This was the worst service that I have ever received at a restaurant. It took an hour to get a menu and we only received it because we asked the hostess twice. It took another half an hour before our waitress came to take our order. We stayed frankly because we were amazed at how bad the service was. Save yourself the trip and stay far away from this place. read more

My family has gone to this restaurant for decades and have really liked it. However, tonight the service was HORRIBLE! We had a party of 12 served by two waitresses who couldn't seem to get their act together. They were rude and made several mistakes with our orders. The whole wait staff were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. David, the owner, verbally scolded a young bus boy in the middle of the dining room in front of all of the guests. To top it off, they charged $33 to cut our cake into 12 pieces! Yes you read that correctly...$33 cake cutting charge! Again, David the owner, was not only unapologetic about the service and the charges but he was actually indignant. He stated "your party of 12 was served in 2.5 hours by two waitresses, what's the problem". Well David maybe YOU are the problem! read more

This place is always amazing! I've never had a bad meal, bad service, bad experience! Worth every penny.

We took our three sons all in early 20's. I was taken by surprise when the owner leaned over my son's shoulder telling him that he needed to twist the pepper grinder after seeing him shake it. What the owner hadn't seen was my son had already twisted the grinder and was just shaking the loose pepper off before setting it back on the table. This was an embarrassing comment to make at a table full of people regardless if someone was having difficulty. We have a pepper grinder at home and know how to use it. Needless to say we won't be back along with my three professional sons whom all have begun their professional careers! And the service was absolutely horrible! The waitresses were annoyed by us also. Reason? Because they had been there for years and are not appreciative of their jobs! Never again!!!! read more

The most disrespectful staff my family and I have ever encountered. In any other restaurant, when you want to speak with a manager, they come out to listen to the concern and see what they can do to fix it - NOT HERE!!! The management made us wait for over an hour to get our check until he "had time" to come and see our table. Over 3 hours for dinner - wrong orders, poor service, slow, and salty food. Very, very disappointed - Pittsburgh has a fantastic selection of restaurants, find somewhere else to eat!! We all work hard for our money. Don't waste it at Rico's!!!! read more

Food was okay. Management was terrible. We asked for separate checks and was charged 20%. When we asked about the charge we were told essentially "too bad." That was the owners son. A Separate incident-One of our party used the women's restroom. There happened to be a waitress in there as well. The male mater'd opened the door and yelled in to the waitress. Completely rude. We won't be going back. read more

The food at Rico's is amazing. The bartenders were great as well. We wanted to eat at the bar and asked for menus. The owners son David approached and told us that we had to order within 5 minutes or sit at a table because we were taking up bar space. There were 4 of us and there were 3 other people at the bar and maybe 5 tables in the restaurant taken. We all were drinking and eating so the bill was going to be substantial and we were told we had 5 minutes to order. Seriously. He then yelled at Erin, the bartender, in front of us because we had put in appetizers and not our full meal. This was so awkward and uncomfortable. To make your customers feel rushed and not welcome. The bar was never full the entire time we were there. He was so rude. The table behind us asked to sit at the bar and eat and he told them no. They were complaining as well. I'm a little confused. If we are paying customers eating and drinking what's the problem? I can spend my money elsewhere. Again maybe if you sit at a table you are treated with respect. Very disappointed. It's hard to find good quality food but to give business to him. I don't think so. read more

I was here last night for the first time in ten years. This place is so Pittsburgh.... which is a good thing. It's definitely "old school" with the average customer twice my age, but I liked it. I first visited this place about ten years ago when I was starting my career and I remember the veteran guys I was with having dirty martini's with there five course lunches. I remember at that time thinking "I'm gonna love this career". They have probably the best ceasar salad in town prepared tableside. Last night we only had a few appetizers at the bar, but they were very good. The food begins with a nice selection of bread. It was nothing special, but good quality. We sampled the crab hoezel (sp?). This was several large chunks of lump crabmeat with lemon and butter. The price was very reasonable ($14.50) for the large amount of crabmeat. We all enjoyed very much. We also tried a calamari and sausage appetizer. This was surprisingly good. It was not fried and it was served with a delicious red sauce. I was really impressed with this traditional appetizer. We also had the fried zucchini which was lightly fried and quite good with a little red sauce and a bit of parmasan. The bartender was really good and professional. One of the things I like about this place is that the staff are pro's and not just college kids working until they find something else to do. I probably should give this place four stars, but it really is in need of a remodeling of the interior. The interior probably is the same as when the doors opened 30+ years ago. The owners son also came over and visited with us. He was really nice and certainly made you feel at home. This is a good place. Take your parents. " read more

