There are restaurants in all the big cities in which I have lived that represent longevity,…read moreimage-power, popularity, and tradition. And, there is usually a good reason for their stardom. While I am a big fan of evolved dishes that are novel and fresh, I have always loved old fashioned, genuine (as in the way they are made in the Old Country) Italian food. Il Pastaio does not disappoint in that respect. I have spent enough time all over Italy, and am part Italian myself, to judge this place a must-try in Los Angeles. We rarely venture into Beverly Hills given what used to be a difficult parking situation. Not with Il Pastaio -- there is free public garage parking almost across the street. If you visit on a Sunday afternoon, you will find a spot effortlessly and you will avoid the crowds. That said, when we arrived around 1:30, Il Pastaio was packed, inside and out. Thankfully we had a reservation and they ushered us to the perfect table, inside (where I preferred to be on a sunny, cool but windy day), next to a bright (and spotless) window. I think there are people who prefer to be on the sidewalk in BH, so they can look for the cognoscenti and affluenti, LOL, but, I don't need to do that -- seen and been seen enough in my long life! Our table was perfect. View my photos. I love the vibe inside. Again, I can happily report, Il Pastaio reminds me of all the fine, small, and exquisite restaurants I frequented in Rome, Florence, and Milan, to name the biggies. The menu is extensive, and even though I had studied it beforehand on their website, it took me at least ten minutes to narrow down all the wonderful vegetarian dishes from which to choose. My photos show which were the lucky winners. There are meat dishes in abundance but, here's the open secret, Italians themselves are not avid meat eaters and all the portions abroad are small, hence multiple courses and few people eat too much at a meal. Lunch and dinner are also leisurely over there because Europeans see a meal as an event, not a blip in their day. The service was flawless, with our Italian waiter, Filippo, treating us as if we were Re Umberto and Regina Margherita. The table was very pretty and there was bespoke olive oil and vinegar ready for dipping the homemade bread that is served steaming in a napkined basket. I could smell it through the entire meal. Even the water came from Italy. Each course we chose came to the table at the perfect temperature, beautifully plated, and the previous were whisked away efficiently as soon as we were finished, as if by magic. All in all, this is a superb Italian restaurant. Fresh and new but traditional and comforting in its familiarity. I know we will return. Molto ben fatto, Signore Drago!

The food here is excellent; quality Italian food with good portions and great flavor. The ambiance…read moreis nice even the outdoors is pretty and they have heat lamps to take out the chill. My reason for the three stars was the service. We did choose a later reservation time but I wish they just didn't have the reservation if they don't want to be there late. It took 25 minutes after us sitting for a server to ask what we wanted to drink. It was not busy maybe three other tables outdoor only the inside was closed. When our waiter was at the table he was annoyed at our questions regarding the tasting menu. It really made us feel awkward and dampered our whole experience which was really unfortunate because we loved the food and it was our last night in LA. I'd say make an earlier reservation maybe to receive better service. Also the espresso martini was disappointing it had ice and was very watered down. I'll end on a positive note that the Branzino was amazing. Everything on the dish tasted fresh. The burrata was also a hit for the whole table

Loved dinner with my girlfriends here! It's such a charming space and the service and food were…read moreexcellent. The standouts for me were the squash blossoms and the potato pizza. Would love to come back and try more! Parking, as in most of LA, is tricky. They have valet.

Ambiance, service and food was amazing ! We cannot wait to…read morego back to the more items on the menu. Started off with a Caesar salad which was delicious as it was made with baby gem lettuce, and then we had the mushroom pizza, packed with so much flavor and the crust was airy and crispy! Then we split the seafood did ink pasta, the portions were perfect and so flavorful! Ended with the lemon olive oil cake. We enjoyed our meal and will definitely we making our way back here.

