My wife and I finally got a chance to try Cugino's. The reviews were good and we actually tried to go there once before with our young grand children on a weekday. Got there 30 minutes after opening and there was a 45 minute wait. So today we were in the area and thought we would try again. To our disbelief we were sat at a table immediatly. Lucky us, I thought. We first ordered beverages. When the waitress returned, we ordered an appetiser of Arancini to start off and also our main dinners which included soup or salad. We both love arancini and haven't had any since we moved from Florida last October. I will admit we are used to having Sicilian style which usually is filled with rice, saffron, meat and vegetables, like peas. To our surprise the salads came out first. We both ordered a ceaser salad which was over whelmed with parmesan cheese and very little lettuce. The Arancini arrived and there was five perfectly round what tasted like cheese balls. Some white rice with lots of cheese filling laying in a bowl of marinara sauce. We each had one ball. My entree of chicken Marsala arrived with a side of Fettuccine Alfredo. Basically it tasted like chicken with mushroom gravy. Very unappealing. The Alfredo sauce was flat, no flavor. My wife's Penne with Pesto lacked pesto. Tasted good but could of used more Pesto. I just have to say that this was the most lackluster Italian dinner I honestly have ever had. I really just don't understand the high reviews. I guess it wasn't our lucky day. read more

Cugino's is definitely one of the better laidback Italian joints in the greater Lansing area. They don't seem to take themselves too seriously and their food is darn good! You can show up in your jeans and t-shirts and have some solid Italian eats! The service seemed a bit standoffish initially but our server warmed up quickly. read more

Cugino's - 1/2 pasta Carbonara and 1/2 sausage Parmesan - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

Oh yes, pizza, calzones, Italian dishes. So delicious, such large portions, so busy! I can see why. Worth a drive if you're hungry. Salads are huge! They have a busy place so if you're 4+ you might be waitlisted but they have a bar and you can watch the food come out of the kitchen which may help you decide what to order! Family friendly, family run business, bustling with happy customers and wait staff. They are a great place if you are looking to get something different in the greater Lansing area. Can be a bit noisy but everyone is enjoying themselves. Bring your friends. Bring your family. Bring your appetite! Mangia!!! read more

Cugino's - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

Yummmy! The whole fam was in town tonight so we headed to Cuginos! I started off with a grand traverse Riesling which was so delish! My family all had side salads to start. Caesar dressing was thicker which is my preference. I opted for the 1/2 Michigan Cherry salad which was deeeelish! A few too many cherries for me but the candied walnuts were the chef's kiss! Since im from the Midwest, I opted for ranch instead of the vinaigrette. I was not disappointed. My family had some sort of pasta and red sauce, all of them were happy! I'd probably add a little bit of red pepper to the sauce if I got pasta. I live in Minneapolis now and we don't have good old Italian cooking like this. I treasure this place! The ambiance was great, not too loud and tables were spaced apart nicely. read more

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Outstanding food and service! Wow this place is great. My buddy and I had the chicken Parm and his wife had the shrimp Diablo and all were so amazing. Emily was our server and you should totally ask for her when you get here because she is the best. Very attentive to both food and drink needs. The chicken and the shrimp were both excellent and the pasta is divine. The red sauce has just a hint of spice in it and the white sauce which I had on my penne was the absolute perfect combination of butter and cheese. They have Bells 2 hearted but not much of a beer selection, but excellent liquor and wine selection to complement these classic Italian favorites Highly recommended I travel all over the Midwest and this will be a return spot when I'm coming across Lansing, Michigan read more

Cugino's - Chicken parm w penne and Alfredo - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

