A Delicious Meal with a Few Things to Know Before You Go We recently had dinner at Silvestro's Depot in Painesville, and overall, the food was delicious. Everything we ordered was very good, and the service was fast and thorough. That said, the service felt a little more businesslike than welcoming. Our server was efficient and got everything right, but there wasn't much warmth or interaction. There were no smiles, and the experience felt somewhat robotic and cut-and-dry. Three of the five people in our group were dining at Silvestro's for the first time, so we had quite a few questions, and at times we felt a little rushed, as though there wasn't much opportunity to ask them. There were, however, two people who really stood out. The bartender, who has been there for 31 years, was extremely friendly and polite. We also really appreciated the young man who was our busser and assisted our server. He was friendly, polite, attentive and genuinely seemed to care about making sure we had a good experience. He is definitely an asset to the restaurant. We were also surprised to learn that Silvestro's doesn't offer dessert or coffee. For us, that was a little disappointing because we enjoy ending a nice dinner by relaxing over coffee and something sweet. One other thing we wish had been communicated better was the market-price item we ordered. We weren't given the market price before ordering, and we only learned what it cost when the bill arrived. We would have appreciated knowing the price upfront so we could make an informed decision. In the end, we enjoyed the food and would certainly say that Silvestro's Depot is worth trying if you're looking for a good meal. We just think a little more warmth, communication and attention to the dining experience would make it even better. Bottom line: Great food, quick and efficient service, and a couple of genuinely wonderful employees. If you're looking primarily for a good meal and don't mind service that is more efficient than friendly or informative, Silvestro's Depot may be just the place for you. read more

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Never disappoints! Best steaks and Italian in Lake County! What a restaurant should be!

We went here at a busy time 6:00 . Our wait was not that long. Once seated fresh homemade loaf of bread. Service was excellent and prompt. Our meal of steak potato and salad was delicious! Will go back again !!!! Can't wait read more

Food was decent, price so so, decor could use a freshening / cleaning. My biggest issue is the big guy behind the bar. I was there for a work outing and needed an itemized bill or receipt to submit for reimbursement. He didn't seem to want to be bothered by the question and seemed angry to help. Very short tempered. I don't plan to go back. read more

What a wonderful delight. We are on girls vacation. My friend wasn't hungry but I was. Had to be one of the BEST fettuccine I have ever had. Loved our waitress Barb, too! read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - The Depot across the street - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

My family has been eating here for over 60 years. Just moved back to the area. The food is fantastic and service is impeccable. Hands-down our favorite place. Oh, and the hamburgers at lunch are the best!! read more

The Veal Parm is amazing. My wife has been in love with the chicken Silvvestro for years . Try the gorgonzola salad dressing. mmmmm.Jerry's attention to the perfect cut of beef for his steaks is outstanding. This place is a great hidden gem in downtown Painesville.Make sure you find it for great steaks and Italian cuisine! read more

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Would love to sign up for birthday cards and family has been going here for years, never new about birthday card

The steaks and seafood are second to none. We have always had great service. I used to get newsletters from Jerry but they must have stopped it ? read more

My husband and I love this place. We usually go early to get a table because it fills up fast. The service is always great! Just one of those spots where you eat a delicious meal, get the leftovers boxed up, pay the bill, and leave. read more

It's that great little hometown Italian restaurant that you love. Service is always great, drinks are reasonable as is the food. You really can't beat the prime rib. It's the place to go. read more

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Food is terrible never eating there again. Frozen chicken parm patty. They have cut too many corners and better options in the area.

When you're looking for great prime rib, a seafood dish or pastas, Silvestro's is your place!!! Service is always top notch! Fast and efficient! It's our monthly go-to! read more

Food is always amazing. Had the rib steak and the fettuccine Alfredo as the side. The waitress was knowledgeable and efficient. A dinner that never disappoints! Bring back the white tablecloths though lol read more

I consider this place a "dive bar" as there is nothing fancy about it! However, we have been traveling the 40 or so miles for over 30 years because of the food. No one, and I mean no one can beat their lobster or prime rib. It may seem pricey but it is well worth every bite. We had a surf and turf. It came with a 12 oz. lobster tail (cooked to perfection) and a 20 oz. prime rib (done medium rare). Of course you could have any steak with it if you are not a prime rib lover. It also comes with fresh bread, a salad and one other side. Unfortunately, the sides were disappointing. The potatoes were mushy and the broccoli (while good) had the cheese sauce on it (my request) that drowned out the vegetable. As lobster and prime rib are priced separately, I would suggest that you each get a lobster tail and share the prime rib. On to the service. How many times do you suffer through poor service? Not here! Our waitress was very pleasant and attentive. We never felt rushed and ended up in conversation with the tables next to us about other food on the menu. They loved the chicken parm. Overall, we can't wait for our next trip to Silvestro's. We keep saying that we are going to try some of the other dishes but, by the time we get there, our mouths are watering for the lobster. Maybe we'll try something new next time we go. NOT!! read more

If I could leave zero stars I would. I don't know where you guys get off charging $18 for mushy chicken parm. Those were frozen patties and it was gross. This place used to be good but I don't know what has happened. That is not the chicken parm we used to get at all. Do t start cutting corners. People notice. read more