We came here for Mother's Day and had such a nice time! As usual, my husband and I were the first…read moreones there and since my in-laws were running late, we ended up hanging out at the bar for a drink while we waited. Honestly, it worked out perfectly because they had AC and it was HOT in Beverly Hills that day lol. The inside of the restaurant was actually really beautiful too! I loved the decor and the vibe felt way nicer indoors. Looking back, we probably should've just asked to sit inside instead of outside because of the heat The food was oh so so so very good! Everyone in our group enjoyed everything we ordered, from the appetizers all the way to dessert. HIGHLIGHT of our lunch: my husband and I surprised my mother-in-law with a bouquet of pink roses, so we asked the hostess if they could keep it in their cooler room until the end of lunch. After dessert, they brought the flowers out for us and my mother-in-law was so surprised and happy It honestly made the whole celebration feel extra special. Thank you to the staff for helping create such a sweet and memorable Mother's Day moment for our family!

we had a romantic anniversary dinner at il cielo :) the outdoor seating is dreamy and elegant, and…read moreit didn't feel loud or crowded which was nice. i ordered the litchee cocktail, which was equal parts sweet and strong, it was perfect! and the meal started with a yummy slice of focaccia bread. there were no vegetarian options for appetizers which was a bit disappointing. i ordered the tortelli di burrata and it was phenomenal. the tri-color sauce presentation was stunning, and it tasted as good as it looked! the cheese and pesto were rich, and the pasta had a good bite to it. we ended our meal with a chocolate souffle and tiramisu. both were very good, and we even got a little happy anniversary message to top it off! overall, a great place to celebrate a special occasion!

I was just looking for this restaurant remembering when I used to work in Beverly Hills and I woukd…read morewalk and go get a sandwich from the bakery next door to the restaurant. It was delightful. I also had dinner there several times in the beautiful restaurant and it's so sad to think it's closed. End of an era. I have a real love for Il Fornaio. I have visited many of them, including the one in Carmel when my family were visiting from England. It used to be inside the Pine Hotel.. I'm not even sure if that's there anymore. I remember I had my first butternut squash ravioli here and also my first afogato. Happy memories. Thank you always being such a great place to get dinner.!

I am so saddened to hear that Il Fornaio is closing on Monday January 12th. The restaurant has been…read morea neighborhood staple for 43 years. Wow! That's a long time to be in business. There are other locations but this I think was the first one and since it was the one I frequented it's the one I will miss. I have so many fond memories of this restaurant. I came here as a little girl with my family because it was casual enough for a well mannered child but fancy enough to please the adults. One time I decided to get into shape. Every time someone asked me out for lunch or dinner I said I wanted to go to Il Fornaio. I would order a bowl of the vegetable soup or vegetarian soup of the day and the Regina Salad. The salad did wild arugula, couscous, avocado, red onions, capers, raisins, and lemon oil dressing. It was a fabulous and filling meal that also kept me skinny. I could honestly eat it every day and never get bored. During Covid I came here and we ate outside on the sidewalk. We enjoyed watching the pedestrian scene and "staying safe" while being able to eat out again. I really missed going out and I felt comfortable here which was important during Covid time. Every Halloween Il Fornaio would have 1/2 price pizza. My family made a tradition to order it. I LOVED this tradition and I'm going to miss it this Halloween. Their pizza was delicious. One time I came here with a boyfriend because they had a cooking class in the back. They had a huge entertainment room in the back of the restaurant. I wish I had a chance to have a special event here to rent it out. We had so much fun as we watched the chef talk about how to prepare each dish and what was even better is that we got to taste it in the end. We ate seabass with golden raisins, baked pasta with eggplant, and a cannoli for dessert. They even had a party souvenir which was an Il Fornaio plate to hang on the wall. Last time I came here was on the Fourth of July last year. It was also dine-la and they had the best deal of any of the dine-la restaurants. Not all the dine-la deals are good but this one truly was one of the best in terms of value for money. It was a three course meal with the most delicious fish entree. Who doesn't love a good deal? We had a fabulous time! Lastly, in recent years they added a happy hour menu to the restaurant and it was fabulous. I did another review on that so I'll keep it short here but the food and drinks were just wonderful. I will miss the friendly waiters who have been there forever. They don't make them like that anymore. Arrivederci to a true "classic"!

