Great food, wonderful experience, and the next time we go to the Pasadena Playhouse, I will be sure and make reservations here again! Instead of an appetizer, we had homemade Spinach Ravioli, which was delicious especially covered with grated cheese. I had the Osso Bucco with risotto, and my friend had the Linguini with the seafood and marinara sauce. Next time I want to try their lasagna and tiramisu for dessert. We were celebrating both our birthdays, and they brought us great desserts, we had coffee and off the the play. It was a perfect evening! Highly recommend this restaurant, even the owner walks around and asks how everything is, and he's funny and so authentically Italian. read more

First time going tonight and restaurant was wonderful as well as the best service! Thank you Jesus and team for making my night :) read more

Celestino Restaurant - Canoli - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Negroni excellent ... just perfect. Branzino wow and tiramisu delicious. Very kind and friendly service.

Let me start off saying thank you to the fine folks who give this restaurant all the praise I can muster. I have a pet peeve about older establishments who seem to rest on their laurels, we'll this IS NOT one of them. That old school vibe generously mixed with modern tastes are what's on the menu here. The service is excellent and I've never felt more welcomed. The food was a taste of heaven especially the osso buco (this dish is what brought me in). Our waiter even prepared a special anniversary after dinner drinks coupled with desert. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Center piece - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I happened to be around the area, and I saw this place. It looked very authentic. So, I went in, and as soon as I walked in, I felt like I was back in NY; in Little Italy. So, I knew it was going to be good. I had the Cacio e Pepe, and I added chicken, along with a Pinot Grigio. Everything was up to par. The food was great, the servers were very attentive and professional, and the prices were really good for the level of service you get. I've been to places where it's more expensive, and the service is sub-par. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be going back. read more

Authentic, well cooked and fresh Italian dishes. The servers know the menu well and give excellent recommendations!

Celestino is a very nice place to have a dinner date or a casual night out with friends. Had the chance to sit at their entry patio during the week and before the dinner rush would begin. Tried a very nice Cabernet that tasted delicious. As for my appetizer, a friend and I shared their calamari with a side of arugula salad, very tasty and light. I went with Linguini del mare, came with plenty of shrimp, clams and scallops. The dish was simply amazing, I have had pasta and this dish was on point. For dessert, my friend and I shared the Panna Cotta, the waiter mentioned it was like flan, and let me tell you it was way better, and I Love Flan, same consistency but way better in my opinion. Would enjoy to head back and try a few of their other dishes soon, so will see when I am back in Pasadena. read more

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Great ambiance, service and environment at Celestino. Unfortunately, thats where the positives end. Complementary bread which was terrific and baked in-house. The calamari felt soggy, cocktails (Negroni) was excellent while Moscow mule was a miss. Spaghetti with meatballs arrived at our table which were much colder than anticipated, and would not recommend. Unfortunately, remainder of the entrees weren't served warm, either, and lacked the freshness we were expecting. read more

Last night my wife and our friends had dinner at Celestino. It was an amazing experience. The restaurant has a very interesting menu and the food was delicious but what really made it memorable was our waiter Antonio, who is a true Italian from Venice. He was courteous, funny, very attentive and professional! It was impressive how he listed countless specials without missing a beat. I had the Osso Bucco which was so tender that all that was needed was a fork. My wife loved her risotto and our friends very much liked their dishes as well. We definitely will be back. A big thank you to the staff at Celestino's but a very special one to Antonio! Grazie!! read more

This is a very nice restaurant with good food. We liked the mushroom soufflé and the ravioli. The vegetarian dishes are yummy and we appreciated the ambiance as well. The restaurant has good parking in the back and they were very prompt with reservations. The only hiccup is that this place is really pricy for what you get. Quality definitely matters but this place seems a bit too expensive for the portions. read more

