prego! what a delightful eatery this is...i have been here a bunch of times with friends who live out this way. i always enjoy the meals and the time spent together there. but last night, last night = o-m-g! first off, the piped in music was so fun. a random mix of italian songs and perhaps other languages as well. set the mood and reminded me and my friend of an old movie with italian music. anyway, from the time we sat down until the time we left, the atmosphere was so pleasant; our food was amazing as always and the wait staff went above and beyond! our server was amanda and she helped me to get the bill without my friends noticing i had slipped her the credit card; she made sure that the drinks and appetizers were refreshed whenever needed (their bruschetta is AMAZING!) and that the entire party was well attended. the other amazing person who helped us last night, dom. dominic. he was superb! so professional and attentive. honestly, i wish that i lived closer. i would definitely be a regular. do your belly and your mouth a favor and get to pizzaioli! and maybe you'll be lucky enough to be served by amanda and dom. they were excellent! read more

Hidden gem in Chino Hills. Tucked in the back of a strip mall. Ordered the filet minion, mid rare. TBH, I'm not a big fan of filet, but this steak was utterly delicious. Prime cuts here. Will have to definitely go back to try some of the other dishes. Also had a Bloody Mary to start the meal. Looks like it's a family owned business. Love that fact. read more

Came here last night for dinner. Our server was Alyssa. She was the best. She told us all the popular dishes and was very friendly. The ceaser salad and the spinach tortellini with grilled chicken in their jalapeño cream sauce was the best pasta dish I've ever eaten. My kids got the cheese pizza's from the kids meal which was excellent too. I will definitely be coming back and trying the other dishes on the menu. read more

I made a yelp account just to review this place so here we go. I am very disappointed by my experience at pizzaioli. I went on a first date there this past Friday evening and had high hopes for this quaint Italian restaurant. We were seated at a lovely table near the bar, which I enjoyed because it was quite nice. Our first impression was great, however, our experience was quickly altered. I saw a man going around tables so I assumed he was either the GM or the owner, but now seeing the picture associated to this yelp page, he's the owner. What was supposed to be a time for me to get to know a new person, turned into a time of commentary regarding the management. The boss was going from table to table acting unprofessionally and using foul language. All my date and I could make out was he was angry with his employees and was calling someone an "f*cking loser". Definitely inappropriate and unprofessional. Although it got more and more entertaining as the vino was flowing, it robbed me of getting to know my date because I'm nosey and have ADHD. There were gnats all over my table which was quite unpleasant and we spent half our time eavesdropping and the other half swatting gnats! My food could have been warmer too, but my date enjoyed his meal just fine. If you're looking for a date spot, don't come here cause you'll have second hand embarrassment and gnats galore. But if you're looking for shits and giggles, grab your popcorn, hide your candies in your purse and bring your girls to pizzaioli for dinner and a show. UPDATE: I find it amusing how the owner decides to change his profile picture right after my review. I know what I saw, just confirms my thoughts on this establishment... cheap thrills read more

We stared at the bill. Almost $100 for the two of us. We usually don't do this, but at Pizzaioli, it is hard to avoid. Yes, we did order high end menu picks, and swooshed around a wine glass or two as well. But that was *it*, no other drinks, appis, dessert and other such temptations. With that warning, please know, we did not spew forth any bad words; maybe just a moan or two. Our meal was exceptional. We enjoyed every bite. THAT GOOD! For starters, Bruschetta comes complimentary and endless if you wish. Since we avoid eating bread, it is the pomodor crudo topping (their mouth watering recipe that has the perfect balance of chopped tomato, garlic, olive oil, basil and balsamic vinegar), Italy's answer to salsa, that is our downfall. It is possibly one of the best reasons to come here, it is that good. Lucky for us, at least so far, we haven't had our hands slapped as we obscessed and plowed through several bowls of that lovely, rich, chunky tomato spread. Lucky for them, and before we bankrupted them, the entrees arrived and we got sidetracked. Colorado lamb chops, prime cut. This is always an attention getter for Mr. B. He locks on to lamb like a vicious dog locks onto your pant leg. The accompanying grilled veggies...eggplant, red and green bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, made it all come together. $37 for a special treat cooked to perfection. Whole Striped Sea Bass stuffed with fresh herbs. This was definitely a moist white fish. The serving was huge, and although it still had bones, they were big and quite easy to remove. $38. This special came with spaghetti squash sauteed in butter with Italian herbs and radicchio. Fabulous flavors that put me in awe! For some, receiving a whole fish on your platter may be a deal breaker. I get it. But for me, it is an opportunity. Here is my tip. If you order fish and you find it staring back at you, don't flinch. The head contains the finest, tenderest, part. Go with gusto into the two little pockets where you will discover the fish cheeks. Go ahead. Indulge yourself. You can thank me later. They have a nice selection of wines to choose from. My wino guy went for a wine flight of Barolo, Syrah, Valpolicella Allegrini at $15. He loved the Valpolicella Allegrini so much, we hunted down a few bottles of this for our stock at home. I really don't know why we don't come here more often when we are on the lookout for a special meal. read more

