Palermo Italian Restaurant

I love this restaurant. It offers some delicious Italian food that everyone will surely enjoy.

I had a very bad experience here. I ate the linguini with clams and suffered a 24hr bout of seafood poisoning. do not eat here.

I tried this place twice - once dining in, and once I ordered take out.\r
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Both times the food was less than stellar. \r
There are much better places to experience Italian food in Los Feliz- say' Farfalla' or even some dishes at 'Little Doms'.\r
Sorry Palermos...just calling it like my taste buds scream it.

Looooove palermo restaurant...My dad abel del real he use to work there for 9 years intil he pass away 1993.I had good memorys at that restaurant .my dad use to take me there sinces I was 9 years old, ,and know that im 34 year old, I still go there ,love the food and the people r so kind they have good services,and thony the owner well he make u feel welcome , and wen u go there all the way to the back ,u will see

a lot of pictures and right there ur will see my dad and all his employee that have work there,and everytime I go there ,,, I feel like a little girl again,some times a get so emotional ,what makes me happy is that thony is so caring person , there's nothing that I dont like, I live in san bernardino ,and even do is far away ,,, I steel go ,and that's my favorite place =)

Walked into Palermos to order a slice of takeout pizza. Thought the guy said it would take 10 minutes when I asked him to repeat how long. 15 minutes later the slice still hadn't arrived. I asked an employee walking past who said, ""If it's not on the counter it's not done."" Waited a few more minutes and asked another person walking by who also responded quickly saying, ""They'll bring it to the counter when it's ready.""

The front lobby was crowded and I could never quite get up to the person who originally took the order but since I believed the other employees that the slice wasn't done I didn't push my way to the counter.

Finally, after 25 minutes, and after already having paid, I'd become disgusted and the crowd had thinned enough that I asked the person who took my order what was taking so long. He said ""Oh, there you are!"" with a big smile.

I never moved further than 10 feet from the cashier station.

I said it had been 25 minutes and I thought it was only supposed to be 10. A guy named Tony said ""A slice only takes 2 minutes. You need to come up and remind us your still here every couple of minutes next time.""

Are you kidding me??

Suffice it to say, there won't be a next time. I had asked 2 other employees. The whole time I was standing close enough to the counter, though it was constantly packed, that if I took a large step forward I could touch it.

I said, ""You mean I have to remind you to actually bring out an order that has been placed when I don't know if it's finished?? Shouldn't you automatically bring it to the counter and say the order is ready?""

""You just need to remind us.""

Having asked a couple of employees, I believe it's the establishment's responsibility to keep track of doing their job, not the customer's responsibility, especially after I was told twice that ""it will come out when it was done.""

If I hadn't already paid nearly a half hour before, I would've walked out without the pizza or paying. It infuriated me that this guy, Tony, said to ""remind us next time.""

Like I said Tony, there won't be a next time.

Cons: not great service

On a 'night in' this is definately the place to get great take out! They will basically deliver a date in a box, including chilled wine! Also, owners are wonderful and welcoming and will give you a discount if you order frequently!\r

Been going to this restaurant for over 20 years and never have I been disappointed. The owner always welcomes his customers with smiles and feeds them great food! If you want some good authentic Italian food, then look no further! Thanks Tony!

Pros: Great food!

To all patrons even thinking of eating here;\r
I usually don't take time to write reviews and it takes a great deal to get me to do it..with that said I, along with 2 friends went to have breakfast this morning and ordered our food. My order was wrong and when I told the waitress she responded that ""no, that's not sausage it's bacon!"". Clearly I know the difference just from the appearance. I asked for a to go box so to give it to the homeless guy on the corner who uses Palermos bathroom and told the host what had happened. He appologized and asked if he could remake the order and I told him I didn't have the time (the original order took over 30 minutes to arrive) and my friends had already finished thier breakfast. After I paid, and yes she charged me for a wrong order, the host walked out with me and again appologized and said ""well at least you didn't pay for it"". I told him I did and his response was that he had asked her not to charge me since the order was wrong. I told him that not only was the service bad (not including him) but the waitress's attitude was bad. I highly recommend not going here. This is the second time this has happened to me in the past month at Palermos and it seems they don't care. I gave them the second chance and they failed me. There are many other local Los Feliz eateries that far surpass this place.

