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Aiello's
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 11 pm
Sat 4 pm - 11 pm
Sun 4 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Aiello's
Review Highlights
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"I highly recommend the gnocchi pesto." In 7 reviews -
"...and focaccia with red pepper olive oil and garlic butter..." In 3 reviews -
"Excellent bread and the meatballs are to." In 27 reviews
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Lucas R.
3/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I came here on a Friday night, reservations were at 8 but weren't really necessary. The places was crowded and lively, but not packed and obnoxious. We were seated right away and given water without having to ask and served bread, butter and a chile infused olive oil that was delicious.
Our server was top-notch! She was friendly, personable and knew the menu like the back of her hand. Her wine suggestions were spot on and complimented the meal perfectly.
I had the eggplant parmesan (which was more cheese than eggplant, but I am by no means complaining). The noodles were thick spaghetti noodles perfectly cooked (not quite al dente, but far from mushy). The sauce was flavorful and obviously homemade, just had no pizzazz. Wouldn't have minded a mild kick to it.
For dessert I had the Italian Cheesecake. It had a hint of orange in it. While it was good, its definitely not the New York style cheesecake I have grown to love. Italian cheesecake is lighter and fluffier as it's made with ricotta instead of cream cheese. It's not as sweet or as rich as I like, so it didn't seem quite dessert-y enough for me, by no fault of the chef at Aiello's.
The evening was ended with an employee coming to our table with what appeared to be a vase. It was filled to ask us to choose a number from 1-99. If I chose the same number she picked, our entire meal, minus alcohol, would be comped. I have a liking for the numbers 3 and 7, for which I cannot explain. I picked number 37, she picked 73. No free meal for us, but it was a fun touch to the end of a great evening! -
Review from Aimee H.
4/23/2012
Met a girlfriend for dinner at Aiello's last night and had a great time.
It was a bit slow, being later on a Sunday night and all, but it was perfect, not to loud so we could talk and lots of attention from the wait staff. The service was great, it probably helped that my friend was somewhat of a regular there once upon a time. They made sure to take very good care of us.
We started with a couple glasses of wine (duh!) and a house salad for her and a Caesar for me. Both very yummy and good portions as well. The bread they bring to the table is amazing as well, and it comes with butter and this awesome pepper infused oil for dipping, so good! Then I ordered the special, portabello stuffed ravioli and she had some angel hair pasta thing with zucchini and red sauce. Both awesome!
The prices aren't too bad, average looked to be about $16 per entree and salads around $7.
After dinner we moved to the patio, they sent out some lemonchello and a strawberries and creme dessert, very nice, and very yummy!
I have seen Aiello's from the Postino patio many times and I am very glad I got to finally try it! -
Review from Anthony G.
North Hollywood, CA
3/13/2012
I'm in Phoenix for the week on business, and of course, I took to Yelp to find great restaurants near me. I'm always jonesing for some good Italian food, so I finally settled on Aiello's. I took some higher-ups to dinner there tonight, so I wanted to be sure I picked the perfect place for us. And I did exactly that.
We were first struck by the restaurant's exterior. Very quaint, and the lights in the tree in the front just created the nicest ambiance. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly hostess who sat us immediately. We showed up around 6:30pm on a Tuesday, and we were a little taken aback by the fact that there was only one other party eating inside at that time. But a half hour later, the place was nearly packed.
Our waitress was immensely friendly. We had water and bread in front of us before we had even ordered our drinks. My two fellow diners went with the ravioli of the day (prosciutto with caramelized onions), and I selected the carbonara.
I have to say the food was simply outstanding. The carbonara was flavorful and rich while not overpowering. The pasta was fresh (if it's not homemade, it's definitely imported - you can just tell the difference) and done perfectly. The portion was just enough. I wasn't stuffed, but I certainly didn't leave hungry. While I didn't taste the ravioli, they looked excellent, and my party loved it.
Having enjoyed the delicious dinner so much, I decided to throw caution to the wind and order dessert. Why not?! I went with my favorite dessert item: cannoli. I will say that I have had better cannoli. I prefer the filling to be a bit colder and a tad grittier. But it was certainly still delicious. It just didn't floor me. I also ordered a cup of coffee, and the waitress brought out a cup and a French press pitcher. Way cool.
To top off the evening, the owner came out and greeted us and then offered us a chance to play a game. We had to pick a number from 1-90 (I went with 35 since I just had my birthday on March 5th), and if he drew our number out of this cup, we would have gotten our dinner for free. Well, we didn't win (the winner was 24), but it was still a neat little bit of fun at the end of the meal. He asked us repeatedly how our dinner was. I really appreciate when owners/chefs do that.
Aside from the cannoli not holding up to some of the best cannoli I've had in the world, the food itself and the entire experience as a whole were just wonderful. If I'm ever lucky enough to come back to Phoenix on business again, I'll recommend Aiello's. -
Review from Kat L.
Phoenix, AZ
5/17/2012
A quiet, romantic contrast to its neighbor postino central. A large dining room with access to a full bar and nice wine list. Wonderful squash ravioli with a cream sauce paired with a Sangiovese wine. Also good was the cavatelli in red sauce that had two enormous meatballs, very yummy.
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Review from Daniel E.
