Vallozzi's Pittsburgh

A friend and I recently discovered this place as we explored downtown Pittsburgh for the outdoor International Christmas market. We were delighted by the warmly inviting atmosphere, the impeccable and prompt service, and the scrumptious, nutritious food. I have starred this location on my map for the next time I'm in Pittsburgh with a close friend or family member. This is a place to experience with those you love. I only wish I had remembered to take a picture of our dinner. I highly recommend the roasted beet salad, the salmon entree, and the tiramisu!!

Could be exceptional if they paid attention to detail. Our pasta dishes were fabulous! We had short rib gnocchi and rigatoni with vodka sauce which were both amazing. Artichoke appetizer was also really yummy and unique. However, their bread is served cold. Warming in the oven prior to serving would be recommended. The calamari was simply not good at all. It was heavy with oil as if the oil temperature was off and it tasted like the fry oil was old. Our waitress was unfamiliar with the dishes and not very helpful with answering menu questions. Step it up the small details that matter and this place could be exceptional. Pretty atmosphere and a quick two minute walk from The Fairmont Hotel and Market Square.

Had dinner here last night with a party of ten for a birthday dinner. We had a lovely private room. Our server Damian was very attentive and kept our drinks flowing the entire night. Our meal began with the Calamari, was not great. Having just had calamari at Hyde Park Steakhouse this was a sad dish. The breading was overly fried and the taste was not fresh. We followed with a Caesar salad which was perfect, just enough dressing but the croutons were not great. If you add homemade croutons that would make it better. My main dish was the Pappardelle Bolognese which was truly delicious. The sauce was very hearty and flavorful. The flat noodles on the other hand appeared not freshly boiled and were a little tough. We were given two free desserts consisting of the cheesecake and bread pudding. Both desserts were free for the two birthdays we were celebrating. Overall it was a great experience.

Amazing service from BK (Katie)!!!! 10/10 experience. Food was incredible. Drinks were great. Place was gorgeous. Will be back!

We had dinner here in May and returned in December. Both experiences were superb! I had the pappardelle and what a pleasure it was to bite into this uber-thick and perfectly al dente pasta! Never had pappardelle like that before even in Italy! The meat sauce was also tasty. The staff is attentive and the atmosphere is dimly lit, well-appointed with just a soft din.

Wonderful experience. The Sicilian Pizza was delicious, as was the bread pudding, and the service is great. Special thanks to Matthew for his great recommendations and service. I totally recommend.

Pretty disappointed. I came in to celebrate my birthday along with three others, with a party of 14. When we arrived, our tables were separated. We politely asked if they could be pushed together so we wouldn’t be segregated, and it felt like an unreasonable request based on the reaction—eye rolls, smart comments, and an uncomfortable vibe from the start. The server’s attitude improved slightly after we made an effort to be friendly, but the experience never fully recovered. The food was incredibly bland across the table. Multiple salt and pepper shakers had to be brought out, which is unacceptable for an almost $50-per-plate meal. Several people also requested drink refills that never arrived, and the crab cakes were burnt. The cake situation was especially frustrating. We were charged 15 cake-cutting fees even though there were only 14 of us, and my mother ended up doing most of the cake cutting herself. I also called ahead to confirm that the cake would be served with ice cream and was reassured that it would be. When I asked about it at the table, the server rolled her eyes and said, “When we’re done with the cake.” By then, most people had already eaten their cake, and only two guests wanted ice cream afterward—completely defeating the purpose. They said it was awful and didn’t eat anything after one bite though so maybe the rest of us were spared. I was also told ahead of time that part of the cake-cutting fee included refrigerating the cakes and cutting them in the back so we wouldn’t have to worry about them sitting out. Instead, I was told by our server that, “These cakes don’t need to be refrigerated,” and they were left out. Candles were placed randomly without asking how many or what color we wanted which was frustrating. To make matters worse, the valet service was unacceptable. It was snowing, and many of us were wearing dresses and heels. The valet told us we could walk down the block to retrieve our cars ourselves, but that he could get them for us if we wanted—while still expecting the $10 valet fee plus a tip. Most of my party felt awkward and uncomfortable asking him to do his job under those circumstances. I was the only one who ultimately had him bring our car to us. All of this amounted to nearly a $1,000 bill, making the lack of service, professionalism, and basic courtesy even more frustrating. Overall, the experience felt disorganized, unwelcoming, and uncomfortable—especially for a birthday celebration. This was not the level of service I would expect for the price.

