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Amereno's Little Italy
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
2933 Grant RdTucson, AZ 85716
(520) 721-1210
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Sun 4:30 pm - 9 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
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Rachel S. said: "Mamma mia! I have been here three times now and I have enjoyed three different dishes...all were deeeee-lightful! Twice was just for dinner and once was a rehearsal dinner for my sister's wedding....the service is always wonderful, the…" read more »
35 reviews for Amereno's Little Italy
Review Highlights
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"The food always looks and tastes great." In 3 reviews -
"The service is friendly and eager to please." In 3 reviews -
"...and an extensive Italian menu with a large wine list." In 3 reviews
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35 reviews in English
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Review from Ana T.
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
About a year and a half ago, a friend and I backpacked through the beautiful Italia. We ate, and ate, and ate our way through Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Rome. After eating my delicious way through the country and returning to the US of A, I figured that if I was ever going to eat such good authentic Italian food, I would need to go back to Italy. I was wrong.
Amereno's Little Italy is not only good and authentic, it's family owned and located in our beloved Tucson. The place is classy in a white tablecloth sort of way, service is attentive, and the bathrooms have neat floor imagery (not that it's too relevant, just cool).
What really sold me Amereno's was their Pollo Francaise. Muuuuuah! Delizioso. Imagine this, egg battered chicken coated in butter, drenched in white wine, and painted with lemon sauce - accompanied by some angel hair marinara. I took my first bite of chicken alone, without the pasta, and thought to myself, "okay it's good." Then I took a bite of the decked out chicken with some angel hair marinara. HOLY MOTHER OF SAVORY FOODS. These two items compliment each other brilliantly. Cinque stelle for this masterful dish.
The Pollo Francaise actually belonged to hubs - I just kept dipping into it. My dish was the homemade Alfredo sauce with angel hair and chicken. The sauce had a powdery consistency that took some getting used to. It wasn't until later that evening, when I was eating the leftovers of this hugely portioned Alfredo dish, that I grew to appreciate how very appetizing it was.
The tiramisu (said in Italian, accent on the i) was freshly made that day, so really, how could I pass it up? Alright, so maybe the tiramisu had a superfluous amount of whipped cream, enough that I left a good half-inch layer of white fluff on the plate. And who cares if my tongue kept going numb from the solid brown square of cinnamon resting on top of the dessert. It's the cakey part I was after, with its marvelous texture and just-right dose of espresso, cocoa, and mascarpone.
So, do I need to go back to Italy for my Italian eats? Since I've discovered Amereno's, not necessarily. I may have to go back for some fresh bread and oil vinegar dip since Amereno's doesn't seem to have either, though I will admit the garlic butter was appealing. Nevertheless, the Tucson oldies continue to flock to this place.
P.S. Wish I'd had enough space in me to try the highly esteemed wedding soup. Next time, Little Italy.Listed in: Lovey Dovey
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Review from Lauren K.
2/8/2012
Amereno's is a place that we had to quit going to. Our last few visits had been nothing but bad, but we kept giving them another chance. Not anymore.
The recipes are relatively authentic. The food used to taste pretty good. Then, it started to go downhill. On our second to last visit, the food was just ok. It felt like it was lacking a little bit, but it was still edible...until I got a HUGE, BLACK HAIR in my food. I was close to the end of my lasagna when I got it, luckily, because it was a meal-ender. It was so long that it took me a minute to pull it all out without breaking it. When I told my waiter, he kindly had the manager come over. She is the big problem. She accused me of putting it in my food. She said there was no way it could have been from their kitchen. Now, we had been going there once a week. We had never complained once. Why, after ten visits, would I try to screw this place out of a $10 dish now? I thought that was extraordinarily rude, and it was not the way to deal with a customer. I walked out pissed, even though she relented and took the meal off of our bill.
A few weeks later, we decided to try again. I'm going to keep this short and sweet. The food was sour. It had gone bad. They messed up our order, and we waited an hour for it to get fixed (when the restaurant only had one other table besides us), only to be served sour food. We didn't eat it. We paid our check, and vowed to never return. And we won't.
