Agrodolce

Phenomenal dinner with a large group of friends last night at Agrodolce! Calamari, burrata tomato salad, pappardelle with meat ragu, porcini raviolis, and branzino were all on point. Great white wine from Sicily as well. Highly recommended!

Where do I begin? I should preface this by saying that we were looking for the original Sicilian spot owned by the family, but unfortunately, that spot had closed down since the pandemic. Google had incorrect information, but it led us here instead. This location for Trattoria la Siciliana is marked on the same address as Agrodolce, but again, it has since closed down. Agrodolce is owned by the same family. We are not experts in Italian nor Sicilian cuisine. We are humble college students, and my boyfriend wanted to take me out on a fancy dinner date before I left the Bay Area. We ordered the appetizer recommended by our server (Frittura Mista). It was basically a fried hodgepodge of artichokes, calamari, and prawns. It was pretty good and had a surprising depth for a fried dish. The sauce on the side + lemon gave it a nice refreshing punch. For our main dishes, he ordered the RAGÙ DI MAIALE and I got the LINGUINI CON VONGOLE IN BIANCO. Those are Italian names for big wide pasta noodles with slow braised pork stuff and linguini pasta with clams. I tried his ragu; it was very soft, came apart at the pinprick of my fork. The meat was very melt-in-mouth, with enough acidity to keep the heartiness of the pork at bay. My boyfriend commented that it was the right proportion of food, and not too heavy. My linguini pasta with clams was surprisingly generous with clams! The clams and pasta were incorporated well. Little tomato bits here and there gave the dish some brightness, and the clams did not taste old or fishy. They were full of umami, and sea breezy freshness. Very light, but filling! However, the magnus opus was the dessert. The cannoli was phenomenal; the outside roll was crunchy and satisfying, a little bit like a cookie, but not quite. It was very structurally sound, able to hold the cream inside. The cream was witchcraft; Agrodolce must know angels, because it was light and fluffy, like a cloud, with just enough sweetness and tartness. I was licking it off my fingers. The tiramisu was also superb. If the cannoli cream was like a cloud, the tiramisu was like eating chocolate, coffee covered heaven clouds. Angelic, yet it felt like sinful sex in my mouth. I have no other way to describe it. Absolutely perfect mouthfeel. I was smiling as I finished my meal. The head chef/owner is also a really cool character, and added to the vibe of this being a family establishment. Also, a cute fiat is parked out front, great for instagram photo ops. :) If you're a student and you want to reward yourself with an amazing meal, this is the place to go.

Sam is the man, food is spectacular and customer service is great, thanks to our server Sam. Scenery and vibe takes me back to the lovely country of Italy with classical movie films playing in the background. Would 100% come back.

Un-be-lievable! The wife made a reservation for 8pm and we showed up at 8. We got seated at 8:45! We were so annoyed that I was ready to rate the place a 3 even before eating a single thing. We visited during Berkeley restaurant week and ordered the prie fixe vegetarian menu. They started us off with bread and olive oil for the table. We loved it so much we asked for refills! The olive oil has chopped garlic and spices which gives it this amazing taste! Never did I think I'd eat such amounts of oil and bread :) The salad, the eggplant and the ravioli were just insanely good! Not too cheesy like a lot of Italian places and just perfect. We found ourselves licking each plate clean. The food was Soo good I couldnt give the place lower than 5 inspite of the wait! Make sure you say hello to the owner! Very friendly and is bouncing all over the place!

First time here was definitely big win for me. We came for a private reserved event that gave us 3 options and these are big portions too. Little bit small on the inside without AC but you can eat outside. Not much parking on the street so I recommend taking a Lyft instead. The bar though was great choices and drinks! It’s pricey but you get your money’s worth here!

I was looking for Sicilian food and got the best recommendations from our terrific Sicilian waiter. We immensely enjoyed everything about this restaurant. It's a definite return for more place!

A cozy bustling venue with a great menu of Sicilian food and drink. Attentive staff and wildly popular. All good!

