Russo's Coal Fired Italian Kitchen - San Antonio Reviews

It is sad when you advertise coal fired pizza and you have someone who does not know how to use it! I have had coal fired pizza in several places the distinct char on crust etc is the draw. Our pizza came out unbelievable as it seems not hardly cooked no char floppy crust not even bubbling! I purposely went and looked at coals tucked in corner almost grayish, a gas flame on other side was about 6" high? The oven is not correct when I called the waiter he said pizza should not be like that. Immediatelt the flame was about 12" and roaring but I think coals are for show! Absolutely terrible pizza false advertising They have no clue about coal fired pizza! Plus waiter said customers complained about char. Wake up Texas that is how coal fired pizza comes and looks like. If the restaurant bowed to people who don't know about coal fired pizza change your name. Really disappointed in ineptness of cooking. Waiter was awesome to bad he had to serve a terrible pizza sorry no benefit of doubt here just terrible, if you want RealCoal Fired Pizza stay away from here!

My wife lunched with a friend at Russo’s at the Rim and brought home the most delizioso dipping sauce with flatbread we have had-convinced us to have dinner on the weekend. The Italian restaurant features build your own pizza, varied appetizers and entrees, a moderate wine list, and deserts. She had pasta with a marinara sauce and meat balls - grande - and I was going to have chicken with pesto sauce over pasta but when the waiter said it was a heavy cream sauce, I asked for a variation-the dipping sauce (olive oil with what tasted like pesto but was garlic and several herbs) with chicken over penne. He informed us that Russo’s was a “scratch” restaurant (dishes were constructed on-site) and that they could make it - magnifico. Our wine was eccellente-Italian blended red-predominantly Chianti. We will return.

The food was great we ordered a pizza and the staff were very friendly & i would definitely come back again

This place maybe working out the kinks of a new restaurant. It’s got lots of room for improvement. We had a party of six. It was not terribly busy but steady, no waiting. Server was pleasant but so unprofessional and not knowledgeable about the menu. Everyone received their food at different times. No apologies just excuses. Could not recommend this place at all. Only reason for three stars was due to the taste of the food.

I just moved to San Antonio in Summer 2020. This was my first time at Russo's and I went with my sister and her boyfriend. When we arrived, we didn't have to wait on a table. So that was nice. But after we sat down, we waited on a waiter to come to our table for about 6 minutes. A waitress came to our table and said she saw we kept looking at the staff wondering who was our waiter. She said she was going to get our drinks and figure out who our waiter is. We ordered 3 waters, an appetizer, and a bottle of wine. Five minutes later, our water came, the waitress said the system messed up what waiter had which table so she was going to help us. Then the table bread came and our appetizer. The bottle of wine did not come. We asked for it and she said "what it didn't come?" then she went to get the wine. Our food didn't take that long to come and it was good. But after we waited so long to get served and waited for our bottle of wine, I was just ready to go. I don't think I will visit again.

We came here right as they opened on a Saturday morning for an early lunch. Our server was a little inexperienced but very courteous. We split an appetizer of fried buffalo mozzarella, a house salad & chicken Alfredo. That was plenty of food for 2 people and it was all VERY tasty! The Alfredo sauce was amazing and we practically licked our bowls! There is an extensive wine menu and the desserts looked fantastic. There are lots of pizzas to choose from -- they are cooked in a brick oven. We also had the oven fired bread with garlic dipping sauce -- omg!! So garlicky but sooo good! It was a very clean restaurant and although we were the only ones there that early in the day it looks like it would have great dinner ambience. We will definitely come back -- this is one of the finer Italian eateries in SA.

La Cantera is really growing and there are a few hidden places that you have to find but this one was well worth the visit. There is a side street full of eateries to try out. The parking can be challenging but some of these or not very busy at all. Russo's is behind and to the right of Bass just at the round about. They have HH from 3-6 with slightly different specials depending on the night. Our waitress, Katrina, was very patient waiting and explaining the specials to us and bringing us their delicious bread pieces to enjoy. On Wed. they have many of the wines half price by the bottle so you can score on this. Then choose from four draft selections for $2.60 (16 oz.) We ordered the meatballs pomodoro ($5.95) for an appetizer and it had two large, juicy, tasty, meatballs. Then we ordered the chicken parmesan flatbread (10.95) which was four large triangle pieces with. After the bread and meatballs we had to take a couple of pieces home and enjoyed it more the next day. The flatbread was just okay as the taste was more bread and tomatoes with less chicken. They have a very large menu to choose from though and we will definitely return and try some other choices. The place is not large but there was plenty of seating both in long tables and small booths. They have a small bar with seating as well. They do have handicap parking right in front of the doors for easy access. You can also park on the far side of the Palladium parking and walk over to this section.