Food is delicious. I didn't anticipate charges for splitting. Would i have known. We might not come back. read more

Pizzaioli - Split charges. Nice! - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

Yummy food! Service is great. Ambiance wonderful! Every dish is very tasty! Staff is knowledgeable. I recommend! Great place for gf dinner and drinks! read more

10-18-20 I read the reviews first and we decided to try it even though a lot of complaints regarding servers not wearing masks, however the management replies stated they correct problems with staff... fair enough. Pros: Nice outdoor patios. Our Server and busperson were super nice, helpful and wore their masks. The Lasagna and Pizza (mushroom Jalapeno) were both very good. While the Bruschetta wasn't warm it was still fresh, soft and good. CONS: Customers continually coming in AND leaving not wearing a mask while walking by (less than 2 feet from us). I asked the hostess if she even asks customers to put on a mask whenever entering and leaving and she said No, only if they go inside to the bathroom (but there are no customers inside!). I asked her if they had a sign at the front to "wear a mask" and she said they do not. Next the manager came by to say she heard there was a problem. I explained that we prefer to eat outside at restaurants where people wear masks to enter and exit. She said of course, it's California and they have to. I told her the last 4 tables that were seated all walked right by us without masks. The hostess seated them without a mask. She said she's sure the hostess asked them. I told her the hostess just told me she does NOT. ( I had asked the hostess because I didn't want to post anything that wasn't true). The manager, in my opinion was condescending. Although the food and service were good, (and we left a good tip for that service) as a personal preference we won't be back due to their Covid-19 procedures with customers entering and exciting right by our table breathing on our food. read more

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I have been going to Pizzaioli (or PZ's as I like to call it) for decades. I wanted to swing by and show some support for my local favorites. They have the outside patio set up so nice, with diners socially distant. I had my all time favorite, chicken Milanese, and it was fantastic. The Owner, Tom, still makes a point to make his rounds to ensure everyone is happy with their food. The wine list here is still as impressive as ever. This is a great spot to meet with friends or even for a date night, they haven't ever disappointed me! read more

Pizzaioli - Chicken Milanese ... the photo doesn't do this justice! - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

Brought my GF here for her birthday, wasn't disappointed. Nice little ambiance with great food and good drink selection.

Food was great. Service was great. Entire night ruined by an obnoxious accordion player playing at the table next to us. Literal zero awareness of surroundings as he serenaded to his table alone. Owner didn't seem to mind, nor did anyone say anything. Unsure if warranted, or requested, but I couldn't enjoy a night out with the family; with prices being as they were, the experience left a sour taste in my mouth. read more

Love it here The drinks, food and service are awesome! The best pizza, meatballs. The filet is delicious!

The menu has been reduced, with very limited options for basic Italian pasta dishes. Bread does not come with the meal and must be requested separately. When it does arrive, it is not fresh from the oven. The provided butter is scant and cold, making it difficult to spread. The spaghetti dishes are not served with a choice of salad or soup. Given the high prices charged, these should be included at no additional cost. It has been around 6-7 years since our last visit, and it appears that they may have changed chefs. The quality and presentation of dishes has significantly deteriorated. Given the prices, one would expect five-star dining. However, I would be generous if I gave them three stars. Considering the price and quality of the food, it would be better to look elsewhere. read more

Cute little Italian place. Good food, cozy setting good quick service makes you feel at home.

