Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge

Our server, Parker, was amazing. She was so enthusiastic and welcoming. The restaurant is gorgeous and has a romantic atmosphere, especially the booths. The food was delicious and the portions were a very nice size for the price. My husband and I can't wait to come back here! We came right when they opened and there were only a few other diners but I did hear them taking reservations as well so you might want to make one if it's a busier time.

I came here to pick up dinner in a Friday evening in May while in town for an event. I ordered ahead online so I was only in the restaurant for about 5 minutes. I was surprised that there was not one other person in the place. While I was waiting one couple did come in and I heard or say to the other that it was quiet but it would get busy later in the evening. I don’t know how late they are open but I picked up my food around 6:30p. Anyway, I had penne with chicken and red sauce which came with a side salad and a roll. I didn’t realize I was getting a roll so I had also ordered garlic bread. The garlic bread was enough to feed at least 3 people. The pasta was good but there wasn’t too much chicken in it. There was more cheese than I would have liked but I maybe didn’t read the whole description online before placing the order. The person who handed me the food and was maybe the hostess was quiet and I don’t remember if she even said anything at all. Prices were comparable to other similar places I have been.

Careful when you order online..it's not the same as when you order in the restaurant. So it was not about the delivery time because I ordered from the App and picked up in the restaurant. It was about the portion size.

The waitress that took care of me and my family was smiling and understood freshness and timing. Good and dessert was excellent

Wonderful find on our visit to Lexington. Caleb, our server, was excellent. He was pleasant, efficient and accurate. Food took a bit, but good things are worth the wait. Everything was perfect, and portions are more than ample. I highly recommend Paesano's.

First time here and Food was GREAT !!! Real Italian food.. We had the Chicken Parm and the Chicken Roma with white sauce. Felt like we were back home in NY eating in Little Italy... The gravy (Sauce) was delicious. Our waitress was awesome and from Los Angeles California.......We will be back.....

I am not sure why this place is not full every night. The food was very good, I had veal Marsala and the flavor was great but the meat was a little tough or I would have given 5 stars for the food. the price is reasonable and the service was excellent i came on a Tuesday and there was no one in the restaurant. I am baffled. Maybe it was the day of the week. I would recommend this place.

We have been here several times and I have left great reviews but we were there this afternoon around 6 PM and service was horrible . We were seated at our table and the waitress kept telling us she would be back to take our order. The same waitress kept seating others and at the same time was asking them if they wanted something to drink.. Never asked us for a drink... We finally got up and walked out and will not be back .... This was one of our favorites but after this bad service we will not be back, We will give all our business to Joe Bologna s from now on...

This is one of Lexington Kentucky's best kept secrets! It is now my absolute favorite restaurants in the world (and yes, I travel). It has an Elegant Dining room, relaxing Jazz played on the sound system and absolutely Delicious Italian food and wine. Incidentally, Try the Chicken Dante! It is NOT on the menu but the waiters will know what you mean. I first tried this well over 20-30 years ago and it is just as good. My favorite dish EVER! I love to eat, I have had lots of good and lots of bad. But this is the absolute best i have ever had. My only complaint is that they don't open until 5 pm. So no lunch menu. But the food is so good, i still have to give them the highest rating of any restaurant, EVER!

Walked in to an empty house Ordered carry out at bar Wine glasses above bar are covered with dust Place was empty however a empty plate and jacket/ purse sat next to me for 30 minutes while I waited for below average food and service Sad that half of the people who came in only came because they didn't realize that planet Thai was closed on Monday Won't return to this place

Great food and service. The family that runs the place are fantastic people! They were very nice to my grandmother and put up with her requests like it was nothing when she was still around!

Wasn't impressed at all.The baked cannelloni was very dry and came with red sauce.Any real Italian knows cannelloni goes with white sauce

Good food & service. Too bad I'm too far north to get sweet tea. Love the old world charm.

Old school Italian restaurant. Good food but not fancy at all. Tucked into a small shopping center so you could miss it if you're not looking.

Really good. Italian sausage and peppers were very nice dish after a long work day. Served ce was fast and friendly. Will for sure be back.

