Such a HUGE disappointment. I was a regular before the pandemic and always loved the spot. Tonight I had a friend visiting from out of town, and I told him I will take him to the best Italian in town. When I made a reservation on the open table, I saw many very poor reviews, but I chose to ignore them - thinking NA this can't be true - that place was so good whenever I go there, it can not go downhill THAT much... well. Downhill it did. I had the worst experience I ever had in a restaurant in my entire life. It started with me walking in and the manager named Frank scalding me for "double booking the place" , when in reality my friend called them at 5 pm and asked to merge my reservation and his into one for the night we were coming in and they promised to do it ( we both booked the table by mitake) . I told Frank I do not want any drama and just want to have dinner in peace and asked to be seated. In 1.45 h they brought us a check. My friend when to pay the parking meter and asked me to order more wine for us. When I asked for one more glass, our waiter Abraham told me we have to leave ( even though our bill was over $ 500 and we wanted just one more glass of very overpriced wine) , and if I do not leave at once, Abraham told me he will call Frank to get us out of the restaurant. Apparently, according to Abraham, we were supposed to finish our very overpriced dinner in 1.45 h and since we were there longer, we had to get out. I said I did not appreciate his rudeness, and he called Frank on me. This all happened while my male friend was away, and Abraham and Frank both bullied me and told me we had to leave and leave at once. it was the most hostile and rude restaurant experience I had in my entire life. Trust me food there is not worth being kicked out after leaving over $500 for dinner for 2). The owner of the place, Bruce Marder, should be very concerned with the way his people treat his customers. We will NEVER be back. Oh and the 20 % tip included into the bill, so Abraham the waiter could afford being an Asshole, capital A, since we had to tip him anyway for being a bully and a jerk. unreal. the worst. Go to the coast in casa del mar to be treated like a human. read more

The raviolli corn is a mustt! Their short rib is underrated as for desserts if you want something light i'd get the souffle. A heavier option is the molten lava read more

I only had breakfast here but it was amazing. The wait staff was great and even though it's basically a tent, the ambiance was great. Will be my go to in the morning for sure when I'm in Santa Monica. Need to try some other meals too read more

I've been to enough 2 and 3 Star Michelin to say with a layman level of confidence that Capo is consistently on par if not bye with those experiences. Finally made it to the Oso Bucco last nt and of course amongst the best I can remember having. Their off menu Grilled Spiny Tale Lobster has to be one of the best shellfish preparations I've had. Charred but ridiculously tender. Yes Capo is crazy expensive but you never feel cheated on such a superlative food and service ezperience read more

Capo - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Holy smokes! One of the best Italian meals I have had in a long time! I wanted to take a star away for how expensive it is but oh well- you pay for quality and it's a special treat worth the splurge. Shared the prosciutto de Parma with burrata- out of this world! Burrata melted in my mouth and the prosciutto was delicate and complimented the cheese perfectly. The octopus starter is braised for days and not chewy like most- it's smooth... Probably the best octopus I've ever had. Don't fill up on the bread in the beginning - not worth it!!! Too many other amazing things to savor to waste space. The rigatoni with truffle meat sauce is perfectly al dente and rich - but in a divine way! The corn ravioli with white truffles blows your mind but it's sweet so a nice finale. We also ordered a Dover sole for the table- too much food but the fish was perfect as well! Ordered with spinach and was so fresh and flavorful. Great if opting for healthy alternative to the pastas. Nothing but great things to say about this place! Service was so charming and food award winning. I just need to sell a lot more homes to afford eating here again! read more