Restaurants that try to use old food because they're being cheap disgust me. I want to support local places, but if they're willing to get me sick, then go out of business for all I care. I won't be supporting them again, and I will urge people to be careful when eating here.Listed in: Places I'm Just Not That Into
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Review from Rachel S.
Tucson, AZ
1/22/2012
Worst Italian meal anywhere ever. It's the first time I have ever needed to salt restaurant food.
Sauces: runny (umm... a wine sauce is a reduction, not a splash) and breaded chicken shouldn't be soggy if it's crisped enough before adding the sauce.
Didn't get the pasta we ordered, even when we sent it back.
Bland, no flavor on anything but the butter.
Skimpy portions on the chicken entrees.
Nothing is included with the entree except bread (whoopee) not even a small side salad.
The waitress was nice but barely efficient and not detail oriented in the least - and there is no excuse for that when there are only three staggered tables to wait on. I couldn't even eat my meal it was so blah. I just asked her to wrap it up after a few bites. She didn't bother to ask if there was a problem. I didn't say anything because they didn't deal with fixing my husband's meal properly. I don't make it a habit to send things back and I know what can happen sending things back twice and I'm not taking the risk.
Tomorrow I am chopping up my leftovers and making my own sauce so I didn't waste my money. Glad I can cook.
I am bummed. The staff was friendly and relaxed and it 's a nice little place.
Not going back, ever. -
Review from Bianca A.
Tucson, AZ
5/6/2012
We tried Amereno's for dinner but decided to do take out. Everything was packaged perfectly and the girl that took the order and then brought out the food was very nice and helpful. The food itself was pretty good too. I agree that some of the dishes were a little lacking in flavor but for the most part we all ended up full and happy. We tried the fried mozzarella, calamari, pollo francais, pollo roma and shrimp scampi. We will be back to sample some of their other dishes soon.
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Review from OMARA G.
Tucson, AZ
1/16/2012
On a hungry whim, I gave this place a try while waiting for my hair appointment at Divinity Hair Salon...I've always debated, "do I go in or don't I"? EVERY time I go to this shopping center there's not many cars outside I'm talking less than 10 ( usually is a telling sign), anyway on the particular hungry night I opted for "IN".
The service was pretty good, I stood inside the reception area for a little while before anyone greeted me...(maybe because I walked in alone??) any who once I WAS greeted, all who attended to me were friendly and helpful, I asked for suggestions on what to order and from those suggestions I chose the grilled chicken breast with roasted red peppers, mozzarella and basil in a red wine reduction sauce, it was accompanied with a separate bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce??...I wasn't a fan of this combination the tang from the marinara was too much a contrast from the mellow flavors of the chicken I would definitely have preferred roasted potatoes to soak up the sauce which I did enjoy. Overall the food was just OK. Highlights were the herb butter and bread this was quite satisfying but hey I'm hardcore bread eater!
I can't say I recommend this place...though -
Review from Ron L.
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I come to Tucson once, maybe twice a year and am always looking for a good place to eat. My first trip here I stayed with the chain restaurants, but now, I have my new go-to place.
Amereno's is a nice find in a pretty empty strip mall. When you enter, you will be surprised at how the interior does not match what you see outside. I was pleased.
Great knowledgeable servers were able to describe each of the dishes with great detail. Attentive and quick too...which helped bumped this review to five stars.
Food was pretty good too. Make sure you get the wedding soup if it's available. My new dinner place in Tucson! -
Review from Amy H.
Sahuarita, AZ
2/5/2012
To me, the food was delicious. I ordered the Veal Parmesean, and although it came with spaghetti instead of the angel hair pasta it said it would come with, I was happy. Also, the atmosphere was fairly nice. Not super upscale, but clean and relaxing.
What bugged me were the prices, the service, and the mandatory 20% gratuity. We were waiting to talk to someone after we were seated for ten minutes. Several servers passed by at least a couple times in this span and could see we were getting impatient, and finally after one had passed us maybe five times she asked us if we had been helped. We didn't even have water on our table. When our server finally got done smoking (from his smell) he didn't apologize or anything, he just acted like we had to just sit and deal with his schedule. Our water ran out and didn't get refilled for a long time, and he never came back to ask about our food. When I saw the check and that we were required to give him 20% I understood why.
