Our favorite Clinton TN restaurant.... Takes a while to adjust to the Orange. Tennessee-Ohio State not played often, when the Vols defeated the Buckeyes 20-14 in the 1996 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game featured a pair of huge stars. The Vols were led by then-sophomore quarterback Peyton Manning, who went on to became a Pro Football Hall of Famer and one of the greatest passers in NFL history. No. 8 Ohio State defeated No. 9 Tennessee 42-17 in the 2024 College Football Playoff first round on December 21, 2024. The Buckeyes dominated early, leading 21-0 in the first quarter and 42-10 by the fourth, led by Will Howard's two touchdown passes to Jeremiah Smith and strong rushing performances from TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Clinton has many Knoxville fans, and nearly all are wearing Orange Ball hats whilst dining. I goto my XT5 to retrieve my OSU National Champs hat. At any rate Gondolier is full and most folks are having Italian or pizza. Caveat: This place is too good to order pizza. read more

Served bread sticks upon sitting. During salad course we were asked if we wanted more bread, we said "no" as we still had a breadstick. Server took the one that was left. He didn't ask if we were done with them, just if we wanted more. When we got our calzone, we had asked for extra ricotta. There was almost none in the calzone. Being from NY, that's what makes a calzone a calzone. Many skimp on it, so we asked for extra. There was about a 1 TBS glob in one part of it. "Pepperoni" which was the fake red mini salami, was just in a lump I the middle of the calzone. The sauce had no flavor. It tasted like it was poured out of a can. Then we waited for the bill/ card to be picked up and we had to find someone to give it to. There was but one other customer, so no reason to wait. Overall, service was sub par and food was not good:( Not sure how this place even got to the 3.9 rating. read more

This was an amazing find on our trip! The service was awesome and very friendly. The food was phenomenal! read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

It's hard to spend money places if the staff isnt friendly, doesn't welcome you when you walk in or acts like you owe them something. This was far from the case. We were welcomed upon entering, seated promptly and the waitress, Victoria, came to welcome and take drink orders right away. We received prompt and very courteous service. Victoria was a pleasure to have as a waitress. She engaged in conversation and smiled. Things you would expect when giving your money for a service but are rarely afforded anymore. The food was delicious!! There was a good variety to choose from. We ended up with the gyro plate and sandwich. The flavor was great and everything was toasty warm upon receiving. Thank you, Victoria, for the outstanding service and kindness! read more

Quick service as far as being seated . They are also able to accommodate larger parties.

My daughter and I went there for lunch, both of us had the spaghetti. How you can ruin spaghetti I don't know, but they did. The noodles were over cooked and the sause was atrocious, basically inedible. read more

Was hungry and nothing was open late except this hidden place. We stopped and I had a Calzone which wasn't bad. Not the best on the list but not the worst either. It was decent and the service was good. I'll stop again if I'm in the area to try the Pizza it looked and smelt amazing.... read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Inside - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

All the 5 star reviews are probably locals who have never left the boonies. This place is way overhyped for what people are saying. Not at all worth the money. Overpriced canned Italian food. Shrimp linguine made with canned mushrooms? Take some pride in your food. The noodles weren't cooked all the way. The sauce was atrocious and looked like dog food. the waiter had the same personality as the breadsticks that were served. Bland and flavorless. Never introduced himself and never said you're welcome. Do not go. It's not worth your time and money , unless you want to watch Disney cartoons and eat pasta with a spoon from a plastic plate. read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

Food was great. We had the chicken quesadilla, which was one of their specials of the day, it was great. Although they were short staffed you didn't notice with everyone working together to take care of us and other patrons. They had the televisions set on different channels (ie. sports, news, and one was even on paw patrol )for all ages making the atmosphere very inviting. Manager was great he thanked us numerous times. He seemed to really care about his employees and was helping all of them. Thank you Gondolier staff. read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Super Gondolier Sub - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

