We had a really good meal with friends tonight. We went for movie night at Paesanos-Godfather part I-but the weather did not cooperate so we just had dinner. Everything was excellent. Our orders included country green and rigatoni with sausage and hot peppers, duck ravioli, and linguini with claims. The meals were very flavorful, presented well, and were generous portions. The pear and gorgonzola salad is a must.
Dessert was equally good. The owner brought over Sambuca to end the meal. Good service and a good meal.
We went to this place to celebrate a 21st birthday. The atmosphere was good and the service was great, but the good was decidedly meh.
We started out with bread, which was warm and delicious. I paid a bit extra to have a Caesar salad with my entree, but was told I couldn't get any anchovies with my Caesar. Sad trumpets for that.
My entree was duck ravioli, with a sour cherry/pecan sauce. I ordered it because duck sounded good. The ravioli had absolutely NONE of the distinctive flavor of duck. Seriously. None. It could have been ground pork or ground turkey for all I know. I decided that it was best called "mystery meat" ravioli. Certainly not worth $24.
On a positive note, the birthday girl received a piece of tiramisu with a lit sparkler on it. The was festive and fun.
I might go back, but I'd avoid the duck ravioli.
I love, love, love this place! Â The menu offers great dishes seasonally, but the chefs are wise enough to keep some of the classics around! I always get the chicken marsala, even though it's not on the actual menu, and it is by far the most delicious marsala around. Â The sauce is not a thick gravy thing I've encountered at other places, but a beautifully buttery, tangy, mushroom laden thing of beauty perfectly matched with the homemade angel hair pasta! YUM! Because it comes with soup or salad, and gloriously hot bread and a ridiculous house butter, I always have a meal for the next day- which the server packs in the cutest little brown box. Â My husband always gets the rigatoni with hot peppers and sausage, and he never has any to take home! :)
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with an old world charm. Â It's the perfect place to celebrate an occasion or just go to enjoy a quiet dinner and a bottle from their impressive wine list. Â I feel an occasion coming on because writing this is making me hungry!
If you have a gluten intolerance / allergy / diet plan, then this is the place for you! Almost everything on the menu can be made gluten free, I have never seen so many GF bubbles next to menu items in my life. My mom (who is gluten free) ordered the bolognese, which was very tasty, and even got to have bread with the meal. I was most impressed by the bread; it actually tasted like bread unlike a lot of other knockoffs, and I was very impressed. However, the bread slices are tiny, just so you know.
For the rest of you gluten-lovers such as myself, the food was pretty good! I got the spinach / mushroom tortelloni (special), and I found it to be pretty decent. Definitely better than anything Olive Garden can cook up, and I appreciate that they change their menu to seasonal tastes. I wouldn't say the food was 5-star worthy, but it was certainly good. I will say it seemed a bit overpriced for the taste; sometimes the flavors seemed a little bit bland, but perhaps it was just the dishes we chose.
Wait staff was excellent. Prompt, friendly, polite, professional, and very helpful.
Maybe not 5-star quality, but good for dinner out, at least with a reservation at a not-so-busy time!
I was really disappointed with our experience here. My brother, my mom and I met up for a rare family dinner. The service was slow and inattentive, which we initially just laughed off. But we were starving, and laboring over which items to order from the seemingly delicious choices. We picked out four which looked amazing. ALL of them disappointed us. They were bland and lackluster. I ordered the pea and pancetta cannelloni. Very little sauce to differentiate it from simply pasta and ricotta. Â I had to ask for more and when she brought it out it was cold. Not sure where the peas were. My mom ordered Mama Bessie's pasta, which I tried. It tasted like someone dumped a can if plan tomato sauce on some pasta.
Go somewhere else!
Due to my gluten intolerance, Italian restaurants are a no-no. However, I Â checked their website and saw that they had gluten-free options. I was expecting crappy substitutes and a clueless waitress but not only was the gluten-free pasta a great quinoa pasta but the waitress was extremely accommodative and friendly. I have other food allergies which she really took care of. Can't recommend enough!
My friend also got a gluten-free pasta so I could try hers and both our dishes were great. We really liked the decor and found it cozy. Can't wait to go back!
This is one of my favorite places. Â I have been for lunch and for dinner several times and have not had a bad meal. Â The wine list is excellent! Â The vegetarian options are great and so good! Â I love that there is private parking (as opposed to downtown restaurants). Â I recently found out that they have Italian Language classes! Â Talk about authentic Italian restaurant right?
