Impulse stop for dinner w/sister. Pleasant environment. Ordered calamari appetizer. Not bad at all. Attentive service. For entrees both ordered their blackboard special - pan fried filet of sea bass. It was more sautéed than pan fried. And considering how thin the filets were I really have to question whether it was sea bass. My guess is tilapia. But I invite other diners to give it a try and post their opinions. The garlic bread was quite good. read more

Stopped here for dinner my first night. Had a very tasty pizza and they were kind enough to split it into two places. It tasted fine. Also had fried zucchini and it was okay, tasted like it had been frozen though. Service was friendly and the place was reasonably priced. It was tidy as well. No complaints. read more

Pulcinella Restaurant - Fried zucchini - Italian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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As much as I wish that the moon hit my eyes like a big pizza pie, it wasn't amore for me at Pulcinella. While I did dig the homey Italian vibe that would have made both Lady and the Tramp swoon, the food was just a bit too off the mark to garner 3 stars and I found myself wishing that I had been in the kitchen during preparation to add a bit of this and take out a bit of that. Of our dishes, the lasagna definitely trumped the pizza and the pasta. It was cheap as chips, so if you're looking to save on dough, this might be your place. (But even their dough wasn't that impressive, so you might want to go for the chips after all...) read more

Pulcinella Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Inexpensive Italian food in Glasgow city centre. The 2 course lunch special is a good value. However, the food is really mediocre. My arrabiata pasta was bland. You know when you can taste hand made pasta, well that's not the case here unfortunately. That said, based on the busy scene, this can't be a bad place for a cheapish sit-down lunch. And yes, I complete agree with Iain---the giant mural is horrible:) read more

Pulcinella Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Pulcinella is a caricature of a typical Italian restaurant. The waiters are fast friends, and all the food is good. Inside it's bigger than it looks, but still small enough to feel cosy. I've been here a couple of times, both with different groups, and both times I heard no complaints from any guests. Their lunch menu is fantastic value, with 3 courses for £7.50. If I remember correctly I had: bruschetta, followed by penne arrabbiata and then strawberry cheesecake to finish. For mushroom fans (not me!), the breaded mushrooms come highly recommended.Good food at great value. read more

Pulcinella Restaurant - Taken by Liz - Italian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I was recently taken here with potential colleagues as part of a quite sinister job selection process. The fact I was under scrutiny by a potential new boss meant I couldn't quite relax and enjoy my trip here, but the food was brilliant nonetheless. theres a special 3 course menu on at lunchtimes, I can highly recommend the mussels in garlic but the jewel in the crown was the apple pie and cream dessert, homemade, full of massive apple chunks, and just as delicious cold as hot. The service was really quick as well. I didn't actually get the job, but found out there is definitely such a thing as free lunch. Every cloud... read more

Pulcinella Restaurant - from official website - Italian Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Excellent all around! Family business and authentic cuisine. We loved every course and the service was fantastic. Our table received multiple courses and each was great with wonderful flavors. Will definitely return! read more

i want to give it a 0 but that's not possible so I give it a one the food was disgusting It tasted like stale milk the decor was awful the cocktails were brown and tasted like pure vodka overall would not recommend read more

Decor a wee bit rustic, though nothing wrong with that. Food perfectly OK but not too memorable - found it a bit random that dessert was homemade carrot make or black forest gateaux - not very authentic Italian! But the were rather tasty so who cares! I'm afraid it loses the stars for through rather huffy and impatient waiters, who annoyingly would finish off the name of what we started saying, e.g., 'I'll have the salmon with...' 'yes the salmon, next?' Not a great service at all. I would return, but only if someone else suggested and not in a hurry - there are too many good Italian restaurants in Glasgow that provide excellent service to waste time and money somewhere a bit sub par. read more

