Thank you so much. Grew up in St. Louis, had no idea what Italian food could be as a kid, eating on the hill, visited Italy, lived in Chicago, came home and swore I'd never find Italian food worth the money. Finally got a last minute reservation here and was blown away!!! Tasty, not covered in cream and cheese, and cooked to perfection. We had three adults and three kids. Had the cheese truffles, veal meatballs, octopus, shrimp scampi, spaghetti and meatballs, braised beef and two bottles of wine. No complaints, all food was spot on and service was great. I freaking love that someone at the restaurant is taking on crappy reviews from idiot yelp reviewers that don't know anything about food! Go for it!!! Great place. Great good. Great service. Good wine. My only complaint is that we've tried multiple times to get a reservation, someone said they'd call me back, and didn't. But that's ok and you made up for it tonight! read more

Those who say the best Italian in STL is on, "The Hill" is totally wrong. This place in Clayton is amazingly delicious. It is tucked away at the back-end of a small strip center just off Wydown. The small boutique size makes it intimate and almost romantic. I meet up with fellow Yelper, Christal for lunch on the Tuesday after Labor Day. Our luncheon was 12:30pm, towards the end of their lunch rush. I arrived first and selected a table on their small patio. Being a dog dad, it was nice to see they had water bowls making the patio pet friendly. We started out with some Cauliflower Hummus. In addition to the crostini, they offered a basket of soft Italian bread dabbed with garlic butter. This worked out great, because I preferred the crostini and Christal wanted the softer bread. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the cauliflower hummus. In addition to the hummus, the plate had a small spinach salad with pine nuts and balsamic dressing. It was a nice touch. For my entree, I channeled my inner child and ordered a half order of spaghetti and meatball. I choose the chicken.The ground chicken was blended with breadcrumbs. It was moist and tender. Noodles were prepared to a perfect al dente. I don't think Italian food can really be classified as a comfort food, but this Southern Italian Southern food, brought me comfort this afternoon. No booze for me, I enjoyed a tall refreshing glass of ice tea. Christal was having a rough day at work and enjoyed a glass of red wine. I found it odd that it was not served in a traditional wine glass. It was served in a small juice/water glass. I thought it was perhaps because we were on the patio. Then the table next to us ordered a bottle and did have a traditional steamed glass. Just weird. Our server was professional and very knowledgeable. He described their food and recommended wines for Christal like a true pro. Will I return? - Most definitely. When: September 5, 2017 Why: Italian lunch with a friend read more

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My husband and I as well as the couple that we took who had just moved to St. Louis, loved it. I had been to Peno before with my son and DIL; a great restaurant on the street that we used to live on! It's so much better than a dry cleaner, which was there before; it makes me miss Wydown now! The restaurant is beautiful, great vibe, and the food is delicious. However, we sat on the patio, and the waiter station's light was so bright. Could you put a lower-wattage bulb in the light fixture? Otherwise, everything was perfect! read more

Recentemente ho visitato Peno e sono rimasto molto deluso. Nonostante le sue affermazioni di servire autentica cucina del sud Italia, ho trovato l'esperienza complessiva molto lontana da quello che mi aspettavo. Dal pessimo servizio al proprietario scortese, la mia visita è stata tutto tranne che piacevole. Innanzitutto, ho notato che il ristorante mancava di un'atmosfera accogliente. Sembrava più una discoteca che un autentico ristorante italiano. Il servizio è stato altrettanto deludente. Il personale sembrava disinteressato e poco attento durante tutta la serata. Ci è voluto molto tempo per prendere le nostre ordinazioni e una volta arrivato il cibo, mancava di qualsiasi sapore. Per peggiorare le cose, il proprietario ha mostrato un atteggiamento incredibilmente scortese e sprezzante verso i clienti. Quando ho sollevato le mie preoccupazioni sulla qualità del cibo e del servizio, la risposta del proprietario è stata difensiva e non si è scusato. Era chiaro che la soddisfazione del cliente non era una priorità per loro. Nel complesso, la mia esperienza in questo ristorante "italiano" è stata estremamente deludente. La mancanza di autenticità sia nel cibo che nell'ambiente, combinata con il pessimo servizio e il proprietario scortese, ha lasciato un'impressione negativa duratura. Non consiglierei questo ristorante a chiunque cerchi un'esperienza autentica di cucina italiana con un buon servizio. read more

Delicious dinner my first time at Peno. Had to get the pasta for my first time! You can tell the food is made with love and that it's a very family oriented place. We sat on the covered patio and enjoyed our meal a lot. They have tons of specials and seems like menu changes often! read more

Amazing food and cozy atmosphere. Service was great. Our waiter made great recommendations.

