We went for happy hour on Sunday. The service was excellent. My wife had the calamari and linguini an meat ball. I had the personal pizza. The food was good and reasonable. There was a singer as well. We had a good time.
(4)
Carmen S.
Paolo's is one of my favorite places to eat & be entertained at the same time. The staff is friendly, the owners, Paolo & Annie, check to make sure everything is ok or answer any questions about the menu, & I've never had a meal here I didnt love. Its wonderful to see people out on the dance floor & everyone having a good time. Try one of Paolo's cooking classes or another event night. They have them often.
(5)
John M.
This place is the crypt keepers paradise. Ok the good well they pour you huge glass of cheap wine. Well the bad its the quality of the food. They use very poor quality ground beef it was full of hard gristle and lacks a lot of flavor. Also the owner smokes cigs in the kitchen and you can smell it as soon as you walk in this God's waiting room
(1)
Mary A.
The food is very good but the atmosphere and the personality of the owner is what makes it so very special and worthy of five stars. Paolo makes everyone feel so welcome. The entertainment is great. We plan to become regulars at this great neighborhood place.
(5)
Tyler D.
Expensive place with food that doesn't match the price... I took my girlfriend here for a nice dinner and we ended up waiting two hours for a dinner we had to send back... The bottle of wine we ordered was the best part of the meal
(1)
Mary K.
Found this on Yelp and took a party of 4 for dinner the night before a cruise. Had a Sinatra style singer as entertainment. The garlic bread is as great as everyone says. It's addicting. The Gorgonzola dressing on the salad is garlicky and good. Tasty Chianti too. All 4 of us loved dinner. Hubs had clams and mussels. I had stuffed shrimp. Both came with linguine. Terrific food!
(5)
Angel G.
Great Food, Cozy Ambiance with Classy, Live Entertainment. Food shows too! Now who else does that?! Oh, and I love that Paolo, Annie & Staff remember me by name too! They really back their restaurant name too meaning "the more the merrier!"
(5)
catherine o.
Yuk! Tasteless, pedestrian menu items. Half the words on their so-called "Italian" menus spelled wrong. That's your first clue. Keep driving. They're as bad as the Olive Garden !!!!
(1)
Andy C.
It's good. Solid food. Nice service. Really fun singer that croons. They keep an old building looking as good as they can. I have never seen it super busy, so could be a good last minute choice. They have a big outdoor porch that can be good for a group.
(3)
Tomas B.
Have eaten there many times so I'll just give you the highlights as I've never had a bad meal. Nothing special from the outside but inside its right out of Goodfellas. Nice little cozy place with live music 5 nights a week during season and weekends off season. Old decor but real charming and homey. Paolo the owner and his wife are great hosts and the staff never leaves you hanging. Complimentary Garlic bread is always great and House Salad with special Creamy Gargonzola dressing is the way to go as it accompanies all entrees. Things not to miss ANYTHING FRANCAISE especially the de-shelled Jumbo Shrimp or if he has fresh lobster tails huge $42.00 two big tails deshelled battered drenched in delicious francaise sauce. Home made garlic potatoes & Vegetables accompany all entries. All pastas are excellent but Chicken, Veal and the aforementioned are the ticket. Stay away from the Chops and steaks not why you go here. Appetizers Stuffed crabmeat mushrooms get some Fra Diablo sauce on the side for dipping. Paolo is always there with a complimentary after dinner drink. Outside seating on the patio for you smokers with a tv link to the live music inside. Wine list is lacking and a pit pricey for this place one dowfall Great place great service always a pleasure.
(4)
Ilona K.
Maybe I was there on an "off" night, but I wasn't impressed at all with the food. Yes, the interior was straight out of Goodfellas, and our server played the part (maybe a little too much). I'd rather "fugget about it".
(2)
Mari S.
My boyfriend and I love this place! We went for the cooking show one night and the place was packed, luckily we made reservations. Paolo and Annie were very entertaining. It's a neat place and the food is great.
(5)
Marianne S.
Another fantastic meal at Paolo's! My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last night and it was definitely a night to remember. The decor at Paolo's is excellent, the music really was fantastic. We sat at the table with Marilyn (the picture above). It's nice to go out to a restaurant and have the owners greet you at your table. It make the experience very special. The service was tip-top and the drinks were perfect! Dining out is about the entire experience. Seriously good food and great service!
