Tambellinis needs a reality check here. The prices being charged here are more (and in some cases substantially more) than what Carbone in Miami Beach charges for pretty much the same thing. I've had both versions of "vodka" style pasta, and the Carbone one launched a global empire while being $2 LESS. It remains the best pasta dish I've ever had, while this one is "meh" at best. Furthermore, I would bet Carbone pays in rent for one night what Tambellini pays for an entire month. Plus Carbone probably has 8x the staff. The point is the pricing here is not justified. It's a rip off. There is a huge difference between expensive and over priced. Tambellinis is massively over priced. Even if the quality was the same as Carbone, it still would be over priced by a lot. Thank you for your attention to this matter. read more

Joseph Tambellini Restaurant - Menu prices of their pasta. Not sure why eggplant parm is considered pasta? - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Good but overly pricey Great staff and very homely feels Salmon salad $60 not sure why read more

Joseph Tambellini Restaurant - Salmon Caesar - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My parent's got my husband and I a gift card to here to try for date night. Finally got around to using it and it did not disappoint! The atmosphere was perfect for a date night. Staff was super attentive and friendly . For dinner we started with the famous zucchini. It was tasty and cooked well, I think it just may have been slightly overhyped - very good nonetheless. For drinks we shared a bottle of wine. The prices were a bit high per glass, but probably on par with current pricing in 2025. We had the chicken marsala and chicken romano for dinner which were both delicious. I also loved the house salad that came with my dinner it was so good! Would definitely go back, I just found the prices to be quite reasonable expensive. The quality was there but starting at about $45 for an entree. I would go back, but hard to say if I would love to on my own without having a GC. Anyway, the atmosphere and food does not disappoint!! read more

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The history of Tambellini Restaurant is embedded in Pittsburgh culture. It is a prominent name in history of the best Pittsburgh Italian restaurants. Our dinner last night was unsurpassed in Pittsburgh. Ambiance, staff, our amazing server Ali was just the beginning of a fabulous dinner with friends. We started off with cocktails and a recommended Red wine to be followed by appetizers of lightly breaded zucchini and their delicious meatballs with ricotta mixture. Bread and oil was served. We all had Caesar salads Two with anchovies, two without. They had the anchovies in a small container to add yourself. Smart idea. Entrees were the best we've had. The salmon was a thick serving and prepared to perfection. She was delighted with the combo. The filet was phenomenal and could be cut with a fork if you so desired. The pork chop special entree was overfilling the dish. Spectacular! My crushed flounder with crabmeat atop was picture perfect with cherry tomatoes red roasted tomatoes, asparagus and a light sauce. We all had a side of vodka sauce penne pasta which was excellent. Desserts sounded invited and a nice selection of coffees but we were too full to enjoy! Can't wait to go back. We are foodies and very Italian so so I feel confident in this review and my knowledge. Price is in line with the fine dining experience and worth every penny. Free Street parking was not an issue. read more

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Everything is great, but DO NOT leave without eating the Beans'n'Greens. Abnormally good. So so so good.

Excellent service, charming atmosphere great food when the weather cooperates outside dining

I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. We met with Joe and his wife Missy. Amazing family, very accommodating, menu was flexible, plenty of great options for appetizers and main dishes. The food was delicious! I would highly recommend this restaurant for just dinner or a small gathering. read more

Joseph Tambellini Restaurant - Family style entrees included chicken Marsala, chicken parmesan, tomato basil rigatoni. - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Everything about this place is great! From service, ambiance, and food all is over the top. The food was phenomenal! We started out with the greens and beans which were plentiful and delicious! They give you bread and oil for the table as well. I got the cheese ravioli that comes with a meatball and sausage and everything was so yummy! The veal parm was out of this world good! I can't rave about it enough. I will be back and will be brining friends! read more

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Reminds me of a risotto meal in Milan, stepping into a restaurant that was more a home and has but a few tables. Friendly and warm service. The dipping sauce for the bread basket is out of this world! We had pollo masala, veal piccata and angel hair pasta. Simply delicious! read more

I feel obliged to update my review since it's been a couple of years since the last one. Nothing has changed. We've officially become 'regulars' , recognized when we arrive, seated at our favorite table in the back. Service is always friendly and efficient. Everything we've tried on the broad, classical Italian menu has been excellent. We've had a variety of fish, chicken, veal, and pasta dishes. The wine list is a strong point, with good variety and fair prices, not limited to Italian varieties as you often see in Italian restaurants. We're aging baby boomers so we never have room for desserts, so we can't comment on their offerings. In summary, I come up blank on ideas for improvement. What's wrong with that? read more

