My boyfriend Sean and I are locals and come here occasionally and we absolutely love it! The staff is always friendly and never lets us down. I've been in the service industry for 15 years so when I get good service I feel like I need to share it with the world. You guys are awesome, thank you so much for the delicious food and amazing service. read more

Cafe Gazelle - Michaelangello - Italian Near Me - Long Beach, California

Had an anniversary dinner here the Saturday before Memorial Day. Really pleasant experience with attentive staff. The quaint size makes it feel like you're dining in a special spot. My date and I arrived a little before opening (which is 5 pm), and I'm so glad we did. We drove by again around 7 pm and the line was out of the door. There are only maybe 10 two and four-top tables. You do have to go through the kitchen to use the restroom, but the staff is so nice that it doesn't feel awkward. Good flavors! Entrees come with soup or salad and amazing bread for the table. Prices are a little more expensive than what I found on the web, but I believe we still ended up around $60 for two people with two entrees and a split dessert. Can see myself returning in the future, if I'm in the area. read more

How is this place not busier? Drove down from L.A. to check out Naples and picked this restaurant based upon proximity and Chowhound & Yelp recs. Arrived around 7:15 p.m. on a Saturday and our party of 4 was seated immediately without a reservation. Started with the grilled calamari (3 stars) followed by the Chicken Milanese (3.5 stars). My dining companions were kind enough to allow me to taste the chicken fettuccine dish (4 stars), carbonara (4 stars), and pesto gnocchi (3.5 stars). The gnocchi and fettuccine are made in-house. Pasta was very close to being perfectly al dente. This small, intimate place not only serves decent portions of good food at a modest price, the service is attentive without being imposing- not an easy balance to get correct. We will most-certainly return! read more

Had lunch here twice over the last few months. It's a hole in the wall. Nothing fancy, but good pasta. It's nice to have a non- chain Italian restaurant in LB. I'M sure it gets crowded at dinner. That's whee we tried lunch. read more

We had a marvelous lunch here. Hubby had Formaggi and I had Salsicce, penne with lamb sausage in a creamy tomato sauce. The sausage was so delicious. Both entrees came with soup or salad and bread. We both had Italian Onion Soup which was new to me, and so full of flavor. More people should go here to eat. First rate! read more

DELICIOSO Una experiencia muy grata, definitivamente volvería a comer aquí, el aperitivo, comida, postre, ambiente tranquilo y servicio excelente GRACIAS! read more

Wow. Quaint little restaurant with amazing authentic Italian food. Fresh bread and butter along with your choice of soup or salad to start. The Sicilian pasta and Angel Hair pasta with Mushrooms were both equally amazing. Definitely comg back! Ok we came back again a week later! Had the Pescatore and Checca pasta... delicious tomato sauce based dishes. Full of flavor. Had the Tiramisu... so good. read more

Very good food and service. Charming ambiance . Decent prices. Going there for 40 years.

Great food! If you're going to leave a negative review on this place, it's because you're a negative person and only deserve mainstream chains like super mex or Olive Garden and probably don't have any experience with over seas dining. Cafe Gazelle is a Long Beach classic with Italian home country vibes and cookin. Their service is great, definitely a family business. 10 stars if I could! read more

My partner and I just tried to sit for dinner in a completely 100% empty patio, not a single other customer in the place, Im 10 months pregnant and we attempted to sit at a 4 person table because we generally order a lot of food as we are foodies and enjoy tasting lots of items on a menu... As we go to sit at the 4 person table we're told we can't sit there because there's only 2 of us and he only has a few tables, THE PLACE WAS EMPTY!!! I said excuse me but Im pregnant and the small circle table is very uncomfortable for me and we're going to order a lot of food. This IDIOT still says no. Well buddy we will spend our money elsewhere and spread the word that you don't cater to customers needs, even when your restaurant is completely empty. Who in the world turns away a customer especially a pregnant customer??!! Definitely never attempting to here again. read more