Updated - 2/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Again, Aiello's was an amazing experience! I took my bf here for his birthday and it was another great meal. The service is really what makes the experience a 5-star, along with the amazing food. I love walking into a restaurant and smelling the great food instantly.
We ordered the caprese salad, which was comp't because the server was embarrassed to bring it out with no basil, which they were out of! I had the ziti and the bf had tortilini. The meal was amazing and the service was top-notch! We had a chance to chat with the owner a couple of times.
I love this place and will keep coming back when I need a great Italian food fix!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/28/2011
This was my 3rd time I had been to Aiello's and it was all around the best yet again. I love the… Read more »
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Review from Nader A.
My first experience with Aiello's was with the back of their restaurant ordering pizza. It was pretty memorable because I had a chance to chat with Joe Aiello. He was warm and friendly, and he was very proud of his food. That put me in a great mood, and allowed me to feel great about my purchase. With giant pizza en tow, I went home to commence the nomming. The pie was topped off with veggies and Joe's meatballs, and tasted delicious. Again, their pizza is huge, NY style to it's core. It's definitely the kind of pizza that you fold when you eat it...it's really the only way to avoid a mess. Keep that in mind.
The second experience I had was during lunch. This time I got to meet Myrah Aiello. She was warm and sweet, and she was very hospitable. Because I had the meatballs on the pie before, I had to try their meatball parmigiana sandwich (which they only serve at lunch). While I waited, I got to nibble on some great bread and chili oil; it's a must if you go there. Shortly after I finished most of the chilis, the server came out with two fist-size meatball in a delicious looking roll. I'm talking "Over the Top" trucker fist-size meatballs, just huge! Huge and mighty tasty! They were cooked perfectly, and the marinara paired perfectly with it. I was only able to eat half.
With a couple of great owners and good food, this place should be a no-brainer to anyone looking for a moderately-priced Italian meal. The next thing I want to try is their Salumeria on 7th! -
Review from Ruben A.
Chula Vista, CA
4/9/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Meatballs were big, but a little bland for my taste, also not enough marinara sauce. The service was so-so. Had to ask for bread 3 times before it arrived. They were all out of two different bottles of wine we wanted from their list. Other guests in my party felt the same, so much so that none wanted their remaining food boxed to go. The highlight of the evening was the tiramisu. That earned them the two stars. I had high hopes for this placed based n the other reviews. Maybe we caught them on an off night? I don't know, but for the $250 we spent that night I doubt I'll come back.
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Review from Jade M.
2/26/2012 6 photos
I had dinner at Aiello's with eleven others last Saturday. Upon entering, I was hit with the wonderful aroma of Italian food and quickly took note of the cozy ambiance (always important to me). This seemed to be a good date spot as there were several tables with couples. Also, the restaurant was full of patrons but did not seem crowded, which was nice.
They did not have my white of choice, Riesling, so I opted for a glass of the Salvalai Pinot Grigio ($8). We skipped appetizers and instead noshed on the fresh bread and dipping sides (loved the spicy peppers).
I wanted to try the pesto gnocchi but when I saw spaghetti alla puttanesca ($15) on the menu, I had to order it. Puttanesca is one of my specialties, so I was interested in finding out how their version would compare to mine. When the waitress set the plate in front of me, I was excited; the smell and look of the dish was right. However, when I took the first bite, I noticed right away it was too salty. The olives were served whole (there were quite a few of them) and the chef was a little too heavy-handed with the olive oil and anchovies. Since the puttanesca sauce require ingredients that are already salty (capers, olives, anchovy fillets), it's especially important to balance the salty items with the rest of the ingredients. When I make the sauce, I slice the Kalamata olives, which helps to temper the briny saltiness. I also add a bit of dry, red wine for added flavor.
For dessert we ordered the tiramisu and cannoli. I took a bite of each and thought the tiramisu was too light (barely any coffee flavor), but the cannoli was delicious!
I was too distracted by the conversations at our table and only managed to get a few pictures of the dishes from that night. The others gave the food two thumbs up, so this gives me hope for my next visit.
Our waitress was friendly and attentive. Kudos to her for being willing to split the check multiple ways. -
Review from Leslie L.
Southeast, Denver, CO
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
So good! Driving around Phoenix on a Saturday night looking for Italian, checking yelp, and we find Aiello's - what a treat!
Cozy ambiance, enticing aromas greet you as you walk in the door. Smells the way I want an Italian restaurant to small - warm, slightly tomatoey, garlicky - welcoming :0)
We were quickly seated though the place was crowded. Warm breads and spicy dipping peppers brought to table with drinks.....mmmmmmm.
Service was friendly and knowledgeable - owner Joe stopped by to check in
- was visible in the dining room throughout our visit - nice wine list - my medium red was smooth and fruity - entrees plentiful and prepared as you order them....this is not The Olive Garden! We were happy with both our choices and hope to return!!
Wine, salad and entree for me was $30- excellent value for service and experience!!! Big recommendation for Aiello's !!!!! -
Review from Russ C.
Tonopah, AZ
1/1/2012
I'd never had the pleasure of visiting Aiello's until last night. As a dining destination for New Year's Eve with a very dear friend I hadn't seen for years, it was superb. I agree with all the positive reviews which already reside here. The food (calamari...lobster ravioli...linguini fradiavolo...) was all terrific, and the Cabernet was just right. Kudos to the hostess - we had reservations and were seated immediately. Our waiter was attentive but not intrusive. It was a little noisy in the dining room (NYE, after all), but not obnoxiously so. And Joe? He's a card and a genuinely nice guy.
