Sainato's at Rivergate

The food here is great. The staff is super nice and attentive. 32oz Yuengling drafts are $5. We were reluctant to stop in because the place wasn’t busy but we are glad we did. This place should be way more popular than it is. The neighborhood is super cool too. I don’t get it. Two thumbs up from us.

I had an amazing experience at Sainato'! The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the sauce tasted fresh and authentic. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, making it a great spot for both date nights and family dinners. The staff was attentive without being overbearing, and everything came out quickly. I’ll definitely be coming back to try more from the menu!

We waited ten minutes to be sat (the hostess was nowhere to be seen), even though the inside was empty. After we were finally directed to sit down, it took the waitress a while to stop by and ask for our order. The daily specials were appealing, including a few select half-priced appetizers, though the meatballs were about average tasting. We had the Carmen pizza; you could taste the garlic (yum), but the underside was overcooked. There was a nice selection of wine, with half-priced bottles on Thursdays. When I asked for a sweet red, the waitress suggested a dry, so I ended up picking out a glorious sweet Lambrusco myself. She asked a customer to open our bottle for us contrary to opening it at our table. Maybe the experience depends on the day?

I ordered 1x Deluxe Pizza 16'' (12 Slices) for $27.50. The pizza is soft, the dough isn't cooked enough, the cheese is way to thick and it just lifts off the pizza, the pizza sauce has no flavor. I had to throw mine in the convection oven to try and cook it more. I don't recommend getting pizza from here save yourself the trouble and go to 4am pizza right down the street. Check out the photos. They also only cut the pie into 9 slices it's suppose to be 12. Again THE PIZZA IS LITERALLY DOUGHY ITS NOT FULLY COOKED.

Stopped for dinner on a Monday night. Walked to the hostess stand. Pretty sure a woman who was a dishwasher or busser addressed us as she was walking out of the kitchen and said “sit anywhere.” It took a solid 10-12 minutes before ANYONE approached our table. It seemed there was only one person waiting tables AND bartending- which was odd- because there was another younger girl sitting near the front counter who would occasionally bus a table, but primarily sat around on her phone. The gentleman waiting tables could certainly have used her help. There were two dirty tables next to us for the majority of the time we were there that no one cleaned off. Seems the girl on her phone could have done that. My water had something floating in it, so I ordered a diet soda. My husband had to go to the bar to get it because there just wasn’t enough wait staff. Food took a while to arrive. We ordered a Caprese, which was fine. My husband then had the lasagna and I had the chicken piccata. The lasagna was a HUGE portion and he said it was very good. The chicken piccata was decent; the sauce definitely had cornstarch in it which makes for a strange consistency- but the flavor was good. We left as soon as we were finished. Normally, I stay for coffee or dessert but I just didn’t want to wait again. I

We went to Sainato’s the other day. Had heard that they had a Monday offer on their pizzas and decided to give it a try. It was such a great discovery! We decided to build our own pizzas with the toppings that we wanted which was great, I always love to make it a as veggie as possible and the results were delicious! The pizzas were extremely tasty and we thought we were going to have leftovers but that didn’t happen at all! We ate the whole thing because they were extremely addictive! So I Highly recommend trying them on Mondays for sure ! Also, the service was very good and we had a great experience there with them!

My wife and I don't go out very often we stopped at a couple of places before stumbling Upon This Place by accident through a MapQuest search anyways we got there it was about 25 minutes till closing time there was no one in there except two other customers they said they would accommodate us and told us to sit at the bar which we did the bartender / server her name was Joy was very cool and accommodating we ordered quickly because we had already viewed the menu in our vehicle and didn't want to hold those people up to get home anyways the food was awesome my wife got the eggplant Parmesan dinner which was outstanding I got the appetizer of Meatballs man was an awesome I'm Sicilian I know a lot about meatballs I used to take my mother made the best and she reads this but she won't she'll kill me but she got older and the meatballs suffered as a result sorry mom anyways it was an awesome experience the food was awesome the prices were very affordable the service was great I live kind of far away from there but I intend to return at some point so thank you Joy and the nice young lady that didn't hesitate to see us even though it was really close to closing time we appreciate you it was awesome thank you

Great bar pie! 8 out of 10 Meatballs were good. 7 out of 10 Waitress was phenomenal! 10 out of 10 I asked for a thin crust and they delivered. This was my first time here after finding out my corner store buddy Dave has partnered up with this restaurant.

