Filippi's Pizza Grotto Little Italy Reviews

This place was totally awesome. The service was exceptional and the food was great as well. Very large portion size so be prepared. Even the small salads are enough for 2 people easily. The prices were very reasonable and the outside seating was great. Highly recommend!

We ordered to go pizza and the pies were delicious just be advised the little Italy area parking can be a challenge.

So good. Delicious pizza and salad. Waited about 20 min and totally worth it. Food delicious and good service.

Located in Little Italy. When you first walk in, there are pastas, seasoning, etc, for purchase. We missed the podium to check into as it was really busy, so make sure you stop at the podium to check in and get your name in for seating. It was very busy which is a good sign of a delicious place. Restrooms are clean. We ordered 2 pizzas for 3 of us. We ordered the sausage and pepperoni pizza and a vegetarian pizza. We had 4 slices left over. So it's a pretty decent amount of pizza. Our total was about $61 before tip. We went on a recommendation and we would also recommend it. Great pizza. Our hotel was in the Gaslamp Quarter and we walked.

We came here on accident because we thought it was a different place. We ended up sitting down and had the best pizza of our lives with incredible service and we even came back the next day for antipasto. This place is a must eat. Thank you!

Food to go during the quarantine. Large order for multiple people. Everything was delicious! Pizza this multiple meats really hit the spot. Tasted spaghetti and garlic bread - really good. I will recommend to family and friends.

This is an authentic Italian pizzeria and pasta restaurant. The raviolis were homemade with great flavor. The pizza was super cheesy with fresh toppings and a great crust-not too thick and not too thin. They have indoor and outdoor seating options and the servers were very nice.

We stopped in for lunch while touring the city and Little Italy and were glad we did. The food was excellent. We had the Eggplant Parm sandwich and Spaghetti & meatballs. We could have split either entree and still had leftovers. The staff were friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend this place!

Unfortunately we thought that being an institution the pizza could be good, the dough was new but the topping of a margherita was completely full of mozzarella as a base and pieces of tomato wedges on top, cooked basil on top in pieces. Anything but a daisy. Too bad, for 50 dollars two daisies, really a disappointment.

This was the first time I had eaten at this restaurant, and my overall experience was good! We were seated fairly quickly. We ordered pizza, and it was good overall!

Got GrubHub to deliver. Had large cheese and a large pepperoni along with a side salad and a combo plate. Lasagna and spaghetti. Everything was good except the garlic bread. Not much garlic.

Fine american italian food. Rich in olive oil, but not first quality virgin oil. I had shrimp scampi, it was ok on standard pasta, a bit too much garlic. But I am Turkish so Mediterranean style is OK with me.The staff is friendly and efficient. The inside tables are a bit dark and not well lighted.

Excellent place to eat with family, prices are High 🤑 but worth all the experience, 100% Pizza 100% Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken 100% Canoli and Tiramisu

Been going during Comic-Con week since 2005. Best pizza I've ever had west of the Mississippi. While I usually get a pizza, the couple of times I've gone with the pasta dishes were outstanding. I've introduced friends to the place and they've started making it a regular stop.

We came as a FAMILY OF FOUR (ME, my PARTNER, my SISTER IN LAW, and my NIECE); and when we arrived the place was pretty empty, AND THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE WAITING. We were put off a bit by the HOSTESS, at first. She wanted to put us back in the back, back, BACK of the restaurant, WITHOUT THE HANGING WINE BOTTLES!!! I did not want to be back there, especially when there were TWO SECTIONS, up front, completely empty!!! It took a bit of time, and persuasion; but eventually we were seated in the area with the HANGING WINE BOTTLES. After getting our table, our SERVER HEIDI took our drink order, WHICH SHE HAD OUT TO US IN A FLASH!!! She then took our food order. We ordered a SPECIAL PIZZA, LASAGNA for ME, MINESTRONE SOUP for the adults and large DINNER SALAD for my PARTNER and SISTER IN LAW. In addition, SERVER HEIDI suggested GARLIC BREAD. WE HAD AN EXTRA SPECIAL EXPERIENCE, THANKS TO SERVER HEIDI. SHE WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS, AND ALSO WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO LISTEN TO OUR ORDER. I especially wanted extra SAUCE!!! We had made a few other special requests, including a SLOW-PLACED MEAL. We got just that. Indeed, we had a great meal, Slow-PACED, just the way we like it!!! I would make a couple of suggestions, however. First, when someone orders a glass of wine, serve it in a wine glass!!! Second, when someone orders sparkling water, bring PELLEGRINO, and not just a glass of something!!! After being seated in a good section, EVERYTHING WAS AS CLOSE TO AS EXPECTED, as could be!!!

Nothing separates good from great pizza like crusts and in my opinion Filippi’s produces one of the top two or three best pizza crusts I’ve tasted in 60+ years of dining. The rest of their ingredients are likewise excellent and their prices are quite reasonable, particularly considering the quality and location. Plenty of room inside for larger parties and a well-stocked deli for your takeaway needs.

This was a wonderful evening. Got there early so no wait. Fabulous lasagne, ravioli and spaghetti. Had the house chianti which was good. Topped off with one of the best cannolis we have ever had.

I was in San Diego and saw the review for this restaurant. I had pizza which was half veggie and half meat lovers. The pizza was delicious and the service was great. I would recommend this to anyone visiting San Diego.

Outstanding service and price - definitely a hidden gem in Little Italy district. A large salad is plenty for two and maybe four . The lasagna w/meatball is plenty for two. Plus the garlic bread was a meal by itself. I will definitely return here every time I am in San Diego.

Will never try to eat there again. Why?? Here’s what happened. They monitor the parking lot. . We were customers and the parking attendant was an absolute jerk to us. He was rude, abrupt, and condescending. The first time we tried to eat there he said, “Can’t you see the lot is full! Stop holding up traffic. Go somewhere else!” So we did. The second time, we pulled it at 8:45. They were busy and their hours are until 9:00. He said, “Come on, seriously?!? We’re closed.” I said, “it says you close at 9:00”. He rolled his eyes and snapped, “That’s only 15 min away!” He then said, “Get out of here.” Yes that is exactly what he said and four of us in the car all heard it. We went to Barbusa instead. highly recommend that place!!!

a favorite of mine. got off of the plane and headed here. really good pasta and prime rib! Don pas this place up!

