Okay so I know I've left a review from this place before however I don't see it on the list and the Yelp is prompting me to do it again.. possibly because a few months ago the ownership changed. This restaurant is known all over the area for having the best prime rib and I'm assuming it still is as good as like I said there's new ownership and I don't believe they changed a whole lot on the menu but until I've actually tried it again I can't say for sure. My wife has always enjoyed the lobster ravioli however a couple weeks ago when we were there she had it and it does taste different. Now I do have sort of an inside track on this because my daughter works there now however she didn't know for sure if any recipes were changed or not. Now don't get me wrong the lobster are we only still tasted great but it wasn't what my wife expected because something was different. She still finished it and was happy. I went with a broiled fish option which was also tasty and the place was as usual clean and appeared to be a very nice atmosphere. This was the last time I was there a couple weeks ago, I also visited on Easter this last April, and that experience wasn't quite as nice. And the only reason I say that is because they had a buffet and there's nothing against the buffet at this restaurant it was done very well and everything was presented beautifully however in my opinion buffets just don't seem to taste as good as when you get a fresh plate from the kitchen. Now coincidentally, my birthday was a couple days ago and this weekend I will be going back here to have dinner with my in-laws and with that being said the possibility does exist I might come back and add to this review. I'm fully expecting it to be another nice dining experience so I might not revisit this perhaps only if something really outstanding or horribly tragic happens. I did give this particular review four stars instead of five five partially because of that lobster ravioli tasting different and partially because I'm not quite yet convinced about the new ownership not affecting the overall quality. We will see how this weekend goes and like I said perhaps revisit this then read more

What happened? 1st visit in awhile. Taste of food was way off!! Pasta e fagioli was tomato sauce from a can with some noodles!! Not impressed read more

Went at 515 pm ordered and 16 minutes later waitress tells us no med rare prime rib.if we want Mr have to wait till 615. Was told med was good so we said ok. At 605 brought out medium, very dry and no more garlic taste. They said they would bring out MR when ready, not sure it would of mattered. We are done with Donoli s. Been going for nearly 30 yrs. The last few years not good Waitress was fantastic. read more

we had a group of 8 , half the food was burnt or overcooked, some things were totally undercooked, some were just cold. we didn't get everything we ordered and the service sucked. asked to talk to the owner and she didn't seem like she cared. then she did cut the bill in half but was not happy about it. sorry but what kind of restaurant sen out burnt and food, like you see its burnt and your like oh well. no, people are spending their hard earned money to eat at your restaurant, you should be serving good food, maybe get rid of your chef , they obviously don't know how to cook. read more

Here's a restaurant that I would not recommend to anybody that isn't looking for more than bar food. On their menu, they have our prime rib some pasta dishes. This is the food that people would like to go to and eat if they're on a date night. This was my birthday and my wife took me here. I couldn't go with the vibe of the decor of the restaurant and understanding why you would need a reservation for a one wall separating the bar in a dining room. The restaurant decor in general just felt generic and something you would see only in a bar. when you were asking for drinks, such as beverages as in soda and things of that nature, my wife was brought out a bottle of root beer. It's not on tap. There were a few other items that were not on top that were on their menu. This is understandable too. The supplier may have been unable to provide that service to them. what is really disappointing and irritating was that I ordered prime rib which came with a salad and a baked baked potato loaded. The salad contained one red tomato as in cherry tomato, two pieces of pepperoni and a yellow pepper pepper, and one single strand of onion. Needless to say, I removed the pepper and two pieces of pepperoni, which I have no idea why would be in a salad. The bread that was served to us look like garlic bread that was burnt on the ends. The prime rib came to us, and it was ordered, medium rare what I received was cold and rare. The baked potato I ordered loaded contained nothing but mozzarella cheese. my wife had a good pasta, which was chicken Alfredo. The other thing that is misleading about the restaurant is when it comes to your bill, you get two different choices you can pay in cash, which would be the lesser of the bill or if you pay with a card you get a added tax so that they can cover the processing of that card. I took the meat home and grilled it. The server was good not great she only checked on us once. It was not her fault. This restaurant should not be considered more than a last resort for your taste buds to go and die. This is definitely the place you go if you want to avoid any social events and or needing to take two days off from work. The only thing that could save this restaurant is the health department. read more

