Paisano’s Ristorante

The first time we came we weren’t told that ice cream comes with the kids meal. I mentioned that to our pink haired waitress today who proceeded to tell me that ‘some people here just don’t like to do their job and don’t want to mess with it.’ Don’t bother ordering a margarita, it’s tiny and even if you request an ‘normal’ margarita they can’t seem to put salt on it. I made mention of that and the waitress said ‘oh well, it was already made.’ The have no clean glasses. She literally told us ‘we have no clean glasses’ and then proceeded to touch the straw to hand it back to my son and reuse his glass for a refill. They apparently have a prep cook who ‘has no clue what he’s doing’ according to our waitress when I asked why the Italian dressing was creamy. I ordered the Marco Polo and it was pretty good. My son had the taste of Italy and the bowl was a broken shard that someone could have cut themselves on. Overall this place has decent food but it has really gone down hill in service.

Is Paisano’s the best Italian food around? Absolutely not. Heck, it’s not even authentic Italian. But for Lawrence, KS it’s not bad. We have no Olive Garden and I am kinda thankful we don’t. Paisano’s might be a copycat of Olive Garden but at least it’s a local copycat. I think the other Paisano’s restaurant is in Topeka.
I’ve eaten way too many meals there and I have enjoyed them all. I usually get their Taste of Italy sampler and it’s been great
every time. I always leave there with leftovers. Paisano’s portions are very generous. Very generous. I have tried their pizza and it was very tasty, as well.
Of course you get the obligatory salad and breadsticks. Honestly, I could make a meal from the salad alone. Usually I am stuffed by the time the meal arrives.
The only dessert I’ve tried was the tiramisu. Heavenly. Simple heavenly. In college I friend and I would go there for coffee and tiramisu. Fond memories.
I have never had problems with servers or customer service. Everyone has been nice and helpful. Very polite and accommodating.
The main things about the restaurant that needs changing BADLY is the décor. It is a dark restaurant and has all the fake Italian décor. The walls are adorned with photos of Sinatra and with other famous Italian celebrities. I think in trying to create intimacy, they created cheesy. This could have very classy Italian décor. It’s almost as if the décor is an insult to Italians.
There are two levels to Paisano’s. The top
level is the level on which you enter. The basement level is just wrong. It’s super dark and crowded. There is no privacy and you always feel as if you are in the way. Let me tell you, too, it is a chore to climb that long staircase after you have eaten a full meal. I will wait longer for an upstairs table. I always feel badly for the servers who have to carry all that food down those stairs. There is no elevator or dumb waiter. Believe me, they earn their tips.
I live by Paisano’s and they are always packed. That is a sign of a good restaurant.
It’s a good, reasonably priced meal for Lawrence. You won’t be disappointed. Just get a table upstairs!

I’m not a fan of Paisano’s in general. This location is much like the others. They have a wide variety of Italian dishes to choose from. The food is nothing memorable. I’ve ordered mixed drinks here and they did not skimp on the alcohol, that is for sure. There are a limited number of Italian spots in Lawrence, so I suppose this has to suffice. Personally, I’d just choose some place else or drive to Topeka to eat at Olive Garden.

I moved to Virginia in 2008, which means I have now been thinking longingly about Paisano’s Artichoke & Spinach Ravioli for a total of eight years. After yet another (unsuccessful) attempt at mimicking it at home, I figured it was time to — at the very least — pay some online homage here.

Went here with the boyfriend’s family. They really enjoy the place so I was definitely down to try it. I liked the salad and the table, the dressing especially. I couldn’t eat the breadsticks because I’m gluten-​free thanks to an allergy, but they smelled amazing. As for entrees, everyone else enjoyed theirs ranging from chicken cacciatore to spicy sausage and linguine. They menu advertised a gluten free pasta option so I went with that in their salsa fresca sauce which was supposed to be made to order. The food took a very long time to arrive at the table and when they arrived the waitress blamed it on the gluten free pasta taking long. Way to make me feel like the buzzkill! At first glance, my dish was an oil slick. The fresh tomatoes that had been crushed in the sauce did give it a bright flavor but the whole thing was saturated in oil. I remember setting my fork down a few times during my meal and the whole thing sunk beneath the oil. I had to literally tap off my noodles each time I took a bite. And the gluten free pasta was far overcooked (I guess that is why it took so long) to the point where I couldn’t even stab a noodle without it disintegrating. Perhaps if we were to come again I’ll pick a non-​pasta dish and review.

