Paisano's in North York

Always keeping up with the expectations

One of my favorite Italian restaurants for many years now has been a true gem. The prices are reasonable, and the food tastes just like you d hope for in a cozy home-cooked meal. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, making every visit feel special.

Good food. Good service. Amazing vibe.

Vegetarian options: Salads eggplant dish and pasta available Dietary restrictions: No meat or seafood Parking: Adjacent parking lot small for sat evening. It was full when we arrived. Parked down the street. Kid-friendliness: I dont recall kids menu Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

Had an amazing experience here, celebrated friends birthday, Kumar and the team were really nice and welcoming, and the food was amazing. Cant asked for a better birthday party!!!

Not cheap but a decent bite without fanfare. Or prompt service. Or a good ceasar.

Great Italian food

Yummy food and good service

The phone ringing was very loud. Maybe relocate it. Service is extremely attentive and food came like it had just come off the stove. Prices are reasonable and value for money.

I had the chance to visit Paisanos a few times, as my son loves their Gnocchi. It was Halloween night, and we decided to have dinner in this restaurant. This time, the service was terrible (a big group of people had booked a few tables and arrived half an hour after us). I can imagine how tough it would be to manage these people, but it doesnt mean they should forget other customers. For us, that night was a really bad experience in Paisanos. I prefer to find and experience other Italian restaurants with good rates, as it was the last time I went to Paisanos! Kid-friendliness: There are some items for kids in the menu.

Elia was a pleasure to have as our waiter. We have had him take care of us one other time - a year ago. He is so professional, attention to detail and remembered us! Veal parm - delicious! Perfectly pounded tender, Caesar salad on point. House red - a cabernet. Great choice Elia! We will be back - but only if Elia takes care of us again!!!

Had the Veal Cannelloni and it was delicious. There were 4 of them decently sized and filled completely. Asked the waiter for some bread to scoop up the sauce & filling that came out. Was there with my family and everyone was pretty happy as well. Calvin our waiter was great!

Great cozy neighborhood restaurant. Been coming here for years. Food is always great and servers are lovely. Interior could use a touch of an upgrade

We ordered lasagna and chicken Alfredo for dinner. Unfortunately the food was not edible especially lasagna. The atmosphere was decent and the waiter was very polite and kind. Food : 1/5

A place where I had a delicious meal with my parents!

Great, tasty food with friendly service.

Our favourite place for lunch of dinner. Delicious, so filling and lovely atmosphere.

The portion size of the wraps and soup were generous. Hawaiian pizza and sausage penne rose sauce were yummy. Mike is very attentive. Food : 5/5

We tried the beef steak and chicken steak and pizza! The pizza was fine the chicken steak was not that good and wont order this next time! The beef and mushroom steak was good! Staff was super nice and very welcoming

To call this place an Italian restaurant is an insult. East Side Marios is more Italian. I came her with my family for the first time and it will be the last. Each sauce, from the four cheeses to the veal scaloppini, was terrible. They even ruined my steak by adding too much peppercorns. How is that possible? Our server was nice and we had no issue with atmosphere or service. The food here is awful.

First time trying this Italian place and we loved it. Food was excellent, server was very attentive and friendly, he made sure that our needs were met with regular check-ins.

Excellent food!! Super recommended, very quiet environment, patio, and excellent staff service!!

Nice neighborhood restaurant. Cozy with good service.

I had an absolutely horrendous experience at last night. The Carbonara Chicken Pasta was ruined by disgusting bacon and chicken, and the pizza had a terrible bread base. I spent the entire night in the bathroom with severe diarrhea. This was a nightmare of a meal, and I m furious about it.

The service wasn t good. I waited for so long to get my salad and it was wrong then had for another 15 minutes to get my salad. The main dish also came so late and I was about to give up and leave. Although the waiter was so friendly and humble, it couldn t change my experience. The food was decent but with this price tag, I ve had better experiences.

Solid traditional italian food...great service and a very pleasant atmosphere...

