Pinetta's European Restaurant in Baton Rouge

Always delicious, always exceptional, in a city full of hipster restaurants that treat customers like a nuisance, this quite, quaint and quirky hole in the wall never fails to impress. Sit back, have a couple of glasses of wine, and take some time to enjoy your company, youll be glad you did.

The red sauce......and bread🤤🤤🤤🤤. Babbyyyyyy. HITTIN! The vibes in here too...ON POINT.(( Wasnt very child friendly tho. Just No changing table...bathroom was tiny.)But the sauce....baby lemme tell you....so damn good.

First off the ambience is amazing. Second the food its to die for. Thirdly the service is spectacular. Love it 10/10

Very dark inside. Expensive for the quality and quantity of food we receives. They do not split checks.

Always a great restaurant, love the cozy atmosphere, very nice staff, great portions

LOVE this place! It is my go-to for Italian food. I highly recommend their lasagna. I order it every time I go.

Service was great food was delicious atmosphere was perfect! Seafood ravioli & Tuscan pork!

Nice and cozy, really enjoyed the setting, location, atmosphere, and the food. Service was great also

"I love it. Unique, delicious food. Havent ever gotten a bad meal. Dont get wine by the tiny glass - get a bottle." - 3 years ago (5 star review)On a personal note:That wasnt my first time there. The first time I went I had the "portabello mushroom red wine reduction" sauce. It was amazing. I have been cooking Italian gravy since being taught a family recipe passed down by my friends grandmother from Federal Hill in Providence, RI. (My life was literally threatened if I ever reveal the recipe so Fuggadaboutit!). I thought to myself, "the sauce is good. I think Ill make it. So I did. I should sell it in jars to all Pinettas former customers.Update:Went with my in-laws two years ago. Mother-in-Law said her food was so salty she couldnt eat it. Good luck getting something else! She must have ordered the special to replace it because it actually came. The owner actually came over after we finished our meal to start an argument with my mother-in-law. Thankfully she didnt really understand so she just agreed with whatever and smiled. What the owner said was, "I just wanted you to know that you will be charged for both meals. And no, Im not tasting your food to see why you think it was too salty." Well, mom didnt get the check, I did, and I happily paid to avoid a fight. Gave a generous tip (not the $100 bill I left the previous time). My wife said, "were never going back." We havent been back.Today:My brother is coming in town and his favorite restaurant is a quirky German restaurant. I thought, "he would love Pinettas" so I checked the reviews and, sure enough the owner is still trolling around and spoiling whatever love and loyalty her former, or soon to be former, customers might have.

Once had this as a five star but that was a loooong time ago when I imagined the food tasted better. The red sauce is still out of this world but the spaghetti noodles werent that different from a particular store-bought brand (Luxury?which I could easily make at home, and with MUCH less salt. Something also wasnt quite right with the meatballs. Texture? Flavor? Cant quite figure it out. Still love the ambiance but I also went there a lot for the German beer drinking and merrymaking music theyd play over the speakers. Now its a local radio station playing some genre I dont care for. Service is excellent, red sauce is excellent, ambiance is excellent. Outside of that just three stars. Also, the owner apparently still takes the front parking space closest to the door - a no-no in my book.

Have come here often BUT will no longer anymore. Was greeted at door today to an absolutely rude employee. Walked in with my family all wearing mask and forgot to put mine on. She was very rude and actually told me I couldn’t place my mask on as I pulled it out of my pocket. Said I had to leave and walk outside to place mask in and then I could come back inside. Wife very excited to try for first time but poor employee and experience was horrific. She was very rude about talking to us.

It has gone from one of my favorites to poor service and declining food taste and quality. I am 50 years old and have been going here since I was a child with my parents. Last night they had one waitress (the one we usually gethandling the entire restaurant. She is never very friendly and "its her way or the highway". Lately, even when the owner is there she just hides behind the and bar never pitches in when the waitress is swamped. The waitress is not very professional and always blames the owner for any issue that arise. We had to ask for our bread order after 45 minutes of not seeing it, had to request more wine, my food was cold when it arrived, etc. I wish they would sell this to someone willing to bring back the quality, personality and friendliness of the original owners. Im going to give them one more chance, mainly because they have the best red-sauce recipe on the planet...passed down from the original owner.

