Charming laidback outdoor courtyard setting nestled in trees and a lively kitchen-view, counter…read moreseating inside. The menu is inviting with plenty of great options without being overwhelming. Less is more. But let's talk art (culinary, that is). The dishes certainly deserve main features. To start "the best Caesar salad in LA" and I quote which was certainly true. Grilled octopus charred on the inside and juicy at the center. Spicy pomodoro is perfectly al dente and a well-balanced sauce. But, my favorite-- the agnolotti! Wow, melt in your mouth! The flavor profiles of corn, crème fraiche, and old bay were delicious. My only wish -- larger serving of this (smallest pasta serving on the menu). To complete it, banana pudding tiramisu -- delicious too with a firm center and oozy outside. Atala was wonderful and very sweet. Recommendation: come with a group of at least 4 to try more on the menu -- the large plates (branzino and ribeye) looked excellent! Definitely a worthwhile visit.

Cento is located a little in the cut, but definitely worth seeking out…read more I came for dinner and we had some really outstanding dishes. Of the things we ordered, I really loved the farro salad ($22?) best. Refreshing pomegranate seeds are mixed with the farro and give the salad an added crunch. The farro sits on a bed of dill infused crème fraiche. It is a deliciously refreshing salad and the perfect complement to any meal. For pastas, the sweet corn agnolotti ($28) was so light and fun. The little pockets of agnolotti is stuffed with corn and swims in a savory broth anchored by crème fraiche. It's giving summer and I'm absolutely here for it. Cento's dining space is quaint, so make sure to make a resy.

This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The Cheap Sunglasses cocktail was nice…read more The housemaid buttermilk ricotta with grilled bread was sublime. The prosciutto and arugula salad was without equal. The Cavatelli alla Norcina was so good I thought I died and went to heaven. We ordered one of each dessert and they were all good. But the Vin Dolce Chiffon Cake, sauteed apricots & cherries and vanilla-mascarpone whipped cream, rules over them all.

I ate at Bestia several years ago, before COVID, and I still think about that dinner today. I had…read moreflown from New York during a dreary stretch, and landing in sunny Los Angeles felt like arriving on another planet. California offered an immediate rush of light, space, and possibility. My memory is that when I turned my phone back on at LAX, my friend messaged to say he'd gotten us the hookup at Bestia. That dinner belongs to a chapter in which I spent considerable time in California and felt energized by the contrast with New York. My friend is highly discerning, with impeccable taste in food, design, and culture. He notices details most people miss, so when a place impresses him, I pay attention. From the moment I saw his message, I knew the reservation meant something. Even before we entered, Bestia's character was evident. Faded lettering crossed the corrugated metal facade, while brick walls and old loading doors preserved the warehouse's industrial history. Inside, enormous windows and garage doors brought light into a room shaped by glass, exposed ductwork, and warm amber pendants. When I fantasize about living in a loft, many of the attributes I picture are here, especially the incredible windows and connection to the street. Inside the restaurant, the dining room achieved a combination I rarely encounter. It had the table density and collective buzz of a great New York restaurant, but within a large, design-forward space closer in scale to something found in Chicago. New York creates energy through tight rooms, while Chicago excels at ambitious spaces with strong architectural identities. Bestia captured both advantages and made its considerable footprint feel alive and unified. We sat shoulder to shoulder at a pale stone counter facing the open kitchen. Golden era hip hop was playing, and A Tribe Called Quest still rings a very specific bell. I ordered the squid ink pasta, and it was exquisite, with enough depth and precision to command attention amid everything happening around us. We also spotted an unmistakably A-list celebrity, whom I will leave unnamed, making the night feel quintessentially Los Angeles. During that period, I often stayed at the Ace Hotel downtown, and the Arts District felt vibrant, raw, and full of possibility. The proximity to Skid Row could be deeply jarring, with severe hardship existing beside ambitious development and expensive restaurants. That contrast kept the neighborhood from feeling like a neat story of urban renewal, even as Bestia seemed to anchor its evolution. The warehouses and loading docks gave the area a character that no new development could convincingly recreate. Nearby, I also remember the American Apparel complex during its demise and the rise of impossibly cool Los Angeles designer John Elliott. His Escobar sweatpants and Villain hoodie helped define the kit of that moment; loyalists will understand. Los Angeles is a fickle city, drawn toward whatever is new and shiny, which makes Bestia's longevity especially impressive. Scene without substance is plastic, and Bestia earned its electricity through exceptional cooking, assured service, and a remarkable space; if I lived in Los Angeles, this would be one of the places I'd rely on whenever I wanted to impress someone. This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

Love the atmosphere and the food was amazing. Our server Alleck's recommendations were spot on…read more Made our experience that much more enjoyable. Will definitely be coming back.

Beautiful restaurant, even better food…read more We had a bit of decision paralysis when seeing the menu, but the waitress talked us through a few menu items and gave some recommendations. They were all amazing! Will definitely recommend to others and go back ourselves.

The service was excellent! ( Special thanks to Tube ) . The…read morestaff was friendly, attentive, and made our dining experience very enjoyable. The only downside was that the tables were placed very close together, which made it feel a bit crowded and reduced privacy. Other than that, everything was great.