We dined at Paisano's last night and had a wonderful experience! Our server, Lizzie, was flat out amazing--warm, charming, funny, and patient-- despite the fact she was dealing with ten of us-- including two 2 year olds, one 5 year old, and and one 6 month old. The fried mozzarella was so good we had to get multiple orders. It comes perfectly seasoned and with a delicious marinara. My baked penne was great, as was my husband's meat and pasta dish. The garlic bread and other dishes were all top notch. We love the charming, kitschy decor (must be a requirement for all old-timey Italian eateries to have the Tuscan murals, Roman statues, fake greenery, etc) This place has been operating in Lexington for almost 40 years but somehow flies under the radar of most folks. The prices for food and wine are very reasonable. After last night we resolved to eat at Paisano's far more frequently. I'm salivating as I relive the goodness of last night's meal.

Fat Man Reviews found its way to Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge in Lexington, KY. Paisano's is an Italian restaurant serving traditional pizza & red-sauce classics plus they offer a full bar. I started off with a cup of Minestrone soup containing green beans, corn, carrots, potatoes, celery, tomatoes and cabbage. It looked like the veggies came from a can. The soup was heavy on the Italian seasoning and had a slight bitter taste, possibly from red wine vinegar. It was different, not bad, just not my favorite. I tried the Paisano's Sampler, including chicken Parmesan, lasagna, Italian sausage, and spaghetti with meatballs. I could tell that pretty much all of it had been made earlier and sat for a while. The Italian sausage was excellent. The casing snapped, and the flavors were great, I really enjoyed this. The chicken Parm was not bad. It was juicy, breaded and cooked well. It just tasted a little old. I could tell by the cheese on top of the lasagna it had been sitting and when cutting into it, the top layer of cheese came with it. The noodles were a bit over done, but the flavors weren't bad, and it was not dry. The meatball was a little burnt on the outside, but it was not dry just had been sitting for a while. The spaghetti was ok. The red sauce was really, wonderful. It tastes authentic, homemade, with a little sweetness, light garlic and oregano flavors, and chunky. My fiancé tried the Baked Manicotti, large pasta noodles stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with homemade sauce and mozzarella. The shells were overcooked and dry, the cheese was bland but fresh. The sauce again was the star and delicious. Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge offers a lot of different traditional Italian dishes ranging from chicken to veal and veggie. They also serve several anti pasta appetizers, salads and desserts. They are a small place, so plan ahead. The service was okay, but the server was new. Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge is not Fat Man Approved.

Best: Service and Rolls Worst: Entrées, Salad Dressing & Selection of Drinks Lasagna: 4/10 Shrimp Pasta Primavera: 2 /10 (Bland & Cold) Cost for 2: $50.00 Likelihood of Returning: 0 (Zero) DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!

I just got the chance to try this family style Italian joint near my house the other day for a friends 24th birthday! It was very cute and quiet! It was literally us and one other couple there on a Wednesday night at 7! Not sure if they're busier on weekends or a lot of people don't know about it but I have been living in Lexington my whole life and never heard of it before! I also used to live on the other side of town so that may be why and it's a little bit hidden FYI! Anyways our service was absolutely outstanding! The waiter looked like a mix between Justin Timberlake and Napoleon dynamite and was so sweet! When I forgot my I.D. He was even willing to let me show him a picture on my phone. Even though I think he didn't even care lol. We had some great but affordable bottles of cab and Pinot and some yummy apps! Fried mozzarella and calamari paired with some garlic bread and rolls with butter. Then some Caesar salads that were Caesar all the way down until the dressing lmao. I think we either got Italian dressing or they need a new Caesar dressing. For dinner I had the chicken roma. Which is chicken stuffed with ricotta, olives and broccoli. Covered in a white sauced and paired with penne and red sauce. It was really good but could have used more flavor. When I ate my leftovers I threw some hot sauce on there to spice it up. But that's just me. I tasted my friends carbonara and hers was the same way. Which that shouldn't need any spiciness because it's supposed to be a really salty dish with all the guancialle in it. Overall everything was pretty good and we were very pleased with what we got for the price. I think In the end I helped pay for an appetizer and tipped and split a bottle of wine, got bread, a salad and my meal for $45. Not bad at all. Will definitely go back! The menu is extensive so I have a lot more to try and this time I'll be adding red pepper chili flakes and bringing Frank's in my purse!! Lol.

