Paesano

Reviews 9

CO

Conrad Paz

Part of the little Italy area of downtown San Jose, which includes Henrys Hi Life and backyard to the nearby shark tank, Paesano is a charming establishment which appears to have been built from a former residence. Weve only dined on a Friday or Saturday evening. Those days are their busiest, so be sure to get reservations. Otherwise, time your arrival around 8:30pm or later and most likely there will be a table available. That’s our usual strategy and have always been lucky. The food is very, very good. Although the dishes are common, the quality and flavors are not, and truly rank among the best Italian food we’ve eaten. In addition to the fantastic food, theres a gentleman serenading the patrons with his accordion, singing familiar Italian love songs (think Dean Martin style minus the suave). Service is top notch, portions are both plentiful and priced reasonably, and the pour is heavy on the glasses of wine. In general, the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The sound level can get a little loud inside (there are a few tables outside on the porch, but only suitable for couples, not large parties). Be in a festive mood; otherwise, if looking forward to a quiet dinner, then this may not be the place. We’ll be coming back for more. Oh, when in the area, be sure to grab a cup next door at Bel Bacio Italian cafe. Another home converted to a retail establishment. Nice owner and a comfortable place to hang out.

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SA

Satyen Dhingra

Please be aware, just like everything else your mileage may wary, I hate giving negative reviews, so read the review through before deciding if this place will work for you or not. Nice restaurant with good ambiance but overpriced, they have indoor and outdoor seating which is perfect for a summer evening. So, why only two stars?? Well I was not very hungry and just ordered a bowl of minestrone soup....for $8 bowl of soup it was a real disappointment, first the bowl was really shallow so you only get a few spoonfuls even though you are paying for a full bowl, secondly the soup was the blandest soup I have tasted in my whole life, just had a few overcooked huge mushy chunks of zucchini (yuck!) and some tomato water...I have had better soup out of Campbell soup can..I was hoping to order dessert after the meal, but after the soup fiasco, decided to forgo anything else here.

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MI

Michael Silver

I took my loved one to Paesano for her birthday - our first visit here and we chose it based upon good reviews. She is very particular about restaurants - the setting, the décor, the ambiance, the food, the service and the price. Paesano scored high in all respects. The dining room was attractive yet simply designed. The music was Italian and just the right volume to add atmosphere but no so loud as to be annoying or to drown out conversation at a normal level. We each had a glass of wine; merlot for her and zin for me. Both were excellent. Our waiter was knowledgeable, polite, accommodating, attentive but not overbearing (not too much "is everything alright?" Our salads, pasta and main course were all delicious and the portions were generous. We will definitely return and we unreservedly recommend Paesano Ristorante Italiano!

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AM

Amy Ward

Great Italian eatery for the money; especially if you are a County worker. They offer a 10% discount at lunch. I also like the variety they offer at lunch time from salads to panini. Their pasta is so delicious and they have a decent wine selection too. The only draw back is parking. If you are not lucky enough to be a County worker, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for street parking. Instead of just offering regular street parking like the rest of the City, this is the only street you have to pay at night because of the Sharks season. Making businesses along this street that much tougher during hockey off season to get customers to come in. City of SJ, why dont you do everyone a favor and remove pay parking for that street after 6pm like all the other streets. These restaurants have to survive too.

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JO

Jonas Gebhardt

I love the vibes of this restaurant. Tall ceilings and huge windows bring so much light into the place which is great. It got renovated recently and therefore everything looks clean and modern. The bruschetta appetizer was too salty but the tomatoes they use certainly fresh. Their main dishes are mostly above the $20 mark. You get huge portions of pasta or classical Italian meat dishes. They dont do pizza. Their mains are ok but not outstanding. Flavors are a bit too dull and the ingredients could be fresher. Their veal dish was great though. The real disappointment are their deserts. I tried three different ones and they were all not more than 1 star. Service is really attentive and quick but not very friendly. This is a great place for a date but dont expect great food and top notch service.

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GI

Giovanna Hutchison

The food was good. Heres why they only get 2 stars~ i called less than a week ahead of time to check if they had gluten free pasta. They said they checked and had enough for months, so i made a reservation. We came into the restaurant right when they opened for dinner (they dont serve lunch) and they told me they had just run out of the gluten free pasta. I have alot of frusterating food allergies and ended up having to order one of the most expensive things on the menu which really ticked me off since i had been intending to order pasta. I ordered the lamb shank and it was a small portion compared to the pasta plates. However, it was cooked and seasoned well at least. I had trouble enjoying it since i felt like they had communicated poorly and were not very accomodating.

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GR

Greg Flick

I grew up in an Italian community and today I was looking for an authentic ristorante Italiano. I found it. Just a short walk from the downtown core, Paesano Ristorante is pleasant, clean, bright and tastefully decorated. The service was excellent, our host extremely amiable and the food; well it definitely met my expectation. I enjoyed a complete meal including wine, salad, entree, dessert and cappuccino for about $40. Portions are just right though I will have to walk this meal off. BTW - good luck passing on the tiramisu! I have added Paesano Ristorante Italiano to my list of travel restaurants and Ill be back next time I return to San Jose.

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JA

Jack Chu

Its a very nice casual Italian place located right next to 87. I have been here for lunch and ordered pasta and its pretty good. The portion is just about the size that you wont get too full and the service is nice. Our pasta somehow took a bit longer than usual to cook but the waiter kept coming to refill water and bread for us and check if we were ok. Their bread is very soft and tasty. Pasta price starts at around $10. The only shortcoming of this place is parking space. There are some parking at the back but its usually not enough. Street parking is about $1 per hour. They have both indoor and outdoor seating.

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NI

Nicole Morales

Best Italian food in the area! I absolutely love their gnocchi, it just melts in your mouth. Service is wonderful, all of the waiters/waitresses are always friendly and extremely helpful in recommending great Italian vino. The atmosphere is inviting although it can get a little loud when they have live music. They accommodate for big groups (big families) as long as you give them a good amount of notice and make a reservation. Hands down favorite spot to go to when I want amazing Italian food.

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