Celestino was just okay. The food was pretty good. The service was terrible. When we first arrived the host tried to seat us in this florescent lit outdoor hallway with no heat that was between the inside and outside seating. It looked dismal. A fold out table and fold out chairs.... We were surprised to be sat here when there was plenty of seating available where there was appropriate outdoor eating and heat lamps. We moved. We started with the eggplant parmesan appetizer which was delicious but pretty small for the price. It had a good flavor and the presentation was very good. We then got the spaghetti and meatballs and the gluten free penne. I appreciate that this restaurant has GF options given a mild allergy. The food was pretty good but nothing spectacular. Portion sizes for the main entry were just OK. Something you could probably make at home for a similar taste. The waiter was no where to be found our entire experience. He never checked in and we had to ask for more water and also for cheese on our pasta entree. Definitely very crowded inside. If you have Covid concerns this is probably not the place for you to dine on the weekend. read more

Food was excellent. Ambience was great. Our server was funny, quick, well-versed in their menu and offered suggestions which was appreciated. Overall, we had a great time and would definitely go back. read more

The service was impeccable. The food scrumptious and the ambiance perfect. There was 6 of us and we all enjoyed our entrees. "Delectable" comes to mind when describing the salmon, the shrimp and lobster ravioli, the calamari, and the halibut dishes. A big shout out to Mario (waiter) and his assistant. They were the PERFECT hosts. read more

Wonderful food, good ambience, excellent service. Really enjoyed our first visit there. We will definitely be back!

Came here for date night with the SO. The service was great, food came out quickly and was fresh. We started off with 2 glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. The waiter recommended a speciality appetizer, a filet calamari dish with a mixed arugula salad topped with some lemon vinaigrette that was DELISH. The calamari filet was tender and not chewy at all (how I normally experience it even at the best of restaurants - but that's just me). My partner got the Maccheroncini con pesto alla genovese- he at the entire thing and from the bite I got was also superb. I ordered the Tagiolini bianchi e Neri con vongole, rucola e pomodori, I loved it. We like finishing date nights off with cups of coffee and a dessert so we share the tiramisu - which was good but I felt it was missing a little something, either way I was impressed with the texture and sweetness so it was ok. Oh and we sat on the back patio, very nice ambiance. I did notice the crowd was a little older- but honestly didn't bother me like other reviews here. Photos for reference! read more

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Celestino is a beautiful restaurant. We had reservations and wanted dinner before the show we were going to see. Service was excellent. The only issue was we felt the waiter was steering us to the more expensive dishes. The food was excellent. I had branzino and my wife had rabbit. Serving was plentiful. For appetizers I had broiled calamari and my wife the mushroom soup. We shared cappuccinos and cannolis. A very pleasant experience read more

Amazing place! Went there with my wife for our first anniversary and it was incredible! Perfect food. We had a lasagna and four cheese pasta and it was one of the best Italian food we ever had. Our waiter, Antonio, was really nice and took pictures for us. The ambience is also nice. read more

After reading the reviews and getting so excited to have some really good food and great experience. I'm going to be real it was just OK from the service to the food. And even the atmosphere. Everything was just so old fashioned. My boyfriend got a mushroom pasta dish and the pasta was not even Al Dente. I got the penne al a vodka which was good. But I've had better and worse at other places. Our total was $140 with tip besides the 2 pasta dishes we also got a Cesar salad which we split, 4 shots of grey goose, 2 flat bottled waters, and a Shirley Temple. Oh and the bread was just SO dry. It was served with vinegar and oil. Not butter (my personal preference lol). read more

My first time here, parking was directly behind the restaurant off of Hudson. They have two outdoor areas and a good menu. Dinner with shared appetizers and dessert. Was 110.00 for two people. We started with a calamari steak served with arugula. We shared also a bite of crab cakes. The lamb cops were tender and served with a reduction of balsamic vinegar. The flavor was ok. Dessert was a lemon meringue tart covered withy way to much powdered sugar. They have a good wine list or a corkage fee of 20 read more

Went on a weekday night. Restaurant was busy but not too busy. We had an attentive waiter who gave good recommendations. Food was tasty. Would come back again. read more

