Pasta Pomodoro

This is a chain Italian pasta house with a large variety of pasta and food to choose from. All in all they are consistent with their entrees. Located in a mini shopping mall next to Safeway and a variety of small stores so it’s pretty convenient to pop in for a quick dinner. The portions are large and they are very kid friendly. On Tuesdays kids eat free so I would avoid going there if you want a quiet atmosphere. The food isn’t a 5 star and the service can be very «Marin» so be patient. We love the steamed clams and the seafood fettuccini. We also order the squash ravioli which is very tasty. It’s not spectacular but it’s is good and we love having them in the neighborhood. We also love the warm bread with pesto dipping sauce– always a treat.
For a quick bite– give them a shot.
(Tv for sports in the bar area)

After a long day’s night… I pop in and pick up the Vegetable Green Salad with Salmon.Divine. Comes with warms bread and a fabulous dipping sauce. Extra Salad dressing, please.
When I have time — I love to have dinner at PP — not on Kiddies Night! Beware — the placeis a zoo with children climbing over booths and screaming… every other night — not bad. I love the Wine Discounts and promotions. Some Staff is Outstanding!

The fresh bread and pesto dipping before… and during when we asked… was delicious! The Caesar salad could possibly be the best we’ve ever had.
Between the 4 of us we had tortellini soup, caprice salad and Spinach salad, shrimp Alfredo, ravioli and a mozzarella panini… to die for!
It was a great lunch with great service. One of the best places we are while on vacation in San Francisco Bay Area.
We highly recommend this spot!

Our waiter Ivan was adorable, and provided great service. The food was so-​so. There was one waiter and 7 tables sat, the manager refused to help him, not the type of management or business I would support.

Food is usually good, but the place smells and seems to be run down. Seems as though the manager is non existent

We popped in to Pasta Pomodoro on our way home from Christmas vacation recently. As it was a chilly night, we wanted something warm and comforting for our bellies and Pasta Pomodoro delivered on that!
We were seated close by the kitchen, which I always enjoy because you can watch the chefs in action! It’s a pretty open kitchen, so even from across the restaurant you can see them hard at work. Our server was very cordial and service was fast — just how I like it before the hangries set in.
We each ordered a glass of wine, I think they were even the Train (band) branded wines; «Save Me San Francisco» wines or something like that. I thought they wouldn’t be passable, but my Chardonnay was very good. My boyfriend’s Pinot Grigio, however, wasn’t to my taste.
The bread and pesto dipping sauce starter was ADDICTIVE in the best way. The bread has a lemony flavor to it that paired well with the zesty pesto sauce. We were bad, and even ordered a second plate of it, it was that good.
The pastas we ordered were cooked very well. I had the spaghetti pomodoro with meatballs. The pasta was al dente, the sauce was very delicious with fresh tomatoes and basil, and the meatballs were hearty. A sprinkling of parmesan (on request) made the dish perfect. I thought my boyfriend’s fettucine alfredo was on the bland side. After sampling a bite I nudged the pepper shaker toward him. It was made even better when the parmesan we requested came around. Definitely added the salty, cheesiness it needed.
I think the bill came out around $ 41 or so, not too bad for two people on a weekend night! If you’re driving by (or live in the area) it’s a nice place to grab some tasty Italian food in Marin.

Beginning to end, the experience was the same: crap. If you want to eat here, go to Novato
Once seated, you’re greeted with the most dirty menu ever. Grease. Crumbs. You name it. Maybe it was just that menu? No, my friends was too. I grabbed the menu on the next table over, and it too was covered in a thin layer of filth.
Then there was our waiter. The only outlandish request made was me saying I didn’t want water when asked what we wanted to drink. Other than that, we were the simplest customers you can have.
Our bread came. Felt and tasted microwaved. My friends meal came before mine. When mine came, it was cold. Our waiter never came and asked how our food was. In case he was wondering, it was horrible and didn’t taste right. I always order the same thing. I would have also asked for parmesan.
I couldn’t have been much less happy other than if my food didn’t come at all, because that’s what it was seeming like since she was finishing her meal as mine came. Thank god her and I aren’t dating, I’d be embarrassed. Just go to the Novato location!