+2

Just took my friend for dinner. Mark and I had an outstanding appetizer set: Tuna, carpaccio, and burrata with heirloom tomatoes. I have my favorite pork shoulder or as it’s referred to on the menu, “stinko”. Service was great, but most importantly the cuisine was spot on!

My friends, new to Berkeley, were telling me that they loved Italian food, so I told them that we must try Agrodolce Trattoria on Shattuck. I know that Agrodolce has roots going back to Caffe Sport in North Beach which I would go to in the 70's, and more recently Trattoria Siciliana on College which was my buddy David's favorite restaurant. We loved it! The atmosphere was great, including projecting the classic film La Dolce Vita on the wall. The food was fantastic, my Swordfish was cooked, as the menu said" perfectly! The cocktail bar was right out of an old movie. And the bread and dipping sauce was a signature classic. My friends and I were able to catch up on recent trips to India, Normandy France and Budapest. It could hardly have been a better choice. Needless to say we'll be back!

Since I came back from Italy I have made it my mission to find good, affordable Italian restaurants in the Bay. This one was truly amazing! The pasta was fantastic and the desserts as well! The staff is friendly and the ambiance great (there was a great jazzy band playing outside.) The food did take a while to be served but they fixed the issue by giving us complementary desserts. I’ll definitely be coming back

Absolutely phenomenal meal and service. Each course was better than the next, top notch staff and beautiful atmosphere. One of the best places to dine in Berkeley, with a large (15+) group or just a few. Real Italian hospitality at its finest. Ask the story of the car parked in front, you won’t be disappointed. La dolce vita, enjoy.

One of the best Italian restaurants in Berkeley. The food was exceptional! We shared 2 appetizers that each had amazing textures and flavors. Experience here was wonderful! We loved the outdoor seating. And the service was fantastic. Definitely coming back!

This is the kind of Sicilian magic that only happens when you have someone's mom or grandma involved in the production or recipes, and a staff that is well treated, and experienced at what they do. I had been wanting to dine here for a while, but as I travel often I didn't have the time. I was happy to see that they were open on a Tuesday. As I often do when eating at a place for the first time, I will ask the staff to order for me. It was recommended that I start with the bruschetta pomodoro, a really special garlic crostini, and crushed tomatoes with ricotta, garlic, oregano and fresh basil with whatever olive oil it is they're using, and whatever it, is it knocked my socks off. There were so many flavors, savory, tangy, sweet, unctuous, and all balanced out in a bed of fresh arugula. A few minutes before that a plate of acme bread, and "Olio Della mama", which is quite possibly one of the greatest olive oil melanges I have ever tasted. Finely diced garlic, peppers, herbs, and other secret stuff, which had obviously been sitting for a little while in this spectacular olive oil, and the combination, elevated this simple side dish to superstar status. I was told they sell it by the bottle but I was having such a good time. I forgot to get one. My main course was Scottaditto D'Angello, ("burned angel fingers" some things just don't translate well. Lol) Roman styled Barolo marinated lamb chops cooked on a charcoal grill and served with garlic, chili, sea salt, Bagnomaria, (which I am assuming means they cooked this rangefed lamb Sous Vide, And then reverse seared it on the grill) It was served in a bed of organic spinach with some garlic rosemary potatoes. The dish is simply spectacular. Peppery, perfectly tender and chewy. Just a very perfect and very famous Italian meat dish done very well. During the course of the night being the wine novice that I am, I also asked for recommendations on wine, My first glass being the Monte Antico 2018 (Old mountain), a strong Tuscan red, that mellowed considerably when I let it sit for a couple of minutes and as I am a rookie in the wine game, I will refrain from trying to come up with something clever to say about it. It other than it became lighter after it breathed and was the perfect setup for my second glass of wine which was the Governor ail'uso Toscano, and this apparently was the perfect wine to match the strong flavors of the lamb and rosemary potatoes. They do a first rate tiramisu here, which I couldn't finish, (Hope the chef wasn't offended), and had a glass of Montenegro, at the advice of a fellow diner, an apertif that is popular, I am told but I'm not sure how I feel about it. It reminded me of Drambuie, with the taste of burnt orange and herbs in it. I'll come back to that later and decide whether I like it another time. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable, and this place where I used to go when I was very young with my godfather father when it was an Italian place (Il Pavone, which had plants, grasses, and flowers planted all over the restaurant, including a waterfall, ferns, palms and little trees in the 70's) and later became a Polish restaurant (The Warsaza) then became Cafe gratitude, Is an environment that I love. Brick walls, dark and cool, and generally quiet. Between this restaurant and a couple of others in the East Bay, I'm coming to love Italian and Sicilian cuisine again for the first time in 40 years. One of the things I like best about this place is that everyone there from the bartender to the owner are all genuinely friendly people. You can feel the Sicilian warmth the minute you walk in the door. I highly recommend this place to people who are looking for fresh, sometimes novel yet traditional, authentic Sicilian and Italian food crratrd by a family that has kept their traditions, and their cooking skills sharp as the knives in the kitchen. The East Bay is all the better for it Piero

