I enjoyed my experience at Petrinis! I do think it's one of the more undercooked restaurants in Little Italy. But I was pretty satisfied with my experience. Located towards the end of Little Italy, Petrini's sits right under one of many apartment complex's. Parking wasn't really an issue in my opinion. My husband and I parked in the guest spots in the garage right next to it. But there's also lots of street parking and street lots as well (you have to pay). The restaurant itself was cozy and clean. I didn't have issues with it and they had plenty of seating. I don't know off the top of my head if they're dog friendly. I thought service was pretty good. It almost seemed kind of like they were a family. Staff was very friendly and constantly checking up on us. There was an instance where they forgot my minestrone that came with the meal but I wasn't upset because staff was very apologetic and they gave me a fresh one. I think service was pretty spot on. The food was really yummy. The calamari was nice and crispy and I really loved the smoked salmon bruschetta. The smoked salmon was flavorful. My husband had the ribeye steak and it was juicy, slightly overcooked from medium rare but not bad. I had the smoked salmon Alfredo and it was yummy, I will say it's slightly on the heavier end though. But overall a very yummy dinner! I would see myself coming back to Petrini's again! It's one of the less busy spots in Little Italy but I think I'm just as satisfied if I were to go to somewhere deeper in Little Italy. I would suggest spot to others who want Italian food in Little Italy! read more

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Hanging out in San Diego and looking for breakfast within walking distance from where we were staying, we came across Petrini's. It's a cute little café located at the bottom of an office building. They had a brunch menu posted on the glass, so we decided to give them a try. We were actually the first customers through the door, so it looked like they had just opened for service. We started with a few Mimosas. My wife ordered the Waffles with a side of Bacon, while I went with the Breakfast Hash. Everything was made to order and came out hot and fresh. The waffles were good, but unfortunately, the bacon was a disappointment. It was extremely thin and lacked that good bacon flavor. Honestly, it was more like bacon paper. The Breakfast Hash was good and hearty, although it could have used a little more seasoning. The salsa helped pull everything together, and the fruit was fresh, sweet, and a nice addition. Overall, Petrini's was a decent breakfast spot with a cute atmosphere and fresh food, but I'm not sure it made enough of an impression for me to make a second visit. Pro tip: Dont order the bacon! read more

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Unfortunately, this place lacked everything. This is located in the end of busy little Italy area with all other restaurants. You might miss this place if you aren't really looking for it. The place is fairly small yet intimate. It did have a good date night vibe but also great for families. We got their Caesar salad, veal, Italian wedding soup and none of them were up to par. Italian wedding soup did not have any salt in them. It had zero flavors. Caesar salad had way too much dressing that we try to scrape off the dressing of the lettuce. Don't get me started with veal.. also it was the sauce that was very much disappointing. There are plenty of other restaurants in Little Italy, that you can go. Unfortunately, this isn't one of them. read more

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Located on the far end of Little Italy on Ash & India Streets it's way to find, but I recommend Ride Share to get there as parking is hard in the evening time. We made a reservation and came to eat here after a full day of Deepsea fishing. We were seated right away, but it took the server around 20 minutes to initially get to us where we could order drinks. I wasn't that fond of the wait and was ready to leave. I hate when this happens. If they had just brought out waters right away that've been different and much better. Once the order was taken drinks and apps, the service got much better. And I'm happy to say the food was delicious! The dining room is well lit by large picture windows and nice overhead lighting. There's a small bar area adjacent to the kitchen that would fit about six people. Overall three stars but became more of a four star experience once the server finally engaged. read more

Petrini's San Diego - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Located in little Italy in San Diego. Ordered seafood pasta, pasta primavera and cheesy bread. Generous portion of shrimp in the pasta and very large portions. Starters were a house salad (fresh) and Italian wedding soup- very good. Service was excellent. If I'm ever in the area I would return. read more

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This place has been on India St. in Little Italy for years. It's perfect for some no fuss Italian food. Their dressing is made from scratch and the minestrone soup is good. read more

Stopped by on a whim. So glad we did!!!! The portions were huge! The staff was attentive and responsive. The interior was esthetically pleasing and generally quiet. All of the food was so great!!!! Even made fussy teenagers happy. Would definitely return for another gigantic plate of pasta!!!! read more