Donoli's Restaurant - Raw and cold Prime Rib with loaded potato under cooked motazella cheese on it. - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

Food was excellent. I sat at the bar. I ordered the broiled Haddock with lightly seasoned butter sauce. I had a salad with Italian dressing. Also selected the mashed potatoes. The Haddock was perfect. Very light and healthy. The salad as good. It was just the right size. Not too bulky. The mashed potatoes were out of sight. They were freshly made and very tasty. The service was very accommodating. She was very thorough in the ordering process. The bartender/server was checking in on us very often. The ambiance was good. The bar seats were very comfortable. It had a large bar counter top. It was very quiet where we sat. read more

Prime rib and garlic parm knots are the only things this place gets right. Couldn't find the raviolis in the sea of bland tomato sauce. The special chicken Alfredo looks like they used a can of bad creamed soup in it. Neither meals got even eaten half way. I had high hopes for the place but was very disappointed. read more

Wow, used to be great, got a chicken sandwich, ya might as well been a slab of pepper, and my rings.... a salt lick for a horse would be less salty read more

Authentic Italian Food & AMAZING steaks! Friendly Stuff with Romantic Atmosphere! Thank you! Must Go! Bring your wife - I DID!! read more

Donoli's Restaurant - Italian Feast & Delmonico Streak Dinner - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

See all

I was there recently for the first time and the last time. I have no idea who is cooking there but they should get rid of them. I truly could not cut my green beans with a butter knife, they were so hard. The potatoes were not cooked through, pretty tough. The prime rib was good and the chicken parm was good too. read more

the food and staff here are a complete joke. literally felt like I was in a movie. this place has always been my mom's favorite restaurant, but this year was completely different. my fish tasted like it had been in the freezer for year and my friend's chicken was completely raw. we showed our server but she acted clueless. no one liked their food at all. I fear the cook had it out for us, like they TRIED to ruin the food or something. genuinely anywhere else would've been better. I'm just upset that my mom's birthday dinner was ruined. I totally recommend this place to anyone who needs the next few day off of work. read more

Oct 11, 2025. We tried the under new ownership Donoli's. It was extremely disappointing. We use to love it. The negatives were too many too list them all. Service very slow. Waitress left alot to be desired..(I don't want to be mean...) Chicken parm was burnt and crunchy, med prime rib was RAW. Salmon was dry, no sauce as described. No longer make lasagna!!!! No longer recommend... read more

My husband ordered shrimp scampi, it tasted and looked like ramen noodles with a few small shrimp added. I ordered broiled haddock with a baked potato but received cold mashed potatoes and my salad was primarily brown, wilted lettuce. Needless to say, we will not be back or recommending this place. The only good thing about our visit was our waitress, she was attentive and very friendly. read more

Had a great dinner here with family. I'd heard it was good and had been to a banquet here years ago, but had never been to the restaurant until this meal. The atmosphere was very approachable and casual, we were greeted and told we could seat ourselves when we entered. There's a bar side and a "dining room" in the restaurant, and we decided to sit in a booth on the bar side because we thought it was a little cozier and actually quieter than the dining room. In response to reviews saying the interior is dated, I agree it's not exactly a "modern" aesthetic, but it's not at all in disrepair, the place is clean, and the old neighbourhood feel suits the mood. After we sat down, a waitress was right with us to bring water, and came back quickly to get our drink orders. She was friendly and consistently there when we needed something but not over-attentive. I started with their house Blackberry Sangria (red wine base). It was a lot sweeter than I was expecting (and went down super easy as a result) but very tasty. They also had a Peach Sangria with white wine, which my parents ordered and I tasted, and this was equally good. Then I got my salad and breadsticks appetizer. The breadsticks were really nice - they were like a homemade version of an Olive Garden breadstick. I loved their Italian dressing, it was very vinegar-y. I had the Lobster Ravioli for my entree. I really liked the unique touch of the seafood cream sauce instead of a plain white sauce, and the filling was delicious. I also ate my mom's Manicotti leftovers a few days later and really enjoyed it. For dessert, I had the Tiramisu, and had a taste of the Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake and Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake that my parents ordered. The cake was a little crumbly but still good, and otherwise everything was lovely. The cheesecake might've been my favourite for the texture which was like heaven for the one bite that I had. The portions were generous (as mentioned, my mom had lots of leftovers, and I took a few pieces of ravioli home), and the prices are great for how much we got and how good it was. read more