The atmosphere resonates aged by loyal hearts. Tables have plenty of room to enjoy dinner with friends; loved the wheels on the chairs. The waitress was bubbly. Unfortunately, after offering to bring bread then being asked several times she never delivered any bread for the dinner. One friend ordered the mussels and pasta which she enjoyed; my husband ordered the veal masala with a starter of minestrone. He claimed to enjoy the dish though the masala sauce was unlike any I have ever had. Another friend enjoyed the sampler platter but could not eat the meatballs as he said they tasted like they were too old. I had veal piccata with capers. It was like eating a tablespoon of salt; the sauce was greenish brown and clearly had not been cooked with the capers. There was zero lemon butter flavor. Last but not least, the veal cuts were chunks of meat not think slices as it should be. The side serving of spaghetti was served with spaghetti sauce which, had I known, I would have requested just lemon butter. Neither veal entree had the promised side of zucchini and potatoes. I should have requested another entree but I did not want to make anyone uncomfortable by complaining. It was our first visit after living here for decades. I was really excited to experience Paisano's but sadly will not be returning.

I'm really surprised the ratings here aren't higher. I had great service and a good meal. I'd definitely come back. For an appetizer, we ordered the fried mozzarella. It is super tasty, but a little small for $7.95 in my opinion. They also bring out house rolls. These are super tasty, and combined with the pasta sauce left over from the mozzarella, is so addictive. My main meal came with an option of soup or salad, and I went with the salad with in house made Italian dressing. The dressing is quite good. For the main meal, I went with the sampler. It had a sampling of Italian sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmigiana, and lasagna. They slightly overlooked my chicken, and it was a little stiff, but the flavor was pretty awesome. The Italian sausage and lasagna were good but not spectacular. But the spaghetti and meatballs meal is not to be missed. The meatballs are some of the best anywhere. I read other reviews stating that the service was poor. My experience was the exact opposite. The waitress was excellent. If they hadn't overlooked part of my meal, I'd consider giving five stars. But I don't think anything less than four is truly giving the place justice.

Went to Paisanos to celebrate my son's birthday (his favorite Italian). The food and service was wonderful, as always. The waitress was very attentive. We had a few special requests which the kitchen took care of without a miss step... We had a wonderful time!

My 5 point review. Food:(1/1 star) Good Service:(0/1 star): The service was not very good. Environment:(1/1 star): decent Value:(1/1 star): Good price Experience vs. Expectation:(.5/1 star): Real Italian

We've drove past the sign for Paisano's forever and finally decided it was time to stop. Unfortunately it's a one and done for us. The service was friendly and food was delivered quickly but that's where it ends. All three entrees ordered by our table were extremely bland. The salad that comes with the meal is just iceberg and a few shredded carrots. One really odd thing that we all commented on as soon as we left was that everyone in the restaurant stared at us both arriving and leaving for some reason. Even as we were leaving a van in the parking lot stared us down. It's no fault of the restaurant but just seemed really odd.

If you grew up in Lexington in the 80's then you've heard of the great Lexitalia. My granny, my mom, my aunts and uncles all worked there at some point. This was THE place for authentic Italian food and far exceeded all of the competition. Well, I tell you that to tell you this, the owners and/or the cooks of Paisano's (hi Yamma!!!) are the ones that used to work at Lexitalia. At least, that's how it was. Maybe they sold. I eat here a lot but I enjoy it and leave them to their art. They knew me as a kid. Not so much as an adult. So you've eaten at Guiseppi's. Meh. Ok. Now, eat here. This is the best kept secret for Italian food. Very unassuming. But a powerhouse in flavor. Do yourself a favor, skip the crappy parking and pretentiousness of Guisseppi's. Eat real Italian with real history.

I won't start the argument of "what is the Best Restaurant in Lexington", there actually is many fine dining choices, but the Linguine Pescatore at Paisano's is by far the Best Italian Dish, maybe the Best Dish period, in the city of Lexington KY.