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After flying from Hawaii early in the morning and not eating a single meal until dinner, retuning to San Diego meant I had to feed myself with the comfort food that only little Italy could provide. Petrini's did not disappoint. Dare I say it was the best eggplant parmesan I have ever tasted? Under normal conditions who knows. Under mine, it was pure bliss. After recently moving away from San Diego after nine great years, shoveling perfectly seasoned tomato sauce and crunchy eggplant onto (an entire free loaf per entree!) garlic bread couldn't even be topped by the homecoming of sailors immortalized at embarcedero. Thanks for staying classy while I was away San Diego. read more

Great pizza. Friendly service. The evening we went they we're short staffed, so food took a little longer to come out. We'd return during a future SD visit. read more

Petrini's San Diego - Pepperoni pizza! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I like to dine at participating AAdvantage network restaurants to get 5x the airline miles on my credit card and this establishment is in network and 1 mi from our hotel. We made it in perfect timing before the lunch crowd started. Our server was training with a new employee and both were the friendliest servers ever! As for food, we had 3 different menus to choose from (brunch, lunch, and dinner). We opted for the dinner menu as the portions are bigger since we didn't have a good dinner the night prior. We started with the appetizer sampler which included caprese salad and 2 types of bruschetta. Portion size was big and would be the perfect size for 3 to 4 people (it was large for 2 people). Next up were the entrees. I was in the mood for meatballs and I had a choice of 3 types of pasta (I chose angel hair since it is lighter). It was good and the meat sauce was light; however, I believe the meatballs were a mixture of beef and pork or possibly veal as they did not have the beefy meaty taste to them. BFF had the canneloni with meat sauce and his was right on par. Choosing the dinner entrees you get soup or salad and garlic bread. I chose the salad with ranch and the dressing was light which was great as I don't care for my salads drenched in dressing. BFF chose the Italian wedding soup and his had chicken which he said he hadn't had before and it was ok. We didn't save room for dessert as I had mentioned previously that the portions were huge but they had about 7 to choose from. Also, they have a limited alcohol menu as they have a wine and beer license They do have a rice based vodka as they have a bloody Mary on their menu. This place is definitely worth a try. Next time I will order from their lunch menu (if applicable) to save room for dessert. Their brunch menu also has very reasonable prices and their lunch menu has sandwiches and calzones. Plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor as well. read more

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Came here during a Wednesday dinner rush, we got there right on time because it was filled up by 7pm and they couldn't take any more tables. We enjoyed Caesar salad and Italian wedding soup for starters that came with each entree. The tortellini and fish were our entrees. I did not enjoy the fish plate. The flavor wasn't my favorite, and at the end of the night my stomach was hurting. The servers were nice, and I liked the restaurant. I'd come back and try something else. read more

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Good experience. I asked if they could make a linguine in clam sauce, not on the menu but they did a good job.

Went here during happy hour on a week day. It was pretty slow. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The happy hour selection and prices were very good and I would come back when I'm in the area again. read more

This restaurant is for locals who live in the neighborhood and can walk to it. Coming from Del Mar Heights and sitting almost an hour in traffic was not great. So if you are coming from north county just make sure you don't go after 3pm. Otherwise, like me, you will be sitting in bumper to bumper, depending on which neighborhood you are passing by. About the food and drink. They have a decent happy hour. Their French Rose Wine is a nice touch. And their 2 for 1 on Stella is also appreciated at the bar. I'm sure you have heard about their wedding soup and their meatballs. Both are good recommendations. I also enjoyed their shrimp scampi as well. But you must really, really like garlic. The garlic is almost at the level of pepper. It's a heat all unto its' self. I'm sure I won't be sick for months! All the germs have been killed. lol The place is not 'trendy' for sure. Just a down home place with good meatballs and shrimp scampi. They do serve the perfect size shrimp and perfectly cooked scampi. The staff is friendly and I must say the locals are also very friendly. So if you are in the neighborhood .... here is their feedback: one gentleman says he always orders the pizza. The guy to my left (Pete) likes a meatball with cheesey bread. (He gave me a cheesy bread for my meatball and I gave him one of the 2 for 1 Stella's I purchased. Friendly. Did I mention that? Our waiter couldn't do enough for me. He definitely went above and beyond. And while I was there they had two long tables of families. A local place. It's now confirmed! Enjoy, Chef Marian read more

