After years of passing the charming and brightly lit exterior of this restaurant, we decided to try…read moreit out. I am so happy we did! The staff were very friendly, both over the phone and in person and accommodated my requested substitutions with no problem. I ordered the seafood pasta with alfredo sauce and the spaghetti with meatballs. The food was delicious and fresh with hearty portions. The staff at the counter also gave us a complementary lemonade and made sure everything was right with the order, even though we ordered very close to closing time. The interior of the restaurant was cozy and warm, with tasteful decor. The space was neat and well utilized, with an intimate layout that allowed for privacy and cohesiveness at the same time. A very good spot to eat some authentic Italian cuisine!

The food was ok. We had a party of 30. Barely any service. We kept asking for extra napkins…read more(multiple people). They brought 4 paper napkins The drinks were not good. The gratuity was an automatic 20% and they asked for more like in wasn't included. You would do better skipping this one. The food was sub par for the most part, service was challenging and it wasn't a great pre-graduation celebration dinner.

I came here and I have to highlight the warmth I received from the stuff, from the moment I sat…read moredown until I left. The Italians are just all about service and it was phenomenal. I had the cacio e Pepe and it was delicious, also it comes with a little show with the big plate made out of cheese. The ambience at this place is great, I sat outside and it was private and ventilated enough, indoor is a tad dark but classy. Great place!

A nice Italian restaurant is a busy retail/commercial area…read more The parking is difficult. That's the first thing. It's not impossible as there's a garage nearby but you can't just park and walk inside. It's an old house and tables are situated throughout the house. We sat in the back room and walked through the rooms and storage/clean up areas. A little weird in my opinion. The menu is good and there is a nice selection. We ordered some appetizers - the Burrata, Caesar salad, mixed salad and arancini. They were good but not great. For $15, 3 little arancini? The mixed salad definitely needed more dressing. For the main courses there were mixed reviews from the tables. Lasagna and the Lemon Ravioli were great. The beef short ribs were good and a good portion. The Osso Bucco was a disappointment - nearly all bone and the polenta was flavorless (could have used more sauce). The desserts and coffee were good too. The bread pudding and the apple tart were tasty. The cafe lattes were good - not too strong - and they came hot enough, not burning like many other restaurants. The service was good and everything was timed nicely, from the ordering, arrival of appetizers, the main course and the desserts. We would have like to sit and talk more but we were strongly encouraged to leave at 9:30 pm (arrived at 7:30 pm) as they were closing soon.

I hadn't visited this location in years, so it felt like a fun little rediscovery. My neighbor and…read moreI were on our way to catch a movie and decided dinner beforehand was a must. She had been wanting to check this place out for a while, especially because she was searching for a good Italian market. Thanks to parking in the garage, we ended up entering through the back entrance, which turned out to be no issue at all. Almost immediately, a waiter greeted us with a warm smile and kindly offered us the choice of a booth or a table. We chose a booth for a cozier, more relaxed vibe. Our waiter was absolutely wonderful attentive, welcoming, and genuinely happy to help, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Dinner was delicious, and his recommendations did not disappoint. The standout? The chocolate cake. It was outrageously good, rich, decadent, and easily one of those desserts that makes you pause after the first bite. The slice was generously sized, so sharing was the perfect move. After dinner, he kindly directed us to the market side of the restaurant, where we enjoyed browsing the impressive selection of Italian goods. From cookies (which my neighbor was specifically hunting for) to all kinds of specialty items, it felt like a charming little slice of Italy tucked inside the restaurant. Overall, it was a lovely experience great food, excellent service, and a delightful market to explore. We'll definitely be back.

I have to start by saying that I just had such a fun time here! The staff were beyond pleasant and…read morekind, even taking pictures of our group after our meal. The restaurant itself if charming and lively, with playful and pretty decor. Our booth was cozy and allowed our group to speak comfortably. The food was amazing! I loved how they were able to substitute sauces in my seafood pasta, the Linguini Diavolo, on request. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the alfredo sauce was rich and complementary. The seafood portions were also generous. The mocktail was also delicious, with its fizzy and fruit elements. I was impressed by how even with a large crowd, the staff managed to be timely and courteous at all times. Overall, this was a great dining experience and one I will be looking to repeat in the near future!