Normally I'm such a huge Paisano's fan - I even have a loyalty card - but the last experience left me a little flat. That said, everyone has an off night. I almost always order a traditional red sauce dish, or the trio combo, but I went off script to try the Penne Carbonara, a straightforward dish I normally would enjoy anywhere. Opting to take the server's advice of adding shrimp, I admit it was yummy but not worth the extra $5 for tiny, rubbery (clearly frozen) shrimp. The prices are always good and the portions are huge, and the same goes for the wine. I'll be back, but definitely not veering from the norm again any time soon.

terrible service the servers are very unprofessional and the uniforms are too casual to have a decent dinner

Got food to-go for my birthday and the meal itself was good. I got the Linguine Pescatore, but there was nothing special about the meal to make it memorable. I ordered the Alfredo version of this meal and the sauce seemed too thin and not creamy enough to be an Alfredo sauce. I'm not sure if the meal would have been different if we ate in the restaurant.

I would not even give one star to this place. The worst service ever and a manager that was more concerned with playing on her phone than talking to an upset customer. Food is equivalent to frozen entrees at your local grocery. Dave your money and your time. A frozen lasagna from Trader Joe's is a step up from this place. We love to visit local, family owned business but will not darken the doors here again.

I had the shrimp marinara pasta with minestrone soup delivered for the first time and it was all amazing. Definitely the best minestrone soup I've ever had. The shrimp were big and it was just enough to go with all the pasta. Everything was well-seasoned, too. I recommend this place...I imagine the food is even better at the actual restaurant.

This was our first time eating inside the restaurant. We waited over an hour. Never received our entrees and just had to leave. Terrible service. Very old decor.

Best Italian food in central Kentucky, not to be missed! Love the charm and the authenticity.

Food was excellent. Service was poor from start to end. I have had far better service in pizzerias and Diners and this place is priced much higher. It is disappointing that great food is ruined by bad service.

It had been several years since we had an opportunity to get down to Paisano's, (We live about an hour away & life gets crazy!) & frankly, we were grateful to find it was still in business. After dinner, we are even more grateful! Wow!! After living in Italy a couple of years, we don't often find GOOD Italian food, but tonight was a joy. We started with the calamari appetizer made with the house's special batter, and one bite proved that this calamari was fresh. No rubbery, doughy appetizer here! The batter was light with just the right hint of seasoning & the marinara dip might possibly have also have been made in-house as it was chunky & spicy. Entrees are served with soup or salad & we both chose the lighter salad to ensure room for our coming meal. The delicious hot rolls that were served with the salads were a terrific surprise & so tempting to overeat! Their Special of the Day sounded so good that neither of us could resist in spite of our past happy experiences with other items on the extensive menu. And what a treat!! Chicken & gnocchi with mushrooms & tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce!! The freshly made gnocchi and the chef's own pesto sauce were incredible! I hesitated to order the dish because I don't care much for mushrooms and was informed that I could get the dish without them as each is made to order!! I decided to try it with them anyway, and it was a very nice blend of flavors. The chicken wasn't just bland strips of meat but had been seasoned, providing a nice flavor on its' own. Hubby opted for spumoni for dessert, but I had no room remaining. Our server, Bailey, was outstanding: friendly, knowledgeable, & timely. Her recommendations were spot-on and her concerns for our desires genuine. While we had no alcohol, they did offer a wine list & rather large enough bar that anyone wishing to imbibe would have plenty of choice. My only two complaints: they don't serve sweet tea, so you must sweeten your own which any true sweet tea lover knows is not the same; and the motion sensor light in the ladies bathroom dimmed while I was on the toilet! Not my first time being left in the dark, so I waved at the wall & turned the light back on; I mentioned it to our server who assured me it would be addressed immediately. Just in case, Ladies, better take your flashlight! I think I won't tell you just how little we paid for all this fantastic experience as I fear the place will become so busy that we can't easily get in!!