Pros: there are other great places to eat around Palermos

Cons: having bad service in this neighborhood

This by far has been the best place, not just the best italian food but the service was so good. I would recommend this to everyone. And the owner Tony is so nice, this was our first time going and we were leaving he told us to sit back down and when we went back the waitress came we dessert and said ""Tony said 'you must have dessert and it's on the house.'"" We will definately go back with out a doubt. And the prices are worth for what the BIG portions they give

The first time I went to Parlermos they were located on Hillhurst Ave., and I was just a kid. Then they moved to their current location on Vermont and grew the business to what it is today. Its always felt like home and their food has remained consistent over time. The ""Special Pizza"" is my favorite, it comes with a bit of everything (including anchovies) and a couple of slices go a long way. I also recommend ordering any of their pastas ""baked."" I mean if you're already eating there, what's a couple of more calories between friends? They also have a full bar in back in case you need a cocktail. Everyone works hard there, no stand around modeling from the crew. Everyone is busy doing something, trying to get you seated, bringing you water, your order, checking up on you, etc... The place is good for large parties, birthdays, and kids. Its also a favorite of the local police department and you often see uniformed personnel there. They have valet parking in the back but it fills up quickly. I often have to find parking in the surrounding streets, which I have always found to be safe. The area has grown quickly and there's lots of activity from the nearby movie theater and other dining locales, so budget another 15 to 20 minutes to find parking.

Pros: Good food, value, and atmosphere. Tony remembers your name.

Cons: Parking.

By far the best Italian food anywhere. Best service. These people are like family members you actually like. We just moved to WA. and are missing you.

Pros: great for people with kids

I went to Palermo's the other night, and let me just say it was wonderful. I had their homemade Chicken Ravioli's with Alfredo sauce. Included with my meal came my choice of Soup or Salad, and Garlic Bread. I had the Chicken soup which, btw, was great. It's not your normal chicken soup. I asked my server what made it so different and she explained it was a tomato based soup. I was also reading some other reviews on here and I have to ask, where did you people park? They have a lot right behind the restaurant with free parking if you get your ticket validated inside. What's a couple bucks for a tip if you get free parking. Reasonably priced food, the environment was home-like (I'm Italian so the loudness reminded me of home), and the employees seemed to really enjoy what they do there. All in all, it was a great experience and I'd definitely return.

Pros: Ambience, Parking, Service, Food

My, how time changes things! It's been about a year since my last visit to Palermo. Decided to try Delivery. The fact that my food arrived 14 minutes after I hung-up [on a Friday eve - during ""rush-hour""] makes me wonder how long it had been sitting around. The Chicken Picata was VERY tough. The spaghetti sauce was so bland, it could have been from a jar, as far as I could tell. (Ragu?). The soup, which I had to remind the lady on the phone came with the order, was ""OK"". Then, to add insult to injury, the delivery man didn't even have change for a Twenty, so I wound up giving him a 30% tip. Oh, yeah....the Garlic Bread was good. Avoid going Wednesday thru Monday.

Pros: Garlic Bread

Cons: Everything else

During happy hour this restaurant actually deserved a 5....the half price appetizers makes the small sauceless, tasteless pizzas seem a decent bargain for 5 dollars. The bruschetta is also a decent app but just know you receive a very small portion of three pieces...also 5 dollars. If you have the money to try some of the higher priced dishes than Palermo offers a great ambiance and quick service to make an enjoyable night out. If you're looking for cheap eats or a good pizza I would stay away. Also a heads up that parking near Westwood is a nightmare and you may need to fork over the 5 dollars and walk a few blocks. Reservations recommended.

