My wife and I dined at Joseph Tambellini this past Saturday. Being from Cleveland I get the impression this is a Pittsburgh institution. The food was great and the service was excellent. They have a very traditional menu. My wife ordered the ravioli and I had the filet. Both were prepared exactly to our request. The chicken corn chowder soup was almost a meal in itself. This is a very romantic restaurant as witnessed by the proposal that took place five minutes before we were seated. We may still hate the Steelers, but we will always have a soft spot for Joseph Tambellini.
(5)
Priya M.
Very good food with great service!
(5)
Kelly C.
Came here with my family for my graduation dinner after seeing great reviews for the place. The food was great and the service was great as well. The ambience is also nice and very interesting- when you see the place from the outside, you'd have no idea that this restaurant was inside the building. I can't remember exactly what we all got but we shared an appetizer or two, and ordered entrees ranging from seafood to meat dishes. All the food was very good and worth the price. Mr. Tambellini even stopped by our table to make sure everything was going well. Definitely a great experience!
(5)
Ryan F.
We just moved to Highland Park from Seattle and this is reason enough to live in Highland Park. We absolutely loved the food. We went at an earlier time with our son who is 2 and the staff was incredibly courteous and very nice. We got an appetizer (which is unnecessary given the volume of food coming out in subsequent courses standard with your meal) which was good but it did not compare to the pasta course. The salad and the soup was very good and our meals were incredible. I had veal and my wife had chicken both of which were some of the best we have ever had. We are from Chicago and lived in Little Italy for 4 years during which time we ate a lot of Italian and this place rivals all of our favorites from back home. To top the meal off we had desserts which were great, the butterscotch poundcake was way more food than we should have ordered but it was gone in seconds! It wasn't cheap but given the amount of food that comes with your meal Tambellini a great deal in our opinion; especially when you compare it to other restaurants of similar quality that typically charge just as much for an Ala Carte meal. We look forward to eating here for years to come!
(5)
Barbara K.
Excellent Service, food was good, but not authentic Italian if that is what you are looking for, expensive.
(4)
Teresa P.
My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Joseph Tambellini and it far exceeded our expectations. The food was delicious from appetizers to dessert and was priced fairly. The ambience is charming and the wait staff professional. The steak I had was outstanding, perfectly done and better than Capital Grill, Mortons and Ruth Chris rolled into one. We have already made our reservations for New Years Eve and hope to be back before then. This was the best meal we have eaten in Pittsburgh in a LOOOONG time. Thank you Joseph Tambellini! Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Tim C.
I love Osso Buco. it would probably be one of the entree's in my last feast on earth feasting week (ok its hard to decide). This is the best place in the country for Osso Buco. Most places you get two medalions from the shank, and pork osso buco is like turkey bacon, an evil plot to destroy the hearts, minds and happiness of the American people. But I digress. At Tambellinis they give you the whole leg. It is more than any one person should ever eat in one sitting and every time I have been here I order it and eat the whole thing. I hear their pasta is great. I hear they even have other stuff. I wouldn't know and I don't think I have missed out.
(5)
John S.
A perfectly quaint Italian restaurant that invokes nostalgia of how restaurants used to be run. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere memorable. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
John P.
I went here last night with some friends and we had a fantastic experience from start to finish! The food was outstanding and the service was extremely good as well. We had a few meatballs for appetizers, which were awesome. The soup and salad was great. I got a pasta dish called mafalda Giancarlo which was awesome and my friends got veal Marsala and chicken parm.... I stole of of my friends chicken parm and it was the best I have ever had... We split a tiramisu for desert and it was incredible..... Also, the service was exceptional. Our waiter was very helpful and polite and went above and beyond to make us feel at home. We can't wait to go back!
(5)
John B.
Food was good but not worth the price. Front porch view is of a parking lot. Inside is quite nice. Waitress was very frustrated and seemed stretched too thin to provide service. Overall if you're looking for nice italian this isn't a poor choice but there are certainly better places in the city.
(3)
Nichole S.
I ate here with my daughter for our last meal together before leaving her in the Pittsburgh area for her ballet summer intensive! While the food was good it was pretty overpriced for pasta. Also the service was over-solicitous and at the end of our meal our waiter basically chased me down saying we hadn't paid, yet his co-worker processed my card. Rude. We won't be making a return trip.
(3)
Tim R.
Although the food tasted great for the most part, the portion size was certainly not worth the money and the attitude of the waiter and manager left a very bitter taste. I ordered the lamb chop special and got 3 very small lamb chops that were 90% fat. There was only a couple bites of descent meat. To make things worse the side dishes of risotto and asparagus were also only a couple bites as well. The dish cost $47!!!! A total ripoff for the tiny amount of food. Bringing it to the waiter and managers attention did no good at all. After reading this review, the owner contacted me and was very helpful in attempting to correct my bad experience.
(3)
Beeficus M.
My second time here was last night since I relocated to the Steel City from The Big Apple. In NYC, Italian is my second culture having many many Italian friends since childhood. That said, I'm super picky about my Italian having graced places like my very very favorite, Il Bagatto (read my Yelp on this place), Lil Charlie's (RIP), my second favorite, Il Mulino, Trattoria L'incontro in Astoria, Lenny's in Howard Beach, Nello's on the UES and even Rao's which I've had the pleasure of eating at twice. With Tambellini, this is by far the BEST italian in Pittsburgh. I was impressed with the food. The fresh pasta is a hit the sauces and dressings are like they were straight from Grandma Upstairs (my Italian "grandmother" may her soul rest in peace) kitchen, I haven't eaten meat in 8 years but I might just have relapse over some Tambellini meatballs. While the decor is a bit old school, I don't mind. I just long for a room full of fun and interesting people, which Pittsburgh is sorely lacking. I miss eating and chatting up my neighbors and then sharing a Grappa or Limoncello with them. Maybe its because I have a huge personality with an AWESOME beard but the people in PGH are boring, although I did see a young dude in there with a 5 panel cap and a hip brand crew neck on. We need more of that swag in the Burgh. The chef is a great guy, he and his wife make sure to greet each customer and chat them up. I like that, but sometimes it feels forced and I really wish I knew them more because they seem like really nice people but when they start with the small talk it pains me because we can't really delve into any conversation of substance. Maybe one day but until then, let's table the convo and let me get at the food!!
(4)
Kiley W.
The food was delicious, the staff was very nice, and it was a WONDERFUL atmosphere!
I went here for me and my twins bday dinner with my family. We reserved the top floor which is called "the lodge." It was awesome! We had out own floor, bathroom and stero to play music! The staff was awesome and they had to climb three flights to bring us out food! We all had a great time and it was so private. The food was amazing also so much quality!!!! It is definitely expensive here but well worth a splurge! We ordered a lot of appetizers and shared them all. I also got the Seafood Melissa and it was awesome. I had such a great experience here and hope to return!
(5)
Melanie F.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park for helping me have the perfect birthday last Friday. I would describe it as comfortable upscale. We reserved the 3rd floor which they call The Lodge. There were just ten of us ladies but it could have seated double. It was private and cozy. Our server was Erin (not sure of spelling). She was friendly, timely and patient. As I said it was on the 3rd floor so up and down she went. We had zucchini, meatballs, salad, pasta, filet, crab cakes. Everything was delicious, fresh and authentic. No Olive Garden here. No sir. This is the real thing. Price is worth it. You'll see why when you get there. Just get there.
(4)
Adam L.
One of pittsburgh's finest restaurants.Fantastic, flavorful Italian cuisine with great and I mean great service. My girlfriend and I went their for valentines day. Menu was great, she had the jumbo shrimp scampi. Jumbo is right extremely large shrimp with fresh crabmeat and a decadent butter sauce. I had a breaded pork tenderloin topped with crispy prosciutto, eggplant, cheese mushrooms and probably a bunch of other stuff. Anyway it was a great take on a classic dish and portion was well worth the price. Tambellini is one of pittsburgh's finest chefs and to add to it he's always around his restaurant greeting his guests, it's a great feeling. Great for any occasion, we will absolutely be back!
(5)
Kyle T.
I went here with a party of people to celebrate a special occasion and we were quite pleased with the experience of eating here and the food overall. That staff were all friendly, attentive, and eager to assist us, be it with coat checking or picking out our main courses. It is an interesting experience to eat on the inside of what looks and feels like a house, however this lends itself to an overall homey feel while you dine. The waiter here said they had the best meatball in Pittsburgh and he might be right, it was certainly one of the best and largest meatballs I had ever had. The seafood pasta I had served with homemade trenne was excellent as well, and the rest of my party were definitely pleased with their dishes. Overall it was a very pleasant experience accompanied with excellent food and my only critique is that I wish it was cheaper so I could eat here more often.
(5)
Brad G.
This place is amazing. Why...QUALITY! Great staff owners and food can't be beat. Joey and missy are the best most kind people you'll meet in the restaurant industry. The crab cakes are the best in Pgh. Meatballs melt in your mouth. Love it!
(5)
Mike F.
The stuffed banana peppers are the best in town. The fried zucchini is fresh and a delight. The meals can be too much since the pasta is a full course and not a side. Never fear. We alternate between ordering the pasta as an entree and getting a full entree and taking most of the pasta home. Either way way are happy and full. The veal chop might be the best entree in town and the seafood melissa is a wonderful and lighter dish. The sleeper of the menu is the escarole and white bean w sausage appetizer. I know I recommended three appetizers but if you can find a way to include this one you won't be sorry.
(5)
Jackie B.
My boyfriend and I recently discovered the restaurants of Bryant Street via The Smiling Banana Leaf, and have been looking for an excuse to try out Joseph Tambellini's ever since we saw the quaint, homey-looking facade. We'd heard that Tambellini's serves up some seriously amazing Italian fare, so we jumped at the chance to take the bf's Italian food-loving parents here on their most recent visit to the 'Burgh. We decided to invite my parents along too and make it a big family get-together. Our last family dinner had taken place at another popular Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, Alla Famiglia, so I was curious to see how the two would compare. In my opinion, Joseph Tambellini's was far superior to Alla Famiglia. Each entree comes with a soup or house salad, as well as a bowl of homemade pasta. I had low expectations for my house salad, but was pleasantly surprised to receive a vibrant and delicious salad dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette. I'm not normally a big fan of pasta, but I cleaned my bowl of home-made pasta, served in a light tomato basil cream sauce. The portions were just the right size, satisfying but still left me with an appetite for my entree. I completely loved my eggplant parmesan. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and wasn't too heavy on the marinara or cheese. I split this dish with my mother, who ordered the Seafood Melissa: a lightly breaded piece of white fish, served with scallops and crab-meat stuffed shrimp. Although I did not really care for the scallops, I enjoyed the other components of the dish. My boyfriend ordered the broiled lobster tails, and declared that they were the best lobster tails he'd ever had. Even though we were all satisfied at this point, we couldn't pass up on dessert. Our party went with the tiramisu, creme brulee, and pecan ball. The tiramisu was AMAZING. I could have selfishly inhaled the whole piece myself, but managed to pass it along for everyone else to try. All in all, this was a fabulous meal. If you're looking for timeless, traditional Italian food done right, this is your place.
(5)
Faith A.
Fabulous experience! We had our work holiday party on the 3rd floor in the "Lodge"... and I have to say every single little thing about planning this dinner, and the dinner itself was an A+++++++++++++++++++ experience! As a former drug/med rep, I have dealt with a lot of places over the years for dinner programs, and there always seemed to be one snafu or another with events... a lot of times because the venue staff was not being attentive, or because the event coordinator was not able to follow through with what they are supposed to do. I dealt with Joseph in the month prior to the event, and he was a pleasure to deal with! Everything was handled quickly, easily and they were more than accommodating. Everything was amazing from the appetizers, to the salad, to the entrees (which consisted of Seafood Melissa, King Salmon, Pork Chop Paillard, Chicken Parm, NY Strip, and Veal Parm), the desserts were amazing and the wine was great! The service was also spectacular. Portions were large so you are definitely getting a lot for your money. The environment is classy, yet casual and I think whether dressed up or down, you would feel comfortable here. The Opentable.com info says "Smart Casual" so as long as you were appropriately dressed, you would be comfortable at least. I would prefer to wear jeans so being able to wear them here is a plus for me! If you have not tried this great place, you need to! We will definitely be back for our holiday party next year!
(5)
Jeremy K.
Fresh Made Italian As the title states, it is what it is. Great authentic Italian cuisine! We were out this evening exploring a new restaurant (we picked it from yelp), for our favorite smiling face, Tiffany (she got old today). Since our Princess, Tiffany, always wants to eat Italian and always eats Bucca De Peppo, or whatever it is called. This Jedi is not down with the Bucca's & Olive Gardens of the world... this Jedi needs something fresh...not out of a bag. I Started with upgrading the salad to a Caesar Salad...it's an Italian Joint you have to bang on a Caesar. And like I thought, a great homemade Caesar, with crisp romaine lettuce. The perfect amount of anchovy, superb! I'm not big on eating pasta out..heavy+filling= sleepy. But Joseph's makes their or his own pasta...I'm in. I went with the Tenne Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab. Mouthwatering... is what I have to say. The Shrimp huge and cooked perfect, the jumbo lump sweet and it is well balanced with a fresh stewed tomato basil cream sauce. The "Tenne" had me confused...for I have never heard of this pasta...it was triangle, penne to Tenne...very clever Joseph. The wifey went with the Veal Picatta... I'm not a big lemon caper butter sauce kinda guy... but his was definitely fresh as fresh could be, and the wife enjoyed. Tiffany went with the Chicken Picatta to mirror the veal, and she equally enjoined hers. Ritter went with a meatball dish with a small, very long, lasagna noodle... very different. Also very fresh. Now the delight of the night... Creme Burlee ... I LOVE CREME BURLEE. This was one of the best I have ever had. 2nd to only Emeril's himself. Touche Mr. Tamablini, you have opened a great restuarant. I will highly recommend and tell others to dine at your establishment. JEDI RECOMMENDED --- The fact that Tambelli's (Joseph's) is located in a old Pittsburgh Home....makes it well.......homey...
(5)
Jason B.
Joe is top notch, often you will find him come and check on you. Never ever not have a great meal there!
(4)
Lisa W.
Food is excellent and service is wonderful. They go above and beyond to make you happy!
(5)
Brock S.
It's worth the trip. The service was top notch (Adam) and the food was good too. We started with the crab balls app and they were good. The chicken padrona soup was excellent. My fiancee had the chicken Romano and it was the best I've ever had. I had Alfredo it was good, but had a uncommon twang to it and wouldn't order it again. I will likely go back to try another chicken dish!
(4)
Carey M.
I must confess that I didn't go to Joseph Tambellini's for a long time despite it's very high Yelp rating because its website is so strange. There are photographs of each item on the menu, which made me think of it as some kind of Denny'sesque Italian restaurant. And the clientele, which is generally composed of dressed up grandparents. But itching for something new, a group of my friends and I tried it last night. It is a traditional upscale Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere, excellent service, a solid bar and wine list, but unadventurous entrees. It's the Pamela's of upscale Pittsburgh restaurants. Each entree comes with a salad, which is good, and a somewhat bland tomato cream sauce pasta dish. My NY strip steak and a friend's pork chop were excellent, but friends who ordered the fish courses were not impressed. Rat pack era music plays in the background. The food will probably pleasing to most traditional Pittsburghers (particularly those who expect to eat a lot of food or are over 55 years old), but it is not particularly creative or exciting. If you do go there, order a steak and try to sub in one of the more unusual pastas (or take a look at the photos of all the entrees online before you go).
(3)
Aaron F.
For a restaurant with $$$$ I expected more snobbery and high brow treatment, but I felt like I was visiting a friend who treated me like family. I am not sure how anyone could walk away feeling anything less than awesome after dining here.
(5)
Andrew D.
Everything about this place is fantastic! Comfortable elegant environment that is still family centric, excellent food and outstanding service. The service was wonderfully attentive. The chef comes out and introduces himself frequently to patrons. They will even do special orders for you if you have a request, the couple next to us were able to split an entree and have an item prepared not on the menu without any problem. You just don't see service and personalized approach to food like this anymore, especially at nicer restaurants. The food was excellent from start to finish with a garlic sundried tomato olive oil served with the bread. I had their Caesar salad and my partner had the house salad - both were fantastic and were meals in their own right. The Caesar was lightly dressed with full flavor. The meals came with a pasta tasting course which was with a tomato basil light cream sauce, which we could not get enough of... It's a nice touch to have a separate pasta course, which really makes the experience. The chicken Romano is wonderfully prepared with a light coating and robust Romano cheese flavor. One of the specials was a black cod served with Israeli cous cous, which was similarly fantastic. The cod was so flavorful and fresh and melted on the palate. Last was the dessert - a New York style cheesecake with beery sauce. It was fantastic and the best cheesecake we've ever had, including those in New York. We will surely be coming back soon and often.
(5)
Kimberly R.
You really feel like grandma is in the kitchen cooking! The food tastes fresh and flavorful. The portions are generous and are priced well. The wait staff is excellent! They also have a great wine selection and the sommelier is very helpful.
(5)
Susan D.
Rick brought me here for my Valentine's Night dinner on Saturday, February 18. Yes, four days later. Unfortunately I had to be out of town, San Antonio to be exact for two weeks and that included Valentine's Day. But O did he promise me a really nice dinner when I returned! Their menu promises "Warm romantic fine dining in the true Tambellini family tradition." and they are not kidding. We began our dinner with some antipasta--sauteed calamari. Hey, I'm 50% Italian and my guy is 100%. We both love a great calamari and I'd been craving it since San Antonio. This was the sort of calamari that just slowly melts in your mouth as you eat it, it was that succulent. For my insalate I went for the mozzarella salad-- fresh mozzarella, tomato, oasted peppers and mixed greens. Heavenly! One thing that sets Joseph Tambellini apart from some of the others is that they make their own pasta by hand here. And believe me, it shows folks. Their Mafalda Caprese was like none I've ever had before. The grilled chicken was just right, the tomatos fresh, and the garlic not overpowering. Rick went for the veal chop which just smelled divine! This thing was a 16-oz'er and he ended up bringing some of it home. Ah, but what is an Italian dinner without Dolce? They've got a butterscotch poundcake with vanilla bean ice cream, and candied pecans with butterscotch sauce. Oh how tempting that looked, but just a bit much. Rick and I split a wonderful cannoli though, which topped off that dinner perfectly. The atmosphere and service here are just impeccable. Joseph Tambellini has three floors, each with a different decor. Rick got us a table on the first floor, which has a much more traditional setting--just the way I like it. So my Valentine's Day was a little delayed. But with that dinner, it was s-o-o-o worth the wait. And the night was still young too.
(5)
Nico D.
While Tambellini's atmosphere is wonderful, homey and cozy, the food is NOT great- or even that good. My family booked this place for dinner on my graduation weekend. We were seated on the 3rd floor. Beautiful home, nice owners, and nice servers. However, does one dine for the atmosphere or food? I guess it's a combination and that's why I gave Tambellini's 2 stars instead of 1. Among the many plates we ordered were the Sesame Calamari appetizer; Shrimp Scampi and Scallops for mains; and the standard pasta without meat and Cesar salads accompanied with those mains. Sesame Calamari was overcooked and lacked flavor. This is coming from a family who has frequently enjoyed calamari over the years. The Shrimp Scampi was also overcooked, dry and lacking flavor. On the other hand, the Scallops main was undercooked and left that metallic aftertaste signaling they were spoiled. The standard pasta accompanying these dishes was served cold and slightly undercooked. On the better side of the plates ordered at our table: the Fried Zucchini appetizer was good, and the Crab Balls appetizer was also very good. Salads ordered were good. Other than that, none of the other plates my family members ordered were very memorable (We had a party of 5). We will not be returning.
(2)
Jason M.
Just blocks from the zoo is this authentic Italian restaurant in a converted house. If you are going to part with a C-note (which you will likely do here, unless you are dining alone) this is a pretty good place to do it. YOU WILL NOT GO HOME HUNGRY (see my review of Salt of the Earth). And, overall, the food is pretty darn good, the staff and chef are friendly, and the atmosphere festive but refined. As for the food... the bread and oil/garlic/white bean mix are a nice free starter. As an app, we tried the smoked salmon plate w/ toasted pita-like bread, capers, chopped onions, chopped egg... The salmon was plentiful, and overall, the dish was fresh and tasty and a good starter. Then, we tried the soup (chicken pasta, tonight) and an upgraded salad w/ candied walnuts, sliced apples, greens, crumbled, cheese... both were excellent. For entrees (which, by the way, range from $25-$40, but come with soup or salad and a pasta "taster" on the side -- which you can upgrade w/ a meatball the size of a baseball for only $2 -- more on that later) ... I tried a Mediterranean-style turbot special, and my wife had the crab cakes. Her crab cakes were good, though not great - though I ate almost half of them. Kudos to the right mix of crab, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. My fish was well-prepared, plentiful, and smartly prepared with the white fish soaking up many of the Mediterranean elements of the dish (olive oil, olives, sun dried tomatoes). ... the pasta sides -- an apparent staple of Tambelinnis -- are excellent. The tomato basil cream sauce they come in (though you can also just get marinara, or just tomato basil) is outstanding, and my wife's meatball upgrade was the star of the show. Just in that $2 upgrade there was more substance and flavor than our entire C-note blowing at Salt of the Earth a few weeks ago... ... a few oddities. We were sitting near the kitchen door, so we got a lot of "staff" action. There was a lot of talk about how many tables everyone had/didn't have, and there were many near-misses -- and one hit -- via the in-and-out of the swinging kitchen door. There are also a crazy number of options and specials, and so hearing the possibilities from your waiter can take a good deal of time. Overall, however, the location is interesting; the people welcoming and friendly; and the food authentic, generous, and occasionally innovative. For a hearty, interesting dinner experience - definitely give this Italian place a try.
(4)
James T.
By far the best Italian Rest in the Burgh----From the atmosphere to the friendly staff The calamari is amazing, the seafood is always FRESH.....And not to mention the homemade pastas.....But my favorite is the Veal Marsala with the Shiitake mushrooms FANTASTIC FOOD -----enough said
(5)
Jason J.
Servers here put the rude in rudimentary as they can't do even the basic elements of their job. Don't even think about going here with a group unless you like waiting around for twenty minutes before someone acknowledges you and then can stomach waiting over two hours for a bland extremely overpriced meal. More emphasis should be placed on delivering a quality product at a lower price.
Great food. Top notch service. We were treated like a king and queen. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Kim C.
A lovely little place! Excellent fresh pasta & meatballs. I'd definitely dine there again. Our server was quick & very polite.
(5)
Rosalind C.
I think this place just might be the latest addition to my Pittsburgh favorites lineup. The service is fabulous, and the food, even more so. I also love that it is pretty old school Pittsburgh, what with the "older" crowd and decor. The chef even comes out to everyone to say hi and to ask if they enjoyed their meal! Classy. The food is fabulous. I had the skirt steak, which was the size of my face, I kid you not. Sometimes, size compensates for other things, but my friends, this was a serious steak. Absolutely delicious. I think I managed to finish only about half of it, which is understandable given that I also had a salad and a pasta course (all included in the meal) beforehand. I also want to give a shout out to the pasta course - it was delicious the night of, and when I had the leftovers, it was even better. We weren't able to deal with any dessert since we were pretty much popping out of our pants by the end of the night, but now that I know, I'm going to try and pace myself a little better next time. I'm salivating already.
