Graziano’s

We have wanted to stop in and dine there for some time. We live right in Canastota. My husband ordered the pork chop and I ordered the eggplant parmigiana. His meal portion was tiny, but perfectly cooked. My eggplant parmigiana was amazing! The portion size was perfect and the presentation was lovely. However, all that having been said, it was all very overpriced. I think if they dropped $ 3 or $ 4 off the prices, it would have seemed a lot more reasonable. The salad was really good and was made exactly as I like it. The bread was amazing, but they didn’t provide enough butter. There need to be improvements made, but overall, the food was good and I enjoyed our server very much.

Stopped for lunch and was delightfully surprised. Great meatball sub! Sauce was rich and sweet on a delicious roll. Partner had the hot Italian sub which also very good. With easy access right off the thruway made it very convenient.

Great Italian Food! We came here to celebrate our anniversary, and the food was awesome! Tony came by and talked with us for a minute. It’s a nice place run by good people. :)

Was looking for a trip down memory lane as my wife and I used to frequent this establishment back in the 90’s! What a disappointment! The dining room is filled with banquet chairs, empty refrigeration, and a tiny salad bar. The salt and pepper shakers had not been filled in 10 years and the red pepper shakers 20 years. Service was ehh. Brenda kind of missed on all service points that could have brought her some xtra tip money and seemed rushed and distracted. She had 1 other patron. The menu was real old school Italian dinner house, probably hasn’t changed in 30 plus years (except for the pricing.) I ordered my favorite pasta dish, ravioli with meatballs and it proved to be one of the most disappointing meals I’ve ever had. Frozen ravioli, undercooked and gummy, tough, flavorless meatballs and a tomato sauce devoid of any flavor. My salad was uninspired, home made bleu cheese dressing missed the mark — needed seasoning. The bread served was not fresh but then it wasn’t stale either. This place needs help! The chef needs some serious training, especially on seasoning! There is absolutely no management/​owner presence in the dining room. The bathrooms were disgusting. The room itself was like a barn sale. It’s no wonder staff outnumbered guests on a Wednesday night at 6pm! Please! Who’s watching this asylum? Bring back the food, improve service and fix the barn! If you do, I will be back– and so will others!

Traveling across upstate NY and stopped here by chance for lunch. Members of our party had meatball sandwich, ham & Swiss hoagie, and chicken tenders as well as soup and salads. All were good. I am a bit of a meatball sandwich connoisseur and theirs did not disappoint.
Staff was friendly and attentive. The décor was authentically kitschy; but to be honest, it could use some new carpet and a lick of paint.
They offer daily specials. The egg and olive sandwich looked especially intriguing to me because I like to try new foods, but I didn’t order it because I had eggs for breakfast. Definitely will stop in again next time we pass through the area.

Is okay. I ordered a Philly cheesesteak. The bun was delicious and buttery.
The steak was not well done, too much grilled/​fried onions vs pepper.
Love the old school Italian restaurant feeling. All the pictures are from old boxers visiting the hall of fame.

My favorite Italian. I own a great Italian restaurant in Florida but when I am back home I eat here always. Great home made sauce. Shrimp done right. Veal parm is perfect. Love this place so much. The best part about this place is tony Graziano and Marie. They have been running this place since before I was born. If u are in this area it’s a must visit. If you are a boxing fan you can not afford not to stop in this piece of boxing history.

Stopped in and had the beans and greens and the covered meatball sandwich. I must say the meatballs and sauce are excellent. I know what I’m talking about there because I grew up on the world’s best. Beans and greens are decent.

What a joke. Came in hungry on a Tuesday night, literally 3 customers, sat at bar, was ignored for almost 10 mins… food?? No idea. Service?? Ridiculous they had no customers!!! I’m here for work and staying nearby, possibly could have been a regular, but sorry, you lost me and my usual 25% tip. hope you enjoy the 2 bucks you earn tonight ms bar tender. F–

Wow, like walking into the past! Old charm, boxing pics autographs and stories everywhere! Great people, excellent apps, cold beer. A must do! Gonna have dinner there next time! The peeps kept flowing in!

Tried Graziano’s for take out on Valentines Day — very romantic I know. I ordered the chicken francaise, the lady ordered fettuccini Alfredo with mushrooms and chicken. The meal was served with a side salad (good), some homemade garlic bread (good) and the entrees were generously portioned.
The food smelled pretty good when we got it home and we were both excited to dig in. Unfortunately for both of us the main entrees were jus not that tasty. The chicken francaise tasted under seasoned and didn’t impress. The fettuccini was the same — underwhelming… and disappointing.
I would like to give Graziano’s a second try and try something with a red sauce as I’m thinking I may have better luck with that. I would also like to eat inside and get a feel for the place. Sometimes a kitschy interior will bring a good Italian meal over the top.
For travelers, they do offer rooms as well [now with high speed internet according to the sign :) ]
Overall, not good, but not horrible — worth a second look at least.

This is traditional Italian cuisine. Their sauce is the best I have had in years. This restaurant is casual and comfortable. I am from NYC and would stack this up against similar restaurants there (including in Little Italy) and Graziano’s would win. Saved in my Garmin favorites, enough said.

Grazianos is located just off interstate 90 and is co-​located with the Graziano Inn.
The restaurant seats about 100 people. It has an ample bar area at one end. The interior walls are covered with photos (mostly) of lightweight and welterweight prize fighters. The owner, and long time ago fighter himself, managed former World Welterweight Champion Billy Backus, as well as lightweight contender Len Matthews.
When you come in the door it’s like you have fallen back in time and have entered someones kitchen. There is the aroma of the Italian food and plenty of good natured ribbing between staff, the owner, and the patrons. The place just wraps it’s big warm Italian arms around you and gives you a hug. Right in the middle of the action is owner Tony Graziano an impish sort who keeps things lively.
All this is wonderful, but lets face it. It’s all about the food.
My wife had the lasagna. I had the chicken parmigiana. Both came with soup or salad and warm bread.
Her lasagna was huge! It weighed in at about a pound and had two large meatballs (you can opt for sausage). My meal was also well proportioned and came with a side of spaghetti. I selected a cup of the Italian sausage /​vegetable soup.
To say the the food was good is like calling Sophia Loren cute. Every item was mouth watering (ly) delicious. The sauce is a old family creation and I am told has been unchanged for like 50 years. Everything was piping hot and seasoned to (my impression) perfection. The cost $ 41.52 including drinks (tea and soda).
Brenda Lee, our saucy but hugely friendly waitress, was as efficient as any waitress who has ever plied a serving tray. She checked on us frequently and ensured that we were happy.
Buon Appetito!

I don’t bother doing follow up reviews unless my opinion has changed, and usually that is not a good sign for the place. This time, it is. Based on dinner with my gal a few weeks ago, I have to move Grazianos to 5 stars (based on the price and quality combination). We had the Joe Grazianos special, which is a shrimp and scallops in a red sauce over pasta. It sounds basic, but the sauce was so delicious that I have been thinking about it on a near daily basis since then. It was quite simply the best pasta/​Italian dish I have ever had. And I’ve eaten at good ones in NYC and the North End in Boston. Seafood cooked perfect, pasta al dente, and the sauce a wonderful mix of flavors (basil, romano, etc.).