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We met with family for dinner. Our reason for choosing this particular restaurant was my husband's cousin had taken him there on a prior visit. Our family gathered to mourn the passing of his cousin. It is ironic that the name Cugino means cousin in Italian. There is a variety of parking in the area. We walked in on a busy Friday evening with six of us and they had space to get us in. The ambiance was cozy. It is dim but not too dark. Our server pointed us in the direction of a Mark West Pinot Noir. Three of us split a bottle. Our other dinner companions ordered by the glass as to suit their taste. We drank a toast to our cousin. There is a nice variety on the menu. We had a family member who is unable to do gluten and there were options for her pasta. She said it was tasty and she enjoyed her meal. I ordered the Ravioli al Forno. I chose the dinner salad with Italian dressing. The dish was a baked ravioli filled with a meat and cheese mixture. Their marinara sauce was delicious. The dish was topped with mozzarella and came with a bread stick. Note, to call is a bread stick is doing it a disservice. This was a wide chunk of baked deliciousness that could be pulled apart and dredged through the marinara. We all had boxes to take with us. Our server even took a family picture by the fireplace. read more

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Amazing Italian food. The deep dish pizza is fantastic! It is quite noisy in there but it isn't unbearable. Make sure to join the waitlist!

It's ok. We had the breadsticks for an appetizer. They are huge and a meal for the whole table. Unfortunately, even with the cheese and what looked like spices, I hey were bland. Took them home and added garlic then microwaved. A little better. We also had spaghetti with nos sauce (by choice), toasted ravioli, pizza, and breaded mushrooms. The kiddo gobbled up the spaghetti, so it must have been good. I am originally from St. Louis and have yet to find genuine toasted ravioli up here (my search continues). The mushrooms and pizza were very "food service" as my husband says. The waitress was very nice. There were TVs showing the local game. The place was old which made it interesting in my opinion. Sadly, the ambience isn't enough to bring us back. Gotta have good food too. But give them a try. You might have a different experience. Good luck! read more

Great value middle-grade Italian food. Great service and large serving sizes, some of the food is a tad bland, but overall, good Italian pick. read more

The staple in Grand Ledge. If you want great Italian comfort food, you'll feel right at home. A must visit in when in GL. read more

Service was decent. I had the Chicago style pizza and the dirty pirate (alcoholic beverage) My girlfriend had the ravioli and Long Island ice tea. Pizza came out burnt and was a bit disappointed in the flavor. Both of our drinks were super strong and I could only finish about half. Ravioli was better than the pizza. Not a bad spot for one of the only location in the greater lansing area that serves Chicago style pizza. read more

Service was fast. We got our appetizer really quickly. The breading was a little crumbly but the calamari inside was cooked perfectly. I'm not a huge crouton fan but the one on my salad were nicely toasted and seasoned. The Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp was delicious. They did not skip on the shrimp. Now the dressing for the Michigan Cherry Salad.... Campaign apple vinaigrette amazing. Omg it was so good. The place is beautiful. Worth the time to try it from our trip from Texas! Amina was an excellent waitress, she check on us just enough. It was perfect. read more

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Located right in downtown Grand Ledge, my friend who has lived in the Lansing area for over a decade took me here because it's one of her favorite restaurants in the area. It is definitely some super solid Italian food, with a lot of more unique dishes than you might normally find at an Italian American restaurant. The vibes here are very casual though and frankly remind me of an Olive Garden, so I was slightly apprehensive at first, but it ended up being so delightful. The staff were so friendly, the portions are overwhelmingly massive, you'll definitely have food for at least another meal with the leftovers you'll have! My friend and I split the stuffed shells and the ravioli with vodka sauce and they were both so good! The marinara sauce and just the sauces in both pasta dishes were so unique, unlike marinara and vodka sauces I've tasted before. It really gave some extra layers to the taste as I was eating them and that's what really set this place apart from other Italian restaurants I've been to. We got meatballs with the stuff shells, which were also massive and delicious. You can tell the meatballs are housemade because you can request however many you want to add to each dish and each meatball is differently shaped and not super uniform at all. All pastas came with a giant bread stick (super filling, not much seasoning on it but enhanced when you dip it in the remaining pasta sauce on your plate) and a side salad. I got the caesar salad and it was a caesar salad. No complaints here other than you had to roll me out of the restaurant! My leftovers lasted an additional two meals afterwards. Highly recommend Cugino's for a proper hearty meal - perfect on cold winter days! read more