Honestly... I don't and have never seen the allure of this place. Our check was $305 for two people, and I couldn't get a glass of ice to save my life. The service was seriously awful. The gal kept apologizing for not giving a shit about us, and after like 18 of those apologies I was...OVER...IT. I told my friend, when you order (2) $100 meals, and one of the most expensive bottles of wine, asking for a glass of ICE, that I asked for 3X's and was still not given is ridiculous. On top of that my girlfriend had to go and get me a glass of ice from the bar!!! BEYOND ridiculous. I get it if you're ordering spaghetti or a hamburger and fries, but $305 for two people ...NEVER again read more

For those of us from Cleveland there's an area of Cleveland called Little Italy where all the old time mobster bars and restaurants existed for the sole purpose of supporting the mafioso. Obviously those times of past but the restaurants still stay. I've lived in Painesville for 17 years and have heard of silvestro's but never seemed to make my way out to go visit there and I regret not getting there sooner. You walk into the place it looks like an old school little Italy Italian restaurant. It has quite a history to it as well printed on the menu I would encourage you to read that but in general it's been in the same family for like 100 years or something like that. They have a pretty decent bar and from what I understand the upstairs used to be where the poker games were held. This was back in the day of course. We've been there twice in both times I've gone there and was amazed at they serve a prime rib that's about the size of your head. I mean I've never seen so much prime rib on my life and the guy looks like he ate prime rib for a living and he couldn't finish it. I've had a fillet there twice and most times it was great and of course you can swap out the starches and the vegetables if they have them and of course they have broccoli which means me so very happy. All the waitresses have all been there 100 years and we honestly can't wait to go back read more

I feel that the hostess on Mother's day 2025 could use a refresher course in customer service....the hostess seating guests with the blondish long Bob hair...also the girl serving water was slamming the glasses down on the tables...our server was good ...the food was great!!! read more

Very disappointing experience. Table Of 4. Totally rushed us through our entire meal. Kept asking if we wanted boxes while we were still eating. None of us were happy with the food. Definitely less than average. Dont understand the good reviews and the packed Restaurant. No offer of second drinks, no coffee and no dessert available. Woman stood there waiting for us to sign our checks. Not a pleasant experience. We were there barely 90 minutes and they made it so awkward and evident they wanted us to leave so they could have the table. We all agreed we would never go back. read more

Best steak I've ever had..... that's all I have to say about that. Been thinking about it daily since I was there.

Silvestro's Cafe for many years has been a Mainstay in the Lake County area known for its excellent food especially it's prime rib the owner Jerry Silvestro excellent host and strives to make your visit a welcome one. read more

Wow! I've been back in Mentor/Painesville for 3 years and have never been here! It lives up to its reputation all the way! Had an excellent server Heather... the portions are HUGE and the people are so friendly and efficient! Tip huge people these people are slinging some great food over here in little old Painesville read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

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Place is a bit small, so I wouldn't recommend bringing a party of more than five people. They accommodated my party of seven as best they could, but the space just isn't there--not that I'm gonna penalize them for that, though. Food was wonderful, cocktails were strong like I like them to be, and the lobster tail was the best I've ever had in my life. That missing star, then? Well, we were kinda left hanging till all of our party of seven showed up--I introduced us as a party of seven when it was still just myself and my wife, and we were left standing and wondering if we'd been forgotten about even when we were at five people total, still waiting on 2. Just saying "We're getting your table ready and we'll seat you once you're all here." would have been just fine. But particularly when you're seating parties of three or four that came in _after_ us....some assurance that we're not being ignored would have been nice. read more

The food is terrific and the waitress never misses a beat. Ask questions if you need to know anything

I can't give this place enough stars. The most authentic Italian food I've ever had. I got the seafood Alfredo it was amazing. Super flavorful all the way down to the sauce. The bread was really fresh dipped it in my Alfredo mmmm. Please try this place it's a hidden gem. read more

This little gem maybe off the beaten path in Painesville but is definitely worth the trip. The decor is definitely has an older Italian restaurant feel to it. The prices are more than fair and the portions are huge, so bring an appetite. Ordered take out for lunch. They have different specials daily. I ordered the prime rib special. The prime rib which came with garlic bread, horseradish, and aus jus. I had french fries as my side. The prime rib was cooked perfectly and had a tremendous flavor. The garlic bread had a nice crunch to it and the fries were crisp. read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Prime rib special - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

Great food. Great service. Great place. Menu has all the favorites and Specials are outstanding

