enza's italian restaurant

family & food. myfamilyand i have been coming to enza's for years, when it was a little hole in the wall. since then the food has been great and consistent but of course, service has slowed down and prices have sky-rocketed. this is understandable though and good for them for becoming so successful! i have tried literally everything on the menu, and it is all good. the chicken francese and the pasta fagioli soup are my favorite though. we are treated likefamilyevery time we come here, and it's a wonderful environment. be prepared to wait for more than hour on weekends, but it is definitely worth it! the only negative thing i have to say is the red/tomato sauce just doesn't do it for me.

myfamilyand i visited on a sunday afternoon. the service was very friendly and the food was very authentic italian. everything taste freshly prepare but a lil pricey. solid restaurant.

very disappointing. i have eaten at enza's for years. i have never had a bad experience with service or food. until last night (march 28, 2015). it was my 30th birthday and myfamilyand husband had made reservations over a week for a large group of us to have dinner there. we arrive around 6:45 and were seated pretty much immediately. when we get to our table, our group is separated to two tables so we ask if we can please be grouped together. the manager on duty told us no that they had 400 other reservations and we can not be put together. we all sat down with most of us at one table and two others at another. they were at a very large table by themselves and the server realized this and asked if they couldn't be moved closer to us. the other party was able to move to a table closer to us, which we asked if they could have been joined. it took awhile before the manager to come over and finally let us all sit together after 20 minutes of figuring it all out. once we were all finally situated, we ordered appetizers and drinks and that all came out promptly. we ordered our dinner. after about 2 1/2 we start realizing that tables all around that has sat down after us has eaten, and new tables have sat and also have gotten their food. we kept asking and kept getting the same answer for an hour, "its being plated". sadly most of my group left because it was already after 9:30 and some of them had to get home. the rest of us stayed but once we finally got our food it was cold, rock hard (chicked parmesan and veal) and one of my guest is a vegetarian and ordered eggplant parm and had meat all in it. needless to say that my favorite italian restaurant will no longer be existent to me and my family. we have been nothing but fans since the beginning of enzas and have always loved the food here, the service and atmosphere but after last night my 30th birthday was ruined. thank goodness for my wonderful company.

my first dinner of many - i hope. my first dinner at enza's was absolutely the best authentic italian dinner i have ever had. service was impeccable and the food was even better. although not on the menu, they offer escargot as an appetizer and, if you ask politely, they will prepare it as an entree over your choice of pasta. it is so rich and decadent! everything revolves aroundfamilyin this restaurant and they embrace each diner as if they are family. the photos lining the walls tell a great history.


-----16 oct, 2014-----

escargot. sautéed in olive oil and garlic butter and served atop choice of pasta! mama mia!!

greatfamilyowned italian place & would go back in a heartbeat. so there were 8 of us who went to celebrate a birthday and from start to finish it was a really pleasant experience. the charismatic gentleman at the front door who greeted us in the silver suit was an excellent first touch (he was a real trip)! we were seated at our reserved table and the service from the hostess, bartenders and waitstaff was perfect. the food was awesome, i had the chicken cannelloni with the cream dill and tomato sauce and it was out of this world (all others raved about their dishes as well). the portions were just as they should be, everything is homemade down to the salad dressings and you could tell. the prices were very affordable and the place is very classy right down to the white tablecloths and place settings. thisfamilydefinitely knows how to make a night special and do it all right! thank you very much i plan to return more than once in the future.

enza's is my husband's favorite italian restaurant. one evening my wholefamilyate at enza's and there was a problem with my daughter's order. we asked to have it changed but her dish had been pushed to another one of us at the table; it appeared as if my daughter ate it and did not want to pay for it. we are so honest, people make fun of us, so that was not the case. we asked to have her food taken off the bill, suddenly enza appeared and treated us like we were stealing from her. i felt horrible for my daughter. it was very uncomfortable and unnecessary. my daughter never wants to go again. but, occasionally, i will go for my husband. you are fine as long as you do not make enza mad, as i saw in another review.

the best. went there for our anniversary and the food and service was fantastic as usual.

even though the restaurant was packed on a saturday night, we felt like our server amanda treated us like family. we sat in the banquet room for the first time since it was opened. it is a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the main dining room. they even pipe in the live music from the musicians playing next to the bar area. a nice touch.

to our surprise, amanda brought out a bottle of champagne and said it was from chef mike and enza for our anniversary. now don't expect this all the time. we have been regulars since they opened at the old sebastian's on the other side of the shopping center.

you can't get any better than enza's for authentic italian cuisine. it's just that good...


