Bazil’s

Get a 16 inch matzo cracker, pour tomato paste on top with Lucerne mozzarella cheese. and put it in the oven and in 15 minutes u have a bazil’s pizza. I heard the place used to be good but sucks now. I gave one star bc it actually had enough ingredients to fill u up but… my God!

Full disclosure: I’ve been going to Bazil’s for over 20 years and it’s my favorite restaurant by far in Tucson.
Try anything you want, you’ll like it. I’ve had most things on the menu but I’ve gravitated towards the cannelloni over the years. I’ve posted a picture of it. You really can’t describe the richness of the sauce that surrounds the cannelloni. Every time I order it, the meal begins with me and everyone else at the table trying a spoonful. They can give you red sauce on the side and you can mix and match, plus great for bread dipping.
Most other people I go with try the scallops/​seafood pasta and I’ve never heard anything less than praise. The Sister Mary Joseph is something you’ll tell others about. Seriously, just try anything. I’ve also enclosed a picture of the triple chocolate cake. Each piece weighs over a pound, easily. We split one piece amongst the whole table whether it’s 2 people or 6 people and it’s more than enough for everyone. It’s one of the richest chocolate cakes you’ll ever have, anywhere.
The dinner starts with fresh salad, soup, and bread. I’ve never actually finished a meal there yet and I’m a big eater. It’s just sensory overload of richness and flavor.
It’s a great Tucson restaurant because it has a great balance between casual and upscale. You can show up for a romantic date, order expensive wine, and have an incredibly intimate experience. Or wear shorts and sandals and it’s just as comfortable. Stop by the bar and watch a game or two. Great crowd and atmosphere and they’ll serve you a pizza from Bazils-​To-​Go if you want one. We often have dinner in the restaurant then order a pizza to take home for the little ones.
Check it out if you have the chance. If you like this type of cooking I think you’ll put it high on your list.

First of all the atmosphere is amazing table number 12 is the best for optimal intimate dinning and conversation. The food is spectacular! Service great! The drinks are great you won’t be disappointed with the strength of the drinks!

Typical traditional Italian. Slow paced, deliciousness. A dining experience meant to be savored — from the salad and soup to the pollo or lamb or pasta. My six-​yr old LOVES the pasta fagioli soup and spaghetti with meatballs. The chicken rollatine is divine. This lovely restaurant continues to be a family favorite!

Still the best place for us in Tucson. If you love Italian food and a great atmosphere this is the place. I had the best Lamb chops today.

Should be called Bazil’s attempting Italian. I ordered the cioppino, which was around $ 40 and listed as the house specialty. When I ordered it, the guy told me it’s the best cioppino he has ever had and he’s had a lot of cioppino. Well, I’ve had a lot of cioppino and I grew up in NY, and I can safely say it was the worst cioppino I’ve ever had. The sauce was salty and tasted like it was burnt but they just used it anyway. The sauce was not the traditional chopped tomatoes but simply tasted like a bad oversalted (and burnt) marinara. The lobster was a langostino, not a true lobster tail AND to add insult to injury, all the seafood had clearly been frozen and sitting in the freezer for way too long. Even my toddler refused to eat it and she loves lobster and crab.
I also ordered the ravioli and the spaghetti with meatballs and again the sauce tasted like a nasty burnt mess, the ravioli was overcooked to the point of soggy and I ended up throwing everything out.
A total waste of time and money. I will not be returning.

Great taste but… I had the Veal Scaloppini for $ 26.95. Opened with a shared salad among friends. Very good dressing. Homemade I would say, you could taste the sugar. Classic. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The problem was the fact it was not strained very well. Spaghetti soup. Way too much water on the bottom of the bowl. I even drained it out on the side plate. The Scaloppini… well the best I have tasted in a long time! Perfect! Just wish it wasn’t totally submersed in the liquid that was the sauce. That was a little annoying. As for the service. It was horrible. 10 to 15 minutes to get drinks. There were 3 of us. After waiting nearly 15 minutes, they brought out each drink individually! This continued throughout the evening. The atmosphere is the classic dark. Takes you back. Was nice.