Pros: Great happy deals, amiance

Cons: Food under normal price is too expensive, parking

This place has a lot going for it in character, comfort and aroma, but the food is average. The best part was the little pizza bread things they bring out with the water. I gave it a second chance and was left unsatisfied, again. Great Italian -American food is all about the red sauce. Their sauce is forgettable and dolloped out as such.

Pros: Nice Italian-American family atmosphere

Cons: Bland food

I don't think I could do better than Palermo's. Every time I have been there has been a delight, even on those evenings when there is a long wait (like Sundays). The pizza is absolutely delicious, the pasta dishes are tasty and filling, the salads are good, the wine is delightful and affordable. I love everything about this place! It's probably my favorite restaurant in town, and that is saying a lot. Warning: they are closed on Tuesdays!

Pros: Food, Service, Wine

Cons: none (unless you are hungry on Tuesday!)

To start with its like $5 to park but you can always find parking on the street. Decor is average, looks as though it hasn't had a coat of paint in awhile. We were seated quickly, first thing was choosing a wine. Their wine selection was nothing special, the waitress did allow us to try the wine prior to deciding what to drink, which I though was nice. The menu isn't any different then any other American Italian restaurant. Prices were expensive for the quality of food. I had the minestrone soup which tasted like watered down tomato soup with some vegetables, I have had minestrone soup many of times and this was probably the worst. I had the veal which they prepare about 5 different ways. It was over cooked and tough, which veal should never taste like. Many people I have talked to raved about how great this restaurant is, makes me wonder if they have ever had good Italian food. Take my advice this place is more hype then its worth.

Pros: Good Service

Cons: Food, prices

either to eat-in or take-out, we always feel warmly welcomed in this family run vermont cornerstone. the pizzas are always piping hot and delicious, the service is friendly and surprisingly attentive for how bustling it gets. the decor is old family style, flirting with corny, but lovable if you know the place. one of my favorites!

Pros: service, mmm.... pizza

Cons: parking

To me, it's really important for a restaurant's staff to be friendly. Palermo's servers and hosts were soooooo incredibly warm and friendly. They were at our table within seconds of us sitting down, with free pizza. HELLO?!??!? Who does that? I would have come back based on the friendliness alone.. but the pizza was to die for, and heated up again for lunch the next day superbly. I'm bringing my friends here for my birthday. I'm so sick of pretentious, trendy, snooty restaurants, and Palermo's is the opposite of all those things. I felt right at home :)

Pros: great wait staff!!!

Cons: parking wasn't the best - just give yourself extra time

I'm shocked that this place didn't make it into the Top 10 for Best Pizza. I ordered take out from here, based upon reviews that I stumbled upon on other websites. I was pleasantly surprised to find a real winner. In fact, just thinking about it is making me crave another one now. I went with the majority recommendation: the Pizza Rosa (or however you spell it). This had a good crispy crust (i.e., not soggy), and it also had plenty of good quality meat and cheese on top. Like I said, I can't vouch for the dining experience because I took mine to go. But the pizza was great and ranks in my top 1 or 2 for L.A. pizzas. The biggest pain, however, was getting to Los Feliz (too much gridlock traffic in that part of town) and too little parking (I had to park maybe 3 blocks north on Vermont, which is a very busy and noisy street; walking down the sidewalk feels slightly less than what I would imagine walking down the middle of the Harbor Freeway would be like). This will eliminate Palermo from any week night visits for me. I'll head over there again, but on a Saturday or Sunday next time.

Pros: Great pizza (try it, pizza lovers)

Cons: terrible traffic and parking

We love this place. Sure, it's not high end cuisine, but it's delicious, affordable, unique and has the best service in LA! Try the pizza rosa...it's soooo good

just wanted to amend my old review. after eating in, we ordered delivery, figuring we'd get charged the same thing we did in the restaurant plus delivery and tip. but when the driver arrived, he gave us a ""bill"" with just $25.00 written on it. no itemization, nothin. i asked him how he came up with that, and bless his non-english speaking heart, he had no idea. $25 for two orders of penne & sauce that were eight bucks each? is it crazy math day? for shame, palermo. way to send a tiny non-fluent old man to do your price gouging bidding.

