Neil's Pasta & Seafood Grill

 

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6

Peter A.

San Pedro, CA

Neil's is by far my favorite Italian restaurant. Yes, it is in my home town, but I have driven out to Sunset Blvd and Beverly Hills for fine dining, and Neil's can compete with the best of them. The staff is always very friendly. I have even thrown two parties there to huge success. Everyone I take falls totally in love and several friends now trek to San Pedro from Los Angeles and Orange County just to meet me at Neil's.

My fave: the Penne Arrabbiata

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3

RJ H.

San Pedro, CA

I've recently stopped eating at Neil's. Honestly, I've never seen the love affair other San Pedran friends have with the  food here. Never dined there without being invited by a party of  friends.  Overall, almost every dish I've ordered, has been drown in a crazy amount of olive oil, crushed tomato and garlic. Seems to be Neil's mantra, but somehow,  the fresh, simplistic taste of authentic Italian is lost here. I love olive oil but wow all sense is lost here. I ordered the rib eye steak special, again a greasy mess dripping with oil, and overly expensive for the portion, and especially taste factor. On another visit I had their scallop special. As did two others in our party.  The scallops  were just okay, not fabulous, just okay,  but to my chagrin the four of those little babies on a plate  cost me $36.00? I could have and would have rather been dining at La Opera on Pine Ave. At least I'd get a well prepared, well thought out dish,  first class for the money spent.   I'm not complaining about the price but what a shocker. Definitively not a menu or a restaurant of any particular hype, nor deserving of the menu pricing.  Service was adequate.  
Perhaps I don't know how to order here??

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8

47

Amy C.

San Pedro, CA

Neil's is undoubtedly the best Italian restaurant in San Pedro, if not the South Bay. My family comes here often for great pasta and seafood. Most of the waiters know my parents, and know what they like to order too! My mom always orders a pasta dish not on the menu, a little special creation of her own (she's not a garlic fan), and they happily accommodate her request each time! Neil is usually there as well, and a charming little Italian guy he is. I love their breadsticks with mascarpone cheese drenched in spaghetti sauce and grated parmesan. Don't forget to grab the little Italian candies on your way out!! A real treat in downtown San Pedro.

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3

55

Jeremy R.

Los Angeles, CA

I give this restaurant a 2.  It wasnt that BAD, but based on all of the other reviews and the high prices, I am holding this restaurant to the highest standards.  5 stars are reserved for places like Giorgo Baldi, La Sosta Enoteca, Osteria Mozza, Massimo, Madeo, Campanile, and Angelini Osteria.  Compared to these heavyweights, Neils earns a solid 2 in my book.

I usually dont eat in San Pedro, but the glowing reviews on this board was reason enough for me to check out this italian oasis.  When my wife and I walked into the restaurant, we immediately got a bad vibe.  Before even seeing the menu I told myslef "this place got great reviews so EVEN IF it is bad, I will come back and give it a second chance because it is Sunday and might be an off night".   I dont know why I PREPARED myself like that, but I just didnt get a good feeling.

No one in the restaurant was italian.  None of the servers were italian.  I can almost gaurantee that on Sunday night, none of the chefs were Italian.   Every Southbay Italian place I have been too had italian patrons and/or italian servers.   I was expecting an authentic italian resto with italians, not a place with older non-ethnic people who did not seem to be foodies.

Anyhow, I ordered crab cakes because this is a seafood place. I  know crab cakes are not italian, but I figured bistro fare should be easy enough.  I was hoping for an imaginative, fresh, and savory spin on the traditional offering.  Instead I got 12 tiny nuggets that were overbattered and smothered in sweet sauces.   I cant tell if it was imitation crab or the real thing.  I would hope it would at least be frozen blue crab, but I cant even vouche for that.    That was strike 1.

For our entrees, I got the veal, provolone, and proscuitto and my fiance got a lasagne in bolognse sauce as entres.  Her lasagne pasta itself was overcooked.  The stuffing was very pedestrian.  They put WAY too much sauce on it, and the meat sauce tasted like your standard canned variety.  Not bad, but not good.  I think the sauce we get from bristol farms is better.  It was an average dish that should have cost 8 bucks, not 16.50.  

My veal entree was not great at all.  It was overcooked had way too much olive oil. Again, it wasnt as bad as olive garden, but for 24 bucks, I want to be blown away.  Anyhow, we ordered 3 things, and all three were dissappointments.  

With all the great italian places in los angeles, I wont be coming back.  I think La sosta enoteca, Mangiamo, and Saluzzi are far better choices in the South Bay than Neils based on the experience we had.  Those places are where you get the REAL deal.  You get the Cutting boards, simple preparations cooked to absolute perfeection,   limited seasonal menus, the freshest cheeses ever, excellent presentation, etc.  

Again, maybe it was an off night?!?

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4

57

Marshall A.

San Pedro, CA

I've only eaten here twice, and I'm really impressed.  Neils is the real deal, clearly the best Italian restaurant in San Pedro.  This is a fantastic place for a date, or for a dinner with family.

The seafood here is fresh and amazing.  I had a seafood risotto last time I ate at Neil's and I left a very happy man.

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Elite '08

22

142

Kim S.

San Pedro, CA

Neil's (named for the anglicized name of Aniello, the owner/chef) is the closest thing to eating in Italy you will find in San Pedro.  Aniello is a recent immigrant from Ischia, and his upscale white tablecloth restaurant would fit right into the strip of mostly tourist restaurants on the Ischian waterfront.  Murals on the wall, a maitre d', and live music straight from the Bay of Naples; a very romantic atmosphere without a hint of stuffiness.  And as Italians like to eat late (never before 8), Neil's stays open later than most other Pedro eating establishments.
The menu is an even mix of fish and meat dishes, and the only concession to American eating habits is to offer pasta as a main course rather than a "primo" -- at main course prices.  Main courses are at an appropriate price ($mid-20s) for this style of restaurant, and the cellar of Italian wines is the best there is in Pedro.  While the rack of lamb is always tempting, I advise having a fish course here as you would on Ischia -- the fish is always fresh and done modern Italian style, without breading.  And the white wines of Mastroberadino, such as the Lachryma Christi, are to die for.  Check out their website for a full menu before going if you have any doubts.
Street parking at night is never a problem, but there can be a linguistic issue.  Neil, of course, is happy to deal with you in English, Italian or Ischitano, and so is the maitre d'.  The wait staff, polite and well-trained, can have problems with languages other than Castellano, which can sometimes lead to a mixup in orders unless you are multilingual.  But that just adds to the adventure of it all.
When Neil is in the kitchen, you can expect to eat like a king.  But he is often out greeting patrons and chatting it up, leaving the kitchen to his sous-chefs, who can lack some of the magic that Neil himself brings to the kitchen.  In spite of this, it is still the best place you can eat in San Pedro, and the clientele knows that.  You should join them --and go dressed appropriately with "bella figura.".

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