Johnny Russo's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Banning

We had family who came into town from out of state and descided to meet up at Johnny Russos to enjoy some delicious food. We got there at 5:25 let the girls know party of 8, they took my sons name down and said 30 min. OK no problem. We waited outside for about 10 min, because it was pretty hot in there n getting crowded. A few of us came back in and were sitting at the benches for about 20 min. When a family of 7 came in, the girls told them it would be about 30 to 45 min, the family preceded to leave and one of the girls went out and brought them back in and sat them down at a table. I get up approach the girls and was like did you forget our party? We've been sitting here since 530. The girls shuffled around and was like they had a reservation.. Pardon, no I literally watched you chase after them after you told them the wait time. Oh ok im sorry is your name down here? Im like Mam you took my son's name "oh is it this" im like yes, we've been sitting here this whole time. OK give us sometime and we will get you seated sorry about that. How long? Maybe 15 to 30 min. Im like fine. At this point it is almost 620. Another family of 7 come in what do they do seat them. So yet again I get up and I approach the girls and im like you just seated another group of 7 right in front of us. Their reason "they had kids" we got a baby in our group and two disabled people in ours btw.. I ask to speak to the manager, they said they dont have one. They got the waitress, I explained the situation, she apologizes and tells me another 30 min, however they will comp our drinks and some food. Im irritated at this point, however, we came for the great food and it is getting late at this point.. So some of us went outside, n they brought a couple pieces of garlic bread that was nice.. 7pm was when we got seated.. Food was delicious. Yet when we got our check no comp and was told dont worry about gratuity we already added it into your checks.. WOW... We are great tippers and the waitress was very pleasant, however I feel at that point it should have been at our discretion..They literally by passed us for almost an hr n a half..So my husband told her you told us this, she said she had forgot, understandable. Yet she only comped our drinks(sodas n ice teas) no food.. lol.. The food was fantastic. I gave my rating based on service which obviously was a problem andit was horribly hot in there as well(we were all dripping with sweat) The place is very nice and cozy otherwise. We used to come there a lot years ago, hadn't been in years....

I have been a fan of Johnny Russo's for over a decade- I loved it the first time and never stopped finding more reasons to go back. Unfortunately, there are few local restaurants competing for my top pick, and I've tried most. Russo's had the advantage of being a family owned and operated traditional Italian restaurant - not a fast food, impersonal, efficiency seeking conglomerate with an assembly line approach to service. You feel part of his family upon being seated, and that homey touch lingers throughout the experience. Yes, the food is authentic, fresh, delicious but I expected it to be great. Prices have gone up like everywhere. But if your on a tight budget you can find great values. I opted for a lunch thing they very reasonable half order of fabulous rigatoni. I had a tooth ache and this kind waitress (probably a nurse on the side) starts me off with the perfect chianti (which I would never risk trying) and suggested the wedding soup instead of the salad I couldn't chew anyway. Expecting a typically bland house genetic slop,.i was treated to the simplest but most sumptuous surprise- a light broth with bits of tender chicken. I would never dip the unbelievable hot bread she brought into the soup- never (freakin heaven for aching mouth). Now, I guess you can adjust a pot of noodles so you can separate the softer ones cause she had the cook prepare my half entree to melt in my mouth without being mushy. That kitchen magician knocks out a rigatoni with marinara dish to die for. I covered the whole tab with spare twenty, but side-tipped the hostess for finding an isolated corner for me to hide, and a little extra for that angel Johnny found that pretended to be my waitress. I'd say "just like home" but I never had it this good at home. I didn't even have to clean the dishes afterward. Anticipating the needs of each guest- and adapting to meet them. I call that exceptional service- from the front desk to the back burners.

Support your local restaurantier. As he and his staff...

I have to admit their food is delicious but the service is not so great. After calling in an order on a Saturday night around 7:30pm I am put on hold for around 10 mins, no problem i understand it’s Saturday and it may be busy. When someone finally answers they are polite, I order my food and I let them know that I would like the sauce on my food on the side. They repeat my order and I remind them again to please put the sauce on the side ( I am sharing with my toddler who does not like the sauce). Once I walk in to pick up my order, 2 of the waitress see me but do not acknowledge me and instead continue their conversations with the kitchen staff. A few minutes go by and still nothing even though one of the waitress remains talking to the kitchen staff less than 3 feet from me. Finally a third waitress appears, she greats me and gets me my food. I get back in my car to double check and the sauce is all over my food. I go back inside and let them know about this issue and again same issue, the waitresses are talking amongst themselves and do not acknowledge me. I see the waitress who initially gave me my order making salads and she lets me know she’ll be right with me. At this point I feel bad that she is the only one running around while everyone else is just talking. She rushes over to me and I let her know about the issue and she lets me know she’ll have it remade. I get my food and come home only to find that the they had given me the same food as before but had placed the chicken upside down hoping I wouldn’t notice. At this point I am upset because now I’m having to go back inside for a third time and I don’t even want the food at this point just a refund. It was very upsetting that after specifying multiple time and giving the staff the benefit of the doubt and my order was still wrong. I have been coming to Johnny Russos since they’ve had a location at Beaumont but at this point I have had it. This is not the first or second time this happens to me and it is just not...