Review Pasquale's Trattoria - Oakville

Love everything about this place! Would give 6 stars if I could 🙂 Absolutely the best spot in downtown Oakville for high-end, flavourful Italian food, and the service had us absolutely blown away! Boyfriend and I had grilled and crispy calamari as our appetizers and the flavour was so good!! By far the best calamari I’ve had. Would definitely recommend. Every bite of the rigatoni was amazing - from the savoury flavouring in the sausage to the sauce - SOOO good!! Ravioli (not pictured here) also melts in your mouth - filling is super light and cheesy and the sauce complements it super well. Veal was super filling, amazingly seasoned and cooked perfectly. Servers were so sweet, made the extra effort to make our dining experience extraordinary - great recommendations, plated the table so elegantly and made sure we were attended to the whole dinner. Definitely recommend for a high end date night or celebration with friends/family 🙂

Absolutely loved it! A beautiful little restaurant in Oakville downtown. Has a very romantic vibe. Very friendly and prompt service. Ordered only Pastas but whatever we ordered were huge portions for 1 person, which was unexpected for an upscale place like this. Both pastas were fresh and quite tasty. I will definitely visit again to try their apps, entrees and desserts. Highly recommended.

We booked a table for 5 to celebrate my daughter's university graduation mid week, and even though we were late arriving (traffic held us up from getting there from Guelph), Pasquale and the team were graciously waiting for us and accommodated us perfectly upon our arrival. The welcome was warm, the service by Jeannie our server was excellent, and the food, well....it was perfection! We all ordered different dishes....some from the menu and others from the "Specials of the day", but all exceeded expectations. What was especially noticed by all.......the food arrived piping hot! So rare today, and made such a difference. We lingered longer than we should have, but there was no pressure to leave, amd the staff were more than gracious with us, with Pasquale coming by several times to regale is with stories and humorous anecdotes. We will be back, and we would highly recommend this restaurant to others looking for a marvellous meal, in a warm and welcoming setting, right in the heart of downtown Oakville!

We celebrated our anniversary tonight. I have no words to describe this place. An exceptional service to begin with. This is a hidden paradise. You come here to enjoy. Food, time and vibe. Thank you for making it so special. It felt like a movie.

A quaint and comfortable atmosphere with exquisite customer service. Pasquale, the owner, is always there and always so gracious. The food is fresh, delicious and always well prepared. The staff are profesional and passionate and make the experience a pleasure. I definitely suggest you get a reservation and try out Pasquale's

Pasquale’s came highly recommended and the restaurant did not disappoint. The cuisine was delicious. Definitely took the flavours up a notch. Very pleasant staff and it was a great evening. Definitely worth every moment of getting dressed up! Will definitely do it again!

One of my absolute favourite Italian Restaurants in all of the GTA. The food is authentic Italian plate and the service is second to none. The nicest owner you will ever meet. We often order expresso when sitting next door having a cigar. Please come out a try it. You won’t be Disappointment.

Great food. Nice atmosphere. Pasquale and his entire staff were very attentive and made my evening with my husband extra special.

Very small portion served as veal piccata and the Parmesan on the pasta was very poor quality. Will not return. Non buono!

Excellent food and excellent service! Staff are personable and attentive, but not overbearing. Best Italian food around! Will definitely be back again.

Amazing service and food. Wine selection is first class. Owners and staff make you feel right at home. I would highly reccomrnd this Italian restaurant to anyone. Thanks for making our evening special. We will be back soon!!

Great meal, wonderful restaurant. The staff and proprietor were first class.

Absolutely amazing food and service! Must try! Pasquale is a gem, and such a gentleman!

I went there for the first time tonight. The food and service were both amazing, will certainly be going back soon!

Service, food quality and portions were great! Great value. Pasquale introduced himself to our entire party and made us feel quite welcome.......well played!

You will always feel at home at Pasquale's. And the food is even better than you remember every time. Cheers 🍷👍😃

From the first greeting at the door by Pasquale, all the way through to the final SURPRISE cake for my son's 🎉....this establishment is one of our favourite places to dine as a family! Thank you again. Gail Pearce Siemko

Great service and fantastic food 👍👍

As always, a wonderful experience...Pasquale is always the gracious host...since moving from Oakville we aren't there frequently any more...it was great to find our way back after a long absence!