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Love this restaurant. Great Italian food at an affordable price. A great place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, Mother's/Father's Day, or any other special occasion. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Tonight we decided to take our mothers out for dinner. And we chose the wrong place to do so. Our waiter was full of attitude and anything we asked for it was either we can't do that or no we don't have that. He completely misunderstood our order and brought the wrong type of pasta he didn't apologize or anything and instead he said this is it and put the plate aggressively on our table. He spoke to us rudely and another waiter came to help and I spoke out saying this man is being so rude and he said I know and apologized. We asked for the check and they even charged us extra $10 for things that we didn't even order. This was the worst experience I have had. We didn't even receive one apology from the manager or the waiter himself. Also, the manager came out showing us the difference between the pastas as if we don't know what type of pasta we ordered. So disrespectful and unprofessional. Also, might I add I am a pregnant woman and he was aggressively speaking to me when I was asking questions on my orderers. Horrible horrible experience I am so disappointed and upset at this establishment. read more

Came in here for date night! Food was delicious we both loved it service with a smile. Will be coming back!

Poor service, food not prepared with care, presentation and taste not acceptable. Will not go back. read more

When you walk in you feel the classic Italian experience. Wine on the walls, white tablecloth, and Italian being spoken amongst the waiters. I got the gnocchi de la casa with truffle Fontana cheese. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth, and everything else was also amazing. The service was fast, and the food came out hot. Overall I highly recommend this restaurant and it's a solid restaurant. read more

Classic Italian, perfectly cooked. The ambience might be considered a little old fashion, but that's why I love it. Romantic, elegant and unpretentious. read more

Nice Italian restaurant here in Pasadena service was excellent Food was delicious. I would definitely return back here again nice for dinner couples also families prices are decent I will definitely return here again. read more

I want to give extra love to the most authentic Italian restaurant in town. This is a well known stop when people come in town. What I love about this place are the staff and the love they put in making their food. They make you feel like you are eating at home with family. I recommend you getting their ravioli and lasagna. It was sensational and savory. Price is reasonable. You can park on the street or valet for $6 by Fidelity . This location is directly across from William Sonoma. Hope you support this restaurant during this pandemic. They are well deserving and could use our show of love. Please come check them out. This place is definitely yelp worthy! read more

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We had a reservation for 2 but were seated in an ugly plastic tent in the back, with horrible bright lights surrounded by 3 large party tables. We were the only table of 2. The caprese salad was a mashed tomato with no herbs and a half of mozzarella, awful. I ordered the sole special but it was terrible. No seasoning or fresh herbs, just pepper and oil. It was served with a large chunk of undercooked cold carrot and zucchini and cold mashed cauliflower. My husband had the halibut special which was also terrible. The waiter was clueless. The bread was warm and fresh. Horrible ambiance, horrible food. Why are they a restaurant. People go out for good food and nice ambience. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Ugly plastic tent with bright garage lights - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Been here twice for work events and I was disappointed both times due to ambiance, quality of food and service. This place needs an upgrade in all aspects. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more

I came here for my birthday last week and I am so happy with my experience! The service was impeccable and the food was so delicious. The owner and all the staff, and our server Antonio, everybody was so sweet. I ordered the pappardelle with pheasant and it was amazing! I cannot wait to go back and try some more of their delicious items. Definitely an amazing experience and I also love that reservations were smooth and able to be taken in the same day and everything just went beautifully. Thank you to the Celestino team for helping make my birthday day a beautiful one! read more

So glad they re-opened for TakeOut during the Quarantine. Was craving their Fettuccine alfredo, didn't see it on their online takeout menu, but all I had to do was ask and the guy was so nice and said "yeah, we can make that". The burrata w/arugula and tomatoes were so fresh! Definitely recommend treating yourself for takeout here. If there's something you're craving that's not on their online menu, don't go somewhere else, just ask them. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Fettuccine Alfredo ToGo w/added Chicken. So delicious! - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came on a Wednesday night. Seating with quick because we had a reservation but I don't think it was needed as I saw plenty of tables open. The service was just okay, not great but not bad either. However, I got the feeling that my waiter just wanted to go home. I felt a little rushed ordering but not a big deal. I ordered the pheasant parpardelle and my boyfriend got the lobster/crab spaghetti, not sure of its real name because it was not on the menu. The food was way too salty in my opinion. I normally don't drink a ton of water while I eat but I finished my glass before I finished my meal. Honestly both dishes were not memorable. I was disappointed with the lobster and crab dish because there were so many good ingredients in it but it was just mid. The lobster was cooked a bit too much so it wasn't juicy. Not sure if I'll ever return. read more

The ambiance can you some freshening up but the food was good. Will be back to try more .