Cugino's - Stuffed Shells - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

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Picked up a pizza last night because we had friends over. The pizza was obviously burned. It was also very dry. I am wondering why they let an obviously burned pizza go out the door to any customer. Very disappointing. read more

Cugino's - Sample of what the whole pizza looked like. - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

We met family here for the first time as it was highly recommended by friends. We knew it must be good when there was a 30 minute wait on a Wednesday. Service was so friendly and prompt! We all shared a pizza that was amazing and my husband loved his pasta. The prices and portions were great. Not a single complaint! We can't wait to go back! read more

Cugino's - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

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Visited 8:30 on a Saturday. Almost completely empty, very nice and quiet, Nice lighting, too. Not a big fan of cheese smell, but this restaurant smelled like it to say the least Got a calzone and French fries. Pretty good food for a pretty decent price! read more

Cugino's - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

Great service but not good. Unfortunately the food did not impress. My concern was starting out 0/3: -Went there for the Olive burger, but they no longer make it. -Also went there for the cheese breadsticks, but they stopped putting the cheese on it. -Then the icing on the cake was no thousand island dressing for the salad. Again: great service, but not great food. They no longer have some of their best food items. Even the waitress said customers request them a lot. Look at the photos online, it's primary their breadsticks with cheese on top. Not a smart move to remove these items. Sadly I settled for a dish that tasted like it was w/ canned marinara sauce. Would try again if they brought these items Back. It is a cute restaurant in a small town. read more

Never have had a bad experience with either food or service! Their prices are still very reasonable compared to other places which many have skyrocketed in cost. Love this place! read more

Absolutely delicious food and amazing staff. We never had a bad meal or waitress. They always busy but after tasting the food, you can see why. Their pizza is soooo good along with the chicken marsala mixed in with the fettuccine served with it. Come hungry! read more

What a hidden gem well at least hidden to us. Met family here because it's about halfway from where we just moved. The ambiance is awesome and a line for dinner at 6:30 on a Wednesday is always a good sign. I had the ravioli in vodka sauce and it was outstanding the other 3 people split a pizza and they couldn't stop raving about it. The breadsticks were huge but still light and airy and had great flavor. Cesar dressing tasted homemade. This will definitely be a go to for meeting family and friends. Server was awesome and very friendly and attentive. read more

Michigan family vacation...looking for something for the whole family. Classic Italian restaurant decor and good crowd for mid-week...always a good sign. Arrived around 7:00, immediately seated; friendly wait staff. Split the Cherry Salad and Hawaiian pizza with my wife. Salad loaded with fruit, nuts and Gorgonzola and accompanied with a warm, soft garlic bread stick! Pizza with plenty of toppings; crust crispy on the edge and soft in the middle. Family also ordered a calzone and the spicy chicken penne (added shrimp); both very good. Serving sizes were good...more than enough for each of us. Solid choice! read more

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I love Italian food and this place hit the spot. Everything I had was delicious. I want to go back and try something new. This time I had the chicken Parmesan with a side salad, homemade bread, and spaghetti. This place is highly recommended in my foodies group so I was so happy to finally check it out. read more

Cugino's - Chicken Parmesan, really good! - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

Sooooo busy! Ver busy on thr inside but thr outside was seat yourself. They didn't announce it but we came through the back and there was a sign on the door. Pizza sauce is absolutely amazing! My Gluten free Alfredo was awesome and my family loved their food. The deep fried ravioli was awesome and that anti pasta salad was so good!! Can't wait to go back to try more! Wish they would have a better stair area for seating, the ability to reserve a table or an online waitlist with how busy they are. read more

