Reviews of Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar. (Restaurant) in Tampa (Florida).
Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar
14306 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618, United States
Description
Information of Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar, Restaurant in Tampa (Florida)
Discover the opening times, the location, contact, popular times, photos and real reviews by internet users.
This place has a very good rate, they treat their customers well and you’ll feel welcome, super recommended
Map
Open hours of Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar
Sunday
4–10 pm
Monday
4–10 pm
Tuesday
4–10 pm
Wednesday
4–10 pm
Thursday
4–10 pm
Friday
4–11 pm
Saturday
4–11 pm
Popular times
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Reviews of Esposito's Italian Restaurant And Bar
EJB 3
After passing this restaurant many times we decided to finally give it try for dinner. We arrived around 5:30pm on a Friday and were seated right away, though the tables filled up within 20 minutes with a decent wait by the time we left. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is nice, though the low lighting with reflective menus forced me to tilt the menu at every angle to read it. Prices are a bit on the higher end.
We had baked clams for an appetizer and main courses of tortellini and sea bass. The baked clams were a bit disappointing, with very dry, salty and flaky breading. The tortellini was much better with a rich and creamy sauce. The sea bass was decent though nothing exceptional. Probably worth another visit, though we wouldn’t order anything the same.
Melissa Previte
Stop driving by this place wondering how good it is. It is by far the best Italian restaurant in the Carrollwood/Tampa Bay area! The garlic rolls are amazing! The service is fantastic! The atmosphere is quaint and great for a romantic date night out or a family style dinner! Nice bourbon, liquor & wine selections and do not skip out on dessert! The prices are a little on the higher end, but the quality and quantity of food you get is worth.
Patrick H
The wife and I decided to venture out and I was in the mood for Italian. We’ve gotten takeout from here a number of times but restaurant food is so much better eaten on site. We had amazing fried Artichoke Hearts as an appetizer. I had the Grouper Puttanesca and my wife the Fiocchi. Everything was delicious. Salad and Garlic Knots included. Too full for dessert, maybe next time.
Steve Smith
Took the family. We enjoyed the appetizer, fried calamari. I recommend the lasagna. The kids had plain cheese tortellini, and ordered peas with it - girls did not care for it - I would steer young kids to spaghetti and meatballs. My wife tried the lobster ravioli, it was good. We brought our own bottle of wine ($25 cork fee). Dessert we tried the tiramisu was good.
Dianne M
My boyfriend and I, along with another couple went here for dinner on a Saturday night. We heard so many great things about the food and it was everything we expected and more.
Our service was a tad slow, we were seated and waited 15-20 mins for our server...beside that everything else was great.
The lighting and the music really set the mood. The menu had a large selection of truly authentic Italian food.
The food was so flavorful and rich. My taste buds were doing quite the dance over the fiocchi!
Highly recommend. The don't do reservations for parties under 6 I believe, our wait at 630 on a Saturday was 30 minutes for a party of 4, which isn't bad at all.
Paige Lee
I came in to place a to go order for my first time here and sat at the bar while I waited. The bartender was so hospitable even though he was just taking my to go order. I decided to order a glass of wine while I waited and he brought me a wine list. I made a selection and he asked me if I wanted a sample first to ensure I’d be happy with my selection. I was more than pleased with the wine I selected and my order was ready is approx. ten minutes! The service was superb. I ordered the rigatoni a la vodka with scallops and it was soooo good! By far the best vodka sauce I’ve ever had. I am not in Tampa often but this will have to be on my list every time I visit!
Kim Smalling
Esposito's hits every single mark of what I think most people are looking for in local Italian restaurant. Old-school, authentic classic recipes? Check. Interesting new recipes? Check. That welcoming neighborhood atmosphere where they treat you like family? Check. Long, endearing family history? Check. It quite literally checks all the boxes. I came with a big group of friends and every single dish that hit the table was to-die-for down to their house salad. Delicious! & you can tell each dish was made with care. (The scallop cupcakes were my absolute favorite! The sear on those scallops speaks for itself.) Do yourself a favor and check them out! You won't be disappointed!! ❤️
S. I.
Esposito's Italian is proudly serving up top-notch italian food influenced by family recipes and with great attention to detail. I'm not big fan of italian cuisine but I can myself frequenting Esposito's because their dishes have truly authentic and diverse flare. The interior is softly lit with spacious seating throughout the restaurant. I was quickly seated upon arrival (I went for early dinner on a Saturday). Very soon after seating, I was greeted by a very courteous wait staff. In fact throughout my visit there were three wait staff ensuring I had everting I needed as well they (as a team) ensured my experience was top-notch. I don't know if this is usual but it was a very refreshing change to have such great attention (a rarity these days).
The house-made garlic rolls were warm, fluffy, with just the right amount of garlic and crumbles cheese sprinkled on top - you can't put these down once you start. They are addictive so proceed with caution =)
The house salad contains chick peas, beets, tomato, lettuce, and red onion. The salad comes pre-dressed and you toss upon serving. The texture and freshness made this salad crunchy and delicious. My only suggestion is to go light on the dressing or ask for the dressing on the side, to avoid overly pre-dressing.
My main entree was the Black Seafood Risotto - perfectly done risotto with squid's ink that enhances richness and flavor and served with mussels, clams, and octopus. If you are a seafood lover this dish is as beauty to look at as it is to the tastebuds. The octopus stake server atop risotto pairs perfectly with the creamy risotto while the mussels and clams add texture and balanced saltiness. The squid's ink adds the rich black glistening color to the risotto. This item is a true exploration of a popular traditional Italian dish from the Adriatic Coast.
I finished my meal with a perfectly portioned slice of Limoncello cheese cake with raspberry drizzle. This sweet concoction blended with limoncello's slight tartness made for a perfectly smooth finish, while the raspberry drizzle added a pop of visual intrigue to the presentation.
Everything about my first visit to Esposito's was top-rated starting from the attentive staff to the proudly prepped and served dishes with high flavor profile. Many kudos to Esposito's.
I will most certainly return during non-rush hours and explore their diverse menu and discover some other hidden gems hopefully.
William Davis
it’s Saturday night around 8pm and we arrived to Esposito’s to place an order to go. The outside was packed with people waiting to get inside and/or finishing off the night with a conversation. Needless to say, we looked at this as a really good sign of things to come — as it’s our first time ordering from this restaurant. After 30-minutes our food was finished and ready for pick up.
We arrived home and split a Lasagna and Spaghetti & Meatballs between three of us. The meal also came with garlic knots and a salad. The salad (to be honest) caught us off guard as we didn’t expect the variety of items. We know for next time.
Overall, the food was great. The three of us praised the food, while clearing off our plates to the last bite(s). I highly recommend Esposito’s to those looking to spend a fantastic evening together over delicious food.
Linda B
We've been here twice. The by-the-glass wines and the handcrafted cocktails are pretty good. My guest JB loved the scallop cupcakes. They weren't my favorite but no issues (I do not have a sweet tooth). We enjoyed the bowtie sausage and chicken saltimbocca. Our experience with the service has been hit or miss but that could be general staffing issues experienced by most restaurants, although one person on our first visit was fairly rude. I'm not a fan of the atmosphere. The bar area looks great and by contrast the dining areas do not. Lighting is way too dark for me.
nishant narula
We were craving for Italian food and I searched near me the Italian Restaurant and we decided to have dinner at Esposito's Italian.
It is a beautiful restaurant with a nice decor and decorated by paintings. I loved the lighting as well as the positive vibes of the restaurant.
When we entered the restaurant se were greeted by receptionist and then seated on the table.
We were greeted by our server Gustavo with the menus which included drink menus too.
He looked like a positive person always smiling. He seemed like he was enjoying his work.
From the drinks menu we ordered Aperol Spiritz and Glass of Ruffino Aziano Chianti.
After the drinks menu we ordered our dinner which included Chicken Francese and Lobster Ravioli. We got bread with Ravioli and Salad with Chicken.
First we got our drinks which we loved it especially the red wine.
Then we got our salad and bread. Salad was delicious made with fresh ingredients and i loved the dressing of the salad.
Then we got our bread with butter. The bread was amazing and warmed. Loved the bread as it was one of the amazing breads we had.
Finally, we got our dinner which included Chicken Francese and Lobster Ravioli.
Chicken Francese was the delicious chicken dish. It was perfectly cooked and it was our dish of the day.
Lobster Ravioli was delicious too and it was amazing.
We loved our time at Esposito Italian and along with food the service was also amazing and perfect.
One of the bucket list restaurant to try in Tampa.
Robert Negron
Had this place on my list for a while. I've had 2 veal dishes paired with wine in the last couple of days. The Veal Saltimboca here was excellent but not as good as the last place. Followers will know who I mean. The lost star is because the wine pairing left much to be desired. Returned the first wine and the second was better but the open $20 bottle of wine sitting in my fridge was even better than that. Lovely place, loved the music, very clean and lots of customers as soon as they opened. I certainly recommend the food and if you know wines, pick them yourself. Buona fortuna.
Ronda Zelezny-Green
WOW. Husbae was in search of authentic Italian food in Tampaaaaa. He researched this place and the long origin story lured him in. I'm glad the research paid off! Massive portions at reasonable prices. I had the Sunday feast on a Friday and it was an excellent choice. The extra ricotta on the side was a nice touch. Moscato was super divine. Nena had fried calamari and husbae the eggplant parmesan and broccoli raab. We finished with the cannoli, which wasn't nearly as good as everything else but still not too bad. Would definitely come back and try the seafood. After several times visiting in Italy, this was pretty darn close to the real thing! Bacci bacci to the staff at Esposito's!
John Davis
Came and ate here while visiting. Decent little italian place. Was hoping for a better quality of food. Was looking for Homemade pasta. And disnt find it here. Overall for being a Florida restaurant it was really good.
Roberto Gonzalez
Bar none - best italian food in Tampa. Service is impeccable. Place is nicely decorated. We have had amazing meals here.
I had the Bucatini all'amatriciana and I absolutely loved it. Fresh ingredients. Wow! Partner had the chicken parm. Huge chicken breasts.
I can not say enough about Esposito’s. Go and check it out
Rothschild Dort
I came here on a Friday night and was very impressed! There was a wait but since I was by myself I just sat at the bar. My waitress Brittney had such a warm personality, checked on me often and was incredibly professional. I tried the veal Parmesan and the zuppa de pesce. I know everyone isn’t a fan of veal but they did such a great job with the sauce and cheese that the flavor wasn’t very noticeable from the veal. It also wasn’t extremely tough which I liked. The zuppa de pesce was really good as well. The fish tasted fresh and seemed very well prepared. The shrimp and scallops were huge though—but still seasoned very nicely. The clam wasn’t very chewy either had a texture that sort of just melted in your mouth. The meatballs and garlic rolls were pretty good too. 10/10 I would definitely be back.. I think I’ll try their octopus next time.
cindy cammarota
We received the absolute best service ever!! The waiters and waitresses, were outstanding. Food had some misses. Salad was great and as well as the rolls. The Seafood dish that comes with clams was served all closed, I think the chef should have noticed this before bringing it out. Sausage in several of our dishes was cooked too long and turned to mush the minute you touched it. Food was good, but with this caliber of a restaurant, it should have been excellent. I may go back again simply for the service.