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The food was very good and we knew it would be expensive, so no issues there. Our reservation was for 8:15 last Sat night. We did not get seated until 8:45. With this restaurant having strict rules that say, party of 2 has xyz time frame to complete dinner and a party of 4 has xyz timeframe, why didn't we get seated closer to 8:15? The host offered our party of four free cocktails, which was nice. But when the bill arrived at the end of our dinner, the four drinks were on the bill. We told the waiter and he said he'd speak to the host. We didn't see anyone again for 15 minutes. I finally flagged another waiter and asked him to get our server. Another five minutes rolled on and the host came to our table with the revised bill. No apologies or anything. Consumers shouldn't have to endure this crap especially when spending north of $750. Proof of Covid was never asked of us (which clearly states in their site that they will check). We are all vaccinated, but what about others who might not be? Also, in a high level restaurant wouldn't you think they would offer a wine list? We had to ask the server for the list. This server needs training, again....especially at a very high end LA restaurant. Bright lights from their valet parked cars constantly glared in our eyes. It obvious we were brought to a somewhat undesirable table. Good quality is very important, but so is ambiance and service. Won't go back there again. By the way, never did see the waiter again. read more

We went there on my birthday. It's an Italian restaurant, but they do have soufflé. We got both cream and chocolate. Miss this place a lot. read more

Capo - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

So was in Santa Monica for a few nights and decided to look for a good restaurant to check out. This joint is not too far from the Sheraton and seeing as how I did not feel like driving far and being able to enjoy some vino, I decided to go with this spot. This joint is located on Ocean Avenue and right near a busy intersection and seeing all the reviews for this place I expected a very large entrance and ostentatious display. I literally approached the building and had to look around for a sign because it is very subtle. Once you step inside, there are curtains that open up to reveal the main dining room. This joint has a nice cozy feel to it and definitely nice for a romantic evening I would imagine. The décor is a bit interesting as there are some interesting statues that do not seem to match the idea of a romantic dinner but I will let you guys decide when you see it. The servers are very attentive. We ordered a bottle of vino and after tasting it a bit we realized that we did not want to continue consuming the vino. They were kind enough to take it away and replace it with another vino of our choosing with no complaints. We went with a burata appetizer and the rigatoni with truffle meat sauce as well as the white corn ravioli with black truffles. All of the food was very good and I especially enjoyed the rigatoni with truffle meat sauce. The white corn ravioli was great as well but I could see how it would become a bit bland if I tried to eat the whole item. The burata black truffle bruschetta (yes I know, overkill on the truffle) was fantastic as well. This place was a really solid restaurant for food and I enjoyed every component of the meal. The only reason I could not give it a 5 was that although everything was good, I did not feel it was mind blowing. I know that's a very slight nuance and picky but especially given the price tag as well I think I had higher expectations. With that said, this place is a solid joint and definitely a spot I would recommend to get your Italian food carving on. Definitely would not mind checking this place out again in the future. read more

Capo - So good - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Arguably the most expensive restaurant in Los Angeles, one might not complain if the food was a terrific experience: it was ok at best, nothing more. A bill of almost $400 for 2 (one martini): a bland mushroom soup ($25) that we doctored with salt and pepper: a corn pasta dish with barely a taste (or sighting) of corn: a pretty but tasteless chocolate souffle (how can chocolate be so boring???); osso buco ($69) was pretty good but just that. The staff was cordial and attentive, but we were wondering what they think about us, people like us, who can pay that much money for a meal that falls short: maybe they don't think it does. read more

A quaint little hidden gem right off Ocean in Santa Monica. Order pasta as a main (I always do this at restaurants where they make their own noodles!) and make it the Rigatoni with Truffles! Incredible every time. My husband always orders the bone-in filet because it is so flavorful & amazingly tender. Tip- you have to order your entire menu at once which many people do not know. So take a peek at Yelp reviews, or just ask your waiter to surprise you with a menu. Capo is very generous with meat servings and while pasta plates may look small, they are rich and filling! Do NOT skip dessert. Everyone always has room for dessert. Order the berry cobbler. read more

Capo - Dreaming of rigatoni with truffles. Peeking through the front door. Hardly any signage for Capo. - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

