Pernicano's Ristorante

Great food, prices, decorations and above all service

Family run restaurant with delicious Italian fare. Customers appear to be mostly locals and quite a few regulars. Menu is pizza, pasta, and a few specialty dishes. I had chicken parmigiana, which was delicious. Prices are in the $30 to $40 range and definitely worth the value. The place is a bit small so reservations are helpful during popular times.

85 dollars for 1 pizza and 1 pasta dish, 1 glass of wine and 1 soda. Chose this for my boyfriends birthday dinner because of good reviews. Pasta was lower or the same quality as a frozen Trader Joe’s meal and the service was actively bad “take a seat and we will get to you when we can”.

Came on an early Saturday night for a special date night. What was good was the rolls and it ended there. What was bad was the lasagna and the cannoli. I mean just look at it. Yucky yucky yucky. Should have just sent it back . Nothing but sauce. The waitress was friendly and smiled a lot but never came and refilled our water or asked if we want more wine or just checked on us. The prices had increased to an average $30 for a dinner plate. The price for lasagna was $25, and glass of wine $15. But the worst was the dessert. Ordered the cannoli and got just one dried out tasteless $10 log of whip cream. Not the same place I've been coming to for over 30 years. I can only hope things improve before I or other friends go back.

Wanted Italian but not from a chain restaurant...so gave Pernicano's a shot for date night....WOW, simply amazing food...he had the 2 ginormous pork chops and I had the cheese tortali Alfredo....y'all I don't say this lightly....it was effing amazing. Like a totally a big OH only it's in your mouth....laws slap my momma if I am lying. I have had Alfredo sauces all over the world...well south Korea, Canada, and all of Disney's cruise ships. This place is the best. We got our food to go...so we could have date night out in the parking lot watching it rain in Southern California. Which from what we understand is a rare phenomenon. We are from Alabama so a good thunderstorms are always fun. Now we can say we had date night in so cal on a rare night of thunder and rain and lightning. I'd fly 6 hours to eat here and turn around and fly straight back. Sooo...y'all Eat here...at least once... call me a liar. Mil

Me and my wife spent around $100 here on a Friday evening, I ordered one of their brick fired pizzas, she ordered some pasta and I got a beer. The pizza was very underwhelming, I believe I spent around $30 for it, and I think I’d rather have had a little ceasars pizza. It was really greasy and lacked any complex flavors. It just was not a good pizza. My wife claimed her pasta was very mediocre as well. Our server was very put off acting, and not what you would call “warm and friendly”. I wouldn’t say it was the worst restaurant experience I’ve had at all, but the value you get for the money is a 1/5 for sure, if it was a $40 meal I’d go a little easier on the review, but this is one of those times I wish I could get my money back.

Good down home italian. Excellent sauce on the lasagna. Better than I've had in a long time. The arrancini appetizer were light, fall apart tender and full of cheese.

We had an event, and we're looking for some catering for it. We reached out through their website, and Tina was great. She worked with us and figured out a menu within our budget and other parameters (dietary restrictions, quantity of ppl, etc...). She was very responsive, helpful, and nice. The food was ready on time and it was very delicious. This also happened to be on a Friday, which im sure is also a nornally busy time for the restaurant. The food was great and guests were very complementary also. Tina and company definitely helped make my event very successful.

We stopped here for dinner when we were in the area and it did not disappoint. The spinach and cheese ravioli with pesto sauce is amazing. Pork chops were to die for and the barbecue pizza wastop-notch. We highly recommend!! Service was great. Staff is friendly and on top of things.

Love the food at this place but it is sad to see them charging $35 for certain pasta dishes. I have been a fan of this place since discovering it 5 years ago, but they have raised their prices way too high! Sorry, but you are a restaurant in the suburbs of San Diego next to a gas station. For reference, The toursity Cliff restaurant at Laguna Beach had cheaper pasta and the food was just as good. Lower your prices please!

I felt the same as many others that the prices are literally insane for what this place is. I know that the cost of food and labor have increased dramatically even just in the past couple years but $36.00 for a pasta entree in a strip mall?? I was totally caught off guard, very unexpected. I know small businesses have to increase prices in order to survive but when they are so high that you ostracize your clientele it just doesn't make sense. Would prefer to see good food at affordable prices to feel like a go to neighborhood gem.