I loved their garlic bread it was so fresh and the it tasted so amazing

Good family restaurant. Warm atmosphere, waiters are super friendly. Good portions and very fair prices. Food itself is good - nothing you haven t tasted before but it feels homey and you ll go home more than full. As someone who lives in the neighbourhood, I would definitely come again and support this restaurant

Mike was amazing and knowledgeable.. the food is done to perfection.. its great to come here.. fantastic value to your dollar.. ask about their specials.. the seas bass was crispy and perfectly seasoned.. glad I tried it out...

Delicious food Delicious cocktails Large portions Parking: Parking in the back but limited spaces

Great Italian dishes at reasonable prices. Friendly atmosphere. Food

Great food and friendly staff. They even have gluten free pasta options

We thoroughly enjoy the Willowdale location more than the one in Don Mills. It is more quaint, with better service and the quality of the food is also superior. From the variety of appetizers to the main course and dessert, we have never been disappointed!

Great Italian Food. Fresh and tasty pizza

I went there for the first time with a large group. The inside has an old Italian restaurant vibe. The service was impeccable. Everyones food came out in a speedy manor and was delicious! I think it was the best fettuccine Alfredo Ive ever had!! The creme brulé for dessert was also top notch, and made in house. I will definitely be back

Visited today with another couple. Was attracted by fairly high reviews and was VERY disappointed with the food. It is a little dated place with a little old school menu but that is not a problem. Service was relatively good as we have been greated and sitted quickly. Then came the food. Appetizer focaccia was okay but four small pieces for $9 seemed a bit much. Two pizzas - chicken topping and prosciutto were absolutely not edible. This is an embarrassment for Italian restaurant. All the others leaving positive reviews and speaking about authentic pizza I think they are just delusional. The dough looked and tasted as cheap pizza base from Costco with toppings. That is not how pizza from a pizza oven looks like. The gnocchi were okay, not more that that. Served in a tall plate swimming in white sauce. I could swear the eggplant pasta in our friends plate was from a grocery store Barilla box. The waiter was great and seen our disappointment and took the pizzas off the bill which we really appreciated. Overall - disappointment, will not come back.

Disappointed with the pizza

Service was fast, and the food was

It took them 35 min to bring bread and butter and bruschetta order. For my drink I ordered a cocktail and I received Coke Zero instead. Our waiter completely failed to let us know about any specials they have or recommend any wines. Shrimp Arabiata was extremely spicy. I always eat spicy foods but this one was so spicy that it was impossible to eat my food.

We ordered pizzas, tiramisu and salmon through skip the dishes. Everything was good, except the blackened salmon that wasnt fresh and we couldnt eat it. Skip the dishes only refunded us 25%.

Great food, small restaurant but very cute inside!!!

Great food atmosphere, parking prices. Honestly good spot go to on a date

Very nice, cozy restaurant in a homey neighborhood perfect for grabbing a bite with friends and avoiding crazy downtown traffic. The food is of really high quality, the service is great, albeit a little slow depending on how busy the restaurant is. The desserts on the other hand, not so great. Youd expect a tiramisu in an Italian restaurant to be nothing short of perfection, but what we had was just a regular sponge cake with a very remote resemblance to tiramisu taste. All in all, a good experience, Id think twice before ordering dessert though.

Nice, cozy, and warm place to have a romantic date, family gathering, etc.

Mario did a fabulous job looking after us

I have lived in Willowdale for nearly 30 years and I have visited Paisano many times. I have noticed the quality of food going down gradually over the years. Four of us visited Paisano for Father s day dinner. Amongst other dishes, we ordered Filet of Sole and Sea Bass. Both fish were grilled, and for too long that the meat were very dry. We asked the roast potatoes to be switched to some pasta. We got huge portions of penne with tomato sauce. The taste was bland without much taste. The pasta sides used to be delicious, not anymore.

Been coming here for years. Excellent food and good decor.

Great Food, fair price and quiet atmosphere

Super tasty Italian food, reasonable pricing, and friendly staff.

Great Italian restaurant with delicious food and friendly stuff

Great neighborhood restaurant. Food is delicious staff very friendly and atmosphere is comfortable.

Bita served us tonight and we had an amazing experience. We ll be back here for sure.

It never gets boring Im working my way through the menu. Love the portions enough to fill me up.

Service and food were amazing.

