I came to Scotti's on Friday night for dinner. We had a reservation and were immediately seated on the patio. The space is a little small but very quaint and charming. The waitress was very attentive - she checked on us multiple times to ensure we had everything we needed, provided us with the list of specials, and was very friendly. She made us feel welcome like part of the family. We ordered entrees, I got the Shrimp Santino (an Alfredo based pasta); the serving size was pretty large, enough for two! It was great but only knocking off a star as the Alfredo sauce could've used some more salt. We also had the tiramisu for dessert which hit the spot, loved the amount of coffee in it! Prior to leaving, a man approached our table, seemed to be the chef who checked on us and asked us how the meal was. The service was top-notch and I would love to come back and try some of the other dishes! read more

Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria - Shrimp Santino - Pizza Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Welcomed as you walked in the door. Food was very good, as well as the drinks! Staff was accommodating and friendly. Ambiance was cozy.

Service and atmosphere were outstanding. Very friendly staff. We live down the street and this was our first time here. Thats not the issue here. I ordered a $28 ravioli special that came with no protein, so I asked for a side of meatballs for an additional $8. Plate arrived with ONE meatball barely bigger than a golf ball. So if I wanted two meatballs - you know a normal portion of meat on a pasta dish - this goatcheese ravioli with red sauce dish was now going to be nearly $45?! I could go get a steak somewhere for that! My husband also ordered a similar ravioli dish with sausage, you guessed it, $8 for one sausage about the size of a finger. When our dishes came we were stunned and we thought it was an error. Wish we had taken a picture it was that pathetic. If you're going to rip us off atleast make the flavors and meal memorable. We won't be back, not worth risking trying the pizza to pay for no toppings if they have no problem skimping even when its blatant. read more

On a friend's recommendation I had a late date night dinner at Scotti's. It was my first time here and i was hesitant to get too excited as everyone has different taste. Well I was pleasantly surprised and happy to be in such a cozy and intimate restaurant for the evening. We had dining reservations and were running late so we called the establishment to let them know. They were more than gracious and said no worries, but not to be late beyond said time as their kitchen closes. Upon arrival I was warmly greeted and shown to my table in their lovely covered patio which was so so charming. I was immediately in the mood for a nice cocktail and looking forward to a nice dining experience. For drinks we had a glass of Zinfandel and an Italian style margarita and it was indeed spot on! The bread that was brought out was warm, crusty and pillowy soft with a generous side of creamy butter. It was served alongside our salads and was delightful. We also had a bowl of their daily special greens and beans soup which came wonderfully piping hot to our table. Oh my, it was delish! For main courses we had chicken white wine which was absolutely tender with mushrooms white wine and topped with melted mozzarella. Also the linguine tri combo with shrimp, clams and calamari in a light red sauce. Unfortunately I was notified that they had run out of clams for the evening so I would have extra shrimp and calamari in my entree. At first this was disappointing to hear but once my plate arrived, all was forgotten. The reason being was that the shrimp and calamari were plentiful and cooked perfectly. It was simply melt in your mouth, and so so flavorful. Who could be upset I say! I am not easily wowed by my overall dining experience these days but 5 stars here! The service was impeccable and all the servers were attentive and warm. The food amazing and bonus, I had so much left still on my plate. I happily took my leftovers to go woohoo! Obviously hardly anyone especially myself can resist eating all that wonderful bread put in front of me haha! It's a guilty pleasure and I'll just scale back tomorrow! I'll be back again and if you're in the mood for great Italian make a reservation here!! You will not be sorry. read more

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Scotti's is a ten minute drive from our house though we rarely go. Tables are crowded inside, and it is always busy. People love it. Tonight we took a table on the front patio. When we left at 6:00 every table inside and outside was occupied. Also, People were waiting in the entranceway on benches to be seated at some point. In addition, a few people were picking up orders of the popular pizzas. Warm from the oven crusty bread was enjoyed. Our generous salads came quickly. It is nice that they are included with the price of an entree. My dinner of Tri Combo with marinara sauce over al dente Linguini was 5 stars. Great choice! I took half home for lunch tomorrow. Check out the photo to see for yourself. Extra large shrimp, perfectly cooked Calamari rings, and large tender clams were served in a flavorful red sauce with slices of sautéed garlic. $33.95 Delicious! Husband had the Veal Cutlet Parm with linguini on the side. $28.95 The veal was tender, but it too heavily breaded for his taste which detracted from the quality of the veal. He took half home as well. Servers were experienced. Parking is on the street. Fortunately we found a spot several yards from the entrance. Handicapped parking was non existent. read more

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Our go-to place for Italian food in Schenectady! Always delicious, always friendly. Thank you Scotti's!

