Cusanellis

Great pasta. Steaks and pizza. Great service with reasonable prices. Got cannelloni and a large sauage pizza. Can’t be beat!

We had the pizza and like other reviews said, it will rock your socks! Crispy, St. Louis style thin crust with the ooey gooey cheese. Yum. The service was nice and prompt and there are a lot of regulars. I agree this place needs a serious facelift! It looks old and smells ever older. The five stars is for the food and service alone. We will definitely be returning for some pasta!

my oh my!!! What can I say. I’ve eaten here since the 60s, but last night I was so disappointed. The last visit was a few years ago, and although it had changed, things were still good. This was THE PLACE for pizza. Last night my son and I were on the South end of town so we went, he said «Mom I know it’s your favorite. pizza place. We waited 25 minutes for a table. We were going to share a large salad and pizza. It was so sad, the salad dressing «house“special was thin and watery and no seasoning,. BLAND. The crust was as I remember, crispy, crunchy, the sasuage was fresh, but again no seasonings, it too was bland. I have never added salt to a pizza but last night I did. There was lots of meat on the pizza but what good is that if there’s no seasoning. My son said he didn’t want to say anything bad, but after I did, he also said the food was bad. He had bacon and peperioni on his half of the pizza. He said it was a shame the salami on the salad was a cheaper type then before. The service was bad, only 2 severs. They didn’t have the burrbon I wanted. The place was tacky looking and run down. It was as if no one cares anymore. When we were driving home I said we probably would never go back. I have lots of good memories of good food, great service, happy crowds of people and great visits, but that all seems to be gone. It is so sad. This was the greatest place in Lemay for food and service, but all good things come to an
is a shame there has been a tavern/​reasturant on this conner for over 100 years and now it is gone. Don’t waste your time or money. Eat somewhere else… jw

Sometimes, a restaurant just rubs you the wrong way. That happened on my first (and last) visit to Cusanelli’s.
After I got seated, my menu smelled like a wet dog. Water refills were few and far between. When I asked for a box to take home my sides, my request was questioned by several people on staff. When a waiter came to clear the table, he put the extra butters in his pocket.
I guess the food was ok, and prices were fair. But the service was just too weak, even for this type of establishment.

My salad and Fettuccini were both Huge portions! It was take out so maybe dine in is different, but it still tasted great!

This is staple in the Lemay community. I have lived in the area all my life and the Staff is wonderful. I brew up with Steve the bartender who most of his family has worked there as well. The food is excellent. They have regulars that sit at the bar and are a hoot to listen too. Wish they could find someone to help them out so they could be a part of the Taste of Lemay because their food is really good and I would hope that the family passes on to the next generation.

While this place needs a serious facelift, the food is still good. They’ve been in business forever! Their St. Louis style pizza is still the same ooey, gooey, crunchy goodness that I remember from long ago. My main complaint is that most of the appetizers are just frozen product you could find anywhere. Years ago, Cusanellis had these awesome thin, homemade onion rings. I’d really love it if those returned. Portions are always huge and you can’t go wrong with their signature salad.

No, thanks. That’ll be enough for me please. Flavorless food, canned mushroom topping, weird service, weirder décor. There are better places to go than this joint. I suppose they’re doing something right since they’ve been in business forever. They seem ripe for a Kitchen Nightmares episode.

Better than Imo’s!

I remember Cusanellis as a good restaurant but it seems to have died. It is dingy, smelly (mold), old, unkempt and just plain nasty. The service was barely passable and the pizza was Hunts tomato sauce on a crust. The sausage on the pizza had NO… and I mean NO SEASONING… BLAH!!!
In a city where excellent Italian food abounds, there is no reason to go to Cusanellis… not even for the memory.

Granted we all have different tastes, but… I cannot relate to the poor reviews. This place is Old World Italian cuisine at its best! The pizza is to die for, the toasted ravioli is awesome and their salad? Forget about it! Other favorites are their cannelloni with white sauce. Primo! I have to say though that even when we order pasta we end up ordering a pizza too just because it’s so unique and heavenly.
You can get a bad server now and then — that is true — which can be truly annoying and ruin your experience, but that could happen anywhere. I have had that happen a few times here, but once the food arrived it was worth it all.

I grew up eating Cusanellis and always considered their pizza my favorite. Not anymore. Actually, I’m not sure I will go back at all. Ordered a basic Sausage and Onion pizza. Sausage had no flavor, sauce had no flavor and onions were minimal. I love cheese, but I felt like I was eating cheese soup. Where was the oregano? Very disappointed.