I had the gnocchi with short rib. My wife had the pasta with pesto. The pastas were both cooked perfectly. The portions were generous. The staff and ambience were on point. Excellent wines too! Highly recommended.

Vallozzi's was an interesting experience. I went alone this time and honestly had a pretty good visit. When I first walked in, I talked to the hostess for a minute and she was super sweet, kind, and very welcoming. I told her it was my first time there and that I wanted to sit at the bar and she told me I could just head over and grab a seat. Once I sat down, the bartender greeted me and I ordered a drink off the menu. I really enjoyed it. The ambience here is really cute and definitely a good date night spot or a place to catch up with friends. They have music playing which gives it a nice touch and makes the space feel warm. I ended up ordering a couple of apps. I got the meatballs and the Caesar salad. The meatballs had really good flavor, but I realized I am more of a small meatball girly. These were a bit thick for my taste, so I think I would have appreciated them being smaller. The Caesar salad was interesting because they added artichokes which made it a little sour. It was different but not bad, just something I was not expecting. I also got a glass of wine that I really enjoyed. Toward the end of the night, one of my friends came to meet me and he ordered the calamari. He said it was okay but a little more breaded than he would have preferred. Still, he enjoyed it overall. I definitely want to come back because I want to try their pizza and their pasta. Hopefully I will have an updated review coming soon.

We had reservations for 5:45 for 6 people. There was a maybe 5 minute wait for our table but once we were seated, our server was attentive to our every need. I had the sacchetti which was absolutely delicious! The atmosphere is warm and inviting. We were going to a show so we didn't linger for too long. I have to give a shout out to Katie who went above and beyond by calling/texting the number from our reservation after one of my friends left their card accidentally.

Had a great experience here a few nights ago! The staff were hospitable and the food came out pretty fast for how busy it was. The Caprese Burrata was refreshing! The Rigatoni Alla Vodka was delicious but I thought the veggies (the green beans) were a little raw. I'd recommend getting the chili flakes on top! The spinach pizza was pretty great too! Overall a great experience and would come back! It was decorated nicely inside for Christmas :)

Restaurant was beautiful and very comfortable. Service was absolutely outstanding. From there it got kind of rocky. The drinks The grass is always greener and Who's that girl. She's zesty we're good. Beef Osso Buco came out barely warm. The flavor was good but cool. The polenta was cool and congealed already. Like they plated my food then started pounding the chicken for the Chicken Parm. The Chicken parm was very good. The Gnocchi short rib ragu was very dense. The ragu was very good. The meatball appetizer was very good.

Had dinner here last night with a party of ten for a birthday dinner. We had a lovely private room. Our server Damian was very attentive and kept our drinks flowing the entire night. Our meal began with the Calamari, was not great. Having just had calamari at Hyde Park Steakhouse this was a sad dish. The breading was overly fried and the taste was not fresh. We followed with a Caesar salad which was perfect, just enough dressing but the croutons were not great. If you add homemade croutons that would make it better. My main dish was the Pappardelle Bolognese which was truly delicious. The sauce was very hearty and flavorful. The flat noodles on the other hand appeared not freshly boiled and were a little tough. We were given two free desserts consisting of the cheesecake and bread pudding. Both desserts were free for the two birthdays we were celebrating. Overall it was a great experience.

Pretty stinking cool place. Especially for how they accomodated us on our trip. Two of our girls in the bach party were late; like 45 minutes late. And they let us keep our table and drink while we waited for them. Nicer restaurant to try for sure. Clean, staff was good, no issue at all. Not a 5 star simply because it was above average but not something that made me have it stand out above anything else. I will be back at some point.

Stopped at Vallozzi's for dinner before a concert on Friday night. The service and food were excellent! I ordered the rigatoni with a slightly spicy vodka sauce and my husband had the gnocchi with the short rib ragu. Everything had so much flavor and they give you a decent amount of food (I took half home). I didn't love that we were sat right in the middle of an open, busy room and would have preferred a more intimate, relaxing setting but what can you do. Would definitely go back.