My husband, his parents and I had lunch here for the first time. (Unfortunately, we all know good Italian food, because we all have eaten in Italy multiple times, and have had Italian food on the East Coast.) Our waitress was attentive, polite and friendly, and answered our questions promptly even when she had to check with the chef. Our food was served promptly. We ordered a medium pizza (12" and about 8 slices) with half pepperoni and half cheese. It was very salty. My father-in-law and I ordered the Ravioli Al Quattro, four cheese ravioli in vodka sauce. It was just okay. The pasta was very thick. My husband ordered the Tortellaci, large tortellini with veal and beef in a marsala-cream sauce. He asked for it to be made without garlic, which they did. (It is a myth that Italians make every dish with garlic.) Unfortunately, the meat lacked flavor, and he didn't like the cream sauce much. My mother-in-law had the Eggplant Parmesan, but said that the eggplant had no flavor. This probably had nothing to do with the chef, but with the quality of produce available here. In looking at the menu, there was an awful lot of kale included in dishes, including pizza. Although it may be healthy, it isn't traditional Italian fare, and we avoided those dishes. We ordered desserts, too. The tiramisu was just okay. It was rather dry and needed more coffee flavor. The Italian cream cake was fair, but the plain cheesecake was good. Women's restroom was clean.

Nice atmosphere and very good food. I love that the food is not prepared beforehand and that you can ask to not have something added your dish. Great selections of wine and always have had great service.

Traveling alone, I stopped by here for a light dinner & tried their Prosciutto, Arugula & Burrata Mozzarella appetizer plate. It was excellent & just the right size. The prosciutto was rolled & therefore pretty much finger food. The Burrata was soft & creamy & served atop a nicely sliced tomato. All of this on arugula. Felt so good about my light dinner that I took a big delicious hunk of Tiramisu back to the hotel.

On a business trip wit colleagues in San Antonio. Decided to try Russo'a and was not disappointed. I had the mushroom risotto and added grilled chicken. It was flavorful and well prepared. All of our party enjoyed the food and casual atmosphere.

Arrived 245pm on a Sunday and was seated immediately after being told at Grimaldi's it was a 2.5 hour wait! Very loud music made this an unusually noisy atmosphere. Their patio will be great in cool weather! We were greeted with a basket of complementary flat bread and dipping sauce of olive oil, herbs and garlic which was very good. We split a small Caesar salad and the kitchen did the splitting for us! Good salad! Lots of pizza selections to choose from, so it was a tough decision, but we ordered a medium (12 inch) New York Village pizza. Toppings (spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, beef, mushrooms, black olives, roasted peppers) were plentiful, but could of definitely used more sauce and cheese! The coal-fired oven produced a nicely baked crunchy crust. Upon arriving the hostess informed us that their cheesecakes are flown in from New York City, but since the salad and pizza had us stuffed, we had to pass on dessert!

Good food in a small restaurant. Cool wood fired pizza oven. Saw several kids and adults siting at the bar watching pizza cook.

I went for lunch with a friend and ordered a large pizza with mushrooms and sausage. The pizza comes in different sizes and there are other Italian specialties on their menu. The pizza was very tasty! I like my pizza crust thin, slightly charred on the bottom and some bubbles showing in the crust. It met all of my criteria. The sauce was excellent with a nice amount of mozzarella, but overloaded with cheese. The decor in the restaurant is very nice and the seating is very comfortable. Service was excellent. My friend and I enjoyed this restaurant and will return.

We stopped off at the retail park when travelling to San Antonio and decided to have a meal after doing some shopping. This was our choice as other restaurants nearby had queues or were too noisy and showing sports on tv. We enjoyed our meal here;- shared a starter and a large pizza and 1x wine. Bill was $45 inc tip. Restaurant was busy and had a nice atmosphere.Service was good with plenty of staff . A good choice.

The food is made fresh. My husband wanted something on the menu, but not in a cream sauce. They were able to prepare the same dish in an olive oil base. The waiter was very helpful in making suggestions. They have a great lunch menu and desserts that look fabulous. I’m obsessed with the bread they serve before the meal. The weekend dinner crowd is moderately heavy (20 minute wait at 7PM, no reservations taken) and the restaurant can be noisy when full. Lunch time is less crowded, $10. For a small salad and pizza or sandwich (not limited to a particular choice/anyone off the menu), and an attractive happy hour. Call for happy hour time and lunch specials. The hostess stated they were making changes??? Good wine selection.

I visited Russo's a week after it opened and again 6 months later. The food is excellent, much better than close by competitors Maggiano's and Olive Garden. Both pasta and pizza is excellent. Service is prompt and friendly.

