Barone’s Famous Italian Restaurant

Always a great time. Old School, Great entertainment on the weekends. Best pizza on earth!!!

A friend of mine posted a picture of the lasagna that he had here and right as i saw it i knew i would have to go here myself. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED! Really authentic place, warm atmosphere and friendly AND frequent service. I must have gone in at the perfect time because i saw a lot of reviews saying how crowded it gets and luckily for me it wasn’t too bad at all when i was there. The prices are very reasonable and the quantities are huge. i highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some great Italian food!

I love the history that is Barone’s — it having been in Sherman Oaks and Toluca Lake while I was growing up and I always thought of it as an «old-​timey/​family» place even if the food wasn’t off the charts delicious, it was fun to go there. My last visit changed my mind about this Valley institution.
We went early on a Friday evening (5pm) and were initially hesitant since the last time we did this on a Friday (same time) it seemed to really be filling up by the time we left. It’s a place that clearly attracts an older (and I do mean older) demographic, but for me that’s part of its charm. We called ahead and were told we’d have no problem. We didn’t! Parking lot only had about eight cars in it, we self-​parked but then had to take a ticket from one of the three gentleman kicking back by the entrance. We didn’t ask questions, thinking maybe when they began valet service they might have to move our car.
We order the Antipasto Plate ($ 13.99). Wow… should have sent it back as soon as I saw it but we were starving and I wanted to stay positive and not begin our meal with a return to the kitchen. Two small slices of prosciutto in a tomato (an attempt at decorative garnish), some slices of dry salami and hard salami, one green onion cut into three sections, one stalk of celery, cut into three sections, a few black olives and two green olives, two pieces of artichoke hearts and some kind of unappealing soupy tapenade in a small bowl in the middle and maybe two small, thin slices of provolone. Wow. I have never seen such a poor example of an antipasto in my life, let alone one that was $ 14. This probably cost them about $ 2 to put together.
We started with that and then got a large pizza. My husband and I used to call it «Barone’s Sodium Pizza» because our memory of it was always that is was VERY salty. I realize now that is due to the cheese they used. The red sauce had good flavor and I like the crispy crust, but the cheese is NOT all mozzarella. It is some kind of mix — I wouldn’t be surprised if much of it consisted of cellulose (wood pulp) used to extend their supply of real cheese. It didn’t taste very good or have the consistency of a real, quality mozzarella.
So the meal was a real disappointment. Then we left and turned in our ticket only to be told we owed them $ 3.50 for parking our own vehicle in a more than half empty lot. WTF? Oh yes, «valet charges begin at 4:30» — even though no one even appeared in an ATTEMPT to valet our car. That added insult to injury.
Suffice to say, we will NOT return to Barone’s — Valley nostalgia is simply not enough of a draw for me to return after such a negative experience.

Been there’s few times — was a convenient location to meet a friend for dinner. Food is overpriced and terrible. First time ordered ribs — they were dry and served with bottled BBQ sauce. Hostess made us leave after one hour since they were having live music. Someone should have told us when we sat down that we had to eat and pay within an hour. Another time, I ordered the sand dabs. They were dry with a slimy sauce. The waiter, Jose who also goes by Francisco is rude and full of himself. If you stay for the music — the talent is good however you have to pay $ 18.00 per person service charge and listen to a loud sound check for over an hour. The music is supposed to start at 8 pm but depending on who you ask, it really starts at 8:30 pm. The interior is very outdated with vinyl chairs and a lot of tacky décor. Waste of money.

So. Sometimes on a Saturday afternoon I have a hankering for a pizza. Barone’s does it up right. The food is very good Neighborhood Italian restaurant. The ambience is old school red leather booths, the staff is friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. You can’t not like this place. Every 6 Saturday afternoons or so I get my Barone’s fix.

Overall, an okay place. My fiancé and I wanted to try this place after driving by once in a while.
Service was fantastic.
Food was just okay. I ordered the lasagna. Let’s just say the portion could’ve fed a family of 4 and hope you reaaaaaaalllly like ricotta cheese! And you have to pay an extra fee for melted cheese on top.
My fiancé had a special which was halibut with veggies which he said was pretty good, but was $ 35.
Pinot Noir BTG — $ 15.
We did enjoy the live entertainment in the bar area — seemed to keep people excited!
By the end of the night and $ 145 later, it was a good experience and yummy food but would rather go elsewhere. Just a litttttle too much money for the overall ambience of the place and the neighborhood.