I really enjoyed our meal here. I had been here in years but so glad I returned. We brought a group of 7 in and were seated very quickly. Our server was very sweet. Got drinks pretty quickly. The table was thrilled they had christmas ale, everyone but me had 1!!! The atmosphere is a cozy old school Italian place, it looked identical to last time i was in years ago. It may feel outdated to some, it's a tight fit, my boyfriend's chair was right up against the chair from the table behind us, that was a little difficult to maneuver but we survived. He probably should have picked a different spot a the table being so tall but we were the last to arrive. Overall, It may not look like the coolest or newest place but what it lacks in updates it makes up for in value food!!! Most of the table order surf and turf! The queen prime rib is the smaller of the size and it still takes up the whole plate. It is served with horseradish and ajus and mushrooms. It was cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious. The lobster was fresh, you can tell, it isnt too chewy, it has a lot of flavor and is served with hot butter over a candle. I did not waste a single bite. I did have to bring home half my prime rib. They also serve a side and a salad with every entree. I love there they dont upcharge if you want a salad as your side like most places. I got the house made gorgonzola dressing, I remembered it having more gorgonzola flavor last time but still delicious!! I also ordered cheesy broccoli as my other side and but ate 1 piece before giving up because I was so full. You can also order pasta as a side and their pasta is amazing but if you order that on top of surf and turf you may be insane because that is so so so much food!!! My brother ordered the chicken parm with the pasta and he said it was amazing but again, gigantic portions great value for that much food. read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Surgery and turf. Not pictured: the salad and side of broccoli - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

We've been many many times...took step son for his birthday as he's never been. He ordered the king prime rib. I got the special of steak medallions with Gorgonzola and pasta. Everything was amazing. Very fast service. Freshest bread, good Italian dressing on fresh salad. I say give it a try...but be prepared to wait for a table. Busy place! read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Steak medallions and pasta - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

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First went there when I was in high school , age 16 or 17 Now 64 years old and still go there Prime Rib with mushrooms, rigatoni ,house salad and that warm bread ALWAYS take out of town guests there every time they come to visit which leads to always going back when they are here Vegas Doughboy read more

I've been going to Silvestros since I was a kid. Great food, old school ambiance. The food! Great pasta, prime rib, steaks, seafood. Whatever is on the menu is good. The only issue I've ever had is the fact that it is so small that turning tables is a goal so no dessert is offered and lingering is strongly discouraged. read more

I love this place. It's not a fancy place, but the food is always very good. We've eaten here for years. It really is a true family business, with the owner acting as host. We had lunch there today and it was wonderful as always. The Italian bread is so good, that I could eat 3 or 4 pieces but the spaghetti portions are so generous that I recommend laying off the bread in spite of the awesome texture and taste! We all ordered spaghetti in different styles, With just mushrooms for the vegetarian.We lucky carnivores had spaghetti and meatballs, and these are serious meatballs! Two large ones were more than enough for the lunch portion. Service is always top notch- the servers are seasoned veterans and are quick to get drinks out to the table and your meal out quickly! One of the BEST Real Italian Restaurants in the whole Cleveland area. Worth the drive! read more

My first time at this nearly 100 yr old family owned restaurant nestled in the heart of Painesville. The food was great, a little bit of everything but mostly an Italian menu. I my only regrets are that I didn't try the sauce and I didn't get a picture of my entree. read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Seafood Soup - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

My husband and I have enjoyed dining here for three decades. The place is a little cramped, but lively. I enjoy the pasta and seasonal soups. The waitresses are very friendly and I never feel rushed. read more

My veal Parma's very good but the loaf of bread was to die for. Could have made a meal out of it. Atmosphere was so so,the short staff was really trying. . Would I go back again in heart beat if the bread baker was ther read more

Literally crammed in there like sardines. Could hear entire peoples conversations on both sides of us. Everything was bad from the hard cold butter for the bread, to the oily, no taste Italian salad dressing. I got the lobster and baked potato. The glob of butter in the potato was almost as big as the potato and the lobster had zero taste, and super chewy and overcooked. The melted butter couldn't even make it taste better because that had zero taste! It was like oil! My friends was so bad, he didn't even eat it. He got the broiled shrimp scampi and pasta. Way overcooked and again, zero taste. Waitress told us the pasta is really just for looks. Told her he didn't want it and the reason and she got mad and said "that's the first I've heard that in 18 years!" Unreal. Never again! For 65.00 lobster and 45.00 shrimp it should at least be cooked right! read more

This has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. I believe my parent's were regulars in the 1950's. We try to go every time we are in the area. My sister and her husband go every week. Great Italian food - eggplant parmigiana and lasagna are our usual choices. My favorite piece of nostalgia is the revolving Budweiser Clydesdale horse light. A great local joint with history. read more

Neat little neighborhood bar located across the street from the old Depot on Painesville. I've been here a couple of time, and my parents are frequent visitors. Both the Mushroom and French Onion soup are worth the trip. There are a variety of different types of sandwiches. Everything we ordered had a generous portion size for the price. The thick sliced Italian sandwich bread was great. I would definitely visit again. read more

Silvestro's Depot Cafe - Bar - Italian Near Me - Painesville, Ohio

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Nice enough people and lots of nostalgia in the place but the food was nothing to return for. I ordered shrimp and scallop linguine. It was super watery with no olive oil and super tiny, tasteless frozen seafood from a bag. To top it off, they sprinkled it with jarred minced garlic. It might improve the flavor if they cooked with the garlic, not sprinkle it on top. My partner had the lasagna which was very large and delicious. It's a legendary restaurant with plenty of regulars but we'd think twice before returning. read more