I love Paisano s. I always get the Tuscan chicken, I think it is to die for. I love the shrimp appetizer, and the calamari. My family adores their pizza, pasta and veil. Service is always so polite and prompt. Very special place to eat to my family and I. Vegetarian options: Plenty of vegetarian options. Parking: There is a small lot next to the restaurant and street parking where you can score a spot (if it s a busy night you might have a walk)

Incredible restaurant, great for the family. Service was extremely fast and waitresses were so kind. Food was so authentic and filling- along with tasting incredible within a reasonable price. Highly Recommend!

Yummy food

The staffs are so cute and fast. We had an amazing experience here, food is very tasty and filling. Will come back hehe. I dont like the tiramisu but everything else is super good

Good food coupled with excellent service.

Always good a meal here. Server Calvin was helpful and attentive.

This tucked away restaurant has great food, excellent service, and a good vibe to the atmosphere. Try out the veal mushroom dish

Very nice Italian, Im a nice Italian. We mesh well.

Good Italian foods feel comfortable and relaxed eating

Party of 10. Reasonably priced food. Voluminous portions. Traditional Italian eatery.

Disappointed. I have ate here many time pre-pandemic and the food quality was excellent. Fresh, tasty. Something has changed. My meal was horrible. Ordered the Veal marsala. Very little veal, tasted nothing like before, cold and the mushrooms tasted like canned mushrooms. I used to like this restaurant and may give it a try when in town again. Only saving grace was the service.

Felt like Little Italy. Good food.

The food was good, I think I was hoping for a more expansive drink selection. Service was a bit underwhelming, I think our server went off their shift and we really had trouble flagging another one down to settle up. It was pretty ok

Amazing Italian food

We have been going to this location for more than 10 years now, and the meals are always fresh & hot, great atmosphere and the servers are very friendly and helpful.

All the meals are delicious!!!! Excellent service, I love to go!!

Lovely local Italian restaurant with a spacious dining room.

I cant wait to go back. Food is delicious. Hidden gem in Toronto

The place was fairly decent, a touch pricey for what it was. It has that italian flavour, but wasnt blown away by it. Service and atmosphere were great.

Took my Mom(87) and my Aunt(92) for dinner on March 18,2024 for my Moms birthday. The food was amazing but the service was unbelievable. I wish I knew the name of the young man who served us. He was the best. Brought our desserts with a candle and sang to my Mom. He really made her day!! Thank you so much

Awesome food and service. Our go-to spot whenever we are in the area. Parking: There are about 10 parking spots for the restaurant, but you could park further up on the sideroad in the neighborhood. Food : 5/5 |

A little bit old but professional Italian cuisine & very nice service!

Havent been here for years. it was outstanding at one time. We went for lunch at 2pm. We were the only ones in the restaurant. The server warmly greeted us,he was very pleasant. My partner ordered Spaghetti with Meatballs,I, a Tuscan Pizza with Anchovies. A bottle of Sparkling water to drink. Food arrived in a timely manner. I tasted the Pizza,the dough reminded me of a frozen $1.99 pizza from Knob Hill Farms,45 years ago. Toppings were good,the Chef Boyardee dough was terrible. My wifes pasta was good,I tasted it,it was acceptable. I promised, I would not comment... But, The Server asked me how was it,I said the toppings were good. I believe he caught on. I,we, really looked forward to going back,after many years. We will remember the good old days. Very Sadly, we will not be returning in the future.

The food is perfect specially the sauce on dishes is super tasty and delicious. Price is reasonable. The guy working there was super nice

Have visited this place so very often but just feel this time it was a big let down. Service takes forever - just to get the servers to the table is a task, Although food comes in quite quick Service was in shambles even though there wasnt much crowd. Even the bread that was served on the table before appetizers and entrees was not even warm. The only good thing they have is the number of options for vegetarians. I think after having visited and experienced Spaghetti Factory downtown, none of the restaurants come close to their standards with respect to food or even service. With much greater crowds, even the bread served at the start is warm and the butter is delicious at spaghetti factory but paisanos felt a big bust on the pocket without service or even great food. Also the place smelled of foul socks, maybe the tables or floor were not wiped down with a clean cloth but a smelly rug.