Such a disappointment! We were craving pizza and knew we were close to Little Italy. Since we were visiting during the pandemic, we were trying to eat in our hotel room as much as possible. We ordered two pizzas and a meatball sub through Door Dash. The delivery was delayed from first estimates by about 30 minutes. At one point, it said someone was there waiting on our order and then all of the sudden they were preparing our order and a whole different driver was on the way. Don’t know if that was Door Dash or the restaurant. Regarding the food, we were SO disappointed! If you have a name like they have, you’d expect some epic pizza. We ordered a simple pepperoni and then a personalized one with salami, sausage, and pepperoni. The pepperoni, cheese and sauce had decent flavor, but there was such a sparse amount of it. The crust was a total letdown and way too thick. The sausage tasted weird to all of us. The meatball sub was just “meh.” It was really a huge disappointment. Would not return.

loved this place! authentic food. great service. enjoyed the outside lunch. i understand its one of the older restaurants in Little Italy.

Little Italy boasts some very fine Italian food choices and Filippi’s is right for a quick bite or a full dinner experience. They are found all around the county with the Little Italy location being the flagship. You won’t leave hungry or disappointed. From sandwiches, pizza, or full course meals they deliver on service and quality.

Delicious lunch! We had the pizza but the sandwiches and lasagna around us looked amazing. Loved the vibe and all the hanging Chianti bottles. It felt like we were back in Italy.

My friends and I chose this restaurant in Little Italy based on a recommendation from a San diego local. When you walk into the restaurant, you will enter into their storefront. Stand by the "To be seated" sign and the Host will escort you to your table. We tried the combination plates. I had the lasagna with marinara sauce and cheese ravioli. My friend ordered the spaghetti with meatballs and the lasagna with Italian sausage and beef. The sauce was flavorful. We were both pleased. The service was fast and attentive. We ordered the dinner rolls vs. garlic bread. In the future, we will order garlic bread. The dinner rolls were average and somewhat tough to chew. Overall, I would return to this restaurant.

No lunch, 2pm and the hunger pangs had arrived. We went to Philippi's for a take out. The order was simple, "can you do a 50/50 and the anser was yes. The bride wanted a Margharita and I wanted pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms, No Problem. (the reason we order 50/50 is because we can't possibly eat a full pizza each) We were not disappointed, the pizza was fabulous and the service was great. This restaurant is highly recommended either for take out or eat in. Good value for money.

It didn't fully meet my expectations. It has convenient free parking, the place is very nice and you can feel the harmony, delicious dishes but a reduced menu without very gourmet options, the dishes they offer are traditionally basic. The staff in general is friendly but our waitress Megan has no idea what customer service means.

Recommended by a local and did not disappoint! Derrick our waiter, honestly what a star! Food would feed an army or navy as in San Diego. Felt like food nonna would make. Would go anytime

I was visiting from out of town and used paid parking near the restaurant. The parking meter stated that if you’re dining at a restaurant, you could ask for a validation code. When I politely asked the waiter, he was incredibly rude and dismissive. His only response was, “We offer free parking.” I explained that their lot was full, and he snapped back with, “That’s not my problem.” What should’ve been a simple question turned into an unnecessarily unpleasant exchange. His attitude remained rude throughout the meal, and when I brought it up, he pretended not to realize how he’d been acting—completely gaslighting me and continuing to argue. To make matters worse, every encounter with the staff was unpleasant. The overall vibe from the team was cold, unfriendly, and unwelcoming. I will absolutely not be coming back to this place.

On the main street of Little Italy in San Diego, I read the reviews, I see it full of people and I decide to eat there! Bad choice: the entrance to the restaurant is from the market of the same property, you wait for some waitress to decide to approach and then they make you sit down. Typical equipment of Italian restaurants abroad, trattoria tables without tablecloth. Nobody who speaks Italian. Poor pizza seems the one you buy from us frozen and also made with electric oven, very seasoned but heavy and high.... we hope to digest it. Very high price even compared to the competition of the road. Maybe it was a good restaurant in the past but it has definitely lost value. Decent gravy balls. I do not recommend it for those who are Italian

I was expecting a great experience based on the reviews, unfortunately that was not the case. The food was average and service terrible. I would likely not return.

We were told to come here for the pizza by our hotel. Our local friends said yes as well. We ordered a pizza along with a combination plate for the 2 adults and very hungry kids that are 10 and still had food left over. We were not disappointed by any means.

We ate pizza, lasagna and pasta. Everything was very delicious, we were delighted with the quality and quantity that the restaurant offers you. We would repeat for sure

Whenever in San Diego u must go to Little Italy and Filippi’s will not disappoint. Great gravy/sauce ,meatballs, lasagna, etc. You may have to wait but the line goes fast. U won’t be disappointed

Excellent local restaurant with great food, service, and reasonable prices. Many people were raving about the lasagna, but we got pizza and salad. It was very good with plenty to go around. We would eat here again if in San Diego.

Free off street parking. Pizza and Caesar salad both very good. Liked the market/restaurant atmosphere. Wait staff was ok. Stand offusg at first but warmed up after a while. Definitely would recommend for Italian food in little italy

It seems to be a classic in the city, a lot of people and you have to wait but it's worth it, very large plates and good service, very delicious casual dinner. We loved the pizza, it is not very thin but the cheese is very delicious

I am not sure what happened to this place, it used to be an amazing pizza place. Been going here for 25 yrs and this time I took my family and a couple of friends. What a disappointment. The food looks very good but once you bite into their signature pizza.... BLAND. I have to order some anchovies and they still did not make it taste better. So sad, I think it is the fast expansion and lost their original flavor. Sorry but take your money somewhere else, other pizza joints in the area. Until they go back to their old flavor I cannot recommend this place.

Spaghetti with sausage and meatballs yummy fresh ravioli. All huge. Great service. Red checkered tablecloth, canvas of course! So much fun so local so garlicky. Not to be missed. Noisy fun

Wonderful evening even with COVID-19! Fabulous salad followed by the best pizza! Love this place and it’s friendly staff!