I came around 7 pm and the line was lengthy. It took about 45 minutes to get inside and then…read moreanother 45 minutes to order. The food came out within 20 minutes of ordering but was disappointing. I ordered the creste de gallo (full portion), pesto (half portion), and rigatoni bolognese (full portion) to share. The portions looked pretty similar despite the price difference. The Creste de gallo was cold and had no flavor. I'd had this pasta in the past and remember it being spicy and yummy, but the dish I had on this visit was bland. There were also maybe less than 10 half thin slices of sausage in there and 3 slivers of onion, which seemed tiny for the $25 charge. The pesto was room temperature and was also bland ($15). The rigatoni bolognese was the only hot dish and had a little bit of flavor ($25). There was also no complimentary bread anymore which was a disappointment. They're closing soon, so that may be why the food was subpar. The interior was clean and the employees were nice enough. Parking was along the street.

Rumor has it - this place is closing (I hope it's just a rumor that never comes to fruition because…read morethis place is such a staple)! It's always packed but the vibes are cozy and the staff is very friendly & efficient. I have been here several times and always get my fave rigatoni bolognese which never fails to live up to the ultimate comfort food experience. You can choose from the half-size or full-size portions of the pasta. Pictured is the full-size portion which is a generous amount of food! We got a bottle of white wine that was recommended to use by the lady taking our orders. It was an amazing wine, crisp and balanced without being too sweet. Always get the bottle because one glass is never enough! I wish I ventured out to try other things from their vast menu but that just means I have to come back again soon

Went with a group of friends. We've been meeting for dinner quarterly since our Girl Scout troop…read moredaughters graduated from high school. (They were together for thirteen years, so as parents we became quite good friends.) Auntie Pasto's was a favorite of my daughters growing up. Initially went on autopilot to the original location. Pivoted to come to their new location on Bellaire. In the mood for eggplant Parmesan. Theirs is less breaded, so it is a bit lighter. Served with spaghetti with marina sauce and grilled veggies, it is a very hearty Italian meal. I forgot how generous their portions have been. Took half home for the lunch the next day. Added a salad for $2.95. Love their vinaigrette dressing which I get on the side. Nice place for a get together with our Girl Scout parent supper club. Let's see where we land next quarter.

Went last Friday with a small group of 4. Great for smaller groups of 4-6 or date nights with the…read morebooths! We ordered a house salad with three pasta dishes to share among 4 people, and an additional sin pie for dessert. Staff took a bit of time to get to us, but was very quick and attentive. Recommend a salad to start, the bread is so soft! Pasta we ordered was rich and decadent! In ranking -crawfish ravioli - 4 to 5 pieces were great for one person, and the sauce was not overwhelming. Complemented the ravioli very well. -black pepper fettuccini with shrimp - their flagship special, a very well done dish, but also very creamy -fettuccini with jalapeño and shrimp - we want to try another fettuccine dish, but admit this was too much for our plate. We couldn't really taste the jalapeño or other vegetables in ordering the black pepper fettuccine outshone this dish. Additional sin pie for dessert that a group of four only took one bite each of because it was so rich.

If I ask my tiny roommate her choice for dinner, there is a 99% chance she'll request pizza. And…read moresince she helped me scope out a space for a party, she was entitled to her pizza. We were between downtown and NRG and ended up at Luigi's. There are guard your vehicle signs in the parking lot, so you get an idea of neighborhood activity. Luigi's is also next to Axelrad Beer Garden, so it could be a relaxed date vibe. There are daily specials. We got a two topping pizza, half and half - cheese for the Little; I tried the brisket. We brought the pizza to our hair salon appointment and shared. Everyone raved about the brisket. I'm looking forward to to returning with my bigger roommate for a date. Luigi's isn't fancy. Small inside. More picnic type tables on the enclosed patio. Also easily accessible to the beer garden.

