Surprisingly good food, considering the location. We were in an RV so it was nice that we could park next door. Waitstaff was courteous. Even though the reviews said not kid-friendly, our 11-year old ordered spaghetti and meatballs and enjoyed it. One word of caution...overpriced. My daughter's pasta was 16.50. Table side Caesar for 2 was 21.50 (not worth it) and my shrimp fra Di Avolo was 29.50! read more

We ate Spaghetti here and you would think because it's in Italian restaurant it would be amazing but it was terrible and very high-priced and we won't be back! read more

This place is really old style...not in a good way. It's stuffy and expensive. If you're over 70, you might enjoy it. There are several other much better Italian faire that have yummier food. read more

We had an outstanding dinner! The appearance is not impressive, however the food and service was outstanding. Our waiter (has worked there 10 yrs. and was one of the junior employees) gave us excellent guidance on what to select. read more

the dinner was just ok and i had the chicken marsla. When i walked in it feels like it was stepping in to the 80's. but the service was ok.

It wasn't the food or the service that won me over with Nello's. It was how clean my dishes were! My god, they were so clean i just had to meet my dish washers. Low and behold two hulking figures approached my table and told me they were the dish washers. I couldn't believe my eyes. How could these beautiful examples of fitness conjure up such clean dishes. I asked them for their name and they both replied in coolness "Scott" and "Shay" my eyes grew with wonder. It was then when I realized that its not about the food or the customer service but it's about keeping those dishes clean. Thank you "Scott" and "Shay", thank you for everything I could possibly imagine. read more

This restaurant is amazing with exceptional service, delicious food, generous portions, warm ambiance, and its bit of "show" with our server preparing our Ceasar's Salad and Banana Flambe (these dishes are EXCELLENT) in front of us. The only reason I gave this restaurant a 4 (I wish I could give it a 4-3/4) is the restaurant's use of styrofoam containers. With its generous portions, it was difficult to finish everything so we asked for a doggy bag. We were surprised that our leftovers came back in a styrofoam container wrapped in plastic wrap. Not eco-friendly; I hope the restaurant changes its practice. Otherwise, it's one of those restaurants I will look forward to dining at if I ever return to this area of California. read more

Best restaurant in north state! My wife and I love this restaurant! Unbelievable! Hope to continue to visit once a week but will settle for once a month :) read more

Been going here for over 20 years.The owner is great and is in there often working.Best upscale restaurant in town,a great romantic spot as well. The house shrimp scampi,steak diane,cherries jubilee,banana flambe are all excellent!! Best scampi ive ever had read more

Running a restaurant is a bit like theatre. You can mount 350 performances in a year and if one goes bad, that's the one people remember. So you have to be on top of your game 100% of the time. Most likely an impossible task. Yet every time I go to Nello's or order some dinners to go from Nello's they are on top of their game. They consistently manage to perform above expectations. Last night our main courses were NY Sirloin and the Ravioli and Spaghetti Combo. This was accompanied by a great sourdough bread and butter, antipasto, their signature house salad with blue cheese and bay shrimp, and sautéed vegetables and penne pasta with the steak. Mesquite grilled, and a lovely medium rare, the steak was juicy, flavorful, and tender. The vegetables were al dente, as was the penne. My wife, a vegetarian, has discovered that although Nello's has everything from veal to scallops and steak to clams, that is has many choices for a vegetarian, all of which she has tried and loves. Nello's never lets us down. Already planning our next dinner there. read more

We've been visiting Mom in Redding for nearly 30 years, and just found Nello's Place.... a gem if there every was one. From ambience to food to service, it's a find. Sinatra and Louis Prima playing in the background, classic Italian food and professional waiters who know it's their role to make you leave happy without knowing their first names. The calamari steak was perfect and the veal piccata was tender on the inside, crisp on the outside, and tangy with lemon and capers. And don't pass up the Caesar salad. Haven't had one this good since grandpa took us to Caesar's in Tijuana, where it was invented. Don't pass this place up! read more