(5)
Christine C.
Wow, been forever since I wanted to try this restaurant. On Friday evening around 5:30pm, me and my friend drove over and experienced this super nice Italian restaurant. First, it's in an entire house - how awesome can it be? We were greeted by the staff and told we were the first ones of the night and they were gonna take extra care of us. But of course they took extra care of EVERYONE, but it's okay! Had the fish and the chicken specials of the day. This meal included soup or salad + pasta + entree. This was way too much food - at the end, we couldn't even get dessert. But everything was delicious - especially the chicken! Oh my, so tender and soft and yummy. Each part of the meal was perfectly made. Would definitely come again on special occasions!
(5)
Andrew S.
Joseph Tambellini seems to be a fairly highly regarded restaurant in Pittsburgh. I don't think it is bad, just "old school" in a way that perhaps makes it more appealing to certain segments of restaurant-goers than to others. I'm in the latter segment. It is fine but not wow. That's okay, since it all depends on what you're looking for. This just wasn't my cup of tea, so-to-speak. I'm mostly referring to the food, which is what I would call more "classic" upper-scale American-Italian than anything else. The service is very friendly and clearly the team care a lot about their restaurant. This is a good place that could be better. Frankly, if the kitchen took a few risks and played it less safe I think it would be an improvement.
(2)
Christina R.
Solid Italian.
(5)
Emily R.
I'm not even going to go into great detail about how the drinks were terribly made, the noise was deafening and it took half an hour to get a single glass of wine at what was supposed to be a special, celebratory evening for my mother's retirement. Or how every piece of meat was rubbery and overcooked, and the pasta was just a step up from Chef Boyardee. I was going to chalk it up to a bad night and move on. Here's the kicker: 15 minutes after leaving the restaurant, and telling them how disappointed we were in our sub-par (and very expensive) meal, we got an email notification from Open Table (where we'd made the reservation) telling us our reservation had been canceled by the restaurant. Meaning we suddenly a) had no way to critique the meal on Open Table -- sneaky! and b) we lost the Open Table points we usually get for using the service -- crappy! A quick Google search turned up the following: bizjournals.com/pittsbur… So I guess we know how that happened. Deck-stacking much?
(1)
Dawn M.
We visited on Mothers Day and I'm ashamed I've waited so long to comment on how wonderful our experience was. Let me just start by saying what others have already, Greeted at door with a friendly smile, great service and a good mix of elegance and home like atmosphere. Though claiming I didn't like eggplant parmesan, ( oh how wrong I was) it and it was wonderful !!! lets not forget the meatball, as I've been told by Chef Joe, " Its like a kiss without a hug!" True very true!! So I threw caution to the wind and broke my diet (well worth the extra crunches) having the Crème Brule... to die for. Thanks again for the great experience Chef Joe, can't wait to see you all again !!!
(5)
Nick C.
I booked this dinner date with much anticipation. By the time the day arrived the air had been invaded by the shade of white. The roads were covered with a sloppy mess and I had been steamrolled by sickness. My anticipation had turned to worry and a medicated haze. Alas I arrived, in the entrance I handed a young women my coat but not before snagging the tissues from it. The room was filled with a cozy house like glow with warmth that seemed to dripping from the seams. I was seated along with my date near the entrance, my heart immediately was happy to be seated but my brain knew we would catch a slight draft from the outside world. I ignored the bittersweet island I had now made port with and focused on the drink list. I immediately spotted my wine of choice a Malbeck from the colorful plethora of alcohol choices. They said I shouldn't have more than three alchoholic beverages with my meds, I took that as an invitation to drink as if it was a good idea.. The appetizers seem to scream eat me so I couldn't deny my stomach and I went with the sauteed calamari. It was if the squid had decided that it's last dying wish was to appease some unaware future predator which happened to be me. It was excellent. After the wikipedialike information filled specials list was sounded off by our waiter Nikki. I had decided to choose a steak smothered in mushrooms, it sounded most delicious. Unaware was I of one of the many things that makes Joeseph Tambellines so special is their weekly pasta dish that is served with every meal. I, a then fallen victim of oil and bread, calamari, the soup that came with my entree was now being faced with yet another course to battle with. The pasta was great and truly was surprising. By the time I had gotten to my entree I was struggling. I then with sad struggling eyes looked up... There sat on a plate what seemed like half of a cow. The steak could have been mistaken for the size of a deflated basketball, a festival of meat disguised in the surface area of a sheet cake. I wanted to cry both in joy and and fear. I attempted to conquer the beast but it was sadly beyond the likes of me. Soon after I was approach with the killing blow from Joseph Tambellines...dessert. I offered up a treaty with my date as to share something since I was becoming lifeless due to the IV of solids I was unexpectedly hooked up to. We decided on the creme brulee and were very impressed. The flavors truly were captured, a fitting way to mark my food grave. All in all, Joseph Tamebellines is an experience that must be taken one course at a time, with caution mind you. For those risk takers out there who love to test the limits of their ability to be overly satisfied, this is the place for you.
(5)
Raquel C.
GREAT RESTAURANT!!! Best bread-dip ever!!! Service is great... very fancy atmosphere and the food is sooo good!! I think is the best Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh!
(5)
Rev Dr John T.
Best Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh. Fresh home-made pasta, delicious entrees, tasty salads and excellent service with great ambiance. Raviolis were perfetto
(5)
George N.
I have been to Tambellini's twice now. The atmosphere there is great, and it's a very cool "house" conversion done right in to a restaurant which actually makes you feel like an Italian. The first time I went with a group of people for dessert late on a Friday night. Despite are semi-large group (8), the staff was very friendly to us and we all sat down and talked for a long time and throughout the 8 of us I think we had every dessert on the menu. I had the Tiramisu and it was *excellent.* It was a very large portion, and the flavors were very nicely spread throughout it. It was not overly "rummed" but you could taste a good hint of it. The cake was very moist. I took a quick bite of several of the other desserts and they were also great. All of us were very happy with the visit. At some point, Joseph Tambellini came out and joked around with us and was friendly. It was nice of him to come out and make us feel at home there. The second time I went for a nice dinner with my girlfriend, and we had a very romantic and great meal. I had a special of the day which was a Mediterranean inspired King Salmon, which was very nicely done and very tasty. My salmon came with a side of pasta (in a separate bowl) which had a great homemade tomato sauce. Even the salad of the day was a nice mixture of greens and the dressing was very good. My girlfriend had a pasta with lobster and shrimp, and it was also very good. I eat a lot of shrimp, and her shrimp was cooked to perfection. It was not chewy at all. We finished off our meal by sharing a tiramisu (inspired by my prior visit), and my girlfriend also loved it. It's a great portion for two people to share (for a reasonable price) as a way to tip off a great meal. I really liked this place. It's a nice restaurant for a nice meal, friendly staff, and a romantic place. It's not inexpensive, so it's not going to be a weekly or monthly visit... but if I'm to plan a romantic meal this will likely be a future revisit.
(5)
Eileen G.
This restaurant is just as good as all of the reviews say it is. My expectations are pretty high when a restaurant manages to keep 5 Yelp stars, and let me tell you - these 5 stars are well-deserved. I went to Joseph Tambellini for a family birthday with a party of 8, and we ended up sitting up on the third floor in the private room. It's a different atmosphere than the rest of the restaurant, but it was quiet and wonderful. It's a bit more casual, a lodge feel, but I am already imagining what other celebrations I'm going to try to reserve that room for! Now, on to the food. It was amazing. I ordered the pork chop special of the night - it was covered with a fig/balsamic/gorgonzola concoction and it was cooked perfectly. Also, it was enourmous. I got to re-live my meal at Tambellini for dinner the next night. I had a pasta course and salad, both of which come with the entree. The pasta was again perfectly cooked and covered in a delicious, rich tomato basil cream sauce. The salad was fresh and tasty, and the bread was warm and had a yummy garlic/olive oil dipping sauce with it. I also managed to snag a taste of everyone else's entrees and am happy to report that all were just as good as mine. The steaks are literally a pound of beef, cooked perfectly and topped with yummy accents (one special this evening had some sort of horseradish topping, which was to die for). Seriously, the food was SO good. You have to try it to understand JUST HOW GOOD IT IS. The service: it was awesome. I feel bad for those servers who have to walk up the narrow stairs hundreds of times a day, but they were friendly and attentive. And, I guess on the plus side, all those stairs eliminate the need for a gym membership. The owners are very nice, obviusly committed to great service and the highest quality food, and one of them greeted us at the door as we arrived. Overall, this was a wonderful dining experience. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Joseph Tambellini for a romantic dinner for two or for a larger family function in the awesome third floor party room. Thanks for a wonderful evening!
(5)
Larry B.
A true 5 STAR restaurant! Everything is excellent service, atmosphere and food quality. Absolute consistent quality every-time we visit... One of the top restaurants in Pittsburgh!!
(5)
Jessica F.
Absolutely fabulous italian food! Joseph Tambellini's definitely delivers an amazing meal. My husband and I love food and were simply delighted.
(5)
Michael S.
The best Italian meal I've had in Pittsburgh was last night at Tambellini's. We almost didn't go because their website is cheesy. But we were so glad we gave it a try. The food was out of this world. Great salads. Great fish and pasta. Incredible butterscotch poundcake. Staff was professional and hospitable. First class.
(5)
Kostas P.
We went there accidentally; we were planning to go to another place but since it was closed we said we should give it a try. The neighborhood is very nice and calm and the restaurant itself does not look like a restaurant but rather another residence. Once you walk in, the atmosphere is perfect. Nice, upscale but casual at the same time(!) environment; a sign for a great food experience. Service was great and helpful, while the dishes was the one better than the other. The appetizers (and especially the mozarella salad) were amazing, the entrees were delicious, while the desert was fantastic. The chef himself went around the tables and communicated with the people, while he offered to create a desert out of the menu for us to try (and he did the same with other people to with different desserts !) We will def visiti it again (however, it is in the expensive side of things but it is worth it, especially for special occasions).
(5)
Karen K.
was here for my mom's birthday - randomly found this on yelp - and it was delicious! the atmosphere was veryy fine dining. the food was superb!!!! lots of food - pasta of the day along w/ either soup or salad is incl in every entree! i would recommend the lamb chops if they have it or the seafood linguini w/ alfredo sauce.. the linguini was excellent but verry filling. would come back here again for another special event.
(5)
cara r.
Pay no attention to China Millman's recent review in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JT's (as my family has taken to referring to it) is fabulous. My parents were big fans of JT when he was the chef at Franco's, and he has brought his vast skill (in addition to waiter Eddie) with him to Highland Park. I've had two salads at JT's - the first time I had the daily salad (the one that comes with the meal - and let me tell you, as a Chicagoan, I am definitely NOT used to a salad accompanying the meal!), and it was a pleasant mixture of spring greens. The last time I was there, I had the Victoria (named after one of his daughters), which had dark greens, apple slices, gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. While only occasionally a salad person, I left no trace of this one on the plate. We chose to do the pasta course (again included with the meal) before our entrees. My mom and I had the daily pasta - a gemelli-like pasta in a tomato-cream sauce that I quickly devoured, while my sister enjoyed her trenne arrabiata, and my dad loved his linguini with white clams. I've previously had the trenne in tomato basil sauce, and thought those were fantastic as well. I have been hard pressed to find a chicken marsala that is better than one I had in Toronto more than ten years ago, but I think I've found it here! Perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious, I had to stop myself before I ate too much! When my boyfriend had dinner there with us, he ate every last morsel of his osso buco and is still, three months later, reliving that dinner. While I haven't had the crab cakes there, we did bring some uncooked ones home to add to our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, and I can honestly say that I have never had a better crab cake (including the ones I got in San Francisco in October). I've never had dessert at JT's, but I hear great things about the butterscotch pound cake, and may have to try it the next time I'm in town. For those of you in Pittsburgh, go to JT's. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
J S.
We were very disappointed in our experience at Joseph Tambellini. A nearly $40 steak was served that was too tough to eat. We sent it back and were billed for it nonetheless, with no substitute provided. The manager told us that the sous chef found the meat to be fine. Despite a $283 bill for six people, we received a $7 sharing charge since we ordered 5 main dishes. This is even though we also ordered four appetizers! We were billed for cheese on our salads ($2 each, not disclosed at the time of ordering), and were never served bread. Rick, the manager, was rude, unsympathetic and unpleasant. We did not expect a restaurant charging these prices to nickel and dime us; we don't expect to be returning to Joseph Tambellini anytime soon.
(1)
A M.
I had dinner here last night with my Sis' and parents. It's only a couple blocks from Mom's house, so I was hoping for good things in such a convenient locale'. We had reservations for 7PM and it's a good thing, because I didn't notice many empty seats in the house. It's in a big converted house and has two floors for dining and I think a private space on the third floor. The space is beautiful we enter the front door into the first dining room and are greated warmly by the host who is wearing a suit and has a warm smile. The other staff that notice us also go out of there way to turn and smile. He takes the coats and leads us upstairs. There is a bar with a couple stools on the first floor, but this isn't the type of place where you'd be eating at the bar. THere are white linens, great lighting, interesting pictures and overall just a truly beautiful atmosphere. We are seated on the second floor at a great seat in the corner and the waiter arrives quickly to fill our glasses and give me the wine list. The list seemed okay, I'd prefer a few more selections. We start with a bottle of some type of Syrah for $52, he brings it over and leaves this beautiful decanter on the table. We then place our order. We'll start with fried zucchini and greens and beans. The waiter brings over some bread. The bread was good quality, but cold.. a small pet peeve of mine. It was served with this delicious olive oil mixture that was placed in the middle of the table with a miniature ladel. The olive oil is delicous too many seasonings to mention and also smoked garlic which was nice when squooshed (sp?) onto the bread. The apps' arrive. The fried zucchini is meh', I mean really disappointing. It's cut up little squares with heavy breading and no flavor. I've had much better at chain restaurants. The escarole and beans however were delicious lots of garlic and good quality tasty sausage. We are then brought a nice light salad of microgreens and balsamic. The salad also has a few interesting components like edamame?? and sunflower seeds. I don't eat salads, but I was told it was quite nice. Then they brought us a pasta dish. It was to die for,,, I mean I guess it should be since it's a fine dining italian, but I was blown away. It's a small serving of house made pasta and a nice creamy tomatoe gravy. It was really really good. Then our entrees' arrive. I ordered the sablefish, sis' had the veal picatted, dad had the cajun mahi mahi and mom had the veal chop. I'll start wth the fish. I didn't expect that I would have one of the best pieces of fish of my life in an italian joint, but I did. And, I'm no rookie. I mean one of the best, maybe the best piece of fish I've ever had. It was a deep rich buttery fish with a beautiful butter buerre blanc. Think of the best piece of monkfish or mayble lobster you've ever had and that will give you a small sense of how good this was. Dad's mahi wasn't that good. It was overcooked, dry and relatively flavorless. Heather's veal picatta was really good and cooked perfectly with a healthy topping of capers. Mom's veal chop was good, but not even in the same zip code as Jonathan's at Alla Famiglia. However, Jonathan will charge you about twice as much for his. They also made me a nice stiff dirty martini and dad was a little annoyed that they didn't have guiness (I hear ya dad'). They didn't have much of a selection. He settled on a Heineken. The service was slow and we decided to get dessert to go. We often found ourselves waiting for things throughout the night. Overall, a very good restaurant. It the wine and beer selection was better, the service a bit quicker it would come close to 5 stars. I think the prices overall are reasonable. There really is no reason to get apps' and if you skip the wine. You can have a delicious meal with bread, salad, pasta and entrees' for around $30. That's value. I'll go again.
(4)
Danielle G.
Honestly if u really know good food u would not think this is a good restaurant. The scallops are awful. They say they are broiled but come to table like they were defrosted in microwave ...so is the sesame calamari bad. Can u even tell its calamari. . Veal chop was ok. Chef has a chip on his shoulder and can't admit his food sucks big time. Wait staff is very good but too bad they have to put up with a chef that has a big ego and can't cook to save his life. Don't send the bad food back .... They make u pay for it anyway. There may be few choices in Pittsburg but pass on this one. Don't let the nice ambiance fool u
(1)
Imran D.
My wife and I dined at this place on our recent return to Pittsburgh and were extremely disappointed with our experience. Here's what we tried: The 'famous' Fried Zucchini was oily and soggy and the quantity served could feed a village. The soup that came with my entree was salty and borderline inedible (returned it back). The Mafalda Giancarlo entree was interesting, but nothing to rave about. The other entree was a some sort of a trio (grilled chicken, shrimp, steak) linguine; the shrimp was overcooked and didn't taste fresh at all. All in all, this place didn't offer any value for money and seems like it's is stuck in time. I don't know what's worse, spending $100 for a mediocre meal for two at JT or spending $100 on Olive garden's never ending pasta pass.
(2)
Ben R.
This place never disappoints. I usually tend to go here for special occasions as it always has a great meal. We sat on the second floor which is not my preference because it's a little bit tight. Every time someone got up or wait or walk by I was always bumped each time when they walk by. So if you can try to ask for the first floor or the back room on the first floor. Keep in mind there are three floors of the restaurant. As well as the outside deck which is my favorite in the summertime. Our server was top notch and clearly it shows as he's been here for a long time. He always just knew the right things to say and when to come over at the exact right time. He never missed a beat Tonight I wanted to crabcakes just to get something different and they were good. We also had the fried zucchini which was quite standard. My wife had the veal chop which is out of this world. Even though they have a lot of other Italian inspired dishes. I think their best dishes are the veal chop or their Porkchop. The cheesecake was also top-notch. Overall a great restaurant.
(4)
Nick L.
Wonderful. My wife, daughter and I just ate dinner here and we loved it. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. We ordered the "signature" meatball appetizer, followed by main courses of a stuffed pork-chop, an 18oz veal chop, and home-made raviolis. For dessert, we ordered the pecan ball with vanilla ice cream, the butterscotch pound cake and the lava cake - and, of course, cappuccino. Although relatively pricey, the portions were generous and the food perfectly prepared. If you are looking for an excellent Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area, this is the place!
(5)
Shannon B.
The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is wonderful. My family and I go here for almost all birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
(5)
Amy M.
Never, ever disappoints.... Definitely one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. Wonderful friendly staff and great new bartender named Cameron. My children would go weekly if they could and would like Mr. Tambolini to adopt them. We also had them cater a party for us this summer and it was a wonderful experience.
I really enjoyed the ambiance- the lighting and the interior were really decorated well. They put a lot of effort into arranging the different ornaments on the table. In my opinion, the food was over-priced. I ordered the Meatball Parmesan. For the expensive price, there was nothing special about the tomato sauce - I felt like I could have had the same kind of sauce at a cheaper Italian restaurant. I also thought it was too salty. Not sure if I would go again.
(2)
Craig C.
I am a huge fan of this place. They will make anything you like, however you like it. Everyone is super friendly, and tries so hard to make it right. I will continue to return! Thanks for everything.
(5)
Janice T.
All in all, the food was decent, but nothing special. The manager greeted me at the door and when I mentioned that I was with a group of 6 he became rather surly and complained that my friend had only called the night before for a table. He also mentioned that the reservation was for 7 and I was the only one present. I later spoke to the manager again to ask him if there was something that could have been done differently when making a reservation that would have suited him. He mentioned that it is December, and they are very busy and that we took his last large group table. Well....is that not what they are in business to do? As far as group was concerned, the manner in which we were received combined with average food at a costly price confirmed that we would not be returning.
(3)
Linda W.
From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it would be a very special evening as smiles warmly greeted us to the white-tableclothed elegance within. We noticed that every single guest was greeted, and treated, like family. From our arrival at the hostess station, to every single knowledgeable server, to an enjoyable visit from Chef Joe himself at our table, to Joe's sister Rita checking in at the end of the evening and thanking us for coming in not one opportunity was missed to make us feel at home. Friendly is nice, but HOW ABOUT THE FOOD?! We shared a starter of escarole and white beans, topped with homemade fennel sausage. Yeah, I know, that doesn't sound elegant...BUT, when the dish is prepared and plated as it was, humble beans and greens are elevated to match the surroundings. Simply the best I've had anywhere. Ever. Veal dishes? Not to be missed! Housemade pastas, the BEST meatballs in town, lovely jumbo lump crab salad, a seafood section befitting the best of restaurants on the Eastern Shore, a stellar wine list, a dessert menu (including cannolis!)...I could go on and on. I chose veal marsala as my entree and a better choice I couldn't imagine. Tender veal, heaps of mushrooms, lush, velvety sauce. Perfection. The hubster also went with a veal selection - veal Romano in his case. Again, perfection. Oh! I almost forgot the salad of the evening...greens, roasted pear, dried cranberries, pomegranate, walnuts, gorgonzola and a beautiful pomegranate vinaigrette. We cleaned our salad plates! We each enjoyed a side of pasta - homemade for Mark, an excellent gluten-free version for me - both with a lovely tomato basil cream. You know how much I appreciated the gluten-free option! Dessert? Yes, please. Mark chose a cannoli - oh how I wished I could have one of my pre-gluten-issue favorite desserts...and I did! Joe put together a cannoli-without-the-shell version that blew me away! Suffice it to say, the elegant setting, outstanding cuisine and very fine staff elevated Italian comfort food to new and welcome heights. Thanks, Chef Joe! You made a very special anniversary VERY special indeed!
(5)
Teresa P.
My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Joseph Tambellini and it far exceeded our expectations. The food was delicious from appetizers to dessert and was priced fairly. The ambience is charming and the wait staff professional. The steak I had was outstanding, perfectly done and better than Capital Grill, Mortons and Ruth Chris rolled into one. We have already made our reservations for New Years Eve and hope to be back before then. This was the best meal we have eaten in Pittsburgh in a LOOOONG time. Thank you Joseph Tambellini! Can't wait to go back!
Great food. Top notch service. We were treated like a king and queen. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Carey M.
I must confess that I didn't go to Joseph Tambellini's for a long time despite it's very high Yelp rating because its website is so strange. There are photographs of each item on the menu, which made me think of it as some kind of Denny'sesque Italian restaurant. And the clientele, which is generally composed of dressed up grandparents. But itching for something new, a group of my friends and I tried it last night. It is a traditional upscale Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere, excellent service, a solid bar and wine list, but unadventurous entrees. It's the Pamela's of upscale Pittsburgh restaurants. Each entree comes with a salad, which is good, and a somewhat bland tomato cream sauce pasta dish. My NY strip steak and a friend's pork chop were excellent, but friends who ordered the fish courses were not impressed. Rat pack era music plays in the background. The food will probably pleasing to most traditional Pittsburghers (particularly those who expect to eat a lot of food or are over 55 years old), but it is not particularly creative or exciting. If you do go there, order a steak and try to sub in one of the more unusual pastas (or take a look at the photos of all the entrees online before you go).
(3)
Aaron F.
For a restaurant with $$$$ I expected more snobbery and high brow treatment, but I felt like I was visiting a friend who treated me like family. I am not sure how anyone could walk away feeling anything less than awesome after dining here.
(5)
Andrew D.