Great tasting food and good service will be back again! The bread is pretty good I think it's sourdough bread. Everyone in my group enjoyed the food and dessert. read more

Pizzaioli - Piselli penne pasta - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

Sat at the table for a little over 5 minutes and no one ever came by to even greet me. The restaurant was empty with the exception of a table that was already packing their left overs. 3 of the servers were standing chatting at the front door, saw me come in. I even asked one of them if the table that I chose was ok, she said yes. Very bad service, read more

It was years since I came to Pizzaioli. I loved their pizza. When we were in the area last week I was all happy to get us a good pizza! My wife dropped me off for an appointment and picked up the pizza. When I was done and she picked me up, I was ready to tear into that pepperoni pizza while driving home. When I opened the box I asked her who ordered a cheese pizza. My mind went from good to bad to when I was 7 years old and had to eat crappy cafeteria pizza from the old lady wearing a paper hat. My wife ate a piece and said it was bland or maybe she had covid. I said we should go get our money back. Where is the pepperoni!? It looked like some clown put pepperoni UNDER the cheese! This is a crime! How is the pepperoni supposed to get that crispy taste?? I love pizza so I thought ok, I will slap some pepperoni ON TOP and cook it more so crust gets toasty. FAIL. The pizza was bland. I told my wife she did not have covid. I rate this pizza 1 out of a 5 only because there was a pizza in the box. I told my wife we should have just driven to Big Al's Pizza on Green River Road in Corona. At least their pictures look like the pizza you get. We ended up throwing half the pizza away. I can usually save any pizza an extra day. Not this sad pie. I will scratch Pizzaioli off my list. No more dreaming. read more

Pizzaioli - One Sad Pizza - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

I've been trying new restaurants and supporting small/independent businesses since COVID. I heard so many positive things about this place I had to try it! 1. Scanning QR code's for the menu is smart but if you've never done that before be prepared for looks from the waitress checking you in. 2. EVERYTHING looked so beautiful, but flavorless. I ordered the steak and it had so much jiggily fat on it. Grossed me out. 3. I ordered the Creme brûlée and again it was gorgeous! But was lumpy. 4. ..oh and I almost forgot! How are you going to serve cold-uncooked bread?? The comp bread wasn't even warmed or served with butter. 5. The service was great! Friendly waitress and cleaning staff. I probably won't be returning but wish the best for the place. read more

Pizzaioli - Creme Brulee - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

Came in for our 19th wedding anniversary on a weekday... the restaurant was very nice, small and our food was delicious. Grabbed a pizza to go for our boy which had a tremendous amount of cheese! Nice local Italian restaurant read more

One of the best Italian food for a long time. Friendly staff. Excellent sea food pasta. Accommodated party of 15 people and reasonable price. read more

Pizzaioli - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

This Salmon fettuccine was so delicious. It was beyond what I expected I've it had shrimp as well a few Kim crab pieces. It's not the traditional fettuccine sauce you would expect and that's what makes it so good. The amount of bread seemed like it was too generous of a portion but it was perfect especially eating it with the sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly great quality of fish. If your looking for good quality food this would be a top suggestion. read more

Pizzaioli - Salmon Fettuccini - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

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I started a yelp years ago, and never actually reviewed anything. So l figured I'd start by reviewing one of my favorite local restaurants. The Food: Let me start by saying, we've had just about everything. As all the previous posts mention, their bruschetta is the best. I've often ordered pints to take to gathering. Their Gamberetti is one of our favorites. Their wedge salad is so darn good. They use great bleu cheese. In fact, they stuff their olives, that they use in the martinis with the same BC. Only bummer with that is they charge an upgrade for those olives. On to the mains... the chicken tortellini is like no other. The pasta, the sauce, it's all amazing. I have ordered this a few times for catering and everyone loves it. The weekly specials are always delicious. Sometimes I wish they would keep some on their menu, but they're great while they last. I had a striped bass last week and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked. My personal favorite is the stroganoff. It's delicious. Full of flavor, with great quality meat. I can't attest for dessert because we never make it that far. The service: Everyone is sweet, and prompt. However, it's really obvious that they pay special attention to the regulars, especially the ones that sit at the bar top. I get it, but I mean we spend $200 every night we're here too. Honestly, this is one of the best gems Chino has. I'm glad they're busy every time we come. read more