Amazing restaurant , amazing service and atmosphere ! Highly recommended ! Owner takes time to come talk to everyone ! 5 star !

High quality food with warm, friendly service. My favourite restaurant

Exceptional service and menu' we will be back.....

Amazing food and the service is the best. Pat greats everyone and makes them feel special. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening.

Warm and welcoming.........great time as always 😊

Excellent food!! Very friendly staff. Felt so relaxed after a long day. Loved it.

VERY attentive service, and the food was amazing!

GREAT food, GREAT staff, ...Thank you for helping us celebrate our 10 year Wedding Anniversary in such a delightful way!! P.S. The Tiramisu is FABULOUS!!!!!

Love! Great food, atmosphere, service! Thank you for the great night out.

Great food, Pasquale is the ultimate "host"! Thank you Pat!

Excellent food matched by an even better service! Very happy with the place, will certainly go there again.

Going downhill. I am from Oakville with is a town in the province of Ontario, so, Ontario is correct but it is not a city or town. Urbanspoon needs to address this mistake.<br/><br/>Pasquale's.... the head waiter acts exactly as a male waiter always does in an italian restaurant. Women are nothing.<br/><br/>When Pasquales Trattoria opened, the food was very good and the place was packed all the time. Not so any more.<br/><br/>Mussels in this restaurant are cooked and kept in a large pot with the tomato sauce. When ordered, they are dished up with a spoon so you get broken shells and some that have not opened. This is not the way to serve mussels. One stroke against Pasquale's Trattoria.<br/><br/>Calamari was luke warm and chewy.<br/><br/>Chicken parmesan (Thursday special) was pre-cooked and just kept warm until ordered - therefore dried out.<br/><br/>Caesar salad was not too bad.<br/><br/>$18 for 500 mL half decent red wine.<br/><br/>Pasta is packaged.<br/><br/>We have tried this place for the third time since the decline and will not return. It is too bad because it was THE place to go in Oakville. The owner is always there but that causes him to have tunnel vision and he does not see the lack of quality.<br/><br/>Tables are chipped. Chairs are chipped. The place needs a good scrub down and painting.<br/>There is only on-street parking.

Great service, average food. This place has a nice atmosphere, the service is perfectly pleasant and professional. Went here with a large group, we ordered a variety of things...apps, salads, pizzas, pastas, and some desserts as well. <br/><br/>All of the food was well prepared and no one had any problems with their food, but no one was particularly impressed with the presentation or flavors - just very basic. I had a caesar salad (to be honest, looked and tasted no better than what you get out of those salad kits at the grocery store) as well as a pizza, which was well made for sure, but no mind-blowing flavors there either. <br/><br/>We had a very nice time, and were treated very well, but I never made any yummy noises while eating, so most likely wouldn't return.

Love it! My husband and I have been here a few times now because the service is great and the food is even better! We always decide to come here last minute and although we never have a reservation we are always welcome. We will definitely keep coming back! (Would recommend reservations if possible ;))

My wife and I ate there not too long ago. She is celiac and pat the owner was very aware of her restrictions. She really enjoyed her meal and so did I. She was even provided a gluten free baguette done by the local bakery down the road. This made her day. Thanks again. Will return again.

Food Blogger. Incredible food! professional servers. Lunch and Dinner, wine selection and prices. Best restaurant in Oakville. Owner welcomes customers personally and remembers you for each return visit! Reservations highly recommended.

Amazing. Had a great late dinner with my girlfriend here on Thursday night. Everyone was incredibly nice and welcoming, and the food was fantastic. I highly recommend the grilled calamari. It was our first time there and will be back for sure!

A great evening out. Attentive service, great food and a wonderful ambience!!

Ready for success?. Team seems ready to be the best Trattoria, but I thought I was sitting with the staff near the kitchen. The staff was professional, but the atmosphere, seemed to sour the experience. The veal was overcooked and the Marsala was a mushroom gravy, marsala wine is not made from mushrooms, marsala wine is known to be sweet, and the best veal marsala is made with true italian marsala wine.

