One of our absolute favorite restaurants -- we honestly look forward to coming to LA just to eat at…read moreMaccheroni Republic. The Ravioli Di Zucca and Rigatoni Pom'Amore are phenomenal -- easily some of the best pasta we've ever had. The Lasagna di Carne is delicious too, although the rich meat sauce is so generous that you don't get to appreciate their incredible pasta quite as much. Small, quaint indoor dining + a cute patio that somehow doesn't feel like you're in the heart of LA. The restaurant is first come, first served, and there's often a wait. Come early or grab a cocktail across the street at Grayson while you wait. It's worth the wait. Every. Single. Time.

I came here last year for my birthday as well! I love how their delicious pastas are made fresh…read moredaily! I already knew that I wanted! I knew I wanted the bone marrow (again! We also ordered frtto misti (fried calamari and fried shrimp) as an additional appetizer which was deliciously light and crunchy! I've never had osso bucco before, so l presumably I thought they'd be using veal shank, but it was beef shank. The flavors tasted are of those that have been simmering cohesively on a low flame for several hours! It was what I'd expect in an Italian stew! Accompanied by a side of perfectly orchestrated I also had their squid ink risotto. Very distinctive flavor mixed within this squid ink plate. Bay scallops mixed within the squid ink and risotto. I just wish it was a little softer. I thought it could've used perhaps 5 additional minutes! Topped off with 2 perfectly cooked diver scallops! To end my birthday meal, I had a frozen creamy treat of affogato! Yay!! Happy 55 to me! I'm blessed to have enjoyed another delicious birthday dinner at Maccheroni Republic

Saw this on IG when I was doomscrolling, found my dinner that night. I guses this place is popular…read moreand blowing up for being aesthetic, but wow! The food here is also amAZING. I honestly did not expect much but wow this place is really good. Def not cheap, kind of in the heart of LA, but I would come back here JUST for the Sweet Corn Agnolotti. Genuineley the best pasta ive ever tasted in my life. FOOD: Price: Pretty expensive, not too expensive but higher end ~$30 per plate Steak Tartare - $26 (3.7/5) Steak Tartare is alright. A little bland in my opinion. Kinda sad I spent 26$ on this because i really like tartare. The bread was amazing and the portions were good. Maybe i have high standards but it was ok! Sauce was good, beef was tender. Spicy Pomodoro - $29 (4.5/5) Now this is the plate that everyone has been talking about. It is actually very good. The pasta is perfectly cooked, and the sauce compliments the pasta so well. There was a lil dollop of riccotta on top and made the entire thing very creamy. Didnt read the ingredients, but the truffle tasted sooo good mixed into the pasta. Not full score bc it was good, but not something I would remember for years on end. Sweet Corn Agnolotti - $28 (1000/5) OK NOW THIS ONE oh my god this is genuinely the best pasta ive ever tasted. The server recommened this one and we decided to try it. CORN AND THE WHATEVER IT IS IN THERE. Some sort of engineering food genius created this masterpeice. I ate so slow because every single bite of the agnolotti was like heaven. The first bite I had I almost cried. Genuinely a masterpiece. Ive never had pasta that tasted like that. Every single ingredient in that dish was curated to perfection. PERFETLY COOKED PERFECTLY SEASONED. I would drive all the way here JUST for this dish. Hands down the best pasta Ive tried in my life and I am a foodie in LA!! THIS IS A MUST GET SO UNDERRATED VIBES: Amazing service, no parking at all! You either will have to wrap around and get lucky or do vallet, which wasnt too expensive. The vibes here are great though, it was pretty small, with only counter seating, and it is combined with another restaruant, Cento Raw Bar. I thought it was popular, but on a Sat night, it wasnt too busy. No reservation, waited around 10-15 mins, but we chilled at the Cento Raw Bar and got an appetizer. Would def come back, but it is a bit pricey!

We came here for my birthday dinner and ordered a number of items…read more To start, we got the Caesar salad and mussels. The salad was actually really good but the mussels lacked flavor. I wouldn't recommend the mussels. Then we shared the carbonara and the spicy pomodoro. My friend really liked the carbonara but personally I thought it was okay. The spicy pomodoro was fantastic though. The right amount of flavor and creaminess. I can see why this is their best dish. To finish we got the banana pudding tiramisu. Honestly this was just okay. I heard so many rave reviews about this but maybe it was an off night but I've definitely have had better elsewhere.

