We had an enjoyable dinner at Ennio's! We came here after celebrating a friend's convocation, and everything we ordered was great! I ordered the carbonara, which was very creamy and the pasta was cooked al dente. The lavender + lemon ice cream was also great - perfect level of sourness although we couldn't taste the lavender as much. The service was also great and welcoming! read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Lavender + Lemon Ice Cream - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Portions were reasonable, tastes pretty good, interior is very homey feel. Service was okay. read more

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Delicious risotto, one of the best margherita pizzas we've ever had, classic Caesar salad (not overdressed, a common fail in SO many restaurants), and a perfectly refreshing pitcher of Sangria... What's not to like? read more

Food & service are okay. Nothing mind blowing but comfort, home-style Italian food & dishes are presented nicely! Menu provides details about each dish & not too hard to navigate. There's a small parking lot at the back! read more

Food: I ordered the mushroom cream sauce steak farfalle which was on the expensive side among all of the pastas. Luckily, it did not disappoint me and I enjoyed this pasta very much. It was also my first time trying farfalle and I loved it! My first few bites were amazing because the steak was soft and full of flavour, however the sauce got a bit too oily towards the end and I had a hard time finishing the whole pasta in one eating. Portion: Big, I had left over for my lunch the next day Environment: traditional classy western family style restaurant read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I had lunch on Wednesday at Ennio's Pasta House. Sarah, my server, started me off with some bread. It was crusty on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Yum! I ordered a Diet Coke and a Bambino pizza. The pop came in a glass bottle, which you don't see often. I love pizza and this was good. The sauce was sweet and spicy, which was an interesting but tasty combination. For a small pizza, it was too much for one sitting so I took half the pizza to-go ... I love leftovers! Sarah was friendly and took good care of me. read more

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What a pleasant surprise! Definitely don't come here for the ambience, but the food was surprisingly delicious. My SO and I split the house salad and the creamy vodka pasta. They split both items onto two plates for us which was a nice touch. The pasta was so hearty and flavourful! They also don't skimp on the portions at all. They have a decent drink menu as well. I definitely would not be disappointed if I had to eat here again! read more

Never disappoints! The best pasta restaurant in Waterloo. With a welcoming family-oriented environment, you are created with a smile from all staff. The ambience is a more intimate setting for family and friends with dimmed lights and even better for dates! I ordered the gnocchi with light tomato sauce, and it exceeded my expectations. It was flavourful and definitely not heavy based sauce. The gnocchi pasta was tender and had a nice bite into them. Since I've last tried it, I've ordered it twice for take-out and would happily do so again when I'm in Waterloo. read more

Gotta love me some pasta my dudes!! Ennio's is a great place for pasta if you don't mind spending a bit. Portions are larger than I expected, and quality was not bad! I had the Tetrazzini and the sauce was really good. Tried the Annabella as well, and the noodles were just right. I find that if you're really hungry, one of these can fill you up for sure. If not, you'll likely be taking a take out box home. Lost 2 stars cause I felt like we didn't have the MOST pleasant dining experience, there were flies going around and we constantly had to shoo them away, service was good but could be better. Food took quite a while to come and we were short on time, but things like these happen. Overall, Italian food is few in this region, especially for students. This place is definitely an option for you if you love pasta and are craving it! read more

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It was my first time coming here with my boyfriend for a nice romantic dinner. The food was awesome. I ordered Carbonara while my boyfriend got a Tetrazzini. The sauces on both dishes were very creamy, almost feels like it's melting in your mouth. The pasta was also great. You can tell that it's high quality just by biting it. The toppings on the Carbonara though were too much. Usually, I'd be happy since the more the merrier, right? But since there was so much bacon, the dish became too salty. Another downvote was the amount of time we had to wait to reach our server everytime for ordering food and getting them packed. Although she was very friendly, the service was very slow. It seemed like she was the only one working while the other servers were just walking to the back of the restaurant and to the front where the menus were. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Went here last night for the 1st time after the Korean place was full. I'm so glad I did. The service was great. The food was SO BOMB!! Best Italian I ever had. It was like the chef was talking to my stomach. Perfectly seasoned. Just the right textures. Simply delicious. The atmosphere was perfect. Italian music blasting from the speakers. Deck was nicely lit up with the perfect summer breeze. It was my 1st time and it sure as hell won't be my last. read more