We went to Nello's last night for my Mom's birthday. It was so wonderful. The food was great, the atmosphere is fun, and the service was out of this world. My eight year old daughter was with us and they were very nice to her. I will be back for sure and I highly recommend. read more

It has been over 10 years since I have had a meal here. The positives are they seemed to have refreshed the dining area. The lighting is still a little too low to easily read the menu. They still give a carnation to women as they leave. A fun touch. The issue I have is the extremely large portions and they seemed a little heavy on the salt. The house salad was heavily dressed, and while it was fresh tossed it was heavy on olive oil. Because of dietary restrictions I was unable to have one course that comes standard with the meal. There was no suggestion for an alternative. We did order dessert and were offered a smaller piece for less which was a better sized serving. Yet full fare for a meal that was missing the pasta course ( manicotti with three cheeses or canelloni stuffed with three different meats and cheese on top! I cannot have dairy and have not had meat in 7 years). Service was better then last visit, but it was little things that took away a star. They were helpful, yet not understanding to my dietary need. I was very specific. For romance they still have the atmosphere. Portions are huge especially with extras included with each meal. That being antipasto plate and salad, add the pasta course as described and add the meal. Lots of wasted food! Glad they have improved a few things. Sorry others not so much. read more

When in Redding, do what the locals do: go to Nello's. It's a bit of a time stood still Italian restaurant with an authentic menu of classic dishes. You will be surprised by the extras such as an antipasto starter and a salad with baby shrimp and blue cheese. The house specialties in each category never disappoint. End with spumoni and leave with a smile. read more

Fantastic restaraunt. I travel frequently and have looked for traditional italian restaraunts in major cities (San Francisco, Boston, New York) and have not found one as wonderful as Nello's. I don't live in Redding, but whenever passing near I make a special effort to have a meal at this gem! read more

This use to be our go-to Italian restaurant in Redding. While I still want to love it, I'm more disappointed with each visit. The portions are smaller with more sauce burying the little amounts of pasta. It's embarrassing asking for more spaghetti noodles, as cheap as pasta is. The bread comes warm occasionally, when it used to be consistently warm with a fresh feeling. The overall price for the servings now is far to high. They've priced their foods to a fine dining restaurant and it just isn't anymore. I won't be back for a while. Salads are probably still the only best part. read more

This restaurant was amazing. Went on a Saturday night at 7:45 and got seated right away (we did make a reservation). The service was spot on as was the food. The homemade minestrone soup was superb. We all ordered different pastas and they were all great. And you must have the Tiramasu for dessert! We were very impressed with this restaurant and would highly recommend it for others. read more

Great atmosphere. Tasteful decor. Authentic Italian family run establishment. Our server was attentive. Salmon entree was tender and delicious. Would have given 5 stars if the fried raviolis were not overfried, and if the eggplant parmigiana did not come out lukewarm. Recommend trying the tiramisu. One of the best ever tasted. Would recommend and return. read more

Read reviews on Yelp and decided to check it out. Visiting from Sonoma county and needed Italian food. Such great service! Took us very casual (coming from basketball tournament) and treated us so well. Delicious warm bread and we asked for oil and they asked if we wanted it with garlic which was so good. Had sauteed garlic calamari and pesto tortellini and baked lasagna. Got some antipasta served as well as table service salad. Everything was fresh, delicious and served one after the other not on top of each other which is the right way to get served!! Happy, full and garlic breath (who cares when you do it together!!). Yummy! !! read more

Absolutely Bomb!! One the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to! Most likely the best in town. Can be expensive, but there are inexpensive options available. Had a wonderful birthday dinner for my wife here. read more

One of my all-time favorite restaurants. And we live several hundred miles away in Oregon but each time we drive down to California we stay in Redding and eat dinner at Nello's. Food is outstanding and the atmosphere is classy old-world Italian Frank Sinatra style. The Caesar salad is made fresh right at the table and includes anchovies, the way it's supposed to be made. Every dish I've had there is better than the next. If you like delicious authentic Italian food, this is the place to eat. read more