Better than average for Italian and pizza. Heard that Russo's is open so went tonight at 5 PM (August 2015). Very nice decor and good food. My husband had a pizza ($16.95 medium 12" - o.k. price - not a bargain) - pepperoni and salami - and the crust was perfect - which is not taken for granted! The crust was crispy on the outside and fluffy and light on the inside. The meats were good, too. Both of our salads were very fresh and crisp. He had the Greek and I had a house salad with my four cheese ravioli ($5.95 for the small Greek salad and $3 for my same size salad with a meal). Generous salads! The ravioli was exceptional! ($13.95). Perfect pasta (fresh), full of fluffy ricotta, and a delicious vodka sauce. Again, generous portion. Back to the beginning: the fresh, warm bread and dipping sauce (free) were delicious! Lots of fresh herbs and rich, smooth olive oil. The service was good and the manager even came over to check on us. It was early on a Saturday night so the restaurant was only half full. The parking is a little challenging as there aren't many spaces back there close to the entrance and there is still some construction going on in the area. There is also a sort of traffic circle so it's a little confusing and congested. Cons: The only vinaigrette was balsamic and we prefer an Italian dressing with vinegar other than balsamic. The waiter said he would ask if they could make an Italian dressing with white or red wine vinegar, but they couldn't. So, my husband opted for the Ceasar dressing which turned out to be very good! (Note: the dipping sauce was so good that a touch of vinegar would make it a perfect Italian or Greek salad dressing!). Also, the only wines by the glass are the house wines, which are CK Mondavi at $6.50 a glass. I had the Cabernet which was okay - good everyday wine; however, would be nice if they had a couple of Italian wines by the glass (red and white). Also, the CK Mondavi sells for $8.99 for a 1.5 litre at Total Wine, so $6.50 a glass is high for that wine. Also, they do not have a Happy Hour. Plus side: What they do have is half price wine by the bottle on Wednesdays and $3 a glass for house wine, from 2 pm until closing on Wednesdays. Some examples from the wine list are Mondavi Private Select normally $24 a bottle would be $12; 14 Hands Cab and Merlot $28 would be $14, Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc for $32 would be $16, and a couple of Italian reds for about $32 which would be $16. That is a good deal. Pizza on Sundays: Our other two favorite pizza places are closed on Sundays - so now we have a place to go!

Loved the pizza at Russo's. The crust was the perfect thickness and the ingredients were fresh. They have a bar that you can relax at as well some outdoor dining. I had a Greek salad as well. This restaurant is located in the Rim Shopping Center and is within walking distance to Santikos Palladium Theaters. It is very family friendly. I will definitely be returning.

We had the clam chowder and pizza slice lunch special. The clam chowder is to die for. The pizza slice was also very generous. Absolutely delicious.

Went for an early dinner, were seated right away. Nice wine list, and reasonable prices. We tried the mussels appetizer, it was spicy and good. The minestrone was nice and the veggies were not overcooked. We ordered the New York meats pizza, it was delicious! Crispy through and through, and they did not skimp on the toppings. My friends ordered the goat cheese and eggplant pizza and subbed vodka sauce on the pizza instead of the pesto and absolutely loved it. Our server was attentive and when one in the party mentioned she didn't like garlic, the chef actually caught that and suggested the change. That's impressive! We will be back!

We were actually going to Mona Lisa's for pizza when we encountered a notice on the restaurant's door that explained that the place had been closed for non-payment of rent. Great! We just happened to notice several new restaurants as we drove in that were right around the corner of which Russo's is one. And since it was Italian we figured they must have pizza as well. The inside of the place reminds one of a slightly upscale Carrabbas. There is a coal fired oven to the right as you walk in and a small curvilinear wine bar to your left The kitchen is open to the dining room in the back. There is also a small terrace which may be useful once the summer blast furnace starts shutting down . . . about October . . . I wondered why they decided to use coal instead of wood? Maybe they partnered with the Spruce power plant in South San Antonio to have some anthracite or lignite dropped of here before main delivery to the plant. I think wood smells a lot better and can draw customers in from a block away with that sweet odor of burning wood wafting through the air, but what do I know. This guy (Russo) has 36 restaurant locations! The complementary flat bread with olive oil, herbs and GARLIC was good if not a little salty. The large NY style pizza was full of fresh ingredients including roasted pepper and tasted like it. Not much in the way of sauce or runny strings of moz cheese. But what was there was very tasty. Nice light to medium crunchy crust from the coal fired oven. I like everything about the restaurant. It has only been open for several weeks, seems to be doing well and is sure to draw in the Rim shoppers. As one would expect, pizzas are in the $20 range and most specialty plates, the $16 range. Moderate to upper moderate in price, but still not the quality (or price) of Paesaano's though quite a bit better than Zio's if that helps give you some bearing Our waiter had a little of the opening jitters, but did a good job overall. Glad to bring you more bread and timely beverage refills. Just don't ask them for a styro of your tea or soda to go on these ferociously hot days. They don't do that here!

Pizza was ok! Chunks of tomato in the sauce! Bread tooooo much toppings! Mom’s soup so strong she could not eat it! Not bland at all!!!! Strong too much spices!

We were going to go to a place across the street for dinner tonight and when I looked at the menu I changed our minds. We accidentally went into Russo's. The tap beer is on sale for happy hour and was very pleasant (all 4 varieties). We selected the wings which were outstanding! For an entree we selected a specialty pizza and a Stromboli and both outstanding. The bread and dipping oil was also amazing. All in all it was a very pleasant meal! Can't wait to try their pasta!

Lunch was excellent. Service spot on. Lunch deal was definitely a deal. Huge Slice of pizza-l from a literal 28” pizza- tomato basil soup was also top notch! Not close to us but will make a special trip to return.