Favorite Italian restaurant in the Capital region! Have eaten here for 20 years and it's always fabulous!

We ended up at Scotti's because there was too long of a wait somewhere else, and I'm glad we did. They didn't have a table, but they had space at the bar. The staff were very friendly and attentive. We started off with a basket of nice warm bread. I had the Veal Sorrento and my Husband had the Chicken Fettuccine. Both of our meals were delicious. They were great portion sizes as well. Mine came with a side of pasta and both of our meals came with a side salad. We would definitely return. read more

Had a great experience last night at Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria that I wanted to share. Scotti's is a small Italian restaurant on upper Union St. in Schenectady. We'd been once before the pandemic and dined in and got take out once during the pandemic. Neither time really stuck out in my memory as anything extraordinary. I believe we made reservations the first time we went but last night I was craving some Chicken Parm and didn't plan ahead. It was about 8pm so I took a shot that they would have a table for if we walked in and hoped for the best. When we arrived there was no parking anywhere. There is a small lot behind the restaurant but I'm not sure if it is for employees or customers. Either way, it was full. So before we continued looking for street parking I ran inside to see if they even had anything available. As I walked by I noticed the patio was completely full but continued inside. When I got inside I had forgotten how small it was. There is no hostess station or real waiting area. Just a small bar as soon as you walk in and the dining room. Since I wasn't overly familiar with the restaurant I just stood at the corner of the bar/dining area trying to stay out of the way of the patio entrance as servers were coming and going. The inside was completely full also and quite loud. After a couple minutes a server stopped and asked if I had been helped yet. I said no, I wanted to see if they had any tables available. She checked and there was one in the back. We sat down but at that point I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to stay because it was so busy and loud and I was looking for a more chill vibe. The main reason it was so loud was there were two large groups there. Luckily they both left with about 10-15 mins and the mood changed dramatically. Our waitress brought bread while we were still looking over the menu and the salads came out almost immediately after ordering. We ordered steamed clams for an appetizer and both ordered Chicken Parm for dinner. When our Chicken Parm came out we were both a little surprised that I was not breaded since there was no indication on the menu that it wasn't traditional. When our waitress came back to ask how everything was I inquired about the preparation and she said it was a simple egg wash. While it was not what I expected I liked it very much and thought there would be people on here that would appreciative an objectively "healthier" or "lighter" alternative. Also, unlike the general population, I am not typically a fan of a lot of red sauce on dishes but I LOVED their sauce and actually appreciated for once that they were on the heavy side with the sauce. The real shining star of the night however was our waitress, Nicole. The reason that my review is so long winded is I wanted to lead up to show just how important a great waitress can be in turning around an experience. With all of the challenges restaurants face post pandemic from supply chain issues, pricing, and short staffing it can really make for a luck luster customer experience. And while I have empathy and try to support the places I love while trying as many as I can that are new to me I miss the service experience in a service industry. I want everyone to know that still exists at Scotti's. I walked in to a less an ideal, busy and loud restaurant. But from the server that greeted me to the one that wished us a good night I felt welcome there (Even without having a reservation or dressing up). And that is rare and special to me these days. So because Nicole especially was so friendly, personal, and took the time to ask us our names and tell us her favorites; our night went from being frustrated looking for parking and entering a busy restaurant having no reservation to outstanding and enjoying a different take on a classic dish with great service all around. So what I'm getting at is check them out if you have never been or go back if you if weren't overly impressed in the past. read more

Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria - Chicken Parm - Pizza Near Me - Schenectady, New York