We went on an early Tuesday night for dinner. It wasn't very busy and we were seated immediately. The waitperson was very attentive and got our drink orders right away. I had the cannoli which was a generous portion. My dinner partner had the chicken parmigiana. She said that it was delicious and also was a generous portion. We both took home leftovers for another meal. Unfortunately, we didn't have any room for dessert. Maybe another time, we may order lighter meals to leave room for desserts.

Good food, cozy ambiance, good wine, and nice Italian music. Great Italian place. Will be back.

Pernicano's pizza is the pizza I judge all other pizzas against. I will admit it has the home field advantage, since the family opened the first Italian restaurant in the neighborhood where I grew up. But in the many years that have passed since I took my first bites of their offerings, I have yet to encounter anything better. It's the best pizza in San Diego. And the best pizza I have tasted anywhere else for that matter. While I normally order it for delivery, the restaurant itself is also a great experience. It's clean, convenient and retains the charm of their original Scripps Ranch location. It's been a go-to for family visits for many years. Aside from pizza, the rest of the dishes are excellent, as well as their salads. I love to see that it's still the friendly, family-run place it's been since i took my first bites as a kid.

It had been a few years since our first visit. Initial impression was not good seeing a handwritten sign saying 3% surcharge for using a credit card. Second impression was the cost off the Chicken Parm. Two pieces of bread were great, they did not offer more. The vegetable salad was good tomatoes and cucumbers. Entree was alright, chicken was ok. This is a preference but I didn't care for the chunky sauce. Others may love it. Portion size was adequate with two breasts. They were fat generally they are thinner. The pasta was spiral in a small dish. My wife got an appetizer for her main meal. Fried zucchini and I believe mushroom. She liked hers. Atmosphere was fine. We probably won't be back. The place was not worth the $51 for one entree and an appetizer no drinks. People seemed to be enjoying their time there.

I've lived near Pernicano's for years and it used to serve reasonably priced good Italian food. Not any more - 3 of us dined there on Saturday and the bill was $98.11 for one small pizza, one medium pizza, a pasta dish and one draft beer, and this included a 3% credit card surcharge. The food was OK but this is twice what I would expect to pay elsewhere - never again.

Hard to believe they have been in this location over 7 years and this was our first time to get reacquainted. We used to frequent them when they were by the old Scripps Ranch Vons. Lorenza was hungry so we stopped by and had a wonderful pre birthday dinner. We started with Calamari Fritti and they were perfect with two different sauces, a spicy aioli and a zesty marinara. Lorenza had the eggplant parmigiana with side Caesar salad and pasta with Alfredo sauce side. I had the Frutti de Mare special in white sauce with side Caesar salad. The white sauce was wine, olive oil and herbs. It was fantastic and with generous portions we have leftovers for tomorrow. We will return soon.

We went tonight for my son's birthday dinner. The food was excellent and plentiful, from pork chops to pasta dishes to dessert. The soup, outstanding! The service was excellent ! We all had a great time.

Visited 10/8/2022 Wow Dinner last night was Amazing. This place in Mira Masa was a surprise and a joy at the same time. The inside was like being in Italy for a fantastic dinner. The food is all from scratch including right out of the oven delicious sourdough bread. Still hot and steaming. The house made Chicken Vegetable Soup was a great way to start. For an appetizer I had The Sausage and Peppers. OMG So good. For my Entrée I went with The Tiger Shrimp Diablo. It was amazing with just the right amount of spices without to much heat and The Fresh Linguine made a lover out of me. Service was very good and the Ambience was so relaxing. Can't wait to come back for a second round soon. Pernicano's Ristorante 9932 Mercy Rd, San Diego, CA 92129

I was referred to this Restaurant for the porkchop meal. Delicious food, and quality portion. The meal included: salad,bread,pasta,shrimp and a porkchop. I was biting my fingers.. Great customer service as well...

Great mom and pop style Italian stop in San Diego. Came here after finding them on Google with a work group and everyone loved the bread and all their food. Cannolis were a nice touch to finish the meal. Very attentive and accommodating staff. Decor made you feel like you were on a mini Italy trip.

