Ennio’s Pasta House

The service is alright (and slow). The food is pretty good. Nothing stands out for me, other than it’s a reasonable, casual place for pasta.

was OKAY. salad was decent. bread and dip good. pasta was definitely below expectations based on other reviews here. The worst was the calamari which seemed like they bought it frozen and heated it up.

Ennio’s Pasta House is a must-​visit if you are in Waterloo. Ennio’s has a wide selection of pasta to choose from, and they even have a lunch menu with smaller portions if you happen to be someone with a small appetite (this was not my case though). I was never a big fan of East Side Mario’s, so I felt that it was definitely worth it to go a bit farther from campus (around King and Columbia).
I was in a party of 3 other people, and I got the Rustica pasta. This was mafalda pasta (ribbon-​like) with gorgonzola sauce, chicken, sweet bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. As an individual who is somewhat lactose intolerant, I was a bit hesitant to get the pasta because gorgonzola sauce is made from blue cheese. However, I did not have any problems with it. The vegetables were fresh, and the sauce was very light. The portion that I got was comparable to other restaurants that offer pasta. The pasta itself was very soft, so I really enjoyed it. The only complaint I have is the price of the pasta ($ 18). Although this price is comparable to other restaurants that provide the same portion size, I have always thought that this price tag is a bit too high. The prices of most of the other menu items are also around $ 18.
Ennio’s also offered a complimentary salad and bread basket along with our order. I got the Italian salad, and again, the vegetables were fresh, and the dressing was just regular Italian dressing. The salad was something you can get anywhere. However, the bread came with a spread with garlic, salt, olive oil, and other ingredients. Although these ingredients seem pretty ordinary for the garlic bread spread, I was pretty impressed with how well the spread complemented with the bread. In addition, the bread was not too hard to bite into, which I find is a potential problem at other restaurants.
The service was alright, but the server did not visit our table again after we got our pastas, only until we asked for the bill. My friend wanted water, but the server was no where in sight.
Overall, I recommend visiting Ennio’s if you are ever craving for some good pasta, especially since they offer satisfying portions even for those with large appetites. It’s a great place to go with your friends or significant other.

Service was pleasant. The ambiance is welcoming and warm. Only problem was the food. Was way too salty! Save your money!!!

I went with a party of three on a Friday evening around 8PM. We were immediately seated in the bar area when there were still empty tables in the dining area. One of my companion is a bit on the large side and did not enjoy the location.
The food was disappointing. We ordered two appetizers:
Mussels the Italian way with garlic — it was bland
Calamari Rustica — both my companion agreed that the sauce tasted like some fusion Chinese sauce.
Main:
Lamb Osso Bucco — the lamb was fall off your bone but the risotto that accompanied it was very mushy and salty. Icoukdnt finish it
Seafood risotto — these risottos were undercooked. Again it was not finished.
Bisteca — again very lacklustre but only dish that was finished.
The service was rather slow the longer we sat there. Our server did not bring us our bread until I asked for it, halfway through the dinner. I do not have much to say as it was not memorable and I just did not enjoy it. Would not come back again.

Nice, family run place. Prices are a little high for the atmosphere and the things like plates, cutlery, etc are a little down market. The portion sizes are pretty decent. As others have said, the pasta isn’t al dente, but it’s still better than most and the sauce is pretty good. There’s a good selection of traditional dishes to choose from.
The salads are a weak spot. From a $ 2 up charge for a Caesar that isn’t remarkable to a very oily basic salad using regular iceberg lettuce. Wasn’t really impressed.
The service was a little slow, but our server was very caring, very nice, and did a great job overall.
Will probably go back again as it’s worth another trip, just not necessarily at the top of the list for next time.

If you want good pasta in Waterloo, this is the place to go! Not the best service but great food. We got an appetizer to start (fried calamari) which took a very long time to arrive and when it did, it was cold. I told the server about this and so she took it in to get a new plate. When she came back with the order, the plate was full of oil and it was very obvious that they refried the exact same calamris… That was really upsetting so I made sure to ask the server if they were reheated. She said they weren’t, but they obviously were and I just let it go.
However, they did compensate with free gelato in the end. Which was a great end to the meal! Definitely try the nutella gelato!
I got the Rustica pasta. It is so delicious and I haven’t had anything like it anywhere else! You also get a complimentary salad and bread basket to start of! Again, great food, service not so good.

My favourite pasta house in Waterloo! I don’t quite remeber how many times I’ve been here now, and I’ve always been happy with my experience every single time. Highly recommend the spinach pizza!

