Great food and service. Off the beaten track in terms of location but aren't those spots so wonderful to find and enjoy!

I think they have a different chef than a year ago. And the staff too. Go to the bar for a wine or beer and get the sliders! read more

As some of the other reviewers have stated, I too live in the neighborhood, just across the freeway. Two of my neighbors and I went to happy hour on a Thursday and got there just a little before they opened. We came in and stated we new we were early. The bartender didn't say a word. We sat at the bar and when he was ready he asked what we'd like. I got wine and the other two got cocktails, a paper plane, which she loved and a margarita which she did not love. We ordered the brussel sprouts, spicy praws, calamari and the antipasti plate. Nothing stood out except the antipasti plate, which we laughed at when it arrived. Long bread sticks broken to look like there was more, I kid you not, three small pieces of cheese, 3 bites. The bartender never once smiled or seemed happy. If you go for happy hour you will need to bring your own happy because the bartender does not provide any. read more

First time here. Over the years of my life, this space has been many different restaurants. This was the first time I've tried it - because of the very good Yelp ratings. We made reservations through Yelp. The owner (very nice guy) seated us. Apparently, they have been around for about a year. For dinner, the menu has a nice selection of sandwiches, salads and main courses (pasta, lamb, fish, etc). They have a full bar and more than one selection of red or white wine by the glass. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich. I'm always on the hunt for a good fried chicken sandwich. This was a good (4 stars) sandwich with a lot of hot fries. I was disappointed that they didn't have Ranch dressing for my fries, but offered Green Goddess as a substitute. It was a nice change. My dining partner ordered the fried cod sandwich, which she loved (5 stars). She also enjoyed the Mista salad that came with it - especially the house white balsamic vinegar dressing. This place deserves 5 stars because of the food, the prices, the service and the owner. I will be back. read more

Skip the that frou frou joint you're going to Sat night ( you know, the one that charges you $5 for bread cause it's artisan") and check out this unpretentious , affordable and approachable Restaurant. The service is friendly and honest, there's booze at the bar and there's parking in front. The ambiance is low budget but so what. The fact that someone in the kitchen knows their chops is evident immediately. But do me a favor and don't tell anyone. read more

Don't let the location and humble settings discourage you from trying this restaurant. The food and service were exceptional. The calamari fritti, clam chowder, pappardelle with beef brisket ragu, and prime rib were very delicious as were the desserts. We will definitely be returning and will highly recommend to family and friends. read more

I usually order the squid ink pasta with the seafood (always good), but decided I needed to try something else so I tried the Salmon with risotto last night. Now I have two favorites! So delicious - luckily, I brought home half for lunch today! Food and service were fantastic - came with a party of 6. Everyone raved about their orders. read more

Friendly and prompt waiter, good food. The pasta was cooked a perfect al dente and carbonara sauce has mouth appeal.

Robbie kept Bar area, clean with quick service. Restaurant area bright and joyful! The female owner seed plus was ready to serve when it got busy! The food choices were great and had a wonderful experience! Would not hesitate to go back! read more

No prime rib on Saturday We were disappointed and left Didn't like the menu didn't see traditional Italian items read more

The food is excellent. New owner new everything. The food is to die for Please come prove me wrong. The chef is amazing truly a master of cuisine This place is a hidden gem that needs more attention The bar is the best. Bartenders are friendly and make an excellent cocktail COME EAT AND DRINK HERE!! read more

Cafe Villa - Bar is beautiful - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Went back for Prime Rib Wednesday dinner. Five of us thought it was over the top great! Remember to make a reservation and say you want the Prime Rib. Only on Wednesday! read more

Cafe Villa - Prime Rib, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and horseradish. - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Curse this place for making me write a Yelp review, but dangit they deserve it. Believe the other good ratings, they are what got us in the door. The food is high quality and delicious, the team kind and helpful. If they dimmed the lights and threw on some classy tablecloths, it would elevate the dining experience even more. Take your 5 Stars, you earned them. read more