F Fighter
By recommendation my wife and I drove down from Hernando County to try your restaurant. I have to say we were not disappointed. The food and desert we had was delicious. The Beef Braciole over pasta was just like my mama used to make. Excellent waitress! Will go again.
Albert Grace Estate Agents
Babene. Super tasty food. Generous size. I mean more than large portion. Proper Italian home food.
Pat
Loved the atmosphere of the room. Very cozy and homey feeling. The food was equally pleasing. We shared several apps, enjoyed the happy hour cocktails, and all six of the entrées were delicious. The whole sea bass was outstanding. Will definitely make this a regular.
Holly Roland
The best experience and the best food. Exceptional service, excellent food, and the beef Wellington with butternut squash was the star of the evening. The most incredible thing I've put in my mouth. The combination of the melt in your mouth steak, wrapped in thick sliced prosciutto, and just ever so lightly over-crisped puff pastry, coupled with what we can only describe as an adult take on sweet potato casserole... it truly is indescribable. you have to visit this charming little Italian treasure.
linda register
I had a surprise party for my husband's 50th birthday. This could not have gone any better. I hate planning parties, due to too many details. But Paul Varsalona made it so easy. We met before hand to discuss menu and how it was to be served. I wanted to have it buffet style-- this worked out great!! Paul was great at advising what dishes would hold up being served this way. I LOVE their buccatini pasta with the pesto. But we changed the pasta to penne-- which worked out perfect!!
Bread & salad as served at the tables, then everyone came up in an orderly fashion to dish out the buffet items.
Paul made a special cassata cake which is my husband's favorite. There are many variations of this cake. I have never had this with angel food cake, but was great. The filling was perfect, not overwhelming, & not too sweet.
Everyone had a great time. Everyone loved the food. No one went hungry!!
I plan on having my office Christmas dinner here.
Kat Cee
What a fantastic meal! I expected the usual, run of the mill, American Italian food with too much salt. What I got was a delicious HUGE portion of a lobster pasta with the lobster cooked so perfectly that it melted in my mouth. The garlic knots were crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside and sinfully good! The limoncello cake was absolutely perfect! It was sweet and tart and just the right balance of both! We were a fairly large group (6 of us) but we arrived right at opening and were seated with no wait. Every single interaction with the staff from the server on up to the manager was great! Our server was very attentive and even went the extra mile and kept one of out party's dishes warming while he was away from the table! I have been to many different restaurants and have had great service at some but this blew me away! This was a wonderful find and I look forward to coming back again soon!
Katherine M-Chicago
Once again, we were NOT disappointed. This lovely family-owned restaurant knocked it out of the park. Food is fresh, portions are and delicious; portions are hearty; and service is wonderful. All of the times that we have gone here, the manager makes sure to ask us how our meal is and is only satisfied with perfection. Definitely worth your while.
Finally a mom and pop restaurant with wonderful food in Tampa! So tired of the chain restaurants.
Tierra Walker
Special delivery from Tampa to Houston! Prior to me moving to Houston I enjoyed Esposito's allll the time. I've only been out here for a month and I have been homesick not just from my family, and friends but also Esposito's! I tried a couple Italian restaurants out here and they definitely were not the same. The other day I took the opportunity of my friend visiting Tampa to have her bring me back my favorite dish from Esposito's and I was not disappointed. Esposito's will have a forever customer in me and I can't wait to visit in person to sit down, enjoy my favorite dishes again with the Brittney and the awesome staff!
Ab Ab
I cannot say enough about this restaurant. The food is delicious, the service is stellar, and the ambiance is fantastic. We really enjoyed dinner here. Eating out recently has been incredibly disappointing lately post pandemic and then you find a place like this. This is how you are supposed to do it! We will definitely be going back.
Lovely According to his heavenly name
Honestly for the price point of $150 for 4 adults & a child; I was not impressed & would have enjoyed Carrabba's. Frankie's Bow-tie Pasta has no flavor at all we also added chicken. There were maybe 5-6 chuncks of chicken hidden in not a breast slided & layed on top too se you received what you paid for . Kids spaghetti was cold & pasta was not fully cooked. The garlic rolls were delish, as well as the salad. My husband lasagna was good. He had no complaints. We ordered dessert My cannoli was delish...the shell was fresh, & the filling was perfect. Our service started on attentive, until a bigger party was sat. It was a first & will be our last.
Saul Nazario
Honestly, I could tell from the minute my wife and I walked in we knew it was going to be great! Our servers were so on point that we were blown away. Big John, Little John and Jerry were so courteous and sharp. But last and not least was the food, portions….great! Flavor….great! Price….great! Thanks so much for a great time!
Maria Van Allen
This was one of the best meals I have ever had! My sister and I went to celebrate my birthday just as a little special dinner, and it was a memorable experience! We started with scallop cupcakes and a bottle of chianti, and I wish they were bottomless!!! Both of our meals were truly fantastic, and the tiramisu was a perfect finish to the evening. I could not recommend the "perfect bite" dish more. I can't wait to take the rest of our family back for another celebration and good food!
Kim Justice
The calamari, house salad, and rolls were delicious. My husband enjoyed his steak. My fish entree was ok. Way too much butter and oil for me. Our server was excellent. Restaurant is loud. $$$
James
My first visit to the highly lauded Italian restaurant and I'm pleased! The risotto was as good if not better than I enjoyed at Piazza Navonna in Rome and the salmon was incredible! Our server was truly among the best as she knew her menu quite well and a good wine to complete the meal. After spending 3 good years living in Pisa, Italy and traveling the entire country and experiencing the cuisine, I would say that Esposito's ranks in my top 3 of Italian restaurants. Well done team Esposito, we'll be back!
Ted Skull
Really nice stand alone Italian restaurant. Great ambiance and food is very authentic. Well presented but very homestyle. The bread is served in wooden bowls the same as everyone's grandma had in their kitchen as a kid. The food is the highlight. Authentic dishes in large portions many meant to be shared around the table. Highly recommended!
Jacqueline Ngy
Wow! Wow! Wow! REAL food with REAL flavor! The chef throws his heart into every recipe, because the proof is in the taste. I had a most delightful meal on my first visit. The food was fresh, made from scratch, and had a homemade taste to it! WILL return. 🎯
Philip Mundiyamkal
Summary: A very popular Italian restaurant in Carrollwood with interesting takes on classic Italian dishes and very friendly staff.
I ordered take out on a Friday night and heard straight through the phone how busy it was! I figured this would make the dishes even more fresh because the kitchen won’t stop moving! They told me to come in 30 min, when everything would be ready! I ended up waiting an extra 20-30 minutes due to the mixups below.
Let me start off by saying how friendly and kind all the staff was! However, I think they were a little too busy because I got the wrong meal twice. Luckily I knew my order, so I was helping them out by letting them know on the spot. The manager ended up checking to see if everything was alright and saw I had the wrong item and let me keep it as an apology for all the mixup! I thought that was sweet and unnecessary, but so happy I kept it because it was the best dish we had that night! Below is each item’s review:
Salad (forgot to take a picture)- the salad that came with the meal was delicious and filling!!
It had beets, chickpeas, tomatos and crisp iceberg lettuce with a nice and tangy Italian salad dressing! 5/5
Bread roll with garlic herb butter- the herb butter was delicious but the rolls weren’t that great...they weren’t warm and tasted like a cheap roll. 3/5
Arancini- it was super crisp and had a very soft yet thick texture inside. The risotto was nice and thick and the ground beef chunks added nice flavour and chew. I think it may have been too thick. If the inside was a little bit creamier, it would have made this perfect! The marinara sauce went nicely with it! 4/5
Chicken Rollatini- this was the free dish we received from the manager because we didn’t originally order it! On my own, I would never have ordered it! Free, however, was a great way for me to try it! I’m so happy I did because it was a nice crisp chicken that was lightly breaded and the mushroom marsala sauce was an awesome pairing! 5/5
Grandmas Sunday feast- I had ordered this dish because it sounded amazing! However, I was left unimpressed with it. I found the rigatoni was overcooked and tasting like Barilla pasta I boiled at home. The marinara sauce was too acidic and the sausage inside was tender but nothing great. The meatball and short rib were the highlights of that dish. The meatball tasted like it had truffle in it or it was pan fried in truffle oil. Whatever it was, that was delicious! The short rib was nice and tender and easily pulled apart with a fork. 2/5
Butternut Squash Ravioli- this tasted like fresh pasta! Worlds better than the rigatoni and grandma Sunday feast! The pasta was al dente and the the butternut squash filling was slightly sweet and paired beautifully with the cream and truffle oil. The zucchini in the center was nicely seasoned!
Foggetaboutit Pie- this pie has a lot going on in it! It’s a peanut butter cream pie with an Oreo base, and dried banana slices throughout with a bunch of different chocolate chunks blended in as well as chocolate toffee pieces dusted on top! Caramel and chocolate drizzle was on it with a dollop of whipped cream! It sounds like a recipe of amazingness but it was insanely sweet for our own good. You were left dehydrated by how sweet it was. And we had a small sliver of what we received! It was a gorgeous presentation though. 3/5
NY Cheesecake with Berry compote- the cheesecake was an awesome texture with just the right amount of tartness and an amazingly light and fluffy texture! It definitely tastes like it was slow cooked in a Bain Marie to get this kind of texture! The Berry compute was lovely and the graham cracker crust was nice and thin- just how I love a cheesecake crust! 5/5
Lindsey B
Delicious meal (love the Sambucca Scallops!), excellent drinks (expresso martinis!), excellent service and great ambience!! Esposito's will continue to be our "go to" for a great Italian meal. Its consistently good. My son hit his head on the table this last visit (totally his fault) and the staff were so sweet and thoughtful taking care of him. We really enjoyed our night and would highly recommend Esposito's!
William Carruthers
First time here for us. We went with friends who had been here several times before. Enjoyed the entire evening. Wine menu was okay...could use a few other options. Food selection was very good. Was surprised that they don't freshly grate the Parmigiano at tableside...what was offered looked to be something from a store-bought canister.
I will go here again...it was enjoyable.
chase Winslow
Was my 1st time there with a group of 14 people.. Had reservations. Place was very crowded on a Friday night. Food portions were pretty fair, food was very tasty, wait stuff was very accommodating and helpful. Would recommend it to anyone that's looking for Italian cuisine.
Lorri Daland
We didn't have reservations because we had less than a party of six, but we're seated in about five minutes.
We started with the chips and rice balls and both were delicious... Between the four of us we had gnocchi with Bolognese, shrimp scampi, the seafood plate and tortellini. Everything was wonderful, and each of us took home a large portion.
We ended with the Limoncello cake and a cannoli, both shared of course - my dad and I also had the Lemoncello cocktail.... everything was delicious and the service was fantastic despite the fact that our waiter had a table of 18 across from us.
I will definitely be back.
Richard Garrett
The BEST authentic Italian Food I've ever eaten.
Troy Torman
Unbelievable! It has been a long time since a restaurant has impressed my wife and I. We like to pride ourselves on being "foodies". We travel and try fine dining restaurants all over and then try to recreate dishes for family and friends and this place is above and beyond. The service is top notch, very accommodating and polite. The owner make his rounds to assure his customers are accommodated and pleased with their service and meal. We live an hour and a half away and Esposito's is very much worth the trip.
