Sergio Excellent service and good recommendations Thank you Clean and easy to have conversations read more

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It was our first time here, it wasn't packed and plenty of seats. Good ambience and the place looked clean. Once we ordered our food, it took them about 30min to get our food, which was somewhat ok. We had to look for a server to give us plates and utensils. Once we got our plates, it was grimy and had dried pasta stuck on it, and you could feel some type of food stuck on it. It was disgusting. When we were looking for the server, we found him in the back chatting up another employee and they were eating. Our pizza was completely burnt at the bottom, mozzarella sticks weren't stretching, Alfredo pasta was dry (sauce was practically non existent.) I do not recommend this place at all. Completely not worth it. It's sad that it's partnered up with Famous Dave's which was next door with an adjacent entrance. Famous Dave's is our favorite, but we will not be going to this location for that. read more

Johnny Carino's - Dirty plate with pasta still on it. Just like the rest of the plates that were given to us. - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

Carino's has become one of our go-to neighborhood spots. The food is consistently good, portions are generous, and the atmosphere is relaxed without feeling chain-restaurant generic. What really keeps us coming back is the bar service -- Raul is hands-down one of the best bartenders around. He's friendly, attentive, and just knows how to take care of people without being over the top. You can tell he genuinely enjoys what he does, and it shows in the experience. If you're looking for a reliable place to grab dinner and a drink and actually unwind, this is a solid choice. We'll definitely keep coming back. read more

Food was fabulous but music is too loud. Food was very good and our server was wonderful. The music was a bit loud though. It was difficult to hear across the table and talk to our waitress. Restaurant was clean, lit well just not fond of the step up tables. It's a nightmare for over 50 and little kids. Would come back and highly recommend just turn the music down please. Jazz was great but I want to hear the waitress and my kids. read more

Staff was very friendly, food came out fast, was very good and considering all we ordered the bill was very reasonable. Our waitress Andre was excellent as well. She would check on us in a very fair amount of time, was on top of refills and answered all our questions and fulfilled all our requests. This is my wife and I's favorite date night spot and service like this is a big reason why. Thanks everyone at Johnny Carinos for a great bday celebration. read more

Service SUCKED, after being seated it took 15 minutes before we were even talked to, Alfredo sauce was like water. Never again read more

I ordered chicken parmigiana. It is usually a thick slice, breaded, and baked in marinara sauce, and tender to chew. Mine was breaded and fried in oil. The chicken and coating were hard! There was melted cheese on top and some sauce. It wasn't easy to chew. The bread was hot and crispy. It was good. We got a free pepperoni pizza for signing up for email. I asked for all the pepperoni on one half, and she said no. Really ??? The pizza crust was like a large cracker. My boyfriend ate it. The waitress was very attentive and refilled the drinks. read more

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Maybe take it easy on the salt. The ambiance isn't to bad. They seems to have a nice bar. The bread definitely comes out of a box. And my waitress with the purple hair wasn't very friendly at all unfortunately. Won't be coming back. read more

I checked in recently to punch in my Free Pizza Card for January and Krista the Hostess really blew me away with how on point she was with her rhythm! Krista was well dressed, friendly and inviting, and communicated responsibly that Karen my Server was currently taking a big party and offered to get a drink started for me. I ordered a Raspberry Cream Soda and Krista made it perfectly! She is so sharp and detail oriented and takes really good care of her Hostess Station making sure there is an abundance of neatly rolled Silverware and organized Kids Menus folded neatly with colorful crayons on a cute Italian Country Style basket inviting the little ones to get lost in wildly fun creative escapes true to Italian Methods of healing through Artistic Expression and effective problem solving! Karen was a good Server and took my order efficiently too! I liked how she upsold me the signature bread to go with the House Salad I ordered and asked if I wanted the Pizza and House Salad to come out at the same time. I was only a little thrown off that my Pizza wasn't served on a nice holding tray to elevate the experience like Kenny did for us last time, I feel like the sequence of Service protocols need to be consistent when it comes to presentation excellence. Karen was really good at offering me additional parmesan cheese and pepper flakes to jazz up my Pizza though, and grabbed me the balsamic vinaigrette and candied walnuts I asked for to modify my House Salad the way I was craving it. The Pizza Maker in the back added a lot of warmth and positivity to my experience too! I like how she made effort to welcome me with strong eye contact, a warm smile, and said "de nada" when I thanked her for the delicious food! My Mom really enjoyed the Pepperoni on Pepperoni thin crust Pizza leftovers at home and I appreciate the Carinos Team so much for helping my Mom savor the sexy flavors of Italy through the delicious crafting system here and reminding her one of the best reasons to be living in the US vs. China is that the Pizza here is so good and made with lots of love and heart consistent with the Italian philosophy of letting our Food be our Medicine to help us beast through the toughest uphills of our Adulting blues! read more