Pizzaioli - Striped Bass - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

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Got the linguini and bolognese and it was so good! At first I thought $23 was too expensive since my favorite spaghetti is only $14, but I understand why it's priced that way. I mean the meat sauce is just so delicious and it's even grass fed beef meatballs. Then, I ended up ordering the chocolate ganache. Wish it was a tad bit warmer, but it was soooooo good. It's so rich in chocolate so definitely share it and balance it out. Also our server, Alex was so sweet and everyone had a good attitude. This place has been open for 26 years and deserves more business! read more

The food is always amazing! So is the service. They have the best spaghetti & meatballs, pizza and I love their blue cheese dressing. So good read more

This is such a good restaurant! I had a wonderful experience from the wine to the entreé. I had eggplant parmigiana my husband had chicken parmigiana. These two dishes is how we rate an Italian restaurant. The moment I put the sauce in my mouth I was hooked!! I look forward to having the ciopinnio next. I also want to come back for just dessert and coffee. I don't think I can eat dessert when I eat dinner there. Too much food!!! My lunch today will be gourmet! I look forward to this being our favorite spot for family, friends, and business meals. The eggplant was cooked perfectly with the skin how I like it. My husband said the chicken was perfectly fried and juicy. The Parmesan cheese was flavorful. The pasta was just how I like it cooked too al denté but not too hard. Tasted freshly made. I asked what tomatoes were used in the sauce and the manager Julia knew! They were Roma tomatoes and deliciously sweet. My server Paris was just right with her customer service not too much contact but right on time, since we were on a date we wanted privacy. She is super sweet. Christian was a lovely help too and very nice and prompt. We never had a dirty dish left on the table too long but weren't interrupted weirdly like other places. I loved my meal here and will be back. Oh by the way, the bruschetta is the best I have EVER HAD MMMMMM read more

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We came here to celebrate my best friend's birthday and had an amazing time...The food was out of this world and the entire staff, truly went above and beyond to make our visit special, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic..I highly recommend this little gem in Chino Hills...They have a nice outside seating area; all the workers had masks on, they had a hand sanitizer station, and they were constantly sanitizing everywhere, so we felt very safe... read more

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I'm surprised I haven't written a review yet. Pizzaioli's is by far my favorite Italian restaurant around the area. We've never had a bad meal here. Everything is delicious from the craft cocktails to to the dinner selections. Some of our favorite dishes are: Homemade Bruschetta PZ Salad Prosciutto Pizza with figs, dried cranberries and arugula Lasagna Chicken Parm Steak Sandwich with the rosemary potatoes Frutti di Mare Really everything on the menu is so good! Fresh and very flavorful. Service is top notch as well. Thanks for another delicious evening, Pizzaioli's! read more

What a hidden gem! My birthday was on a Wednesday, but I still wanted a classy delicious dinner that I didn't have to make myself. This place did not disappoint. From a hand poured old fashioned and artichoke bruschetta to the seafood pasta and chocolate grenache: everything was perfect. Large portions (shareable or leftovers). Our service was attentive without being pushy. This is not what you expect to find nestled in a strip mall, but worth adding to your lunch/dinner rotation. read more

Always great to visit Pizzaioli! We have been coming here for years and the food and service are always good! read more

It's a small restaurant so make a reservation but overall it's worth the wait. Amazing food and peeps. read more

Pizzaioli - Calamari Fritti - Italian Near Me - Chino, California

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My family and I went back about a week later. Everyone deserves 2nd chance. Like last time, the atmosphere and ambiance is great! Ordered Seafood past with spicy marinara sauce. Not spicy at all. But easy fix with crush pepper flakes. Food was all good but not exceptional. Pasta was NOT al dente. Needs better quality control. read more

Food is always great but the service is hit or miss. Drinks took long and so did our appetizers. It wasn't busy when we first got there but you can tell as time went on they got busier and busier. He didn't look under staff because staff was standing all around I just think the person handling our side of the restaurant was the only one everybody else seemed to be in the bar area. But the food's not bad read more

How is it you make a reservation for NYE and when you arrive, they will only seat you outside? The table they attempted to give us was wobbly and it appeared they put linen over a backyard picnic table. Service and class means everything to us. This restaurant struck out in both the service and class section. We will never go to this establishment again. read more