I went for lunch here with a friend because my co-​worker said that the food was good. We went there around 12 and waited about 10 minutes to get seated. The server was ok, but she wasn’t really attentive or really cared if we liked our food or not. The food wasn’t that great, but the dessert was delicious.

The foods usually good, but we Made reservations 2 weeks previous to V-​Day 2016 and wound up getting seated downstairs, in the very back corner. It’s basically as good as being seated at the table closest to the restrooms. On top of that, we waited 35min for our food and it was cold. Terrible experience! No music except a low echo from upstairs. It basically feels like you’re ease dropping on others conversation. Small round tables with uncomfortable light padded chairs. It’d almost be better to walk in, and wait an hour for an enjoyable experience. I HONESTLY GIVE IT 0 STARS! We always use to enjoy it but haven’t been for over a year. The next stretch will last for quite awhile.

Aww yeah, Italian food. My favorite.
In Lawrence you’re kind of limited on nice sit-​down Italian places – Paisano’s is somewhere you don’t want to skip.
The salad and breadsticks are the kinds that you can fill up on alone – it’s hard to know when to stop. (Ask for some to go after you finish your meal.) Lots of choices on the menu. When it’s me and one other person we usually go for the Margherita pizza. The tomatoes are fresh and the crust is always cooked just right. I’ve also had their pasta in a vodka tomato cream sauce which was dang good. The aglio e olio (good luck saying that) is a really fresh, light sauce – give that one a shot if you don’t want something too heavy for dinner. The portions are pretty generous so be sure to ask for a box to take home!
The one thing that throws me off is the atmosphere. The décor isn’t so great; I’ve been going here since childhood and they haven’t changed anything. It’s a little dark in some places. Tablecloths, plates, carpet, and seating should probably be updated soon to keep up with the times. The staff is very kind and helpful, though – they’re very consistent with their service!
Definitely give Paisano’s a go if you’re in the mood for Italian. They’ve been around a while for a reason!

Really good stuff! Kind of like olive garden with soup and bread sticks but that is the only thing similar. This place is so much better! Salad was amazing, dishes were amazing. The only thing that was not that good was the belini drink wife had. Generous portions, you will be taking food home. If on a date might be best to split an entrée

What a great meal. Awesome service. Excellent food and affordable prices. Highly recommend!

The Marinara sauce is homemade and perfectly sweet w a light hint of spice.
The appetizer Meatballs Carbonara is a meal in it self.
Wednesday is the best night ½ price appetizers.
We ordered the meatballs and the fried eggplant. Ordered the house salad bowl for an additional $ 2.99 each.
With drinks we finished at $ 21 for two
Best Italian place in town. Very nice and helpful staff.

I find this place to be the best Italian in Lawrence. The food is great and the service has been very attentive both times we’ve been here. Tonight we started with a Meatball Carbonara as an appetizer for half price time. Jeremy ordered tortellini and sausage, spicy but good, and I had a pizza. It was a very thin crust and very good.

Really enjoyed this place its local and delicious. I’m kind of a traditionalist I had lasagna. my wife had the house special we both enjoyed our entrees and enjoyed the salad. Looking forward to our next time because we didn’t have enough room for dessert

Since the mid 1990’s, I have had a love affair with Paisanos Penne Abruzzi. After recently visiting the Lawrence location, I can give this update: the food is still delicious, especially the penne abruzzi. Service was acceptable for a busy Saturday night. The décor, however, has not been updated since the ’90’s. Cleanliness is severely lacking as well; the bathroom was wet all over and looked like no one had cleaned it in days. If I didn’t love the food so much, I would give Paisanos zero stars. I have no intention of returning in the future. For the love of God, please remodel with white tablecloths, fresh paint, new upholstery, maybe even granite in bathrooms and on the bar. You could charge $ 10 more per plated entrée, guaranteed. And then maybe, just maybe, I would return for the Penne Abruzzi. Until the remodel and deep cleaning, I’ll be trying out my own PA recipes at home!

The décor is a horrible mix between a used-​to-​be Macaroni Grille and 1987! I wanted to escape when I entered and was greeted by the muddy floor-​mat in the lobby and en route to the restroom in the dark corner of the restaurant.
The food — meh, exactly. Nothing special. I felt bad for the servers who seemed to try very hard. Buon appetito!

Paisano’s is one of my all time favorite places to eat.
The food is fantastic, especially the penne Alfredo. It is a large restaurant and they are well staffed. So there is rarely a long wait for a table.
Tonight a group of friends and I went here for dinner. Our waiter was charming and funny. It was a good time had by all.