Pitiful. No service. Waited 15 mins never saw our waiter. Asked not to sit next to door but since it was only my wife and I, they said no. Would not sit us in a different area bc they were 4 person tables

Very small and quaint. The atmosphere is very charming and dates to the 70s. The food is amazing. I had the scalopini (spelling?and it was delicious. My wife had the seafood ravioli special and said the same. Everyone at our table raved about how great their meal was. Before we left we made plans to return in two weeks to celebrate our sons birthday! Will be back...

We came here on a recommendation as we were traveling on business, however, after visiting, I could never recommend this place.We sat down at 730 but didn’t leave until 10pm. This gives you a little feel for the time it takes, which is not worth it.We ordered appetizers 45 min into sitting down, not because we didn’t know what to order but that’s when the server came to take our order. We ordered shrimp cocktail, eggplant appetizer and French onion soup.The shrimp was not fresh at all. The eggplant was basic sliced eggplant with olives, and we had to remind the server about the French onion soup which was not traditional French onion (cheese was on the bottom of dish instead of baked over). Was bland and needed salt.Now on to the main course: my dinner party ordered the Bratwurst which was supposed to be from traditional Thurigian but tasted like frozen bratwurst and the river mashed potatoes was not good. I ordered the special, a grilled tuna steak. It arrived way over salted and the rice was not fully cooked.Fast forward to 6 hours later after dinner, I woke up to a stomach ache, fever, and nausea. The next day I was completely out of it with vomit and diarrhea, clearly a sign of food poisoning. This obviously impacted my work schedule and I had to cut short my trip. I should have known walking in, it was clearly not up to health standards. The bathrooms were also gross. Stay away from this place!

Cons: too dark, too loud, but bear in mind that I am a 62-year-old fogey! Our entrees took a long time to arrive.Pros: attentive wait staff, absolutely delicious food. The kind that makes your eyes roll back in your head.There are very few German restaurants in Louisiana. While this restaurant blends Italian, Turkish, and German, we come here for the German food which is consistently delicious and always features sauerkraut that I believe is homemade and riced potatoes that are light and fluffy. It satisfies our longing for German food without having to leave the state.

Somehow Ive lived down here for over eight years and just now managed to try Pinettas. I hate to think about all those lost years without knowing about this delicious food! Love the atmosphere/vibes of the place too! It was easy to give this 5 stars. That being said, I do have some minor things to mention... more of an fyi than a complaint. When they say "European" style restaurant, I think they mean more than just the food. Lol! Slow paced service and no split checks (noted on the menu). The service was slow, but it was also steady and good. Just dont go here if youre in any sort of rush to get somewhere afterwards. Get take out instead. You should probably go in expecting to spend an hour, minimum (I believe we were there for almost two hours). So, definitely do go. Take your time. Enjoy!

Not a big fan, staff not friendlyStuck in the 19th centuryOnce everyone was sitting it was over almost hour before our order was taken.A couple that was seated before us got up and left because no one took their order.They did get water.Wont split bills or take separate CCI didnt care for my dish, others seemed to like theirs though.Sitting next to the door and they would make people who didnt have a mask on walk out and put it on.Would not let them put it on while inside.Even fussed at 3 people who didnt have their mask on while leaving literally they were 5 steps from walking out the door.Waitress removed her mask while taking orders and talking to a table.Air conditioner wasnt working, I think it was turned off.

This small, dimly lit restaurant is one of Baton Rouge’s best kept secrets. It’s the perfect romantic spot for date night and a bottle of Chianti. All the food I’ve tried has been so flavorful and delicious. The red sauce is amazing. I normally get the tuna or filet. Both wonderful choices.

I’m trying them for the first time tonight. To Go orders are up charged 20%. Needless to say, I was shocked. When I ask why, I was told they just started doing this because people were ordering takeout more and not tipping. I would understand 10%, as I have always tipped to help, even when the order was wrong, but 20%? To Go orders do not require the same amount of work that dining in requires. Sorry Pinetta’s , but this will be a one and done for me, no matter how good the food may be.

