Paperinos

I really like this Italian restaurant and have recommended to friends and family. I have been here a few times and always enjoyed what I had. We didn’t book as it was a sunny day in Glasgow and just decided to pop in. We got a table with no problem and service was great. As always the food was tasty and well proportioned. I had chicken wings which tasted ok but a bit oily and my husband got the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Mains we both opted for pizza, I got the sausage and chillies and my husband got Parma ham, mushrooms and mascarpone. Both pizzas tasted great, full of flavor and the crust was crunchy and a lovely thin base. They forgot to bring out our fries but we wouldn’t have been able to fit them in anyway. I had to take away half of my pizza which will do nicely later :). I do look forward to going here, although not the best italian around it is good. Highly recommend.

Excellent food (had the pesto!) And also the wine list is really good. for me the personel is also an important factor and they were very helpful and polite! Lovely choice for gatherings!

Might be controversial but i’m giving Paperino’s 5 stars. Long & short of it is because it is now one of our ‘go to’ places and also we have never had a bad meal here.
100% authentic Italian cuisine it may not be but you know what Paperino’s do well? Anglo/​Scottish-​Italian food. I’m talking about their pizzas. We come here for the pizza. We are both big pizza fans and having tried a few places in the West End now we have found Paperino’s to be the best for covering all bases of a meal we require.
They serve a good selection of drinks here and even have their own bar which is situated to the right as you walk in which is ideal if you fancy a wee drink before your meal or whilst awaiting a table. They serve their own lager (I’m sure it’s just called Paperino’s lager) which is a reasonable price & I think it’s pretty good. See a lot of people drinking the prosecco so I am guessing that’s a good choice too.
For starters we have only tried a couple but both have been good. We usually stick to the Calamari Fritti now as we’re both lovers of those ocean dwelling wee suckers when cut into rings & coated — yum! The dip that accompanies the dish (says its tartar sauce but usually tastes more like a sour cream & garlic dip to me) is also really nice & great for dunking your chips or pizza in later (we keep any left over aside for that purpose!)
We’ve both only tried the pizzas in here so can’t comment on other dishes (yet). I just can’t see past their delicious pizzas and my boyfriend LOVES the calzone. He orders it every time we visit & it is really good ~ it’s the Calzone Cajun Chicken with mozzarella, Cajun chicken (huge chunks!), mascapone & tomato sauce. Really delicious. It’s pretty filling & quite large too.
I have tried a few pizzas now, them being; Salsiccia (tomato, mozzarella, Italian sausage & chilli peppers), Salame (tomato, mozzarella & salami Milano) and Diavola (tomato, mozzarella & pepperoni style spicy salami). There are still quite a few I would like to try but I just love their salami and also that wee kick of chillies on a pizza. Yum. The base is just how I like it too ~ thin but not paper thin & cooked to perfection (not under done or burnt). The tomato sauce is also really nice & not too sweet like it is in some establishments. They’re also pretty generous with their cheese & toppings which (of course!) I like :-)
Being in Scotland we HAVE to order chips with our pizzas, ha ha! It would be rude not to. The french fries style chips are really good & you get a big bowl full to keep you satisfied.
Due to the starters & main courses being so good & so filling we haven’t yet ventured into the sweet Desserts territory. Sometimes on the way home I have nipped into a nearby ice cream parlor just for that wee something sweet even though I have been SO FULL… it’s almost became a bad habit now to do this that I must make a stand next time & resist temptation but in the Summer ice cream just seems to feel right & taste nicer I think, non?
I have to add that the staff are always very pleasant and helpful and the service is pretty swift also. We’ve never had to wait very long at all for our food.
In case (like me before entering) you didn’t know his place is massive! The restaurant has an upstairs but also goes back REALLY far! Would be brilliant for a large group or for parties. The other good thing is that you rarely need to book a table. I like that we can stroll down Byres Road on a busy Friday evening and just think ‘I fancy a nice pizza’ and pop in here on the off chance they might have a free table & 90% of the time I would say you would get a table no bother.
Yes, it might lack charm and not have loads of atmosphere but if you want that quaint, authentic Italian restaurant experience don’t come here, but if you want good, honest, Scottish-​Italian food that makes your belly happy & doesn’t cost the Earth (prices aren’t super cheap but quite reasonable with a £9 average for a pizza) and a consistency that means you will probably return again & again then do try Paperino’s.
Until I have a duff meal or experience here it will be staying 5-​stars.

