Paparazzi

Both my wife and my dinners were fantastic. We had lasagna, meatballs, pick chops, and pasta. All were very authentic Italian and tasty.

Can’t recommend.
No mixed drinks, no calamari, no tube pasta.
Small portions and slow service. Dark and musty smelling. Wine served in tiny juice glasses.
$ 4.50 for bread. Oy vey.

I went with a couple who told us this place is their favorite. I read the reviews and was a little worried about what I was getting myself into. It is a very quaint little restaurant hidden from the main roads. I was expecting it to be practically dark, but instead I found it to be just right; not too bright and not dark. As everyone has stated, the menu is very clear that everything is priced individually. I found it ridiculous that we had to pay for the garlic bread. (The bread was very good, but not 4.25 worth). I ordered the special of the day, which was Chicken Lasagna. When it arrived, it was a good portion size, covered in Alfredo sauce, with spinach, sun dried tomatoes and a couple other ingredients. I got to say, it was really good. It had a good flavor to it and wasn’t very bland at all. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce (which you have to pay extra for). If you like chocolate, then you’ll love this dessert. Overall, our bill wasn’t any higher than if we had gone to The Olive Garden. I would go back so I could try a different pasta, and maybe even spend some extra money for a salad, and skip the garlic bread.

Ehhh. Server was nice and always kept drinks filled and dishes removed from table. Décor was out of date. Food was so so. Bread was nothing to write home about. Regular old garlic bread. Never heard of this place before and I’m told it has been around for a long time. That has to say something. I didn’t feel like it was authentic Italian food. Was expecting some fancier. I ordered chicken in parchment with sausage with house salad. Lettuces were a bit on the limp side but they were cold. Can’t stand a warm salad. Chicken was good but a little on the dry side. Pasta of the day was good. A little over done, but good. Would of expected to be served my sweeteners for iced tea in something other than an old coffee cup. They serve the wine in juice glasses. Thought that was a bit strange. Probably wouldn’t visit again.

My husband & I try to find restaurants that are not the run-​of-​the-​mill chains when we travel. We found this cozy little spot last night. We loved the small, dimly lit atmosphere. The waitress could have been a bit friendlier, but we appreciated that she gave us our space. I’m sure that’s a dance that waitresses struggle with. It’s very clear on the menu that the bread & salads cost extra. We ordered the bread, which was good & a large salad that they graciously let us share. It was plenty for the two of us. My husband got the lasagna, which he thought was delicious & I ordered the shells florentine. It was very tasty. We each ordered a glass of wine, which were served in these funny little glasses. I might add that their wine is super affordable, unlike most places these days. Even with all of that, our bill was a bit over $ 40. We easily spend that at all the chain restaurants we go to. We would definitely recommend going here. The next time, I want to try the pasta with your choice if sauce. A sweet little find!

Portion sizes were a JOKE! I suggest going to the grocery store and buying a frozen dinner, because I’m convinced that what they brought out to my table. It was tasteless pasta. The garlic bread was pretty good though.
Our server was really nice though!

Paparazzi is like McDonald’s in some respects… you always know the quality and service will be consistent. In this case consistently good for 30 years. The noise level is generally quiet, the service good, and the wide variety of Italian dishes is both excellent and moderately priced. We’ve been coming here for 30 years and appreciate this «hidden gem «that sometimes gets overlooked or forgotten. Bruce and Lisa are the best.

We made it back to Illinois to visit and hit our favorite spot to eat on Friday May 31. We have been going to Paparazzis since 1987 and love the place as much or more today as when we first found it. Lisa is always friendly and runs a very tight ship, good for business. I always get the Shells Florentine, the best in the entire world in my opinion and the garlic bread is to die for, unlike others it never gives me heartburn or indigestion, LOL Thanks Lisa and Bruce for running the best Italian Restaurant we have ever visited.

Not as good as we had hoped.

The dinner was good, portions were a bit small, but price was decent. Service was a tad slow, but not horrible. The wine was great! I would go back again. Most diners were an older crowd, its not really a place that younger people hang out at. Not a bad place, just not amazing either.