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It seems like most of the places I have eaten at lately are average at best. Cugino's is at another level. Their food and service really stand out and their portions are often enough for two meals. It's definitely worth the drive! read more

We spent the weekend in Grand Ledge to check out a few local restaurants that people talked highly about. We got dressed up and went to this place and were very disappointed by a couple of things. One, once we were sat I looked around and didn't care for the ambiance. Beer signs and TVs. I expected a more Italian look. I later discovered it was just the area we were sat in. I wish we would have been given a choice. The garlic bread was amazing and huge. We ordered it as an appetizer and there were four of us. We each ate one and it was plenty. The problem was we also received one with each meal, something the menu never mentioned because had it, we wouldn't have ordered it as an appetizer. I ordered the spicy chicken penne and was very disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, it's just, the way this place was talked about, I didn't expect frozen chicken chunks, bought noodles and my food to be swimming in the sauce. Out of all of the places we went over the weekend though it was one of my kids' favorite. read more

I haven't been to Cugino's for a long time. Went there last week and was disappointed. Ordered a pizza for pick up. The pizza was overdone and burnt on the edges. The toppings were very salty. All in all, I can get a better pizza at other places. For the price, the pizza was on the small size. Probably won't be back for a long time (again) read more

We arrived right around opening and it was already busy. Once we were sat, everything went smooth. The server was helpful and gave good advice about what to get. We enjoyed the Cugino's house special pizza. The toppings were very fresh and they have very good ranch. Inside it feels very comfortable and homey, and even when crowded it feels spacious. read more

Cugino's - Cugino's pizza - Pizza Near Me - Grand Ledge, Michigan

Had their deep dish pizza. It was delicious! The crust was crispy on the bottom, the sauce was perfect, and it was so thick that two small slices was a whole meal. The service was friendly and prompt from the hostess, the wait staff, and the food servers. A wonderful night out! read more

Extremely affordable for Italian. Food is very good for the price, but does sit heavy. Appetizers not necessary for a full meal. Wings highly recommended, get sauce on the side read more

I wasn't kidding when I said I'd be coming back here! This place was the first thing on my list of restaurants to go to when I came back. I got the penne alla vodka with chicken and my friend got the ravioli with vodka sauce...can you tell we are absolutely obsessed with their vodka sauce?! This time we ate at the restaurant since we came on a weekday and it was much less crowded, but still busy! read more

