Nicolino's in Havant

Was in a bit of a rush as I had to be at a gig around the corner. Had selected my meal from the board outside. Explained my requirements to the staff who were really understanding, sat me quickly, took my drinks and food order and away they went. Brilliant service, fantastic food, really recommend the Pollo Modo Mio, Chicken breast filled with taleggio cheese, chestnut mushroom, wrapped with smoked ham, marsala & crème fraiche sauce with crisp vegtables and excellent potatos, with generous, but not excessive portions, these guys really understand their food and the dining experience. I needed quick and efficient service, Nicolino's delivered it with a smile

Lovely food cooked to perfection .well run family restaurant.

Lively and friendly. Excellent food and service

Have been to Nicolino's a few times . This last visit was a bit disappointing compared to the last ones. It was extremely busy & we had to wait an hour for our food & one of the waiters was a bit grumpy under the pressure ! The restaurant was extremely noisy, with a child screaming at high pitch for the duration. With that said, the food was top notch as usual & will return.

I've not been to Nicolino's for some years now and was interested to see what had changed in that time. It turns out not much. The food was excellent. We went straight to mains and each of the four of us had different orders. The two specials were loved by my friends whilst my partner and I enjoyed sea bass and chicken dishes apiece. Not only was each of the plates (all freshly made) delicious but the portions also very generous. This was very much how I remembered Nicolino's, hence no starters. We booked an early table midweek and the place was already filling up when we got there, a testament to this restaurant's popularity I guess. Busy or not, the service was friendly and efficient. If I was to look for one criticism it's my personal dislike for service charges. That aside, it was a great evening of Italian ambience and superb dining and I hope to be going back in the very near future.

Wonderful food. Attentive staff. Nice atmosphere.

Best Italian for miles booking is essential highly recommended

A very nice little restaurant with an extensive menu. Delicious food, freshly prepared & served with a smile. would highly recommend the Tagliatelle al Salmone ......... Absolutely delicious.

Had a wonderful dinner here last night! Generous portions and a magical atmosphere 💓 Absolutely loved the sea bass and totally need the recipe.

As always , plenty of food but way too bright in there now,very odd for a restaurant, kills the atmosphere totally

The food was fabulous, I had the special which was a sausage and pulled pork dish which was really tasty and my wife had what she described as the best plate of pasta in a long time. Not the most intimate of places but a really great family run place whose focus is great food.

We visited on a Saturday night when it was very busy. Service was good, sadly let down by the food which was very average. The starter was good however, along with the garlic bread, from there it went down hill! My partner had linguine with prawns, there was 5! I had chicken with a masala sauce, very sweet and an odd taste. We passed on dessert (which is very unusual), apart from Tiramasu nothing very Italian. Very dissapointed!!

Lovely food great service nice atmosphere...wil go back again reasonably priced to ... lovely ... everything we've had has been lovely..

Excellent food and service! The dishes arrived quickly, and the lunch deal offered fantastic value. A truly enjoyable Italian dining experience! Definitely going back for more 😋

Food is consistently spot on. Very traditional Italian with great food and a great atmosphere. Takeaways are also really good. Service has always been good, attentive and never grumpy. Recommend this for couples and large groups.

Was disappointed when we went for meal on the 1st feb 2025 the meal was not hot at all

"Fantastic" - my wife's comment at the end of our lunch. I agree, and I don't impress easily as is probably clear from my other reviews. We've eaten here once before from the a-la-carte menu and had a good meal. This time we ordered from the set meal; interestingly we were only offered that menu so it is clearly very popular at lunch. We were given a jug of water before ordering drinks; that's unusual as most restaurants focus on selling paid-for drinks! Good! We ordered sparkling water (£2.95). The set menu is remarkably extensive and priced at £16.99 for two courses. We had Aubergine Melazane and Rotolo (filled rolled pasta) for starters and Avocado Crab Gratin and fish-of-the-day for mains. The fish was lemon sole and a very generous whole large filet in a great sauce. All four dishes were of a generous size and well presented on some attractive plates; the meals overall would have graced an evening a-la-carte meal. Followed by Lemon Tart and a Pasticio di Mele (both good and just under £7) and coffees (£2.95 and £3.50). Tables nicely spaced. The service was prompt (but not pushy), efficient and friendly; thank you. Total bill incuding 10% added was £62; we found that to be first-class value for money. There are a few TA reviews saying that the atmosphere was lacking. We disagree. The atmospere and decor is simple " Mom & Pop" family Italian and appropriate for their chosen niche. The Management reply to reviews - that's good. The Food Standards Agency Hygiene Rating is a 5, the top mark; excellent. Being able to see into the kitchen adds confidence. Toilets modern and clean. Car park almost opposite. So, overall, a great meal and worth the journey from Petersfield.