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Trying some Eye-talian food in "AFC" (America's Finest City ~ San Diego) - 1 of 2 I was running an errand in the Little Italy district in downtown San Diego. The people that gave this district its name and character are no longer there, leaving only the name and eateries that are, or brand themselves, as Italian. While Little Italy districts once had colorful bona fide Italian immigrants of the unpretentious variety, they are now full of newer and expensive condos and their residents are mostly people who would never set foot inside a church because they are "spiritual" folks. I wish the clock could be turned back since I prefer the crusty ones of yesteryear. I noticed that Petrini's was nearby and decided to have lunch there. I once ate at the Santa Barbara location, which has deep roots there, and know that, while separate, there have been some overlaps, especially given the surname. Petrini's in Little Italy is at the base of a newer building, and there are many new towers in Little Italy, so the Italian affect has to be applied as a veneer. You would not look at it from the outside and say this is an Italian restaurant. Inside, it's modern, tasteful, spacious, and nicely illuminated, in large part to the large windows. I looked at the menu to get some ideas for lunch. There were a few items that seemed interesting and the server helped me decide between the last two or three I was considering. That said, he was really hamming up the Italian aspect considering he was not Italian, but I rolled with it. Prior to the main dish, a salad arrived. It was fairly standard and, to accommodate American tastes, and mine, it came with the creamy salad dressing I ordered. When I first began going to Italy a few decades ago, I was asked, "Is it true that Americans put mayonnaise on their salads?!?" I tried to explain it the best I could, but, with them, very few things you explain to them fairly clearly gel because they've soon returned to their reactionary ways. The pasta arrived and, for this, we need a drum roll. I had ordered cannelloni. The casserole dish was coming my way and I could swear that a few purveyors must be selling these exact same casserole dishes en masse. The presentation said a lot about the preparation. It's that Americanized cheese crust over the dish and I was indifferent to the ground up meat that filled the pasta tubes and its flavors. But it was fine. This dish was more "Eye-talian," meaning aimed at an American audience. It would not fly in Italy, where the cannelloni tubes are more pliable, tastier, and less heavy. The bread was also overly toasted and it's always preferable to go into an Italian restaurant where there are soft and pliable pieces of bread to accompany a meal. The price was a "nouveau SD Little Italy" price and this was during lunch, but it was in line with the location and this genre. Again, the server was attentive and prompt, but the infusion of Italian comments and gestures, something that becomes more common in Italian restaurants in North America with each passing year and almost as if to preserve the "olden days" of Italian restaurants, was one of the things I remember the most. I got to eat at Petrini's in San Diego on a beautiful springtime day. I'd go back if someone treated me. There are quite a few Italian restaurants in the San Diego area; however, the area actually fares better in other cuisines. read more

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The service is excellent, no need to ask for refills because the waiters are on it. I ordered the chicken Parmesan and it came with soup and bread; everything was amazing. The place feels cozy and welcoming from beginning to end. I highly recommend to everyone in San Diego to visit this hidden gem read more

This place was more available on a Saturday night around 7pm compared to other Italian places in Little Italy. There was no wait time and we didn't make reservations. The service was very friendly. The ambiance felt a little fancy with excellent musical choices like Frank Sinatra. Great for a date. Other reviews said their dishes were served extremely hot and yes indeed they were. My girlfriend almost burned her tongue. Be careful with your dishes when they're first served!! We loved our food choices. I found the Pasta w/ mushrooms in olive oil to be a little dry. It tasted excellent when I added some of the tomato soup from my girlfriend's Gnocchi order to it. Pasta with mushrooms in olive oil: 4/5 Minestrone soup: 4.5/5 Gnocchi w/ tomato soup: 5/5 Raspberry lemon prosecco: 4.5/5 Garlic bread: 4/5 (came out a lil burnt) read more

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While visiting San Diego with my family, we wanted to enjoy some delicious food but what we got did not reach our expectations . We got the Fettuccine Alfredo and it was really bland. The ravioli was fresh and tasted good. The garlic bread and chicken Parmesan was the best part of the meal. The server was nice but failed to tell us that we would be charged a surge charge $3 or $4 fee for buying any salad besides the house salads. When we questioned the server about the sur charge he acted like we should have known about the surcharge, despite the fact he never mentioned it. The experience was anything but present at this restaurant and will not be returning. read more