We went to Russo's at the Rim with another couple. Service was B- even with only two tables occupied. Atmosphere was B - ok booths and lighting. Music a tad intrusive to conversation. Wait time - irregular and peculiar. Food - meh to yelch. I had the tom.-basil soup. It was ok. I was looking forward to a delish Ital meatball sandwich and it was huge!! The meatballs were meat-with-filler-mush with some bone grit and the bread was very uninspired/not worth eating. I ended up taking the mushy meatballs (and nondescript waxy cheese) home as dog food but am wondering if our dog will even eat it. It is that awful. This place is supposed to serve 'authentic Ital food' - they should be ashamed.

My husband and I love Russo's Italian Kitchen. The service is excellent, the food is yummy and the prices are reasonable. We try to eat here frequently either as a couple or with friends. Highly recommend this restaurant! Keep up the good work Mark! You have a great staff.

The first few times we had dinner there, it was very good, the third time, not so good, since then we have ordered take-out. First they were taking phone calls, but now they don't. One needs to order online. They tell you an approximate time for pick up, but one still needs to wait about 20 minutes more. Upon arrival, there is nobody to pay any attention, we stood there for about 20 minutes before anybody asked what we wanted. Then waited another 20 because our order was not ready. The pizzas have gone from bad to worse, they have good recipes, but attitudes and service are not good at all. There are other better places. they need a good manager.

First visit with honey for date lunch and movie. Opened at 11 a.m. We arrived about 11:05. One family ahead of us. We had to wait because they were still prepping to open. Really! That is what the manager is supposed to ensure happens. We were seated and ordered the chicken wings. While we waited the server brought warm pieces of pizza dough to eat but state "the olive oil is not ready yet". So we waited. The chicken wings (%9.95) came and still no olive oil so I asked and she said "oh, let me check". The olive oil was ready. It had bits of golden roasted garlic and herbs and was tasty. Added a little pepper. By that time the bread for dipping was cold. The server did not ask once if everything was okay and walked away quickly while I was still talking. Understand we were the only table she had. The other table had another server. We had to catch her to ask for blue cheese instead of the ranch. Had she waited five seconds I would have been able to get the words out. About 11:40 (35 minutes after we arrived) she came and apologized because the other server had grabbed our food and taken it to the other table. I find it hard to believe they also ordered only Lasagna and a small Mediterranean salad ($6.95 - don't order this. This was actually a small salad on a small salad plate and not worth the price. $3 more for chicken. )since there were two adults and two small children, but, oh well, we waited the 3 to 5 minutes she told us it would take to get our food out. Nothing. a few minutes later someone came and apologized and said we were getting a 15% discount for the inconvenience. By this time if was 11:50 a.m. and we had a movie that was starting in 30 minutes. We waited until 11:56 and no food or updates so asked for out tab and left. There was absolutely no time to eat AND make it to the movie. They did not charge us and I appreciated that. I don't think we will come back but may come for an appetizer or dessert just to give them another try. Might not, There are multiple really good restaurants at The Rim in San Antonio with more opening. A little more server training regarding asking if we needed anything and requiring the servers to check the ticket before grabbing food would help.

We have loved and supported Russos for years! But we are DONE - this is the THIRD time we have ordered for delivery and had our order cancelled… I mean wow how long can you stay in business when you consistency is simply shot???? Never an explanation never a heads up just , “ order cancelled”… boo Russos, seriously- no excuse, you clearly don’t want to serve.

We visited Russo’s, a casual-dress Italian restaurant at the Rim, an upscale shopping center in north San Antonio, Texas several months ago and I sang its glory-it was great. We visited again last night and the glory has faded. They were understaffed- we waited several minutes for the waiter to approach our table (the restaurant was not full), for refill of water glasses, and about 30 minutes from the time our order was placed until it was delivered (the waiter apologized). The wine selection was reduced as evidenced by the paucity of wine bottles above the bar (previously an elegant display) and by the unavailability of a wine selection we had enjoyed previously. The food was unremarkable-my wife had eggplant parmesan which was “OK” but not great and I had spaghetti with marina sauce and Italian sausage (the sauce was a thin, watery, and disappointing and the sausage was unimaginative-thin slices of a piece of stuffed sausage- not the browned, ground meat that I expected). Of the world cuisines we have sampled in the last 2 decades, Italian is at the top of our list; of the Italian restaurants we have sampled-Russo’s has failed the test (we will not return).

The food was truly top shelf! We got the clam bake and the shrimp alfredo. Both were exceptional and will bring me back. But it is getting tiring to go to nice restaurants and have the waitstaff treat you in a slipshod manner. "Hey boss...what are you havin'?" "Sup, boss...need more water?" Then to have him lean against the wall 4 feet away from us hitting on a waitress while we ate is just wrong. A little professionalism goes such a long way!

Holy cow the pizza is fantastic!! The few times that my wife and I have had the chance to stop here we have been happily surprised with the sevice and the food. The basket of the dough chunks is addicting but don't fall for it, wait for the pizza it's fantastic. We will be back here again.

Had a work-dinner and the food was delicious and not overly noisy. The fried cauliflower was delicious along with the bread knots. What made the pizza was the ricotta cheese. The dough had a nice consistency and not overly doughy. Nice dinner spot!