We got there and sat at the bar, we sat there for 15-20 minutes with no service. Several servers looked at us, walked by and didn't even bother to ask if we have been helped or if they could get us anything. Horrible service or should I say no service read more

I came in during a busy time but that didn't change how amazing everything was. The hubby and I just wanted to get some drinks and apps and chill. And Johnnys didn't disappoint and it was mainly due to our Bartender Derek. He was nice and friendly, and he knew his drinks. I have to say at first I was nervous because the hubby is really picky with his whiskey. But Derek knew his liquor and hubby said Derek made the best old fashioned he'd had. Overall we had a great time with amazing drinks and conversation. Derek made our "date night" memorable. read more

Date of visit: February 23, 2025 Selections: Johnny's Meal for Two - Calamari Fritta (Small Plate) - Unlimited House Salad per Person - Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo - Grilled Chicken Bowtie Festival - Lemon Cream Cake Complimentary bread with garlic oil dip Experience: I was a bit hesitant with eating here after seeing some of the ratings left for this place, but the husband was set on this place after spotting the restaurant. We were quickly seated and definitely the place gave diners vines like Bob Big Boy's, which I didn't mind since it gave it more of a family feel. Our server was nice and made sure to check in on us while we went through the menu and during the rest of our meal. We ended up doing the Johnny's Meal for Two so we could try more items together. I was glad we had some bread and garlic oil to munch on as we waited. The dip was pretty good and unique since I'm use to the olive oil and balsamic dip mix. From our Johnny's Meal for Two, I enjoyed the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and the Calamari Fritta, even though I wish there were more squid bits than lone batter bits. The Grilled Chicken Bowtie Festival pasta tasted weird to me, but at least the Lemon Cream Cake was pretty good since it wasn't too sweet and my husband loves tart things. Overall, a good experience and glad that we ended up giving this place a shot. read more

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Greeting was very friendly food was medium are server was not very friendly she could have smiled more it seemed when we ask for something she was annoyed read more

Maricela never disappoints! She's hands-down our favorite server always recommending delicious drinks and providing the best service every time we're there. The food is consistently amazing, and the spaghetti with artichokes is my go-to if you're trying to stay on the "lean" side . Highly recommend! read more

Johnny Carino's - Jalapeño Garlic Tilapia and Classic American Burger* - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

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My trainer organized a holiday get-together for all the people who attend his class. He set it up in advance and told us how much it was gonna be if we wanted to attend. He kept checking back with Carino's staff because he's gotten stiffed before--there was a snafu, but it was quickly resolved. Anyway, there were about 40-50 people in the group! Italian nachos appetizers, house salad, chicken parm, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and Spicy Shrimp & Chicken; all very tasty! It was all buffet style. The servers brought out warm bread to dip in seasoned EVOO and balsamic vinegar, and kept our drinks filled. If we wanted an adult drink, we had to go to the bar. I had the raspberry margarita (or the margarita of the month for December), and it was so good. I had two! We had a festive time with everyone, with great service and lots of good food. Highly recommend! read more

Raul at the bar is our go to guy! He has our drinks coming out as we walk in the door. Always friendly and helpful! Drinks and food are great. We'll be back!! read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