We came to Vallozzi's prior to attending a show at the Byham Theater. The restaurant is walking distance from any of the theaters in the Cultural District. The place has an upscale Italian feel. The service was excellent. Anthony did a great job taking care of our group. We started out with some bread with oil and butter. My brother had pesto spaghetti, his fiance had chicken parmesan. My wife had a Caesar Salad and I had the Bolognese. Everything we had was enjoyable.

Service was phenomenal. Didn't quite catch our server's name but he was exceptional throughout our dinner. The restaurant itself is adorable, loved the decor and layout. We ordered the meatballs and a Cesar salad to start, followed by the gnocchi and fettuccini for our main. My husband had an Italian manhattan and espresso martini which he said were both fabulous. The meatballs were flavorful and the sauce they were served in was great. The complimentary bread with ricotta was okay. The Cesar salad was also just okay, would have enjoyed the lettuce being a bit crisper. The fettuccini with mushrooms was good, our server recommended adding breaded chicken which was an excellent suggestion. I didn't love the texture of the mushrooms but that's probably just a me thing. The gnocchi was flavorful and my husband nearly finished the entire dish. Our entrees took some time to come out to us which was fine as we were in no rush, our server graciously discounted our dessert unprompted which was much appreciated. The tiramisu was a 10/10 and my husband loved the bread pudding as well. Overall, service was excellent, drinks were great, food was good, dessert was excellent. We would return.

Made reservations before our show at the Benedum at 730. We had 530 reservations plenty of time to get to show. We started with the Arancini which was delicious. Main courses were mixed in reviews. Mine was the Veal Osso Buco, excellent and we had the Brussel Sprouts added rather than pasta. My daughter had the ribeye steak very nice as well the chicken saltimbocca. The fish my wife had was a bit dry not my first choice next time. Service was great, thanks David. Definitely will go again before another show downtown.

The food was absolutely amazing at this restaurant. The salads tasted great. We also had the calamari which did not taste rubbery and the tomato sauce and cream sauce with it were also fantastic. We tried the Breaded Veal and the seafood risotto. It absolutely melted in your mouth. I would definitely come back to this place, however, where we were in the bar area we seem to have been forgotten about for a period of time because our food took a long time to come out after our appetizers and salads came. But it was a very nice area and they took care of our appetizer for it being my birthday or possibly for the wait. Either way, we would definitely return!

Friends and I reserved a table after an outing landing us there around 8:30pm in a Saturday night. The restaurant looked very elegant but not too stuffy, beautiful setup. We were seated upon arrival and was instantly greeted by our server Matt who made for a wonderful experience. He was friendly and personable while mainting a professional attitude with his extensive knowledge of the menu, both food and wines ! The lobster risotto , prosciutto plate , and filet mignon were phenomenal ! Unfortunetly the filet and strip steak came out way over the tempeture we asked for , but our server noticed it instantly and accommodated us with no hesitation. We left with full and completely satisfied . We will be back! Highly recommend !

Gives that real Italian feel in the heart of Pittsburgh! Nothing a single bad dish or drink yet!

Vallozzi's is a go to restaurant for us especially before we see a show. The entrance is very unique with the many plates on the wall signed by famous people. The restaurant opens at 5, which is when our reservation was. It was pouring out, so they let us in a couple minutes early and seated us exactly at 5. Our waiter was very kind, but a little distant during dinner. At some points our drinks were empty for an extended period of time. The appetizers we ordered were the Burrata board and Arancini. Both options were extremely tasty! For dinner, we ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs, Gnocchi, Seafood Risotto, and Pappardelle Bolognese. I did not completely enjoy the gnocchi dish, but the bolognese was great! The scallops on the risotto were cooked absolutely perfectly. The espresso martini was great as well. As always, we will be back in the future!

I was in Pittsburgh earlier this month to run the Pittsburgh (half) Marathon and made a reservation for my boyfriend and I to carb load at one of the best Italian restaurants in the city - according to Google. Unfortunately, my experience formed a bit of a different opinion for me than that of Google's. Turns out I made the reservation for the bar area so that was less than ideal but that was my mistake. Everything was just lackluster from start to finish. Our server, Darin G., recommended the burrata appetizer which sounded delicious as described on the menu as fig, pomegranate, crispy rapini, farro, grilled fennel, and Fresno-grapefruit vinaigrette. I love farro but there were probably 3 little pieces of farro in the entire plate. The dish was fine but nothing special, unfortunately. For our carbloading, my boyfriend ordered the gnocchi and didn't finish it which was shocking and I had a new-to-me dish, Rotolos. The rotolos came out a bit differently than described by our server but the combination of butternut squash, ricotta, prosciutto, etc. was pretty good and the portion size was great. Unfortunately this restaurant did not meet my expectations and I was disappointed to say the least. Ultimately, I would steer others towards the other restaurants we had the opportunity to dine at during our trip. If Google recommends Vallozzi's to you like it did to me, I hope you have a better experience.