The food was wonderful as always but the waitress wouldn’t let us split the bill in half. Again , this is only a problem with her The other waiters are ok with it The owner was off celebrating her anniversary and the restaurant was hot because the air conditioning was not on. I love the idea of this restaurant because I have been coming here for 30 some year’s but you are still treated like a stranger even if our kids went to the same school. Unbelievable

Expect 45 minutes or so for your food, but their caramelized red sauce is worth it.

Best red sauce ever! You cant go wrong ordering anything that has the red sauce! Its AMAZING! The Lasagna is my favorite, my husbands favorite is the Veal Parmigiano.

Cant speak for the quality of the food because I NEVER GOT ANY. Waited over an hour outside, then after being seated waited another 10 minutes with no one even acknowledging me.I looked at the foursome next to me. They had been in the restaurant for over a hour, and were just being served. Nothings worth that kind of wait. Its a shame, we used to love this place.

Sorry to say the wait and kitchen staff seem overwhelmed with life. Brought my wife for a special birthday meal - she might have celebrated 2 b’days as long as as it took for the food to be served. In fact we never ate, we waited - again, and told them to just box up the food and we’d take it to go.

The food was amazing. Ordered Chicken Parmigiano, because Im simple and hopeless, and they turned into something truly worth savoring. Will definitely be coming back often.

Disappointed before we got in the door!We were back in BTR & enjoyed Pinetta’s while we lived here. We pulled up in the parking lot and was parking our large truck (dually).Some woman in a E550 Mercedes whipped in (while I was trying to straight up this 24 ft truck), parked in the door of the restaurant. When she got out and picked up her dog and went in we were done!Who we supposed was the owner send a clear message about customer service and respect. An owner who is above her customers isn’t going to get my money... a caring owner would park at the other end of the parking lot AND leave that space for a mobility challenged customer.*** Today is our 19th anniversary ***

Ok so we LOVE this place and the food, but just had a really bad experience.Basically we called and asked if we could do a large party at separate tables and make a reservation. They said yes and to call back and speak to a manager.I did and the manager was kind of rude to me when saying that they could not do that. I heard her before she got on the phone saying, "They dont know what they are saying. They are crazy."And when I told them that it was fine that they could not do the reservation, but I just wanted to let her know someone did tell me they could, she said, in a condescending way, "well I dont know who would have told you that."I basically had to ask her to not be upset with me and I am fine that they could not do the reservation, just did not appreciate how I was spoken to. They basically made me sound crazy just for asking.Very sadden considering the fact at how much we love the food.

The owner was snarky and rude . After driving over an hour to dine at her restaurant my guest and I felt extremely uncomfortable and chose to leave. After asking her friend what time it was while looking at me it was evident that me and my guest were an inconvenience. If you want exceptional customer service in a warm environment please don’t patronize this place. Good food needs great service and the latter isn’t there.

Out of coffee, bread was hard and felt like eating stale hotdog buns, red sauce was more like red water, and took over an hour to get our food. Food was okay at best and the one waitress on staff barely waited on us. Also the cook was wearing flip flops. Not to mention the awful American folk music ruining the European atmosphere.

I grew up eating at this restaurant when the family owned, operated and cooked. There were waiters in suits with short jackets that were the best. Always felt welcome and the experience was like non other. Now the woman that has taken over has proved herself again and again to make you feel unwelcome and is argumentative. She doesnt bring warmth of invitation to experience the Italian way of dining. This was once a great place. She also messed up the red gravy that was the best at one time. She has ruined two birthdays at this restaurant. I dont think the family that welcomed so many years ago would be very happy with her. So sad. We wont being going back. I think Pinettas died when the family left.

Was very disappointed in music played, Cajun music and oldies which I love do not belong in a European experience. Red sauce was cooked entirely too much, lasagna was not good. Ribeye and dinner fries were very good. The bread prior to dinner was like eating hot dog buns, not what you would expect in an Italian restaurant.

So I make sure I tip the staff well. They are normally alright but I have had some staff that are not so nice. Heads up... they are putting a 20% gratuity on takeout orders which drastically increases the bill. Beware. They are hurting and trying to exploit their customers. Guys, this means they are not wanting to pay their staff and relying on gratuity/tips to pay them. Do. Not. Give. Into. This.

