Nicolino’s Garden Cafe

FYI: Used to work there. Restaurant closed in 2009.

Oh well… that’s a shame. I loved the food and service. Gino would always take such good care of me and my dining guests. Always giving us comp apps, table-​side ceasar salads, steak Dianne, and bananas Foster. Once, he kept the restaurant open for us so we could take my business partner’s mom there after seeing Phantom of the Opera in SF. He even kept the pianist after hours so we had music. If you were willing to pay for it (and I’m not talking menu prices) Gino made sure that your dining experience was memorable. Was gonna do dinner there before the Ozzy Osbourne concert. Looks like plan B

Nicolino’s is a small, quiet, and romantic Italian place that is perfect for a lovely, quiet dinner for a small group, or best — a date.
The wait staff is impeccably dressed and serves you ultra-​attentively, and you never are wanting for anything for too long, as they check up on you at what always seems to be the perfect time. You’re treated to a small show if you’ve ordered certain appetizers or desserts as they’re prepared fresh, right in front of you (hint: any of the appetizer salads or the cherries flambé, post-​dinner).
Prime rib is a main-​stay of Nicolino’s that is executed well every time, and their dessert menu is great! Their tiramisu, cherries flambé, and crème brûlée are delightful.
If you’re looking for a great surrounding atmosphere outside of the restaurant, Nicolino’s isn’t the place for you, but if you’re planning on good food, great service, and musical entertainment, visit Sunnyvale’s Nicolino’s.

What? This place is closing? I just went there last week. I love this place… there is usually an opera singer with a pianist, and there is also an violinist. Music to my ears. That place is quite romantic. The food and wine is pretty good. I always get the prime rib (med. rare) with a merlot. Yum! The prime rib is always cooked to my liking and always hits the spot. I really do hope they don’t close! :O (

Not Nicolino’s too! Sheesh, have you noticed in the last 10 years or so, many of the really decent restaurants in San Jose went bye bye?
Mr. Steak, Mike’s Original (the last place on earth you got soup AND salad w/​o extra charge), Lou’s Village and now Nicolino’s. I am so bummed. I was looking forward to sitting down to some shrimp or crab bisque this Sat for the wife’s B-​day. When we called to make reservations they say they are closed. It says they are expanding their sausage company in a new location. No mention of a lost lease. The recording also mentions their sister restaurants. Sorry, but Giorgio’s sucks. That had to be the worst, toughest, over-​cooked, swimming in oil calimari that I ever had. Frankie, Johnny and Luigi is ok… I am so bummed they are just going to hang it up. Good bye great veal, Mother’s day Sunday brunch, fireplace, piano, happy hour free food, good bye funny smell… Sigh…
Now I will have to settle for By-​th-​bucket.

When I walked into this place, the smell inside reminded me of my grandmother’s house… and NOT in a good way! It stank!!!
This restaurant is the kind of place where you think you’re going to end up with food poisoning before you even order!
I had the Veal Milanese. Highly advised against. It looked, and tasted, like something you would scrape off the bottom of your shoe… after walking through Little Italy in NY. That’s about as close to Italian as that meal got.
The service was atrocious too. No thanks Nicolinos… no thanks.

It’s a cheesy, brooklyn-​style white table cloth restuarant that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is. And for what it is… it is VERY good.
The sausage is fabulous. The red clam sauce is wonderful. The caesar (made table side) is great, and the cherries flame is fabulous. Lasagne is good too, BTW.
We’ve been here for lunch, we’ve been here during (really bad) opera, we’ve been here on quiet nights and busy ones.
Frankly, the prices are good, the portions large, the service usually on top things, and the food dependablely yummy!
This place isn’t TRYING TO be a five star fabulous ground breaking place. It’s a nice neighborhood restuarant with good italian food that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Loving you isn’t the right thing to do…
I’ve got a soft spot in my heart of Nicolino’s, possibly because I’ve been there so many times over the years. The Steak sammich is, without question, the best you can get anywhere in the Bay Area. It’s delicious and it’s the only thing I’ve ordered the last few times I’ve gone.
There’s always parking, even when you’re fighting with two weddings at the same time, and there’s seldom much of a wait.
Now, over than the Steak Sammich, they really seem to have problems with the doneness of steaks. I expect my steak sammich to be Medium to medium-​well, but that seems to be the default for Prime Rib, even ordered Medium-​Rare will et you Medium-​Well. I don’t get it, whcih is why I stick to the steak sammich.

pros:
— no line even on a Friday night
— ample amount of parking
— nice setting and environment
— musical accompaniment
-
food:
— seafood stew — excellent tomato based sauce, slightly tangy. The overall mix of the types of seafood is excellent.
— veal shank — I really liked the mix with the green leafy vegetable and the polenta. The sauce is a bit salty and less tasty than the seafood stew, but the meat is very well prepared. They literally falls off the bone and almost melt in your mouth quality.
— not too pricey for a place like this either, may have something to do with setting in the sub-​urb amongst technology parks.