-----15 jun, 2013-----

enza's for catering too!. when it was time to decide on the food for our grand twins baby naming there was only one choice for the restaurant who was catering the event - enza's.

we sat down with enza and mike and they advised us on how many trays of entrees, salads and bread we needed for our 80+ guests. they even went as far as learning about the ages of the guests and made recommendations based on amounts they each typically eat. that was very helpful.

we went with trays of chicken picatta, eggplant parm, veggie lasagna, sicilian veggie pasta, house salad and garlic bread.

since it was an off-site catering event, enza told us what time they would be by to drop off the food at the venue in time for the luncheon.

after the baby naming, our guests made there way into the room where the luncheon was being served. all the chafing dishes were filled with trays and ready to go.

however, to our surprise, enza and mike stayed and served our guests on the buffet line the entire meal. enza even lead in the cutting and serving of the two sheet cakes not made by the restaurant!

the luncheon was a hit. everyone commented on how great the food tasted and many even went to personally thank enza and mike.

not only is enza's a great place to dine, but a great place for catered events.

all i can say is wow. there is a difference between family-run and corporate-owned restaurants. the personal commitment to provide great food and service is the difference.


-----22 may, 2013-----

a slice of italy in mandarin. we originally went to enza's to discuss an upcoming banquet for afamilycelebration. while there the smells of garlic and tomato sauce was just too much, so we decided to stay for dinner.

we were immediately seated and our water glasses were filled by one of the friendly staff members. our waitress josephine came by and greeted us and welcomed us. we noticed an appetizer on the board as we were walking in and inquired about it. josephine described the fried artichoke dish and recommended it as one of their signature dishes. sold!

we also ordered drinks as we reviewed the menu for what usually turns out to be a frustrating event because the choices are so good.

the fried artichoke arrived and was cut in thirds, dipped in a light batter, and stuffed with a little mozzarella cheese. they were placed on top of a mixed salad with a vinaigrette dressing. there was also a cup of franchaise sauce to dip the artichoke in. wow, was that a great combination.

we decided on the grilled chicken and veggies and the chicken alla rosa. entrees come with a choice of soup or salad and garlic bread. although not on the menu, if you are a lover of the olive oil and italian seasoning dipping plate, ask for it with the plain crusty bread.

i won't bore you with the salads. they were served cold on a chilled plate. can't stand when salads come out room temperature, or on a warm plate.

our entrees were plentiful and very tasty. the alla rosa was atop my choice of pasta (angle hair) in a pink sauce with a nice portion of thinly sliced mushrooms. the chicken & veggies had a large portion of sliced chicken, veggies and a liquid sauce.

hats off to josephine and the rest of the friendly staff at enza's.


-----15 apr, 2013-----

the food, the service, the ambiance. had a late night dinner (9pm) and was greeted by a hostess with a happy smile. we made a reservation via open table and had about a 5 minute wait. yes, at 9pm service was going strong at enza's.

ordered the chicken parm. and my spouse insisted on the mediterranean salad. the hot garlic bread was perfectly toasted and was accompanied by my request for the dish of olive oil and italian spices. you have to ask for it, and i highly recommend it.

the chicken parm. consisted of 3 large boneless breasts, homemade sauce, and just the right amount of cheese. i'm no light weight when it comes to eating, but i had to take one of the pieces of chicken home.

the mediterranean salad is served in a very large bowl with grill chicken, a mix of greens, tomatoes, feta, capers, and a few other ingredients. we needed a to-box for this one as well.

on our way out we stopped by the bar to say hello to an old friend and bumped into enza and chef mike. always a pleasure to see them.