Our family absolutely loves Pinettas! Dine-in or Take-out the staff is incredible and so accommodating. This is not just your average Italian restaurant! It is so personable and you can taste the love in each bite. Thank you to Pinettas for always hitting the spot for not just me and my husband but for my kiddos as well! Cant wait to come back!

My husband and I came here 38 years ago and I liked it. Today we decided to come back...what a disappointment! My chair was broken. If I had moved wrong I would have been on the floor. The ice tea is $2.00 and served in a very small glass...maybe 10 ounce. It was difficult to get refills. The restaurant was dirty. I could go on and on. I had fond memories of this place so I was extremely sad to have such a bad experience here.

This is by far the best Italian, European food in Baton Rouge. Pinettas is along time favorite of my parents who came here on dates. I was thrilled to rediscover it and the incredible dishes they serve.I think the food here is inexpensive Italian food with a unique flavor. The red sauces are sweet and savory. I love all the dishes, from schnitzel to lasagna to the best chicken or eggplant parm Ive ever had.

This restaurant is a long hidden gem of Baton Rouge. The food is always great, and the atmosphere is exactly what you would expect from an authentic European restaurant. Its truly a "hole in the wall" type of place, so that adds to its authentic charm. Be warned: get there right when they open if you want to avoid a long wait. This place doesnt take reservations, and its very small so it fills up quickly. The waiting space is extremely small, so two tables-worth of waiting people can squeeze in, but anybody else is going to have to wait outside... dont get caught in this HEAT in your dinner clothes! It is rather hot inside the restaurant itself too, but this is to be expected when considering how many people are crammed in a small space and the kitchen is right there too. People who go to this restaurant know to get there early, so it fills up fast. A side effect of this is that the kitchen gets a lot of orders all at once and it might take a while to get your food. The wait time is the only reason I give this place 4 stars and not 5. I dont think theres a way around this based on the way that the restaurant is skewed towards "turns" rather than just a trickling in and out - of course this applies more to the busier busier Friday and Saturday date nights. As long as youre aware that you need to get there early and expect a bit of a wait still, youll have a great time. Just dont expect a streamlined experience. Thats fine though because its all a part of the experience of a charming, authentic, delicious European restaurant right here in Baton Rouge.

Its a dark little place in the corner of a small building. Wine bottles hanging from the ceiling and candles light the way. Falstaff and Lowenbrau signs hanging on the walls. They serve Italian and German dishes.

This I really enjoyed. Relaxing varying music including Italian. The dimmed light atmosphere was also very calming for me. My male company wasnt impressed waiting for his bread until he got his food. The sauce wow. We realized at the end that they put the bread in the oven fresh, that explains why it took a while. Also very important for those with food allergies, the owner was sensitive to my needs, suggesting good items and augmentations that suited my needs. And my waitress was not stuffy, which I would normally expect from an upscale experience like this. Would love to take my mother here but shes legally blind and would not be able to see in there. If they had an outdoor patio, I wasnt aware, but would be great for her. This place has an old world feel which is really interesting.They didnt have sweet tea, only unsweet. My water seemed like chlorinated tap, I only drink spring now due to health issues. So I wish they had better drink choices. Still gave 5 stars due to the service. People with food allergies dont get service like that in this city no matter how hard they try. Thats why we stay home and cook. So many kudos for that.

My wife and I frequent Pinettas for a reliable delicious Italian meal in Baton Rouge when there. Their red sauce has a nice kick, and the atmosphere sets just the right mood to set you up for a good night. Solid date spot.

Porcini mushroom ravioli with red sauce is the best. The tiramisu is insane and I lose my mind every time. :)

Pinettas is an old icon of Baton Rouge. The ambiance, dimly lit with European accents, takes me back to my trip through Italy! Friday night was a crowd, but we got a table. The servers were a bit overwhelmed and slow, but very good. I have to say the red sauce on Veal Parmesan was excessively dark with too much sweet onion. I prefer more garlic. My fathers seafood ravioli was devine. I wished for some more authentic European bread, maybe sourdough, that is a bit more healthy. No hard liquor, only beer and wine. Still the European charm is winning and different for BR!

