Politano's Pizza & Pasta — Restaurant in Irving

Score--94/100 I don't know what Italian restaurant will top this place, for me. This restaurant is a hidden gem, tucked away waiting for you to find. If I lived in the area, I would never go to olive garden or carabbas or wherever again. This isn't the place you take your girlfriend because you want to get dressed up and impress her. This is a place you go to when you want her to taste food like your Nonna used to make. We had lobster ravioli, spaghetti and meat sauce, fettuccine Alfredo, antipasto salad and a stromboli, with a glass of wine and sodas. Everything was amazing. We spent the whole ride home talking about how crazy it was that we found this place, and you should too. I was not sponsored or compensated in any way, to be clear; this was just damn good food. I should have taken more pictures, but it smelled so good nobody wanted to wait on me to take pics lol

App/Online Orders/To-Go/Menu. 6/10

There is NO app, which is to be expected of a restaurant with only 1 location, but you CAN order online. They also offer catering and delivery. Their menu IS available online, but is out of date and prices and items are not accurate and updated to what you see in-store. I have attached the menu's from 7/9/25 for accurate reference. 6/10 in this category just because prices and menu items were not up to date online.

Location/Convenience 8/10 For us, the location was great. Roughly 10 minutes from our hotel by the airport, and right next to another cool area to take the kids to play. For us, and I would imagine anyone relatively localish, that its pretty convenient. 8/10

Parking 10/10 Parking was great. No garage, no problems, just great parking. Parked right up front! 10/10

Seating Wait Time 10/10 0 wait time, greeted happily and seated immediately.

Food correctness/Wait time 10/10 All of our food came out just as ordered and promptly! Nothing was cold, everything was fresh, correct and as hot or cold as it should have been. Everything came out together and was amazing. My mom forgot to ask to not put parmesan on top of her spaghetti, and they made her a new one. Our fault, but they fixed it no problem. Wonderful employees!

Food Flavor 10/10 The pictures don't do it justice, and I should have taken more, but we dug in! If I could give this a higher score than 10, I would. This was as good or better than places like Giadi's in Vegas, and way better, and more affordable, than chains like Carabbas, etc. Any time I am in Dallas, I will make the trip to this restaurant to come try more things. All of us loved our food, the portions were perfect, everything was way better than we imagined, and this place really deserves to be in a stand alone building seating 300+ tables a day. This is the most underrated Italian food I have eaten. EVER. Blown away. $12.49 for lobster ravioli. At Carabbas the same dish in a similar location in Dallas $24.99, literally DOUBLE. And we liked this one better, for half the price. If you are in the area and you don't give this place a chance...you're missing out.

Service 10/10 Our waiters were more than waiters, they were committed. I'm not positive, but I believe they are the owners. They took a certain pride in asking us about the food that didn't feel like the typical "you guys good here? OK, cool". They appreciated the love we had for the food, and their service matched their food.

Value 10/10 Again. 10/10. Great sized portions, great flavor and a fantastic price.

Experience/atmosphere/kid friendly 10/10 It was great. I came in shorts and a T shirt and had better food than when I had to dress nice to enter some of these restaurants. Kids loved Alfredo and want to try pizza next time, so they were happy! On the website it says, nothing fancy, just great Italian food. That's this...Come as you are and enjoy some damn good food! 10/10 this is my vibe.

Go Back Again? 10/10 I....

It was a quiet, rainy Sunday afternoon—the kind of day that whispers "comfort food" to your soul. So naturally, I was drawn to Politano’s Italian Restaurant. The name promised pasta, pizzazz, and perhaps a few “Mama Mia” moments. What I got instead... was a multicultural sitcom wrapped in soggy bread and confusion.

Act I: The Overture of Oddities

Before I even stepped inside, the first red flag hit like a cymbal crash: loud foreign music blaring from the soaked façade. And not Italian foreign—no mandolins, no Andrea Bocelli. No, it was something far east of Rome, maybe Bollywood on bass boost, ricocheting off the puddles like a dance battle gone rogue.