Very mediocre pizza...not like any real Italian pizza should taste! Watery sauce with a bland, tasteless crust...where was the olive oil??? We asked for extra sauce, and we were served a tiny cup of sauce and not informed there would be an extra charge! Poorly trained and unprofessional waitstaff. We watched the waitress walk back and forth from the restaurant to the kitchen and back with our bill and cash for 20 minutes. The outrageous bill for $17.75 for a horrible 12" pizza was paid for with a $20. bill and another $20 bill that we asked her to change for two $10's. So, all that she had to do was return $2.25 and change for the other $20. We got back just the change for the $20. without the change for the food bill...unbelievable!!!! Had to find someone else to ask where is the rest of our money and why the waitress took 20 minutes to return to us, and what was all the confusion about??? We finally got our $2.25 but no one could tell us what was the problem and no one ever said they were "sorry" for the inconvenience and confusion. They don't deserve to be in business for one more day...disgraceful!!!!!!!

It's my second time going to this restaurant and ordering pizza. I told them to keep my pizza away from pork or pork products. On both occasion they added pork to my pizza. first time, I trashed the pizza. On the second time, I mentioned it again not to add pork/pork products to the pizza, but they did it again. Now I think they do it on purpose. Even though the sign in front of the restaurant say Halal Meat, but I don't trust what they say and will not go back.

Awful experience. Advertise for delivery through Door Dash. Ordered Margarita pizza. Arrived stone cold. The pizza tasted like it had been barely warmed up maybe from being frozen. Tiny pieces of tomato and basil almost non existent. Absolutely horrible. Never ever again.

My husband and I went for dinner. The hostess started to seat us. As she went to get menus, Another couple came in. Without a word to us, she stopped to talk to them and apparently found out they had a reservation. She then came back to us. She took about 10 steps leading us to a table, then stopped and asked us, “Would you be willing to sit at the bar?” When we said no, she told us she no longer had a table for us. Mind you, she had been walking us to a table when she said this. We did not like how she handled this. As we walked out, we heard her say to the other couple, “I didn’t want to give away your table away.” If that is how this business handles things, they have lost our business. We won’t be going back.

The calzone is made with that perfect, crisp and chewy pizza dough. Stuffed with cheese plus several ingredients of your choice. Not too much sauce and the highest quality ingredients. Pair it with a great red wine and finish with one of their fabulous desserts like the Italian cream cake. Top it all off with an especially inviting dining room situated around their pizza/bread oven. Oh and did I mention the basket of focaccia that cones to your table when you order? Not to be missed.

Took my family to eat here for the first time for a late lunch. Wasn’t busy at all. I asked how many garlic knots come in an order. Waitress apologized for not knowing because it was her second day. That’s fine but she never got me an answer. We ordered the garlic knots and mozzarella sticks and asked for extra marinera. The mozzarella sticks arrived without the extra marinera so we shared one little dipping sauce. we didn’t have any plates and I asked the manager who was nearby if she could get us some. The garlic knots arrived with no marinera sauce at all that they were supposed to come with. Plates never arrived so I asked our waitress if she could get us some plates. After about 5 minutes the sauce that the garlic knots was supposed to come with arrived…still no extra marinera. After another 5 minutes the plates arrived. The appetizers are almost gone at this point. Finally some extra marinera arrived. We mentioned to our waitress that it arrived too late and we didn’t get to use it for what we needed it for. She ignored that. She brought an extra drink to the table by mistake and told us she would take that off the tab. My husband asked for extra balsamic vinaigrette for his salad. He noticed she brought a thick dressing that looked nothing like the balsamic he had on his salad that he asked for so he didn’t know what it was. He just thought she forgot to bring him the dressing he asked for. All our food came out at different times. When we got the bill we were charged for 2 extra marineras, an extra drink, and the extra balsamic dressing. When my husband brought up our concerns for being charged for these items the waitress went and talked with the manager. The manager then came over and told us that because those marineras were used that we need to pay for them. I told her they did not arrive for what we needed them for which made our eating the appetizers difficult among 6 people. Knowing that they would have gone to waste my husband added them to his meal but their service did not meet our expectations for what we asked for. The waitress and manager continued to argue with us demanding we have to pay for the extra sauce. I couldn’t believe the horrible attitude and response we were given for a reasonable dissatisfaction. They admitted they would have thrown them away anyway if we didn’t use them. I felt like we were more than patient throughout our experience but we were not given that same level of regard in return. I had never been treated so horribly by a waitress and manger. I didn’t really care about the money. I was livid over the disrespect we were shown. I left with the kids. My husband worked it out after he asked the waitress to leave and only then would the manager listen to what he was trying to say. She ended up taking off a couple more drinks because she said she couldn’t take off the marinera. I don’t know what kind gold they are mixing in that sauce (that they need to charge an extra $2 for a half filled little cup) that is more valuable to them then treating their customers with some common decency, but based on the reviews for over the last decade, some customer service training seems to be greatly needed for this business. Will never go back.