We tired this restaurant a few weeks ago. There were 7 customers total at 6:30pm. That should have been our first clue. We just moved here from a city with a lot of Italian restaurants and have been looking for an Italian restaurant. We are going to keep looking. There is little that makes this restaurant stand out. The decor is the original decor from the 1980s is well preserved. I lost count on how many light bulbs were burned out. The cloth chairs were worn, some of the furniture is definitely from the 80s wicker era. The restaurant needed a good deep clean and paint job. No natural lighting came through since blinds were closed. Food was passable Italian for the Lexington market. If the restaurant was in area with more Italian heritage/clientele this place wouldn't have survived this long. Good portion for food but nothing special to set it apart from Olive Garden restaurant down the street. The bread was frozen and warmed in the oven. The salad was basic iceberg lettuce and carrots, nothing else. Lots of potential if the food and decor are updated....Lexington needs a good Italian restaurant that caters to middle class clientele.

We have ordered take out from Paisano's several times in the last year. The food was always delicious. We decided to eat in the restaurant last night, and the service was terrible. Drinks, appetizer and salads came out promptly, but then we were forgotten. Twenty minutes later, we got bread, no dinner. Our server did not check on us and never apologized for the lateness of our meal. After about 40 minutes of waiting, we left a little money on the table and left without our dinner. I will add that the dining room was slow, with only three other occupied tables in the restaurant. Two of these tables had already finished their meals. We were literally outside when the server shouted out to us that our meal was ready. Still no apology. We will not be back and won't order carry out from this business again.

Absolutely Love! Great place for the family. The server was on point fast service and good food. Really like there pasta. Great lil place for a date night.

Went here with my in-laws recommendation. What a find! Great atmosphere, reasonable price, generous portion, friendly staff, and good quality food. Is this the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to? No. Is this a solid choice for when I feel like eating out with family and friends? ? Absolutely. Looks like most negative reviews are 2 years or older. Perhaps it's made positive improvements lately. I just moved here from California, so I only know how it is now. Recommending it.

Have heard good things for years.I had high expectations. Maybe I caught a bad night but food was bad. Poorly seasoned breading on all the appetizers. The red sauce taste like tomato paste with garlic and a ton of Parsley. Salad was dripping water and the house dressing was very very strong on vinegar. None of the four of us finished our meal. Prices were fine,service was good and the beer was cold. Not what I had hoped for.

My husband, son, and I ate here after purchasing a Groupon and it was a big disappointment. The atmosphere reminded me of the dining areas in assisted living facilities that my grandparents used to live in: tons of fake plants, mismatched plastic dishes, wheeling chairs, old and worn tables, etc. I'd read previous reviews that service was slow, so we arrived early (about 5:30) hoping to beat the crowd. We were one of three tables (two people at each table), and it took about 20 minutes to receive our food once the order was placed. I didn't feel that was terribly long to wait, but wanted to give some context. The food taste ranged from bad to mediocre. The salad I ordered with my meal was just lettuce and shredded carrot. The rolls were supermarket-like and one of the two was burned. Also, they only give you one roll per person at the table and did not bring one for my son (who is a toddler), which seemed weird to me, particularly when many Italian restaurants provide a constant supply of fresh bread. My husband ordered the meat and pasta plate (that's what it's called) and it wasn't bad. The sausage was the best part. I ordered a chicken dish with garlic sauce and rosemary olive oil tossed with penne and rosemary (that clearly wasn't fresh) was all I could taste. Their prices are MUCH too high. We ordered nothing but entrees and pre-Groupon, it was $30. Also, the prices are about $2 higher per dish than what is on their online menu. It is extremely rare for me to chose a chain restaurant over a local one, but I would absolutely eat at Olive Garden over Noodles & Company rather than Paisano's. I will never be back.

If you're looking for some authentic Italian food, look no further. This place has been in business for over 30 years so you know they've been doing something right and I'm here to tell you, so far from what I can tell, it's everything! If you like wine, there's a large selection to choose from in both reds and whites, and depending on the day you go there may be a special per glass or by the bottle. Each pasta entree comes with your choice of a soup or salad. If you get the house salad, I recommend the homemade Italian dressing - it's fantastic. You'll also get a basket of fresh baked rolls. The pasta plates are huge and delicious. I've had the Alfredo (shrimp and also the crab), and have also tried the spaghetti with meatballs. You will definitely not leave here hungry. If you do have room for dessert, the cheesecake is amazing here as well as the tiramisu. I almost dare you to find something that is unappetizing; I bet it cannot be done. Go - take the family - and enjoy a hearty, filling dinner. You won't regret it.

