I was introduced to Pagliacci’s a few years ago by some friends who, ironically, were out of town but go there every time they visit. High praise.

There is usually a line at dinnertime, but it’s never particularly long. The short wait is impressive, when you consider the small space inside.

The food is excellent, it doesn’t matter what you get, you will be happy with it. The atmosphere is lively but comfortable. Service is quick and friendly (I imagine it’s easy to be quick in such a small space). The prices, however, are less than impressive. You definitely pay a premium for eating in a “nice” restaurant.
At $20 for a plate of pasta (albeit a large one), one must wonder what they’re paying for, exactly. The short answer is: you’re paying for your seat in Pagliacci’s.

That said, if you’re looking for a nice place to go for dinner, perhaps on a date, or taking out some family, you absolutely will not be disappointed. I highly recommend Pagliacci’s, but it’s not the sort of place to go too often if you’re on any sort of budget.

The reef is a great place to get together with some friends for a meal and a few drinks. I’ve been many times, and never been disappointed by the food, or the service. All of the staff are very friendly, service is a quick, prices are reasonable, and the music is awesome.

The last time I went, however, fountain drink refills were not free, and we were even charged for extra mayo for the plantain chips. This has never happened before, and I haven’t yet had the chance to speak with anyone there about it, though I will. That sort of thing cause many members of our group to seriously reconsider ever coming back, which suggests to me perhaps the waitress was just overzealous. Or perhaps late on her rent, as most restaurants wouldn’t do that.

As another reviewer said, the plantain chips are delicious. My favourite appetizer, particularly on nights with a few drinks, are their fried dough balls. The name escapes me, but they are delicious, and I highly recommend them.

I’ve only ever been for lunch once, when I paid for myself and two others. The bill was less than $30, for 3 quick, filling, tasty meals, and 3 drinks. What’s not to like?

Never having tried Villages pizza before, and hearing so many good things, I went into the location on Shelbourne/Cedar Hill X-Road and got a couple of slices of meatlovers. Small slices.
For $5, you get two very unsatisfying small pieces of pizza, and a can of pop. Even if you’re not thirsty, you might as well take the pop, they charge you for it either way. I don’t think there’s a pizza place in town that sells smaller slices, but I know of enough that sell bigger, better ones for the same price or only a little more.

When someone offers me meatlovers pizza, I expect a minimum of 4 toppings. My pizza appeared to be ham, and the tiniest bit of ground beef sprinkled on top. It the most unimpressive pizza I’ve ever had. The pizza was thin, flimsy, and bland.

I continue to hear good things about Villages, though none of them from recent experience (I’ve yet to see a Villages pizza box anywhere outside of a Villages store).

Maybe they make good pizza when you order a whole one, I don’t know. At $33 for a 3 topping pizza, I doubt I ever will. All I know is that, from my experience, money spent on pizza is much better spent elsewhere.

(That’s right, BBQ sauce, smokies, mushrooms, and onions costs $33 for two larges. For reference, next to garlic, mushrooms and onions are the two cheapest ingredients in a restaurant by a large stretch).