We have been coming to Pernicano's for 20+ years. in one year, we came from LA to vacation in San Diego 6x in one year, and we ALWAYS came to Pernicano's!! Consistently delicious food, best spaghetti sauce!!

I think the small portion of lasagna and the cup of chicken vegetable soup are not worth $27. I had better ones elsewhere in San Diego at a lower price. The pizza is a better deal. The older waitress with glasses was very disinterested. Other waitresses provides much better service. The place is decorated like an old fashioned Italian restaurant. The highlights of this restaurant are the warm rolls. Overall, I won't be back.

This is my favorite local Italian restaurant. The bread, Pizza, lasagna and the pork chops are the best!

My husband, 2 yr old son & myself were starving and craving Italian. He suggested Pernicano's as he hadn't been in a very long time. Very cute set up of wooden booths and tables. Booths can fit one adult and a small child but not much more. Server had good suggestions & was sweet to interact with our son. The food was fantastic! Best Alfredo sauce I've had in San Diego so far. Owner came over, played with our son and checked in with us. My husband got in trouble from keeping this place a secret for so long! Will be back often!

if it was possible, I would give zero stars! I didn't even eat my meal because it tasted spoiled. that was the pollo Alfredo fettuccini. food was cold when we got it home too. cost over 100 dollars to feed three people?! and it tastes like that?! WRONG!! worst experience ever! they should be ashamed to be using the pernicanoname! the one in El Cajon is the chef's kiss. Mira mesa? never again

Pernicanos is one of my favorite pizza places. It has a nice atmosphere inside and excellent food.

Good food but the prices are crazy high for what it is. Service was good. Ambiance was nice.

It was the first time I came to this restaurant and I would definitely go back. Food portions are large and absolutely delicious. They started us off with the bread rolls that I am assuming they baked fresh cause it tasted so good and was nice and warm! I ordered the capellini Pomodori and it was amazing!! The basil flavor really brought the dish to the next level... I want more right now just thinking about it haha! My boyfriend got the 7 cheese tortellini and he absolutely demolished it after the photo. We also got the zepole for dessert and we got the portion for two (it was enough for four people in my opinion). The dough used for it was very fresh and delicious. I also really loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the restaurant; the lattice paneling with vines on them gave a nice natural feel like I was dining in a pretty garden. Lighting was really nice and warm feeling. 100% recommend!! Only thing I didn't like were the chairs that I was sitting on, they were not very stable and felt like they were on the verge of collapse. On the backside of the menu I saw a picture of the history of the restaurant from the 1940s and I saw a picture of the same chairs I was sitting on! So that must be why they felt flimsy, but aside from that, great date night! Thank you!

A 4.5 Star! Very good food and excellent service Yes, I recommend this restaurant! I ordered the seafood linguine and my husband got the lasagna and both were very good! Be sure to get the tiramisu cake at the end! It's very delicious with coffee. Don't forget to check in to get your 15% the entire bill!

This restaurant is a gem of San Diego. It was the highlight of my entire visit to SD. Pernicano's has gotten it right: ambience, view, food, and wine. The food here was breathtaking. I cannot overemphasize how delicious every morsel of food was at this restaurant. Calamari: - Fresh, lightly battered, and filled with flavor! We ordered three calamaris for a table of 8 people because we all enjoyed it so much that sharing it became just down right difficult. Seafood Stuffed Salmon: - My fiancée ordered this salmon special and I may or may not have had multiple bites of her dish. This special was one sent directly from the food heavens! My fiancée ordered her salmon cooked well done, but it wasn't over cooked and the stuffed crab and lobster took it all to another level. Tiger Diablo Linguine - I ordered the linguine and the butter & garlic sauce was simply delicious. The shrimp were well seasoned and everything blended so well. One of our friends ordered the lobster ravioli. I tasted one of his raviolis and I must say, the next time I return to San Diego, that's what I will order! The service at Pernicano's was amazing. We had the entire outside seating area to ourselves and we were able to enjoy a nice sunset over a beautiful dinner with friends. This place is one you wouldn't want to miss. I'll be back soon Pernicano!!!