Went here with some friends. Service was bit slow but the place was packed to the gills! Our table had the a steak, spaghetti and meatballs, and eggplant parmigiana. Portions were big and food was well prepared– overall however, I felt it was underseasoned and lacked a wow factor. The antipasto and soup were a nice touch, plus the owners come around to every table to check up. Bazils has a nice homey Italian feel I’ve yet to experience in Tucson.

Had a great experience. Service was prompt and friendly, food was excellent and when my mother didn’t see spaghetti carbonara on the menu she asked if they could do it. Our waiter Miles graciously asked the chef and they delivered and it was excellent.

Came here for my birthday a few weeks ago, had a lovely time! It was kind of late on a Sunday, and there weren’t too many other people in there at the time, but both our server and the bartender were very friendly, as was the hostess/​manager woman. Our pizza was excellent, as were our appetizers, and our pasta and salad were o.k. We’ll be back!

Bazils and I have a long past. By long I mean like most of my life since I have had family that has worked there for nearly 10 years. I like Bazil’s food, but it is VERY heavy. You also get outlandish proportions (very American). This is the kind of place that you won’t think is good unless you know what to order. Same with the to-​go. I will always have a fondness in my heart for Bazil’s but as someone who has grown up in this area of town, and half of the male students of Catalina Foothills High School has worked her at least once, I know far too much about their dirty laundry. Bazils needs a makeover and new management… Kitchen Nightmares reno maybe? The food is better than that though.
Pick Bazils to Go over the actually restaurant unless you want to spend $ 200 for dinner. I think theres definitely fresher and more delicious places to go, but if you want something savory and a nice relaxed environment, then Bazils is for you.

Despite the very good ratings, we were really disappointed with our experience.
Right from the start the hostess seemed pretty unorganized.
The servers were definitely polite but not very attentive.
Very dark dining room, actually difficult to maneuver around, especially with several steps everywhere.
Pizza was bad, totally raw on the bottom.
Also very expensive prices, won’t be returning.

Upon entering hostess was perfection !!! She recognized us (I think) got us a table right away. Sooo nice. Our wine selection was awesome, appetizer (fried ravioli) was really good! Then our salad came along but with dirty plates (both mine and my husband’s plate were dirty. That was a downer!!! The waiter promptly took them away when we pointed it out and brought out another but I was sort of uncomfortable with the hygiene situation and made me think if their kitchen was clean. We did not make a fuss and continued our dinner. Soup was good, not extraordinary but nice.
Waiter was very attentive and did keep coming to our table to see if we needed anything. Main entrée was the Sister Mary Joseph, three filet medallions which are always so tender!!! A little too much pepper for me, but otherwise great! Really cooked to term medium with the pink center! Tiramisu for dessert!!! Absolutely amazing!!! Had a wonderful evening except for the dirty salad plates. Otherwise perfect! Ambiance is great and the hostess makes you feel so welcome It really starts of your evening wonderfully! Kudos to the owners! The place is beautiful! Please look into the kitchen to see that everything is going as it should! Dirty plates are a true downer to the experience!!! Will return anyway! Love Bazil’s!!!

Great experience
Finally a restaurant that doesn’t cram your entrees down your throat before you get a drink, enjoy you bread and have an appetizer.
The server (jessica) was amazing; she recommended great dishes and the food was fresh and cooked to perfection.
Ps blue cheese martini! Need I say more

This place is steeped in the old-​school east-​coast Italian ambience that I’ve never really experienced it Tucson. Sweet nostalgia. Adding to that was the geriatric crowd of regulars — it was sweet that the servers and bartenders all knew them. Dark and romantic, not for kids.
We opted to sit in the bar to order pizza, and it was delicious — definitely in my top five for pizzas in Tucson. Their sauce is boldy sweet and tangy — super good. We started out with an antipasto salad and wine. It was a lovely evening — a great opportunity for my husband and I to unexpectedly slow down and spend some great time and conversation together.
Pricey? Yes. Modern and trendy? No. Inventive menu? Nope. Didn’t stop me from loving it. Go with someone you love.

