Il Pazzesco has been noticed and appreciated by Montreal gourmets since it was founded in 1991 by brothers Michele and Mario Lapadula. Following the expansion and renovation in the winter of 2001, the restaurant is divided into two separate rooms, one of which has a dance floor. You can reserve either one of the rooms for more privacy, and the same attentive service.
In May 2002 the daily newspaper “La Presse” described Il Pazzesco as being a discovery in Anjou (découverte à Anjou.)
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Our Specialties
Pasta, Meats, Fish & Homemade desserts.
Amenities, services & more
We accept: Master Card, Visa, AMEX, Interac, Mobile Payment, Contactless Payment
Il Pazzesco earns praise for warm hospitality and an authentic Italian menu that features standout gnocchi, seafood, and desserts. The service is frequently described as attentive and friendly, and guests note a cozy, lively atmosphere that makes diners feel at home. Overall, the experience offers generous portions, bold flavors, and a memorable sense of tradition with a modern touch.
If you're looking for a dinner with a side of high-energy atmosphere, Il Pazzesco certainly delivers. I've eaten Italian food all over the world, & walking in here feels like stepping onto a very specific, high-end production set.
The Atmosphere
The vibe is definitely'bold.' It's a very clean, polished spot, but be prepared for some serious flash-there's a lot of gold jewelry & a very lively crowd. It's the kind of place where you instinctively want to sit with your back against the wall just to take in the whole scene. I was almost surprised the parking lot wasn't full of vintage muscle cars with gold decals; it just has that energetic, old-school feel.
The Service & Drinks
The service is where they truly shine. The staff is incredibly friendly, & the restaurant is immaculate. We started with the Sangria, & I have to say, it was delizioso. They clearly don't skimp on the quality or the alcohol-it was easily the highlight of the night.
The Meal
The food was a bit of a journey:
Appetizers: The Melanzane was excellent & full of flavor. I tried the homemade meatballs; while the quality of the meat was top-notch, they were surprisingly mild-almost like the seasoning decided to take the night off.
Mains: I had the Pappardelle with meat sauce. The pasta was perfectly al dente, which is hard to find, but the sauce & even the Parmesan on top were just'okay.' For such a vibrant place, the flavors were unexpectedly quiet.
The Volume
We decided to skip dessert & coffee because the noise level escalated quickly. It went from'spirited' to a'screeching hyena' level of loud rather fast. If you're looking for a quiet, intimate chat, this might not be your spot.
The Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's a'deliciously unique' clientele & a great place for people-watching. If you want a spotless restaurant with great service & a very strong drink, it's worth a visit-just maybe bring your own salt shaker & some earplugs for the late-night rush!
Buon appetito!
Absolutely an amazing place to dine!!! The food was fresh & delicious & the service was excellent!!! They serve a delicious focaccia with sauce & olives to start & all the pasta dishes & mussels we tried were heavenly!!! I would highly recommend dining here! It was a beautiful experience & I cannot wait to go back! Also the tiramisu & pistachio cheese cake were amazing!!!
Mar 4, 2026
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We shared the gnocchi as an entrée & they were the fluffiest, lightest ever. The gorgonzola sauce was divine. Then we followed with the Duo di casa (garlic shrimp & veal casanova) with a side of fettucine alfredo. Wow! Everything was scrumptious!
We also shared half bottle of Pinot Grigio. Which was reasonably priced for a restaurant.
We dined here on a Saturday after making a reservation for two - the place fills up fast. We initially wanted to come here weeks prior but the place was fully booked when we called. The restaurant seems to be very popular for birthdays or special group gatherings.
What interested me in the first place was the large menu, there is a good selection of everything so it easy to please a picky eater. The restaurant itself it medium sized, there is a small parking lot & free street parking. It is located in a very residential neighborhood.
The interior style & vibe is fancy, higher end, white table cloth & intimate. We were seated & served very promptly. Our main meals were the penne romanoff which is a pasta in a rosee & vodka sauce, along with the grilled lamb chops. This is served with a side of potatoes & veggies but we were able to swap this out with a side of simple olive oil & garlic pasta instead.
They serve complimentary flat bread & buns to start. The pasta was delicious, extremely rich & flavorful, & pretty generous in portion. The lamb chops were dainty, cooked well & tasty however we expected more of an herb or seasoned crust to these -they only had a sprinkle of herbs on them.
Service is super speedy & efficient, we were in & out very quickly since we did not order anything else. I would highly recommend this place for pasta, if you live in the area, take out would be ideal. The pricing & portion is very reasonable. I would definitely come back & want to try other things from the menu, we saw several other dishes at nearby tables & everything looked delicious.
So disappointed, as the pizza was the only place I would order, & unfortunately the sauce of the pizza is not like usual, taste like a can tomato sauce.. So disappointing!!! Hope they fix that problem…
Even though we walked in wearing our work clothes after a day of sanding floors, we were welcomed with open arms & treated like VIPs. Each dish looked like a typical portion size, but halfway through, we realized just how hearty & satisfying it was. The taste? Absolutely jaw-dropping. Every bite was rich, authentic, & worth every penny. By the time we got halfway, we were already full This was my first time at an authentic Italian restaurant, & after tonight, I know I'll be back. Maybe next time, I'll try their pizza The meals we had: - LINGUINE AMALFITANA - SIGNATURE PLATE : Shrimps, scallops, clams, calamari, mussels, white wine, tomato sauce - LASAGNA - RIGATONI PAZZESCO: Italian sausage, eggplant, smoked caciocavallo cheese, tomato sauce
Dimanche soir, le restaurant est plein. Sur réservation seulement, mais ils nous ont quand même trouvé une place. Cette place était a l'extérieur... Normalement on nous oublie quand on nous met dehors.., mais pas dans ce restaurant. Malgré que le restaurant était plein de groupe, ils sont venu nous voir fréquemment & nous avons eu un service impeccable. La nourriture était toute aussi bonne. J'ai pris pâte aux fruits de mer sauce rosée. Délicieux. Je recommande (sur réservation la fin de semaine) ce restaurant.. une découverte à réessayer!
Jul 23, 2024
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Ça faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas mangé de la bonne nourriture italienne !!! Je n'ai pas de mot! Les légumes étaient parfait, la sauce... j'en veux un sceau complet! Le veau qui fond littéralement dans la bouche! Une excellent service! J'adore vraiment !!!
First, I want to say how much I enjoyed the food ! For entry, I had the calamari, mussels, & Ceasar's salad. For the main course, I took the Sopressata pizza & also got a chance to try their salmon tartare, tortellini rosé & lamb dish. I ate like a queen ! I have to say, the pizza is hands down the best I ate in a long time. The crust was cooked to perfection. The sauce, cheese, & toppings were plenty enough. The lamb just melted in my mouth. The tortellini was deliciously creamy, & the tartare with avocado was fresh. Every dish had its own unique flavor.
I went there for a birthday party, we were a group of 10 so we took many options to try different things & it was great. The service was friendly, & the servers worked as a team to provide us with a quality dining experience. Although there were times when it was slow, it's to be expected for a large group, not to mention that the restaurant was full. The overall atmosphere was enjoyable, with music playing in the background. I recommend trying this place, & I will definitely go back.