First time in the neighborhood restaurant. The food was excellent. We had the calamari, truffle fries and Brussel sprouts. There were 8 of us dining tonight. 3 burgers, 1 cod sandwich, 2 chicken parmigiana, 1 cod in broth and 1 chicken sandwich. We all enjoyed our dinners. Brendan, our waiter was excellent. The best part of the evening was the after dinner cocktails in the bar with Joe, the bartender. We look forward to our next visit. read more

I've been living along Lincoln Ave for a while since moving from San Francisco. One of my biggest complaints has been that there is nothing in walking distance so when I saw that Cafe Villa was open, we decided to try it. The space inside was very nice and I like the retro windows since it's in a space attached to a motel. It was very clean inside and nicely updated. We were greeted and seated quickly without a reservation before 6pm. It was pretty busy later on so it might be good to make a reservation for later dinner times. We shared the crab cake appetizer that was loaded with crab and had a zesty citrusy aioli and salad. I had the eggplant parmigiana with seasonal veg and fettuccine Alfredo and my boyfriend had butternut squash ravioli with mushrooms. Both dishes were excellent! We will be back for another date night walkable from our place. We also saw families with kids so it's also great for a dinner that has something for everyone. The service was also great, we were checked on the right amount of times so all in all, happy to have this in the neighborhood. read more

Cafe Villa - Butternut squash ravioli - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. food wonderful, and a very reasonable price. staff kind and helpful. clean and updated. good parking. try it you will like it. read more

What a lovely new neighborhood restaurant/bar to add to our "Local Eats" list. We heard about this spot from a friend and were so glad we stopped by. We had a relaxed evening enjoying the beet/burrata salad and two of the pasta dishes. There are several other salads, main dishes and pastas that I am looking forward to going back and sampling...Green Goddess Salad? Kobe Burger? Carbonara? Yes, please! The wait staff were all super friendly and we loved that there were a mix of guests enjoying their evenings...families, couples, friends. As a mom, I like to know there is a place I can have a night off with friends as well as a family night that I can enjoy with my husband and 5 year old. We will be back soon. Thanks Cafe Villa. read more

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Food is surprisingly good! Wait staff very friendly. The decor and room color need some help as it's a mish mash and lacks any style or direction. I think if the ambiance and lighting were improved the place would be packed. read more

Cafe Villa has amazing Italian food! Are you there for lunch twice per month with a group. The food is always excellent. The service is always excellent. They bend over backwards to accommodate our group. For a great meal, give it a try! read more

This little spot is in the oddest location. It's like a motel restaurant, but was impressed with the food and the price. I had a delicious green goddess salad and the kids loved their tenders. Only left off a star because the location/ambiance is odd, but will definitely go back! read more

Food is delicious!!! Eggplant & pasta amazing. Looking forward to coming back. Service perfect. read more

The food is so traditional Italian. Not surprising as the chef uses his own Italian know how along with hands-on experience from his roots. There is a full bar, and amazing service to support the chef, who you can see working hard in his kitchen from your seats. Strongly recommend. read more

Marin is hard-pressed for great dining options, so when I read the happy reviews of the newly opened Cafe Villa, we made reservations for Sat night. We arrived a little early to have a drink at the bar. The friendly, adept bartender, Carmen crafted a delicious Paloma and Martini ($12 each). She noted they offer a happy hour (Tu-Fri 4-6p, with $5/$6 beer and wine, light bites) as well as live music the first Fri of the month at 6:30p. We were seated in the adjoining dining room, which is basic, clean, and nicely lit, with comfortable chairs and banquets. The pacing of the meal was perfect: Prompt, professional service by several staff members, including the gentille owner. Each couple shared a salad (green goddess and mixed greens, lightly dressed), which the staff had split onto separate plates. Nice touch. There are several wines by the glass; small- - I'm guessing 4 oz pours- - and more than a dozen by the bottle. Filet Mignon (they didn't have the menu's Flat Iron steaks ($28) was the best steak I've had in years. Cooked to perfection and so tender, I could have easily done without a steak knife. The accompanying vegetables were fresh and succulent, and mashed potatoes (with crème fraîche!) were superb. Shrimp Diavola ($28) was good, with 5-6 large shrimp. Eggplant Parmesan was tasty, but a tad salty. Dessert was a rich, chocolate Pot de Crème. What the physical environment may lack in ambiance, it more than makes up for in the quality of the food and service. Nothing a few candles (and tall plants) couldn't correct. We all agreed that we'll definitely be back. read more