Even though the food was delicious, I won't be going back. I'd understand if they set the required tip at the lower end of what you're expected to give, and then more is up to your discretion, but requiring such a high tip just makes servers lazy. -
Review from Amanda B.
4/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
After a day of moving and unpacking decided to do some carbo loading and headed to Amereno's to check it out. We arrived at about 830 on a Saturday and it wasn't full at all. Antonio our waiter was very personable and seemed to know the menu.
We started with a bottle of Chianti and the sauteed calamari. The sauce that came with the calamari had good flavor, but the calamari itself was overcooked as they were super chewy. The herb butter that comes with the bread is delicious. I ordered the Vitello Alexandria and the bf ordered the vodka penne. My veal was tasty. I loved the prosciutto and cheese that were on it. It came with a side of pasta and red sauce. The sauce was ok, but it felt a little flat. The vodka penne was just okay. It just felt like their was something missing in the sauce.
Overall, it was a decent meal. I have had better, I have had worse.
Decor- a little dated and I believe there were TVs at the bar which is kind of annoying at an Italian restaurant.
Food - Decent/ Good
Service - Excellent, our waiter was quick and knowledgeable, the busser was quick to fill water and take plates.
I think the service would bring me back again if I were in a pinch trying to think of an Italian restaurant to go to nearby. -
Review from Raul S.
11/7/2011
Sigh...it's hard to decide what to say when your first experience at a restaurant is made up of two experiences...one bad, and one good.
In a nutshell,
Food = 5 stars
Our waiter = 5 stars.
First impression = 1 star.
So I will start with the good.
Good - The food. I had the special that night, Chicken with pears in a marsala reduction sauce, served with spaghetti. The sweet pears complimented the saltiness of the sauce nicely. The hunks of fresh garlic in the spaghetti were appreciated. My wife's Chicken Parmesan was very good as well. All in all, the food was very good, with good size portions.
Good - Our waiter. Knowledgeable of the menu and friendly.
Ok, now time to rant about the bad.
Bad - Initial service. First impressions should be paramount to a restaurant. This one did not make a good one. We had reservations at 7:30. We showed up 5 minutes early. It was a busy Saturday night, so I expected to wait. Gave our name to the hostess (unsmiling hostess). We waited patiently, as there were a couple other parties waiting ahead of us. We were told it would be a few minutes as they waited for tables to clear. So then we waited. A party ahead of us was seated. We waited a little more. Another couple was seated. We waited a little more. Then a group of 4 came in, without reservations (I know because I overheard them). We waited a little more. What I figured was the last group ahead of us was seated. Another table was cleared, and I was hoping we would be seated. Then the group that came in without reservations, 10 minutes after us, was seated. By now it's 8:00PM and we have been waiting patiently, stomachs grumbling, for 30 minutes. Another couple(we will call them Couple B) arrives. We wait 5 more minutes, until finally the hostess calls another name that's not mine. I tell her my name, get a confused look, like we were total strangers, and she takes us back to our table. Then Couple B, that just came in, also gets seated. So we waited 35 minutes, and they waited about 5. OK. But then a waitress approaches Couple B, while we sit without water or bread, or an explanation. She takes Couple Bs drink order. Finally, around 8:10, a waiter comes by to ask us if we've been served. I tell him no, and finally the restaurant becomes Good.
Tips to the restaurant:
Keep up the good work with the food.
And to the lady who was seating people that night, SMILE more(even if you are having a bad day), and acknowledge customers every once in a while who may be waiting for 40 minutes for a table. A little "sorry, it's very busy, we hope to get you seated soon" would have gone a long way. It's also kinda not cool to seat people without reservations ahead of those who have been waiting 30 minutes for theirs. -
Review from Jennifer D.
Tucson, AZ
5/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here
It was 7:30 Saturday night and I was in the mood for Italian, and so I looked on yelp for somewhere to go, and found Ammereno's So I called and made a reservation only to be told they were going to close at 9. So my husband I RUSHED out the door, and made it there by 8.
