What happened to this place???? Came here @ around 3pm today and OMG what happened to this place? We were seated right away but the table, chairs and floor all had some kind of bread crumbs and dry up parmesan cheese. The menu was sticky and there was this lingering stench. At this point I should've left but no we're both hungry and thought lets just order real quick and get the hell out of there. The pesto which came with the bread was sour. I ordered the frittata di mare and he ordered bolognese. Both dishes had a very strong odor. Mine fishy and his smells like really bad veal. Service was bad too. Our service only took our order and never came back. We went to him for our check. Let's just say I won't be returning ever again,
(1)
Umesh T.
Been here, and another branch in Emeryville a lot of times. They make pretty good Funghi Salsiccia pizzas. The pastas are good too! I especially like their healthy fish (with salmon) and healthy chicken pasta entrees both clocking under 650 calories. I also love the fact that they print the calories in every dish in the menu. Another facet I appreciate is their "right-sized" portions of the dishes --- they are neither supersized nor bite-sized and are good value for money. I keep going back for more.
(4)
Prasanna B.
Brussel sprouts was the ONLY dish we finished. That should explain everything. We were seated to a far end near the toilet, and the food did not taste well either. No salt in most of the items My wife found meat pieces in vegetarian dish.
(2)
Rita S.
LIKE AN OLD BOYFRIEND Pasta Po is like hooking up with an old boyfriend. It's comfortable, it's familiar, it's easy. It's all right. At least for a wee bit. Then you remember all the stuff that made it not so good. Pasta Po has basic, straight forward Italian at reasonable prices. They do make an effort to throw in some au-courant ingredients. But the golden oldies are available too (chicken parm, spag & meatballs, pizza, cheese ravioli). It's all good, until you start looking at the details. They still serve the overly dry gorgonzola cheese with their misto salad. The pasta is always a bit overly al dente. Parmesean cheese comes in a shaker, rather than freshly grated at the table. So when you're in the mood NOT to experiemnt, just go with what you know, then head over to Pasta Po.
So my wife and I given this place a try twice. The first time we went there my wife found a dead fly in her salad. Fast forward about 2 years later and figured lets give this place another shot. We sat down ordered drinks and asked for some bread, well the bread we received was covered and I mean covered in mold. We just paid for our drinks and left.
(1)
Susie P.
My friend and I were looking for a fast little pasta feast to cater our craving, however, it was not what we expected. Just the two of us were sat in a corner and forgotten about. We waved down anybody who worked there to bring us bread and water which took a half hour and then waited even longer for just the bread and waters to come. By the time we actually put in our order other people around us that had come at the same time had already gotten their food. When we got our food, the tables around us were about finished and we were left both with two cold plates of pasta. Every employee we asked to help us seemed burdened by us and we couldn't wait to get out of there! We made a pact to never eat there ever again and so far we haven't!
(1)
Barb C.
This is a great place to dine, and I've been there probably 50 times or more. The staff is attentive and very nice. The foccacio bread, free with the meal, is delicious. I also love the Salmon dishes, polenta, raviolis, salads, minestrone soup, etc. Many of the options are organic. I don't know what the complaints are about. It seems that a lot of Yelpers expect perfection when they dine out. Not every meal is going to be perfect. Not every waitress or waiter is going to be in a fantastic mood. Sometimes there may be a mistake on the bill. This is called human nature. I think that Yelpers should not be so quick to complain. . .unless, of course, they are always perfect at their jobs and never make a mistake and are always smiling happily when they are at work. For a reliably great meal that the kids will enjoy, as well as the adults, this is a terrific place to dine.
(5)
Jason A.
Pasta P used to be one of our favorite local restaurants. This location was consistently good and service was always great. However, the last couple of times we've been have not really been up to scratch at all. The new menu is not as good as the old one and the food itself is somewhat "meh" now. It's a total bummer to see how much it has gone downhill. The new owners need to pay attention to the reviews on yelp trending downward. I was reading reviews for other bay area locations before posting this and they all seem to be saying the same thing - "not as good as it used to be".
(2)
Alex E.
Been here four times...I've tried something new every time and its hella good! Service is great and it's my new favorite restaurant. Oh ya, the price for what you get... forget about it, it's a steal.
(5)
Lydia B.
I love Pasta Pomodoro because you can go anytime of day and get great service. The manager is always there and she is just so sweet. I like that they are always updating their menu - incorporating new dishes into their already-existing menu keeps us returning patrons on our toes and new customers satisfied with the variety. I also like that the wait staff (including the manager) is always happy to receive feedback and to correct any mistakes pointed out. I love their new(ish) pizzas - good crust, perfectly sweet and salty sauce and fresh mozzarella. mm!
(4)
Mandy K.
Liked the food (free focaccia, caesar side salad, spinach ravioli with pomodoro), LOVED the waitress (Amanda).
(3)
Kalah A.
If your looking for an easy place to take the family for italian Pasta Pomodoro is def a good option. Prices are reasonable (although I wouldn't call the adult meals a bargain), the food is pretty good and the atmosphere is casual. The wait staff is super friendly. Last time I was there, I was accompanied by a nine year old and we were working on her math homework. Our waiter kept coming over and giving her fun tips and made the experience nice.
(4)
Randy M.
Pasta was good. Everyone enjoyed there meal. Family atmosphere. Don't order the steak!!
(3)
Emilia N.
Wow! I haven't been to Pasta Pom in a while. Today seemed a little off. Maybe it was because it was just right after the lunch rush that we came in? I wasn't really happy that it took 20 minutes for them to bring us out the bread. It seemed as if the staff was either short handed or just stressed. It looked as if there were only 2 chefs on staff today and working frantically to get all the orders out. Food was so-so today. I have to go on another day and NOT after lunch/brunch rush.
(4)
Karen M.
I was in San Rafael for a gem show, and stopped in for some lunch. We both had salads, I had the spinach salad, and my buddy had the chicken salad. It was pretty good. Nice fresh ingrediants, and the bread and dipping sauce was good...good service too. I dont usually order salads, but this one was good with nice fresh spinach, bacon, pine nuts, tomoatoes, just the right amount of dressing. I enjoyed it...dont know if I would ever drive there just to eat, but if you are in the area, it is ok....
(3)
Sara A.
My family and I went in on a saturdy night around 5pm and the place was not busy at all, maybe three other tables. We sit down and were greeted by this young boy, he seemed very rushed and in a hurry. After sitting there for a few mintues and watch the other staff that was on. We noticed this young boy was doing everything. He was cleaning off dirty tables, getting new tables water taking them their bread and food, he is running around everywhere, Whats funny is you have two bartenders,(two girls dressed in all white) standing around talking. the MANAGER a heavier set woman in this little side room with two other female servers and the where eating chips or cheetos, who knows but you saw them licking their finger. I am a big germ freak so i washed to see if the washed their hands NOPE. gross, so while all these ladies are gossiping and standing arounf stuffing their face this poor young boy is doing everything. Than by the end of our meal you see another female manager their and another server and still just hanging out in this room. maybe they should invest in some doors i dont care to see them stuff their faces. than you proced to watch them put silver ware straight from the rack you see in a dishwasher in to their fork, spoon holders etc. do they not buff them before they put them away? clearly not because their was food on my fork. Over all service was un real. If this was my resturant i wouldnt be happy. but cant expect anything less from a chain resturant.
(1)
Kelli H.
I've been to this pasta pomodoro locations multiple times and for some reason, I'm always happy going here. I love their butternut squash raviloi's and their foccacia with the dipping sauce. I also enjoy their peach italian soda's. It's not like this is an amazing place but I'm a fan. It's a convenient location for when you're out shopping.
(4)
Clarke J.
Lucky for them, I like several items on the menu. Unfortunately for them, greet staff, dishwashing staff were overwhelmed on May 5th. Although the food was okay, we stood for a good ten minutes waiting for our name to be added to the list, and the guy standing in line in front of us tartly informed the confused kid that he had been standing there for over 20 minutes. That customer left, and took his family with him, upset at the poorly managed greeting situation. The kid who finally did take our name did so ONLY after I yelled at him, in a raised voice, could he please "take our name so we could at least sit down to wait?" He was out of his league. When the dust settled, we actually got a table after only waiting 10 minutes, which was okay, although the dinky tables suck. No place to set anything! But, then it took over ten minutes to get our bread with the pesto dipping sauce, and we got the herb(y) bread, and not the sliced sour baguette we requested. We asked for more, after wolfing down what we did get. It wasn't until half-way through the meal before we got more bread, and it too was not the grilled sourdough we requested. My wife's Gamberi shrimp thing came very small, with much less sauce than before. Usually, this came in a sizzling hot skillet. On this occurrence, a smaller portion in a soup bowl or something. My Ravioli de Magro, a wonderful dish with spinach and gorgonzola, was, however, wonderful as always, and the reason I came. Our water came in plastic drinking glasses, as the standard water glasses, were, I assume backed up at the dishwashing station, along with the cast iron skillet for the Gamberi. To be fair, our waiter was apologetic for the lapses in service, did his job, and we tipped him accordingly, as he did the best be could with the cards he was dealt. However, the manager needs to get on top of these staffing concerns, starting at the front desk, and moving to the dishwasher, who was clearly swamped. We saw customers leave, and that's money out the door; most likely to NOT return. So: good food, with a staff struggling to meet demand. Needs some hands-on management, in a supportive way, not some kitchen-hell yelling, either.
(2)
Mike G.
Love/Hate relationship. Good portion sizes, the Panini's are awesome. Price is decent. But, a coworker found a worm in his salad once. So I didn't come here for a year. Came back recently and have been quite vigilant on my food.
(2)
D. Miguel G.
I dream about the Gemelli Pasta with smoked and grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and cream sauce! I wish their bread would stay consistent but I still love Pasta Pomodoro. I've enjoyed brunch at this particular location as well. Although I don't know if they still serve it on Sundays.
(4)
Maria S.
Delicious soup and salad, but the wait time for service was dissappointing.
(3)
Jon C.