30 years! Oh my! What stays open for 30 years? A place with excellent food stays open for 30 years. This place is owner/chef proud. It's amazing. We both ordered the Sampler. Which is the best way to start if you've never been here. We enjoyed everything. The lasagna was amazing. A balance between heavy and delicate. While it stood alone it was still creamy, perfectly melded among the flavors. Rolls are warm, browned and crusty with fluffy centers. Deserts are delicious, "that cheesecake might be a top life cheesecake experience" my boyfriend said. That man loves his cheesecake too. My tiramisu was also a top 5 experience.

Had dine in service Food and service was really great. Love the Italian theme of the restaurant! Would love recommend it again to anyone.

We were in from out of town to celebrate our son's 20th birthday and had a great experience! The food and service were both excellent. We even brought in a cake and they helped to hide and provided serving utensils. Some of the dishes we had were the eggplant parm, spaghetti and meatballs and stuffed shells. Would definitely recommend!

It had been several years since we had an opportunity to get down to Paisano's, (We live about an hour away & life gets crazy!) & frankly, we were grateful to find it was still in business. After dinner, we are even more grateful! Wow!! After living in Italy a couple of years, we don't often find GOOD Italian food, but tonight was a joy. We started with the calamari appetizer made with the house's special batter, and one bite proved that this calamari was fresh. No rubbery, doughy appetizer here! The batter was light with just the right hint of seasoning & the marinara dip might possibly have also have been made in-house as it was chunky & spicy. Entrees are served with soup or salad & we both chose the lighter salad to ensure room for our coming meal. The delicious hot rolls that were served with the salads were a terrific surprise & so tempting to overeat! Their Special of the Day sounded so good that neither of us could resist in spite of our past happy experiences with other items on the extensive menu. And what a treat!! Chicken & gnocchi with mushrooms & tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce!! The freshly made gnocchi and the chef's own pesto sauce were incredible! I hesitated to order the dish because I don't care much for mushrooms and was informed that I could get the dish without them as each is made to order!! I decided to try it with them anyway, and it was a very nice blend of flavors. The chicken wasn't just bland strips of meat but had been seasoned, providing a nice flavor on its' own. Hubby opted for spumoni for dessert, but I had no room remaining. Our server, Bailey, was outstanding: friendly, knowledgeable, & timely. Her recommendations were spot-on and her concerns for our desires genuine. While we had no alcohol, they did offer a wine list & rather large enough bar that anyone wishing to imbibe would have plenty of choice. My only two complaints: they don't serve sweet tea, so you must sweeten your own which any true sweet tea lover knows is not the same; and the motion sensor light in the ladies bathroom dimmed while I was on the toilet! Not my first time being left in the dark, so I waved at the wall & turned the light back on; I mentioned it to our server who assured me it would be addressed immediately. Just in case, Ladies, better take your flashlight! I think I won't tell you just how little we paid for all this fantastic experience as I fear the place will become so busy that we can't easily get in!!

Foods good, service not so much. Ordered online and gave them turn by turn directions on how to get here. Driver called me and told me he couldn't find it. I asked where he was said he didn't know. I asked him to go to the intersection that was right by my home. He said it didn't exist and started yelling at me because he'd been up and down the street five times. I finally get him to listen to me long enough for him to figure out he's gone the wrong way because "that's where the GPS said you were, so I didn't go how you said". Get home and look at the order and the order's wrong. But do you think I'm gonna call and ask them to correct it? No, no I'm not, because I don't want to have to have another delivery driver yelling at me because they don't think I know how to get to my own house. We're just going to eat the wrong order and just go somewhere else in the future.

Sadly we aren't locals or we'd be here every night! The food was amazing, our server was attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere was warm. We got wine, an appetizer, four entrees, extra soup, and a dessert all under $100. I would recommend this to everyone!!!

got takeout was not disappointed. Meatballs where amazing. Veal parmesan was delicious. the minestrone soup was great.