Ordered my daughter a pizza for take out and asked if they have anything vegitarian soup or anything she starts reading me shrimp scampi, pasta with chicken broth fried calimari ??? How do you work at a restaurant and not know what vegitarian means? Unbelievable!!! Still love their pizza which they have a delicious veggie pizza but she didn’t even suggest that!

This place is literally right down the street from my apartment so super convenient for me. First of all, it kinda has a dark diner feel to it, could probably use some refurbishments but it isn’t too bad. I went with my two roommates, our waitress was very friendly and joked around with us. We ordered an appetizer of the stuffed mushrooms which didn’t show up even after our entrée’s arrived so our waitress brought them to us for free. Which turned out to be really good because they only gave us 3 mushrooms and they charge like 12 dollars for them; I would not have been happy with that purchase.
Our entrees were a chicken caesar salad, a small pizza, and I had the lobster ravioli. Everything was really good, I loved the ravioli, it was creamy and had just the right combination of lobster and cheese and sauce. Will definitely be going back. Not for the mushrooms though.

This is another one of my favorite places for
pizza …probably the second on my list, the first being ChiChi’s Pizza!
I have been enjoying Barone’s for many years now. When I worked in Burbank my boss introduced me to it and I fell in love with them ever since. Their delicious pizza is cut into squares has a unique sauce, the crust is not to thin or thick just right but what makes it flavorful is the garlic taste!
We have dined there several times over the years and it does get busy on the weekends so be patient for the wait you will have. They do offer take out as well. Their other entrée’s are also flavorful and delicious! I have ordered the whole wheat rigatoni pasta with meat sauce, and oh my world so so good! Their garlic bread and cesar salad is also wonderful!
They have live bands on occasion and it is good for large celebrations or large parties, they will accommodate you. The only pain is their parking. It is valet parking only which is fine but if you want to park on your own the street is very limited so heads up.
I recommend Barone’s you will enjoy it and be hooked!

We’re in search of the perfect Lasagna and Pizza… for take-​out!
Have found quite a few good places in SFV… won’t name any…
This review is for Lasagna and Pizza ONLY!
I know and love both… have had East Coast, I do know about good.
Lasagna…let’s just say… you best like cheese… because this thing was loaded… but over all just ok… a 3 out of 5… didn’t even get bread with my order… honestly kind of boring.
Pizza…oh, Boy… let me tell you… now we’re talking!
Good crust
Great cheese and sauce
Great ingredients
For now this is our Champ… but the search continues for a place that offers the best of both.
Barone’s gets 5 out of 5 when it comes to Pizza!
About the interior and service…
Well, interior looks very dated… huge place, but really truly needs a 20^th Century upgrade.
Service, didn’t really interact with any one but front person… she was quite friendly, but should have asked if I wanted meat sauce on my Lasagna at least… guess she thought I was a regular.

Still my favorite pizza in the valley. Their crust is crunchy, yet dense, and the crumbled Italian sausage that baked on UNDER the cheese is a must-​try. Never had a bad meal here. The atmosphere is also amazing. You feel like you’re dining with the mafia (in a good way!)

This is an old school red sauce joint. The food and décor are on par with Bucca Di Beppo; not terrible, but it’s not outstanding either and I don’t think they’re striving for that.
The pizza is a pan pizza Some would call this a «grandma» style pizza or it could be called a thin Sicilian. The dough is «docked» before baking (pin pricked with a roller) so as to get rid of all the fermentation gases. This results in a «flat» pizza crust that is bland and crackery in taste. I suggest ordering it «well done» so as to get the flavors from the carmelization of the crust. They put the cheese on top of the protein. Pizza places usually do this to trick you into thinking that you’re getting more cheese but in their case they actually ARE using too much cheese. The downside to putting the cheese on top is that this prevents the meat from getting more flavor from getting a light char. So, if you want to get the best pizza you can from this place order it well done, easy cheese, meat on top. I’ll give them a little extra credit for having green olives as a topping, the perfect compliment to pepperoni and/​or sausage.
The pasta isn’t homemade. They cook it up fine, but overall the food is overpriced for what you get. Our server was very good. Attentive and thoughtful without crossing the line of being annoying.

