What a cute name in a cute restaurant with amazing authentic Italian cuisine. Everything taste delicious and haven't tried anything. I didn't like. Cozy decor in a great date night location very romantic. read more

3.5 lowkey mid White sauce had no flavor, pizza kinda doughy, mussels fishy. Crème brûlée was stodgy. It eez what it eez read more

Gosh - this place is soooo good. I have lived in pdr for so many years and haven't been here and finally made it. The Chilean seabass was very delicious. The oso buco was imo even better. Hard to choose what to eat but neither of these disappointed at all. Service was great and our waiter was awesome. Can't wait to go back. read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - Osso buco - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My wife and I had dinner here recently for the first time. We have eaten at Playa Provisions (across the street) many times but had not had a chance to try this place until now. And we are glad that we finally did. The interior is warm and cozy and feels like a family restaurant. Service was courteous and professional, although I wouldn't say it was overly friendly. The food was great. For starters, we had a Caprese salad and an order of Rigatoni Gorgonzola. The Rigatoni was superb. The sauce was prepared perfectly with just the right amount of cheesy creaminess without feeling too heavy. For entrees we had the Pollo Carciofini and the Osso Bucco. Both were excellent - nicely seasoned with delicious flavors and generously portioned. Overall we had a very enjoyable meal and we will not hesitate to come back again. Hopefully soon. read more

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We've been here several times and the quality remains high. Recently during the winter holidays, we booked a table for five and everyone enjoyed their dishes, and they were able to make a gluten free pasta (they needed 20 mins. to prepare it). The oreccheitte with mushrooms and Italian sausage was a standout; both veal dishes (scalloppine and picata) were superb. We also had a very good prosciutto and melon appetizer, plus a lovely pear salad. Our server was very attentive and charming. Go if you want a truly authentic Italian dining experience. We enjoyed our meals so much I forgot to add new photos. read more

I had dinner here earlier this week for a special occasion and really enjoyed this spot. The location is very good, footsteps away from the beach. Our reservation was just after sunset, we arrived early and walked on the beach before the walk across the street to this location. Parking was very easy as there's lots of street spot next to the lagoon. The restaurant is very cozy, with lots of Italian style and nice warm lighting. It is split between indoor and outdoor seating, both of which were great options. We sat outdoors with lots of greenery around weaved with warm ambient lighting. Our server was great, we were seated right away and our our orders were taken the second we had chosen what we wanted. Additional servers come by to refill water frequently and keep a clean table removing any finished plates. The most important part, the food was very good. As we were seated we were greeted by a complimentary basket of nice warm bread. We ordered penne vodka and a side of chicken milanese, both of which I enjoyed. The potion of pasta was a good size, with a nice sauce and perfectly cooked penne. It was large enough to split, but I could likely eat the full portion on an empty stomach. The chicken was very thin and crispy, with a nice flavor. It came with a side of veggies that were full of flavor. I enjoyed Caffe Pinguini for this occasion, the mix of the location, the ambience, and the food made for a very enjoyable night. Hope to visit again! read more

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We had dinner at Pinguini last night with another couple. We started off on the lovely patio with wine and Arnold Palmers. (Only beer and wine are served here). Our server was very nice and apologized for the pretty slow service throughout the dinner. Warm bread kept us company as we waited for our soups and salads. We had the Caesar Salad topped with homemade croutons that tasted more like boxed than homemade. I wasn't impressed. Dressing was just okay, lots of lettuce, not a lot of flavor. We aslo had the Zuppa Di Vegetali- basically Minestrone, which my husband liked. For mains we had Linguine Mare-with clams, shrimp, mussels, calamari, garlic, and parsley in a white wine sauce. The bite I tasted was pretty bland but my husband enjoyed it. Our friend had the same dish. I had the Chicken Milanese which was very small and pretty dry even when served with a side of piccatta sauce. Our fourth diner had the Piccata Al Limone Pollo-medallions of chicken sauteed with white wine, lemon, capers, and butter. We waited so long for our food that while I was looking at the dessert menu, my husband said he paid the bill! So no dessert for me-I guess everyone just wanted to get out of there because we were all tired of sitting! read more

So good! Very nice steak and pasta. Love the ambiance and atmosphere, and great service. read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - Penne Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Caffe Pinguini is the perfect neighborhood restaurant. The food is authentic and delicious, the staff is warm and welcoming. Dogs are welcome on the patio! What a great experience. read more