I have been going to Cusanelli’s on a regular basis since I was… born. My dad used to work here in the 60’s and we have had many many many family dinners/​events/​celebrations here!
It may not look too hip, but its got some serious old school charm!!! From the old time small friendly bar, to the mural of Italy (with a StL Arch oddly placed) in the main dining room.
I do not veer from my favorite selections often. I 99% of the time will order a Pizza! Green pepper and bacon (maybe add onion) and cook it crispy! YUMMY!
Their pizza IS St Louis Pizza to me. Ooooey Goooey cheese that gets stuck all over your teeth (so much you should not smile while chewing on a piece) The homemade crust (rare these days!) and they even make their own sausage with fennel in it if you crave a good sausage pizza!
They also have what I think is the best Toasted Rav’s around! Their meat sauce is perfection! chunks of their sausage and thick hearty red sauce!
When I feel the need to veer off my pizza course, I choose to order their chicken sandwich. Two grilled chicken breasts on a large hoagie bun, with american cheese, lettuce and tomato. Nothing gourmet. Just a great cheesy chicken sandwich!
One thing I like about Cusanelli’s most, is the staff. They are like a family to each other. Most have worked there for years and years and when you walk in as an regular as myself (whether you go a lot or have a long spell without going) they welcome you like when Norm walked into Cheers!
The «regulars» sit at the bar. They have a large front dining room, a large back dining room, and the newly converted smoking section at the bar is now all non-​smoking (yay). They even have a large upstairs party room you can reserve for a private party.
The women’s bathroom is fabulously original!!! Pink tiles everywhere!!! I would never ask them to change that!
If you are looking for a top of the line thin crust, St. Louis Style Pizza that will ROCK any Imo’s or other «chain» pizza, this is your place!!!

I usually don’t like St. Louis style pizza, but Cusanellis is delicious.
Also a huge fan of their teriyaki wings.
These are the only things I have tried and I have never actually been inside the building, so I can’t really say much else.

I WANT to like this place. But I just had a rotten experience, I guess. Which happens. But… from my stale bread, to the fact that from sit down it took me an hour and forty five minutes to get food (granted, I was with a party of 12), when I got food, I had to gobble it down as fast as possible and then leave, my cranky and forgetful waitress (who I busted giving my cousin a nasty look and then she tried to laugh it off when she saw me looking at her), I can’t bring myself in there again. I am still hungry this morning since I only managed about 6 bites before I had to box up and go (because I assumed that the 2 hour window I’d allowed myself would be enough).
Seems to be a really nice group of folks running it, maybe it was just a fluke.
And, as I’m still hungry this morning, my crankiness may be epic.
The food (other than the bread) was extremely tasty.