See all

Guess it depends on the waitress you get. We've been seated for eight minutes. It's not very busy and 2 sets of 4 people came in and got waited on right away and got their drinks and order taken while we still sat here. No apologies from the waitress when she came over to us. We were seated in the booth that she had to walk by to get to the other people. Still waiting and haven't received the bread yet, I asked the waitress out of two of the meals which ones she would prefer since I couldn't decide and she said she's been here six years and hadn't tried either one! Baked lasagna and baked ravioli! I cannot believe! We did get our drinks and received the bread and received one of the meals because the other one was the wrong thing and she did apologize and she was the one that caught that error. One of us is eating the otherone is Not. Finally got the other food and I will say the food is very good and so is the bread. The room lighting was perfect for being lunch. Because the waitress explained what was going on with her, I gave you a four and make sure they taste all of your food items within their first four months of employment or less.. still make sure people are on their A game and if they are having problems, please help them as it wasn't that busy and anyone of you could've stepped in! Be team players! read more

This is by far the best Italian Food in all of Tennessee and the best customer service by Shannon. She is very cordial and friendly and immediately took care of us upon arriving. I decided to order the Gondalier Special Individual Pizza. It came with toppings such as Pepperoni, Sausage, Hamburger Meat, Peppers, Onions, and the best topping of all Feta Cheese. I've never tasted a pizza so yummy and delicious. Make sure you save room for dessert. We got the Reeses Peanut Butter Cake. This slice of cake was huge! I recommend all to come to Gondaliers and support this local business! read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Reeses Peanut Butter Cake - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

there is a slightly foreign smell in the room, probably the hoods are not working well, we also ordered Hawaiian pizza, it was not very tasty, but the pasta was quite tasty. The waitress is a very nice woman. read more

Their calzones are sooooo good! It's always ready by the time I go pick it up and they've never been rude to us before. We don't usually dine in but the one time we did it was amazing. read more

Service is always good, the ambiance is nice as well. It is a consistent Italian restaurant experience. They have a Greek section to their menu as well. We have yet to try those! Very crispy eggplant parm! read more

The restaurant staff was wonderful and the portions were enormous. Free breadsticks with tomato sauce was a nice touch. It seemed like the cook was overly fond of oregano. The calzone was excellent. read more

See all

Delicious food! Service was fabulous! We would definitely come back, when in the area. The patio worked out great for my family and our pooch, Georgia! The server brought out a bowl of water for her. Highly recommend dining at this establishment! read more

Customer service was below average and food was nothing special. We were told that people come here from different states, but I don't see why. read more

Great Pizza! Great service! I am visiting from Texas and this is the second time I have visited this place. Has not disappointed me both times. read more

Service was great. Very attentive waitress and host. Food was fine. Solid comfort food except would like to have the kitchen staff be mindful to drain the water out of the salad bowls as none of our party was able to enjoy our salads. Sadly they were soupy. read more

great food, great service, amazing desserts with a modern decor and diverse menu that has something for everyone!

As soon as we were seated at the table we were brought a basket of bread sticks and marinara sauce, they were so good! I loved the marinara. Don't fill up on the bread! We ordered a large pizza, nothing special just half sausage/half cheese. So Good! Nice thin crust, and gooey cheese. Extra cheese was not necessary. Amazing! The restaurant was nice and clean, the service was excellent. I'm sad that I live in Indy and only pass through once a year, but I'll definitely be looking forward to my next visit. read more

Good food the prices are ok!!!!! My sister loves this place she eats it often!!!! I could go either way the things I have ordered are good read more