Don't Bother. I recently had the experience of "dining" at Pasquales Trattoria.<br/>I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. The key to a great pasta dish is of course <br/>a great pasta sauce. The sauce that I received was bland and dry and probably could have been used to hang wallpaper. The meatballs...all two of them...were also dry. Frankly, I have had much better sauce right out of the can from my local supermarket. I suggest that if Pasquales wants to be known as a fine Italian restaurant...they should learn how to make a good pasta sauce. One would think that this would be elementary....unfortunately not here.

Disappointing food!. Brought visitors to this place a while ago and was so disappointed I would never return. They did not even finish their meals. The pastas were terrible, definitely not home made, and bland tasting.

Incredible Italian. Amazing food keeps me coming back but the service is top notch too. Very intimate atmosphere. Only problem is that it is hard to go here on spur of the moment since it is so popular

Celebratory Dinner. It was our first visit to the restaurant. We found it to be very quaint with a charming atmosphere. The menu has good selection…would have liked to have seen bruschetta on the menu, one of our favorites. However, the bread they brought to the table was very perfect for dipping into the oil and balsamic mixture. We tried the antipasto platter…highly recommended. I did later see a seafood antipasto platter being brought to another table of which was not on the menu…always good to ask. Can’t go wrong with the soup, statchatella and minestrone where very tasty….watch as they come in large bowls, it can be filling. Four our main dishes we had chicken parmesan, which was cooked to perfection. The side of pasta was weak, I’d suggest ordering a speciality pasta from the menu for the additional $6. I had veal masala, it was very tender, however the mushroom masala reduction I found strong. It could have been perfect with a splash of cream. We splurged on dessert…make room, it’s worth it. The ricotta cheese cake was a first for me and I look forward to having it again. It was very light and melted in your mouth…it was topped with a reduced caramel sauce….can’t go wrong. Overall we found the service to be very attentive, the menu had great selection as did the wine list. Great place for dinner, to drop in for drinks and appetizers at the bar or take out...wish we lived closer.

Above expectations. Food was excellent and service very attentive. Reasonable prices and great atmosphere. A bit noisy but so are all other establishments. Will definitely go back.

Has the noise issue been solved?. I visited Pasquales with friends shortly after it opened. It was so noisy that it was impossible to carry on a conversation. Not just loud, but painfully loud. Has anything been done to the decor to soften the noise? I haven't returned due to this issue. We eat out at least once a week so would be interested in giving it another try but not if the volume is up too loud!

Best Italian in Oakville. Have been coming to Pasqual's for a long time. I find the service exceptional, the food is the best Italian in Oakville and the prices are reasonable. The owner always greats the guests and makes you feel important wanted and comfortable. I recommend this restaurant to everyone I know. If I had one criticism it would be that there are not more locations so everyone could enjoy! Totally worth the trip to Oakville - lots of parking in the area

Great food and very busy! Excellent service

It was overall, a really great experience! the staff were attentive but not intrusive. the calamari fritte was perfect, light, nice and garlicy, the salad with the warm goat cheese was a great combination with the fried calamari. the red sauce that came with the calamari wasnt the best but the warm goat cheese in the salad made up for it. the ravioli was exceptional and the veal parm was perfect. didnt care much for the penne which came with the veal, maybe only because the ravioli was so great that it made the basil penne seem average. the tirumisu honestly brought me back to my childhood, eating my friend's mom's homemade tirumisu. the owner made a point of greeting us which was a really nice gesture in this quaint little restaurant. would definitely make the trip from toronto again.

Noticed the comment by the owner. Food here is good, service is very fast, a little to fast if you ask me. <br/><br/>i do like it however. and will go back. <br/><br/>as for the owners comment: never respond in such a lengthy manner on a blog. don't even bother responding.<br/><br/>most of your reviews are positive, take the bad ones in stride and move on.

