Andiamo Restaurant

So disappointed. Been coming here for years to watch Rosie G play, and was able to order from the bar menu on the patio. Suddenly the manager/​chef tells me I can’t order from the bar menu while sitting on the patio. I was going to order a flatbread and a salad as I had done before. Instead I ordered no salad and a pizza with the same ingredients as the flatbread from the bar (I like smaller size and the thinner, crispy crust of the flatbread). The manager/​chef tells me he’s been there 20 years and has never let anyone on the patio order from the bar menu in spite of the fact I told him I have done it in the past. He was unnecessarily rude about it and it served him no purpose since they lost out on a salad order. I asked if they could make the pizza with thin crust and they would not do it, even though their flatbread crust is thin. I wonder what he would have done if I’d gone into the bar, sat down and ordered the flatbread, then carried it out to my table on the patio? In spite of it all, our waiter was great, and it’s always fun to listen to Rosie G!

This food here is very good but somewhat on the expensive side. Service is friendly with a casual atmosphere. If u live in the area, this is a good place to go if u want a decent dinner without having to leave Tierrasanta

Although I live very close to Andiamo, I had not been there in more than 12 years until I went with a group of 16 people just before Thanksgiving. The turkey dinner I ordered was all dark meat. The food is mediocre and the price too high. Having table cloths and cloth napkins does not justify the price of their food. The silverware is very cheap – not even as good as a casual dining restaurant like Rubios. The worst part of my experience was that we were seated in a tiny room in the back and had only one server– it was not a busy night. I ended up sitting in a brown leather chair with the padding exposed. It was so dirty that I felt uncomfortable and had to have my pants dry cleaned. They have probably had these chairs since the restaurant opened.

Horrible service from the Male Bartender there, quite rude didn’t acknowledge me, then when I had to grab a menu myself to order, he begrudgingly looked at me with a sneer. Then we he proceeded to bring me a drink… he basically shoved it down on counter… no napkin no nothing.
Will definitely not be back

What a «comedy of errors»!
We walked in on a slow Saturday night at about 8:30 (it was raining), and there were only a few tables filled. We were immediately seated and given menus. Our server was sweet and accommodating the whole time…
I asked our server how the boneless chicken breast (Rosemary & Lemon Chicken) was — I told her I don’t like dry chicken. She said it was good and moist. I wish! My first clue was when they brought it with a huge steak knife. Really? For boneless chicken breast? Turned out, they did it for a reason! The chicken was so dry and rubbery, I had to saw at it to cut it. The sauce on the chicken was delish, as were the veggies on the plate and the polenta, but I couldn’t eat the chicken.
I sent back the chicken, and ordered the Short Ribs, which were fine. My husband’s Gnocchi in a gorgonzola, cream sauce was delicious.
Then, my husband noticed a baby fly on our bread — which meant that there was a nest nearby, probably in some food. We pointed it out to the server. We could hear her telling the chef about it. His response was, «Those people complain about everything!» Hmmm.
The check came, and the pen they gave us didn’t work. At this point, we were laughing. We got ahold of the server and told her, so she wouldn’t give it to someone else, and we reiterated that the Gnocchi, veggies, and polenta were great — we did like some things — and she thanked us for alerting her about the chicken, so she wouldn’t recommend it anymore. She had a good attitude, unlike the chef, the whole time, and we tipped her accordingly.
I’m hesitant to go back, but it’s in our neighborhood, and on our Passport Dining Card, so we might give it another chance, and order something else. But the thought of that baby fly on our bread???
It was an amusing experience!

Or favorite Italian restaurant in Tierrasanta! We prefer to sit in the bar area. Not the fastest service but it’s a nicer ambiance for date night. Love the scallop and spicy meatball appetizers!

I tried this place twice and it was just «okay» twice. The price is a bit high for just «okay.» I don’t mind the open kitchen but if you have stained black colored pans don’t stack them up where everyone can see them. I recommend someone at the restaurant turn up the lights and look around to see what needs to be cleaned or replaced. Food is nothing special the meatballs seemed like they were frozen and reheated. Seemed like this is a heat and serve restaurant with drapes, low lights and again, just «okay.»

This place loses a star because the service has deteriorated a lot over the last year. They lost their best servers and there has been a lot of turnover with new staff that does not appear to receive very good training. New Year’s Eve service was abysmal. Literally seated for 25 minutes before we got water or the bottle of wine we brought opened. Nobody ever even said Happy New Year! Crazy. This restaurant seems to perpetually understaff and hire novice employees (to save money?), so the service suffers. … But, food is still great, as is the atmosphere.