Pink sauce! I used to pass by the original location near downtown and always wondered how their food was... Finally stumbled in here by chance as my wife wanted Italian Food but didn't want to drive far. With the current pandemic situation we had to dine in the patio which was fine but it was hot and humid! I'm glad the food was absolutely amazing otherwise this dining experience would have been a disaster. Our server was amazing. Kathy I believe was her name... I apologize as I didn't post this review fast enough and have already forgotten her name. She was friendly and courteous. She came out with toys to keep out one year old son busy. Aside from the yellow jacket that kept harassing my pork chop and diablo shrimp, all went well. With tons of parking and a nice ambiance, this is a great spot to sip on wine and dine dine as a couple or with a large group of friends. Just be sure to call ahead maybe even a day or two in advance as it does tend to get busy. I'll be back for sure because the stock market is hot and I've got some money to spend lol.

Cute little local Italian restaurant. Good food, kind staff, but not kid friendly. There are no changing tables in the facility. They do have 2 highchairs and accessible restrooms, but no changing table. If your bringing little ones, be prepared for parking lot diaper changes.

We were greeted upon entry and told to select any table. We selected a table for 4. There were only 2 other tables used with customers. Owner? Manager? came to table and pointed to table for 2....indicating we should move. We declined and asked if problem with table we chose. He backed off. Would have preferred to be welcomed. Someone brought bread and water to table. Server did not come to get drink order. Instead when she finally came to table she asked for our order. Well, how about a drink order? Ok, drinks served, appetizer came and server right back asking for order. I like to drink some wine, enjoy appetizer....felt too rushed. We placed dinner order. Salads (very tiny) served and within minutes the entrees. Again felt too rushed. Food was good, not great. Pasta and meatballs about $30 and veal parm about $35. House wine $13. Much more expensive then most places in the area. Kicker was the added THREE PERCENT fee for using a credit card. A notice was probably posted somewhere, but I did not see it and at these prices adding 3% for the use of credit card was an absolute insult. The 3% fee was paid a few times with the prices of the entrées and did not need to be added to the bill. I do not support businesses that have a customer incur the cost of a credit card fee. Cc fee is their cost of doing business, not mine. The decor of the restaurant is nice. Highly unlikely that we will return unless they drop the credit card fee.

Stopped in for the first time recently and ordered a pizza for dine in. How I remember how good the pizza was back in the day. Brings back fond memories. Pizza was nice and a little crispy and the crust was not too thick. Seems to me they didn't change any recipes or the sauce like a lot of the chain restaurants do. Didn't try any of the pasta dishes as they were a little on the pricy side like $20 - $30+. Maybe when I have some more funds I'll try their pasta dishes as I'm sure they're good!

Generous portions, traditional style full meals When you want something substantial to eat for your family and you haven't the time to cook Always freshly prepared

First time here was for my birthday with my friend and had a great time. They have gluten free pasta and a really nice ambiance. It's a hidden gem.

Italian is one of our favorite quezines. Pernicano's is by far the best Italian we've had in San Diego. Especially notable because they aren't even in Little Italy. We picked Pernicano's mostly because it was Italian, and close to the Civic Center, where we had tickets for a play that evening. Everything about Pernicano's was amazing. The greeting when we arrived, the service, the ambiance, and above all the food. These guys did it all perfectly. We will be back!

I've been a fan of Pernicano's since it moved to the Mercy Road location - kinda sad that I didn't know about it when it was in Scripps Ranch. My most recent visit was for lunch on a quiet Monday, just before noon. Love the ambience inside as it is tasteful, but not overdone. It feels more "homey" and like a unique family-style place, non-pretentious. I wanted a sandwich and salad, so I tried their Italian sub and a caesar. The lettuce was really cold and crisp, with just the right amount of dressing (and "tang" to it!) and a nice sprinkling of parmesan cheese. As for the sandwich, I was impressed with the quality of the meat, their house dressing and their home-made Italian roll. The latter needs a special note: the roll was soft and not so thick as to either overpower the rest of the ingredients or fill you up unnecessarily as in some other sandwich joints. Topped it all off with a cold beer. Just perfect. The service was prompt, neighbor-friendly and... something I like: after the food came out they don't hover around, but rather just check in once and awhile. This is my new "go to" Italian restaurant in the area and recommend it!