Authentic Italian Restaurant 😋 Delicious food is faily priced and plentiful. Great service and atmosphere. Must book as always very busy.

The atmosphere is great...music are Italian artists. They have authentic Italian food, and it s perfect to try it out. Lovely place, and I would recommend.

Busy place. Nice staff though service was either overbaring or forgotten. Food was yummy. Wine was good. Price was reasonable. Will definitely return. 4*.

Lunchtime family gathering. Family all enjoyed their food, I was not keen on my pizza but really enjoyed my starter of pork belly. My wife said her steak was delicious. Portions all a good size

Excellent place for an evening out. Highly appreciated and recommended.

Very nice food. Terrible ambiance. This place does serve good Italian food. However for couples and special occasions it is like sitting in a hospital canteen with bright spotlights on very basic tables and chairs. Up your game with the setting, and it would be spot on.

EST! EST! EST!! Wow what a popular restaurant at lunchtimes. The food is great and there is a meal deal on offer they give very generous portions and the staff are very helpful. We live the other side of Fareham and it is very convenient to travel by train to Emsworth and walk down north street to Nicholino's Trains are every 30 minutes to Fareham. If you are too early for opening times have a cup of coffee at Queenies on the station you can also explore Emsworth all well.

Four of us went for dinner. T hi is is a wonderful family Italian which we go to again and again. Definitely go. I could write more but which bit of go do you not understand?

We had a birthday dinner for 12 people. The staff were very friendly and organised. The food cane fast and really delicious. Highly recommend it.

Just had an absolutely fantastic Saturday lunchtime dinner for a large group of 16. The food and service was brilliant thank you so much. Everyone got what they ordered in a very well organised way. Some of us who had not been there before thought it was amazing thank you so much. The 2 waiters Deniz and his brother Siras (sorry if I got your name wrong) were superb. Really good value for money too.

An excellent Italian meal in a great restaurant with a very nice atmosphere.

The food was amazing. Very good price too. Big public carpark, just a 2 minute walk away.

Only been once but going back so hope it's as good next time ... Been back still 5 ⭐.. 👍 Will be going back

Visited on a Friday night and the restaurant was very busy. All the food we ordered was very tasty and good size portions. One star dropped on atmosphere due to background music at the time of our visit being the song bear nessecities from jungle book on repeat for some unowned reason. All in all though a nice Italian restaurant with good service and friendly staff.

Excellent quality food at a reasonable price. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Excellent menu selection which includes much more than just pizza and pasta, and generous portions too. Lots of nice fresh vegetables with the meat and fish dishes. Great lunch offer in the week. No parking though so we use the public car park which is not free. This does not put us off though as it's well worth the short walk. You will not be disappointed.

A great time, top service, friendly staff and the pasta was delicious. The French 😉

Today I had lunch at Nicolino's Italian in Emsworth. I have to say it was absolutely spot on. The fish and other food were cooked to perfection and the service was great. They have a special lunch time menu - 2 courses £16 per head. With a great choice toboot. Recommended.

Today I had lunch at Nicolino's Italian in Emsworth. I have to say it was absolutely spot on. The fish and other food were cooked to perfection and the service was great. They have a special lunch time menu - 2 courses £16 per head. With a great choice toboot. Recommended.

What a super surprise finding such a fabulous restaurant in a small town. Well worthy of note. One of the best Italian meals ever in 40 years of feasting. Do the meals, not the pizza (which was fabulous) but the authentic Italian mains. Mouth wateringly good.

Good service and great food. Good value lunch menu too.