What a wonderful place. Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall, Bazil’s offers wonderful Italian fare, great service, and a surprisingly romantic ambience. There are no windows, meaning it’s always a cool, dark retreat from the desert sun and heat. The booths and lighting are perfectly done, making for a really homey place.
When I lived in Tucson I used to order their exceptional pizza for delivery when I lived in apartments nearby. I also took my now-​wife there for dinner on our first date, as well as the night I proposed to her. We were just back in Tucson this fall and had to return, and Bazil’s again impressed.
If you want a cozy, romantic place for Italian, check out Bazil’s, it’s really a hidden treasure.

I went here with a big group of friends for a birthday dinner, and even though there were 11 of us, the service was impeccable. We had a manager checking on us all night and all we had to do was look around and someone would be right there to grab it for us. The food was great, and the atmosphere pleasant.
I would definitely go again.

I can picture this place being a success back in 1995 or so, but overall has failed to keep up with the times. So disappointed and won’t be going back. Went there with the family. In summary the only reason this is a two star instead of one is because the server was friendly and hard working.
The baked clams were basically baked bread crumbs in little clam shells … Where were the clams? My wife’s eggplant Parm had soooooo much melted cheese on top that she had to peel back layers of cheese just to see and taste the bland eggplant. My chicken francaise I think was sitting under the heat lamp in the kitchen for a while. It had a film of crusted sauce over the chicken which after being cut up and mixed was decent. The antipasti was average but I had the same salad last week at Olive Garden. Overall for the money, there are so many other Italian restaurants to enjoy in Tucson… bummed

I came here with a big group recently, and I have to say that the service was friendly and accommodating. You have a choice of two menus, either a pizza menu or a menu full of entrees. The main menu is definitely set for an elderly crowd because the writing was gigantic.
Our table decided to order entrees. I went with the Eggplant Parmigiana. When you order an entrée it comes with bread, an antipasto salad, and pasta fagioli soup. The bread was fresh and delicious. The antipasto salad was pretty standard, lots of chopped veggies, cheese, and meat, over iceberg lettuce that was lightly dressed. The soup was a little lacking in flavor. With all of the courses, the meal took a long time to come out, and by the time it did, I had already filled up on the bread, soup, and salad. The eggplant came out in a large portion, it was covered in a lot of cheese. I’m someone who loves cheese, but this was an overload. There was a lack of tomato sauce, breaded eggplant, and tons of cheese, so the dish was extremely heavy. Most of the dishes that came out looked that way as well. The eggplant came with a side as well. I had the choice of a baked potato, spaghetti, or a broccoli-​pasta dish, that I ordered. The broccoli pasta was disappointing as well. The pasta had no sauce, not even some olive oil. I ended up stealing some alfredo sauce from a friend that had already finished their meal to make the pasta edible.
The food was okay, but they seemed to rely on cheese and cream to impart flavor, which made the dishes one-​note and extremely heavy.

I really like this place. My grandparents have been taking me here for special occasions for the past 10 years and the owners know them by name. It is a little expensive but soup and an antipasto salad are included with entrees so you never leave here still hungry. They also tend to have some pretty awesome daily specials. I loved the mahi mahi with lobster. It was served with a lime sauce that was killer. My only complaint is that the lighting is super dim, but if you sit at a booth you can control the light above your table with an individual switch. They also don’t seem to have many beers on tap, but I usually go with wine here anyways. If you’re looking for a classy old fashioned restaurant, definitely give Bazil’s a try.