Had a pizza and it was nothing special . Waitress was rude . I’m sure many other choices for better pizza in Little Italy . Atmosphere best thing going for it

Based on the over 1,600 reviews this restaurant has on TripAdvisor I HAD to try it, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!!! This Italian Market/restaurant is straight out of NY! Even though there was a long line somehow we got seated immediately, it was the start to a perfect meal! Our waitress was attentive but too busy to be overbearing. We had sangria for our drink and split a small salad (more than enough for two people). The Special pizza is one of the house specialties and should not be passed-up, it's the perfect size for two adults with a slice each to take home! Although we didn't spend much time there the ambiance of this restaurant is definitely established in their SEVENTY YEARS OF SERVICE!!! I have been to all the restaurants in Little Italy....this has to be one of the most authentic!

There is some sort of allure with the dumber San Diego people. In SD we have many more dumber than you can imagine. The people at the resturant think the they are special. Like they are working for something special. They are not. The food is OK at best. Live downtown. Never would go to this place

We saw the ratings and had to try it. Didnt notice the deli picture in the reviews and thought we were in the wrong place until someone saw our lost look and asked if we were looking for the restaurant. Told us it was in the back of the store. Wow, was this place great. Everything about it, from the store front, to the menu, the waitress, the food. All top shelf. If we are back this way we’ll go again for sure. I’m h, and the cannolli…. Fantastic.

Wow old school unpretentious Italian food. I had Eggplant Parmesan sandwich. Thick delicious slices of eggplant with just the right amount of breading, wonderful simple marinara, just enough cheese on an Italian hoagie roll. Much better than the tough eggplant parm I had in Vegas last week for twice the price. My travel companions had the lasagna and fettuccine and were over the moon with the simplicity and delicious flavors. A great lunch- and the cannoli was spot on

Service and portions very good, Chicken Parm hero and Chicken Parm ala carte meal delicious, recommend this restaurant.

With multiple locations throughout San Diego County, Filippi’s has a nice Italian selection. It has a feel of old italian ambience. The service is good at all the locations.

We had the most amazing experience today! The pizza was one of the best I have ever had. The atmosphere was amazing and I love the story of the restaurant being in business for 75 years. Our waitress was absolutely darling and had been with the company for over 30 years. The food was great, the wine was great, the atmosphere was absolutely perfect.! We will definitely have fun memories of our date there.

My wife and I had lunch in Little Italy on July 13th and it was the worst experience in the 30 years that we have gone there. First we had to wait over 30 minutes for an outside table (was told that it would be 15 minutes). Finally got our table and because we had our dog with us, was told by a snippy employee that our dog had to be UNDER the table at all times (San Diego allows dogs to be outside with owner permission). Really? We had our dog there before and was never told that. Took another 10 minutes for our waitress to arrive (a very pretty young blond woman) and too our order. Our food was delivered fairly quick. I ordered a meatball sandwich, and my wife ordered a Capicola Ham sandwich. My sandwich was cold and lacked tomato sauce but the waitress was gone in a flash before I could complain. She never came back to refill our waters or check on the food. I reluctantly ate my sandwich. After about 30 minutes, I finally had to go up to the cashier and ask for my bill. By this point, I wasn't happy at all!! I got the waitress to come out with my bill and she quickly disappeared again before I could give her the credit card! By this time, more than 1.5 hours had passed since I first arrived. My wife was asking to see the manager but waitresses were puzzled and never helped her! They have no e-mail address on their website to make a comment or complaint which tells you they do not want any feedback. Found an address finally (lucas.filippis@yahoo.com) but after a week, no reply!! I will never go back and I advise all to stay away if you want good service & good food! This place has gone downhill over the years!!

Best pizza I've had in awhile! Authentic Italian eats, with decent prices and great service. I highly recommend this place if you're ever in Little Italy (San Diego). Such a cute ambiance as well with signed Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling from past customers. Craving pizza or Italian food? COME TO FILIPPI'S!! They also have a mini Italian market connected to the restaurant where they sell their Filippi's spices (sold at affordable prices).

Wow! Charming old, Italian, family run, business from 1950 -complete with old framed movie star photos from the 40’s and 50’s! Pizza crust was crisp and perfection with abundant toppings. Everyone’s huge main courses got some bravos for the kitchen. Mangia!!

This pizza is amazing. We got it to go. Parking was hard to find close by the restaurant. So we had to double park. But the pizza is worth it.

This is a deli shop and restaurant located in Little Italy. You really feel in Italy eating in this restaurant, a typical Italian canteen. Abundant and tasty dishes with very good prices.

Our family took us here because they have eaten at this restaurant a few times. The look of it is deceiving because there is a store in the front that sells Italian types of food. We walked down a narrow aisle to get to the restaurant part and it seemed kind of small. Our hostess then led us through the small part into a very large area to seat 6 of us. We ordered a couple of pepperoni pizzas and a large salad (that was big enough for all 6 of us!). The waitress was very nice and the service was also very good. We would definately come here again.

Very bad pizza, absolutely not Italian. Very thick crust with a huge layer of cheese. Margherita did not have tomato sauce but pieces of tomato on top of the cheese, who eats a margherita like that? on the positive side, it is bug and you can take the leftovers home. Waited on a queue for long even though there were some available tables.

Although we had a great waitress, we would only give the pizza 2 stars. It didn't have any flavor despite being loaded with meat, cheese, onions, peppers and sausage. We had to add salt just to make it tasty. Our waitress was great, however. Very attentive and got our food to the table while it was piping hot. She had a lovely demeanor. Outdoor seating area is quite fun: red and white gingham tablecloths under a tent. Little Italy in itself is a fun spot to visit but there are many, many choices for a meal.

Fantastic home-cooked style food, served in an easy atmosphere. One must bring an appetite to devour it all. Tasty till the last bite. If you’re hungry or craving for Italian, look no further. Had the Veal Scaloppine. Highly recommend it.

We are here twice this week. First, lasagna big cheesy portion with delicious meat sauce. We would skip the extra meatball next time, don't need it, don't crave it. Maybe even split the lasagna and add a salad. The antipasto looked great. Next visit was pizza, liked the pepperoni more than the sausage which had an herb I couldn't place. Lots of cheese, it was cooked to just melted, not browned so might ask for "Well done" next time. Delicious flavor on sauce and tasty crust. Love the old school atmosphere, service much better the second night.

Very thick bland crust. Heavy on the cheese. More like Chicago-style pizza. Not a fan. We sat outside and weather was great. Food was definitely nothing special.