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Ennios food quality is consistently good. However the amount of food given in my most recent order was not consistent with the price. I ordered a side house salad ($6) and chose to add grilled chicken ($7) and Parmesan ($1). The photo below is what I received. A bunch of chopped romaine, literally two cherry tomatoes and two olives, and a very small portion of chicken and cheese. Had I known this is what I would receive, I would not have paid $14 for this salad. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - House salad with grilled chicken - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I dropped into Enios last night for a friends bon voyage dinner. Walking in, the ambiance of this restaurant feels like one where the awkward silences of your date echo louder off their plain brown walls. Thankfully I was with a group of 15 very outgoing friends. I ordered the A'matricaiana, pasta with prosciutto, tomato sauce, and shaved romano. After taking my first bite of what looked like a rather nicely presented bowl of pasta, I went straight for my glass of water. The entire dish was very salty. Salty to the point that I tried gather all the sweet onion in the dish into one bite and still all I tasted was salt. I tried my neighbouring friends Chicken Penné, which tasted more like dry chicken breasts tossed in melted white American cheese. I cant say much better for any of the other pastas I tried at our table. When the bill arrived, about half the plates at the table were unfinished, next to lots of empty glasses of water. I think that says a lot about an Italian pasta house. Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Pasta with prosciutto, tomato sauce, shaved Romano. Very salty. - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

A cozy, family-owned, authentic pasta house. Came here a lot when we were students. They have great lunch specials, for $9-13 per plate, which is great considering their regular price for pasta is about $18. Pasta is perfectly al dente and the sauce is amazing. I have a preference for creamy sauces so I recommended the tetrazzini and the carbonara. The decor is a little too dim for lunch time, which explains why the restaurant is so empty during these hours. However, it makes a lot more sense during dinner time as it's a cozy environment and makes you just want to drink wine and chat. They have an anniversary special for $25 for a three course meal. If you're coming here for dinner, I would suggest getting that as it seems like an amazing value for an appetizer, pasta and dessert. read more

Located near king and Columbia street mall in Waterloo this is a great little restaurant. It is a nice sit down restaurant that was recommended to me by a few friends. I heard a lot about this place having the best pasta in Waterloo. So naturally a few friends and I decided to check it out. I am happy report back that the service and food was very impressive. The pasta was sauce and fresh. The sauce was delicious, nice and thick and the overall experience was great. It is a bit on the pricey side but its worth a visit once in a while. read more

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3.5 It was a tad awkward at the start, as I came with a large party and Ennio's decided after almost all of us had seated ourselves that they wanted to move us into the party room (which meant that some of us ended up sitting at two-seater tables in the party room), but the food and the service afterwards were up to snuff. After we ordered, we were provided with complimentary bread. The bread was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, but it was cold. Not room temperature. Cold. It was served with an olive oil bread dipper that was mixed with some pesto and perhaps a touch of lemon juice? I think it could have done with a bit of salt to up the game a bit, but it was a nice start. They do have daily specials, but I ordered the bistecca ($20) off their regular menu. Malfalda pasta (think lasgana noodles but cut into long strips) "tossed with a gorgonzola and mushroom cream sauce topped with grilled flank steak and scallions". The portion was reasonable, but not particularly generous (I finished it all, and if I could finish it all and still have room for dessert, then I could see others definitely wanting to order more food). The cream sauce was rich and delicious. They were fairly generous with the mushrooms as well. The flank steak was sliced/chopped up. They didn't ask me how I wanted the steak done, but when it came, it was medium rare, and very tasty. It was tender and grilled well. For the price, I'd definitely order this again. I also had a bite of my friend's Shrimp Zafferano ($21) - "Seared garlic shrimp served over linguini in a roasted pepper-saffron cream reduction with asparagus and a hint of citurs [sic]". The cream sauce was also quite rich, but the hint of citrus cut down a bit of that richness. Also very tasty. Also had the Tiramisu ($7.50). It was served in a small glass jar and topped with about a third of a piece of biscotti (which was, as biscotti tends to be, very hard). The tiramisu itself was a tad sweet for my liking. Very good pasta here. I'd come again if I was in the area. Oh. They have a cute "take a book, leave a book" thing going on a shelf next to the front door. I didn't want to leave the book I had on me, so I didn't take a book, but maybe next time... read more

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My favourite place to eat in Waterloo! Every time I come back to Waterloo, I just have to stop by for a plate of pasta, and every time it's the Bettola. Bettola is a penne with spicy blush sauce and vodka - seriously amazing. Even though it's on the pricer side of $17 (with meat for additional costs), I believe it's worth the fresh pasta and the unique flavour of the sauce! Another favourite is the Arrabiatta which is a spicy tomato sauce with bell peppers and garlic. The server always come around with unlimited grated cheese and fresh ground pepper on top of your pasta. They also serve fresh bread with pesto oil on the side. I'm surprised the reviews are low for Ennio's but I do agree the price is high... however I think the taste is worth it. And I suppose service can be a bit when the place is packed. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Arrabiatta - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