Tonight, my family and I came to this restaurant excited to try their pasta because we had heard…read moreabout this place for a long time. Everything was perfect at first, until a server wearing black-framed glasses came over and was extremely rude. When we asked him for a menu, he didn't even respond. He just shrugged and gave us a very strange look, then went to get another server to help us. I don't know what's wrong with him or if it was racial discrimination. We were smiling and polite to him the entire time, yet this was how we were treated. It completely ruined our lovely evening. I will definitely never come back. So disappointing!

Absolutely loved my experience at Bestia! The food was incredible, everything we ordered was full…read moreof flavor and beautifully prepared. The atmosphere is lively and has such a great vibe, and the service was just as impressive. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and made the entire experience even better. From the food to the ambiance and service, everything felt worth it. Definitely a place I'd come back to and recommend for a great dinner in LA!

I learned how important gut health is after almost dying many times from food allergies. The pinsa…read moreis delish. And, I do not get sick after eating it which is a plus because I do love pizza. Beautiful restaurant.

A friend took me to Oste for a belated birthday dinner, and since it was my first time there, I was…read morecurious to see what all the buzz was about. We arrived a little early for our reservation, and even though they were busy, they seated us right away outside. Our table was along the walkway, which wouldn't necessarily be my first choice next time, but I appreciated that they got us settled without making us wait around. The outdoor area had a relaxed neighborhood feel, and it was nice being outside while the evening was warm. We started with the Fiori di Zucca. The squash blossoms were stuffed with ricotta and Parmigiano, lightly fried, and served with marinara. They were good, although they weren't the dish I found myself thinking about afterward. That honor goes to the mussels. I wasn't expecting them to be my favorite thing we ordered, but they absolutely were. The broth was flavorful enough that I kept going back to it after the mussels were gone, which is usually my personal test for whether a mussel dish has done its job. We also shared the Pappardelle alla Vaccinara with braised oxtail ragù, Parmigiano, and rosemary oil. The ragù had a deep, meaty flavor, and I liked how the rosemary oil cut through some of the richness. It was a solid pasta, but the mussels still won the night for me. My cocktail was light and refreshing, with cucumber and mint, and worked especially well with dinner outside. Everything we ordered was flavorful, and the meal made for a lovely belated birthday dinner. Parking around this stretch of 3rd can be a little tricky. I ended up finding street parking a few blocks away, but Oste does offer valet, which would have saved me the neighborhood parking hunt. For a first visit, I'm glad I finally got to try Oste. It was a relaxed, flavorful dinner and a really nice way to celebrate a belated birthday.

Madelene is the best server you could ever get... I swear she found the elixir and thanks to her…read moreenergy I'm no longer depressed. ASK FOR HER!

The service and food were 10 out of 10. Maggie was amazing throughout the whole process. Highly…read morerecommend for good vibes and yummy tapas

Love the pasta there! The restaurant was wonderful and they have great options of pasta. The menu…read morewas excellent and so many great quality of food to choose from. The Mentai Pasta and Squid Ink pasta were really good and so delicious. It was so creamy and nice quality of noodles. I really enjoyed the pasta with wines, it taste so fantastic. Lovely place with great ambiance.

I come back about once every three months, and this is easily one of my favorite pasta spots in LA…read more The consistency is what keeps me coming back. They use pasta that's a little on the thinner side and cook it perfectly al dente every time. I've never had it come out overcooked or underdone, which I really appreciate. My go-to orders are the mentai and Bolognese. At other places, mentaiko pasta can have an overly strong seafood flavor or taste like the sauce and noodles never quite come together. Here, everything is balanced and works so well together. The Bolognese is excellent too. It's such a classic dish, but I honestly haven't found many places that do it this well. Special shoutout to Joel, our server on this visit. He was incredibly attentive and took great care of us! My only minor complaint is that it can get a little warm inside. Other than that, this is a place I can always count on for a great plate of pasta.