Went to Paisano's Italian Restaurant & Lounge this past Saturday evening. We arrived about 8:00 and seating was not an issue there were only about 6 tables filled. We were seated quickly, however it took our very frantic acting waitress quite sometime to arrive to take our drink order. Once our drink arrived our apparent stressed out server vanished for about 20 minutes. When she came back she was lost anytime we asked anything about the menu, fish of the day, available salads, even when asked about sauces. She left and had to bring the owner to answer our questions. Once the order had been placed we had to secure another server to bring us our salads and bread. No refills we offered, little to no attention once the order was brought out by the kitchen staff. Sadly the food was actually pretty good, however in Lexington pretty good food with horrid service will never be a combination that would motivate me to ever ever return. I have no idea how this place is still in business. Stay away......that is all.

This is easily the best Italian food I've ever eaten. My mother and I both got the Paisano's Sampler. We chose to sub meatballs instead of sausage. Let me tell you, the meatballs are AMAZING. Our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu, and so helpful when deciding to order. The marinara sauce is to die for, and the homemade Italian dressing was also delicious. Will DEFINITELY be back again!!

I had only been to Paisano's one time before, and that was 10 years ago. I was craving Italian and decided to try it again. I'm really happy I did! Their homemade soups and rolls were delicious and the tiramisu was the best I think I've had! My two friends were also happy with their entrees. Highly recommend! And very friendly service too.

That this place is still open is really beyond me. The family decor is deceptive, making you think its a hole in the wall, authentic Italian kitchen. The service was terrible. We saw our waitress a total of 3 times: order, brought food, check. I had to flag down a random waitress for a water refill. We ordered Calamari as an appetizer. It was 80% batter. The rings had to be no bigger than 4-5mm in diameter. For dinner I ordered a shrimp pasta dish that was a steep $17.95; for that price I had big expectations. It began with a salad which was probably 1/2 cup of lettuce to 1/4 cup of brown carrot shavings. Then came the pasta. It was a cup of penne AT BEST. It was completely overcooked and mushy. The lemon garlic sauce was actually just salt and butter. It was disgusting. I didn't eat it. I gave the dish back to the waitress informing her there was no way you could eat it. At the end when the bill came, although she didn't charge me for the dish she had the audacity to charge me $3.12 for the side salad. I was so shocked, I wasn't even prepared to fight. We walked out and will NEVER be back. Save yourself the time, money and an enjoyable dinner by not eating here.

The atmosphere was as depressing as my meal - bland and oily. There is no reason to return.

Well I hate the negative reviews that I'm reading about this restaurant. We've been here several times and have never had a bad experience. It's cute, out of the way and authentic feeling.

Can't say enough about this best kept secret in Lexington. My family recently ate there, and we all tried something including the chicken marsala, lasagna, and grilled sausage with bell peppers. All of our meals were delicious, perfect portions, hot, and priced fair. The service was good, and we had to come back the following week to try the pizza which was phenomenal with its fresh ingredients. I highly recommend making a stop at Paisanos !

I stumbled upon this restaurant while driving around looking for a new place to eat near Nicholasville Road. I had originally planned to stop at the Thai place next to it, as I didn't notice Paisano's until I parked (not seen from the main road) Upon walking in, it reminded me of my childhood. Small, intimate decor, a large Italian family in the corner being loud, I loved it from the beginning. Our server was a nice young man, whose parents were at the next table, so he was noticeably frazzled, and perhaps new. He did his job well, just citing there were a lot of tables to pick up, so he apologized if he was a little slow getting to us. (Honesty was the best policy here, and saved him a lost star) I had the Chicken Parm, which can make or break a good Italian joint, and it was divine. The chicken breast must have been from the Dolly Parton of chickens, as it was massive and delicious. The menu WAS a little bit over priced, the only reason they didn't get 5 stars, for the location and the size of the establishment (and the fact they've been there since the 80's) they should comparatively price the menu. My girlfriend made the point, that not a single person in the ENTIRE PLACE had a frown or upset look on their faces, every person in the restaurant (which I could easily see based upon our balcony-like seating arrangement, was smiling and having a great time. Something you can't say you see at every restaurant for sure. Overall I would say try it out if you're sick of the other "Family" Italian restaurants, I'll go back for sure, what can I say... I'm a sucker for good Italian food, in a great Italian atmosphere.