P.S. What an impressive wine selection as well.
Alex Hill
Had our anniversary dinner tonight and German was our server — he was so lovely and knowledgeable! He helped us decide our meals which were amazing. He made the night even better!
Ravyn
Wonderful experience! Every little thing was delicious, and every person we interacted with was friendly.
When we came into the restaurant we were greeted by the hostess, Megan. For the very short amount of time we were with her, she still made us laugh and smile! She definitely set the tone for the night of being happy and enjoying our first time at Esposito’s.
From the hostess, server, food runner, to the busser, everyone was smiling and kind! Our server, Eddie was awesome! Everyone worked together to make our dining experience wonderful.
Don’t get me started on the food! Whew! Heaven in our mouths. Their bread is to die for! Actually I would say that in regards to all the food we tried. The Fried Mozzarella Carrozza was magical. Our entree’s of Lasagna and Chicken Parm were cooked to perfection.
Highly recommend!
Juliana C
We got the scallops sambuca and the chicken rollatini and they were delicious! The scallops sambuca portion was huge! Another reviewer mentioned that they thought 3 scallops was skimpy for the price, and at first glance I would have agreed, but if you cut up the huge scallops into bite size pieces to mix with the bow tie pasta, you’ll actually see that they were quite generous with it. Entrees come with their house salad and garlic knots to share. Very tasty! We will be back!
Dennis Costantino
True Italian American food. It is high quality and not your run of the mill spaghetti and meatballs. My steak was butter knife tender. The crab enchalau is spot on perfect. Will be going back often.
Brenda volante
The most friendly restaurant with amazing owners who talk to you! Wonderful happy staff and extremely accommodating. The food is by far he "BEST" Italian tood ive ever had in Florida! The expressso martini was amazing too!! We will be back soon. Thank you Esposito's for a wonderful night!!
Marcia Lampe
All of our food was absolutely delicious.The fettuccine carbonara with shrimp, chicken parmesan, chicken piccata, and tortellini was awesome. The Garlic rolls were to die for. The only negative is they don't give you enough Rolls.
David Chernicoff
Nice atmosphere. The red sauce was lacking. Two of their signature dishes were just ok. The staff and atmosphere was great. My friends and I were disappointed in the flavor and portion sizes.
Michelle Bologna
We went on New years eve. Food was spectacular. Service was good. The overhead music however was a little too loud. The place was packed anyways with lots of noise, so the music could have been lower. Onky conplaint to a great evening.
Lisy saavedra
Great Italian restaurant. The salad and breads dripping in garlic butter are amazing. Crab Enchilada is our favorite among many other wonderful options.
Ron Salerno
There is no better server in my experience than Brittney. She was perfect. On top of that, the food and atmosphere could not have been better. This was our first experience there and it won't be the last!
matthew betters
This was my second time there I asked the waiter if the certain dish had red peppers if it was spicy hot he said no nothing on that thing was spicy hot my food comes last after everybody else got theirs and mine was the last one to get served it was hot as hell had red peppers in there I had to send it back it was about 35-40 minutes I still haven't gotten it everybody else was done eating they were getting boxes to go I canceled my order so I'm forget about it I didn't want it and take it off it was a little scuffle there I guess what the manager and a server and and me and they ended up giving me the food to take home free of charge it took it off but you know it should have come to that I should have got first first dibs on anything coming out of that kitchen or they should have changed the head you want something else this was like I said the second time I was there and this was the second time something happened with the food not very happy with it I I don't recommend it to any my friends I go elsewhere they try hard everybody else loves it I think it's a little pricey for the quality in quantity of the food you get but that's just my opinion managers the owners are all very pleasant nice to clean store great atmosphere but I don't know don't do it for me
David Michael
Michael and fernando we amazing...funny, knowledgeable, and very professional...our meal was exactly as ordered and in a timely fashion...id recommend thw espresso martini; we will, no doubt, be back to see these two behind the bar...thanks for a great evening...
Sawyer Made
Love this place. Great atmosphere, great staff, great food. You can’t beat it. F wasting your money on Carrabbas, Macaroni Grill, etc… spend your money here instead, you’ll thank me later.
Don Leggett
WE WENT TO OUR NEPHEWS BIRTHDAY PARTY WEDNESDAY PM FOR HIS 61ST BIRTHDAY. THE FOOD WAS GREAT. WHEN I GOT MY BILL I WAS CHARGED FOR TO BAR DRINKS I DID NOT HAVE BEFOR DINNER. I ONLY HAD 2 BUD LIGHT BEERS AT DINNER. I PAID FOR THE 2 OIL FASHIONED IN THE BAR AREA BEFORE DINNER
Matthew McKinley
the best Italian food in Tampa. Family recipes. the Esposito family put 100 percent in to guaremtee you experience Italy at its' finest
B.s Sands
The waiters are super funny! The food is the best Italian I've had hands down. We will continue to frequent Esposito's!
Tainá Lelis
4.5 out of 5. Charming place, great atmosphere, amazing food and wine. Perfect place to enjoy italian food with family and friends or have a date night. I highly recommend it.
Todd Fultz
Esposito’s was amazing. Great service. Old world Italian feel. The Fiocchi was incredibly interesting and tasty. Go eat here right away.
Megan Caico
I have a super picky Sicilian Italian foodie husband on my hands and we are always looking for good Italian restaurants... Esposito's fit the bill 100%! Everything from the service, the apps (Aricini), entrées (lasagna, fiocchi, eggplant parm), and dessert (cannoli & fogettaboutit pie) were spectacular! The owner was personable and visited with us for awhile making us feel like family. We cannot wait to come back to try more and have found our new go-to spot for authentic Italian dishes and a welcoming atmosphere! Almost want to keep this gem all to myself!!!
Marlenis Elena
First time visiting this restaurant and atmosphere was great, our waiter Genaro ( i think thats his name ) cuban/spanish guy was amazing with his customer service, thank you will certainly be back.
steve duran
We picked up take out last night and unfortunately it did not live up to our expectations. I should have listened to a friend who says Italian and Mexican should be eaten in the restaurant. We live 5 minutes from the restaurant and ate it immediately.
We ordered the Arancini appetizer and Gnocchi Bolognese entree. The Arancini was decent, with a nice crust but there wasn't even a hint of beef in them. The Gnocchi was the big letdown. The gnocchi were extremely doughy with the consistency of melted cheese (pic attached). However, the meat sauce was outstanding.
Considering the fantastic reviews, I am willing to assume our meal was not representative of their best work. We will try and get back there to eat in the restaurant when we are feeling adventurous. I will update this review at that time.
It should be noted that the staff were very friendly and professional and the order was ready at the time promised.
Alison DiChristopher
This is our go to place for Authentic Italian food. Large portions, great service and wonderful atmosphere. The menu has so much to choose from it makes you coming back for more.
Sujata Shah
10 star service! The food is so fresh and flavorful! They treat you like family the minute you enter the restaurant. A hidden gem!
Monica Suhett
Nice environment, pizza cauliflower GF, kids friendly. Fair wine price, food for two $$.
Mary Irvine
Every entree gets a salad and garlic knots. Great quality and I was already nearly full by the time the entree came out. It could be smart to share a plate with someone. Lots of leftovers for me! Also a really nice wine selection.
Dawn Follmar
Went here June 15, 2022 for a birthday dinner for a good friend. Has fried artichoke hearts and fried calamari for an appetizer - I split them with a friend. Both were amazing and the sauces with them made them even better! Had the Ybor City Crab Risotto - absolutely delicious! Tiramisu for dessert was a wonderful end to a great meal. Even the drink I ordered was fabulous - a wine spritzer that was so refreshing! I want to go there for my birthday in October. I highly recommend this place for both food and atmosphere.
David Lubin
The first review of Esposito's which follows this review was done a while back and is self-explanatory. We just celebrated a birthday party for someone there and the food and service was outstanding. I have to say no matter where you eat it's always better there than take out. We had a couple appetizers as well as a fresh salad and the chicken marsala is awesome. I highly suggest dining at Esposito's for a wonderful Italian dinner. Unfortunately by time I remembered to take photos all the food was gone LOL.
To be honest, I was quite disappointed in Esposito's. We had heard good things so we decided to get takeout for my mother-in-law's birthday. First of all they screwed up the order and we did not receive the eggplant parmigiana. When I took it back they did provide me with the right dinners and a $50 gift card for the mix-up. That was appreciated, overall however I did not feel the food was very good. The eggplant Parmigiana was just so-so and the tomato sauce on the spaghetti was not very good. I've tasted some better from store bought. Of course there is something to be said for having to bring hot food home and you lose something. I would give it another try but I was very disappointed. The food was just rather blah. The manager was very nice and accommodating me with a gift card for having mixed up the order in that was appreciated. But I would give it another chance.
Haydee Martinez
I always have the Lasagna with a side of sausage... Highly recommended.
Now... On the service side not to good. We were waiting for 3 more to complete our party Not once did out waiter offer bread or checked if we wanted any appetizers until the rest of our party arrived ... 25 minutes later. Not a large variety of a Menu But what they do offer...... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
jose negron
Hands down, best Italian restaurant in Tampa. Food is always delicious, family friendly, and wait staff are super friendly. Only been here a few times, and always say I’ll be back. Not many restaurants supersedes my expectations second time around. This place always does! Thank you for me and my family’s meal tonight!
Amber Bennett
This restaurant is a hidden gem! I couldn't even wait until we left the restaurant to leave a review. Our server Mario was amazing from the time we were seated until the time we left. The service and the food was top teir and the atmosphere inside is fantastic for a date night or a family dinner. I would definitely recommend them if you're wanting some authentic Italian!
Susie Stivers
The food here is absolutely amazing!!! If I lived closer this would be a weekly dinner spot for us, but since we are an hour drive away we will be making it a monthly visit for sure!!! Our waiter was excellent as well!!!! I'll definitely be spreading the word about your restaurant!!!!
N Jackson
Good food, great service! Very flavorful!
Ej. F.
I tried this place a few months after it opened, and it has never disappointed! Always delicious, the service is top notch. But tonight I had the gnocchi bolognese for the 1st time, and it was the best gnocchi I've ever had in my life! So pleased! I ate it too fast for a pic.
Joey M.
This was delicious! Great atmosphere, great food, and great service I will definitely be back. I ordered the Famous Fiocchi and it was as delicious as it looks!
Maureen Fanning
My husband and I have yet to have a meal here that isn’t absolutely perfect and delicious. We stumbled upon this little gem of a restaurant by accident and so glad we did. The biggest issue is trying to decide what to order bc everything is great. The fiocchi is amazing and so far my favorite.
David Wise
Esposito's was fantastic went there for my grandfather's birthday he had a good time my mom got a spicy spaghetti which she loved my grandfather got the lasagna which looked amazing the Caesar salad was incredible and our server Candice was very very nice overall a great time
Douglas Baldwin
I definitely enjoyed this restaurant but need to come back to give a more thorough review as it has been a while since I dined here.
Tara Tampa1959
Everybody raved about this restaurant.
Finally made it, ordered Sangria, Eggplant and Veal Parm.
Pitcher of Sangria and Salad were delicious.