(5)
paul w.
I have been here a few times before when visiting the area and decided to take the family there for their Thanksgiving dinner. I reserved a table several days beforehand but when we arrived, we were told they had no record of our reservation. The hostess told us she would seat us but we only had 2 hours to eat. How rude is that? We ordered the Thanksgiving special ($19.95) and were served a plate of lukewarm turkey gristle. The service was very slow as well. Evidently unless you are a regular, the owner Paulo, ignores you when he makes his rounds through the dining room. The only redeeming feature was the singer singing 1940s era songs which some of my party enjoyed. However it did not make up for the poor service and lousy food...we will not be returning... There are far better and less expensive Italian restaurants in the area.
(2)
Maya G.
Charming is the best word to describe this place. We were driving by actually heading to a different italian restaurant and saw this place, so decided to go here instead. The service is incredibly friendly, more so than I have ever seen in South Florida. The owner came up to us a few times to make sure everything was ok. As far as the food, the garlic bread is delicious and fresh, and veal prosciutto was also quite good. The crowd is def. much older, but we still really enjoyed it.
(5)
Ann D.
i live in ft. lauderdale and of course my friends like to go to las olas or so. beach....but i finally talked them into going to a little place i had been bragging about for years. now you know how us "youngins" are. i told them the average age is between 40 and 65....they didn't like the idea too much but agreed to go. we were a group of 10 celebrating our birthdays. paolo made us feel like we were the most important people there!! the food was awesome! the music fantastic! they played whatever we asked so we could dance, and we actually spent the entire evening there, instead of going to so. beach like we had planned!! if you have not been there yet...you must try it!!
(5)
Natalia D.
This restaurant had a bit of charm when walking in. The decor felt like you walked into an old gangster flick. Reminded me of when I was a young kid going to dinner with my folks to some fancy italian restaurant (in a bad/good sort of way). Our waiter, was friendly...a little too friendly at times. Almost gave a creepy-vibe, but entertaining. He told us the specials and we were intrigued by the stuffed and ordered it. I wanted to try their bolognese as well, so I got a small side dish. A red flag started with the salads. It was drenched in what they called a "Gorgonzola dressing." It tasted like mayo with blue cheese crumbles and the greens were pretty terrible. The main dish arrived, which honestly looked really delicious....until we ut into the lobster. It was raw and the crab stuffing was cold. Not appealing and flavorless. We HATE to send food back, but honestly it was not edible. At which point, I had lost my appetite. The bolognese was mediocre, at best. Our waiter was incredibly apologetic for the lobster mishap, and offered us two complimentary after dinner drinks. Bottom line, if you want a trip down memory lane, I suggest another path.
So impressed with this place that we ate here two nights in a row. excellent food! try the Chicken Francese and any pasta dish! Family owned and you can taste it
(5)
Jen Z.
We came here for date night last week. It was absolutely fantastic. The food was excellent! It's definitely a family owned business centered on the idea of "Welcome to the family!" The live music was so much fun and added to the evening. The only negative thing I would say is that the wait staff seemed a little overwhelmed with the 3 large parties that came in....it just took us a while to grab refreshed drinks and our bill...It wasn't terrible having to wait because we had the live music to enjoy! We will definitely be back for the mango coladas and the never-ending garlic bread!
(5)
Lars X.
Great experience. Excellent food and the garlic bread is too die for. Outside is very well hiding what excellent ambiance one can experience inside-straight out of 'Godfather'. Menu is simple, but so good. Definitely the most authentic Italian restaurant in South Florida.
(5)
David L.
Went to a birthday party here last night. What a blast. Service was great. There was a great live singer Andre Michael. Love the atmosphere and decorations. Food was good. We're going back next Tuesday when Paolo has a cooking class.
(4)
doug a.
fianlly went to this place after hearing many nice things. i have passed by it many time but decided to stop in. food was great and paolo's wife was there and was very friendly. friendly staff + great food = 5 stars
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No 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 Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : 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.
Bill R.
We went for happy hour on Sunday. The service was excellent. My wife had the calamari and linguini an meat ball. I had the personal pizza. The food was good and reasonable. There was a singer as well. We had a good time.
(4)Carmen S.