We were visiting our old stomping grounds and looked forward to an Italian experience. There were 5 of us adults and 1 child. The Coke they served tasted terrible. It wasn't a lack of syrup, it tasted watered down or something. We enjoyed the bread and pesto dip and really looked forward to the actual meal. Well, after we ordered is when the night went downhill. Our waitress seemed to vanish. It seriously took at least 30 minutes for us to finally get our food. The food tasted fine, but then when it came time to get the check, our waitress vanished again. It took another 25 minutes after we were clearly finished for her to navigate through the empty dining room to our table to ask if we wanted refills. Heck no, we want out of here, our butts are sore. She returned with the check and my wife and I were on one check, and the rest of the party was on another check. They automatically charged 18% gratuity since there were 6 of us. Are they kidding? The service was not even close to 18% quality. I am normally a 20% tipper, but that made me mad. Next time, we'll order from separate tables and then move to one table. Frustrating.
(2)
Phuong H.
They always serve warm bread (unlike some other Pasta Pomodoro locations). The Cozze (mussels and clams) and the Frutti de Mare are delicious. I'm a big seafood person and their seafood is fresh. Although it's a chain restaurant, this one has been the best one that I've been to. The people there are really friendly and they greet you right away. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants for seafood pasta.
(5)
Susan H.
We always choose places that are packed with cars, and this one was. A 5-10 minute wait. Noisy place with tables so close together you can eavesdrop without trying. The food was okay. It filled the void.
(3)
Tina D.
So my dad flippin LOVES this place, so I am forced to eat there a lot more than I ever would. So every time I go I try to find something that doesn't suck and isn't pasta. The foccacia and pesto type dipping sauce they give you is good, but if you're there for lunch and actually need to talk to people the rest of the day, I would suggest not eating it due to the garlic factor. Recently I had this new dish that was a bunch of veggies with a tomato sauce on it, it was OK. The chicken salad is alright too. There's just something missing from that place.
(2)
Reena P.
I was gonna feel really bad if I gave them less than a 3 because I had the BEST WAITER ALIVE when I went to this specific Pasta Pomodoro. The sweetest gentleman who was super proper, called the bf "Signor" and me "Signora" even though we aren't married, and provided good quality service. I just wish the food was better. We had lunch on a warm Saturday and sat outside (where there are heating lamps if needed). I had a Mimosa and the bf had a Prohibition. The Mimosa was great - fresh squeezed orange juice with tons of pulp... just how I like it. I ordered the Spinach Ravioli with Pomodoro sauce and the bf got the Special which was some kind of linguine with chicken and mushrooms. With the lunch express menu you get soup or salad to start - we are smart so we each got one or the other. Typical Caesar salad, nothing to rave about. The soup was OK. When lunch came out though, the food was kind of a letdown. The serving size is plenty for lunch but the food is just not all that tasty. The raviolis were hardly stuffed and the sauce was bland and tomato-y. No kick, no zing... just tomatoes. I felt like my meal was meant for a 5 year old picky eater. The linguine wasn't much better. Before even polishing half the plate, we were done with our food and called it a day. Definitely left our homeboy a nice tip for such great service but probably won't stumble upon this Pasta Pomodoro again.
(3)
stan v.
My wife and I ate at Pasta Pomodoro at Vintage Oaks in Novato tonight. We had not eaten here before and were pleasantly pleased when we walked in the door to an air conditioned, nicely decorated restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and sat at a comfortable booth. As I read the menu I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice, contemporary menu with a good selection of organic and California food products. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan. When my plate was delivered I was very impressed with the way the plate looked. The Chicken looked very appetizing and the Pasta Looked great also, I could not wait to dig in. I took a bite of the of the Pasta first, it was somewhat dry and tasteless, I was very disappointed, but I still had a nice piece of Chicken in front of me, so I took a bite of the chicken, I was even more disappointed. The pasta had soaked all of the sauce up and the was dry, it also had no flavor. The chicken breast was cut thin and dried out, there was very little sauce on the chicken. The breading that was on the chicken feel of completely every time I cut the chicken to take a bite. This tasted like commercially produced food, with no depth of flavor, actually, no flavor at all. I left 80% of the food on my plate. The word that comes to mind about the food is "pedestrian" boring, flavorless food that wa not worth the price you pay for it. I will not go back.
(1)
Jhoe G.
How about some Spaghetti? Real Italians go here. No? My bad. The food is good..rich and creamy tortellini. The wine was a not so good. The staff is really nice though and I could eat a lot more of that bread and pesto olive oil balsamic thingy.
(3)
Joe p.
Good place for kids if you get the banquette. We like it because it was fast (2 year old attention span is limited), it was loud enough that our daughter's cries were not bothering the diners next to us. Food good and solid, but far from anything noteworthy. Servers were really nice and friendly.
(3)
Marcus H.
My wife and I were out shopping in the area and rather spontaneously decided to stop in at the Pasta Pomodoro for some lunch. What a mistake. We were told by a distracted hostess to choose a table, which we did (far away from the tables of shouting children). We sat there for a good 10 to 15 minutes as no fewer than 3 servers walked past us with not so much as a hello, an "I'll be right with you," or a glass of water. As we sat there trying to make eye-contact with a server, the table next to us had their order taken as well as another table close by. We waited....and waited...then finally walked out. No one seemed to notice or care. The place was not even 1/3 full and there seemed to be at least 4 waiters, plus the hostess, so there was really no excuse. We won't be going back.
(1)
johnny p.
I've been here only once but as a chain store, there is little difference between locations. Uninspired pasta dishes with low quality items. Unfortunately, Pasta Pomodoro simply does not use quality food items, resulting in acidic tomato sauces and bland flavors.
(2)
Tanya P.
Solid location for the formula chain. Very friendly and efficient staff and the prep is always consistent. Ask about the seasonal specials. They are always surprisingly pleasant. They especially cater to the little guys.
(4)
Marc W.
Most of the time when we went to Pasta Pomodoro it was a pleasant dining experience. NOT so tonight. We used a special coupon for buy one, get one free. Trouble is the waiter didn't explain to us the terms of the coupon until after our orders came. I ordered a large dish instead I received a small dish. Then when the bill came the free entree was not deducted from the bill. When the bill was sent back for a rewrite, the waiter didn't give us our credit card back until we asked for it. The card was sitting in his shirt pocket. We won't be coming back here for a while :(
(1)
Matt D.
Nice Italian American chain style place. There is nothing I can say bad about this place... Nice setting, good food, and reasonable prices... They try to provide interesting specials, etc. Overall a decent place for some pastas ( I like the Gemelli with smoked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes), simple yet tasty salads (Mista w. Gorgonzola) and they have good brussel sprouts which can be kind of tough to find a place that does good sprouts. All in all, an above average chain, that you can get surprisingly decent food which is easy on the budget.
(4)
allison s.
Pretty good for a chain. Service was a little lack. But I love a good chopped salad and their's is decent. Not the best but pretty good. It was chopped romaine, chicken, bacon, asiago, olives, and probaly something else i am forgetting in Caesar dressing. The only downfall is I request chopped red onions (to make it complete) and the server returned w/ a pile of slimy cold pre grilled red onions on my salad... she said they only had grilled. I am just wondering if they order special grilled onions or like most restaurants receive fresh onions and then grill? Bread was good, fresh and had a nice pesto olive oil dipping sauce. Happy Dining!
(3)
Mafia J.
3 stars is about right for this place. This was my first visit ever to Pasta Pomodoro and I didn't hate it but yet wasn't in love with it either. Since I'm a super picky eater I settled on one of the thin crust pizza's (salami) which reminded me a lot of other pizza's that I've gotten at "pasta/italian" places. One minor thing is that the pizza didn't come out too hot, it tasted like it was actually sitting in the back for a few minutes. But besides that it was good, bread was also good too. Brings up my next reason for my 3 star review, while the waitress was nice she didn't really check too much on us as far as bread and drink refills go. I'm the kind to get my money's worth with places so I was bummed out that I never got a 2nd order of bread or a refill on my soda. She was super quick to bring that check when we were all done eating though lol. All in all I would go back if that was my only choice but I honestly wouldn't make it my first choice in the shopping area it's located in.
(3)
Stephen W.
Not a bad chain Italian place. For the price, probably even decent. Unfortunately my first experience here was not so great. Had spaghetti & meatballs (whatever they called it), and it was overly spicy and not so flavorful. I think it has some potential though. If there were one near me in San Diego, I'd certainly give it another shot.
(2)
Brittany S.
The food here is always good - nice sauces, perfectly cooked meats and shrimp, and reasonably priced. So what's my problem with this place? The Novato location has consistently employed the worst wait staff in town. Our waiters have never earned even a 15% tip from me here, and I usually go 20%. The last time I went in, our waitress literally removed a plate of food I was eating right out from under my fork, without so much as asking if I was done. The management of this restaurant has done a terrible job training these kids (and they are mostly teenagers) in proper restaurant service. Order to go, then you get the good food without the lousy staff.
(2)
Gloria H.
I have always been a fan of Pasta Pomodoro, not because it is the best Italian restaurant, but because they have always had fresh, distinctive ingredients at a very reasonable price. They usually surpass some Italian restaurants which charges much more. My favorite has always been the pasta cappellini. I can remember when the price for that was $4.95. Anyway, time has changed that. I was thrilled when Pasta Pomodora first opened in Novato. We usually dined at the one in San Francisco Laurel Village, or San Rafael. I noticed that even though this is a chain, the quality and preparation of the food is a bit different. I am sorry to say that the one in Novato has not been as consistent as with the other locations. It's not the recipe, but rather the cooks. Once my husband had a fettucini which was all clumped together like a ball. Another time my cappellini was soupy. When they used to serve puttanesca, it was very good, but I had it once or twice at the Novato restaurant and it was way too spicy. This evening I had minestrone soup and it was way too thick because it was over cooked. It should have not been served. There has to be standards especially for a chain. People trust chains to be consistent. It had been sitting too long and got thick in the pot. I am giving it 3 stars because it is not always done right. Other Pasta Pomodoro locations may get 4 stars because they have held their own for the most part. The servers are always nice and pleasant. They get 4-5 stars in my book. I don't mean to get down on the Novato Pasta Pomodoro, but I do believe there needs to be more quality control when it comes to the cooking. Perhaps paying attention to how it should be prepared or just watching it and not serving anything that no longer looks or taste appetizing. It looks as if the prices has steadily climbed and the quality has declined.