Both main dishes came out COVERED in cheese and were OK, nothing exceptional
Music was extremely LOUD
Bill with tip $95.00
Not impressed after months of "MUST GO" from our friends.
Really wished it was better, very disappointed
Brent Everett
Very conscientious about service. Meals were excellent and they delivered the food very quickly. The kind of restaurant you make a choice to become a regular visitor to.
melissa klee
Very good food and service!!! dennis was a great server, he knew the menu very well and was greet at helping us pick figure out what it is we wanted! 10/10 experience!
Cory Strolla
Absolutely amazing dining and family experience. The wait staff and ownership were accommodating and on point. Highly recommend!
Michael Massetti
Excellent family New York style Italian food. Phenomenal service.
Carol Folbigg
I loved it. The service, the atmosphere, the food are all excellent. I was so comfortable. We will be back again and again.
Chris Walker
This is hands down the best Italian in Tampa. The food, service, beverages are all exceptional. Love this place.
Ana Hernandez
Food was pricey but good. First nomination for WORSE service and waitress of the year award in 2022. From the moment we sit down the waitress was rushing us to order. The woman dropped (literal dropped) the drink order....she said: are you ready to order?... I can't keep coming back... we are very busy tonight. Yes they were busy....but...when you spend $180 for an evening at any place you should be able to receive nicer service. With over a dozen good Italian restaurants in Tampa not sure if want to spend a Friday evening been treated like I'm bothering them.
Shoei Lewis
Highly recommend this place! The food was amazing and authentic. They gave us a bread and a huge, delicious salad complimentary with the entrees. Our server Joann was incredibly sweet and attentive, even though they were busy. We will definitely be back! Would recommend the bucatoni and grandmas Sunday dinner. The ambiance was comfortable and welcoming.
Rod Rodriguez
Great service nice looking place you get a huge Salad and Galic bread as u sit down my meal was delicious I had grand ma feast others with me enjoyed the chicken parm and meatball and spaghetti
Sam Turgeon
Food is excellent. We had one order that was input wrong, but the owner cooked a fresh dish and personally delivered it to the table with apologies. It's the best Italian I found in Tampa Bay. It also has a great back story and a very nice atmosphere. Forget the chain restaurants. This is the place to go!
Carol Baldwin-Ball
Great food, atmosphere and stellar service...highly recommend and can't wait to go back. Tirmisu was spot on as well! Yes, you must!
Bobby Genever
Esposito's was exceptional from start to finish. We really enjoyed Arancini as our appetizer. The Salad and garlic knots were delicious as well. Grandma's Sunday Feast was amazing! Gustavo was an excellent waiter who we will ask for when we return.
Kim Leamon
Tonight was our first visit. Great atmosphere and service. The food was absolutely delicious. We will definitely be back. The antipasto appetizer, pasta dishes, salad, and limoncello cake were delightful!
Anthony DiStefano
Although the show and ambience are there this restaurant's sauce rates in between Olive Garden on low end and Carrabbas on other end. We had an awesome meal just cannot put stamp on 5 stars with bland sauce. Everything else top notch for the casual dining market.
Anthony G Canizares
Well worth the 1 hour wait. The pasta sauce was delicious, 5hisbis always the main issue. The eggplant and chicken parmesean were the highlight. Great job! Best of all, it was our 1st visit but not the last. An enjoyable dining experience indeed.
Thank you
Jessica Huertas
Went and sat at the bar for my boyfriend’s birthday dinner Tuesday night. Sophia and Fernando gave great service! Both were pleasant and personable and made great recommendations. Will definitely return to see these two
Pam Gittings
Very nice establishment. Ordered chicken picatta and it was nice but not exceptional. Chicken was thicker than necessary and tasted rather bland. Marinara sauce and pasta side was exceptional. Salad was off the charts good and the bread was fabulous. Next time will order something different for sure. Ordered dessert of vanilla and chocolate cream and it was absolutely delicious. Would go back just for that dish. Will try again for sure. Staff were exceptional and attentive beyond belief.
Denise Stipe
We had a great dining experience at Esposito's Italian Restaurant. The restaurant is cozy, with a helpful and friendly waitstaff. The owner, Paul came over to introduce himself and check on our experience. Despite being quite busy, they were attentive and made sure we were enjoying our meal. They have a descent wine list, and varied menu. The scallop appetizer was cooked perfectly, and had a terrific, delicate presentation. They melted in your mouth! We also enjoyed our dinner entres...Delicious! We will definitely become regulars at this little gem.
johana a
I can't fully or fairly rate it because I didn't get to have the full dining experience. We were seated at 820pm, we were a table of 3. Greeted by a server, ordered waters, a sangria, and a glass of wine. Later a different server came by with our drinks, and I guess he took over? When we weren't ready he said he'd come back in a bit, he came back in under 3 minutes and we just weren't ready still, when we told him that he said we had to order now because the kitchen was closing now and that we were on of the last tables. I don't know why they would seat us if the kitchen was about to close, or why they wouldn't warn us beforehand. We decided to just get the check for the drinks and leave, instead of being rushed or feeling like we were holding the server hostage at work. I really wanted to like it because the menu looked great and I liked the ambience alot. It may have just been an off thing 🤷♀️.
Richard Chaikin
The food and the experience was fantastic. Authentic Italian food.
Ivan Canales
Excellent service and food! Best Italian restaurant in the area.
Angie Endries
By far one of the best Italian restaurants in the area! Ybor crab risotto was magnificent! The dish in the picture, which I don't remember the name of, was fabulous! If you want the real deal, have your next meal here.
Blue Dog
excellent ambiance, service was awesome and the food was very good.
Definitely will go back.
Kristina Smithe
Delicous! And delightful service! My vodka sauce was a little bland but both our waitress and cook listened and were willing to remedy the situation right away! The pasta was still super fresh and perfectly cooked. The sauce was only missing a little salt. That kind of service is hard to come by these days. The bread & salad are both fresh and really great. Our waitress was Mel and our service was top notch. Will definitely come back!
Isabelle Garcia
This place is honestly the best place in Tampa, I spent my Valentines Day alone here and it was the best time ever! My server was so kind, helpful and took VERY good care of me. Even other workers around were checking in on me. And the food was BOMB! I had the shrimp parm and the cannoli dip for desert(definitely recommend) ❤️ Love love love it here & will be back soon.
John Clifford
Very good italian dishes. Wines were great. Very good waiter. Tasty desserts.
Stacy Wade
The chicken parm, lobster ravioli, grouper in noodles (can't remember the name) we're very good.
The tiramaso was probably the best we've ever had.
Servers were very attentive, restaurant/ bathrooms was clean.
Definitely a place we would return to when visiting Tampa.
Jaya Sriram
Absolutely amazing! The place is beautiful and staff are super friendly and the food is delicious. Our waiter David was awesome. I love that you get a lot of food as well for the price. I cannot recommend this place enough! Such a warm and welcoming environment!
Ric Rini
The food portions at Esposito's are enormous, just absolutely huge! The food quality is good. However, If you are looking for real 100% authenticity for Italian cuisine there are other Tampa Italian restaurant options I would choose (do not misinterpret, as it is pretty close). However for the price, quality and portion size it was a very nice experience. They 100% nailed the calamari, which was cooked perfectly with nice tender medium to large pieces - not over breaded and fried, perfection!
The service was fantastic and our server (Barbara) was super friendly, courteous and genuinely a nice charismatic personality. She definitely gets a gold star.
I had ordered the Grandma's Feast (meatball, Italian sausage & braised beef) and it was excellent on all accounts - well worth it.
The overall experience at Esposito's was very good and we will definitely return.
Jay Whi
A must go to place : ESPOSITOS Restaurant on 14306 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Carrollwood Tampa, has the BEST Italian food in the area and outstanding service. Joanne our Waitress was extremely attentive and professional. Everything here is cooked to order and fresh and made on the premises The Outstanding desserts are made on premises as well. High quality ingredients was quite obvious.
The owner, Paul Esposito, as busy as he was spent time with us. It’s not often when you can give a FIVE STAR rating, it’s quite rare.
We will be giving high praise on all media platforms. You will not be disappointed. 😎
Michael Parise
I am very reluctant to write food reviews in Tampa, since I've had a lot of disappointing ethnic food of all sorts. As a second-generation Italian American who's visited Italy 8 times and knows what Italian food ought to be like, and who cooks very well, it's hard to eat out and be happy. Not so with Esposito's! Esposito's is as close to real Italian as you can get. The atmosphere was comfortable and modern, without being tacky-Italian. The music was soothing and quiet. The food: the calamari were perfect, nice coating, great dipping sauces, and not at all tough or greasy. The cavatelli with sausage and broccoli-rabi: Each ingredient was perfectly cooked and the sauce was a great balance between buttery and creamy. Nothing from a plastic vat here! Freshly made food, perfectly cooked, seasoned, and served. Wine servings are generous. A cannolo (yes, connoli is plural) made fresh, not refrigerated, the crust was homemade, not shipped in en masse in a crate, and it was prepared at the last minute with a filling that had the perfect balance of sweetness and cheesiness. Joanne our wait person was friendly, helpful, and perfect in her service. And the owner was very busy, but willing to hear my comments on the way out. This is a gold-mine in Hillsboro Ct. that needs to be patronized to be believed, if you're looking for a cut above Italian meal. Dinner service only...but who cares. I'd rather see a great dinner served than attempting to spread resources too thinly over two major meals per day.
max & sandy marble
This review is getting 5 stars only because 6 stars isn’t an option! In a sea of over-rated restaurants with underwhelming food, Esposito’s is such a standout with traditional and extremely authentic Italian cuisine. The service is exceptional and the atmosphere inviting with the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima and other old school favorites serenading us through out meal. This was an experience and one that we will soon be repeating. One of the best dining experiences the Bay Area has to offer, hands down!
Aaron Sinclair
Busy place. Got seated quickly on a Saturday night. First time experience. Nice restaurant,nice decor and spacing,and room segregation, so you don't feel like your just in a room with 4 walls and pictures on the wall. Over looking everyone's food prior to order looked fantastic. And once ours arrived. I was not disappointed. Everything cooked right, the prices are great,and the food is even better. They have a great selection to choose from. And it certainly shows they cook the food with care. Great first go.
Johnny Cardinale
Very Authentic Italian food. Waiter Gustavo was amazing He made us feel like family. The Dishes are plentiful and very flavorful. Salad was fresh and Garlic rolls are to great. I do believe the restaurant needs more handicap seating available, it was long wait to get seated.
Sohal Shah
Do you ever feel like going to a place where you get treated like family? Let me share my experience with all of you out there looking for an amazing home cooked meal and impeccable service. Sue (my gorgeous wife) and I went on date night to Esposito's on recommendation from my brother. From the moment we sat down we were taken care of by two amazing gentlemen by the names of Lou and Carlos. They were courteous, non-pushy and paid attention to the details. They brought out some hot garlic knots smothered in garlic butter, chips topped with creamy gorgonzola, and a finely chopped Italian salad along with two glasses of red sangria...then they left us alone to talk and enjoy. After some time, we ordered the Frankie's special a vegetarian entrée (with sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms in a creamy garlic sauce) which we had to split cause the portion sizes are ENORMOUS! As we are diving into this dish we get greeted by Paul the owner of the establishment. Turns out we had a lot to talk about with his family and my family having lived in Jersey City at one point. Paul says he needs me to try a sample of his pesto dish, I said "absolutely". Paul brings it out and then I take a bite...GAME CHANGER! I have yet to try another Italian dish that has such explosive flavors wrapped in one! The mint and almond pesto is one of a kind. I wish I could say I had room to try their desserts but I just couldn't do it due to the richness of the meal. Well, I guess I'll just have to go back again just for the desserts! I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone. Thank you again Paul, Lou, and Carlos for making our evening so wonderful!
