Pernicanos Family Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in El Cajon

Although, we were repeat customers of this restaurant. Today will be our last going there.

We entered the restaurant and were told to sit anywhere as usual. One waiter was taking a large group's order. The same waiter helping the large group then came by to take ours for the drinks.

However, three or so other waiters were just standing around doing nothing while one waiter was doing most of the work. It also seemed the owner was there as well letting the waiters sit around. We got our drinks but the taking of our order was a bit delayed.

We then got our order taken. As we waited for quite some time, two men walked in and sat down getting both their drinks and order taken immediately.

My mom and I were still waiting when we noticed the men behind us being served. The waiter seemed to know one of male customers and began eating off his plate while she was standing.

Before I answered my mom, she looked up towards the kitchen area and noticed our food sitting there with none of the waiters attempting to serve us our meal.

Unfortunately, this was the second time our service at this restaurant has been delayed. We gave them another chance because we understand the cooking time can be long. However, we never imagined our food was just sitting on the counter.

We got up and requested to pay for drinks we didn't get to finish. We were charged $5. We were disappointed for not being served and also disappointed the owner did not have better management of the...

We stumbled upon Pernicano’s after leaving San Diego airport headed for Yuma, and found an absolute treasure! We started with a HUGE, beautiful salad, and I had the Italian dressing. I’m here to tell you that I have never had a more refreshing salad dressing. Next came the fried mushrooms. They were amazing. Then the main course. I had the Saturday evening special (spaghetti with meat ravioli), and my wife had the chicken Parmesan with fettuccine Alfredo on the side. We quite literally moaned when we tasted it. Now the food was amazing, and the SERVICE! Maddie was an absolute delight, with a wonderful personality, and she was right there as if she could sense we might need something. Really, just top notch service. Now for the pièce de rèsistance: Gary Pernicano came out to shake my hand and personally thank me for coming in to dine at his place. He is a WONDERFUL man, and he took the time to give me the history of the place passed down through the generations. He spoke lovingly about his parents, and told me that he started washing dishes in the place when was five years old. He also spoke of his brothers and other family members all of whom had 10 Pernicano’s restaurants throughout Southern California.

If you drive by this place and don’t stop, you are missing a treasure! Six out...

It had been YEARS since I came to this place. My son and I just happened to drive by during the dinner hour and decided to stop on. Currently under re-model which was no big deal, but the service was awful! I don't know how they ever get repeat customers. Only 3 parties in the entire restaurant at 700P on Tuesday night. We were seated immediately, but then waited over 20 minutes for bread and water. I asked for a meatless sauce lasagna - the waitress asked, marinara? I said yes, and of course it came with meat. Never offered to replace it and charged me full price. A party of 14 come in as we finished our meal. The waitress never once came over to refill water, ask if we wanted anything or check on us. Party of 14 sits down, she took their entire order (AFTER she took their drink order) I finally had to stand up and waive over the hostess to get my check. She dropped it at the table, never asked if we wanted something else, never said thank you. I paid and walked out. As we left the owner was talking to a someone about the remodel and we almost tripped over him trying to exit the restaurant. Awful experience. Will never return to this place again. Service is everything and when you have NO service - people...