Two snaps up and I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Madia S.
Phoenix, AZ
1/18/2012
Aiello's is my favorite Italian spot in the Valley. In fact, I day dream about the Mushroom Ravioli Special - you can taste the love in this dish. Great ambiance and a wonderful experience. The staff are always attentive and professional. The Owner makes a stop or two to make sure you're having a good time and they even let chance decide who pays for dinner, you or the house!
Helpful hint: Try no to get stuffed on the tasty bread and hot peppers served before the entree, you're going to want to finish it! -
Review from Mostashley S.
Phoenix, AZ
12/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We've been to Aiello's several times for dinner in the past few months and have left happy and full every time :) The restaurant is small and romantic, locally owned, and is located in a charming area of central Phoenix. So far we've tried:
Chicken Milanese: my favorite dish here! It's pretty heavy, but so delicious. The sautéed hot vinegar peppers served on top of it really make the dish!
Scallops with pasta: the scallops were FRESH (only way to eat a scallop!!), enormous, and tender
Gnocchi with Pesto: delicious. The gnocchi was cooked to be a bit softer than we'd like, but still yummy. The pesto was clearly made in- house and tasted fresh and flavorful.
Mozzarella caprese: We always add a couple extra shots of balsamic to the dish, but...Homemade mozzarella!!! It doesn't get any better ;)
Cannoli: one of my favorite desserts. Theirs is the best I've ever had. -
Review from David W.
Phoenix, AZ
12/31/2011
I already have two favorite restaurants in Phoenix and this may become my third! The food is so delicious it makes addicts out of its consumers. Now, I'm no Italian food expert (I'm not an expert anything except maybe smartass) but I can't remember when I've had better than Aiello's.
This eatery has everything going for it - the food, waitstaff, atmosphere, and who I assume is the owner - a jovial, and often times loud, older man presumably in his 60's. He obviously knows how to run a damn fine restaurant. Each time I've been to Aiello's he's out at least checking on each table, usually stopping by to chat, and often times delivers your bill along with a fun game of chance where the stakes are a free meal on the house! I love this guy - he's the proverbial cherry on top of a superb dining experience.
I could go on about how every entree I've sampled has damn near redefined what I think I know about Italian cuisine, or I could extol upon the virtues of their attentive and pleasant waitstaff. But what you really need to know is that you're missing out if you've never been! =P
With no hesitation, I'd award Aiello's 5 stars. -
Review from Christopher C.
Omaha, NE
1/14/2012
The entrees were really good and the bread was fluffy and tasty. However, I found the calamari and cheesecake dessert rather bland. The batter on the calamari didn't have any taste an relied somewhat on the natural flavor of the squid, which isn't alot. And the cheesecake lacked sweetness and needed additional sugar.
Still the atmosphere was good and the service was exceptional. Still it was hard to make up or the cost of the calamari and cheesecake. -
Review from Vanessa N.
Phoenix, AZ
12/13/2011
We went here for our anniversary dinner. I wasnt that impressed. My husband picked out this resturaunt because of the other rave reviews.
Honestly, I felt like I was going blind with the very dim lighting. I understand its for a romantic feel, but maybe a light or two above each table would help?? When i see poor lighting like this, I feel like they are hiding something. When I got my Filet (i know, i know, who orders a filet at an italian resturaunt? keep reading about how the server answered my questions and you'll understand why i decided to go with the "safe bet") it only emphasized my feelings. I ordered a medium - medium rare filet, and it definitly came out closer to well done. I didn't find that out til after i took a bite into it, and immedietly spit it back out. The wine flavor isnt my thing, and the well done thing isnt either. My dog loved it though! =)
When i asked the waitress about a certain dish, she replied back like I was an idiot. Rather than answering a yes or no question on a sauce, she detailed the process of how the sauce is made, still without answering my question. Maybe that was lack of communication. Had it not been my anniversary dinner, i think i would have dug more for my answer.
I did enjoy how the cook/owner of the resturaunt came and greated our table, and asked how our dinner was. That was a nice touch. But our server didnt pay much attention to us regardless of how few people were there. All in all, I kind of wish my husband had taken us across the street to Postino's rather than here. I probably should have voiced an opinion here or there, but again. It was supposed to be a nice night out, so i didnt want my husband to think he had done a horrible job in choosing a resturaunt. But later, when we discussed it, he said i should write a review, just so others could get a heads up! If you're looking for a nice, dark night out, to keep to yourselves, where you could probably get a bit frisky in the corner if your adventerous enough! this may be the place for you! -
Review from Willie L.
Phoenix, AZ
9/21/2011
I want to start off by writing that the service was very good, and everyone was extremely attentive even with a packed restaurant.
With that being said,it was the food that fell short. They claim the food is east coast Italian, but I'm from NY, and practically lived on Italian food, and it didn't taste anything like back home. I played it safe and tried the spaghetti and meatballs. I agree with another reviewer when she wrote the meatballs were very bland, the pasta its self was almost al dente (under cooked), and the whole dish lacked any kind of taste or creativity. And theItalian bread tasted a day old.
I just want a decent chicken parm :(
But if you enjoy places like Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, etc....Then you'll probably like this place. More so for their very friendly staff and owner/chef. -
Review from MICHELLE s.