Funky location attached to an old motel, But the food was really good and the waiter very friend read more

This restaurant is making huge strides to improve and offer a good selection of Italian food at a reasonable price. The restaurant is on the same property as a motel owned since the 90s by a family. several years ago, they decided to run the restaurant themselves. The service was excellent and very friendly. They are clearly passionate about what they are doing. The ambiance is a little start for the food they're serving. Maybe some checked tablecloths would help. The taste of the food was good. We shared a Cesar salad which was dressed perfectly. My husband was not very hungry so he had a shrimp appetizer as his second course. He liked it. 6 large shrimp. I had the eggplant parmigiana. I asked our waiter to leave off the pasta and he offered to add veggies which was so nice. The broccolini was cooked perfectly. Unfortunately the eggplant presentation was pretty bad. I expected cheese and sauce to be oozing from every edge of a layered beauty. Like lasagna right? The eggplant had been breaded nicely but it looked like it came out of a box. I think if they can reimagine the dish, it would be a vast improvement. We were their last customers so I didn't see any other dishes. read more

Cafe Villa - Eggplant Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Attentive service, tasty appetizers (crispy Brussel Sprouts & calamari), delicious entrees (halibut, shrimp scampi & Papparedlle beef) and comforting desserts. The house glass of Zinfandel wine was surprisingly good. Mid-century dining room design, free parking. Not too far off Hwy 101. Full bar. No table cloths. Cost of a 3-course meal, with wine & tip was just over a "C"-note - which is reasonable now days. We will definitely go back again. read more

I tried this place for the first time since they opened and was very pleased. The food was great and we really enjoyed our lunch. I don't usually orders burgers at restaurants, but specially an Italian one, but the short rib and brisket burger was too tempting to pass up. It was very tasty and the French fries were perfectly cooked into a golden brown. My friend has the papardelle or with beef brisket Ragu and that was delicious too. The smoked rosemary old fashioned hit the spot. Definitely coming here again. read more

Food was great!! Ambiance not so much. It's alongside of a motel on Lincoln. Bright lighting. Service was fast and attentive. Happy hours drinks were very good and reasonable!! read more

We went here out of curiosity and were pleasantly surprised, everything we ordered was delicious and the prices were fair. I would say the ambiance was just ok, but the food makes up for it. I'd love for more folks to come try this place, we want this gem to succeed! read more

I passed by this place for years before the new owners re-launched Cafe Villa. It always seemed like a cool location and a great mid-point to those of us who live between downtown San Rafael and the Northgate mall. When I saw something on NextDoor - we rushed over. The place is sparkling clean and has a wonderful Italian themed menu with handmade pastas (pappardelle is flawless), great happy hour appetizers, and pretty much everything we have had so far has been delicious. The bartenders have been incredible - had the best lemon drop possibly ever, and the bar - adjacent to the dining room - is spacious enough for multiple tables as well as a long bar that is clean and well maintained. So why is this place not packed? Owners please take note: --Your signage is AWFUL. The letters are already fading so it looks low-end and possibly out of business. The Cafe Villa banners are also not eye catching enough for all the street traffic that has probably been driving by for years assuming there was nothing open there anymore. --Your decor is off. The color combinations are odd and don't say Italian or American contemporary- a big tan faux brick wall, old lady blue wallpaper, and a lack of art or plants or anything to warm it up makes the place feel more like a cafeteria than an amazing restaurant serving killer food. --The lighting in the bar (and dining room) is WAY TOO BRIGHT. Not saying you want to make it sleazy, but you actually get blinded by some of the spotlights above the bar. Can you dim them? Or get some warmer lighting and maybe some LED colors or something to make the space more inviting. Right now it feels like a dad renovated his basement into a bar and did it "right" with fresh flooring and wallpaper etc, but the vibe is so sterile, it's hard to imagine making it a weekly hangout. I get not wanting pool tables and making the place a low end biker scene, but a few comfy couches, some plants, and something to kill the acoustic echo would go a long way. --Are you tied to the name? When I hear "Villa" I think Mexican food, not Italian trattoria. Or maybe the bar needs its own name to pop out and draw in that Lincoln traffic. Toscana down the street is packed because they have a thriving happy hour bar area, and you could easily generate the same with the right marketing and word of mouth. Bottom line: Amazing service, great drinks, food is made fresh daily including the pasta, great happy hour menu, and reasonable prices. If they can tweak the look to match what they are delivering - this is a homerun. Marin residents - throw them some business as they get their sea legs. This would be a shame to lose. read more