We came here for a delayed celebration for mother's day. I was able to get a reservation for a party of 6 for Friday night which was great. The meal started off strong. We got the burrata and arancini appetizers, both were very delicious. They also serve bread with a whipped ricotta which was nice. We decided to go "family style" and order a variety of thing to try for the table. This included the ceasar salad, the other non-beet salad, the rigatoni vodka pasta, the lobster/scallop/shrimp risotto, the pesto pasta, the gnocchi, the margarita like pizza, and the chicken parm. The salads were just okay, nothing crazy but fine. The pizza was a bit of a let letdown. It seemed like a meal targeted for kids. The rigatoni vodka pasta was a favorite of the night. I wish it came with the option to add chicken or shrimp would elevate it quite a bit. The lobster shrimp and scallop risotto was okay, our scallops were burnt and had an overly charred flavor which was disappointing. The pesto pasta lacked salt and was very bland. The gnocchi was okay, nothing crazy but not great (it also came out much later than the rest of our dishes). The chicken parm was tough and not great, however we all really liked the spaghetti and marinara sauce that came with it. They make a decent marinara sauce. Our service was good, and the place itself is neat, but we probably wouldn't return. There are much better similar options in the area.

I travel to Pittsburgh for work about once a month and I am so glad I found this beautiful restaurant and wine bar! The happy hour specials are incredible. I got the charcuterie board which I could've sworn was full sized and such a deal for only $10, they also bring you a big plate of delicious homemade bread and whipped feta dip and the wine selection is fabulous. I will definitely be back to eat dinner and escape after long days in the office. The bartenders were friendly and I felt welcome!

My wife and I have enjoyed Vallozzi several times for date night. It's an easy walk to the cultural district and has an upscale Tuscany vibe. Their craft cocktails are great and there are lots of wine options, all the reds I have tried have been bold deep flavors. The arancini is a must try and I really like the caesar salad comes with anchovies. All their pasta is delicious. The atmosphere is easy and the service is attentive. However, I recommend telling the waitstaff if you are going to a show at the beginning of your meal because sometimes it can take a while to get dessert and espresso.

We stopped in on a busy Saturday night and luckily could be seated without a reservation but wouldn't recommend that approach because we were told we had to be out in 50 minutes because they had a reservation then. The food was pretty good! I liked the calamari, but it didn't blow me away. The lemon chicken very good - especially the mashed potatoes. I loved my husbands chicken parm more though.

I'm so glad I stopped in for happy hour. This might be my new fav happy hour spot. The bartender was delightful (I think her name was Stephanie?). The food was incredible - Buffalo caprese, lemon chicken, gluten free chocolate torte. They also have gluten free paste so I will be back to try it. The drink specials are excellent - the $5 rose is so good.

I came here on a Thursday night for a day. She had made a reservation but it would've been pretty easy to just walk in and get a table. The restaurant has a nice ambience. There is a nice bar with a couple of seats, I'd say at least 10, with a limited selection of liquors. The bathrooms are unisex stalls and there's one private bathroom. We started with the octopus and it was pretty good. It was more burnt than I would've preferred but luckily, it wasn't too charred to mask the flavor. It came with string beans and diced potatoes. The potatoes were actually delicious. For dinner, I had the squid ink linguine. It has a hint of spiciness which was lovely. There is a sufficient amount of seafood in the dish. It tasted great. My day got the lobster risotto. It comes with two large scallops-sized pieces of lobster and four pieces of jumbo shrimp. Plenty of seafood for what it is. The risotto is made in a technically red sauce because it's a tomato flavor but the actual color is brown. I enjoyed having some of his meal too lol. I also got the strawberry champagne cake for dinner and I'm so happy I did. It's a thin layer of strawberry jelly on top with thin strawberry slices, then the middle layer is a cheesecake like layer and the bottom layer is the density similar to Tres leches but it's pink and strawberry flavored. I thoroughly enjoyed this cake. I'd also try the strawberry cocktail that they have which was delicious and they're Sauvignon Blanc, also good. The service was excellent. We were the last ones in the restaurant and there was no sense of being rushed out at all. Our waitress was very kind and patient and helped us pick out what to eat.