Mesa, AZ
9/21/2011
My husband and I happened to be in Aiellos's areah we had heard good things about this place and we decided to try a late lunch there. We were greeted promptly, there was one other table when we were seated. We sat for a good 10 minutes no waiter, then another table was seated. Finally a waiter came out with water and bread for both are table and the other. The waiter was alone, taking care of the entire restaurant, the hostess did nothing to help, she avoided eye contact with customers.
Both my Husband and I ordered a soup for appetizer, he liked his minestrone, I ordered the other choice described as egg drop, chicken soup with spinach and parmigana.. I got a broth, with a couple leaves of spinach and a few globes of egg.. it was okay but not worth the price.
The bread and butter were excellent.. I ordered Spaghetti and the Famous Meatballs, Husband ordered Gnocchi pesto.
The pesto sauce was good, the gnocchi were a little doughy under cooked, I got the two Huge Famous Meatballs and Spaghetti. The meatballs were tasteless Joe's Mom's recipe but obviously she was not a good cook, these did not taste like my Mamma used to cook. Not only did they lack flavor, the were mushy as someone else said no binder, they seemed to be boiled or steamed. a little..the sauce tasted like crushed tomatoes straight from the can..
service was poor, one waiter three tables and a hostess that didnt pitch in .. left us very disappointed. we wont be returning anytime soon.
Vitos Pizza and Restaurant Mesa is 100 times better if you crave half way decent Italian give em a try avoid Aiellos..
Pricey for blah lunch
1Glass of cheap Chianti $9.00
2 Bowls Soup 8.00
Under Cooked Gnochhi 12.00
Tasteless Spag Meatballs 11.00
Total w/Tax $43.00 WOW -
Review from Andy M.
Phoenix, AZ
7/30/2011 5 Check-ins Here
This review is based on two visits. One was hands down a 5 star experience. The second was a 3 star. Let me just say before I get into the review that I LOVE this restaurant. And will go back. Many times. Every visit to any restaurant isn't going to knock the ball out of the park.
THE FOOD:
On the 5 star night, I was out with my boyfriend and his friend and we all thought our dishes were great. I had the lasagna, which had just the right amount of spice in the sausage. Nice sized portion, perfectly cooked. Others had a spinach ravioli dish and the pesto gnocchi dish. All of our plates were as clean as we could get them. If there would have been any of the bread left, I might have used it to sop up the small amount of sauce remaining.
On the 3 star night, I was with a large group. I had the Chicken Fiorentina. I had to fight myself to not order the lasagna again and to try something different. I wish I had stayed with the lasagna. There was nothing wrong with the chicken at all. Cooked great, nice creamy panna sauce, perfectly cooked green beans on the side, just not as big of a fan of it as I was of the lasagna. Next time.... Several people had the chicken cacciatore and professed it delicious.
THE SERVICE:
On the 5 star night, we had the service you would expect for a 5 star review. She was attentive, charming, gave valuable opinions/information on what to order. Wonderful.
On the 3 star night, I didn't have a problem with the service at all. This is based on what others in our group have said. Some said he was inattentive, seemed bored, insincere, etc. Again, just like the chicken vs. lasagna argument above, I would have preferred to have the waitress from the first night, but the waiter from our second visit was fine. One person in our group manages a Scottsdale restaurant and I asked him if he was finding the service lacking. He had a good point when he said, "If I was waiting on 10 gay men of a certain age, I would be falling all over that table." It's true. Gay men as a group tip handsomely.
I'll say it again though. I LOVE this restaurant. I love that Joe comes out and chats with you. I love the ambiance. Maybe someday I'll try something else on the menu, but next time is definitely the lasagna again. -
Review from Carie Lyn C.
Phoenix, AZ
11/27/2011
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. After a prior poor experience at Tomaso's and other Phoenician Italian eateries, I was almost certain I would just have to wait for my next trip home to get some good pasta. Enter Aiello's. OMG. (Did I just say "OMG"?? How embarrassing... the pasta made me do it.)
To us, Aiello's was always that shadowy little restaurant next to our perennial favorite, Postino. Now we wonder why we didn't walk across the street more often! The first time we went, I had the special, a mushroom ravioli that I cannot stop thinking about even to this day. Earthy, savory, creamy, tender... it was after the first bite that I knew I would become a regular at Aiello's. My wife opted for the veal paillard. It was a bit tough, and we ended up eating the ravioli together and taking the veal home. Dessert was a cannoli and coffee. Just okay in my opinion. The cream was not smooth and had a weird grainy texture. Still, Aiello's was on our good list.
Recently, after a harrowing day (see my wife's review of Back to Basics Automotive for the scoop), I was miserable and hungry. My wife knew that the pasta from Aiello's would perk me right up, so she whisked me off and made sure I had a glass of wine in hand as soon as we were seated. We ordered the cold antipasti platter for two and were not disappointed. It wasn't the plated in the most artistic way, but it was so delicious that we soon left nothing but an oily smear anyway.
For dinner, we shared the Tortolloni Alla Panna. OMG. The cheese-filled tortolloni was fresh, perfectly cooked, and well balanced by the peas and prosciutto. The cream sauce left me speechless (which I'm sure my wife appreciated). It was the perfect comfort food I needed after my terrible day.