Sarah Grant
Um, we died and went to heaven eating here. We used to live closer and had been waiting forever for Esposito's to open. We were driving by one night recently and almost crashed the car when we saw it was open! We moved to Pasco County last year, so we aren't in the area much anymore. Service was excellent. Someone was getting trained, and both the trainer and trainer were fantastic. We saw two managers on the floor, checking in. The food? Oh my God, it's ruined pasta for us. I had gnocchi Bolognese, and the portion was so big, I had leftovers for two more meals! But it was divine. My fiance had the Sunday Dinner, which had a little bit of everything. It was hard to pick a favorite, but that osso bucco was beautiful. We are 1000000% returning and I will never not tell people to go there.
Emily Engstrom
We had a wonderful experience for date night! Service was excellent and the food was delicious. I had the carbonara and husband had the veal saltimbocca and we shared a couple of apps that were ok but a bit pricey for what we got. The fresh garlic bread was excellent and I rather enjoyed the simple mixed salad brought to the table as well. We will definitely return.
Mindi Resnick
Great food. Portions good wait staff good service meals come w/garlic rolls &big salad served family style only problem music soon loud can't talk without screaming
Brett Boden
The atmosphere is nice we were able to get 3 seats at the bar. Garlic bread was the best. Lots of food for the price. Shrimp scampi was delicious. Bartenders all worked together so we had plenty of people checking on us.
van
It's good to see a local business doing so well, especially after COVID. The food and service is excellent. Last night, they were slammed and the owner still made his way around to tables and talked to guests, ran food. The food was absolutely excellent and everything came out hot and fresh. Alcohol, especially the cocktails, are reasonably priced.
It's loud. It's busy. It feels like having dinner with my Long Island family. A gem in Tampa.
Leighanne E
My husband and I go out to eat atleast twice a week and this restaurant, Espositos, is by far our favorite. We had Mo as our server with his co-partner Gal. He provided outstanding service and was very personable and accommodating. Paul, the owner, also came over and said Hello.. what a great family oriented restaurant and definitely will be back. The menu had plenty to choose from and was ample in size. I recommend going there on your next dinner date
Sabrina Juan
We live in Spring Hill and make the drive for dinner here! Everything is beyond delicious.
Scott DeMalteris
Being Italian with a Sicilian wife, my family is always on the hunt for really good Italian restaurants. We love this restaurant. The food is authentic and plentiful. The atmosphere is very nice. The staff does an exceptional job. We’ve never had anything but great experiences in this restaurant and will continue to go whenever we can.
Becky Bonanno
Yum! Artichoke hearts for appetizer, scallops for dinner, and lemoncello cake- for dessert. All tasty!!
kevin rodriguez
Super yummy! Seriously, this place is a 30 minute drive away for me but totally worth it. The food has always been really really good Italian. It’s my new favorite Italian restaurant. Be sure to make reservations, they book out!! My favorite is the grandma’s Sunday special. The veal chop was excellent and perfectly cooked. The garlic rolls are best in town.
Manuel Cardona
One of the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to in the Tampa Bay area
michelle drew
I went here for a work dinner party, we had the private room. The food was amazing but the room was so warm you could not enjoy yourself. Also, the waiting area was right in front of the door to our private area. People who were waiting for a table spilled into our private party. No wait staff closed the door or requested them to move out. Lastly, the waiter refilling my wine spilled it all over the table, splashed on me and half heartedly wiped it up and left. I was left to clean up my glass and the rest of the mess. I hope they can fix these glitches. They have very good potential.
Zack
Wow just wow. This place is phenomenal... i grew up in a big Italian family and there food reminds of how my nona used to cook. The food was outstanding. On top of that the hospitality of this place, its like your part of a giant family once you walk in. Everyone is super nice and incredible. Our waiters name was Danny I believe and he was incredible. Food came out fast a timely. We also got the dessert "the forget about it pie" and thats one dish you'll never forget
Sonia Talavera
We have invited many of our friends to dinner at Esposito's and all have left raving about the food, the wait staff, the ambiance and the drinks. I love this place and for the $$ it can compete hands down some of the local high end restaurants. My all time favorite place to wine, dine and just chill.
I am always recommending Esposito;s and many of our friends have become regulars.
By the way, there is not a dish that I havent tried that is Superb!!
Alle Plymale
I am giving this place a 3 star rating because the food was amazing, the atmosphere was enjoyable! However the 2 stars I left off is due to the horrible attitude the bartender had. In this kind of restaurant you need to have an upbeat personable attitude. Becca did not. She seemed like she had been drinking the inventory and did not want to be there. She was drinking about of a styrofoam cup and her breathe was not pleasant as it reeked of alcohol. I will come back but will not be visiting the bar. Fire and hire is my best advice here.
Justin Sylvester
Absolutely loved this place! The food , atmosphere, and portion sizes were great! I would highly recommend this place to anyone, we will definitely be back.
Kyle Eipel
Finally found a great Italian restaurant! Growing up in the New York/ New Jersey area, I was spoiled with great Italian foods. After nearly 10 years in Florida I have finally found a worthy Italian place. Esposito’s has it all. Great tasting food, large portions, friendly people, and plenty of Frank Sinatra. I look forward to becoming a regular and trying out the rest of the menu.
Gene DellaSala
We ordered takeout @ Esposito's for the first time about a month ago. All of the staff were extremely cordial as was the owner Paul when I met him. Got the food home and had some issues including overcooked salmon, salty veggies and mediocre Tiramasu. I called to give them some feedback as I know new places often need to make adjustments to get things right.
I didn’t expect them to take my comments so seriously. The restaurant manager offered to remake all of our food and the owner Paul told me they were changing their Tiramasu based in my feedback.
We took them up on their offer to remake the food and were very impressed with the changes. The food was taste and plentiful and the Tiramasu was great. Most importantly, the customer service was top notch. This is a family owned restaurant that means business in creating a loyal following and success for many years to come. Highly recommended to give them a try.
Design Lady
Amazing food! Server Will was knowledgeable and professional! Real Italian food!!♥️ Loved it!!
V M
Finally a real Northern Italian restaurant in Tampa with Nona's recipes from scratch! The owner greets you at the door upon entering and has the hostess escort you to your table. The servers are all dressed in black with long black aprons, extremely knowledgeable of every dish and wine pairing. Placed on the table a bottle of water and a plate of homemade garlic buns, so light and delicate. We decided to try the classic Chicken Parmigiana and Chicken Marsala. The server brought out a family style salad platter to share and the entrees arrived and was enough food to bring home for a second meal! Very generous portions. It brought me back to my childhood growing up in NYC and eating a a family style restaurant in my old neighborhood. The marinara was the best I have ever had. You have to make reservations as they are always full to capacity. Mangia!!!
Diana Strawbridge
We LOVED the Italian atmosphere- the music, décor, history and food. The food was delish and ample enough for leftovers. The service was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and had recommendations (our first time there). Thank you David for great service!! We will definitely be going back to try something else!!
Rosemary Giovenco
I wanted to give Espositos an excellant review!! The food was awesome and Greg
Jaffe one of the managers was very cordial coming to our table and asking if we needed anything. He had a great personality and we enjoyed talking to him .aSanwasEsposiexcellanct
Stuart Miller
First time at Esposito’s. Waiter was outstanding and friendly. Happy hour doesn’t include wine. Wine prices are a bit high. I had SCALLOPS SAMBUCA. It was outstanding. However, for the price, three scallops was a bit stingy. Salad and garlic knots were excellent. Tiramisu tasted old. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and will visit again.
Toni Russell
Amazing food! Owner is friendly and walks around to ensure all is well at your table. Beautifully presented dishes with old time charm with the smell and flavors to boot. Try the lasagna! You will not be disappointed. Wow!
Linda Carosella
We haven't been there for a while and went to enjoy a nice dinner. The food was good except the portions are slimmed down and the pricing is the same. We ordered clams rigonsta. At first we got 10 clams, then 9 and tonight we received 7 to share for both of us. We also ordered eggplant copanata and didn't taste anything in it but the eggplant. No pine nuts, olives and too much balsamic vinegar. The entrees were good.
Laura
Dined there with a large group recently on a week night and food was authentic, fresh and delicious and service was wonderful. Because of this great experience I took out of town guests there this weekend and had a much different experience. They do not accept reservations for groups less than 6 so our group of 4 were told wait would be 50-60 minutes. This worked in our favor as the long wait pushed most groups to leave - which made our wait about 20 minutes. However, once getting our table it took over 15 minutes to be approache by waiter, and when we did there we no niceties...we were not asked for drink order, no explanation of menu, just asked if we wanted appetizer. We asked for waters for the table and placed order for appetizer and dinner. From this point on we hardly saw our watier and time between delivery of each item was too long - waited over an hour for our dinner and finally went to the bar to get ourselves another round of drinks. On a positive not, once dinner arrived it was excellent. Portions are large and very fresh. Despite the great food, the service was so poor, I will not rush back. It seemed as thought staff were overwhelmed and lacked oversight. When I do return, it will probably be early on a weeknight to experience the great food again. I really hope they address the service model as I'd like to see this restaurant do well. It is a good addition to the Carrollwood area.
Dr. Andrew Vallo
Incredible locally owned Italian restaurant. My group was there for a meeting and the owner Paul was a gracious host. We were fortunate to try a number of different dishes - everything was outstanding. Service was excellent throughout our event. I am glad we found this place and can't wait to go back!
Robert Peters
Esposito's food was fair and mildly overpriced. I had heard good things about their offering, and being from New Jersey myself, I was excited to see what they brought to the table.
I was mildly disappointed as the offering, while of a certain homemade goodness, felt pedestrian in execution. The consensus at the table as we moved through courses was, "it's good", but never an ah-ha moment of great surprise or a dish that made me feel "I have to tell somebody about this."
The price point is inline with the higher quality restaurants in the area which makes it a turn off for a return trip.
Dominick Cristofaro
Excellent food and great service. Thank you to our server, Lou.
Paul Lally
AKA Rocky,
Listen ( zenda mae) my wife Rocco and I are "Italian foodies" from New Haven and Boston and couldn't wait to go to Esposito's. Sauces are fresh, and perfectly complemented two of the "best"veal cutlet and meatball buccatini (aldente) pasta dinners we've had since moving here.. Rocco is Italian I am an Italian wanna be Irishman. This is as authentic as it gets. The sauces or gravy (BOSTONIAN) as the saying goes made a party in our mouths!!! So we drove 45 min. to an hour to get here. Well worth the ride with attentive service (Lisa) and a gracious owner Paul Barcelona. There's a lot of family history and love with this restaurant and because food reflects it I/wecan't wait to come back and pop another bottle of Montepuciano D'Abrusi and taste another of mama's and papa's recipes.
