An eye-catching creation from leading Little Italy restaurateurs Joe and Lisa Busalacchi, Po Pazzo earns its name, which means "a little crazy," mixing a bar with a restaurant serving modern Italian fare. A steak house with an accent, this stylish eatery offers attractive salads and thick cuts of prime beef, as well as a top-notch presentation of veal saltimbocca, and risotto in an osso buco "sauce" that defines richness. It's fun but pricey, although at lunch the Kobe beef burger with fresh-from-the-fat fries is an affordable way to enjoy the experience.
Reviewed by ETCPA from San Diego on 8/20/09
Terrible. Just terrible. The only good thing I can say about my dining experience at Po Pazzo, 1917 India Street, San Diego, on Saturday, August 15th, is that the restaurant was not crowded and we were seated right away. I think I know why. Our waitress was nowhere to be found, our drinks empty, our appetizers gone, and no one stopped by to ask how we were doing or apologize for the delay in the arrival of our entrees (40 minutes from the time we were seated until our entrees arrived). We were literally ignored; I almost walked out. Our entrees had been sitting somewhere because the sauces were not fresh, but dried out and visually unappealing. The meatballs and sausage in my Spaghetti della Casa ($18.95) were cold, along with the seafood in the Linguini Pescatore ($23.95). After placing the entrees in front of us, no one checked on us whatsoever. I wouldn't have minded paying the $80 (2 of us) if the service was good and the food better. What a huge disappointment.
Reviewed by nicholm from San Diego, California on 12/22/06
We love Po Pazzo. The food is pricey..but unlike Ocean 1500, Oceanaire or other fancy places.... at Po Pazzo the food is EXCELLENT, the decor and atmosphere great...and we find it well worth the money. The tortellini with marscapone cheese is so good, it brings tears. Bread, wine, fish, steak ...excellent. We frequent the restaurant often and highly recommend it.
Reviewed by heandshedog from Tucson on 12/2/06
The crab cakes were delicious. The shrimp cocktail had only three modest-sized shrimp. The cucumber salad was refreshing. The Ahi tuna was just right, and the NY steatk was blackened and juicy. Our server was very attentive. The parking valet pointed us to a free spot. A bit pricey, but the quality of ingredients and everything was well prepared. You'll need a some extra $$ here. (Hey! Don't eat lunch and you'll have the money for a great dinner.)
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