-----24 sep, 2012-----

no other restaurant in jacksonville can measure up. a night out for italian food can only be at 2 places in jacksonville, and one of them is enza's. we all know the other one down the street, but we'll keep it "la familia".

on our recent dining experience we sat in the room by chef mike's bar. there was a party at the big table celebrating a birthday, while the rest of us watched the fsu game. in the banquet room there was another party going on. on top of that there was a piano player inside and a musician playing the steel drums on the patio. wow, and it didn't require an "e" ticket...

our server was great. she went through the specials for the evening and took our drink order. we ordered chicken parm and chicken with veggies. the garlic bread was crunchy and was the perfect texture to dip in the olive oil and spice dish. the salads were cold and crisp with a light vinaigrette dressing.

the chicken parm was so big i had to take half of it home. i'm usually part of the "clean plate club", but the portion was huge. the chicken and veggies were sauteed in a olive oil and garlic sauce that definitely would keep the vampires away...in a good way. if you're going to eat italian, it must be immersed in fresh garlic.

in closing, if you want to show up without a reservation, you could have a wait. use opentable.com. it's easy, fast and your sure to snag a table...


-----26 nov, 2009-----

great food & now music too?. my wife and i visited enza's last weekend as usual for dinner. upon exiting our car near whole foods (it was very busy in front of the restaurant) i could hear music from the direction of enza's.

as we approached the storefront area we were welcomed by a jazz band playing and tables filled on the outside.

even with our usual reservation, we had to wait 10 minutes for a table since the restaurant, and now the bar area, was packed to capacity.

there is one thing that makes a great restaurant - consistency. enza's by far has the best chicken parmesan. the tomato sauce, with it's unique italian spices, has just the right blend of perfection.

our usual waiter phil was so booked he couldn't even take our table. the young waitress who had our table provided a great example of attention to detail in the spirit of enza's usual standards.

as we sat and enjoyed our dinners, we listened to the jazz music in the background which provided a delightful backdrop to our meal.

to top it off we saw several friends who also eat at enza's.

looking forward to our next visit.

keep up the great work.


-----10 jan, 2009-----

a happy birthday celebration. we recently celebrated my dad's 80th birthday at enza's. enza made sure we had a special table set up for all our guests. our waiter phil catered to all our needs.

we all had a variety of entrees and pastas which were enjoyed by all. if you haven't tried the enza salad, your missing a treat. the additional items and special dressing is to die for!

now that the whole foods market is open in the same shopping center, you may want to call in advance to make a reservation.

so much for my "best kept secret" restaurant!


-----10 nov, 2008-----

a greatfamilyrestaurant. i have taken myfamilyto enzas at least 2-3 times a month for many years. the new location is very modern and the prices are very affordable. the wait staff is very friendly and i know many people that dine at enzas and always ask for the same server. we always ask for phil. it is that kind of place!

recently, we celebrated my parents 54th anniversary at enzas. we could have gone to ruths chris, mortons or matthews, but eating at enzas is like eating a meal with your big family. to top it off, we watched the the jax. jaguars win against the colts on the plasma tv in their bar area. what a way to cap off a great evening. keep up the good work, enza

why enza's - one word passion. food cooked from the heart that has soul. people who care about their business and it shows in what they do. an owner who will walk the floor and ask if your meal was pleasing, do you need anything else (a dying trait in this industry)familywho work together from the front of the house to the back of the house - why is enza's successful because they care - you can see this in the "it will be a 20 minute wait or more" and its well worth it - our meals consistently keep us coming back. may establishments like enza's continue to flourish and prosper in our community. oh, and the earlier comment about phil - yes, he's passionate and "your" experience might not have been a stellar one - however, dissing someone because they tried to up sell you on a wine or dissing someone because they didn't pronounce something correctly and putting it on urbanspoon - shameful.