The soup was sooooo good! You get a ton of delicious food for a great price - and yummy bread to boot. Can't wait to come here again. So far have been twice and tried the Tortellini and Lasagna. The lasagna was my favorite. read more

Petrini's San Diego - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great selection of Italian dishes. Service was good. Good selection of wines and beer. There was no wait when we went therein a Saturday. Quiet place with New York type of vibe. read more

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If I could give this place higher I would. The food was excellent, the service was excellent. All the waiters were very warm, and Andres welcomed me in by name, never even meeting me before, (knew by reservation) but felt very homelike. The appetizers were great and Andres brought out soups and food at rapid speeds. The lighting of the place was inviting and the roses on the table were a nice touch. Would definitely recommend to my friends! read more

Petrini's San Diego - Pasta Mush & Meat Sauce - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Petrini's is one of the most consistent restaurants I've ever been to. The service is top notch and the food never disappoints. Tonight I had the spaghetti with Meatballs and meat sauce and I asked for sautéed mushrooms and it really completed the dish. A red house wine went perfectly with the meal. The lovely Lisa was kind, courteous as well as funny. My bartender made sure I had everything I needed for this experience to be 5 star service. The ambiance and energy is always great., read more

Ordered food to go. Ordered canneloni and lasagna. Received shrimp scampi and lasagna. Im not heading back to the restaurant to get it corrected. Also ordered italian wedding soup that was very salty. The lasagna and shrimp scampi were ok. Would have been better if i got the food i ordered. read more

Petrini's San Diego - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I'll give it four stars for the delicious food and reasonable prices. Pastas can range between $22 to $28. Honestly, $22 for a Fettucini Alfredo was so worth it considering the pasta actually tasted good, and the serving was huge. I had to get a to-go box because I couldn't finish the remaining half of my order. Soup/Salad already comes with the entree. Plus their complementary garlic bread is outta this world. Service was okay but not spectacular. Our own server was very nice. Although I think he was the only guy there that had great customer service. Everybody else seemed like they were just there to clock in. Apart from our waiter, everyone else didn't seem to care. Girl in the front, and the other server guy pretended to not notice us, despite the fact that they clearly saw us waiving from the table multiple times. We just wanted a to-go box. They gave us a mobile pay terminal, and the tip percentages on the screen ranged from 18% - 24%. After we paid, we had to ask for the physical receipt because they never gave it to us. The suggested tips on the physical receipt had different numbers, ranging from 2% - 7% only. Weird. Overall, a very good italian go-to spot that's a 5-minute walking distance from the pier. Although the service wasn't the best, it was an overall satisfying experience with the good italian food, big portions, and great prices! read more

Disappointed. Thought it would be more authentic. Food disappointing. Won't be back. The service was great and good ambiance.

Ok, so I flew into San Diego on business. One great thing about it was I had time to have dinner with my daughter. When we showed up at the front door, they asked if we had reservations and I said no I just flew into have dinner with my daughter. He found us a table right then and there. It's a quaint small place. Pretty good menu, but the food was OK. I did like the fact that they had many different types of Italian wines available by bottle or glass. Service wasn't bad either. I've been a better places, maybe it was just an off day. But to the business, thanks for accommodating us for dinner!!! read more

Best kept secret of San Diego. Great food, service, and atmosphere. The prices are very reasonable. Make sure to park in the Public parking Structure after 5. Parking is expensive. read more

Food a notch above usual brunch. I had the salmon lochs, and it was not too heavy as is often the case. My wife had the french toast, again done in Italian style, and again, well balanced. read more

Arrived for a 7pm event. We were not seated and ordered until 8:15. No waiting area, in fact, entire place is open air kitchen/bar/dining. A basketball game was on and it felt more like a sports bar -not favorable acoustics for people just meeting and wanting to visit. Food was mediocre for the area. Too many other more notable establishments to give business. read more

When I moved here 17 years ago. Petrini was the first restaurant I visited because it was closest to my condo. The food was so bad that I never went back. This past weekend, a friend wanted to go so I reluctantly went after 17 years. I hedge my bet and had the Spaghetti with Meat balls and meat sauce. Wow! excellent! it comes with Garlic bread and soup or salad. I had the Minestrone soup and it was quite good as well. The key is that lots of places over salt their food. Soup especially since the evaporation causes the soup to become saltier as the day goes on. The meat balls were tender and the meat sauce was flavorful. Again, did not over salt. The manager said it changed ownership in 2016. That explains it! I liked the dish so much I went back today and it was just as good. Quality control is there. Kudos to the new management. Food is great and people are friendly. I will be going there more often. Frankly, Its quicker for me to walk there than to cook. I'm in! read more