The service and food at Peno is consistently excellent. The owner provides a very diverse menu and excellent desserts. The wait staff is very friendly and very accommodating. read more

Always one of our favorite places. Great food, good service, interesting cocktails and cozy atmosphere.

Great location and ambiance with equally excellent food. Will definitely be coming back.

Spaghetti with black mussels on the menu but they served it with clams. COZZE VS VONGOLE. The server did not Inform us. They just served it without saying anything. The glass of red wine was way too cold. Our dinner time was 5-6pm and wait staff was just standing at the bar and staring at us. After paying no thank you or good by. I own two Italian Italian restaurants in the Philippines but my waitstaff is much friendlier plus they know what they are serving. read more

There are no prices in menu, $5 per person reservation fee and the staff new nothing about it, so making sure we did not get double charged took a while to establish. We were seated by exterior door near bus station and it was ver cold on a night of 50 degrees, can't imagine how it would be if colder outside. There were several open tables near heaters but still sat us near this door. The food was delicious, but atmosphere was not good. Used to love this place but probably my last visit. read more

DO NOT. Worst experience EVER. We were traveling through town staying in a nearby hotel... and were craving pizza. Checked out the locals online.... papa johns, dominos... and came accross Penos, which looked upscale and edgy. We went for it... When I called... the ordering process took about 15 minutes. Long pauses... I swear... I thought the person was on valium. Finally.. when the order was placed... he said... "OK.. 15 mins.... but probably much longer" Um... what does that mean? Anyhow... the food came rather fast to the hotel. The delivery guy was a bit clumsy, but super sweet. And then it all comes tumbling down. We ordered 3 things.... House Italian salad (7.00) .. "crispy chicken wings Vesuvius" (9.00) and a "make your own" 12 inch , thin crust pizza.(18.50) DO NOT. In a nutshell... The "house" salad was a handful of chopped romaine, with ONE olive, and grated, processed mozzarella ... and a plastic container of olive oil. The "crispy chicken wings" were 4 pieces of what looked like boiled chicken quarters (see photo) with an empty plastic container of "dipping sauce" And then there was the "12" pizza" which was actually about 8 inches accross.. STONE cold.. and the most bland sauce... but what was really awful was the shoe leather crust. My son couldn't even bite through it. Awful.... So... OK.... we have to be open to "a bad night... Or.. an off night" with any establishment. But this is were is gets really good.... We called the restaurant to give our feed back on the "Crispy" chicken which was delivered without dipping sauce... and the house salad, which consisted of a handful of lettuce and ONE olive... and the horrible, tiny pizza.... and when we called... we were immediately passed to the owner. Before we could even finish a sentence , this guy JUMPED down our throats.... Saying... "DUDE... I have a restaurant full of people right now... Go ahead and write a review on YELP like all the other losers" wait. what? Did I just hear that correctly?? DO NOT support this pompous, arrogant restaurant owner who delivers bad, overpriced food. The curious thing... is we were not asking for anything in return, but just wanted to give our feedback... and the owners violent reaction just proves that he must get many of these calls many times a night. AWFUL food... Super awful experience, and 40.00 down the drain. We ended up ordering 2 Dominos pizzas which arrived promptly, and were piping hot. What a joke. Trust me on this one.... DO NOT. (Just a simple guy writing a review on Yelp with all the other "losers") read more

Peno - 12 inch pizza?   We measured 8 inches. The box was 8 inches accross!! - Italian Near Me - Clayton, Missouri

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In STL this place is a top 5 favorite of mine, I love the pizza, and they have a braised octopus dish that's is . I recommend you go with 2-4 people and order a bunch of dishes and share them. Thank me later. Staff there is amazing as well ask for Sanje read more

a little expensive but very good pizza with unique toppings and very good, chewy, perfect crust. got takeout so I cannot comment on the service but the ambiance of the place was very nice, dimly lit and upscale casual. read more

Went to Peno for a work dinner with 7 colleagues. Food was excellent. If I could give six stars I would. I cannot wait to go back with friends and family. Next time I have to try the pizza. Service was good and the staff were all very friendly. Warning: It's small. Not very many tables. I can imagine getting a table on a Friday or Saturday night would be difficult. read more

There were no prices on the drinks and they charged us $20 each for a lemon cello, which was horrible and small. Won't be going back for dinner. read more