Review Source:The waitstaff was amazing for how busy it honestly was, and they honestly do cater to what you really want. Â But other then that, I wasn't impressed with the "mood" lighting, made it so dark... Â And the food, yea that wasn't really anything to write home about. Â We were told the chicken was pre-breaded???..... so now I am thinking, must be frozen chicken....... Â And for an Italian place, they didn't have a type of alfredo, thought that was weird. Â OVER PRICED and not that great of food, will not be going back or recommending this place to anyone
Review Source:I wish this place was closer, because I'd try it more often. Â It's tough to find an Italian joint that's not either super-spendy or all about the red sauce, but this is the one. Â I ate a peasant-style concoction of hot sausage and slice peppers on pasta, and it was seriously tasty. Â
The wine selection is good without being snobby- nice to have a choice that falls between the usual offerings of sangiovese, extra salt, or forty-dollar mortgage-your-house cabernet. Â Bonus points for reasonably priced take-home bottles. Â Why doesn't everyone do this?
The salad was amazing, and nobody does amazing salad anymore- so nice to have a choice outside of blah greens-in-balsamic and trendy things with ground pistachios and shaved fennel.
The desserts were good, but too freaking large. Â This makes me nuts, because I like dessert, and it would be nice to have it sometime without finding most of it forgotten in a takeout box on the floor of the car a week later. (don't judge me...I know your car's not pretty either!)
Based on my last experience here, I would've just given this place 2 stars. However, given that I've been here multiple times and walked away happier. I think I can handle 3 stars here.
What I like about Paesanos is that their menu changes by season. So if you like to eat via the seasons, this place works. Came here the other night with a group of friends. Also, this place has a fairly decent wine list and you can get some of the wines by the glass.
The hidden secret I didn't know about before? The breadsticks at the bar are delicious! Â A mixture of cheese coats these breadsticks making them irresistible! The only downside? These were so chewy, that it hurt my jaw after awhile to keep chewing on them. But, that honestly didn't stop me.
This time I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. The dish came with a choice of either soup or salad. I chose the minestrone because they do a pretty decent minestrone. I was happy at that point with my chewy breadsticks and minestrone soup. Maybe I should've stopped right there because the spag didn't really excite me. First, the dish was tepid, and I mean it was a weeknight but to get semi-lukewarm food was my first turn off. The meatballs were missing some kind of seasoning as was the spaghetti sauce. I was a bit disappointed.
I did try a bite of the mortadella and pistachio ravioli someone else at our table had gotten and wished I had ordered that instead. The filling was delicate and the pistachios added this nice little crunch to a fairly light dish.
Our service was a little slow for the night too, which is interesting because I've been there on busy nights and had exceptional service. Maybe this night was just a miss on all fronts.
This place is no better than Olive Garden. Well, actually Olive Garden may be slightly better. The service is sub-par and the food has no ingredients but salt and pasta. The price is way to high for the quality! If this is the food your looking for save some money and go to Olive Garden.
Review Source:Executive Summary: The food is reliably decent. The portions are extremely generous, but everything is overpriced. Great atmosphere for an elegant dining experience, if that's what you're after. Get one of the booths if you want to be able to hear each other talk.
The "atmosphere" only seems to have improved over the many years I've been coming here. But atmosphere hardly matters compared to the food itself. It's OK, but I've never had my socks blown off. Tugged once it a while.
Our in-laws like this restaurant because it has traditional food, lots of wine choices, and it's close to the highway for when they head home after a UofM football game. There's a TV at the bar, so you can watch the post-game show while you wait for your table. We usually get reservations. There is no minimum number of people, as with some restaurants on game day.
I wish I knew more about all the fancy wines, but I guess I could just ask my server for the type I'm after. Have to remember to try that in the future.
Last night, I wanted to order the eggplant appetizer, but as we were deciding what we wanted, my MIL said to me, "You always get the calamari." I think that was her way of saying, "Get the one you know we'll like." OK, I guess we're getting the calamari. The calamari has a crackly cornmeal crust, but is devoid of flavor. The white, creamy horseradish dipping sauce doesn't add much zing to this dish. Our calamari came with a lemon slice that added a little sparkle, but I'd like to see this dish served with a tangy marinara instead. So if I end up ordering this again, I'll ask for that change.