Our first visit here as we were referred for their Calzones and pizza. They open at 4, and by 5 they were well full on a "Monday".We are true Italians ourselves, so we were excited as there are not many Italian restrurants in the area that are "homey", and great for a normal blue collar facial in rural areas. Nice olsder building in the old Grand ledge area.Walking in thru the back entrance as we could not get a parking spot on the street...That said...It was VERY dimly lite, and we had to stop in our tracks as our eyes reajusted. We found our way thru the darkness to the "hostess station. She got us a table quickly as it was only 4:00 their opening time. That said, I was getting excited as it reminded me of mom and pop Italian restrurants/Pizzaria places where I grew up in Detroit. We started with the Bread sticks WITH melted cheese to "share with the 4 of us". I thought I "would DIE and go to Heaven! Amazing! The BEST part was the DELICIOUS Marinia sause in a cup that came with the order. I could of DRANK the whole thing!Seriously! NOW, I was REALLY excited to order what I came for as it was my 74 birthday, and I "wanted a Good pizza, with a Great CRUST, and after "tasting that Marinara sauce earlier...I just KNEW the sauce on my pizza was going to be "perfect, the same sauce. . We ordered a 14 inch...one half pepperoni and cheese, the other side 5 meat lover ,original crust. My grandaughter ordered a Calazone. We ordered a half order of Greek salad to spilt beteen my hubby and I. Her Calazone was perfect, so large she had to take 75% home. The greek salad was very messy to eat, as instead of "mixing all the ingredients, the ingredients were displayed in "sections on TOP of the lettuce(which was cut into very small pieces) This presentation caused me to "litterly use my fingers to distribute and mix the salad so all" the ingredients actually got "distributed INTO the lettuce.This is on a very TIGHT tabletop..Spilling onto the tabletop(booth) Grrrr...But I stayed calm and carried on as my hubby is fumming.(he's Italian, and used to the way I do things) That said, I was NOW ready to take my long awaited 1st bite into Cujinos pizza (after tasting that delicious Marinar sauce(it tasted like my 8 hour sauce I make on Sundays) WRONG! First bite was SO acidic! Like pure "tomato PASTE out of a can!" The authenic Italian crust was a big disappointment The pizza Flopped when we picked up a piece(true test of a good crust) My 8 year old grandaughter said "this is NOT good crust grandma". Another letdown, was the meatlover side ,it was 5 meats "all jumbled together(looked like they ground it all together) rather than hand placing each meat onto the pizza. I know, I make from scratch pizza. Yes, I understand they have lots of customers, and time is of essence when running a pizza place and restaurant.But THIS is just plain laziness. Even Jets, or Pizza Hut "place each item "separtatly on the pizza.Nice chunks. Their Salads are "beautifully "mixed"and presented. This is a "sit down pizza with family place, but to "cut prep time, they short cut the customer. Yes, it "takes more time to "PLACE pizza topping onto the pizza, and it "takes more time to MIX the ingredients i INTO the salad greens...But it's ALSO so much more ENJOYABLE to the diner guest! Please use a better sauce on your pizzas.Use chunks of Meat(Bacon, sausage, beef, pepperoni(that was whole at least, but STILL "mixed in the 5 meat combination)It was so mixed together I could not TELL what was what meat) That said, We will be back again, NOT for your pizza, but to try your Italian specialties menu. We did like the atmosphere...But I almost FLEW down a set of two small steps as we walked back the the restrurant to get out the back entrance! Luckily, our waitress "happened to be standing by those tiny steps to get something out of the kitchen. Seriously.you definitly need to put in updated lighting...Especially by steps/ramps, etc. If I hadn't looked down"at just the RIGHT moment.I would have went flying. A serious fall, as it would have been "head first" Looking forward to returning, just not for pizza. Definitly for the cheese bread. I am curious to see if your pasta dishes pass the test of a real Italian Nonna. If not, its back to Francisco's Bistro in St.Louis,Mi. BEST pizza , crust and sauce and individually hand placed toppings onto the pizza. Along with nicely mixed salads,ready to eat. They have a fabulous homemade meat sauce and meatballs to die for. You can actully "see once inside the restrurant". Oh, some Italian music might be nice at your restrurant too. Atmostphere is everything! Cujinos bread sticks with cheese WEREworth the trip. More garlic seasoning please. I do love that you do use REAL mozzarella cheese on your dishes! So much fun seeing that cheese just Drip off the food and "twist it with my fork and fingers into my mouth! The grandaughters "loved THAT about our food! read more

DELICIOUS ITALIAN - COME HUNGRY! - TIPS BELOW After a Tuesday full of meetings, our customers in Lansing chose this restaurant for dinner. PQ made the reservation and Frank C. promised a good experience, not only because he knew the owner and they had been here multiple times, but because everyone in the office loved it! When Kylee came to take our order she was very kind, fast and amicable.... And the food was out very quickly despite being a super busy night. For appetizers we ordered the bread sticks ($10) with cheese . You can order them without cheese but we all agreed with Kelly in that we had to had the ones with cheese ! There are 8 breadsticks in this appetizer and there were 6 of us... But each breadstick is the size of a small loaf of bread , sooooo... let the challenge begin! My plate, the Spicy Chicken Penne ($12.50) comes with a breadstick (Or "delicious crusty small loaf of bread" if you'd like to call it that) and a salad. The salads are accompanied of the usual dressings. I could taste FRESH INGREDIENTS in everything I was eating and for $2 USD I decided to hide the Spicy Chicken Penne under a DELICIOUS crust of baked cheese. I couldn't finish my plate, but I aspire to be like TJ, who did finish his Pasta Roma! Cugino's overdelivered in flavor, service, portion size and value. What I noticed is that people come to Cugino's not only because of this, but the environment is totally family-friendly and very cozy: At every table you'd looked at you'd see friends, large tables with families and everyone with big smiles in their faces, and our table was no exception. TIP: Call ahead to make a reservation. It was PACKED on a Tuesday night! TIP: You can order half orders if you're traveling or can't bring food back home (my colleague Kim did that). They'll discount the price. #ruizmedina #Italian read more