The worst food. It's all flavorless tomato sauce or nothing. The place is super dirty, smells ugly. The service was not bad but really the food disgusted us

Wow, such a good meal at Filippi's tonight. The Shrimp Filippi was fabulous, lots of tender shrimp and mushrooms in a garlicky wine sauce. (I will definitely order this again) Chicken Parmigian with a side of lasagna put a huge smile on my husband's face. Nice crisp salads and garlic bread. Our server was very good, she made certain that we had everything we needed. Coke products. Cozy old school Italian decor. Highly recommend.

As a former San Diegan native, we never visit San Diego without a stop for lunch or dinner at Filippi's. Our favorite location is the Little Italy store on India St for the ambiance (you cant beat it) but other locations provide the same great food. The staff on our visit in July of 2022 is as pleasant as it was 30 years ago. The servers treat you like you are a visiting family member. And the food is delicious. From a simple antipasti salad to a order of half ravioli and half lasagna, the taste is consistently excellent and the portions are big. If you order pizza, get double-cheese - incredibly good. Parking can be an issue at the lunch and dinner rush so try and visit a little off-peak or take advantage of the Little Italy Trolley station. It is a short walk through an amazing array of restaurants.

We have been to this restaurant before over 15 years ago so I was excited to go back. Honestly, the food was a little bland. I ordered a pizza and it was not very flavorful. Plus our waitress wasn't very helpful with ordering. My son ordered a large salad and we didn't realize a large salad would feed 4+ people. The only thing she asked is if we had eaten there before. I wish she would have helped us more in the ordering process. Cute restaurant but we probably won't be back.

This is perhaps the absolute worst Italian food restaurant in the world. Quaint authentic looking Italian deli to enter but a restaurant it is not. Everything was terrible save for the bottle of chianti and soggy garlic bread. Tasted like bottled meatless tomato sauce. Meatball was a meatless matsaball. I asked the server if the veal was actually veal. She said she had not tried it in years. Lol. Had to send it back as it was near inedible. Could hardly cut it to eat. Can't understand how it could possibly get 4 stars. DO NOT EAT HERE!

Always a great meal at Filippe’s. The servers are very friendly and attentive! No trip to San Diego is complete w/o eating here.

Since 1968, I’ve visited Italy a couple of dozen times, across the mainland and the island of Sardinia. I’ve enjoyed Italian food in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. To say I enjoy Italian food would be an understatement. During our recent visit to Little Italy, San Diego, we dined twice at Filippi’s in Little Italy. Why twice? The pizza was excellent, perhaps not the very best I’ve tasted, but very, very good! The house wine was exactly what I expected so I was pleased with it. I love the ambience of the restaurant, walking through the quaint little store in front to the dining area. Our servers, Heidi and Desiree were outstanding, warm, personable, and efficient.

Wonderful pizza, good pasta. They converted their parking lot into outdoor dining and really make that work. This is a must try place.

Every trip to San Diego ALWAYS includes Lunch at Felippis...an order of Garlic Bread...carafe of house blush, Supreme pizza ... this is non-negotiable when we are in San Diego ... maybe a dessert...the very best IMO ... wait staff is GREAT

Delicious and at a good price. We ordered a pasta with shrimp that was spectacular, a pizza with Peperoni and a bottle of wine. Very good food, good service and very affordable prices.

This is a wonderful restaurant that is very reasonable. The portion sizes are huge. Each dinner came with a full loaf of garlic bread, choice of pasta side dish, soup, and salad. We took home enough for dinner the next night.

We can to visit my son in San Diego & he loves Italian. This was the perfect place! The portion are huge. The food was amazing.

Nice place, excellent service, rich food, everything we ate we liked, highly recommended, if you want to eat or dine a rich Italian meal

My husband LOVES pizza, so we have eaten LOTS of it. So when I say that this pizza is DELICIOUS.....I mean it with every fiber of my being. Lol. We last came to eat here back in 2018 when my brother graduated from bootcamp, and now in 2025 for leisure. It taste as great as we remembered it. The dough, the sauce, the cheese, everything just tastes like someones nona was in the kitchen making everything from scratch. The swrvice was friendly and quick, the location was great as it was surrounded by many other shops. The atmosphere was somewhat romantic so its great for a first date. The cost was great, but even if it were a bit more in cost, it would STILL be worth it to eat there. The pizza is amazing...but the fettuccine alfredo is unlike any we've had. It was buttery and rich, but also light at the same time. Im not much of a marinara type gal, but their marinara is a MUST!! So good!!

We dropped in casually today for lunch. We split a lasagna / ravioli combo for the two of us. It was excellent (meat sauce), but we could barely eat the single meal between us. Definitely good Italian food, but either be very hungry of be prepared to share (we saw several neighbor tables using take-home boxes for half their meals...)

We should have known and took it as a sign when we were taken to our table by the rudest hostess ever. The sign said to wait to be seated so we waited, while we waited the hostess continued on her phone she eventually looked up and glared at us and my husband said “it says to wait to be seated” and shrugged.. she picked up 2 menus and we followed her, she threw them on the table and walked away with not a spoken word was said to us.. ok then!! We asked a waitress if we could move and she pleasantly said we could sit where we wanted. Ordered our food, pretty simple order a pizza and a steak sub and water and a soda. Water came, soda came and then the food. I have never ever had a cheese steak sandwich with peppers and onions as big as they were, it was like they couldn’t be bothered to chop them smaller they were huge, the meat was plenty as were the peppers and onions but they literally tasted of oil, I put salt and pepper in just to give it flavor it was totally unseasoned. If even seasoned at all .The pizza well … it literally had so much cheese you couldn’t see anything but cheese and barely any sauce, great if you wanted extra extra extra cheese never have I ever!!! I’ve never seen a pizza made this way . Again tasteless with gigantic peppers, onions and literall sausage the size of meatballs that yet again did nobody want to prep today? The waitress was the only part of the experience that was good and another pleasant lady that came to our table towards the end. Our waitress knew my husband didn’t like his food and they offered to make another one. The 2nd attempt came .. thin crust sauce pepperoni and light on the cheese, he took a bite and it was overcooked and was literally more like a flatbread texture.and burnt on the bottom We ended up leaving after explaining to the waitress how we felt about the hostess and that whoever was in the kitchen tonight is either overwhelmed and clueless or just plain out doesn't care, We looked at reviews before coming here and they were mostly good. I don’t know who was cooking the food when they ate but it definitely wasn’t the same person who cooked ours. We had the smell of weed floating into the restaurant just to enhance the experience. I would never recommend this place to anyone which is such a shame because the waitresses were busting their asses and we’re do nice . They are truely what is holding up your business . Of course we tipped our waitress but never sgsin

Super thick crust, not in a good way. Ate two bites and would have preferred fast food. Love all kinds of pizza, except this one. Don’t do it - going to bed hungry.