I had high hopes for this place because it's around the corner from my condo building. It was disappointing. I went for their Happy Hour menu which starts at 2pm. I ordered the meatball sliders and a small, pepperoni pizza (any small 1 topping pizza). Grossly disappointing. The meatballs were so salty, I literally couldn't finish even one meatball. I took home the rest of the 3 meatball sandwich and gave it to my dog. No lie. The bread was fresh, the chees was good, and the red dipping sauce was ok. But despite all that, the salt in the meatballs was so prevalent, I couldn't finish one, not one meatball. Yep, it was that bad. The pizza was slightly better. I ordered their small pizza with pepperoni. I ate two pieces and took the rest home. The crust was ok. Not bad. Slightly undercooked, but reasonable. The cheese was plentiful. The sauce was ok. Not outstanding, but a step above a frozen pizza. Italian restaurants/pizza places is a competitive market. I would recommend going elsewhere.

We went to Sainato's the other day. Had heard that they had a Monday offer on their pizzas and decided to give it a try. It was such a great discovery! We decided to build our own pizzas with the toppings that we wanted which was great, I always love to make it a as veggie as possible and the results were delicious! The pizzas were extremely tasty and we thought we were going to have leftovers but that didn't happen at all! We ate the whole thing because they were extremely addictive! So I Highly recommend trying them on Mondays for sure ! Also, the service was very good and we had a great experience there with them!

With Cleveland Pizza Week I figured I would give Sainato's a try since the Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza sounded right up my alley and it is convenient to downtown. Sainato's is located on Columbus Road in the flats, near to the bridge to the West Side. A brick building with a patio out front, a rustic dining room, and a takeout area. Order and pickup was easy and efficient as I called ahead and they were taking the pizza out of the oven when I got there after work. At home I found a nice looking pizza. The pizza has a0medium thick crust with a decent chew. The tomato sauce is chunky and very lightly seasoned; it did seem that most of the sauce was pushed out to the outside towards the crust. The cheese was OK a little light to my taste and very mild in flavor. The eggplant was deep fried and ended up a bit dry after being cooked with the pizza. Overall the pizza from Sainato's is OK, but not one that I will be heading back for any time soon.

Extremely disappointed in our experience here. A group of 4 of us came in for a late lunch/early dinner. Our drinks came quickly, as well as the Arancini. The arancini were delicious! 3 large arancini balls sit on a bed of house made marinara and pesto. Good portion for the price. Unfortunately, our main meal never arrived. We were told on multiple occasions our food would be right out and it never materialized. Every table around us was getting their food, except for our table. After waiting over an hour for our dinner, we left. Will likely never return.

JoJo is a Rock Star server. She works her butt off in caring for the diners - so friendly, efficient, and personable. Food was great & reasonably priced. Great family place. Ya gotta go there.

If you consider waiting 90 minutes for your food to appear this is the place..a table of 8 ordered 3 buffet ,2 salads,1 slider &1 spinach pizza( small)the only prepared items were the slider and the small pizza! 90minutes! And when the pizza came out the waitress,Leann, dropped it on the floor..but assured us that in 10 she would deliver another pizza..after waiting 90 min plus for the lousy pizza it would only take 10 min.to whip up another Outrageous! And the restaurant was empty..and don't get me started on getting locked in the ladies room.

I've had their pizza multiple times. Sometimes good and sometimes not. This is a pic of a not so good pizza. I sent them the pic and they agreed and offered to give a credit and I never heard back.