I’ll start by saying that for years Paperino’s has been a favourite of mine.
My most recent visit wasn’t quite up to the usual standard though. It was a Sunday evening a few weeks ago and we dropped in without a booking — it was busy enough but not packed and we were shown to a booth.
We shared starters of mozzarella sticks and tomato and basil bruschetta. The mozzarella sticks were delicious as usual but the crunchy salad garnish that normally comes with it was missing which was disappointing as it was always tasty and went well with the sticks. The bruschetta tasted good with big chunks of flavoursome tomatoes but the bread was quite tough and gave my jaw a good workout…
Then I had my usual dilemma of trying to decide whether to have pasta or pizza as I usually love both here. We both opted for pizzas and they weren’t quite as good as we’re used to having — the base was thicker and more doughy than usual and there was quite a large crust.
It was still a nice meal though, but disappointing when you’re used to having it better than this, and at over £40 for a meal for two plus a beer and a glass of wine, not cheap to gamble on whether they’re having a good night or not.
The service was great as always — friendly and attentive.
I hope this was just an off night and I can give it a better review another time!

Fresh contemporary Italian rather than dingy, rustic, knick-​knacky place.
I think it’s had a makeover since I was last in, as it’s darker now rather than bright & white, or maybe it was just winter ambiance :)
We went for a late dinner mid week and it was fairly empty, but it did get busier during our meal.
Our waiter was great, very friendly, attentive and offered to ask about changing a sauce when my brother in law wanted his Gnocchi with a bit of a kick.
I had the menu Gnocchi — lovely big portion in tomato & basil sauce, as mentioned b-​in-​l had the same but in more of an Arrabiata sauce. My sis had the Sea Bream which was two large fillets and lots of veg.
No room for desserts!
Delicious meal and reasonably priced.

I am what may be described as ‘a fussy vegan’. I’m not actually a fussy eater, I just appear to be when I go somewhere and struggle to find a vegan option and usually eat bread. When I arrived, I was late and the waiting staff helped me find my dinner buddies based on my vague descriptions ‘the man has long hair’. When I looked at the menu I was grateful to find a cheeseless salad, fallback meal would be bread and salad. I quizzed the waitress about the ingredients of the bruschetta and the gnocchi with tomato sauce. Both vegan! Could my stomach handle eating this many carbs? I’d worked out during the day, was famished and willing to give it a bash. The bruschetta was tasty, the tomatoes crisp and visible leaves of basil. The bread was more oily than I am used to but not offensively greasy. I’d ordered a half portion of the gnocchi, wise move because I was already stuffed from the bruschetta, my eyes really were bigger than my belly. The gnocchi dumplings were a little slimy but hey, a vegan main meal at an Italian, I was still impressed. The meal as a whole was ok, not amazing but I was grateful that I didn’t have to comprise a meal from the bread menu!

It really is a shame, paparinos strikes me as a restaurant that could be so much better.
My partner and I went with a friend for a celebratory meal and hoping to use our diner card which contradictory to the website they no longer accept. Regardless we decided to stay. We where shown to the proximity of our table and then offered drinks before even getting settled. We ordered the house red which I found particularly bland. The menu it’s self I found rather unappealing, not the choice of food but the design of the menu itself, cramming onto two pages which would read so much better over 4 (sorry that’s the designer in me speaking)
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular.
In summary I’m giving paparinos 2 stars and that’s mainly due to the one member of staff who actually seemed to enjoy working there as the food and rest of the service left a lot to be desired.

Mph. I’m kinda loath to leave a less-​than great review (I prefer to shout about things I love) but I was pretty disappointed by Paperinos.
The food was alright — nothing special, perfectly passable — but the service and décor really let the place down. The duty manager wasn’t exactly rude, more that her service was perfunctory at best, and barely cracked a smile. I got the impression that she would far rather have been somewhere else — I’m sorry if you don’t like your job doll, but it’s not our fault. I wondered whether her attitude may have had anything to do with our asking about a discount card we have, but no way to tell really. One of the waiters we had was pretty decent — well done you — but that was the high point, i’m afraid.
House red was expensive for what it was. Won’t be back.