What a fantastic dinner tonight!! We sat at the bar drinks were spot on other customers were friendly great conversations. I got a pizza which was the best I've had in the area and she got pasta marinara which she loved. Guy and Isabella were very friendly and welcoming and I wish I remembered the other servers name but also friendly. The service and food were perfect five stars! read more

We went here for a date night and I had a great time! Had a reservation for 7 pm and asked if they could possibly seat us around 6:20, to which they said no problem and sat us immediately :) The service was then awesome all night! We got the white wine chicken (our waitress' favorite) and the veal sorrento (her husband's favorite) and both were very good! My boyfriend was not as impressed, but he comes from an Italian family of amazing cooks so he is harder to please at Italian restaurants... The fresh baked bread was also very good and I loved how the olive oil plate had spices on it too! Our one qualm with this was that the Parmesan was the kind with all of the preservatives that can sit out forever instead of freshly grated :( I think this might be the first Italian restaurant I have ever been to that did not offer to grate fresh Parmesan for me so that was very disappointing as a huge Parm-lover. I also thought that the broccoli that came with my entrée was super plain, even though I did get it with the oil and garlic on it. It was as if it was just steamed plain and then had garlic clumps added on top after the fact, but not seasoned at all during cooking. I also only got two florettes in a very small bowl which was disappointing. Overall the food here was solid, but we left with no leftovers and stomach space to spare which is never our goal on italian night lol. read more

Everything about this sweet, old-school restaurant is a pleasure. Lovely folks, great food, delightful ambiance. Try it, you'll like it!!

Fantastic! I highly recommend the linguine with white clam sauce. It's my go-to. Always!!!!

Best eggplant parm of my life. Waiter was a super nice kid. It's a small dining room but nice. They are pretty fast but don't rush you. Great sauce. I wish I lived closer. read more

We usually do take out. An excellent neighborhood restaurant. The pasta is fresh and the eggplant rollatini is delicious!

My family goes to Scotti's for many years, and it's very close to my home. I just can't believe tonight was my first time trying out Scotti's. It's a very home-y Italian restaurant right on union St, the food is very authentic Italian. My uncle whose from Sicily was a regular to Scotti's, and he loves the food there, it's a taste of home. Scotti's provides excellent service, our server gave us enough time to order food and finish our apps before bringing out the entrees. She gave us excellent food recs, and a variety to tonight's special. DRINKS Bottle of Chardonnay FOOD 4 dozen steamers Chicken Marsala Specialty Chilean seabass Specialty pork chop Chicken white wine Eggplant rigatoni Shrimp scampi DESSERT Vanilla Bomba Neapolitan Bomba Cheesecake TASTE Absolutely delicious! My fam and I killed the 4 dozens of steamers within 5min. Omg you have to order steamers, it was delicious for appetizers. My eggplant rigatoni was eggplant wrapped in cheese and other fillings. It was delicious. It came with penne w pared sauce. It was very rich flavor, cheese and Chardonnay were great pairing for this entree. My fam liked their dinner a lot too, they're adventurous with their meals and ordered the specialty of the night. I tried a taste of the pork chop, very tender and delicious. For desserts, we also killed the bombas within 5min. Chocolate shell covered vanilla & chocolate, Neapolitan ice cream were so yummy. My aunt loved the creaminess of the cheesecake. It tastes very homemade read more

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Great ambiance Great people who work there staff so attentive!! Great food! Their penne ala vodka is amazing! I cannot wait to return! read more

With all the Italian restaurants in this area, Scotti's really feels like a hidden gem. Great high-end food, service, and ambiance. Everything tastes very fresh, and their "light red" sauce is so good it's addicting. Wait staff is remarkably friendly, and very knowledgeable of the menu & wine selection. Not a cheap option, but one of the few high-end Italian places where you truly feel like you're getting your money's worth! read more

One of the highest quality Italian restaurants in upstate NY. Highly recommend to anyone in the mood for Pasta.

