Rafael's Italian Restaurant

Only order the pizza. I have eaten here a few times and the pizza is pretty good and the price isn't terrible as long as you get the 2 for 1. I got an order of garlic knots today and they were inedible I ended up throwing them away. I would have called in for a refund but I didn't want to hassle the nice young girl working there.

A garlic knot shouldn't be completely dry and hard as a board. It was as if someone just threw in some left over crusts in a box. The marinara that came with the knots seemed old because it was extremely sour.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 5

very disappointed. i have ordered cheese ravioli many times at this place. (the last time i got salad dressing but no salad and i didn’t even mention it) i understand things can get busy. anyway,
i never eat meat in ravioli. it was delivered with meat ravioli AND meat sauce. i called and the girl who answered took responsibility said she understood where the mistake was made. she said to come by soon and they would replace it. when i called back to order my replacement she said the manager said “ it wasn’t specified on the receipt, there would be no replacement” i paid $40 and even tipped the driver cash on to of the tip thru doordash even tho it’s only 3 miles away and i had a tiny piece of $7 stale cake for dinner that night.
WWYD as a manager. this is why i gave my only ever 1⭐️ review. SEE PICS and notice where it says CHEESE RAVOLI on the menu and the receipt.

Service: 1

They cater a singing on Tuesdays that’s always been real enjoyable every time I’ve attended

Rafael’s Italian Restaurant is everything you want in a hometown favorite—delicious food, generous portions, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you're craving a hearty pasta dish or one of their famous pizzas, every bite tastes homemade and full of flavor.
I especially love their House special Pizza—crispy crust, perfectly seasoned meats, and melty cheese that hits the spot every time. The staff is always friendly and attentive, and the service is consistently fast, whether you’re dining in or grabbing takeout.
It’s clear that Rafael’s takes pride in both their food and their hospitality. If you’re looking for a place that feels like family and serves up unforgettable Italian comfort food, this is it. Highly recommend!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Greek Salad, Chicken Parmesan, Cheeseburger, Italian Cheesesteak Sandwich

I ordered two pepperoni pizzas. One of them with light sauce to go. They brought me one pepperoni pizza and one cheese pizza. Their solution to fixing it was to add pepperoni and put it back in the oven.

So after working all day I got to go home and eat a pizza that had been baked twice. The pepperoni half cooked and the cheese over cooked. And the crust was about the same as chewing shoe leather.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Called in an order and was told 15-20 mins and we finally got it after talking to them multiple times and waited about an hour!!

Service: 1

Sitting here waiting for my food.
I called at 6:44 he told me 10-15min I’m sitting in the lobby and he’s talking on the phone to the “owner”? “Manager”? My food is up and ready and he’s still just sitting on the phone talking about how good of a worker he is and how he deserves more pay, but I'm standing right infront of him & would like to get mine and my sons food and GO HOME because I’ve worked all day it’s now 7:10 he’s still on the phone. I will not be back after this and I’ll be calling and trying to speak to a manager or something tomorrow. This is CRAZY!!! Too top it off this BOY told me 4 minutes when I walked in & then when I heard the bell ring he had the AUDACITY TO TELL ME MT ORDER PROBABLY AINT READY WHEN IT WAS!!! I just worked a 10 hour shift at the hospital and this little boy is complaining about how he deserves more money and more respect while treating paying and actual working customers that way? Absolutely not.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

If I could rate this place zero I would. I spent 22$ on a small spaghetti and a cheese steak sandwich. We had 4 people in our party and everyone said their food was horrible. There were water chestnuts in the pasta primavera and the spaghetti had a chalk like taste to it. The calzone was undercooked and still cold. The cheese wasn't even melted. This place used to be a great place to eat. It is now complete garbage and not even edible in my own opinion. I should have known something was wrong because at 1230 pm the place was completely empty.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Ive never seen ranch dressing be so watery

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 4

This is very local place where mostly locals will go. There is no service per say. You order food at a desk and go get it.

I may try it again. Who knows. It’s definitely not someplace I’d “want” to go

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 3

I ordered a large house pizza , menu read $22 , was charged $29 , I told them that the menu says $22 ,their response was we've had a price increase... charged $7.00 for a small salad and all it had in it was lettuce... STAY AWAY FROM THESE CROOKS...

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

almost everytime i order something from here, they leave out items or get what i ordered wrong, or there is sauce all in my bag. if they get it right, i actually like the food but man do they need to pay more attention. just ordered spaghetti, salad, and extra dressing, bread, boiled eggs and cucumbers. also no tomatoes. they got all that wrong. they also forgot my chocolate cake.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

The lasagna and spaghetti are always good. Been there many times and the food is always right.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken Parmesan, Garlic Bread, House Calzone

I have dined at this restaurant for over 20 years. During that time it has had its ups and downs. Today, I took my wife, cousin and niece out. We chose Rafael’s in Soddy Daisy. Upon arrival I was handed a menu which I took to a table. After studying the menu I decided on a Chef Salad, my Wife selected Calzone and my cousin chose the Spaghetti and Meatballs and my niece chose a tiny pizza. Everyone had water to drink. The Chef Salad I ordered was listed, on the menu for $8.75… I was charged $12.49. The pizza my niece ordered was $7.99 was no bigger than a saucer. Everything on the menu was overcharged. I was charged a 4% Checkout Fee which was taxed. Charge for this meal..$49.56. BOTTOM LINE- NO MORE RAFAEL’s.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 4

This is the third location of all that I have been to. The Cleveland and Ooltewah locations were both amazing and I came here expecting the same. I was kind of let down.
My daughter ordered the double cheeseburger, and the bottom bun was stale and a little burnt. The amount of food that I received on my chicken Parmesan was a bit less than the other locations, but still tasted great.
When we arrived, we were the second group in the restaurant with one other person behind us. Still took about 20 minutes or so to get our food to us, which isn't too bad considering they cook to order, and they still apologized for the wait.
Overall, not a terrible experience, but still found room for improvement. Also, the toilet was a little difficult to flush, at least for my kids.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Chicken Parmesan