What a disappointment! Very overpriced, mediocre food. My pasta dish was over cooked and gummy. Other entrees were blah. The music in the restaurant was inappropriate for a fine dining restaurant. And it was so loud we couldn't have a conversation at the table without shouting. Unpleasant dining experience for all in my party. Will not be returning or recommending to others. read more

What a find! Every meal was outstanding. We all decided to order different meals so we could taste as much as possible. WOW. The service the food and the atmosphere in the middle of all the BS was stellar. read more

The best Italian in the city, it is worth every penny. The rigatoni truffle Ragu was next level. Definitely on par with some places in Italy, I'd go back in a heartbeat read more

Terrible! How does this place get 4 and 5 stars reviews? Does anybody know what a real Italian food is? This is a far cry from it. Bad service, rude manager and even worst food. Over salted octopus and no flavor pasta. When pasta cost this much, I would hope to get something that has some taste. I was exited to try this place because of the reviews. However, it felt short. When I had an issue with my food the manager was extremely rude and defended the restaurant on Saturday evening. This place is so not worth it, take a look in the kitchen when you walk to the bathroom. A small tiny kitchen with no Italian in sight. Please save your self the trip, go eat at Madeo ( much better) read more

Very cool spot. Service is great, ambiance is in the air and valet was up front. Food was good, not great. For the price, Id expect top of the class. The calamari was not breaded, but it was large grilled pieces. Most were undercooked on the inside. Meatballs were delicious. Tomato soup was OK. Pasta with tomato and olives was Ok as well. Chicken parm style dish was amazing. I do agree with the other previous review, however, and will go to Madeo instead next time. I asked the server what part of Italy the chef style is and he said "all over". I'm not sure if he knew what he was talking about. Apple dessert was delicious as well. read more

Husband and I got food poisoning here one time but other than that, have always had a great time. Lol, this is not a joke, I actually love it here and yes, we did get food poisoning once. Service is great, food is yummy. read more

The good: food is delicious and wine list is extensive Not good: prices are not reasonable, if you're into food, there are much better places for the money spent. I spent 345 for a good dinner here and a half bottle of nice wine. However I could have taken that 345 and spent it on an amazing dinner and a full bottle of wine somewhere else. Not coming back.... read more

Came here for a work holiday dinner and it was fantastic. The menu looks small but it's mighty. There were so many options! I ordered the duck entree and was VERY pleased with how it turned out. The wine and champagne were also excellent. The wait staff was very attentive and made sure no one had an empty glass throughout the night. Five stars for the team at Capo! read more

I've been here many times and will continue to come back every time I'm in LA. Sure it's expensive but worth every penny. The Corn and Truffle Ravioli is a must, as is the Caesar Salad. The Steaks are beautiful (likely worth sharing) and the service is subtle and unassailable. read more

Our hotel called last minute and we were delighted to be accommodated at such short notice. Delicious food and an impressive wine list. The service was fantastic from start to finish. What a lovely experience. Thank you! read more

We went to Cabo to celebrate our engagement, and it was the perfect dimly lit romantic environment! The customer service was definitely a five out of five - the waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and was willing to modify specific menu items based on our dietary restrictions. He was so friendly and brought us complementary cookies at the end of our meal because he knew this was a celebration for us. We also ordered the Tiramisu Sue which had "happy anniversary" written in chocolate for us. The tiramisu($15) it's self was odd - the flavor was there and you could taste the real liquor in it, but the texture was almost soupy instead of light and fluffy which is a matter of preference. The food items we ordered were the sweet corn ravioli with Truffles and butter sauce ($34) and the roasted chicken with truffles ($64). The sweet corn ravioli had a melted butter sauce with shaved truffle mushrooms, the overall taste of the dish was on the sweet side. But the waiter had warned me about that before hand which I appreciated. I am not a big fan of butter and that sauce was 100% butter. I thought there would be some spices or herbs or garlic, but there really wasn't much except for butter. And for those who don't like sweet tasting dishes, stay away from this dish. The roasted chicken was amazing it was perfectly juicy and so well done that I've never had a piece of chicken that perfect before.it came with vegetables and mashed potatoes which are just so perfectly cooked that they complemented the entire meal well. It also had nice slices of black truffle in it so you could taste the truffle if you wanted to.the start of the menu began with a fresh bread basket which had very unique types of bread like all olive bread and Italian bread with delicious olive oil and house made hummus.overall it was a great dining experience to celebrate a special classism .but it is expensive! They can add shave truffles to any dish for $15 as well so they're very flexible to what you want! And all the food is made fresh in the house the minute you order it which is why I can take 20 to 30 minutes to come out. Would recommend! read more