See all

We've been here many times over the years. This past weekend we stopped and had dinner. I guess we're use to the watered down salad dressing and small portions for the money. My salad had a large stump from I believe endive. This was half the size of your fist, in a salad bowl. The server did offer a new salad. My wife got a chicken dish she likes that was about half the portion from just a few months ago. My dish was seafood pasta and was a light portion as well. This became more apparent when the table next to us got the same dish and the portion was noticeably larger. We'll have to think twice before returning. Very expensive for very small and mediocre food and service. How bad it must be to water down salad dressing and cut portions. read more

I would like to start this review by saying a lady in the rest room told me, and I quote "the prime rib is the best in the world". Thanks to her because that's what I chose. Our waitress, Amanda, was fun, helpful and really attentive. She made food and drink selections that were on point. There were 4 of us eating dinner and we chose the combination appetizer. There was a lot of fried food, which was stated on the menu. The portion was very large and would have easily killed our appetites. Then salads, soup and garlic breadsticks. I swear I was getting food sweats and we hadn't even reached the main course. My 20 oz prime rib was cooked perfectly and the baked potato was super loaded. My family had enormous portions of the shrimp and crab alfredo. And the barbecue ribs...just wow! I tried the pasta and have honestly never tasted a better sauce. The meal was followed by dessert on the house for my sister's and my birthday. Cannolis! They were soft and the filling was perfectly sweet. Thank you Donoli's!! We had a wonderful experience and will always continue to come back. read more

See all

Donoli's has been one of my favorite spots for 20+ years. Every time we are back in the area, we try to grab dinner here. Just a hidden gem in Apalachin for good Italian food, away from the Tri-cities area. The prime rib is delicious, and our usual go-to. The fettuccine was a new dish for us, but got rave reviews from our party. read more

See all

I never leave restaurant reviews but I have to in this case. I ordered pizza to go about a month ago. It wasn't baked enough and just didn't taste good. I figured it was a fluke because in the past their pizza was ok. I ordered one last night. Uch, way too much sauce, and again, not baked enough. It did not taste good at all. My stomach started to bother me 2 hours later and I actually had pain all night long. I spoke with a friend this morning and she told me that she had the exact same experience a week ago!!! What happened to Donoli's pizza??? read more

A damp Saturday seemed like a great time for an Italian comfort food lupper. So, a short ride to Appalachin, NY seemed like a worthwhile adventure. Nineteen years have passed since we ate at Donoli's, so we decided to give it a shot. We were glad we did! Our server, Amanda, seated us immediately and took excellent care of us our entire visit. We had the Italian Feast for Meg. She loves Italian Greens and hasn't had any she cared much for since our last meal in Utica. She loved everything, especially the Greens. I gauge Italian restaurants, maybe unfairly, by their Lazagna. Donoli's had the best Lazagna I've had in years. I neglected to ask Amanda the brand of Lambrusco they serve, but it was just what I'd hoped for. Again, the best we've had out in a long time. Ee ate in the bar area. The decor is pretty standard "lical pub" with sports on the big TV, and plenty of stools at the long bar. Everything was spotlessly clean, and there was plenty of room in the booths to be very comfortable. I recommend Donoli's. If you're not passing by, make the trip. read more

Donoli's Restaurant - A couple of menu pages. - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

The Scales are broken here. Everything is big and great and the food. When I am in town to Visit my Mom I come here so much. Used to eat here as a kid and it was fancy fancy. Even then the Scales were broke. Seafood is great and I love the place. Some visits its literally every other meal. read more

Great value for the $$$... $14 for the "itialian feast" . Got 2 meals out of it. Our waitress was great too