Everything about this place is fantastic! Comfortable elegant environment that is still family centric, excellent food and outstanding service. The service was wonderfully attentive. The chef comes out and introduces himself frequently to patrons. They will even do special orders for you if you have a request, the couple next to us were able to split an entree and have an item prepared not on the menu without any problem. You just don't see service and personalized approach to food like this anymore, especially at nicer restaurants. The food was excellent from start to finish with a garlic sundried tomato olive oil served with the bread. I had their Caesar salad and my partner had the house salad - both were fantastic and were meals in their own right. The Caesar was lightly dressed with full flavor. The meals came with a pasta tasting course which was with a tomato basil light cream sauce, which we could not get enough of... It's a nice touch to have a separate pasta course, which really makes the experience. The chicken Romano is wonderfully prepared with a light coating and robust Romano cheese flavor. One of the specials was a black cod served with Israeli cous cous, which was similarly fantastic. The cod was so flavorful and fresh and melted on the palate. Last was the dessert - a New York style cheesecake with beery sauce. It was fantastic and the best cheesecake we've ever had, including those in New York. We will surely be coming back soon and often.
(5)
Kim C.
A lovely little place! Excellent fresh pasta & meatballs. I'd definitely dine there again. Our server was quick & very polite.
(5)
Emily R.
I'm not even going to go into great detail about how the drinks were terribly made, the noise was deafening and it took half an hour to get a single glass of wine at what was supposed to be a special, celebratory evening for my mother's retirement. Or how every piece of meat was rubbery and overcooked, and the pasta was just a step up from Chef Boyardee. I was going to chalk it up to a bad night and move on. Here's the kicker: 15 minutes after leaving the restaurant, and telling them how disappointed we were in our sub-par (and very expensive) meal, we got an email notification from Open Table (where we'd made the reservation) telling us our reservation had been canceled by the restaurant. Meaning we suddenly a) had no way to critique the meal on Open Table -- sneaky! and b) we lost the Open Table points we usually get for using the service -- crappy! A quick Google search turned up the following: bizjournals.com/pittsbur… So I guess we know how that happened. Deck-stacking much?
(1)
Dawn M.
We visited on Mothers Day and I'm ashamed I've waited so long to comment on how wonderful our experience was. Let me just start by saying what others have already, Greeted at door with a friendly smile, great service and a good mix of elegance and home like atmosphere. Though claiming I didn't like eggplant parmesan, ( oh how wrong I was) it and it was wonderful !!! lets not forget the meatball, as I've been told by Chef Joe, " Its like a kiss without a hug!" True very true!! So I threw caution to the wind and broke my diet (well worth the extra crunches) having the Crème Brule... to die for. Thanks again for the great experience Chef Joe, can't wait to see you all again !!!
(5)
Nick C.
I booked this dinner date with much anticipation. By the time the day arrived the air had been invaded by the shade of white. The roads were covered with a sloppy mess and I had been steamrolled by sickness. My anticipation had turned to worry and a medicated haze. Alas I arrived, in the entrance I handed a young women my coat but not before snagging the tissues from it. The room was filled with a cozy house like glow with warmth that seemed to dripping from the seams. I was seated along with my date near the entrance, my heart immediately was happy to be seated but my brain knew we would catch a slight draft from the outside world. I ignored the bittersweet island I had now made port with and focused on the drink list. I immediately spotted my wine of choice a Malbeck from the colorful plethora of alcohol choices. They said I shouldn't have more than three alchoholic beverages with my meds, I took that as an invitation to drink as if it was a good idea.. The appetizers seem to scream eat me so I couldn't deny my stomach and I went with the sauteed calamari. It was if the squid had decided that it's last dying wish was to appease some unaware future predator which happened to be me. It was excellent. After the wikipedialike information filled specials list was sounded off by our waiter Nikki. I had decided to choose a steak smothered in mushrooms, it sounded most delicious. Unaware was I of one of the many things that makes Joeseph Tambellines so special is their weekly pasta dish that is served with every meal. I, a then fallen victim of oil and bread, calamari, the soup that came with my entree was now being faced with yet another course to battle with. The pasta was great and truly was surprising. By the time I had gotten to my entree I was struggling. I then with sad struggling eyes looked up... There sat on a plate what seemed like half of a cow. The steak could have been mistaken for the size of a deflated basketball, a festival of meat disguised in the surface area of a sheet cake. I wanted to cry both in joy and and fear. I attempted to conquer the beast but it was sadly beyond the likes of me. Soon after I was approach with the killing blow from Joseph Tambellines...dessert. I offered up a treaty with my date as to share something since I was becoming lifeless due to the IV of solids I was unexpectedly hooked up to. We decided on the creme brulee and were very impressed. The flavors truly were captured, a fitting way to mark my food grave. All in all, Joseph Tamebellines is an experience that must be taken one course at a time, with caution mind you. For those risk takers out there who love to test the limits of their ability to be overly satisfied, this is the place for you.
(5)
Raquel C.
GREAT RESTAURANT!!! Best bread-dip ever!!! Service is great... very fancy atmosphere and the food is sooo good!! I think is the best Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh!
(5)
Rev Dr John T.
Best Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh. Fresh home-made pasta, delicious entrees, tasty salads and excellent service with great ambiance. Raviolis were perfetto
(5)
Kelly C.
Came here with my family for my graduation dinner after seeing great reviews for the place. The food was great and the service was great as well. The ambience is also nice and very interesting- when you see the place from the outside, you'd have no idea that this restaurant was inside the building. I can't remember exactly what we all got but we shared an appetizer or two, and ordered entrees ranging from seafood to meat dishes. All the food was very good and worth the price. Mr. Tambellini even stopped by our table to make sure everything was going well. Definitely a great experience!
(5)
Ryan F.
We just moved to Highland Park from Seattle and this is reason enough to live in Highland Park. We absolutely loved the food. We went at an earlier time with our son who is 2 and the staff was incredibly courteous and very nice. We got an appetizer (which is unnecessary given the volume of food coming out in subsequent courses standard with your meal) which was good but it did not compare to the pasta course. The salad and the soup was very good and our meals were incredible. I had veal and my wife had chicken both of which were some of the best we have ever had. We are from Chicago and lived in Little Italy for 4 years during which time we ate a lot of Italian and this place rivals all of our favorites from back home. To top the meal off we had desserts which were great, the butterscotch poundcake was way more food than we should have ordered but it was gone in seconds! It wasn't cheap but given the amount of food that comes with your meal Tambellini a great deal in our opinion; especially when you compare it to other restaurants of similar quality that typically charge just as much for an Ala Carte meal. We look forward to eating here for years to come!
(5)
Barbara K.
Excellent Service, food was good, but not authentic Italian if that is what you are looking for, expensive.
(4)
George N.
I have been to Tambellini's twice now. The atmosphere there is great, and it's a very cool "house" conversion done right in to a restaurant which actually makes you feel like an Italian. The first time I went with a group of people for dessert late on a Friday night. Despite are semi-large group (8), the staff was very friendly to us and we all sat down and talked for a long time and throughout the 8 of us I think we had every dessert on the menu. I had the Tiramisu and it was *excellent.* It was a very large portion, and the flavors were very nicely spread throughout it. It was not overly "rummed" but you could taste a good hint of it. The cake was very moist. I took a quick bite of several of the other desserts and they were also great. All of us were very happy with the visit. At some point, Joseph Tambellini came out and joked around with us and was friendly. It was nice of him to come out and make us feel at home there. The second time I went for a nice dinner with my girlfriend, and we had a very romantic and great meal. I had a special of the day which was a Mediterranean inspired King Salmon, which was very nicely done and very tasty. My salmon came with a side of pasta (in a separate bowl) which had a great homemade tomato sauce. Even the salad of the day was a nice mixture of greens and the dressing was very good. My girlfriend had a pasta with lobster and shrimp, and it was also very good. I eat a lot of shrimp, and her shrimp was cooked to perfection. It was not chewy at all. We finished off our meal by sharing a tiramisu (inspired by my prior visit), and my girlfriend also loved it. It's a great portion for two people to share (for a reasonable price) as a way to tip off a great meal. I really liked this place. It's a nice restaurant for a nice meal, friendly staff, and a romantic place. It's not inexpensive, so it's not going to be a weekly or monthly visit... but if I'm to plan a romantic meal this will likely be a future revisit.
(5)
Michael M.
My wife and I dined at Joseph Tambellini this past Saturday. Being from Cleveland I get the impression this is a Pittsburgh institution. The food was great and the service was excellent. They have a very traditional menu. My wife ordered the ravioli and I had the filet. Both were prepared exactly to our request. The chicken corn chowder soup was almost a meal in itself. This is a very romantic restaurant as witnessed by the proposal that took place five minutes before we were seated. We may still hate the Steelers, but we will always have a soft spot for Joseph Tambellini.
(5)
Priya M.
Very good food with great service!
(5)
John S.
A perfectly quaint Italian restaurant that invokes nostalgia of how restaurants used to be run. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere memorable. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
John P.
I went here last night with some friends and we had a fantastic experience from start to finish! The food was outstanding and the service was extremely good as well. We had a few meatballs for appetizers, which were awesome. The soup and salad was great. I got a pasta dish called mafalda Giancarlo which was awesome and my friends got veal Marsala and chicken parm.... I stole of of my friends chicken parm and it was the best I have ever had... We split a tiramisu for desert and it was incredible..... Also, the service was exceptional. Our waiter was very helpful and polite and went above and beyond to make us feel at home. We can't wait to go back!
(5)
John B.
Food was good but not worth the price. Front porch view is of a parking lot. Inside is quite nice. Waitress was very frustrated and seemed stretched too thin to provide service. Overall if you're looking for nice italian this isn't a poor choice but there are certainly better places in the city.
(3)
Amy M.
Never, ever disappoints.... Definitely one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. Wonderful friendly staff and great new bartender named Cameron. My children would go weekly if they could and would like Mr. Tambolini to adopt them. We also had them cater a party for us this summer and it was a wonderful experience.
(5)
Nichole S.
I ate here with my daughter for our last meal together before leaving her in the Pittsburgh area for her ballet summer intensive! While the food was good it was pretty overpriced for pasta. Also the service was over-solicitous and at the end of our meal our waiter basically chased me down saying we hadn't paid, yet his co-worker processed my card. Rude. We won't be making a return trip.
(3)
Tim R.
Although the food tasted great for the most part, the portion size was certainly not worth the money and the attitude of the waiter and manager left a very bitter taste. I ordered the lamb chop special and got 3 very small lamb chops that were 90% fat. There was only a couple bites of descent meat. To make things worse the side dishes of risotto and asparagus were also only a couple bites as well. The dish cost $47!!!! A total ripoff for the tiny amount of food. Bringing it to the waiter and managers attention did no good at all. After reading this review, the owner contacted me and was very helpful in attempting to correct my bad experience.
(3)
Jason M.
Just blocks from the zoo is this authentic Italian restaurant in a converted house. If you are going to part with a C-note (which you will likely do here, unless you are dining alone) this is a pretty good place to do it. YOU WILL NOT GO HOME HUNGRY (see my review of Salt of the Earth). And, overall, the food is pretty darn good, the staff and chef are friendly, and the atmosphere festive but refined. As for the food... the bread and oil/garlic/white bean mix are a nice free starter. As an app, we tried the smoked salmon plate w/ toasted pita-like bread, capers, chopped onions, chopped egg... The salmon was plentiful, and overall, the dish was fresh and tasty and a good starter. Then, we tried the soup (chicken pasta, tonight) and an upgraded salad w/ candied walnuts, sliced apples, greens, crumbled, cheese... both were excellent. For entrees (which, by the way, range from $25-$40, but come with soup or salad and a pasta "taster" on the side -- which you can upgrade w/ a meatball the size of a baseball for only $2 -- more on that later) ... I tried a Mediterranean-style turbot special, and my wife had the crab cakes. Her crab cakes were good, though not great - though I ate almost half of them. Kudos to the right mix of crab, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. My fish was well-prepared, plentiful, and smartly prepared with the white fish soaking up many of the Mediterranean elements of the dish (olive oil, olives, sun dried tomatoes). ... the pasta sides -- an apparent staple of Tambelinnis -- are excellent. The tomato basil cream sauce they come in (though you can also just get marinara, or just tomato basil) is outstanding, and my wife's meatball upgrade was the star of the show. Just in that $2 upgrade there was more substance and flavor than our entire C-note blowing at Salt of the Earth a few weeks ago... ... a few oddities. We were sitting near the kitchen door, so we got a lot of "staff" action. There was a lot of talk about how many tables everyone had/didn't have, and there were many near-misses -- and one hit -- via the in-and-out of the swinging kitchen door. There are also a crazy number of options and specials, and so hearing the possibilities from your waiter can take a good deal of time. Overall, however, the location is interesting; the people welcoming and friendly; and the food authentic, generous, and occasionally innovative. For a hearty, interesting dinner experience - definitely give this Italian place a try.
(4)
James T.
By far the best Italian Rest in the Burgh----From the atmosphere to the friendly staff The calamari is amazing, the seafood is always FRESH.....And not to mention the homemade pastas.....But my favorite is the Veal Marsala with the Shiitake mushrooms FANTASTIC FOOD -----enough said
(5)
Rosalind C.
I think this place just might be the latest addition to my Pittsburgh favorites lineup. The service is fabulous, and the food, even more so. I also love that it is pretty old school Pittsburgh, what with the "older" crowd and decor. The chef even comes out to everyone to say hi and to ask if they enjoyed their meal! Classy. The food is fabulous. I had the skirt steak, which was the size of my face, I kid you not. Sometimes, size compensates for other things, but my friends, this was a serious steak. Absolutely delicious. I think I managed to finish only about half of it, which is understandable given that I also had a salad and a pasta course (all included in the meal) beforehand. I also want to give a shout out to the pasta course - it was delicious the night of, and when I had the leftovers, it was even better. We weren't able to deal with any dessert since we were pretty much popping out of our pants by the end of the night, but now that I know, I'm going to try and pace myself a little better next time. I'm salivating already.
(5)
Christine C.
Wow, been forever since I wanted to try this restaurant. On Friday evening around 5:30pm, me and my friend drove over and experienced this super nice Italian restaurant. First, it's in an entire house - how awesome can it be? We were greeted by the staff and told we were the first ones of the night and they were gonna take extra care of us. But of course they took extra care of EVERYONE, but it's okay! Had the fish and the chicken specials of the day. This meal included soup or salad + pasta + entree. This was way too much food - at the end, we couldn't even get dessert. But everything was delicious - especially the chicken! Oh my, so tender and soft and yummy. Each part of the meal was perfectly made. Would definitely come again on special occasions!
(5)
Andrew S.
Joseph Tambellini seems to be a fairly highly regarded restaurant in Pittsburgh. I don't think it is bad, just "old school" in a way that perhaps makes it more appealing to certain segments of restaurant-goers than to others. I'm in the latter segment. It is fine but not wow. That's okay, since it all depends on what you're looking for. This just wasn't my cup of tea, so-to-speak. I'm mostly referring to the food, which is what I would call more "classic" upper-scale American-Italian than anything else. The service is very friendly and clearly the team care a lot about their restaurant. This is a good place that could be better. Frankly, if the kitchen took a few risks and played it less safe I think it would be an improvement.
(2)
Christina R.
Solid Italian.
(5)
Eileen G.
This restaurant is just as good as all of the reviews say it is. My expectations are pretty high when a restaurant manages to keep 5 Yelp stars, and let me tell you - these 5 stars are well-deserved. I went to Joseph Tambellini for a family birthday with a party of 8, and we ended up sitting up on the third floor in the private room. It's a different atmosphere than the rest of the restaurant, but it was quiet and wonderful. It's a bit more casual, a lodge feel, but I am already imagining what other celebrations I'm going to try to reserve that room for! Now, on to the food. It was amazing. I ordered the pork chop special of the night - it was covered with a fig/balsamic/gorgonzola concoction and it was cooked perfectly. Also, it was enourmous. I got to re-live my meal at Tambellini for dinner the next night. I had a pasta course and salad, both of which come with the entree. The pasta was again perfectly cooked and covered in a delicious, rich tomato basil cream sauce. The salad was fresh and tasty, and the bread was warm and had a yummy garlic/olive oil dipping sauce with it. I also managed to snag a taste of everyone else's entrees and am happy to report that all were just as good as mine. The steaks are literally a pound of beef, cooked perfectly and topped with yummy accents (one special this evening had some sort of horseradish topping, which was to die for). Seriously, the food was SO good. You have to try it to understand JUST HOW GOOD IT IS. The service: it was awesome. I feel bad for those servers who have to walk up the narrow stairs hundreds of times a day, but they were friendly and attentive. And, I guess on the plus side, all those stairs eliminate the need for a gym membership. The owners are very nice, obviusly committed to great service and the highest quality food, and one of them greeted us at the door as we arrived. Overall, this was a wonderful dining experience. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Joseph Tambellini for a romantic dinner for two or for a larger family function in the awesome third floor party room. Thanks for a wonderful evening!
(5)
Kostas P.
We went there accidentally; we were planning to go to another place but since it was closed we said we should give it a try. The neighborhood is very nice and calm and the restaurant itself does not look like a restaurant but rather another residence. Once you walk in, the atmosphere is perfect. Nice, upscale but casual at the same time(!) environment; a sign for a great food experience. Service was great and helpful, while the dishes was the one better than the other. The appetizers (and especially the mozarella salad) were amazing, the entrees were delicious, while the desert was fantastic. The chef himself went around the tables and communicated with the people, while he offered to create a desert out of the menu for us to try (and he did the same with other people to with different desserts !) We will def visiti it again (however, it is in the expensive side of things but it is worth it, especially for special occasions).
(5)
Karen K.
was here for my mom's birthday - randomly found this on yelp - and it was delicious! the atmosphere was veryy fine dining. the food was superb!!!! lots of food - pasta of the day along w/ either soup or salad is incl in every entree! i would recommend the lamb chops if they have it or the seafood linguini w/ alfredo sauce.. the linguini was excellent but verry filling. would come back here again for another special event.
(5)
cara r.
Pay no attention to China Millman's recent review in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JT's (as my family has taken to referring to it) is fabulous. My parents were big fans of JT when he was the chef at Franco's, and he has brought his vast skill (in addition to waiter Eddie) with him to Highland Park. I've had two salads at JT's - the first time I had the daily salad (the one that comes with the meal - and let me tell you, as a Chicagoan, I am definitely NOT used to a salad accompanying the meal!), and it was a pleasant mixture of spring greens. The last time I was there, I had the Victoria (named after one of his daughters), which had dark greens, apple slices, gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. While only occasionally a salad person, I left no trace of this one on the plate. We chose to do the pasta course (again included with the meal) before our entrees. My mom and I had the daily pasta - a gemelli-like pasta in a tomato-cream sauce that I quickly devoured, while my sister enjoyed her trenne arrabiata, and my dad loved his linguini with white clams. I've previously had the trenne in tomato basil sauce, and thought those were fantastic as well. I have been hard pressed to find a chicken marsala that is better than one I had in Toronto more than ten years ago, but I think I've found it here! Perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious, I had to stop myself before I ate too much! When my boyfriend had dinner there with us, he ate every last morsel of his osso buco and is still, three months later, reliving that dinner. While I haven't had the crab cakes there, we did bring some uncooked ones home to add to our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, and I can honestly say that I have never had a better crab cake (including the ones I got in San Francisco in October). I've never had dessert at JT's, but I hear great things about the butterscotch pound cake, and may have to try it the next time I'm in town. For those of you in Pittsburgh, go to JT's. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
J S.
We were very disappointed in our experience at Joseph Tambellini. A nearly $40 steak was served that was too tough to eat. We sent it back and were billed for it nonetheless, with no substitute provided. The manager told us that the sous chef found the meat to be fine. Despite a $283 bill for six people, we received a $7 sharing charge since we ordered 5 main dishes. This is even though we also ordered four appetizers! We were billed for cheese on our salads ($2 each, not disclosed at the time of ordering), and were never served bread. Rick, the manager, was rude, unsympathetic and unpleasant. We did not expect a restaurant charging these prices to nickel and dime us; we don't expect to be returning to Joseph Tambellini anytime soon.
(1)
A M.
I had dinner here last night with my Sis' and parents. It's only a couple blocks from Mom's house, so I was hoping for good things in such a convenient locale'. We had reservations for 7PM and it's a good thing, because I didn't notice many empty seats in the house. It's in a big converted house and has two floors for dining and I think a private space on the third floor. The space is beautiful we enter the front door into the first dining room and are greated warmly by the host who is wearing a suit and has a warm smile. The other staff that notice us also go out of there way to turn and smile. He takes the coats and leads us upstairs. There is a bar with a couple stools on the first floor, but this isn't the type of place where you'd be eating at the bar. THere are white linens, great lighting, interesting pictures and overall just a truly beautiful atmosphere. We are seated on the second floor at a great seat in the corner and the waiter arrives quickly to fill our glasses and give me the wine list. The list seemed okay, I'd prefer a few more selections. We start with a bottle of some type of Syrah for $52, he brings it over and leaves this beautiful decanter on the table. We then place our order. We'll start with fried zucchini and greens and beans. The waiter brings over some bread. The bread was good quality, but cold.. a small pet peeve of mine. It was served with this delicious olive oil mixture that was placed in the middle of the table with a miniature ladel. The olive oil is delicous too many seasonings to mention and also smoked garlic which was nice when squooshed (sp?) onto the bread. The apps' arrive. The fried zucchini is meh', I mean really disappointing. It's cut up little squares with heavy breading and no flavor. I've had much better at chain restaurants. The escarole and beans however were delicious lots of garlic and good quality tasty sausage. We are then brought a nice light salad of microgreens and balsamic. The salad also has a few interesting components like edamame?? and sunflower seeds. I don't eat salads, but I was told it was quite nice. Then they brought us a pasta dish. It was to die for,,, I mean I guess it should be since it's a fine dining italian, but I was blown away. It's a small serving of house made pasta and a nice creamy tomatoe gravy. It was really really good. Then our entrees' arrive. I ordered the sablefish, sis' had the veal picatted, dad had the cajun mahi mahi and mom had the veal chop. I'll start wth the fish. I didn't expect that I would have one of the best pieces of fish of my life in an italian joint, but I did. And, I'm no rookie. I mean one of the best, maybe the best piece of fish I've ever had. It was a deep rich buttery fish with a beautiful butter buerre blanc. Think of the best piece of monkfish or mayble lobster you've ever had and that will give you a small sense of how good this was. Dad's mahi wasn't that good. It was overcooked, dry and relatively flavorless. Heather's veal picatta was really good and cooked perfectly with a healthy topping of capers. Mom's veal chop was good, but not even in the same zip code as Jonathan's at Alla Famiglia. However, Jonathan will charge you about twice as much for his. They also made me a nice stiff dirty martini and dad was a little annoyed that they didn't have guiness (I hear ya dad'). They didn't have much of a selection. He settled on a Heineken. The service was slow and we decided to get dessert to go. We often found ourselves waiting for things throughout the night. Overall, a very good restaurant. It the wine and beer selection was better, the service a bit quicker it would come close to 5 stars. I think the prices overall are reasonable. There really is no reason to get apps' and if you skip the wine. You can have a delicious meal with bread, salad, pasta and entrees' for around $30. That's value. I'll go again.
(4)
Kimberly R.
You really feel like grandma is in the kitchen cooking! The food tastes fresh and flavorful. The portions are generous and are priced well. The wait staff is excellent! They also have a great wine selection and the sommelier is very helpful.
(5)
Susan D.