I was very hungry and went by the reviews, to give this restaurant a shot. First things was not knowing where the front door was or where to park, we parked apparent in the back. Found the person to direct us to a table he was nice, the waitress was friendly and came over right after we were seated. I ordered chicken parm with penne pasta covered in a meat sauce. We got a basket of bread sticks with a small bowl of unseasoned sauce. The bread had no garlic no butter or taste other then bread, it matched the tasteless sauce perfectly. Got my plate super fast I mean within 5 minutes of ordering, which means their food isn't made to order. I believe it's completely premade and reheated. Now I say this because the first bite was, luke warm and tasted like burnt breading. The pasta was like rubber and the chicken and mozzarella cheese was tasteless chewy, oh and like rubber. No grated cheese was offered, the meat sauce had the taste of a metal can. Nope didn't eat it we got the check low and behold, my plate was still being charged. When I pointed it out to the waitress she said, "ahhhhhh oh she must have pressed the percentage button I'll go fix that" ‍sure she did. No No No I wouldn't recommend eating there unless you like Italian food that isn't even cooked by Italians, and doesn't have the love of spices in it. Better off at a fast food joint where ya know it always taste the same . read more

Food is decent. Staff pleasant. I really like the Stromboli. Breadsticks are decent. Pizza also good. Will return.

The service and the food was on par with other gondoliers I have been to, but there was rodent feces in the water. Otherwise the ambiance and experience was good. read more

This afternoon, while headed north on Interstate 75, we decided to stop at The Gondolier restaurant in Clinton, Tennessee. Based on YELP reviews that were positive, we decided to give it the California test ... and it passed with flying colors. Located across the parking lot from the Walmart on Highway 61, it's completely hidden from the highway. Unless you are purposely going there, or unless you're a local, it would be difficult to find. But once you find it, this is one of those treasures you're not likely to forget. We were seated in a pleasantly decorated room, with scenes of gondoliers poling down the canals of some ancient Italian city. Our server, a wonderfully pleasant and informed lass named Whitney, was attentive throughout the meal, despite the fact that she had several other tables to which she attended with equal care. I had the Zorba Special Combination, described as slices of tasty gyro meat, chicken souvlaki, pork tenderloin souvlaki, grilled shrimp and spanakopita. Served with pita bread, greek salad on the same plate and tzatziki sauce with your choice of rice, spaghetti or french fries. I chose the french fries. Susan had the Greek Gyro, described as tasty slices of gyro meet, served with pita bread, greek salad and tzatziki sauce, with your choice of rice, spaghetti or french fries. She chose spaghetti as her side. While we waited for our order to be fired, Whitney served us delightful freshly baked bread sticks with warm marinara. The bread was melt-in-your mouth delicious and the marinara was so delicious, I would choose to have it as a side, instead of tomato soup, along with a sourdough toasted cheese sandwich. When our orders arrived, we knew from the start that we would exercise the take home privilege, since the plates held an ample amount of food. My french fries were absolutely THE BEST I have ever had. Whitney explained that they were cut on site from Idaho potatoes and flash fried without any seasoning at all. The outsides were remarkably light and crispy, with fluffy potatoes inside ... YUM. Our Greek salads were good, but not great, and that is no fault of the staff. The tomatoes this time of year are pretty sad, but once they get up and start ripening, I'm certain the salads will improve immensely. The gyro meat was a mixture of lamb and beef, so succulent that it could be cut with a feather and mouth-wateringly delicious with just the right amount of Greek spices. My chicen souvlaki was a bit on the dry side, the grilled shrimp was perfectly seared and the pork tenderloin souvlaki was scrumptious. The Gondolier is a bit of a drive from our home, but a meal like this deserves a repeat, and repeat we will! read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Greek Gyro plate - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

See all

I have gluten intolerance and I just moved to the area from San Diego and it's been a little difficult to find gluten free options around here especially when it comes to Italian type restaurants. I ordered the gluten sensitive pizza from here and they nailed it! It was definitely one of the best gluten free pizzas I've had! Hands down! They also had other gluten free options. The staff were very polite and attentive, it was clean and everything was very fresh! I'll definitely recommend this place to others and also be coming back!! read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Gluten free pizza (added my own basil) delish!!! - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