Stopped in looking for authentic Italian food on a work trip. Called ahead and was able to get seated right away, which we were so grateful for. Our waiter came to greet us right away brought our water and was gone for 10 min. Came to take our drink order and was gone for 25 more min. I asked for bread when I ordered the wine and he said "oh we will bring it". I find it odd that 35 min into my visit I had no drink and no bread. It wasn't until almost 50 min into our dining experience that we got our wine and bread. We finally were allowed to order and I decided on the carbonara. Honestly it was terrible. Like no carbonara I have tasted. My friend ordered the same thing and agreed. It was nothing like what she had in Italy. No sauce, very bland, dry. We waited about another 30 min to try to pay our bill. The dates are for the cold bread they brought (like refrigerated cold) but the three dipping sauces were great! The wine was good too and so was the ambiance. Would not recommend.

The food at Vallozzi's is a solid 5 stars! Why is this place so underrated?! Talk about a hidden gem! My husband had the Parma salad and said it was on of the best salads he's ever had. I went with the roasted beet salad, because I cannot pass up a beet salad, and it was delicious as well. We also got the meatball appetizer and it was Devine. For entrees, we got the double pork chop (INCREDIBLE) and the pappardelle bolognese (also INCREDIBLE!) Will absolutely return soon!!

I am typically pretty critical of Italian cuisine, but I was excited to try Vallozzi's because of the good reviews I had seen online. In my opinion, it's your typical average Italian dinner spot. The ambiance was nice, and our large group was seated in a semi-private back room which was fun. The menu was quite large with options for everyone, but the food was huge portions & just ok. I ordered veal piccata & while the sauce was flavorful, the veal was mushy. It was served with an abundance of asparagus which was a great crisp texture but lacked much flavor (luckily I could swirl it around in the sauce). The wine list was pretty large and nearly all Italian, and everyone enjoyed their drinks (we got a variety of red & white bottles to share). The espresso martinis that we got for dessert were delicious but way overpriced, and the bread pudding was the star of the meal. Our main waitress was super friendly, but the servers helping her with water etc. weren't the most attentive. Overall, it was a decent spot but I think there are better restaurants for that price in the city. Food: C Drinks: B+ Service: B- Ambiance: B

Anthony was our server last night and he did a great job he paid attention to detail and filled up our water glasses when needed. I liked that he gave us time to look through the menu and the wine list after we sat down. He recommended the rigatoni pasta with chiles and add chicken which was amazing!!! The calamari was also delicious. My boyfriend loved the Caesar salad, I wish we had fresh cracked pepper on the salad. The bread pudding was the star of the show, there was hot caramel surrounding it and reminded me of a French toast casserole. Food came out super fast, I did feel slightly rushed because it was New Year's Eve but overall I would go back.

In town on business and was close to hotel. There's a reason it doesn't get 4 stars. Mediocre food and service. Opt for another option for the price.

I recently had reservations for four, including two out of town guests. We are all close to 70 years old. My wife and I got there a little early and a very brusque hostess took us to a "high table". I asked if we could be seated at one of the booths that were nearby that were finishing up. She said no and we had to take the high table. My guests arrived a few minutes later and they had the same request and were told we had to climb up on the high table. After waiting a really long time with no food in sight the main waiter came over and apologized for the delay. At this time we asked the waitress if we could move to one of the empty booths and she had no problem moving us. After a few more visits from the main waiter who kept apologizing for the wait and promising we would be taken care of the food finally came. My wife's chicken parmagiana was borderline burnt and my veal marsala was dry and tough. If I didn't have guests I would have sent the food back..something I have never done before. The main waiter did offer us complimentary desserts. While the main waiter and waitress did their best under the circumstances, my guest's wife also observed the hostess to be somewhat hostile. I have had lunch at Vallozzis several times in the past and the food was always very good and I never had trouble with service. This was my first dinner and probably my last there. My suggestions to anyone making reservations is make sure you can reserve a booth if you have trouble with high tables. My suggestion to Vallozzi's is that their customers should be greeted by a hostess who is gracious, welcoming and accommodating within reason. I suspect the issue with the wait for the food and the quality of the food was probably an aberration, but it was disappointing.