Speaking of Italian restaurant, this is it! Love the taste of food and hospitality so very much. It’s a typical family style restaurant run by two brothers. The younger one, Angelo, open a restaurant named Trattoria La Sicilians on Shattuck Avenue 20 some years ago. Like many other restaurants without outdoor seatings, they were forced to close it during the pandemic. I was so disappointed when I first saw the note on the door cause that was one of my favorite places in the Bay Area. Luckily, they found this new place and provided the same quality of cuisines. Angelo and his brother really know how to make great dishes. Their mushroom ravioli is the best I’ve ever had. Angelo’s mom, mama rosa’s tiramisu is the best of its kind too. Highly recommended with two thumbs up!

Lawrence Marcus

My friends, new to Berkeley, were telling me that they loved Italian food, so I told them that we must try Agrodolce Trattoria on Shattuck. I know that Agrodolce has roots going back to Caffe Sport in North Beach which I would go to in the 70's, and more recently Trattoria Siciliana on College which was my buddy David's favorite restaurant. We loved it! The atmosphere was great, including projecting the classic film La Dolce Vita on the wall. The food was fantastic, my Swordfish was cooked, as the menu said" perfectly! The cocktail bar was right out of an old movie. And the bread and dipping sauce was a signature classic. My friends and I were able to catch up on recent trips to India, Normandy France and Budapest. It could hardly have been a better choice. Needless to say we'll be back!

Melina Tupa

Since I came back from Italy I have made it my mission to find good, affordable Italian restaurants in the Bay. This one was truly amazing! The pasta was fantastic and the desserts as well! The staff is friendly and the ambiance great (there was a great jazzy band playing outside.) The food did take a while to be served but they fixed the issue by giving us complementary desserts. I’ll definitely be coming back

Rebecca Peters

Absolutely phenomenal meal and service. Each course was better than the next, top notch staff and beautiful atmosphere. One of the best places to dine in Berkeley, with a large (15+) group or just a few. Real Italian hospitality at its finest. Ask the story of the car parked in front, you won’t be disappointed. La dolce vita, enjoy.

Leyda Velarde

One of the best Italian restaurants in Berkeley. The food was exceptional! We shared 2 appetizers that each had amazing textures and flavors. Experience here was wonderful! We loved the outdoor seating. And the service was fantastic. Definitely coming back!