I ordered pizza for delivery and it was disgusting. I couldn’t even finish eating it. I preferred to starve than to finish that disgusting pizza.
What a shame really. Making fresh dough isn’t that hard and its cheap. Why buy frozen pizza bases and poor quality cheese? Don’t you know that only really drunk people who need to fill their bellies will not care? I will never come back here. I have other 1 star reviews that I might think about giving a second chance cause I can be forgiving. Not with Paperinos though, this is it, its over. NEVER AGAIN.

I came here on Saturday night to celebrate a friend’s birthday. There was was a large party of around 20, however our group were seated at a table for 6 away from the large table. This wasn’t ideal as we could not chat to other people and I would have expected the seating arrangements to be better thought out for such an occasion.
While the service we received was relatively on time, the people at the larger table were kept waiting for quite a length of time, and there appeared to be an air of confusion surrounding the waiting staff, which is suprising as you would expect a place like Paperino’s to be used to dealing with large groups.
I opted for the lasagne, purely because you can’t go wrong with it and I needed a good hearty meal after walking up Ben Lomond (OK, halfway, and I’m only admitting it because the birthday girl is also a Unilocaler). I was not disappointed. It was a generous portion, and rich with just the right amount of cheese. It would have been made even better with a slice of garlic bread however.
My friend’s meals on the other hand… disappointing to say the least. One opted for the Risotto Di Pancetta, which looked bland and watery. It also tasted bland and watery. Another ordered the Grilled Italian Sausage, which turned out to be two large sausages and what looked like frozen french fries. There was no sauce to accompany the sausages and not only did it look very bland and unexciting, it came with a £14.50 price tag. Definitely not justifiable.
Overall, I wouldn’t rush back. But if I did, and you do, stick with the lasagne…

This place really does epitomise the 3 star review huh?
So unbeliveably average and faceless!
Had an hour and a half to grab some food and get to the QMU for some Zombie-​based entertainment, and the place looked pretty quiet. Soon we realised why it looked so quiet, the place is enormous! The bit you can see from the window is less than a third of the actual eatery. The child presence was a tad high for my liking, but they were well behaved so no major complaints.
The menu, surprisingly for an italian had nothing that was really grabbing me. Probably because I wasnt really craving anything and found some of the dishes a tad overpriced — chicken and chips for £14?
I picked a cajun chicken pizza and my hungover companion picked the carbonara, and a side of garlic bread to share. My pizza was not too bad, a 4 star affair yes Ive had better but it was pretty good, and overflowing the plate! However my friends carbonara was not good, very underseasoned and extremely light on the bacon. The garlic bread was okay, but not very garlicky so was just toast really.
Service was quick and pleasant but had about 4 different servers over the course on an hour, so who knows who was actually looking after us?
If all the other places nearby are busy, you could do a great deal worse than Paperinos — but I’d keep it as a last resort.

«If you ate pasta and antipasti, would you still be hungry?» ~ George Carlin
Jokes aside, Paperino’s is your standard Italian fare conveniently located on the bustling Byers Road. It’s a safe bet if you’re craving Italian. The food is fresh and decent, but it’s missing that je né sais quoi that sets it apart from all the other Italian restaurants in town.
Upon entering Paperino’s, you escape into a simple modern aesthetic, with clean lines, and simple usage of wood and leather. It offers up quite a vast space where patrons can enjoy their meals in a relaxing unpretentious atmosphere. The service is friendly and able. The food (pasta dishes) is fresh, but slightly underwhelming. The majority of the mains are priced just under £10, which doesn’t make it super pricey. However, for something that’s just meh, you could get something better at that price.
Bottom line: Safe bet Italian in the West End with hefty servings. Not horrible or fantastic, just safe. Can be quite busy on the weekend, so book ahead, or take your chances.