This is a dark — old style — America/​Italian restaurant — with red vinyl cushioned chairs and booths, shiny fake wood tables, salt, pepper, sugar, and grated cheese, and a candle on every table — a full bar, and the smell of pasta sauce and pizza in the air. This is the type of meat-​balls and lasagna Italian joint, playing Dean Martin and slinging carafes of Chianti and garlic bread, with par-​cooked spaghetti and a TV over the bar — that was the winning competition in the movie The Big Night.
It is good — within its limitations — but it is cliché. I categorize this place with Buca de’ Beppo, Little Toni’s, and Chef Boyardee’s (if Chef B still had a restaurant). Lots of wood — placemats with a map of Italy, cheesy Italian paintings on the walls, dark, and a wait staff dressed in black as if they were serving pizzas for Mussolini. BUT…
BUT… all that aside — it is good for what it is. The Meatballs are good. The Pizza is okay. The fried calamari is just fine. And the Happy Hour is great.
My girlfriend loved the Antipasto (she ordered one — then ate it and then ordered another). My daughter loved the bread — she asked for a side of sauce and ate 3 baskets full.
Other things look good too — like the main meat courses — like the veal piccata and the veal parmesan, and veal saltimbocca. This is probably calf rather than true veal — but that’s okay — because the cut is probably thick rather than thin. I can only imagine that the steaks are not top shelf — as with Morton’s — and they are pricy — so eat at your own risk — but they may be good.
The ribs??? Ribs??? Ribs require a very special touch — to smoke right — to slow cook them perfectly — — so again — eat at your own risk but they may be good.
The pasta — if they make it to order (which you must fight for) then the sauce may be good. I love Barone’s meatballs — so it is again — up to you.
But if you like Little Toni’s this place is probably as good or better.
For smokers there is a little outdoor area with a couple of tables where you can smoke.
There is a private lot.

Excelente servicio, él lugar es fantástico pero sobre todo él delicioso sabor de sus tradicionales pizzas, quitan él apetito a cualquiera! Felicidades!

I still love this place, even though this was my first dinner here after over 50 lunches.
The only difference is Valet Parking at night. No biggie really.

Wow! What GARBAGE! Jose is an AWFUL waiter. Mikey is legit! He sorted us, otherwise I would of went waiters. He was penny pinching since we ordered an 8 oz and a 10 oz, he decided to bring me a 10 and my date an 8 so when I brought it to his attention, he got aggressive and stormed off. Then he said «hey man, it’s only 2 dollars! I’ll pay itDon’t give this place any business at ALL. What a waste of such a nice restaurant décor and what was a tasteful place.

Extremely pissed off with the service inside the restaurant!!!
The waitress was rude and inconsiderate, the food is overpriced and the waitress just assumed she would keep the change and didn’t even say thank you as we left!!!

Great place to go for good old fashioned spaghetti dinner. Nothing fancy.
The worst part there is absolutely no parking anywhere around, or near the restaurant!
All the surrounding streets are private (a parking permit only), there’s valet parking, but I hate doing that (because of the lack of street parking we don’t go as often as we would like to)

Oh Barone’s…
My friend and I wanted Italian and decided to pick a new place around our area.
We really liked the happy hour they offer, not bad at all. 50% off some appetizers and drinks.
4−7pm?
I ordered the ½ ravioli ½ spaghetti pasta. Yummy! $ 13
Service is just fine, its not a five star restaurant but at least they dont hoover.

Came here on a Monday, and got seated immediately. My boyfriend and I started with the garlic bread. So good! It came hot and fresh out of the oven. It’s the most delicious form of carbs I could inhale. We decided to share a large mushroom and jalapeño pizza. Their red sauce was good, but for being thin crust, it lacked that crunch and crispiness I expected. The slices were a bit… floppy. We still chowed down, and by the time I remembered to take a photo, there were only 3 slices left. Hmm… must have been the pizza burglar again.
Anyway, parking is valet only for $ 3.50, and there is hardly any street parking nearby. Staff was pleasant and courteous. I would come back to check out their entertainment.

Ok I now get all the negative reviews. It’s not for the food — it’s for the service. I called in and got a quote for a half extra cheese/​half roni and 12 inch. I was told it would count as 1 topping.
I show up to pick up and all the sudden it’s 2 toppings and my total is actually for 3 toppings. Kind of argued with an older mamma Leoni who was obviously in charge. Wouldn’t budge or even apologize. She’s basically a pizza Nazi. Why is it the people with the best food also think they can be jerk offs on customer service?
It’s like Father’s Office with their” no substitutions” on their burgers… The pizza is soooo good. Otherwise I’d never go back.
Hope Mamma Lenoni gets some xanax in the future.