My experiences at Cento Pasta Bar are always excellent. Their tasty menu selections are always a…read moretad bit exotic, but are also simultaneously familiar & palatable. In particular, I count their pomodoro dish, lamb dish, and squid ink dish as favorites. Their wine and drink menu presents a sizable array of options, but isn't so large that one would get overwhelmed looking at it. The very kind & amiable staff at Cento Pasta Bar who facilitate the end-to-end dining experience make for such wonderful service, in every aspect. It's always a pleasant experience dining at Cento, and they're my favorite restaurant in Mid-City.

This is my second visit here. First time was about 2 years after they opened which was easily three…read moreyears ago, and Cento Pasta Bar lived up to its reputation. Straightforward dishes presented with panache. Efficient and timely check-in and friendly service. Both times, we sat at the counter which, to me, is the best way to experience this place. This visit was pretty much exactly the same, except it lacked its original luster. A perfect example is their signature dish, the spicy pomodoro. The visual presentation of this dish used to be eye candy. A glistening and generous pool of basil oil neatly poured into a hollowed out dollop of ricotta, atop a mound of impeccably dressed and perfectly cooked pasta. Gorgeous. But this time all of the visual proportions were off. And the portion was smaller. Instead of being a showstopper, the dish looked a little sad compared to the original. Last night, it arrived with a tiny splash of basil oil that punctuated a smallish schmear of dense ricotta. The pasta was fine. But it wasn't at all spicy and it did not feel the least bit elevated. In other words, this dish has lost its mojo. We also ordered the pasta special. Short rib raviolis. It was rich and delicious. No complaints. Only praise. The service is still casual yet professional, and best of all, pleasant and accommodating. The new raw bar across the way is a bit of a scene, in a good way, and kind of clubby...with really good air conditioning. Last night it was pretty hot outside, and more-so inside the restaurant at the counter. It's especially hot if you happen to get seated by the heat lamps (food warmers). Pro tip: Avoid these seats if you can!

This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The Cheap Sunglasses cocktail was nice…read more The housemaid buttermilk ricotta with grilled bread was sublime. The prosciutto and arugula salad was without equal. The Cavatelli alla Norcina was so good I thought I died and went to heaven. We ordered one of each dessert and they were all good. But the Vin Dolce Chiffon Cake, sauteed apricots & cherries and vanilla-mascarpone whipped cream, rules over them all.

I ate at Bestia several years ago, before COVID, and I still think about that dinner today. I had…read moreflown from New York during a dreary stretch, and landing in sunny Los Angeles felt like arriving on another planet. California offered an immediate rush of light, space, and possibility. My memory is that when I turned my phone back on at LAX, my friend messaged to say he'd gotten us the hookup at Bestia. That dinner belongs to a chapter in which I spent considerable time in California and felt energized by the contrast with New York. My friend is highly discerning, with impeccable taste in food, design, and culture. He notices details most people miss, so when a place impresses him, I pay attention. From the moment I saw his message, I knew the reservation meant something. Even before we entered, Bestia's character was evident. Faded lettering crossed the corrugated metal facade, while brick walls and old loading doors preserved the warehouse's industrial history. Inside, enormous windows and garage doors brought light into a room shaped by glass, exposed ductwork, and warm amber pendants. When I fantasize about living in a loft, many of the attributes I picture are here, especially the incredible windows and connection to the street. Inside the restaurant, the dining room achieved a combination I rarely encounter. It had the table density and collective buzz of a great New York restaurant, but within a large, design-forward space closer in scale to something found in Chicago. New York creates energy through tight rooms, while Chicago excels at ambitious spaces with strong architectural identities. Bestia captured both advantages and made its considerable footprint feel alive and unified. We sat shoulder to shoulder at a pale stone counter facing the open kitchen. Golden era hip hop was playing, and A Tribe Called Quest still rings a very specific bell. I ordered the squid ink pasta, and it was exquisite, with enough depth and precision to command attention amid everything happening around us. We also spotted an unmistakably A-list celebrity, whom I will leave unnamed, making the night feel quintessentially Los Angeles. During that period, I often stayed at the Ace Hotel downtown, and the Arts District felt vibrant, raw, and full of possibility. The proximity to Skid Row could be deeply jarring, with severe hardship existing beside ambitious development and expensive restaurants. That contrast kept the neighborhood from feeling like a neat story of urban renewal, even as Bestia seemed to anchor its evolution. The warehouses and loading docks gave the area a character that no new development could convincingly recreate. Nearby, I also remember the American Apparel complex during its demise and the rise of impossibly cool Los Angeles designer John Elliott. His Escobar sweatpants and Villain hoodie helped define the kit of that moment; loyalists will understand. Los Angeles is a fickle city, drawn toward whatever is new and shiny, which makes Bestia's longevity especially impressive. Scene without substance is plastic, and Bestia earned its electricity through exceptional cooking, assured service, and a remarkable space; if I lived in Los Angeles, this would be one of the places I'd rely on whenever I wanted to impress someone. This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