Oh my goodness did I have a difficult time finding this place. My date and I were literally circling the block again and again looking for the 191 building, and JUST when we were about to give up, we looked up and saw the tiny letters of a building arranged in the words "Cafe Gazelle" Success!!! However, when we opened the door and stumbled inside, confusion immediately struck me; were we in someone's house? Right before I was about to die of embarrassment, the wonderful aroma of Italian food wafted through my nostrils and into my soul. At that moment, I didn't care where I was or whose house I so rudely stepped into, I was staying for dinner. This place looks and smells like grandma's kitchen, that is, if your grandmother is indeed Italian. There are a total of 8 tables in this tiny restaurant, all but one of which are 2-person tables, so yea, bring your special someone here, not your drinking buddies. We started off with a bruschetta appetizer, delicious! Juicy tomatoes topped with basil, drizzled with olive oil, and complemented very nicely alongside some cannellini beans, ah heaven. By the way, this is the type of place that emphasizes quality rather than quantity (our bruschetta came with only 4 pieces but they were too good to pass up). For my entree, I chose the Siciliani which was sort of a penne pasta with tomato sauce served with roasted eggplants and mushrooms. But first, I had my choice of a soup or salad. I ALWAYS go with soup so the server brought over a bowl of their minestrone. Honestly, I think it was one of the best tasting minestrone soups I've ever had. It looked really watery at first but each sip was completely full bodied. Such a comforting dish, especially on a windy night like tonight. After my glass of wine, my piece of bread (that they bring to your table at the beginning of the meal), the bruschetta appetizer, and my bowl of minestorne, I was feeling pretty darn full when my entree pasta came. I think I got through less than half of it. Don't get me wrong, just like everything else I had eaten that meal, it was delicious, but I was just so full. And of course, dessert. I'm usually against ordering dessert, but of all the things, my date was craving bread pudding. Well, lo and behold, the server came over with a PLATTER of dessert (that is so unfair by the way!) and placed it on our table. He then proceeded to present each one to us (there were at least 6 on the platter) in such a sultry voice. This is how it went: Server: "here's our selection of dessert, we have a chocolate hazelnut bread pudding, a new york -" My date: "YEA THAT ONE" So beware! Be prepared to spare no tummy room whatsoever! Even though the food was delicious, what really won me over was the incredibly cozy atmosphere. It's so authentic, so real, and definitely something everyone who loves Italian food should try. 5 stars! read more

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I've heard so much about Cafe Gazelle that I was overly excited to try it. Everyone kept telling me what a gem it is -- small, yet beyond comparison. My mom and I were about to eat at another location when we changed our minds. Trying to think of somewhere else to go, I finally remembered that I had yet to try it! Knowing the space is small, I called ahead and asked if there was a table available. Lucky for us, there was! We walked over quickly (well, as quickly as my mom walks...which isn't very quickly), and I guess we took too long, because there was no available space. We ended up waiting outside for maybe thirty minutes. This was a bad idea, because we were starving. Finally inside, we ordered the calamari appetizer, the seafood pasta, and the chicken tetrazzini. We shared a soup and a salad. The calamari was different than the norm. I guess I'm always used to the fried kind, but this one was marinated. My mom said it reminded her of a Thai dish, but for a few missing ingredients. The soup and salad were standard. My mom's seafood pasta was very nice, though a small serving. My chicken tetrazzini was not what I expected. Granted, I don't know all that much about it. All I know is the version that Giada makes on the Food Network and which I've copied back home in my own kitchen. It's delicious, just let me tell you. Anyway, this version was completely different. The sauce reminded me of a thick biscuits and gravy gravy, nothing reminiscent of something I'd add to pasta. I wasn't a fan, but I ate it anyway. read more

The Long Beach location suffers from its proximity to other fantastic fare. I ate there once and was woefully under-whelmed by the service, the atmosphere, and the food, which was just so-so. However, I just dined at the Huntington Beach installation. We sat outside (in a strip mall) and had a decent meal. My soup, the Italian Onion soup du jour, was refreshing and heathy. My chicken meatballs were good, as was our dessert. My mom got the rhubarb pie and raved about it. I got the chocolate parfait thingy and thought it was good. So, it is all a matter of comparison. The Bel Shore restaurant just can't stack up to the rest of what Long Beach has to offer. But the newest location feels above average, even luxurious, because it is smack dab in the middle of a veritable dearth of good eateries: HB. The dead zone. Where Carl's Jr., Jack N the Box, and other fast food restaurants are the norm and not the blight on the restaurant circuit. read more