If you want good pasta in Waterloo, this is the place to go! Not the best service but great food. We got an appetizer to start (fried calamari) which took a very long time to arrive and when it did, it was cold.. I told the server about this and so she took it in to get a new plate. When she came back with the order, the plate was full of oil and it was very obvious that they refried the exact same calamris... That was really upsetting so I made sure to ask the server if they were reheated. She said they weren't, but they obviously were and I just let it go.. However, they did compensate with free gelato in the end. Which was a great end to the meal! Definitely try the nutella gelato! I got the Rustica pasta.. It is so delicious and I haven't had anything like it anywhere else! You also get a complimentary salad and bread basket to start of! Again, great food, service not so good. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - The Rustica pasta! Soso good - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Had the arrabiata and the bettola. Both were great, arrabiata was very spicy for me (I like mild). Bettola had this creamy sauce that was used (kind of tasted like butter chicken sauce) and I really enjoyed that one. Apparently their italian salad comes free with the pasta, but there's an upgrade charge for Caesar, which was mentioned by other reviewers too. I thought it was just my server, but it could be all of them. They serve warm bread for free, although their provided butter was all watery and gross. Overall the food really filled me up, the atmosphere and interior is great. I actually went to the one on Fairway a few years back. Both of these location have the same dimmed lighting atmosphere, although the Fairway one is slightly smaller. The price range is moderate, more on the expensive side if you actually want to have their better pastas ($16-19), while the plain Alfredo pastas are only $12. They also have overpriced drinks and desserts, which I just avoided. Overall great place to have pasta, the servers could be a little more proactive and informative, and the atmosphere is wonderful. read more

I really liked this place! I ordered the carbonara and really enjoyed it although it was a bit on the salty side (must have been all that bacon). All the pasta dishes also come with a small side salad and bread and oil to dip. I loved the bread and oil. Good service and nice family restaurant. I was here on business and would come back the next time I'm in town. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - mushroom bacon carbonara - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

It's always been a hit or miss for me at Ennio's. I really enjoy their Gnocci Con Gamberetti, very flavourful and the gnocchi has a good amount of chew. However, I've ordered the frutta di made with white wine and garlic and left really disappointed. Their pasta is either spot on or just lacks flavour but you can always expect a generous portion. read more

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Walking by Morty's, we noticed the huge lineup (I mean, it was Wing Thursdays after all). Instead of waiting, we decided to go up north and try Ennio's, after getting that Italian pasta craving. The place was about 3/4 full when we arrived, and we were seated immediately in the high chairs. Drinks were served immediately, and service was overall excellent. Both my friend and I had the Frutta de Mare, though with different sauces (tomato vs. blush sauce). It comes with bread and Italian salad (which is regular house salad with vinaigrette). The bread was rather hard, but the vinaigrette sauce was quite good. Same with the salad and sauce. The pasta itself was presented very well, and tasted very well. The lobster, shrimp, and crab were delicious. The mussels were good, although a couple had a little bit of sand in it still. Overall I was satisfied with the whole dinner, and so was my friend. I will come back to try some other pastas. read more

Ennio's Pasta House is a must-visit if you are in Waterloo. Ennio's has a wide selection of pasta to choose from, and they even have a lunch menu with smaller portions if you happen to be someone with a small appetite (this was not my case though). I was never a big fan of East Side Mario's, so I felt that it was definitely worth it to go a bit farther from campus (around King and Columbia). I was in a party of 3 other people, and I got the Rustica pasta. This was mafalda pasta (ribbon-like) with gorgonzola sauce, chicken, sweet bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. As an individual who is somewhat lactose intolerant, I was a bit hesitant to get the pasta because gorgonzola sauce is made from blue cheese. However, I did not have any problems with it. The vegetables were fresh, and the sauce was very light. The portion that I got was comparable to other restaurants that offer pasta. The pasta itself was very soft, so I really enjoyed it. The only complaint I have is the price of the pasta ($18). Although this price is comparable to other restaurants that provide the same portion size, I have always thought that this price tag is a bit too high. The prices of most of the other menu items are also around $18. Ennio's also offered a complimentary salad and bread basket along with our order. I got the Italian salad, and again, the vegetables were fresh, and the dressing was just regular Italian dressing. The salad was something you can get anywhere. However, the bread came with a spread with garlic, salt, olive oil, and other ingredients. Although these ingredients seem pretty ordinary for the garlic bread spread, I was pretty impressed with how well the spread complemented with the bread. In addition, the bread was not too hard to bite into, which I find is a potential problem at other restaurants. The service was alright, but the server did not visit our table again after we got our pastas, only until we asked for the bill. My friend wanted water, but the server was no where in sight. Overall, I recommend visiting Ennio's if you are ever craving for some good pasta, especially since they offer satisfying portions even for those with large appetites. It's a great place to go with your friends or significant other. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Rustica Pasta - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Still a favourite when in Waterloo, this family owned pasta house is everything promised of great, home-style pasta. The menu has a wide selection of shapes and sauces and toppings on pasta, some further customizable, and a variety of starters and mains to satisfy the bigger appetites. Décor is a little bit vintage, giving it a historic home feeling, and the location is all on its own allowing the exterior to channel the same feeling. Unfortunately, parking is limited and shared with the Tim Hortons right beside, so be sure to arrive early if it's a busy Friday or Saturday night! The pasta portions used to be huge - they've shrunk ever so slightly over the years - however they're still filling and more than enough! Particularly, their carbonara, mafalda noodles, and other cream sauce options are delicious and sure to satisfy! It's definitely necessary to make a reservation early, or call in to find out availability at the very least, on prime evenings. There's not a lot of seating as they keep things fairly spacious, and it's a longer fare if you order appetizers and dessert. read more