Visited this place last night with my buddy Nelson, very easy to drive by, not the place that we were particularly looking to stop in..., glad we did, best, prime rib, best service, bartender, Kathy, and every single person in the bar just made us feel comfortable, Would consider driving an hour and a half back at another time just for the food and atmosphere read more

Loved this restaurant, their selection of Italian food was excellent. I had the Gnocchi Parmesan and it was tasty and filling! I thoroughly enjoyed their mozzarella sticks and stuffed mushrooms too. I liked the rustic Italian atmosphere, which was very fitting. Our server, Nicole, was very attentive to our family. We had an excellent experience overall. read more

Was going to go to another place to eat when we were coming by Donoli's. Not wildly busy yet at 5, we were able to be seated immediately. Hostess was very kind and polite along with our server whom hands down should be teaching other servers (around the area) how to act. Our food was amazing, I ordered the manicotti which always tastes fresh and homemade, my boyfriend got the strip steak which I don't know if he's ever had it cooked to his picky liking besides here...it was cooked PERFECTLY!! We both got bar drinks (Guinness and Blue Moon) which we're very good, and ended the dinner with their delicious homemade tiramisu...and from someone who makes it themselves, THIs WAS AMAZING! So for anyone who thinks this place is "outdated and old" well good, they've focused on food and patrons, not style and if your food should be served on a silver platter!! Thank you Donoli's, we will return soon! read more

See all

I absolutely adore their lasagna and fagioli soup. Today was the first time I ever ordered it from their website and was amazed on how easy and simple it was without any extra fees for using it and I could use my Apple Pay. This was the best online ordering experience I have ever had. I am looking forward to, patronizing this establishment more frequently due to the ease of on line ordering. Pick up was easy at the end of the bar where your first walk in which was also aplus. read more

I've been coming here for years, sad to have to say it, but it's food and service aren't what they were as recently as this summer. After waiting 15 minutes for our drinks to hit the table, we had to wait 20 more to place our order. After placing our order, my tea refill was returned 30 minutes later when food was delivered cold and wrong. " The Manager" came to the table finding most of the food untouched and offered a 50% comp. Needless to say..... fortunately there are other options read more

This restaurant is wonderful for some things. The soup starter was delicious, as was the bread. I ordered the Veal Francaise. It arrived DEEP FRIED rather than sautéed and was overcooked/chewy, and, at best, room temp. For $31 I would have hoped for a better meal. My husband's prime rib was cooked perfectly. Our waitress was great. The ambiance is what you'd expect in a local Italian restaurant. read more

Ordered the spaghetti dish with red sauce and meaballs and it was terrible. The sauce was watery and the spaghetti felt like it wasn't drained and was thrown right in the bowl and made the sauce even more watery....will NOT go back, especially with what we paid for a bowl of spaghetti!!! read more

What a great experience. A quaint neighborhood style pizzeria whose specialty for years has been their Prime Rib. Definitely the best Prime Rib offered in the area. A generous cut, that melted in our mouth. A 20oz cut with bread sticks, salad, and side for $30. Upfront seating is booth (tight): back room is regular tables. A diner in our party ordered the Chicken Alfredo. Very tender and a very generous portion. Everyone that we saw leave the restaurant had take-home boxes. read more

Donoli's Restaurant - This is Donoli's smaller 10oz cut. 20oz was exceptional. - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

If was not with family who insisted this place had the best prime rib I would have turned around and left. Don't get me wrong, the staff was super nice and helpful but the place felt super dated and not clean. The bathroom ehhh. Food was okay at best. Salads were basic iceberg lettuce with dressing dumped on top not even tossed in. Veal and chicken parm were okay, prime rib was tough even at medium. Saving grace was really the staff that was helpful when we took our seats and server visited regular to fill drinks and take care of our requests. read more

Donoli's Restaurant - Veal Parmesan with a side of pasta and mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

We haven't been to Donoli's restaurant in a long time. We were invited for a birthday dinner recently. There were 12 of us and the squeezed us in., We were elbow to elbow. The waitress was very nice and worked hard to make us as comfortable as she could. They have increased their prices as all restaurants have, which I understand. But the food quality has also changed and not for the better. I order a rigatoni dish it's was not the same as described on the menu. It was simply a rigatoni Alfredo. It was tasteless and the sauce was watery. We will not return read more