I had a few slices of both the pepperoni and margarita pizzas at an event the other day. Overall, I thought it tasted like typical, cheap-ish, pizza that are frequently ordered for big events or groups. The pizza was very average, with little to no seasoning to appease a variety of palates. I, however, love my pizzas heavily seasoned. I wish there were more toppings as well. The bread/crust was fine but as you can clearly see in the picture, it desperately needed a bit more time in the oven! It wasn't dough-y, but it didn't have any crispy-ness to it. The cheese was good but didn't have any cheese-pull quality. The sauce was sadly lacking - in quantity and in flavor. I was clearly content with the pizza because I ate 6 squares but I would look elsewhere for pizzas if ordering were up to me.

Drove from akron to Cleveland for an event drove by this place few times in wanted to try it and apparently the seats and tables is just for looks because wen I walked in (passed the smell of weed btw) they said they don't take dine in so I guess some days you can eat in the restaurant some days you can't

Service,food, and Atmosphere all just average... we Tried this spot for the first time but will not be returning. Not much to say about this place not the worst but definitely not worth trying! Nothing stood out -to many other Italian places that would Satisfy your tastebuds. Save your time and money.

Good food, great service; friendly staff. I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant - both quaint and modern.

So it may have been a busy day today at the restaurant, but I too have was very busy volunteering at two different organizations, one outside in the cold from six to 9 o'clock. All I wanted was a pizza and a glass of wine. I got to the restaurant maybe at the very latest 9:31 PM and I was told the kitchen closed at 9:30... Really? Too bad you have really good food but service is one of the components of a good restaurant.

Been coming here for years. The food is always good, still is. We went on a Tuesday and chose the special "get a free appetizer with a menu item purchase". We've done this in the past. We were surprised to be told that now you get one appetizer per table. The menu does not say this and it was not past practice. Glad we didn't have a party of 6 sharing the small plate. If we return, I'll start at one table, my wife at another. We'll each order, each get an appetizer, and then we'll move to a single table. Come on, stop being so petty.

Superb restaurant. I dont think there is anything on the menu that isn't great. I had the lasagna and man was that good. Large portion so be forewarned. Appetizers were outstanding. The bruschetta was amazing. The outdoor seating was really nice but inside was equally special. Great spot to grab some fine Italian food.

NOTE: MY RATING IS STRICTLY FOR CARRYOUT PIZZA While enjoying some beer next door at Brick & Barrel, we ordered a medium (12") deluxe pizza for pickup. At $18.95 I guess I expected more. In my opinion, it was a very average pizza. The crust was well-baked but I thought lacked flavor. There were a lot of toppings (pepperoni, sausage, fresh mushrooms, onions, green pepper) but were not evenly dispersed over the pie. Other reviews are very complimentary of the food other than pizza, so maybe I would have enjoyed another dish more than this one.

Cool nice laidback low key place in the flats. Nice patio, good food , good drinks and good vibes, oh and that chicken!!! Try it it's good

Really like this place it reminds me of someplace far away. Quiet, soft lights, great place,, Rosemary fries and Stromboli excellent,

In the mood for some Happy Hour enjoyment and a hankering for Italian style food, we ended up here at Sainato's on a recent weekend evening. What a great little find! Their Happy Hour menu is generous with drink specials and several dishes to choose from including a 9" one-topping pizza for $5...how can you go wrong?!?!? We settled in on the patio to watch the world go by, stay safe and also enjoy the lovely weather. Of course we ordered a 9" sausage pie along with my go-to Italian favorite, the chicken parmesan dinner. The sausage pizza had a slightly soft and chewy crust along with mounds of cheese and a slightly tangy marinara sauce. The dough being "heavier" really filled you up quick. The chicken parmesan platter came with a nice sized side salad and a plate piled high with pasta...it was enough to feed two easily (so much so that we brought home leftovers for another great meal). Their sauce was a mild tomato based variety and the chicken breast was pounded out and super-crispy. One word of caution - they do allow smoking in their patio space, so if that is a problem just be forewarned. Other than that slight distraction, we really enjoyed our meal here and will most certainly return.

I never knew that Sainato's was here, I found it because of Scene Magazine's Cleveland Pizza Week. They are located along the Cuyahoga River, next to the Metropark's Crane Park and trails. The draw bridge next to the restaurant is a WPA bridge from 1940, please see picture of the plaque. From the Westside Market it is only a 5 minute walk with plenty of free parking. The pictured pizza is a Philly Cheesesteak pizza.

