I don't like giving negative reviews but thought this was warranted posting this to balance the wonderful reviews posted. had to do a double take that i had the correct restaurant. 1st time here was good maybe over 3.5 stars ; but 2nd time was below my expectations. i would say averaged out would be a 3 Celebrating 50th birthday, and daughter birthday, the server was nice but we did not feel attended to; surprising since the restaurant was basically empty when we arrived. i understand pacing expectations can be different but this was way off (waiting to order, filling up waters that were empty on half the guests, waiting to order dessert; even when making eye contact to get attention, they did not come and we felt ignored) poor attention can be made up with good food but we were mostly disappointed. the verdict was the pasta dishes were good but not special; the entrees were misses. our father in law who never complains said his duck dish was terrible, and left half of it uneaten. Of course the servers would not really know since they did not check on us after receiving the meal. at end of meal when they came to pickup the dishes; i did not think it was right time to complain when everyone was done eating. me and my wife ordered the fish special, halibut was significantly overcooked and dry, unfortunately could not be covered up since the sauce that sounded wonderful on the description was sparce; less than a spoonful per dish. more signs of possible lack of attention to the cooking or just not caring that much. i imagine whoever cooked it knew it was over and still served it. My wife left it half uneaten. it did taste fresh to be fair. the server was nice, and did give a small slice of b-day tiramisu to each birthday person, i thought that was a nice touch and added service points but overall did not leave thinking positively. maybe just on off day, wanted to give another perspective read more

I recently went to a Service Award dinner along with other colleagues at work, and the restaurant chosen for the occasion was stunning. This was my second visit, and it's definitely a fancy, elegant Italian spot. We had a private room for the event, which was a lovely touch. Plus, there's a huge parking garage right in front, so parking was easy to get and didn't cost anything. Since my job covered the bill, I didn't see the prices, but I can certainly speak to the food! We started with a fresh salad and delicious bread served with a flavorful oil for dipping. For my main course, I had the ravioli, which was clearly homemade and incredibly good. It was generously drenched in sauce, which I loved, and so filling that I felt satisfied for hours afterward. The service was impeccable throughout the evening. The staff was constantly attentive, refilling water, offering fresh pepper, and generally making sure everyone had a fantastic experience. I asked for a non-alcoholic drink but ended up with an alcoholic one, which I think was just part of the pre-selected options for the event, and that's perfectly fine. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It's definitely a place I'd recommend for a special occasion. read more

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Carina and the team made my dad's 80th birthday dinner unforgettable We hosted an intimate dinner for my dad's 80th in the private room -- 22 people, formal setup, speeches, the whole thing. My dad is a regular at lunch but had never experienced dinner there, and this was exactly the right way to introduce it. Carina was exceptional from start to finish. We'd mentioned 19-20 guests ahead of time, and when I said we'd grown to 22, she had tables added and the room spread out without missing a beat. She made sure kids at the table had options from the main menu outside the prix fixe. She asked ahead about wine on the table. She anticipated everything. We brought our own cakes -- no issue, plates and everything provided. We stayed well past closing. Nobody rushed us, nobody hinted it was time to go. They just let the night be what it needed to be. For my dad, who's been a lunch regular for years, to experience that room and that level of care on his birthday -- that meant a lot to our whole family. Thank you, Carina. -- Anton read more

The food here is so good! I loved the gulf shrimp app (so flavorful) and the tagliatelle pasta with shiitake mushrooms and chicken. The pasta was cooked well and the sauce wasn't too heavy, as you might expect from an alfredo sauce. The shiitake mushrooms added so much flavor and the chicken was also very tasty. The caesar salad portion was quite small so that's the only item i wouldn't get again. Prices were on the higher side but the service was great. They were able to accommodate a very large group at lunchtime without a reservation. read more