Great deli in front, with even a better dining area in rear. Lasagna can compete with anyone's, and house wine fabulous. It all in the sauce/gravy. Their own crushed red pepper flakes are second to none.

Excellent experience. Very good food and very picturesque place. They served us very well and the decoration I really liked

Great food. Bad experience with waitress and bill. Adriana added 17% to our bill for 2 people and then tapped her own tip of 25% which made our total for 2 children's meals and garlic bread 64.00. I asked for a copy of the bill and asked to see the manager for a refund in which Adriana refused to state that she pushed the 25% tip, and proceeded ti state that I did it. Uh No! I do hope that she does not do this to all her customers. Please check your bill before paying. I am to see all now. This has made me not trust waitresses now. This was for my daughters bday on Sept 10 at Little Italy Filipis.

This is a great spot for authentic Italian food. Our family had a variety of foods, including one of the best pizzas we have ever had and awesome pastas(with huge meatballs). Also had gluten-free options for our daughter! We highly recommend!!!

This place started in 1950. When you approach it you would think it was just an Italian market. You walk through the store to the restaurant and walk back in time to the 50s. Everything is homemade —cheese, noodles, sauce. The meat sauce was perfect tasting. We had Ravioli, lasagna and spaghetti. Too much to eat for one sitting. Heated it up next day it was just as tasty. Pizza next to us looked delicious when the person took first piece the cheese was stringing along with slice. When in Little Italy look for this place. You will not be disappointed.

I had lasagna meal that was a large portion and I really enjoyed the meat sauce. Everyone in our group was happy with their selection and prices were very reasonable. The service was very good except that you had to take your check to cashier which was a slow process. I enjoyed our experience and will return next time in San Diego

Good Pie and Good service. We will be back here for dinner when in the area. The pizza was better than we have had for some time.

I'm a Flight Attendant on a layover here in SAN. No time to eat today... just LOTS of coffee, so when the bf and I were debating where to eat in Little Italy, it had to be pizza. QR'd the menu outside and decided on the Special Pizza, but neither one of us let the other know we were worried that it wouldn't be enough food. 15 minutes later, pizza in hand (with eight (!)containers of parm /peppers), he commented that the box was "heavy" as we walked back to the hotel. (Insert title of this review here). There's no reason to worry, my friends... the pizza's thick, the cheese is thick, the toppings are thick... and even with two of us starving, there's one piece left (and truth be told, there should be a couple... we stuffed ourselves!) Do yourselves a favor and get some of this in you ASAP... and don't worry... it will be enough!

Really wildly confused by this restaurant. Customer service is nonexistent here. We were walking down the street and saw several people sitting outside with their dogs. There was a line to sit down but no big deal, I get in line and wait for the 5-10 minutes it takes. I get to the front of the line, ask for an outside table and the lady says we don’t accept dogs. I tell her there are two dogs outside at tables already. She said they are service dogs (they were not in any way service dogs). On my way out - still inside the restaurant - there was a woman, once again INSIDE, holding a small toy dog in her hands. Won’t be coming back here, which is a shame as I live down the street.

The food was fantastic! Shirley, our waiter, was pleasant and efficient. We will undoubtedly return.

The food here is AMAZING and the prices are lower than most in Little Italy. The Shrimp Filippi is hands down the BEST shrimp linguine we've ever had. We went back twice in one week just for this! It's not a fancy place. In fact, it feels like you're eating in an Italian family's dining room. But the food here is simply delicious and you can easily dine for less than half of what other Little Italy restaurants are charging. Highly recommended!!

Have been here many times over the years. Try to go to Filippi's every time we visit San Diego. Never have been disappointed. Pizza and everything we have ordered has been very good. Just have a good time here and always look forward to going back

This was are second time to have pizza at Filippi’s, and it was just as good as it was a few years ago. Would highly recommend giving it a try. The service and pizza were great. Thank you!

Too overrated a place I think we ordered a special pizza it was good, but everything else is not delicious, the lasagna is not delicious, the spaghetti is on the children's menu with hot sausages, which is not acceptable to the children I think is the bottom line: we will not come back here again and recommend a place to visit for a special occasion

We went here at the recommendation of my son, who lives in the area. The food was delicious and plentiful. I ordered a side salad, which came with plenty of great toppings and was large enough for 2-3 people to share. We also ordered pizza which was some of the best I've ever had. It was LOADED with cheese and was absolutely delicious. My son had his favorite - spaghetti with a giant meatball. To get to the restaurant, you walk thru a small Italian grocery store, so we picked up some Italian cookies on the way out which were good. Outside, there is a large red chair for a photo op, so don't miss out on that one.

Meh. We wanted to check out LIttle Italy and picked this place because of all the reviews and the cool family story. The portions are ginormous and the food wasn’t anything special. The service wasn’t that great either. I imagine if I had more time to research (and I wasn’t trying to find something quick to eat for my hungry daughter) that I would have passed on this place. I ordered the spaghetti and meat sauce. There wasn’t meat in the sauce except for a single chunk of it. The garlic bread was good. It was fine but definitely not great.

Very tasty. Sauce has just a bit of kick to it. Not hot. Nice toppings. I had the works. Weighed a lot! Filling.

Recommended to us by Trolley Bus driver, good food, good house wine, reasonably priced, would go agin.

I guess his family will continue to cash in on vincent defilippi name for years to come. Good for them, bad for us. Don’t waste your money kids. It’s basically a loaf of bread with heaping pile of hard cheez.

After having Filippis pizza delivered for years, this was the first time we had a very poor pizza(s). Instead of complete ingredients to the edge of the pizza, it was only sauce to the edge, before ingredients started. We ordered Supreme's, which obviously would involve a number of ingredients, which were very much lacking. Obviously, whoever put it together assumed since it was a delivery, they could get by with such sloppy pizzas! What a total disappointment.