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Good was outstanding.There were 3 of us.I got the ravioli with a salad.My husband got rigatoni and meatball with soup and our daughter got chicken Marsala and soup.All meals were delicious.We each got a cocktail.Two complaints I had.My husband knocked his glass over and spilled some of his drink.I heard hostess say they would top it, but never did.That is being cheap for what they charge.The waitress also charged on my card the wrong bill which was $80 more that mine.We found the error and she said she was glad we caught the mistake.I guess so.Too expensive and won't go back. read more

We make a point to eat at Tambellini's every time we visit Butler. It continues to be a gem. Great Italian food, great service and pleasant dining experience! My favorites are eggplant or chicken parmigiana. My Mom prefers either spaghetti and meatballs or hot sausage. We always get the salad and desserts which is way too much food for one meal but we use leftovers for meals at home. read more

I have been to Joseph Tambellini a handful of times and each time I go it is always spectacular! They are located in an old house in Highland Park area. There is only street parking, but the neighborhood is not too busy so it's pretty easy to find a spot near the restaurant. The restaurant is very intimate and romantic. They give you bread with this special oil they have to start with. The dipping oil is very good! This last time we got the crab balls as an appetizer and they were delicious. If you like crab I would try them the next time you go. For my main course I got the rigatoni with the Tomato Basil Cream sauce and added grilled chicken. The sauce is amazing; it is so flavorful. The food is a little pricey, but they give you so much. My pasta with chicken was $42 but I got two meals out of it so in my opinion it's worth it. This last time I also tried some dessert, cheesecake. It was soooo good. Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. It was very dense and creamy and the sauce they put on top was great with it too. The wait staff is always very kind. If you are looking for a new romantic date night spot you need to try Joseph Tambellini!! read more

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With COVID-19 showing no let-up, we took advantage of one of the few remaining outside dining evenings to enjoy a fabulous meal at this Italian / Northern Italian spot in the Highland Park area. Service was attentive and friendly on this late-evening meal...we ordered a fried calamari appetizer and put in our dinner orders. Given the snacking we'd done earlier, we decided to only order two main dishes and split them; there was a shared plate charge, but that got us two extra salads or soups so in essence everyone had a full meal. We split orders of the Seafood Melissa and the raviolis, and we got two salads and two soups. Their soup that day was quite similar to a matzoh ball soup with robust broth flavors, chunks of carrot and a wilted green (possibly kale?)...very hearty and satisfying. The salad was covered in an apricot vinaigrette dressing that paired great with the shredded carrots and chickpeas. Our fried calamari appetizer was perfectly chewy and lightly crisp on the outside served with a slightly spicy, thick marinara sauce that clung to each bite with ease. Our entrees then arrived, nicely split in two. The Seafood Melissa came full of sea scallops, a chef's fish selection and crabmeat stuffed shrimp all bathing in a lemon, garlic butter sauce with julienned vegetables on the side. Each of the seafood items has been lightly breaded on top and then put under a broiler providing a bit of texture / crunch to each bite. Wonderfully done! The cheese raviolis were hand made and topped with their tomato basil sauce, accompanied by both a meatball and chucks of spicy sausage topped and the entire dish was covered with shredded mozzarella cheese. This was a total food coma waiting to happen. Sides of rigatoni pasta were covered in either their vodka sauce or spicy marinara sauce adding to our carb load. We left juuuuuust enough room to split one dessert amongst the four of us. The tiramisu had heavily espresso soaked lady fingers set atop a mound of mascarpone cheese sprinkled with cocoa powder and finished with fresh whipped cream. We each had our few bites, savoring the sweetness each time. A wonderful dining experience, great service and a picture perfect weather night...hoping there are still more of these to come! read more

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Best Italian food I have had in Pittsburgh, PA. Service was 10/10 as well, Fry you were a great server! Thank you. If you're looking for a great Italian spot in Pittsburgh, don't look any further. read more

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Great Italian food. Families can share Joe's tasty meals. More outdoor tables please. read more

Had a lovely Sunday dinner with Alisha as our server. Very nice, comfortable space and the Pork Chop Milanese special was exquisite! read more

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Had a fantastic date night at the restaurant. We were seated on the second floor, and two great servers took care of us throughout the evening. We started with seasonal cocktails and shared the Crabmeat Joseph for our appetizer. For our entrees, I chose the evening special, while Erick had the Seafood Melissa. Both were delicious! Although the desserts sounded delicious, we were too stuffed from the generous portions to try them. However, I think we might need to go back just for the pecan ball. read more