Stopped in for lunch. Ordered lunch special, pizza with four toppings. Good size, pizza was okay but I would not make a trip for it. It came with a house salad which was fresh, We also ordered chicken marsala pasta. The amount is generous, the chicken was tough. Stick to the pizza if you visit.

We enjoyed eating here very much. I got the eggplant and arugula pizza and my husband ordered the chicken and kale cannelloni. Both were great and reasonably priced. Very large portions. You get pizza crusts as bread before the meal, which was great because we were starving. Glad we sat out on the patio, because the interior was dark and freezing cold. Highly recommend this place!

Good menu, enjoyed our meals and service on our first two visits. We have yet to try the pizza since the other meal options have been so good. Great location right next to Palladium Movie Theater. Park in between the two for a perfect dinner and a movie evening!

This place is great! Delicious food and good service. The bread they serve before the meal is seriously my favorite.

We have been here many times since they opened. This last time I came alone for dinner and this review reflects that experience. I had a "cup" of minestrone soup and it was not only excellent but more like a bowl of soup very filling. I had also ordered the Stromboli calzone which was a mistake because it filled up the whole plate and way more than I could eat. I took over half of it home and had it the next day for lunch. It was really good but could have just eaten the minestrone soup. The soup was full of vegetables in a delicious broth. The calzone was full of cheese, meet and I had garlic added which was pieces of roasted garlic. Delicious. I love garlic so garlic haters be aware. Both were served hot. Either would have made a decent supper. I had a tale on the porch.

Looking for an after movie late dinner, we spotted Russo's and walked over from the theater. A little too brightly lit, but we sat down in a booth, had an energetic waitress, and ordered a $55 bottle of Prisoner wine ( a bargain at that price). Next, a fresh small Caesar salad which we shared. Then the pleasant surprise, a New York style pizza topped with tons of fresh arugula, big mushrooms, green peppers, mozzarella and a non- greasy Italian sausage. Delicious! Took half home for tomorrow. A small chain, we we not expecting such a delightful meal. Can't think of a better pizza in San Antonio!

The food was just okay. The service wasn't very good and we sat for a long time after finishing our food before our waitress came over. What bothered me the most was the waitstaff was eating and drinking and too busy talking to see if we needed anything. When we were there there weren't many customers but by the time we left it was filling up.

I. Am. Speechless. Well, almost. We went here for dinner after about a 6-month hiatus, but we were craving calzones which believe it or not, is actually pretty hard to find in San Antonio. In any case...this was one of the WORST food experiences ever. Avod this place at all costs. They recently went through a major staffing change and on the night we visited...they chef was "in training". My advice is find another chef, because this person is hopeless. The food was under cooked and in the case of my wife's risotto, they didn't cook off the wine. It was swimming in it. They also had a friend mozzarella which we ordered but it wasn't either fried nor warm. There were also four tables around us that sent their meals back. There were issues with the wait staff, but really...food is what you want/expect and this place left us headed to McDonald's. Yeah it's a chain and no one was expecting a great culinary experience, but getting the basics down should be a lay-up. At this place, it's not. Avoid like the plague. There are many other options nearby.

This is a coal-fired pizza joint in The Rim shopping district. It was a nice night, so I sat outside and enjoyed pizza and wine. Service was very helpful and friendly. They have a nice, unique and interesting menu loaded with some tasty pizza options. I started with their cucumber salad and it was really good… the tomatoes were sparse, but the cucumbers were fresh and the whole salad tasted great. Their table bread is good, especially with the olive oil dipping sauce they bring along with it. The main event, their pizza was awesome! Nice crust and the ingredients tasted great on it.

Hubby and I wanted some really good pizza and decided to try the new guy. We like both places here in San Antonio that offer high end, gourmet pizzas, but this one was even better! From the complimentary bread and dipping sauce to the perfect chewy crust, we were sold. And two pizza and salad lunch specials and a glass of wine for $25 was a steal. Furthermore, attentive service was greatly appreciated.

