Pasqualino's Italian Restaurant

The location is excellent, and the atmosphere immediately stands out. It gives you that warm, comforting feeling of sitting down for dinner at an Italian mom or dad’s house — without actually being part of the family. It’s inviting, intimate, and thoughtfully designed. This is a great spot for a date night or a dinner with family. That said, the overall vibe leans more toward a romantic evening setting than a kid-focused restaurant. It’s the kind of place you take your wife for a nice night out or bring someone on a first date when you want to make a solid impression. When we arrived, we were seated quickly. The restaurant was about half full, yet it maintained a calm, relaxed energy. It wasn’t loud at all, which made conversation easy and enjoyable — something that’s becoming rare in many dining spots. Our waiter was extremely helpful and genuinely kind. He answered every question thoroughly and spoke very positively about both the food and the restaurant overall. You could tell he believed in what they were serving, and that confidence matters. The only real drawback for me was that the desserts weren’t made in-house. For a restaurant with such a strong, authentic feel, house-made desserts would have elevated the experience even more. For my entrée, I ordered the chicken cordon bleu with salad and pasta topped with marinara. The dish was good, but if I’m being completely honest, I felt it needed more seasoning. When I eat Italian food, I want bold flavor — I want to get hit with basil, garlic, herbs, and depth. The seasoning felt a little light, and that was the main thing missing for me. Outside of that, the meal was enjoyable. One thing I truly appreciated was that the owner personally walked around checking on guests and asking how everything was. That’s a touch many restaurants could learn from. It makes people feel valued and welcomed — like family. And that hospitality element is something they absolutely got right. Overall, I think this is a place most people should try if they haven’t already. It delivers a warm atmosphere, solid service, and a dining experience that feels personal. I’ll definitely be back.

We were served the largest calzone I've ever seen and I had no idea calzone crust could be so light and airey while still having a crispy bite. The cheese blend was creamy, smooth and had a fun pull. It flavorful and delicious with the fresh peppers and sausage. If you're in Bryson City, this is definitely the place to go.

Our server was exceptional. The food is exceptional. If you’re in the area and want good food and good service go here and ask for Arlan. I had the Ribeye steak, I always choose that cut. This is the best I’ve had of this cut. I think it may have been the marinara, peppers and onions. And Arlan is very attentive. This place seems so authentic to an Italian restaurant. Almost feels as though we stopped in Italy for dinner. Do yourself a favor and stop in. Make sure to ask for Arlan.

Today I came to Bryson City and went to Pasqualino's Italian restaurant, and the food is truly incredible. As an appetizer, they gave us freshly baked bread and delicious olive oil; I think I was stuffed just from the tasty bread. Then I ordered a Portobello and cheese sandwich with potato salad, and it was exquisite. The atmosphere is very nice. The service and prices are excellent. Highly recommended. When you visit Bryson City, you must come to this place.

This restaurant offers a very extensive and varied menu of Italian fare. It is also well known for its steaks. My husband ordered spaghetti with meatballs, which he enjoyed it very much. I ordered the Artichoke Pasta with Mushrooms & Tomatoes. The flavor was good, but the artichokes were very tough. The serving sizes were rather large. We had a pitcher of Sangria, which was good, but nothing to write home about. Breadsticks and oil/vinegar provided were very good. The restaurant is very well established and has a busy but comfortable vibe. Servers were over the top helpful and friendly.

The Staff is very attentive to you. From the time I went in to the time we left they took very good care of us. They came by often enough but not to often. The food was terrific. they have a full bar and a good selection of wine and beer. They have a very good selection of food and everything was great. I had the Veal Marsala and my wife had the Manacotti. The Portion sizes were just right to fill you up. The Bread was fresh and the salad was excellent with plenty of dressing. The wait was around 20min and there was quite a few people waiting however, it moved quickly. They did not rush you when seated and gave you time to enjoy each part of the meal. If you are in Bryson City, NC I would highly recommend this place if you like Italian food.

This food was good. The tortellini was delicious and the pizza was an excellent choice. Big variety and friendly staff. Very cool atmosphere. We would definitely go back again.