Great food and service! You must try the scaloppini di pollo. It was my favorite! Great restaurant for date night

Fresh ingredients, hand made pasta and mozzarella. The family feel of the place is the best. I recommend the chanterelle risotto. read more

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Good authentic Italian cuisine. Feels like a home made meal. Excellent service, parking in the rear is somewhat decent.

Heads up: if you go anywhere near Celestino on a holiday, be prepared for the absolute worst service ever! And be prepared for my full-on rant. No, it is not because Mercury is in retrograde. You've been warned. Valentine's Day dinner 2020. What a waste. Even if their pasta is good (and in this case, only the gnocchi was good, 'cus honestly I could've prepared a tastier Cacio e Pepe!), the experience was God awful. I'm talking, beyond slow, non-existent customer service, terrible accommodations, and full-blown mayhem at this old-school-Italian Pasadena "institution." Why was it awful? Let me count the ways: 1. Even with reservations we got sat in the back patio, where the heater was on such high blast my husbands neck was getting burnt! 2. The (very) old server had ten tables to HIMSELF! Even a young, energetic server would have had a hard time being slammed this way. Shame on you management for not properly staffing on such a historically busy night in the restaurant world and for seating all the couples in this area, with this server, because they aren't your regular clientele with the comfy seats inside with better servers because you think everyone is in a lovey-dovey mood and won't notice that... 3. It took thirty minutes to even see said waiter and place an order! 4. Asked for a wine menu 3 times and never got it! Had to guess the price of a glass of wine and just say "umm I guess I'll have a Chianti!" and it doesn't end there folks because then I got a weak pour of the WRONG wine (based on the bill) that had all the residual bits of an empty bottle that Should. Not. Be. Served. 5. Pasta comes out and the plates are suuuuuper hot. Sitting in the window anyone?!? The cream sauce was starting to congeal...ding ding ding! 6. Not a soul checked in on us during our (LONG) time there and we had to wait about 20 minutes just to get our credit card back after paying and trust me we were SO ready to leave (and NEVER return). I hate leaving low scores, I really do. And yes, I know it was a holiday. And I am a pretty patient person but this level of "service" was completely unacceptable for a well-known restaurant that has been around this long. It's embarrassing and infuriating and it makes me feel like they have to make MANY improvements if they want to actually "show Los Angeles what true Italian and Sicilian cuisine consists of." Petty side note: my boss goes here very frequently and usually gets treated very well because he is a regular and the owners know him so obvi he is carefully looked after. Bottom line, Drago brothers - if you can't hire enough people and properly staff for special events (events that you advertise for with a prefix menu!), and you can't provide high level standard service to ALL your customers then you are quite frankly asking to be replaced by a better, fresher, younger, Italian on the block. I for one would be thrilled. read more

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We have been a customer on and off for over 2 decades. We came with our 90 years old neighbor tonight. Our waiter seated us and gone through the specials in 90 miles per minute speed. The restaurant was so noisy, the waiter wearing a mask, and the speedy run through of the specials made it impossible for any one of us at the table to hear. Then the waiter disappeared for 20 minutes until he returned to take our orders. He was extremely impatience and kept rushing us by asking "what do you want? What do you want?" No matter how great the food was, we will not return for this kind of subpar service. Truly disappointed! read more

We used to love dining at Celestinos for years, the food is usually consistent and delicious. However, my last two visits we experienced the same poor service. This last sunday was enough, our waiter who has worked there for years was absolutely rude. I was so embarrassed for my guests who were from out of the country and I bragged about the place. The attitude of our waiter and bus boys was unacceptable. Our bill was pretty good sized for a group of eight. The website talks about how the owner/chef comes to your table, he did not, no one cared that our service was horrid. Sorry but I will no longer patronize this place and spread the word among my friends. read more