Ordered a cheese pizza (All pork meat) I couldn't get any meat Which I understand Ordered fried mozzarella Over cooked Marinara sauce doesn't have much flavor Waited for my pizza Pizza came out and had pepperoni on it. I was told it was a mistake Cheese pizza wouldn't take long. Well not the case I ended up being late to pick up my son from practice I finally had to ask it to go When we got the bill nothing comp Not looking for anything free just felt wrong not comp something on clear mistake and such a inconvenience It was a small pizza Bill was only 29. And change Just felt like something should've been done My sons didn't appreciate being late over a pizza

We had such a wonderful experience at Sainatos and I can't wait to go back! They were sold out of the calamari so we are going to try that the next time we come. The star of the meal for me was the Arancini balls. Legitimately the best arancini I have had at a restaurant. My husband's favorite was the fried provolone and he said that it was the best fried cheese he has ever had! I feel like we get arancini and fried cheese everywhere we go that has it so us feeling that strongly is a big deal. Both of my stepsons enjoyed their food. Our server, Rachel was so friendly, attentive and just sweet. She told us that the former owner of the business still comes in and makes the sauce and pizza dough fresh every day! You can definitely tell the quality here. Thank you Sainatos for a fantastic dinner!

I am extremely disappointed to report that I do not believe the management style of this location (or owners, I'm not sure) understand how to be hospitable in business. We have ordered several times in the past and have been repeat customers. Unfortunately, the last time we ordered we did delivery through toast and waited for over an hour and a half, called the restaurant numerous times, and then at two hours our order status was "available at the restaurant" on Toast, versus for delivery. The whole point of delivery was that we were without our vehicle that evening and had our friend come to the restaurant to help us secure the food, just to find out they were closed. Their voicemail did not state they were closed. Toast did not recognize them as closed. It was a huge inconvenience to us to drive there after being at a total loss not knowing they were closed. After that we called Toast as well to get refunded or figure out that process and they said we had to deal with the restaurant directly. We called them when they were open and Sarah said she would cover something for us the next time we called. When we called back the night we were in the mood for pizza again, we were directed to Mer who spent more time assuring us we were refunded than simply honoring Sarah's statement of providing us with a complimentary meal for our troubles. It is simply an insane way to do business in my opinion. If your customer jumps through hoops and doesn't get what they wanted, it's really not about the money. It's about showing them you care with a simple gesture. She literally asked me "why would we cover anything for you?" Okay, never mind. Not only did your staff say so, you should want to in order to retain our business. We will not be returning and I hope others choose better options in the area. There's plenty of other great pizza and Italian spots (don't get me started on their sad buffet) and I hope you will choose elsewhere. Flat Iron is right down the road and has a ton of great food!

Location is fantastic, patio outside, right on the river. Dining room was small, and LOUD. every loud conversation felt like it was right at our table. Food was ok, but pricey, too high for what you are getting. Example: $16 for calamari- it was rubbery, and the portion felt really small. I had veal marsala- meat tasted ok, but cornstarch was fluffy, like it hadn't had long enough to turn to a crisp. Pasta was perfect, sauce was delicious. Wife had chicken piccata, she said it was ok. My son had linguini Alfredo with shrimp, he said it was good. Kids had pizza, they loved it. Also, EVERYTHING came out SUPER hot, like you can't even touch it hot. My guess is that it sat in the window under a lamp for too long. We had to wait a few minutes before we could stand to hold pizza or take first bites. Wait staff was incredibly kind, but took too long to do things. When we arrived in the very small dining room, the server seemed surprised to find us there. Drinks took a long time, after the app was ordered, it took a long time to come back to take the entree order. No silverware was brought until after the app had arrived. When the check was ready, it took a long time to get collected and we were charged for an extra item.