(3)
Erik U.
I love this place, but lately it's taken a small turn for the worse. They used to have great bread, but what I can only call an "effort to cut costs", they started selling pizzas and replaced their bread with pizza dough. Fair enough I guess. The menu has a good selection and they have a pretty good lemonade. Lunch specials are just the right size and the prices are very competitive. The manager has always been very helpful whenever we had issues with the food, taken and giving suggestions to us to help out next visit. This came up when we noticed the soup tasted different, they had added the basil salsa to the soup and he recommended we ask the wait staff to omit it next time. Problem solved. I've been here at least ten times and only had one order mix up (received a lemonade instead of limonata). It's not a super upscale place but it's great for lunch or a reasonable dinner.
(4)
Crystal C.
Last Saturday, hubs and I had dinner here on a whim while we were driving through town after a day at the beach. We haven't been to this location before and the last time we ate at a Pasta Pomodoro was over fifteen years ago in another town. So we weren't sure what to expect. FOOD: They provide unlimited rosemary focciaca (sp?) breadsticks and pesto dipping sauce. Hubs usually hates pesto, but loved this sauce as did I. The bread was delicious. We ordered a small garden salad~$5 that was plenty for two to share. The ingredients were fresh and delicious, the dressing was dressy. I ordered the spaghetti and meat sauce $11. It was good and the serving size was plentiful. SERVICE: Our server, Chris, was great. A true professional. He answered our questions about the various menu items and checked in on us but was not obtrusive. He took great care of us. RESTROOM: The women's restroom I think is a single room. I don't exactly know because each time I tried to use it , it was occupied or had a line most of the night. It was pretty inconvenient. Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience.
(4)
Dave H.
Thanks for the food poisoning last night. Time for you to throw out all your old meat and sterilize the kitchen.
(1)
Kat T.
I will still go here because I enjoy the food but I'm very disappointed in this locations and PP in general. First, I don't like that they changed their menu names to English. It was so fun and unique to have them in Italian. That's my complaint about the corporation. This location has one of the worst manager/supervisors ever. Michelle, the GM (if she is still there) is amazing! The other young lady is horrible. I have written 3 yelp reviews about my experiences with her. None of them have been good. She is it friendly at all. Honestly I don't know how she still has a job there. She has been there for years and it seems like it doesn't get any better. If anything she just gets worse. Example, I went to pick up food tonight. The girl was sweet and about to ring up my card when the supervisor came up and made her stop because she needed change. WHAT?!?! As a previous restaurant manager myself, I would have NEVER done that. Finish with the guest in front if you first. She didn't even say anything to me. The hostess did but not the supervisor. There is some serious training that needs to happen with this one if she is going to be kept around. Like I said, I enjoy the food, but from now on I'm only going there for to go orders.
(3)
Jonathan F.
Treated my sister to dinner for her birthday on Monday evening. Service was outstanding! Food was good. My sister liked the Italian beer that was offered. And, both my salmon dish and my sister's pasta dish were well prepared and flavorful. I wanted to have the lamb shank that was on the Fall menu. But, it all sold out. I will have to return to have the lamb. Atmosphere is pleasant and nice, yet casual. Very family style. The bread is yummy as is also the Pesto that goes with it. The only thing I would ask is that the music from the kitchen be turned down just a bit. Oh and next time, I will try the desserts, the descriptions on the menu sounded very enticing.
(5)
Orleana P.
I had to send my medium steak back because it was rare. But otherwise the meat was flavorful. The grilled corn asparagus veggie mix was amazing. They brewed fresh coffee for me so that was amazing. The service was excellent and attentive without being overbearing. The music is a little loud for my preference. And the kitchen can be a little distracting. But I really enjoy the food and the Panna Cotta is to die for!
(4)
Sandra S.
Quiet, clean and love their buttersquash pasta...never tried a sweet pasta super yum. Service was great
(5)
Joaquin R.
This place is bomb. Make your own pasta menu is on point. Try their Italian Sausage with Alfredo fettuccine. Nice setting, friendly service.
(4)
Linda M.
Just had the tri color pasta and spinach salad for lunch, I loved every bite. The service was fast and friendly. We were seated right away in a comfy little booth. This place is perfect for lunch or a dinner date.
(5)
C Y.
Our son took his Mom here for Mother's Day. The bread with dipping sauce is 5 stars as usual. However, the portions here are tiny. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. When the dish came out, I tried to cut the meatballs but was unable to do so because the meatballs were overcooked, dry, scorched in some areas black that tells me they have either cooks that don't care or don't look at the food they prepare or both which a bad combination. How can you mess up spaghetti and meatballs???? I have come here many times. Even the tomato caprese salad is tiny and costs $9 for tomatoes and fresh mozallela which is overpriced because it is to tiny. This Novato chain restaurant is way overated because of its foo foo Italian food reputation. I would never return here if it was me. You can get better spaghetti and meatballs at the hole in the wall place Italian Delite in town. If I want chain restaurant Italian food, I will go to Romano's Macaroni Grill which uppity Marin County does not have.
(1)
Marina S.
I love this place! The manager is very kind, the waiters give you unlimited, delicious bread...The food is tasty and the service is fast! I go here often and bring my friends and family. My favorite restaurant by far! After I have a few stick of bread in the tasty sauce, I have the capellini pomodoro and a side of spiniach. The pasta tastes great and the spinach is delish! The atmosphere is great and it is in a great location. I couldn't be happier with my experience here!
(5)
Stephanie W.
I like this location! The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is always good. I normally call in an order for one of the lunch specials, and it's ready within minutes. My go to is the Pesce Sano, and they don't mind if I make substitutions or change up the sauce. Skip the minestrone...it lacks flavor. The side salad is great! I've only been here during lunch and it is never crowded.
(4)
Colin B.
The bread isn't super awesome. BUT, the pasta is great, I've had multiple types and they've all been really great.
(4)
Chun P.
One of my most unforgettable memories of Venice: One morning I was sipping my Cafe Americano along the Grand Canal by the Rialto Bridge in Venice. I could see the dock workers unload 5 Liter cans of premade marinera sauce, giant jars of premade pesto, and giant bags of dried spaghetti from the boats, and then wheel them into nearby restaurants...FUCing hilarious!!! Anyways! I no longer live in Novato, but I try to stop by Pomodoro at least once whenever I'm visiting the parents...the food here is better, fresher, and cheaper, than most of the restaurants I ate at during my 2 week vacay in Italy. The $10-11 lunch combo specials are the best! The salads are always fresh, the foccacia tasty, and my chicken pasta was fabulous...Pomodoro has been consistently good for years! CHUN P TRAVEL TIP #87: Avoid all restaurants along the Grand Canal and near the Rialto Bridge...its premade crap, overpriced, exposed to more secondhand smoke(Fing Europeans!), and you're just paying for the view. CHUN P TRAVEL TIP #25: Whether Yelp or TripAdvisor, ignore all restaurant reviews by British tourists...they're so used to overpriced bland food in their home country that everything outside of "Merry Old England" seems amazing, delicious and cheap.
(5)
Diane C.
I ordered the sauteed brussel sprouts. I was served the grilled asparagas. I told the server that I had ordered the sprouts - and he said no, you ordered the asparagas. My fiance who was sitting next to me clearly heard me order the sprouts as he recalled thinking that I would have them all to myself since he HATES brussel sprouts. The server took the asparagas away and 20 minutes later, returned with an order of sauteed broccoli. When I told him that I ordered the brussel sprouts, he once again said that I ordered the broccoli. At this point, the dinner was over and I just kept the broccoli, which had too much burned garlic slivers in it. My fiance ordered a glass of wine and the glass was 1/3 filled for $7.00 house wine. He then asked for water, then asked once again, and ended up just drinking mine. Will not be going back. You would think this chain that's been around awhile would have its act together by now. Everything I mentioned here is fixable - it's not rocket science.
(2)
Tim S.
My order was wrong, and had to send it back. I saw the waitress trying to get cooperation from the cook staff who was rude with her. They made me wait 25 minutes for a new plate - longer than it took for the original order. The food was just ok, the service was pleasant, even good I would say except for the kitchen staff and management which is not visible and will not talk to you. Then they refused my coupon from their "club" saying I could not use it because I ordered a special - ok, that's fine. I asked them to just use it on the regularly priced meal of my dining companion. She looked confused, went to ask a manager, and came back and said they couldn't because I had a glass of wine. WHAT?!? They didn't know how to use the coupon without discounting the wine as well, so the answer is they don't take coupons if there is ANY alcohol on the bill at all. I would have to order a meal, without alcohol - and order the other meal and wine on ANOTHER BILL to use the coupon! Can you spell S T U P I D??? The management has NO IDEA what they are doing, and don't supervise the kitchen properly. I feel bad for the servers as they are paying the price. If you have a kitchen that doesn't care about customers, and willing to retaliate on customers - do you want to trust them to handle and cook your food? I tried to get some answers, but no one cares, and there is no corporate number or contact. This is the my third time, and I'm so done with them. Go ANYWHERE else. In-N-Out is close by! Good grief...
(1)
S A.
My family and I ate here last night, never ever again. We all ended up with food poisoning. The only common thing we ate was the bread and pesto sauce. About 90 minutes after eating I was in the bathroom with horrific stomach cramps and vomiting. This lasted over an hour. Then my 3 year old vomited a couple of time and then my wife. Never ever again. They are obviously not taking standard safety precautions in the kitchen.
(1)
Lisa T.
Very good!! Been here a few times and the dishes are always good. Staff is attentive and very nice. Will be returning .
(4)
Denise S.
I normally don't review but since I see a few bad ones id like to leave my good experience and review. We had prompt service and were seated quickly. We were brought delicious bread and pesto dip! Amazing! We ordered the Alfredo w. Shrimp which was also amazing! We received drink refills without having to ask and our waiter was excellent as well! I will definitely go back! Everything was pleasant and delicious
(5)
Sarah K.
I've been here a couple of times with my boyfriend and it's pretty good. His favorite is the gemelli and I love the ravioli di zucca. Also, their focaccia bread and pesto dipping sauce they serve as a complimentary starter is PERFECT. That's half the reason we go there!