I'm really disappointed to be writing this because this used to be one of my favorite places to eat, but our recent visit to Johnny Carino's was a terrible experience from start to finish. We arrived to an almost empty restaurant (only two other tables were occupied) yet service was incredibly slow. It took about 20 minutes just to receive our waters, and unfortunately one of the glasses had debris floating in it and visible lipstick on the rim, which was extremely off-putting. Our server appeared to also be the bartender, and we rarely saw him. Our appetizers didn't arrive until about 45 minutes into the visit, and they were dropped off by someone else who didn't bring plates. We then had to wait another 10 minutes just to ask for small plates when the next item came out. We also had to request bread since it was never brought out. When it finally arrived, it was stale (hard on the outside and oddly crunchy on the inside). The food itself was disappointing as well. The calamari was paper-thin and over-fried, and the "vegetables" included were mostly fried pepper stems, which felt like scraps rather than a proper dish. After the food was delivered, we didn't see our server again until we flagged someone down for the check (nearly two hours into the meal). Meanwhile, there were multiple staff members cleaning already empty tables, and no additional guests ever came in, making the lack of service even more confusing. To make matters worse, we didn't even make it halfway home before feeling nauseated, and the rest of the evening was spent feeling sick. I'm honestly not sure what has happened here, but this experience was incredibly disappointing. Unfortunately, it's hard to imagine returning after this visit. read more

This is a very old outdated restaurant. The service needs attention, I ordered my food and got the wrong order. I asked for a beer and did not have available, however when we got iur check the beer was charged. read more

The food was delicious! Our little lady "Elizabeth" was attentive, paid attention to us making sure if we were satisfied, needed anything. First time here and definitely will be back read more

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I had such a great experience at Johnny Carino's. From the moment I walked in, Monica made me feel welcome and taken care of. The service was attentive without being rushed, and everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. I will definitely be returning!! read more

My brother-in-law and I came here for dinner on Sunday, 02/01/26. Arrived at 4:15pm, and there we SEVERAL empty tables. The hostess, who seemed less than happy to be there, said it would be about 10 minutes or so. As we waited, she went back to folding the silverware in napkins. After about 10 minutes she put her silverware away, grabbed 2 menus and said she could seat us. She sat us at a table that had been empty and was already clean, so I'm not sure why we had to wait. When our waitress, Andrea C, arrived it was almost as if we were bothering her. She asked if it was our first time and we said yes. Not once did she suggest anything like most servers do. We ordered water and ice tea and that took nearly 15 minutes to get. She brought us the olive oil dip for our bread, but NEVER brought the bread. I had never ending salad with my entree, and when I was asked if I'd like a second bowl, she didn't bring until I had already started on my entree 20 minutes later. My brother-in-law's entree was brought to the table first, but I had to wait nearly 15 minutes after that for mine! And she never came to check on us for refills or ask if everything was ok until the end of the meal. She has to be the most rude servers I have ever had. The only reason I'm giving 2 Stars instead of 1 is because the food was pretty good and the lady that brought the food to the table was very pleasant and friendly. I can honestly say that even though the meal was good, we won't be back anytime soon. read more

Amazing food and service very kind and attentive especially the employee in the front named Sophia very very sweet we will definitely come back again read more

Johnny Carino's - Lasagna and pizza - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

Great vibe, super friendly bartender Derek Cruz, and awesome drinks and food. I'll be back!

We used to love the food here...but we have had 4 bad service representatives in 4 months. One was a delivery meal for 6 and all we received was cheese curds and one slice of chresecake- I had ordered 2 whole lasagna. When I went in the manager apologized but it was the next day and our event was ruined. We went last night because it was my sister in laws birthday (no little scoop of ice cream or happy birthday) There were 6 of us. It took 2 hours for a simple meal. I had to get up and get bread plates myself! The waiter said we could not have bread until we ordered he was extremely rude. We have lived in Downey collectively more than 70 years and this was the worst service we have ever received. Our Italian nachos were cold...the cheese on everyone's meals was not melted...and the chicken parm was HARD (maybe over fried) Just look at the pictures of the presentation of the food. This is my first negative Yelp review- too many bad years with them. I gave them a break when they accommodated a disabled friend...but the waiter last night was plain awful. I've never in my life been told you have to order before they give you bread...mind you.. We already ordered appetizer and sat 45 minutes! read more

Johnny Carino's - Ravioli- the way it was presented - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

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Service is always great at the bar, we usually go Thursday and Saturday. Raul is always pleasant and on time with food and drinks. Always a great time. Thank you Raul! read more

A friend and I had drinks and appetizers at the bar. I must say that Raul, the bartender, was very courteous and kind. He was prompt in taking our order and he was prompt in making our drinks. He was attentive during our time there. Raul displayed great customer service. read more