Came in last night for after dinner drinks to celebrate a friend's birthday. The bar space is very…read moresmall, so seating and standing room are limited, but thank you to the hostess who was incredibly kind and offered us a table so we weren't stuck blocking the walkway. We were greeted by a server who brought water, and once we were settled, I tried to politely get someone's attention. Instead, I got an eye roll, followed by him pretending not to see me and walking away. Someone else at our table then raised their hand, same response: another eye roll. He eventually came over, but the attitude was... unnecessary. All we wanted was to order a single drink for the birthday girl. Mind you, the rush was over. I believe he may have been a busser rather than server. The time it took to roll his eyes.. twice.. he could have easily grabbed our server instead. Not sure why he wouldn't support his team.. The lack of basic courtesy stood out more than it should have.

I would argue these are the best drinks in LA…read more I've been bartending for over 15 years and the amount of drinks here that were all home runs is astounding. There are a lot of pretentious cocktail bars these days with "technique" and interesting ingredients, but falls short in flavor and execution. Dante is not one of those bars. It's the opposite. Seemingly simple and fresh drinks ended up being cocktails that were all mind blowing. 10/10 would recommend to impress friends who like cocktails

I dined here for the first time on a Saturday evening and I am thoroughly pleased! The ambiance and…read morethe decor is amazing..... especially next door at the raw bar, it's like you're in a beautiful cave. Everyone was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Our waitress made some good recommendations so we decided to try a few items (family style). We ordered duck confit, spicy pomodoro, sweet corn agnolotti, branzino (highly recommended), charred octopus, steak tartare, cavatelli finocchio, hamachi crudo, date cake and banana pudding tiramisu. Everything was absolutely delicious! You really can't go wrong with any choices on the menu. Everything we cooked to perfection with a lot of flavor. Also, if you sit at the hightop bar, the kitchen is an open concept so you can watch the chefs cook and plate the food. As far as the drinks, I am not sure if they have a full bar but they do have a few selection of wine along with a small cocktail menu. I stuck with the cucumber basil (with tequila). Flavorful and refreshing. Street parking may be hard to find but they do have valet parking for $12. Overall, it's worth a visit. I look forward to dining here again.

My friend and I had a 9:30pm reservation and were seated at the bar after a short wait. The…read moreambiance was really cozy and intimate, and I loved that they have hooks underneath the bar for your bag. Sitting at the bar was definitely a plus because we got to watch the chefs cook throughout the night. We ordered the spicy pomodoro, squid ink mafaldine, and steak tartare, along with a sauvignon blanc and merlot to pair with the pasta. The steak tartare was good, but it was lacking a bit of flavor. The bread that came with it was perfectly toasted and honestly my favorite part of the dish. The spicy pomodoro was perfectly al dente and flavorful but it didn't really live up to the hype for me. I couldn't taste any truffle and it wasn't spicy at all. It was still a good pasta, just not life changing. The squid ink mafaldine was unfortunately pretty lackluster. The pasta tasted like al dente salt water, the prawns were overcooked, and it felt like they just threw a handful of raw basil on top and called it a day. The wines were good and paired well with the food but there wasn't anything particularly memorable about them. Service was great. Our server was super attentive and helpful. Overall, I enjoyed the experience. The atmosphere was great, service was on point, and even though some dishes fell short, I'd definitely come back to try their other dishes!

Great experience! Great audience…read more Very tasty food Chill atmosphere Would def go back

Spago Beverly Hills is truly a legend -- timeless, iconic, and still living up to its reputation…read more I loved everything about this dinner: the plating, the ingredients, the atmosphere, and especially the pastas. Everything felt beautifully executed and just very, very perfect. The service was 10/10 -- polished, attentive, and effortless. The crowd also has a beautiful Beverly Hills energy. Less influencer-driven, more elegant, loyal, repeat-customer kind of feel. I probably come to Spago twice a year, and it always feels special. This time, I brought friends visiting from Shanghai, and the evening became even more memorable when Chef Wolfgang Puck happened to chat with us and talked about his restaurant in Shanghai on the Bund. Such a pleasant and personal moment. Thank you, Spago, for another beautiful dinner.