My wife and I often dine out on Friday and wanted to try a different place to eat. We went to your place ate The Rim in San Antonio, TX which has a variety of other places to eat right next door. All the places were packed and the wait was pretty long. We saw your place and noticed it was slow and thought let's try it, we have never heard of your place but it looked nice inside. We were greeted and seated pretty quickly which was great, we chose outside. This is where are experience began and unfortunately went downhill. The waitress was very nice and told us of the specials, which we declined. I did order the Bruschetta Pomodoro first along with a Peroni, my wife just water. I got the water and Peroni and bread was brought to us. It was a bit salty but was acceptable. Now after about 15 minutes I asked where was the appetizer and I was already on my 2nd Peroni, we did already order our dinner which was the Chicken Picatta Pasta and my wife just wanted the Minestrone soup. Rebecca apologized and I think she actually forgot to the put the order in (appetizer) but brought it in about 8 minutes (now it' over 20 minutes, we get the Bruchetta, we understand things happen so no big deal but just wanted to let you know. The Bruchetta was great. Now later the meal comes. The Chicken Picatta was not bad, not the greatest as it was basically just a chicken breast (thick and chewy) put over a bed of pasta and sauce but I ate it. The problem was the soup, when it was served it looked more like a bowl of vegetable and thickly cut and no broth at all. Even Rebecca noticed (but I would think that she would have noticed this when she got it from the kitchen) I pointed out where was the broth, she apologized and took it back and said they were boiling the broth and we said we have been waiting longer than normal and we will just pass on the soup and my wife will just not eat but she said she would get in a few minutes. We waited and it did come back in a few minutes but it was lukewarm. Again she apologized. Still not much broth and we asked her to take off the bill and gave it back. Again she apologized. The manager never came and talked with us and I know you would expect that. When we left, we walked by the staff and again they ignored us. Not sure what we did that was so wrong but I still tipped Rebecca $5.00 .Our bill totaled 45.36 before tip. and my wife did not get anything other than water and some bruchetta and bread. I believe in customer service as I am a business owner and wanted to share my experience with you so you as a company that gave that franchise to these people can be aware of what happens. Now I know in Houston they are big from what I see on their website but their place has the least amount of customers compared to the rest of the places that is just steps away on a Friday night well that speaks volumes of what they are doing. My goal is not to cause any issues but to hopefully let you know that not everyone will take the time to inform but just won't ever go back and will often tell their friends of their experiences. I do not want a refund, I do not want a free meal I just wanted to share with you our experience. Sincerely, Joseph Rodriguez

Stopped in today for lunch at Russo's and enjoyed their chicken and portabello mushroom sandwich - delicious. Service was outstanding, restaurant was clean and inviting. Iced tea was fresh, not made from concentrate. Warning on their sandwiches - they are HUGE! At the server's suggestion, I ordered the lunch - half a sandwich and homemade chips. I still took have of the sandwich home. Great place for lunch or dinner.

This has become our go to Pizza/Pasta place. The pizza is just great, but I love that you can have it made pretty anyway you want. Actually since the pasta dishes are made fresh you can design them yourself. Nice people! Good service. A little pricey, but not prohibitive.

We were traveling for business on Valentine's Day, so were looking for a nice meal, but okay with it being casual. This turned out to be just the place. There was just two of us, so it wouldn't be feasible to have the gigantic coal-fired pizza, but we did enjoy the bread baskets which were filled with cut up pieces of coal-fired pizza crust topped with oil and garlic. We started with the calamari and a salad with beets. Both were good, though could not be classified as spectacular. My husband had the baked ziti, which he enjoyed, and I had a beef ravioli with a marsala wine sauce. The dish initially came out only lukewarm, but the server was very gracious about taking it back to have it heated through, and it was excellent after that. We were too full for dessert, unfortunately. Prices were reasonable, and we were very pleased with our choice.

Love Italian food and was looking for a good place in a new town. Found this place and thought it looked good. I got lasagna. It's what I gauge new Italian places by. Texture and flavor was good and it's a pretty good size portion. Wait staff needs a little encouragement as they were slow and not too attentive. Not a bad alternative but the food simply tasted a little like coal. Slight taint but enough to be objectionable to me. My wife didn't mind it but tasted it also. There are better Italian places.

Was visiting some friends and we were hungry for pizza. We parked our cars in the Rim and were headed someplace else but smelled Russo's and turned around and headed there. We were so glad we did! Our friends said it was the best pizza they'd had since they'd moved to SA. Greatly appreciated us finding it!

The Sunday before last we headed up to the RIM to have some lunch at our normal wonderful spot called - Magganios. Instead we drove by Russo's (for the hundredth time) and my wife said lets try them. And I'm glad we did... The Service was great and the Food was outstanding. The only snag was that on my Supreme Style Pizza the veggies were still a whee bit cold on the top of the pizza. The Waiter overheard me tell my wife, "this pizza is great, but its a shame because my veggies are still cold..." Of course My wife and kiddos were enjoying a Meat and Cheese only Pizza so they had no issues. Within 5 mins the Manager came to our table, he said, "the waiter overheard my conversation so we decided to check the veggies in the Brick Oven Pizza area and the temperature in the cooler was set to high." Thought - wow and said "no problem!" he said with out hesitation, "my apologizes for that, we've turned down the cooler and another pizza is already in the oven to eat now or take home." I said that wasn't necessary. The Manager said, "no, its the right thing to do." 5 Mins later he returned to the table with a re-do pizza and a $15 Gift Card to use on our next visit. I was in awwwhhh... I said, "wow, that really wasn't necessary!" His response was simple - "We can't wait to have you back!" Now that is Customer Service and yes Sir we sure will... Thank you for the experience and wonderful Food...

I was sooo looking forward to trying this place! I've been buying Russo's gluten free frozen pizza(which is amazing)at the supermarket for a while and was anxious to have it fresh from the restaurant. It was mediocre sadly. The service was slow-our waitress was not very efficient(likely new). My friends ordered regular pizza and reported it was just "ok". We won't be returning.

We ate here 2 weeks after it opened. The food was excellent. Good wine and beer selection as well. As long as prices stay reasonable we will return.

