Pocorello’s Casa d’Italia

Great lunches priced reasonably. Quality of food consistently excellent. Service always top notch.
Not much else to say. Great place to gather with friends.

I am on the fence about this place. I wanted to love it since it was near me, locally owned, and the prices were reasonable. I ordered food to go, let me break it down:
Eggplant parmesan: i thought the slices of eggplant were cut very thick and the sauce was very sweet. I am not a sweet sauce kinda gal, so this wasn’t my fav.
Tuna salad: the tuna part itself was fine, the salad part was just shredded lettuce with sliced tomatoes. The shredded lettuce wasn’t very fresh unfortunately.
Shrimp and garlic pasta: This was my favorite thing by far. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and everything was seasoned nicely. The parmesan that I got on the side paired perfectly with this.
In conclusion, I probably would be back for the shrimp and garlic pasta and I would maybe give something else a try. Keep in mind, only cash.

This italian food is amazing ! Just stopped in for lunch and glad I did the italian cream sodas are a must. From the first taste of the spaghetti and meatballs I was looking for what I was going to order my next trip. There’s even a grocery and deli. Make the time and stop by guarantee you’ll keep going back time and again

I’ve read all the reviews here and have to say that even the negative ones make me smile fondly! I’m a big fan of Pocorello’s – the wonderful selection of Italian wines, the authentic Italian food, and the family behind the counter! This is a true family business, with three generations often on hand helping out. Any time I go in, there is always at least one table of regulars who I know love this place as much as I do. Mr. and Mrs. Pocorello are absolutely charming in their no-​nonsense Italian-​American way. They have a delicious selection of imported cheeses, which we usually start out with, followed by either spaghetti & meatballs, a meatball sub, or eggplant Parmesan – though there are lots more choices than just those. Throw in a couple glasses of vino and some chocolate-​covered confection for dessert, and a meal here never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Food is decent. However, the old lady (I think an owner) is a total bitch. She is the rudest person I’ve ever encountered at any restaurant I’ve visited. This could be a great place if the owners cared about how their customers are treated. They will surely never receive my money again!

Ordered the eggplant & meatball poboy to pick up and wish I would’ve ordered freshly done because the sauce made the bread and the breaded eggplant a little soggy, but it was still phenomenally delicious and I could tell the bread had the perfect crisp from the crust. I’ve lived and worked down the street for years and always had recommendations to try this place but I just got around to it today and I’m sure to be back to try other things on the menu! The tomato sauce is, like everyone said in their reviews, on the sweeter side but it was nice to my taste buds. I’m a new fan and can’t wait for my next authentic Italian lunch!

The hot roast beef poboy and Italian hoagie are the best in Baton Rouge. I’ve been eating at this restaurant for 30 years and have never been disappointed.

I’ve been eating Pocorello’s since I was a kid. There are very few places that can hold a candle to their spaghetti and meatballs. I just love their sweet sauce!
However…
The staff (the family who owns the restaurant, I believe) leaves something to be desired. They tend to be terse and a little rude. I usually just call in my orders for pick up so I can minimize my time there, but the food is totally worth it!
Word to the wise:
They accept cash only!
If you don’t have cash, they do have an ATM inside, but it is the kind that does not dispense cash and requires you to go to the cashier with your receipt to collect your withdrawal and then pay.

Spaghetti and meatballs exactly as i expected. Nothing better than real italian food. Conviently located off coursey blvd. I will definitely be back to this location .also i love their take no nonsense attitude

I really like this place but you have to remember «CASH ONLY, NO CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS. «I’ve been to this place lots of times and I always get the Hoagie, its so good. If you like lots of meat and cheese this is the sandwich for you. First off its really big so I usually eat on it for 2 days, it has Ham, Salami, Capicolla, lots of Provolone cheese, Olive Oil, lettuce, diced tomatoes & purple onions. They are so fast with our order too, our order is usually ready for pick up in 15 minutes. I’ve tasted the Spaghetti & Meatballs before and it was really good too but the sauce is the sweeter type sauce (Like Monjuni’s) not the saltier type of sauce (Like Bistro Italia or Deangelos.)so it depends on how you like your red sauce. When you walk in they also have a nice little grocery area & I bought some marinated Mushrooms that were really tasty and by the front checkout counter they have some really tasty looking desserts but I decided I didn’t need the extra calories… maybe next time.