Paolo's is one of my favorite places to eat & be entertained at the same time. The staff is friendly, the owners, Paolo & Annie, check to make sure everything is ok or answer any questions about the menu, & I've never had a meal here I didnt love. Its wonderful to see people out on the dance floor & everyone having a good time. Try one of Paolo's cooking classes or another event night. They have them often.
(5)John M.
This place is the crypt keepers paradise. Ok the good well they pour you huge glass of cheap wine. Well the bad its the quality of the food. They use very poor quality ground beef it was full of hard gristle and lacks a lot of flavor. Also the owner smokes cigs in the kitchen and you can smell it as soon as you walk in this God's waiting room
(1)Mary A.
The food is very good but the atmosphere and the personality of the owner is what makes it so very special and worthy of five stars. Paolo makes everyone feel so welcome. The entertainment is great. We plan to become regulars at this great neighborhood place.
(5)Tyler D.
Expensive place with food that doesn't match the price... I took my girlfriend here for a nice dinner and we ended up waiting two hours for a dinner we had to send back... The bottle of wine we ordered was the best part of the meal
(1)Mary K.
Found this on Yelp and took a party of 4 for dinner the night before a cruise. Had a Sinatra style singer as entertainment. The garlic bread is as great as everyone says. It's addicting. The Gorgonzola dressing on the salad is garlicky and good. Tasty Chianti too. All 4 of us loved dinner. Hubs had clams and mussels. I had stuffed shrimp. Both came with linguine. Terrific food!
(5)Angel G.
Great Food, Cozy Ambiance with Classy, Live Entertainment. Food shows too! Now who else does that?! Oh, and I love that Paolo, Annie & Staff remember me by name too! They really back their restaurant name too meaning "the more the merrier!"
(5)catherine o.
Yuk! Tasteless, pedestrian menu items. Half the words on their so-called "Italian" menus spelled wrong. That's your first clue. Keep driving. They're as bad as the Olive Garden !!!!
(1)Andy C.
It's good. Solid food. Nice service. Really fun singer that croons. They keep an old building looking as good as they can. I have never seen it super busy, so could be a good last minute choice. They have a big outdoor porch that can be good for a group.
(3)Tomas B.
Have eaten there many times so I'll just give you the highlights as I've never had a bad meal. Nothing special from the outside but inside its right out of Goodfellas. Nice little cozy place with live music 5 nights a week during season and weekends off season. Old decor but real charming and homey. Paolo the owner and his wife are great hosts and the staff never leaves you hanging. Complimentary Garlic bread is always great and House Salad with special Creamy Gargonzola dressing is the way to go as it accompanies all entrees. Things not to miss ANYTHING FRANCAISE especially the de-shelled Jumbo Shrimp or if he has fresh lobster tails huge $42.00 two big tails deshelled battered drenched in delicious francaise sauce. Home made garlic potatoes & Vegetables accompany all entries. All pastas are excellent but Chicken, Veal and the aforementioned are the ticket. Stay away from the Chops and steaks not why you go here. Appetizers Stuffed crabmeat mushrooms get some Fra Diablo sauce on the side for dipping. Paolo is always there with a complimentary after dinner drink. Outside seating on the patio for you smokers with a tv link to the live music inside. Wine list is lacking and a pit pricey for this place one dowfall Great place great service always a pleasure.
(4)Ilona K.
Maybe I was there on an "off" night, but I wasn't impressed at all with the food. Yes, the interior was straight out of Goodfellas, and our server played the part (maybe a little too much). I'd rather "fugget about it".
(2)Mari S.
My boyfriend and I love this place! We went for the cooking show one night and the place was packed, luckily we made reservations. Paolo and Annie were very entertaining. It's a neat place and the food is great.
(5)Marianne S.
Another fantastic meal at Paolo's! My husband and I celebrated our anniversary last night and it was definitely a night to remember. The decor at Paolo's is excellent, the music really was fantastic. We sat at the table with Marilyn (the picture above). It's nice to go out to a restaurant and have the owners greet you at your table. It make the experience very special. The service was tip-top and the drinks were perfect! Dining out is about the entire experience. Seriously good food and great service!
(5)paul w.