(4)
Mitch M.
This place seems to have reworked their menu, removing what I used to order all the time, like the previous reviewer. Have to drop them from 3.5 to 3 stars. But the cute & friendly young ladies they have working there will still have me coming back, just not as often.
(3)
Joseph F.
Went here to try something new and it looked promising, however before we even ordered we walked out. The service was horrible and the attitude matched. Everyone who came in after us was getting drinks and asked if they wanted to order, before we were even acknowledged. We sat for 20 minutes waiting to order drinks. I will not be going back here.
(1)
Jeannie S.
It's hard to find good Gluten Free anything at a restaurant. We ate here last night and went there because I thought I could get the Gluten Free ravioli. I was looking forward to it all day long! I was very sad to find out when we ordered that the Gluten Free Ravioli with chicken and kale was not offered anymore! We went there just for that dish too! It was only offered last month no one told us last month or I would have bought a few more to freeze them. I had it last month 3x's. I loved it! PLEAS, PLEASE BRING IT BACK AS A REGULAR DISH!
(3)
Ashlie C.
I've been to Pasta Pomodoro maybe 2 other times and wasn't too impressed, but I got a birthday coupon in my email today and said hey, why not take advantage. Wow, this visit totally turned my opinion of this place around! We got excellent attentive service from multiple employees and the atmosphere was fun. Our waiter gave us his personal recommendations but my husband and I both went with the capellini tres colori with added shrimp. It was so delicious! The coupon was easy to use and our experience was so pleasant. I'm not giving 5 stars only because I think the menu prices are a little on the expensive side. However, the chef's seasonal tasting menu is a good deal, so we'll probably go back to try it.
(4)
Steve M.
Bitch decided it was ok to not bring back change. Wow get better at your job you idiot.
(1)
Martha V.
Food and service always great. Ambiance Waiters are very friendly. Suggest great choices. Very knowledgeable on menu
(5)
Joe P.
This place was packed when we showed up. our server, Mike S. gave us the option to sit at the bar which we totally didn't mind. He came back right away with bread and oil which was absolutely delicious! I could have eaten that only. I told him I'm lactose intolerant because theres not a single thing on the menu I could oreder without modifying. (more restaurants need to adapt to food alergies). He worked hard to make sure I got something delicious that I was not allergic to. He did fantastic food was excellent.
(5)
Loren W.
Well let's just say if this could be less than one star it would be also I'm writing for my friend who is not a tech savvy Internet person.the pasta was chewy and burnt but we could have dealt with that the problem was the server spilled olive oil all over suede light colored boots so after saying that they would clean them and then not being able to be cleaned they said they wouldn't pay to replace the boot unless she had her original receipt they didn't even offer a discount or offer to make another meal for us soon to yelp we went hopefully they will se this and the bad review after bad review that all of our many friends will be leaving everyday for as long as it takes to get resolution on this unlikely situation and let it be known I do not hold the server at fault accidents happen but the management handing of the situation is terrible please Don't wear new clothes here they might be in danger
(1)
Lynnette F.
This was my third visit to Pasta Pomodoro, and as much as I hate to say it, if not for our wonderful server; Megan, there would only be one and a half star. I ordered the lasagna tradizionale which according to our server, was baked the day before. The lasagna was lukewarm, lacked any flavor, there was NO meat at ALL, only spinach, mushrooms, and creamy white sauce, and a small part of the pasta was a gray color, the menu stated it was layered (as most lasagna is) with a bolognese sauce, with Italian sausage, organic spinach, thankfully, it was removed from our bill. My Mom ordered the Parmiagiana, and loved it. The chicken was crispy, hot, very tasty, however, her pasta was cold. Megan was great about bringing fresh, hot pasta to the table without taking the entire plate away. I also noticed that there was a bowl of uncovered parmesan cheese, sitting, uncovered near the hostess/cashier on the counter. This made me uncomfortable, as it didn't seem sanitary. Also, noticed other servers carrying bottles by the "mouth" and glasses near the rim. We both had the dolce cioccdato for desert, and if you're a chocolate lover, THIS is all you need to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Once again, Pasta Pomodoro would only have one star, if not for the GREAT service!! I highly recommend asking for Megan as your server, and since they bake the lasagna only once per week, be careful when you order it.
(3)
Jesse B.
The food here is bad but my son would give it 5 stars. The bread and pesto sauce is good. Slightly better than Olive Garden.
(3)
Christine B.
I came here after not coming for a long time. We were getting our car washed in the area and were hungry. The place was empty but the service was still poor. $43 for one coke, 1 kids pasta and two adult meatless specials. Honestly, the food sucked. I could not add enough salt to make my pasta taste like something. This was a joyless, tasteless meal. I dont care how many friggin Vespa posters they have on the walls-- this place is less authentico than Chef Boyardee.
(1)
Karly M.
I have been here several times thinking each time that I go that I am going to love my meal. I am a pasta lover but for some reason this place doesn't quite hit the spot for me. It is nice for a quick and easy meal. The food comes out reasonable fast and the service has always been lovely. As far as the actually food goes, I am not a big fan, however it is not horrible. I wouldn't say avoid it but it wouldn't be a place I would highly recommend.
(2)
Amelia E.
Went here with my boyfriend and 2 friends. Came in at 8:50, ordered and then realized they close at 9. I felt so bad so we got our food to go. We didn't feel comfortable. I work as a server and understand once it's near closing time all you think about is pre-closing. But when customers walk in that door, regardless of it being 5 minutes prior to closing, you take them and give them exceptional service. It could make their day and they could tip generously. The server, Traci, made a smart remark saying "oh, it's getting dark for you guys huh" and started smerking. Anyways, she made a mistake and charged my card for my bill and friends bill. So I had a $16.98, $5.56, and a $29.75 charge. She said it never got charged and won't show on my account. Checked this morning and it charged, I'm extremely frustrated with the half ass service. I will never dine in At this location again. MAKE SURE YOU DO TAKE OUT.
(1)
Edward L.
Used to like this chain restaurant but it has gone down hill. Needs some inspiration. Not a bad place if you need to take kids to a noisy place and don't want to worry about the neighboring tables complaining. A bit disappointing.
(2)
J F.
Yuck.
(2)
CodeLu C.
this restaurant used to be my "go to" spot for my family when we just couldn't decide what/where to eat. i've posted positive feedback in the past, a long, long time ago. the service was good and seating wasn't usually an issue. the food was generally served hot and in a timely manner. bread and pesto were typically brought to the table when the drink order was taken. last night, there were 4 other tables occupied, not busy at all. all of this...OUT THE WINDOW as of last night. our server's name began with an "I". we ordered drinks and received them shortly. however, 10 minutes later we were still waiting for the bread and pesto. we got someone's attention and finally it arrived with apologies. we waited 17 minutes and had to ask someone to get our server to order. at this point, frustrated and hungry, our food arrived. the soup never made it to us prior to our meal, as requested, and was deleted from our bill. the kids spaghetti in butter sauce wasn't correct, it was corkscrew. and if you have a 4 year old that likes spaghetti---this wasn't gonna cut it. we had to ask for the correct order for her and it arrived cold because it sat at the chef's counter too long, we are guessing. my cappellini was ordered with chicken, there was no chicken and it was also almost warm. my partner ordered a chiken pesto pizza. unfortunately, it wasn't thoroughly cooked and the cheese unmelted in places. we were asked if we wanted cheese for the pastas. yes, of course. to get to my daughter's plate, she reached across me and spilled a nice spoonful of parmesan on me :-) all kinds of balls dropped last night. this is no longer my "go to" restaurant. I would assign one star for the experience and call it a day. however, I have to take into account that we all have bad days and we think that was the case with our server. she was just not on top of task last night. and I feel for her for that. but is it fair to even show up to work when the job is providing cooked/hot food and according to what is ordered? i relied on the service mentioned in the first paragraph to enjoy a treat and not have to cook for the fam. this wasn't a treat.
(2)
Jiga M.
I must have been in reaction to La Toscana, and although this place is still waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than crappy La Toscana, it's really more of a 3-star place.
(3)
Chris R.
Personally I like Pasta Pomodoro, particularly the one in my neighborhood in SF, but this one by work has been pretty good as well, although I've only had take-out. I was hoping the to-go bread would be fresh as you get it when dining in, but just like home, it seems to most often be day-old (at least).
(4)
Bruce W.
A slightly better family restaurant than most, but not anything upscale. Food was good, service was slow (Tuesday night, they weren't all that busy either). Major thing that's good is the cost, very reasonable.
(3)
PG H.
I always enjoy coming here and ordering the Penne Potobello dish. I do miss the Garlic bread that they once served. I'm not too crazy about the Garlic rolls.
(4)
Scott N.
It's a chain restaurant. What can you really expect that is all that special. The food is decent, no complaints there. The service was alright. Don't sit near the front door on a cold day in this place, or you'll get the shiver about every 4 minutes. I will have to admit the dessert our group shared was delicious to top off our meal.
(3)
Veruka K.
I admit I'm not a huge fan of the chain restaurants, but Pomodoro is pretty good, overall. Ours in San Mateo is pretty good, and the one in Mill Valley is good too. Unfortunately the Novato location was a hot mess, at least service wise. We asked for a booth and had to wait a bit for them to clean one, but when we were seated, the 2 tables next to it had all those dirty plates on them, where they remained most of our meal. Just sort of weird and messy overall. Also by the front entrance near the hostess station were lots and lots of cardboard boxes and it just didn't look good, it wasn't like they were charming wooden wine crates or anything....Our server was ok, the service overall was on the slow side, strange considering we came after the lunch rush and the place wasn't packed. The 2 women on a nearby table were seated for what seemed like almost 10 minutes before their orders were taken. To be fair, the food was pretty good, my mom loved the bruschetta and my pasta mafaldine was good too. Took forever to get the check, too. Maybe we just came on a bad day, next time I'm in Novato and want an inexpensive dinner I'll stop by again and give it another try.....
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Hong S.