P. I.

This is the kind of Sicilian magic that only happens when you have someone's mom or grandma involved in the production or recipes, and a staff that is well treated, and experienced at what they do. I had been wanting to dine here for a while, but as I travel often I didn't have the time. I was happy to see that they were open on a Tuesday. As I often do when eating at a place for the first time, I will ask the staff to order for me. It was recommended that I start with the bruschetta pomodoro, a really special garlic crostini, and crushed tomatoes with ricotta, garlic, oregano and fresh basil with whatever olive oil it is they're using, and whatever it, is it knocked my socks off. There were so many flavors, savory, tangy, sweet, unctuous, and all balanced out in a bed of fresh arugula. A few minutes before that a plate of acme bread, and "Olio Della mama", which is quite possibly one of the greatest olive oil melanges I have ever tasted. Finely diced garlic, peppers, herbs, and other secret stuff, which had obviously been sitting for a little while in this spectacular olive oil, and the combination, elevated this simple side dish to superstar status. I was told they sell it by the bottle but I was having such a good time. I forgot to get one. My main course was Scottaditto D'Angello, ("burned angel fingers" some things just don't translate well. Lol) Roman styled Barolo marinated lamb chops cooked on a charcoal grill and served with garlic, chili, sea salt, Bagnomaria, (which I am assuming means they cooked this rangefed lamb Sous Vide, And then reverse seared it on the grill) It was served in a bed of organic spinach with some garlic rosemary potatoes. The dish is simply spectacular. Peppery, perfectly tender and chewy. Just a very perfect and very famous Italian meat dish done very well. During the course of the night being the wine novice that I am, I also asked for recommendations on wine, My first glass being the Monte Antico 2018 (Old mountain), a strong Tuscan red, that mellowed considerably when I let it sit for a couple of minutes and as I am a rookie in the wine game, I will refrain from trying to come up with something clever to say about it. It other than it became lighter after it breathed and was the perfect setup for my second glass of wine which was the Governor ail'uso Toscano, and this apparently was the perfect wine to match the strong flavors of the lamb and rosemary potatoes. They do a first rate tiramisu here, which I couldn't finish, (Hope the chef wasn't offended), and had a glass of Montenegro, at the advice of a fellow diner, an apertif that is popular, I am told but I'm not sure how I feel about it. It reminded me of Drambuie, with the taste of burnt orange and herbs in it. I'll come back to that later and decide whether I like it another time. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable, and this place where I used to go when I was very young with my godfather father when it was an Italian place (Il Pavone, which had plants, grasses, and flowers planted all over the restaurant, including a waterfall, ferns, palms and little trees in the 70's) and later became a Polish restaurant (The Warsaza) then became Cafe gratitude, Is an environment that I love. Brick walls, dark and cool, and generally quiet. Between this restaurant and a couple of others in the East Bay, I'm coming to love Italian and Sicilian cuisine again for the first time in 40 years. One of the things I like best about this place is that everyone there from the bartender to the owner are all genuinely friendly people. You can feel the Sicilian warmth the minute you walk in the door. I highly recommend this place to people who are looking for fresh, sometimes novel yet traditional, authentic Sicilian and Italian food crratrd by a family that has kept their traditions, and their cooking skills sharp as the knives in the kitchen. The East Bay is all the better for it Piero

Sammy Yang

Speaking of Italian restaurant, this is it! Love the taste of food and hospitality so very much. It’s a typical family style restaurant run by two brothers. The younger one, Angelo, open a restaurant named Trattoria La Sicilians on Shattuck Avenue 20 some years ago. Like many other restaurants without outdoor seatings, they were forced to close it during the pandemic. I was so disappointed when I first saw the note on the door cause that was one of my favorite places in the Bay Area. Luckily, they found this new place and provided the same quality of cuisines. Angelo and his brother really know how to make great dishes. Their mushroom ravioli is the best I’ve ever had. Angelo’s mom, mama rosa’s tiramisu is the best of its kind too. Highly recommended with two thumbs up!

Isaac Sanchez

Sam is the man, food is spectacular and customer service is great, thanks to our server Sam. Scenery and vibe takes me back to the lovely country of Italy with classical movie films playing in the background. Would 100% come back.

Kevin Kunze

We stopped in here for an espresso martini and the drink + atmosphere was just right. Definitely coming back to sample the whole menu which looked and smelled delicious

The food was outstanding! Our service was great. We were there to celebrate our daughter’s 7th birthday. We saw several families with young kids and all of them were having a great time. Even though they didn’t have a specific kids menu, they made a kids pasta for our daughter without any issues (pasta with red sauce). We would absolutely return again. Tip: Don’t skip the bread the dip. It was SO good.

My experience here was AMAZING. The owner and staff were so polite. I was here for a friends birthday dinner and had such a blast that i was (now apologetically so)beyond intoxicated. I am so so appreciative and gratefull they put up with me (and didnt appear the least bit annoyed) Thank you all again for a great memory!!! Food was excellent wine was excellent. If you havent been here you are missing out!!!