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We went here with my ninety-year-old mother last night, and were really looking forward to it. Sadly, we were disappointed. The food was delicious. Everything was clean and crisp. This was the extent of the pleasant aspects of the experience. We arrived there at 5:30 PM. It was not busy at all, since the dinner crowd had not come yet. However, the service was poor from the onset. When a server would come by, it would be extremely rushed. We got the "hurry up and order" feeling, and the definite impression the server could not care less about our needs. Very uncomfortable. After the food was served, we basically did not see our server at all until the plates were being cleared and he asked us if we wanted dessert. We would normally have ordered dessert, but at this point it just felt like a revenue-and-tip-generation attempt rather than concern for us, and we were already disheartened with the treatment by the staff, so we just asked for the check. In addition, I drank my Diet Coke by the time I was done with my salad. When the main dish was served, I asked for a refill. It never came. My glass was empty for the entire meal. Overall, it was sadly an unpleasant experience. Everything was rushed and the server was indifferent. The manager did come by at the very end of the meal and asked how it was. At this point, we just wanted to leave, and did not even want to try and remedy things, so we just nodded our heads and he quickly walked off--again, seeming more perfunctory and obligatory rather than genuine care. By the time we left at 6:45 PM, the restaurant was still only half full, so the poor service could not be attributed to it being crowded. Please, treat your customers better, and try and really care about their needs. But again, they've got the food down to an art. Sadly though, that's not enough for me. I'm a simple person, but I do like a drink with my food--even if it's a simple soda--and I would like a bit better service; service that's provided at a Denny's would have been fine. I'm not trying to sound insulting there, but it's a fact. We will not be going here again. Oh my gosh! I just lowered my rating to one star now. I found out some more info. Since my mother is older and moving is a bit difficult for her, I dropped her and my wife out front and proceeded to look for parking. They went in and there was a man working up front and a lady greeter. They were not very welcoming. My mother inquired with the man about reserving a room large enough for fifteen people (for her upcoming 91st birthday), and he said "we'll talk later". That was the last we saw him. I'm a simple person, but I notice many people get so wrapped up on other matters that they forget common decency, kindness, and respect of others. This restaurant is a very good example of how not to treat people. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Receipt - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

The best Italian place! Love how fresh their drinks and daily menu. Service is amazing as always. Susan's downfall is a must have. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Nice restaurant, it has much more of a classic warm Italian feel inside than most of the other Italian restaurants in the area. I especially like the mirrors and the white tablecloths, it makes the restaurant feel much more polished, and while it was buzzing with people and conversations, the soft materials absorbed the sound so that it wasn't loud. I ordered the squid-ink spaghetti with prawns and lobster, and my goodness there was a lot of lobster! Very generous portion size. The lemon cream sauce was delicious. Highly recommended! read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Squid ink spaghetti with prawns and lobster - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Super lovely pasta place with amazing servers and a great atmosphere! This is a someone's favorite so we decided to drop by and I think I can say that I've found a gem. The two pasta dishes I and boyfriend had (see pics bc I forgot name), were both amazing. The white pasta is quite hot but sooooo good. The atmosphere was great, and service was great as well. All in all, I would definitely come again read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Tagliatelle alla Pro Bono - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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The chocolate decadence was not as good as I remembered. It was more frozen than thawed. Very disappointing, I wouldn't order again. My partner got the white sorbet flavor and really liked the mint with it read more

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We were in the mood for Italian and stopped by Cafe Pro Bono early on a Friday evening. By 5:30 pm, a few tables were already full, but the staff warmly welcomed us and let us choose our table. They brought iced water right away, which was much appreciated on a hot evening. The two-page menu is fairly extensive, with the daily specials on the first page and the regular menu on the other. We ordered the Caesar salad for two, sautéed gulf shrimps, spaghetti alla diavola, grilled Scottish Loch salmon, and the crab salad on bread. They also serve complimentary fresh bread with olive oil before the meal, which was a nice touch. Overall, the food leaned toward mild seasoning, but the seafood was fresh with no fishy taste. The only minor hiccup was the pasta, which came out slightly undercooked, but the kitchen happily fixed it when we asked. In all, we enjoyed our meal and can see why Cafe Pro Bono has been a long-standing favorite in Palo Alto for over two decades. read more

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I've been to this place a couple of times with a friend who raves about the Italian food and I couldn't agree more. Today we tried the polenta and shrimp appetizers, the rigatoni pasta (which they kindly split in two plates for us to share), and we finished with tiramisu for dessert. Everything was well prepared; flavorful, well-balanced, and not too overpowering. Truly a great meal over good conversation. read more

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I brought 7 family members for dinner. Four were celebrating their birthdays. The food was absolutely amazing. The service was outstanding. I have definitely recommended this restaurant to all my friends & family. please give it a try. Kathy Love Sunnyvale read more

A bit of a fancier Italian oriented restaurant but the food was excellent and the service on top of everything. Overall had a wonderful business meal and experience here. We will be back read more