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We went here as a last minute booking on our anniversary. We were seated on their patio, Ambiance wasn't very nice with loud rock music playing on the patio, I remember laughing saying how inappropriate the music choice was for a romantic dinner! When we sat down and I opened the menu, I just couldn't get past how ridiculously expensive it was, I would have left but they had taken our CC to secure the booking. We decided, if the sea bass is $83 and a pasta is 40 it must be really amazing, right? Sadly, no, we were so disappointed, the food was average, overly hot arribiata sauce on the octopus starter, and stayed with me throughout the meal, gritty morel mushrooms in the fettuccine, my sea bass was tasty and well cooked but my husband's was over charred and tasted burnt, the vegetable side was over cooked and insipid in color. The only good thing was my glass of gavi di gavi and my husband's borolo, but at 36/40 a glass, I would hope so! We opted to duck out of the tiramisu and they gave us a plate of complimentary cookies which tasted like they had come from Costco. So sad, kinda ruined our night, especially when we got the bill of over $500! I will not be going back, so many better and less expensive options to choose from in LA. read more

Selected this restaurant for a big work celebration and just say at best it was average! For appetizers we ordered a variety of dishes: Octopus, Caesar Salad, gnocchi with truffles, stuffed ravioli with black truffles and they were all good. Of the group I would say the Octopus was the best! It was tender and had excellent flavor. For the main course we ordered: Kansas City Bone-In NY Strip (3), Lamb Shank, Cacio Peppe Pasta and a Vegetarian fish. The pasta was good, a bit dry compared to other fine Italian restaurants, the Bone-In was too fatty and NOT worth it. 3 bottles of wine and a few "special deserts" and it was $1,500 and not worth it. Final piece of advice to management: DONT PLAY SOUTHERN CLASSIC ROCK!!! read more

I was super excited to try Capo. For all the years I've lived here, I've never been, and with good reason--a meal here pretty much requires a second mortgage. But when someone wanted to treat for a meal here, I couldn't resist. First of all, the ambiance is more casual than I expected, and it's very noisy. I didn't mind--it's well lit and comfortable--but just surprising. The service is five stars--absolutely excellent. In fact, I would have been thrilled if our servers (we wound up having two, because one's shift ended as we were contemplating dessert) sat down and joined us, they were so cool and so much fun. The wine is insanely expensive. I don't know what the corkage fee is, but we started with our own bottle of Opus One. Then, we ordered a pretty decent bottle of Napa Nook cab that was $175. Ridiculous. The bread to start was delicious. Our waiter told us that soon they'd be opening a place on Pico where we can buy it. But it was seriously phenomenal. I wish I'd eaten more. Then we had the grilled Caesar salad. This was maybe my favorite part of the meal. I loved it!! For the next course we had pastas, which were also excellent. We shared the truffle bolognese and the sweet corn ravioli. I slightly preferred the sweet corn. But the portions were so small for the price! I think they were like $38 a piece. And then for the main course, we shared the lamb chops and some roasted veggies. The veggies were good. We didn't really like the lamb chops. There were 3. I think these little tiny lamb chops were maybe like $78 or something like that. We didn't eat the third one and gave it to the Lyft driver on the way home. Despite the small portions, we were pretty full by the time dessert rolled around (maybe from also having two bottles of wine!!), so we only took a few bites of the chocolate cake. It was okay. They also brought a plate of complimentary chocolates and cookies, which were okay, but nothing too exciting. Obviously, I didn't see the final bill, but I can only imagine... It was fun to try once, but don't need to do that again... read more

