Totino’s Italian Kitchen

I liked them in the old location on Central Avenue even back 50 years ago and was happy to see them move closer to me i n Mounds VIew. The food was just good old palin Italian-​American with large portions. I heard that they closed over the weekend and their phone number today comes up as «not in service» which kind of confirms it. This is too bad. We will miss them.
Referencing some of the reviews, we thought the sauce tasted like it was canned about as much as the denigrating reviewers themselves taste like bear food. Make the sauce yourself from scratch and then comment. Oh, too bad — you no longer have an opportunity to compare.
Their passing is a loss. We have not found another decent Italian Restaurant in the NW area.

Went for the first time the other night because we had a Groupon to use. We both thought the food was really good, especially the cheese and meat ravioli. Very good, would definitely go back for those. Would give the food a ⁴⁄₅ very easily.
The service however was pretty poor. We had to wait almost 10 minutes for someone to come over and ask if we wanted something to drink, etc. The table behind us appeared to have been waiting a long time as well and eventually left due to the wait. Thankfully the food was delivered quickly and tasted great, but once again trying to get a box and our check took another 10 minutes or so.
Not sure what the deal was. Fix the service and we’d make this a regular stop.
Overall: ³⁄₅ stars
Food: ⁴⁄₅ stars
Service: ¹⁄₅ stars
Host Staff: ⁴⁄₅ stars (they were very friendly on the way in and out)

I am sad to see some of the bad reviews. This is some of the best Italian food around. Not fancy at all. Simple, homemade, earthy. You won’t be finding anything in a balsalmic reduction with cremini mushrooms, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. This is simple hearty south italian at it’s best. Olive Garden has fancier dishes than Totinos. But again fancy is not what you come here for. I think the expectations for a different take on Italian is what causes some of these bad reviews.
I definitely agree that the atmosphere here is bland and was way better in Nordeast MSP. However, to me Totinos was never a place you went to for the atmosphere. And as far as not having any alcohol there is a reason. I believe the reason is because they don’t have a liquor license due to a violation.
Anywhoo on to the food. I’ve either ordered or sampled most of the dishes on the menu. I’m not a huge fan of spaghetti to begin with but theirs is pretty damn tasty. Homemade sauce and balls are delish. Pizza is pretty rad too. Again simple ingredients. Don’t come here expecting anything crazy on your pizza. My ultimate dish here is the cheese ravioli. Food-​gasm just thinking about it. The raviolis are HUGE. Each one is about the size of a standard post-​it and is stuffed with ricotta cheese. You get 6 so there is always some leftovers and they reheat surprisingly well. I love that the ravioli shells are homemade too. I’ve never had a better plate of ravioli. Again, not fancy but the simplicity is what makes this place great. Sometimes the food snob in everyone needs a break from kimchi, flatbread florentine pizza, and duck confit. This is a great place for a hearty simple tasty meal.

I’ve never had anything but their cheese ravioli (home made) with the meat sauce with garlic toast. I had it first 10 years ago at the NE location and I will continue to have it at the Mounds View location. The only down side of the place is it’s an Italian restaurant without wine? It’s a little sterile looking as well but the ravioli makes up for it. Still my favorite and forever will be.

Pizza and spaghetti. Can’t really screw up, but can’t really impress either.
You’ve got your very standard garden variety spaghetti, ravioli, and penne pastas. Everyone’s plate looks the same, it’s kind of an eye sore to be honest. Lots of tomato and marinara sauce staring back at you. Pizzas are what they’re famous for here, and they are decent, but nothing over the top in my opinion. Pastas will run you about $ 8 – 10 per plate, pizzas a bit more. Garlic bread was tasty and I loved my draft root beer.
However, beyond that, nothing too special and nothing that really captures the history of a place that’s been open for 50+ years. I feel they really could’ve done more with that. Semi-​disappointing in that respect.

This place is actually a little tough for me to review… from a restaurant perspective I’d give them ⁴⁄₅ stars… from a catering perspective, I’d give them ¹⁄₅
Restaurant: Clean, good and friendly service, tasty food. I ordered the mixed ravioli — half of the plate was beef, the other was cheese. The beef ones were good — the cheese ones were amazing! My fiancé ordered lasagna — pretty tasty. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re looking for a new place to try. Remember… I give the restaurant 4 stars!
Now…the catering piece. I was really hoping to possibly use Totino’s for catering for my wedding. The food is very good and the price is right. I emailed the address on the website, waited maybe 2 – 3 weeks without hearing back, so I emailed again. I heard back fairly quickly after that (from another email address), but then responded with a couple more questions. Never heard back. Then we went in for dinner and I asked if someone was available to speak with us about catering. The catering manager came out, talked to us for a couple minutes (didn’t really seem interested in possible business), gave me his card and told me to email him. I tried the email address on the card and it bounced back to me. I tried the email address listed on the website again one more time yet again never heard back (this was over 5 months ago now). I was beyond disappointed in the catering and am baffled as to why they advertise it if the catering manager doesn’t even bother to respond to inquiries.

Rubbish. Come here if you want canned sauce, soggy over cooked noodles and huge portions.
Although they have good Root Beer so they got two stars.

You would be surprised at how many Italian Restaurants can’t make decent spaghetti.. . this is not one of them. For that alone they get 4 stars. The red sauce was flavorful and fresh-​tasting, and the meatball was surprisingly good (and I don’t like meatballs).
All the adults at the table ordered the Special. Salad, pasta, pizza, and ice cream for $ 12 was a great deal, and the kids meal was a great size for only $ 4.
What would’ve made it a 4 was a better salad. And something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The atmosphere left something to be desired, but it could’ve been the not-​so scenic view of either Hwy 10 on one side or Aldi on the other.

I hope I’m writing a review for the correct place. This is the Totino’s that next to ALDI, isn’t it?
The food here is good. But that’s not why I’ll never forget this place. I reunited with relatives here a few months ago.

Food is better than at the old Hennepin Ave location. Pizza is the same, pasta portions too large. Spaghetti & ravioli type menu. Service fast and good.

I like Totino’s. It’s Old School Red Sauce Italian. They bring you fresh bread, have some pretty good specials, and have big portions with enough to take home for lunch!
I love the twelve dollar deal where you get a salad, spaghetti and meatballs, a piece of pizza, and ice cream. The two dollar plate splitting fee is kind of TACKY though.
The second time we went the service was kind of snippy and really slow about getting our check-​but the homemade raviolis sort of kinda made up for it.