Checked this restaurant out after someone posted that if you want really good Italian food to come here. We were looking for good Italian restaurants in the area. So impressed with the menu we decided to try it out. I chose the chicken marsala and my husband had the carbonara. Both were delicious- we always get different meals and try each other's. Loads of options to choose from and they don't fuss about substitutions which is very refreshing. Our lovely server was attentive and helpful but not intrusive. If you're looking for fantastic Italian food you really need to enjoy a meal here. We will definitely come back when we are in the area! read more

When you come in, the place gives you a cozy feeling. The atmosphere is warm and comforting, like a place for a romantic date or a nice family dinner. The staff are patient and friendly but I wouldn't say their service was excellent. Normally, before the meal comes, the server will come with a basket of bread and butter, but I guess since we ordered some garlic bread, we didn't get it. I was pretty sad as I didn't plan to eat the garlic bread. Anyway, I ended up eating it bc I was hungry and coming from someone who doesn't usually enjoy garlic bread, it was good! Crispy and didn't feel greasy at all. Both of us ordered pasta: bolognese and gnocchi al ragu zucchini. Both had fair portions for the price (not cheap but not too expensive either). I didn't find the bolognese very memorable, besides it being a tad too salty. Y'know just basic spaghetti and meat sauce. The gnocchi was quite good but also salty (is pasta supposed to be that salty?). I liked the texture of the gnocchi (first time trying it) and the zucchini was there to balance out the saltiness. I would've liked there to be more zucchini though, since everything else overpowered it. As good as the food is, I felt that pasta here is quite heavy on the stomach. More for comfort, not so enjoyable for a generally healthy eater like me. Many regrets for not ordering the side salad. Overall, if you generally enjoy hearty comfort food, I would definitely recommend it. Personally, it's a little too heavy for me. read more

I love Italian food, but haven't found a good local place; until I came to Ennios. Atmosphere is cosy, and I love the old fashion look inside! Ordered an app and a pasta. The mushroom carbonara and calamari is what I ordered. The presentation was really good! But the pasta blew me away of how good it was! Very flavourful and the portion is a good size. I couldn't help but to finish the whole dish! Definitely is the place to go to if you like Italian food! My only complaint is that the waitress wasn't as attentive. But overall really enjoyed my experience here! read more

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We went to Ennios to celebrate my brother and his wife's 49th Anniversary. The waitress Isabelle was amazing . She was friendly helpful and made sure that everything was to our perfection. The food was excellent. Flavourful, cooked to perfection and plates were full. actually almost too much for us to eat. we definitely left full. would recommend this restaurant friends and family. read more

I would agree with other reviewers. Ennio's is definitely a better Italian restaurant than East Side Mario's, but is that really saying much? This isn't an authentic Italian restaurant serving dishes that would make "foodies" drool. It's an average North American Italian restaurant with decent food and decent prices. read more

The pasta portions are very reasonable for the price. They also have lunch portions for those interested. The atmosphere is pretty good as well. My friends and I always come back for any gathering. I was initially recommended my another friend but have continued to pass along this restaurant as my own recommendation too. read more

I heard from multiple sources that Ennio's is one of the best restaurants in waterloo. If this is the best, I'm very disappointed. I the pasta was far from Al dente, the sauces lacked zing and the amabiance felt like a dark pub rather than a fine italian restaurant. I don't even think they make fresh pasta, it felt like dried pasta to me. I don't recommend. read more