It was my first time trying Sainato's. I ordered the cavetelli and meatballs along with the garlic bread. I'm sorry to say I was disappointed. The pasta was so over cooked it was mushy and watering down the sauce. Did they even drain it? I've had better cooked pasta in a Chinese buffet. As far as the garlic bread? It was actually under cooked with an almost doughy consistency. The flavor and seasoning was great but fell short of good overall. The meatballs were quite good and the marinara sauce was flavorful unless you got into the watered down side of the bowl. As far as the wedding soup I received in my door dash bag (I didn't order it) it was very tasty, strange with all the floating cheese, a bit different but tasty flavor. I probably won't try the this location again. The soggy pasta is a non-starter for me. That's ok, little Italy is right down the road.

This is great west bank flats pizza. Me & the Bro are agents down at the port, so it's an easy bar to stop in for pizza by the slice (lunch only.). Easy to find free parking on the street, it's right by the entrance to merwins wharf. The bartenders are rough & tumble union types. This is a longshoreman's bar like the park view used to be. If it's dinner time we've called ahead for a large pie & drive over for pickup. I usually get the pepperoni but last time the guys in the office wanted sausage too. I was hesitant most times I don't like the Italian sausage on pies. This was GREAT. I couldn't believe how much I liked it. Sausage crumbles it was. Damn fine. SERIOUSLY WATCH UR STEP ENTERING THE BAR SIDE there's a sign there. It's a big step down & the first time I didn't see it. Really rattles the fillings ha. The guys at the bar took it in stride we'll just pretend we didn't see that they said. Nothing like a grand entrance. From 0-60 faster than my car. Really good pizza, similar to rascal house pizza if that jogs the memory & easy access by the columbus road bridge. It's the downtown lunch of choice for old gerg here. 5 stars for pizza & coolness. The street is brick, what else do u want.

Terrific food in a nice atmosphere. Great bar. Lunch buffet is very good. Really nice owners

Great calzones. Clean restaurant and bathrooms. Very nice service. Cute interior. A little bit of street parking and a small lot behind the restaurant. Came on a Saturday, had college football on two different TVs

We just stopped in here on a bike ride and came in for a bit. The staff were super friendly. We had some beers at the bar and tried the fried provolone and garlic bread. Both are worth getting if you happen to come by! Would definitely come again.

Ordered delivery. It was delicious. Tastes very homemade. I had the cavatelli and meatballs.

It's been well over 10 years I've eaten here actually I forgot about this hidden little gem, we were actually going to Margaritaville but they were booked for the rest of the night first I've heard of from a restaurant, then my brother renounced me about this Sainato three was 4 of us. We were waited on by a gentleman with a beard forgot his name, was he a riot we hooked around with him, he had nice comebacks, some places we've gone we couldn't even them [servers] to smile a bit, he was very attentive to us a group of 8 came in shortly after us that didn't faze him one bit just rolled with the punches. We ordered 2 large 12 cut pies, meatballs appetizers, garlic bread with cheese, 6 garlic wings & 6 BBQ wings, 1 pepperoni & extra cheese, 1 pepperoni & sausage pies, the meatballs were cut in half [8], you can taste the fresh garlic bits it was cheesy & to die for, both flavors of wings were fresh not those previously pre-fried ones & they're out of this world I had the taste of BBQ lingered for a good while which was a good sauce, garlic wings was garlicky, even though they were nicely sauced they were still crispy, every time I get wings from other places either they're soggy or not enough sauce/seasoning. Wife had a side salad she said it was one of the best tasting salads she ever had, we bought a 2ltr Pepsi which came out cheaper than buying fountain pop, both my brothers were drinking beers they had beer that Rhett never had before & they really enjoyed them, they asked the server to pick one out for them they really enjoyed it. The atmosphere/ambiance was nice, love the exposed brick, not many places have them. We highly recommend this place, if I could give it more stars I would, keep up the great job, we'll be back most definitely real soon...

Some of the best Italian food I've had. Doing a roofing job nearby and came here to eat and I have to say I've had the best experience with this place. Veil parm sandwich was the best the calimari was crunchy and good the sauces were all homemade from the marinara to the pizza sauce I've tried the personal pan pizza and wings they were excellent as well. Wait staff was super friendly I enjoyed my experience here.