Food was OK. Not the best in Schenectady. Servers were pleasant and polite but not extremely attentive. We sat outside which was very nice. I would go back if others wanted to go here but not my first choice. read more

Scotties is still one of my favorite Italian places in the capital region, and there are a lot to choose from. From the steaming hot, freshly baked bread, to their wonderful appetizers and specials. I love it all. One of my favorite things on the menu is the Porcini Mushroom Sacchetti. I could eat those little pasta dumplings filled with mushrooms in a cream sauce three times a day, and never get tired of them. I may wind up weighing 600lbs, but I'd be a very happy person. I'm also a fan of their lasagna, ravioli, chicken parm, and chicken cacciatore. Oh and now they have a full bar with amazing martinis! Totes delish! read more

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Great food and service. Have gone back many times! Try it you won't be disappointed!!!!

Scotti's began with a wonderful wine suggestion. They didn't have Shiraz, but the bartender was quick to suggest a wine she thought I would like. We enjoyed an appetizer of arugula, burrata and sun-dried tomatoes. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more with a balsamic glaze vs. olive oil but it was still tasty. The baked manicotti was delicious and the extra meatballs I ordered completed the dish. There was plenty to take home for lunch the next day. A very pleasant meal. read more

A very nice family neighborhood restaurant. Both the chicken and eggplant parmesan were delicious. They did take a reservation for our large group. Great homemade food, great wine and friendly service! (visited 3/9/19) read more

Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria - chicken parmesan and homemade pasta - Pizza Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I was searching for some place new to try and this restaurant popped up on my search. After reading some reviews, it seems like this place has been around for a while. We have driven past it many times and didn't even know it was there. Once we found it, parking was difficult. I am not sure if there is a lot behind the restaurant or if the parking is just on the street. We parked across the street at Stewart's and walked over. I made reservations. Reviews said the place was small. We walked in and immediately the bar is right there. It is a small bar. We were greeted and brought to our seats. This place is small and you will be very close to your neighbor if you have a table next to you. They do have a patio space that is closed in. The tables looked close together out there too. I ordered the winter martini and rick got a wine. The martini was pretty with some cranberries floating on top. We got the appetizer special which was mozzarella spinach leaves stuffed cherry peppers with prosciutto and cheese, drizzled with balsamic glaze. The peppers were crunchy. Almost fresh and not pickled. The tomatoes lacked flavor... probably because it is winter. We didn't care for this appetizer. Salads came with our dinner. By mistake I forgot to ask for the dressing on the side. There was very little salad and a ton of dressing. Way to much dressing. By now we need more drinks. It took forever to get the waiters attention. Then he says you want another one? Almost in a tone of, wasn't the first one enough.. at least this was the way I perceived it. By the time our 2nd round of drinks arrived our dinners had already come out. I got the chicken penna ala vodka. It was just ok. Rick got some kind of veal dish, that was also just ok. We were underwhelmed by the whole experience. We probably will not return here for dinner. read more

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Yummy homemade pasta and Italian dishes at this Union street establishment. My mom and I came here before a show at Proctors as most of the restaurants in the area were already booked we called Scottis and they didn't take reservations so we figured we'd give it a try. So happy we did, we got in right away at 6, we sat in their outside area that was newly added on and it was a beautiful night for it. My mom and I were very hungry so we ordered a couple appetizers, the calamari steak and the mushroom sciattiaci, both were amazing, I never had calamari in a steak form, and it wasn't to disappoint! With Scottis marinara and perfect thin and perfectly light airy breading - the calamari was a sure hit in between the two of us. The mushroom dish was really yummy too with delish cream sauce yummy tender chopped mushrooms inside delicate pasta purses. For our entrees I orders the chicken white wine and my mom ordered the shrimp scampi, both really exceptional. My mom's dish wasn't exactly what she thought it would be, she thought her scampi would be over pasta, however Scottis scampi is in a bake dish with a lot of garlic and breadcrumbs - she was happily surprised though and loved it! Mine was great! Perfect amount of sauce and pasta, thinly pounded sautéed chicken with a nice amount of mozzarella melted and mushroom on top! The wine sauce was awesome. I would totally order it again! Overall we had a great experience at Scottis and we will be back when in the area! Highly recommend. read more