I have been here a few times before when visiting the area and decided to take the family there for their Thanksgiving dinner. I reserved a table several days beforehand but when we arrived, we were told they had no record of our reservation. The hostess told us she would seat us but we only had 2 hours to eat. How rude is that? We ordered the Thanksgiving special ($19.95) and were served a plate of lukewarm turkey gristle. The service was very slow as well. Evidently unless you are a regular, the owner Paulo, ignores you when he makes his rounds through the dining room. The only redeeming feature was the singer singing 1940s era songs which some of my party enjoyed. However it did not make up for the poor service and lousy food...we will not be returning... There are far better and less expensive Italian restaurants in the area.
(2)Maya G.
Charming is the best word to describe this place. We were driving by actually heading to a different italian restaurant and saw this place, so decided to go here instead. The service is incredibly friendly, more so than I have ever seen in South Florida. The owner came up to us a few times to make sure everything was ok. As far as the food, the garlic bread is delicious and fresh, and veal prosciutto was also quite good. The crowd is def. much older, but we still really enjoyed it.
(5)Ann D.
i live in ft. lauderdale and of course my friends like to go to las olas or so. beach....but i finally talked them into going to a little place i had been bragging about for years. now you know how us "youngins" are. i told them the average age is between 40 and 65....they didn't like the idea too much but agreed to go. we were a group of 10 celebrating our birthdays. paolo made us feel like we were the most important people there!! the food was awesome! the music fantastic! they played whatever we asked so we could dance, and we actually spent the entire evening there, instead of going to so. beach like we had planned!! if you have not been there yet...you must try it!!
(5)Natalia D.
This restaurant had a bit of charm when walking in. The decor felt like you walked into an old gangster flick. Reminded me of when I was a young kid going to dinner with my folks to some fancy italian restaurant (in a bad/good sort of way). Our waiter, was friendly...a little too friendly at times. Almost gave a creepy-vibe, but entertaining. He told us the specials and we were intrigued by the stuffed and ordered it. I wanted to try their bolognese as well, so I got a small side dish. A red flag started with the salads. It was drenched in what they called a "Gorgonzola dressing." It tasted like mayo with blue cheese crumbles and the greens were pretty terrible. The main dish arrived, which honestly looked really delicious....until we ut into the lobster. It was raw and the crab stuffing was cold. Not appealing and flavorless. We HATE to send food back, but honestly it was not edible. At which point, I had lost my appetite. The bolognese was mediocre, at best. Our waiter was incredibly apologetic for the lobster mishap, and offered us two complimentary after dinner drinks. Bottom line, if you want a trip down memory lane, I suggest another path.
(1)Michael K.
This place is a throw back with Live music (one man band) singing on Friday nights. Authentic Italian food made with liquor and homemade sauce. I ordered the Surf and Turf. The steak was cooked perfectly. (medium rare) the way I like it and the lobster was cooked perfectly. At only $39.99 it's a great deal and a huge serving. My girl had the Fruti Di Mare: Lobster Pasta with shrimp, mussels, calamari sautéed with Grand Marnier and Cabernet wine. She was right... It had an amazing flavor!
(5)Ira G.
So impressed with this place that we ate here two nights in a row. excellent food! try the Chicken Francese and any pasta dish! Family owned and you can taste it
(5)Jen Z.
We came here for date night last week. It was absolutely fantastic. The food was excellent! It's definitely a family owned business centered on the idea of "Welcome to the family!" The live music was so much fun and added to the evening. The only negative thing I would say is that the wait staff seemed a little overwhelmed with the 3 large parties that came in....it just took us a while to grab refreshed drinks and our bill...It wasn't terrible having to wait because we had the live music to enjoy! We will definitely be back for the mango coladas and the never-ending garlic bread!
(5)Lars X.
Great experience. Excellent food and the garlic bread is too die for. Outside is very well hiding what excellent ambiance one can experience inside-straight out of 'Godfather'. Menu is simple, but so good. Definitely the most authentic Italian restaurant in South Florida.
(5)David L.
Went to a birthday party here last night. What a blast. Service was great. There was a great live singer Andre Michael. Love the atmosphere and decorations. Food was good. We're going back next Tuesday when Paolo has a cooking class.
(4)doug a.
fianlly went to this place after hearing many nice things. i have passed by it many time but decided to stop in. food was great and paolo's wife was there and was very friendly. friendly staff + great food = 5 stars
(5)