We got seated right away, and bread and water came out so fast! We had ordered the fired mozzarella, for and appetizer which was really good! I had ordered the eggplant Parmesan, could anything be more WONDERFUL? I was quite surprised and very pleased with the staff and the location both were tops in my book! -
Review from maneki n.
Tucson, AZ
10/11/2011
My boyfriend and I decided to visit Amereno's Little Italy on a Friday night. The first thing we noticed is that there was basically no one there, which is never a good sign for a nice restaurant. The decor is gaudy and the music (opera) is too loud and overbearing. But we weren't there for ambiance completely; we were there because we were hungry and we've heard this place cooked up some of the best Italian in Tucson.
We did not have this experience unfortunately. Overall it was absolutely nothing to write home about. The food was edible but not good enough to justify the price of the meal. I ordered the chicken russo, which featured two chicken breasts that tasted as if they were taken out of a frozen Tyson bag. My boyfriend had the pomodoro which again left more to be desired. Maybe we visited on a bad night?
We will not be returning. If you want equivalent Italian food, visit Mad Mario's at Speedway and Campbell. I don't mind speding $7 a plate for food of this caliber, but $15-19 is outrageous. -
Review from Joseph M.
Tempe, AZ
2/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
As a Tucson native, I was shocked I didn't know about this place. It's tucked away at an unusual spot for fine Italian dining - Country Club & Grant - but definitely is one of my new favorites in Tucson for taking someone out.
The atmosphere is very calm and professional. Unlike other restaurants, Amereno's gives you a sense that they have their scruples together.
The food was spectacular. I could go on about the bread, the pasta and the sauces in the pasta, but just take me word - it's great.
The service was also good, even for a bit of a larger party (gratuity automatically added), the service kept pace with the gratuity. I was pleased with the prompt attention and service from the server. The only blemish on it was when asking for more bread, he should also bring butter, too. Not a biggie, though.
If you're looking for a great spot to take someone out to enjoy Italian cuisine, this is the spot in Tucson. It won't break the bank too much and is fairly accessible because it's in midtown. -
Review from A F.
Tucson, AZ
3/12/2012
I went to Amereno's for the first time the other night. It has actually been on my to-do list for four years. I wish I had gone sooner. The food was fantastic. I am originally from the NE and Italian food in Tucson doesn't cut it, that is until I went to Amereno's. I started with the antipasto that I split with my wife; it was mixed fresh greens, imported salami, prosciutto, provolone, onion, roasted peppers, sweet cherry peppers, tomato, and artichoke hearts. The dressing served with it was awesome, and there was enough for four people. For my main course I had the Frutti Di Mare Fra Diavolo. It was wonderful. The shrimp, littleneck clams, and mussels were sautéed flawlessly. The linguini was also done to perfection. The Fra Diavolo sauce has just the right amount of heat without being too spicy. The only negative was that the service was slow, 45 minutes for my water to get re-filled, but not bothersome enough to spoil the evening. I would highly recommend this restaurant, the food is excellent.
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Review from David L.
Tucson, AZ
Updated - 6/12/2011
And where else on a Sunday afternoon can you find great Italian food , a warm and casual atmosphere, and a wait staff that loves you for coming in to eat? Amereno's Little Italy. Drove up and had the same misgiving as last time...were they open at 5 pm? Oh yes...food was awesome, wine was excellent, and the staff friendly, helpful, and dedicated to making your visit special.
Try these folks out, Tucson...they are worthy!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/20/2011
Took my wife on a little excursion tonight to someplace we did not know existed...Amerenos Little… Read more »
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Review from Pier I.
Germantown, WI
2/8/2012
Amareno's is nicely conceived and executed, but I had problems with both the food and the service. The mussels on pasta was WAY too spicy. I have eaten Mexican food here in Tucson all my life, and Thai, Indian, and Ethiopian all over the world. I have also spent over 20 years working in restaurant kitchens (including Paris and NYC), so I know what the standards are for this kind of thing. And this was inedible. Their attitude was, if you don't want spicy, don't order spicy dishes. I get the impression the cook is (was?) young and talented, but without much experience, training, or technique.