Very average restaurant. Nothing outstanding. Food served so hot it burns your mouth. Likely a microwave being used to make it that scalding hot but also unevenly heated. For example, the lasagna was piping hot on the outside, but the middle was still cold. Their eggplant Parmesan sandwich is just served at a temperature that is so hot and never cools down. Flavor is lacking, but they do make up for it with cheese. They also have small 7 inch pizzas, which taste worse than a school lunch pizza. I've had better Walmart frozen pizza. The dough tastes really bad and is rock solid as if it is a premade and pre-cooked dough. Sauce is flavorless and cheese is the only thing that is helping. read more

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I ordered food through Door Dash and was totally disappointed with the order. The salad was stacked on the hot food and totally lacking the amount of dressing. The main dish was sausage and peppers with meat sauce. The photo showed plenty of meat sauce, the dish I received barely had enough to flavor the spaghetti. read more

Nice happy hr (Tuesdays) at Pentrini's 2x1 beers all day, but food specials end at 6:30 pm. Both outside and inside seating offered. This is more of a restaurant vibe than a drinks/ cocktails place. The cheese bread was good, sangria good as well. read more

Peter was awesome! Wednesday night is also 50% off bottles of wine. You're welcome! The food was good and the service was kind and excellent. The ambiance was perfect for our table of 16. Thank you! read more

came here on valentines because we were walking through the city and something just smelled so good. We looked up and it was this restaurant, we instantly went to ask for a seat. They were able to seat us as a group of four and had great service as well. Everyone we talked to was so friendly, never have i been to a restaurant where i can say the food was good and service was great until i found this place! the ribeye was perfectly cooked and so flavorful, as well as the gnocchi. The pink sauce was delicious. We also got the Diablo shrimp which was a perfect choice!!! When visiting San Diego, we are definitely going to come back for another date night. Thank you to everyone here. read more

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Went with a couple of friends for dinner and it was such a great time! Food quality was great, the service was so personable and felt like we were walking into a friend's home. The place feels very welcoming and also intimate. The breaddddd! It was toasted to perfection! LOVEEEEED the wings! The sauce is so goood! Dessert was so decadent and yummy! read more

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Fine Italian cuisine at a very reasonable price. I was even given a resident discount. I had the shrimp scampi that included a house salad and French bread for $21... tough to beat given the current circumstances. read more

Host was rude she didn't greet me or say thanks for coming when I left . I ordered the salmon pasta and hardly had any salmon in it.very bland. Never received a refill on my soda water and the bread was cold and chewy. Probably won't be returning. I think if the owner focused on the customers instead of hovering over the host he would improve his business . read more

0/0 such a poorly managed spot, we watched several people come in after us and get their food before us, all the server had to say is "sorry we're busy". Would recommend saving your $$$ and enjoy a business up the street. Who wants to pay over $100 for horrible service. Beware read more

This experience was genuinely disappointing. I ordered the sausage and bell peppers dish and specifically asked if the meat sauce could be replaced with marinara. The waiter said yes, but the meal still came out with meat sauce. When I sent it back, it was obvious they simply lifted the sausage and peppers off the original plate and placed them onto new pasta with marinara, because there was still meat sauce mixed through the sausage and peppers. That is not remaking a dish. Unfortunately, the taste was just as disappointing. The sausage was so overcooked that it was actually difficult to chew, and the pasta was overcooked as well. My friend ordered the pasta with mushrooms and meat sauce, and neither of our meals had much flavor. The minestrone soup was probably the blandest I have ever tasted, and even the garlic bread missed the mark. Oddly enough, the single glass of wine I had was easily the best part of the meal. To be fair, the ambiance was decent. It was a chill spot with a good vibe, which made the disappointing food even more surprising. Service was lacking too. I never received a refill on my water the entire evening. I honestly cannot understand how the reviews are rated so highly. Olive Garden is head and shoulders above this place, and I say that as someone who has actually lived in Italy. read more