I was here a few days ago with some friends to try out their lunch menu and had a wonderful experience! The restaurant had a very relaxing ambience with some light classical music playing in the background, I felt like I was at a restaurant in Europe and it made me forget that that I still had school in an hour. The lunch menu was very reasonably priced, I ordered the eggplant parmigiona sandwich with the soup of the day which was a spicy sausage and tomato soup ($10). The soup was so hearty and flavorful, and the extra kick of spice made it perfectiono! My sandwich was very nicely toasted and the eggplant parmesan had the right amount of sauce and cheese. I saved the other half of my sandwich for later and it gave me something to look forward to after several long hours of school. I highly recommend this place for students looking for a good lunch deal and a chance to escape for a bit! read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Eggplant parmesan ($10) - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

When I want Italian food, I go to Ennio's. I worked at a hotel for a while, and I sent several guests to Ennio's and they all came back with full stomachs and ample thanks for the recommendation. Cute decor (fireplace seats are the best), fantastic food, and friendly service. I cannot desire more from a restaurant. Try the pazzo bread and any of their pastas or pizzas. read more

The in-laws took me to Ennio's as a special treat, and it was much better than expected. As an Italian food snob who tends to want the food to taste as reminiscent as past trips to Italy as possible, the place definitely wasn't ideal - but it certainly was delicious. First off, the interior leaves a LOT to be desired, and reminded me of a restaurant from the 80s - definitely could be renovated to be a lot more like an Italian restaurant. Other downsides: Prices are steep, and that's me comparing to not only other restaurants in Waterloo, but also Seattle (my hometown), which tends to be pricy in general - $20+ for chicken parmesan is pretty intense. Also, the dinner salad included with the meal was pretty weak (iceberg lettuce, some red onion). The dressing was good, though. But you know what? The food was good. Not 'reminds me of Italy' good, but solid, enjoyable fare. My chicken parmesan was really damn tasty, even though it was only one (massive) chicken breast. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the marinara was much tastier than I anticipated. Also awesome is you have an option of getting whole wheat OR rice noodles if you have dietary needs. So is it a perfect italian restaurant? Definitely not. But I'd go to Ennio's again for sure. read more

As you walk in to Ennio's, you are greeted by a great mature atmosphere as well as a warm front of house. The wait is usually not long and seats are available almost right away. I ordered the calamari for appetizer and Spaghetti A'Matricianna for entre. My gf had the Bambino pizza. The calamari was slightly greasy but nicely flavoured. My spaghetti was delicious, but a bit heavy on the sauce. The bambino pizza was apparently quite delicious. Overall a very pleasant experience read more

If you are used to East Side Marios you will be pleasantly surprised. Very authentic and flavourful food. I've been there a few times with friends and it has a very nice atmosphere conducive to relaxed dining but avoids being a dive. It's not as classy as you would find in many fine pasta restaurants in other cities, but you can get away with a casual presentation there and still feel comfortable. Their bruschetta is very good and many of their pasta dishes are delicious. The desserts are also quite nice. A full meal will be costly so, if you're budget conscious, you might want to save this for a special occasion. There are other restaurants in town that are similarly priced with much better food if you're willing to move outside of western European cuisine, but Italian doesn't get much better in Waterloo than Ennio's. read more

The food was great and the service was quite fast. Try the Alfredo if you're into creamy pasta or the shrimp pasta (called something else)! Definitely my go-to Italian place in loo. read more

Ennio's Pasta House - Italian Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

This is not the best Italian restaurant, but good. The amount of food you get for the price is a little high. They have removed items from the menu, and should come back.. manicotti, is one. Seems like the menu itself needs an update, old fashioned right now. Potions are small, should also have daily lunch specials, would attract MORE business. Parking lot is not the best, and very old decor, the one near fairview mall is better for decor. Service is hit of miss, we had a large party and were given an inexperienced waiter, oh boy! and we were there for lunch... read more

I went to Ennio's with a large group of friends after making a reservation. They were able to accomodate the seating for our large group (10+ people) and everyone seemed to enjoy the restaurant. The food was pretty good and the atmosphere is pretty nice as well. The service overall was good, but it was hard at times to reach our waitress. Overall a great experience. read more

The food is good (not great) - but the service was not good. In fact it was pretty terrible. The hostess was pretty rude and made sure we knew that we had a 90 minute limit. The servers were like mosquitoes and made us feel rushed and very uncomfortable so we left before we even finished our meal (which wasn't cheap). read more