If you’re deciding between coming here or somewhere else, I’d recommend going somewhere else. To start, there was a wait for a table with no estimate of when we’d be seated. Ok- understandable, but would have preferred to have a general estimate. Service was slow, which is okay, if 1. The wait is worth it 2. The service is friendly, which, in our case, was none of the above. There were a handful of issues from not receiving our drink to not getting a refill on bread, but what really bothered me was how the server was rude. Once the food arrived we were all throughly disappointed. For a $23 dish you’d expect it to be decent, but it was actually bad. I am not much of a food critic, but this really was far below my expectation. If you still choose to come here, I highly recommend ordering something besides the Alfredo, and maybe send a prayer up that it’ll be edible. Not sure how this place has such good reviews!

Food and atmosphere were excellent. Small town feel with big town quality Italian food. Quaint, setting made it even more enjoyable. If they are busy, there is a reason why. Have patience....it is worth it! Excellent experience! We will be back! T&T Vidalia GA

The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is for the customer service. The house are different on the outside sign. The sign says lunch until 330 and then dinner at 330-10. However they were closed from 3-4 for a break. This place stays busy with people. The breadsticks were hot on the outside but cold on the inside. The oil for the bread would have been so much better if they left out the vinegar. It was so strong but the waiter got us extra butter. I got 2 appetizers but the order never got put in which was fine and the waiter apologized and was great. I got a salad with honey mustard dressing which more like goo and was not good. I switched for a Cesar salad and it just tasted dirty. I then tried the corn chowder and it was good but watery. I had the chicken cordon blu. It had very little flavor and I ended up getting sick after the chicken. The side of pasta literally tasted like ragú on noodles which was disappointing. The tortellini was okay but also watery. Lastly I got the tiramisu and the cannoli. The tiramisu was overpowered by the Hershey syrup on top. The cannoli was good inside but the shell tasted like a fried egg roll in old grease. I had a lot of high hopes for this place but it was a miss for me.

Very kind customer service, beautiful place, and the food was fresh and so delicious! I got chicken fettuccine Alfredo and a salad with ranch, my husband and son shared a pep and cheese pizza and they both say it was the best pizza they've ever eaten! You can tell they really cook with love and care about using fresh ingredients. We went in with a party of 12 and were seated right away on a Sunday. Our waiter was great at listening and all of our meals were correct and came out tasting fantastic! Highly recommend! We will be back:) thank you! Oh and the breadsticks and dipping oil was so yummy too!!!

Trevon was our smiling, attentive server. We arrived in town late, 30 minutes before closing. Our meal was just right. Trout Almondine was excellent. As my husband said, good choice dining here. Clean white linen on the table and our own lighted candle.

The service was excellent. Very attentive and helpful. The ambiance was traditional 1970's New York Italian. A bit dark, with a lot of interesting details to catch the eye. The Big downfall was the food. Very put together out of a can. Not much I woukd recommend other than the garlic knots.

I always love coming here. Such good people. The food is great and the staff are friendly. Full bar and good wine selection

We got the lasagna, baked penne and spaghetti w meatballs. Excellent service and tasty food.

Well, the Food was equally as disappointing and disgusting as the Service. Usually, you can take one over the other, but when both are equal not good! What a horrible experience. Food blan with no seasoning and no taste. Dry chicken Alfredo that if it was not out of a can, then it probably should've been. Soup was blan watered down, chicken marsala with no sauce just a bunch of dried up mushrooms with dried up dry 6oz Sysco chicken. The server never introduced himself, cleared table, refilled drinks. Cold breadstick out of the freezer with balsamic only to dip it in supposed to be the other way around olive oil with a few drizzle of balsamic we ask for butter, but bad was another chore. We should've known before we got sat when the lady pointed and said oh you can go to the back corner.

Good service, good staff and good food. Was recommended by a friend and we stopped by for an early dinner at 5pm and glad we we came early as their was a wait line we left after dinner. Not a lot a choices in Bryson City but this is a good choice.

So we always use to stop in bryson city & shop around. Well we decided to eat after just smelling it from outside. Everything was delicious. The blackened chicken alfredo was delicious & the breadsticks w/ balsamic & olive oil were very tasty. My husband had the artichoke pasta & our friend had the calzone. We were so happy with our food I came to grab the ribeye to go. Perfect & I would say to try out this restaurant.