Inside, we were greeted—not by the expected moustached Mario or apron-wielding Nonna—but by two lovely Indian women who looked genuinely shocked to see anyone enter. I requested a simple Southern staple: sweet tea. Their response? "We only have unsweet." As if sugar were some sort of Class III controlled substance.

Unfazed, I pivoted: “Okay, how about a half Sprite, half lemonade?”

The reply? “We only serve full cups.”

Huh?

“What does that mean? Like… it comes in a can?”

“No, it’s a cup.”

Right. So I explained slowly, like I was defusing a bomb: “Can you just fill half of the cup with Sprite… and the other half with lemonade?”

Pause.

“Ahh, yes. We can do that.”

Victory. Sort of.

Act II: The Assault on Taste Buds

Next came the drinks: a flavorless concoction that tasted like a lemon had been bullied in a gas station bathroom and drowned in rusty toilet water. Following closely were bread rolls so stiff they could’ve passed as fossilized croissants. Hard. Heat-lamp hunks of regret that screamed, “We played soccer with these this morning.”

I bit into one out of duty. My teeth still haven’t forgiven me.

The lasagna arrived looking like a tragic culinary love triangle—one layer of meat-flavored soup, tangled in lazy sheets of pasta, smothered in a dairy blob trying to find its identity. It was less “Mamma Mia” and more “Baby Why?”

And then the Philly cheesesteak. Oh, the cheesesteak. A dried-out, charred crime scene on a bun. Somewhere in Philly, a bell rang and a cheesesteak cried.

Act III: The Corporate Conspiracy

We left full… but only of questions. Chief among them: How is this place still open?

Answer: likely corporate lunch orders from the unsuspecting masses nearby. Because no self-respecting human with a functioning tongue and a modest sense of culinary decency would return willingly.

As a man who holds quality sacred, Politano’s was a spiritual test. A hilarious plunge into what happens when “Italian restaurant” is just a name and nothing more.

Final Verdict? If laughter burns calories, Politano’s is the healthiest dining experience you'll ever survive. We left and headed to Carraba's for an experience we KNEW would be unquestionably terrific and was not disappointed. AVOID this trash unless your only reference to good Italian...

A Satisfying Bite of Comfort at Politano’s – 4/5 Stars

I recently dined at Politano’s and had a genuinely enjoyable experience that balanced quality food, quick service, and a warm, casual atmosphere. From the moment I stepped in, the restaurant gave off a laid-back, family-friendly vibe. The music choices were upbeat but not intrusive, setting the perfect tone for a relaxed meal without feeling overly formal or stuffy.

I ordered the Rigate pasta with grilled chicken, and it arrived in impressively quick fashion—less than five minutes after placing the order. Visually, the dish was stunning. The red sauce clung beautifully to the ridged rigate noodles, and the plating was done with enough care to make it feel like more than your average weeknight meal.

Flavor-wise, the pasta hit all the right notes. The red sauce was rich, zesty, and well-seasoned—clearly the star of the show. Every bite packed depth and comfort, making it clear that Politano’s knows its way around Italian-inspired fare. The grilled chicken, while generously portioned, leaned a bit on the dry side. It didn’t ruin the dish by any means, but it missed the mark slightly in terms of juiciness and tenderness.

To start, I went with the garlic bread appetizer, which was solid, though nothing groundbreaking. It had a pleasant crunch and a buttery, garlicky flavor, but could’ve used a bit more punch or a dipping sauce to elevate it further.

Service was quick and helpful, though not particularly memorable—which in this case, is more a testament to how smoothly everything ran than a complaint. The staff was efficient, courteous, and kept things moving without hovering, which suited the casual tone of the place.

All in all, Politano’s delivered a satisfying meal in a comfortable setting. While the grilled chicken and garlic bread had room for improvement, the flavorful pasta and easygoing atmosphere made it a place I’d happily return to. For anyone looking for a quick, tasty, and family-friendly dining option, this spot checks all the boxes—with just a little...