Every time I eat here I am underwhelmed. I would compare to to eating at a wedding... the food is fine. Nothing special. You won't remember eating it but will certainly get enough to fill you up. The price is fine but for all the other choices in the area, unless you live within walking distance or regularly pass by... I can't see why I'd ever go out of my way to come back. read more

Donoli's Restaurant - Pasta Fagioli soup is okay. - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

This place is a sleeper! I've lived in the area for 15 years and past up this restaurant but what a huge mistake. Donoli's a fabulous experience. The food is fantastic, you won't leave hungry and the price point is a bargain. Their prime rib and prime rib sandwiches are superb. Appetizers and salads are fantastic. The bar is well stocked and pours are generous. The staff is just as fantastic, I can't say enough great things about this establishment. We've been her 5 or 6 times in the past 6 months and it's been consistently phenomenal. Highly recommend for great food at a bargain price. 5 stars is an understatement! read more

Prime rib to die for. Excellent service and excellent food at a very reasonable price. What more could you ask for!!!

Great food, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, prime rib was awesome!!! Would go back!

Came hear today on Aug 10th for dinner, first time here....warmly greeted in a fantastic old school Italian restaurant. Being from the West Coast I wanted some good Italian Pasta food.....I asked the owner, Linda, who was extremely accommodating and she pointed me to the handmade Italian gnocchi parm....it was absolutely amazing....the bread Stix from a local bakery....delisshhhh.....Being a wine snob they even accommodated my wine pour so I could split it up and have and enjoy a smaller pour which I enjoy more....altogether a great experience and I strongly recommend Donolis.....a nice family owned restaurant and a great experience!!!! Thank you Linda and our wonderful server Kayla ( I think) so much going on with family.... read more

Donoli's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

See all

We just had a birthday celebration party for my mothers 85th birthday. There were approximately 20 adults and five children ages five and under. Our server was very sweet and she worked very hard. I'm not sure why she didn't have any help serving. They put us in a beautiful hideaway room and we had a lot of family privacy. The food was very good and everybody was pleased. We were allowed to bring our own cake in and they charge us a minimal fee for plating. Overall it was a good experience and I would recommend it for a large family party. I am updating my review because we just had a very wonderful experience out on their back patio! Our server was very attentive I think his name was Justin. Beautiful gazebo seating area it's lit there's a television out here. The porkchops were excellent and my husband's chicken Parm was huge portions are amazingly large. Delicious too the sauce is scrumptious! read more

Donoli's Restaurant - This is a beautiful gazebo in the back porch setting area. - Italian Near Me - Apalachin, New York

Service was excellent, from the host, bartender and food server. However the food ... not so good. Salad was wilted , prime rib was just ok and all hot food was served cold and seemed "old" definitely not fresh. Love to go back but disappointed with the quality of food read more

5 stars on value, Go directly to the prime rib special, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. I go here every time I visit my parents and I have to tell you they have the best prime rib special ever! for ballpark $15 you get soup salad potato and the biggest piece of prime rib I have ever seen. My wife makes it no secret that one of the reasons she can tolerate a visit to the in-laws is a visit to Donoli's. Place is definitely a hidden jem. Parents go their quite often and to date haven't had a misstep with anything on the menu. So if you find yourself in Apalachin and want to take a crack at something obscenely similar to the ol' 96er that John Candy tried to put away in the "Great Outdoors" this is the place. Sadly there are no free hats if you do manage to finish your entire meal. read more

With nearly hundreds of options for Italian in the area, Donoli's doesn't even crack the top 50 list for me. Last night, I went for the basic ravioli al forno with a side of meatballs. Their sauce is mediocre at best, no flavors stood out at all. Luckily, they keep garlic salt in a shaker on the table. One of the meatballs I ordered was delicious, while the second was still frozen in the middle! The pasta was slightly under cooked and still crunchy on the edges. The garlic bread was essentially a small torpedo roll, sliced down middle with garlic butter poured over it! The bread itself was tasty and seemed homemade but I don't understand the preparation technique at all. Maybe they were having a bad night but I don't think I'll be back. read more