This was my first time in this restaurant. Lovely food, good service. Good value for money. Atmosphere good apart from the music which was a bit too loud.

So glad we found this place when staying locally, amazing food and would visit all the time if I lived locally. 100 percent recommend.

So we went here to try out some nice Italian fresh food! It’s definitely not fresh and my god it came out hotter than hell! Burnt my mouth a few times to say the least! Food we wouldn’t say was very impressive but the garlic bread is fantastic! Next time, if we ever go again I’m sticking to just garlic bread!

Delicious food, both pasta dishes were great with generous portions, service seemed a little off, sometimes appearing to be rushing us other times being very slow, wasn't overly busy.

This was the best steak I have had in decades , amazing

One of the best Italian restaurants in the UK. Friendly staff and great food with large portions!

Food excellent, atmosphere great, we all had a great time

Great meal, fabulous service, would recommend a visit for anyone who loves great Italian food

Excellent service, food and value for money for a family Saturday lunch!

Fantastic Italian with great food and service at a reasonable price. I think we did worry them a bit at first, as I had a bottle of house white wine and my wife had a bottle of prosecco. Pays to book as it gets very busy.

My dad came here for a business lunch about 20 years ago with some of his colleagues when we all still lived in the south of England. He adored it so much we ended up going for family meals and celebrations - the whole family loved Nicolino’s and it’s genuinely one of the things I miss when I think about our time when we lived there. Always had a great atmosphere, great food and we never felt rushed (even though it was always busy due to its popularity!). Georgiou would always recognise us and have a laugh with us - a rare gem in the service industry nowadays. I just wanted to say thank you for creating such a great place and I hope to come back one day!

Such a lovely family birthday meal, great food and service 😊 definitely worth 5 stars 😍

Stayed over at the coast a couple of times now for an anniversary break and we went here a few years back and also again this week. Got given the same table! The food was immense both times and I wish we lived closer. Cannot fault the food at all it is very good and large portions too. The younger staff were very efficient, polite and a true credit. Music being played in background was lovely too. Would definitely recommend to friends and family if ever they were staying closeby.

Superb Italian restaurant in the heart of Emsworth excellent food and quality beers and wine

Saw Nicolino's restaurant on Google maps whilst staying in the area, then passed it during the day and it looked very inviting. Later in the early evening we just walked in, without pre-booking and were welcomed. Our chosen meals etc. were nicely presented and tasted superb ! All the staff were so attentative and we thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Thank you everyone ... Next time I will try the stuffed mushrooms with four cheeses !

Excellent food with really good gluten free options ( including pizza and pasta), really friendly staff, can thoroughly recommend

I have to say.. reading the reviews I expected a good meal but I have to say our whole table of 10 were extremely dissatisfied! Having learnt underneath an Italian chef learning traditional Italian meals, they have failed in all aspects. I don’t believe I single dish is made the Italian way.. Just to name a few.. The Cannelloni was the worst I’ve ever tasted! Sauce was runny and bland, poor choice in vegetables and didn’t even use the traditional tubes. Bolognese I’ve seen better made from shop sauces. Carbonara not traditionally made nor flavoursome.. the list goes on! Poor experience and execution all round. Unfortunately won’t ever return here and will not recommend to anyone.

It's ridiculous with the amount of bad reviews there are lately. I've been visiting this place ever since I was a teen and not to my surprise every time I've been in for a night out, it never ceases to amaze me. The food as well as the service in there is top notch and to be quite frank I feel like these bad reviews come from people who haven't got a clue about a night out dinner or are too picky with their food or don't know italian food at all. Nicolinos is a place for comfort and soul food with a touch of old-school fancy vibes. They have traditional Italian cusine that varies from pasta to pizza to meat and fish and not to my surprise even desserts. They have new specials everyweek that are more defined food to a specific area in Italy that they showcase. Yes, like EVERY other place, they have bad days and sometimes perform badly. But if you are as busy as they are with 160+ in there every Friday and Saturday with only 70-80 seatings you tell me how it goes? I have personally recommended this place to all my friends and family who have all recommended their friends and family and all have positive things to say about this family-owned establishment. The quality of the food as well as the portion is not only above perfect but is reasonably priced. p.s to the people who didn't like it your free to never return it gives the other 10000+ customers that's been visiting this place for 27+ years more bookings and time. Go try that franchise sh*t at bella italia or Prezzo where they charge ridiculous prices for a child's quantity of food which quite frankly everyone knows is frozen as every other franchise does with their foods. Thanks people and a huge thanks to nicolinoss