The food was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was charming, and I think old-school. Erica was her waitress. She was very pleasant. Our friends enjoyed it as well, we do intend to go back again and again. read more

For 2 generations my family has dined at Scotti's. The quality of the food has always been superb, take out and dine in are equally delicous. I recently ordered the pork chop, a dish I would never order at any other establishment. It is amazing. Guy, his family and staff are great hosts. I'm so grateful that they are thriving. If you haven't been, you need to go! read more

Very small seating area, kinda loud, staff was nice and friendly. Food was ok, nothing great but nothing bad. Overall not a bad place but I doubt I will be returning. read more

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I was really craving pizza but unfortunately scotti's pizza was so bland , it had absolutely no flavor. I was very surprised

Long time resident of Schenectady and this is our favorite Italian place! The pizza is great as well!

Had I nice meal at Scotti's a few years ago. Nice atmosphere and food was great. Wife and I stopped in for dinner on a Wednesday hoping to have the same experience as we previously enjoyed. Not so much The place was crowded but we did get a table so points for that. After reviewing the menu and placing our orders we were surprised when our salads came out very quickly. Our waitress, who was very nice, told us not to worry we were not being rushed. Not so sure about that. Salad was standard fare, nothing special. Dinners came shortly thereafter. My pasta was somewhat bland, ok, not great. Wife's ravioli was fine, meatball was not all that. Overall? A six on a one to ten. Staff was very nice but the whole experience something of a miss. read more

Cannot say anything negative! Guy is awesome. The food is awesome! If you go get the Veal Gaetano!

This was our first time at Scotti's, and we were SO pleased. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Meals came with salads, which came out promptly with piping-hot bread. Our party of 5 enjoyed the Tomato Salad appetizer and a mozzarella appetizer special - both very good - plus my 14-year-old son had the Manhattan clam chowder, which he said was excellent. Our meals were all really great. My 7-year-old loved his meatballs and linguini and asked that we come back again. Chicken parm, pappardelle alla pola, lasagna, and linguini tri-combo were fantastic. Really, we had a great time and enjoyed everything. We'll definitely be back! Also, be sure to ask for Isabella's cookies - yummy - and proceeds go to brain injury and anti-bullying charities. Thank you! read more

Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria - Linguine Tri-combo - Pizza Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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The mussel appetizer was delicious! The marinara sauce the mussels were in has a slight bite to it that paired perfectly. The penne alla vodka was also delicious--and a and a huge portion at that, which barely made a dent in after the mussels, but was more than happy to bring home with me. Great vodka sauce, with strong flavors but not overwhelming dense, and accented with chopped prosciutto. Everything was served hot, and our waitress and host were attentive, polite and knowledgeable! The only thing missing was a perfect Italian bread, but I would definitely recommend Scottis, and I will certainly be making my own reappearance soon. read more

At first sight, Scotti's menu is not that inspired or exciting, but when you try the food, you realize why the restaurant is so popular. My husband and I are vegetarians and always get the delicious pasta dishes. My favorite is the garden marinara and my husband's is pasta primavera (done white, not red). The owners set the tone for an inviting, warm environment and the waitstaff are so courteous. Service is quick, but not hurried. I've been going to Scotti's for 10 years and it's always been great. I highly recommend to anyone. read more