Went here with my girlfriend for Valentine's Day and had a really nice time. The food was fantastic, i had cheese raviolis and soup. The fried zucchini app was very good as well and they gave a lot of fried zucchini so it was worth the price for the app. However i have been getting a huge pet peeve lately while eating out. Waiters/waitresses need to let customers know when there is an up charge. After i ordered my main dish the waitress asked soup or salad and i said soup and i was not charged for it. My girlfriend responded with salad and her ceasar salad was an $11 up charge without a word from the waitress. The experience and the food was excellent but i can not give a 5/5 because i am tired of extra expensive charges when it is implied that it comes with the meal or without alerting how much the up charge is while fully knowing it's expensive. read more

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I'm being very generous with giving 3 stars. I was expecting high quality food but they just didn't deliver. I had the special which was pecan crusted tilapia with asparagus. The pecans were so sweet that it ruined the whole meal. I should have sent it back but I didn't want to make a scene as I was dining with 3 others. The pasta side was oddly rubbery. Maybe I'm spoiled with homemade pasta. If you go here, don't expect great food but do expect very high prices and lots of opportunities to increase the price with add ons. read more

Amazing service all around. As soon as we arrived we were happily greeted and seated to our table. Our waiter was very nice and charming, but at the same time gave us lots of privacy and time between courses which I loved. I'd recommend this to couples and families looking to spend a nice evening and share a delicious meal in one of pittsburgh's hidden gems. read more

This was a beautiful meal for two Ohioans who needed a weekend getaway. We started with the calamari fried which was pretty standard. We saw a fried zucchini pass and had a bit of jealousy. Bread can be standard but the oil delivered to the table was simple yet delicious. Whatever is in that oil I'm willing to sell on the street for extra cash. We ordered the flounder special and the cheese ravioli. Both exceptional but we loved the fish draped with asparagus as a must have. We brought the cheese ravioli home to Columbus and it was sooo delicious heated up. Thank you for such a wonderful meal! read more

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We had a gift card from friends and couldn't wait to go here, we had heard such great things about the food. Our meal was delicious! The service was outstanding and top notch, would highly recommend, can't wait to go again! read more

My husband and I came here one evening to enjoy a Valentine's Day dinner. We booked a reservation on Open Table, making it an easy process to reserve a table. We parked about a block away as I believe there is only street parking available. The restaurant was in an old house that was still divided into separate rooms. It was busy with customers but tables were spaced out leaving room to move about despite some of the smaller room sizes. When walking in, the bar was directly ahead with a coat rack and a staircase to the right. A hostess (who I believe was the owner) greeted us and hung our coats, giving us a number tag for when we were finished and ready to pick them up. We were seated right by a fireplace that was not in use in the back of the first floor of the restaurant. Our waitress was quick to serve us and bring us water and complimentary bread and dipping oil. The menu had an array of options with plenty of listed Appetizers, Steak dishes, Chicken/Veal dishes, Seafood dishes, and just pasta dishes. All of the entrees came with a soup or salad option. I ordered the Cheese Ravioli with the Daily Salad. The salad came out first and was beautifully presented. There were carrots curled on top with fresh mixed greens, cucumber, chickpeas and sunflower seeds with a choice of cheese. I loved that the greens were lightly dressed, leaving the rest of the salad with a crunch, allowing it to speak for itself. For my entrée, the ravioli came in a large shallow bowl and was adorned with a large meatball and a piece of sausage in the center, topped with melted cheese and freshly grated parmesan. The ravioli were filled with a large amount of cheese and the pasta was super fresh, clearly homemade. The meatball was moist and delicious and the sausage had a nice little kick to it. I only ate 3 of the 5 ravioli and part of the meat as it was very filling. I really enjoyed this dish. We ordered a Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert to share between the two of us. It was presented beautifully - topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and a strawberry on the side. The cake was slightly warm, dense and fudgy with a slightly gooey center. The freshness of the strawberry and coolness of the ice cream really paired well with it. My husband and I really enjoyed our evening here. It is definitely a place for a special occasion but the food was really good, the service was on par, and the experience was all around enjoyable. read more

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My wife and I came here for an early valentine's day dinner on Thursday evening. We made reservations and arrived shortly after 7PM, finding on street parking about a block away. The inside of the restaurant is nice, homely, and cozy. I ended up ordering the scallop and shrimp linguini which came with a house salad topped with gorgonzola cheese. Our meal started with some complimentary pieces of bred with dipping oil. Next the salad was delicious, fresh, and light. I love salads that can pair gorgonzola well and it was perfect. The main entree came out and was a very reasonable portion with a good volume of scallops and shrimp. The scallops were cooked nicely, easy to cut into and were really tasty in the dish. For dessert my wife and I split the lava cake with ice cream. It was dense, rich, and just the right size to split between us. Overall I really liked my meal here. Tambellini restaurant is one of my favorite Italian places in Pittsburgh, I wish it was closer to my home. The food here is pricey but on par with the price and worth a nice night to dine out. read more