April Schumacher
We had dinner at Esposito’s last night and it was amazing. I had the fettuccine carbonara and my husband had the scallops. Everything was delicious including the bread and salad. Our waiter was very friendly and we look forward to dining here again very soon.
Don Haws
Great atmosphere and great service to go along with excellent Italian dishes. The portions are large and most dishes include garlic knots and a huge salad platter. They have a full bar and the wine prices are fair.
Reservations for six or more only so you might want to try to get there early. Mangia!
Katherine O'Connor
Wow just moved from N.Y. & my expectations weren't high trying my first Italian restaurant in Tampa. Boy was I wrong everything was great,from the service to the cocktails to the food. Can't wait to bring my NY friends here when they visit.
Katie & Chris
Krysta Garavuso
Absolute lovely experience from start to finish. We shared the fried mozzarella and rice balls, entrees were the shrimp scampi and the beef braciole all of which were cooked to perfection and tasted amazing!! Gustavo was a fantastic and fun server.
My husband really appreciated the serious authentic feel of every aspect of this restaurant. There will be many return trips for sure. Thank you Esposito Family. Just a wonderful local gem :)
B B
This was my first time there but it won't be my last. The food was very good and it has a nice atmosphere inside. It has a pretty large menu to choose from as well.
Edwin Lugo
Today Was my first visit and ordered Chicken picatta for take out. It was delicious and the order was large enough so I could share with my wife. The restaurant is large and allows for the proper social distancing. However, they have a few Outside tables for those who prefer to eat out. I will be back soon.
beth hardt
Bar tender Nick fabulous. We were “early birds” as it was “cold” today and nothing better to do than eat and drink great wine. We will be back. The attention to our meals was great, the staff/owner beyond ! Thank you for a fabulous first time at this place. .
Sam Villarosa
From the initial cocktails at the bar before seating, to the appetizer, to the entrees, to the desert, we had a great first experience. For being a brand new restaurant, we thought it would take some time, as expected, to find their stride, but Pauly and team immediately raised the bar. Excellent service, food/drink, and atmosphere. Looking forward to our next visit!
Orlando Alvarado
2021 Update: pretty good italian food still. But dropped the stars rating due to lack of familiarity with wines from the servers.
Ordered a dolcetto d’ alba and a sterling vintners rose from Napa that was under “SPARKLING”. We were given two still red wines. Mine is definitely a still red wine but after trying to make my server understand that what they gave my wife was wrong, she proceeded to explain this wine was a “different kind “ of rose and that it was sparkling. I looked at her and said: I know wines, that wine tastes and smells like a full body red wine such as cabernet, and has no bubbles, it is a still wine. The server still treated me like I was wrong. My wife just decided to drink even though it wasn’t her choice. Complete let down for such a restaurant to have poor knowledge of wines. *also served red wine too warm* Room temp is the right temp which is around 65 degrees which is pretty chill to the palate. Sadly Espositos let me down. Way better italian places further south.
2020 reviews:
My wife and I placed an order for the family Sunday afternoon. And Wow! We were impressed. Service at pick up was attentive and courteous. We ordered arancini, gorgonzola potato chips, lasagna and chicken francese. Everything was really good and definitely among the best italian places we’ve had. They even included some bread with olive oil for dipping and an italian salad and both were great as well. Only thing I would suggest that they should get on ASAP is to make families aware (like mine) if they are a kid friendly restaurant and also to include their desserts menu on their website (i am sure they have one). But all in all, this place deserves the 5 stars. We can’t wait to go back and actually have the dine in experience.
UPDATE: ordered takeout for a second time. This place is still EXCELLENT
Enma Luisa
Nice restaurant in Tampa . Costumer service was extremely good . The pasta was excellent.
re cry
Great food. 👍 beautiful salads. Nice ybor risotto. Good eggplant 🍆 Parmigiano. Nice rolls / bread. …
Josh Ferguson
My wife and I love Esposito's! We have dined here a few times and every dish we've ordered was delicious. I'm convinced there isn't a bad option on the menu. Paul and his staff are first class and very personable. Highly recommend!
- Josh & Heather
Ashley Neil
The food here is very good. I always order the gnocchi bolognese and it tastes great every time. My only complaint is that this restaurant is not consistent with their dishes. Every time I have ordered the gnocchi bolognese sometimes the portion sizes are different, or they barely give you any sauce, but other times the dish has been perfect. Otherwise, I highly recommend this restaurant.
Tracey Garcia
It is the MOST AMAZING Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at.
The Service is impeccable, the food so Awesome, we Love the atmosphere and the prices are great. Very worth the $ spent. If you haven't gone you NEED to go!
Joe Caravella
An awesome family oriented restaurant with classic dishes and also some modern adaptations. Paul, the owner, was there to enthusiastically greet us. The Arancini appetizers are authentic and every bit as good as you will get anywhere in Sicily! I had the Chicken Francese which was cooked perfectly ( better than how I made it in my old mom and pop restaurant!) the portions are generous. The atmosphere is very relaxing and they have a large room behind the bar for private parties.
J Laurange
Fantastic italian spot. We had a large group for some birthdays. Service was awesome. I had the risotto ybor which had crabmeat and it was phenomenal. We also loved the salad that came with the dinner which was family style and the garlic knots were killer!! So good. Will be revisiting soon!
David J. Curtis
My partner and I enjoyed a lovely meal at Esposito's a short while ago. The food, drink, service, and atwasphere were all excellent. My girlfriend (a first generation Italian American) helped me select my course - the Beef Bracciole Neapolitan Style. There was plenty, and plenty to take home for another meal (it was even better the 2nd time!). Afterwards I insisted we sit at the bar. Amanda was our bartender. You couldn't have asked for a friendier, more delightful personality or better conversation, simply wonderful. I was greatly impressed with the staff's professionalism, with the owners (whom I met), and with their general Manager, Steve. I highly recommend Esposito's for a true Italian Style meal in Tampa.
Steve Barker
We had the rice balls, fiocchi, & chicken gorgonzola all of which were great! We're not Italian, but this place makes you feel like family. This is an experience not a quick in and out for dinner. Set aside some time to relax and enjoy the process. Great food and service!
DeLaska E
I hate to break up this string of perfection in regards to these reviews, but they are the only reason I ate here to begin with. I waited nearly an hour to get a table. With all the hype I was so excited to try this restaurant. It was a let down. Soooo over priced. Not sure what I was expecting, but it was pretty average. Definitely not frozen shrimp in my scampi, that's for sure!
TERRY YANEZ
OMG. This was the best meal I have had since COVID struck I am going back soon. So meny things on the menus to try. The wait staff couldn't have been better. The prices are very fair. The portions are more than adiquit . The ombiance is very relaxing and we'll you know Italian. I give this a solid 10 out of 10. A+.
Crystal Pheulpin
We came in town with friends from Maryland. The atmosphere here was amazing, the food over the top, portion size was oversized. We had the best time and highly recommend to anyone visiting the Tampa Bay region! Thanks Paulie!!
TriPrism Marketing & Events
I have been anticipating the opening of Esposito's for awhile now since its predecessor Carmel closed. Luckily for me, as I was prowling Carrollwood for something delicious to eat, I noticed the 'Now Open' sign.
Upon walking in, I was greeted immediately by a gentleman (who I presume to be the owner) as well as a warm and friendly hostess. I had already stalked the menu since I was having take out but had questions.
The hostess sent a very friendly waiter to take my order at the front. The dish I wanted to order didn't offer a particular meat choice on the menu. When the waiter asked the owner if a substitution was possible - he responded with 'whatever the lady would like' and offered additional recommendations for my substitution.
Fast forward to home - the food was amazing!! I ordered Franky's Bow tie pasta and Shrimp Piccata (which is not offered on the menu). I'm a bit of a piccata connoisseur (its my jam!) And I have to say, this is one of the best I've tasted! The lemon and caper balance was spot on and the consistency was perfect to run through and also stick to my pasta. My wife had the bow tie dish. She said the pasta and sauce itself were so delicious that she didn't even need to add the chicken!
The dinner rolls and olive oil were fantastic as well!! I've barely finished my meal as the portions are plentiful. Looking forward to lunch tomorrow!
I'm also looking forward to tasting their vast menu. Excited to have Esposito's as a viable food option in Carrollwood!
William Goodman
Incredibly good food. The steak was cooked perfectly the lobster ravioli was delicious I can't say enough about the scallops. Perfectly cooked on top of some fantastic pasta. I recommend this place highly
joe saponara
First time there. Food and service was excellent! Had the veal osso buco. Will definitely go back.
Jennifer Clark
I ate here a few times since recently discovering this restaurant, which I was thrilled about and preferred to more established and closer options like Bella’s. During my last visit, I dined alone and decided to order an entree for dinner and an appetizer to take home and snack on over the weekend. My waiter thought this was funny and had no problems sharing his opinions that this was a lot of food for one person, and making little comments throughout my dinner. Given that it was the end of my work week, I was looking forward to making the drive to Carrollwood and having a nice dinner, but I don’t expect to be picked at or made uncomfortable about my dining choices by my server, who could use a lesson in table-side manner. I won’t be back again.
Sherrie Ngo
Seriously can't love this place or recommend it more. We went here for a friend's birthday tonight but we've gone several times in the past. What a nice addition to the community this is. The food is great and the servers will treat you like family. The atmosphere is great for dates, business dinners or night out with the family. Highly recommend.
B Fitzgerald
Always a fresh, delicious authentic Italian dinner.
Patty Torman
OUTSTANDING!!!!! The owner and staff are first rate. Very kind and professional. The food was amazing!!! My husband and I just returned to our home in Orlando. I couldn't wait to write this review while everything was still fresh in my head. For appetizers we had the scallop cupcakes and the octopus. Both were sooo delicious. The salad and bread that are served with entree's were even outstanding. Now, the entree's: I'm having trouble putting in to words how good, amazing, delicious, etc.. My husband had the Zuppa De Pesce. I had the Ribeye Vanilla Cognac Creme. We have friends in the Tampa area and will be recommending this wonderful restaurant to them. Although we live in Orlando we will definitely be making special trips to Tampa just to go to Esposito's!! Everyone Enjoy!!!!
Mark Bodley
SERIOUSLY Great food. I have been here multiple times and it has been INSANELY GREAT, every time. Veal Marsala, Veal scaloppini with Gorgonzola, and gnocchi, OMG getting hungry just reminiscing. this is one of those restaurants where we all sat and contemplated how many generations of restaurant operators were in the family that owns this, it is pure perfection for classic Italian with a modern gourmet sensibility.
G Gibson
EVERYTHING was perfect, literally! From the server and the amazingly marshmallow-soft, fresh bread to the deliciously tasty appetizer and entrees, it was a great experience. And the Espresso Martini is the BEST I've ever had...dangerously smooth and yummy.
Dave Conte
I was really impressed with the entire experience! The food was fantastic, the server was excellent, the manager was a great guy i enjoyed talking to. It's my new favorite place being sicilian! My neighbors took us there and i will be back for sure!
Marie Sternberg
Great food and fabulous service!
We went for a friend's birthday birthday and really had a great time.
There were 22 of us, so they gave us a private room!