This Friday I went with my pals from work to have a lunch break at Pulcinella. It's really strategically placed for whoever works in the city centre of Glasgow around Hope Street. Our office it's just upstairs so it was a no-brainer, given everyone loves pizza (I don't acknowledge the existence of people who don't) and their 3 course offer which includes a pizza hits the sweet spot when it's priced at less than £10. For that price, you would get a lot of value and taste, all served on their iconic gingham tablecloths, which may be a recurring cliché for italian places, but it really brings back memories of my childhood. We ordered 6 pints of Moretti, which is one of the two choices if you go for a draft beer (the other was Peroni): Some more choice is there if you get a bottled beer, but not many Italian brands in there, unfortunately. So, enough of introduction, and lets get started with starters! My choice was the Arancini, which are basically breaded, deep fried rice balls with some tomato sauce in a side to dip. I looked at the three little balls and was not impressed, as the Arancini I grew up with were massive, and had a minced meat and cheese filling. The ones you get at Pulcinella are just appetizers, but somehow are faithful to the original, even missing the filling. The idea of tiny arancini dipped in tomato sauce was new to me, but it makes sense as a starter, when you get a main course afterwards. Peppe Says the arancini were crispy outside with a good, soft filling, but no meat and cheese in them! Vote: 6.5 After the Arancini, my main course was a Pizza Napoletana. This is a specific pizza I usually order to benchmark the place on my scale of pizza awesomeness. It has Olives, Capers and Anchovies on it, alongside the usual tomato passata and mozzarella. It is not easy to get the Napoletana right, as many places leave the kernels in the olives, don't was properly the anchovies (they are preserved in salt) and same goes for the capers. The mix can result an inedible ball of salt with stones in it, or a nice mix of mediterranean flavours. Those toppings passed my scrupolous test and are Peppe approved. However, the base is a bit problematic here at Pulcinella. My pizza base was way too "crispy", like someone let it cook for too long, or maybe there was not enough tomato and mozzarella on it to keep it moist. A real pizza slice is floppy! To be fair, this was not the first time I had pizza there, but the other time the base was much better, even though I felt a yeasty aftertaste, maybe due to the fact I was there at opening time, and the dough may have not been ready for the oven yet. Peppe Says the pizza had an awesome set of toppings, unfortunately demoted by an unsatisfactory base. Vote: 7 My last course was Tiramisù. As stated for the Arancini, the portion is really small. My granny would have served to me a portion at least 6 times the size of the one I got at Pulcinella... but hey! Italian grannies are just another planet, right? If I let go of the size of the portion, what remains is a nice and well made tiramisù, which lacks only a bit of moisture. I would say the ratio biscuit/cheese (yes, it's cheese inside!) is more biscuit-y, but still feels like eating a good tiramisu. Peppe Says the Tiramisù was lovely, however was too small for his appetite and lacked a little of cream in it. Vote: 7 The waiters are nice and I could hear from their talking that a couple of them are genuinely Italians. A mention of honour goes to their chilly oil in bottle, which seems to be of good quality and really adds something to the taste of your pizza or pasta. Peppe Says the Final vote is: 7 read more

Don't remember the food Can't remember the decor Went with four middle aged females from a IT Security Audit Course. The waiters treated these ladies like they were the last ones standing in a late night disco. It was not insulting but these guys were brilliant in the way they laid it on. No idea what I ate but it was worth the show read more

Pulcinella...when I had planned to go try their rather amazing lunch offer (now up to £7.90, thanks to the economy, but still so very reasonable), I hadn't anticipated having had the kind of lousy day I had had before I got there. I was not in the best frame of mind when I showed up. Fortunately, the lunch I had at Pulcinella eased my mind immensely, and I'd recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in the city centre at a loss, in need of some comforting food and atmosphere at a reasonable price. The interior is charming and comfortable without being excessively cheesy. Also, I can say the Italian pop music (decent volume, not too loud) is the real deal, as I definitely heard a track my undergraduate Italian professoressa fancied and played for us, a few years back. I could also hear one of the waiters singing along softly for a moment as he cleared a table... And for that matter, kudos to the waitstaff, who didn't look at all put-out to have to serve a slightly damp young woman in jeans and trainers with no one else in her party and no special drink requests (all I had on hand was a tenner). They were friendly but highly professional, and I didn't have much of a wait for anything. The food is excellent for lunchtime, with fully acceptable portions--the bruschetta I had as a starter was generous and flavourful, with a small salad on the side. As for the rest, I must agree with Amanda that there's a chef behind the kitchen door; I ordered chicken in mushroom cream sauce for a main. I love chicken in cream sauce but hate mushrooms and figured I'd just set them aside...but whomever cooked this made the mushrooms utterly palatable in the context of the dish. It also came with a side of steamed veg that I hadn't anticipated, which was utterly enjoyable with the cream sauce. I didn't have dessert, having had a cappuccino instead (dear Britain, why must you put chocolate powder on top...must remember to ask for it without next time), but that was expertly made and lovely as well. All in all, considering the effort that went into it, probably one of the best sit-down values for lunch in the city centre (particularly in light of the fact that I paid about a pound less for a single mediocre carton of stir-fry last week). In flipping through the menu, their a la carte prices look fairly reasonable, and their pre-theatre offer is also a good deal for three courses. I'll likely be back, should I get the chance. read more

I've had several beautiful meals in this place and always leave satisfied and slightly tipsy. This makes me happy. Everything from the Lobster Bisque to the Meatballs tastes as though it were made with love and authenticity. This wee gem is well worth checking out and has fair offers too. read more

I can honestly say I was a stinking snob when it came to Pulcinella. I used to go past quite alot and just fob the place off because of the checkered table cloth and very stereotypical old style Italy feel. Again, I was wrong, and I regreted it the minute I sat down in Pulcinella. It was much bigger inside, than it is outside? ...if you know what I mean. The food was made by a chef, not the cook I had suspected in my ignorance. Pulcinella offers a taste of a traditional Italian family home. I think my food was made by Mama, and I can say it was Bellissimo! read more