I will never return to this restaurant after being so unexpectedly attacked by the owner. My boyfriend and I are regular customers here; the owner recognizes us. We planned to split an entree originally, but found out that wasn't allowed. So we were unsure what to do because we weren't super hungry. Before we could even decide what to do, the owner came up demanding that we order at least two entrees at that moment or he wasn't going to serve us. The owner then proceeded to grab my boyfriends wrist to take the complimentary bread from his hand. He then tried to reach for my plate to take my bread too while telling us to leave. He repeatedly told us to get out of his restaurant after we said we just weren't sure what we were ordering yet. My boyfriend has been coming to this restaurant for over 10 years as he grew up on 2nd street. We have always loved this place and recommended it to people, but after last nights experience we, nor anyone we know, will ever give business to this establishment again. I am extremely appalled by how rude and abrasive the owner was towards not only us but the other customers who witnessed it. Please save yourself from dealing with such an unpleasant experience and do not go here. I have never felt so uncomfortable or had such a traumatic experience at any restaurant, especially from a manager, owner, or person in charge. This man does not deserve to own a restaurant on 2nd street with the way he treats his loyal customers and I hope this review helps any potential/current customers to steer clear. read more

Unfortunately, I cannot rate the food, the service, or the menu. I can, however, discuss the Gazelle's posted hours. We arrived at 11:25 on a Sunday, because their hours indicated they opened at 11:30. Since we were on a schedule, we could only wait twenty minutes or so, and they did not open. It appears our promptness ruined the experience. We went down the street to a place that ended up being pretty awesome, and the details are in another review. read more

Delicious food. But it's in a really small spot. So cute. I think it's family owned. The owner was working there on site. All the staff is friendly. We waited 30 mins to be seated, but that was fine. It's a lightly dimmed area at night. Parking outside is kinda hard and you have to have quarters ready for the meter. The food was delicious. It came with a soup or salad and bread. The soup was delicious as well. I got the Michael Angelo and it was perfect. Would I come back? Most definitely. read more

Cafe Gazelle - Michael Angelo - Italian Near Me - Long Beach, California

Oh, Cafe Gazelle, if I could give you 7 stars, I would. Mwah!!! The best food in all of Belmont Shore doesn't even have an entrance on Second St., and you'd probably never find it unless you went looking for it. Ambience: Tiny, simple, intimate, romantic hole-in-the-wall. Maybe 8 tables and 25 seats? The owner is your host and is also your waiter. He is assisted by a bus boy and the food is prepped by one or two people in a teeny tiny kitchen. Service: The owner is your host and also your waiter. Impeccable. Charming, attentive, remembers his regulars well. Makes you feel like an old friend who came to visit and he could not be more delighted to see you. Food: Just brilliant. Simple, authentic Italian food. It may not be cooked just like your mother made it, but odds are you'll agree it's delicious, and the recipes are no doubt pure Italian. Portions are perfect for me; I always clean my plate and feel satisfied but not stuffed. If you've got a big appetite, you may want to order an appetizer, too. (This isn't Claim Jumper or Hometown Buffet.) My only complaint on the food is the bread. It's ok, but it's not special, and everything else here is. Wine: Only a handful to choose from, but the selections are solid and affordable. You can also bring your own if you prefer. My favorites: Pretty much all the veal dishes and the seafood dishes. The chicken gorgonzola is also amazing. If you like simplicity, their tomato-basil-garlic spaghetti is beautiful, as are their ravioli which are served in marinara with some pesto as well. Parking: It's Belmont Shore. Parking sucks. Drive around for awhile. Price point: Entrees range from about $9-16. All are worth 150% of the price. Caveat: not a great place for young kids unless they are perfect angels - the tables are on top of each other, so there's absolutely nowhere for them to get up and move around, and it's really more of a date night/couples/small groups of good friends kind of place. Also not a great place for someone with a wheelchair or walker. Also no good for anyone claustrophobic. Tables are literally about 1-2 feet apart. I also don't think the restroom is handicap-accessible. If you were closer/more convenient, I'd pretty much stop cooking and eat here at least 4 days a week. read more

Just love it, genuine Italian place, staff was friendly, fast and food was delicious.