First time there. Seems like a nice place but of course didn't get my complete order. No bread and butter that was to come with the dinner. I just really don't understand how the simplest things can be forgotten with really basic orders. Didn't forget to charge me for the blue cheese dressing that she brought up to go with my wings though. THAT was not forgotten. Not the end of the world but Just tired of establishments not taking the time to be sure customers orders are correct! It's annoying! -How about getting things right the first time? And when restaurants do make a mistake don't just offer your customer their missing item next time. Offer a free desert or something off their next bill for your error and your customers inconvenience. Maybe when that's done many times then employees will take the time to get orders right in the first place.

I have never been to Sainato's before today. I will most definitely be coming back! The Wedding Soup was absolutely delicious. It was hearty and warm on this cold Cleveland day. The Chicken Parm sub was really good, but I will probably go with something else next time. Yum!

Sainato's has been in my bookmarks for awhile now so when we had a taste for Italian, we decided to give it a try! We ordered a large calzone and the Italian sausage sandwich for takeout on a Friday night. Our order was not ready on time and the service could've been friendlier but I cut them some slack as they were popping with calls, online orders and walk ins. Our food hit the spot. Next time, I'll definitely try some of their house made marinated olives and desserts. They also have wine and craft beer available for purchase.

Ran into this little gem by accident on Friday night. Great outside seating, and super friendly staff. Calamari and bruschetta were far better than I expected. Pizza was solid and beer selection was very good.

Went last night for the first time. Not only understaffed, but the staff they did have there was terrible. Cedar salad is iceberg lettuce with some dressing they serve with every salad. Large Antipasta was the same as a dinner salad. Food is not good at all. Really disappointing!

I almost hesitate to make this review for fear our secret spot will be discovered. We love this place! We have used them for delivery - their guy Eric is the best! We have also been in for takeout: They will bring your food right over to you at the brewery next door so you can enjoy a beer while waiting. We have come for dinner and, most recently, for their amazing buffet lunch. They do everything and they do it right. Specifically I love the eggplant parm and the vodka pasta. The pizza is sized right for the price and they always have some local beer options on tap. What's not to love????

Best veggie lasagna I ever had in my life the sauce was perfect noodles were the right texture it was full of flavor location was nice and easy to get too

My wife and I attended this restaurant last Saturday and ordered a large Margareta pizza. It was expensive, 26 dollars, but it featured buffalo mozzarella. On arrival, we found the mozzarella, tomato and basil at minimum quantities. The pizza dough seemed store bought, not homemade. We would not order this pizza again. Our previous experience with the clam linguine was better.

This is the best for calzones or after work get togethers... bartenders are great !!!!

Pretty hit or miss by my latest experience with them will definitely be my last. Ordered a sub to be delivered to Brick and Barrel (next door brewery). It was like warm and I took two bites into the sandwich before something stabbed the roof of my mouth. A wire bread tie? In the middle of the sub. No offer to fix the sub because they were closing and no discount or offered of repent. Won't be back!

Delivery was a little late, but it's after 9:30 on a Saturday night in downtown Cleveland, so we understand. Delivery driver showed up with fast and friendly service (smiling y'all!) Delicious pizza and very glad we went with a local spot!

First time in town , I looked for pizza and Sainato came up. Delicious pizza , happy faces and great fresh dessert !! i tried tiramisu Good luck guys ! Thanks

We went here on a date night Friday and while the bar was a little busy, the dining room was not and we got seated right away. Of course we ordered the deep fried mushrooms and they were incredible! We also ordered a deluxe pizza and it was equivalent to the pizza of my childhood (I. E. Trio's in Rocky River, Masters pizza in Lakewood) So delicious!! We will definitely be coming back to try all the other awesome food!

Sainato's was a total disaster last night (8/3/19). It looked like there were only 4 or 5 people working and about 60 patrons. The 3 servers were bussing tables, making drinks, prepping food and taking orders. It took us 20 minutes for someone to take our order, almost 90 minutes for our salads to arrive and then another 30 for our stone cold entrees to make an appearance. According to one employee there is tension between management and staff and several employees refused to show up for work. My meat lasagna was a mess. Due to improper cooking, several sheets of pasta stuck together to make a hard brick layer on top. Cold sausage had a strange greasy taste. Friend 1 had chicken parm and remarked that the chicken was chewy and hard. Friends 2 and 3 had pasta and meatballs. The meatballs were good but everything was cold. Drinks were terrible. The coke and diet coke being dispensed was totally flat. Despite sitting on the patio we had to go inside to order drinks. I am sure we came to this place on it's worst day but that's all I've got to go on. Maybe management is letting this place go downhill.