Best service at the bar tonight, excellent food - the bar is for full dining and reserved very small, I much prefer it to the table dining because this is a tiny place it gets very loud when full of guests but the bar is very intimate and you can sit very close to your partner conversing is easy. Bar tender extremely attentive to both food and drink. We have been eating here for years, always reliable for a wonderful date or celebration. The staff is very happy and it is a pleasure to be hosted by them. read more

We were excited to have dinner at Capo as we heard many good things about the place. What can I say, foie gras appetizer was good but tiny, cioppino soup was very mediocre and pasta with calamari and uni was plain bad. I have to say that not only pasta was barely eatable, it looked horrible. We also ordered branzino, which was average at best. The only interesting dish was Caesar salad. Thank good we brought our wine, because even without alcohol the bill was $630. Very disappointing. Messed up our evening. So many other places we could've gone.... not gonna make the same mistake again. Audio per sempre Capo read more

Excellent food, excellent service, excellent ambience, they are very attentive! Excellent wine list. However if you are into cocktail they have an excellent barman! The manager he's very efficient and accommodating! I would recommend this place for special occasion or every day dining... read more

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I have been to over 40 restaurants over the last year all across LA. From Providence to Morton's, etc. I know high-end dinning very well. The only reason I went to CAPO was because it was the only highly rated restaurant in Santa Monica I had not yet gone to. SUMMARY: Capo is not worth the price compared to what you get. Location/Setting: Very small restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. No booths available. Service: For some reason our server forgot about us. So after waiting about ten minutes we had to flag down the waitress--no problem but for the price you are paying you expect perfection. Other than that, the service was fine. What I Get: Me and my girlfriend (who is a foodie) both got the chef's pre-set sample menu. I think it was 7-8 small dishes (mirco size). Anything memorable? No, except for the charred ceasar salad which was served warm. Surprisingly good. The portions were very small and it was one of those times where you still feel hungry after completing your meal. Price: ARM, LEG, BOTH. Egregious. For two people the total was $323. This includes two cocktails. I would rather go somewhere else for this kind of money--Morton's, Maestro's, etc. At least I would feel like I had a substantial meal! Valet: Of course CAPO is there to scam you for 8.50 for valet service. This is a must considering the parking situation in Santa Monica Will I ever come back: NO NO NO. Too many other fine dinning establishments in LA, especially for Italian food. There is no particular reason to go to CAPO. The food is at best average with nose bleed prices. Don't believe the stupid trendies who tell you CAPO is elite and delivers exceptional Italian food. In the end I felt financially raped. read more

Went here for my anniversary with my fiancée: she loved it and I hated it. I think I can now understand why this restaurant is so polarizing. We both started with the misto salads and both agreed the ingredients were fresh and the carrots exceptional. The main courses were lobster risotto for her and the filet mignon for me. She loved the risotto. I had one bite and thought it was tasty. Before I could have a second, she had cleaned her entire plate and said one of her best meals ever. I asked for a medium well filet and it came back burnt. The waitress asked me if I wanted them to change it and I said yes. It came back with the majority of the charred portions cut off. First time I have never finished a steak anywhere- not even half; I was disgusted. Dessert was a chocolate soufflé. Average at best and disappointing to my fiancée who loves chocolate. Service was inauthentic. Every recommendation just matched a higher price item and there was little consideration for honesty. I understand people need to feed their families but a little honesty goes along way in my book. Finally ambiance was definitely a hit. Open fire pit wins many points. Net net: $100/person, my fiancée loved her main course and I am starving and about to go get some Trader Joe's potstickers to drown my sorrows with. read more