The bread arrived ... hot from the oven ... but this time, I didn't detect any herbs or garlic. Rather bland, and I should have asked for olive oil to dip it in, but the place was packed after a UofM football game.
The menu changes seasonally. I have had many interesting salads there. Last night, hubby and I split the salad that had roasted beets and goat cheese. I liked the ever so slightly sweet walnuts, hubby did not. The greens were fresh and crunchy. It was enough for two of us.
I almost could have stopped eating, but we had ordered pesto grilled salmon, which had an almost-crackly exterior, while the inside had just turned opaque -- the way I like it! This was served on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes. Hubby and I split this, too. We didn't have room to contemplate dessert. We had eaten lunch late.
My MIL got the scallop appetizer for her entree. She raved more than one time about how it was just the right amount. Three large scallops, one served on top of a butternut squash ravioli, the other two on beds of pureed veggies of one kind or another. I had seen it in the list of appetizers, and do not remember all the stuff, but it contained a nice variety of flavors.
It was hard to carry on a conversation on my most recent visit. We usually get a booth, but this time my brother-in-law came to the game, so five people bumped us from a booth into a table at the center of the room. (Though hubby said that there were some six-person booths. Didn't realize it would make that much of a difference!) We were bombarded on all sides by the loud conversations. I had a hard time hearing; my FIL gave up after a while.
We were grateful to get out into the parking lot so we could hear each other and say goodbye.
~~~
An Update: I went back and tried the eggplant appetizer. Love it! A tasty snack for four, a healthy sized appetizer for two ravenous people, an entree for one tomato-loving lycopene addict. Served with grated Romano cheese and a serrated knife. Wish they gave us a serving spoon, but I used the bread to soak up every delicious bite of sauce.
Hubby liked the swordfish special and I had salmon with a dollop of sweet-spicy tomato jelly on top.
I had very high hopes for this place, having heard good things from multiple friends.
I've been three times, and have been underwhelmed three times.
Don't get the whole wheat pasta ever. Mine was for some fall/winter special and it was just gross.
I appreciate that their menu changes seasonally, but I wish there were something reliably good I could have ordered and enjoyed. I was just disappointed with all of my meals.
My husband and another friend and I stopped here last night for a late dinner. The choice was made last minute, based on location, and the fact that they were open. We'd driven past them a million times and always said we'd give them a shot. Last night was that shot.
I have to admit, it was not a stellar experience. They were out of several items, a couple of our requests were forgotten, and there was a couple of other issues. I won't get into details of the issues because our fantastic server, who was friendly, attentive and informative, too  our concerns to the manager (possibly owner?) and he insisted on making things right (even though i had said we were fine). The issues were minor. They were important enough to point out to the server, so she could pass the info along, but not important enough to ruin a meal, by any means.
The food was good. My vegetable lasagna was a bit bland, but at least it was inventive. My husband enjoyed his pasta and our friend was rather enamored with his swordfish. The wedge salad my husband had was good (he raved about the bacon on it - something about it being brown sugar coated, possibly?), my salad was a great seasonal salad of fennel, spinach, apples and a lemon thyme dressing, and our friend dug his classic minestrone.
Dessert offerings were interesting, but our maple pecan poundcake failed to impress. They were out of the candied pears that its supposed to be served with. Perhaps that would have made the difference.
This seems to be a family run place, and run with pride. I wasn't overly impressed, but I want to like the place. I want to have a better experience. We will probably give it another shot, but I can honestly say that I base that solely on how much we adored our server and not so much on the food or ambiance.
If I could give the server a separate score, it would be 5 stars for sure. Her name was Margarite and after serving us we found out she was new and had only been there a week. If they're smart, they'll keep her around. She was awesome!
I want to like this restaurant. Especially since my brother in law favors gifting us certificates for this place at Christmas time because he knows I love wine bars. But Liz W. is very correct - either you like this place or you don't. Â
This is my and my husband's third visit in four years. Perhaps it's a preference but I don't know how it was voted BEST PLACE FOR ITALIAN food at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FAnnArbor.com&s=ad94ed7436011bfc31f0ebc5903d1e4d555563393ead995ceafcfdae4ff4002f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://AnnArbor.com</a>. Â The atmosphere is great, and the service is top-notch. However, the food is unimpressive and unappetizing.
We ordered Calamari to start - it was ok. Done in a cornmeal coat, tender but flavorless. The Sweet Italian sausage and lentil soup was tasty and hot. The table bread was cold, hard and not very good. Like it was basketed and had been sitting out for way too long. Even the olive oil couldn't save it.