I’ve always enjoyed eating at this restaurant. I love the choose your pasta, sauce, add on combinations. A nice place with good food and quiet enough to actually hear the conversation at your table.
But, this week they jumped to my favorite place ever. Due to a family emergency, my sister needed a place to host a small wedding with 3 days of planning. I gave them a call and asked if we could book the banquet room and bring a cake and they said sure. They had the room downstairs ready to go and then when we found out we had a guest that couldn’t do stairs they quickly rearranged and let is take over the lounge area. Erica our waitress for the day was fantastic and attentive without being intrusive.

First of all, if you’re looking for authentic Italian food … GO TO ITALY! I’ve been to many American-​Italian restaurants and have yet to find one serving «authentic Italian». Lidia’s in Kansas City (near Grand Station) is about as close as you will find (and it’s good, but pricey).
Being new to Lawrence, we have been trying different restraints in an attempt to find some we like. Our very first night here, my son wanted Italian and Paisano’s was all we could find on a Friday night without reservations or a long wait. We were served quickly and our waiter was Jake, a nice lad and very helpful. He brought the salad and bread sticks, which I was not overly impressed with. If I wanted the Olive Garden, and I DO NOT, I would go to dinner there.
The veal parmigiana and Marsala are tasty enough and portions are moderate, but the veal is too thick. Pound it out dadburnit! The meat sauce on the accompanying pasta is chock full of, no not nuts, ground beef, almost too much. There needs to be a bit more tomato, after all, it is pasta «sauce». It is good, even if it is a bit too thick.
The ravioli appears homemade and was decent, but only 8 or 10 ravioli left us hungry for more, literally. The baked pasta «al forno» (in the oven) was creamy and savory, a better value for the price than the ravioli.
The pesto, which my wife ordered over penne, was tasteless, seemingly watered down for no apparent reason. She NEVER adds grated cheese to pasta, Italians love their pasta after all, but she succumbed in order to enhance the taste of the dish.
I wanted to try the «Sicilian» meatballs during one visit, not knowing what makes them different from other meatballs, but the server told us «we are out of meatballs tonight». An Italian restaurant out of meatballs … seriously?
On a recent visit I asked for a carafe of house wine as we were seated, normally $ 14 for a cheap, but decent red and a fair value, but our server told me «we don’t offer the carafe any more!». I looked at the wine menu, but the sparse number of options started at $ 27 and increased from there and at $ 5 per glass for the house red, an price increase of 70% over the price of a carafe seemed excessive. I had water. Unfortunately for the server, she lost out on an additional $ 3 in her tip thanks to a shortsighted decision by management.
Paisanos is «OK» as far as Lawrence Italian restaurants go, but that is, unfortunately, not saying much. We may return only because there are no better options in town … unless you consider Olive Garden in Topeka (25 miles away) … and I do not. Spending $ 27-​$ 50 for a bottle of wine to accompany a mediocre meal seems a bit absurd and the absence of a carafe of house wine is a definite minus, possibly ruling out future visits to Paisano’s.
Lawrence is in desperate need of a visit from Chef Irvine and «Restaurants Impossible». I have never seen such a a poor selection of eating establishments in a city this size and do not foresee much improvement any time soon, particularly in the «Italian» category.

We’ve been to Paisano’s for lunch several times, and the food has always been good. They have a special from 11 to 11:30 for half price entrees with the purchase of a drink, which is a great deal!
All of the main entrees come with a big bowl of salad and bread sticks. The salad is a basic iceberg salad with some black olives and banana peppers, and it has a zesty Italian dressing on it. The breadsticks are warm and garlicky.
The pizza was good — the toppings were plentiful and I really liked the sausage on top. I’ve tried the seafood ravioli, and you see nice chunks of seafood. My favorite pasta is the sausage and torellini, which has a spicy cream sauce. The sauce is also great for dipping the breadsticks in! Yum!
The service has always been great, and we are always satisfied. Try it out for yourself!

Paisano’s isn’t such a horrible place. Sure, it’s not your «authentic Italian» restaurant. But in Lawrence, there aren’t very many. I’d say Paisano’s would be in my top 3 choices for Italian in Lawrence, if you’re craving it.
Sure the portions are large, but I honestly don’t mind leftovers, especially if it’s good. I tried their Baked Pollo Florentine, which is penne in a spinach artichoke sauce with grilled chicken and mozarella, then baked. It was heavenly. I packed extras in a To-​Go box, and realized I left the parking lot without the box. I drove back, and luckily they had saved my leftovers! Phew…