Ripa's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of Lancaster

A very spacious, clean, and comfortable Italian Restaurant with great menu items for anyone. Upon entry (4:30pm reservation) the lighting appeared as though they weren't seating, yet. However, we were greeted and taken to sit at our table right away. Once in the dining area, the lighting was just right. Within minutes a pleasant server, Sandy, took our drink orders and gave us ample time to ponder over the menu. We enjoyed a carafe of wine, a beer, and our water glasses were kept refilled nicely. Beginning salads with a house creamy Italian dressing were delicious and perfectly portioned. The soup of the day was a turkey noodle and I was told it was a tad on the salty side. Our plates included: BAKED LASAGNA which was a good size portion for a hungry man, to-the-tooth pasta, beef, pork, ricotta, topped with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese, and baked to a perfect golden brown. Char-broiled (double) PORK CHOPS which tabled on a sizzling hot platter. Thick cut and marinated with a fantastic flavor of house seasoning! We ordered a double enabling us to take the 2nd piece home for another dinner. However, there is so much meat I took home 1 1/2 chops! Ripa's correctly claims to have the Most Popular Pork Chops in WNY! Cannot wait to have the left-overs! The side small-red baked and cut in half potatoes, and applesauce made for a very enjoyable meal. FETTUCCINE ALFREDO was to-the-tooth noodles in a very flavor full creamy homemade sauce and the portion was good for a hungry man, as well. FRENCH ONION CHICKEN was two beautiful cutlets sautéed perfectly in sherry wine with caramelized onions, atop angel hair pasta with a beautifully browned covering of Swiss and mozzarella cheese. Sandy checked whether we needed anything just the right amount of times. No annoying over-service. The deserts: LEMON ITALIAN CREAM CAKE was such top quality to be fit for a King; moist cake, great lemon flavored cream inside, and sprinkles of confection sugar, with a dab of whipped cream. NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE was an awesome circle of graham crust, creamy custard, the right hint of lemon! VANILLA ICE CREAM SUNDAE was just the right amount for one too full of dinner to enjoy a sweet little cup of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and dab of whipped cream. From beginning to end, the dinner was a wonderful experience. The portions were such that you definitely did not go away hungry. The price was perfectly set for the portion and quality of food. Service was fantastic and friendly. We will...

Ripa's isn't trendy, it's not on Elmwood or Hertel and they have plastic flowers on the tables, but it is a great place to go for excellent service, food and drink. There are two large dining rooms in the front and a banquet hall in the rear. The dining rooms have square and larger round tables, nicely spread out for comfort and conversation adorned with a linen tablecloth and cloth napkins. My guest and I went here for restaurant week and for $20.15 we were going on full before the entree came. Jamie, our server who was amazing, started us out with two very finely made cocktails, then came the mini loaf of freshly baked crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside loaf of bread with freshly poured dipping oil and/or butter. For an app, we were EACH treated to a nice sized crab cake AND two stuffed mushrooms, followed by a house salad or choice of three soups. The entrees were full portions for restaurant week, no scrimping here and I opted for the horseradish crusted salmon with a side of spaghetti while my guest had the French onion chicken. Wait, there's more... for dessert they served a fresh slab of brownie, topped with ice cream, a dab of whipped cream drizzled with caramel syrup, simple but delicious. Getting back to the entree's, the salmon was perfectly cook, flaky yet firm with just the right amount of horseradish to let the salmon flavor come through but not tasting fishy. The French onion chicken was a chicken breast on top of angel hair pasta doused with French onion soup topped with cheese and baked. It came out resembling a giant bowl of French onion soup with a chicken breast inside, missing the liquid from of the soup. Kind of hard to describe but a masterpiece none the less. Ripa's has been around for 60 years and is really known for the banquet hall but take a ride out to Lancaster for a great relaxing meal you won't...

We were disappointed when we arrived to find out that they don't take Simply Certificate anymore. We had picked this place soley based on the fact that they did. When we called to make the reservation, we had made sure that they still did. They had told us yes on the phone. We wanted to save money so this is why we picked it. We get there just to find out that they don't take them anymore and haven't for years. So, they pretty much lied to us on the phone, and I feel it was just to get us in. Highly disappointed in that aspect.

The food was meh. I have had so much better Italian food and this was not very tasteful. We had to keep asking for water too. Granted, it was Valentines so it was busy but still.

We will not be coming back.

Coming back to edit and say since the owner replied: We don't like creating conflict - and let's be honest. If we said that night we thought the food had absolutely no taste and that the noodles were as hard as the ground then what would have been done? There was little to zero sauce that had no taste. And $23 for a plate of pasta thats super tiny isn't good either. No way we would have been refunded. What would have been done? So I'm glad people over the age of 50 love your food. But we did not like it. We were not going to tell our server there and then. We were going to bother people on valentines day. So thats why we were nice about it all.

So don't come on here playing the victim when you are suppose to be a business owner. Man up to what is done. Take it was a grain of salt. Wonder why people are complaining and fix it. Don't...