05/14/09

BEST IN CITY

by fooood513

The bu gs comment is a complete lie. This olive garden/ max and ermas fanatic must have somehow been offended by this great hole in the wall, family owned establishment, and wanted to scare off any future customers. If your looking for great, HOME MADE Italian, Campanellos is the only place to be!

• Pros: great food, employees, customers and atmosphere
• Cons: some people prefer corny chain restaurants.

01/02/08

bad service and bugss

by monsterdi

This is by far one of the worst restaurants I have been too, and I am usually a very positive person. To our disappointment, we had a terrible experience.the guy is one of the rudest guys you would ever see. No customer service, nasty roachess in the restaurant I couldn't believe my eyes. Verdict - I am never going back there again.

08/19/07

Terrible!

by newtisdead

Worst service we ever experienced! Waited in line for 20 min before the hostess told us they were not seating anyone without a reservation.

• Cons: everthing

Family-owned restaurant serving hearty Italian classics for more than 25 years.

by Contributor

The Scene
Tucked into a corner just a few blocks from the Convention Center is Campanello's, a Cincinnati institution that continues to withstand the changing times and trends. Inside, there isn't much to look at--a small dining area with wood-paneled walls, a few framed photographs of family and local sports figures and politicians, and animated conversations around the bar. Most of the customers seem to be regulars, and they can be heard animatedly discussing current events.

The Food
The menu here consists of tried-and-true Italian favorites, like veal Marsala, eggplant Parmesan, chicken cacciatore, lasagna and good ol' spaghetti and meatballs. This is not the lighter, upscale Mario Batali-style Italian food, but rather the kind of hearty, homemade fare that conjures up images of Italian grandmas tending pots of tomato sauce. Portions are large, so that patrons will have to remember to leave room for spumoni ice cream or the luscious tiramisu.

03/29/06

Not what others have built it up to be!

by budschoice

Campanello's is just plain average. When we were there most of the tables were open so we had no problem getting seated. The food was fair with small portions making the price a little high for what we received. The meats had very little taste and the sauces were very similar to something which may have been purchased at a warehouse club. Our biggest concern was the trash all over the bar. There was junk piled up which should have been thrown in a closet in the back room. It looked like a sloppy office. If you are looking for good Italian food, there are many other much better places in the area.

• Cons: Atmosphere

06/14/04

The Real Stuff

by mcg718

Here's one Italian who loves this place! This is food like Grandma used to make, and Grandma was a great cook. People who don't like this place are probably the same ones who think Olive Garden is real Italian. Reminds me of a little place right out of Little Italy in NY, do yourself a favor and check it out for yourself.

05/11/04

HORRIBLE!!!!!!!

by boohya

Anyone who rates this well, does not know good Italian food! Let alone, understands the concept of good service. DO NOT EAT HERE!!!! We were lured in by a coupon and we had to stand in the doorway for 15 minutes before we were seated while the owner chated to another customer, all the while seeing us standing there & she was the hostess! They were not busy at all & the service was still bad. The food was crap. The sauces tasted like they were from a can, & may have been. The meat was tough & flavorless. And the food was expensive to top it off, even with our coupon! It wasn't worth a dime! When leaving we had to wait a long time to even get our bill, then had to wait again to pay it! Spend your hard earned money else where.

• Cons: , expensive, dog food

02/20/03

Loved it

by nstickney4529

The food is very good and the staff is unbeatable. We randomly picked this place and we couldn't have done better. We had the friendliest waitress who let us know what the best wine, dinner, and dessert were for our tastes. Everyone is friendly and you feel at home. I can't wait to go back!

• Pros: Staff, Food, At home feeling

07/26/02

Great Atmosphere

by sarahbauer75

I waas in Cinci for the Flying Pig Marathon and had walked out on the marathon's "pasta party" because the food/atmosphere was so bad. My boyfriend and I asked some city workers to direct us towards a good restaurant and we were sent to Campanello's. The service and food are average, but the atmosphere is awsome and it was a unique experience that left me with a smile.

07/24/02

Italian like it was meant to be

by randywomble

A cozy, family atmosphere provides the backdrop for excellent Italian cuisine.