Benito's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Bullard

2025 update: THERES still SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM!!! Prices are NOT higher and the portions are still huge!!! But if they did, they would still be perfect.

Now let’s talk about that fried zucchini. Let me start by saying I am not a zucchini fan. But this zucchini is fried and battered to perfection. Sickly sliced so I was concerned at first but Tinder to the bite. The dinner bread is incredible so pace yourself with it. And underneath all of his cheese and sauce is a eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti 😂 the perfect place to break a Yum Kipo fast I could only eat a third of everything that was brought. You will never be disappointed, and if you are, it will not be with the food or the service👀 😂 THERES SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM!!! You will definitely find several things to love!!! Now, this is bittersweet- I love mushrooms but I do NOT like 🦀! And I got the stuff mushroom 🍄 and it was all over the plate. So I think crab lovers would enjoy it far better than me! The sauce and the mushrooms were fabulous though! The sauce has an extraordinary taste and flavor, sure to make your taste buds sing so it’s 5✨⭐️ all on its own. NOW, for my chicken pasta 🍝 dish… it was a new experience for me! I will order eggplant, Parmesan, or eggplant Primavera 99% of the time, however, this time there was such a wide variety to choose from on the menu I decided to step off of my traditional road most traveled! Lol😁 and I tried something completely different 👀! Let me say that the pasta was neither overcooked nor undercooked, it was absolutely perfect! I am a huge fan of mushrooms and capers, and this particular dish had a little kick in spice with some red and green bell peppers and onion, and was very unique! Most of the time, I am very disappointed whenever I order something new, and I’ve never had it before. HOWEVER, this was not the case. I am committed to trying a new dish every time I come to visit. The vegetables were well cooked and the chicken was tender to the cut with my fork.

I am a huge fan of Italian and Mediterranean foods, and I must admit this has been the best Italian restaurant in East Texas thus far. And has been bumped up to my number three all-time favorite Italian restaurant. In order to take my number one favorite spot. I have to try the eggplant Primavera/Parmesan, or whatever the eggplant 🍆 dish is.😅

There was a line, but it is definitely worth the wait. The sweet tea is sweet like family reunion sweet tea so I may just have to get water next time lol

And the olive oil with the herbs in it is incredible and the bread you will definitely have to fight over with your friends and family if they only bring you one piece, it literally melts in your mouth!

I am very happy and pleased with this quaint spot off Hwy 69 and if I was hungry in Lufkin or Dallas, I’d wait to eat at Benito’s...

TLDR: If you're in Bullard and want basic American Italian this is a good spot, anything more head in to Gresham for true authentic Italian.

Disappointed to say the least. I had heard good things about the restaurant. It was very crowded and there was no parking when we arrived. The staff were friendly. The bread and olive oil were not the best. The bread after losing what must have been heat from the microwave became hard and tasted a few days old . The olive oil was just that with red pepper flakes put in it. Mozzarella sticks were crispy and fresh, red sauce was good simple clean and nothing to think about. We ordered the chicken Marsala, tortillini benito and manicotti. The tortillini was good, however it was more like tortellini in spinach artichoke dip. The manicotti was by far the best thing with the red sauce as described previously, cheese and ricotta deliciously wrapped in a noodle smothered in red sauce and mozzarella cheese melted on top. The chicken Marsala the biggest disappointment of the night. This was thin frozen chicken breast with faux grill marks heated up and served with penne pasta and mushrooms swimming in brown gravy. It was supposed be wine sauce but I guess all they had was brown gravy. We informed the waitress of the not so good marsala and she repliedv that it looked like brown gravy and that she thought it was supposed to be wine sauce too. Finally for dessert we asked if the desserts were made in house and the waitress replied no. Still we ordered the tiramisu as it was our 4th anniversary and we felt entitled to a treat. The tiramisu was adequate and exactly what you expect. When it came time for the bill I was surprised to see the marsala still on the tab since I did not touch it after me and my wife took a bite and then talked to the waitress. I still paid the bill however and decided to take it home to feed to my dogs. They would rate it as 10/10. My advice for the Bullardite would be to enjoy Benito's simple traditional Italian dishes. If they are inclined to order anything further drive in to Gresham. For the non Bullard residents I would recommend staying in Gresham or Tyler for your...

We were just working in Bullard at a local church around the corner and our customer suggested we eat here because it was sooooo great. When my helper and I first walked in I felt underdressed because the atmosphere was too elegant pretty and probably also too expensive for a working mans lunch break so I almost walked out. Then the sweet hostess walked up and gave us a table with no kind of expression like we were in the wrong place Soooo we stayed and viewed the lunch menu which happened to be cheaper than the stupid fast food chain burger joint down the road. We got the yummy big breads n oil dip and a HUGE salad with amazing house dressing before they delivered the most gigantic Stromboli I ever saw! Not only was it big it was beautiful too. A few bites in my buddy exclaimed his lasagna was the best he ever had! After we were 1/2 way in and our very sweet and attentive waitress was taking such good care of us, the owner came over to see if everything was good and then went to every other table to make sure they were all happy. Soon after that her son the chef came to greet us and make sure the same. The Stromboli was so exaggeratedly huge I had to get a to go box and he went in the kitchen to get me a bowl of fresh marinara and a fresh loaf of bread for my take home box I regretfully didn’t get a pic of my oversized underpriced Stromboli but I did get a pic of this beautiful pizza on some other random persons table Even though I would never in my life order pineapple on my pizza I would definitely try a slice of this. I live in Lindale which has 2 very good Italian restaurants, but I am looking forward to the hour drive past Tyler to take my wife to eat at...