Responding to the gentlemans review. As the owner of Pasquales Trattoria your comments are unwarranted.How can you assume that my staff are lazy and horrible.You did not have dinner with us or experience the level of service that we provide. You sir arrived at10:30 p:m on Tuesday Jan17. The weather conditions that evening were not at best therefore all of our guests leaving earlier than expected after a busy evening. You had indicated that you have been involved in the hospitality industry. With your comments you must think that you must be better than the rest of us. Let me tell you what family is all about. My staff is family and eating dinner at the bar after work is wonderful. Something that you most likely never experienced. When we eat we eat like family. All that being said I would like to invite you back as my guest. Have yourself a wonderful day. We all are.

Horrible, lazy waiters. I'm from out of town but come to toronto for about 2 weeks out of the month. I heard decent reviews about the place and wanted to scope it out to see if it was a place to take clients. I walked in on a Tuesday night at 10 PM after a few late meetings looking for a good dinner. Knowing that they are open until 11PM and even calling in earlier- I get there and I see 2 waiters eating at the bar. The place was slow. They told me they were closed. I worked in the restaurant industry bf and know laziness when I see it. I drove all that way so a few kids can go home early. Horrible service. Too bad they don't understand the tipping habits of people on an expense account.

Pleasantly wonderful!. Can I say more ... yes I can, the food, the service, the reception, etc... it is all just great. We've had many, many meals, it's a regular destination because it is simple, consistently good, well priced, great value, just can't say enough (even though Pat seems to come across as a wee bit disingenuine ... could just be a style thing). <br/><br/>Anyway, what are you waiting for ... try it (actually, I think all of Oakville and some have and are trying it, cause it ain't easy to get a table ... still! :))

Delicious and lovely personal service.

Amazing gorgonzola bruschetta. It's a must. it's called crostinni. Best service. They have the personal touch. You can feel you are in Sicily.

Amazing!. One of my favourite restaurants! Amazing food and great experience from beginning to end. Well except that it's hard to get a reservation but obviously there's a reason for that! The best service from all the employees and the owner comes around to greet everybody. I would definitely recommend this place!

Ordered: gnocchi, veal Marsala, Sicilian Salad,. Great quality food, service and ambiance. My husband and I will definitely be visiting this gem of a place again.

Certainly worth trying again. Attended Pasquale's for lunch with an associate <br/>The ministrone soup was wonderful<br/>The lightly crusted deep fried calimari was delightful<br/>The orange roughy was superb<br/>The only caveat was the veal parmesan - just not the quality expected <br/>the service was exceptional and the<br/>restaurant is not over-priced<br/>I will go back (but may not order the veal parmesan)<br/>recommended

Good italian eatery. Great quality overall, definitely plan to come back. My wife and I had an enjoyable evening here, despite the hustle and bustle of the busy restaurant

Hidden Gem. Friends of ours have been talking about this place for awhile. We have tried to get reservations but were unsuccessful until last night. <br/>The decor is great, the food is fantastic and the service is amazing. The waiter was very attentive and friendly. The food was very good and all the desserts are home made.<br/>I definitely recommend it!

Disappointing and NOT Italian. After hearing wonderful things about this restaurant and trying repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) to secure a reservation, my husband and I took our chances this evening and walked in at 5:30 PM. Eureka! We were seated at a table that had been reserved at 7:30 PM and were made to feel instantly welcome. As Italian food aficionados who frequently travel to Hamilton (to La Cantina on Walnut St.) and Etobicoke (to Via Allegro) to obtain a great Italian meal, we were elated to finally have a local establishment we can count on. <br/><br/>What can I say? The service was wonderful, the ambiance appropriate, the maitre d'hôtel (an owner/investor?) visited the table and chatted with us, the wine was fine, our Caesar salad and arugula salad were spectacular...everything was excellent except for one thing: The food did not taste ITALIAN! I ordered the linguine special, which was a reasonable size serving of overcooked white pasta that seemed to have no sauce of any kind, (except perhaps a little butter and way too much cayenne pepper, which is not really an Italian ingredient anyway). The pasta was limp and slimy-- so were the asparagus pieces that were tossed into it. The real pity was that although the scallops had good carmelization, they were overcooked and the generous size shrimp on top were also rubbery from overcooking. Although the presentation was lovely, the dish had virtually no flavour except for a burn at the back of the throat from the cayenne. If someone told me this entire plate had been microwaved in a plastic bag, I would believe them. While this might be acceptable from one of the overpriced, waspy establishments east on Lakeshore, we expected better from a tratoria named Pasquale's.<br/><br/> Sadly, my husband's veal parmesan was also humdrum when it could have been spectacular. From our perspective, no self-respecting Italian chef would have allowed such overcooked pasta and veal to escape the kitchen. Perhaps it was the regular chef's night off--it was Sunday evening. Whatever the reason, we were disappointed. <br/><br/>For example, it seems odd that there are no delectable odours emanating out of the kitchen. In establishments that make great sauces, grilled meats and pizza, (See Lenny's on Dundas St. up the road from Pinocchio's) the perfume of simmering tomato sauce can actually make hungry diners swoon. Why is Pasquale's not making bread from pizza dough since it makes pizza, purchasing artisanal breads or at the very least heating the bread before placing it on the table? What about using homemade pastas?<br/><br/> When we departed the restaurant at 7PM, it was full to capacity and of course it must be doing something right to have earned such popularity. As previously mentioned, the management has succeeded in creating a wonderful ambiance and great service.We believe that it should invest in developing more authentically prepared Italian food that smells and tastes delicious. Once it does, we will probably NEVER be able to get a table again.