What happened to this place???? Came here @ around 3pm today and OMG what happened to this place? We were seated right away but the table, chairs and floor all had some kind of bread crumbs and dry up parmesan cheese. The menu was sticky and there was this lingering stench. At this point I should've left but no we're both hungry and thought lets just order real quick and get the hell out of there. The pesto which came with the bread was sour. I ordered the frittata di mare and he ordered bolognese. Both dishes had a very strong odor. Mine fishy and his smells like really bad veal. Service was bad too. Our service only took our order and never came back. We went to him for our check. Let's just say I won't be returning ever again,
(1)Umesh T.
Been here, and another branch in Emeryville a lot of times. They make pretty good Funghi Salsiccia pizzas. The pastas are good too! I especially like their healthy fish (with salmon) and healthy chicken pasta entrees both clocking under 650 calories. I also love the fact that they print the calories in every dish in the menu. Another facet I appreciate is their "right-sized" portions of the dishes --- they are neither supersized nor bite-sized and are good value for money. I keep going back for more.
(4)Prasanna B.
Brussel sprouts was the ONLY dish we finished. That should explain everything. We were seated to a far end near the toilet, and the food did not taste well either. No salt in most of the items My wife found meat pieces in vegetarian dish.
(2)Rita S.
LIKE AN OLD BOYFRIEND Pasta Po is like hooking up with an old boyfriend. It's comfortable, it's familiar, it's easy. It's all right. At least for a wee bit. Then you remember all the stuff that made it not so good. Pasta Po has basic, straight forward Italian at reasonable prices. They do make an effort to throw in some au-courant ingredients. But the golden oldies are available too (chicken parm, spag & meatballs, pizza, cheese ravioli). It's all good, until you start looking at the details. They still serve the overly dry gorgonzola cheese with their misto salad. The pasta is always a bit overly al dente. Parmesean cheese comes in a shaker, rather than freshly grated at the table. So when you're in the mood NOT to experiemnt, just go with what you know, then head over to Pasta Po.
(4)Ryan G.
Took my 2 year old and my fiancée out to dinner here the other night and was not impressed. Pros: Prices are alright. Lots of variety of pasta. Atmosphere is nice and it is nice and clean. Handy location near all the shopping. Waitress was friendly and helpful. Bread and appetizers are good. Cons: Food is lackluster and wasn't overly great. Had gnocchi and bolognese, which should both be hard to mess up. They were alright. Food took WAAAAY to long with as many people that were in the restaurant and by too long I mean too long. It was only half full in there and it got to the point where I almost walked out. We just ordered basic pasta. Overall: Would I go back there? Maybe. For take out, yes. With kids, never again.
(2)Anthony A.
So my wife and I given this place a try twice. The first time we went there my wife found a dead fly in her salad. Fast forward about 2 years later and figured lets give this place another shot. We sat down ordered drinks and asked for some bread, well the bread we received was covered and I mean covered in mold. We just paid for our drinks and left.
(1)Susie P.
My friend and I were looking for a fast little pasta feast to cater our craving, however, it was not what we expected. Just the two of us were sat in a corner and forgotten about. We waved down anybody who worked there to bring us bread and water which took a half hour and then waited even longer for just the bread and waters to come. By the time we actually put in our order other people around us that had come at the same time had already gotten their food. When we got our food, the tables around us were about finished and we were left both with two cold plates of pasta. Every employee we asked to help us seemed burdened by us and we couldn't wait to get out of there! We made a pact to never eat there ever again and so far we haven't!
(1)Barb C.
This is a great place to dine, and I've been there probably 50 times or more. The staff is attentive and very nice. The foccacio bread, free with the meal, is delicious. I also love the Salmon dishes, polenta, raviolis, salads, minestrone soup, etc. Many of the options are organic. I don't know what the complaints are about. It seems that a lot of Yelpers expect perfection when they dine out. Not every meal is going to be perfect. Not every waitress or waiter is going to be in a fantastic mood. Sometimes there may be a mistake on the bill. This is called human nature. I think that Yelpers should not be so quick to complain. . .unless, of course, they are always perfect at their jobs and never make a mistake and are always smiling happily when they are at work. For a reliably great meal that the kids will enjoy, as well as the adults, this is a terrific place to dine.
(5)Jason A.
Pasta P used to be one of our favorite local restaurants. This location was consistently good and service was always great. However, the last couple of times we've been have not really been up to scratch at all. The new menu is not as good as the old one and the food itself is somewhat "meh" now. It's a total bummer to see how much it has gone downhill. The new owners need to pay attention to the reviews on yelp trending downward. I was reading reviews for other bay area locations before posting this and they all seem to be saying the same thing - "not as good as it used to be".
(2)Alex E.
Been here four times...I've tried something new every time and its hella good! Service is great and it's my new favorite restaurant. Oh ya, the price for what you get... forget about it, it's a steal.
(5)Lydia B.
I love Pasta Pomodoro because you can go anytime of day and get great service. The manager is always there and she is just so sweet. I like that they are always updating their menu - incorporating new dishes into their already-existing menu keeps us returning patrons on our toes and new customers satisfied with the variety. I also like that the wait staff (including the manager) is always happy to receive feedback and to correct any mistakes pointed out. I love their new(ish) pizzas - good crust, perfectly sweet and salty sauce and fresh mozzarella. mm!
(4)Mandy K.
Liked the food (free focaccia, caesar side salad, spinach ravioli with pomodoro), LOVED the waitress (Amanda).
(3)Kalah A.
If your looking for an easy place to take the family for italian Pasta Pomodoro is def a good option. Prices are reasonable (although I wouldn't call the adult meals a bargain), the food is pretty good and the atmosphere is casual. The wait staff is super friendly. Last time I was there, I was accompanied by a nine year old and we were working on her math homework. Our waiter kept coming over and giving her fun tips and made the experience nice.
(4)Randy M.
Pasta was good. Everyone enjoyed there meal. Family atmosphere. Don't order the steak!!
(3)Emilia N.
Wow! I haven't been to Pasta Pom in a while. Today seemed a little off. Maybe it was because it was just right after the lunch rush that we came in? I wasn't really happy that it took 20 minutes for them to bring us out the bread. It seemed as if the staff was either short handed or just stressed. It looked as if there were only 2 chefs on staff today and working frantically to get all the orders out. Food was so-so today. I have to go on another day and NOT after lunch/brunch rush.
(4)Karen M.
I was in San Rafael for a gem show, and stopped in for some lunch. We both had salads, I had the spinach salad, and my buddy had the chicken salad. It was pretty good. Nice fresh ingrediants, and the bread and dipping sauce was good...good service too. I dont usually order salads, but this one was good with nice fresh spinach, bacon, pine nuts, tomoatoes, just the right amount of dressing. I enjoyed it...dont know if I would ever drive there just to eat, but if you are in the area, it is ok....
(3)Sara A.
My family and I went in on a saturdy night around 5pm and the place was not busy at all, maybe three other tables. We sit down and were greeted by this young boy, he seemed very rushed and in a hurry. After sitting there for a few mintues and watch the other staff that was on. We noticed this young boy was doing everything. He was cleaning off dirty tables, getting new tables water taking them their bread and food, he is running around everywhere, Whats funny is you have two bartenders,(two girls dressed in all white) standing around talking. the MANAGER a heavier set woman in this little side room with two other female servers and the where eating chips or cheetos, who knows but you saw them licking their finger. I am a big germ freak so i washed to see if the washed their hands NOPE. gross, so while all these ladies are gossiping and standing arounf stuffing their face this poor young boy is doing everything. Than by the end of our meal you see another female manager their and another server and still just hanging out in this room. maybe they should invest in some doors i dont care to see them stuff their faces. than you proced to watch them put silver ware straight from the rack you see in a dishwasher in to their fork, spoon holders etc. do they not buff them before they put them away? clearly not because their was food on my fork. Over all service was un real. If this was my resturant i wouldnt be happy. but cant expect anything less from a chain resturant.
(1)Kelli H.
I've been to this pasta pomodoro locations multiple times and for some reason, I'm always happy going here. I love their butternut squash raviloi's and their foccacia with the dipping sauce. I also enjoy their peach italian soda's. It's not like this is an amazing place but I'm a fan. It's a convenient location for when you're out shopping.
(4)Clarke J.
Lucky for them, I like several items on the menu. Unfortunately for them, greet staff, dishwashing staff were overwhelmed on May 5th. Although the food was okay, we stood for a good ten minutes waiting for our name to be added to the list, and the guy standing in line in front of us tartly informed the confused kid that he had been standing there for over 20 minutes. That customer left, and took his family with him, upset at the poorly managed greeting situation. The kid who finally did take our name did so ONLY after I yelled at him, in a raised voice, could he please "take our name so we could at least sit down to wait?" He was out of his league. When the dust settled, we actually got a table after only waiting 10 minutes, which was okay, although the dinky tables suck. No place to set anything! But, then it took over ten minutes to get our bread with the pesto dipping sauce, and we got the herb(y) bread, and not the sliced sour baguette we requested. We asked for more, after wolfing down what we did get. It wasn't until half-way through the meal before we got more bread, and it too was not the grilled sourdough we requested. My wife's Gamberi shrimp thing came very small, with much less sauce than before. Usually, this came in a sizzling hot skillet. On this occurrence, a smaller portion in a soup bowl or something. My Ravioli de Magro, a wonderful dish with spinach and gorgonzola, was, however, wonderful as always, and the reason I came. Our water came in plastic drinking glasses, as the standard water glasses, were, I assume backed up at the dishwashing station, along with the cast iron skillet for the Gamberi. To be fair, our waiter was apologetic for the lapses in service, did his job, and we tipped him accordingly, as he did the best be could with the cards he was dealt. However, the manager needs to get on top of these staffing concerns, starting at the front desk, and moving to the dishwasher, who was clearly swamped. We saw customers leave, and that's money out the door; most likely to NOT return. So: good food, with a staff struggling to meet demand. Needs some hands-on management, in a supportive way, not some kitchen-hell yelling, either.
(2)Mike G.
Love/Hate relationship. Good portion sizes, the Panini's are awesome. Price is decent. But, a coworker found a worm in his salad once. So I didn't come here for a year. Came back recently and have been quite vigilant on my food.
(2)D. Miguel G.
I dream about the Gemelli Pasta with smoked and grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and cream sauce! I wish their bread would stay consistent but I still love Pasta Pomodoro. I've enjoyed brunch at this particular location as well. Although I don't know if they still serve it on Sundays.