I'm from Italy and it was a fantastic experience! The pasta was incredible -- in my opinion, the…read morepasta menu is the absolute highlight. It was freshly made (you could definitely tell!) and served in great portions. The Fettuccine alla Nerano were amazing, with incredible flavor and texture. Back in Italy, pasta with clams is my favorite dish, so I was super excited to order it since it's not easy to find in the US. It was done just right -- really great! The seafood was fresh and high quality. The only minor detail is that the clams were fresh and local, likely Pacific clams, which have a less intense, briny flavor compared to the Mediterranean vongole veraci that give off that rich sea aroma. But hey, we're in Los Angeles, so you naturally adapt to local ingredients. The Caprese appetizer was good, though I wished the portion had been a bit larger. Dessert was delicious, especially the zuppa inglese gelato -- the flavor took me straight back to Italy! Exceptional staff, too: I was pregnant and needed a shaded or air-conditioned spot, and the hostess went out of her way to find a table that suited my needs. The waiter who served us was equally wonderful! We left full and super happy. Thank you!

The food was fantastic as was the service. The wait staff, Dalton, made a recommendation upon…read morerequest, and he was spot on which was the pomodoro entree & one other. The recommendation was a hit. I also ordered the prosciutto e melone as an appetizer, it was a magnificent meal. Dalton provided professional, courteous, and swift service without rushing; he made the experience all that much more enchanting. Dalton was an absolute delight! I highly recommend this restaurant, whether with your crew or date night!!

We went last night for the first time to celebrate my birthday as it's around the corner from our…read morefavorite pizza place Quartersheets. What a great small restaurant with a fantastic buzz. No detail is overlooked. Beautiful design -- reminds me of what your Italian grandma's dining room would look like if she had great taste. We took a Lyft since the parking situation is tough (but there is a paid lot down the street) and we were running late.I called and left message that we were running 15 minutes late and they got my voicemail and they were great about. Table was available right away. Cocktails were impressive - and we started with a dirty martini and a Negroni blanco. The garlic bread made with Bub & Grandma's bread is a clear winner. Our server Emerson was top notch and steered us through the menu and drinks and was informative and friendly as very professional. When he'd walk through dining room, he was scanning to see if anyone was trying to catch his eye. And when I did he came right over. None of this look straight ahead stuff I sometimes see when it's a busy night. You can get out of Donna's for a reasonable price if you stick to garlic bread, salad and one of their excellent pasta dishes (5 of the dishes are in the $25-$28 range). We splurged and got the scampi (from France) what a sauce, truffle gnocchi, amazing chicken Marsala with amazing mushroom sauce $32) and the Cesar salad was delicious and not mailed in. We ordered 1 dessert (panna cotta with pistachio brittle and fresh figs) and they brought a tiramisu and tiny glasses of their own limoncello out on the house. We also tried 1 glass of their special vermouth since we are vermouth lovers. A++++ experience all round and it was a high level of ingredients and food -- chef and his team are top notch. I now need to find out who's the chef in that kitchen because they've built an excellent team. Donna's slyly calls itself just a "red sauce Italian restaurant" but I'd say that's a real understatement...and I think it's a great date night or small group place because it's intimate and you can hear your table partners talk. I don't recall any music playing - just the warm brown background noise of fun conversation. We ate early (my preference these days) and if you don't see any openings for reservations, ask Resy to give you an alert -- you'll get notified when reservations open up. Emerson said they always hold some tables for walk ins. PS -- I normally don't leave such long reviews, but I have some friends who are chefs and who own restaurants - and when I see other Yelp reviews where someone leaves a one star because the hostess was allegedly rude when everything else is great -- I just hate to see how it can affect a restaurant. I have no relationship with this restaurant at all. I don't know any anyone who works in it or owns any part of it, but I just don't like to see people abuse the reviews -- the restaurant business is tough as it is. And as someone who has worked downtown and driven through Echo Park for 30 years - I think Donna's is a great addition to Echo Park.