This was my first experience at Nello's and decided to get it Togo, first off, I called and the waiter said it'll be about 15-20 minutes, I arrive about 10 mins late and still had to wait a whole 30 mins, total time was about 50mins just to get my food out, next off, salads came with our dinner but I didn't literally think it would be leaves of lettuce with oil splattered on with canned shrimp. It was disgusting. Also the lovely waiter put the salads in sideways so all the oil spilled out the sides and all over the bottom of the box and my car. My boyfriend got the Rigatoni marinara and I kid you not it tastes like cheap canned tomato sauce, I actually think PREGO tastes a little better. Meal was extremely over priced for two meals my 6yr old could've made. I tipped the waiter way more than I should have so I didn't have to wait another hour for my change. You're welcome. If I could rate this experience how it actually was it would be negative 5 stars. read more

I hate to give a low rating to this place because the first time I came here I was blown away, and would have given a perfect rating in a heartbeat. But every subsequent meal I've had since has been sub par. Little taste, smaller portions, declining level of service, and a nagging feeling like most of their food items are of the frozen variety. The ambiance, although nice for dates, makes it difficult for friends and family members to see each other. My eyes end up feeling strained after an hour of being here. Overall if the place that I went to, and loved 4 years ago, would come back I would appreciate it and recommend it. But as it stands right now, I wouldn't. read more

We came here on the recommendation of locals and the food was terrific. I've seen some reviews that expressed concern about staff not being attentive, and that is not what we experienced. Our waiter did a terrific job making sure that our meal moved along quickly enough to get to our concert that evening. The food was beautifully prepared (enjoyed the house salad a lot). The cannelloni wasn't our thing, but the veal was tender and perfectly cooked. And, the lasagne had the right mix of sausage. We will absolutely return. Great service and great food. read more

Nello's is consistently professional and delicious. In our opinion, it is among the top in freshly prepared, quality Italian food, not just in the Redding area, but as compared to the San Francisco area, Southern California and Oregon locations we have visited. Having gone there for years, and tried many dishes, I'm somewhat baffled that anyone would find this place less than amazing. The service is stellar, the food is always spectacular, the ambiance, once inside, is very charming. The manager is extremely accommodating. Servers check and recheck to make sure you are satisfied. Suggestions for newbies: scampi de la casa, veal piccata, bananas flambé, cherries jubilee, and always get the house salad with blue cheese and shrimp. The manicotti that comes with your meal is unbelievable. Choose that. Come hungry and be prepared to roll out of there. read more

My husband and I had plans for our anniversary but unfortunately they fell through because of the weather (crazy dec 2012 storm!) We were stuck in Redding and absolutely crushed. We have driven past this place every day always saying "we should try there sometime!" but had yet to actually follow through. It was a busy Saturday night but we thought we'd play the odds and pop in without a reservation (do not recommend!). By some miracle we were seated in a cozy corner booth in under 5 minutes! The food was to die for, I love the classic "course" style of dining, and the hostess brought me a carnation at the end of the meal. It was an altogether wonderful experience, until we got the bill. Whew! This restaurant is spendy but it is worth it for the ambiance, the service, and the wonderful memories you will make. read more

Great food and atmosphere. My family and I enjoyed each bit of the classical Italian dinner. Chicken pram was cooked perfectly. The tiramisu was a perfect end to a really nice meal. read more

I didn't enjoy the food here at all. I went with friends that love it, but I really do not understand why. The food was traditional, but not done well. I prefer a more modern take on Italian food, but I have been to Old World type restaurants that are fabulous. This is not one of them. read more

Heard such good things expected the best margarita was not good stuffed lasagna was small and unimpressive clams linguini was runny and the clams small wine was overpriced we won't be back the service was good tho read more