E Z
Excellent genuine Italian.
Excellent sauces, not bitter .
Outstanding servers.
Family environment.
Best Italian tasting food by far in Tampa and the portions, mama mia forget-about-it,
Sherell Ellison
I bit fancy for every day tastes and definitely expensive, but good as an occasional meal
Doug Leonardo
The food is excellent and our server Alfredo was wonderful. I would have rated them 5 stars but the hostess and the manager were not wearing masks. I was disappointed especially since these 2 people have interactions with every person in the restaurant. If you are high risk do not dine there
Ruchi Attal
Amazing food! We finally have an awesome Italian restaurant in Carrollwood! We thoroughly enjoyed all the food and would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone we know. Congratulations to the Owners and their teams on great customer service and amazing food. We cannot wait to order from there again soon!
Matt D.
A local, authentic Italian joint. Gustavo was our server. He was personable and attentive. As for the food, it was flavorful and filling. You will not leave hungry!
Matt Staehle
Esposito's is a top notch Italian dining experience, with some excellent local variations. If you are a seafood lover the Risotto A La Ybor is an exceptional dish with monds of sweet blue crab. We have been multiple times, and every entree, appetizer, and drink we have ordered has been of the highest quality.
I strongly recommend dining here!
Anne Marie Brown
The food was delicious! We had a large party so we had a lot of options to sample. Every dish, appetizer and dessert were on point! Highly recommend. Staff was friendly and very accommodating.
Gianna Tagliarini Caravella
An outstanding restaurant. Paul and his family make you part of the his family at Esposito’s Italian.
We have been several times and love trying new dishes. Paul is a culinary master who can make the “old school” and modern Italian dishes.
We love the vibe We love Esposito’s and We love the hard work Paul puts in to make everything great!
Gianna
Angela M
Second time visiting this restaurant! This time we brought six friends! Everything we’ve tried so far on the menu has been amazing. Our friends loved it! Staff is also very helpful and knowledgeable. David took amazing care of us! This place is a MUST!!!!
Ryan Cooper
Make sure you ask for Eric as a server. Very attentive and knows his stuff. Great authentic Italian dishes that had outstanding flavor.
Serena Thomas
Food was good but the waitress told us the plates were big enough to share. Our food came and it was like a kids meal.
REVENUE GENERATOR
Excellent service, cozy atmosphere, food was absolutely delicious (fettucine pasta, chicken marsala, lasagna and lobster ravioli), the bread is also delicious.
Russell Moore
The food was amazing, and our server, Melanie, was the absolute best. We visited on the recommendation of our cable technician and plan to become regulars. The only slight hiccup was that they opened at 5:00 instead of the advertised time of 4:00 due to staff shortages.
Mike lopez
The food was great but the service was really slow. One of the examples is, it took us 45 minutes from asking for our checks to receiving it( which is really why this isn't a 5 star review). We were a party of 6 and we were there for 3 hours. But again the food is 5 stars and deserves a try.
jaciuro
Excellent food and service, great location. Parking can be a bit difficult depending on the day you go. Italian cuisine here rivals other local good spots you may already have as primary. Definitely give this establishment a try, you're very unlikely to be disappointed.
Frank Colla
Excellent service Gustavo! The ambience and food we're worth 6 stars! The meal was timely paced, not a rush to move you out! Ample time between courses. The chef/ owner even stopped by for approval! Can't wait to try again!
Abby Arzuaga
Best italian food in Tampa! Fresh pasta. Sauces! Service to your liking. Try the fiocchi! Best bite ever. Wine prices meets all needs! Unforgettable. Never settle for less. This is Italian Italian in Tampa! Gorgonzola sauce pairs best with ribeye but veal and chicken will taste as good. Try real Sicilian Italian in Tampa!
Cathi Flaherty
Impossible to get through to via phone. They aren’t interested in take out orders although it is an easier profit for them. While they did graciously accommodate the difficulty, portions for take out were less than what we experienced when dining in.
The food is phenomenal, but the effort is quite challenging.
Trey Lawson
Would be a 10/10 stars if it was possible. Amazing experience and amazing food. Started off good night with a couple glasses of wine in the rice balls as an appetizer, perfectly fried with delicious marinara. Main entrées included rigatoni and vodka sauce in the Bolognese with gnocchi. Flavor was incredible and the portions are huge!! Finished the dinner with the peanut butter pie and this is a absolute MUST HAVE if you are dining at the restaurant. Thank you Esposito For bringing some Italian flair to Carrollwood.
Dan Hamrick
Food was good, however called in order to go was told it would be ready in 30 minutes, arrived to pick up at about 25min. Was told it would be a little while. It was more than an hour after I arrived for pickup that I finally got my food. Very disappointed, amd this was before the actual dinner rush.
Brew and Orange
Authentic Italian feel with a great wine selection and extensive menu. Paul, the owner and Lisa, our waitress were fantastic. Our food was perfect and the wine Paul suggested was delicious. Cant wait to go back.
Captainandcoke70
I was at Esposito's on Sunday 9/27. I had eggplant parm and the cannoli chips for dessert. John Paul was our waiter. He was totally on point. Excellent service. I have to say I have my new Italian restaurant! I am from NY and this is as close as it gets!
Randall Smith
We have eaten at many Italian restaurants from Tampa, New York, to Italy, and overall, this one was fine. Food, ambiance-all fine. What bothered me the most was two things: One of the hostesses was mask-less, and even worse, the person whom I assume was the manager, came by our table to engage in conversation mask-less. While during normal times, this would be a welcome pleasantry. However, we are not living in normal times, and I that one brief instance has influenced whether or not I will return to the restaurant. All things must be considered, and last time I checked, Hillsborough County still had its mask order in place.
Matthew Storey
What a great dinner. It was so nice to see a full house on a Tuesday night in a family owned restaurant during this time of craziness. Paul Varsillona (hoped I got at least close on the spelling) has a truly great team, a modern atmosphere and a menu to meet anyone's Italian wishes. I wish him and his family all the success in the world and look forward the dining with them again soon.
Steve Weiner
Very nice, moderate to high pricing, excellent service, and tasty food...We shared some very tender octopus and added clams casino, vodka sauce pasta and salad... The house drinks were quite original and it was a lovely experience.
Jim Tate
Hands down the best Italian food around. Met the owner Paul and he was kind enough to come to the table and give details of the entire menu and gave us great recommendations. I had the chicken saltimbocca, she had the chicken rollantini and I took home the famous fiocchi for my son and I will tell you it was all fantastic.
Thank you Paul
Jim and Mindy
Carol Felipak
Amazing food, desert and service.definitely worth a try.
Betty White
Had reservations. Big party. Food was great ,service great. Music was little to loud.
Zoila Savillo
The service was excellent, the food preparation esquisite, music background pleasant, and decorations specially picked for their heritage. Highly recommend for quality Italian food.
G C
ESPOSITO'S WAS AMAZING! CAME TO SURPRISE VISIT MY MOM FOR MOTHERS DAY AND WENT HERE FOR DINNER WITH THE FAMILY! FOOD WAS AMAZING!! OUR WAITER DENNIS WAS FANTASTIC!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Kevin Danaher
Wow! And I repeat... WOW! Between the atmosphere, the friendly staff (and owners), and the food I was thoroughly impressed. I will be back over and over because this place is a treasure! Take Elaine's word on it... the cannolis are unforgettable! My first experience was worth a sixth star
Scott Upright
All I can say is Espisito's did not disappoint!! My wife and I went there for dinner last week and had the scallop cupcakes, Fiocchi and the Picatta. Everything was absolutely amazing!! You can feel a hundred years of family pride all over the place. We felt very safe there and we both really felt like we gotta away for a couple of hours. Carrollwood is very fortunate to have Esposito's here!!
Colleen
This place is our go to for delicious authentic Italian food.
Julie W
Great birthday celebration. Food was absolutely amazing, our server was very attentive, atmosphere was nice
Lou G
Best Italian place I've eaten in in quite some time. Paul, the owner from Jersey City has a fantastic menu and everything so far that I've tried has been five star
Felecia Jones
Great food. The mood was more like hanging out with your family. The owner kept checking to make sure our group had everything we needed. I plan on going back.
Marcus Manchester
The gnocchi bolognese was wonderful. Definitely go for the peanut butter pie over the chocolate mousse cake.
Nelly Benitez
I Will definitely be back!! Everything was great, from the service to the food!!!
Reverna Moore
This place exceeded my expectations! The food was delicious, restaurant was clean and beautifully decorated & the staff were wonderful! The owner came by and checked on us also which was nice! We will def be back!!
Oh and the bread was absolutely delicious!!
Dave Crawford
Fantastic food, finally a local (for me) Italian spot! Service was great, Paul and his team were very welcoming....they want all guests to feel like family! Great vibe!
C H
Wow ! What a great addition to Carrollwood ! Everyone has their own opinions of Eye talian food lol , this is great ! Great ambiance great service , lisa was our server she was absolutely great , great price too , their not gouging ya , I'll be back .
Nitza Olivero
The food was absolutely delicious! Second time here and I will go back again I highly recommend
Anon
Went here for the first time for my anniversary. Very nice restaurant. Food tastes pretty good and the service was great. Garlic bread balls are to die for. Will revisit.
Aaron D. Horcha
Atmosphere nice. Food and service outstanding!
Alan Antinori
Waiter says, unable to serve dessert & coffee because our system is down (whatever that is: billing, computer, network, etc.), LOL! But, the manager (thanks to her) came over and made everything right.
Cindy White
My family and I tried quite a few things on Esposito’s menu and I can say that everything was absolutely amazing. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. This is my new favorite restaurant in Carrollwood and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves great food!!
Fran Sweet
Great Italian food, service, and atmosphere. You get so much food you can eat the next day from left-overs. Try the pie....fantastic! Will be back soon.
Terri Gillson
Awesome food n service ...our go to for Italian..we have tried many
Frank C
Wow!! Excellent! Enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Italian dishes like nana made. Amazing taste. Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Dino music in the background. Quite a treat for Carrollwood.
Matthew Betters
First time there great atmosphere, great service, lots of choices on menu , food had good taste, I thought music was a little load had to yell to talk at table but good music no big deal .
Jay Plastic
What a wonderful intalian restaurant. My wife and i had the scallops sambuca and fiocchi. It was amazing. I would highly recommend eating here. Also our server, Barbara, was fantastic.
john lovetere
Always a delicious meal at Espositos! Great service, great atmosphere....love it!
Patrick Amato
We have been to Espositos 3 times and each time we leave extremely satisfied. Espositos is truly authentic Italian with everything made from scratch. Can't wait for my next visit.
Cindy Cicala
Excellent food, service and ambiance. The staff is so friendly and really made it special for my birthday with my family. The was amazing as always......delicioso
Papa Pump
We attended a rehearsal dinner here...the food was outstanding and the Turimisu was some of the best I've ever had.
Billy packer
Food and service was great. Fantastic attmosphere
Marianne Beall
Service was Great, Food Out of this World. Decor was Awesome. Be sure to get a Slice of Peanut Butter Pie. To Die for. Great Salad and Portions Big. Prices Good Too.
Sharad Patel
Great food,service, and ambiance.