I returned again when I was assured....For those of us "in the know" we can still order their super…read moredelicious Funghi Pinsa. Just tell the waiter you want to order their "Original Funghi Pinsa". ....It's so amazingly good! Also had the Salted Caramel Ganache Tart. OMG so good! Loved it

Solid Italian spot with a variety of tasty pizza and pasta dishes. The service was great and the…read moreambiance was really cute (we sat outside which was really nice, but the indoor area also looked cute). The eggplant anti pasta was so tasty and fresh with warm, buttered bread. The short rib pasta was quite small for the price but very tasty. I enjoyed the pizza toppings and crust.

The service was excellent! ( Special thanks to Tube ) . The…read morestaff was friendly, attentive, and made our dining experience very enjoyable. The only downside was that the tables were placed very close together, which made it feel a bit crowded and reduced privacy. Other than that, everything was great.

Michael G. was fantastic! He was friendly, attentive, and made sure our table had everything we…read moreneeded without ever being overbearing. He had a great attitude, answered our questions, and made the whole dining experience even better. Excellent service from start to finish, I'd be happy to be seated in his section again.

So shocked I hadn't heard about this place sooner but if you love pasta and don't want to spend $30…read moreon every dish this is the place to go! Loved that it had some classic dishes and some fusion ones as well. Came on a Friday night and joined the waitlist but only had to wait about 10 minutes! There was complimentary bread and a side salad that came with the entrees, and the bread was warm and delicious... We ordered the two Allegro specials on the menu-- Uni pasta and Bolognese. For appetizers we went with the server's recommendation; chicken gizzard confit. Chicken gizzard confit was mind blowing. As someone who enjoys things like gizzard, these were cooked in a way I had never had before and it was delicious. The uni pasta was sooo rich, creamy, and flavorful. 10/10 I would recommend it. The bolognese was good too it was super complex compared to the ordinary bolognese and had eggplants as well. Overall, the ambience was great and experience was amazing. Service was also very good and attentive. Super great spot for a date night or just a casual dinner with friends!

Location did not do this restaurant justice! Inside Honda Plaza, all the way at the very end of an…read moreold aged boring plaza, Pasta e Pasta has a somewhat cartoon character signage. Once step inside, the decoration, the vibe totally changed. It's a dark hue with humbling yet elegant setting with a bar table and I almost felt like a dining in the cave ambiance. The menu was not complicated and only focused on pasta, but there are so many choices to my liking! The squid ink, the mentai cream, the uni sauce, and the garlic butter sauce. We ended up settling with Creamy Crab Gratin, mentai cream pasta, the Pescatore Bianca (seafood spaghetti), and Tarako Spaghetti (Cod roe and squid garlic butter sauce). -Crab Gratin is really creamy and cheesy. I just didn't quite get why there are a few pieces of penne pasta inside. But overall tasted good! -All pasta comes with bread and salad. The salad is really fresh and serve mostly lettuce and cherry tomato, which is how I like it. The dressing is not the ranch creamy kind, more cloudy vinaigrette based, also to my liking. -Seafood spaghetti came with a variety of seafood, shrimp, squid ring, mussels, clams, etc. The portion is huge. -Mentai cream pasta: delicious! I think if I order uni pasta, it'll be the same cream base sauce but with uni and $6 bucks more. I'm happy with my choice. The whole dish is consistent, creamy with a slight kick from the mentai, slices of mushrooms and shredded seaweeds on the top. Delish! -Tarako Spaghetti: I took a small bite and appreciated the strong taste of garlic butter in the sauce. -All 3 pasta are served with the thin spaghetti like angel hair. Service is ok, we asked for water refill and the response was polite. Dirty dishes were taken away timely. If I had more time, I would definitely come back for a second visit. A place like this deserves to be in a more upscale block on the street. Btw, parking inside the plaza is not free even though it's just a strip mall. Expect about $8 bucks for dinner parking. It's gated entrance. If you get lucky, you can park on the street and pay the meter.