I have been to this establishment before and the food was okay but not today. We ordered an appetizer which took for ever to come out and when it came out the food was cold. The server told us be careful it's hot . The only thing warm was the mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce. The calamari was cold and so were the nachos . The waiter said he would bring us plates since we were a party of 5.... never came back. Our food came out and was so so. Sad part is they never gave us bread sticks like the other customers nor napkins. We also saw the staff arguing with each other which was not professional. The waiter who we had messed up on someone's order, which can happen. But to see another waitress, who was clarifying the customers order to come back and start yelling at her colleague was unacceptable. That really altered the mood and we left ASAP. read more

Date night didn't disappoint here. Our server Monique was sweet and regularly checked on us. Food was great too and not overpriced or mediocre like some Italian restaurants. Only concern I had was my booth seat had the previous patron's crumbs still on it, the wood that our booth sat on next to the wall of mirrors was REALLY sticky and the women's restroom was also REALLY sticky. read more

Ordered dinner for two set Calamari was very tiny amount, mainly scraps of calamari, and portion of it was green pepper deep fried. Fettuccine was decent, spaghetti was so so, lasagna meh. Services was otherwise Ok read more

Fantastic service from Maricela. She was very attentive to my wife and I. It has been a while since I've gone and I'm glad that she was still there. I've always had fantastic service and was happy to see her after not being in that area as often as before. Look forward to dining in again and hoping Maricela can serve us. The dining area has changed in a good way and has a fantastic ambiance. read more

Great restaurant, I had Chicken Alfredo in a skillet!!! Super delicious. Service my Sergio was exceptional I will definitely will be back with my family. read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

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When you sit at the bar, Raul transforms Johnny Carino's into Johnny Ca-Rl-nos-because he cares that much! His attention to detail, top-notch recommendations, and genuine vibe make you feel like you're family, he's the heart behind the bar. Ask for Raul, and you'll know exactly why I keep coming back! read more

Great job Andrea service was great will be coming back soon! hope to see you again food was amazing:)

Andrea was amazing felt welcomed . She basically chose our whole meals appetizers were great and drinks we were very pleased will be back soon . read more

Food is horrible but Raul brings in the people. New managers or people in charge are very bipolar. The service is the not the same, I've walked out from hearing managers yell at employees. I'm a paying customer I come to enjoy not hear they're troubles. Pasta needs to be better, first off. So we go to see Raul great regulars enjoy seeing Raul for the last 9 years as regulars. This new splitting restaurant was enough change for loyal regulars, but now new management and crew is different energy. Not seeing Raul this week as a local resident from Downey that gives pasta thumbs down, goes to see Raul, and now we walk in to ask where is your best server Raul? That's the best reason to go. read more

Carino's has quietly become one of our favorite easy date-night spots. It's comfortable, welcoming, and the kind of place where you can actually relax and enjoy your time without feeling rushed. The food always hits, but the standout for us is the bar. Raul takes such great care of his guests -- super personable, remembers people, and makes the whole experience feel warm and effortless. It's rare to find that level of genuine service these days. We always leave happy and already planning our next visit. Definitely recommend for a laid-back dinner or drinks. read more

The food and service was amazing. Raul catered to everything we needed and made the experience amazing . He truly went above and beyond. Definitely coming back and asking for him as well. read more

Johnny Carino's - Italian Near Me - Downey, California

Elizabeth was very nice and served us quick and efficiently. Food was great as always . Would definitely come again .

I don't know what happened to Johnny's. Service is always good, best in the city. The food though. The sicilia fire sticks gone, the Italian nachos plain and the jalapeno alfredo...diced jalapenos with alfredo? make it spicier you know. The "fresh bread" with olive oil was the hit now not really. slowly turning into TGIF with the wings and portions. AGAIN staff best their is, food.....its okay. read more

Good value for decent dinner. Went for their $16 ribeye and lasagna special. Their Caesar salad was great while their Italian nachos were a bit stale. Their fresh bread was delicious with olive oil and garlic. The ribeye was a bit chewy but edible. Lasagna was salty. Service was a bit slow but they gave me a free ice cream scoop for my birthday. With a bottle of wine and 2 specials, bill comes to $91 with tip. Will visit again when they have the surf and turf special. They do have $5 pizzas and half price platters. read more

Johnny Carino's - Ribeye and lasagna special with bottomless Caesar salad. - Italian Near Me - Downey, California