Crust is too thick and toppings arent tasty. My dad is visiting all the way from florida and staying in mira mesa, we ordered pizza and the crust is so thick its like an inch and a half and the toppings arent tasty. None of us were impressed, disappointing meal for his last night here.

Please tell me there is nothing better than good food and a great waitress. Tina. Combination plate. Pizza, soup. Canoli tiramisu, please help me not to come too often

Good afternoon I am from Méxicali B C MEXICO 🇱🇧 Name Elizabeth TALLARICO. My Birthday 🎂🎉💜 February 2nd. Thank you

I wanted to eat an Italian pizza and decided to eat here since it has a lot of good reviews. The pizza was terrible, the toppings are completely covered by an huge amount of American cheese. The crust is very bad and the Canadian ham is the classic ham that you can find in every single pizza place in the USA. I don’t know why they are located in little Italy. I’m from Italy and I really suggest you to don’t eat here.

This restaurant, tucked in behind the store is just amazing. Generous portions of traditional Italian food at reasonable prices. This is the real stuff, not modern interpretations. Wish we'd eaten here every night. Next time we will.

Service was great, restaurant was family friendly and clean and there is a cool little Italian store attached. We got the pizza because it looked so good on everyone’s tables but we were a little disappointed because the crust was way too thick. Based on the quality of the ingredients, I bet the pasta choices would be better. Prices were good.

While stationed in San Diego, I was introduced to this site by my maid of honor. Loved it from the beginning! Craved Italian food during my pregnancy and took my daughter with us when she could sit in a high chair to enjoy chewing on bits of pizza. Great food! Great Staff! Fond memories from 1985 to 1993. Wish I could go back to enjoy again. Glad to see the restaurant doing well after all these years.

Little Italy is a cute little walkable 'hood in San Diego. Kids got a kick out of the lights and there was an old tap-dancing busker in the square. Filippi's appears to be less formal than some of the other options on the strip, which is fine by me! You enter and wait for your table through a crowded storefront lined with olives and oils and specialty foods. The kids were saying we went to the wrong place. Anyway, food is good. It's the sort of family Italian place that used to be more common before everything got trendy. You get soup, salad, garlic bread, and a pasta dish with the "dinner" option. Veal Scaloppini and Parmigiana were both tasty, stick to your ribs type of food. The pizza was interesting. Al the toppings were on the sauce and then it's covered in cheese. Still good, and tasted great as leftovers the next day. I'd recommend this place for a family or a fun-loving group. If you're on more of a date night sort of thing I guess you'd probably enjoy one of the nearby competitiors. But, this is the place we'd go back to next time we're in SD.

We booked this with an independent tour company. Our first stop was Filippi's Pizza Grotto. Very authentic Italian and we were blown away. The pre-ordered menu was exactly what we would have ordered and the portions were huge! We got a carafe of Chianti (on our own tab) and it was great. Even the little "not" wine glasses were cool! Our dinner was a HUGE antipasi salad, a large cheese pizza, a huge chunk of lasagna, a large chicken parmesan with penne on the side. The sauce was as good as anything we had in Italy. Our waitress, Ashley, was super and gave us the greatest service ever. She had the perfect personality for our dinner!

This is Little Italy’s oldest restaurant, established in 1950 and well worth seeking out. Walk past all the glitzy restaurants on India Street and look for Filippis’ Italian Foods grocery store. Walk thru the store to the back where you will find the restaurant. There are 4 rooms. I had lunch in the first room and could look into the kitchen and see pizzas being made. Though pizza is the specialty, there is a full menu. I had the chicken parmesan dinner which included soup, salad, the chicken, a choice of spaghetti or ravioli and garlic bread. It was a lot of food and I took a doggie bag and had the rest of it for dinner. I still couldn’t finish it. At about $23.00 - this has got to be the best value in all of San Diego. Service was friendly and quick. Though I ate at several restaurants in San Diego, this was the best restaurant experience for its authenticity.

Visited on New Year’s Day. It was a 50 minutes wait but well worth it. The food was great. I had the chicken parmigiana and lasagna. They have pizza for the kids and plenty of room for a table of 13.

Had a light mid-week lunch at Filippi’s on the back of a few recommendations; it was good but not memorable. We had some freshly cooked food, but left feeling a little underwhelmed tbh. Will try a few of other Little Italy options next time...

This pizza is just like one we ate while visiting Italy! The place is a part grocery/restaurant The pizza is thick and plentiful and comes out hot! We highly recommend having a nice meal here

We live in a very sad situation, we went to dinner, I forgot my wallet on the table and when I returned to ask for it, they did not deliver it. On the contrary, they were offended when I was sure I left it there. The food was delicious but that detail made it lose the charm

Disappointed or thought it would be better. It was Italian food on a mass produced scale without much favor. The spaghetti was overcooked even though we asked it to be al dente. The marinara sauce tasted like it came out of a can, not even a jar. The sausage had way too much fennel and tasted like it was first boiled and then fried. The meat ravioli was bland and without much flavor. The only kind of positive was that they served large portions of mediocre food even though the food was served kind of cold. The line for the waiting list is inside the deli (not the restaurant) and don't have a Asian name because they can't pronounce it and then you loose your turn when you don't know the name they called out.

I have grown up in San Diego so Filippi's has always been a favorite if you can get into it. Parking has become difficult in Little Italy since all the restaurants have turned their curb parking spaces into outdoor dining spots. Food is always good but prices have sure gone up since I was there last. I plate of very good Fettuccine Alfredo with a sorry excuse for Italian bread, 23.00. No salad. We couldn't understand the waitress because she talked so fast and had to ask her to slow down. She was fast and thorough but we felt she just wanted to rush us through. I usually split a torpedo (10.00) with my husband and will go back to that in the future.

What delicious food, we were unsure of the restaurant, as it was behind the Deli, but looks are sure deceiving. This was some of the best Italian food I have eaten. The choices are good, and on first impressions it looks like a little cafe, with 'old' weathered menus, but when you get the food, it is worth it. Will go back for sure

I had the veal parm. Here it was served with ravioli instead of spaghetti. Absolutely over the top. Very nice staff. If I get back to San Diego, this place will be on my revisit list.