Ive never had anything from Luigi's as many times as Ive been next door. Unless, I just cannot…read moreremember. Nonetheless, I ordered a calzone. It was very seasoned and the crust was not hard and burnt. They offer pizza, subs, calzones, pasta, salads, sides, and gelato. The gelato was very tempting but I. Must. Stay. The. Course. Food took about 12/15 minutes. We didnt stay long because everyone got sleepy.

I'm not often wowed by Italian food in restaurants but North Italia is amazing! I find that a lot…read moreof restaurants don't put enough seasoning. Here everything was hot and fresh and flavorful. First off, get the Zucca chips. I could literally eat a whole basketful. I need to figure out what slicer and oil they use because I can never get mine this thin and crispy. We then Arugula and Avocado salad, which was light and refreshing. Then onto the Cacio e Pepe Arancini. Cacio e Pepe is my favorite pasta, so I was a little disappointed they don't have it on the menu as a dish itself, but the arancini was delicious! For mains, my husband had the salmon. We ordered it medium and it came more well done, however, it was perfectly crispy on the outside and still moist in the center. Very tasty. I had the ricotta cavatelli, which might be the best pasta I've ever had. The shrimp were so plump and fresh. There was plenty of crab throughout. And the flavor had the perfect amount of salt and spice. My husband, who isn't a pasta person loved it too. It's a nice open space and service was friendly. We will definitely return to try more things.

Stopped by for the first time and I thought it was okay. With the open concept, it's pretty loud…read more Parking on the weekday wasn't horrible but I could see it being difficult during busier times. As for what I had: Zucca chips: 3/5 what I received was much different from everyone else's pictures. My chips were much smaller and mostly pieces of chips. Maybe I got the bottom of the batch? The flavor was good, but because they were small and folded in on themselves, they held a lot of the oil. The oil did taste fresh though. Eggplant parm (small plate): 3/5 most cheese and very little eggplant. The flavor was good. My waitress told me it came with noodles but then no noodles came out. I know this place is popular and everyone seems to like it. I would try it one more time just to see if maybe I ordered the wrong thing, but overall I didn't think it was worth the money.

It is so refreshing to find a restaurant with plenty of free parking and no need to pay valet…read moreparking tips. My food choices were the pizza Terzo Cerchio, and to take home, eggplant parmigiana and lasagna bolognese (see note below on take out choices). I would rate this pizza highly. The person making them, obviously not Italian, but well trained, resulting in a quality pizza. The Roman variant, pinsa, also available. Introduction of rice flour and soy flour with the wheat flour resulting in a more digestible dough. Many entree specials not seen elsewhere. Service, great. Ambiance, great. Based on my experience with the lasagna and the eggplant, I cannot recommend these as take out items that one would refrigerate and have a day or so later. Neither held up to second day consumption and were thrown out. These dishes should be considered for consumption at the restaurant, straight out of the kitchen while still hot. Melanzane parmigiana is not a dish from Parma. It is southern and a toss up on originating in Napoli, Calabria or Sicilia. The name likely derives from the Sicilian word parmiciana, referring to the wooden slats of shutters, mirroring the layered structure of the eggplant. But there are other theories.

Visited Davanti for the second time and found the experience much improved. Our waiter was…read moreexceptionally attentive. Although Davanti comes across as casual, there is a certain refinement that even some higher-end Italian places lack -- for instance, recommending how to eat a particular pasta dish or swapping out silverware without being asked. Food-wise, it was quite good. My husband described it as unique. We all loved the octopus appetizer. The Caesar, however, was bland -- skip it. They had a lasagna special that was cheesy, creamy, and smooth. It would be easy for such a decadent pasta dish to feel overwrought, but it was delightfully rich without crossing that line. My mother-in-law ordered a pasta with shrimp that was one note and forgettable. We all enjoyed the prosciutto pizza, though it wasn't the best I've ever had -- but that's likely because I prefer a tangier sauce, and this one leans more subtle.