You will never be sorry you ate at Nello's! Always great service, always great food, No matter what you order, it will be great. Been eating here since it opened. Never, and I mean never, been disappointed. read more

Been going since 1983! Sure do miss Nello there, but the food and atmosphere is fantastic! Reddings finest Italian place to eat! Fine dining with authentic Italian food. Must go if you are ever in Redding. read more

I recently hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner at Nello's. The food was fantastic and the service was impeccable! Arrangements were made by phone as I live 600 miles away. When I first contacted Nello's I told them that there would be 35 people. That number jumped to 40 and then 50. Each time I contacted Nello's they were totally great about my jump in numbers and assured me that even if there was a last minute change everything would be ok. They were right. Everything was beyond ok. My guests raved about the food. The banquet menu offered plenty of choices and everyone was happy. Several people in our group stated the steak was the best they have ever had. I was able to taste the eggplant parm and the veal parm and both were delicious. Like I said - the food was great. But, what really made the evening was the spectacular service. Thanks Nello's! We'll be back next time we are in town! read more

New to the area, this was our first visit but definitely not our last! Excellent food and our waiter San was so attentive!

Authentic place amazing blue cheese great service enjoyed very much

I loved many things about this place. The atmosphere is romantic, the service is phenominal and the drinks are great! But the food is the worst ive had in redding. If I were to judge this place in the service alone id give it 5 stars! But the steak is pathetic, and it was drenched in a salty sauce. And I mean DRENCHED. It was too heavy, the sides were over cooked and just awful. I will not be going back... read more

I was thrilled when my boyfriend mentioned he was taking me to Nello's for my birthday dinner and I immediately looked up and read a few reviews. Not sure who wrote them as our "food" experience was terrible. Being a big fan of crab, my boyfriend and my daughter opted to order the dungeness crab cakes and I do believe they were the worst tasting food I have ever eaten. They were grease soaked, over cooked and lacking in crab meat. At a cost of about $30.00 one would think they would be loaded with big chunks of crab. Also, the place was so dark that we used the flashlight on cell phone to read menu and then to look at the horrible crab cakes. They did take them off the bill but ..... so much for my nice birthday dinner. I will never and I repeat I will never go back there and I intend on telling anyone that mentions they are going to choose a different place for dinner read more

nellos is one of our favorite restaurants. however the last time we were there we were disappointed. i ordered calamari. don't know what it was they served me. something that didn't look or taste like calamari. haven't been back.hope it has improved the calamari since we were there. read more

Nice! I felt like a Chicago mobster looking around the room for the Godfather. Very dimly lit so look at the menu beforehand. I went after smoking reefer, so a party of 4 with a bill of 180, I tipped the guy 240 bux. So I don't go to restaurants high anymore. The food was fantastic, I got the Chicken Cacciatore great!, My buddy opted for the Calamari Pasta dish. He loved it, it was very spicy he said. My son got the Chicken Parm, but It was not an 8 yr olds chicken dish, so I ate most of it later, I liked my plate better. I also got the "Bananas Flambé" so my kid could have a dinner and a show! Oh, I also ordered the Caesar Salad, My waiter said, "Are you sure sir, this is a 20 dollar salad for 2?" I said "Sure"... Worth every penny! Made the same as the top-end Italian restaurants in Reno's mafia casino industry... they would know. I'm a big eater. I will come here again, but with a chaperone! read more

Nice place to go. Great food fair prices and waiters are very helpful and fast. Absolutely love the blue cheese on their salad it's amazing. Only issue could be they are always packed and even with reservations you can wait a while. Always recommit to friends who want a great nite out read more

The food is authentic and delicious. We had the fettucccine and chicken parmesiana. Both were perfectly done. The flavors well balanced, the pasta cooked just right, and the vegetables were a nice touch. The chianti is a must with any of the tomato based sauces, a perfect complement. The service was fast and efficient. The atmosphere is comfortable like a family restaurant, but also appropriately decorated. The portions are huge, so pace yourself! read more