I came here with a large party of 14 on a Tuesday night and had an excellent dinner. We started out with the arancini and the focaccia, which were both excellent. I had the sprout and cabbage salad, which was good but had a bit too much dressing. If there was less dressing on it, I would have enjoyed it more. For the main, I had the rabbit which I thought was tasty. It was my first time having rabbit, and it was cooked nicely.

While I've been a past fan of Valozzi's, tonight's experience was 2.5 stars. We arrived at 5:30pm because of 7pm hockey tickets, and I ordered Chicken Parmesan. It came out very quickly, and in the first bite it was cold in the center (but cooked), and dry, but with hot spots on the outside. Even the accompanying spaghetti was dry and clearly previously cooked and reheated. Probably had been cooked the day before and reheated in a microwave. I recently was told by a friend of a similar mediocre meal. I hope that the owner reads this and realizes that this is the fastest way to lose steady clientele.

We just hosted our son's rehearsal dinner here, and it was a wonderful experience ... our food was fabulous and the service was a 10! Anthony was so very attentive and made sure our experience was even more memorable. Vallozzi's will stay as one of our favorite spots in the city!

If you're looking for homemade pasta and fresh seafood, this is the place for you! My friend and I drove here from New York for a weekend trip, but we were late for our reservation because of traffic. It was almost 10pm when we arrived, so we didn't think they would be able to take us. However, they were extremely understanding and sat us down anyway. We obviously ordered quick because we didn't want to keep them there longer than needed, but we really appreciated them taking us because we were just in the car for 9 hours, so we were starving. The service was absolutely amazing, and they made us feel very welcomed. The food was also incredible. I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars.

Okay, so I had in mind some pasta. I looked what was close and here I am. The happy hour Negroni was great. I ordered the octopus antipasti and it was very good.?the Caesar salad was tasty, it advertised white anchovies, I got one. But the romaine was crisp and the dressing tasty. The bread plate had fresh ricotta and oil, very good. For an entree I ordered the pappardelle with the bolognese, it is fantastic. For wine I had the montepulciano, very nice. Even the crushed red pepper flakes have a smoky quality and very tasty. Laura is a great server, mixologist, mentor for your dining experience.

Amazing dinner and great service! My parents and I visited for the first time a couple days ago and had an incredible experience. We ordered the burrata, which was extremely refreshing! Not heavy and all the flavors complimented each other so well. I was tempted to order another app, but the house bread came with delicious ricotta cheese that it was plenty! Great dish to start us off! I ordered the fresh catch special, which was bluefin tuna and wow! It really was amazing! It came with olives in a vegetable medley that the dish had such great flavors. Chef recommended medium rare so I went with that. My dad ordered the pasta special, which had pork pistachio and mushroom. Very good, very fresh, and very heavy. My mom ordered the pappardelle bolognese, which was a good and safe dish. Didn't blow any of us away especially after eating the tuna and my dads pasta. We all agreed my tuna was the best thing that night...until we tried the bread pudding. The bread pudding was the best thing all of us had in Pittsburgh that entire weekend. So simple and so perfect. That bread pudding is a must and a 10/10!

The restaurant is great and has great authentic Italian food. The ambience is romantic but great for groups. Definitely check it out.

A friend and I decided to try out this restaurant for dinner on 11/17/23...we are already talking about going to this restaurant again. Our waiter, Daimere S., recommended one of the best meals I have ever had at a restaurant...lobster risotto...wow! Highly recommend visiting Vallozzi!!!

Not great. Had lunch there this week...small portions. Nothing great about food. Taste was average. No salad or bread included with meal. Oh..when asked for bread... was told it's on the oven. Server apologized at least 5 times. It wasn't crowded and around 1:00. So a seemed cheap move on restaurants side. Oh and for 2 lunch pastas & a coke ....over $35.

