Bistro Pazzo

Meandered our way here on a Friday night, tired and hungry. Got a table with no wait, immediately greeted with bread and water, and it only got better from there. Calamari was fresh and cooked perfectly, the carpaccio was excellent, and the service was outstanding. We went with the four cheese rigatoni and the seafood Alfredo and both dishes were excellent. Huge slice of tiramisu to finish us off. Would highly recommend to friends and 5/5 stars for the meal.

Great service. I really appreciated the effort that they put in, in order to make us feel welcome and like a valued customer.I came with a large group on a Saturday around 5:30pm and the restaurant was empty so they were able to seat us right away. We started with the Calamari which was tasty but a tad chewy. The complimentary bread with pesto sauce was a nice touch. The 4 cheese rigatoni was delicious, if you like cheese and cream sauce, this is for you. My go to at any italian restaurant is a chicken parmesan and since I didn't see one on the menu I asked if they could do it and they said of course. In retrospect, maybe I should have picked something off the menu because it wasn't great, but I appreciate the attempt. Chicken was over cooked and it was a single breast, which doesn't justify the $31 dollars it costs. They also don't serve it with a side of pasta, only vegetables, but that was my fault for not reading the fine print I would definitely return for the great atmosphere and the excellent service, but I would definitely get something different.

We felt like a good cup of coffee and dessert after our Japanese rolls around the corner and dropped in at Pazzo.... a bit late but the owner was friendly and helped us out. Cappuccino, Macchiato and a chunk of chocolate walnut cake which was delicious. Coffee was not bitter which is always a nice surprise for coffee snobs like us. We'll be back when there's another Athenaeum event close by so we can explore other menu options. 10/10.

Phenomenal food! If you are looking for NY style Italian- it's the go to spot. We tried a few others in La Jolla and by far, this is the best. Chef does a phenomenal job! Portions are a good size but not too big and they will serve at your pace.

This is a fine example of a great Chef, after opening restaurant after restaurant for others, than restaurants of his own, settling into the village of La Jolla to cook for the locals & tourists, but I see him catering more to the locals. I am told it gets busy on the weekends, so make a reservation or go earlier in the week, like I did!When I came back from a trip to Italy, the first thing I noticed is that we have Italian 'Style' Restaurants. (That's a restaurant adjusting the food and flavor profiles to accommodate Americans). Geez. I wish I had known about this authentic Italian Restaurant then! The art hanging on the walls brings you right back to Italy! So does the food.I do hundreds of Restaurant Reviews usually with 8-12 people from San Diego Foodies and Carlsbad Foodies on meetup, where I ask everyone what their favorite dish was, so that you know what to order. Since this was a sneak peak, I went alone and here's what I want you to know. If there's anything you want special or different, you can call Chef Seto. My simple request a week before is: Can you do some roasted garlic and bread for me to start?I can't tell you how many times I have ordered roasted garlic and it just isn't cooked all the way through. He drizzle olive oil over it, serves it with crispy thin slightly charred ciabatta slices and I eat it throughout the meal. So good. I also pair some Prosecco with a delicious Lobster Bisque, with chunks of nice lobster and the clams and mussels that follows (Vongole e Cozze) is amazing. I add spaghetti to the dish and boy is that something! The Chef is nailing every single dish that comes out of his kitchen. I add a glass of Vermentino (great white Italian wine from Tuscany). As we move into Eggplant - Melanzane Parmigiana and Salsiccie (Sausage, Onions and Peppers), I move on to a Primitivo from Puglia. It's a nice red. And it's like I'm back in New York again.... Little Italy quality of some of my favorite dishes. Or we can compare it to Il Fornaio ... but this is better, fresher and cheaper!I try two of his desserts (I take bites and take the rest home). First, a Limoncello Mascarpone Cake which really measures up to any expectations. And then I taste his Chocolate Walnut Cake, and finish my red wine with it. So good.This, in fact is the perfect meal. I've had my roasted garlic, lobster bisque, seafood with pasta, eggplant parmigiana, sausage, onions and peppers and dessert. Of course I don't eat it all. I take tastings of everything, because that's what I do and take the rest for lunch the next day. Two meals for one price, eating sensibly to boot! The service and wine is equally and especially good. It's great to support a local chef, and a very local (to La Jolla) Restaurant. I highly recommend this treat! Let's go again!

This is a great gem of a restaurant. They have fantastic food at a great price. The owner does NOT charge a 3% service charge for health benefits of employees or a credit card fee like many restaurants seems to be doing these days (which I don't understand because they didn't do it before someone started doing it and now many are following suit). I am offended that people are paying a 3% or more charge at restaurants when you have great restaurants, like Bistro Pazzo, who don't believe in that. The food is amazing and the owner and wait staff are super friendly. Check out this restaurant for yourself and let they know you read about them on yelp. I can't say enough good things about the food and the service they provide.

Frutti di mare is soo good, fresh pasta and seafood, and so reasonably priced! We've been on the hunt for our go to Italian place in SD and this one checks all the boxes. The owner is charming and personable, he's been in the restaurant industry for decades, his experience and passion for this industry is evident!

First time coming to this restaurant. So cute and quaint, away from all the other tourist-filled restaurants in La Jolla. Loved the place. The food was soo delish! forgot to take a picture of the yummy Caesar salad, the fresh bread and pesto, and the mussels we ordered. The chef was amazing!! I ordered the Penne Al Pollo it was soo good. My friend ordered the mushroom risotto and my cousin the Spaghetti. All so fresh, so good. Chef was amazing!!

Very good service & food was amazing ! The restaurant was very peaceful and the staff was very attentive. Me & my boyfriend will definitely be returning.

My husband and I happened to walk by this place and thought it looked like a good spot- we were met with the most amazing service and even more magnificent food! This is hands down the best Italian food I've had. We were both so impressed, the owner was welcoming, kind, and funny. This will definitely be a regular spot for us.