Perfect portions and food is delicious every time. Small and cozy restaurant with excellent service. A hidden gem.

Love at first bite. Cafe Gazelle is spectacular! It's a cozy and charming restaurant hidden on the inner corner of La Verne and 2nd street. This must have been a 1 bedroom apartment converted into a restaurant because it's quite small yet they manage to fit about 9 tables, a wine bar, and kitchen in probably less than 500 sq ft. I came here on a Friday night around 6:00 PM and my boyfriend and I luckily beat the dinner rush. The wine list was generously decently priced as I had a Montpellier pinot noir and my bf had a chianti. First, we had the sautéed calamari to start and it was delicious. I've never had calamari sautéed like this; usually it's breaded and fried - but this was so great. The lemon butter sauce and the herbs made it so tasty. We licked the plate clean and even used the sauce to dip our complimentary bread. Onto the next course: my bf had the soup, which tasted like minestrone and I had the salad. It wasn't visually appealing as the dressing was pink but I was raised not to judge a book by its cover. ;) I ordered the chicken milanese and my bf had the pasta carbonara and both were exceptional. Our meals were cooked to perfection and our waiter was attentive and anticipated what to serve next and when we needed drink refills etc. I think I found my new favorite hole in the wall mom and pop Italian restaurant. I am giving this only 4 stars although it is deserving of 5 but this is only because it was kind of hot in there and cramped because it's such a tiny restaurant with so much body heat - especially because it's summer too. Other than that - Dinner was lovely and I'll be back here soon. read more

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A simply wonderful place a 1/2 block back from 2nd Street. Food is Spot On and has been each time we've visited. Service is that near perfect level of attentiveness and unobtrusiveness. Best on the street honestly. read more

I recently came here on a Thursday for lunch with my bf. There's currently indoor and outdoor seating which is nice. The owner is super friendly! We were first served hot bread and butter then our salads that came with our entrees. I got the Michelangelo and my bf got the Veal Picatta & we shared the gnocchi. Everything was so good and fresh! We haven't had Italian food like this in Long Beach so we'll definitely be back. A new favorite read more

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My go to Italian spot in Long Beach. Friendly staff and very tasty food. My family eats here at least once a month. 5 star restaurant.

I've been going to Gazelle since 2010. Excellent bread, dinners come with a salad (or soup)--their dressing is unlike anything I've ever had. My favorite dish is the chicken Gorgonzola. It has a similar flavor to chicken marsala. It's a perfect meal! read more

Good vibes and delicious food. It's a small intimate space, very low key and perfect for date night (once upon a time). The staff is friendly, the food is amazing and I'm obsessed with the house dressing. read more

One of my favorite places to get lunch. Cafe Gazelle has a one page menu with Classic Italian dishes and sides at lunch they have an expanded menu for dinner that is divine. They make the food here. Simple, fresh ingredients with complex flavors.This is a wee place with a handful of tables. You are provided a hot roll of crusty bread and butter to start. I love the house salad with beet and horseradish dressing on iceberg. All the pasta dishes are good. No prepared sauces or salad dressings. I have never been disappointed in this happy place. read more

This is a very small, cute, and cozy eatery right off of 2nd St. My friend and I went on a Friday night and it was packed (the entire 10 or so tables!). Because of the small number of tables, there will probably be a wait. We were lucky and only had to wait 15 minutes or so. After being seated, we were greeted by a very friendly waiter and were given water and hot bread with butter. I ordered the chicken marsala, which was absolutely delicious. I'm usually not big on Italian food, but man this was good! It was simple, fresh, and perfectly cooked. The portion size was just right for a person with a normal sized appetite. The dinner also came with a nice salad. The service here is exceptional. Everyone is extremely friendly and welcoming. At the end of the meal, a waiter brings around a massive tray of desserts - very tempting, but I had to pass sadly. Maybe next time! The restaurant is small, and a pretty tight fit, but I absolutely loved the coziness! I definitely will be back soon! read more