I give it a 3 for decent food and nice servers. However it is over priced and the food isn't better than other places that charge less. If you are not splitting the check your be charged an automatic 20 percent tip, no one should ever determine how much you pay for a tip unless your in a large party. This I found to be ridiculous. Also you must use the valet parking for dinner and there is no reason why you need to when there is a large parking lot. read more

My husband and I went to Rico's for the first time last night for our anniversary. We live right down the street but never realized what a gem we have in the North Hills! The atmosphere is like walking into Goodfellas. Don greeted us at the podium and literally became a friend by the end of the night. The food is out of this world!! We had the ceasar salad for two ( which is tableside created by Don of course) ..best I've ever had. I had the Walleye stuffed with crab meat and hubby had the lamb chops. Unreal. Their wine selection is on an IPAD, which is a cool way to look at their huge selection. At the end, Don gave us a tour of the restaurant. We felt like real VIP's there. I can't want to come back with our friends and family. Thanks Don!! read more

My wife and I decided to check out Rico's one night based on numerous positive reviews. Overall the place has a very old vibe, which can be great but the food doesn't help. The only thing that was actually good was the fried zuchinni. The batter was PERFECT. I ordered a steak that rivaled the cost of a good steakhouse. It was bland. It was cooked properly but I have had better steaks from a local grocer for $9. The veggies for both meals weren't nearly as good as steam in bag frozen. Our rolls were cold and hard, as was the butter. My wife's meal was quite good unless you count appearance. I have seen diners with better presentation. At many points throughout the meal we caught wiffs of what smelled like someone smoking indoors. I contacted Rico's two different ways and have not gotten a response. Frankly the place wouldn't be worth the time for a free meal if they were concerned about this review. There are much better places for a lot less in the area. Still no reply despite another attempt to see if our poor experience was a fluke. read more

The decor and the wait staff are extremely outdated. The food is mediocre at best. Small portions and not creative. read more

Ricos is a wonderful example of a restaurant that knows it's cuisine and customers. Quiet dining in multiple rooms. Their angel hair pasta with pine nuts is exceptional and a wonderful appetizer . Also not to be missed is the zucchini as well as the banana peppers. All of their specials are fantastic especially if they have Wall Eye Pike and Virginia spots. And for dessert a true pecan ball with real hot fudge or caramel. We have never been rushed and have been promptly served. Rico's is a special restaurant indeed. read more

I called to make reservations but was told they didn't take them but it would be no problem for a party of 2. The person up front, David was extremely rude. We stood up front for over ten minutes without even being acknowledged. David walked past us several times without even greeting us or saying hello. Then 2 people walked in behind us and he immediately greeted them and said "two of you today? Go have a seat in the bar. Give me about 15 min I'll get you in". We finally had to approach David since we weren't even being acknowledged and he told us the soonest he could get us in was an hour. I questioned why the 2 gentleman that came in after us were given a wait time of 15 minutes. He tried to argue with me that it wasn't him that spoke to them...as if I was an idiot. Such a shame....this place used to really have class. Good service and hospitality can really make or break a place. Clearly from some of the recent reviews I just read this establishment is really going downhill. read more

WOW! I would give Rico's a five star rating if their desserts were better. There's only two house made desserts. If I were able to give 4 1/2 stars I would. Rico's is a classic Italian restaurant with very high-quality ingredients, expertly prepared. Do try the zucchini -paper thin, crisp and hot, they are delightful with lemon and Parmesan cheese. I had the delicious veal piccata and it was perfectly cooked, tender and satisfying. My wife enjoyed the Pittsburgh fillet, charred on the outside and near raw inside. No bother ! Our wonderful server took it back and had them prepare it medium rare. Word to the wise unless you want a raw fillet, do go with medium rare. We won't go here every night, but wow was it wonderful! A great place for a special occasion or a wonderfully old-fashioned, high quality Italian meal. read more