My fiancé and I went to Vallozzi's to try their food as it was on our short list for potential rehearsal dinner venues. We went on a Saturday night and it was dead so got seated right away. Service was 10/10. Few things: - On google it says the restaurant is ONLY open for their lunch hours 11-2 Tuesday through Friday. In other words, it was showing as closed before we decided to come and was fully expecting to see a "closed" sign on the door. This may be turning guests away so I would suggest someone get this fixed! - Food was pricy for quality. My fiancé and I got two entrees on the lower price end of their menu (less than $34 each) and one salad to split ($12). Total bill was $100 with tip for extremely subpar food. - The pasta that came with our dishes was undercooked and chicken parm was rough to cut which meant we were chewing forever with each bite. I am a chicken parm enthusiast and I would place Vallozzi's version under The Olive Garden's! The Parm Salad was the best part of this experience and the cheapest item that was ordered. We really wanted to like this restaurant as it is in prime location to many hotels and venues in the downtown area. Italian is also the safe option to a large party so we really had high hopes. Unfortunately with the quality and price of the food, along with their awkward seating arrangements for a party of 50+, we will not be hosting our event here. I hope this restaurant can work on their pricing/food quality as the service was unbelievable and I truly appreciate a family-owned restaurant!

Came in to Pittsburgh for a long weekend from Philly. Was looking to try a nice Italian restaurant in the downtown area. Reviews looked pretty solid from outstanding to occasionally everyone has a bad night. Done! Sat at this tiny little table next to a monstrous brick wall. Many other duces available but whatever. Looked over the menu and then heard the specials. My wife ended up getting the parpadelle bolognese which was extremely salty I ordered the special Grilled Red Snapper with trumpet mushrooms on risotto topped with small arugula salad. Here's where things went downhill. I had asked if I could sub pasta for the risotto...she checked no problem. Would you like ever else the same? I said yes. The first time the dish came out with the risotto and told the runner this was supposed to be with pasta. They took it away and asked my wife if she wanted to return her pasta to keep warm. That's when I said NO it's very salty and holding it or reheating it would make it more salty. She took it and made a new dish...(nice idea hence the 2 stars) Food was beyond awful Red snapper although very fresh and tasty the skin side served up was flabby no arugula salad no mushrooms the pasta which was starchy and dense was terrible!! The server was extremely kind and removed the dish off the check. I guess I got the occasional bad night... although honestly wouldn't go back.

Let me preface this by saying that Vallozzi's has always been one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh. We did not have a reservation, however, walked in on an otherwise empty Wednesday night, and we were delightfully seated right away. But were treated like the servers would have preferred to have been let go early than have our table. There were no suggestions, no offerings, and really nothing of the service that has made us love coming back many times. To top it off, we were there for my birthday, (and the couple next to us was celebrating a birthday as well). Despite the fact that I have been to Vallozzi's for my birthday in the past, and the table beside us was offered a birthday acknowledgment/dessert, we were offered nothing. It was looked over as if it didn't exist. No one even told me Happy Birthday despite the 5 or 6 times my husband mentioned it to the various wait staff. I won't make this all about lack of acknowledgment for a random middle-aged birthday... However, the service on this Wednesday night was not what we would expect from one of our favorite restaurants. I would question going back at this point. To top it off, the pizza was ok, the salad was mushy and cold (I ordered the grilled radicchio) and pasta overcooked (it was crunchy). Just totally underwhelmed, which is so disappointing from somewhere I would have said is one of my top two favorite restaurants in the city.

Service was excellent, ambience was nice, but sadly, the food we ordered was sub par. We were really hoping this would be a great place for Italian food, especially risotto, which we were really craving. Sadly, the seafood risotto was awful. Perhaps their other entrees are better, but due to the taste of that risotto, we won't be returning to find out. A couple of positive notes - all of the service team members were incredibly professional and friendly and the bread pudding dessert was delicious.

Was recommended by 2 natives and was a home run! Not your usual take on Italian dishes, but I cook Italian so the was an excellent experience! I like different! The food came from the heart of the chef, bread came with ricotta cheese, ceasar salad had home made dressing Best I've had in years! Our dinners were perfect, beautiful atmosphere with great service. Thank you Lance

On a scale of 'it's terrible, I can't swallow' to 'this is what heaven tastes like' - Vallozzi's is 'it was adequate and I didn't get food poisoning.' PRO: service is friendly, ambiance is warm, complimentary bread and ricotta dip is tasty. CON: the grilled radicchio salad was vial. The lettuce was baked with melted mozzarella on top. It was a wilted, bitter mess that I would be embarrassed to present to anyone. No one at the table could stomach more than 1-2 bites. Additionally, the other entrees we got were just bleh - lack of seasoning, yumminess and all could be made at home, only better. The pasta in some cases was also more than al dente. (Mmmm crunchy pasta). Anyway, never going back. Waste of a good space and location.