Cafe Gazelle - Italian Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Very cute and small restaurant with only about 5 tables. They have a variety of authentic pasta dishes, everyone found something that they liked. We left very satisfied! read more

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A little hidden gem in Belmont Shores, right off 2nd street! We couldn't believe we hadn't visited this micro spot before. The wait staff was attentive and the food so delicious... I had the chicken Picata and it was as it should have been...light and lemony! It came with a little pasta and some sauted brocolli. My friend ordered the Lasagna and he said it was delish but it was a little on the small side. Mind you, both entrees come with bread piping hot from the oven and a choice of soup or salad. We chose the salad and it was simple but tasty. It had some jicama and a savory vinegarette. We also had a glass of Chianti which was reasonably priced and a delicious Tiramisu which we split against my friends will! I can't wait to return. This place reminded me of the little trattoria I visited in Rome! read more

Great, perfect, nothing else to say. Family run business, no detail is left out. Food is made fresh everyday; all original Italian classics from the one country. It's a hard spot to find, so don't walk by it, but definitely worth the adventure and possible wait. They also offer to go orders, but inside the restaurant is the experience you want. I have no issue being clients or first timers to this place. A+++ read more

The food was OUTSTANDING start to finish. The service staff was also awesome. The one complaint and it's significant...there was a difference of up to 50% between the online menu prices and the printed menu at the restaurant. Pretty surprising. For this reason I'm only rating 4 stars; otherwise, it was 5 read more

Amazing food and service. Tiny hole in the wall spot that has so much character you can't help but love it. The food is delicious and wine is great. I got the salad to start and my boyfriend got the seasonal pumpkin and lentil soup. For dinner I ordered the rroste ( which is what you see from my POV) and my bf got the veal calabrese. I'm from the Bay Area and when I come visit SoCal cafe gazelle is a MUST for us every visit. Prices are great for the amazing taste and service is great. It's a mom and pop vibe and great intimate ambiance for a date night. read more

Cafe Gazelle - Arroste on my plate. Veal calabrse across from me - Italian Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Crape gazelle! Go to Taco Bell and save your self a $100+ dollars I live less than 10 minutes away and thank god otherwise I would have Diarrhea in my pants on the way home. I spent $34 on a plate that was flavorless like watered down tomato sauce with Italian seasoning on it . I ran out of noodles and had a whole plate for fish left I paid $40 for a bottle of $10 wine the wife and I gave it a try and will definitely be going to capones next time we want to drop a days wages on a dinner. I'm not sure how it's been open for so long or even made it through covid. Sorry if I seem hateful but I'm sitting on the toilet as I type because of there wonderful food. My 14 year old daughter could have drafted better looking and descriptive menus. The wine list was written on lined paper. The atmosphere was not comfortable as it's warm af inside. I would not go back if you invited me and offered to pay. Check out Carl's Jr. next door you'll get just as fool and be a hundred dollars richer! read more

This cozy little spot is easy to pass up if your not looking. Small, intimate very clean, staff is very friendly and attentive. First time here for Lunch with friend who suggested it. Ordered a small salad along with the Linguine Artichoke. YUM! Great flavorful house dressing. Complimentary bread. Linguine Artichoke was fabulous! Flavors- Flavors- Flavors! Good size portion. I will definitely recommend this place to friends and will come back near future to try a different dish eventually working my way through the menu! Bravo! read more

Cafe Gazelle - Linguine Artichoke. Yum! - Italian Near Me - Long Beach, California

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$5.40 total for lunch! Whaaaa? We ate here for dinner once before, but the reason I was compelled to write a yelp review was LUNCH. The other day I was crazy hungry and my vision was getting blurry. Like other yelpers mentioned, I also don't usually jump at the chance to go Italian since I think I can whip up a pasta dish pretty well. But with the possibility of passing out due to low blood sugar, "located down the street from me and $5" was all I needed to know. I ordered the linguini with mushrooms and I scarfed that down. I usually order something with meat, but I was surprised I didn't need chicken, veal or seafood to jazz up this dish. The dish had a generous amount of olive oil, parsley sprinkled throughout to give the dish some freshness, and slightly salty but yummy garlicky sliced mushrooms. Soooo good! I dislike the complimentary bread. I didn't even know a cute, hot little baguette would accompany my to-go lunch just like dining in, but it was just as tasteless and brittle as I remember it. Please change the bread Cafe Gazelle! read more

Wow what a pasta. Really enjoy this place on the side of the taco shop. Very quaint a quite.