Rick brought me here for my Valentine's Night dinner on Saturday, February 18. Yes, four days later. Unfortunately I had to be out of town, San Antonio to be exact for two weeks and that included Valentine's Day. But O did he promise me a really nice dinner when I returned! Their menu promises "Warm romantic fine dining in the true Tambellini family tradition." and they are not kidding. We began our dinner with some antipasta--sauteed calamari. Hey, I'm 50% Italian and my guy is 100%. We both love a great calamari and I'd been craving it since San Antonio. This was the sort of calamari that just slowly melts in your mouth as you eat it, it was that succulent. For my insalate I went for the mozzarella salad-- fresh mozzarella, tomato, oasted peppers and mixed greens. Heavenly! One thing that sets Joseph Tambellini apart from some of the others is that they make their own pasta by hand here. And believe me, it shows folks. Their Mafalda Caprese was like none I've ever had before. The grilled chicken was just right, the tomatos fresh, and the garlic not overpowering. Rick went for the veal chop which just smelled divine! This thing was a 16-oz'er and he ended up bringing some of it home. Ah, but what is an Italian dinner without Dolce? They've got a butterscotch poundcake with vanilla bean ice cream, and candied pecans with butterscotch sauce. Oh how tempting that looked, but just a bit much. Rick and I split a wonderful cannoli though, which topped off that dinner perfectly. The atmosphere and service here are just impeccable. Joseph Tambellini has three floors, each with a different decor. Rick got us a table on the first floor, which has a much more traditional setting--just the way I like it. So my Valentine's Day was a little delayed. But with that dinner, it was s-o-o-o worth the wait. And the night was still young too.
(5)
Nico D.
While Tambellini's atmosphere is wonderful, homey and cozy, the food is NOT great- or even that good. My family booked this place for dinner on my graduation weekend. We were seated on the 3rd floor. Beautiful home, nice owners, and nice servers. However, does one dine for the atmosphere or food? I guess it's a combination and that's why I gave Tambellini's 2 stars instead of 1. Among the many plates we ordered were the Sesame Calamari appetizer; Shrimp Scampi and Scallops for mains; and the standard pasta without meat and Cesar salads accompanied with those mains. Sesame Calamari was overcooked and lacked flavor. This is coming from a family who has frequently enjoyed calamari over the years. The Shrimp Scampi was also overcooked, dry and lacking flavor. On the other hand, the Scallops main was undercooked and left that metallic aftertaste signaling they were spoiled. The standard pasta accompanying these dishes was served cold and slightly undercooked. On the better side of the plates ordered at our table: the Fried Zucchini appetizer was good, and the Crab Balls appetizer was also very good. Salads ordered were good. Other than that, none of the other plates my family members ordered were very memorable (We had a party of 5). We will not be returning.
I really enjoyed the ambiance- the lighting and the interior were really decorated well. They put a lot of effort into arranging the different ornaments on the table. In my opinion, the food was over-priced. I ordered the Meatball Parmesan. For the expensive price, there was nothing special about the tomato sauce - I felt like I could have had the same kind of sauce at a cheaper Italian restaurant. I also thought it was too salty. Not sure if I would go again.
(2)
Danielle G.
Honestly if u really know good food u would not think this is a good restaurant. The scallops are awful. They say they are broiled but come to table like they were defrosted in microwave ...so is the sesame calamari bad. Can u even tell its calamari. . Veal chop was ok. Chef has a chip on his shoulder and can't admit his food sucks big time. Wait staff is very good but too bad they have to put up with a chef that has a big ego and can't cook to save his life. Don't send the bad food back .... They make u pay for it anyway. There may be few choices in Pittsburg but pass on this one. Don't let the nice ambiance fool u
(1)
Imran D.
My wife and I dined at this place on our recent return to Pittsburgh and were extremely disappointed with our experience. Here's what we tried: The 'famous' Fried Zucchini was oily and soggy and the quantity served could feed a village. The soup that came with my entree was salty and borderline inedible (returned it back). The Mafalda Giancarlo entree was interesting, but nothing to rave about. The other entree was a some sort of a trio (grilled chicken, shrimp, steak) linguine; the shrimp was overcooked and didn't taste fresh at all. All in all, this place didn't offer any value for money and seems like it's is stuck in time. I don't know what's worse, spending $100 for a mediocre meal for two at JT or spending $100 on Olive garden's never ending pasta pass.
(2)
Tim C.
I love Osso Buco. it would probably be one of the entree's in my last feast on earth feasting week (ok its hard to decide). This is the best place in the country for Osso Buco. Most places you get two medalions from the shank, and pork osso buco is like turkey bacon, an evil plot to destroy the hearts, minds and happiness of the American people. But I digress. At Tambellinis they give you the whole leg. It is more than any one person should ever eat in one sitting and every time I have been here I order it and eat the whole thing. I hear their pasta is great. I hear they even have other stuff. I wouldn't know and I don't think I have missed out.
(5)
Ben R.
This place never disappoints. I usually tend to go here for special occasions as it always has a great meal. We sat on the second floor which is not my preference because it's a little bit tight. Every time someone got up or wait or walk by I was always bumped each time when they walk by. So if you can try to ask for the first floor or the back room on the first floor. Keep in mind there are three floors of the restaurant. As well as the outside deck which is my favorite in the summertime. Our server was top notch and clearly it shows as he's been here for a long time. He always just knew the right things to say and when to come over at the exact right time. He never missed a beat Tonight I wanted to crabcakes just to get something different and they were good. We also had the fried zucchini which was quite standard. My wife had the veal chop which is out of this world. Even though they have a lot of other Italian inspired dishes. I think their best dishes are the veal chop or their Porkchop. The cheesecake was also top-notch. Overall a great restaurant.
(4)
Nick L.
Wonderful. My wife, daughter and I just ate dinner here and we loved it. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. We ordered the "signature" meatball appetizer, followed by main courses of a stuffed pork-chop, an 18oz veal chop, and home-made raviolis. For dessert, we ordered the pecan ball with vanilla ice cream, the butterscotch pound cake and the lava cake - and, of course, cappuccino. Although relatively pricey, the portions were generous and the food perfectly prepared. If you are looking for an excellent Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area, this is the place!
(5)
Shannon B.
The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is wonderful. My family and I go here for almost all birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
(5)
Craig C.
I am a huge fan of this place. They will make anything you like, however you like it. Everyone is super friendly, and tries so hard to make it right. I will continue to return! Thanks for everything.
(5)
Janice T.
All in all, the food was decent, but nothing special. The manager greeted me at the door and when I mentioned that I was with a group of 6 he became rather surly and complained that my friend had only called the night before for a table. He also mentioned that the reservation was for 7 and I was the only one present. I later spoke to the manager again to ask him if there was something that could have been done differently when making a reservation that would have suited him. He mentioned that it is December, and they are very busy and that we took his last large group table. Well....is that not what they are in business to do? As far as group was concerned, the manner in which we were received combined with average food at a costly price confirmed that we would not be returning.
(3)
Linda W.
From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it would be a very special evening as smiles warmly greeted us to the white-tableclothed elegance within. We noticed that every single guest was greeted, and treated, like family. From our arrival at the hostess station, to every single knowledgeable server, to an enjoyable visit from Chef Joe himself at our table, to Joe's sister Rita checking in at the end of the evening and thanking us for coming in not one opportunity was missed to make us feel at home. Friendly is nice, but HOW ABOUT THE FOOD?! We shared a starter of escarole and white beans, topped with homemade fennel sausage. Yeah, I know, that doesn't sound elegant...BUT, when the dish is prepared and plated as it was, humble beans and greens are elevated to match the surroundings. Simply the best I've had anywhere. Ever. Veal dishes? Not to be missed! Housemade pastas, the BEST meatballs in town, lovely jumbo lump crab salad, a seafood section befitting the best of restaurants on the Eastern Shore, a stellar wine list, a dessert menu (including cannolis!)...I could go on and on. I chose veal marsala as my entree and a better choice I couldn't imagine. Tender veal, heaps of mushrooms, lush, velvety sauce. Perfection. The hubster also went with a veal selection - veal Romano in his case. Again, perfection. Oh! I almost forgot the salad of the evening...greens, roasted pear, dried cranberries, pomegranate, walnuts, gorgonzola and a beautiful pomegranate vinaigrette. We cleaned our salad plates! We each enjoyed a side of pasta - homemade for Mark, an excellent gluten-free version for me - both with a lovely tomato basil cream. You know how much I appreciated the gluten-free option! Dessert? Yes, please. Mark chose a cannoli - oh how I wished I could have one of my pre-gluten-issue favorite desserts...and I did! Joe put together a cannoli-without-the-shell version that blew me away! Suffice it to say, the elegant setting, outstanding cuisine and very fine staff elevated Italian comfort food to new and welcome heights. Thanks, Chef Joe! You made a very special anniversary VERY special indeed!
(5)
Beeficus M.
My second time here was last night since I relocated to the Steel City from The Big Apple. In NYC, Italian is my second culture having many many Italian friends since childhood. That said, I'm super picky about my Italian having graced places like my very very favorite, Il Bagatto (read my Yelp on this place), Lil Charlie's (RIP), my second favorite, Il Mulino, Trattoria L'incontro in Astoria, Lenny's in Howard Beach, Nello's on the UES and even Rao's which I've had the pleasure of eating at twice. With Tambellini, this is by far the BEST italian in Pittsburgh. I was impressed with the food. The fresh pasta is a hit the sauces and dressings are like they were straight from Grandma Upstairs (my Italian "grandmother" may her soul rest in peace) kitchen, I haven't eaten meat in 8 years but I might just have relapse over some Tambellini meatballs. While the decor is a bit old school, I don't mind. I just long for a room full of fun and interesting people, which Pittsburgh is sorely lacking. I miss eating and chatting up my neighbors and then sharing a Grappa or Limoncello with them. Maybe its because I have a huge personality with an AWESOME beard but the people in PGH are boring, although I did see a young dude in there with a 5 panel cap and a hip brand crew neck on. We need more of that swag in the Burgh. The chef is a great guy, he and his wife make sure to greet each customer and chat them up. I like that, but sometimes it feels forced and I really wish I knew them more because they seem like really nice people but when they start with the small talk it pains me because we can't really delve into any conversation of substance. Maybe one day but until then, let's table the convo and let me get at the food!!
(4)
Kiley W.
The food was delicious, the staff was very nice, and it was a WONDERFUL atmosphere!
(5)
Mike F.
The stuffed banana peppers are the best in town. The fried zucchini is fresh and a delight. The meals can be too much since the pasta is a full course and not a side. Never fear. We alternate between ordering the pasta as an entree and getting a full entree and taking most of the pasta home. Either way way are happy and full. The veal chop might be the best entree in town and the seafood melissa is a wonderful and lighter dish. The sleeper of the menu is the escarole and white bean w sausage appetizer. I know I recommended three appetizers but if you can find a way to include this one you won't be sorry.
(5)
Larry B.
A true 5 STAR restaurant! Everything is excellent service, atmosphere and food quality. Absolute consistent quality every-time we visit... One of the top restaurants in Pittsburgh!!
(5)
Jessica F.
Absolutely fabulous italian food! Joseph Tambellini's definitely delivers an amazing meal. My husband and I love food and were simply delighted.
(5)
Michael S.
The best Italian meal I've had in Pittsburgh was last night at Tambellini's. We almost didn't go because their website is cheesy. But we were so glad we gave it a try. The food was out of this world. Great salads. Great fish and pasta. Incredible butterscotch poundcake. Staff was professional and hospitable. First class.
I went here for me and my twins bday dinner with my family. We reserved the top floor which is called "the lodge." It was awesome! We had out own floor, bathroom and stero to play music! The staff was awesome and they had to climb three flights to bring us out food! We all had a great time and it was so private. The food was amazing also so much quality!!!! It is definitely expensive here but well worth a splurge! We ordered a lot of appetizers and shared them all. I also got the Seafood Melissa and it was awesome. I had such a great experience here and hope to return!
(5)
Melanie F.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park for helping me have the perfect birthday last Friday. I would describe it as comfortable upscale. We reserved the 3rd floor which they call The Lodge. There were just ten of us ladies but it could have seated double. It was private and cozy. Our server was Erin (not sure of spelling). She was friendly, timely and patient. As I said it was on the 3rd floor so up and down she went. We had zucchini, meatballs, salad, pasta, filet, crab cakes. Everything was delicious, fresh and authentic. No Olive Garden here. No sir. This is the real thing. Price is worth it. You'll see why when you get there. Just get there.
(4)
Adam L.
One of pittsburgh's finest restaurants.Fantastic, flavorful Italian cuisine with great and I mean great service. My girlfriend and I went their for valentines day. Menu was great, she had the jumbo shrimp scampi. Jumbo is right extremely large shrimp with fresh crabmeat and a decadent butter sauce. I had a breaded pork tenderloin topped with crispy prosciutto, eggplant, cheese mushrooms and probably a bunch of other stuff. Anyway it was a great take on a classic dish and portion was well worth the price. Tambellini is one of pittsburgh's finest chefs and to add to it he's always around his restaurant greeting his guests, it's a great feeling. Great for any occasion, we will absolutely be back!
(5)
Kyle T.
I went here with a party of people to celebrate a special occasion and we were quite pleased with the experience of eating here and the food overall. That staff were all friendly, attentive, and eager to assist us, be it with coat checking or picking out our main courses. It is an interesting experience to eat on the inside of what looks and feels like a house, however this lends itself to an overall homey feel while you dine. The waiter here said they had the best meatball in Pittsburgh and he might be right, it was certainly one of the best and largest meatballs I had ever had. The seafood pasta I had served with homemade trenne was excellent as well, and the rest of my party were definitely pleased with their dishes. Overall it was a very pleasant experience accompanied with excellent food and my only critique is that I wish it was cheaper so I could eat here more often.
(5)
Brad G.
This place is amazing. Why...QUALITY! Great staff owners and food can't be beat. Joey and missy are the best most kind people you'll meet in the restaurant industry. The crab cakes are the best in Pgh. Meatballs melt in your mouth. Love it!
(5)
Jackie B.
My boyfriend and I recently discovered the restaurants of Bryant Street via The Smiling Banana Leaf, and have been looking for an excuse to try out Joseph Tambellini's ever since we saw the quaint, homey-looking facade. We'd heard that Tambellini's serves up some seriously amazing Italian fare, so we jumped at the chance to take the bf's Italian food-loving parents here on their most recent visit to the 'Burgh. We decided to invite my parents along too and make it a big family get-together. Our last family dinner had taken place at another popular Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, Alla Famiglia, so I was curious to see how the two would compare. In my opinion, Joseph Tambellini's was far superior to Alla Famiglia. Each entree comes with a soup or house salad, as well as a bowl of homemade pasta. I had low expectations for my house salad, but was pleasantly surprised to receive a vibrant and delicious salad dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette. I'm not normally a big fan of pasta, but I cleaned my bowl of home-made pasta, served in a light tomato basil cream sauce. The portions were just the right size, satisfying but still left me with an appetite for my entree. I completely loved my eggplant parmesan. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and wasn't too heavy on the marinara or cheese. I split this dish with my mother, who ordered the Seafood Melissa: a lightly breaded piece of white fish, served with scallops and crab-meat stuffed shrimp. Although I did not really care for the scallops, I enjoyed the other components of the dish. My boyfriend ordered the broiled lobster tails, and declared that they were the best lobster tails he'd ever had. Even though we were all satisfied at this point, we couldn't pass up on dessert. Our party went with the tiramisu, creme brulee, and pecan ball. The tiramisu was AMAZING. I could have selfishly inhaled the whole piece myself, but managed to pass it along for everyone else to try. All in all, this was a fabulous meal. If you're looking for timeless, traditional Italian food done right, this is your place.
(5)
Faith A.
Fabulous experience! We had our work holiday party on the 3rd floor in the "Lodge"... and I have to say every single little thing about planning this dinner, and the dinner itself was an A+++++++++++++++++++ experience! As a former drug/med rep, I have dealt with a lot of places over the years for dinner programs, and there always seemed to be one snafu or another with events... a lot of times because the venue staff was not being attentive, or because the event coordinator was not able to follow through with what they are supposed to do. I dealt with Joseph in the month prior to the event, and he was a pleasure to deal with! Everything was handled quickly, easily and they were more than accommodating. Everything was amazing from the appetizers, to the salad, to the entrees (which consisted of Seafood Melissa, King Salmon, Pork Chop Paillard, Chicken Parm, NY Strip, and Veal Parm), the desserts were amazing and the wine was great! The service was also spectacular. Portions were large so you are definitely getting a lot for your money. The environment is classy, yet casual and I think whether dressed up or down, you would feel comfortable here. The Opentable.com info says "Smart Casual" so as long as you were appropriately dressed, you would be comfortable at least. I would prefer to wear jeans so being able to wear them here is a plus for me! If you have not tried this great place, you need to! We will definitely be back for our holiday party next year!
(5)
Jeremy K.
Fresh Made Italian As the title states, it is what it is. Great authentic Italian cuisine! We were out this evening exploring a new restaurant (we picked it from yelp), for our favorite smiling face, Tiffany (she got old today). Since our Princess, Tiffany, always wants to eat Italian and always eats Bucca De Peppo, or whatever it is called. This Jedi is not down with the Bucca's & Olive Gardens of the world... this Jedi needs something fresh...not out of a bag. I Started with upgrading the salad to a Caesar Salad...it's an Italian Joint you have to bang on a Caesar. And like I thought, a great homemade Caesar, with crisp romaine lettuce. The perfect amount of anchovy, superb! I'm not big on eating pasta out..heavy+filling= sleepy. But Joseph's makes their or his own pasta...I'm in. I went with the Tenne Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab. Mouthwatering... is what I have to say. The Shrimp huge and cooked perfect, the jumbo lump sweet and it is well balanced with a fresh stewed tomato basil cream sauce. The "Tenne" had me confused...for I have never heard of this pasta...it was triangle, penne to Tenne...very clever Joseph. The wifey went with the Veal Picatta... I'm not a big lemon caper butter sauce kinda guy... but his was definitely fresh as fresh could be, and the wife enjoyed. Tiffany went with the Chicken Picatta to mirror the veal, and she equally enjoined hers. Ritter went with a meatball dish with a small, very long, lasagna noodle... very different. Also very fresh. Now the delight of the night... Creme Burlee ... I LOVE CREME BURLEE. This was one of the best I have ever had. 2nd to only Emeril's himself. Touche Mr. Tamablini, you have opened a great restuarant. I will highly recommend and tell others to dine at your establishment. JEDI RECOMMENDED --- The fact that Tambelli's (Joseph's) is located in a old Pittsburgh Home....makes it well.......homey...
(5)
Jason B.
Joe is top notch, often you will find him come and check on you. Never ever not have a great meal there!
(4)
Lisa W.
Food is excellent and service is wonderful. They go above and beyond to make you happy!
(5)
Brock S.
It's worth the trip. The service was top notch (Adam) and the food was good too. We started with the crab balls app and they were good. The chicken padrona soup was excellent. My fiancee had the chicken Romano and it was the best I've ever had. I had Alfredo it was good, but had a uncommon twang to it and wouldn't order it again. I will likely go back to try another chicken dish!
(4)
Jason J.
Servers here put the rude in rudimentary as they can't do even the basic elements of their job. Don't even think about going here with a group unless you like waiting around for twenty minutes before someone acknowledges you and then can stomach waiting over two hours for a bland extremely overpriced meal. More emphasis should be placed on delivering a quality product at a lower price.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : 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.
Michael M.
My wife and I dined at Joseph Tambellini this past Saturday. Being from Cleveland I get the impression this is a Pittsburgh institution. The food was great and the service was excellent. They have a very traditional menu. My wife ordered the ravioli and I had the filet. Both were prepared exactly to our request. The chicken corn chowder soup was almost a meal in itself. This is a very romantic restaurant as witnessed by the proposal that took place five minutes before we were seated. We may still hate the Steelers, but we will always have a soft spot for Joseph Tambellini.
(5)Priya M.
Very good food with great service!
(5)Kelly C.
Came here with my family for my graduation dinner after seeing great reviews for the place. The food was great and the service was great as well. The ambience is also nice and very interesting- when you see the place from the outside, you'd have no idea that this restaurant was inside the building. I can't remember exactly what we all got but we shared an appetizer or two, and ordered entrees ranging from seafood to meat dishes. All the food was very good and worth the price. Mr. Tambellini even stopped by our table to make sure everything was going well. Definitely a great experience!
(5)Ryan F.
We just moved to Highland Park from Seattle and this is reason enough to live in Highland Park. We absolutely loved the food. We went at an earlier time with our son who is 2 and the staff was incredibly courteous and very nice. We got an appetizer (which is unnecessary given the volume of food coming out in subsequent courses standard with your meal) which was good but it did not compare to the pasta course. The salad and the soup was very good and our meals were incredible. I had veal and my wife had chicken both of which were some of the best we have ever had. We are from Chicago and lived in Little Italy for 4 years during which time we ate a lot of Italian and this place rivals all of our favorites from back home. To top the meal off we had desserts which were great, the butterscotch poundcake was way more food than we should have ordered but it was gone in seconds! It wasn't cheap but given the amount of food that comes with your meal Tambellini a great deal in our opinion; especially when you compare it to other restaurants of similar quality that typically charge just as much for an Ala Carte meal. We look forward to eating here for years to come!
(5)Barbara K.
Excellent Service, food was good, but not authentic Italian if that is what you are looking for, expensive.
(4)Teresa P.
My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Joseph Tambellini and it far exceeded our expectations. The food was delicious from appetizers to dessert and was priced fairly. The ambience is charming and the wait staff professional. The steak I had was outstanding, perfectly done and better than Capital Grill, Mortons and Ruth Chris rolled into one. We have already made our reservations for New Years Eve and hope to be back before then. This was the best meal we have eaten in Pittsburgh in a LOOOONG time. Thank you Joseph Tambellini! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Tim C.
I love Osso Buco. it would probably be one of the entree's in my last feast on earth feasting week (ok its hard to decide). This is the best place in the country for Osso Buco. Most places you get two medalions from the shank, and pork osso buco is like turkey bacon, an evil plot to destroy the hearts, minds and happiness of the American people. But I digress. At Tambellinis they give you the whole leg. It is more than any one person should ever eat in one sitting and every time I have been here I order it and eat the whole thing. I hear their pasta is great. I hear they even have other stuff. I wouldn't know and I don't think I have missed out.
(5)John S.
A perfectly quaint Italian restaurant that invokes nostalgia of how restaurants used to be run. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere memorable. Can't wait to go back!
(5)John P.
I went here last night with some friends and we had a fantastic experience from start to finish! The food was outstanding and the service was extremely good as well. We had a few meatballs for appetizers, which were awesome. The soup and salad was great. I got a pasta dish called mafalda Giancarlo which was awesome and my friends got veal Marsala and chicken parm.... I stole of of my friends chicken parm and it was the best I have ever had... We split a tiramisu for desert and it was incredible..... Also, the service was exceptional. Our waiter was very helpful and polite and went above and beyond to make us feel at home. We can't wait to go back!
(5)John B.
Food was good but not worth the price. Front porch view is of a parking lot. Inside is quite nice. Waitress was very frustrated and seemed stretched too thin to provide service. Overall if you're looking for nice italian this isn't a poor choice but there are certainly better places in the city.
(3)Nichole S.
I ate here with my daughter for our last meal together before leaving her in the Pittsburgh area for her ballet summer intensive! While the food was good it was pretty overpriced for pasta. Also the service was over-solicitous and at the end of our meal our waiter basically chased me down saying we hadn't paid, yet his co-worker processed my card. Rude. We won't be making a return trip.
(3)Tim R.