Excellent, excellent restaurant! We almost always order to go, so dont eat here as often as we would like - because, if they have a reasonably filled house, they refuse call-in / pick-up orders, which I am sure is beneficial for the patrons in the restaurant! Highly recommended!

I cant believe this place is still open.The servers are excellent - this is NOT a review of their capability. I ordered a ribeye and when it was brought out, it smelled funny. (It wasnt the way it was seasoned Then I took a taste, and - the meat had clearly turned. I asked my girlfriend to see if she agreed, and when I saw her recoil at the odor, I knew it was bad.I sent it back, the server apologized profusely. Then, the owner came over and thats when the trouble started. She insisted that the meat was good, even though I could smell the rot as it sat on my plate while I talked to her. She smelled it (I was sure that would convince herand CONTINUED to argue with me about the spoiled meat on my plate.I argued with the owner - clearly a confrontational, problematic individual by the other reviews Ive read here and on Yelp. This was not an isolated experience. She was unreasonable and refused to give me a refund for the rotten meat.I will never set foot in this place again as long as the current owner is there. I have NEVER had such a horrible experience at a restaurant and dont wish this on anyone else.ZERO STARS!!!

Brought the wife here today. Restaurant was so dark people were whipping out their phones to use the flashlights. Wife got the wiener schnitzel, which came out very thin and dry. I got the chicken parmesan and it was also unpalatable. Service was very very very slow. Restaurant as a whole was cluttered and felt like they were hiding dirt with the lights being out. Strong candidate for Gordon Ramsey to rescue.

It is so dark in there it was hard to see the menu. The decorations on the walls and hanging from the ceiling are so dusty, It was not appetizing. So dark and dirty. But maybe the food is gonna be great. No, the food was dry, and overcooked. My meal was like a piece of beef jerky breaded and fried till it was almost burned. I couldnt even cut it with a fork and a knife. The server was really nice and was doing a great job, best part of our visit was the service and the warm bread served before our meal.

Pinettas is a cozy, European restaurant thats easy to miss. Ive driven by this restaurant more times than I can count and never even noticed it until my brother recommended it to me. Its very dark inside, which I like but my wife didnt, and its decorated wall to wall with European flair. The restaurant looks to seat about 45 guests, mostly at 4-tops, but with a few seats in the rear at the bar. The meal starts with bread service wich is a basket of simple white rolls and a dish of packages butter. The rolls were simple, but warm and tasty. The wine menu was appropriate, and fairly priced, offering a nice selection of French and Italian wines. There were no televisions there to distract you, and I couldnt help but notice how engaged everyone was in their own conversations. It was certainly a refreshing experience in that regard. The food was very tasty. Most of the menu is Italian, but there are foods from other European cultures there as well. On this particular night, for instance, my family all ordered from the German selections. All of our meals were very tasty and I can attest to their authenticity. My only complaints are that the schnitzel could have used a slice of lemon or a sauce to help it down, and the food was slow to arrive . However, the staff there was fantastic! Everyone was friendly, attentive, and courteous. The whole meal had a very welcoming and charming vibe to it. I look forward to my next visit, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a local, cozy, authentic eatery.

The best little known secret in BR! Been going here since I was 10 - got a very long and unique history (on the back of the menu). This is THAT place that is always great and youd eat there every day if you lived next door - Im telling you! No regrets here ever - food ranges from Italian to German to I cant even guess. They are old school handed down for generations style recipes too!

I hear they have to best red sauce in baton rouge, and I can attest to loving it! They make to order so nothing is just heated up in a microwave. I got the chicken ravioli in the red sauce and LOVED IT. My boyfriend got the lasagna and may have been the best Ive had here. The restaurant has limited tables, but usually the wait is under 30 minutes. A great date night stop with a good wine selection.

This gem is easy to overlook. The front is almost hidden, but once you find your way inside, the food is remarkably good. The service has always been excellent and you should get dessert, if you can save the room. The tiramisu is the best Ive ever had. The atmosphere is also very unique.