One of the noisiest places I've ever tried to have a conversation in!!! The food was adequate but massively overpriced and very small portions, I was not impressed by this place at all I will never return. My date suggested this place and for a first date to cost $350 where are you were not able to speak to one another, I would never recommend it. read more

Amazing! We were lucky enough to have one of our suppliers bring us to dinner here. I would have never known about this place otherwise. It's on Ocean Avenue, just a block away from the beach. There is no sign on the building.. the only way we knew was the sign on the valet.. so we passed the place a couple times before actually seeing it. Valet is $10. The restaurant itself is very small, but very rustic and homey. There is a fire wood oven in the corner. The kitchen and dining room is separated with a window so you can see through the kitchen. The waiter was really nice and pretty much recommended the whole menu. lol We had to order everything when we ordered the appetizer cause he said some things take a long time.. we even ordered the dessert when we ordered the appetizer. Pasta with Truffle: You can buy a truffle piece and have them shave it over your entree or something, but they gave us a little plate of pasta with the truffle shavings on top. It was so good. The pasta was a very simple butter and garlic, but that truffle though.. Grilled Caesar Salad: This sounded intriguing, so I decided to try it. It was romaine hearts grilled, topped with dressing and cheese. The dressing was really good. I think it had horseradish in it cause it had a little bit of a kick to it. Petite Filet Mignon (16oz bone-in): Not really petite.. but this is the smallest cut they have on the menu. Soooo delicious. It was cooked in the fire wood oven. It came with some veggies/beans and one onion ring. The only thing I would complain about was that I requested medium rare, but it came medium well. We shared a variety of desserts so I was able to try a little bit of everything. Best dessert of the night was the Blackberry Crisp. It's like a black berry pie, with just the crust sprinkled on top. So good. It had the right amount of sweet. The volcano cake was pretty good as well. Super chocolate-ty. The whipped cream on the desserts balanced the sweetness because it wasn't sweet at all. Also ordered two bottles of wine, but I have no clue what he ordered. It was delicious though! Sorry I didn't get any pictures..I didn't want to be rude to the suppliers LOL. Definitely want to try the white corn ravioli the next time I come here. TAKEAWAYS +If you can't find it, look closer. +Make reservations +Blackberry Crisp read more

From Orange County, had to pick my husband from LAX, instead of sit in traffic decided to take him to Capo. Now, My Greek Italian Husband swears no one can cook Lamb chops the correct way, they only do it right in Greece, there either to dry, too tough, flavor to strong therefore not marinated enough etc etc etc . BUT when I took him to "Capo"? And he ordered the lamb I got nervous, but He said "finally someone got it right, Yes Capo does lamb chops the correct way", whew ! I've been trying to find a place for years to satisfy his picky taste. He also is a huge wine connoisseur, so he took his time reading the extensive wine list, he was impressed. Only "The Winery in Newport Beach" has as many wines as Capo. Capo It's such a cute little place, totally packed with a line by 8:00 so go early or reserve with time. We got in a 6:00 when it opened but had a reservation days in advance. Oh and everything was excellent!! read more