Remember when you were a kid, and used to go to restaurants with family? You always had that go to, that family favorite right? Cusanelli’s was it for me. From their mural of Italy, to the men’s bathroom that had the low ceiling (for some reason I thought it was awesome that the ceiling was so low), this was my absolute favorite place. In the world… This was like my snoopy stuffed animal I had as a kid.
Years later I would have two very disappointing moments in my life. One, my snoopy stuffed animal was covered in mold/​mildew because my parents basement flooded, and the other… well that was my last dinner at Cusanelli’s.
A family get together at Cusanelli’s, and I couldn’t tell you how jacked I was for it. Seeing old family, seeing that damn mural, and that bathroom with the low ceiling. Upon arrival I remembered everything as it used to be with the exception of Debasio being gone. Ahhh Debasio, nothing like running through a furniture store after dinner as a youngster growing up. Very sad to see that place gone. So anyhow, yes the parking lot, the building, Le mois/​South St. Louis County/​City-​ish, all as I remembered. Almost as if I was a kid again, a kid with a grown man’s appetite, and even more grown pallet. Hey, they added on… bigger waiting area from what I remember, and it’s pretty busy! Good to see the Cusa still kicking some ass after all these years.
Now on to the dining area… «Hi mural! Missed you buddy!» Hmmm, kind have to pee… wonder whats going on in the old bathroom these days. Sure as all hell there she is! «Wow, I almost hit my head on you now» I thought. Well, they’re gonna start asking questions if I hang out in here too long so, hey maybe after a few more glasses of water we shall see each other again. Laters…
Ok, now I’m back at the table and nobody is really questioning me. Actually nobody even knows I was gone. Wow. Sucks when you get older, because no one cares anymore if you’re gone for a few minutes. Alright menu show me what you got… pizza eh? Been a while, and I can sure go for some Italian restaurant style pizza like the old days. Provel, flour on the crust… those bubbles of cheese that blacken, and peel off with the pepperoni slice. Let’s do it! Oh yeah, salad too.
Salad arrives and all seems to be going well, my lettuce a little marginal, but I am more refined now not all naïve as I was years back. Still pretty good. Could have been more selective of what went in the bowl, but hey, the dressing is as I remembered.
After a few beers in between salad and main course (yes that equates to a long wait) I decide on pulling an old school move here. The bathroom trip food wait routine. Gotta pee again so it’s back to the bathroom and hopefully my wheel of heaven will be there when I get back. Hey ceiling, whats up! Now back to my table… there it is, I can see my pizza from the bar area as I head back to my table. Oh baby! Ohhhh… wait, WTF is this? This isn’t all dusty, dark orange-​ish, with the burnt spots as I remembered. This pizza is way too light to be called STL style. Ok whatevs, lets try it. DOH! I mean DOUGH! As in, wholly shit this is some raw ass dough! Blah! Look, it’s really not that hard to cook a pizza, I mean the cooking time really doesn’t ever change unless it’s a deluxe. This was a roni, so it should have been as easy as tossing it in an oven and cutting it.
I started thinking that maybe it was just my luck that my food wasn’t up to par here. Sure enough everyone at my table bitched about their food. Bland, cold, and just overall as disappointing as finding your snoopy all moldy.
Hey Cusanelli’s! Did you change owners or something? Is this owned by the same wonderful family as the 80’s and 90’s? The name Cusanelli’s was an intricate part of my childhood, and I don’t want to see such a good place tarnished with poor food, and slow service.
You wouldn’t happen to have a giant white, and black beagle who smells like mildew cooking your food would you? Makes weird noises and hangs out with a little yellow bird? If so tell him I am sorry about the flood, and he’s right. I should have put him in storage at the very least, but it’s no need to ruin a childhood memory.

They are understaffed. It took them forever to serve my spaghetti w/​meatballs. Their meatballs are average. I should have ordered their pizza which have amazingly delicious cheese. The problem is I’m allergic to cheese to it would been entertainingly embarrassing for my companions to see my lip swell and my skin get hives.
Not the right time to eat cheese.

I haven’t been to Cusanelli’s in a few years and there is a reason. My grandparents used to love the place and I don’t think they have done anything to it since they were going. Most of the things I have tried taste like they went from freezer to fryer. The pizza is not that great and most of the homemade items have become tasteless and boring.
The place is run down, and the food as a whole is mediocre at best. Cusanelli’s is family owned and I for one would love to see them do well. But, there is such a thing as reinvesting in your business. You can’t let things go to hell and then rest on the laurels of your history. Tweak the menu and fix the place. Then, I’ll be happy to give it another try.

My family has been coming here since the 60’s. It is very much a family restaurant. I’m sad to say they used to have the best STL style pizza in town, but now it’s very hit and miss. A few of their menu items have always been great though: the Cusanelli’s Special salad, the country fried chicken and the fried chicken. The Deluxe pizza is also very consistently good because with all the toppings, the crust doesn’t matter much.
Believe it or not, they just might have the best margarita’s in town when their regular bartender, Steve, is working. He quit for a while to take a real job. The margaritas went downhill quickly, then he came back. We were pleased.
Tip: order your pizza «well done» if you want it to be a bit crispy. I’ve never had a pasta meal there that I would recommend. As someone else said — go to the Hill.

Cusanelli’s is not fine Italian food, but it is good food in a quaint atmosphere. The place is always packed, usually with big families having dinner together. I’ve never had a bad meal there, just good, simple food, served by staff that have been working there a long time.
The house wines aren’t spectacular, but they don’t hold back. The pizza is thin-​crust, as it is so many places in St. Louis, but it is good. They don’t deliver, but it’s a restaurant, not a pizza joint. Order the chicken-​fried chicken, and you’ll get a plate swimming in gravy. If you ask for your salad with cheese, you’ll get your greens covered in provel cheese. Fried chicken is always on the menu, although they do have some healthier alternatives always ready.
The dress code is casual, and the prices are never extraordinary. If you go at the right time on Friday or Saturday, you’ll find a line out the door. Cusanelli’s is great for a comfortable, reliable and not-​too-​exciting night out.