Katie B
Wonderful food, good service, just a little too loud the last couple of times I've been there
John R
Food was excellent, service great. However, someone needs to tell the owner that we are in the middle of a pandemic. Place was way too crowded. No social distancing at all.
James Riley
Food is fabulous and as stated in another review the owner came to each table to make sure everything was perfect.
My new favorite restaurant
Twin mom Hart
OMG. Delicious. Servers are wonderful. Bartender is amazing and will make anything you ask, she is awesome. FOOD AND ATMOSPHERE ARE OUTSTANDING.
Brook Borup
Got take out today from Esposito's for the first time. Ahhhmazing! The pear purses are my new favorite to satisfy a pasta craving!
Nichole Stewart
Very nice atmosphere, wide variety of wine and authentic Italian food with big portions.
Justin Downey
Really great place, Lisa and the whole team care greatly about getting the little details right in their dishes. Overall an excellent Italian family run restaurant
Tamra Hemke
1st time dining at this restaurant & the Italian food was excellent; additionally David, our server, was so very attentive; great time & great food!
Victoria Harting
You have to go here! This place has incredible Italian cuisine and all the staff are so kind. Highly recommend the fried mozzarella and fried artichoke hearts!
mike cieslik
Excellent food and service. Highly recommend.
Tommy L
Excellent food and service!! Large portions too.
buckyp p
Wow..new hidden gem. Awesome family owned Italy..huge menu..great food.
Must go to
Cristie POWELL
One of the best meals we have had in the area.
Linda Ann Raia
Highly recommended
Wesley Mullinax
Great new Italian in Carrollwood/Tampa FL. Fresh menu with fresher food. It is a must try and highly encourage Downtown Tampa Residents to take the trip up to Carrollwood Village.
nilda osorio
Great food the food was authentic Italian.Salad was to die for.The serivice and our waiter Fernando was so attentive .Portions were big and we took our dessert to go because we were full.Will definitely make it one of our to go places for dinner.
Steve Kennedy
Man, so good! It was pretty busy on a Friday night and they held up well. The food was incredible!
Honey Badger
Really good spaghetti. This place is a little on the expensive side but their portions are huge so it can really be 2 meals for most people and 3 for some!
Sean Febre (Febre Frameworks)
This place is amazing. No matter what you get you will not be disappointed. It is by far my favorite Italian restaurant in Tampa. No other restaurant comes close.
Barry Chase
An amazing atmosphere and staff, this Italian gem is hidden away.
A must visit for it's amazing menu.
Kelsey Leggett
I can't stop talking about how amazing my meal was - the fiocce is one of the best tasting things I've ever eaten!
Sara
Lovely atmosphere, delicious food, and nice-size portions. We will definitely eat here again.
Iowa State fan
Best Italian food I've eaten in Tampa. Friend took us a month ago and now my whole family has been a handful of time.
Amber Bancroft
Thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience. Great ambience, friendly staff, good food. Will definitely return to this neighborhood gem.
michele fein
Wonderful meal at Espositos. I will definitely recommend this restaurant
Adam Ruskin
This is real Italian food. Great service, nice portions, friendly atmosphere.
Rogelio Gomez
Amazing food and drinks, Very good service
Robert Perez
Been there twice, I've never had Italian food this good, Best food, great service. Can't wait to eat there again.
David Mçgregor
My favorite Italian restaurant it all about grandma recipes delicious (FOR GET ABOUT IT)
Frank Ambrosino
Best Italian food I've had in Florida other than my wife Kim, mother Marie, and sister Cheryl.
Ralph Sr Alvarez
Best food in riverview area.
Randy Rumore
Best Restaurant in Tampa. Great Food, Atmosphere, and Service. I just Love Espositos.
Svetlana Covileac
Waited a long time but it was worth it. the waiters work very well and the table is always clean. thank you very tasty
srotag og
Great food the chicken parm is amazing and the crab enchilau is sublime. Tommy at the bar is the Man! So awesome to have this in Cwood!
John Wydo
Excellent food and service. The menu is varied and interesting. Hard to make choice! Our party of 4 all agreed 👍👍 …
jose agosto
New restaurant,the food was great and .service.Took our friend for her birthday..Had a great time was not rushed . Will be going back.
Sergio A Salcedo
My only go-to Italian restaurant in Tampa.
Christine Holuban
Expensive. But worth it. Confused? Check it out. It does fill up especially weekend nights. Skip olive garden and other so called Italian restaurants.
Diana Melvin
Consistent great food and great service!
Anthony F
Authentic Italian! Great flavor, very good portions! We will be back! Our new favorite
Donavan Honnold
Had a terrific meal for a special family occasion. Thanks for the hospitality and service.
Glen Yudman
Best Italian food since moving from NYC
Eggplant is to die for
Great service as well!!
Diane Morrissey
Loved the presentation of the salad and food. Food was fantastic. Will definitely go back.
Donna Schulz
This was a catered event and it was awesome-food was so good
Mike Mowat
Just ate here first time. Super Good! You won’t leave hungry! Great service and staff.
E T
The staff was pleasant, the food was great and will go back!
Kristen Centrone
Very tasty food!! Will definitely come back. Best eggplant I've had in a long time!!
deidre dougherty
No to go orders....missing out on another revenue stream....too bad...
zach S
Absolutely awesome Italian food.
Tony Petruzzella
Food and service were amazing! Highly recommend the Venetian black risotto.
Wayne Copeland
A very friendly atmosphere with great food. You will not be disappointed
Karyn Roeling
Great service, fantastic food and a very nice wine list! We will be back for sure!
Mosha Goracoff Cohen Miracola
The ambiance friendly,our waiter carlito was great and the food was excellent.
Lillian Corona
Ambiance is good, service was great and food was fantastic! Would definitely recommend.
Glenn Fulgueira
Food & service help was very good. Kitchen service was very slow for appetizer, salad & entree.
Ryan Betancourt
This place is absolutely outstanding!! everything on the menu is delicious and huge portions of food!!! This place is a must!
Sergio Collazo
Joanne give us a excellent service ..
Bruce F Cumming LLC
Foo and service was really good.
Mary Walker
Had the best meal and services I've had in a long time. Highly recommend!
Katie Sparks Jones
Delicious and nice for the whole family
Katie Russell
Wonderful service, great atmosphere, delicious food. I will go back and reccomend to friends.
Sylvia Wilson
Too crowded but the fried artichokes were delicious.
lawrence olaogun
Went to dinner with the parents in law lol. Luckily the only thing that could match the excellent company was the food OMG .
Laura Rodríguez
Really good food. The service was excellent and the place was really nice
Steve Fisher
Very nicely decorated. Great staff. Food was exceptional.
Jeannette Rubio
Food was good .mask mandate not upheld at this place. or seating away from others is not avail everything is 100%open
Michael Corona
Wow! What an amazing dinner, excellent Italian food and service.
Patti Young
Our favorite Italian restaurant! Exceptional cuisine and service always!
Shawn Thrane
My mom said the baked clams at this restaurant are absolutely fantastic there to die for.....
Mike Gieder
Great food, great atmosphere, wonderful and friendly staff
Nicholas Gootan
Great menu. Food was very good. Definitely going back
Eyda Marquez
Great food and service. Nice atmosphere.
bob paterson
A bit pricey...a bit above average food
S Eigell
Nice Place. Good Menu and Wine List.
Gregory Hepler
Excellent Food and Service, Probably the best Italian food I have eaten, in months
Tiffany Cueto
The food and service were amazing, top notch!
Sherri Johns
Great food! Nice to have a new Italian restaurant to choose from
Goozar b
Amazingly generous pours, fantastic food and great atmosphere.
Linda McDition
Best Veal Parm. Best Dinner Rolls. Best Italian I have had.
Luis Carbonell
Prefect place for a special dinner...
Thomas Carbone
The atmosphere was great and the food was delicious couldn't Beat It and will be back from more
bren3477
Fantastic, all around! This was the first of many visits. - no doubt about it.
Liz Martinez
Service and food was on point.
Loved everything about the place.
Will be back
Janice Bergin
Great food! Servers should wear masks though.
Carol Brumfield
Food was fantastic and our waiter Michael phenomenal
Salvatore Ingrassia Jr
Your italian grandma's cooking with a bunch of options. Amazing italian food.
David B. Wieland
Best authentic Italian in Tampa, hands down
Maria Cherrez-VanGalder
Best Italian food I’ve had since NYC.
Linda C.
All I can say is delucious.
Joe Wiley
Very good. Diverse menu. Well prepared. A new fav.
dianneconsandine
Awesome food, service, management. Thankyou Roxanne all around awesome dining experience..👍🤩 …
Rich Santeramo
Great atmosphere - great food - great service !!!! 👍🇺🇸 🇮🇹 …
Thomas Watts
Great selections available and the atmosphere is perfect for enjoying friedship.
Salvatore “Sam” LaSalvia
Best Italian dinner I've had in a long time.
John Sheid
Simply the best Italian restaurant in Tampa Bay. Try the baked clams!
Andres Orozco
Hands down... the best italian in town
Shirley Blades
Best Italian i have ever ate and the staff is very friendly
Gina Maniscalco
Delicious Italian food.
angie t
Highly recommend... Food is delish and the staff is Awesome!
Damon Hughes
Great service and great food. Will be returning!
Andre Taylor
Had the fried Red Snapper on broccoli. Food and presentation was awaiting. I cant wait to going back
Robert Creemers
Fantastic Food!, Great Service!
5 Star Experience!!
Michelangelo Mortellaro
Excellent food and friendly staff. I highly recommend this place!
Scott P.
Good food. Pricy. Please get sweet tea. You're in Florida!
pablo m
Great food and service
Melinda Murrell
Lisa was great and the bartender Mike was very helpful.
Robert Grady
Stuffed to the gills! If you leave this restaurant hungry, you've got problems!
josh arnold
I loved the food and the service was fast and friendly
Sharon Marinas
Celebrate suzy birthday 🎂 🥳 …
Larry Williams
Food was amazing, the staff was friendly.
Kirk Freeman
Good vibe, Fantastic service n excellent Italian fare.
Patch Es
Excellent food and service. No coffee or espresso.
Frank McMahon
Great place for awesome food excellent service great atmosphere.
John Kamkutis
I live in Clearwater and came to Tampa for Dinnef. It was excellent.
Tracy Stowell
Friendly staff, pretty decor, and yummy meatballs.
Jackie Rojas-Quinones
My new favorite Italian restaurant. Amazing!!!
Megan Campbell
Have a absolutely fantastic dinner here
Pir 8
The best Italian restaurant and possibly the best restaurant period in Tampa.
Paul Ferlita
Excellent Italian Food, the Bolognese is the best in Tampa.
Rene Gonzalez
Great ambient.food excelent.. great costumer service..
Wally Bekta
Best Italian food I've ever had!
Steve Queipo
Worth the long wait to open. Good service and very good food
Kathleen Kempke
Excellent food and service.
Ryan George
Great meal, great service.
Scott Phelps
Incredible food and excellent service.
Stephen Desrosier
Great Food and good people.
Marcelino
If you're in the mood for Itlaian, Esposito's is worth it!
Jonathan Ortiz (Dj Spazzem)
Went twice in one week never left disappointed enough said!
s m
Prices are ridiculously high for microwaved food