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to celebrate a special event, came to this cute little corner italian spot in playa vista. the ambiance was so quaint and cozy. old world feel with stucco on the walls, an outdoor patio with walls of plants and plenty of heaters, and glass doors with a open concept combining the indoor dining room. heaters were not too necessary, it's just starting to warm up on the southern california coast making it a really perfect night. we first were given some really soft bread and evoo and balsamic to dip it in. ordered penne vodka and that was pretty good. had a nice flavor but the sauce was a bit too thin in my opinion, with too sharp of a tang. i make this all the time at home and am italian american so i'm quite picky, but it was cooked perfectly al dente. maybe i would come back and try the orichette next time, which sounded really good as it was cooked with mushrooms and sausage. on the side we shared a chicken milanese which was breaded perfectly and served with a lemon and some veggies. it was soooo thin, cooked well, but a bit too thin making it a bit dry. the service was very friendly and fast. i like the waiter we had, he was chill and sociable. they poured our waters all the time so we never went thirsty. i'd love to come back here and try more stuff, it's a cute lil spot just steps from toes beach, with ample parking next to the lagoon! read more

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Such a delicious meal with the boyfriends fam. The inside is so cute (love the little penguin decorations so thematic). The servers knew the family well and were incredibly charismatic and attentive. I don't think my water cup was even close to empty the entire time. And the pasta I got, rigatoni with pancetta and onion, was absolutely incredible. As well as the burrata special. I would love to come back here. read more

So wonderful to find a spot close to home with great service, ambiance and well prepared food. Been here a few times ordering the same things: their linguini mare and their bolognaise are both home runs in flavor and portions are big enough for leftovers (at least for me). Ordered a few specials of the night and while the huge veal chop was incredibly tender and perfectly cooked, their spicy shrimp pasta was the only time I was disappointed with anything at this place. The shrimp were overcooked, and it was not spicy at all until I added some red chili flakes. Servers were all charming and efficient, and they will help you choose if you feel overwhelmed by their extensive menu. Their freshly baked bread is addictive and they have nice wines by the glass and bottle at very reasonable prices. Their valet is also incredibly affordable and very fast. read more

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Great food and service! Had a great dinner with my wife one day and on another day had a great lunch with friends.

I've seen this restaurant for YEARS as I quickly drive by. My friend took me for my birthday and I AM SO HAPPY SHE DID!!!!! First of all, the service is absolutely wonderful. Even the valet guy was very nice. THE BREAD - best bread I've had and I eat out quite often. It's really delicious!!! Caprese Salad - I know this is served at most Italian restaurants, but I found it particularly tasty here. The buffalo mozzarella was fresh and creamy. Fettucine Contadina - I decided to order something I normally would not order, but this was really very delicious!!! I'm happy I stepped out of my comfort zone! I look forward to returning some time soon! read more

We love Pinguini! Whether coming here for a date night or with other couples, the food and atmosphere hits every single time. First off, the table bread is spectacular. Always save some to soak up the sauce from the pasta. We always get the burrata and prosciutto - it's a must - and then go back and forth between land and sea with the steak or the sea bass. Pasta is always tremendous, whether we get a red, white, or pesto sauce. And best of all, we've always had tremendous service with many native Italians! This is certainly a hidden gem in PDR! read more

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Caffe Pinguini review The good: The vibe was great -- a bit loud, but lively and fun. The food smelled amazing when we walked in, and the maitre'd/owner personally came by our table. He was kind, welcoming, and even brought out a carrot for our pup, which was a really nice touch. Service started off strong too -- we were quickly offered water and drinks. Our appetizers were fine, nothing memorable but decent. The bad: Unfortunately, the experience fell apart after that. We were essentially forgotten. New tables came in, got their food, ate, and were ready to leave while we were still waiting -- over an hour and a half later. We had to finally speak up, and five minutes later our food arrived: cold pasta and undercooked, doughy pizza. What made it worse was the lack of acknowledgment. Our server didn't apologize, brushed it off as just being a "busy night," and thought a single piece of dessert for four people would make up for it. It didn't. To top it off, one of my friends' leftovers weren't even packed correctly. Overall: The energy and friendliness at the start were promising, but the execution was very disappointing. With such long waits, cold food, and poor handling of the situation, I can read more

Salty! Salty! Salty!!!! We were excited to find an Italian restaurant that's authentic with great reviews. It's a neighborhood restaurant in PDR closed to the beach. We ordered the specials of osso buco, the veal shank and split a pasta. The pasta came early since they made it fresh and was quite good. After that our experience went downhill. We got a huge dose of salt in every bite of the specials. We washed it down with two glasses of Brunellp that didn't seem to drown the salty dishes but made it taste even saltier. What a disappointment!! I would give it another try just to have the homemade pastas. They all looked good. Just don't order the specials. I think the chef is a salt addict and the clients that goes there with amazing reviews love salty food. It didn't sit well with my stomach and this morning I need a cleansing to flush out the salt. read more