A note about the ambiance, since other reviewers have given it a bad rap... I like it! The walls and lines are clean (not sterile), uncluttered, and soothing. It feels as fresh as the food. Simple, honest, straightforward, and still cozy. The lighted Christmas wreath that stays lit over the bar all year long is a little weird, but I like a restaurant with a quirk or two.
Aiello's has to be one of the most surprising, pleasant culinary discoveries of ours in the last few months. We will be back again and again. -
Review from David D.
Litchfield Park, AZ
12/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The wife and dine out frequently, I have spent a significant amount of time in Italy and this food will make me brave the ride down Central again. I was a little worried when we got there as we got the previously critiqued "table for two by the patio door". Fortunately for us, most of the meal went by with an empty patio, so no worries...more on that later.
For starters the bread is fantastic! I understand the owners also have a deli which makes perfect sense. We ordered some stuffed mushroom/zucchini appetizer (not on the on line menu) and it was absolutely wonderful. The mushrooms were well cooked and the stuffing was awesome.The zucchini was covered in a delicious red sauce/mozzarella combination that was equally tasty.
For dinner, I ordered the Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana. It isn't on their in house menu, but they do make it. It was perfectly sauteed and the Marsala was nicely balanced and did not overpower the tender veal. My wife ordered the Vongola in the white sauce. Her words were "scrumptious, mmm, ohhhh," followed by a huge smile. At this point, she extracted a promise for a return trip.
The staff is attentive and having the owner come by is the perfect touch. And was that REAL silverware? Of course, the complimentary glass of wine he laid on us for accepting the table near the patio door was a bonus. Back to that...If it was me and I had a choice of that table or waiting...I would wait. While for most of our meal, the patio was empty, it did not end that way. The rush of air created a noise and temperature disturbance which would have been irritating if it went on during our entire meal. If you decide that you are starving and can't wait...well don't complain...you've been warned.
The only reason I am not giving this five stars is the decor. I don't think much consideration has been given to the interior environment in some time. I know that chef is busy and they have a Deli, times are tough, etc...but a little paint and decor update would go a long way. -
Review from Ron S.
2/16/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Had an opportunity to take our Canadian guests to Aiello's for supper on the weekend. It was a a moderate drive but we were not disappointed. We were rewarded with pleasant surroundings, attentive service and good food. The complementary hot pepper starter was unusual and tasty when coupled with the fresh bread. The Mushroom Ravioli Special was especially enjoyed by my spouse and the other entrees brought favorable reviews from our guests. All in all an enjoyable dining experience.
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Review from Nikki S.
Campbell, CA
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ambiance: 5; classy,intimate setting, no more than 20 tables, candle lit
Cuisine:5 delectable dishes done right. I highly recommend the gnocchi pesto.
Service: 4, good, some are younger/. Chef also visited our table to check in!!! -
Review from Lucky P.
Dallas, TX
6/25/2011
Excellent bread and the meatballs are to.die.for. Veal and pork with little-to-no binder. The meat is ground fine and the huge portions are super-tender. This is the real deal, no doubt about that! Service at the tables was excellent, I had a nice wine pairing with my dinner, and the bread is delicious with the spicy oil and herbed butter! I liked how the owner worked the room like Artie Bucco - that was a nice touch. This is a real family establishment.
Service at the bar disappointed me the most, though. Although I had a seat and the bar was not full, no one seemed to give a shit that we were sitting there for 10 minutes until Artie came out to see what's doin' and that was when we were able to tell him we wanted to order drinks. And then he told the bartender to get us something, which she did, silently.
I had to ask to be served, then ask for a refill, then ask for my tab, then stand there awkwardly waiting for the bartender to return with it while she attended to other business in the meantime while holding my card...? -
Review from Marc C.
Phoenix, AZ
12/19/2011
We've been here twice now & both times were just okay. Very noisy place! We prefer Oregano's better...portions are heartier there. (Sorry, Aiello lovers). ps....At least at Oregano's, they show old time classic movies instead of the usual football game on their TV's...Let's leave football games to the Sports Bars, not at a nice italian restaurant.
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Review from Gina D.
Phoenix, AZ
7/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't know where to start on extolling the virtues of Aiello's. I'm first generation Italian, who grew up in PA...so I'm a little snobby about my Italian food. My Mom and Dad made the best and dining at Aiello's last night brought me right back to my childhood. Sunday dinners at Uncle Pete's were the best and that's the feeling I received from Aiello's.
The decor is relaxing and inviting...reminds me of paintings of Tuscany. Our waitress was superb and explained the specials in great detail. I had a very difficult time deciding but finally settled on Spaghetti with Meatballs. Oh, it was delicious comfort food for this homesick gal. The meatballs are tender, and huge! Pasta is cooked to perfection with a tomato sauce (gravy) that was light but coated the pasta well.
A nice touch on the tables was the peppers in olive oil. They were spicy! The bread was sooooo tasty. Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. Sadly I didn't have room for dessert..that will be another trip all on its on. Aiello's .. Ti adoro! -
Review from Michael B.
Glendale, AZ
7/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We had reservations for two tables on Open Table, they seated us next to each other and then the owner came out and merged the two tables. This was a big mistake!! We spanned two serving stations and the waiter that was waiting on the other end of the table inherited us. He ignored the three of us that were sitting at the end, not taking our drink order for 10 minutes, and he passed by my empty plate at least 6 times before it was picked up, where the other end of the table when they were finished eating he promptly removed their plates.