Mehhh. The chicken Alfredo tasted like they just poured Alfredo sauce on the pasta. I've had better but they're bread was hot and fresh.

Service was terrible. Food was mid at best. Inside was so dark. Nothing more to say. Service was the worst I ever experienced

Despite having an authentic Italian vibe and having been open for 30 years, the food was merely mediocre, at best. The pasta e fagioli soup was the best part of the meal. I ordered the penne with meat sauce and Alfredo. It was just OK but so overcooked, it was mushy. My husband ordered the carbonara. It was tangy to the point of concern that something had been out of date. Service was adequate but not exceptional. We were passed from 1 waiter to another and neither made sure to tend to our needs, without waving them down. As much as I want to give this place a good review, I just can't given the number of options in the area to choose from.

Anyone who left a 1 star review because the food wasn't good must want Olive Garden. If you don't want authentic Italian food do not come here. This place has some of the best dressings and sauces all made in house. Everyone loved their meal and the tiramisu has incredible as well. The service was top notice too! I'm very picky and I have no idea why this place doesn't have a higher star rating. I highly recommend this restaurant and will be coming back!

Absolutely love this place! We were in town for the Polar Express and there weren't many restaurants open late. Thankfully Pasqualino's was and it did not disappoint!!! We had a friend recommend this place as well. As soon as you walk in the smell is phenomenal! Our server was truly the best we've ever had! They treated us like family and we felt at home. Our only regret-not getting the GIANT CALZONE! Next time for sure! Cannot wait to come back!!!

My wife and I come to Bryson City, NC a couple of times a year for a get-away and this restaurant was a staple but not sure what is going on with the food the last couple of times we've been in. Since first dining here 4-5 years ago the food has spiraled from a 4.5 star to a low 3 star. Our service has been on par and the atmosphere in the old Main Street location is excellent but I wish the food or chef would return to whatever he was doing before.

Don't waste you money on this place. Service was great but the food was bland. We had 9 people in our group. Not a single person enjoyed their meal. I started feeling sick within 2 hours of leaving and 24 hours later, I still feel sick. My burps still taste like that meal and I only ate half of it.

Atmospheric was nice. Service was attentive and we were well taken care of during our meal. The food was tasty and well presented. The quality of the dishes were lacking somewhat considering the prices. Example, seafood fettuccine, the shrimp had tails that had to be removed. Overall a good experience nonetheless.

It was pretty good, but not fantastic. The salad was yummy; however, my artichoke and mushroom pasta had way too much garlic-so much! I hardly ever send food back, but I just couldn't eat it. After only a few bites, I tasted garlic for a whole day afterwards. I tried my husband's salmon and the kid's chicken parmigiana, which were actually pretty delicious. We were dining close to closing time so they didn't offer me any replacements, but they took it off the bill, which was nice. I think we would try it again, just ask what their customer favorites are.

The service was good, but the food was just so-so. My Caesar salad was good. The breadsticks were those frozen breadsticks you can get anywhere. The sauce on my chicken Marsala was too sweet for me and the chicken wasn't very tender. The carrots were good. The broccoli was not done. My husband had spaghetti and meatballs and he said it was ok.

21-December-2023 *Hubby and I really enjoyed our evening here! *Photos for each food item *Food I got a ceaser salad, and Hubby got the mushroom soup. We both enjoyed them with our breadsticks. We also ordered the cheese bruschetta for an appetizer and absolutely loved. For a main, I got the blacken chicken pasta, and it tasted great just enough spice to it. Hubby got the ribeye and pasta, and he also enjoyed his main.

The restaurant was nice and had a Romantic atmosphere. Annabelle treated us well and was a pleasure to meet her. Food was tasty. Ask her to tell some dad jokes

We had a short wait to get into this restaurant. It is dark inside with dark walls,wood and stone features. The restaurant is in dire need of a remodel the floors need a good stripping and resealing and the kitchen ceiling and vents need either a good cleaning or replacement. You are served complimentary bread with a balsamic vinaigrette to dip it in. The cheese bruschetta appetizer was delicious. Baguette bread sliced with slices of roma tomatoes and topped with melted mozzarella cheese and fresh chopped basil served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette to drizzle on top. This tasted delicious. The house salad is served with a balsamic dressing very basic and was served in a chipped bowl, the caesar salad was unimpressive. The blue cheese sauce smothered chicken served with spaghetti with marinara tasted good. The manicotti was served piping hot. The pasta tasted like the no boil type and was extremely chewy in consistency filling was a blend of ricotta and spinach and tasted good. Sangria was delicious.