Joseph Tambellini Restaurant - House salad with gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This place is outstanding. 1st time diner at JT and it was perfect. The server Charlotte was so attentive and gave us suggestions. The pasta and chicken romano was amazing and not to disappoint to end by the pecan ball. We are definitely going Back. Also, made reservation thru OpenTable, which was very convenient. read more

Joseph Tambellini Restaurant - Orange Martini was outstanding - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This was our first time at this restaurant and it could not have been better. The staff was super friendly and accommodating and the food was plentiful and spectacular. From the crab ball appetizer, to the main courses of encrusted veal chop and Eggplant Parmesan. Dessert was delightful as well. We had the pecan ball & chocolate mousse cake. Wow, what an experience. We will definitely be back. Thanks for a wonderful anniversary dinner! read more

My boyfriend and I had a delightful dinner here recently. We made the reservation last-minute without a lot of expectations and came away so impressed! I think it's safe to say we'll be back soon. Joseph Tambellini Restaurant is such a pleasant experience because of its great reputation. Grounded by excellent service and delicious Italian dishes, it succeeds because it doesn't try to be something it's not (namely overly trendy or too pretentious). Upon arrival we were greeted and had our coats checked before even being asked if we had a reservation or not. Our table wasn't quite ready, so we sat at the cozy bar to get started on some drinks. During the wait we were able to observe the charming and happy atmosphere of the restaurant as a whole. It's located in a stately older home and far from feeling outdated it's more of an escape. Imagine having dinner in the home of longtime family friends and you'll get the idea. Armed with a pear martini and a glass of wine, we were soon escorted upstairs where the server explained the specials and brought bread and oil. Between the two of us we went with a Caesar salad, the salmon entree, arrabbiata pasta, and a double cut pork chop. Everything was perfectly prepared and timed nicely as it came out of the kitchen, not to mention completely and utterly delicious. The price point is on the higher end, but given the quality of the food and experience I'd say it's totally worth it. If you have a special occasion coming up or simply want to have a night date night, give this place a try. It won't disappoint! read more

Great service and very good food I ordered a dish with meat as a treat and I loved every bite. read more

We have dined at Tambellini's a handful of times before this so it is very disappointing to say that after our recent experience there, we will not be going back and want others to know why as I believe even an Applebees or Denny's would have handled this better than Tambellini's, a high end restaurant did. We went there for dinner with our adult children for a special birthday of mine per my request. We explained to the server that my husband is allergic to cheese so not to include it on the salad or in the pasta dish he ordered. The server said that would not be an issue with either the salad or the pasta dish. As it turned out, the pasta dish did contain parmesan cheese which my husband noticed after a couple bites. We asked the server about it and she said that it wasn't made with cheese. Ultimately, after my children and I tasted it and said it tasted like it has cheese on it, we asked for it to be taken back to the kitchen. After awhile, the woman owner of the restaurant came to our table and said she was sorry there was cheese on it and that it would be taken off our bill. The server then came back and profusely apologized for it having cheese and reiterated that it would be taken off our bill. We then ordered desserts and when we were done and received the bill, I told the server that given that my husband did not get a chance to enjoy his meal plus this was a matter of an allergy which could have could have caused him to be ill at the table, at the minimum the restaurant should have offered him a free dessert or something. At this point, the server said that she could do that but that the server would have to pay for it just like the server was going to have to pay the entire menu price of the pasta dish my husband ordered. Of course, we didn't want a 20-something server to have to pay more for dessert under these circumstances especially since it was an honest mistake on her part and she had otherwise delivered excellent service. We ultimately gave her a very generous tip that more than covered the cost of the pasta dish. We were very taken aback that this is how this fancy restaurant treats its staff and also not happy that the restaurant did not offer anything else to my husband for what happened. In my mind, this is poor customer relations and something as I said at the beginning, we've seen an Applebees or Dennys handle much better than this restaurant. Given both of these issues, we will not be going back and spending our hard-earned money at this restaurant. read more

Delicious veal Marsala and Ali had crab cakes there. Vodka sauce was great on the pasta. It's on the expensive side. Sit on the first floor so you don't have to climb stairs since it's a converted old house. Fried zucchini and sauce was very good as well. read more

The worst service I've had at a restaurant, very rude to our group. To top it off the food was very average Italian food.