Wedding Rehearsal Dinner was a success. We had a private room and were acutely attended to. The four-course meal was filling. I could have stopped at the penne dish and been full. Dessert was the best part - cheesecake! read more

Good food but over priced. If you are not a regular of this establishment, forget it as the owner ( maitre d ) is very rude, making one feel unwelcomed. Will not visit this place again. read more

Also visited with a different group of 13 on New Years Eve 2013. Stopped in my tracks when I saw the menu prices even after having recently returned from a week of eating the signature restaurants in Walt Di$ney World. Service was slooooowwww. Reservation were for 7:30. Sat down at 8:00. Received menus at 8:30. Appetizer order taken for two people at one end of the table at about 9:00 but the rest of the table was ignored. Entree order taken about 9:30. Food arrived after 10:30. Ouch. Waitress said there were 3 stuffed peppers on the appetizer plate so we order two of them to cover the six of us wanting one. When they arrived about an hour later there were two per order and this was explained that the kitchen changes things at whim. Waitresses were generally not pleasant. The food was generally fine, but by no means worth $32-$58 per entree for ONLY the protein and one side (vegetable or potato), and nothing special. Baked potatoes were undercooked. The so-called 'supreme salad' was an up charge for a small house salad with a slice of cucumber, one olive, an one tomato wedge. The least expensive entree was a $31.95 pasta dish. To be fair, my $35 cajun swordfish was nicely cooked and seasoned. The owner/manager was everywhere trying to placate what appeared to be generally unhappy patrons. While we waiting for our table we overhead the manager confront more than a few patrons leaving in the lobby asking why they left such small tips--after our experience we knew the answer to the question. Wine prices were steep (typically $13-15 a glass) and soft drinks ($2.50) each included only one re-fill. The table bread was generic rolls. Not impressed at all. Sky-high prices for middling food and mediocre service. I would avoid this place. For about half the prices consider nearby Mediterraneo or for a true splurge there are better options. read more

Rico's is one of those restaurants you've heard about from days long gone. A throw-back to the days of impecable personal service that includes Caesar Salad made tableside. Where the restaurant manager still stops by your table and engages you in conversation. I simply must take a moment to thank Lisa Rose, a beautiful hostess that prepared our Caesar Salad. It has been years since anyone has prepared a salad that was so very enjoyable. And thank you to Dave, the Manager for his attention and conversation. we were ingoodhands. we all look forward to returning soon. read more

Our wait staff was extremely rude. The calamari was heavily breaded and overcooked. The oysters were frozen and one of the servers argued with my relative about it. The cheese on the French onion soup sunk to the bottom of the bowl and was extremely tough and rubbery; I had to eat it with two hands because it wouldn't pull apart with utensils. My partner's fettuccine alfredo was served with spaghetti instead. I would not recommend this place. read more

We ate in the bar which I loved during the week. No kids running around screaming....nice and quiet with an older clientele. I had the walleye with crabmeat. The lemon/butter sauce was light not heavy. The veal was like butter! Very tender and a good size portion. I really liked the house salad dressing which is a flavorful Italian that isn't over-powered with garlic or vinegar. The tiramisu and carrot cake were good too. The waitress, Diane, was terrific. The prices are a little high but worth it. read more

Let me start by saying the service at Rico's is ABSOLUTELY terrible and the FOOD is mediocre! We Brought a bottle of wine into restaurant like we do at any High end restaurant for and expected $25 dollar corking fee. After finishing our dinner, we were approached by David, who must be the Manager, he brought the empty bottle of wine to our table and said "where did this bottle of wine come from". ..like we were criminals sneaking in wine. Our response was... Italy. We didn't sneak the wine in and actually bought another $70.00 bottle of wine from the restaurant on top of multiple appetizers and meals. Our party of four spent over $300 on drinks and food and got treated like a 3rd class citizen from David! David doesn't care about his customers and shouldn't be in the restaurant industry! He only cares about money.... DO NOT EAT HERE! Service and management are absolutely terrible and will NEVER EVER dine here AGAIN!!! read more