(4)Maria S.
Delicious soup and salad, but the wait time for service was dissappointing.
(3)Jon C.
We were visiting our old stomping grounds and looked forward to an Italian experience. There were 5 of us adults and 1 child. The Coke they served tasted terrible. It wasn't a lack of syrup, it tasted watered down or something. We enjoyed the bread and pesto dip and really looked forward to the actual meal. Well, after we ordered is when the night went downhill. Our waitress seemed to vanish. It seriously took at least 30 minutes for us to finally get our food. The food tasted fine, but then when it came time to get the check, our waitress vanished again. It took another 25 minutes after we were clearly finished for her to navigate through the empty dining room to our table to ask if we wanted refills. Heck no, we want out of here, our butts are sore. She returned with the check and my wife and I were on one check, and the rest of the party was on another check. They automatically charged 18% gratuity since there were 6 of us. Are they kidding? The service was not even close to 18% quality. I am normally a 20% tipper, but that made me mad. Next time, we'll order from separate tables and then move to one table. Frustrating.
(2)Phuong H.
They always serve warm bread (unlike some other Pasta Pomodoro locations). The Cozze (mussels and clams) and the Frutti de Mare are delicious. I'm a big seafood person and their seafood is fresh. Although it's a chain restaurant, this one has been the best one that I've been to. The people there are really friendly and they greet you right away. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants for seafood pasta.
(5)Susan H.
We always choose places that are packed with cars, and this one was. A 5-10 minute wait. Noisy place with tables so close together you can eavesdrop without trying. The food was okay. It filled the void.
(3)Tina D.
So my dad flippin LOVES this place, so I am forced to eat there a lot more than I ever would. So every time I go I try to find something that doesn't suck and isn't pasta. The foccacia and pesto type dipping sauce they give you is good, but if you're there for lunch and actually need to talk to people the rest of the day, I would suggest not eating it due to the garlic factor. Recently I had this new dish that was a bunch of veggies with a tomato sauce on it, it was OK. The chicken salad is alright too. There's just something missing from that place.
(2)Reena P.
I was gonna feel really bad if I gave them less than a 3 because I had the BEST WAITER ALIVE when I went to this specific Pasta Pomodoro. The sweetest gentleman who was super proper, called the bf "Signor" and me "Signora" even though we aren't married, and provided good quality service. I just wish the food was better. We had lunch on a warm Saturday and sat outside (where there are heating lamps if needed). I had a Mimosa and the bf had a Prohibition. The Mimosa was great - fresh squeezed orange juice with tons of pulp... just how I like it. I ordered the Spinach Ravioli with Pomodoro sauce and the bf got the Special which was some kind of linguine with chicken and mushrooms. With the lunch express menu you get soup or salad to start - we are smart so we each got one or the other. Typical Caesar salad, nothing to rave about. The soup was OK. When lunch came out though, the food was kind of a letdown. The serving size is plenty for lunch but the food is just not all that tasty. The raviolis were hardly stuffed and the sauce was bland and tomato-y. No kick, no zing... just tomatoes. I felt like my meal was meant for a 5 year old picky eater. The linguine wasn't much better. Before even polishing half the plate, we were done with our food and called it a day. Definitely left our homeboy a nice tip for such great service but probably won't stumble upon this Pasta Pomodoro again.
(3)stan v.
My wife and I ate at Pasta Pomodoro at Vintage Oaks in Novato tonight. We had not eaten here before and were pleasantly pleased when we walked in the door to an air conditioned, nicely decorated restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and sat at a comfortable booth. As I read the menu I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice, contemporary menu with a good selection of organic and California food products. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan. When my plate was delivered I was very impressed with the way the plate looked. The Chicken looked very appetizing and the Pasta Looked great also, I could not wait to dig in. I took a bite of the of the Pasta first, it was somewhat dry and tasteless, I was very disappointed, but I still had a nice piece of Chicken in front of me, so I took a bite of the chicken, I was even more disappointed. The pasta had soaked all of the sauce up and the was dry, it also had no flavor. The chicken breast was cut thin and dried out, there was very little sauce on the chicken. The breading that was on the chicken feel of completely every time I cut the chicken to take a bite. This tasted like commercially produced food, with no depth of flavor, actually, no flavor at all. I left 80% of the food on my plate. The word that comes to mind about the food is "pedestrian" boring, flavorless food that wa not worth the price you pay for it. I will not go back.
(1)Jhoe G.
How about some Spaghetti? Real Italians go here. No? My bad. The food is good..rich and creamy tortellini. The wine was a not so good. The staff is really nice though and I could eat a lot more of that bread and pesto olive oil balsamic thingy.
(3)Joe p.
Good place for kids if you get the banquette. We like it because it was fast (2 year old attention span is limited), it was loud enough that our daughter's cries were not bothering the diners next to us. Food good and solid, but far from anything noteworthy. Servers were really nice and friendly.
(3)Marcus H.
My wife and I were out shopping in the area and rather spontaneously decided to stop in at the Pasta Pomodoro for some lunch. What a mistake. We were told by a distracted hostess to choose a table, which we did (far away from the tables of shouting children). We sat there for a good 10 to 15 minutes as no fewer than 3 servers walked past us with not so much as a hello, an "I'll be right with you," or a glass of water. As we sat there trying to make eye-contact with a server, the table next to us had their order taken as well as another table close by. We waited....and waited...then finally walked out. No one seemed to notice or care. The place was not even 1/3 full and there seemed to be at least 4 waiters, plus the hostess, so there was really no excuse. We won't be going back.
(1)johnny p.
I've been here only once but as a chain store, there is little difference between locations. Uninspired pasta dishes with low quality items. Unfortunately, Pasta Pomodoro simply does not use quality food items, resulting in acidic tomato sauces and bland flavors.
(2)Tanya P.
Solid location for the formula chain. Very friendly and efficient staff and the prep is always consistent. Ask about the seasonal specials. They are always surprisingly pleasant. They especially cater to the little guys.
(4)Marc W.
Most of the time when we went to Pasta Pomodoro it was a pleasant dining experience. NOT so tonight. We used a special coupon for buy one, get one free. Trouble is the waiter didn't explain to us the terms of the coupon until after our orders came. I ordered a large dish instead I received a small dish. Then when the bill came the free entree was not deducted from the bill. When the bill was sent back for a rewrite, the waiter didn't give us our credit card back until we asked for it. The card was sitting in his shirt pocket. We won't be coming back here for a while :(
(1)Matt D.
Nice Italian American chain style place. There is nothing I can say bad about this place... Nice setting, good food, and reasonable prices... They try to provide interesting specials, etc. Overall a decent place for some pastas ( I like the Gemelli with smoked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes), simple yet tasty salads (Mista w. Gorgonzola) and they have good brussel sprouts which can be kind of tough to find a place that does good sprouts. All in all, an above average chain, that you can get surprisingly decent food which is easy on the budget.
(4)allison s.
Pretty good for a chain. Service was a little lack. But I love a good chopped salad and their's is decent. Not the best but pretty good. It was chopped romaine, chicken, bacon, asiago, olives, and probaly something else i am forgetting in Caesar dressing. The only downfall is I request chopped red onions (to make it complete) and the server returned w/ a pile of slimy cold pre grilled red onions on my salad... she said they only had grilled. I am just wondering if they order special grilled onions or like most restaurants receive fresh onions and then grill? Bread was good, fresh and had a nice pesto olive oil dipping sauce. Happy Dining!
(3)Mafia J.
3 stars is about right for this place. This was my first visit ever to Pasta Pomodoro and I didn't hate it but yet wasn't in love with it either. Since I'm a super picky eater I settled on one of the thin crust pizza's (salami) which reminded me a lot of other pizza's that I've gotten at "pasta/italian" places. One minor thing is that the pizza didn't come out too hot, it tasted like it was actually sitting in the back for a few minutes. But besides that it was good, bread was also good too. Brings up my next reason for my 3 star review, while the waitress was nice she didn't really check too much on us as far as bread and drink refills go. I'm the kind to get my money's worth with places so I was bummed out that I never got a 2nd order of bread or a refill on my soda. She was super quick to bring that check when we were all done eating though lol. All in all I would go back if that was my only choice but I honestly wouldn't make it my first choice in the shopping area it's located in.
(3)Stephen W.
Not a bad chain Italian place. For the price, probably even decent. Unfortunately my first experience here was not so great. Had spaghetti & meatballs (whatever they called it), and it was overly spicy and not so flavorful. I think it has some potential though. If there were one near me in San Diego, I'd certainly give it another shot.
(2)Brittany S.
The food here is always good - nice sauces, perfectly cooked meats and shrimp, and reasonably priced. So what's my problem with this place? The Novato location has consistently employed the worst wait staff in town. Our waiters have never earned even a 15% tip from me here, and I usually go 20%. The last time I went in, our waitress literally removed a plate of food I was eating right out from under my fork, without so much as asking if I was done. The management of this restaurant has done a terrible job training these kids (and they are mostly teenagers) in proper restaurant service. Order to go, then you get the good food without the lousy staff.
(2)Gloria H.
I have always been a fan of Pasta Pomodoro, not because it is the best Italian restaurant, but because they have always had fresh, distinctive ingredients at a very reasonable price. They usually surpass some Italian restaurants which charges much more. My favorite has always been the pasta cappellini. I can remember when the price for that was $4.95. Anyway, time has changed that. I was thrilled when Pasta Pomodora first opened in Novato. We usually dined at the one in San Francisco Laurel Village, or San Rafael. I noticed that even though this is a chain, the quality and preparation of the food is a bit different. I am sorry to say that the one in Novato has not been as consistent as with the other locations. It's not the recipe, but rather the cooks. Once my husband had a fettucini which was all clumped together like a ball. Another time my cappellini was soupy. When they used to serve puttanesca, it was very good, but I had it once or twice at the Novato restaurant and it was way too spicy. This evening I had minestrone soup and it was way too thick because it was over cooked. It should have not been served. There has to be standards especially for a chain. People trust chains to be consistent. It had been sitting too long and got thick in the pot. I am giving it 3 stars because it is not always done right. Other Pasta Pomodoro locations may get 4 stars because they have held their own for the most part. The servers are always nice and pleasant. They get 4-5 stars in my book. I don't mean to get down on the Novato Pasta Pomodoro, but I do believe there needs to be more quality control when it comes to the cooking. Perhaps paying attention to how it should be prepared or just watching it and not serving anything that no longer looks or taste appetizing. It looks as if the prices has steadily climbed and the quality has declined.