The pizza was a last minute order because of the location of our hotel. The pizza was amazing. The only reason for the 4 is the location once I found it 3 minutes from the hotel it was fine. I recommend this Italian place to anyone. Cannoli was awesome also. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Fantastic service. The meal ,spaghetti and meatballs was about as boring as it gets. Seems to be an Italian restaurant that has something against garlic and basil. The meatballs were also kinda free of spices and well flavor. Overall a safe but boring as hell meal. Not insulting but not worth coming back. Hate to say it but Olive Garden has more flavor than this place. A 7 star for service a 2 star for a very ordinary meal. read more

Delicious home cooked Italian meal. Feels like a mom and pop restaurant, the staff is always really nice and the food hits the spot on Italian. Yes, their sauce could probably use a smidge improvement but the pizza is amazing, the pasta is delicious and they're super generous with their cheese...and the complimentary bread sticks are fantastic. Try a desert, you won't be disappointed. read more

I have to admit I'm somewhat of a pizza snob. I could eat pizza everyday. There's nothing I enjoy more than fresh made pizza, and I'm not talking about the stuff that some pizza places try to pass off as fresh made, like the big chains that get their dough trucked in. I'm talking about the places that actually make the dough and other ingredients fresh every day. Unfortunately, they're getting harder to find. I recently stayed nearby and asked the people where I stayed, where I could find decent pizza. They suggested this restaurant. I was skeptical because when you ask people, who has the best pizza, everybody thinks their pizza place is the best. I have to say I wasn't disappointed. We ordered a large mushroom and sausage pizza and it was delicious. It's not just a pizza joint, they make lots of other things as well, which I will be going back to try. I'll keep you posted. read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

USED To Be great... Came here almost weekly... Loved it. Now service is slow, and they Don't Care. Just make Excuses and Think it's ok. They were a little busy when we arrived, several tables empty of the half of the dining room that was open. but only 3-4 tables didn't have their food yet. Only ordered two house salads and a pizza. Almost 15 minutes to get the salads, and another 5-10 for the bread sticks. Ate All of that. At this time there was only three other tables of people still seated, but we still waited over another 15 minutes before we were told there was a problem with the oven and it would be a few more minutes before the pizza came. It was ok, a little bit under cooked in the middle. When asked how everything was... I Answered "Not as good as expected" the cashier asked me again how everything was and I answered again "Not as good as expected" I Got NO REPLY .... read more

We randomly stopped at this place off the highway and the wife Just declared it the best dinner of our vacation. She had manicotti and I had pizza. Both great. The breadsticks (free) come with sauce and are amazing. We shared the white chocolate raspberry cake and it was terrific and was big enough for three people! We will make this a regular stop when we head south. read more

See all

On vacation with an overnight stop in Clinton. Chose Gondolier for supper. Excellent choice. I had the Tour of Italy and was served more food than I could eat. Fantastic meal (with leftovers for another meal). So glad I came here. read more

It was good as always. My boyfriend came down from Clinton and he enjoyed his steak , he said it was very tasty. I had the meatball sub and t was delicious. Thanks guys for always keeping it fresh and hot, read more

Excellent service and their Lasagne was the best I have ever had. Staff very friendly. Restroom was spotless. Would be proud to take family and friends there. read more

Stopped here to grab a pizza and it was very good. Seems like they had a nice area for dining in. Good place if you're in the area and looking for decent pizza. read more

My waitress savannah was amazing the food was amazing would definitely recommend five stars

I gave three stars because: 1. Right off hwy, easy parking 2. Employees get five stars 3. Clean booth, dishes, parking lot. HOWEVER, food was mediocre at best. They need to raise their prices and improve food quality. Right next to Walmart so........Just saying. read more

Have never been disappointed here. Good pizza, pasta, salads. Great breadsticks. I had their Grecian pizza and it was very good. Great crust. read more

Gondolier Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Clinton, Tennessee

See all