Food lacks any flavor. Spicy Vehicle pasta had No spice. It was filled with Brussels sprouts and zucchini but lacked mushrooms and broccoli.
I recommend Pizza Antica or Milanos both over this location.

How I feel the whole time being there? Being discriminate of our races !! How? Being ignored completely while we there.
I am (Asian) come in the restaurant around 7:45 with my sister, bf and friends (1 Mexican and 1 black). Got seated by a host with menu provided to us. She told us our waitress will be right with us. 10 minute pass by, no one has come. I saw 2 other parties came in after us, got seated with bread and drink within 5 min, and we still sitting here waiting, looking like we asking for free food.
Finally our waiter came with water (YAY! Right) he asked what can he get us to drink beside water? we asked him for coke and a bottle of moscato. 5 minutes later we got our drinks. Still no sign of bread or the waiter to take our order. Okay!!! I’m still here waiting guys !!! A while later one guy finally decided to come over to take our order with some «warm» bread (not at all). Anyway! He took our order and left. Our water glasses is empty, so is my bf soda. Now we waiting for him to refills our drink… nope, he walk around filling other table drinks but not our. I even saw him glance over our table too, didn’t bother to come over even thought he already have the water pitcher in hand.
I looked over to the other table (parties that came after us) they already finished their appetizer and working on their entrée. We still waiting. Now they are getting ready to pay. Our food is no where to be seen. Okay! I’m getting pissed. But I decided to stay classy and didn’t want to call them out.
Finally ! Our food came out. 2 Appetizer came out first and 5 minutes later entrée got deliver. Now! Let’s talk about the food! Everything was super bland, from the appetizer to the pasta and pizza… No flavor what so ever. My bf Pizza taste like cardboard. My fetuccini noodles is uncooked with just some throw in tomato sauce (I assumed the chef is off that day). Turn out not only my food is bad, the whole group were. None of us finish the food. Didn’t even bother to Togo the left over.
Not once any body come over to ask how is the food and if we need anything else. 4 guys just standing around doing absolutely nothing. And none bother to check. The table is filled with dishes and cups and no one bother to clean it up even thought they did walk pass by to get to other table real fast and didn’t even bother to clean some off the table. Oh did I mention? We still need refill on our water and coke too.
Tired of trying we have up and ask for check. My god it came so fast. As soon as we sign it another person come right up and pick up the signed receipt. Not a thank you, come again nor how is your meal? None of that.
I’ve been to at least 10 Pasta Pomodoro location. And by far this one is the worst for both customer services and food. Not like we are ghetto, we order drinks, bottle of wine, 2 appetizer and 5 entrée. Bill came out to be $ 150 and we still tip. But never again. I will never return to this location. And I will also do a survey as well.

Too bad I can’t give 0 stars. I got the seafood pasta and found a moldy, bad clam on it. It was literally full of mold and it had stained the red sauce. I sent it back to the kitchen. They sent out a new one by the time the rest of the table had finished. After a bite of one of the mussels on the dish, I realized it was also moldy. This time, they sent the manager over. After kindly explaining what was wrong with the dish, she said, «sorry about that, I’ll make sure they check the batch.» Asked if I wanted anything else, but by that time I had lost my appetite. She simply walked away. No profuse apologies, none of that.
They took it off the bill, but don’t be fooled here– they now CHARGE 18% GRATUITY DUE TO A NEW SYSTEM THEY HAVE. My husband and I tried to ask for a separate check and they said they couldn’t do it. No wonder– it’s so they can tie the gratuity into the bill without telling you.
If I ever have to go back here (wasn’t my choice tonight), I will stick with he salad and bread. Who knows what nastiness gets into the pasta sauce here.

Yum yum yum! First visit here and I was not disappointed. The chicken pesto fettuccine was smokey flavored and just about licked my plate. As an added bonus all the bottles of wine were ½ price tonight. Excellent service. I will for sure be back.