Although the food tasted great for the most part, the portion size was certainly not worth the money and the attitude of the waiter and manager left a very bitter taste. I ordered the lamb chop special and got 3 very small lamb chops that were 90% fat. There was only a couple bites of descent meat. To make things worse the side dishes of risotto and asparagus were also only a couple bites as well. The dish cost $47!!!! A total ripoff for the tiny amount of food. Bringing it to the waiter and managers attention did no good at all. After reading this review, the owner contacted me and was very helpful in attempting to correct my bad experience.
(3)Beeficus M.
My second time here was last night since I relocated to the Steel City from The Big Apple. In NYC, Italian is my second culture having many many Italian friends since childhood. That said, I'm super picky about my Italian having graced places like my very very favorite, Il Bagatto (read my Yelp on this place), Lil Charlie's (RIP), my second favorite, Il Mulino, Trattoria L'incontro in Astoria, Lenny's in Howard Beach, Nello's on the UES and even Rao's which I've had the pleasure of eating at twice. With Tambellini, this is by far the BEST italian in Pittsburgh. I was impressed with the food. The fresh pasta is a hit the sauces and dressings are like they were straight from Grandma Upstairs (my Italian "grandmother" may her soul rest in peace) kitchen, I haven't eaten meat in 8 years but I might just have relapse over some Tambellini meatballs. While the decor is a bit old school, I don't mind. I just long for a room full of fun and interesting people, which Pittsburgh is sorely lacking. I miss eating and chatting up my neighbors and then sharing a Grappa or Limoncello with them. Maybe its because I have a huge personality with an AWESOME beard but the people in PGH are boring, although I did see a young dude in there with a 5 panel cap and a hip brand crew neck on. We need more of that swag in the Burgh. The chef is a great guy, he and his wife make sure to greet each customer and chat them up. I like that, but sometimes it feels forced and I really wish I knew them more because they seem like really nice people but when they start with the small talk it pains me because we can't really delve into any conversation of substance. Maybe one day but until then, let's table the convo and let me get at the food!!
(4)Kiley W.
The food was delicious, the staff was very nice, and it was a WONDERFUL atmosphere!
(5)Theresa C.
Good service and good food! Pricey but good. However, I am slightly tempted to give it a 3.75 star instead of 4. Read on to find out why! My fiancé and I came here for my birthday. And with my friend's recommendation from before I was excited and had high expectations. They were friendly when they greeted us at the door, and led us upstairs to our seats after taking our jackets. Very nice and professional service just as I expected. We came on a Wednesday so there weren't many people and I enjoyed the quietness. Once we sat down we decided to start with some drinks. Since it was also around VDay, they had some yumm cocktails. I ordered on e and had a great time sipping on it. Would go try their other special cocktails again in the future. For appetizers, we got the crab salad and that was definitely delicious. And OmG in LOVE with their bread dipping sauce - Olive oil and garlic. Without a doubt one of the better ones I have had in the past. We did a soup and salad, they were good but nothing too outrageous for me to comment on. Moving onto the entree, because I saw a lot of reviews raving about their tomato basil sauce I really wanted to try that but I also wanted to try a steak....dilemma.... But this part I really like about their menu offerings - if you order a special entree it comes with pasta with tomato basil sauce!! Bam!! Problem solved!! I got their special Delmonico steak with mushrooms on top. So here is where the 3.75 star comes in. Aside from the fact it was a nice piece of steak, I don't think they put enough effort and creativity into cooking it. It tasted just like something I could make at home (although the fiancé may disagree). Being at a pricey place, I want to feel that you out time and effort into every dish. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my steak a lot being the steak lover that I am....but I wasn't exactly wowed.. Presentation of the steak was also vey so-so. I would go back again but idk if I want to order their steak again. Their tomato basil sauce with the pasta was good! So maybe I would give pasta a try instead. My fiancé ordered seafood Melissa and I do believe he thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Last but not least, it was the dessert. Tried their butterscotch pound cake. It was fine but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary...probably another reason I gave it 3.75. And oh it was my actual birthday, I thought I could at least get a free bday dessert for spending all this money...but nope we got charged for every last item haha. Oh well... Regardless, the place is worth trying at least once before you make your final decision!
(4)Taylor S.
I went here for me and my twins bday dinner with my family. We reserved the top floor which is called "the lodge." It was awesome! We had out own floor, bathroom and stero to play music! The staff was awesome and they had to climb three flights to bring us out food! We all had a great time and it was so private. The food was amazing also so much quality!!!! It is definitely expensive here but well worth a splurge! We ordered a lot of appetizers and shared them all. I also got the Seafood Melissa and it was awesome. I had such a great experience here and hope to return!
(5)Melanie F.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park for helping me have the perfect birthday last Friday. I would describe it as comfortable upscale. We reserved the 3rd floor which they call The Lodge. There were just ten of us ladies but it could have seated double. It was private and cozy. Our server was Erin (not sure of spelling). She was friendly, timely and patient. As I said it was on the 3rd floor so up and down she went. We had zucchini, meatballs, salad, pasta, filet, crab cakes. Everything was delicious, fresh and authentic. No Olive Garden here. No sir. This is the real thing. Price is worth it. You'll see why when you get there. Just get there.
(4)Adam L.
One of pittsburgh's finest restaurants.Fantastic, flavorful Italian cuisine with great and I mean great service. My girlfriend and I went their for valentines day. Menu was great, she had the jumbo shrimp scampi. Jumbo is right extremely large shrimp with fresh crabmeat and a decadent butter sauce. I had a breaded pork tenderloin topped with crispy prosciutto, eggplant, cheese mushrooms and probably a bunch of other stuff. Anyway it was a great take on a classic dish and portion was well worth the price. Tambellini is one of pittsburgh's finest chefs and to add to it he's always around his restaurant greeting his guests, it's a great feeling. Great for any occasion, we will absolutely be back!
(5)Kyle T.
I went here with a party of people to celebrate a special occasion and we were quite pleased with the experience of eating here and the food overall. That staff were all friendly, attentive, and eager to assist us, be it with coat checking or picking out our main courses. It is an interesting experience to eat on the inside of what looks and feels like a house, however this lends itself to an overall homey feel while you dine. The waiter here said they had the best meatball in Pittsburgh and he might be right, it was certainly one of the best and largest meatballs I had ever had. The seafood pasta I had served with homemade trenne was excellent as well, and the rest of my party were definitely pleased with their dishes. Overall it was a very pleasant experience accompanied with excellent food and my only critique is that I wish it was cheaper so I could eat here more often.
(5)Brad G.
This place is amazing. Why...QUALITY! Great staff owners and food can't be beat. Joey and missy are the best most kind people you'll meet in the restaurant industry. The crab cakes are the best in Pgh. Meatballs melt in your mouth. Love it!
(5)Mike F.
The stuffed banana peppers are the best in town. The fried zucchini is fresh and a delight. The meals can be too much since the pasta is a full course and not a side. Never fear. We alternate between ordering the pasta as an entree and getting a full entree and taking most of the pasta home. Either way way are happy and full. The veal chop might be the best entree in town and the seafood melissa is a wonderful and lighter dish. The sleeper of the menu is the escarole and white bean w sausage appetizer. I know I recommended three appetizers but if you can find a way to include this one you won't be sorry.
(5)Jackie B.
My boyfriend and I recently discovered the restaurants of Bryant Street via The Smiling Banana Leaf, and have been looking for an excuse to try out Joseph Tambellini's ever since we saw the quaint, homey-looking facade. We'd heard that Tambellini's serves up some seriously amazing Italian fare, so we jumped at the chance to take the bf's Italian food-loving parents here on their most recent visit to the 'Burgh. We decided to invite my parents along too and make it a big family get-together. Our last family dinner had taken place at another popular Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, Alla Famiglia, so I was curious to see how the two would compare. In my opinion, Joseph Tambellini's was far superior to Alla Famiglia. Each entree comes with a soup or house salad, as well as a bowl of homemade pasta. I had low expectations for my house salad, but was pleasantly surprised to receive a vibrant and delicious salad dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette. I'm not normally a big fan of pasta, but I cleaned my bowl of home-made pasta, served in a light tomato basil cream sauce. The portions were just the right size, satisfying but still left me with an appetite for my entree. I completely loved my eggplant parmesan. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and wasn't too heavy on the marinara or cheese. I split this dish with my mother, who ordered the Seafood Melissa: a lightly breaded piece of white fish, served with scallops and crab-meat stuffed shrimp. Although I did not really care for the scallops, I enjoyed the other components of the dish. My boyfriend ordered the broiled lobster tails, and declared that they were the best lobster tails he'd ever had. Even though we were all satisfied at this point, we couldn't pass up on dessert. Our party went with the tiramisu, creme brulee, and pecan ball. The tiramisu was AMAZING. I could have selfishly inhaled the whole piece myself, but managed to pass it along for everyone else to try. All in all, this was a fabulous meal. If you're looking for timeless, traditional Italian food done right, this is your place.
(5)Faith A.
Fabulous experience! We had our work holiday party on the 3rd floor in the "Lodge"... and I have to say every single little thing about planning this dinner, and the dinner itself was an A+++++++++++++++++++ experience! As a former drug/med rep, I have dealt with a lot of places over the years for dinner programs, and there always seemed to be one snafu or another with events... a lot of times because the venue staff was not being attentive, or because the event coordinator was not able to follow through with what they are supposed to do. I dealt with Joseph in the month prior to the event, and he was a pleasure to deal with! Everything was handled quickly, easily and they were more than accommodating. Everything was amazing from the appetizers, to the salad, to the entrees (which consisted of Seafood Melissa, King Salmon, Pork Chop Paillard, Chicken Parm, NY Strip, and Veal Parm), the desserts were amazing and the wine was great! The service was also spectacular. Portions were large so you are definitely getting a lot for your money. The environment is classy, yet casual and I think whether dressed up or down, you would feel comfortable here. The Opentable.com info says "Smart Casual" so as long as you were appropriately dressed, you would be comfortable at least. I would prefer to wear jeans so being able to wear them here is a plus for me! If you have not tried this great place, you need to! We will definitely be back for our holiday party next year!
(5)Jeremy K.
Fresh Made Italian As the title states, it is what it is. Great authentic Italian cuisine! We were out this evening exploring a new restaurant (we picked it from yelp), for our favorite smiling face, Tiffany (she got old today). Since our Princess, Tiffany, always wants to eat Italian and always eats Bucca De Peppo, or whatever it is called. This Jedi is not down with the Bucca's & Olive Gardens of the world... this Jedi needs something fresh...not out of a bag. I Started with upgrading the salad to a Caesar Salad...it's an Italian Joint you have to bang on a Caesar. And like I thought, a great homemade Caesar, with crisp romaine lettuce. The perfect amount of anchovy, superb! I'm not big on eating pasta out..heavy+filling= sleepy. But Joseph's makes their or his own pasta...I'm in. I went with the Tenne Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab. Mouthwatering... is what I have to say. The Shrimp huge and cooked perfect, the jumbo lump sweet and it is well balanced with a fresh stewed tomato basil cream sauce. The "Tenne" had me confused...for I have never heard of this pasta...it was triangle, penne to Tenne...very clever Joseph. The wifey went with the Veal Picatta... I'm not a big lemon caper butter sauce kinda guy... but his was definitely fresh as fresh could be, and the wife enjoyed. Tiffany went with the Chicken Picatta to mirror the veal, and she equally enjoined hers. Ritter went with a meatball dish with a small, very long, lasagna noodle... very different. Also very fresh. Now the delight of the night... Creme Burlee ... I LOVE CREME BURLEE. This was one of the best I have ever had. 2nd to only Emeril's himself. Touche Mr. Tamablini, you have opened a great restuarant. I will highly recommend and tell others to dine at your establishment. JEDI RECOMMENDED --- The fact that Tambelli's (Joseph's) is located in a old Pittsburgh Home....makes it well.......homey...
(5)Jason B.
Joe is top notch, often you will find him come and check on you. Never ever not have a great meal there!
(4)Lisa W.
Food is excellent and service is wonderful. They go above and beyond to make you happy!
(5)Brock S.
It's worth the trip. The service was top notch (Adam) and the food was good too. We started with the crab balls app and they were good. The chicken padrona soup was excellent. My fiancee had the chicken Romano and it was the best I've ever had. I had Alfredo it was good, but had a uncommon twang to it and wouldn't order it again. I will likely go back to try another chicken dish!
(4)Carey M.
I must confess that I didn't go to Joseph Tambellini's for a long time despite it's very high Yelp rating because its website is so strange. There are photographs of each item on the menu, which made me think of it as some kind of Denny'sesque Italian restaurant. And the clientele, which is generally composed of dressed up grandparents. But itching for something new, a group of my friends and I tried it last night. It is a traditional upscale Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere, excellent service, a solid bar and wine list, but unadventurous entrees. It's the Pamela's of upscale Pittsburgh restaurants. Each entree comes with a salad, which is good, and a somewhat bland tomato cream sauce pasta dish. My NY strip steak and a friend's pork chop were excellent, but friends who ordered the fish courses were not impressed. Rat pack era music plays in the background. The food will probably pleasing to most traditional Pittsburghers (particularly those who expect to eat a lot of food or are over 55 years old), but it is not particularly creative or exciting. If you do go there, order a steak and try to sub in one of the more unusual pastas (or take a look at the photos of all the entrees online before you go).
(3)Aaron F.
For a restaurant with $$$$ I expected more snobbery and high brow treatment, but I felt like I was visiting a friend who treated me like family. I am not sure how anyone could walk away feeling anything less than awesome after dining here.
(5)Andrew D.
Everything about this place is fantastic! Comfortable elegant environment that is still family centric, excellent food and outstanding service. The service was wonderfully attentive. The chef comes out and introduces himself frequently to patrons. They will even do special orders for you if you have a request, the couple next to us were able to split an entree and have an item prepared not on the menu without any problem. You just don't see service and personalized approach to food like this anymore, especially at nicer restaurants. The food was excellent from start to finish with a garlic sundried tomato olive oil served with the bread. I had their Caesar salad and my partner had the house salad - both were fantastic and were meals in their own right. The Caesar was lightly dressed with full flavor. The meals came with a pasta tasting course which was with a tomato basil light cream sauce, which we could not get enough of... It's a nice touch to have a separate pasta course, which really makes the experience. The chicken Romano is wonderfully prepared with a light coating and robust Romano cheese flavor. One of the specials was a black cod served with Israeli cous cous, which was similarly fantastic. The cod was so flavorful and fresh and melted on the palate. Last was the dessert - a New York style cheesecake with beery sauce. It was fantastic and the best cheesecake we've ever had, including those in New York. We will surely be coming back soon and often.
(5)Kimberly R.
You really feel like grandma is in the kitchen cooking! The food tastes fresh and flavorful. The portions are generous and are priced well. The wait staff is excellent! They also have a great wine selection and the sommelier is very helpful.
(5)Susan D.
Rick brought me here for my Valentine's Night dinner on Saturday, February 18. Yes, four days later. Unfortunately I had to be out of town, San Antonio to be exact for two weeks and that included Valentine's Day. But O did he promise me a really nice dinner when I returned! Their menu promises "Warm romantic fine dining in the true Tambellini family tradition." and they are not kidding. We began our dinner with some antipasta--sauteed calamari. Hey, I'm 50% Italian and my guy is 100%. We both love a great calamari and I'd been craving it since San Antonio. This was the sort of calamari that just slowly melts in your mouth as you eat it, it was that succulent. For my insalate I went for the mozzarella salad-- fresh mozzarella, tomato, oasted peppers and mixed greens. Heavenly! One thing that sets Joseph Tambellini apart from some of the others is that they make their own pasta by hand here. And believe me, it shows folks. Their Mafalda Caprese was like none I've ever had before. The grilled chicken was just right, the tomatos fresh, and the garlic not overpowering. Rick went for the veal chop which just smelled divine! This thing was a 16-oz'er and he ended up bringing some of it home. Ah, but what is an Italian dinner without Dolce? They've got a butterscotch poundcake with vanilla bean ice cream, and candied pecans with butterscotch sauce. Oh how tempting that looked, but just a bit much. Rick and I split a wonderful cannoli though, which topped off that dinner perfectly. The atmosphere and service here are just impeccable. Joseph Tambellini has three floors, each with a different decor. Rick got us a table on the first floor, which has a much more traditional setting--just the way I like it. So my Valentine's Day was a little delayed. But with that dinner, it was s-o-o-o worth the wait. And the night was still young too.
(5)Nico D.
While Tambellini's atmosphere is wonderful, homey and cozy, the food is NOT great- or even that good. My family booked this place for dinner on my graduation weekend. We were seated on the 3rd floor. Beautiful home, nice owners, and nice servers. However, does one dine for the atmosphere or food? I guess it's a combination and that's why I gave Tambellini's 2 stars instead of 1. Among the many plates we ordered were the Sesame Calamari appetizer; Shrimp Scampi and Scallops for mains; and the standard pasta without meat and Cesar salads accompanied with those mains. Sesame Calamari was overcooked and lacked flavor. This is coming from a family who has frequently enjoyed calamari over the years. The Shrimp Scampi was also overcooked, dry and lacking flavor. On the other hand, the Scallops main was undercooked and left that metallic aftertaste signaling they were spoiled. The standard pasta accompanying these dishes was served cold and slightly undercooked. On the better side of the plates ordered at our table: the Fried Zucchini appetizer was good, and the Crab Balls appetizer was also very good. Salads ordered were good. Other than that, none of the other plates my family members ordered were very memorable (We had a party of 5). We will not be returning.
(2)Jason M.
Just blocks from the zoo is this authentic Italian restaurant in a converted house. If you are going to part with a C-note (which you will likely do here, unless you are dining alone) this is a pretty good place to do it. YOU WILL NOT GO HOME HUNGRY (see my review of Salt of the Earth). And, overall, the food is pretty darn good, the staff and chef are friendly, and the atmosphere festive but refined. As for the food... the bread and oil/garlic/white bean mix are a nice free starter. As an app, we tried the smoked salmon plate w/ toasted pita-like bread, capers, chopped onions, chopped egg... The salmon was plentiful, and overall, the dish was fresh and tasty and a good starter. Then, we tried the soup (chicken pasta, tonight) and an upgraded salad w/ candied walnuts, sliced apples, greens, crumbled, cheese... both were excellent. For entrees (which, by the way, range from $25-$40, but come with soup or salad and a pasta "taster" on the side -- which you can upgrade w/ a meatball the size of a baseball for only $2 -- more on that later) ... I tried a Mediterranean-style turbot special, and my wife had the crab cakes. Her crab cakes were good, though not great - though I ate almost half of them. Kudos to the right mix of crab, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. My fish was well-prepared, plentiful, and smartly prepared with the white fish soaking up many of the Mediterranean elements of the dish (olive oil, olives, sun dried tomatoes). ... the pasta sides -- an apparent staple of Tambelinnis -- are excellent. The tomato basil cream sauce they come in (though you can also just get marinara, or just tomato basil) is outstanding, and my wife's meatball upgrade was the star of the show. Just in that $2 upgrade there was more substance and flavor than our entire C-note blowing at Salt of the Earth a few weeks ago... ... a few oddities. We were sitting near the kitchen door, so we got a lot of "staff" action. There was a lot of talk about how many tables everyone had/didn't have, and there were many near-misses -- and one hit -- via the in-and-out of the swinging kitchen door. There are also a crazy number of options and specials, and so hearing the possibilities from your waiter can take a good deal of time. Overall, however, the location is interesting; the people welcoming and friendly; and the food authentic, generous, and occasionally innovative. For a hearty, interesting dinner experience - definitely give this Italian place a try.
(4)James T.
By far the best Italian Rest in the Burgh----From the atmosphere to the friendly staff The calamari is amazing, the seafood is always FRESH.....And not to mention the homemade pastas.....But my favorite is the Veal Marsala with the Shiitake mushrooms FANTASTIC FOOD -----enough said
(5)Jason J.
Servers here put the rude in rudimentary as they can't do even the basic elements of their job. Don't even think about going here with a group unless you like waiting around for twenty minutes before someone acknowledges you and then can stomach waiting over two hours for a bland extremely overpriced meal. More emphasis should be placed on delivering a quality product at a lower price.
(2)Kathy G.
This is a must try restaurant when in the 'Burgh! It is an old converted house in Highland Park transformed into a warm, homey, yet upscale Italian eatery with very good food. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on the weekends. We started out with one meatball each and they were tender and DELICIOUS! You choose your entree and it comes with the salad and pasta course which comes before the meal itself like a traditional italian restaurant. The salad was decent, but not memorable because the dressing was just missing something. OMG BUT the PASTA course....it is beyond delectable. It comes in a pink sauce and the pasta is perfect and I could have licked my plate if no one was looking. Fiance got the butterflied shrimp which our fellow dining guest said was 'beyond', and I had the lamb with mushroom risotto. The shrimp looks pretty ordinary, but it is anything but. It is scrumptious! It isn't overly breaded and is flavorful and fresh. The best thing about it is the homemade tartar sauce that it comes with along with a chunky cocktail sauce, which isn't very spicy, but tasty and doesn't overpower the shrimp. My lamb was out of this world as well. A good portion of lamb on top of a bed of mushroom risotto with a moat of this heavenly brown lamb sauce that I couldn't get enough of. The risotto wasn't quite creamy enough, but it was good. (I am crazy picky about my risotto) Our friend's filet mignon dish looked absolutely amazing! We should have taken a bite. We will try that next time we're in town for sure! The pièce de résistance was the butterscotch pound cake for dessert. SO GOOD! Decadent, rich with a light butterscotch flavor. The only comments I have otherwise is about the bread-it's just not that great, and neither is the herbed olive oil that accompanies it. When it's busy, the service is a little slower than normal, but not terrible. Everyone is very personable and sweet here and you may even have a chat with the chef himself when he comes around to see how everyone's meal is going. A must try when in Pittsburgh!
(5)Mary Lou B.
Great food. Top notch service. We were treated like a king and queen. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Kim C.
A lovely little place! Excellent fresh pasta & meatballs. I'd definitely dine there again. Our server was quick & very polite.
(5)Rosalind C.
I think this place just might be the latest addition to my Pittsburgh favorites lineup. The service is fabulous, and the food, even more so. I also love that it is pretty old school Pittsburgh, what with the "older" crowd and decor. The chef even comes out to everyone to say hi and to ask if they enjoyed their meal! Classy. The food is fabulous. I had the skirt steak, which was the size of my face, I kid you not. Sometimes, size compensates for other things, but my friends, this was a serious steak. Absolutely delicious. I think I managed to finish only about half of it, which is understandable given that I also had a salad and a pasta course (all included in the meal) beforehand. I also want to give a shout out to the pasta course - it was delicious the night of, and when I had the leftovers, it was even better. We weren't able to deal with any dessert since we were pretty much popping out of our pants by the end of the night, but now that I know, I'm going to try and pace myself a little better next time. I'm salivating already.
(5)Christine C.
Wow, been forever since I wanted to try this restaurant. On Friday evening around 5:30pm, me and my friend drove over and experienced this super nice Italian restaurant. First, it's in an entire house - how awesome can it be? We were greeted by the staff and told we were the first ones of the night and they were gonna take extra care of us. But of course they took extra care of EVERYONE, but it's okay! Had the fish and the chicken specials of the day. This meal included soup or salad + pasta + entree. This was way too much food - at the end, we couldn't even get dessert. But everything was delicious - especially the chicken! Oh my, so tender and soft and yummy. Each part of the meal was perfectly made. Would definitely come again on special occasions!