If you’re wanting a good pasta meal — this may be one of the only places in KW. I recently had the cappelletti and it was really good. Everyone at my table tried it and said that’s what they would get next time. The portion size was good, had tons of cheese, and came also with a side salad and bread. I wasn’t a huge fan of the bread (was pretty dry) but otherwise it was a good meal.

I agree with a lot of the reviews below.
Ennio’s is a good pasta place if you want pasta better than say Spaghetti Factory or East Side Marios. You’ll get a satisfying plate of pasta but does it justify the $ 18 price tag? I’m not too sure. There’s isn’t anything wrong with the place, but no standouts as well. Really wish that there were better pasta places in KW!

Rich creamy pastas that will make you forget about your low carb diet. They have definitely the best pasta in Waterloo. Ennio’s environment is cozy and service is also very friendly.

Excellent variety on the menu, but it doesn’t always deliver on the taste. The pasta is not al dente and the sauces really don’t jump out at you. Most disappointingly is the poor quality of the house salads and the simple vinaigrette, which was lifeless and very oily. I was also disappointed with the bread, as it was borderline stale. The saving grace of the meal was an excellent lasagna.

I really liked this place! I ordered the carbonara and really enjoyed it although it was a bit on the salty side (must have been all that bacon). All the pasta dishes also come with a small side salad and bread and oil to dip. I loved the bread and oil.
Good service and nice family restaurant.
I was here on business and would come back the next time I’m in town.

Beautiful family Italian restaurant. From the moment you walk in you are delighted with a pleasant, quaint and friendly atmosphere. The tables inside are spacious and well spread out but if you are going in the summer months I would highly recommend their patio! If you are wise enough to chose a seat outside I’m assuming I won’t have to tell you to order one of their delicious drinks. My wife always gets the strawberry daiquiri and raves about it.
If your looking for an authentic ante pesto try the pazzo bread it is to die for! (We order it every single time)
Outstanding service and impeccable food taste is what makes this place one of our personal favourites we reserve for all occasions in the Kitchener /​Waterloo area

I came here with my significant other for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere of this place is, like other Unilocalers have said, very mature — its dim like a bar and well decorated. In fact, I’d say this is the perfect place for a romantic evening with your date.
The food was spectacular — I forgot which penne I ordered, but it was very creamy, hot, and well done. It came with bread and a salad, both of which were excellent quality.
One thing that bothered me about this place was the lack of service. Our server took our orders promptly and our food came as soon as we finished our appetizers, but it was difficult waving down our person for a refill of water or the bill. We waited almost 15 minutes before we could wave down the waitress, which I thought was quite ridiculous. Its not exactly cheap at this place either.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a good Italian restaurant in Waterloo.

My girlfriend told me we had to try this place. I thought the food was very good, although I enjoyed her entre more than my own. I think of it as a middle to upscale restaurant and it’s good for families or for going on a date depending on time of day. I would come here again.

Excellent Italian restaurant! I’m not a big pasta fan but was very pleased with their selection and dishes!!!

I would agree with other reviewers. Ennio’s is definitely a better Italian restaurant than East Side Mario’s, but is that really saying much?
This isn’t an authentic Italian restaurant serving dishes that would make «foodies» drool. It’s an average North American Italian restaurant with decent food and decent prices.

Walking by Morty’s, we noticed the huge lineup (I mean, it was Wing Thursdays after all). Instead of waiting, we decided to go up north and try Ennio’s, after getting that Italian pasta craving.
The place was about ¾ full when we arrived, and we were seated immediately in the high chairs. Drinks were served immediately, and service was overall excellent.
Both my friend and I had the Frutta de Mare, though with different sauces (tomato vs. blush sauce). It comes with bread and Italian salad (which is regular house salad with vinaigrette). The bread was rather hard, but the vinaigrette sauce was quite good. Same with the salad and sauce.
The pasta itself was presented very well, and tasted very well. The lobster, shrimp, and crab were delicious. The mussels were good, although a couple had a little bit of sand in it still.
Overall I was satisfied with the whole dinner, and so was my friend. I will come back to try some other pastas.

Located near king and Columbia street mall in Waterloo this is a great little restaurant.
It is a nice sit down restaurant that was recommended to me by a few friends. I heard a lot about this place having the best pasta in Waterloo. So naturally a few friends and I decided to check it out.
I am happy report back that the service and food was very impressive. The pasta was sauce and fresh. The sauce was delicious, nice and thick and the overall experience was great.
It is a bit on the pricey side but its worth a visit once in a while.