I went to Peno with a large group (reservation made ahead) on a recent Saturday night. We were promptly seated when we arrived. Our server was great the entire evening. The atmosphere at Peno is modern and cozy at the same time. I started with the Tucci House Salad. It was fresh, delicious, and generously proportioned. Our server brought fresh, warm bread out with the salads that was very tasty. My entree was the Risotto Milanese. It was well prepared and presented. The only miss was a bit of cartilage in a couple of the chicken pieces. I also ordered a Limoncello. I didn't read the menu carefully and was surprised when it was a Limoncello crema . No matter it was tasty. I also ordered the Tiramisu. It was also fine, but lacked flavor. Overall, the experience at Peno was very enjoyable. Our server was attentive, kept the drinks full the entire evening, and had a terrific memory because she didn't write anything down and didn't make a single mistake. I will definitely go back to Peno. They have a wide range of items on the menu. read more

Peno is doing St. Louis outdoor dining right. Who WOULDN'T want to come. Plus, the great food and service is a bonus. A great dining experience- You will not be disappointed. read more

Peno - Peno Italian Soul Food outdoor party patio - Italian Near Me - Clayton, Missouri

This was the worst dining experience my husband and I've have had in a long time. They were out of several menu items including the red sangria. The white sangria was very bitter. The beef spiedini was dry, and overcooked. I ordered a glass of prosecco, and It was poured out of a mini bottle costing $16.95. Our server pulled a "snot towel" out of her apron wiping her nose several times, and did not wash her hands. She proceeded to pull bread out of an oven with no gloves. The building was small, which was fine, but it was very hot inside. Our evening was ruined as we both felt sick after dinner. There are many fabulous restaurants in St Louis. Do not dine at this one! read more

2nd visit. Not great service either time. Tried to seat me 10 inches from a head level oscillating fan squeezed between two chairs. We asked to move because I did not want my hair to get caught in the fan. Then waited for a server for 15 minutes. Another 15 min for our wine, No wine chillers and it was warm out. Server asked if we would like to split the salad we said yes. then they brought it in one bowl. They also brought one of the entries with the salad. We had stated that we were both ordering eggplant and splitting the giant meatball as our entrees. It sat there and got cold so we covered it with a bread plate. A busser and a server both tried to take it away as dirty dish. We both ordered eggplant and it came barely warm. Meanwhile the 3rd entree which was the giant meatballs that we intended to split as we ate the eggplant was now cold. Mediocre entrees. Might have been better if they were hot. Server did not come by until we were half done with our eggplant and tried to take them away to heat them up. No thank you. That would ruin our dinner even more. They did give us free dessert which we really didn't want but we accepted anyway and took it home. Not sure I will give this place a 3rd try. Parking is incredibly difficult. They definitely need valet. We were 10 minutes late for our reservation and had to park 2 and a 1/2 blocks away. Husband did eat the eggplant reheated at home and said it was very good. Cake was very good also read more

I came into here by myself as I arrived early for a conference. I was warmly greeted at the door. They call themselves "Italian Soul Food," and being in mind of family, I bit. I was beyond delighted. My server was gracious and attentive. I ordered the Italian salad, to remind me of Gram, and it was just what the doctor ordered. The Pasta Palermo was perfection on a plate. I had said yes to grated cheese but waved it off, the dish shouldn't be touched. The chef came over to see how I liked my food, and I noticed he helped with serving, as well, the staff obviously a great team. It's such an intimate little place, it definitely feels like home. I hope I make it back! read more

What a beautiful and fun place to dine. I love it when we walk in the neighborhood and stumble upon a hidden gem. The staff and food here was fantastic! Talk about Italian food made right! We will definitely be coming back! read more

The finest casual restaurant in St. Louis ! Great service and atmosphere and the food is to die for! Try the eggplant appetizer - it's Italian Soul Food at its finest. This place rocks! read more

This is an easy 5 star review. Our food and service experience were amazing. This is a pretty small restaurant, so reservations are a must on weekends I would think. There were so many appealing and interesing items on the menu it was hard to narrow down our choices. We ended up with the octopus appetizer and I had the King Kup filet (I think that was the name). Both of these dishes were as perfect as they could have been. We have never liked octopus so I was pretty trusting of us to try it (Yelpers helped). I always thought it too rubbery and bland. The preparation here is anything BUT that. It's extremely tender and cooked with andoulle sausage so pretty spicy too. Ine of the tastiest dishes I've had in years. The fish was very mild and covered with a kind of srewed vegetable sauce that was so good. We'll definitely be back and soon. On the downside, parking is pretty limited and the tented patio ambiance was kind of meh. Service was incredible though. read more