Just visited Scotti's this evening for the first time despite having lived in Niskayuna for the last 15 years. We had a party of 12 for an occasion organized by a friend who loves Scotti's as she and her late husband frequented the restaurant for years. I had heard good things so we were looking forward to a fun evening with new and old friends with a good meal. The wait staff was attentive, informed and responsive. Service of the food was slow, mostly due to the timing of the large party. I did notice the smaller parties (mostly couples) were served pretty quickly, so I attribute the slow service to the large party. We were not in a hurry and were having a pleasant time talking and sipping our wine. Our table opted not to try any appetizers given the salad and side typically served with every entree, but the other table did order a couple (mussels as well as a spinach and garlic dish) - they reported the food was excellent. Once we were all served, the food came out hot and nicely presented. I had the Chicken White Wine, which was excellent, The chicken was tender, the mushrooms were tasty, the butter and wine sauce was rich and you can't go wrong with mozzarella cheese melted on top of everything. My wife had the shrimp linguine with the red sauce, not marinara, which I believe was the right choice judging from tasting hers and comparing the marinara served on my penne pasta side. I was not too impressed with the marinara, nice texture, but kind of bland. The red sauce on my wife's dish was, on the other hand, very good, complex, and a nice bite of black pepper. I would recommend asking for the red sauce over the marinara for your side or main dish. We tried two desserts, the cheesecake and a peanut butter ice cream 'bomba'. Both were very good although the cherries on top of the cheese cake was obviously out of a can. The cheesecake alone was fine - the cherries actually took away from the dish. The one drawback is the size - we happened to have chosen the perfect night, so we sat outside. Noise from Union Street was a little distracting at times, but generally not noticed. We were still a little tight - once you sat down, you weren't going anywhere without inconveniencing a bunch of people. Someone mentioned the parking - there is a little lot in the back that is very tight and I imagine a bit of a nightmare in the winter. Beyond that, it's street parking. Overall, Scotti's offers excellent value, good food and a nice atmosphere. We had a wide variety of dishes ordered within our party and everyone raved about their dish. Penne ala Vodka was popular and said to be very tasty, one friend had a special entree of pumpkin ravioli that she said was 'divine', her words, not mine, LOL. We will definitely return to Scotti's. read more

I am torn on how to rate Scotti's, and it pains me to say that. The good aspects are SO GOOD, and the bad aspects are SO BAD. Here we go: Pros: The food is amazing. I've never had a bad meal here. Everything is tasty, from the sauce (they have three options), to the pasta, to the desserts. Mmmm, the desserts... The owners are very friendly. This may be because someone in my family knows them, but she always comes around and greets us. Again, this could be due to the fact that we sort of know her, but she's never failed to do this. It's nice. The location is in a decent spot on Union Street. The prices are very fair and the portions are large. You definitely get what you pay for here. Cons: It is SO SMALL inside (I would guess there are about 12 tables total inside). When it's busy, it can be VERY noisy. They only take reservations for bigger parties (7 or 8, I think). This can be troublesome due to the size of the restaurant if you have a smaller party but want to be guaranteed a seat. Parking isn't great. And by that, I really mean it's pretty bad. They have no designated parking; you have to park on the street. I personally have no problem with parallel parking (when there are spots open, of course) but not having a parking lot is kind of problematic when there's snow and or ice on the ground. So Scotti's gets 3 stars from me. The food is so great. If you are looking for a non-chain Italian restaurant, do try Scotti's. That is, if you don't mind a small restaurant with the potential to be very noisy. If you can overlook the cons listed above, you'll have a really great Italian meal. read more

Picked up a pizza and antipasto. Food was ready when I arrived. Pizza crust and sauce were amazing. Antipasto was enough for 4 people, full of classic Italian meats and cheeses. Can't wait to go back and enjoy the rest of the menu. read more

Maybe our meal was a bit of an aberration. Considering some of the reviews on Google, you'd think Scotti's has reached the pinnacle of Italian American cuisine not just in upstate New York, but in the United States. Yelp gives Scotti's a three star average, Google a 4.5 . Another reason why I'm glad Yelp did not get swallowed up by Google. Anyway. It was a busy Saturday night and the waitress took awhile to take our order. No bother really, I feel for any waitress who has to move around a small, crowded dining room carrying plates of hot food. I ordered the Eggplant Rollatini while my dining companion decided on the Chicken Sorrento with stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer. Here's where Scotti's becomes a bit off: my meal was perfectly acceptable while my companions was one of those "this meal makes me never want to eat here again" kind of deals. Something about the batter on the chicken was very, very off. We could not figure it out so we kept eating it. Finally it hit us: french toast. The batter tasted like the eggy part of undercooked french toast. Either that or flan. Not sure which is weirder for an Italian restaurant. Her tomato sauce also tasted more like tomato soup, another oddity considering the fine marinara I was served. Schenectady is full of great Italian places and maybe Scotti's can be one of them. But we probably won't be going back. read more