Husband ordered the lasagna but only ate the noodles out of it. It was dry and he loves lasagna, but didn't care for this stuff.
I order veal scaloppini, which was came as a hunk of pasty noodles, topped with veal cutlets swimming is a salty sour gravy. I give up. Â We were really looking forward to a good meal from this place, but just not happening for us.
You might like it though. don't knock it until you try it... I tried and tried and tried - I don't like. Pic of my veal scaloppini is uploaded - how would you like that put in front of you for dinner with a $25 price tag? Blah.
With colleagues I had a veal scallopini dish that they mask the true identity of until you get to the description. Saltimboca. With prosciutto, lemon, wine, garlic and sage it is very good, and Paesano did a good job with it. Two veal cutlets and a nest of al dente pasta. The only thing they left out was the saute or braise of escarole or spinach. These are traditional and would balance the dish to have a green veggie. That is why the Italians make it that way! Â : )
The wine selection is not pretentious and should be adequate for all but wine snobs... and I hope all of those people disappear. So annoying. lol
The desserts are okay. I think most desserts are a total waste of money in most restaurants. The chocolate trifle here was bland to me. The vanilla gelato I tried tasted more like decent ice cream... it lacked that flavor intensity that gelato and glace have.
The service here was just fine and very friendly. I appreciated it very much.
You'll like it if you're a fan of Italian-American (as opposed to Italian) food.
We were pleased with the decor, the friendly wait staff, and the unapologetically Americanized menu. This is not authentic Italian cuisine -- it is hearty glorified peasant food, which is what most Italian-Americans brought to this country. The flavors are warm and comforting, and though none would call them sophisticated, they struck me as reliable, predictable and satisfying.
Not what I'd call a destination restaurant, but when you want a nice plate of food, I think that Paesano's can provide.
I've been to Paesano's quite a bit. Â And I will likely be back. Â People I trust say they've had great meals there, but I'm not a fan, and over the past three years, I haven't had a single meal that's made me understand why people love this place. Â The food has been reliably mediocre. Â The service has been spotty. The wine list has pretentions but isn't interesting in the least. Â This is a sampling from at least 8 visits over three years.
Members of my family meet here for group dinners because it's convenient for people coming from disparate locations, and has reliable parking that downtown Ann Arbor locations lack. Â But it always feels like a 'lowest-common-denominator' kind of a choice.
I love Paesano's and eat here once or twice a week. They have a great menu based on fresh seasonal produce. Â For starters, the house minestrone and all of the salads are delicious, though my favorite is the walnut gorgonzola.
As a vegetarian, I appreciate the flexibility to modify menu items to meet my tastes. Â When I'm in the mood for pasta, I get the Rigatoni with no sausage and extra greens and hot peppers - delicious and always cooked perfectly.
They also have a fabulous wine list and a very wine-educated waitstaff that can help you find exactly what you're craving.
In the summertime, the cozy little back patio is our favorite place to dine with beautiful landscaping and a fountain centerpiece.
And if you haven't been back since the new chef took over, I would encourage a repeat visit. Â We always enjoyed dining here but have noticed improvement in both selection and execution since the change.
Came here for lunch with parents and family friends. The place is spacious and great for groups. The waitress was very attentive and friendly. Good service.
Amazing bread, soft and buttery. The dishes were a little disappointing. We ordered 5 dishes to share, and 3 of them had the same angel hair pasta, which was a bit overcooked and therefore mushier than I like. The Rigatoni was the opposite, it was a bit too chewy. The swordfish was a bit dry  and the salmon was good with the sauce, but maybe that could have used a bit less time too. I think our favorite was definitely the Rigatoni with the spicy sausage.
Italian is one of my favorite cuisines and I'm not too picky as long as I get some delicious carbs, but I just wasn't crazy about this place. I will probably look for another place for Italian next time.
I have always adored Paesano's Eggplant Parmesan. Not being made of $$$, it had been a while since I had been here. However, my latest visit confirmed it:
The Eggplant was excellent as always. This is indeed the home of my favorite Eggplant Parmesan.
The service on the night a friend and I went was even more excellent. The friend I was with and I had a GREAT time.
Yet...I have to ask some questions. Or at least make a rhetorical statement.
