Bono's Italian Ristorante

OMG had their custard pie at Thanksgiving, and it was incredible. I try to get some of the Bono's food either dine-in or take-out when I am in the Denver area. It is worth the drive for one of the best Italian cuisine's in the area. Their pies are the best, wine selection excellent, and the owners make you feel as family. Pros: Great people, authentic food, not frozen junk....great prices Cons: I hope they will expand with music one day. more

We were so disappointed when our favorite local italian restaurant, Giovanni's in Lakewood, closed. So we were thrilled recently to find Giovanni's former owner and chef, Sal, cooking at Bono's. You won't find better ravioli's this side of the Mississippi. And Sal's tomato sauce is to die for; a delicate, fresh tasting, old world gem. Don't leave without trying his pastries. The pizza at Bono's reminds me of Pizzeria Regina in Boston (Boston's Best!). This Italian-American NY transplant has found another reason to love Colorado. more

I have eaten Italian food from the early days of my marriage into an Italian family, then from coast to coast of the U.S. and my one of my absolute favorites is this cozy taste of Sicily right in Golden's Backyard. Clearly my favorite among these accomplished restauranteurs' family recipies is Shrimp Fra Diavolo, take an appetizer of their special Mussels in sauce that will make your mouth crave more, and on a special night the owners' exquisite Tomato Bisque. Enjoy all in a family oriented ambiance receiving service that will rival any for friendliness and ready willingness to adjust to patron tastes and desires. I often ask for a little more Diavolo sauce because I so enjoy it! Take one of their fine desserts home for later if you have so enjoyed dinner as not to have room for more. more

This place has it all. A casual romantic ambiance. A great menu - both lunch, dinner, and take-out. Fabulous authentic Italian desserts (and delicious non-italian desserts too!. The service was AMAZING. Prices are reasonable. Pros: Great Ambiance, Excellent Service, Delicous Food more

I love this place. They are fast, friendly, and their food is delicious! I have been going for years and will be for years to come. I strongly recommend this place for Italian in Golden! Pros: Pizza! Cons: Nada more

This place has been around for quite a while and I can't understand why it is still open. The employees, and the owners are absolutely pathetic. They are rude and treat you as if you are lucky to be eating there. They should convert the place into a drive-through so they wouldn't have to have any contact what so ever with their customers. Stay away. There are many other places which will treat you much better as a customer! Pros: can't think of any Cons: Terrible service, bad attitude, poor atmosphere more

As soon as we walked in the door we were rushed with the wonderful aromas that you would expect from a family run bistro. We found Mrs. Bono at the front counter as she was just what you would expect an owner to be. Lets forget about what we had for dinner and let me explain to you the amazing food. The marinara, not too sweet and as you know the over baring sweetness can ruin a great dining experience. The pasta, perfection. How often do you go out and find the pasta is over cooked? The cheeses are hand blended for the perfect flavor and texture. The garlic bread is a breed all it's own with the taste of fresh garlic and real butter it is to die for. Salad dressings are made from scratch and the Italian balsamic is simply wonderful. We were so impressed with the food that we ordered a pizza to go and this is what we found. The pizza dough is made from scratch and is oh so good, not too much sauce as for this alone can ruin a great pizza. Fresh tomatoes and basil were among the flavors as well as fresh garlic underneath as to not burn. The cannoli's, the best i have ever had. Oh my gosh the amaretto cookies I can't even explain. I have read some of the reviews on this page and disagree with some. There seems to be some confusion with words ""service"" and ""rude"". With my experiences in the people business, these words can sometime be misconstrued for ""Passion"". Being as though the owners come from the Boston area of the east coast, they displayed an unbelievable passion for their craft, food and spirits as well as a genuine care for their patrons. Quite simply, be prepared to wait for your GREAT not good food as for it does take time to insure that your meal will be perfect. Don't come here with a bad attitude because you're going to get exactly what you give them. They are protective of their employees as well as their great customer base. So if you are tired of the same ol' processed junk you can find at the chain restaurants then this is the place to be. Without hesitation this family owned restaurant comes highly recommended. Pros: INTIMATE QUAINT FAMILY OWNED Cons: NONE THAT I CAN SEE more

I loved finding this place with many, good vegetarian options. They have vegetarian lasagna, vegetarian marinara and even a variety of vegetarian ... more

