta they give you when you first sit down at the table is to die for. I usually order chicken and seafood pastas, and have always been satisfied with my order. They do charge a corkage, but the waiters and waitresses we have had are actually pretty cool and usually waive it for us, and we are not even regular customers. The atmosphere is great, and I would say is probably best for adults. If you are coming in a big group (6+) I would definitely make reservations, as it can get pretty full on weekends. read more