I don't know what is up. Why does most of Ann Arbor seem to have a whispering campaign against this wonderful place? And if it's so freaking horrible, how come Ann Arborites pack the place out?
Looking on here, and talking to several Ann Arbor foodies that I know, one would think Paesano's is incompetently run. There is always this "Oooooo...Paesano's" knowing look and shaking of the head in conversation with these people (and kind of on here).
What I REALLY don't get is this: Paesano's has never been slow for me. The food has ALWAYS been first rate (and yeah...I DO love the pear and blue cheese salad...is there something wrong with that?), and...I have to also say this: while I saw one customer be a dick while I was at Paesano's the last time, I have never had anything...ANY THING y'all...but the best of service here.
Not to take a broad swipe, but maybe the problem with Paesano's is its customers, not the restaurant? Maybe my problem in conversation is that I have been talking to Ann Arbor foodies?
That is conjecture and beside the point.
I guess what I am saying is this...
Paesano's is a pretty darn good...one might even say kinda magical place. I was somewhere between giving it a 4 or a 5 star review until I got on here and read more of this weird, pseudo-superior, substance-less trash talk.
Now they get a 5.
And if you're sitting here reading this and wondering...yeah. Come check this place out. It is more than worth it.
This place ain't too shabby!
My meal definitely had its ups and sorta downs but overall it was pretty darn good.
The tossed salad with house-made dressing was fantastic. I'd been indulging a bit the last few days before my meal here so a salad sounded so darn good at the time. Luckily this did not disappoint. Fresh, crunchy, and lovely.
My main course was the plain spaghetti and meatballs. It was ai'ight. The pasta was tossed with the sauce for some reason I prefer the sauce on top so I can control how much I mix in. Kind of silly but I have weird food preferences like that. With the sauce mixed in I wasn't able to really get a bite without it and sometimes I just like a plain noodle, ya know? Plus it made the pasta a little mushy. The sauce was good, though. Nothing mind blowing but it did the trick for a light meal. The meatballs were ok. Again, nothing fancy and a little bland but filling and added a bit of heartiness to the dish. Not sure I'd get this again here but I wasn't mad at it while I ate it.
The dessert was OUTSTANDING. A ricotta cranberry cheesecake. It was fabulous. Super creamy, smooth, and dense. The cranberries were fresh and lent a bit of tartness to the sweetness of the cake. I would go back here for this dish alone. For real, for real.
Alas, this dessert is a seasonal dish so I guess I'll have go again soon to nom on this before it's gone. I like that, though; it's nice to have seasonal, fresh ingredients. It's always weird to me to eat a summery dish in the middle of winter, so I appreciate that Paesano's mostly rotates their menu but leaves a few standards there yearround.
Our waiter was just a delight! So chatty (in a non-annoying way) and had great suggestions. We talked about things other than the food and the restaurant, which I like. The restaurant is spacious and decorated very "Italian restaurant"-esque. You know, yellow/orange tones, wooden wine racks, vines and such painted around. It's comfortable but not rocking the boat at all.
In the end I'd definitely be up to trying something here again. Or at least going for dessert and a glass of wine or so.
Hubby and I eat at Paesano's quite often as it is our Italian restaurant of choice. Â Although we are food adventurous we typically get simple spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmesan. Â We love the seasonal menu too. Â Wine list is pretty good and the bartender always makes a great martini. Â
Last night we had a family dinner as my son was returning to Iraq today to complete a tour of active duty. Â I had asked for our server Amy to give my son anything he wanted including drinks and dessert, and to give me the bill at the end of the night. Â Amy took care of our party flawlessly (which she has on several other occasions) and at the end of the night thanked my son for his service to our country and told him his dinner and drinks were on the house. Â We were all amazed and and thanked Amy profusely. Â
Thanks Paesanos for good food and for taking care of your customers. Â Oh, love the outdoor patio and movie nights!
Yesterday I went to Paesano's, and did NOT have the greatest experience. Being half Italian, I know good Italian food when I taste it. (I've been to Italy 11 times).
First off, when we were sat down it was a good twenty minutes before any servers looked at us, let alone got our drink orders. When we called someone over, we were smothered with I'm-so-sorry's, and apologetic smiles. She did take the drinks off our bill, however, which I appreciated.