My husband raved about their meatball sandwiches, and took me there for dinner. It is wonderful food, with sauces and salad dressings made from scratch by the owners, who are Italians from Boston. The spaghetti and meatballs are great, and the pizza is fab. If anyone complains about the owners' attitude, they just don't understand East coast people! Pros: the food! Cons: No table service for lunch more

During early 2008, my initial meals were served late and luke warm. After one complaint to the owner (Al) he immediately corrected the problem and it NEVER happened to me again. #1. Bono's has the best East Coast Style Pizza in Colorado, and as good if not better than most pizzas I've eaten. When you bite into a slice of pizza at ""Bono's"" the crust sings back at you with a chorus of crunches and crackles telling your ears that a culinary concerto is on its way! The flavor is as you wish, from basic cheese to any topping you request. You'll NEVER be disappointed eating pizza at Bono's. #2.Pasta is excellent, but needs more of a selection.The Pasta Fra Diavolo's fully flavored, adequately spiced and heartily portioned. Unless you have gluttony issues, you'll never walk out hungry. A perfect wine I found was a bottle of a San Marghareta Pino Grigio from their quaint sit down bar. #3.The Steak and Cheese subs are trantalizing! The Steak Bomb has a carousel of flavors that explode in your mouth! Steak, American Cheese, Pepperoncini, Bacon, Mushrooms, Onions,Black Olives and perfectly spicy invites the ideal compliment to the meal by having a few of your favorite beers at the bar. Bono's authentic Italian/Sicilian Cuisine is geared to satisfy lunch/dinner out with any group. Seating capacity is between 50-60 people and I've seen customers waiting outside the main entrance and around the bldg. I view this as; people are hungry, the food is GREAT/WORTH THE WAIT, the ambience balanced and inviting to enjoy dessert, cocktails and conversation. I believe that waiting allows me to thoroughly sample an excellent wine list, a wide variety of cocktails and Italian Liquors. I'm a fussy customer but this place is really worth the wait. If you end up waiting have a couple of drinks. If your food hasn't appeared by the time you've finished your 3rd or 4th drink, then at the very least you've got a good buzz going with some great food that will top off your night. ;) Pros: Excellent Food. Personable Ownership. Warm Atmosphere to enjoy a meal and socialized. Cons: Sometimes service is a little slow. more

Living in a nearby neighborhood, we were really hoping to have found a wonderful local Italian eatery that we could take the family to as our go-to place. We were first disappointed that most of the menu is simply pasta, without meat. Even the lasagna is cheese only, no meat. I ordered ravioli with a meatball (a small one at that) so that I could have some meat. Both of our dishes came to us just 1/2 way warm. They actually served us relatively quickly so I'm not sure how it wasn't hot. We're used to homemade Italian red sauces that offer something unique. I felt like this was better than a jar but less than even the Mac. Grille! And we always go for family-owned restaurants, never wanting a chain. I've heard their lunch subs are great so maybe we'll stick to that. Pros: Cute, small restaurant, you can tell it's family-owned Cons: Our food was served cold, not many meat dishes, nothing special in the sauces. more

BEST FOOD EVER!!! more

I have been going to Bono's since they opened many many years ago, I think 17 now and counting and I can't believe that East Coast personality is mistaken for RUDE. I have to speak up and let people know that Susie Bono is a very nice person and has always made me feel at home there. Their staff is very nice but, in all fairness if you go at lunch time it is very very busy there ,and the girl at the counter is a sweet heart. Their food is not fast food, it's made to order and it's worth the wait. I thought I would throw that at you all, don't listen to everything you hear its a great place and wonderful owners especially Mrs. B. The food is awesome and try the dinner menu at night ,sit down full service after 4pm, she is always on the floor every night talking to all the customers and making them feel at home. Go and check it out for yourself. Pros: The best Mom & Pop homemade Italian Cons: Wish they were open Saturday nights more

2 friends and I work close by ,so we go there for lunch. NO MORE- the food is very good but the owner (Mrs.Bono) and her very cranky cashier lady are very rude and abrubt. They had a very nice and (together) cashier girl but It looks like she is gone. They have been in business a long time, by now you would think that they would know how to efficiently run their kitchen; they don't . They lost our 3 -times- a -week business today. Pros: Very good food and desserts Cons: RUDE owner and employees more