(3)Erik U.
I love this place, but lately it's taken a small turn for the worse. They used to have great bread, but what I can only call an "effort to cut costs", they started selling pizzas and replaced their bread with pizza dough. Fair enough I guess. The menu has a good selection and they have a pretty good lemonade. Lunch specials are just the right size and the prices are very competitive. The manager has always been very helpful whenever we had issues with the food, taken and giving suggestions to us to help out next visit. This came up when we noticed the soup tasted different, they had added the basil salsa to the soup and he recommended we ask the wait staff to omit it next time. Problem solved. I've been here at least ten times and only had one order mix up (received a lemonade instead of limonata). It's not a super upscale place but it's great for lunch or a reasonable dinner.
(4)Crystal C.
Last Saturday, hubs and I had dinner here on a whim while we were driving through town after a day at the beach. We haven't been to this location before and the last time we ate at a Pasta Pomodoro was over fifteen years ago in another town. So we weren't sure what to expect. FOOD: They provide unlimited rosemary focciaca (sp?) breadsticks and pesto dipping sauce. Hubs usually hates pesto, but loved this sauce as did I. The bread was delicious. We ordered a small garden salad~$5 that was plenty for two to share. The ingredients were fresh and delicious, the dressing was dressy. I ordered the spaghetti and meat sauce $11. It was good and the serving size was plentiful. SERVICE: Our server, Chris, was great. A true professional. He answered our questions about the various menu items and checked in on us but was not obtrusive. He took great care of us. RESTROOM: The women's restroom I think is a single room. I don't exactly know because each time I tried to use it , it was occupied or had a line most of the night. It was pretty inconvenient. Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience.
(4)Dave H.
Thanks for the food poisoning last night. Time for you to throw out all your old meat and sterilize the kitchen.
(1)Kat T.
I will still go here because I enjoy the food but I'm very disappointed in this locations and PP in general. First, I don't like that they changed their menu names to English. It was so fun and unique to have them in Italian. That's my complaint about the corporation. This location has one of the worst manager/supervisors ever. Michelle, the GM (if she is still there) is amazing! The other young lady is horrible. I have written 3 yelp reviews about my experiences with her. None of them have been good. She is it friendly at all. Honestly I don't know how she still has a job there. She has been there for years and it seems like it doesn't get any better. If anything she just gets worse. Example, I went to pick up food tonight. The girl was sweet and about to ring up my card when the supervisor came up and made her stop because she needed change. WHAT?!?! As a previous restaurant manager myself, I would have NEVER done that. Finish with the guest in front if you first. She didn't even say anything to me. The hostess did but not the supervisor. There is some serious training that needs to happen with this one if she is going to be kept around. Like I said, I enjoy the food, but from now on I'm only going there for to go orders.
(3)Jonathan F.
Treated my sister to dinner for her birthday on Monday evening. Service was outstanding! Food was good. My sister liked the Italian beer that was offered. And, both my salmon dish and my sister's pasta dish were well prepared and flavorful. I wanted to have the lamb shank that was on the Fall menu. But, it all sold out. I will have to return to have the lamb. Atmosphere is pleasant and nice, yet casual. Very family style. The bread is yummy as is also the Pesto that goes with it. The only thing I would ask is that the music from the kitchen be turned down just a bit. Oh and next time, I will try the desserts, the descriptions on the menu sounded very enticing.
(5)Orleana P.
I had to send my medium steak back because it was rare. But otherwise the meat was flavorful. The grilled corn asparagus veggie mix was amazing. They brewed fresh coffee for me so that was amazing. The service was excellent and attentive without being overbearing. The music is a little loud for my preference. And the kitchen can be a little distracting. But I really enjoy the food and the Panna Cotta is to die for!
(4)Sandra S.
Quiet, clean and love their buttersquash pasta...never tried a sweet pasta super yum. Service was great
(5)Joaquin R.
This place is bomb. Make your own pasta menu is on point. Try their Italian Sausage with Alfredo fettuccine. Nice setting, friendly service.
(4)Linda M.
Just had the tri color pasta and spinach salad for lunch, I loved every bite. The service was fast and friendly. We were seated right away in a comfy little booth. This place is perfect for lunch or a dinner date.
(5)C Y.
Our son took his Mom here for Mother's Day. The bread with dipping sauce is 5 stars as usual. However, the portions here are tiny. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. When the dish came out, I tried to cut the meatballs but was unable to do so because the meatballs were overcooked, dry, scorched in some areas black that tells me they have either cooks that don't care or don't look at the food they prepare or both which a bad combination. How can you mess up spaghetti and meatballs???? I have come here many times. Even the tomato caprese salad is tiny and costs $9 for tomatoes and fresh mozallela which is overpriced because it is to tiny. This Novato chain restaurant is way overated because of its foo foo Italian food reputation. I would never return here if it was me. You can get better spaghetti and meatballs at the hole in the wall place Italian Delite in town. If I want chain restaurant Italian food, I will go to Romano's Macaroni Grill which uppity Marin County does not have.
(1)Marina S.
I love this place! The manager is very kind, the waiters give you unlimited, delicious bread...The food is tasty and the service is fast! I go here often and bring my friends and family. My favorite restaurant by far! After I have a few stick of bread in the tasty sauce, I have the capellini pomodoro and a side of spiniach. The pasta tastes great and the spinach is delish! The atmosphere is great and it is in a great location. I couldn't be happier with my experience here!
(5)Stephanie W.
I like this location! The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is always good. I normally call in an order for one of the lunch specials, and it's ready within minutes. My go to is the Pesce Sano, and they don't mind if I make substitutions or change up the sauce. Skip the minestrone...it lacks flavor. The side salad is great! I've only been here during lunch and it is never crowded.
(4)Colin B.
The bread isn't super awesome. BUT, the pasta is great, I've had multiple types and they've all been really great.
(4)Chun P.
One of my most unforgettable memories of Venice: One morning I was sipping my Cafe Americano along the Grand Canal by the Rialto Bridge in Venice. I could see the dock workers unload 5 Liter cans of premade marinera sauce, giant jars of premade pesto, and giant bags of dried spaghetti from the boats, and then wheel them into nearby restaurants...FUCing hilarious!!! Anyways! I no longer live in Novato, but I try to stop by Pomodoro at least once whenever I'm visiting the parents...the food here is better, fresher, and cheaper, than most of the restaurants I ate at during my 2 week vacay in Italy. The $10-11 lunch combo specials are the best! The salads are always fresh, the foccacia tasty, and my chicken pasta was fabulous...Pomodoro has been consistently good for years! CHUN P TRAVEL TIP #87: Avoid all restaurants along the Grand Canal and near the Rialto Bridge...its premade crap, overpriced, exposed to more secondhand smoke(Fing Europeans!), and you're just paying for the view. CHUN P TRAVEL TIP #25: Whether Yelp or TripAdvisor, ignore all restaurant reviews by British tourists...they're so used to overpriced bland food in their home country that everything outside of "Merry Old England" seems amazing, delicious and cheap.
(5)Diane C.
I ordered the sauteed brussel sprouts. I was served the grilled asparagas. I told the server that I had ordered the sprouts - and he said no, you ordered the asparagas. My fiance who was sitting next to me clearly heard me order the sprouts as he recalled thinking that I would have them all to myself since he HATES brussel sprouts. The server took the asparagas away and 20 minutes later, returned with an order of sauteed broccoli. When I told him that I ordered the brussel sprouts, he once again said that I ordered the broccoli. At this point, the dinner was over and I just kept the broccoli, which had too much burned garlic slivers in it. My fiance ordered a glass of wine and the glass was 1/3 filled for $7.00 house wine. He then asked for water, then asked once again, and ended up just drinking mine. Will not be going back. You would think this chain that's been around awhile would have its act together by now. Everything I mentioned here is fixable - it's not rocket science.
(2)Tim S.
My order was wrong, and had to send it back. I saw the waitress trying to get cooperation from the cook staff who was rude with her. They made me wait 25 minutes for a new plate - longer than it took for the original order. The food was just ok, the service was pleasant, even good I would say except for the kitchen staff and management which is not visible and will not talk to you. Then they refused my coupon from their "club" saying I could not use it because I ordered a special - ok, that's fine. I asked them to just use it on the regularly priced meal of my dining companion. She looked confused, went to ask a manager, and came back and said they couldn't because I had a glass of wine. WHAT?!? They didn't know how to use the coupon without discounting the wine as well, so the answer is they don't take coupons if there is ANY alcohol on the bill at all. I would have to order a meal, without alcohol - and order the other meal and wine on ANOTHER BILL to use the coupon! Can you spell S T U P I D??? The management has NO IDEA what they are doing, and don't supervise the kitchen properly. I feel bad for the servers as they are paying the price. If you have a kitchen that doesn't care about customers, and willing to retaliate on customers - do you want to trust them to handle and cook your food? I tried to get some answers, but no one cares, and there is no corporate number or contact. This is the my third time, and I'm so done with them. Go ANYWHERE else. In-N-Out is close by! Good grief...
(1)S A.
My family and I ate here last night, never ever again. We all ended up with food poisoning. The only common thing we ate was the bread and pesto sauce. About 90 minutes after eating I was in the bathroom with horrific stomach cramps and vomiting. This lasted over an hour. Then my 3 year old vomited a couple of time and then my wife. Never ever again. They are obviously not taking standard safety precautions in the kitchen.
(1)Lisa T.
Very good!! Been here a few times and the dishes are always good. Staff is attentive and very nice. Will be returning .
(4)Denise S.
I normally don't review but since I see a few bad ones id like to leave my good experience and review. We had prompt service and were seated quickly. We were brought delicious bread and pesto dip! Amazing! We ordered the Alfredo w. Shrimp which was also amazing! We received drink refills without having to ask and our waiter was excellent as well! I will definitely go back! Everything was pleasant and delicious
(5)Sarah K.