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It was my first time at Capo and it's probably my last. Capo is another Westside restaurant that doesn't deliver food & atmosphere to match the price. I should have trusted the 2 & 3 star reviews. The atmosphere is chaotic. - to enter, you fight through a heavy velvet curtain. Clean? - inside, the first impression is solid: high ceiling with exposed wood, the noise-level wasn't too loud. - art is a strange collection that includes kitschy. - power outlets are visible around the outer wall of the main room about 4 feet above the floor, spaced approximately every 2 feet. Maybe this was an art gallery in a past life? - the rooster plates are straight from your grandmother's china cabinet, you should go check whether hers are missing. - music played a random mix of styles instead of Italian or something that matched better. Partway through dinner the volume increased for about 20 minutes until someone must have complained. Maybe that TV star who was telling stories at his table? The food was ... fine. - the initial/free mini hummus & oil was quite flavorful and I hoped it was setting the right expectations for my tongue. Unfortunately it was the highlight. - grilled Caesar salad is slightly different but not as special as they'd have you believe. - rabbit was fine but a bit charred and fatty. - the prawn tortellini were more like ravioli, and too few, and not impressive. - the parting treats were pleasant but I ended up remembering a simple chocolate chip cookie with salt that the The Luggage Room offers everybody. The red wines by the glass were acidic and overpriced for the quality at $20-$25. The corkage fee of $50 reminded me of the Yelp review for Capo that mentions that the Emperor Has No Clothes. The service varied from pleasant & helpful to adequate but never stellar. Valet is $8.50 for Capo, yet if you stop at the exact same curb for "Curtain", it's only $2.50. That's just an insult. They know you're paying for an expensive meal, so you have to pay more for valet. And my car certainly didn't arrive quickly because it was perhaps parked nearby due to paying the higher rate. I really should write my review for Locanda Positano but only if you promise to never go there when I want reservations. read more

I'm sorry, but does no one see that the Emperor has not clothes?! $100 steaks? Seriously! It was reasonably good, but to then have to pay for side dishes? We can afford to eat anywhere we want, and we do, but I can't help wonder if is just bordering on ridiculous. It has been six months since we ate there, and I'm sad to say, I don't remember anything except the price. read more

This is one of the few times Yelp and Zagat did not come through for us. I took my boyfriend to Capo for his birthday and it was extremely disappointing - way overpriced, average food, creepy service. We certainly will NOT be coming back. Food. OK, I love truffles, but simply adding truffles doesn't make average food great. -Truffle mushroom salad. Seasonal special. Bland. No texture. Needed salt, pepper, cheese, something more than just chewy mushrooms, truffle oil and lettuce. -Pasta Trio (Truffle meat sauce rigatoni, four cheese ravioli, corn ravioli with shaved truffles). Tiny portions. Everything smothered in truffle. Sweet corn ravioli was interesting. Overall not bad but SO overpriced. -Prime Dry Age Kansas City Steak. Asked for medium rare, came out a little bloody. Grilled on cedar planks so it had a flavorful char. The deep fried potato cube was tasty. -Candied bread pudding. Interesting take on bread pudding. Cooked like a creme brulee. Yum. Wine list. The leather bound wine list is ridiculously long and overwhelming. The cheapest half bottle was $40. We got a rose that tasted like two buck chuck. Ugh. Service. Our waiter was a creepshow. Lingering stares, shuffling feet, constant hovering. Most uncomfortable $100 meal ever. Ugh. Getting the heebie jeebies just thinking about it. Ambiance. Elegant, cozy, rustic farmhouse feel (food is served on red bordered plates with a rooster in the middle). Maybe a little too cozy because our table for two was so tiny we couldn't keep everything on the table at once. Now how do I get my $250 back? ;) read more

I usually do not write reviews but felt compelled to let the public know; the food at Capo is amazing. The biggest issue I had with the restaurant was the host/manager. He may be one of the rudest individuals I have ever dealt with at a restaurant whose reputation is nothing but positive. Firstly he did not honor the reservation time that we had planned in advance. I distinctly saw him sitting other people who had walked in AFTER we did and sit them based on his choosing. After I witnessed this, I approached him and let him know that this was happening in which he preceded to say "you are more then welcome to dine somewhere else". In all my years of fine dining I have never once been spoken to so condescendingly. The man continued to argue with me in front of the restaurant further staining his own reputation among his comrades. Again there is nothing against the food or the restaurant itself but the Manager was one of the worst experiences i've ever had at a restaurant. read more

if you can afford it, this is truly a spectacular meal. it's a room with almost no view by the ocean, but the execution here is flawless. the pastas, the meat entrees...wow. LA is kind of thin on good italian places, but this one is a gem. downsides? it's expensive as fuck all. i mean, ridiculously expensive. i wanna say the bill for six of us was close to $2k. now, we had some wine so this wasn't all food, but thank god the boss was there to pick up the bill. i'd go back, but not until my income went back to what it was when i lived in NYC in 2008. the food, however, is just divine. and this is coming from a guy who thinks LA italian is only slightly better than NYC mexican. read more