When we ordered, it took me a while to find anything I could even consider simple, basic, authentic Italian food. Which was strange, because some of the chefs are Italian.. Isabella, the head chef and the one who has a cookbook (*that she wrote) Wrote the menu, so that was strange. I went with the classic spaghetti and meatballs, what I would urge anyone to order when (and if) they go here. My mom got the Spedini, (shishkabobs of steak and sausage wrapped in bacon, over Italian grits.)
Naturally, I tasted it. It was alright, pretty good even. My spaghetti was fine, but the meatballs were underdone. However, the prices were extremely high. The meatballs in my meal were extra, and it came to 12.50. My mother's meal was 22.00 Overall, I would say it's worth a try, but if you're unhappy, well, Go figure.
I've been here so many times, I am every so slightly biased... Started going back more and more after we got back from a recent trip to Italy. The chef is from the northern area of Italy and it reflects in her food. Our favorite is the Rigatoni with Country Greens, Sausage and Hot Peppers, there aren't words... Spend a few bucks more and upgrade to the Gorgonzola Pear Walnut salad, it's amazing.
The wait staff is very good, ask for suggestions if you can't decide what you want. The wine list is well maintained thanks to Kenny and he brings small batch wines in special. I tried one last night that was very good, and when I went looking for it online this morning it was no where!
We also recently went to a cooking demo a few weeks ago, the chef is very funny.
Also, during the summer they have old movies on a projector outside on the patio, its a nice way to spend a Saturday night.
I was a little burnt out on the buffet, but after a little break, my family returned. Â Another holiday, another try of the buffet. Â I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with two things --
1) The buffet had a few specific gluten-free options, which seemed really considerate. Â I doubt I would ever expect that from a buffet.
2) Our wait staff were really on-it. Â True, it's not that difficult to just stay on top of drinks (when food service is a buffet), but our drinks -- hot and cold -- were refilled as quickly as we could gulp them.
You either really like Paesanos or you do not.
I really like it. I find the menu to be interesting and the fare well cooked and presented. I think it is not what most people expect but for me that is more of a positive than a negative.
We had a rather mini sized luncheon reception here after my friend renewed her vows with her husband. They were in Kalamazoo and so I was in charge of facilitating the whole deal.
I ultimately went with Paesanos as her mother has celiac issues and they offer a good variety of gluten free dishes and were more than willing to work with us to make sure everyone involved would be satisfied. I was also concerned about a vegetarian in the party having decent options but the restaurant made it very easy on me and everyone involved was equally pleased with the food.
Service can run slow but it is not fast food. I find them attentive about beverages and bread so I am not too upset with any delays myself. This is the kind of place I really am inclined to enjoy my wine and savor the experience so I am generally not in a hurry.
I love the wide variety of wines by the glass as I am usually the only wine drinker. I can only have a glass at any rate or my blood sugar goes to hell so even if I make more wine loving friends I will always appreciate wine by the glass.
The food is seasonal and always something fun. I like the flavor combinations the chef comes up with. I am more of a lunch girl but I do not find it to be overly outrageous at dinner given the quality. I have never been to brunch or had a buffet experience here but I am willing to give it a whirl.
For the price of food and quality of service received, I wouldn't return and wouldn't recommend to others.
I have been to Paesano's plenty of times with family and the only standout meal I've had was a steak that was a dinner special one weekend months ago. It's a bad sign if I can't seem to recall any other dish that was flavorful. Even though that steak was delicious, the Lime Panna Cotta we ordered for dessert afterward was inedible. Panna Cotta DOES have gelatin as an ingredient but the final product should never be so rubbery, so much so it felt like slicing through ice cream cake. It was gross and looking back I should have sent it back, but whatever.
Tonight I met a family member for dinner at 9:30. The hostess was very polite guiding me over to the table, but no server came for ten minutes. Actually, no one came until I got up and asked the owner what was up. At that point the hostess ran over immediately, cutting the owner off and explaining it was all her fault and could she get us anything to drink. I asked to see the gluten free menu and she disappeared to get it and our waters. The server arrived, didn't offer up any apology for our wait time, and got me a different gluten free menu to look at... but he said it was outdated and didn't match the current menu. Hmmmm.. that really helps me make a choice, huh? The waiter looked at me as though I was crazy, which really didn't help the situation!
My wine was enjoyable, but at $8.50/glass I'm not sure that's a luxury that was worth it. The server told me I could get another side besides the one coming with my meal (potato gratin) but when I asked him what my options were he clammed up and offered up pasta.... which isn't really a side, in my opinion. Â The potato gratin that came with my pork was undercooked and possibly had shredded cabbage between the layers? Who wants to eat crunchy potato slices? My dinner smelled great, like Thanksgiving, but was tough to get down.