The food was excellent, it's too bad that a waiter with a poor attitude was where we were seated. The atmosphere is great. The owner left before we were done eating or I would have complained to him at that point. -
Review from Sarah S.
Seattle, WA
12/20/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Love this place! Amazing food - the pizzas out the back door are fantastic!
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Review from Mitch P.
Phoenix, AZ
2/23/2011
Wednesday, 730 pm, no reservation, seating took 5 minutes. I highly recommend a reservation for Fri/Sat as I could see how this place gets packed fast. I was told reservations are simple and held if there are delays so why not do it anyway.
An extremely pleasant birthday evening at a new place we had never tried. Aiello's is a side facing Italian restaurant on Central just north of Camelback..Easy to pass since the parking lot is in the back.
Do not go in the back as that is for pick up pizza's only which they run out of quickly. The Owner told us you can reserve a pizza early and then call to have it made for pick up at any time but they only make so many dough balls an evening so if you wait they may run out. So reserve your pizza as it is worth it. They do not serve pizza in the dining room.
Upon entrance you will find a very cozy warm environment with a full bar and about 15-20 tables. The 4 of us happen to be seated almost dead center which was slightly loud but not too bad. The wine list is extensive though surprisingly they did not have a Riesling by the glass..not huge a negative. The waitress was extremely knowledgeable about the wine list which you would tend to find at that size of Italian restaurant. We ordered Calamari & a Caesar Salad for appetizers which came out within 10 minutes. Fresh bread was quickly served as was the Pinot Grigio my friend had. Service was quality at that point.
For some reason the waitress delayed taking our main course until we were nearly done with the appetizer. I rarely second guess the wait staff as I do not know how many are serving tables etc but this delay made my gf remark to me and it was something we did discuss on the ride home. When it becomes a point of reference I usually mark it in a review.
Main course was served promptly and I must say the food was heaven. My Veal Parmigiana was exquisite and certainly much better than Carabbas or a similar place. My guests loved the Tortilini which had a wonderful buttery/smooth velvet taste. Combined with the bread it was a succulent experience. Definitely something to look forward to again or maybe try something slightly different. The pomadoro sauce was also outstanding on my side spaghetti which I wound up taking home.
I really appreciate the Owner/Chef checking on us 3 different times..asking how the food was and if we needed anything else. A superior host is always the sign of an attentive local unique eatery. As a fellow New Yorker I loved that he came from Brooklyn which just made the experience that much more authentic. As the guests wore down the sound expectantly dissipated which made for easy dessert conversation. I was rewarded with a Tirimisu cake for my birthday. While I usually do not like coffee based cake this was very delicious and splitting it with my table was a nice touch.
So 4 stars for the first time out..would have been 5 but for these small but salvageable itelms
1. Service could have been a little better but still 4 people 1.5 hours was not bad at all
2. The Calamari was mostly the extra fried part..I would say maybe 60% we ate, the rest went back on the plate.
3. A nice wine list is great; I consider a Riesling to be a staple of many menu's and it would have been nice to have a glass with dinner.
Call me picky but that is why I write these kind of reviews. When I go back if this changes I will be sure to edit it appropriately as I do for all my reviews. -
Review from Becki B.
Phoenix, AZ
3/16/2011
Wow! So good!
We've been here three times now and have left super satisfied each time.
We love that it's an independent restaurant and we are supporting a local business.
The service is great. The owner/his wife are always there. Joe (the owner) makes a point of coming around to each and every table to make sure his customers are satisfied. Last night, we were talking to him and mentioned that we are getting married next month and he gave us each a free glass of champagne. How thoughtful! All the staff wants you to leave satisfied.
The food is by far the best Italian food in Phoenix, possibly anywhere. It has tons of flavor, tastes fresh, and homemade. Get the minestrone soup to start- best anywhere. The pastas never disappoint.
Cute setting and great atmosphere! Go tonight! -
Review from James F.
Sierra Vista, AZ
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing.... These meatballs are to die for, Joe the Owners Husband is Very Nice...LOL He will even play a game at the end of the night with you, if you win he buys you dinner. The wine list was kind of pricey for my blood but, was there to eat more than drink. However, some more affordable, good quality wine would have been nice. Overall the experience was 5 stars. Very Romantic spot for a date...
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Review from Mary s.
3/11/2011
Joe the owner rocks!
Sara from Spain is a gem!
The bread and condiments to die for( watch the oil though, it is spicy)
gravy a little bland but I like spices
Tiramasu is one of the best I have had.
Meatballs are unique. Half pork and half veal.
i can't wait to go back for a NY Back Door pizza.
I don't think it is as good as Gaspers though but I will go back and try something else. And I loved Joe at first sight. Ahhhhhh good ole NewYorkers! I miss it! -
Review from Karina R.
Phoenix, AZ
7/19/2011
Went to Aiello's for my b-day and really enjoyed the food and service. Everyone was extremely nice and we even got to play their "bingo" game for a free dinner (we didn't win).
I had the breaded chicken with marinara sauce which was HUGE! Portions at this place are insane, I don't think that I even ate half. The fillet Mignon is heaven in your mouth, it was butterflied and topped with mushrooms ( a little too much mushrooms though).