I love an authentic Sicilian restaurant that’s cozy and full of life. I had a great experience dining here alone at the bar. My server Nami and my bartender Julia were excellent. I recommend the ragú, and be sure to grab a cocktail.

Hands down, our favorite Italian restaurant in the Bay Area. The inside is warm and inviting, the staff is friendly and efficient and the Sicilian food is outstanding. Every pasta dish is creative and delicious, and there are many other non-pasta options. This place is lively with vibrant conversations, yet you can easily hear at any table in the restaurant without raising your voice, and their outside tables are great on a warm day. Angelo, the owner & chef, and his family who run the restaurant deserve pride for the environment they have created. When we walked in, Angelo proudly showed us the Chantrell mushrooms picked from the Berkeley hills that morning by their professional mushroomologist (not sure that's a word) and the resultant fettuccine with Chantrells we had was superb. And on the way out, parents and extended family displayed in the classic photos on the wall are highlighted. This place makes for a memorable evening.

This Resturant is one if not the best Italian/ Sicilian food in the Bay Area. The owner Angelo is the nicest guys I’ve met as an on site manager.. He treats you like your family. Try the meatballs to die for. I’d advise making reservations.

Brad Piatt

Hands down, our favorite Italian restaurant in the Bay Area. The inside is warm and inviting, the staff is friendly and efficient and the Sicilian food is outstanding. Every pasta dish is creative and delicious, and there are many other non-pasta options. This place is lively with vibrant conversations, yet you can easily hear at any table in the restaurant without raising your voice, and their outside tables are great on a warm day. Angelo, the owner & chef, and his family who run the restaurant deserve pride for the environment they have created. When we walked in, Angelo proudly showed us the Chantrell mushrooms picked from the Berkeley hills that morning by their professional mushroomologist (not sure that's a word) and the resultant fettuccine with Chantrells we had was superb. And on the way out, parents and extended family displayed in the classic photos on the wall are highlighted. This place makes for a memorable evening.

J. Wright

The food was outstanding! Our service was great. We were there to celebrate our daughter’s 7th birthday. We saw several families with young kids and all of them were having a great time. Even though they didn’t have a specific kids menu, they made a kids pasta for our daughter without any issues (pasta with red sauce). We would absolutely return again. Tip: Don’t skip the bread the dip. It was SO good.

Trillè Galli

My experience here was AMAZING. The owner and staff were so polite. I was here for a friends birthday dinner and had such a blast that i was (now apologetically so)beyond intoxicated. I am so so appreciative and gratefull they put up with me (and didnt appear the least bit annoyed) Thank you all again for a great memory!!! Food was excellent wine was excellent. If you havent been here you are missing out!!!

The owner does all he can to ensure you have the best experience. Great classic movies on in the background, quality wine and cocktails, and delicious food make this one of the best restaurants in North Berkeley/the gourmet ghetto. The staff is attentive and the cozy location is great for individuals and small groups. The rigatoni is acceptable but not the best I've had in the area. The owner gladly switched it out for another dish, the Ragu do malate. Pictured below and delicious!

Friendly, creative Italian restaurant. We had eggplant parmesan for appetizer, cauliflower lasagna (delicate, lovely) and whole mackerel with potatoes and greens. Delish.

A Sicilian Gem in Berkeley!! Things I ordered: Caponata, Bucatini, Ragù, and Pollpo. Favorite dish was the Caponata, sweet and savory, reminded me of home. Ragù Miale was also a favorite , great flavor and melted in your mouth. I was looking forward to the Bucatini the most but felt a bit underwhelmed eating it as there wasn't enough pasta to sardine ratio. A bit disappointing. I would def come back, and I look forward in doing so as I wanna explore the rest of the menu!

The fire place was perfect for the cold weather. Service was good and the linguini pesto pasta was delicious, but I didn’t care for the ice cold bread given to us as appetizers.