Pros: relaxed, delivery, cheap wine

Cons: PWN'D

After reading the reviews, I decided to check out Palermo's. I went during peak time and waited about 20 minutes to get seated but the free wine made the time fly. Once seated, our server brought us a small sample of the pizza and thats what we ended up ordering. The Pizza Rosa is great. I'm very picky with my pizza as I grew up on New York pizza and while Palermo's pizza is nothing like NY pizza, it was by far one of the best I've had since moving out here. Service, food, and prices are all great. Would definitely go again.

Pros: Price, Food, Service, Free wine while you wait

Cons: crowded during peak times so wait times may be long

There are only two good things I really liked about this place. The Pizza and the atmosphere.\r
Everything else is just o.k. nothing to write about. The other plates were pretty bland however\r
the garlic bread was decent .\r
Service was above average and the staff makes you feel welcome by offering free wine and pizza while you wait to be seated.

Pros: Pizza Rosa is the best

Cons: parking can be difficult and other plates just bland

This classic may not have great Italian food, but it has one of he best pizzas around. The Pizza Rosa is absolutely delicious, the fresh salad an garlic bread are great too. I would stay away from the Italian dishes. Another great perk is the free or next to free wine they pass out while you wait for a table. It's San Antonio wine, so nothing fancy. The entire staff is very friendly and will make you feel at home. The service is usually good and the prices can not be beat. Not much of a bar, but they will make most everything, I usually stick to the wine or beer. Great place to go with friends or a date before or after a movie. If your lucky, you'll be able to find free parking in the surrounding neighborhood or across the street at the post office. If not, valet is reasonable. Also open late, for you night owls.

Pros: Pizza, ambience, service

Cons: So-so Italian food

This place is great if you like your food bland and tasteless. The place is festive too bad the food wasn't any good. The service was okay.

Pros: there were menus

Cons: food

Palermo is the type of restaurant you don't have to think about. You just go. The food is always great the atmosphere is always upbeat and you will always run into friends and faces from years gone by. The place has been around long enough to know what works and what doesn't. The menu is a varitable plethora or choices and you can't go wrong with any of them. The prices are very reasonable and the service is usually efficient and friendly. There is no problem taking a date or taking 30 friends out to eat they will accomodate. Leave your kids at home. Children are not happy here as the atmosphere is loud and playful which makes them want to run and play and will annoy every other guest.

Pros: Wide selection, excellent bar, large crowds welcome

Cons: parking can be tricky, no reservations

The food was average at best. The restaurant was average as well. Service was acceptable, but not fantastic. Missed out on the free wine everyone talks about. Just not impressed. Overrated.

Cons: Average overall

Although this place is charming in that checkered table cloth and boisterous Italian waiter kind of way, and I will concede to loving the decent, dirt cheap chianti, I will say that the food never lives up to the ""idea"" of going to Palermo. The few times I've been, I've found the garlic bread saturated in butter and the pastas cooked almost to a pulp. I've heard the pizza is better, so maybe stick with a pie and some vino for a more enjoyable session.

Pros: Affordable, accessible, and consistent service

Cons: Los Feliz street parking is a nightmare

I've been eating at this restaurant for the last 3 years. I just recently introduced my girlfriend to the place, and she LOVES the PIZZA ROSA! Once you're seated before you even order your drinks, a server/or someone will walk over and givey you a complimentary slice of pizza (usually one slice per person). \r
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Recommendations:\r
Lasagna, Ravioli w/ any kind of meat or cheese, Any Pasta, Pizza!\r

Pros: Waiter/Server checks up on you periodically. Food is amazingmy favorite Italian restaurant. Fair Pricingpossibly a cheap eat. They also offer small and large portions. The Valet guy always opens the door for my girlfriend (I mentioned this because a lot o

Cons: Some people might find the restaurant a little too loudI personally don't mind.