I've only had lunch at Cafe Villa and was pleasantly impressed with the food, can't wait to try dinner here. Don't let the location attached to a motel dissuade you from trying this gem of a restaurant. read more

The food was delicious, the staff was very nice and thoughtful (giving us extra dishes for dishes we wanted to share), and the overall ambiance was homey. I enjoyed the tomato based pappardelle pasta, and the beef totally absorbed and the flavor from the sauce. The crispy brussel sprouts were also a highlight: not bitter, a little tangy, and crisped to perfection. read more

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The owner/manager was working the bar, and they had a deeply discounted paper plane for the happy hour, and she cranked out 3 drinks at record speed. Then we tried their food and it was fresh and delicious. I recommend avoiding the bar food as a friend said it was meager, however I definitely recommend eating a meal here. read more

I arrived about 7:45 on a Friday night. It wasn't busy. I stood at the front waiting to see if someone would greet me. Nope. So I walked in further and asked out loud do I just sit any where. Somebody said sure. I found my self back by the bar area where I could see the basketball game. When I was given a menu, I asked for a water with lemon no ice. I never got the lemon. The glass was small and I drank it quickly. I ordered the burger with cheese and bacon. It was good, not great. I also ordered a beer with my dinner. I never got the beer. I never got a napkin. I never got a refill on my water. No one asked me how everything was. My bill was $21. Some times you leave a place full or satisfied. I left thirsty, with greasy fingers. read more

My friends and I went here on the first Friday night of March for Happy Hour. It was great service, thank you Drew!, great food, excellent happy hour deals and a fun band. A wonderful hidden gem. I can't wait to go back for dinner in the dining room. A must try for it hits all points! read more

As always, I loved my most recent visit to Cafe Villa. Meet friends there for a small birthday celebration. Laid back vibe, friendly server, and consistently great food. Wish we lived closer. read more

Our first time at Cafe Villa. We had a fabulous meal at a terrific price! Great service. Also check out the Happy Hour, we had a delicious Cosmo! Definitely going back! Larry S. read more

My parents and I came here last week on a Wednesday night for the first time. I've driven by plenty of times, but after my mom found it online, we decided to go for a chill birthday dinner. The restaurant was pretty empty, so it had a nice and quiet ambiance. The server (brandon?) was really friendly and knowledgeable. We ended up getting the chicken Parmigiano, the pappardelle, and the local rock cod dishes as our mains, along with the truffle fries and crispy brussel sprouts. I highly recommend the brussel sprouts and chicken Parmigiano as the Alfredo was so good and light! The staff were also very kind and gave us a pot de creme dessert for my birthday and it was soooo tasty and light! Apparently, the restaurant is much busier on other nights, so they do recommend setting up reservations. They have some good deals earlier in the evening at happy hour, so I will definitely be back with my friends! read more

Cafe Villa - Chicken Parmigiano, local rock cod, and pappardelle - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Fantastic restaurant! The cusine and servce was awesome. It's a great little spot.. Highly recommened. It's our new "Go-To" for dinner. Cafe Villa deserves support from San Rafael diners. read more

Wow has this place changed over the years. I see Shannon Myers for therapy every week in downtown San Rafael and decided to treat myself to a special dinner last week. I saw the reviews for Cafe Villa and decided I should try it. I remember when this place was a dive bar years ago but I have driven by many times since Covid and thought it was still the same. It's not. It's fabulous! Great food and great service! read more