Authentic taste - great prices! Helpings are huge! Worth the wait. We will visit again! Sit in Irene's section if you can't decide, she can!

This was our first trip to "Little Italy" in San Diego and we arrived around 7 pm. Little Italy was PACKED on a Friday night and Filippi's had a line out of the the door and down the sidewalk. We almost walked away but it had been highly recommended by someone we trust so we chose to wait it out. Once we got inside, we found ourselves in a small Italian store with no restaurant in sight. It looked very much like the store in the movie "Moonstruck". As we got closer to the back, we saw there was a huge restaurant in the back. We had waited about 40 minutes and I'm so glad we did. The food was very reminiscent of an Italian home cooked meal and took me back to our travels in Italy. Definitely would eat here again.

You walk down the street, you see two maybe three pizza places, one gots an Italian shop before you even sniff the pizza, the other gots a Fine Dining restaurant above. One sells by the pie, the other by the slice or two with a brew. Best food is in Little Italy. Best Pizza though? You decide.

Great Italian restaurant. Good food with large portions. Small store in front. Quaint, very Italian decor. Our favorite Italian restaurant in Little Italy.

We had the chicken parmesan with a side of cheese ravioli. It was a large serving and I split it with my teenage daughter and we were both full after we ate. The dish did have a ton of sauce on it, but it was very good sauce. The next time in town, I would definitely eat here again.

We came for the pizza and it was excellent. Every dish that we saw being served to the tables around us looked fantastic. I would absolutely recommend.

Accommodation for a party of forty including business associates, spouses, children and grandchildren. Very good Italian food, good wine and timely, friendly service on 8/26/21. Worth a try if you’re in Little Italy.

Excellent Italian food ! We arrived at 9 p.m. and were told that service might be slow due to only one server handling 5 tables outside, but Trina was awesome...a really great server who made sure we had a great dining experience. Beef ravioli and marinara were outstanding. Antipasto salad was more than enough as a main course. Minestrone was perfect...Pasta Alfredo very good as well. I would highly recommend Filippi's !

This is one of the places where my son always wants to eat when we visit him in San Diego. The front of the restaurant is an Italian market with meats, cheeses, cookies, and other yummy delicacies. I always grab a bag of their specialty cookies on the way out. Food here is always plentiful and very reasonably priced. We always get a salad to share, which gives all of us plenty but doesn't ruin our appetite for the delicious spaghetti that we get.

I have known for years this place positioned very well in the Italian district of San Diego very characteristic as style but the dishes are not self-enticing and not of good level too bad because the food that is part of the restaurant sells excellent Italian products The food is a reference point for those looking for typical Italian quality products but the restaurant can improve a lot

The food is very good. Although at first the service was regular, the waitress who attended me made a difference, super friendly, recommended a mixed dish and was delicious. I'll go back and try the pizza that looked really good.

I grew up in New Jersey so I was I little skeptical about their Pizza since it didn’t look like what I was expecting. I’m a pizza snob. But Just so you know the Taste was amazing and the service was juste as good as the food. My mother-in-law has celiac and the gluten-free pasta was as good as regular pasta. I know, but it’s true.

Delicious family treat, been dining here for 30 plus years and always wonderful, huge portions and quality food. Avoid the other restaurants, this is the original and it far superior

Wow what can I say. Best pizza ever. My family loved the market entry felt so homey and like we stepped into Italy. We get to return on my birthday in two weeks . We are looking forward ,it was so good,.......

Phillipe's has fabulous pizza. The crust is semi thick, has a nice chew to it. Great sauce, lots of cheese and tasty toppings. I like my cheese well browned, so I ordered it extra crispy and it was perfect. We also did takeout lasagna and loved it. Big(sharable) serving. They give you parm, peppers and a soft roll with it, but if you like crusty bread, pick up a baguette in the attached grocery. They do have a parking lot, you might luck out and park there

There was only 1 waiter, no any food runner and food came late and it was very cold. The pizza was so tick and it was a bread more than pizza. We order pasta sauce with meat but only hard tomato sauces. Host was siting while they were welcoming us they were not really care that any costumer enter the restaurant. I can imagine not their fault because they were look very tired because they are working less people they are for that restaurant. However they could be more polite its not costumer fault.

Every trip to San Diego included a lunch time pizza & garlic bread & a large carafe of rose’ wine … It just doesn’t get any better if you like hand tossed brick oven pizza & a semi-sweet wine in a very casual setting

The portions of the meals are massive, the service is great and the pizza is delicious. I didn't quite enjoyed the sandwiches (which I think they were missing some flavor) but other than that everything was splendid.

A restaurant very similar to the cantinas in São Paulo, very good service and good pizza (but not even close to the pizzas in São Paulo). The lasagna was good! The experience was worth it!

Great local restaurant with a good range of food and great prices. Very busy at weekends. We had pizza and the prawn pasta and both were great. Large salads look absolutely enormous. Would definitely recommend

My family and I choose this place based on recommendation. However we was very disappointed with every aspect of our visit ! On entering the restaurant you go through the supermarket, thought that was a little odd as their are other entrances available. Once seated we placed our order , the food was not good, the pizza was comparable to a frozen shop bought pizza. The lasagne was actually inedible, ive never seen anything like this before, awful. And the spaghetti bolagnaise tasted as it had been laced in sugar & syrup. Would definitely avoid this place.

A real authentic Italian restaurant, we had 2 sandwiches which were amazing. Heidi our server was extremely helpful and gave us advice on what to choose. We are going back tonight as the other food looked and smelled delicious

I have been coming to this specific location for the past 8 years and love it but so disappointed with the way the cashier has no manners (Patty ) absolutely rude and I even debate coming to this location now second time I have to deal with her.

Based o0n reviews here, we tried this place. Kind of low-rent, old and worn atmosphere....didn't feel very clean. The pizza was mediocre. The crust was stale, hard and very chewy....like it had been re-heated.....I wanted to like this place and it's pizza but no joy. Won't be returning. There are a lot of other choices nearby....

Thought there was a great original Italian pizza here. I'm afraid not. The same pizza is available in every fast restaurant at a lower price and at least in the same quality. Price for the pizza from USD 21.-- plus tax. I had a pizza salami and a Peroni beer and water. Price Total USD 44.86 incredibly expensive. So not really recommended.