This place has been hyped up to me for over a year now … I have no idea why.
I have now been there twice and both times it was a complete disappointment.
First time I went for lunch and had the Chicken Parmigiana … it was ok. if that. But I figured it was due to the lunch crowd and it was busy — so I gave them another shot.
Second time I had the Prime Rib as I was told it was awesome. I ordered it rare and it came out an unheard of Med-​well done. On the side were some string beans that were cold and a twice baked potato that might have been made in July. Our service was slow but tolerable as I had good company.
There will not be a third time — it is expensive and the quality is just plain poor.

Food: Very good
Service: Good
Price: Reasonable
I first had Nicolino’s when it was catered in for a work party. Man, was it delish! I’ve been back twice since and it does not disappoint. My only warning is that it is a little on the expensive side for lunch (average $ 10-​$ 12 menu items), but still well worth the price in my mind.
We returned last night with some friends and I thorougly enjoyed my «Bistecca ai Ferri», aka 14oz NY Steak with cognac sauce and croquettes and spinach. What they fail to mention is you get this really cute half-​cut tomato as a side too, topped with a yummy crusted parmesan cheese concoction. Hubby got the Cioppino Nicolino (seafood stew). Delicious! Fresh, large cuts of crap and shrimp and clams in a delicious broth. I’m getting that next time!
Both entrees were $ 24.50.
I forgot to mention the ambiance. Friday nights you get live entertainment (violinist and pianist). The violinist, in my opinion, can be slightly obnoxious with his «personality», but you can’t criticize his music. At least he’s good at tailoring music to his «target» audience! (played us some old school chinese songs that we recognized from our parents tapes)!
The only issue I had for dinner was that it seemed that our food was slow in coming. The fresh bread came relatively quickly, but I felt like I was sitting around for the entrees. We were pretty shocked to come out 2 hours after we arrived. So allocate time for this meal!

This place oozes Italy. Almost overly so, like the themed restaurants in Las Vegas that are authentic, but just seem a tad over the top. And who knows, maybe it is authentic, but from the seating to the arrangements to the furniture/​décor, paintings, and the live strolling violinist, it almost seems like it’s trying too hard. It has an old school feel rather than a modern and trendy feel. But that’s okay. I like it enough that I there once or twice a year.
The Menu is pretty big, with such a wide variety of food that it’s hard to choose, and the portions are built for two, so be careful what you order. That’s the real draw, in fact. When you want to go somewhere to eat and have a large party of hungry folks, Nicolino’s is hard to beat in terms of cost effective eating in a fun atmosphere.
The food quality certainly isn’t bad, but I wouldn’t call it great. Still, if you are a die-​hard italian food lover and volume is just a tad more important than quality, this place fits the bill nicely. Plus, for being a restaurant of not-​bad quality, this place is a little out of the way, and with a decent sized parking lot, not having to wait is a big plus.

Unless you’re a South Bay guido like myself I don’t think you can really appreciate all that is Nicolinos. Its got a totally cheesy décor and presentation, but its also got a lot of heart. I’ve been here for so many family or associated events throughout my life. I always forget about this place and we drive up and I remember that reception/​event/​funeral/​rehearsal dinner/​whatever that was held here that I went to.
We went here for mother’s day brunch and it was a great experience. It was full of big Italian families. The waiter was extremely friendly and accommodating. The place was packed and my grandpa was in a wheelchair and a little embarrassed to be in the way. The waiter assured my grandpa that he was in no way inconveniencing anyone and that they would do whatever they needed to make him comfortable.
The brunch was a buffet and very reasonably priced for the quality of food. There was an amazing selection of breakfast and lunch food (Italian and American). And may I add… unlimited champagne and mimosas. Its not Dom Perignon but it was UNLIMITED. 5 glasses later and it may have been the best brunch I ever ate…

I give this place 3 stars overall. Here’s why:
4 stars (Normal Italian Restaurant — in comparison to something like Pasta Pomodoro)
2 stars (Nice Italian Restaurant — in comparison to something fancy in SF like A16)
I feel like this place doesn’t know what they want to be. The place/​décor looks nice on some days and looks crappy on others (it might have something to do with how the sun enters indoors). Lunch is expensive, but dinner is actually well-​priced. I think their pastas are decent and especially love their sausage bread. Desserts here are quite good as well, great Tiramisu with a very heavy rum base. Other than that, I’m never truly impressed here. If anything, I’m always happy with ordering take-​out here and enjoying my meal in the comforts of my home.

Went here for lunch today for a work function and our choices were to choose three things from their menu. We selected lasagna, chicken sandwich, or caprese sandwich. I got the caprese which I really liked the flavors: pesto spread, spinach greens, with tomatoes, red peppers, and mozzarella. The chicken sandwich tasted very dry and bland; however, the lasagna was a surprise. It wasn’t one of those square chunks from a larger pan. This lasagna came in its own dish and it came out piping hot… as in straight from the oven to your table. All items were large in portion size and ½ an entrée/​sandwich should satisfy the average hungry diner.
Few stars are deducted as well for the shabby décor. I’ve read that the inside layout was dated and old fashioned but it was almost a time warp when you enter in there. All that was missing, a disco ball on the ceiling!
Service was great… drinks and bread refilled quickly, checked on our table pretty often to make sure we were doing fine. Definitely worth trying at least once if you are a South Bay Italian food fan.