Me and my friend decided to enjoy a nice dinner after a long day of work, we chose pasta pomodoro in strawberry, had a bottle of wine which was good of course, we were seating at the bar counter, closer to the kitchen, she ordered a veal piccata, we noticed that it was sitting on the food counter for a long time, we asked the bartender if he could deliver it, he went and grab it, but it was cold, so we had to send it back, after a few minutes they brought it back, it was soggy tasted like it was just taken out of the oven, or microwave, we send it back again, and ordered mussels instead… Service is good, we actually meet this guy mike, very friendly, also manager was around to help us, that’s a good thing

I’ve had lunch, dinner, drinks and catering from this location. I’m certain I’ll go there again too. Why 3 stars then? It’s a nice place but I’ve never been highly impressed.

Nothing but good things to say about this place. I got a lot of food for what I paid because it was all you can eat pasta night. Go on a Monday or a Thursday for that. I think kids eat free is on Tuesdays. The best part about pasta pomodoro is the focaccia and pesto you get at the beginning of your meal. It’s like what I imagine crack to be like. You just want more and more and when you run out, you think about the next time you will get more. I love that pesto. The service staff are very good at their jobs as well.

Good food and good service. Didn’t knock my socks off but it is a chain sooo.
I had porchini risotto which was basically good. He had shrimp filled ravioli that looked pretty yummy (I am allergic so he often goes for shellfish when we are out)
We split a very large and good Caesar and enjoyed the focaccia bread. Served with a pesto like sauce that was too vinegar like and not good .
For dessert we had our favorite afffogato and it was small but yummy and woke us right up!
We will be back because it is basically good food on the highway in Strawberry on the way home from SF and convenience is superb. It had a good waiter (glad we got the guy as the blonde large waitress was not smiling nor helpful)
Good food decent prices nice atmosphere AND convenient!

Seems to have gone down-​hill, flavors & quality-​wise.

I still love this place, especially on Tuesdays when kids dine free; however, this review is for the parents who sip their vinos and allow their kids to run wild throughout the restaurant — unacceptable! Don’t ruin a good thing for us moms who worked a long day and don’t feel like cooking & cleaning afterwards; we deserve a break. I’ve seen too many moms (perhaps nannies) let the kids run around with utensils and chase each other around the restaurant. I feel bad for the waitstaff having to cater to such chaos — they need a drink. I’d like to think these parents didn’t cause the other Pasta Pomodoro in San Rafael to close, as they can easily say «the hell with kids eat free day» like SF did (Pac Heights location). You either like it or leave it, don’t let the door hit you on the way out! Kudos to management, as I’ve known some of them since Montecito closed… service with a smile despite the madness. Luckily, the Novato location is still open, but I haven’t seen kids run around crazy there. Come on parents, don’t let your kids run you or the place — respect!

We have dined at this location on and off since it opened. Today my wife wanted pasta for lunch and as we were going past strawberry shopping center I said let’s try it remembering their pasta is good. Our server, Angela who has been with PP for 9 years was excellent. Offering their fresh herb bread and pesto dipping sauce, we ordered spaghetti with sausage and I the small pepperoni pizza. It was lunch time so not too busy and we were served quickly .
The spaghetti sauce was tangy and the sausage spicy and outstanding. My small pizza was perfect, thin crust and just right.
We learned that they will feature short ribs, my wife’s all time favorite there, on monthly rotating specials, so we signed up for their email.
Dessert was panna cotta and cheeses cake that the restaurant makes… all very good.
Angela is a pro, very friendly and attentive.
Last, the coffee which can be a hit or miss at any restaurant was surprisingly very good. We’ll be inclined to visit more often.

Delicious food! Fast, friendly service. We ordered our food and it arrived within 10 minutes. The fresh bread and pesto dipping sauce they give you before (and during) your meal is to die for! The next time I’m in the area, I will definitely be coming back!

Ordered take out pollo griglia and steak… the chicken was cooked to death and tasted like cold cardboard and the spinach had zero flavor. The steak was unedible — grisly and tough. And the brussel sprouts (which used to be great) had no taste.
REALLY BAD FOOD HERE and expensive… it was nearly $ 40 for this take out nightmare