Read a bad review about this restaurant, I found the food was excellent very tasty hot and the portion was perfect haven’t been here for a while,but the food was fabulous great service reasonably priced as well worth every penny if this is the new owners well done on keeping it going to the same if not better standard, will return again soon great

Amazing food, fantastic, attentive service!! Mum, Aunt and I took my nephew for his birthday dinner. The guys were great, the menu is varied and imaginative. Food was excellent with speedy service and no request was too much hassle.

One of the best meals I have ever had, amazing food, great value and quantity and lovely service

The Mussels and Porchetta for starters were lovely, the Carbonara and Paccheri Del Casa for main were also lovely. Absolutely can't fault the food! Would definitely recommend. The service was also really good, each staff member said Hi, felt very welcome and the atmosphere was also pleasant with some Frank Sinatra on in the background.

My husband ordered the seafood risotto which came out like a very unappetising soup I’m not even sure it was risotto rice. The calamari was definately frozen . The bruschetta’s were big lumps of toasted which bread . My chicken Milanese was very greasy all in all very disappointing staff were okay but place is a bit grubby won’t be going back .

Went last night with a large group. They sat us upstairs so we had the room to ourselves. The staff were so attentive and patient! I had the rotolo as a main which was absolutely delicious and the portion size was perfect.

Having read the reviews our party of four were certainly looking forward to our dinner. Alas we were left disappointed. My mussel starter was the best dish of the night; plump shellfish although scant on the garlic and served with a hunk of bread. The remaining starters were not good; the smallest portion of scallops I have ever seen, pale calamari and the bruschetta was a doorstep of bread, heaped with cold onion chutney and a scattering of goats cheese. Onto the mains and dear, oh dear, oh dear. My chicken was so salty, the potatoes burnt but the veg was cooked. Two over cooked pasta dishes and a greasy pizza were the other dishes. My husband requested pasta with garlic, chilli and oil and you would have thought he had asked them to straighten the Tower of Pisa.They said no and promised a "delicious vegetarian sauce." He was served soggy linguini with a tomato sauce with off cuts of veg - broccoli, carrot, courgette and asparagus; completely vile was the description. The service was OK and although some may like the singing waiter I found him overbearing and annoying. This was not a good experience and we will certainly not be back.

Always busy, with a great vibe, Nicolinos is a lovely restaurant... The food is always fantastic and the service is excellent

This is my second visit, although the first visit we felt we had been forgotten before we were seated. But the food was amazing. So we returned. And the 2nd trip confirmed how good the food is but also the start of our first visit was only a blip. The staff are amazing and the food is better, this place is a little gem.

Fantastic Italian, love this place!

Amazing from start to finish. Food was perfect, big portions and flavours. Staff friendly and welcoming

Me and my partner absolutely loved the food here. Its definitely a family run traditional Italian The service is so polite and relaxed I highly recommend to anyone staying in the area to eat here

A great place to catch lunch. Old style Italian restaurant, friendly, tentative staff. Excellent quality of food, with a very good selection. Worth a visit if you want to eat Italian away from the large chains. I will definitely be back.

Great atmosphere and service ,lovely good , Alltwen staff were great

Really good lunchtime menu and offer. Great food

Came here for the third time on Saturday evening and had a great evening, we have never been disappointed here. The service is extremely attentive, even with the restaurant always packed, and the food is always amazing. It is very reasonably priced, and well worth the journey from Chichester. It is the best Italian I’ve been to outside of Italy. Would highly recommend to anyone in the area. We spent £35 each but that was including two alcoholic drinks each.

Lovely restaurant. Just lighting too bright. Very flexible with order change. Only slight failing Bruschetta burnt on edge. Scallops perfectly cooked.