Caffe Pinguini is a authertic Italian restaurant that is location in Playa del Rey at the beach, there is valet parking here, or if you are very lucky ther is also parking on the street. Tony the owner came out here from Rome Italy started Caffe Pinguini restaurant in 1997 there in one in Manhatten Beach aslo Veuice Beach. Tony along with his wife was the host, who greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile, we opted and sat in the cozy and dark patio across from us was Kirk Rambis Los Angeles Lakers basketball player / coach. We had the bread which "ooh la la la" the simple caesar salad was mouthwatering delicious the best I ever had, the special was the sea bass was cook perfectly and lastly the pistashio cheesecake was definitely a winner. All of the staff and cooks came from Italy read more

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Calm ambiance, wait staff were super friendly and helpful. The wine and food was really lovely.. and such a nice night out. Recommended!! read more

Let me start off with shout out to Nacho and Franco, busboy and server. First off I brought a friend here , yesterday, who's extremely picky. He enjoyed everything and pointed out that there's nothing better than great service, which these guys give.They're hysterically intelligent, and they add good sense of humor into the course. The food is GreatI would have taken a picture, but I ate it all. I enjoyed myself here so much that i've been here two days in a row for lunch and think this is my new spot. read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - I asked for a really plain little something on the side and brought what my brain literally was thinking too telepathy, was used here - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The service was outstanding and the food superb! The ambiance was very cozy in the outdoor patio and although it was a chilly night the heaters made up for it. Will definitely be back. read more

Our long time friends were drawn to Caffe Penguini based on multiple reportedly positive reviews, and an extensive menu. They made a Valentine's Day reservation for themselves and invited us and another long-time couple to join for dinner. Needless to say, our experience was perhaps one of the worst dining experiences we've had in our world travels. First: The normally extensive menu was replaced with a limited menu of few selections, with a "no sharing" warning and a $50 minimum per guest (this on top of the $45 corkage fee which I have not even encountered in most high end Beverly Hills restaurants). Second: the waiter was either too rushed or indifferent to not only taking our orders but returning to check on our dinners. A simple order of sparkling water for my wife took half an hour. The rushed waiter refilled water glasses and gave my wife a shower of cold water. I had to call on the wait staff to attend to a watery if not dangerously slippery floor. The food once arrived was mediocre. My wife's NY steak was grisly and accompanied by cold mashed potatoes and vegetables, as was our host's dish. The waiter's indifferent remedy was to bring a dish of warmer potato and vegetables, to be shared between them. My pasta with lobster dish was obviously from a frozen lobster tail that had sat under the warmer for too long. The pasta was soggy and tasteless. The restaurant was noisy to the point that conversation was almost impossible. The restaurant has two small bathrooms which could hardly accommodate a crowd of this size. Were we dining alone I would have confronted the manager with a demand for a reduction if not a write off of this terrible experience, but we decided not to make a scene and embarrass our hosts. i sent this first to the restaurant's management to give them an opportunity to respond. They did not, which says everything one needs to know about their attitude towards customers. read more

I really hate writing these things but I feel compelled to tell about my experience. I had read such great things about Caffe Pinguini that I was super excited to go. The place is beautiful but my meal was sub-par. They advertise that they make their own pasta. the pasta I had definitely came from a box. There was nothing homemade or fresh about it and the sauce tasted like it could have come from a jar. Very disappointing, read more

A treasured Italian restaurant by the sunset, with fresh seafood, chewy handmade noodles, generous portions and high cost-effectiveness, and a full atmosphere! read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great Italian food very authentic nice atmosphere they have Valley parking and there's parking around the area. The desserts are absolutely great. I like the tiramisu. The pizza was very good. You're gonna love it. read more

A hidden gem for sure. If you were driving by, you'd probably miss it. There's a patio and indoor dining area. Each time I've been here I've always chosen the patio. It's super cozy and all the staff are amazing. My favorite thing on the menu by far is the insalata di mare. The seafood is extremely fresh and it's lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil. The seafood pasta is also really good. Overall, portions are pretty big--nice to share a few times. They serve fresh sourdough bread as soon as you're seated and it's so warm and fresh. My new favorite italian spot ! read more

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Had a lovely time here. For the mid-range price, it was so so good. I've been to caffe Pinguini several times and always get some kind of seafood in a spicy red sauce pasta dish. This time, it was a special shrimp one. Also loved the dessert: sea salt caramel scoop and tiramisu. Get them both, it's worth it! Tbh next time I'd skip the pizza. It wasn't anything special and I've never been to Italy but it looked less like pizza at other Italian restaurants. Why not knock off a star? Well, it's just a lovely place and the other food, service, and vibes really make up for the miss here! read more