Service and food was very good. Nice portions.

Very delicious and clean Italian food!

Tim one of best waiters there.

Have variety of options to choose from customer service is nice as well

Ive eaten here many times. Great food and nice staff.

Atmosphere is never top of my list. My concern is always service and food and Paisano s ranks high. Food is great and service is personal but not intrusive.

Very good quality food and AMAZING service. The gentleman helping us was super nice and helpful and made us enjoy our time there. I really liked the seafood creole and it was tasty and fresh.

The grilled calamari is the best in the city!

Very nice Atmosphere and delicious food . Great Service

great spaghetti

Came here for a work dinner. Friendly service but it can be slow if they are busy (looks a little bit understaffed at times). Food presentation may not be wow but the food tasted good and I really enjoyed the escargot and the chicken parmesan. Portions are plentiful. Limited parking at the back of the restaurant.

Good vibe, good food, service was very attentive. Would come back again.

Good portion but a little expensive. Food was decently good. Vegetarian options: They have a vegetarian menu. Food : 4/5 |

Very good service.

Went here for the first time today and had a great experience. Visited around 6:30, no reservation, and a table for 2 was ready right away. The wait staff are all very kind and attentive. The food, we ordered garlic bread, the ribeye that was on special, and chicken Parmesan with Alfredo sauce and Caesar salad. The food was really good. The ribeye was more well done than medium well, but it was still tender. The Alfredo sauce was amazing. The chicken Parm was also good. Overall 10/10 nice cozy spot and will be back.

The food tastes fantastic, and the atmosphere is good. Definitely worth a visit. The only minor issue is that the waiter comes to the table quite frequently.

I live near Italy and I know perfectly the Italian cuisine. Paisano s offers a large menu in the world of Cucina Italiana. The staff is also really top notch. Recommended!

Food was good but service was excellent. Thanks for the bad news Mike!

scrumptious

Great food. Great price. Friendly staff. A perfect local restaurant

No way for Italian Restaurant!!! Not any italian in there cause I asked. The waiters they are kind and helpful. Food is not Italian at all! The best italian point that they didnt have the Ketchup!!! Prices are high for nothing. I tried lamp and hard to eat. Not coming back at all

We finally got the chance to eat here, but to our dismay we received bad service from Ms Y. You know who you are, and for sure you remember us. After you served our food you didn t even check up on us. I have to look for you for our drinks and bill . I even asked myself I if I was being rude but i know we re not. I know how to give back if the service is good. The table next to ours are getting good service I envy them. Please don t choose who you give your services too, be nice! Or if you re having a bad mood just refrain from serving coz your customers doesn t deserve that.

They removed my previous review on how bad the delivery food was and how much smaller the portions got over the time. The manager didn t like me saying how useless they are. I got a salad store bought topped with little mushrooms and feta. Old saggy salad that smelled. I will keep posting my review until everyone knows about this place. So keep deleting my review I will post again. Challenge accepted

Amazing steak, would reccomend for date nights or mob meet ups

One of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto, friendly service and great options on the menu

Good food - always consistent comfort Italian food. Highly recommend the chicken/veal parmesan, lamb ragout, and the homemade Tiramisu.

I ordered 3 different types of pasta: Alfredo, Carbonara and Bolognese. I cant pick which one was the worst. If you like Italian food, this is not the place to have a good one.

The prices have skyrocketed since 2020, and I wont be back because of them. I bought two fettucini dinners, small portions and poorly cooked, for $50.00! All the food is WAY TOO SALTY to the point of being inedible and is in no way authentically Italian. Not to single them out though, since 2020 and the price hikes, smaller portions and bad products I will avoid all eat in restaurants. I know many people who now are of this opinion.

Some bugs were flying around. Food is good.