Paperino’s on Byres Road lacks the cosy, rustic feeling of most traditional Italian establishments in the city, but it doesn’t make it any less good in my eyes.
Its interior is simply decorated in fresh colours, lending its inspiration to a swankier chain restaurant than anything else. But although it’s a bit plain, it’s so spacious, and a great place to have dinner if you’re in a big party.
It’s very family friendly, and the widely varied menu makes it a good way to get kids to try something different. If they’re not interested in branching out (and we all know kids can be quite fussy), there are plenty of sides and plain pizzas to appease their tastes.
The A la Carte menu is extensive and the food is delicious. You can spice your pizza or pasta up with many traditional and spicier options, and there are many veg toppings suitable for veggies.
For the quality of the cooking and the prime location, Paperino’s is refreshingly cheap. Each time I’ve visited it’s always been relaxed, and although it’s usually busy during the evenings there are enough space and staff to accomodate everyone. I know some people say they’ve had better, but personally I really like it and get very hungry at the thought of it!

You’re unlikely to have the meal of your life in Paperino’s, this is Italian fare at its safest, but it represents a solid addition to Byres Road, particularly given the lack of family-​friendly restaurants in the area.
The set-​up is modern and spacious, ensuring it is the ideal place to go with big groups or for family days out, particularly if you have a fussy eater in your ranks. Although it tends to get particularly busy in the lead up to Christmas and also on most weekends, it’s rare to have to wait too long for a table and staff are pretty friendly, keeping you updated constantly as to how long you will have to wait.
Not great but not bad either.

Fact of the day: Paperino is Italian for duck. I discovered this after googling the word for this review. I also discovered Italians call Donald Duck «Paulino Paperino.» How cool is that? Everything sounds better in Italian.
Case in point; I typed the most unexotic words in Bablefish and translated them into Italian. The results: accountant became «ragioniere,» brussel sprout became «germoglio del brussel» and toilet paper became «carta igienica.»
However, Falkirk remained «Falkirk». It seems there are some things even Italy can’t save.
Paperinos, the restaurant on Byres Road, is much less exotic than its name suggests. It serves the usual Italian suspects; pizza, pasta, salads and mains. The food is good but not particularly memorable; better pizzas are available a few doors down at Little Italy.
However, Paperinos is very popular for families, particularly those with young children. It is probably the most child friendly restaurant in Glasgow. The place is always filled with youngsters toddling around.
Paperino’s is also lovely in the summer if you can bag a table at the Byres Road side as the owners open the bay windows resulting in a European pavement dining feel.
Although there are better Italian restaurants in Glasgow, the chef is certainly not a quack (okay, sorry, that’s the review over now.)

A passable but unremarkable Italian restaurant, Paperinos is okay i suppose, but lacks any unique selling point or atmosphere, and suffers from the Wagamama effect in that it feels like they’re trying to get you fed and out the door as quick as possible until the next group of pigs arrive to stuff their faces.
You can get a pizza that tastes as good in Tesco, or make one of their pasta dishes yourself for a couple of quid.

One of three Paperinos in Glasgow, this is the only one I have been in. Much bigger inside than it appears from its exterior, it is bright, light and contemporary with whitewashed walls and wooden booths which is nice and classy but not as cosy and intimate as it could be. Almost feels a little clinical.
The menu is excellent for an Italian though with lots of options for starters and mains. I love Italian food so choosing from this varied menu was tricky — all the favourites are there — and the portions are large.
Good to go for a tasty meal with a group of friends.

I went here in a large group without having booked and they couldn’t have been better about getting us seated and serving us.
The food is pretty good and good value for money.
The portion sizes are massive and the dishes, whilst including pizzas and lasagnes has more unusual dishes like calzone.
The desserts are delicious and recommended if you can squeeze one in!

I came here with a group of 8 a few months ago. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and our food was served promptly and roughly at the same time, which can sometimes be an issue with larger groups.
Unfortunately the quality of the food did not match the service. That’s not to say the food was bad, it just wasn’t great and I was left slighly disappointed. For the quality of food on offer, I felt the menu was overpriced at almost £20 for a steakThe wine list was not very varied and slightly overpriced for what was on offer.
The décor is rather neutral and restaurant doesn’t really have a ‘feel’ to it.
Paperino’s seem more of a ‘work night out’ kind of restaurant as opposed to the type of restaurant you would go to to really enjoy the food.
Overall then, not bad, but not great either.

Really nice Italian. Nice atmosphere and staff. reasonable prices for food AND wine which was a surprise!!!
Worth a visit.