I have been going to Bono's for lunch once a month or so for years. The food is OK but I find it is not becoming worth the trip to deal with the poor service and stand-offish owners and employees. This a mom and pop establishment and it would be nice to be greeted - especially when they have seen you many times before. However, they never come out from behind the counter or the kitchen - even though I've been there many times when there is no one waiting to place an order and they could clearly take a few minutes to mingle around and see if everyone is enjoying the meal. A lot of times, it seems they feel almost imposed upon by customers and I've seen them bark at a few people more than once. They are now open for dinner with their recent expansion but I'd sooner find a friendly Italian restaurant for a dinner experience. Picking up a sandwich to go is one thing but ambience and service is important for a dinner experience, Pros: slices of pizza to go Cons: stand-offish almost to the point of rude owners/employees more

Every dish a masterpiece. A world of flavors is only a few blocks away. Everything from homemade pizzas and pastas, including my favorite stuffed shells, creates a Italian fantasy on my tongue. This restaurant is friendly for all ages, and the staff creates a magical dining experience that cannot be beat. there is not enough room to tell you why Bono's is the best. There is nothing not to like at Bono's. The only thing i can say is that if you haven't experienced Bono's, you are missing out on the best italian food ever! Pros: everything, you will like everything Cons: noyhing more

Where to start. Everything is great. From a humble take out, to a relaxed family dining experience at night, Bono's is great Italian food. Any dish you get will be breath-taking. From amazing pizzas to stuffed shells, all homemade, and the best deserts, it is hard to make a decision. All of the employees are friendly and wont hesitate to make you experience the finest. if you haven't already, you should definitely stop by because you wont be disappointed. semplicemente il la cosa migliore (simply the best!!!!) enjoy! :) more

OK, I'm from the East Coast so I KNOW Italian food. I just moved here and found Bono's to be a ""life saver"" when it comes to feeding my cravings for Pizza and ""home cooked"" Italian meals. The Pizza ranks at the top of the list of some of the best I've ever had . . . anywhere! The Linguini and Clamsauce, Meatball Subs and Italian Subs make me miss home, but with this kind of ""East Coast"" cooking, I know that I'm taken care of. Sometimes the service is a little slow, but believe it or not, this tells me that a busy restaurant is popular and where I come from, waiting a little longer for your food only means that it's going to be that much better. The atmosphere is very friendly along with the staff. In between overseeing a booming family business, the owner makes the rounds making sure that you're not just another number. He's a pretty good guy that knows how to take care of his customers. I enjoy seeing the Italian/East Coast memorabilia, which makes me feel comfortable whenever I eat at Bono's for dinner or just pop in for a glass of wine while I'm waiting for take-out. I've eaten at other Italian Restaurants in the area, which were OK, but I found my ""home away from home"" as far as the food goes as well as talking with some genuinely good people. I eat at or order take-out from Bono's 4-5 times per week and believe me, being a business man in a very hectic life leaves little time for me to cook. Even if I don't want to eat their food right away, I can always stop by and pick up some frozen entrees, which saves me a ton of time and still takes care of my ""East Coast"" Italian Food craving! This is a great place to take the family out for some of the best pizza you ever had as well as enjoying a some vino while taking in a ""warm"" atmosphere. Thanks Bono's for making and ""East Coast Transplant"" feel right at home! Pros: Very Personable Staff, Warm Atmosphere, Excellent Food - The BEST Pizza! Cons: Service is Sometimes a Little Slow. more

So, we have always ordered pizza from here and like it. Some of the sandwiches are actually good too. The rest of the food is mediocre at best. We waited 45 minutes for our food (well, some of it). 2 of us got our food and then 15 minutes later, the food for the other 2 arrived. No apologies, no explanation. Nothing! Then, the food was not good (not even the food that came out first). At any rate, when we complained, and asked for the stuffed shells to be taken off of the bill (as they were really bad) we were told by the owner that she will not take it off of the bill and we should not come back again. No worries, we won't !!!! We live in the neighborhood and always get our pizza from them as it is good and we like to support local businesses. No longer. Anthony's on Union is just a s good and they deliver. Oh, and they are actually open past 7:30 unlike Bono's. Pros: Good pizza, sandwiches Cons: Poor service. Slow service. Rude owner! The rest of the food is not good. more

Bonos offers some good eats but their service is very slow. When I mean terrible service I am mostly talking about how long it takes to get your food, the people that work there are very nice. Pros: Great sandwiches, good ambience, nice people Cons: Takes forever to get food... even if they're not busy. (30 mins+ sometimes) more