My dinner guest and I both agreed that it was poor of the owner and/or server that they didn't acknowledge the bad service and at least offer us coffee or dessert on the house. I mean, when a late table is seated it's usually speedy service in order to get them out of there in a timely fashion. At the rate we were served I thought I was back in Italy, but this time with bland Italian food and no atmosphere.
What can I say! You've got to love it when a nice Italian restaurant makes considerations for us gluten-free eaters.
The restaurant has a great ambiance (good place to go with parents when they are in town visiting), though it was a bit loud the night I was there.
Our server was really helpful in letting us know what the gluten-free options on the menu were and brought us a binder with information about the ingredients and substitution options. They were able to substitute quinoa pasta in any of the dishes made with regular spaghetti.
My mother and I are both GF and we each got a pasta dish:
I got the Mama Bessie Pasta - "Sicillian specialty with fettuccine, chicken, artichokes and sliced black olives with our house made, healthy tomato sauce." It was delicious! even with the quinoa pasta it was still very good. I usually prefer brown rice pasta since it passes more easily for regular pasta, but the quinoa pasta was not sticky or overly al dente.
My mom got the Fettuccine alla Bolagnese: "Rustic thick meat sauce of beef, cheese, red wine." Though her dish was moderately good, there was far too much meat in the sauce without enough saucey-ness (We both decided we preferred my dish).
We each started our meal with a side salad, I got the Caesar and my mother got the Gorgonzola, Pear and Toasted Walnut Salad. Both were very large for side dishes and quite good. The Caesar was GF if ordered with out croutons. The dressing is a bit heavy, (creamy Caesar) so if you like a lighter salad as I do you might ask them to go light on the dressing.
Overall- it was a good experience. I will definitely plan on going back, though it was a bit pricey on a grad-student budget. The staff were very nice and the place looks great.
I can't believe so many people have such strong anti-Paesano's feelings on this site, but I think I can at least try to rationalize the reason why. It is true, Paesano's has a very untraditional menu and if you judge your very basic pasta dishes by other Ann Arbor Italian restaurants' standards, I can see where you'd be disappointed. There are only a few dishes here that really fit that description, and I'm sure it is frustrating for those who aren't used to authentic regional Italian cooking, which isn't really like that.
I'd go so far as to say that if you're looking for the red sauce/noodles version of Italian food, you may want to head downtown and hit up Gratzi or Palio, which have larger selections of pasta dishes and aren't as experimental with their menu. That's not a knock, they're just that style of restaurant and I'm sure that fits the image of Italian food for more people than Chef Isabella's seasonal menus. In fact, if you're really a fan of that style of Italian, skip Ann Arbor altogether and hit up the Roma Cafe in Detroit, which is probably the very best restaurant in that style in all of Southeast Michigan.
For myself, I grew up around a lot of 2nd generation Italians on my dad's side of the family, and was often thrust into large feasts that were focused on oddball meat dishes and polenta. From my experience, Paesano's comes the closest to replicating that style of cooking, and I absolutely love it for that reason. My wife and I make this a very regular stop since we live close, and I'm always discovering new and delicious dishes thanks to the revolving menu.
I've never had the experience that other describe here in terms of either bad service or (especially) bad food, and I've eaten here at least two dozen times since I've lived in the area. From the bar staff to the patio waitresses, I always get rock solid service and whenever they were unable to describe a dish or recommend a wine, they've been more than happy to pull in a kitchen or bar staff member to help them out. The salads can be especially good depending on the season, with their recent spring eggplant salad being a perfect example.
Don't focus on the bad reviews here, check this place out for yourself and  keep an open mind. Paesano's isn't for everyone, but it would land in my top 5 restaurants in Ann Arbor without reservation and I know there are many others that feel this way.
Great seasonal menus. Â Solid wine list. Â Wonderful bread that could be a meal in itself. Â Must try the salads!
Salads are creative and substantial and usually change on a weekly basis. Â I still remember one I had 4 years ago with raw white mushrooms, shaved parmesan pieces, greens, and lemon juice in a tostada style bowl. Â It was unique and lovely.
Rigatoni with country greens, Italian sausage and hot peppers is superb. Â It's got a great kick and it's my favorite dish. Â
Fettuccine alla Bolognese and the seafood linguini are quality dishes too.