Overall, this is a great place to dine at, small little romantic place with good music also. A little pricey, but I believe it's worth it for the atmosphere, food, and friendly service. :) -
Review from Mike E.
Phoenix, AZ
7/21/2011
Aiello's is awesome and is a great date restaurant.
Very low key, relaxing environment with really good Italian food.
I've been to Aiello's a hand full of times and would say that my favorite menu items are the lasagna, chicken parm, and the spaghetti with meatballs. Aiello's has the best meatballs I've ever had.
Also, Joe the owner is very friendly and really makes you feel at home.
Aiello's has a decent wine list and has very reasonable prices.
Awesome food, very friendly service, and reasonable prices, gives Aiello's five stars. -
Review from Stephanie B.
Austin, TX
Updated - 11/16/2011
What took me so long to give it 5 stars?? Aiello's is now my go-to place for dates and visiting family. They're always wowed!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/2/2010
Wow!
Coming from back East, I'm usually disappointed with Italian food in Arizona. This place,… Read more »
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Review from cindi h.
Phoenix, AZ
11/26/2010
I am torn on whether to review this place due to some circumstances that I feel are unlikely for most diners: We went the night before Thanksgiving, and so I understand that the staff was anxious to get home and be with their loved ones. Second, I used a Groupon, which was about to expire, so I imagine that I wasn't the only one that had pulled one out that night. I get it, sometimes Groupon-ers don't tip well, they don't spend much more than the Groupon itself, whatever whatever. Still. I was already with my loved one and wanted to be having a nice night out, and I am NOT one of those bad Groupon-ers.
The good: The place itself is very pretty, good light level, good sound in the room. It feels nice. Also, the coffee and tiramisu at the end of the meal were lovely. Wish I went in just for coffee and desert.
The bad: First of all, no bread. I've been here before and I have been given a bread basket, but tonight, for us, no bread. Huh.
We ordered an appetizer of fried calamari, which I love. This was so-so, leaning just slightly negative to positive. Good breading, not too greasy, but the calamari itself was just a touch gummy. Have had far better. At $9 it was a decent choice to start, but it was nothing to get excited about. The waitress did ask us how it was, and so did Joe. And some other guy. I had ample opportunity to send it back. I never send food back unless it's truly awful.
We split the night's special, since we were heading in to a major food holiday a mere 12 hours after this meal. We opted for quality, not quantity. The seafood special was swordfish with capers and sun dried tomatoes. ($24) Hmmmm. Again, so so. It was undoubtably the thinnest fillet of swordfish I have ever been served. It was beautifully cooked (they obviously had been around these thin fillets for a while) and the presentation was delightful. The capers, lemon and tomato that it was served with were fantastic. And the fish was nice, I am just used to a meatier mouth-feel with swordfish than this fish was delivering.
The green beans were awful, they were stringy, tasteless, cold, and tough. Yuck. I loved the deep-fried mashed potato thing-a-ma-jing, it was decadent, but they cut it in half. Maybe, just maybe, they could have given us each one? It just looked kind of sad cut in half on the plate.
They split the plates, so we were each served a very small serving. Generally, this is a very nice touch, it looks so much prettier. But I don't mind sharing the plate, it's a nice cozy romantic Italian meal after all. This particular meal, I was hyper-aware of just how little food there was on each plate.
Since I was still kind of hungry after the entree (no bread to fill me up, either before or with the meal) and it was chilly outside, we opted for coffee and a tiramisu. Both were heavenly, but at $8 for a double espresso, $4 for a regular coffee and $8 for the tiramisu, this was not an economical choice.
Some other issues: Joe visiting my table no less than FIVE TIMES was darling at first, and really annoying by the end. Joe telling the guy at the table next to me, "No one sends back my eggplant parm" was funny for me, probably uncomfortable for the guy who thought his eggplant wasn't very good. Me sitting at my table, empty water glass, empty plate, for several minutes while Joe bellowed for "whoever has table 22" was slightly awkward. Especially when I realized that we must be table 22.
The grand total for this meal:
1 beer
1 Calamari appetizer
1 Daily special
1 double espresso
1 regular coffee
1 tiramisu
$63.00 With a $12 tip the "light meal" was $75. The service was decent, just off their game a bit due to a holiday eve. But I was disappointed overall. I doubt I will be back. -
Review from Wayne K.
Phoenix, AZ
5/18/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Okay, what could I possibly add to this review that the others haven't covered? I doubt much. I'm Italian and was raised in an Italian part of the city in New Jersey, so I judge every "so called" Italian restaurant by very tough standards and Aiello's passes every one of them.
Joe, the owner, is the real deal New Youk Italian bringing the traditional northeast Italian to the Southwest. Not only is the food true to form, but Joe himself is about as personable an Italian guy as you'd find. You might as well be eating in his own kitchen as far as he's concerned.
I live 30 minutes away and willingly make this trek a couple times a month. It's real Italian and hard to find. -
Review from Jd H.
Minneapolis, MN
10/23/2011
Found it by accident while on vacation with the family. Gave it a shot based on location close to our hotel and that the menu seemed to have several things on it that my family would be interested in. We were not diappointed.