We just had our North Hills Newcomers and Friends luncheon at Rico's. Everything was just wonderful. The food and service were exceptional. We chose Chicken Fontinella or Poached Salmon for our 53 members. The compliments kept coming from those that chose either entree. The potatoes were just yummy and great vegetable medley. and the Biscuit Tortoni! David, one of the owners helped us in our time of great need, for that we will be forever grateful. (Ask him how he went above and beyond for us, what a guy!) As newcomers, it is so nice to find and support a family owned restaurant, especially one that has been so successful all these years. Great job, Rico's! Many members said they would be returning. read more

A Justifiable Rave Review to Whet Your Appetite @ Rico's Gangbusters Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA According to others I'm someone considered relatively a gourmet rather than a gourmand, and invariably one who carefully discerns the number and types of restaurants most worthy of a personal review, e.g., on Yelp, TripAdvisor and Facebook. Justifiable kudos and two thumbs way-way-up, therefore, extend to the entire graciously customer-oriented and very professional staff at Rico's restaurant an iconic fine Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh. Why? My spouse and I and our immediate family had the distinct pleasure of dining at venerable Rico's on Christmas Eve. [12-24-2017] My first visit to Rico's was a considerable number of years ago, and this was my spouse's first memorable treat. Whether you're a native Penguins, Pirates or Steelers fan, or a first-time visitor to Pittsburgh, therefore, please make it a point to treat yourself to dine and imbibe at Rico's restaurant because we feel confident you'll be pleasantly satisfied and pleasurably satiated with Rico's scrumptious restaurant fare and thirst-quenching libations. During dinner hours after you drop-off your vehicle with the attentive valet parking attendants as you enter the vestibule at Rico's there's a panoply of photos on the walls replete with numerous prior Rico's diners who are/were celebrities or sports stars an added substantiating testament to the popularity and successful longevity of Rico's. For your added convenience often there's also a cloak room attendant greeting you very invitingly with an infectious smile just to your right after you enter the restaurant. Our entire party was greeted most warmly by Mr. David Lorenzini, plus Don, Rico's affable and proficient Maître d, and Tiffany one of Rico's very charming baristas who pleasantly prepared Christmas Mimosas for most of us. Shortly thereafter we were promptly seated. After exchanging pleasantries with our delightful and very proficient and professional server Dede and Don, we initiated our dinner with memorable appetizers consisting primarily of escargot and lump crabmeat Hoelzel accompanied by plentiful warm rolls and butter. Next, we all thoroughly relished very thinly-sliced fried zucchini squash sliced lengthwise accompanied by tantalizing marinara sauce served on the side. Afterwards, we had a memorable Caesar salad that Don deftly prepared from scratch table side with his usual utmost pizzazz and aplomb, My spouse savored a delicious swordfish steak with garlic butter and capers sauce, plus I chose a generous portion of plump sea scallops a la Rico topped with garlic butter and bread crumbs all perfectly cooked scrumptiously to perfection. We each also had a mouth-watering side of Rico's signature creamed angel hair garnished with pignoli nuts plus spinach. Throughout our meal we imbibed very delicious Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Just prior to our ordering desert, attractive and very personable Lisa Rose an integral key member of Rico's very customer-oriented staff also stopped by our table to say hello and to wish us a very Merry Christmas too. For dessert we had delicious classic pecan balls with hot fudge and caramel and a moist carrot cake. Bottom line: Please make it a point to visit Rico's whenever you're in Pittsburgh. Predicated upon our thoroughly delightful dining experience we respectfully believe you'll agree you'll not only be captivated with your dining experience but Rico's surely will also exceed your most discriminating expectations. Each and every member of Rico's staff makes you feel as if you're the most important person in the restaurant. Fred Harden III San Diego, California P.S. Constructive suggestions/comments for patrons of Rico's: Rico's normal business hours are 11:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. six (6) days per week except Rico's is closed on Sundays, [Open Mother's Day] On festive holidays such as Christmas Eve, however, Rico's is (officially) open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Last year on Christmas Eve it was very crowded during the evening; thus, this year our party opted to dine earlier commencing around 4:45 p.m. Accordingly, to facilitate a win-win situation for both Rico's patrons and Rico's entire dedicated staff who certainly are also entitled to spend some quality time on Christmas Eve and other festive holidays too with their friends and families, patrons of Rico's may want to opt to dine earlier than usual to ensure that everything runs smoothly because when we exited Rico's around 7 p.m., e.g., there was still a throng of people waiting to be seated for dinner. In all probability, therefore, many of Rico's Christmas Eve patrons finished their meals later than 8 p.m. While Rico's caters to all groups, the core clientele especially during holidays is predominantly gentrified so proverbially "When in Rome do as the Romans do," and while it isn't absolutely necessary to dress to the nines dress comfortably yet appropriately. read more