I also had a problem with the mussels themselves, which had a peculiar grainy texture. I sent them back, and was not charged, but the waiter reported back to me that the chef is very proud of his seafood and it was probably the Romano cheese that I felt on my tongue. It's ironic the chef's pride is standing between him and the possibility of making a dish he could be proud of. It's also ill-advised to assume you know better than the public you serve.
I was furious, but did not argue, as I was being treated for my birthday. When I got home, though, I wrote a letter to the owner, which was never responded to. -
Review from Alfonso L.
CA
2/20/2011
PROS: Attentive service
Big portions of flavorful food
Terrific salads
My penne a la vodka was superb, Lots of pasta too and the sauce was never overpowering. The flavor of vodka was there and it added a nice dimension to the cream sauce.
My friend's chicken and sausage and peppers was a surprise to him, since he hadn't thought of adding the chicken to the already traditional dish (and he's Italian!)
Good selection of drinks, fine iced tea and ales
CONS: Really none -
Review from Barbara G.
Phoenix, AZ
7/9/2010
I'm afraid to say that my rating may have been affected by my poor choice of the menu or high expectations of what I wanted that night, but...
Dinner began with a glass of the house red wine which was excellent and nice. My friend who shared dinner with me better described it as, "something to open the palate". I did not get to particularly welcome my "palate" with anything extraordinary, but I did enjoy it. I had the Penne Puttanesca, which is a light elegant meal, perfect for two. It did not pack as much flavor as the price suggested, but it was still appetizing.
The complimentary bread was delicious, paired with the cream cheese/butter/garlic/salt/?? spread.
The service was excellent, as well as the presentation of the food. The restaurant was clean, there was no wait, the music was at an appropriate level and the general atmosphere would be great for a date.
If I could add a half star to the rating, I would. Overall, nice restaurant, good service, make sure to try the wine. -
Review from Matt C.
Tucson, AZ
2/26/2011
Excellent food and great service. My wife and I went here after a friend gave us a http://restaurant.com gift coupon for her birthday. You wouldn't think this place is that great based on the location (sandwiched between an appliance store, a doctor's office, and a dialysis center in a strip mall) but our experience there was outstanding.
We started our meal with the mussels in garlic red suace...delicious. I probably would have been happy just soaking up all the yummy sauce with their tasty bread but I wanted to save time for my veal picatta. The veal was tender and the sauce was spot on. My wife had a salad and the itallian wedding soup, both of which were also delicious.
When our bill came there was a problem with our gift card we were using but our server still gave us the discount. Special customer service combined with a great dining experience means we will definitely be back. -
Review from Mike P.
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
The generous portions are well worth the price. The service was friendly and attentive. Despite the thorough wine list, they only list 3 domestic beers on their drink list, and none of their tap beers are included, so be sure to ask about available beers.
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Review from Stacey M.
Tucson, AZ
9/23/2011
This is a cute restaurant. The bread and butter are absolutely fantastic and so was the creme brulee. For my meal I had spaghetti with rose sauce which wasn't bad but wasn't amazing either.
However, the waiter and waitress were amazing. They suggested a great wine for me and were constantly making sure we were doing all right. I liked the atmosphere because it was very quiet and romantic. I'd definitely go there again but would try a different entree. -
Review from Mindy S.
Tucson, AZ
10/4/2010
Yummy!
I used to go to the east side location with my dad, and the food was always amazing! Good sauce, high quality ingredients and excellent service - I love Amereno's Little Italy!!! -
Review from Terry S.
Tucson, AZ
1/28/2012
The food here was very good, but the service was not so great. Waited a long time for initial drinks so I figured I would order the wine way before the food came out. Our meal was almost finished before the wine came out, then it was the wrong wine. One member of our party had their left overs thrown out instead of boxed. They prepared another half order to go for her. My husband and I had a separate check since we had a restaurant coupon, they automatically added a 20% tip which really pissed me off since the service was 10% and we weren't given the option to tip accordingly. My suggestion is to order food to go from this place.
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Review from Amy Q.