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If you want exceptional service, great food and ambiance then this is your place. Came here with my friend for coffee and dessert in the middle of the afternoon. The rain was coming down hard and no one really was walking around. We wanted to catch up and be left alone to talk. I got a latte, my friend got a mocha and we shared a tiramisu. We were the only ones at the restaurant but don't let this fool you. They always have a crowd, but given the weather and the hour this wasn't peak eating hours. No one was braving the storm, except us lol. My latte was perfect. The right blend of frothiness. The tiramisu was light and so good. We felt like we were on vacation, we felt so welcomed and relaxed. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Latte, Tiramisu and Mocha. - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Came here for a company lunch and it was packed for being the middle of the day. They do take reservations, at least for large groups, and staff were nice enough to accommodate a space for our white elephant gift exchange (not easy, when some of the gifts were fairly large). Food-wise, they are good about accommodations for gluten allergies, peanut, etc. I ordered the squid ink pasta and it was rich and filling, with a decent amount of seafood. Their homemade strawberry lemonade was also tasty. I got to try a colleague's pasta dish and it was pretty good, with lots of flavor and just a little bit of a kick. There's a parking lot right across the street (first two hours free) so it was relatively painless to get in and out. I would recommend this restaurant for large groups wanting to enjoy a classy meal! read more

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This place is such an adorable and warm location for delicious and homemade Italian food. We stumbled upon it when we were looking for a restaurant open at 9 o'clock on a Wednesday evening. When we walked in, we were informed that they thought the Chef was leaving and likely their kitchen was closed, but that they would check. I fully expected them to come back and say they couldn't serve us. But they came back and said that they couldn't do any grill items since the chef was gone, but that they could do pastas. My family and I proceeded to order four different pastas from the menu which were homemade and absolutely, stunningly delicious. The service was warm and friendly, not even an inkling of making us feel like we were putting them out because we arrived so late. This is what true care and hospitality means. And sadly, I feel like you don't get it very often anymore. We encountered multiple people that worked there and every single one of them was so genuine and kind. We then moved onto dessert, which was also delicious. Sorry I didn't get any photos of the pastas, but I can guarantee you will love every bite. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Yummy Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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New England Clam Chowder Soup 3 large juicy clam, smooth texture, not a lot of potatoes, not flavorful Crab 3 on top of toasted bread, Dungeness crab, avocado aïoli, radish, cilantro, juicy, cold, refreshing, crunchy Grilled Salmon 3 horseradish crusted, pasta, veggie, tender, juicy, not dry, plain Branzino 3 sea bass, crusted, lemon caper sauce, saffron, carrots, asparagus, medium juicy read more

Amazing food and service. Couldn't ask for more. I want your recently for lunch with a colleague and then brought my family and friends for dinner. The linguine with Manila clams and also another day. The one with smoked salmon were my favorites. Everyone in the family tried different versions of their reveal and loved it as well. Dessert was fabulous! read more

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Café Pro Bono - A Classic Italian Spot with a Loyal Following Café Pro Bono is an older, classic Italian restaurant with a clear sense of community. The clientele seems well-established--by the time we were leaving, regulars were chatting with the owner, asking about his family as if it were a weekly tradition. It's the kind of place where everyone knows each other, which gives it a warm, familiar charm. When we asked for recommendations, we got the classic "it's all good" response. And while everything was good, nothing stood out as great. We tried Susan's Downfall, a delicious ravioli dish topped with a rich Gorgonzola-based cream sauce--easily the highlight of the meal. The Tagliatelle with Smoked Chicken was also excellent, with perfectly cooked pasta and well-balanced flavors. For dessert, we had Bertucci's Favorite, a simple but satisfying vanilla gelato with a boozy berry compote that was just the right way to end the meal. Although- we were brought a delicious port after dessert. What a kind classic touch! Overall, Café Pro Bono is a solid, classic Italian joint that delivers good food in a welcoming setting. However, to stay relevant long-term, I'd love to see them modernize the experience a bit or develop a signature dish that truly sets them apart. Every great restaurant should have at least one thing it's famous for--right now, they do a lot of things well, but nothing exceptionally. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - A classic Italian restaurant with a lot of history - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Great service and pasta dishes are great- buckwheat pasta and the chicken pasta are excellent. Always a great evening here. read more