It's great. Tough crowd in the comments here. Expensive -- it is what it is. No notes other than…read morethis is a great anniversary spot for anyone. https://youtu.be/ebiOEZdlJYg

Came out to have a quick drink but we ended up grabbing some bites to try. I have a weakness for…read morepasta so had to try it (not too guilty about a late night carb load as I've been told if you eat it together nothing sticks/lol). All of their pastas are handmade. There's a really cool room downstairs where they make their pastas behind a glass wall. Pretty cool visual. Busiate Trapan Benedetta was phenomenal. It's a special housemade Pesto based sauce that carries a buttery (not too buttery) flavoring with a delicious nutty note with tiny cashew crunch to each bite. So incredible. This is a must try. We also ordered the Gamberi en salsa verde which was light and simple. Pretty good sized blue prawns with olive oil and salsa verde for a slight kick. Not bad. There is a rooftop seating option which is stunning. Great place for events or just a romantic dinner . Would love to come back to try the other pasta dishes. Will be coming back with an empty stomach next time.

The best authentic Neapolitan pizza I've had in los Angeles. The crust was incredible, the cheese…read morewas perfect, and the arugula prosciutto pizza was outstanding. The Caesar salad was really good, and the branzino was honestly one of the best I've ever had - great presentation too. The kitchen staff in the back were some latino dudes but tbey clearly know what they're doing because the food tasted very authentic and well executed. I'm giving 3 stars for service because we waited way too long for our bottle of wine. When it finally came out, it wasn't the bottle I ordered, and our waitress Lauren insisted it was the same thing, which felt insulting because it was obviously not the same vintage - it was off by two years. At that point, I just wanted some wine already, so l let it go. That said, the ambiance was great, and the food alone makes this place worth visiting.

L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele delivered a memorable evening, even if the food itself was a mixed…read morebag. We stopped here on our way home from our honeymoon, and it turned out to be a great choice to end the trip on a high note. The service was genuinely excellent. We had a reservation for two, were warmly welcomed, and our server did an outstanding job throughout the evening. In Los Angeles, it can be hard to find places where the staff actually seems to enjoy what they do, and this was a refreshing exception. As for the food, it was a bit of a mixed experience. The margherita pizza was the one that disappointed me the most, mostly because I had high expectations. I love a good margherita, but this one had too much cheese and sauce and not enough basil, so it ended up tasting more like a plain cheese pizza, which is honestly my least favorite. That said, the crust was absolutely sensational. The meatballs were decent but could have used more salt. The desserts, however, were the highlight of the meal. When we mentioned it was our honeymoon, the staff surprised us with a complimentary olive oil cake, which was my first time trying one and it was wonderful. The fried dough with Nutella was also amazing. The desserts here are generous, well-made, and absolutely worth saving room for. Overall, a lovely experience with room for improvement on the savory side.

Tried a few dishes, and the standout was definitely the rigatoni--easily my favorite…read more Would come back again, especially to grab a seat at the bar and try more from the menu.

Mother Wolf has been on my list for quite some time. We decided to finally dine here on our…read moredaughter's last night before she returned to college. The experience did not disappoint -- it was beautiful from beginning to end. Our extraordinary server was James. He was engaging, attentive and unpretentious. His knowledge of the menu was impressive as he explained each section and item in a simplified way. After making our choices, he suggested changing one of our pasta selections since they all had heavy sauces. We accepted his recommendation of the Spaghetti Arrabbiata, which turned out to be everyone's favorite! The tomato-based sauce was light and perfectly spicy. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING was amazing. The focaccia, oxtail meatballs and burrata with ham were a great start, showcasing the quality of the ingredients and thoughtful preparations -- they set the tone for our entire meal. The taste and texture of the freshly made pastas were unmistakable and so, so good with the wonderful sauces. The lamb chops were well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. I especially enjoyed the bed of sliced snow peas, green beans and English peas set over mint sauce. After all that, we had just enough room for shared desserts -- Budino and Tiramisu. Both were the perfect finish to a delicious meal. If you like chocolate, the Budino is for you -- rich but not overly sweet. Each yummy bite with the crumble topping was nicely balanced by the sprinkled salt. Service was impeccable and well-coordinated. We especially appreciated that dishes and utensils were changed after each course. A couple things to keep in mind: *Reservations - Via Resy. The reservation window is open 14 days at a time. *Parking - Valet is right in front. We found street parking just around the corner on Sunset (metered but free after 7pm). *Price Point - Approximately $100 per person. Mother Wolf is a cashless establishment. A 5% wellness fee is added to all checks. We will absolutely be back!