Amazing food and and the service was great! The front Blonde hostess was so sweet. I believe her name was rose something. She was so kind and got us in so fast. The food was excellent!! read more

This is the epitome of old school Italian. From the moment that we pulled in the driveway, everything about this place makes you wonder if Tony Soprano is going to walk around the corner. Most of the cars in the parking lot are Cadillac, the host knows most of the customers by name and most of the dishes are traditional Italian dishes. The food is delicious and you don't have to worry that the chef has a new interpretation of chicken piccata. They do traditional Italian really good. If you used to go to the Primadonna on a regular basis, this place makes you feel the same exact way. However, this place is not infant friendly. They have booster seats but no highchairs. The prices are also good, just a little more than chain restaurants but so much more delicious. As soon as my kid can sit in a booster, we will be here on a regular basis. read more

We had dinner there last Friday, broiler scallops were awesome and even better the next day as leftovers.. And I can't stop raving about the Caesars salad!!!!! Great place read more

We had Christmas eve reservation at 6:30 pm. We arrived at 6:15 pm, and the place was jam packed. We could not even get to the desk to give our name. People who had 5:00pm reservation were still waiting to be seated. ( An hour and 15 min later!!) Someone told us that there were an hour and half wait with reservation. A Lady from the restaurant kept saying ' I will be right back" and would not come back for long time, we could not get any answers to how long was the wait, will we be seated, any of that. No one from the restaruant was apologizing, providing with comprementary wine or nothing, just ignoring waiting customers. Many frustrated customers began to leave, and needed the car back from the valet parking, which was again the problem. They only had 2 valet guys running around like a maniac, swaering " Where the f*** is 157!" and things like that. Drive way was packed with cars being parked on both side and my small compact car was barely able to drive through. Given this was a Christmas eve, people were dressed up, gifts in their hands, and nowhere else to go to eat!! This was horrible. I believe that they got greedy and overbooked themselves, not giving enough time for the table turn around. This was just horrible. Not just because of the extremely long wait time even with reservation, but because the restaurant was not addressing the issues, ignoring frustrated customers, etc.... Horrible service!! Never going there again. With horrible service, they do not deserve my business. read more

Great passion for the culinary business and Rico is a great person. Take Don's photo off making the Caesar Salad - he doesn't know how to do it with the same passion. Put him in the banquet room serving water. LOL :) read more

One of my all time favorite restaurants. I've never had a bad meal or bad service. Me and my family have been going here for as long as I can remember. We celebrated every major event at Rico's. Highly recommended. read more

I visited Rico's News Year's eve (2013) and was included in a party of 13. Ordered a $45 dollar filet. Worse prepared piece of meat I have ever tasted. I have been to weddings that had delivered better quality than this dried-out, tough piece of leather. Waitress was in a big hurry and never asked about the quality of the meal until we were completely finished. When told of the poor quality, the waitress became indignant and argumentative. The waitress had two large groups and obviously could not handle her duties. I advise anyone not to consider visiting Rico's with a crowd. If you can't keep it small, you may be overlooked with both service and quality. I will mark this up to an expensive lesson learned and will avoid this restaurant in the future. read more

My name is Barbara & I am from Connecticut. Traveled from Peters Township with my sisters to Rico's restaurant tonight. The food was fabulous. My sister Donna knows the chef personally Denny. He came out to greet us. He is a die hard Pittsburgh Steeler fan and an awesome chef. We had a wonderful dinner. Lisa Rose is host at the front door. She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is great at her job. She takes the time to speak with each & every customer. Don't ever let her go. Any restaurant would scoop her up in a minute. Thank you Lisa Rose for the great hospitality. Can't wait to come back to Pittsburgh to eat at Rico's Restaurant. This is definitely a 5 star restaurant. read more