Once a year my family, my sister, brother in law, brother and sister in law and their kids gather for a family dinner at a "good" restaurant. This year my sister picked Joseph Tambellini's. And we were so glad we did. From appetizers through desserts, everything was superb. Fried zucchini, crispy sesame calamari, stuffed banana pepper were all excellent appetizers. My entree was veal piccata and was probably the best I've ever had. My husband's filet was melt in your mouth delicious! Pecan ball was best ever dessert. So many layers of flavors make this food sooo good. Excellent ingredients yielding excellent dishes. Kudos to the chef! One of the best in Pittsburgh for sure! Oh, and the service was spot on and the decor was lovely. Definitely worth a 5 star review. Thanks for a memorable meal. read more

We were so excited to try this restaurant and it turned out to be a disaster. Ordered a cocktail and they charged 18.50 for the manhattan it was not a true manhattan tastes terrible. Waitress was friendly but brought us the wrong dinner. We left and within 4 hours I had to take my husband to the emergency room as he was having pain in his chest and stomach with profuse sweating and clamminess ,as well as severe gastro discomfort. Thank God it was not his heart but gastro related. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

This has become our destination restaurant in greater Pittsburgh. The people are friendly, the décor pleasant, and the food remains outstanding. It's just a perfect place for a nice perfectly plated and deliciously tasting meal. I doubt that it's possible to leave here without feeling like this was one of your best evenings ever.. read more

Very good restaurant, and one of the few more upscale restaurants that really deliver quality food. I got the salmon, chickpea salad, zucchini, and pecan ball. The salmon is quite thick and delicious! Comes in quite a large serving as well. Vegetables were cooked well, too. I got the pasta in red sauce as my side, and it was equally excellent. Thick noodles with one of the best red sauces in Pittsburgh. The complimentary chickpea salad was surprisingly good. Firstly, the dressing is light and a little sweet. The addition of chickpeas was truly lovely and the cranberries also added texture and sweetness. Someone else said the seafood Melissa was delicious as well! However, portion seemed a little small to me. Zucchini appetizer is called 'famous' for a reason! It's very crispy and has the perfect breading/zucchini ratio. You also get quite a large serving for $13 and the quality is noticeably higher as well (in comparison to other fried zucchini). Pecan ball was also very good. It is nutty and goes well with the vanilla ice cream. This is certainly not a cheap place, but I'd much rather visit here over some of the even more upscale restaurants with mediocre food. It's great for anniversaries, birthdays, or any other celebration. read more

We went to Tambellini's for the first and last time. We made a reservation and were never asked if an upstairs table was OK. The manager berated us because my 87 year old mother (who walks with a cane) could not climb the stairs. The manager refused to seat us on the first floor. We told her we could not stay. She then told us "Don't come back.". What a horrible way to treat anyone. A terrible reflection on the restaurant. I will never go back. The manager needs lessons in common courtesy and decency. read more

Heard the food was good, so we decided to take my mom there to celebrate her 85th birthday. We brought a cake from the Cheesecake Factory, which we all know, is not an inexpensive purchase! We asked about bringing it in and was told there'd be a "cake cutting charge". No problem -- we've been to several places, where the charge is usually $1/pp or $10 total. Not here -- got the bill and the "$35 cake cutting charge". Needless-to-say -- for 7 people, this was a bit ridiculous and we ALL felt greed was the motivating factor as well as financial rape. The meals were good -- all had there 'upgrades' based on if you wanted a different cheese, salad, etc. Everything on the menu came with an upgrade...sorry but I don't agree with this method of dining. Again - food was good, waitress was very attentive, but feel like they are desperate for $$ ... read more

Overpriced mediocre food. Found the service and atmosphere to be pretentious. Upcharge on already overpiced items. Quality of dishes and taste of food subpar to other restaurants in this price range in Pittsburgh. Won't be back. read more

We came with party of 2. The atmosphere was elegant and Server was excellent. Started with two appetizers 1. Crab Balls with Twin Sauces 2. Calamari - Sautéed, Fried was great. Our main course was today's special. We ordered 1. Sea Bass top with Almonds accompanied by Scallops with chef's secret sauce along with house salad: Salad-Baby Field Greens w/Dried Cranberries, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Cucumber, Garbanzo Beans, Carrot Straw & Apricot Vinaigrette 2. Special Ribeye will Chicken Pastina Soup. I like the idea main course comes with choice of salad or soup. Finished Cushini Fritti - sweet pastry dough flash fried, with seasonal filling, dusted in sugar and topped with vanilla ice cream and dessert sauce go along well with wine. We are definitely becoming back. Compliment to the Chef ! read more

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