Sides that are supposed to come with and order regardless if extra or not. Had a cheese calzone, ordered 3 extra dipping sauces, because no sauce inside the calzone. Had to call because first order had no cheese at all, and only one sauce. So, they send another driver, and when I called to TRY to get it right this time told her PLEASE make sure extra sauce, well here is my second order with ONLY ONE SAUCE AGAIN!!! This makes me feel as if I am not important, my order does not matter. Had to eat a very very dry Calzone. Very disappointed. I grew up in in Slavic Village on Lansing Ave, where Sainatos was first in business we would go as a family and always had a pleasent conversation with Mr. Sainato. Never was disappointed until now. This is sad now that they have their new BIG DEAL restaurant, us little people don't matter. G O O D B Y E

First time great atmosphere great calzone cheap beer. We will definitely come back. Walking distance to our new digs. Ok so now I can give you a s second review. We took a couple from out of town for lunch. Food was awesome. Service even better. Haven't tried pizza yet but next stop will include a pizza review. So the Italian sausage sub sandwich was delicious as well as the stuffed pepper soup. Rosemary the owner actually gave me a loaf of bread to take home and try. It is so fresh and delicious we made little sub sandwiches on it and it was perfect. They are going to baking their own bread which makes this place a new favorite. Perfect place for pasta, sandwich's, libations, and atmosphere.

I love Sainato's. Not only do they have some of the best pizza in Cleveland, but they are a true gem of the Flats. Sainato's, in my opinion, is like the most underrated place in this neighborhood. We love it, and know its there, but for some reason we don't always show it the love it deserves. I'm making it my personal goal to remember how much I love it and spread the word often. My favorite menu items at Sainato's are the chicken piccata, spaghetti and meatballs and Italian sausage sub. Their piccata has the zestiest, most satisfying lemon flavor. The meatballs are perfectly seasoned. The Italian sausage is hearty and has a perfect kick to it. There's really nothing you can order wrong here, especially when it comes to their reasonable prices and clearly homemade recipes. Many folks will also tell you Sainato's has the yummiest pizza crust in Cleveland, which isn't wrong. Sainato's delivers, offers dine-in, takeout and catering. Its a Cleveland institution with indisputably yummy food that feels like it was made by your Italian grandmother. Check it out.

How have I never been here?? When you have a toddler, you're always looking for a place with 1.) good food, 2.) good service, and 3.) a high chair. Being in the area and not wanting to really eat at the other restaurants, we took a chance and decided to try Sainatos. We were glad we did! First of all, they have happy hour until 7pm. $5 one topping pizzas! $75 cent wings. $7 meatball slider. And domestic drinks for $2-4, or $1 off craft selection. Second, it was actually pretty quiet, which was great for our child who doesn't care for loud places. Third, we walked in on a Friday night and got a table right away, and even found street parking easily. When you're a parent, this is such a relief! Lastly, the food, overall was very good. It reminded me more of like a homey restaurant- sure, it doesn't have fancy fusion complex named dishes, but the food is like the heart warming and satisfying type of food. Like, you wandered over to a grandma's house and she cooked you up fluffy warm pizza. I really enjoyed the pizza- we just got a mushroom and a sausage pizza, but the dough is soft, the crust is fluffy, and it's not too oily or salty, which is the type of pizza I like. The wings were great too- fried in such a way that they had a crunch to them when you sank your teeth in it- also, not too fatty or oily too. As a testament, my picky toddler ate everything- which is a win win in our book. The screens all around helped too, I'm sure. If you're looking for a great happy hour that's family friendly, I would highly recommend Sainatos. I'm sad it took us so long for us to try it, but I'm glad we found it! Can't wait to go back to try their pastas and Italian desserts too.