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They quoted my take out 25 minutes. After 50 minutes of waiting I finally got my food. They forgot all the salads. The smug kid behind the counter slid my bag to me with a violent "Here!" and then went back into the kitchen. read more

Food looks great, I had Chicago style pizza....Way too much sauce. Waitress was great. Nice atmosphere, really loud, way too long of a wait to get in. read more

Everyone raves about Cugino's, especially now that Deluca's closed, so I gave it a try. This place is great if you love standard American food. By that I mean, huge portions, lots of grease and butter, and tons of carbs. I figured it would be this way, but holding the two boxes and feeling how dense and heavy they were, I knew my thought to be true. The breadsticks looked amazing. However, the cheese was a solid layer that slid right off. Without their cheesy covering, they were just thick blocks of regular bread. One portion of breadstick was so large I worried I would be too full to even have a slice of pizza. The pizza was good. Greasy and heavy, but alright. Plenty of pepperoni. We thought the sausage was bacon at first, since it wasn't even sausage crumbles, more like sausage dust. I'd like to try one of their non-pizza dishes before I write them off completely. If you like lighter-feeling food, healthy food, I don't recommend Cugino's. If you like a good old American 'Italian' meal, definitely go for it. read more

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The food here is amazing and so is the staff. Get the pizza if you haven't been here before. Be prepared to wait however because this is a very popular spot. If you have the time it is worth it and more. I guarantee you will come back time and time again. read more

Great food but it is so hard to enjoy because of the acoustics. It is always so loud there. If it was a quieter environment it would be amazing. read more

Stopped in again Still delicious! We had an hour wait this time because it seems everyone else in the county had the same idea. So worth it though. We ordered drinks at the bar while we were waiting and once we were seated and ordered, the food started coming pretty quickly. Kudos to the staff for handling that kind of chaos! read more

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Why this place has such high reviews I don't know. Must have been eating the wrong thing. This feels like old school mom and pop restaurant where things are never updated and everything is just very casual in terms of their service. The food is bland . Pasta carbonara was made with breakfast bacon or something? Not a carbonara at all. No sauce . Very dry , always needs salt or something. It all tastes like someone made stuff in batches then spends the rest of the day microwaving it and adding sauce to it . No one needs giant portions of food, spend more time perfecting the taste then just making giant plates of pasta . read more

This is by far not authentic Italian food. Highly disappointed. I'm all for supporting small businesses. I ordered veal Parmesan. Literally could not even cut through the veal with my knife it was so tough. Husband ordered lasagna. It was a huge portion but was hidden with ridiculous amounts of cheese and sauce that honestly tasted like jarred Ragu sauce . Also ordered Arancini for an appetizer. So bland tasting. Again the marinara sauce lacks any taste. No oregano or basil taste besides a very acidic Taste. I don't understand the many great reviews. Do people not know the taste of true Italian food? I do not like Olive Garden nor Carreras. Honestly a frozen Stouffer's dinner probably would have tasted better. Also noticed there was no manager/owner asking any diners how their meals were. There's your sign. Yet their website claims that every dish is crafted with warmth and authenticity??? read more