I've had the luck of visiting Capo several times now. Yes, it's pricey. Yes, it's worth it (in my opinion). Everything here is excellent - the drinks, the food, the atmosphere, and the service. Everything is super fresh, and like most people, I can't recommend the corn ravioli enough. Get it and you won't be disappoint. read more

This is a tough review. I was incredibly excited to try Capo since moving to Santa Monica this summer. It's quite near my home, is always packed, and earned great reviews. My friend Devin and I decided to meet there on a Tuesday night for dinner. It's interesting, that the high points are the small notes Capo struck. A wonderful hummus with delicious breads. A beautifully seasoned Romaine salad with a superb, creamy dressing. But on the big dishes, especially given the price tag that accompanies them, the kitchen didn't soar. Three different dishes - Devin's steak, my chicken parmesan and a side of thin spaghetti in a bolognese sauce - were simply adequate and often flat. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the chicken was fork tender, but when we both went looking for flavor...well, there was nothing there. I appreciate the quality of Jidori chicken, but it takes more than that to justify $50 for a chicken breast on a plate. And the aforementioned Caesar, while delicious, seems ostentatious at $20. I don't mind paying a premium for great food and great service, but I expect a return on my investment. As for the service, it was extraordinary. We were helped by a few different people, and they were unobtrusive but involved in the meal to the right degree. As far as decor and ambiance, the room felt simply too packed. There were no clear paths anywhere, as though they'd shoved extra tables into the room and let the navigation problems work themselves out. Having eaten at the more reasonable, and far more adventurous, La Vecchia just two weeks ago, I'm just left with the impression that Capo is a decent restaurant exploiting its Ocean Ave location by charging extraordinary prices for very ordinary food. read more

We love this place. For special occasions and, just sometimes, the splurge you need. :) The dim hum of couples and families is broken by popping wine bottles and clinking glasses. A power dinner is held in one corner while a family in another celebrates a birthday. Waiters move busily in and about tables close enough to touch your neighbor's elbow with your own. The candlelight dances on rustic plates reminiscent of an Italian grandmother's cupboard. The wood-fired oven - ah, the fire. Exuding warmth and the aromas of steaks cooked to a perfect medium or medium rare. Jamon Iberico 'de Bellota': the dry-cured ham rests in a stainless steel hangar beside the bar. It's what we always go for first. At a pricey $60 (ouch, I know), it will be worth every.single.bite. Add on burrata, and the thin slices are cirrus clouds on the tongue. Rigatoni with truffle meat sauce: We really do need to deviate from our regular items! It's just so easy to go back to the ones you love...this very hearty meal of al dente pasta is tumbled with chunks of meat, and the sauce - oooh, the sauce. I typically inhale the whole thing. If you can imagine a umami burger in pasta form, only sweeter and heavier with a sauce that has been prepared for hours...yeah. Heavenly. NY steak: At 16 ounces, it is more than enough to share. I used to get my own entree, but the bf could never finish his steak, so we have resorted to sharing just that. One knife cut, and the juices just run. The oven's fire gives way to a real char and distinctive smokiness. Even if you don't have room for dessert (although I highly recommend ordering that volcano cake beforehand, as it takes 15 min.), their delicious complimentary housemade cookies and truffles do take the cake. No pun intended. Capo, if you are reading this -- bring back the jam-filled donuts!!! ;) read more