Panza's Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Saratoga Springs

I've been wanting to share this for a while, but every time we dine at Panza's Restaurant, I forget to take pictures of the food because it looks so amazing that it's gone before I even think about it. So here it goes: this is a photo of the outside of the restaurant. Inside, it's even more spectacular, with multiple dining areas. My favorite is the Cove, a cabaret lounge, piano bar, and full dining room. From the moment you step foot into the elegance and style, you can see that Michael Panza himself has curated every aspect of the restaurant to transform you into something you can only find in northern Italy—a flashback to 1983. Lights, camera, action! Get ready for an evening you will never forget when you walk in.

We started with a dirty martini, stirred not shaken, with blue cheese olives, and listened to some tunes at the piano bar before sitting down for dinner. Now, let’s talk about the food. The fried calamari with hot cherry peppers is a must, followed by Chef Dan's Utica greens (insider tip: ask for the crumbled sausage if they haven't added it), and then there are Ma Panza's Meatballs, which are a classic. Amongst incredible friends Wendy Lawrence Chip Lawrence Meredith Woolford Jim Woolford, we dined the evening away with lots of laughter and stories to celebrate.

For dinner, they have all the classics like chicken parmigiana and piccata, truffle mushroom risotto (which is to die for), a perfectly cooked New York strip steak, and rigatoni ala Michael. But my favorite is the penne pasta ala Jillian with gluten-free tortellini. Yes, that’s right! Gluten-free tortellini, which is to die for. In fact, they have tons of gluten-free options and will pretty much accommodate anything you wish.

Now let’s talk about the service, which is beyond exceptional. Brandon and Jake, along with everyone else who works there, go above and beyond to make your dining experience a night you will never forget—not to mention, they’re cute AF.

And don't skip dessert, even though we're always so full by then, because the desserts are spectacular. Michael Panza truly is inspirational like nobody else, and Panza's is a must-try institution in Saratoga. There are lots of restaurants in the area, and no shortage of Italian ones, but it doesn’t get any better than Panza's, for sure.

Panza's also hosts special events and live performances, adding an extra layer of entertainment to your dining experience. The ambiance is enhanced by carefully selected decor and lighting, making every visit feel like a special occasion. Whether you're celebrating a milestone or just enjoying a night out, Panza's provides an...

Hi All !!! Been a while 22k followers thank you.Lots of great reviews coming.. This one however .. Tonight I took my bride to this establishment. After 90 years I think its honestly mediocre. I made reservations under an Alias as a special birthday for my wife. The Woman that seated us was not very gracious , more pushy and walked us to a corner table near a grotto type area.. The first thing I noticed was pre used and stained paper menu's, The table cloth also stained and the cob webs above us on the lighting / decor pieces almost made us walk.. But This is where she wanted to go, and I was looking forward to writing this review for about a year.. Cuisine - The Shrimp cocktail (15) was a scotch glass with 3 shrimp. Ehh The Antipasto was decent but kinda skimp on the cheeses.otherwise the meats provided was sufficient and of quality. The main dishes was under par for the price by about 10$.. I did my check and asked for parm.. Now idk about you but when im paying $$$ for a dinner I expect fresh grated at table side as well as a pepper grinder to appear ya think.. Nope , a pizza shop shaker with basic parm.. Finally dessert- nothing special on the menu and honestly didn't even want to bother because I didn't trust it wasn't frozen cheesecake or something. I wasn't spending anymore on what was already a huge disappointing experience. We were laughing about it as we left... The hostess never did any rounds to make us feel invited.. It was a "Here is your mediocre meal give us too much for it and leave," kinda feeling , the whole time. The wine was priced as expected.. But for dessert I asked for an aperitif of Galliano with an expresso and they didn't carry it..?! Its an Expensive "Traditional Italian Restaurant" that doesn't carry one of the trinities of Italian liqueur..? Okay... Conclusion- 23 bucks for a dish that cost me 4 to make even better at home..Granted I've worked under Michelin-starred chefs , and co-ran a very upscale Italian restaurant in Midtown with family half my life.

Star time 1-5- lets get to it. Atmosphere - 3 - cold and dated- . Live piano was nice Service -Hosting -2 , wait- 3 , water server-4 Cuisine-3 - very basic compared to the price Timing - 4 (sitting till appetizer) Bar/ mix drinks - 5 Bar stocked -3 Summery: Over all they did nothing that I couldn't do for 1/4 of the price at home with nicer atmosphere and no cob webs over the table. As for the reservation, just to see if they pay attention to their customers.. not even a mention of it being a very special birthday occasion for my most loved wife as was relayed. Nostalgia isn't everything especially...

Went here on Easter & I wasn't overly impressed... kind of unfortunate, as I have always heard great things so I was really looking forward to it! First off, I do have to say that the salad & homemade Italian dressing was impressive...it was delicious! Then our meals came out & everyone at the table who was supposed to get fingerling potatoes got mashed. Ok, not a huge deal, but the server didn't say a word about it. Then I cut into my chicken parm, which honestly was a pretty small portion.. (usually I'm boxing up half of it to take home!) The meat was dry with a pre-frozen taste & the bottom was soggy. I'm not one to complain, especially on a holiday...so I ate it. I drank water & my bill for myself came to $29 for my salad & Chicken Parm. Our server was very nice, and the hostess informed us that someone didn't show up to work, so he had a larger section, but honestly the service was fine...it was the food that didn't impress me much. Maybe I'll try one more time... I've heard people rave about the Marsala, & my aunt said hers...