(5)Andrew S.
Joseph Tambellini seems to be a fairly highly regarded restaurant in Pittsburgh. I don't think it is bad, just "old school" in a way that perhaps makes it more appealing to certain segments of restaurant-goers than to others. I'm in the latter segment. It is fine but not wow. That's okay, since it all depends on what you're looking for. This just wasn't my cup of tea, so-to-speak. I'm mostly referring to the food, which is what I would call more "classic" upper-scale American-Italian than anything else. The service is very friendly and clearly the team care a lot about their restaurant. This is a good place that could be better. Frankly, if the kitchen took a few risks and played it less safe I think it would be an improvement.
(2)Christina R.
Solid Italian.
(5)Emily R.
I'm not even going to go into great detail about how the drinks were terribly made, the noise was deafening and it took half an hour to get a single glass of wine at what was supposed to be a special, celebratory evening for my mother's retirement. Or how every piece of meat was rubbery and overcooked, and the pasta was just a step up from Chef Boyardee. I was going to chalk it up to a bad night and move on. Here's the kicker: 15 minutes after leaving the restaurant, and telling them how disappointed we were in our sub-par (and very expensive) meal, we got an email notification from Open Table (where we'd made the reservation) telling us our reservation had been canceled by the restaurant. Meaning we suddenly a) had no way to critique the meal on Open Table -- sneaky! and b) we lost the Open Table points we usually get for using the service -- crappy! A quick Google search turned up the following: bizjournals.com/pittsbur… So I guess we know how that happened. Deck-stacking much?
(1)Dawn M.
We visited on Mothers Day and I'm ashamed I've waited so long to comment on how wonderful our experience was. Let me just start by saying what others have already, Greeted at door with a friendly smile, great service and a good mix of elegance and home like atmosphere. Though claiming I didn't like eggplant parmesan, ( oh how wrong I was) it and it was wonderful !!! lets not forget the meatball, as I've been told by Chef Joe, " Its like a kiss without a hug!" True very true!! So I threw caution to the wind and broke my diet (well worth the extra crunches) having the Crème Brule... to die for. Thanks again for the great experience Chef Joe, can't wait to see you all again !!!
(5)Nick C.
I booked this dinner date with much anticipation. By the time the day arrived the air had been invaded by the shade of white. The roads were covered with a sloppy mess and I had been steamrolled by sickness. My anticipation had turned to worry and a medicated haze. Alas I arrived, in the entrance I handed a young women my coat but not before snagging the tissues from it. The room was filled with a cozy house like glow with warmth that seemed to dripping from the seams. I was seated along with my date near the entrance, my heart immediately was happy to be seated but my brain knew we would catch a slight draft from the outside world. I ignored the bittersweet island I had now made port with and focused on the drink list. I immediately spotted my wine of choice a Malbeck from the colorful plethora of alcohol choices. They said I shouldn't have more than three alchoholic beverages with my meds, I took that as an invitation to drink as if it was a good idea.. The appetizers seem to scream eat me so I couldn't deny my stomach and I went with the sauteed calamari. It was if the squid had decided that it's last dying wish was to appease some unaware future predator which happened to be me. It was excellent. After the wikipedialike information filled specials list was sounded off by our waiter Nikki. I had decided to choose a steak smothered in mushrooms, it sounded most delicious. Unaware was I of one of the many things that makes Joeseph Tambellines so special is their weekly pasta dish that is served with every meal. I, a then fallen victim of oil and bread, calamari, the soup that came with my entree was now being faced with yet another course to battle with. The pasta was great and truly was surprising. By the time I had gotten to my entree I was struggling. I then with sad struggling eyes looked up... There sat on a plate what seemed like half of a cow. The steak could have been mistaken for the size of a deflated basketball, a festival of meat disguised in the surface area of a sheet cake. I wanted to cry both in joy and and fear. I attempted to conquer the beast but it was sadly beyond the likes of me. Soon after I was approach with the killing blow from Joseph Tambellines...dessert. I offered up a treaty with my date as to share something since I was becoming lifeless due to the IV of solids I was unexpectedly hooked up to. We decided on the creme brulee and were very impressed. The flavors truly were captured, a fitting way to mark my food grave. All in all, Joseph Tamebellines is an experience that must be taken one course at a time, with caution mind you. For those risk takers out there who love to test the limits of their ability to be overly satisfied, this is the place for you.
(5)Raquel C.
GREAT RESTAURANT!!! Best bread-dip ever!!! Service is great... very fancy atmosphere and the food is sooo good!! I think is the best Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh!
(5)Rev Dr John T.
Best Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh. Fresh home-made pasta, delicious entrees, tasty salads and excellent service with great ambiance. Raviolis were perfetto
(5)George N.
I have been to Tambellini's twice now. The atmosphere there is great, and it's a very cool "house" conversion done right in to a restaurant which actually makes you feel like an Italian. The first time I went with a group of people for dessert late on a Friday night. Despite are semi-large group (8), the staff was very friendly to us and we all sat down and talked for a long time and throughout the 8 of us I think we had every dessert on the menu. I had the Tiramisu and it was *excellent.* It was a very large portion, and the flavors were very nicely spread throughout it. It was not overly "rummed" but you could taste a good hint of it. The cake was very moist. I took a quick bite of several of the other desserts and they were also great. All of us were very happy with the visit. At some point, Joseph Tambellini came out and joked around with us and was friendly. It was nice of him to come out and make us feel at home there. The second time I went for a nice dinner with my girlfriend, and we had a very romantic and great meal. I had a special of the day which was a Mediterranean inspired King Salmon, which was very nicely done and very tasty. My salmon came with a side of pasta (in a separate bowl) which had a great homemade tomato sauce. Even the salad of the day was a nice mixture of greens and the dressing was very good. My girlfriend had a pasta with lobster and shrimp, and it was also very good. I eat a lot of shrimp, and her shrimp was cooked to perfection. It was not chewy at all. We finished off our meal by sharing a tiramisu (inspired by my prior visit), and my girlfriend also loved it. It's a great portion for two people to share (for a reasonable price) as a way to tip off a great meal. I really liked this place. It's a nice restaurant for a nice meal, friendly staff, and a romantic place. It's not inexpensive, so it's not going to be a weekly or monthly visit... but if I'm to plan a romantic meal this will likely be a future revisit.
(5)Eileen G.
This restaurant is just as good as all of the reviews say it is. My expectations are pretty high when a restaurant manages to keep 5 Yelp stars, and let me tell you - these 5 stars are well-deserved. I went to Joseph Tambellini for a family birthday with a party of 8, and we ended up sitting up on the third floor in the private room. It's a different atmosphere than the rest of the restaurant, but it was quiet and wonderful. It's a bit more casual, a lodge feel, but I am already imagining what other celebrations I'm going to try to reserve that room for! Now, on to the food. It was amazing. I ordered the pork chop special of the night - it was covered with a fig/balsamic/gorgonzola concoction and it was cooked perfectly. Also, it was enourmous. I got to re-live my meal at Tambellini for dinner the next night. I had a pasta course and salad, both of which come with the entree. The pasta was again perfectly cooked and covered in a delicious, rich tomato basil cream sauce. The salad was fresh and tasty, and the bread was warm and had a yummy garlic/olive oil dipping sauce with it. I also managed to snag a taste of everyone else's entrees and am happy to report that all were just as good as mine. The steaks are literally a pound of beef, cooked perfectly and topped with yummy accents (one special this evening had some sort of horseradish topping, which was to die for). Seriously, the food was SO good. You have to try it to understand JUST HOW GOOD IT IS. The service: it was awesome. I feel bad for those servers who have to walk up the narrow stairs hundreds of times a day, but they were friendly and attentive. And, I guess on the plus side, all those stairs eliminate the need for a gym membership. The owners are very nice, obviusly committed to great service and the highest quality food, and one of them greeted us at the door as we arrived. Overall, this was a wonderful dining experience. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Joseph Tambellini for a romantic dinner for two or for a larger family function in the awesome third floor party room. Thanks for a wonderful evening!
(5)Larry B.
A true 5 STAR restaurant! Everything is excellent service, atmosphere and food quality. Absolute consistent quality every-time we visit... One of the top restaurants in Pittsburgh!!
(5)Jessica F.
Absolutely fabulous italian food! Joseph Tambellini's definitely delivers an amazing meal. My husband and I love food and were simply delighted.
(5)Michael S.
The best Italian meal I've had in Pittsburgh was last night at Tambellini's. We almost didn't go because their website is cheesy. But we were so glad we gave it a try. The food was out of this world. Great salads. Great fish and pasta. Incredible butterscotch poundcake. Staff was professional and hospitable. First class.
(5)Kostas P.
We went there accidentally; we were planning to go to another place but since it was closed we said we should give it a try. The neighborhood is very nice and calm and the restaurant itself does not look like a restaurant but rather another residence. Once you walk in, the atmosphere is perfect. Nice, upscale but casual at the same time(!) environment; a sign for a great food experience. Service was great and helpful, while the dishes was the one better than the other. The appetizers (and especially the mozarella salad) were amazing, the entrees were delicious, while the desert was fantastic. The chef himself went around the tables and communicated with the people, while he offered to create a desert out of the menu for us to try (and he did the same with other people to with different desserts !) We will def visiti it again (however, it is in the expensive side of things but it is worth it, especially for special occasions).
(5)Karen K.
was here for my mom's birthday - randomly found this on yelp - and it was delicious! the atmosphere was veryy fine dining. the food was superb!!!! lots of food - pasta of the day along w/ either soup or salad is incl in every entree! i would recommend the lamb chops if they have it or the seafood linguini w/ alfredo sauce.. the linguini was excellent but verry filling. would come back here again for another special event.
(5)cara r.
Pay no attention to China Millman's recent review in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JT's (as my family has taken to referring to it) is fabulous. My parents were big fans of JT when he was the chef at Franco's, and he has brought his vast skill (in addition to waiter Eddie) with him to Highland Park. I've had two salads at JT's - the first time I had the daily salad (the one that comes with the meal - and let me tell you, as a Chicagoan, I am definitely NOT used to a salad accompanying the meal!), and it was a pleasant mixture of spring greens. The last time I was there, I had the Victoria (named after one of his daughters), which had dark greens, apple slices, gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. While only occasionally a salad person, I left no trace of this one on the plate. We chose to do the pasta course (again included with the meal) before our entrees. My mom and I had the daily pasta - a gemelli-like pasta in a tomato-cream sauce that I quickly devoured, while my sister enjoyed her trenne arrabiata, and my dad loved his linguini with white clams. I've previously had the trenne in tomato basil sauce, and thought those were fantastic as well. I have been hard pressed to find a chicken marsala that is better than one I had in Toronto more than ten years ago, but I think I've found it here! Perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious, I had to stop myself before I ate too much! When my boyfriend had dinner there with us, he ate every last morsel of his osso buco and is still, three months later, reliving that dinner. While I haven't had the crab cakes there, we did bring some uncooked ones home to add to our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, and I can honestly say that I have never had a better crab cake (including the ones I got in San Francisco in October). I've never had dessert at JT's, but I hear great things about the butterscotch pound cake, and may have to try it the next time I'm in town. For those of you in Pittsburgh, go to JT's. You won't be disappointed.
(5)J S.
We were very disappointed in our experience at Joseph Tambellini. A nearly $40 steak was served that was too tough to eat. We sent it back and were billed for it nonetheless, with no substitute provided. The manager told us that the sous chef found the meat to be fine. Despite a $283 bill for six people, we received a $7 sharing charge since we ordered 5 main dishes. This is even though we also ordered four appetizers! We were billed for cheese on our salads ($2 each, not disclosed at the time of ordering), and were never served bread. Rick, the manager, was rude, unsympathetic and unpleasant. We did not expect a restaurant charging these prices to nickel and dime us; we don't expect to be returning to Joseph Tambellini anytime soon.
(1)A M.
I had dinner here last night with my Sis' and parents. It's only a couple blocks from Mom's house, so I was hoping for good things in such a convenient locale'. We had reservations for 7PM and it's a good thing, because I didn't notice many empty seats in the house. It's in a big converted house and has two floors for dining and I think a private space on the third floor. The space is beautiful we enter the front door into the first dining room and are greated warmly by the host who is wearing a suit and has a warm smile. The other staff that notice us also go out of there way to turn and smile. He takes the coats and leads us upstairs. There is a bar with a couple stools on the first floor, but this isn't the type of place where you'd be eating at the bar. THere are white linens, great lighting, interesting pictures and overall just a truly beautiful atmosphere. We are seated on the second floor at a great seat in the corner and the waiter arrives quickly to fill our glasses and give me the wine list. The list seemed okay, I'd prefer a few more selections. We start with a bottle of some type of Syrah for $52, he brings it over and leaves this beautiful decanter on the table. We then place our order. We'll start with fried zucchini and greens and beans. The waiter brings over some bread. The bread was good quality, but cold.. a small pet peeve of mine. It was served with this delicious olive oil mixture that was placed in the middle of the table with a miniature ladel. The olive oil is delicous too many seasonings to mention and also smoked garlic which was nice when squooshed (sp?) onto the bread. The apps' arrive. The fried zucchini is meh', I mean really disappointing. It's cut up little squares with heavy breading and no flavor. I've had much better at chain restaurants. The escarole and beans however were delicious lots of garlic and good quality tasty sausage. We are then brought a nice light salad of microgreens and balsamic. The salad also has a few interesting components like edamame?? and sunflower seeds. I don't eat salads, but I was told it was quite nice. Then they brought us a pasta dish. It was to die for,,, I mean I guess it should be since it's a fine dining italian, but I was blown away. It's a small serving of house made pasta and a nice creamy tomatoe gravy. It was really really good. Then our entrees' arrive. I ordered the sablefish, sis' had the veal picatted, dad had the cajun mahi mahi and mom had the veal chop. I'll start wth the fish. I didn't expect that I would have one of the best pieces of fish of my life in an italian joint, but I did. And, I'm no rookie. I mean one of the best, maybe the best piece of fish I've ever had. It was a deep rich buttery fish with a beautiful butter buerre blanc. Think of the best piece of monkfish or mayble lobster you've ever had and that will give you a small sense of how good this was. Dad's mahi wasn't that good. It was overcooked, dry and relatively flavorless. Heather's veal picatta was really good and cooked perfectly with a healthy topping of capers. Mom's veal chop was good, but not even in the same zip code as Jonathan's at Alla Famiglia. However, Jonathan will charge you about twice as much for his. They also made me a nice stiff dirty martini and dad was a little annoyed that they didn't have guiness (I hear ya dad'). They didn't have much of a selection. He settled on a Heineken. The service was slow and we decided to get dessert to go. We often found ourselves waiting for things throughout the night. Overall, a very good restaurant. It the wine and beer selection was better, the service a bit quicker it would come close to 5 stars. I think the prices overall are reasonable. There really is no reason to get apps' and if you skip the wine. You can have a delicious meal with bread, salad, pasta and entrees' for around $30. That's value. I'll go again.
(4)Danielle G.
Honestly if u really know good food u would not think this is a good restaurant. The scallops are awful. They say they are broiled but come to table like they were defrosted in microwave ...so is the sesame calamari bad. Can u even tell its calamari. . Veal chop was ok. Chef has a chip on his shoulder and can't admit his food sucks big time. Wait staff is very good but too bad they have to put up with a chef that has a big ego and can't cook to save his life. Don't send the bad food back .... They make u pay for it anyway. There may be few choices in Pittsburg but pass on this one. Don't let the nice ambiance fool u
(1)Imran D.
My wife and I dined at this place on our recent return to Pittsburgh and were extremely disappointed with our experience. Here's what we tried: The 'famous' Fried Zucchini was oily and soggy and the quantity served could feed a village. The soup that came with my entree was salty and borderline inedible (returned it back). The Mafalda Giancarlo entree was interesting, but nothing to rave about. The other entree was a some sort of a trio (grilled chicken, shrimp, steak) linguine; the shrimp was overcooked and didn't taste fresh at all. All in all, this place didn't offer any value for money and seems like it's is stuck in time. I don't know what's worse, spending $100 for a mediocre meal for two at JT or spending $100 on Olive garden's never ending pasta pass.
(2)Ben R.
This place never disappoints. I usually tend to go here for special occasions as it always has a great meal. We sat on the second floor which is not my preference because it's a little bit tight. Every time someone got up or wait or walk by I was always bumped each time when they walk by. So if you can try to ask for the first floor or the back room on the first floor. Keep in mind there are three floors of the restaurant. As well as the outside deck which is my favorite in the summertime. Our server was top notch and clearly it shows as he's been here for a long time. He always just knew the right things to say and when to come over at the exact right time. He never missed a beat Tonight I wanted to crabcakes just to get something different and they were good. We also had the fried zucchini which was quite standard. My wife had the veal chop which is out of this world. Even though they have a lot of other Italian inspired dishes. I think their best dishes are the veal chop or their Porkchop. The cheesecake was also top-notch. Overall a great restaurant.
(4)Nick L.
Wonderful. My wife, daughter and I just ate dinner here and we loved it. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. We ordered the "signature" meatball appetizer, followed by main courses of a stuffed pork-chop, an 18oz veal chop, and home-made raviolis. For dessert, we ordered the pecan ball with vanilla ice cream, the butterscotch pound cake and the lava cake - and, of course, cappuccino. Although relatively pricey, the portions were generous and the food perfectly prepared. If you are looking for an excellent Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area, this is the place!
(5)Shannon B.
The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is wonderful. My family and I go here for almost all birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
(5)Amy M.
Never, ever disappoints.... Definitely one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. Wonderful friendly staff and great new bartender named Cameron. My children would go weekly if they could and would like Mr. Tambolini to adopt them. We also had them cater a party for us this summer and it was a wonderful experience.
(5)Mia Minyan Z.
The food is good but not as good as Alla famiglia. We ordered fried zucchini, mafalda chicken pasta, special lamb chop and two dessert: lava cake and creme brûlée. I was not completely impressed by the entree or the appetizer. But the dessert, in fact, the lava cake itself is the most breathtakingly fantastic piece of thing I've ever had since I arrived at Pitt last year. I just had a single bite of the lava cake and it made me want to cover my face because it feels so personal and sweet...
(4)Elizabeth K.
I really enjoyed the ambiance- the lighting and the interior were really decorated well. They put a lot of effort into arranging the different ornaments on the table. In my opinion, the food was over-priced. I ordered the Meatball Parmesan. For the expensive price, there was nothing special about the tomato sauce - I felt like I could have had the same kind of sauce at a cheaper Italian restaurant. I also thought it was too salty. Not sure if I would go again.
(2)Craig C.
I am a huge fan of this place. They will make anything you like, however you like it. Everyone is super friendly, and tries so hard to make it right. I will continue to return! Thanks for everything.
(5)Janice T.
All in all, the food was decent, but nothing special. The manager greeted me at the door and when I mentioned that I was with a group of 6 he became rather surly and complained that my friend had only called the night before for a table. He also mentioned that the reservation was for 7 and I was the only one present. I later spoke to the manager again to ask him if there was something that could have been done differently when making a reservation that would have suited him. He mentioned that it is December, and they are very busy and that we took his last large group table. Well....is that not what they are in business to do? As far as group was concerned, the manner in which we were received combined with average food at a costly price confirmed that we would not be returning.
(3)Linda W.
From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it would be a very special evening as smiles warmly greeted us to the white-tableclothed elegance within. We noticed that every single guest was greeted, and treated, like family. From our arrival at the hostess station, to every single knowledgeable server, to an enjoyable visit from Chef Joe himself at our table, to Joe's sister Rita checking in at the end of the evening and thanking us for coming in not one opportunity was missed to make us feel at home. Friendly is nice, but HOW ABOUT THE FOOD?! We shared a starter of escarole and white beans, topped with homemade fennel sausage. Yeah, I know, that doesn't sound elegant...BUT, when the dish is prepared and plated as it was, humble beans and greens are elevated to match the surroundings. Simply the best I've had anywhere. Ever. Veal dishes? Not to be missed! Housemade pastas, the BEST meatballs in town, lovely jumbo lump crab salad, a seafood section befitting the best of restaurants on the Eastern Shore, a stellar wine list, a dessert menu (including cannolis!)...I could go on and on. I chose veal marsala as my entree and a better choice I couldn't imagine. Tender veal, heaps of mushrooms, lush, velvety sauce. Perfection. The hubster also went with a veal selection - veal Romano in his case. Again, perfection. Oh! I almost forgot the salad of the evening...greens, roasted pear, dried cranberries, pomegranate, walnuts, gorgonzola and a beautiful pomegranate vinaigrette. We cleaned our salad plates! We each enjoyed a side of pasta - homemade for Mark, an excellent gluten-free version for me - both with a lovely tomato basil cream. You know how much I appreciated the gluten-free option! Dessert? Yes, please. Mark chose a cannoli - oh how I wished I could have one of my pre-gluten-issue favorite desserts...and I did! Joe put together a cannoli-without-the-shell version that blew me away! Suffice it to say, the elegant setting, outstanding cuisine and very fine staff elevated Italian comfort food to new and welcome heights. Thanks, Chef Joe! You made a very special anniversary VERY special indeed!
(5)Teresa P.
My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Joseph Tambellini and it far exceeded our expectations. The food was delicious from appetizers to dessert and was priced fairly. The ambience is charming and the wait staff professional. The steak I had was outstanding, perfectly done and better than Capital Grill, Mortons and Ruth Chris rolled into one. We have already made our reservations for New Years Eve and hope to be back before then. This was the best meal we have eaten in Pittsburgh in a LOOOONG time. Thank you Joseph Tambellini! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Kathy G.
This is a must try restaurant when in the 'Burgh! It is an old converted house in Highland Park transformed into a warm, homey, yet upscale Italian eatery with very good food. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on the weekends. We started out with one meatball each and they were tender and DELICIOUS! You choose your entree and it comes with the salad and pasta course which comes before the meal itself like a traditional italian restaurant. The salad was decent, but not memorable because the dressing was just missing something. OMG BUT the PASTA course....it is beyond delectable. It comes in a pink sauce and the pasta is perfect and I could have licked my plate if no one was looking. Fiance got the butterflied shrimp which our fellow dining guest said was 'beyond', and I had the lamb with mushroom risotto. The shrimp looks pretty ordinary, but it is anything but. It is scrumptious! It isn't overly breaded and is flavorful and fresh. The best thing about it is the homemade tartar sauce that it comes with along with a chunky cocktail sauce, which isn't very spicy, but tasty and doesn't overpower the shrimp. My lamb was out of this world as well. A good portion of lamb on top of a bed of mushroom risotto with a moat of this heavenly brown lamb sauce that I couldn't get enough of. The risotto wasn't quite creamy enough, but it was good. (I am crazy picky about my risotto) Our friend's filet mignon dish looked absolutely amazing! We should have taken a bite. We will try that next time we're in town for sure! The pièce de résistance was the butterscotch pound cake for dessert. SO GOOD! Decadent, rich with a light butterscotch flavor. The only comments I have otherwise is about the bread-it's just not that great, and neither is the herbed olive oil that accompanies it. When it's busy, the service is a little slower than normal, but not terrible. Everyone is very personable and sweet here and you may even have a chat with the chef himself when he comes around to see how everyone's meal is going. A must try when in Pittsburgh!
(5)Mary Lou B.
