Russo's Italian Kitchen - Cypress

Terrible experience. We visited for a small celebration, and the shrimp scampi was not just unappetizing, but the pizza orders also fell short of expectations. To make matters worse, the service was appalling. We had to get up to refill our drinks every single time. The restaurant was nearly empty, so I can't understand why our drinks weren't refilled for us. Having worked in food service myself, I would rate this place zero stars if that were an option. Additionally, they had the nerve to automatically include a 20 percent tip because our party had nine people (three of whom were kids). Normally, I wouldn't mind, but this service didn't warrant it at all. We will not be returning, nor will the two families who joined us.

Pros: The calamari, calzone, and salads were all excellent. The calamari was served hot and crisp, avoiding the rubbery texture I've encountered elsewhere. The calzone was generously stuffed and tasted fantastic, while the salads were fresh and of a nice portion size. Cons: Unfortunately, the pizza was not up to par. The dough was tough and difficult to chew, the toppings were minimal, and the oversized individual slices were nearly burned. Additionally, we were not informed that an automatic gratuity would be added to our check for our party of eight. As a result, a couple of the checks in our group ended up with double tips. While the service was adequate, it certainly didn’t justify a $20 tip on a $50 bill. Several times we had to get our own drink refills, and we had to search for the waitress on two occasions to request to-go boxes and the check. On both instances, she was at the front with other servers, chatting in the bar area. We received minimal acknowledgment when we arrived and no thank you as we left. Overall, I feel the meal did not provide value for the money we spent.

I visited this restaurant for dinner, and the food was fantastic! The mozzarella fritti was tasty, but the truffle oil garlic knots were out of this world! We also ordered a calzone and a pepperoni pizza, and everything was delicious. It was our first visit, even though we pass by it frequently, and I can't believe we've been missing out for so long. This place would also make a great spot for lunch, especially since they offer large single slices of pizza!

Had a great outdoor meal with the family here! My pasta tasted fresh, the calzone my husband got looked delicious, my daughter loved her giant pizza slice. The garlic cheese bread was very good as well. I was warned by the server they were short staffed, and he apologized. I appreciated the honesty. We still had a wonderful experience.

The service food was good. The waitstaff could have been a little more attentive friendlier. We had to get our drink refills. No one bother to ask how our food was, nor were we acknowledged when we left. Like thanks for coming in or acknowledging us for choosing to eat there. They need to show some appreciation to their customers. Also they chose to add their own tip percentage, that should be left up to the customer.