According to Wikipedia cacio é pepe is defined as "Cacio e pepe (Italian pronunciation: [kato e ppepe]) is a pasta dish from the cuisine of the city of Rome.[1] Cacio e pepe means "cheese and pepper" in several central Italian dialects. As the name suggests, the ingredients of the dish are: black pepper, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and spaghetti,[1] or traditionally tonnarelli". This is my favorite pasta preparation. I've had it in Italy and I make it myself on occasion. Now, know that I haven't eaten pasta in more than a year so ordering it here was a RARE treat. It was described as "cacio é pepe, bacon, spinach, tomatoes". What I received was a pile of overcooked mushy pasta with a smoky, slightly spicy tomato cream sauce. No pecorino, no pepper. THOSE ARE LITERALLY THE INGREDIENTS. Everyone involved in this pasta tragedy should feel ashamed and possibly learn to cook properly. It was bad and they should feel bad about serving such a pile of crap. It was a business dinner or I would have sent it back immediately. As it was, I abandoned it after 3 bites so I left hungry and pissed off. The food here deserves no stars at all but the interior is nice, as was our server. I don't recommend this spot and you could not pay me to return.

Vallozzi's is a solid Pittsburgh institution downtown. They have a great Happy Hour and excellent service. There are so many great Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh, it is hard for any to stand out, but my menu selection this night shows why Vallozzi's is special. I ordered the Bucatini with Calabrian pomodoro. The Calabrian chili is a versatile Italian pepper with a rich red color, fruity flavor and a nice level of heat for spicy food lovers. I had never heard of this pepper or the Bucatini pasta which is like a spaghetti straw. This was a delicious dish and I will definitely order it again!

So we gambled and won on this mis-rated restaurant. 3.5 stars is just plain off. From reading the negative reviews the take out or delivery pizza is clearly the culprit. We were over the moon delighted with everything about this establishment! Now for my review! Lunch is served only til 2. They then close and reopen for their dinner crowd. We arrived shortly after 1 and still a good Lunch crowd lingered. Low background music...inviting atmosphere...lots of happy chatter! We were greeted by a well dressed, soft spoken young man named Collins who brought us water and asked if we would like any other beverages. We asked if we could sample a few varietals of wine, as we were not familiar with same. We selected a cab and proceeded to order dinner. I selected chicken parm. It arrived expediently as did my friend's selection. It was epic...perhaps some of the best I've enjoyed...because...it was lightly breaded and fried...tender...and sitting atop a bed of perfect spaghetti...plenty of delicious red sauce (I feel like lots of restaurants barely give enough sauce.) We called the manager over to compliment our waiter, Collins, who we learned had only been there 2 days...and to compliment the cuisine! Only negative...no complimentary bread & butter or oil (although I understand this is offered at dinner.) To sum it up...3.5 stars is nowhere near the deliciousness served here...and I will definitely be back! Til next time...

Perfect Italian menu ! Started w the meatballs and had the paradelle for entree . Food was delicious . The restaurant was beautiful. Waitress was friendly and helpful .

This place is a solid 3 star. It really depends what you get here. Way overpriced salads and pastas. The salads were nothing special at all and were not super fancy so 15-20 dollars is overpriced in my opinion. Also close to 30 dollars for pasta bolognese which comes in a small bowl and I can easily make 4 servings for that price from the grocery store. The pasta did taste good but for the amount they give you I think there is a lot better on the menu. My friend got the Sicilian pizza and I think it's fairly priced, it however came out looking like it was from a school cafeteria. I tried a bite and it was just fine didn't blow me away. Honestly Papa John's might taste just the same. Best value on the menu is the chicken parm which they give you two solid sized cutlets, but once again nothing to blow your socks off with flavor. Service is about average and same with the ambience. For authentic Italian you can find better and I also think for better prices.

The wine, bread, and pasta I had here were all great! The server was super nice too. The restaurant is fancy but not too fancy like some of the steak places. I've been here about 5 times now and I continue to go back! I love my food every time I've eat here. It is one of my favorite go-to Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh.

unispired food, unimaginative in literally every single way. Wasted my time and money going there for date night with so many other choices in the city. I'll never go back.