I met a friend at Pernicano's the other day for lunch--my first time there. I had a turkey sub and my friend had lasagna. Both were very good. Ashley was our server and she was outstanding! It's hard to write a detailed review for a quick lunch, but I just wanted to make sure to give props to Ashley and share that I was very happy with my experience.

The food was wonderful. I had the spaghetti and meatball. My husband had the combination pizza. Service was great as was the ambiance. The only negative here was the place is a bit pricey.

The food tasted delicious, the customer service was great and the ambiance was amazing. This deserves to have a 10/5 star rating but I cant do above 5 so 5/5 stars!

Updating to add pics of the cheese ravioli, delicious salad and soup! The chicken portion on the salad was YUGE and I stole my husband's soup too (clam chowder).

Omg!! Delicious food and great location. Nice people but could be more peppy and outgoing. Seriously though, food was amazing and will definitely be back here!

When I think of a good Italian restaurant, I think of great pasta, homey decor, family vibes, and a lot of food. My girlfriend and I started going to restaurants that have high rating to see if they are that amazing....welp, we are off to a great start! This place was amazing. Came in and could instantly tell it was a nice mom and pop place. The plants chandeliers were nice and they actually have cute booths with candles at night. We got to choose our seats and the waitress quickly came over and provided us menus to order. I already knew if I was trying an Italian restaurant, I have to get pasta and some garlic bread. I decided to get their Pollo Alfredo and the mozzarella garlic bread. My girlfriend got the Calamari Venesia with a side of Bolognese pasta. Each entree came with a soup or salad. They also give you homemade bread for an appetizer for free. The homemade bread was so fresh that the butter melted and glazed the bread easily. You could see the steam coming out of the buns as you ripped it open. They were great! I believe I got a broccoli and cheese soup which was really good and my girlfriend had a Cesar salad which was well dressed. We were starting to get full by the time our entree's came out. They were great, a lot of flavor, and we just couldn't finish everything. There was just so much food that came with 2 entree's! There is always room for dessert so I decided to get us a gelato but, unfortunately for some reason their freezer wasn't working. The waitress apologized and I switched to a taramisu cake. We had the dessert and it was good but, I honestly couldn't tell because at this point I was too full. The waitress decided to charge us the gelato price since they weren't able to provide it and we appreciated it. Definitely a place to check out and we will continue to come here! I would. Check it out if you like pasta, support local restaurants, and get enough food for carb loading or breakfast the next day.

Pernicano's serves delicious lunches and dinners, classic Italian fare, excellent takeout pizza, and welcomes you with hospitable staff and a fully stocked little bar with your chosen sporting event on request. Feeling lucky? Order the meatball sub on white shirt day! Small group lunch? From booths to family size tables and have a real meal

4.5 stars! Placed an order to go - the food was delicious. We ordered the ravioli and the spaghetti carbonara. Amazing sauces!! Each meal came with a choice of soup or salad plus a flavorful roll. Both meals were delicious and good size portions for one person- no leftovers. Our order was ready in the designated time and the hostess who rang us up was super nice. The ambiance was nice- we'll consider dining in next visit to give their pizza a try.

I have been craving Italian lately and we just moved to Scripps Ranch so we decided to give this place a try. Immediately when we walked in we knew it was gonna be good. It's dark only a couple people were inside (some were outside) and it had that little Italian restaurant vibe. Immediately when we sat down we were greeted we didn't have to wait but 2 minutes at most. Our waitress brought our drinks and then also took our appetizer order, we got calamari and a Caesar salad. While we were waiting they brought out some homemade rolls and butter omgggggggg I will come literally for these next time SO GOOD. The casear salad was perfect. Small portion and generous dressing but not too much, calamari was fresh and crispy... delicious. All the while we had two waitress consistently checking in on us to see if we needed anything (more drinks? Rolls? YES PLEASE!!) Our food came out shortly after. I ordered the Mediterranean penne and my husband got the pizza (the name escapes me) the crust was incredible pillowy soft and flavorful...both were AMAZING. This place is definitely a winner. We will be back!!