Tucson, AZ
7/31/2010
Got a $25 dollar gift certificate for this place at http://restaurant.com. The bill would have been $63 but cam out to $38 including tip which is great.
I got the pollo picatta which was fine...I think it need more lemon juice and capers.
The bf got the pollo marsala which I think was a little bit sweet but fine.
We got the mussels in marinara garlic sauce...fantastic!!!
I heard somewhere...no reservations on travel channel? that authentic Italian food is simple and sometimes bland but that's the way its done. So the food fit the description.
Beautiful restaurant despite being in a strip mall. Nice music. -
Review from Tyler S.
3/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
As far as Italian food in Tucson this place is a solid restaurant. The food is always above par. I enjoy sitting at the bar on game night because it doesn't get crowded. This is the type of place you can bring a date for a nice dinner. Or you can cozy up at the bar with two of the funniest bartenders in town Scott and Gabe. The wine selection is a little weak for my taste. The prices are a little high but worth it!. Stop in for an appetizer and a beer if nothing else. I love the antipasto salad and the spicy garlic shrimp for apps. I can only give four stars because its not my ABSOLUTE favorite Italiano in Tucson. Enjoy!
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Review from Joshua B.
This little restaurant is easy to miss. You wouldn't expect it to be in an office complex with accountants and doctors; however, I've been here a few times and each experience has been a delight! The food is always delicious, the atmosphere is always comfortable, and the staff is always polite and knowledgeable. What more could you ask for from a restaurant?!
Every time I've been to Amereno's the food has been outstanding. They have two specials which change regularly and an extensive Italian menu with a large wine list. Everything I've tasted at Amereno's has had an amazing and robust flavor. The food always looks and tastes great! (You have to try the Chicken Rosso!)
The atmosphere seems a little stuffy at first, but Amereno's friendly staff will take the time to make you feel at ease. I've never had a question about the menu that the staff couldn't answer, and they never talk down to me for asking questions I'm sure they answered dozens of times before me. The staff always takes the time to make sure everything is just right, and seems like they would bend over backwards if anything ever went wrong.
You should definitely check out this tucked away gem for out of this world Italian food.Listed in: My favorite restaurants in…
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Review from Kalyn W.
Tucson, AZ
4/29/2011
This was my second time at Amerenos. Fantastic! The atmosphere is friendly and lovely. It's a breath of fresh air from the usual Tucson eateries. Romantic, yet casual. The Service was EXCELLENT and the food even better. I had the special of muscles and shrimp and oh MY was it tasty. My son had Eggplant Parmesan...amazing. Everything about this place is outstanding.
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Review from Derek J.
San Diego, CA
4/22/2011
If you aren't going to be open on Easter, that's fine with me. BUT if you aren't going to be open ALL Easter weekend and don't advertise anywhere that you won't be open that's not ok. I went there with my family, who live in the foothills 20 min away, only to be disappointed with a sign. I would have probably just left it at that,, but I saw at least a dozen or so other cars pull up and leave as we decided on where to eat now. So this review is for all the disappointed potential customers this day.
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Review from DEBORAH S.
Tucson, AZ
5/18/2011
I very much enjoy Amereno's. Their food is very good (particularly any pasta stuffed with cheese), as are their antipasti, but I do have three caveats: 1) their espresso machine always seems to be non-functional in the evenings; 2) their food can be a bit on the salty side; and 4) their wine list could really use expansion and improvement. Otherwise, I am a very happy customer. The food is yummy and fresh; the portions are on the large-ish side, but not overwhelming; and the service is consistently very good. The staff are eager-to-please, but not obnoxious or obsequious.
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Review from Luann C.
Green Bay, WI
12/1/2010
A lovely dining experience with great food, good wine in a very nice setting. To start, the bread was crunchy on the outside, moist in the inside and flavorful especially with the flavored butter. The salad with the house dressing was tangy and creamy at the same time. My Pollo Russo was very tasty as was my husbands Vitello Picatta. The marinara side was very good. All the food was very fresh with just the right amount of seasoning. The server was very attentive but not pushy. The evening was a very nice dining experience.
For the thrifty, they are in the Entertainment Book, buy 1 get 1 and also on http://Restaurant.com -
Review from Kaylan B.