I hate to leave a bad review based purely on service, but the experience with the hostess was…read moreincredibly disappointing. She was unnecessarily rude and condescending, I've never been spoken to like that by anyone in the hospitality, it was so strange I mentioned the experience to the manager at the end of the evening, hoping he would at least acknowledge what happened, but he couldn't even offer an apology. Our server was fantastic, and the food was fine. The linguini with clams was really good, the vodka pasta was pretty good, snap peas were decent, and the chicken parm was very forgettable The poor treatment from the hostess and the manager's lack of any meaningful response are the reason for this bad review

I went with my sons recently and there was a different vibe…read more Couldn't get seated in the courtyard but got a spot near the front door. They had a dj this time which made it a little loud for conversations. They had a fun drink and bite special which was good. The pizza was disappointing. The crust was soggy and advertised toppings were noticeably sparce. It may have been on off night. ‍

As you may see when looking at me, I had more than the usual share of pasta and pizza. Loved the…read morefood, the service and the ambiance. It is so nice to sit outside and enjoy a conversation with friends without the usual noise of LA restaurants. Recommendation: make a reservation and ask to sit outside in the back garden. The pizza is sharing size. Can't wait to go again.

I've been to Mother Wolf a few times now for business lunches, girls' nights, and birthday…read morecelebrations, and it's become one of those places I'm always happy to go back to. The dining room has a polished, old-world feel with deep red banquettes, mirrored walls, oversized floral arrangements, chandeliers, and the open kitchen glowing in the background. It feels grand without being stiff, and once the room fills up, there's a real buzz to it. The Fiori di Zucca are probably my favorite thing on the menu. I could eat these squash blossoms for the rest of my life and remain completely at peace with that decision. They're stuffed with ricotta and Parmigiano, fried until crisp, and they somehow disappear from the table very quickly. The Burrata e Crudo is another automatic order for me. Creamy burrata, prosciutto, basil, olive oil. Simple, excellent, and usually gone once everyone starts sharing. For pasta, I almost always come back to the Rigatoncini alla Vaccinara with oxtail ragù, guanciale, peperoncino, and pecorino. It's rich and comforting and one of those dishes I look forward to ordering again. I also love the Spaghetti all'Arrabbiata when I want something with a little heat. The tomato sauce is bright and punchy, with just enough spice to keep me going back for another bite. I've had the pizza and liked it, but if I have limited room, I'm choosing the pasta. Their cocktails are consistently good. Their espresso martini has made more than one appearance at my table, and at this point I consider us to be in a committed relationship. Service has been solid across my visits, and they offer valet, which I appreciate because Hollywood parking has never once tried to make anyone's evening easier. Mother Wolf has become a repeat for me, whether I'm there for work, dinner with friends, or celebrating something. And yes, I'm ordering the squash blossoms again.

I finally made it to Mother Wolf after all the hype went down, and it was a pretty good experience:…read more What I ordered: - margherita d'angeleno cocktail ($17) this had tequila, fresno chili, agave and lime so essentially an Italian spicy margarita, which was good - sfincione ($13) this focaccia bread was almost more like a dinner roll than a typical focaccia, but was still very light and pillowy - ruchetta salad ($18) aka arugula salad, with the appropriate amount of cheese (a cheese mountain on top) - fiori di zucca ($28) the infamous squash blossoms!! they came out piping HOT and were full of the ricotta filling. they were fried perfectly and were super crispy, but I kind of wanted a sauce to dip it in or have it drizzed over. for as much as everyone raves about them, they're good and I'd order again if I went back, but I wouldn't go back just for them - fusilli al cinghiale pasta ($39) wild boar ragu fusilli pasta: this was good but I couldn't tell it was boar. our server really recommended this but quite honestly I had forgotten we even ordered this.. - tonnarelli cacio e pepe ($26) I'd say this is one of the best cacio e pepe's I've had in LA, the pasta itself was perfectly al dente and the perfect size for this dish. very black pepper forward and a bit on the saucier side (vs more dry iterations), but I personally loved that - dessert: tiramisu, passionfruit gelato, and cookies & cream gelato the tiramisu was very solid, the passionfruit gelato had fresh passionfruit seeds and was well balanced in its tartness + sweetness, and you can't go wrong with cookies & cream We did have a nightcap + dessert at the hidden speakeasy, Bar Avoja - which was BEAUTIFUL. The decor, ambiance, vibes, all 10/10. The cocktails were pricier there but more elevated than the ones at the restaurant. Overall, while everything was pretty solid, I wouldn't say anything was exceptional or really stood out, especially given the $$$$ price. It's worth a visit once (for like a nice dinner/date night spot), and if I were to go back I'd try the pizza or larger entrees, but I'd more likely go back to the bar itself for just a drink (with apps/dessert).