Great food. Top notch service. We were treated like a king and queen. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Carey M.
I must confess that I didn't go to Joseph Tambellini's for a long time despite it's very high Yelp rating because its website is so strange. There are photographs of each item on the menu, which made me think of it as some kind of Denny'sesque Italian restaurant. And the clientele, which is generally composed of dressed up grandparents. But itching for something new, a group of my friends and I tried it last night. It is a traditional upscale Italian restaurant with a great atmosphere, excellent service, a solid bar and wine list, but unadventurous entrees. It's the Pamela's of upscale Pittsburgh restaurants. Each entree comes with a salad, which is good, and a somewhat bland tomato cream sauce pasta dish. My NY strip steak and a friend's pork chop were excellent, but friends who ordered the fish courses were not impressed. Rat pack era music plays in the background. The food will probably pleasing to most traditional Pittsburghers (particularly those who expect to eat a lot of food or are over 55 years old), but it is not particularly creative or exciting. If you do go there, order a steak and try to sub in one of the more unusual pastas (or take a look at the photos of all the entrees online before you go).
(3)Aaron F.
For a restaurant with $$$$ I expected more snobbery and high brow treatment, but I felt like I was visiting a friend who treated me like family. I am not sure how anyone could walk away feeling anything less than awesome after dining here.
(5)Andrew D.
Everything about this place is fantastic! Comfortable elegant environment that is still family centric, excellent food and outstanding service. The service was wonderfully attentive. The chef comes out and introduces himself frequently to patrons. They will even do special orders for you if you have a request, the couple next to us were able to split an entree and have an item prepared not on the menu without any problem. You just don't see service and personalized approach to food like this anymore, especially at nicer restaurants. The food was excellent from start to finish with a garlic sundried tomato olive oil served with the bread. I had their Caesar salad and my partner had the house salad - both were fantastic and were meals in their own right. The Caesar was lightly dressed with full flavor. The meals came with a pasta tasting course which was with a tomato basil light cream sauce, which we could not get enough of... It's a nice touch to have a separate pasta course, which really makes the experience. The chicken Romano is wonderfully prepared with a light coating and robust Romano cheese flavor. One of the specials was a black cod served with Israeli cous cous, which was similarly fantastic. The cod was so flavorful and fresh and melted on the palate. Last was the dessert - a New York style cheesecake with beery sauce. It was fantastic and the best cheesecake we've ever had, including those in New York. We will surely be coming back soon and often.
(5)Kim C.
A lovely little place! Excellent fresh pasta & meatballs. I'd definitely dine there again. Our server was quick & very polite.
(5)Emily R.
I'm not even going to go into great detail about how the drinks were terribly made, the noise was deafening and it took half an hour to get a single glass of wine at what was supposed to be a special, celebratory evening for my mother's retirement. Or how every piece of meat was rubbery and overcooked, and the pasta was just a step up from Chef Boyardee. I was going to chalk it up to a bad night and move on. Here's the kicker: 15 minutes after leaving the restaurant, and telling them how disappointed we were in our sub-par (and very expensive) meal, we got an email notification from Open Table (where we'd made the reservation) telling us our reservation had been canceled by the restaurant. Meaning we suddenly a) had no way to critique the meal on Open Table -- sneaky! and b) we lost the Open Table points we usually get for using the service -- crappy! A quick Google search turned up the following: bizjournals.com/pittsbur… So I guess we know how that happened. Deck-stacking much?
(1)Dawn M.
We visited on Mothers Day and I'm ashamed I've waited so long to comment on how wonderful our experience was. Let me just start by saying what others have already, Greeted at door with a friendly smile, great service and a good mix of elegance and home like atmosphere. Though claiming I didn't like eggplant parmesan, ( oh how wrong I was) it and it was wonderful !!! lets not forget the meatball, as I've been told by Chef Joe, " Its like a kiss without a hug!" True very true!! So I threw caution to the wind and broke my diet (well worth the extra crunches) having the Crème Brule... to die for. Thanks again for the great experience Chef Joe, can't wait to see you all again !!!
(5)Nick C.
I booked this dinner date with much anticipation. By the time the day arrived the air had been invaded by the shade of white. The roads were covered with a sloppy mess and I had been steamrolled by sickness. My anticipation had turned to worry and a medicated haze. Alas I arrived, in the entrance I handed a young women my coat but not before snagging the tissues from it. The room was filled with a cozy house like glow with warmth that seemed to dripping from the seams. I was seated along with my date near the entrance, my heart immediately was happy to be seated but my brain knew we would catch a slight draft from the outside world. I ignored the bittersweet island I had now made port with and focused on the drink list. I immediately spotted my wine of choice a Malbeck from the colorful plethora of alcohol choices. They said I shouldn't have more than three alchoholic beverages with my meds, I took that as an invitation to drink as if it was a good idea.. The appetizers seem to scream eat me so I couldn't deny my stomach and I went with the sauteed calamari. It was if the squid had decided that it's last dying wish was to appease some unaware future predator which happened to be me. It was excellent. After the wikipedialike information filled specials list was sounded off by our waiter Nikki. I had decided to choose a steak smothered in mushrooms, it sounded most delicious. Unaware was I of one of the many things that makes Joeseph Tambellines so special is their weekly pasta dish that is served with every meal. I, a then fallen victim of oil and bread, calamari, the soup that came with my entree was now being faced with yet another course to battle with. The pasta was great and truly was surprising. By the time I had gotten to my entree I was struggling. I then with sad struggling eyes looked up... There sat on a plate what seemed like half of a cow. The steak could have been mistaken for the size of a deflated basketball, a festival of meat disguised in the surface area of a sheet cake. I wanted to cry both in joy and and fear. I attempted to conquer the beast but it was sadly beyond the likes of me. Soon after I was approach with the killing blow from Joseph Tambellines...dessert. I offered up a treaty with my date as to share something since I was becoming lifeless due to the IV of solids I was unexpectedly hooked up to. We decided on the creme brulee and were very impressed. The flavors truly were captured, a fitting way to mark my food grave. All in all, Joseph Tamebellines is an experience that must be taken one course at a time, with caution mind you. For those risk takers out there who love to test the limits of their ability to be overly satisfied, this is the place for you.
(5)Raquel C.
GREAT RESTAURANT!!! Best bread-dip ever!!! Service is great... very fancy atmosphere and the food is sooo good!! I think is the best Italian Restaurant in Pittsburgh!
(5)Rev Dr John T.
Best Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh. Fresh home-made pasta, delicious entrees, tasty salads and excellent service with great ambiance. Raviolis were perfetto
(5)Kelly C.
Came here with my family for my graduation dinner after seeing great reviews for the place. The food was great and the service was great as well. The ambience is also nice and very interesting- when you see the place from the outside, you'd have no idea that this restaurant was inside the building. I can't remember exactly what we all got but we shared an appetizer or two, and ordered entrees ranging from seafood to meat dishes. All the food was very good and worth the price. Mr. Tambellini even stopped by our table to make sure everything was going well. Definitely a great experience!
(5)Ryan F.
We just moved to Highland Park from Seattle and this is reason enough to live in Highland Park. We absolutely loved the food. We went at an earlier time with our son who is 2 and the staff was incredibly courteous and very nice. We got an appetizer (which is unnecessary given the volume of food coming out in subsequent courses standard with your meal) which was good but it did not compare to the pasta course. The salad and the soup was very good and our meals were incredible. I had veal and my wife had chicken both of which were some of the best we have ever had. We are from Chicago and lived in Little Italy for 4 years during which time we ate a lot of Italian and this place rivals all of our favorites from back home. To top the meal off we had desserts which were great, the butterscotch poundcake was way more food than we should have ordered but it was gone in seconds! It wasn't cheap but given the amount of food that comes with your meal Tambellini a great deal in our opinion; especially when you compare it to other restaurants of similar quality that typically charge just as much for an Ala Carte meal. We look forward to eating here for years to come!
(5)Barbara K.
Excellent Service, food was good, but not authentic Italian if that is what you are looking for, expensive.
(4)George N.
I have been to Tambellini's twice now. The atmosphere there is great, and it's a very cool "house" conversion done right in to a restaurant which actually makes you feel like an Italian. The first time I went with a group of people for dessert late on a Friday night. Despite are semi-large group (8), the staff was very friendly to us and we all sat down and talked for a long time and throughout the 8 of us I think we had every dessert on the menu. I had the Tiramisu and it was *excellent.* It was a very large portion, and the flavors were very nicely spread throughout it. It was not overly "rummed" but you could taste a good hint of it. The cake was very moist. I took a quick bite of several of the other desserts and they were also great. All of us were very happy with the visit. At some point, Joseph Tambellini came out and joked around with us and was friendly. It was nice of him to come out and make us feel at home there. The second time I went for a nice dinner with my girlfriend, and we had a very romantic and great meal. I had a special of the day which was a Mediterranean inspired King Salmon, which was very nicely done and very tasty. My salmon came with a side of pasta (in a separate bowl) which had a great homemade tomato sauce. Even the salad of the day was a nice mixture of greens and the dressing was very good. My girlfriend had a pasta with lobster and shrimp, and it was also very good. I eat a lot of shrimp, and her shrimp was cooked to perfection. It was not chewy at all. We finished off our meal by sharing a tiramisu (inspired by my prior visit), and my girlfriend also loved it. It's a great portion for two people to share (for a reasonable price) as a way to tip off a great meal. I really liked this place. It's a nice restaurant for a nice meal, friendly staff, and a romantic place. It's not inexpensive, so it's not going to be a weekly or monthly visit... but if I'm to plan a romantic meal this will likely be a future revisit.
(5)Michael M.
My wife and I dined at Joseph Tambellini this past Saturday. Being from Cleveland I get the impression this is a Pittsburgh institution. The food was great and the service was excellent. They have a very traditional menu. My wife ordered the ravioli and I had the filet. Both were prepared exactly to our request. The chicken corn chowder soup was almost a meal in itself. This is a very romantic restaurant as witnessed by the proposal that took place five minutes before we were seated. We may still hate the Steelers, but we will always have a soft spot for Joseph Tambellini.
(5)Priya M.
Very good food with great service!
(5)John S.
A perfectly quaint Italian restaurant that invokes nostalgia of how restaurants used to be run. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere memorable. Can't wait to go back!
(5)John P.
I went here last night with some friends and we had a fantastic experience from start to finish! The food was outstanding and the service was extremely good as well. We had a few meatballs for appetizers, which were awesome. The soup and salad was great. I got a pasta dish called mafalda Giancarlo which was awesome and my friends got veal Marsala and chicken parm.... I stole of of my friends chicken parm and it was the best I have ever had... We split a tiramisu for desert and it was incredible..... Also, the service was exceptional. Our waiter was very helpful and polite and went above and beyond to make us feel at home. We can't wait to go back!
(5)John B.
Food was good but not worth the price. Front porch view is of a parking lot. Inside is quite nice. Waitress was very frustrated and seemed stretched too thin to provide service. Overall if you're looking for nice italian this isn't a poor choice but there are certainly better places in the city.
(3)Amy M.
Never, ever disappoints.... Definitely one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. Wonderful friendly staff and great new bartender named Cameron. My children would go weekly if they could and would like Mr. Tambolini to adopt them. We also had them cater a party for us this summer and it was a wonderful experience.
(5)Nichole S.
I ate here with my daughter for our last meal together before leaving her in the Pittsburgh area for her ballet summer intensive! While the food was good it was pretty overpriced for pasta. Also the service was over-solicitous and at the end of our meal our waiter basically chased me down saying we hadn't paid, yet his co-worker processed my card. Rude. We won't be making a return trip.
(3)Tim R.
Although the food tasted great for the most part, the portion size was certainly not worth the money and the attitude of the waiter and manager left a very bitter taste. I ordered the lamb chop special and got 3 very small lamb chops that were 90% fat. There was only a couple bites of descent meat. To make things worse the side dishes of risotto and asparagus were also only a couple bites as well. The dish cost $47!!!! A total ripoff for the tiny amount of food. Bringing it to the waiter and managers attention did no good at all. After reading this review, the owner contacted me and was very helpful in attempting to correct my bad experience.
(3)Jason M.
Just blocks from the zoo is this authentic Italian restaurant in a converted house. If you are going to part with a C-note (which you will likely do here, unless you are dining alone) this is a pretty good place to do it. YOU WILL NOT GO HOME HUNGRY (see my review of Salt of the Earth). And, overall, the food is pretty darn good, the staff and chef are friendly, and the atmosphere festive but refined. As for the food... the bread and oil/garlic/white bean mix are a nice free starter. As an app, we tried the smoked salmon plate w/ toasted pita-like bread, capers, chopped onions, chopped egg... The salmon was plentiful, and overall, the dish was fresh and tasty and a good starter. Then, we tried the soup (chicken pasta, tonight) and an upgraded salad w/ candied walnuts, sliced apples, greens, crumbled, cheese... both were excellent. For entrees (which, by the way, range from $25-$40, but come with soup or salad and a pasta "taster" on the side -- which you can upgrade w/ a meatball the size of a baseball for only $2 -- more on that later) ... I tried a Mediterranean-style turbot special, and my wife had the crab cakes. Her crab cakes were good, though not great - though I ate almost half of them. Kudos to the right mix of crab, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. My fish was well-prepared, plentiful, and smartly prepared with the white fish soaking up many of the Mediterranean elements of the dish (olive oil, olives, sun dried tomatoes). ... the pasta sides -- an apparent staple of Tambelinnis -- are excellent. The tomato basil cream sauce they come in (though you can also just get marinara, or just tomato basil) is outstanding, and my wife's meatball upgrade was the star of the show. Just in that $2 upgrade there was more substance and flavor than our entire C-note blowing at Salt of the Earth a few weeks ago... ... a few oddities. We were sitting near the kitchen door, so we got a lot of "staff" action. There was a lot of talk about how many tables everyone had/didn't have, and there were many near-misses -- and one hit -- via the in-and-out of the swinging kitchen door. There are also a crazy number of options and specials, and so hearing the possibilities from your waiter can take a good deal of time. Overall, however, the location is interesting; the people welcoming and friendly; and the food authentic, generous, and occasionally innovative. For a hearty, interesting dinner experience - definitely give this Italian place a try.
(4)James T.
By far the best Italian Rest in the Burgh----From the atmosphere to the friendly staff The calamari is amazing, the seafood is always FRESH.....And not to mention the homemade pastas.....But my favorite is the Veal Marsala with the Shiitake mushrooms FANTASTIC FOOD -----enough said
(5)Rosalind C.
I think this place just might be the latest addition to my Pittsburgh favorites lineup. The service is fabulous, and the food, even more so. I also love that it is pretty old school Pittsburgh, what with the "older" crowd and decor. The chef even comes out to everyone to say hi and to ask if they enjoyed their meal! Classy. The food is fabulous. I had the skirt steak, which was the size of my face, I kid you not. Sometimes, size compensates for other things, but my friends, this was a serious steak. Absolutely delicious. I think I managed to finish only about half of it, which is understandable given that I also had a salad and a pasta course (all included in the meal) beforehand. I also want to give a shout out to the pasta course - it was delicious the night of, and when I had the leftovers, it was even better. We weren't able to deal with any dessert since we were pretty much popping out of our pants by the end of the night, but now that I know, I'm going to try and pace myself a little better next time. I'm salivating already.
(5)Christine C.
Wow, been forever since I wanted to try this restaurant. On Friday evening around 5:30pm, me and my friend drove over and experienced this super nice Italian restaurant. First, it's in an entire house - how awesome can it be? We were greeted by the staff and told we were the first ones of the night and they were gonna take extra care of us. But of course they took extra care of EVERYONE, but it's okay! Had the fish and the chicken specials of the day. This meal included soup or salad + pasta + entree. This was way too much food - at the end, we couldn't even get dessert. But everything was delicious - especially the chicken! Oh my, so tender and soft and yummy. Each part of the meal was perfectly made. Would definitely come again on special occasions!
(5)Andrew S.
Joseph Tambellini seems to be a fairly highly regarded restaurant in Pittsburgh. I don't think it is bad, just "old school" in a way that perhaps makes it more appealing to certain segments of restaurant-goers than to others. I'm in the latter segment. It is fine but not wow. That's okay, since it all depends on what you're looking for. This just wasn't my cup of tea, so-to-speak. I'm mostly referring to the food, which is what I would call more "classic" upper-scale American-Italian than anything else. The service is very friendly and clearly the team care a lot about their restaurant. This is a good place that could be better. Frankly, if the kitchen took a few risks and played it less safe I think it would be an improvement.
(2)Christina R.
Solid Italian.
(5)Eileen G.
This restaurant is just as good as all of the reviews say it is. My expectations are pretty high when a restaurant manages to keep 5 Yelp stars, and let me tell you - these 5 stars are well-deserved. I went to Joseph Tambellini for a family birthday with a party of 8, and we ended up sitting up on the third floor in the private room. It's a different atmosphere than the rest of the restaurant, but it was quiet and wonderful. It's a bit more casual, a lodge feel, but I am already imagining what other celebrations I'm going to try to reserve that room for! Now, on to the food. It was amazing. I ordered the pork chop special of the night - it was covered with a fig/balsamic/gorgonzola concoction and it was cooked perfectly. Also, it was enourmous. I got to re-live my meal at Tambellini for dinner the next night. I had a pasta course and salad, both of which come with the entree. The pasta was again perfectly cooked and covered in a delicious, rich tomato basil cream sauce. The salad was fresh and tasty, and the bread was warm and had a yummy garlic/olive oil dipping sauce with it. I also managed to snag a taste of everyone else's entrees and am happy to report that all were just as good as mine. The steaks are literally a pound of beef, cooked perfectly and topped with yummy accents (one special this evening had some sort of horseradish topping, which was to die for). Seriously, the food was SO good. You have to try it to understand JUST HOW GOOD IT IS. The service: it was awesome. I feel bad for those servers who have to walk up the narrow stairs hundreds of times a day, but they were friendly and attentive. And, I guess on the plus side, all those stairs eliminate the need for a gym membership. The owners are very nice, obviusly committed to great service and the highest quality food, and one of them greeted us at the door as we arrived. Overall, this was a wonderful dining experience. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Joseph Tambellini for a romantic dinner for two or for a larger family function in the awesome third floor party room. Thanks for a wonderful evening!
(5)Kostas P.
We went there accidentally; we were planning to go to another place but since it was closed we said we should give it a try. The neighborhood is very nice and calm and the restaurant itself does not look like a restaurant but rather another residence. Once you walk in, the atmosphere is perfect. Nice, upscale but casual at the same time(!) environment; a sign for a great food experience. Service was great and helpful, while the dishes was the one better than the other. The appetizers (and especially the mozarella salad) were amazing, the entrees were delicious, while the desert was fantastic. The chef himself went around the tables and communicated with the people, while he offered to create a desert out of the menu for us to try (and he did the same with other people to with different desserts !) We will def visiti it again (however, it is in the expensive side of things but it is worth it, especially for special occasions).
(5)Karen K.
was here for my mom's birthday - randomly found this on yelp - and it was delicious! the atmosphere was veryy fine dining. the food was superb!!!! lots of food - pasta of the day along w/ either soup or salad is incl in every entree! i would recommend the lamb chops if they have it or the seafood linguini w/ alfredo sauce.. the linguini was excellent but verry filling. would come back here again for another special event.
(5)cara r.
Pay no attention to China Millman's recent review in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JT's (as my family has taken to referring to it) is fabulous. My parents were big fans of JT when he was the chef at Franco's, and he has brought his vast skill (in addition to waiter Eddie) with him to Highland Park. I've had two salads at JT's - the first time I had the daily salad (the one that comes with the meal - and let me tell you, as a Chicagoan, I am definitely NOT used to a salad accompanying the meal!), and it was a pleasant mixture of spring greens. The last time I was there, I had the Victoria (named after one of his daughters), which had dark greens, apple slices, gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. While only occasionally a salad person, I left no trace of this one on the plate. We chose to do the pasta course (again included with the meal) before our entrees. My mom and I had the daily pasta - a gemelli-like pasta in a tomato-cream sauce that I quickly devoured, while my sister enjoyed her trenne arrabiata, and my dad loved his linguini with white clams. I've previously had the trenne in tomato basil sauce, and thought those were fantastic as well. I have been hard pressed to find a chicken marsala that is better than one I had in Toronto more than ten years ago, but I think I've found it here! Perfectly cooked, tender, and delicious, I had to stop myself before I ate too much! When my boyfriend had dinner there with us, he ate every last morsel of his osso buco and is still, three months later, reliving that dinner. While I haven't had the crab cakes there, we did bring some uncooked ones home to add to our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, and I can honestly say that I have never had a better crab cake (including the ones I got in San Francisco in October). I've never had dessert at JT's, but I hear great things about the butterscotch pound cake, and may have to try it the next time I'm in town. For those of you in Pittsburgh, go to JT's. You won't be disappointed.
(5)J S.
We were very disappointed in our experience at Joseph Tambellini. A nearly $40 steak was served that was too tough to eat. We sent it back and were billed for it nonetheless, with no substitute provided. The manager told us that the sous chef found the meat to be fine. Despite a $283 bill for six people, we received a $7 sharing charge since we ordered 5 main dishes. This is even though we also ordered four appetizers! We were billed for cheese on our salads ($2 each, not disclosed at the time of ordering), and were never served bread. Rick, the manager, was rude, unsympathetic and unpleasant. We did not expect a restaurant charging these prices to nickel and dime us; we don't expect to be returning to Joseph Tambellini anytime soon.
(1)A M.
I had dinner here last night with my Sis' and parents. It's only a couple blocks from Mom's house, so I was hoping for good things in such a convenient locale'. We had reservations for 7PM and it's a good thing, because I didn't notice many empty seats in the house. It's in a big converted house and has two floors for dining and I think a private space on the third floor. The space is beautiful we enter the front door into the first dining room and are greated warmly by the host who is wearing a suit and has a warm smile. The other staff that notice us also go out of there way to turn and smile. He takes the coats and leads us upstairs. There is a bar with a couple stools on the first floor, but this isn't the type of place where you'd be eating at the bar. THere are white linens, great lighting, interesting pictures and overall just a truly beautiful atmosphere. We are seated on the second floor at a great seat in the corner and the waiter arrives quickly to fill our glasses and give me the wine list. The list seemed okay, I'd prefer a few more selections. We start with a bottle of some type of Syrah for $52, he brings it over and leaves this beautiful decanter on the table. We then place our order. We'll start with fried zucchini and greens and beans. The waiter brings over some bread. The bread was good quality, but cold.. a small pet peeve of mine. It was served with this delicious olive oil mixture that was placed in the middle of the table with a miniature ladel. The olive oil is delicous too many seasonings to mention and also smoked garlic which was nice when squooshed (sp?) onto the bread. The apps' arrive. The fried zucchini is meh', I mean really disappointing. It's cut up little squares with heavy breading and no flavor. I've had much better at chain restaurants. The escarole and beans however were delicious lots of garlic and good quality tasty sausage. We are then brought a nice light salad of microgreens and balsamic. The salad also has a few interesting components like edamame?? and sunflower seeds. I don't eat salads, but I was told it was quite nice. Then they brought us a pasta dish. It was to die for,,, I mean I guess it should be since it's a fine dining italian, but I was blown away. It's a small serving of house made pasta and a nice creamy tomatoe gravy. It was really really good. Then our entrees' arrive. I ordered the sablefish, sis' had the veal picatted, dad had the cajun mahi mahi and mom had the veal chop. I'll start wth the fish. I didn't expect that I would have one of the best pieces of fish of my life in an italian joint, but I did. And, I'm no rookie. I mean one of the best, maybe the best piece of fish I've ever had. It was a deep rich buttery fish with a beautiful butter buerre blanc. Think of the best piece of monkfish or mayble lobster you've ever had and that will give you a small sense of how good this was. Dad's mahi wasn't that good. It was overcooked, dry and relatively flavorless. Heather's veal picatta was really good and cooked perfectly with a healthy topping of capers. Mom's veal chop was good, but not even in the same zip code as Jonathan's at Alla Famiglia. However, Jonathan will charge you about twice as much for his. They also made me a nice stiff dirty martini and dad was a little annoyed that they didn't have guiness (I hear ya dad'). They didn't have much of a selection. He settled on a Heineken. The service was slow and we decided to get dessert to go. We often found ourselves waiting for things throughout the night. Overall, a very good restaurant. It the wine and beer selection was better, the service a bit quicker it would come close to 5 stars. I think the prices overall are reasonable. There really is no reason to get apps' and if you skip the wine. You can have a delicious meal with bread, salad, pasta and entrees' for around $30. That's value. I'll go again.