The food here isn't really that good, but somehow I'm always happy to go here because the ambiance is very warm and loving. Box wine never tasted so good while you're waiting in line. The pizza rosa that they give you when you sit down tastes better than their other pizzas. The spinach salad is good.

Pros: atmosphere, box wine

Cons: parking, food is adequate

Go here for teh pizza and teh cheap wine, literally. The rest of teh food is really not good. My party and i had teh calamari appetizer, teh salmon, lasagna, and tortellini Alfredo.
The calamari was good, yet with a much need for salt. The lasagna was drenched in this horrible marinara sauce that tastes as if they just opened the jar and poured it on the dish. Sour, watery and tasteless. The tortellini had this sauce that had the consistency of sour cream, and itself was a strange concoction of cheese , cream ,and coconut milk. Yes, coconut milk. Plain bad. The Salmon was decent, maybe a little bland and furiously overcooked, with vegetables that besides being obviously frozen, were wet and chewy. Plus, to top it off, it came with a side of spaghetti drenched in that same horrible marinara sauce. Come for the pizza and wine. Literally.

To enjoy a meal is priceless. The clatter of voices within this restaurant shows them all enjoying classic ambience. The veal has a flavor that all will enjoy. Lasagna to make you mother jealous. Pizza that will make your taste buds tingle. Great food and a free glass of wine while you wait. The restaurant provided parking is a breeze on the corner behind the masonic temple. It's free and only 1/2 a block from your dining pleasure. I have yet to find anything that is a minus here.

Pros: price, ambience, food

Cons: closed on Tuesdays

A typical Italian, I'm hard to please on Pasta/sauce/pizza- even more discriminating from a restaurant family. No two Italians (or anyone else for that matter) like their sauce & fare the same. It's very personal food. You won't like everything at Palermo but its a sure bet that you'll find some dishes you LOVE. Pizza is always excellent- no grease, best ingredients. Sauce is consistently good. I'm not a marinara fan but their's is authentic and good. I recommend the heartier meat sauce. Other dishes comprised of best quality ingredients, sure to please those familiar with the dishes they order. Don't pass up the calamari or tiramisu. Excellent service, fun place. You're family by your third trip. Orders off-menu are happily prepared as you like. If you're feeling Italian, go on Sundays for the accordian music! Norm Panto does all the right stuff (ask for Sorrento or godfather theme!)

Pros: good food-your way, great service, inexpensive

Cons: dicey parking, wait on weekends

You'll get traditional italian-american dishes at this restaurant in generous portions (even if you order the small size). I love how they serve everyone a few slices of a pizza when you sit down to nosh on. I enjoy eating here and enjoy having their food delivered. The only downside is that they are slow on the soda refills and that they are closed on Tuesdays.

Pros: Tasty food

Cons: Closed Tuesdays

This is my favorite Italian Restaurant! The food is YUMMY super delicious, creamy and thick alfredo sauce. And the service is amazing!! The waiter/waitress does not forget about you. It is loud and fun place to hang out and eat!! IM A FAN YOU SHOULD TOO!

I'm not too into their pizza, but the pasta dishes are quite good. Fun atmos with friendly service. Tony, the owner, is always there greeting you with a smile and a hearty ""welcome"". Occasionally, they have an accoridan player taking requests, which adds to the lively feel of the place. A fairly large menu with all sorts of tasty options but they'll adapt to your taste if requested. Also, they have a very reliable delivery service.

Pros: Good hearty food, Lively

Where else can you get a free glass of wine while you wait? Palermo's is a great little restaurant in Los Feliz with the friendliest staff around. The food is traditional Italian. The complimentary Pizza Rosa is also great as a meal.

The Pizzarosa was TO DIE FOR!!! I can't believe I found this place after recently moving from New York City!!! Thanks, guys!!!

Pros: Delicious Food, Prompt Service, Easy Parking