Disappointed. We found this place during our one day trip to SanDiego. Even being very hungry after a long day the food was dissapointing. We’ve ordered margherita pizza and spaghetti and it was something… meh. I would totally agree with the reviews saying that this is American food at Italian restaurant. Interior was ok. I can’t say that the vibe coming from our waiter was friendly. But there is a good lesson I’ve learned. Never trust yelp or google reviews and go straight to trivadvisor. IMHO reviews from travelers are more accurate and objective.

Nothing to do with Italian cuisine, a disappointment, a mountain of pasta drowned in tomato sauce and a whole sausage thrown in. Negative experience

The food is good not super great but service was good and we got a table and we're in and out quickly. The pizza and pasta were hot out of the kitchen.

I came here for an early dinner with my wife an daughter's. one had pizza that was outstanding. I had rhebest lasagna. one had chicken parm. I can't recall the other two meals but they all were very pleased.

Table of 4 and it was the best. We shared a large salad and garlic bread to start. Our server was Heidi and she was efficient and nice. We then got the large special pizza enough for all and ordered a lasagna with the biggest meatball I've ever had. We also shared that. Overall one of the best meals we had in San Diego visiting our daughter. All at what we thought was a reasonable price.

Almost all pros: big restaurant attached to a big deli, order the dinner if you are really hungry but be prepared for leftovers. We had lasagna/veal parm combo, salads, yummy big tender slices of garlic bread, and shrimp linguine. Superb! I had leftovers twice! con: tiny parking lots on the side; you will most likely be stuck in a pricy parking garage unless you are lucky enough to find street parking. Even weekday evenings are very busy.

The best Italian food I’ve ever have! Talk to the waiter and order the specials Anything with the marinara sauce it’s going to be great The lasagna is a must, specially with meatballs The terrace is very good with a nice view, and the prices are very fair! Will go back for sure

Beautiful Italian grocery store in the heart of Little Italy. Very typical. We did not eat there but only bought Italian products.

We had a party of 6 and everyone in our group loved their food. Dereck was our server and he was great!! Was friendly and accommodating to get a heater as it was a bit chilly out the day we ate there. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Ate lunch here, Pizza, Salad, Garlic Bread all outstanding. Tina was our server, she was awesome, very busy, she was a champ!

I read so many negative reviews about Filippi's Pizza Grotto I had 2nd thoughts about trying it out this restaurant but the Hotel I was staying at said that they had great food so I tried it. "WOW the service was great our server Megan was great the food was unbelieveable . I don't know why these people that had bad things to say about this place and the food and service but I don't usually wright reviews but I had to let people know try this place out and you will love it" Try Filippi's Pizza Grotto and you will see for your self How great they are.

After much prodding we discovered that a very important ingredient of the deliciousness of the experience is no longer available' our favorite dish Irene. It seems she quit after 41 years because her integrity came into question. Irene's Cove, (her little section near the register) will now be without Irene, sooo sad. Our annual trek a group of 10 of us took right after Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years and Easter will not be happening anymore soo sad!

This is an authentic Italian restaurant, which has existed for 75 years, everything that is sold and served in it is made with imported products from Italy. Cardápio is also authentic Italian. Everything we asked was delicious and we were very well served.

Always a stop while we are in San Diego! Delicious Italian food with amazing service. We always end up with leftovers because the servings are so generous, even if you are splitting one order of spaghetti. Be sure to get one of the salads for the table - deliciously Italian!

First time in San Diego for my grand daughter and we decided to show her the best in town. Adriaur was our server and she is the best. It was a luncheon with the great warm atmosphere. We had Antipasto, Ravioli, Caesars salad with chicken, penne marinara and drinks. It was glorious

Delicious! Such a good little place in Little Italy that make delicious pizza. The antipasto salad was incredible as well as the garlic bread. Great service, even amid Covid precautions. Dina Marie was our server and she was amazing! She was so quick and sweet and very attentive. There is all outdoor seating in the parking lot and along the street. The Italian market inside has amazing choices of meats and cheese for those who enjoy making their own charcuterie board. Definitely recommend!

We kept hearing people tell us that this was the best place in San Diego for pizza, so we headed to Filippi's. The pizza had a little too much cheese for our liking, but that's an individual preference thing - if I went back, I'd just ask them to go a little lighter on the cheese. A good pizza is really about the crust, and we thought that Filippi's had excellent crust on their pizza. We give them a big thumb's up! We were really thirsty from walking around, so we really appreciated the free refills on our drinks and the waitress was clearly keeping a good eye on our table because if either of us got to about 1/4 left, she would just appear with another drink without us having to ask. A very nice experience.

The best Italian food! Wow 5 stars!!! Food was amazing and big portions. We will be sure to come here any time we are in San Diego!

Filippis is the best Italian food I've ever had!! They made us feel right at home and the atmosphere!!!! Amazing!!

Great location, we had the pizza, which was a very poor experience as pizzas go, bread and a lot of cheese, not the kind of food you would expect from a highly rated restaurant!!

I was attending a conference in San Diego, and I decided to take a chance on Little Italy's oldest restaurant. What an amazing find! Quality ingredients and amazing taste. I got the combo plate with the lasagna, ravioli, sausage, and meatball. The marinara is so flavorful, and the cheese in the lasagna just tastes like you'd expect with authentic Italian food. I'm sad that there are no Filippi's in Georgia when I return home, but I will definitely come back here if I'm in San Diego again. You get your money's worth with the portions, too! Thank you!

Went for the pizza and left disappointed. There's no real taste, they skimp on the toppings and the dough is marginally better than Chef Boyardee. Friendly service. Kill the parking lot attendant with kindness as he takes his job seriously.

A well characteristic Italian canteen, very good and quick service, we ordered a pizza margarita and half pepperoni, came well hot kkk

This restaurant in Little Italy with American food with my friend we tried lasagna pizza and macaroni. It wasn't tasty.

This is the worst place! We ordered a cheese pizza and a salad and had it delivered through Door Dash. Our pizza had cheese on only half!!! Also, they charge you for salad dressing and anything extra. We ordered a large ranch salad dressing and it never arrived. The manager was EXTREMELY rude and condescending and took zero responsibility. She said I have to take it up with Door Dash and started YELLING AT ME! We will NEVER order from here again! Looks like Oggi's will be getting our business from now on. Unbelievable! I'd give ZERO stars if possible!