My wife and I were VERY impressed with the food at this restaurant. She had the San Marco which is made with a vodka sauce and I had the traditional chicken fettuccine alfredo. We had the wings for appetizer. Everything was excellent and made from scratch. The wine selection was reasonable (I recommend the Belle Glos). The manager and staff were pleasant as well. We will definitely visit again!

If you want a basic, Italian, pizza restaurant this is the place for you. The pizza crust, an important consideration was above average for thin and crispy, however my mushroom risotto was mediocre. Portion sizes are American hence are generous. The location does not have ample parking and it is hidden in a back portion of the shopping center so allow plenty of time. The inside is overly loud, all very hard surfaces, so this is not the place for a romantic dinner or to take a date.

We were here as a group of 5 on a very quiet night for the restaurant. Very convenient to our hotels and a very relaxing atmosphere. We had to wait several minutes to be seated, I think the hostess was on a break. She was very apologetic, but waiting became the theme of the night. We had a variety of dishes and I have to say my veal parm was really quite good. The bed of spaghetti it rested on was only meh. One diner really enjoyed his lasagna. The baked ziti was rated meh, but the pizza was excellent. Did I mention waiting? Not only that but while we waited for check or possibly dessert, we all sat and watched our waiter start sweeping out the restaurant, as if they were closing. This was 8 PM! I don't think they were closing down, but they sure were starting early. So, good food, nice Wednesday deal on wine (50% off a bottle), pretty iffy service. Your mileage may vary.

Needed a bit to eat before going to the movies decided to try this pizza place. We ordered a small pizza and tomato soup. The tomato soup was very tasty. But it took a long time to get the pizza. We asked numerous times when the pizza would be ready and we got told it'll be another minutes or 5 minutes. All told we waited 45 minutes for a pizza on a slow day. Time to try another pizza place.

We didn't plan on coming here but everything in the area was packed. This is the first time we have eaten here & the service was excellent. We both loved our meals. We will definitely come again.

Really nice, quaint setting in the Shops at the Rim Shopping Center. This restaurant offers upscale Italian with a menu chock full of options from trendy to the old standby's. Amazing place to enjoy a delicious lunch, or a terrific dinner selection and if you love Italian you will not be disappointed! Great service by attentive staff and a wonderful experience all around.

My wife and I have become avid patrons of Russo’s after being turned off from other more commercial Italian restaurants such as Maggianos. Don’t get me wrong, Maggianos is good...but the style and taste of Russo’s far surpasses anything Maggianos could plate. You will find the coal fired pizza and wings are to die for, and the homemade pastas and sauces (made in house) will bring you to the seventh level of nirvana! And the wine selection is perfect and seems to have been paired especially for the homemade meals. We have eaten at this location numerous times and have yet to be disappointed. Believe me, I would write a negative review if it was not worth it (see my other reviews). Taste for yourself! Enjoy!!

My husband & I tried russo's tonight & I must say I was not impressed . The restaurant is beautiful the waitress was just ok . Our bread came after the appetizer & was way to garlicky for our taste . We had calamari that was pretty good & minestrone soup that was average . Ordered a medium pizza that had no taste seemed we were eating only bread . Overall another pricy place with so so food . Also I noticed the cook drinking water & picking at food in the kitchen area . If I would of seen this before I would of walked out . We won't be returning due it it being just average .

My party of 3 were the first people in the restaurant for lunch. We were greeted immediately and made us feel welcome. Our server was prompt following our being seated and she was very thorough in explaining the menu and options for lunch. We ordered from the lunch menu and I felt the portions could have been larger. I ordered a sandwich and salad combo. It was satisfying regarding taste, but small overall.

Not as busy or cluttered like other nearby chain Italian places. The lunch menu was simple and the service was great. Nice atmosphere, lots of friendly smiles from the staff and the food was pretty good too. I'll be back

It’s a shame that Chef Anthony Russo puts a lot of effort into his restaurant, as this is all brought down because of the very poor service the personnel offers. The place was less than half empty when we arrived and still it took them a long time to give us a table. We ordered a pizza as an appetizer but the waitress forgot about it and literally ordered it until after the main dishes... she took our plates before we had finished and she brought the wrong pasta; it took us almost three hours to have lunch. The food is great, authentic Italian... but the service ruined the whole experience.

Party of 7 visited Russo's for dinner. The pre-dinner bread is great, and we shared from different selections around the table. The Lasagne was excellent, the other dishes I tried were equally good. The wait and bar staff were very friendly and helpful.

Wonderful food experience and great seevice. Baked ziti was excellent. Bread sooo good. Can’t wait to go back soon

Very sweet pasta sauce.. awful.. pasta like cardboard.. service was perfect . Bread with olive oil was fine salad.. house salad, too much green pepper.. not loving the salad

Russo's has a varied menu - something to please everyone. Bread with an olive oil based dip begins the meal. The salads are tasty and plentiful, especially like the beet salad. Pizza is very good--nice thin crispy crust and you can order gluten free which actually has decent flavor. If you like lots of sauce, be sure to request it. Service is prompt (remember that all food is freshly made) and the staff is courteous and friendly. House wines are a bit pricey. Parking can be a problem, especially on the weekends.