Everything was great, fantastic service as well. We will definitely be back again. The blackened chicken was delicious

We arrived late and they still let us in for food! Amazing service and yummy italian food. We visited Italy a lot and this tastes very genuine. The cook was so nice and so was the server :) I wish there was photos on the menu I got the Manicotti and it was amazing. I never eat my full meals but here I did! great portions

If you like nasty food at full price, this is the place for you! Breadsticks came out first with what appeared to be something to dip them in. Red wine vinaigrette is what it looked and tasted like. With breadsticks?? That's just weird. The breadsticks themselves were very, very plain. Yuck. Then came the salad. The salad itself was fine; pre-prepared & chilled. Okay. Should have asked for dressing on the side bc it was swimming in it! Yuck again. Then came the main dish: spaghetti with meatsauce for me and with Italian sausage for my husband. One bite in, and it was clear: YUCK YET AGAIN. After stirring to make sure the sauce, spices, and noodles were evenly distributed, I tried to another bite. YUCK, YUCK, YUCK! There was so much oregano in this that it was unbearable. The meat had the consistency of Chef Boyardee. The noodles were slimy. 2 bites in, and we both pushed our plates away. The server came and started to get to-go containers. We declined and told him the food was not good. "Disgusting" was the word I used. He proceeded to tally the check and bring it. No offer was made by either he or anyone else to decrease the amount of the check. No offer was made to comp our food. Nothing. My husband politely signed the check, and as we walked out, I stopped and asked the waiter, a cook & a young lady standing with them, "Seriously? You charged us full price for disgusting food? You didn't even discount it?" They were already taking about us as we'd approached, and now they all looked at me incredulously. In summary, I wouldn't feed their food to my dog. I love him more than that. Oh, and need I mention the vinyl bathroom tile on the walls in the bathroom? Yes, you read that correctly. 12 by 12 tiles of vinyl flooring glued to the walls as if it were ceramic tile. Must have hired a really cut rate interior designer!

I wanted to love it, even like it, but cannot. Calamari was hard and tasted frozen and aoli sauce was pretty much mayonnaise = gross. Breadsticks were hard and flavorless. Husband's blacked shrimp were not blackened, like expected. My chicken cordon Bleu was decent. Salads were unimpressive.

This is the best place in Bryson City to eat in my opinion. A long line but it really wasn't that long of a wait. The service was fantastic. Very nice ambiance. The owner is constantly making the rounds and helping out. The food, omg the food! Probably the best lasagna I've ever had. I can't believe I ate it all but I couldn't stop it was that good. My husband had the tortellini and felt the same about his dish. The salad was also delicious. I can't recommend this enough.

Food is amazing, service was excellent, and the atmosphere was great. True Italian food cooked to perfection.

Food was excellent, staff & service was top notch. I highly recommend. We will be back!!

Terrible & disappointing. The only the thing I would come back for is their signature sangria. Breadstick undercook. Pasta sauce oh so blah...worse margarita pizza I have ever had...no sauce at all...salad was full of iceberg lettuce heals ...how hard is it to make good Italian. When I told waiter I was disappointed in the pizza he could only apologize there was absolutely zero attempt at service recovery. They are cutting every corner they can to make as much $$ as they can as fast as they can. There's so many better places to go don't waste your time or calories here.

I wish I would have listened to the reviews and went somewhere else. Corn chowder, salad and breadstick was good. Chicken Fettuccini was flavorless, worse than jar sauce. The chicken was also flavorless. Meatball casserole is 5 large meatballs in sauce with peppers and onions. This had flavor and was much better than the fettuccini but still not something I recommend. Food order was messed up for several tables, my food was fine before my husbands even arrived.