We came to Palo Alto to celebrate special occasion. We waited outside for about 10 minutes while our table was getting ready. While we waited, I went to the small bar to order a beer. The bartender working behind the bar didn't know one of the beers on tap even after looking at the tap which I thought was strange and she couldn't operate the credit card machine for some reason. I walked away without a beer. The rest of the service was very good. This is what was ordered and the comments when we went around the table: Polenta - delicious! Tortellini - great Spaghetti Bolognese - almost excellent Ravioli - very good Squid pasta with clams - just OK Ambiance - we sat outside under an outside structure. It was good to be outside but for some reason it felt 10 degrees hotter than outside the structure. Next time we will try inside. There is plenty of public parking is across the street. Response to owner Akif A.: I corrected my description of your outdoor seating area, it is not A tent, it is a structure attached to the building. My apologies. Regarding your comment about the round polenta plate - If you review the Yelp pictures for your restaurant you will see a picture with a brown round plate that another Yelp member posted a year ago identical to the one in my picture with polenta on it. Finally, I never mentioned that you had two bars. As for my bartender comments, it really happened and I was shocked at the time, I did not make that comment up. read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Polenta! - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Cafe Pro Bono is a wonderful place. We met the owner along with several employees who all made us feel like home. Food was absolutely delicious! Best part was the warm welcome and hugs! My husband and I will certainly return next time we are in Palo Alto. Kristine and Paul Coleman from Maui read more

I had a lovely experience at Café Pro Bono in Palo Alto. I sat outdoors and thought it was neat how they have individual heaters, which made the setting cozy and comfortable. I ordered the lunch risotto, and it was wonderful--delicious with a perfect portion size. I also tried the strawberry lemonade, which had a great flavor but was much too sweet, almost like a dessert. I did not order dessert as with the drink I felt I'd already had dessert. They also offer a gluten-free pasta option, which is a great plus. I would certainly return read more

From the welcome To our departure everything, the Food the wine the service as well as the atmosphere was perfect. And superlative. Thank you' read more

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I love this seasoned Italian cafe in Palo Alto. I had my first meal here at least 15 years ago and the food is still amazing. While the restaurant decor is relevant and nicely designed, I personally like to sit outside along their sidewalk patio. They have created a comfortable bistro feel with sunshades and planter walls to define the space. I love it for business lunches, but frankly if I lived closer, my wife and I would dine here frequently. So food...I really love a ravioli dish that they are famous for called Susan's Downfall. The Gorgonzola cream sauce is out of this world. I don't even like Gorgonzola cheese. 15+ years ago I tried this dish, and it's as good as I remembered. Their wait staff was attentive but not intrusive. They could tell we were negotiating a few deal points and would just walk away, rather than hover over us waiting for us to stop talking. I hate when servers make their customers feel like they have to stop their conversations. These servers are well trained...and Italian, which is always a refreshing for an 'ethnic' restaurant. There are many choices for Italian restaurants mid peninsula, but no one else does Susan's Downfall. You have to try this dish. It's worth the drive and effort. read more

Dined here for Valentine's Day - lucky had made reservations and they were quite busy. Had to wait for few minutes and chose patio dining with warm heaters. Loved the ambience and service was fairly quick once seated. They were giving rose to all patrons(mostly couples) on the eve. Ordered crab capellini and my wife ordered ravioli (Susan Downfall). Their house red cab was okay. I really liked the fresh crab meat and Prosecco + creamy capellini pasta. Normally I find Italian food bland and top off with some flakes, this time I enjoyed the food as is! The Ravioli was little too creamy I heard but was good. The tiramisu was refreshingly tasty that we wrapped up in a jiffy Hope to come back and check out their regular menu as well. Parking is conveniently across the street in parking garage. read more

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Love the food and it has great service and a friendly atmosphere. The Susan's Downfall is super tasty, as is the Spaghetti Bolognese. Highly recommended. read more

The Bruschetta was amazing! The flavors of the ingredients were an umami explosion. The toasted bread coupled with the more delicate ingredients made for great texture. Bolognese is one of my top go-to dishes at Italian restaurants. I had to have it. This was hearty, but not too overwhelming. The sauce tasted a bit acidic and in my opinion could been cooked down for a few extra minutes. The portion was quite small. The Veal and its accompaniments are super yummy, especially the crispy potatoes and carrots cooked in butter. The veal was a lot thinner than at other restaurants. This was a child's portion. Tiramisu and Panna Cotta were the perfect ending to an overall great meal. Not pictured, but the house red wines paired nicely with the meal. I had the Cab and my guest has the red blend. The restaurant was pretty large, but had a cozy feel. The service was attentive and personable. Overall, it was a nice dining experience; however this would not be a restaurant I could dine at daily $$$. The two entrees I had were split for two, but by the standard portions served in Italy or in the States, I feel it's dainty. read more