Prelims: located in a small plaza that is designed like LAX, be aware that parking may be an issue. The intricate maze that requires you to battle with other cars as you traverse the small aisles is the most memorable thing on my mind before I came into the restaurant. The interior is classic Italian-​American restaurant; I came here with a large party from work and we ate on the patio outside. With good covering, heating vents to fight the chilly San Diego air, and nice large tables and chairs, it was nicely done but for the trash pickup truck outside was noticeably thumping as we were eating and our VP was giving a speech.
The first course was a butternut squash soup. This soup had lots of body, plenty of cream and was very flavorful. My coworker doesn’t like squash, so if you don’t like it, don’t eat it. There was focaccia bread with sundried tomatoes in olive oil that was very good as well, if a bit too floury. We had a choice of lasagna, salmon and capers, and chicken marsala. As a chicken marsala man, pretty obvious what I got — the salmon and capers. Just kidding. I got the chicken marsala and it was pretty good. While a bit on the sweet side, the chicken was tender and moist, the mushrooms were deliciously complementary, and there was mashed potatoes to help accentuate the overall dish. Well done. The final course was a bread pudding dessert that stole the show. It was very well made; it wasn’t overly sweet as they sometimes are, and it had actual texture! The nice blend of butter, dark chocolate and bread was a great combination that worked very well together and I had a good time eating here.
I don’t know prices; it was a company paid lunch. Yay for free food!
TL;DR Good old school Italian restaurant.

I really hate to give this place a bad review because I really wanted to like this place, but from the moment my husband & I walked in it was bad, a young man who came to sit us asked us what he could help us with, well we just walked in to your restaurant & would like to be seated, he then made us wait & went to ask some one a question, came back to seat us outside, well we followed him outside he proceeded to tell us that the inside tables were all full, literally only 4 tables were taken, we get outside & there is some sport group event & we couldn’t sit there, we go back inside & the young man tells us all the tables were to big for us even though there were about 4 small booths, we were then told we can only sit in the bar area, we sit at a small booth in the bar & a young lady greets us she immediately lets us know she is new & this was her 1^st shift aline without training, ok I get it we were all new at once, she takes our drink orders my husband orders a beer I order the pomegranate martini, it literally takes 15 mins for my husband to get his beer & then another 15 mins for us to be told they are out of pomegranate mix. Ok just give me a Jack & Coke. I waited another 15 mins until my husband got frustrated & went up to the bar to ask where my drink was, bartender stated she made it & forgot about it & would make me a new 1. Very apologetic but still upsetting. She took our order food came out in decent time & food was really good, the only reason I gave 2 stars, service very very disappointing & doubt I will be back, just left a bad taste in my mouth, on top of that my husband had to go up to the bar & stand there & wait to order another beer & water. Very frustrating.

Andiamo! is our favorite local spot for Happy Hour and a quiet «dinner for two», but, last week, I asked them to prepare lasagna for 90 people for a holiday party & they did not disappoint! The lasagna was filled with creamy bechamel sauce, loaded with meat & pasta and finished with the perfect amount of cheese! It melted in your mouth! They also prepared a vege version that I had to try. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, seasoned to perfection!
I received nothing but compliments for my wise choice!

Amazing food, loved the pizza and the lasagna. Good prices, recommended. All food is made from scratch, great place to visit.

Have loved this restaurant for years. Was so excited to see that Nico had returned this summer from college. This young man is really something special, he remembered our names and our preferences and is such a genuine kind person.
Food was fantastic as always but that extra touch from Nico is what makes us come back for more.
What a nice surprise to see him back.
Fantastic dining experience always.

Don’t order the meatball appetizer, it tastes microwaved.
But I’ll tell YA, the food and the service overall is pretty darn good. Our entrees were delicious, and the service was polished.
A good neighborhood spot.

It was such a nice atmosphere even though on the exterior its a simple strip mall. We came right before the rush and were seated immediately. Young host and wait staff seemed to be running it solo due to other staff not showing up. Still prompt service and good food.
The ONLY thing that absolutely bugged me was the young male waitstaff was darn right rude to the older chef. (open kitchen concept inside) I think partly because he was overwhelmed but partly bc he was immature. It gave me a bad taste in my mouth as the chef was working hisself ragged to keep up with the orders solo. (I.e. think grandson being a jerk to grandpa dynamic)
Overall, great environment and food but need work on getting enough staff/​more seasoned staff that show respect for the chef.

One word: Tiramisu! It’s ruined me to the point I can’t enjoy tiramisu anywhere else because Andiamos is the best. Anywhere. Besides the perfectly light and moist dessert, they have delicious appetizers and entrees. A few of my faves are the artichokes and Brussel sprouts made to perfection. The homemade bread is warm and yummy.
If offered (it’s only on occasion) get the lobster ravioli. It’s my fave.
The outside patio is perfect in every way. Shaded to keep you cool on a warm day or evening as well as perfectly prepared for when it’s chilly with gas lamps. Super cute café lights are strung to make it feel a bit more quaint. The wine list is always growing with great options for each dish.
I recommend this restaurant to those on dates, families and also for happy hour. The bar area is separate from the dining area and perfect for a meetings. I can’t wait to get back :)