It's Friday night dinner with my little family and we wanted to try this local restaurant for the first time! 25 minutes later, we decided to take our money elsewhere. We left because of the first impression and customer service we received from the wait staff. Food for thought...if the service was bad, what's next? Here goes my experience... We were greeted by two hostesses outside and requested indoor dining. It was 4:45pm. "Hi, we can seat you now" was what we heard from the Hostess#1. Hostess #2 just walked away from the podium not telling us she'll be the one seating us. So Hostess#1 motioned us to follow her instead and we caught up to Hostess #2 who awkwardly showed us the table. It wasn't busy at all, it was an early dinner. 3 tables in the main dining room and 2 at the bar. We sat down and received looks like we didn't belong-felt more awkward. Like another post before mine said, "they treat first timers differently". I made eye contact 3 times with two different wait staff and no acknowledgement. Saw one waitress deliver food to one table and still managed to clear plates from the another table. It was 4:55pm, at this point a junior waiter comes and serves us a water bottle and glasses. He tells us a waitress will be with us soon. It's 5:05pm. No waiter greets or acknowledges us. We were ready to order and nothing. It was getting uncomfortable. We get up and leave. Hostess #1 looked confused WHY we were leaving. We expressed after 25 minutes, no acknowledgment from the waiters. Management-invest in training your staff. It would've saved me writing this. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance. I've been coming here over 20 years and it never disappoints.

Hey Tom I was probably one of your first customers back in 95... place is still great ...love u and KRIS ... but do me a favor ... tone down the lights ... your place has always been a nice romantic upscale restaurant .... But the lighting the last 4 times I have been at dinner has been to bright ...do an old friend a favor and bring back to romance read more

Came here and so glad I did. Maddie hostess was very pleasant. Nathan our server was awesome! The food was so authentic and tasty with a great presentation. I will definitely be back! Thank you full tummy happy heart! Oh btw.... they serve large portions! read more

Food was delicious. Went for happy hour and was not disappointed. Service was excellent Ryan our waiter was so sweet and patient with all my questions. Highly recommend! Definitely coming back. read more

Service is slow not to friendly but Great food although bit overpriced. They use to bring bruschetta to table before meal now they charge you for it ... I highly recommend the Eggplant Lasagna it is terrific, my favorite! read more

Got takeout today, not at all happy with the changes. I'm a customer of many years, probably close to 20 and I've seen Pizzaioli go through a lot of flux and changes. This weekend my husband and I thought we would treat ourselves to our favorite tomato basil bisque soup and salad, and split a pasta dish; we chose the chicken tortellini. 1. The salad had that weird gassy smell that happens when the lettuce is not so fresh. 2. The soup, which has always had the flavor and consistency of a lovely sauce; thick, creamy, full of flavor had clearly been burnt at some point. Maybe the bottom of the pot scorched - I don't know but it was not edible. 3. The chicken tortellini now has vegetable tortellini in it where it didn't before - not a terrible thing except for the slight overcooked veggie aroma, but the worst part is that on top of there being barely any heat in it from the jalapeño, what used to be a rich buttery sauce has been replaced with something that is closer to a basic bechamel sauce that while it has butter and parm, it also has a good deal of flour and milk which drastically reduces that saucy cheesy decadence. 4. Bread and bruschetta used to come with the meal. In the restaurant they would serve it to all customers and refills were always an option. Now? You have to buy the bruschetta and then they tell you that they will "throw in some bread for ya". So, $75.43 later, we were left with a very disappointing soup, salad and shared pasta dish experience. We don't do take out often since COVID and when we do it's a treat; both in change of pace and not having to cook. Even after the many years we've been eating at Pizzaioli, I don't think we will be going back. So just two stars, and one of them is in memory of the old days. ( The comment below was added 4/27/2021 in response to the owner's response) Tom, I can now add another disappointment to my review. I just told you that my salad was past its freshness window, and that the soup had been burnt. I've loved that soup for years and I know when it's made well. Are you telling me that if I were sitting in your restaurant and brought these things up to the server that I they would respond to me as you have which is In essence, "Rotten luck, nothing to be done about it - better luck next time!"..? If you were really sincere, you would offer a refund, or you would offer the opportunity to go pick up that same meal another day at no cost when it was made well. Basically all you're doing here is telling me that you're sorry I didn't like it, but that's the breaks. (Similar to how you have responded to other reviews now that I look at them) read more