We live off Coursey and were delighted to find this place. We had the roast beef poboy and the Italian poboy — both phenomenally good. They also stock all the Cento products to buy. I can’t wait to go back to try the rest of the menu!

This is definitely a taste for true Italian culture right in the middle of Baton Rouge — culture in the sense that the set-​up looks like a tiny Italian deli (similar to Central Grocery in NOLA) and the owners are Italian to the core in every vibrant sense (as Stewart C’s review explained ;) I love the food, the casual atmosphere, the chocolate covered everything candy options, the desserts, the stuffed artichoke, the manicotti, etc… the list could go on and on. I think I’ll be doing pick up a lot because it’s quick and easy and was devoured by the normally picky kiddos too :)

As some others have mentioned, Mr. Pokey can be a little ornery sometimes but I kinda just look at it as part of the experience. He and his wife sometimes yell at each other from the kitchen and front counter which is pretty entertaining. Despite all this, they’ve been doing this for 25+ years so they must be doing something right and it starts with the meatball poboy… with eggplant added. Absolutely delicious. Delicious poboy bread with a nice crisp texture on the outside and soft on the inside… just how it should be. The meatballs and red sauce are savory and to die for. The slice of fried eggplant on top just takes it to another level. Highly recommend!

RUDE!!! owner, muttered 4 letter word under his breath when he couldn’t get someone from the back to wait on me when I walked in to pick up an order to go. Will not go back!

This place is just ok… my friend that suggested it had me all excited about «a hole in the wall place that’s been there forever,» and I think I came in with my expectations set a little too high.
The interior is cozy, with a small amount of table seating and a large amount of bar stool counter space. There is a small Italian market taking up one half of the store. Although the sandwiches were recommended, I wasn’t in the mood today and instead ordered a dish of garlic and oil pasta with shrimp. The shrimp were tiny, overcooked, and bland, leaving me unsatisfied after finishing the plate.
Next time I am going to try one of the sandwiches… hopefully they are better than the pasta dish I had. The place has definitely been around for a while, so I must be missing something… its worth another try.
BOTTOM LINE: Stick with sandwiches when ordering here.

My wife loves the Pasta and Eggplant Parm, this place was recommened by a friend. He said it reminds him of the «Soup Nazi» from Seinfeld, he wasn’t joking. The food is great for a deli style restaurant.

I have eaten the spagetti and meatballs at Pocorello’s several times an it is always very good. The red gravy is the same every time, very consistent. The italian sausage and meatballs are the real deal having very good flavor. I also love the garlic bread. I got the garlic bread with cheese one time and didn’t like it as well. There was nothing wrong with it but I prefer the bread without the cheese. I always find the staff to be very nice. Looking forward to going back soon.

What a great place for a quick authentic Italian meal. The meatball sub is the best in baton rouge and you can add eggplant to it for an added texture. They also serve my favorite roast beef poboy in town. Dying to go back and try the rest of the menu.

Add me to the fan list of this spot. These are the type of spots I crave. This is actually a market with a small kitchen and a few tables. The pasta is as authentic as you could ask for. The Po Boys and Muffalatta’s are as good as any I have ever had ANYWHERE. There is always a line when I am there of folks picking up pans of their pasta.
I am one that loves to hear Mr. Pocarello’s stories as well. He will definitely let you know what his opinion is. He is a very proud man of Italian heritage and his place shows it in quality and décor. I think my father in law and him grew up together. They could pass for brothers in terms of personality!
Oh yeah, cash only but there is an ATM machine in the store if you don’t have cash on you. Dunno what the service fee for the machine is but at least it is there if you just have to have a po boy and forgot the cash

What Pocarello’s has managed to accomplish is to make the best Roast Beef Po-​Boy in Louisiana. Have had plenty of Roast Beef Po-Boy’s from many establishments in and around New Orleans„ „ , every place you go claims to have the best RB Po-​Boy. Who has the best will be debated to the end of time I am sure, but in my honest opinion Pocarello’s has the best. Almost certain they use Leidenheimer French Bread, the lettuce is chopped up real fine and they put just the right amount of gravy on the bread to not make the bread fall apart. This place has mastered the Roast Beef Po-​Boy — I just wish they had a place in New Orleans. We stop here every time we are in Baton Rouge but make note they do not accept credit cards. Everything here is good, Stuffed Artichokes to go, Spaghetti & Meatballs, good wine selection.. .. It’s all good here.