The service here is really good and quick. Everyone here is a hard worker and I could tell that the entire time I was there. The food is okay, the breadsticks are pretty dry, they aren't buttered and don't have any garlic on them. the salad was wonderful. the fettuccini had a different, "homemade" kind of taste, not the same as your typical olive garden. The inside was very gorgeous with mirrors built into the walls and stained glass structure.

Best four cheese pizza, with real pieces of Gorgonzola! Didn't disappoint. Wait time was very short.

First time visiting Bryson City with the family. This is a find and there was quite a wait. Great atmosphere and food was freshly made, and piping hot. My husband and I shared the pasta carbonara and my kids ordered a cheese pizza. I personally preferred the pizza to be honest.

The food was so gross I couldn't eat it. Chicken parm, spaghetti, and trout were all awful. Chicken was so tough and tasteless. I feel bad saying this because the people were nice. Service was good. Atmosphere looks fun from the outside and weirdly fancy, but dark on the inside. I will not go back. You might try the pizza if you must eat there.

One of the best authentic Italian places you will find anywhere! Tonite we had the blackened shrimp pasta and artichoke bruschetta to start-- phenomenal and consistent over the three years we've been enjoying!

Too dark inside. You ll sit on the most uncomfortable chair and wait forever for your food. Food is overpriced and bland. I ordered scallops and shrimp and couldn't even finish it. It was so bad!!! My son had blackened chicken pasta and it was ok. Shrimp bruschetta was horrible.

Atmosphere was great, food was pretty bland. Servers were overwhelmed but very friendly.

This restaurant was pretty good but it was a week night hr and it was incredibly busy. The food was OK. This might just be the pizza but we asked for a 12 inch and it came out almost a 15. The theme in there would make you think it was really an Italian restaurant and the was pretty nice but it was extremely hot inside.

It was clear when we entered that the restaurant was having a slightly off day. The air conditioning was not working, which is bad during the summer in the south. Nevertheless, we ALWAYS eat here when we are in the area because the food is usually delicious. My husband liked his seafood alfredo, and the kids enjoyed their chicken fingers and noodles, but my chicken parm was overdone to the point of being rubbery. Also, our waiter did not return to refill our bread bowl or dipping oil dish. To be fair, he was clearly very busy. I didn't complain, because it was burning up in there, and I was just ready to leave. I hope things are back to previous standards the next time we're in town, but I know that everyone has an off day sometimes. As warm as it was in the dining room, it. must have been miserable in the kitchen.

Excellent authentic Italian cuisine. Who would have thought you could find a great Italian Restaurant in the NC Mountains. We will be back. Meat Lasagna.

Great food. I had the veal Marsala. It was amazing. I love the old style building. It was fun and had personality. Service was great. She was all over us and we didn't have to ask for anything. The owner came out of the back and walk table to table talk to everyone. Great service on his part. A solid yes.

Staff very friendly, large menu for such a small town. Excellent location in the middle of Downtown. The food was good. The pasta was really "Al Dente", that was really good! One great detail, is that they will serve food as long as people are there! Parking could be challenging.

It's our 3 year in a row coming to Bryson City and this has become a must stop for us. The food is amazing and the owner/chef is so authentic. I highly recommend this place even if you have to wait a little for a table, trust me it's worth the wait! I personally love the Chicken Alfredo! My kids love the calzones.

Food was wonderful. We went around 12:45pm and the was not bad. 12-15 for our food. I had the lasagna. It was amazing! They use ham in it. The portion size was on the small side, but the rest of my family had huge portions. They had spaghetti, blackened chicken, pasta, and a cheeseburger. I also had the mushroom soup which was very good. The service was very good, but there was only one waiter and I felt sorry for him as he had six or seven tables by himself. But he did great! Prices are great. $12-15/plate.

What's good? - The blackened chicken pasta - perfectly spicy and not too salty. - The baked manicotti - fantastic sauce. Ordered one to take home. What's bad? - Parking can be a bit sketchy on the weekends around dinner time. - Also the wait is going to be a bit long but I think it's worth it.

Always fabulous service, amazing food, and served surprisingly fast. Saturday evenings have the best baked potatoes!

The food is very good and the service was fantastic. We always enjoy talking with the owner and trying new things