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This is a very nice neighborhood Italian restaurant. Food and service both excellent. Easy car parking nearby. This evening we had the carpaccio and the boar sausage starter, followed by linguini con vongole and a duck risotto. With sparking water and glass of wine, came to $150 before tip. read more

Went in for dinner and sat at a table which was adjacent to the bar. Service was a bit on the slow side but it may have been due to a large party in the private room. ( I also noticed it took a while for staff to clear glasses and plates at the bar. Did not appear to be a bar tender which may have remedied this issue. The wait staff rotated staffing the bar area.)Food was really good. I had the mahi mahi special. Manager was very friendly. Will be back read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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My dad and I had a wonderful lunch here today! I've been to Cafe Pro Bono a few times, and it's always great, but something about today's meal was extra special. We shared the carpaccio to start (I've had it before and it's consistently delicious). The chicken and vegetable risotto is phenomenal!! I keep thinking about it and will definitely be back to (hopefully) have again if it's still on the specials menu. My dad got the linguine with clams. I tried it and it was soooo good. Our server recommended a GREAT bottle of wine. Service was wonderful and the classic Italian vibe of this restaurant made for a great backdrop to our fun Friday lunch. Will be back! read more

Cafe Pro Bono - Risotto special - Italian Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Excellent food, and service. The owner is so nice, and all the staff are great. Truly my favorite Italian food in Silicon Valley. They also have a great bar! All dishes I have tried are delicious, and their dessert menu is also yummy! I have never been disappointed! read more

Came here for a team lunch and was very impressed with the top quality service and delicious food. The wait staff were incredibly attentive with drinks, taking our orders, and ensuring a good flow of the meal (which seems to be a lost art these days). One of my colleagues and I were accidentally served the wrong dishes, but since the others had their meals, they graciously offered us a complimentary soup so everyone could start eating. They also gave us a tiramisu after our meal, which was absolutely delectable. I got the tortiglione pasta dish, which was vegan and gluten free. It was well cooked (not mushy at all - a buckwheat pasta), and had a variety of vegetables in a light marinara sauce. It was hearty and filled me up. read more

We came here for my wife's birthday dinner since the place has such great reviews. Our experience was not so pleasant especially with the quality of the food. This place is ridiculously overpriced for the food served. The bread served was cold and hard. We got the skirt steak from their special dinner menu which was $39. If you look at my picture of the plate, there was barely any steak and sides on that plate and it looked like a kids size meal. You've got to be kidding me if you're charging $39 for that! So disappointed! The seafood pasta was very mediocre too and was $34. Terrible experience for our special day. We will not be returning. read more

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I went here for a business lunch. The food was delicious. Service was excellent. Prices were on the high side for what was served. . On the plus side, there is a private dining room for business meetings or private parties. It wasn't appropriate to take pictures, but I will say my short ribs with mushroom risotto was absolutely delicious. Other people were very pleased with their meals. One of our guests was surprised that she was charged for her refill of her soft drink. I don't know if that was actually the case but she did mention it after the meeting. read more

The pastas here were pretty good and they came out very fresh! But the service was not so good, our waitresses kept switching and they took a very long time to bring out our food & the bread was very hard and cold. Whenever we tried to ask for something the waitresses would refuse to make eye contact with us to come and help. The environment was okay, we sat outside because we wanted some fresh air and they brought out the heater for us. read more

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First time visit for a birthday celebration. The food was well prepared. Service was excellent. It was a great experience. We hope to return in the future. read more

Best fresh pasta dishes anywhere around. Wait staff is wonderful and attentive without being cloying. A lovely neighborhood place I forget about but am always excited when I go and am reminded of how delish it is. read more

Truly wonderful meal. Our group of six enjoyed every dish. My main dish was the red snapper. Perfectly cooked with a light but very flavorful sauce, excellent texture with cooked greens and israeli couscous. read more

Decent pastas. Good wine. Good service. And cute interior. What more could you ask for? I enjoyed the Caesar salad and the pasta (the tagliatelle dish which had a white sauce, but spaghetti subbed in because they were out of tagliatelle). The burrata was meh but I enjoyed very much the greens that came with it. The tiramisu was too sweet for me so I only had one bite. Overall, a cute place to stop by if you're in the neighborhood and craving pasta. read more