As a preface, I went into Paparazzi expecting great things; my parents always took me there for special occasions, and I have always had fond memories of the place, so I was looking forward to trying it out again, a good decade later.
Paparazzi boasts a fairly small menu, which is generally a good thing in my opinion. Expect to pay about $ 10 a head for a dish here, nothing wallet-​breaking. Unfortunately, the quality of the food is reflected in the prices. This isn’t to say that the food was bad; nothing I couldn’t or wouldn’t eat was served… but at the same time, nothing was really all that good. It was on-​par with the pasta I bought at Illinois State University’s cafeteria.
I ordered the antipaso platter, which itself was nice, but then I was asked if I’d like bread. I said yes, not thinking much of it… later, I was more than annoyed to discover that I was being charged for the bread, at about $ 5.00 a loaf; this was a sort-​of garlic bread with Parmesan, but it was rather crusty, and no where near worth what I was charged. I also note being asked on at least two occasions if I’d like more bread; never once did they mention that I’d be charged for it. To me, this is a slap in the face. Inexcusable.
Dessert was their chocolate mousse, with raspberry purée. They boast that all of their desserts are made by hand (with the exception of their cannoli), which is something I generally enjoy seeing. In this case, the mousse was… odd. Some portions of it were watery. Other portions required chewing. Not exactly what I expect when I think of mousse. Again, disappointing.
The service was unremarkable. There was only one waiter dedicated to all the tables, with what appeared to be a manager helping out when not rushing between the kitchen and the front. I had the distinct impression that my waiter was going to be more than happy to see me go; This might just be due to having several other tables to manage, I don’t know. I do have to mention that when I left my dinner’s bagged leftovers at the table by accident, she did run out in an effort to return them to me. Plus marks there.
As far as atmosphere… I cannot say that I’m altogether impressed. It was neither bad enough to detract, but not good enough to warrant any mention; I simply put this here because of other reviewers mentioning it. It is no better or worse than your average Olive Garden.
Overall, I have to say I won’t be returning to Paparazzi. There are several other wonderful options for food in Peoria Heights, I can’t imagine wasting my money there once more.

I had to double check to be sure the other reviews were for the same place I was at last night! I can not believe Paparazzi has been around that long! The atmosphere was cheap and the service was less than amateur. I figured it was a start-​up doing things on the cheap and still working out kinks.
They charged us for bread! Yes, you read that right… bread. The bread was a bit dry and the butter was rock hard. Garlic bread not good either — very crunchy. The waitress offered us salads when taking our order without mentioning the $ 4.25 extra charge for it, which is steep anyway for a simple lettuce salad. The lasagna was okay … just a step above a frozen meal lasagna, which I think are pretty good, but not to par with what to expect from an italian restaurant.
The service was slow. Food service was slow and there was no follow up to see how our meal was. This was my last night out with friends before I get married tomorrow and I was really disappointed. I plan on contacting the restaurant. I don’t usually complain and always comment on service/​food that goes above and beyond but I just can’t let this go…

I always enjoy dinner at Paparazzi. The wait staff are all professionals, the ambience is perfect for great meal with a special someone or friends. The food is always great.

My family has been going here since I was a kid. The food is good– not amazing, but definitely good. Prices are reasonable. The waiters/​waitresses are always VERY pleasant and the atmosphere is excellent. Wine selection is great.

This is my favorite place in Peoria! The atmosphere is very charming and the wait staff is very friendly. The food is very good and very reasonably priced. Great place to take a date or just enjoy a nice, cozy meal!

My mom likes this restaurant, so we took her there for her birthday. I remembered it vaguely from when I was a kid, but as an adult I was unimpressed with the ambiance. It just seems kind of cheap.
We got the garlic bread and that was probably the best part of the meal. I had the tortellini with meat sauce because most of the sauces and dishes have a cream sauce or cheese, which does not agree with me. My mom and boyfriend liked their dishes. I ordered a cannoli and spumoni for dessert. The cannoli was awful, I should have gotten the chocolate mousse. It was an okay time except our waitress had a bit of an attitude. I must say, though, it is nice to go to a restaurant in Peoria that is not a chain. Oh, and it is pretty inexpensive as well, that is a huge bonus.