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The food was first class and so was the service. I was totally surprised and impressed! The ambiance is a seaside bistro, relaxing and quiet. I look forward to returning. read more

Great italian food, nice service. We had the shrimp scampi and the chicken scaloppini and both were excellent. The shrimp were huge! The wine was nice and the vibe was cool, the service impeccable. The place is dog-friendly as well. The only negative is that parking is tight, we thought we saw a valet sign, but no one was there, but we eventiually found a space a few blocks away. Perfectly safe neighborhood to walk in, so it was fine. Highly recommend, but get reservations! read more

Very cute restaurant which somehow balances the beachy, seaside cafe vibes with the moody, authentic Italian restaurant really well. The service was also impeccable, they were prompt, friendly and helpful. It's a great little local restaurant. The food was all good, but kind of par for the course with all the good Italian you can get in California. We got some seared salmon and shrimp scampi with spaghetti and from that experience I would say stick to the pasta. The salmon was pretty lack luster but the pasta was The only thing... the prices were exorbitant. An appetizer, two entrees and one glass of wine cost over $200 with tip. The portions were great but this still seems insane to me. Maybe I'm just not used to prices in SoCal?Either way, if your wallet is feeling a bit heavy, you can go here to lighten the load read more

Tastes like frozen cafeteria food. Be gone here twice in the last 25 years. Every time I come here it's disapppointing. Tastes like a wet sponge. I'm sick of this place read more

Pasta was really made made, the sauce was one of the best, very well balanced with the right level of salt and spice. They made it all vegan for me with no hassle at all. The bread were really good, and vegan too; and the people/service was great really pleasant. read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - Penne Arrabbiata Dinner - made vegan. Amazing flavor. And very generous quantity - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The ambiance was great. It felt so cozy and elegant at the same. The food is delicious and I loved the affogato! Waiters are so friendly and smiling. They have a wide variety of wine. The bread was toasted to perfection. Overall the experience was deliziosa! 10/10 read more

This seems to be a quite popular place! It was packed last weekend when we went to celebrate Father's Day on a Saturday night. The pasta was great, the branzino, not as much. But overall, the food is pretty good and we plan to return. The parking is awful though, so you have to valet. Just keep that in mind. read more

One cannot say enough! Great authentic Italian extensive bill of fair. Amazing staff, Ignacio & Jean Franko are Top Notch. Their Chef Gerardo of decades is consistently Brilliant. Owner Tony rounds out dedication to fine restaurantourship. The seaside Italian Villa like atmosphere is hard to beat. Plus if their is something you don't see on their well rounded menu , just ask, often you'll be accommodated. Need we say more. It's BOBBY & Moni's European favorite venue, and right in our back yard. Not going to suggest particular menu items, as we've never had a dish that wasn't DELICIOSO. GRAZZI PINGUINI read more

Service was excellent Food was pretty good and could tell the owner and staff take pride in their food and service would definitely go back Wish there was more street parking read more

It's been a while since I've been there but an opportunity came up to go and meet my sister in law and partner for dinner with my wife. Still seems like a hangout for locals. Beer and wine only, which was fine as many were available. Staff was friendly, knowledgeable with an Italian flair. Couldn't decide on a flute de mare for a osso buuco and got to try both ! Other items were a Burrata appetizer and a calamari frito. Unfortunately no room for a tiramisu. Highly recommend restaurant ! read more

this is the first Café and I don't know what took me so long, but the cuisine was spectacular. Start off with the salad with cheese, tomatoes, and was a nice way to start. The grilled fish was fantastic as was the mixed shellfish pasta. The service was very good and it was great to dine in such a nice place that is very casual with their dress code right near the beach. read more

Che bel posto! This charming little gem hidden away at the end of Culver Blvd takes me back to the cafes in beautiful Rome and other Italian locales. It's a pleasure to sit in the lovely outdoor patio, even though you're steps away from busy Vista del Mar. The inside seating is serene. The Italian owner came out to greet us, and everyone was so friendly. We had burrata salad to start ( how can you go wrong?) And then Fettuccine Contadina ($21.50) - peas mushrooms and ham sauce, and Penne alla Vodka ($18.50), quill-tip pasta with a creamy tomato sauce and just a touch of vodka. Everything was yummy and we enjoyed our lunch, accompanied by Dean Martin playing over the audio. I had never been to this place and it will now become one of my go-to places for casual Italian. read more

Caffe Pinguini Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came for the vibes, stayed for the food!! The place is super elegant and romantic, great date spot! The food and wine were incredible. Nacho was our server and he was funny, engaging, and incredible overall! Highly recommend to check out if you're in the area. read more