My second time here. With many other Italian restaurants in Belmont Shore/Naples to choose from. Only 2 blocks from my house. The food it horrible. The bread they serve is dry and tasteless hard as a rock The Chicken Parmesan was so soggy and mushy and the owner tried to tell me it's supposed to be like that. This food was not good the first time I tried it. So I tried it again. Sorry I did. I see all these great reviews here. I don't think your folks know what good Italian food should taste like if you like this place. Won't come back. read more

We ate here once many years ago, and I couldn't remember why we never returned. So decided to give it another try...what a mistake! First, the olive oil. It has NO flavor. None. Tastes and looks like yellow cooking oil. The tomatoes in the caprese were tasteless, cold/hard. A few flecks of basil. You can find much better quality mozzarella at Ralph's. Not opinion; fact! The pastas were bland, and the eggplant parmigiana had no eggplant slices -- just bits of overly mushy eggplant that tasted like it came from a can (and yes, canned eggplant exists). The bits of eggplant mush were mixed with tomato sauce and topped with cheap pizza-grade mozzarella. With macaroni and cheese on the side. Cafeteria food. Could only eat a few forkfuls and left hungry. I feel a bit bad about giving a poor review since the people who work there seem to be very nice. But I have to be honest: the food was barely edible. I am ASTOUNDED by the positive reviews. Do these people not have taste buds or any idea of what Italian food is really like? I guess the place serves a purpose for the clientele who regularly go there, but I will never ever eat there again. read more

Café Gazelle is an absolutely TINY Italian restaurant in the lovely Belmont Shores neighborhood. There are 12 tables of 2 to 4, which could be combined if you are lucky to seat a maximum of 6 people together. Your need to be friendly, because you will likely need to scoot in at one point or another. It is amazing to me how they get plates out here without dumping food everywhere. FYI: They do not take reservations. The owner presides over the dining room with dignity and warmth. The extensive menu is surprising - a dozen pasta dishes, a dozen chicken dishes, a dozen veal dishes, seven dessert choices, etc. The wine list is also pretty good - an average of around $35-40 per bottle with only about a 2x mark-up. The food is OUTSTANDING. I had the Veal Calvados ($17.95) and DH had the Veal Principesa ($17.95). Each entrée began with your choice of soup or salad. DH had the soup of the day - a delicious onion and basil soup that was herbaceous and sweet. I had the salad - crunchy, sweet romaine with marinated and minced red cabbage that was zingy and refreshing. The veal in both dishes was incredibly tender and served with pasta (omitted by me) and steamed cauliflower and green beans that were sweet and crisp - perfectly cooked. The principesa is definitely the better of the two sauces - the peas and mushrooms with a little pork in the tarragon cream sauce was an outstanding combination of sweet, salty and earthy in a rich base. The sauce was generous and absolutely divine. The calvados was also delicious even if it came in a close second - the sautéed apples in a rich brandy-cream sauce with lots of thyme was woodsy, rich and sweet. The tiramisu was pretty standard, but I think that the desserts are brought in as they do not have the heart of the other dishes. I would probably skip dessert. Instead, order a bottle of one of the Italian wines that the owner picks to feature at his restaurant. The Gavi ($32) was a great, dry Italian white that went perfectly with the cream sauce. The service was fabulous - those water glasses stayed filled. They bring warm bread and butter when you are sitting at the table. They are patient with questions and slow ordering, but there is such a pride in ownership that shines in every dish. I cannot wait to come back to this delightful restaurant! read more

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This is the best Italian food in SoCal, hands down. Everything on the menu is wonderful. My husband and I have been going here for years.