Overall, good service and food and great ambiance. However, the Frittura Mista (fried seafood) wasn't seasoned that we could tell and was greasy and, while the Cannoli Siciliani shell was perfect and delicious, the filling was over mixed and over sweetened such that the natural ricotta flavor and texture was lost.

Delicious Sicilian menu! The bread and olive oil they bring you when you order is outstanding. The Zuppa di Fasoli is a great starter, full of flavor! One of my favorites is the Lasagna entree, the sauce puts this dish over the top! The Pochetta al Forno and Ragu De Maiale are also fantastic!

+6

Ragu was very tasty but pasta should have been a true al dente for being an Italian restaurant (Lucia's down the street remains my favorite). Seafood risotto was delicious. Had to ask for cutlery after being served mains (handed to us silently) bc none was present at the very small and shaky high table for two. Bread and garlic-herb olive oil were amazing but weirdly delivered unceremoniously half an hour in, about a minute before our main course arrived. Cocktails were good -- we got an agrodolce fiore (aperol lillet spritzer) and a revolutionary (rye whiskey w earl grey syrup). Food and drink were delicious but the service was bizarrely barebones. In my honest opinion, some of the servers here appeared sullen and seem to actively dislike their work. Maybe they were catering more to other tables of a different demographic. I would have stayed for dessert had it been a more welcoming environment. Otherwise, great little restaurant and packed on a Friday evening without being loud.

Nice place good food business was very busy with valentines tried to seat us seniors outdoors on cold night with an anniversary reservation no problem otherwise .

We got patio seating because of the nice weather. We got the Cesar salad, the fish fillet on top made it a bit too fishy for us. We really likes the olive oil dipping for the bread. The Frittura Mista it's a nice appetizer, very lightly fried. I got the linguine vongole, it was nice but the wine sauce was not cooked out as much as I'm use to. My friend got the porchetta, it was very nice size portion and delicious.

A small Italian bistro with nice seating. I think our waitress was a new hire because she forgot our drink orders a couple times but quickly corrected. Food was fine. I had the Linguine Pesto. The free bread was ok. I wish the dipping oil had a more buttery taste. The fried seafood and smelt were good too. The prices are a little high but you get a good amount of food.

Nice countryside style interior and delicious food. Very popular on a Friday night. Only strange thing is that both the bread and the potatoes are not crispy at all, but still tasty anyways

I’ve been meaning to try this place for a while. Overall a good experience, but not excellent. I’ll break it down though: Food was generally good - but not excellent. Appetizers were generally all on point. Pastas could have been more al dente. I’d get the Ragu di Maiale again, though it felt like it could use more seasoning. I wasn’t impressed by the Bucatini chi Finucchiede, but that could have just been me. Pork shoulder was worth getting. Deserts were great. I enjoyed the lemon sorbetto - which I though was flavorful, but not overly sweet or sour. Cannolis we’re also really good. I think with a little tweaking, this could get to a 5/5. I wish I could give the food a 4.5! Service was a little slow. There was probably a 20 minute wait before we got our final fish. In fairness, I think the place was busy and short staffed. Atmosphere was great. The out door patio is really nice. Lots of heat lamps. There was live music. And - it’s a dog friendly patio! Overall, great experience. Everyone was super friendly. I’d definitely return.

Rose Van Tine

A small Italian bistro with nice seating. I think our waitress was a new hire because she forgot our drink orders a couple times but quickly corrected. Food was fine. I had the Linguine Pesto. The free bread was ok. I wish the dipping oil had a more buttery taste. The fried seafood and smelt were good too. The prices are a little high but you get a good amount of food.