I love old school, nostalgic restaurants. In fact, I get a little teary-eyed when I walk into places like Rico's because it reminds me of having dinner with my Dad. My fiance and I started off with a drink in the bar since it was Valentine's Day. Bar service was slow in terms of acknowledging us at the bar as well as bringing us our drinks. There were only 2 other people seated at the bar. We were seated for dinner. Service was very attentive--probably the highlight of the night aside from my glass of Nebbiolo. We opted for table side Caesar to start. Hellloooo garlic. Yowza. I love a good Caesar but I still tasted the garlic 7 hours later when I brushed my teeth. We ordered the Roquefort filet and the Chicken Piccata. The filet was good, not great. The Chicken Piccata was the most disappointing thing I have ordered in a restaurant in years, and I LOVE chicken Piccata. The chicken is poached and STARK WHITE in color. Not appetizing-looking at all and it was extremely bland. Had the capers not been on the plate it would have had no taste at all. The saddest part was 1/3 of my fiance's baked potato had a huge black section on it. He grew up on a farm, and he recognized it as a big block of mold in the potato. How could that happen? The side of pasta with pink sauce was just okay. In all, we were very disappointed in our experience at Rico's and it pains me to say that because we were so looking forward to having an old school, special dinner together. Major bummer. Valet parking was excellent. read more

As soon as I walked in, I realized this was a very old fashioned place. The decor looked as if it had not been updated in decades. The greeting wasn't very friendly and there is valet parking only even though the parking lot is within very reasonable walking distance. The service was very slow and halfway through they switched servers on us. In my opinion they did this because we were much younger than the rest of the guests. The food was so so however your glass of water will NEVER be empty. It was kind of obnoxious actually how often someone was filling up our water. Finally, when presented with our checks a 20% tip was already written in and deducted from our cards/cash. This place is awful and I will never go back. read more

First visit to Rico's-Service was poor, management was rude, food just ok- will not return. Very dissapointing!!

Tuesday night I want to rico's with my Family and I have a bad experience the waitress was so mean The food was mediocre would never go back Thank you waitress read more

Lisa Rose made our table side Caesar salad for two. As always, the best Caeser salad one can get. Have been going to Ricos for years and food always fantastic and RIco himself hands on to make sure quality and service stays the best. Seafood linguini a broad medley of excellent seafood including lobster scallops clams mussels and whitefish. Loaded with seafood. The veal Marsala is great. Tried the walleye and crab for the first time. Amazing. Crab perfect large morsels like never had before even on the East Coast. Tiramisu hand made by Rico himself. Always consistently wonderful atmosphere food and service. read more

Great local restaurant, owned by Rico Lorenzini, who used to be a chef for the now-closed Louis Tambellini's on Rte 51 and previously Mount Washington. Sort of pricy, in my opinion, so go for lunch when it's cheaper or reserve this place for a special occasion dinner. I really love the salad here, and try the fried zucchini as an appetizer. Seafood ala Rico, the Virginia spots, and the scallops have always been good. read more

My soon to be wife and I had a wonderful experience at Rico's. The food and service was nothing short of amazing. Lisa Rose is such a gem she has a beautiful personality, just a lovely woman all the way around. From the time we arrived at the restaurant our evening was nothing short of amazing. The Valet was a gentleman, the male host was professional yet with a personal touch that made us feel we had came to the right place for dinner. Our waitress Robin was exceptional and attentive to our requests. The food was absolutely delicious, the chef who prepared our veal and New York steak had to a seabed chef because it was tender. Well done Rico's Italian Restaurant, well done. The next we are in Pittsburgh, we will return. read more

The food was good but the service was horrible. We sat for over 10min to have a waitress come over and ask for our drink order. We also ordered an appetiser. Waited 15 min to get our drinks. She then brings our salads and never brought our appetiser. She said she forgot because she never writes things down. We told her to cancel it because our food came. She never came back to see how our food is, or I would of told her the veg. are cold and would like more rolls. After we complained to the manager, all he had to say was I'm sorry. Never anything about I would like to make it up to you with?? Very disappointed with the place. read more