I was a Guest on Monday evening...Food was passable ( definitely not True Italian) .. Service was slow.. Apps and Main course came at ssme time after longer than expected wait.. Quality??? Not even close to what is being charged. Bussers... food runners ...have no clue ..what they are doing ..dirty plates all over place .. on empty tables on ledges etc. Looks like a Pig Stye. Veal Parm ..tough. spaghetti was eldente. Not fully cooked .. sauce was aftom a can.. definitely not authentic.. finished plates sst in front of me 30 minutes..plus unit i got Pissed and tossed on next table that had stacks on it most of evening.. shoul i go on. Definitely will not recommend.. When You Get Your Act Together..let Me KNOW.. i work in this industry.. i have never seen such a discusting Mess ..in Years. Staff and management..definitely Need Training. .Decor.. old ..70s ..80s. Really

The food was good. My favourite was the calamari appetizer and we had to remind our wait staff about having bread to dip in it. My partner had shrimp and mussels fettuccine and it came without mussels. This was remedied but took some time. Twice while we were still eating, wait staff asked to take our plates away. We had to let them know we were still enjoying our meal We were very happy to have a slice of f birthday cake to share at the end of the meal. This neighbourhood restaurant has a lot of appeal but the staff could do with more training and professionalism.

Upon entering, the restaurant emitted an unpleasant odor, and the tables were covered with disposable white paper, which seemed out of place for an Italian establishment.

Excellent and varied dishes. Very good price

Amazing! Would definitely recommend.

Consistently great food and service.

Oil pasta!!

The food has been consistent and service has been excellent. What I dont enjoy my last visit is: 1. They raised the price slightly. 2. The dishes were smaller. Understand the cost of things have all gone up but shouldnt raise the price and serve smaller portion. I am okay with either one but not both.

Wrong orders and cold food.

Food and service was amazing!

Seriously i have nothing bad to say about this place at all! Amazing service, fantastic food, generous portions, and decently priced. Its amazing that this place has been here for years and i have never gone. After our experience last night, my wife has suggested we put it on the monthly rotation (but wants take-out from here tomorrow) Parking: Behind the restaurant, maybe 10 spots

Excellent food and service

Great Italian food. Service was great, fast and efficient. We came as a group of 25 and were served quickly and enjoyed it very much. Parking: The restaurant has a parking lot.

Great service Nice ambiance Awesome food Kinda steep prices tho... But within reason

Amazing food. I had carbonara. It really worth the price

Party of 6. Got a good table where we could talk. Service was excellent (Sep). Had pasta with Shrimp and mussels. It was Prepared well and tasted very good. Parking is free, but limited. You may have to park in the street. Parking: Small free parking lot. Usually is full. Had to park in the street.

Friendly staffs, foods are great. Taste, amount, and price are excellent. Great place.

I brought my mom here yesterday for her birthday. The food was delicious, but the service was just not good. I asked our server twice for chili oil, and she kept forgetting. Finally, I asked someone else who brought it immediately. She almost never checked on us, and when we were done, we didnt see her for half an hour. When I finally saw her, she was socializing. Im going into such detail so she knows why she was only tipped 10%. We had the meatballs app, chicken al pesto, and rigatoni portobello (this one was UNBELIEVABLE ). I highly recommend this restaurant but get the tall, lean gentleman. He was VERY attentive to his tables and was the one who kept refilling our waters, etc.

Restaurant name Paisanos Address116 Willowdale Ave, North York, ON M2N 4X9 Introduction An Italian restaurant famous for providing fresh and delicious Italian food and a warm dining environment I came to this Italian restaurant with my friends this evening. There were a lot of people when we arrived. We waited for a while and then the service staff guided us to our seats. After we were seated, I was surprised by their meticulous service attitude. The service staff introduced us warmly and friendly Today s special and daily soup When served, the portions of each dish were huge. The three of us ordered a grilled chicken salad, homemade spaghetti, meatballs, lamb spaghetti, chicken fried steak with pasta and a meat lovers pizza. Each dish was fresh and fresh. When serving food, you will be asked if you need to add salt, pepper and cheese powder. The pasta is cooked to a moderate degree of softness and has a rich taste. The cheese powder is also delicious and the steaming pizza can pull out long cheese strings. Overall, it was a very good dining experience and I would happily visit this restaurant again. Parking: There is a small amount of parking lot dedicated to the restaurant next to the restaurant, but you will not be able to find a parking space during peak periods. It is recommended to take the bus or walk there during peak periods.

Very good.

Has trouble getting service when we needed it but the food was wonderful!