Jackson was the sweetest !!! So fun, so professional and so…read morekind :) Made our girls night so special !!! Food was 10/10 and definitely will be asking for Jackson next time!!!

So shocked I hadn't heard about this place sooner but if you love pasta and don't want to spend $30…read moreon every dish this is the place to go! Loved that it had some classic dishes and some fusion ones as well. Came on a Friday night and joined the waitlist but only had to wait about 10 minutes! There was complimentary bread and a side salad that came with the entrees, and the bread was warm and delicious... We ordered the two Allegro specials on the menu-- Uni pasta and Bolognese. For appetizers we went with the server's recommendation; chicken gizzard confit. Chicken gizzard confit was mind blowing. As someone who enjoys things like gizzard, these were cooked in a way I had never had before and it was delicious. The uni pasta was sooo rich, creamy, and flavorful. 10/10 I would recommend it. The bolognese was good too it was super complex compared to the ordinary bolognese and had eggplants as well. Overall, the ambience was great and experience was amazing. Service was also very good and attentive. Super great spot for a date night or just a casual dinner with friends!

Location did not do this restaurant justice! Inside Honda Plaza, all the way at the very end of an…read moreold aged boring plaza, Pasta e Pasta has a somewhat cartoon character signage. Once step inside, the decoration, the vibe totally changed. It's a dark hue with humbling yet elegant setting with a bar table and I almost felt like a dining in the cave ambiance. The menu was not complicated and only focused on pasta, but there are so many choices to my liking! The squid ink, the mentai cream, the uni sauce, and the garlic butter sauce. We ended up settling with Creamy Crab Gratin, mentai cream pasta, the Pescatore Bianca (seafood spaghetti), and Tarako Spaghetti (Cod roe and squid garlic butter sauce). -Crab Gratin is really creamy and cheesy. I just didn't quite get why there are a few pieces of penne pasta inside. But overall tasted good! -All pasta comes with bread and salad. The salad is really fresh and serve mostly lettuce and cherry tomato, which is how I like it. The dressing is not the ranch creamy kind, more cloudy vinaigrette based, also to my liking. -Seafood spaghetti came with a variety of seafood, shrimp, squid ring, mussels, clams, etc. The portion is huge. -Mentai cream pasta: delicious! I think if I order uni pasta, it'll be the same cream base sauce but with uni and $6 bucks more. I'm happy with my choice. The whole dish is consistent, creamy with a slight kick from the mentai, slices of mushrooms and shredded seaweeds on the top. Delish! -Tarako Spaghetti: I took a small bite and appreciated the strong taste of garlic butter in the sauce. -All 3 pasta are served with the thin spaghetti like angel hair. Service is ok, we asked for water refill and the response was polite. Dirty dishes were taken away timely. If I had more time, I would definitely come back for a second visit. A place like this deserves to be in a more upscale block on the street. Btw, parking inside the plaza is not free even though it's just a strip mall. Expect about $8 bucks for dinner parking. It's gated entrance. If you get lucky, you can park on the street and pay the meter.

Amazing Amazing Food! best Italian in DTLA. Branzino is the best! Along with salads, pastas, and…read moretiramisu

Went for a work happy hour. Great food and better service. T is the man!!! He made the experience…read morefull

Food, incredible. Drinks, amazing. Service, always on point!…read more Always worth the hype when we come to Donna's. Had a booth this time and were one of the first people into the restaurant. Pro tip: the 5pm reservation never disappoints. Street parking was not bad either. Definitely a good date night spot!

Wow, I was surprised at how busy this place was on a Wednesday night. We had 5:45 pm reservations…read moreand when we got here the places was FULL. I feel the seating was a little tight in certain areas put they did make clear walking paths. Traffic to get here was horrible but we got lucky and found a non-metered spot about a block away as soon as we arrived in the area. For apps, we ordered the garlic bread and meatballs. The garlic bread was different. It was a sourdough loaf with oozing garlic butter inside but was only toasted whole so overall ate very soft and I missed the typically toastiness I get with most garlic bread. The flavor was still very good, especially dipping it into the marinera that accompanied the meatballs. For entrees and sides, we ordered the lasagna, the eggplant tortellini, the chicken parmesan and the broccolini. I can only say they really like their parmesan here. I'm not the biggest fan so I brushed a lot of it off. The tortellini was the star of the show for me and I think it was partially because all the other dishes were marinera + parmesan so it gave a nice break in the flavor profile. Something to consider when ordering next time. The chicken parmesan was delicious. I found the lasagna to be okay and would pass on the broccolini next time (to be fair, I got rid of all the cheese so that probably change the flavor profile they were going for).

The best pizza and pasta I've ever eaten in my 16 years of living life Also great n fun environment…read morewith music and good service!

Wow, we were incredibly impressed by the pizza which I think may be the best in Los Angeles? I was…read morea bit skeptical ordering fries at an Italian place but they were very crispy and had an amazing seasoning! The atmosphere was great, and not too busy when we came here on our way to a Dodger game on One Piece night. Highly recommend!