This place has been around forever. I first came here over 13 years ago when I worked for a company that no longer existed.
Had the penne with Italian sausage. The noodles were cooked well with plenty of sausage chunks. The tomato basil sauce was good as well. Tastier than I expected.
Service was fast and friendly.
However, I just can’t give it higher than 3 stars. The inside is very outdated but hasn’t reached the ‘classic’ look like OJ’s. Give it a few more years and I will update my rating to 4…

Gone during lunch with coworkers on many occassions.
The food is ok. Not the best Italian but definitely not the worst. There are some dishes that I like more than others.
Really enjoyed the sausage bread, brushcetta and calamari. The sausage bread comes with marinara sauce and it’s warm. Bruchetta had good toasty bread topped with tomatoes and other good stuff. The calamari was not oily at all.
I’ve had some of the pastas:
Gamberi Fiori con Cappellini $ 13.95
Fresh Prawns And Shrimp, Sauted With Slivered Garlic, White Wine, Fresh Basil And Tomatoes, Served On A Bed Of Angel Hair Pasta
–This is good with lots of prawns and shrimp. Could only eat half of it.
Linguini With Clams Or Mussels $ 11.95
Tender Fresh And Baby Clams Or Blue Mussels, Simmered In A Delicate Light Cream Sauce, Or With A Fresh Tomato And Herb Sauce, Served Over Linguini
— This is my favorite and I get it with the light cream sauce. You can even get a mix of clams and mussels if you can’t decide what you want. Again, could only eat half.
Fettucine Carbonara $ 9.50
A Luscious Cream Sauce Of Onion, Bacon, Peas, Garlic, Parmigiana Reggiano, Fresh Cream And Farm Fresh Egg, Tossed With Fettucine
— I am not a fan of this. They didn’t incorporate the egg and cheese well and I had raw egg whites in my pasta. I didn’t want to eat the rest.
All food comes with a bread basket with garlic butter and pesto for dipping.

OMG — I can’t believe that this place is still around!
I’ve been patronizing Nicolino’s for years — and the décor hasn’t changed in more years than I have fingers to count.
S and I went here on a coupon date one evening. The service and food was as good as I remembered it. They’re very generous in their portions. Our bellies were fat and full that we really didn’t have room for dessert — but then again, there’s always room for one itsy bitsy bite of tiramisu, right?
I love the campiness of this place.
They have various entertainers that roam the dining room during the evening hours. They will sing, play the violin, joke around with you, take music and song requests. I think that the entertainment is part of the atmosphere and definitely what makes Nicolino’s a unique experience.
We took home doggie bags because we could not fit anymore into our bellies and had to undo the top button of our pants
Now — we’ll have to spend extra time on the elliptical or run an extra mile to burn off that spoonful to tiramisu.

so both times i went here — it was forced. once, it was some friends’ get together and the second time it was a work related luncheon-​good bye for a co-​worker
I don’t get why this place is so awkwardly overpriced? its not good italian, its not even good americanized italian. I cook better pasta at home — its not horribe food its just bland food… not enough seasoning /​spice even the second time around when i actually requested it
it gets a lot of work business as is the only fancy restaurant nearby all of cisco and other IT campuses — my word of advice would be don’t go there if you do have to.

I’ve been here for plenty of lunches but never for dinner. I guess from what I can tell dinner is a very different experience (somtimes with live entertaionment) and maybe one of these days I’ll check that out.
It’s a bit upscale as lunches go and there seem to be a lot of tech people/​biz lunches going on during the weekdays. The décor is somewhat 70s-​80s Italian and the ambiance is fairly pleasant. Wait staff are dressed up and the service is formal but friendly.
I believe the family who runs and owns it is related to the Frankie, Johnny, Luigi and the New York Style Sausage Co. Because of the latter they have this great sausage bread appetizer where the meat is rolled into the dough and then baked. Quite tasty. When I was last there they had a great special for $ 18.95 which gave you:
Bowl of clam chowder
Monkfish Siracusa — Pan seared monkfish with an olive, caper, tomato, parsley, lemon sauce.
Side of rice pilaf and spinach.
Monkfish is one ugly damn fish but man is it tasty. Akin to the taste and texture of lobster but not as sweet and crisp. They did an excellent job with it here and I didn’t feel so bad about paying $ 25 for lunch.
It’s a bit out of the way and on occasion can be slow, but if you like a good solid Italian American meal in a slightly upscale atmosphere it’s worth a visit.

hearty Italian fare. so good that if you could pick this restaurant up and drop it into the middle of North Beach, you wouldn’t miss a beat. check out this lunch for the meaning of hearty: sausage bread appetizer (house made sausage baked inside of a cheese bread mini loaf), minestrone soup with tortellini pasta and Nicolini’s famous meatballs, and Linguine Cacciucco with
Fresh Clams, Prawns, Calamari, Shrimp, And White Fish Simmered In Their Natural Juices In A Light Tomato Broth
Served Over Linguine. add a touch of chilli flakes for a wonderful pasta.
just wheel me out on a cart.
abundanza!