Emilio's – Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Commack NY — Restaurant in Town of Smithtown

This hurts to post. For literally decades, this has been my favorite Italian place on the Island. Years ago, I knew someone who worked in the kitchen, and he said it was the cleanest kitchen he'd ever worked in. Mr. Branchinelli is fastidious and demanding about his food, and my buddy said he would eat off the counters in that kitchen. Emilio's has some of the best food I've eaten. Most restaurants are all kind of...the same. The food here was, and is, notably fresher and finer than almost anywhere else. The ingredients are first class, and the preparation is phenomenal. As far as pizza, the Sicilian pie is the best I've ever had anywhere in the world. Entrees are well-thought out. They center around quality ingredients and smart, time-tested flavor balancing; nothing seems innovative just for the sake of being new and different (which results in some over-the-top, bizarre dishes). I don't tend to frequent places for the decor, but the ambiance is nice too.

Why the lukewarm review then? I've been a loyal customer of Emilio's through numerous revisions of the menu, price increases, expansions into the neighboring premise, renovations, etc. Most people understand that prices go up -- I'm guessing that's especially true for finer ingredients. Most people understand that margins are very slim in restaurants. But lately the prices have sky-rocketed beyond what I can really justify more than once or twice a year. And most people will even tolerate and enjoy that for great food. But unfortunately, it seems costs are being cut on both ends: while the prices are soaring, the portions are shrinking. I got take-out twice during the coronavirus pandemic (ate out more than usual trying to support local businesses), and paid about $23 per tin...of pasta. With notably smaller portions than when I had been at the restaurant just months before. And pasta is generally a lower cost supply for restaurants. $100 for four (now small) macaroni dinners, we just can't pull off. Increasing prices I can deal with, but increasing prices for less enjoyment is what drives customers away. I wish Emilio's the absolute best, and will continue to love this place. And will probably still eat there for a birthday or something special. But I'm sad to say I've finally been priced out. If you have deep pockets and money is no issue, and you're willing to order an extra dish or two, this is still the...

Had the regular cheese slice , a Buffalo chicken slice , and a favorite of the three Bacon Chicken Ranch … first of all as I walked in I was greeted by a worker doing other work than counter work and yet it was a heart felt warm greeting he immediately stopped doing wha the was going to help me an make sure I had an amazing dining experience. I got the three slices an cheese slice being what everyone judges locations off of I had to get one it surprised me with its robust tomato sauce and it’s buttery tasty flaky crust .. as for the Buffalo slice it was a hearty amount of chicken an Buffalo but not to much and no random pockets of blue cheese to mess up the flavors … when I asked for ranch the what seemed to be chef in charge got on a phone at the end of the counter and ordered a cup for me I thought it was neat considering less than a minute later a young man came out the back and handed me a full cup of cold ranch dressing.. the Chicken Bacon Ranch … I don’t normally get these slices since most places have a meatlovers of some kind but today they didn’t have one and the gentleman behind the counter understood that and directed me towards this slice .. I looked at it and was surprised to see so much .. Meats.. on it … very good flavor combinations they didn’t use traditional bacon on it and it sets it apart from other pizza locations … all of the pizza I’ve had from this location was very tasty and ever so much worth the try and cost I will be returning with friends and family who have not yet to experience Emilio’s tasty experience .. as for the atmosphere very beautiful location for the walk in seating though it is lacking as it’s high tables so that you are now eye level with the other patrons in the restaurant and have a strange partition in between you and them that makes you have a delusion of privacy that doesn’t exist .. simple fix by getting lower tables for the walk ins otherwise very...

My friends, family, and coworkers used to frequent this place often, but as of late, the only thing worse than the quality of the food here is the attitude of the workers and management. I called in an order for 2 slices of pizza and a pasta dish for myself and my coworkers and they somehow managed to forget one of the two slices.

I called to ask them to deliver the slice to me as my lunch break was just about over and I could not step out again. The employee that picked up my phone call was of no help to reaching a solution, I don't think he even had the mental fortitude to wrap his head around the issue at hand.

The phone was eventually passed to what I assume to be a manager, and she said I could come and pick up the slice they forgot to give me as they do not deliver. If that were an option for me, I would have already went back to pick up the slice. I was given a run-around for a few minutes before she passed the phone to Emilio.

As if it would be a surprise to anyone, Emilio was no help either. He gave me the same run-around. Telling me that they don't do delivery. He eventually acknowledged that they had made a mistake, but made no attempt to rectify it other than giving me the option to pick up the slice they had forgotten to give me, which really wasn't an option for me. His tone throughout this whole exchange was just rude and unpleasant and he ended up just telling me to 'have a nice day' and hung up.

It's really disappointing how downhill this place has gone. Your money is better spent at Mozarella's, Filettos, Richie's, Anthony's, Paradise Pizza, or any of the other pizza places in this area that gives a damn about it's customers. I'd even consider Pizza Hut a better option at this point. Pizza Hut is trash, but it's better than the overpriced garbage you get at Emilio's that would taste better if...