SETTING: Old school supper club feel. Private parking lot with a secret pizza takeout in the back. Don't let the dim lighting dissuade you. There are rewards for those that pass through the front door. The dining room is wide open, noisy when busy, semivisible kitchen and a full bar with a TV going. Reminds me of a family friendly joint with a casual feel but the lighting is dim enough to cast it in a date-night aura if need be. Several of the staff have NY Italian accents that only creates authenticity ad interest. To be honest, it is not going to be awarded stars for ambience or an ultra-romantic setting. It does get stars from me for giving off a vintage homey feel in a clean setting. The dining room was full with multiple turnovers during my Saturday night visit. . .the clientele clearly local and with several blue-haired couples and familes celebrating birthdays.
SERVICE: Friendly, prompt, knowledgable. Willing to work with special orders and requests. Water glass never empty. No complaints. Chef Aiello was in the house and dropped by several times to see that we were being taken care of. The end of the meal guessing game that others have described is also great fun. We certainly felt wecome and had an enjoyable time.
THE FOOD: I give them a nod for going above and beyond easy to find Italian food. There are many places that can serve standard red sauce on pasta. This place certainly does that and authentically recognizes it as "Sunday Gravy" but it also puts some effort into items that are not always as easy to find in run of the mill Italian chains. Scungilli is a standard offering here and Osso Buco was a special during my visit. While the food was a little heavy on the EVOO, it was also heavy on the whole roasted garlic and the flavors. . .just my family's style. Also a nod to the reasonable variety on the wine list, heaviest on Italian imports and with price ranges to fit most budgets. Wine snobs will criticize the lack of classic, high end offerings and generic stemware but I found it to be right in the sweet spot of what this place was offering. . .Good food and a welcoming atmosphere at reasonable pricing that can appeal to a wide range of palates.
SUMMARY: It hits my list of places worthy of return visits and that is probably the highest compliment I can give a restaurant. It will not be in the 5-star zone of fine dining but it hits all the important aspects of a meal out and then some. -
Review from vegegirly C.
Phoenix, AZ
3/19/2011
Good old fashioned Italian.
We had a Groupon, so I made a reservation for a Saturday night. We loved the atmosphere and decor. Service was great. Extremely professional yet warm. We have had bad service before because we had a Groupon but our server was excellent.
The bread before the meal is very good. The foccacia is a bit spongy but very flavorful. I ordered the eggplant parmesean. It was so tasty! The pasta and marinara on the side was good, but not great. My husband ordered the spaghetti and meatball. He LOVED the meatball but had the same lukewarm feelings about the spaghetti.
My husband's beer was reasonably priced but my Reisling was $9 and it was one of less expensive glasses. I wanted a cocktail but was scared away by the price. Their prices on wines and liquor are my only major complaint.
We really, really want to try their Backdoor pizza. It looks amazing!
Overall Aiello's is a perfect restaurant for a date night. -
Review from Janed B.
Glendale, AZ
10/8/2011
Our meal at Aiello's Italian restaurant was just okay. We expected more - more flavor, that is! Mostly the food was bland and tasteless. A Groupon deal was our motivation to visit this restaurant.
To begin with our friendly server suggested a wine - we were surprised to learn it was a pricey $12 a glass. And my lunch buddy said he didn't particularly like the wine either. Be sure to check the wine list BEFORE ordering.
A warm basket of bread was brought to the table. However, the bread was not chewy or tasty but had an odd cakelike texture.
I was expecting a hearty minestrome soup. This was not hearty - a thin, bland tomato broth with lots of pasta. Adding some grated parmesan gave some flavor. Olive Garden's pasta fagioli soup is 100 percent better.
I had the seared salmon over curly pasta in a light creamy sauce. It was tasty probably due to the crushed red pepper I asked for. Leftovers that I removed from my frig the following day were rock hard. I guess the sauce wasn't all that light - probably lots of cheese and butter. My buddy liked his pork panini although the huge leaves of rapini made for messy eating.
Had to try the Italian ricotta cheesecake but wish I hadn't bothered. It was a big slice, bland and flavorless - 8 dollars a slice! Lately other restaurants are offering smaller desserts which I like - less calories and cheaper.
I guess we'll stick with Olive Garden. We enjoy their meals a lot better. -
Review from Jeff D.
Phoenix, AZ
12/2/2010
My partner and I have walked and driven by Aiello's on many occasions and decided to finally stop-in for dinner. We brought 6 of our friends along for good measure.
Aiello's sign in front denotes "East Coast Italian." Having lived on the East Coast for many years, I know what that means and it's VERY hard to find out here in the Wild West. Needless to say, we were skeptical. Let me reassure you that Aiello's delivered.
The menu was large and loaded with many "East Coast Italian" specialties you don't often see in these parts. That said, I opted for the Chicken Parmigiana--which is my standard "litmus test" for assessing the quality of any Italian restaurant. My meal was amazing.
We enjoyed great wine and great food--all very reasonably priced. We also greatly enjoyed the comfortable atmosphere created by the owner and staff. We especially loved Joe who came to our table on several occasions that night to chat-us-up and see how we were enjoying our meals.
I was particularly impressed that, though we ended up splitting the bill five ways (not really cool on our part), our server didn't bat an eye and returned very promptly with five accurately prepared receipts.
The whole experience was a combination of East Coast quality and authenticity with West Coast casualness. We will definitely return--probably to try Aiello's "back door" carry-out pizzeria next time.