Tucson, AZ
3/15/2011
My husband and I used a http://restaurant.com certificate to enjoy this hidden little restaurant. It's in a strip mall, but it's nicely decorated on the inside, and looks like an upscale restaurant.
We had complimentary bread with a delicious herbed butter, and we ordered the bruschetta to start. It was delicious! Served on the same bread, but with mounds of fresh tomatoes and basil. My husband is a bruschetta enthusiast, and we both really like this appetizer.
I ordered the eggplant parmesan, and my husband ordered the mussels in a white wine sauce. The eggplant was light tasting, the fried breading wasn't greasy or overwhelming. The wine sauce on the mussels was somewhat overpowering for me (the wine was the first flavor to come through), but overall that entree was very good as well.
The service was great, and we never had an empty water glass. It's somewhat expensive (entrees starting around $15) for our graduate student budget, but the http://restaurant.com certificate mitigates that. Our waitress also told us that gratuity was added with our http://restaurant.com certificate - it is with all of those certificates, but we've never had a waitress actually notify us before. -
Review from Matthew H.
Tucson, AZ
3/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was absolutely superb! The food was excellent the, the service friendly and the creme brulee for dessert was some of the best I have ever had. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great out of the way Italian restaurant.
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Review from bern f.
Tucson, AZ
4/23/2010
I am sooooooooo happy that Amareno's relocated from Tucson's east side to midtown. While I never visited Amareno's in its previous location, I have eaten here 3 times in the past month or so and have now fulfilled my personal minimal requirement of visits before I write a review of any Tucson restaurant.
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We love Italian food and have been searching for a new local favorite to frequent for a couple of years now, but with no success. Thankfully, our search is over. This is one of those types of Italian places that I have bumped into a few times in different parts of the country over the years. Sometimes locals take you, other times dumb luck comes your way. What type of Italian place do I mean specifically? Well, these places often typically found in generic strip malls, but once you step into the restaurant you walk into "Italia Rustica." Typical but simple pleasing Italian art is found on the walls, opera or Euro-classic music coming through the speakers, wrought iron wine bottle holders that divide up the room, a bar area near the back that works primarily to serve the dining area, but also has some limited seating as well as the de rigueur TV.
The food is excellent, fresh, straight forward Italian fare carefully prepared with love. Clearly a family-run and family-oriented place. The service is friendly and eager to please. The veal is the best in Tucson - tender, thinly cut, and deftly prepared. If you don't care for veal, I can vouch for the chicken and shrimp, as well. Other sea critters seemed to be popular with other diners, as well. The menu is extensive, which is usually a really bad sign, but most are variations on a theme, and the place manages to pull it off most impressively. There are many different things I will be trying over the years to come. The pasta is fresh and many dishes come with a side of angel hair. In general, I rarely care for this often used "pasta side" approach, but getting Amareno's pasta in the aglio e olio style truly rocketh. The oil cooked, softened garlic is present in great abundance and truly delicious. The salads and deserts are excellent, as well.
It completely succeeds at the type of restaurant that it strives to be and therefore it gets the top score- 5 stars -
Review from Kurt B.
Tucson, AZ
9/5/2009
My wife and I ate here on a Saturday night and the service was great. The wine selection was large with reasonable prices (several bottles in the $30 to $40 range). The bread that came with the meal was tasty and warm. Background noise was loud enough to be heard but didn't drown out conversation.
I ordered a pasta dish with sausage and my wife ordered a pasta dish with chicken. Both meals were fabulous. The salsiccia victorio, my dish, was beyond what I expected. It has to be one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. My wife had the pollo vegetali and rated it 4 out of 5 stars.
I would gladly go there again for a nice evening out. -
Review from Roberta L.
Tucson, AZ
3/19/2010
This place is now located on Grant Rd. at Country Club. Have been looking for reviews before trying-so far, none.
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Review from Clayton S.
Tucson, AZ
5/8/2011
Good classic italian, but this feels like just a glorified Olive Garden. It was also on the expensive side, though to be fair the appetizers were HUGE, more than enough to split between a few people. 3/5 stars.