Beet Salad and Tucci salad--Good taste but QR menu quoted price of this and the Tucci salad as $4.57 each and when the bill came each one was $14. When we asked, the response was there was "a glitch in the system and it's fixed now. Sorry!" Salads were good but not $14 good! Confirm price of items you order !! read more

Peno - Menu - Italian Near Me - Clayton, Missouri

REALLY good Italian restaurant. The name is a little confusing , Peno Soul Food , it lead me to think that it was an Italian / American Southern restaurant. Anyways, the food was excellent, honestly it was the second best "authentic " Italian restaurant I've been to Stateside since moving back from Italy after living there for 7 years. My one complaint is that we ordered the arugula pizza and they put the arugula on before the pizza was cooked, a no go on Italy. read more

Peno - The smelt. My wife LOVED it! - Italian Near Me - Clayton, Missouri

We struck gold! We have heard about this place for awhile now, and finally found the time to go. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY. The eggplant app was one of the best things I've had in my entire life. The staff was wonderful, personable, and knowledgeable. The ladies restroom HAD HAIR TIES, who does that? Such a nice touch haha. Make a reservation and you won't regret it. read more

Great food and service. Fun atmosphere, with healthy portions. Been number of times and always pleased.

This is hands-down the best restaurant in St. Louis. It's the only restaurant I have been to where I am able to get a different meal each time and love each one no less than the one before. I even think the boyfriend and I have fallen in love all over again over the course of our shared meals at Peno.. it's just that kind of place. Pepe is an amazing host. On one visit I had this absolutely incredible stuffed trout. As I was gushing to our server about it, I mentioned that the heat of the shishitos, which they had grown locally (all the produce is), was particularly delightful. On our way out at the end of the night, Pepe stopped me with a bag full of the shishitos, fresh tomatoes, and their delicious homemade bread. He then told us a quick bread salad recipe we could make with it. That's the kind of above-and-beyond that makes Peno one of a kind and a place we LOVE showing anyone that's willing to go with us! read more

Authentic southern Italian soul food. True to the name. This place is owned and operated by one of the greats of St. Louis also a Dogtown native . Pepe has really outdone himself with Peno's. The historical flare is so personal it makes you feel like you were part of his family growing up. Peno's is actually his Grandfather's name. The heart and soul that goes into to these dishes are nothing short of a masterpiece . Seriously a work of art! I'm very impressed and can't wait to visit again soon. read more

Enjoyable Italian experience all around. Called at 1PM for a reservation and was greeted politely by hostess and able to get a 7:30 spot. Seated immediately upon arrival. Our waiter was so attentive and knowledgeable about the wine and food menu. Allowed us to sample wines to make a decision on a bottle. Tuscany red wine was good and reasonably priced $40 bottle. The Italian food was top notch. Appreciate the multiple vegetarian options. Highly recommend the EGGPLANT Lasagna appetizer! Entrees were well sized portions for a nicer restaurant. Spaghetti (with peas and zucchini) and Gnocchi were both delicious. Will definitely return. Shoutout to our waiter for his excellent service and recommending the Eggplant! p.s. the menu does now include prices. I saw others complain about this previously. Props to the owner for responding and making a change. read more

Everything about this place is wonderful Fantastic owner Great food Friendly service Nice patio for summer dining read more

Intimate Southern Italian/Sicilian Soul Food with a beautiful small patio and an urban garden. This takes me back to my time in Palermo! The majority of everything is locally sourced or grown right on the premise. If I didn't live around the neighborhood, I would not have come across this gem because it is slightly off the beaten path. Things to note: 1) Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner offerings. They have menus for lunch, but dinner is generally on the chalk board. 2) Homemade sauces from scratch, pastas (get the Ravioli), breads and thin crust or thick square Sicilian pies. 3) Pastry chef in-house. Fantastic Olive Oil cake 4) Small venue (around 10-12 tables, so I would call ahead if you have a large group) 5) Excellent service, but you will notice the Owner def. pays specific attention to his regulars. And rumor has it that the owners treats their staff like family and proper pay. 6) No Happy Hours, but they are going to expand next door and then there will be a full bar with Happy Hour offerings in the next year. 7) Slightly priced higher than some other Italian restaurants, but they source everything local. Don't come here expecting huge non-sense American-Italian portion sizes to go either. 8) Excellent place to take someone on a date that isn't too loud and intimate. This is a neighborhood secret. So if you don't want to cook after a long day and need some quality comfort food and wine, this is the place. read more

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Great atmosphere, service and food - highlighted by the melanzane appetizer and the absolute best pizza in St. Louis!