I'm a little bummed that some of the previous reviews are so scathing. Â We really love the food at this restaurant and would often eat here at least once a week during the long, long MI winters. Â
And I ain't no country bumpkin who hasn't enjoyed enough fine dining to know the difference. Â I'm from Los Angeles and lived in Berkeley as well, and I think much of Paesano's menu is top notch.
I'd give 5 stars for the food. Â The bump down to 4 is because of the odd location of the place (nondescript corner of Washtenaw) and the borderline Olive Garden decor of certain areas of the restaurant. Â But overall, it's a lovely and comfortable place and they'll let you sit for hours. Bar area is enjoyable.
Despite the great owner/chef (Irish husband/Italian wife) duo running the place, service can occasionally dip a bit depending on who's working that night. Â But they are pretty great about responding accordingly to unhappy customers. Â I've had a $50 bottle of wine comped before when someone's food order got screwed up. Â
Awesome place to go for a really good sit-down meal when you don't want to brave the crowds and parking in downtown treetown. Â Also nice place to go grab a meal and kill some time if you need to get a flat tire repaired at Discount Tires next door!
I have dined at Paesano's numerous times over the years -- by and large it is A+. Â I have more good experiences eating here than bad, unfortunately when it's bad it's very bad. Â A big hint to watch out for: Is the owner/manager in the building? Â If he is you will have a much better dining experience. Â On the up-side he typically IS in the building. Â But when he's not, consider going elsewhere - when the cats away... well you get it.
The food has always been very good. Â Better than anything you'll find in the "downtown" Ann Arbor Italian restaurants. Â The menu is creative, and changes seasonally. Â Sometimes items show-up that seem kinda "out-there" but that can be nice too. Â The pasta is always cooked to perfection, the bread is great and the soups are right on the spot. Â The wine list is good - there is always something interesting. Â I'm not a wine expert and do not have a discerning palette, I just know what tastes good to me and I have always enjoyed my selections. Â
The service staff is a student service staff, and sometimes who is dating who is much more important than delivering hot food. Â If you want to catch-up on the Paesano's gossip spend time near the server area in the bar. Â In fact the entire bar area becomes gossip central when the boss is away. Â If you are just chilling, enjoying a beer this is not an issue, it only becomes an issue when you are ready for another drink, or hoping to cash-out.
The bar area really is unique, depending on your mood you may find it charming or you may find it irritating and juvenile. Â The bar and server staff seem to think there is a dome-of-silence surrounding the service area, leaving the customer thinking "did I really need to hear that?" Â The bartender is quick with off-color humor - as frequently followed by awkward silence as by laughter. Â Finally, the bar area is small; the first cigarette lit quickly invades the space leaving non-smokers gasping for the bill.
Ok - bottom line up front. Â I had low expectations when I walked in, and this place failed to even come close to meeting them.
The food is marginal, doesn't meet expectations, and is over-priced. Â When you're buying pasta for $18.50, it had better be good. Â I had the "special", which was spaghetti carbonara. Â It was decidedly NOT special. Â As a matter of fact, I think I've had better pasta in a school cafeteria. Â Seriously, it was about the blandest pasta I've had in a long, long time.
Thought the decor was pretty decent, until I heard the staff yelling at each other back in the kitchen. Â The waitress we had was super nice, and was clearly embarrassed that we could hear what was going on back in the kitchen. Â Not her fault, though, and she did her best to make up for it by taking good care of us.
HOWEVER... I won't be going back here ever, and the friends who recommended it? Â Oh, yeah... they're buying dinner next week. Â Somewhere ELSE...
I think is one of the most over rated restaurants in Ann Arbor. Â I've been dragged here multiple times w/ friends and neither my boyfriend or I have ever had a meal we enjoyed. Â I love lamb, but every time I've ordered it it is impossible to tell the quality of the meat because it comes prepped like chicken fried steak (and just about as tasty). Â
Meat, pasta, seafood all sort of eh. Â Nothing to get excited about. Â Half the wait staff seem to have no clue about the wine and obviously just make things up if you ask questions instead of getting a wine steward to answer. Â Also if you don't show up dressed expensively they will just blow you off and you'll get your food after everyone else around is fed no matter when they came in. Â Skip this place and go the Common Grill in Chelsea. Â The food and service is much better at CG and the price is about the same.
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