Hannah Johnson

Nice countryside style interior and delicious food. Very popular on a Friday night. Only strange thing is that both the bread and the potatoes are not crispy at all, but still tasty anyways

Nicholas McNamara

I’ve been meaning to try this place for a while. Overall a good experience, but not excellent. I’ll break it down though: Food was generally good - but not excellent. Appetizers were generally all on point. Pastas could have been more al dente. I’d get the Ragu di Maiale again, though it felt like it could use more seasoning. I wasn’t impressed by the Bucatini chi Finucchiede, but that could have just been me. Pork shoulder was worth getting. Deserts were great. I enjoyed the lemon sorbetto - which I though was flavorful, but not overly sweet or sour. Cannolis we’re also really good. I think with a little tweaking, this could get to a 5/5. I wish I could give the food a 4.5! Service was a little slow. There was probably a 20 minute wait before we got our final fish. In fairness, I think the place was busy and short staffed. Atmosphere was great. The out door patio is really nice. Lots of heat lamps. There was live music. And - it’s a dog friendly patio! Overall, great experience. Everyone was super friendly. I’d definitely return.

Erik H

Delicious Sicilian menu! The bread and olive oil they bring you when you order is outstanding. The Zuppa di Fasoli is a great starter, full of flavor! One of my favorites is the Lasagna entree, the sauce puts this dish over the top! The Pochetta al Forno and Ragu De Maiale are also fantastic!

Louisa

Ragu was very tasty but pasta should have been a true al dente for being an Italian restaurant (Lucia's down the street remains my favorite). Seafood risotto was delicious. Had to ask for cutlery after being served mains (handed to us silently) bc none was present at the very small and shaky high table for two. Bread and garlic-herb olive oil were amazing but weirdly delivered unceremoniously half an hour in, about a minute before our main course arrived. Cocktails were good -- we got an agrodolce fiore (aperol lillet spritzer) and a revolutionary (rye whiskey w earl grey syrup). Food and drink were delicious but the service was bizarrely barebones. In my honest opinion, some of the servers here appeared sullen and seem to actively dislike their work. Maybe they were catering more to other tables of a different demographic. I would have stayed for dessert had it been a more welcoming environment. Otherwise, great little restaurant and packed on a Friday evening without being loud.

Nice space and service. Great bread and olive oil. Swordfish was decent but I was hoping it would be thicker and juicier. 2 of us got lasagna and were disappointed, one noting that Rao's frozen lasagna is far better

Anthony Marzo

Overall, good service and food and great ambiance. However, the Frittura Mista (fried seafood) wasn't seasoned that we could tell and was greasy and, while the Cannoli Siciliani shell was perfect and delicious, the filling was over mixed and over sweetened such that the natural ricotta flavor and texture was lost.

Tu Lam

We got patio seating because of the nice weather. We got the Cesar salad, the fish fillet on top made it a bit too fishy for us. We really likes the olive oil dipping for the bread. The Frittura Mista it's a nice appetizer, very lightly fried. I got the linguine vongole, it was nice but the wine sauce was not cooked out as much as I'm use to. My friend got the porchetta, it was very nice size portion and delicious.

Bad stuff first—The service is seriously bad. Bad because it is poorly managed and also because the wait staff is of low quality. (bussers and runners were good) Servers are not assigned to tables, instead they drift around the room and make guesses at where to go. You might not see a server for a long time. Or you might have two different servers come to take your order within a minute of each other. The other problem is most of them don't know much about food or drinks. I've had a couple that are one step above drone. Good stuff— The kitchen does good work. Dishes are prepared with care and consistency. Specials vary and usually fit the season.

Eric Archer

Bad stuff first—The service is seriously bad. Bad because it is poorly managed and also because the wait staff is of low quality. (bussers and runners were good) Servers are not assigned to tables, instead they drift around the room and make guesses at where to go. You might not see a server for a long time. Or you might have two different servers come to take your order within a minute of each other. The other problem is most of them don't know much about food or drinks. I've had a couple that are one step above drone. Good stuff— The kitchen does good work. Dishes are prepared with care and consistency. Specials vary and usually fit the season.

Went there once for dinner, and I have to say that I don't think I'll be really going there again. The quality of the food we got was genuinely top-notch, and I liked the atmosphere, but at the same time, the quantity was just not it at all. Food was horrifically overpriced, and it was not filling by any means. Do not go here. If you want better Italian food, go to Gypsy's. Genuinely, I would be really happy if this place gets replaced by Olive Garden. At least they give enough food at a more reasonable price, not this overpriced nonsense.