pretty good, but had a couple of problems. i dined with myfamilyon friday, june 17th. we arrived at 8:30 and they were really busy. the hostess said it would be a 25 minute wait. i told her we were celebrating my son's birthday and she said that she had a larger table than our party available. so we sat down. the problems started when we met our server phil. he's one of those fast talking italians that said he had been there since day 1. we asked to see the wine list which he provided, and we selected one of the few chardonnays on their list which was clos du bois. he said there was another italian wine that we might be interested to try, and brought a sample which was very nice. we didn't care for the alternate and ordered the clos du bois (which he pronounced clo du boyce). he brought the wine back to serve, and seemed to be a bit perturbed about something. he poured a sample of wine to all three of us and walked off. we all looked at each other like "what happened?" and decided to pour our own. we flagged down another server to provide a chiller for our wine. we ordered 2 appetizers which were mussels and calamari. it took a while for the appetizers to arrive, but we finally received them. the calamari was served in a metal holder which was cute, but held a very small portion for $9.95. the mussels were a better choice. we placed our dinner entrees, and he asked if we wanted the enza salad. the menu stated that a salad accompanied the entrees, but the enza salad was an extra $2.00. i asked what the salad was that came with the entrees, and he said " boring salad" which was just lettuce and tomato. from that point on he tried to upsell everything we ordered. i don't eat much pasta and wanted to substitute a vegetable, and he said that was another extra $2.00. their prices are not too high until you add up all the extras. i had the chicken terezi with extra spinach which consisted of a very soupy sauce with pieces of chicken. i didn't taste the other dishes, because it took a long time for our entrees to come out and i was ready to just eat and go.after we finished our entrees he started to get more friendly (tip time) and gave us a complimentary dessert which was very nice. as we were paying our bill he said we could have a cup of coffee, but we were tired and just wanted to go home. i think this is a good restaurant, but make sure you don't have phil wait on you.

by far my favorite restaurant ever. enza always comes out to say hello to my family, as we have enjoying her amazing cuisine since they were at their old location. my entirefamilyalways gets the chicken parm, which is always superb. if you haven't been here yet, try it, because it's always amazing! just make sure to get a reservation!

our family's get-a-way!. enzas has become my family's choice of our weekly sit down dinner. we have eaten at many restaurants in jacksonville & ponte vedra but none as hostfull as enzas. we do sunday dinner as afamilywith enza and her staff. as italians, we look for pure, authentic and fresh italian. it is what we expect and what we get every time at enzas. we have one of the best taking care of ourfamilyeach week in phil and enza herself is always there to welcome us with a smile and a hug. she is so appreciative of ourfamilyas we are of hers. we would not consider eating at another italian restaurant because of the food and service we receive. all of her staff is warm and welcoming and do the very best to accomodate everyone. enza and mike have really hit the mark and we are proud to be part of thier family. the miller family.

best italian in jax! i was raised in the northeast where great italian restaurants are on every corner, but nothere in florida. this place is great. greatfamilyatmosphere. great food. try the rosa sauce!

great italian food. just a little note to anyone from up north looking for real italian...here it is, food cooked the way i remember it in new york, the owner was born in sicily and know's how to cook, wow 5 stars, oh, and you feel likefamilyas well, cozy and casual yet some how kind of formal, and a piano too..

the food is wonderful, very authentic. the staff treats everyone like they'refamilyand are very helpful with selecting menu items and wine. we went for christmas eve dinner and the atmosphere was a bit hectic but it was overall enjoyable. we might make a tradition out of it.

great place, great food, great service...tutte bene!. tonight was the first time that i ate at enza's. myfamilyis italian (from philly...originally naples, italy). i went with my in-laws and our baby.
the interior design is beautiful, not to mention, that the bar area is stellar.
the waiter, phil, was really friendly and personable. i also enjoyed speaking (in italian) with enza, the owner.
i don't really prefer chain restaurants and have eaten all over the u.s.a and several cities in italy.
this restaurant knows how to keep you coming back for more. the lobster ravioli was incredible. my husband had the seafood combo and adored it. my father-in-law said the veal was the most tender he had ever had.

great food! great service! i can't wait to go back...and they were very accomodating to the baby!