Service was non-existent, the staff seemed to be on a mission to get us in and out as fast as possible. At one stage my plate was whipped away whilst I was still chewing! Plates were slapped down in front of us and the wine was barely chilled. All in all, considering the prices, we shan't be going back.

Way over priced, can get better value in London and service not up to any sort of standard despite 10% charge. Food was good, but will vote with my feet and won't be returning.

Gaetano and Giorgio and the whole team are exceptional!!! The food was lovely the wine excellent and the service was really good! We will come back for sure!!

Absolutely fantastic, we're here for the weekend and chose on the way out. Honestly, it was the best Italian we've ever eaten in. Give them a go if you're in Emsworth 😁😁

Fantastic food, big portions very friendly staff, thankyou

Wow!!!! We could easily give more than 5 stars. There was 9 of us but we experienced fantastic service and the most AMAZING food. The portions are really big but so tasty you can't stop eating. The meat was so tender it melted in your mouth. Absolutely outstanding on service and food. Thank you for a brilliant evening.

Fabulous food and great service

Very ordinary Italian food. Staff uniforms were dirty but the price is good

We planned to go out for a celebration dinner and Mrs Cunningham chose Nicolino's. The staff gave us a warm welcome when we arrived and were shown to our table. The service we received was attentive without being obtrusive. The food was, as always, freshly cooked, flavoursome, well presented and a good portion size. Despite it being early on a Thursday evening it was no surprise that the restaurant was busy, as it always has been when we've been lucky enough to be in the Emsworth area and dined at Nicolino's.

Nice traditional family style restaurant. Everything tasted good. Recommend the pork dish. Enjoyable night!

A true culinary journey. Each dish tells a story of expertise and passion.

Met with friends for a pre booked table on a busy Friday evening, this place is clearly popular and others advised pre arrival you will not be disappointed. Plenty of choice for traditional Italian food. Portions on the large size, starters bruschetta was excellent and enough to share. Mains again large and exceptionally tasty. So as not to waste the great food we asked for a take out box which was provided. A great find and a venue to revisit - atmosphere also lively and waiters entertaining those on celebration night outs with Italian singing. All in all a great experience.

A great place to celebrate our aniversary

I only haven't given 5 stars as I have a favourite Italian restaurant which holds this spot. Food service and atmosphere are really worth a visit.

Exceptionally good food and service, despite it being a very busy Saturday evening. The staff were really friendly and helpful and the dishes we chose were all excellent without exception. Thank you for a great evening.

First visit to Nicolinos. Great food. Excellent atmosphere. Highly recommend this family run restaurant.

Greatest, super service and just lovely Italian family business. 5 stars. Thanks

Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Definitely going back again 👍

Friendly service and authentic Italian food. We've been here several times now and it is consistently good. I had the Rotolo - ricotta, spinach, butternut and variety of mushrooms with sage - very tasty. Tiramsui to follow best I have had. My husband had Carbonara and Panna Cotta again very good. We have been here with friends too Aswell as just us.

Another great experience at Nicolinos. Great food, great service, quickly served, and with a great Italian atmosphere We’ll recommend this restaurant and you won’t be disappointed.

We had a lovely meal in you restaurant. The staff were attentive and efficient. Will definitely come again. 10 out of 10

We came here for my friends birthday and had a lovely evening. Amazing food with good service and well priced. First time here and won't be the last.

Great food, lovely staff and attentive service from everyone!

Always huge portions which makes it good value for money and the food is always delicious

Wonderful evening with 20 friends and family celebrating a 60th birthday. Granted a little planning was needed regarding pre ordering but this understandable with such a large number of guests. Service was prompt and food served timely and most importantly delicious. We were located upstairs which allowed us to have the room all to ourselves. We prepared guests on the billing arrangements, so no issues at the end of the evening, as this can often be an awkward moment. Overall a lovely relaxing evening with great food and the bonus of that quirky Italian charm.

Dropped in for lunch on a Saturday. Restaurant was busy but we didn't wait long. We had starters and mains both delicious and generous portions. Husband loved his catch of the day which was baby sole. Very friendly atmosphere service was very good. Definitely will be returning.

Always busy so book in advance. Great food at great prices. Just be prepared for large portions, amazing pizzas and the meat balls are a good bet

Really great good, lovely location.