We were disappointed with the restaurant. We heard great things about the restaurant but it was an underwhelming experience. We arrived and were seated outside with a bush hanging over our heads. The entire time, service was creating a disturbance, constantly moving around furniture and disassembling the heat lamps in attempt to light them. The restaurant has free bread which was very pleasant but the oil served with it definitely was rushed in the plating as our table was covered in oil when the plate was served. We ordered a $19 burrata which was misleading because it was more like a slice of burrata spread across slices of frozen tomato. We ordered a bottle of wine which we finished before our pasta arrived (note we are also slow wine drinkers). We ordered a norma which arrived with little to no eggplant and a ragu that was filled with bones. The cannoli was stale but the filling was sweet. Overall, we left sad because we expected more for the prices and love Italian food. The restaurant has potential - perhaps an unlucky evening.

We arrived on a very busy Saturday evening. Our waitress proceeded to have a meltdown as we were finishing our meal. Literally. Slamming plates and glasses on tables, arguing with other staff, loudly using foul language. She angrily tossed water from a glass which landed on my pants. She was out of control, and finally escorted outside. It was a difficult scene, and hard to enjoy a meal in that setting, unfortunately.

The food was variable...some dishes were very good, others were pretty mediocre. The service was some of the worst I have experienced at a restaurant of this level for quite a long time. Things started out fine. We ordered a second bottle of wine that took 15 minutes to arrive, by which time some of us were nearly finished with our main course. I could see our bottle was sitting on the server's table where our server stood, joking with the other staff, for a good 5-10 minutes before I stood up, walked over, and requested that she bring the bottle to our table. At dessert, we were handed two dessert menus for a table of six. When we asked for a menu per person, we got quite the strange/annoyed look from the busboy. A good 15 minutes had passed after we finished the desserts and no server came by to deliver the bill. Not wanting to hang around longer, I went to the bar to request the bill. It took them another 10 minutes to furnish the bill (the restaurant was not busy by then), upon which they added a mandatory 20% tip on the POST-TAX total, which I disputed but they refused to change. We will not be returning, and given the long list of better and more professional options out there, I would caution anyone else from going.

Skip this place . Food was really sub par. Fish was tough and tasteless. Pasta sauce was cold. Server was aloof and monosyllabic. The best thing of about this restaurant is the atmosphere and the inside interior look.

The Gen Z service!!!!! We stopped by this restaurant to celebrate a birthday, but unfortunately, the service fell short of expectations. The wait staff seemed overwhelmed and unfriendly, particularly Julia, who brushed us off when we asked about our drinks after waiting for 20 minutes but when I tried to order a second drink from another waitress (asian, I didn't get her name.) She got my drink within five minutes. barely acknowledged us when she brought the check. The food was a letdown too - it was overly salty and served lukewarm, with some of the meat and potatoes feeling more like room temperature than hot. Overall, we'd think twice before recommending this place. I for sure will not be coming back.

So Sweet

The Gen Z service!!!!! We stopped by this restaurant to celebrate a birthday, but unfortunately, the service fell short of expectations. The wait staff seemed overwhelmed and unfriendly, particularly Julia, who brushed us off when we asked about our drinks after waiting for 20 minutes but when I tried to order a second drink from another waitress (asian, I didn't get her name.) She got my drink within five minutes. barely acknowledged us when she brought the check. The food was a letdown too - it was overly salty and served lukewarm, with some of the meat and potatoes feeling more like room temperature than hot. Overall, we'd think twice before recommending this place. I for sure will not be coming back.

Went here to celebrate my dad's 75th birthday with my mom, our 2.5 yr old and my brother and his wife. We had a reservation at 6pm. When we arrived, we were told it would be 20 minutes. 35 minutes later no table. Finally we left after waiting 40 minutes for our table. I've never experienced more dysfunction at a restaurant and the "manager" was conveniently not present this night (Saturday night!). How a restaurant does not have a reserved table ready on time, let alone after 40 minutes!? We also booked at 6pm so my daughter could be home by 8 when she starts to go to bed. Needless to says, we will never be back, 1/10, don't recommend.