Very good value - bustling atmosphere, fast turnaround sort of place (certainly at the weekend anyway) You get three courses for £12.95 AND a glass of wine if you book online - that's of no importance if the food isn't good but from my first visit I'd say it's pretty damn fine. I had Minestrone and then lambs liver (Served with roast and fresh veg) and both were excellent. I'll be back. read more

Ended up a Pulcinella because a lot of the other restaurants nearby were packed on a Saturday night. They managed to find a space in their overly crowded dining room. Waiters weren't particularly friendly but were efficient at taking the orders at least. Had the 2-course meal as it looked to be the best value. Had meatballs to start which were okay, but could have been plated more nicely (When there only have three balls on the plate, you might as well make them look appealing). For my main dish I had the breaded chicken with a side of pasta. The portion size was more than enough to make me full but neither the chicken nor pasta were anything special. Pulcinella does little to distinguish itself from the many other restaurants in central Glasgow, but it does provide decent value and acceptable food if that is what you are looking for. read more

Sorry to say, but i was very dissapointed and probably wont get back. Nothing to do with the terrifying and hideous mural on the wall. Went in for an "express" lunch hadnt even recieved our third course after 2 hours so we just left. 2 drinks each (mainly soft ones) doubled the price of the bill compared to the advertised lunch price. Slow, bland, nothing special. Only gets two stars because Dinos is even worse. read more

Average Italian restaurant in the city centre. There is an ok menu with a good choice of starters, mains and desserts including a selection of pizzas and pastas. At lunch there is usually a set menu which is good value. The pizzas are good. The rest of the menu is ok, but nothing to write home about. They do have a good wine list. They seem to struggle a bit with catering for food allergies like a gluten free diet. The waiting staff are mostly Italian and are friendly enough but can be a bit too cheeky at times!! Atmosphere is a bit lacking inside. There are better places to go close by, like Sartis for example. read more

Was nice little quirky restaurant with great friendly service. Meals came out quickly and exceeded my expectations. The creamy spinach pasta was devine and I could tell my starter of tomato and mozzarella was made with fresh ingredients. read more

Had an amazing great value lunch here. £7.95 for 3 courses! Staff were friendly and food was served quick. Pizzas looked lovely and the lasagne was good. The food portions were a good size and left everyone satisfied. All the food my party had was delicious and got the thumbs up with everyone vowing to come back again! read more

The food was decent. We got terrible service. Had to ask for water a few times and another waiter got it for us. We were never offered parmesan or pepper for our food. The waiter never checked on us. We noticed that another waiter was giving exceptional service to other tables but not even caring about us. We had to ask for our check and waited around forever. The waiter could have cared less. We were happy to get out of there and will never be back! We should have known better as on a Saturday night, it was not very crowded. Our waiter was checked out. read more

Great authentic italian food. We visited Glasgow and found this family run restaurant in our guide book. The food is really good and fresh cooked in a way you usually get it only in Italy. The price is also really moderate and I can recommend this place. They also have a good variety of vegetarian food. read more

We've lived in the NYC area and have experienced quite good food & dining. We were very much looking forward to having an Italian meal after being in Scotland for 2 weeks. My gosh! The food was absolutely delicious! They were kind enough to change a veal dish to a fantastic chicken dish on thmy husband's pasta salsiccia was superb as well. We also enjoyed the 2 women (mother/daughter) who served us. I engaged one in conversation. She was professional while being quite interesting to talk with. Wishing we weren't going back home so I could experience another meal there. read more

Have been here a few times and have enjoyed the food each time. I like the unpretentious décor rather than some of the new poncy Italian restaurants. Staff are really friendly and were very accommodating when we asked for something that wasn't on the set menu. Have good lunch and dinner deals. read more

We've visited a few times now. Always impressed with the food. The Lunch and Pre-theatre menus are extremely good value. Staff are friendly. Highly recommended! read more

Great value for money italian in the city centre, fantastic menu's, we had the 3 course lunch at a cost of £7.95pp. Staff lovely and friendly, great atmospher. Book through 5pm and get a free glass of wine!!!!!!!! read more

I love this place. It's so laid back and relaxed. The staff are so friendly. Myself and my friends just need to sit down and our bottle of pinot grigio blush arrives before we even pick up the menus....The food is fabulous and they will always try to accomodate a wee change here and there. read more

Not a bad word to say, food was unreal, waiters looked after you, quickest service I've ever had in a restaurant, took only around 10 minutes for our main course to arrive! Sadly we forgot to leave a tip so I thought I'd come here and give Pulcinella the review it deserves, also feels really authentic with the Italian waiters, 10/10 would recommend! read more