I've been here a couple of times with my boyfriend and it's pretty good. His favorite is the gemelli and I love the ravioli di zucca. Also, their focaccia bread and pesto dipping sauce they serve as a complimentary starter is PERFECT. That's half the reason we go there!
(4)Mitch M.
This place seems to have reworked their menu, removing what I used to order all the time, like the previous reviewer. Have to drop them from 3.5 to 3 stars. But the cute & friendly young ladies they have working there will still have me coming back, just not as often.
(3)Joseph F.
Went here to try something new and it looked promising, however before we even ordered we walked out. The service was horrible and the attitude matched. Everyone who came in after us was getting drinks and asked if they wanted to order, before we were even acknowledged. We sat for 20 minutes waiting to order drinks. I will not be going back here.
(1)Jeannie S.
It's hard to find good Gluten Free anything at a restaurant. We ate here last night and went there because I thought I could get the Gluten Free ravioli. I was looking forward to it all day long! I was very sad to find out when we ordered that the Gluten Free Ravioli with chicken and kale was not offered anymore! We went there just for that dish too! It was only offered last month no one told us last month or I would have bought a few more to freeze them. I had it last month 3x's. I loved it! PLEAS, PLEASE BRING IT BACK AS A REGULAR DISH!
(3)Ashlie C.
I've been to Pasta Pomodoro maybe 2 other times and wasn't too impressed, but I got a birthday coupon in my email today and said hey, why not take advantage. Wow, this visit totally turned my opinion of this place around! We got excellent attentive service from multiple employees and the atmosphere was fun. Our waiter gave us his personal recommendations but my husband and I both went with the capellini tres colori with added shrimp. It was so delicious! The coupon was easy to use and our experience was so pleasant. I'm not giving 5 stars only because I think the menu prices are a little on the expensive side. However, the chef's seasonal tasting menu is a good deal, so we'll probably go back to try it.
(4)Steve M.
Bitch decided it was ok to not bring back change. Wow get better at your job you idiot.
(1)Martha V.
Food and service always great. Ambiance Waiters are very friendly. Suggest great choices. Very knowledgeable on menu
(5)Joe P.
This place was packed when we showed up. our server, Mike S. gave us the option to sit at the bar which we totally didn't mind. He came back right away with bread and oil which was absolutely delicious! I could have eaten that only. I told him I'm lactose intolerant because theres not a single thing on the menu I could oreder without modifying. (more restaurants need to adapt to food alergies). He worked hard to make sure I got something delicious that I was not allergic to. He did fantastic food was excellent.
(5)Loren W.
Well let's just say if this could be less than one star it would be also I'm writing for my friend who is not a tech savvy Internet person.the pasta was chewy and burnt but we could have dealt with that the problem was the server spilled olive oil all over suede light colored boots so after saying that they would clean them and then not being able to be cleaned they said they wouldn't pay to replace the boot unless she had her original receipt they didn't even offer a discount or offer to make another meal for us soon to yelp we went hopefully they will se this and the bad review after bad review that all of our many friends will be leaving everyday for as long as it takes to get resolution on this unlikely situation and let it be known I do not hold the server at fault accidents happen but the management handing of the situation is terrible please Don't wear new clothes here they might be in danger
(1)Lynnette F.
This was my third visit to Pasta Pomodoro, and as much as I hate to say it, if not for our wonderful server; Megan, there would only be one and a half star. I ordered the lasagna tradizionale which according to our server, was baked the day before. The lasagna was lukewarm, lacked any flavor, there was NO meat at ALL, only spinach, mushrooms, and creamy white sauce, and a small part of the pasta was a gray color, the menu stated it was layered (as most lasagna is) with a bolognese sauce, with Italian sausage, organic spinach, thankfully, it was removed from our bill. My Mom ordered the Parmiagiana, and loved it. The chicken was crispy, hot, very tasty, however, her pasta was cold. Megan was great about bringing fresh, hot pasta to the table without taking the entire plate away. I also noticed that there was a bowl of uncovered parmesan cheese, sitting, uncovered near the hostess/cashier on the counter. This made me uncomfortable, as it didn't seem sanitary. Also, noticed other servers carrying bottles by the "mouth" and glasses near the rim. We both had the dolce cioccdato for desert, and if you're a chocolate lover, THIS is all you need to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Once again, Pasta Pomodoro would only have one star, if not for the GREAT service!! I highly recommend asking for Megan as your server, and since they bake the lasagna only once per week, be careful when you order it.
(3)Jesse B.
The food here is bad but my son would give it 5 stars. The bread and pesto sauce is good. Slightly better than Olive Garden.
(3)Christine B.
I came here after not coming for a long time. We were getting our car washed in the area and were hungry. The place was empty but the service was still poor. $43 for one coke, 1 kids pasta and two adult meatless specials. Honestly, the food sucked. I could not add enough salt to make my pasta taste like something. This was a joyless, tasteless meal. I dont care how many friggin Vespa posters they have on the walls-- this place is less authentico than Chef Boyardee.
(1)Karly M.
I have been here several times thinking each time that I go that I am going to love my meal. I am a pasta lover but for some reason this place doesn't quite hit the spot for me. It is nice for a quick and easy meal. The food comes out reasonable fast and the service has always been lovely. As far as the actually food goes, I am not a big fan, however it is not horrible. I wouldn't say avoid it but it wouldn't be a place I would highly recommend.
(2)Amelia E.
Went here with my boyfriend and 2 friends. Came in at 8:50, ordered and then realized they close at 9. I felt so bad so we got our food to go. We didn't feel comfortable. I work as a server and understand once it's near closing time all you think about is pre-closing. But when customers walk in that door, regardless of it being 5 minutes prior to closing, you take them and give them exceptional service. It could make their day and they could tip generously. The server, Traci, made a smart remark saying "oh, it's getting dark for you guys huh" and started smerking. Anyways, she made a mistake and charged my card for my bill and friends bill. So I had a $16.98, $5.56, and a $29.75 charge. She said it never got charged and won't show on my account. Checked this morning and it charged, I'm extremely frustrated with the half ass service. I will never dine in At this location again. MAKE SURE YOU DO TAKE OUT.
(1)Edward L.
Used to like this chain restaurant but it has gone down hill. Needs some inspiration. Not a bad place if you need to take kids to a noisy place and don't want to worry about the neighboring tables complaining. A bit disappointing.
(2)J F.
Yuck.
(2)CodeLu C.
this restaurant used to be my "go to" spot for my family when we just couldn't decide what/where to eat. i've posted positive feedback in the past, a long, long time ago. the service was good and seating wasn't usually an issue. the food was generally served hot and in a timely manner. bread and pesto were typically brought to the table when the drink order was taken. last night, there were 4 other tables occupied, not busy at all. all of this...OUT THE WINDOW as of last night. our server's name began with an "I". we ordered drinks and received them shortly. however, 10 minutes later we were still waiting for the bread and pesto. we got someone's attention and finally it arrived with apologies. we waited 17 minutes and had to ask someone to get our server to order. at this point, frustrated and hungry, our food arrived. the soup never made it to us prior to our meal, as requested, and was deleted from our bill. the kids spaghetti in butter sauce wasn't correct, it was corkscrew. and if you have a 4 year old that likes spaghetti---this wasn't gonna cut it. we had to ask for the correct order for her and it arrived cold because it sat at the chef's counter too long, we are guessing. my cappellini was ordered with chicken, there was no chicken and it was also almost warm. my partner ordered a chiken pesto pizza. unfortunately, it wasn't thoroughly cooked and the cheese unmelted in places. we were asked if we wanted cheese for the pastas. yes, of course. to get to my daughter's plate, she reached across me and spilled a nice spoonful of parmesan on me :-) all kinds of balls dropped last night. this is no longer my "go to" restaurant. I would assign one star for the experience and call it a day. however, I have to take into account that we all have bad days and we think that was the case with our server. she was just not on top of task last night. and I feel for her for that. but is it fair to even show up to work when the job is providing cooked/hot food and according to what is ordered? i relied on the service mentioned in the first paragraph to enjoy a treat and not have to cook for the fam. this wasn't a treat.
(2)Jiga M.
I must have been in reaction to La Toscana, and although this place is still waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than crappy La Toscana, it's really more of a 3-star place.
(3)Chris R.
Personally I like Pasta Pomodoro, particularly the one in my neighborhood in SF, but this one by work has been pretty good as well, although I've only had take-out. I was hoping the to-go bread would be fresh as you get it when dining in, but just like home, it seems to most often be day-old (at least).
(4)Bruce W.
A slightly better family restaurant than most, but not anything upscale. Food was good, service was slow (Tuesday night, they weren't all that busy either). Major thing that's good is the cost, very reasonable.
(3)PG H.
I always enjoy coming here and ordering the Penne Potobello dish. I do miss the Garlic bread that they once served. I'm not too crazy about the Garlic rolls.
(4)Scott N.
It's a chain restaurant. What can you really expect that is all that special. The food is decent, no complaints there. The service was alright. Don't sit near the front door on a cold day in this place, or you'll get the shiver about every 4 minutes. I will have to admit the dessert our group shared was delicious to top off our meal.
(3)Veruka K.
I admit I'm not a huge fan of the chain restaurants, but Pomodoro is pretty good, overall. Ours in San Mateo is pretty good, and the one in Mill Valley is good too. Unfortunately the Novato location was a hot mess, at least service wise. We asked for a booth and had to wait a bit for them to clean one, but when we were seated, the 2 tables next to it had all those dirty plates on them, where they remained most of our meal. Just sort of weird and messy overall. Also by the front entrance near the hostess station were lots and lots of cardboard boxes and it just didn't look good, it wasn't like they were charming wooden wine crates or anything....Our server was ok, the service overall was on the slow side, strange considering we came after the lunch rush and the place wasn't packed. The 2 women on a nearby table were seated for what seemed like almost 10 minutes before their orders were taken. To be fair, the food was pretty good, my mom loved the bruschetta and my pasta mafaldine was good too. Took forever to get the check, too. Maybe we just came on a bad day, next time I'm in Novato and want an inexpensive dinner I'll stop by again and give it another try.....
(2)