Always the best Italian food every time we come here. Service is great and amazing ... this is a place we come over and over again! Thank you so much!

Very good Italian food in an unassuming little shopping center. Stopped by here at 4 on Friday. Actually, it was 3:45 and we had to wait until 4. The Yelp hours are all day but they are closed from 2-4. They opened about 4:10 and we were seated right away. Lol. Service was great. It seemed like one lady the entire first 30 minutes and she was super cool. Nice and gave us an extra salad since I didn't want pasta with my plate. The place is very nice. Super Itallian and just country in a nice country way. Freak flowers on every table. Lots of seating and lots of separated, dating seats. . The food was quick and very good. Salad bar is a cool touch. I ordered the chicken parmesan and it was perfect. The chicken was cut thin, which I love! More sauce and cheese to chicken ratio. Sauce and breading were very good! Kids pizza was good. Lots of cheese, kinda small. The prices were good. A little pricey but you get pasta with most of the meals and salad and bread. And at least my meal taste, was worth the price. I will be back here! Cool little bar also! Parking would probably never be an issue. No hard work to get here or in. Great spot!

Such a cute little restaurant! Never would have expected it to be so nice, based on the location being behind a gas station! The interior is decorated with grapevines, and the whole place has a romantic feel. However, it's pretty casual, so you don't have to dress up at all. We went in our hiking clothes and it was cool. Service is excellent! As soon as we walked in, we were told we could seat ourselves, since most of the tables were open. Our waitress was very nice and friendly (but not too friendly, keeping it professional). We got our waters right away, and she kept looking over at our table, reading our cues so she could be there right when we were ready to order! That was really cool of her! Once we got our food, we were left in peace to enjoy our meal. Which brings me to... The food: delicious! Soup was cream of broccoli, which was oh so satisfying! We also got the Margherita pizza; crust baked to perfection, and a good amount of it! The cheese was also perfect, obviously fresh. Basically, this was a perfect pizza! We also ordered the chicken and prosciutto tortellini in pesto sauce, which were also pretty good. We got 15% off for checking in, and the waitress gave a cute little gummy pizza to my daughter. Always a bonus when your kids get extra little surprises!

The garlic bread with their marinara is so good! My boyfriend loved his BBQ pizza. I had the tortellinis with pink sauce which was yummy! Cute inside and drinks are good too :)

Delicious fresh food, great service, large portions. The restaurant is located in a little strip mall and doesn't look like much from the outside, but step inside and it's darling! Cozy booths for private conversations and a nice big wood bar to sit for a drink. The owner knows his patrons. Support this veteran owned business!

Soooooo good! Great service. My daughter and I came and both devoured our meals. I love eggplant Parmesan and was happy that they cut no corners. I was pleased that it came with pasta and a salad for a modest price!

Great local Italian restaurant. The food here feels like old school Italian that hasn't updated with the times but not necessarily in a bad way. I appreciate they have quality homemade rolls with your entree as well as a soup or salad. I've only gotten take out (during Covid) and everyone was very friendly. I got the shrimp scampi which had big shrimp and a lot of flavor. Pasta cooked perfectly. We also got the pepper gravy chicken which was pretty good. My favorite was their chicken vegetable soup of the day (super tasty broth!). The only negative is that they are a bit pricey. Their prices are more expensive then some places like Barbusa downtown.

Nice little Italian place off the 15 and 56. They are open during covid for takeout and limited patio seating. Food here is on the expensive side. $20-$30 an entrée. Meal comes with salad/soup, bread and the dish which is nice. Pastas are all flavorful unlike some chain Italian places which are really bland. I enjoyed the linguine with clams in a white wine sauce this time around. The last time I was here I had the ravioli. Both dishes were really nice. Portion size was reasonable. Not huge but enough to fill me up with a few leftovers. Overall, a nice place to eat Italian. Better than any of the chain restaurants in the area.

Very tidy restaurant with an amazing staff. We have ordered a few to go dishes since our original visit and the food is always top notch. Great local establishment, super friendly people and great food!