(4)Kimberly R.
You really feel like grandma is in the kitchen cooking! The food tastes fresh and flavorful. The portions are generous and are priced well. The wait staff is excellent! They also have a great wine selection and the sommelier is very helpful.
(5)Susan D.
Rick brought me here for my Valentine's Night dinner on Saturday, February 18. Yes, four days later. Unfortunately I had to be out of town, San Antonio to be exact for two weeks and that included Valentine's Day. But O did he promise me a really nice dinner when I returned! Their menu promises "Warm romantic fine dining in the true Tambellini family tradition." and they are not kidding. We began our dinner with some antipasta--sauteed calamari. Hey, I'm 50% Italian and my guy is 100%. We both love a great calamari and I'd been craving it since San Antonio. This was the sort of calamari that just slowly melts in your mouth as you eat it, it was that succulent. For my insalate I went for the mozzarella salad-- fresh mozzarella, tomato, oasted peppers and mixed greens. Heavenly! One thing that sets Joseph Tambellini apart from some of the others is that they make their own pasta by hand here. And believe me, it shows folks. Their Mafalda Caprese was like none I've ever had before. The grilled chicken was just right, the tomatos fresh, and the garlic not overpowering. Rick went for the veal chop which just smelled divine! This thing was a 16-oz'er and he ended up bringing some of it home. Ah, but what is an Italian dinner without Dolce? They've got a butterscotch poundcake with vanilla bean ice cream, and candied pecans with butterscotch sauce. Oh how tempting that looked, but just a bit much. Rick and I split a wonderful cannoli though, which topped off that dinner perfectly. The atmosphere and service here are just impeccable. Joseph Tambellini has three floors, each with a different decor. Rick got us a table on the first floor, which has a much more traditional setting--just the way I like it. So my Valentine's Day was a little delayed. But with that dinner, it was s-o-o-o worth the wait. And the night was still young too.
(5)Nico D.
While Tambellini's atmosphere is wonderful, homey and cozy, the food is NOT great- or even that good. My family booked this place for dinner on my graduation weekend. We were seated on the 3rd floor. Beautiful home, nice owners, and nice servers. However, does one dine for the atmosphere or food? I guess it's a combination and that's why I gave Tambellini's 2 stars instead of 1. Among the many plates we ordered were the Sesame Calamari appetizer; Shrimp Scampi and Scallops for mains; and the standard pasta without meat and Cesar salads accompanied with those mains. Sesame Calamari was overcooked and lacked flavor. This is coming from a family who has frequently enjoyed calamari over the years. The Shrimp Scampi was also overcooked, dry and lacking flavor. On the other hand, the Scallops main was undercooked and left that metallic aftertaste signaling they were spoiled. The standard pasta accompanying these dishes was served cold and slightly undercooked. On the better side of the plates ordered at our table: the Fried Zucchini appetizer was good, and the Crab Balls appetizer was also very good. Salads ordered were good. Other than that, none of the other plates my family members ordered were very memorable (We had a party of 5). We will not be returning.
(2)Mia Minyan Z.
The food is good but not as good as Alla famiglia. We ordered fried zucchini, mafalda chicken pasta, special lamb chop and two dessert: lava cake and creme brûlée. I was not completely impressed by the entree or the appetizer. But the dessert, in fact, the lava cake itself is the most breathtakingly fantastic piece of thing I've ever had since I arrived at Pitt last year. I just had a single bite of the lava cake and it made me want to cover my face because it feels so personal and sweet...
(4)Elizabeth K.
I really enjoyed the ambiance- the lighting and the interior were really decorated well. They put a lot of effort into arranging the different ornaments on the table. In my opinion, the food was over-priced. I ordered the Meatball Parmesan. For the expensive price, there was nothing special about the tomato sauce - I felt like I could have had the same kind of sauce at a cheaper Italian restaurant. I also thought it was too salty. Not sure if I would go again.
(2)Danielle G.
Honestly if u really know good food u would not think this is a good restaurant. The scallops are awful. They say they are broiled but come to table like they were defrosted in microwave ...so is the sesame calamari bad. Can u even tell its calamari. . Veal chop was ok. Chef has a chip on his shoulder and can't admit his food sucks big time. Wait staff is very good but too bad they have to put up with a chef that has a big ego and can't cook to save his life. Don't send the bad food back .... They make u pay for it anyway. There may be few choices in Pittsburg but pass on this one. Don't let the nice ambiance fool u
(1)Imran D.
My wife and I dined at this place on our recent return to Pittsburgh and were extremely disappointed with our experience. Here's what we tried: The 'famous' Fried Zucchini was oily and soggy and the quantity served could feed a village. The soup that came with my entree was salty and borderline inedible (returned it back). The Mafalda Giancarlo entree was interesting, but nothing to rave about. The other entree was a some sort of a trio (grilled chicken, shrimp, steak) linguine; the shrimp was overcooked and didn't taste fresh at all. All in all, this place didn't offer any value for money and seems like it's is stuck in time. I don't know what's worse, spending $100 for a mediocre meal for two at JT or spending $100 on Olive garden's never ending pasta pass.
(2)Tim C.
I love Osso Buco. it would probably be one of the entree's in my last feast on earth feasting week (ok its hard to decide). This is the best place in the country for Osso Buco. Most places you get two medalions from the shank, and pork osso buco is like turkey bacon, an evil plot to destroy the hearts, minds and happiness of the American people. But I digress. At Tambellinis they give you the whole leg. It is more than any one person should ever eat in one sitting and every time I have been here I order it and eat the whole thing. I hear their pasta is great. I hear they even have other stuff. I wouldn't know and I don't think I have missed out.
(5)Ben R.
This place never disappoints. I usually tend to go here for special occasions as it always has a great meal. We sat on the second floor which is not my preference because it's a little bit tight. Every time someone got up or wait or walk by I was always bumped each time when they walk by. So if you can try to ask for the first floor or the back room on the first floor. Keep in mind there are three floors of the restaurant. As well as the outside deck which is my favorite in the summertime. Our server was top notch and clearly it shows as he's been here for a long time. He always just knew the right things to say and when to come over at the exact right time. He never missed a beat Tonight I wanted to crabcakes just to get something different and they were good. We also had the fried zucchini which was quite standard. My wife had the veal chop which is out of this world. Even though they have a lot of other Italian inspired dishes. I think their best dishes are the veal chop or their Porkchop. The cheesecake was also top-notch. Overall a great restaurant.
(4)Nick L.
Wonderful. My wife, daughter and I just ate dinner here and we loved it. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. We ordered the "signature" meatball appetizer, followed by main courses of a stuffed pork-chop, an 18oz veal chop, and home-made raviolis. For dessert, we ordered the pecan ball with vanilla ice cream, the butterscotch pound cake and the lava cake - and, of course, cappuccino. Although relatively pricey, the portions were generous and the food perfectly prepared. If you are looking for an excellent Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area, this is the place!
(5)Shannon B.
The food is always delicious and the atmosphere is wonderful. My family and I go here for almost all birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
(5)Craig C.
I am a huge fan of this place. They will make anything you like, however you like it. Everyone is super friendly, and tries so hard to make it right. I will continue to return! Thanks for everything.
(5)Janice T.
All in all, the food was decent, but nothing special. The manager greeted me at the door and when I mentioned that I was with a group of 6 he became rather surly and complained that my friend had only called the night before for a table. He also mentioned that the reservation was for 7 and I was the only one present. I later spoke to the manager again to ask him if there was something that could have been done differently when making a reservation that would have suited him. He mentioned that it is December, and they are very busy and that we took his last large group table. Well....is that not what they are in business to do? As far as group was concerned, the manner in which we were received combined with average food at a costly price confirmed that we would not be returning.
(3)Linda W.
From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it would be a very special evening as smiles warmly greeted us to the white-tableclothed elegance within. We noticed that every single guest was greeted, and treated, like family. From our arrival at the hostess station, to every single knowledgeable server, to an enjoyable visit from Chef Joe himself at our table, to Joe's sister Rita checking in at the end of the evening and thanking us for coming in not one opportunity was missed to make us feel at home. Friendly is nice, but HOW ABOUT THE FOOD?! We shared a starter of escarole and white beans, topped with homemade fennel sausage. Yeah, I know, that doesn't sound elegant...BUT, when the dish is prepared and plated as it was, humble beans and greens are elevated to match the surroundings. Simply the best I've had anywhere. Ever. Veal dishes? Not to be missed! Housemade pastas, the BEST meatballs in town, lovely jumbo lump crab salad, a seafood section befitting the best of restaurants on the Eastern Shore, a stellar wine list, a dessert menu (including cannolis!)...I could go on and on. I chose veal marsala as my entree and a better choice I couldn't imagine. Tender veal, heaps of mushrooms, lush, velvety sauce. Perfection. The hubster also went with a veal selection - veal Romano in his case. Again, perfection. Oh! I almost forgot the salad of the evening...greens, roasted pear, dried cranberries, pomegranate, walnuts, gorgonzola and a beautiful pomegranate vinaigrette. We cleaned our salad plates! We each enjoyed a side of pasta - homemade for Mark, an excellent gluten-free version for me - both with a lovely tomato basil cream. You know how much I appreciated the gluten-free option! Dessert? Yes, please. Mark chose a cannoli - oh how I wished I could have one of my pre-gluten-issue favorite desserts...and I did! Joe put together a cannoli-without-the-shell version that blew me away! Suffice it to say, the elegant setting, outstanding cuisine and very fine staff elevated Italian comfort food to new and welcome heights. Thanks, Chef Joe! You made a very special anniversary VERY special indeed!
(5)Beeficus M.
My second time here was last night since I relocated to the Steel City from The Big Apple. In NYC, Italian is my second culture having many many Italian friends since childhood. That said, I'm super picky about my Italian having graced places like my very very favorite, Il Bagatto (read my Yelp on this place), Lil Charlie's (RIP), my second favorite, Il Mulino, Trattoria L'incontro in Astoria, Lenny's in Howard Beach, Nello's on the UES and even Rao's which I've had the pleasure of eating at twice. With Tambellini, this is by far the BEST italian in Pittsburgh. I was impressed with the food. The fresh pasta is a hit the sauces and dressings are like they were straight from Grandma Upstairs (my Italian "grandmother" may her soul rest in peace) kitchen, I haven't eaten meat in 8 years but I might just have relapse over some Tambellini meatballs. While the decor is a bit old school, I don't mind. I just long for a room full of fun and interesting people, which Pittsburgh is sorely lacking. I miss eating and chatting up my neighbors and then sharing a Grappa or Limoncello with them. Maybe its because I have a huge personality with an AWESOME beard but the people in PGH are boring, although I did see a young dude in there with a 5 panel cap and a hip brand crew neck on. We need more of that swag in the Burgh. The chef is a great guy, he and his wife make sure to greet each customer and chat them up. I like that, but sometimes it feels forced and I really wish I knew them more because they seem like really nice people but when they start with the small talk it pains me because we can't really delve into any conversation of substance. Maybe one day but until then, let's table the convo and let me get at the food!!
(4)Kiley W.
The food was delicious, the staff was very nice, and it was a WONDERFUL atmosphere!
(5)Mike F.
The stuffed banana peppers are the best in town. The fried zucchini is fresh and a delight. The meals can be too much since the pasta is a full course and not a side. Never fear. We alternate between ordering the pasta as an entree and getting a full entree and taking most of the pasta home. Either way way are happy and full. The veal chop might be the best entree in town and the seafood melissa is a wonderful and lighter dish. The sleeper of the menu is the escarole and white bean w sausage appetizer. I know I recommended three appetizers but if you can find a way to include this one you won't be sorry.
(5)Larry B.
A true 5 STAR restaurant! Everything is excellent service, atmosphere and food quality. Absolute consistent quality every-time we visit... One of the top restaurants in Pittsburgh!!
(5)Jessica F.
Absolutely fabulous italian food! Joseph Tambellini's definitely delivers an amazing meal. My husband and I love food and were simply delighted.
(5)Michael S.
The best Italian meal I've had in Pittsburgh was last night at Tambellini's. We almost didn't go because their website is cheesy. But we were so glad we gave it a try. The food was out of this world. Great salads. Great fish and pasta. Incredible butterscotch poundcake. Staff was professional and hospitable. First class.
(5)Theresa C.
Good service and good food! Pricey but good. However, I am slightly tempted to give it a 3.75 star instead of 4. Read on to find out why! My fiancé and I came here for my birthday. And with my friend's recommendation from before I was excited and had high expectations. They were friendly when they greeted us at the door, and led us upstairs to our seats after taking our jackets. Very nice and professional service just as I expected. We came on a Wednesday so there weren't many people and I enjoyed the quietness. Once we sat down we decided to start with some drinks. Since it was also around VDay, they had some yumm cocktails. I ordered on e and had a great time sipping on it. Would go try their other special cocktails again in the future. For appetizers, we got the crab salad and that was definitely delicious. And OmG in LOVE with their bread dipping sauce - Olive oil and garlic. Without a doubt one of the better ones I have had in the past. We did a soup and salad, they were good but nothing too outrageous for me to comment on. Moving onto the entree, because I saw a lot of reviews raving about their tomato basil sauce I really wanted to try that but I also wanted to try a steak....dilemma.... But this part I really like about their menu offerings - if you order a special entree it comes with pasta with tomato basil sauce!! Bam!! Problem solved!! I got their special Delmonico steak with mushrooms on top. So here is where the 3.75 star comes in. Aside from the fact it was a nice piece of steak, I don't think they put enough effort and creativity into cooking it. It tasted just like something I could make at home (although the fiancé may disagree). Being at a pricey place, I want to feel that you out time and effort into every dish. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my steak a lot being the steak lover that I am....but I wasn't exactly wowed.. Presentation of the steak was also vey so-so. I would go back again but idk if I want to order their steak again. Their tomato basil sauce with the pasta was good! So maybe I would give pasta a try instead. My fiancé ordered seafood Melissa and I do believe he thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Last but not least, it was the dessert. Tried their butterscotch pound cake. It was fine but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary...probably another reason I gave it 3.75. And oh it was my actual birthday, I thought I could at least get a free bday dessert for spending all this money...but nope we got charged for every last item haha. Oh well... Regardless, the place is worth trying at least once before you make your final decision!
(4)Taylor S.
I went here for me and my twins bday dinner with my family. We reserved the top floor which is called "the lodge." It was awesome! We had out own floor, bathroom and stero to play music! The staff was awesome and they had to climb three flights to bring us out food! We all had a great time and it was so private. The food was amazing also so much quality!!!! It is definitely expensive here but well worth a splurge! We ordered a lot of appetizers and shared them all. I also got the Seafood Melissa and it was awesome. I had such a great experience here and hope to return!
(5)Melanie F.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park for helping me have the perfect birthday last Friday. I would describe it as comfortable upscale. We reserved the 3rd floor which they call The Lodge. There were just ten of us ladies but it could have seated double. It was private and cozy. Our server was Erin (not sure of spelling). She was friendly, timely and patient. As I said it was on the 3rd floor so up and down she went. We had zucchini, meatballs, salad, pasta, filet, crab cakes. Everything was delicious, fresh and authentic. No Olive Garden here. No sir. This is the real thing. Price is worth it. You'll see why when you get there. Just get there.
(4)Adam L.
One of pittsburgh's finest restaurants.Fantastic, flavorful Italian cuisine with great and I mean great service. My girlfriend and I went their for valentines day. Menu was great, she had the jumbo shrimp scampi. Jumbo is right extremely large shrimp with fresh crabmeat and a decadent butter sauce. I had a breaded pork tenderloin topped with crispy prosciutto, eggplant, cheese mushrooms and probably a bunch of other stuff. Anyway it was a great take on a classic dish and portion was well worth the price. Tambellini is one of pittsburgh's finest chefs and to add to it he's always around his restaurant greeting his guests, it's a great feeling. Great for any occasion, we will absolutely be back!
(5)Kyle T.
I went here with a party of people to celebrate a special occasion and we were quite pleased with the experience of eating here and the food overall. That staff were all friendly, attentive, and eager to assist us, be it with coat checking or picking out our main courses. It is an interesting experience to eat on the inside of what looks and feels like a house, however this lends itself to an overall homey feel while you dine. The waiter here said they had the best meatball in Pittsburgh and he might be right, it was certainly one of the best and largest meatballs I had ever had. The seafood pasta I had served with homemade trenne was excellent as well, and the rest of my party were definitely pleased with their dishes. Overall it was a very pleasant experience accompanied with excellent food and my only critique is that I wish it was cheaper so I could eat here more often.
(5)Brad G.
This place is amazing. Why...QUALITY! Great staff owners and food can't be beat. Joey and missy are the best most kind people you'll meet in the restaurant industry. The crab cakes are the best in Pgh. Meatballs melt in your mouth. Love it!
(5)Jackie B.
My boyfriend and I recently discovered the restaurants of Bryant Street via The Smiling Banana Leaf, and have been looking for an excuse to try out Joseph Tambellini's ever since we saw the quaint, homey-looking facade. We'd heard that Tambellini's serves up some seriously amazing Italian fare, so we jumped at the chance to take the bf's Italian food-loving parents here on their most recent visit to the 'Burgh. We decided to invite my parents along too and make it a big family get-together. Our last family dinner had taken place at another popular Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, Alla Famiglia, so I was curious to see how the two would compare. In my opinion, Joseph Tambellini's was far superior to Alla Famiglia. Each entree comes with a soup or house salad, as well as a bowl of homemade pasta. I had low expectations for my house salad, but was pleasantly surprised to receive a vibrant and delicious salad dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette. I'm not normally a big fan of pasta, but I cleaned my bowl of home-made pasta, served in a light tomato basil cream sauce. The portions were just the right size, satisfying but still left me with an appetite for my entree. I completely loved my eggplant parmesan. The eggplant was cooked perfectly and wasn't too heavy on the marinara or cheese. I split this dish with my mother, who ordered the Seafood Melissa: a lightly breaded piece of white fish, served with scallops and crab-meat stuffed shrimp. Although I did not really care for the scallops, I enjoyed the other components of the dish. My boyfriend ordered the broiled lobster tails, and declared that they were the best lobster tails he'd ever had. Even though we were all satisfied at this point, we couldn't pass up on dessert. Our party went with the tiramisu, creme brulee, and pecan ball. The tiramisu was AMAZING. I could have selfishly inhaled the whole piece myself, but managed to pass it along for everyone else to try. All in all, this was a fabulous meal. If you're looking for timeless, traditional Italian food done right, this is your place.
(5)Faith A.
Fabulous experience! We had our work holiday party on the 3rd floor in the "Lodge"... and I have to say every single little thing about planning this dinner, and the dinner itself was an A+++++++++++++++++++ experience! As a former drug/med rep, I have dealt with a lot of places over the years for dinner programs, and there always seemed to be one snafu or another with events... a lot of times because the venue staff was not being attentive, or because the event coordinator was not able to follow through with what they are supposed to do. I dealt with Joseph in the month prior to the event, and he was a pleasure to deal with! Everything was handled quickly, easily and they were more than accommodating. Everything was amazing from the appetizers, to the salad, to the entrees (which consisted of Seafood Melissa, King Salmon, Pork Chop Paillard, Chicken Parm, NY Strip, and Veal Parm), the desserts were amazing and the wine was great! The service was also spectacular. Portions were large so you are definitely getting a lot for your money. The environment is classy, yet casual and I think whether dressed up or down, you would feel comfortable here. The Opentable.com info says "Smart Casual" so as long as you were appropriately dressed, you would be comfortable at least. I would prefer to wear jeans so being able to wear them here is a plus for me! If you have not tried this great place, you need to! We will definitely be back for our holiday party next year!
(5)Jeremy K.
Fresh Made Italian As the title states, it is what it is. Great authentic Italian cuisine! We were out this evening exploring a new restaurant (we picked it from yelp), for our favorite smiling face, Tiffany (she got old today). Since our Princess, Tiffany, always wants to eat Italian and always eats Bucca De Peppo, or whatever it is called. This Jedi is not down with the Bucca's & Olive Gardens of the world... this Jedi needs something fresh...not out of a bag. I Started with upgrading the salad to a Caesar Salad...it's an Italian Joint you have to bang on a Caesar. And like I thought, a great homemade Caesar, with crisp romaine lettuce. The perfect amount of anchovy, superb! I'm not big on eating pasta out..heavy+filling= sleepy. But Joseph's makes their or his own pasta...I'm in. I went with the Tenne Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab. Mouthwatering... is what I have to say. The Shrimp huge and cooked perfect, the jumbo lump sweet and it is well balanced with a fresh stewed tomato basil cream sauce. The "Tenne" had me confused...for I have never heard of this pasta...it was triangle, penne to Tenne...very clever Joseph. The wifey went with the Veal Picatta... I'm not a big lemon caper butter sauce kinda guy... but his was definitely fresh as fresh could be, and the wife enjoyed. Tiffany went with the Chicken Picatta to mirror the veal, and she equally enjoined hers. Ritter went with a meatball dish with a small, very long, lasagna noodle... very different. Also very fresh. Now the delight of the night... Creme Burlee ... I LOVE CREME BURLEE. This was one of the best I have ever had. 2nd to only Emeril's himself. Touche Mr. Tamablini, you have opened a great restuarant. I will highly recommend and tell others to dine at your establishment. JEDI RECOMMENDED --- The fact that Tambelli's (Joseph's) is located in a old Pittsburgh Home....makes it well.......homey...
(5)Jason B.
Joe is top notch, often you will find him come and check on you. Never ever not have a great meal there!
(4)Lisa W.
Food is excellent and service is wonderful. They go above and beyond to make you happy!
(5)Brock S.
It's worth the trip. The service was top notch (Adam) and the food was good too. We started with the crab balls app and they were good. The chicken padrona soup was excellent. My fiancee had the chicken Romano and it was the best I've ever had. I had Alfredo it was good, but had a uncommon twang to it and wouldn't order it again. I will likely go back to try another chicken dish!
(4)Jason J.
Servers here put the rude in rudimentary as they can't do even the basic elements of their job. Don't even think about going here with a group unless you like waiting around for twenty minutes before someone acknowledges you and then can stomach waiting over two hours for a bland extremely overpriced meal. More emphasis should be placed on delivering a quality product at a lower price.
(2)