Too high of prices. Cracker Pizza not my thing. Great Ambiance. To sit in a parking lot off wydown Not $100 for two people.

Love the food here. The fresh ingredients and the taste of everything is delicious. I had the Sea Bass which was very good. The pizza had a good combination of toppings, the Gusepie. Some waitresses explain the menu really well, others not at all. They also don't have straws. There are really so many other ways to reduce plastics and this town still gives out styrofoam in places and plastic grocery bags, just gave straws on request and move on. Don't go with the paper ones they don't work. So it isn't perfect, but the food is SO DELICIOUS that it doesn't matter. read more

Peno - Sea Bass... Amazing! The sides were excellent. - Italian Near Me - Clayton, Missouri

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I knew it would be good but it far exceeded my expectations. This is truly some of the best food in St Louis. I had the cassoulet which had a blend of flavors that meshed to perfection. We tried a few dishes. Each had a unique taste that was a tasters delight. Okay, I liked the meal a great deal. It may be my new favorite! It is a taste of Sicily with a touch of Love and the ability to understand what cooking is about. Don't hesitate. This is a gem of St Louis Again another incredible meal At Peno. It stands out as fresh, multidimensional on your palate and soulfully good. I had company from out of town and they enjoyed the food equally as well. Try this one. read more

Looked forward to this evening and chose this restaurant for our anniversary dinner based on some friendly recommendations. We arrived for our reservation time and were promptly seated and watered, then were ignored for 15 minutes. They were busy and the staff seemed to be hard working which makes the wait understandable if not comfortable. When we were originally serviced we were given menus and left for another 10-15 minutes prior to our next encounter when we finally ordered. The cheesy garlic bread was, I assume, the table bread with garlic and cheese added. I really am not sure of this because we only saw table bread on other tables and did not receive any at ours. Regardless, the cheesy garlic bread was fine. The Tucci salad was unexceptional, but acceptable as a salad course. Nothing about it stood out, except when the bill arrived and I found that we had ordered $28 worth of salad for two people. I'm not a cost conscious diner in general, especially for exceptional food, but the salad pricing did catch my attention. I ordered the spaghetti bolognese. I did not care for the interpretation of this dish. The sauce was thin, much thinner than I have experienced at other fine Italian restaurants. It seemed to be based more on a broth than a tomato structure. It lacked a depth of flavor, in my opinion. To be fair, their dish may be a traditional one I have not encountered. My wife ordered the mushroom risotto which she was very pleased with. She shared a taste with me and I must agree it was an exceptional risotto. My final nit at which to pick was our table on the enclosed patio. The tables were densely packed and the quarters were close, too close. On at least eight occasions individuals, both workers and patrons, squeezed past my chair, excusing themselves politely of course, yet this did interrupt my dinner as I squeezed up to my table to make room. I was polite as well, but this is simply unacceptable at a restaurant which is noted to be upscale, with prices that match. Without alcohol, and drinking water, which we normally do, our bill for an appetizer, two salads, and a pasta entree and a risotto entree was over $100 tax included. It's pricey, which I can tolerate, even when I mis-hit on my order. What I cannot tolerate is consistent interruptions occurring during an expensive meal due to poor table placement and constant interruption to move my chair. A special night wasn't ruined (my wife being who she is makes it special) but it certainly wasn't enhanced by our experience here. At some point we may try again, but with so many excellent Italian restaurants in the St. Louis area, it's tough to say when that might be. An addendum: the chef of this establishment reached out here and encouraged contact so he might provide a better experience. I appreciate his doing so and the fact he did makes it more likely I will give this restaurant another try in the future. read more

Terrible waitress, no prices on menu and she didn't know them. Had to ask for bread. Served wine in a water glass. Won't pay $5 per person to make a reservation. Food is good but not exceptional so won't return. read more

We tried Peno tonight! I had the mushroom tagliatelle it was delightful. Bread service was good. We got the cheesy garlic bread and it was a lot could have skipped it. They bring bottled spring water nice touch. Husband had the seafood stew it was really good, great broth he said he expected more octopus but it's apparently one of their popular starters. He seemed to have plenty of other seafood, shrimp, halibut and mussels. It's one mound of risotto and the rest is stew on a big plate. It was tasty will definitely return. read more