AMAZING RESTAURANT. Best place I have been to in Oakville. I am not an Italian lover, but the food was great, and the service was even better. The owner came over and asked all of us our names and was so friendly. The meal was so fresh, and it was just a great dinner. I recommend this restaurant to anyone, it really is the best Italian restaurant in Oakville

Well it's Italian and it should be loud! The food and the ambience is in the sweet spot, definately special in Oakville and good value and very friendly!

Absolutely the best service in town. Absolutely the best service in downtown Oakville. Attentive & friendly staff, the food is really good, but not mind blowing, ambiance is very nice and cozy. The risotto was very delicious, but the other 3 other dishes we had, some sort of lamb and 2 pastas, was good, but nothing to write home about. Portions are on the small side. Would go back another time, just for the awesome service to give it another try. Pat has the his service down pat. (pardon the pun)

Solid Italian restaurant with straight forward menu pasta with ur standard sauces, veal made 3 different ways etc. It is what happens at my Italian grandmother's. Excellent service, good atmosphere, a little noisy but it is a family restaurant with the feel to match.

WAY too loud. Food was okay, not outstanding...but reason I definitely would not return is because this restaurant is VERY noisy. Had to lean in to eachother to hear eachother speak, and had a very hard time hearing the waiter when he spoke.

Awesome. The owner, Pat, is fantastic. He is not a bit pushy or difficult the way some restaurant owners can be, but tremendously considerate, outgoing, accommodating and inviting. He treats ALL his guests with the same lovely attitude, making everyone feel special.<br/><br/>And the FOOD is INCREDIBLE. The crusty golden bread is mouthwatering, the pasta exactly al dente (most north american restaurants make their pasta far too tender), the sauce fresh and flavorful. I ordered a breaded chicken breast, moist and crunchy in all the right parts with all the right proportions. Absolutely fabulous and I can't wait to return!!!!! <br/><br/>This restaurant sets the bar high for both food and quality of service -- finding an eating establishment that satisfies both is a rarity these days. You're missing out if you don't pay Pasquale's a visit.

Fantastic. Pasquales is definitley the best in terms of quality of food, service and owner attention to detail. We tried to make a reservation for a particular time- but they were full. The owner took our name and number and said he would call if a table became available wheather a cancellation or a party finishing early. He did call and once again - "FANTASTIC"<br/>Well done Pat

Hmmmmm. Just great people,fantastic food,love the place, one of my top 2 resturants,Pat rules, great host,friend and wouldnt think of eating anywhere else in Southern Ontario....<br/>well done Pat very well done....Norm

Pasquales Trattoria. Great food, good prices, lovely decor, wonderful service, BUT VERY noisy....

The pizza was nice but nothing compared to what you can get at Queen Margherita Pizza or Pizzeria Libretto. Their pasta dish was my families favorite, not a shocker as it was covered in cream. We all found ourselves slicking our fingers around the bowl rendering the restaurants dish washer useless.