Place was pretty busy for a Thursday evening. Service was great. Skip the pizza!! (cardboard that looked and tasted like a grocery store pizza kit, I m not exaggerating). My friends liked their pasta dishes.

I ordered lamb chops, mussels white wine garlic and salmon salad. They were tasty. Nice outdoor area. The pasta was the best I have tasted in life. Really yummy.

A nice place, food is good, waiter a bit intrusive, little atmosphere, decor a bit outdated nothing special. They raved about the Ceasar salad, it was meh Food

I ve been coming here for almost 20 years - this restaurant was one of the first restaurant my family visited after immigrating to Canada. We ve loved Paisano s and been coming here at least once every other month. However, since the past few years (esp since covid), the quality and service s been greatly downgrading and today was the last straw that broke the camel s back. Slow service - hall was only 1/4 full. Waitress was slow as if she didnt want to be there. Took awhile to take our order, completely forgot to ask if we want anything to drink, didnt bring us any bread & butter, didnt visit our table a single time after serving us the food. Quality - portion s been getting smaller like all other shrinkflation across the globe while prices on the menu s been getting out of control. My family had a consensus today that while it is very saddening, well not be visiting Paisano s anymore - at least for a while. I really miss the old Paisano s we all loved. Adios.

Took my sister here for her birthday at her request. Wed never been here before, but it was recommended to her and we wanted to try it. Unfortunately, she was not impressed. She had bigger expectations. I liked it, but I dont live in Toronto, so doubt Ill be going back. I know she will not. Prices were comparable to other decent restaurants. She was upset with the service. The waiter did not open the bottle of wine for us. We were 3 women. He also didnt offer or seem to know what a carafe was when we asked for one. He did bring one (one of those Dollar Store types), so better than mouthing, but could have been a better quality carafe for the wine. Other than that, the server was very attentive. Parking: If the restaurants parking lot is busy, you can park across the street adjacent it to the restaurant.

Portions are the perfect amount. The veal with mushrooms was delicious, especially for my mother who doesnt like tomato-based sauces. The shrimp portobello pasta had a lovely sauce but wish the shrimps were bigger and dessert quality.

Our host Calvin was so accomodating. They do have a kids menu. But would like to see more variety. They kids still loved their spaghetti and meatballs though. I had shrimp linguine and it tasted great! Husband had I think the carbonara which was also tasty as well. Make a reservation because it does get packed.

Great food. Great simple atmosphere.

Are the owners/managers not Italian or European? Are they Indian? I have a problem with this because management has changed and the food quality has gone down to just okay, or meh. I remember years ago the food and patio was very good and the food was excellent. This has lead me to wonder if management has changed? Last time I went to the patio the food and service was okay but not worth coming back. Maybe I will try it again soon. It is Italian food, so shouldnt it be owned and operated and cooked by Italian people? Can anyone confirm if this is run by actual Italian/European people? Does anyone know? Thanks, Sam A.

It was my families 1st visit. They loved everthing food, service etc. I had been before and had recommended we go there. They want to return.

Good food, excellent service and fairly priced.

Love this place.

It is awesome place to have Italian food in North York area. Price/cost effective with good quality food

Excellent !!

Paisanos is a well-loved Italian eatery known for its authentic and hearty Italian dishes. The ambiance is warm and family-friendly, making it a great spot for both casual and special dining experiences. Known for its pasta, pizza, and friendly service, its a hit with locals and visitors alike.

Please train your waitress and have common sense. I m doing Uber eats by car and they said I needed a bag to pickup the order. Normally restaurants don t require a bag. It s going close by only 10 minutes. It s my responsibility for delivering the food efficiently.

Great food, friendly staff, and reasonable pricing. I will go back for sure. Parking: Behind the restaurant Food : 5/5 |

Their lasagna and pasta alfredo were great!

Good dining experience with generous portions, attentive waitstaff, and a warm, family-friendly ambiance. Convenient on-site parking adds to the overall positive visit.

Theres nothing Italian including food.

Food was nice. Service was good.

Average food, taste was very basic and tasteless. The server purposely announced my bill after payment since I didn t paid any tips in front of everyone