It get’s a 2, because my pork chop was not a total disaster. Didn’t like the fact that I wasn’t told that a double cut pork chop is actually butterflied. The sherry cream sauce was thick and flourery, and they both take something away from the dish. However not a terrible dish.
What was terrible with this place was the veal scaloppine and the service. So the website says they are open until 10. Me and my girl got there at 8:40 on a Friday. The place was dead. We asked when do you close and the host told us they stop seating and 9 at first and then said 9:30. We were actually ready to go somewhere else, until he convinced us that all is good and our waiter would be right there.
So after 20 minutes of the waiter walking back and forth in front of our table and seemingly doing nothing by the kitchen– the waiter finally showed up at 9 PM. That was when he put in our initial ticket (which was reflected on the final bill)…After 20 minutes of staring at him walk back and forth in front of us with nothing else but water. HE HAD LITERALLY 3 other tables??? AND HE LATER SAID HE WAS BUSY???
So we order a drink from the waiter, which comes from the bar next door. He never went to check on them, and finally the bar tender from next door brought them over to us– easily 15 minutes after our order. They were also not busy there– but definitely had more than 6 people inside that our inept waiter deemed as «busy». Btw– the waiter couldn’t memorize 2 specials– very simple stuff.
So after that 40 minute wait, the food came out in a reasonable timely fashion. Caesar was good. Dip with bread was good, bread seemed a little old. My pork chop was just ok but not terrible. My girl ordered the veal scallopini, which was atrocious. I’m not a professional chef, but I know how to cook.
First– pound the meat thin– This was way to thick.
Second– Don’t be a victim of over flowering. When moisture and flour gets together it can cause a paste and flour mess. That is what we got. Veal scallopini should be a relatively translucent sauce full of butter, capers, white wine and a seared veal. This was not even close. Yes there were lemons veal and capers, but that’s where the similarities end.
This was a non seared, non-​seasoned gloopey mess. Terrible dish. With that and the service, I will never be back. I hope you guys can change something around here.
Also, if you have the passport they charge and automatic 18% gratuity-​prior to the meal being taken off. We always tip on the original tab– when service is worthy. This service was ABSOLUTELY not worth it.

The front desk does not have an organized way to get parties matched up. It is very easy to have some be seated and other waiting at the front door. They do not keep record of that.
Drinks took a long time. Apps came first– turned dead stiff cold after sitting there before drinks got to table. Not good. I had to get up to see where the drinks were. My cocktail was not chilled. Twist was dropped rather than twisted over glass.
No straw/​sugar was offered with the iced tea. Asked for it twice. No garnish on it either.
Wine bottle was not presented properly. Really there is no excuse for that. That is something they can train very easily.
My bread plate had particles of food on it. It is easy to avoid, just look at it before setting the table.
Filet Mignon came rare when ordered medium. Guest asked to have it cooked more and while blood filled the plate the server asked her to put it on separate dish. That is a no no. He was suppose to take the whole dish back and re-​plate.
Mine had several chewy tendons in it. Not expected with a cut like that.
Server and busser constantly took dishes away without asking if we were done. I was not clearly done considering the amount of food on the dish. On the second time I said I was not done. The third time I said I will stab you with my fork if you touch that.
Good thing server boxed my left overs. Bad thing he offered no bag. It is fine for one item to not have a bag but I had several items to go. Food juice on my nightwear and car not a good idea.
When dessert was ordered I asked for 4 forks. I had to ask again when he only provided 2 forks.
I was not offered cream or sugar with my coffee. Nor was I offered a warm up for more coffee. Then when I asked they explained how they dumped it out preparing for closing! They close at 10pm, it was 930pm at the time.
We were not thanked or told bye when leaving.
I give them a 1 star because I really liked hanging out with the people I was with.
I will say that I have had equal customer/​table service at Denny’s. But there I am not dropping $ 300.00.
I really hope they decide to invest in training their servers. I would not hold anything very important there. I am not interested in being disappointed.

My boyfriend and I dined there for the 2^nd time Friday night. With luck we were seated in the server Danielle’s section. She remembered us from our visit 4 months prior — major points scored here. Danielle is not only very personable but her service and attention to detail is spot on.
We started with the delicious dates as an appetizer. OMG, so delicious they could be either an appetizer or desert. I ordered the veal picatta which was good, although I prefer my veal prepared a little thinner but it was still tasty.
My boyfriend ordered the seafood lasagna (crab, shrimp and scallops) in a white Alfredo type sauce which was a special that evening. The amount and size of the seafood it contained was incredible! The shrimp were bigger than my thumb and it was awesome!
Also, just found out they were added to the Passport Dining card we have — another bonus! We will now be eating here a lot more often.

Andiamo Restaurant is a family-​owned Italian restaurant located on the northern edge of Tierra Santa at Santo Road just off the I-​52. The staff is very friendly, and the service is excellent, but the food just isn’t all that spectacular for the price.
I recently tried the Polpette, which is basically spaghetti and meatballs with spicy roasted red pepper and cream sauce. The dish was pretty good, but the meatballs were really just OK. Then I found out that they don’t make their own meatballs, which isn’t OK for a restaurant charging $ 14 for this small serving. I also ordered a salad, which was very fresh and big enough to split.
If I come back to Andiamo, I will skip the pasta dishes. I am not sure, but it is unlikely that the pasta is freshly-​made or house-​made either. So if I want a mediocre pasta dish, I will just go to Filippi’s Pizza Grotto or somewhere like that, where you get more food for less money. Not any better, mind you, just more for less.
It is possible that Andiamo has excellent meat dishes, fish, etc. Then again, I may never know — lots of great places to eat out there!