Amazing Amazing Food! best Italian in DTLA. Branzino is the best! Along with salads, pastas, and…read moretiramisu

So I called to inquire about parking & answering machine answered…read moreThen 1 min later they called back! They used caller ID! Wow what amazing customer service! I couldn't stop raving about that for hours. Library parking free w/ validation (we went Thurs around 6 pm ish) I used to work next door so am very familiar w/ that lot etc Upon exiting the lot via the north stairs you arrive east of the restaurant literally in between it & library & the beloved Calif Club south Extremely lush & picturesque w/ all the greenery & old architecture. (As if there's no homelessness malady meters away right) Upon entering the open air bar area there's no host stand we saw We snagged 2 bar seats. It was busy TV NOT SHOWING DODGER GAME ooof very bad news bears ! Service was efficient & hospitable ( mind you we sat at the bar) We unfortunately missed happy hour so ordered off the full menu & in my opinion the full dinner menu on a Thursday night in the spring time is extremely limited So we ordered a salmon appetizer, a burrata appetizer & a meat pasta entrée to share. I had a tequila based cocktail. He had a bourbon or whiskey based cocktail. (Not stiff btw) The food was not disgusting. But it was not life changing & portions are tiny ! The views are breathtaking like if you are a 17 or 20 year-old celebrating your birthday, or a tourist; it's very romantic and just beautiful. But I have worked in downtown for many many years and have seen transformations and I am immune kinda, to the views, like not in a bad way, but ive just been exposed to this so long, in other words, if a first date brought me here, it wouldn't impress me. AnyWho, in addition to the interior seating & the bar seating, the patio seating is vast & spacious, & in my personal opinion, a walk from the bar in other words, the servers are racking in a minimum of 15,000 steps a shift (which I'm jealous of by the way), but my point is the patio is humongous & therefore, if you choose to sit outside, you may wait a long time for your items, check, etc. & service possibly. So the restrooms have single private stalls, but the actual sink to wash your hands is open for both sexes. Upon leaving before 8 PM, it got really busy. Yes I will return if the situation calls for it and yes, I will recommend. But I absolutely will not make it a point or go out of my way to return.

Food, incredible. Drinks, amazing. Service, always on point!…read more Always worth the hype when we come to Donna's. Had a booth this time and were one of the first people into the restaurant. Pro tip: the 5pm reservation never disappoints. Street parking was not bad either. Definitely a good date night spot!

Wow, I was surprised at how busy this place was on a Wednesday night. We had 5:45 pm reservations…read moreand when we got here the places was FULL. I feel the seating was a little tight in certain areas put they did make clear walking paths. Traffic to get here was horrible but we got lucky and found a non-metered spot about a block away as soon as we arrived in the area. For apps, we ordered the garlic bread and meatballs. The garlic bread was different. It was a sourdough loaf with oozing garlic butter inside but was only toasted whole so overall ate very soft and I missed the typically toastiness I get with most garlic bread. The flavor was still very good, especially dipping it into the marinera that accompanied the meatballs. For entrees and sides, we ordered the lasagna, the eggplant tortellini, the chicken parmesan and the broccolini. I can only say they really like their parmesan here. I'm not the biggest fan so I brushed a lot of it off. The tortellini was the star of the show for me and I think it was partially because all the other dishes were marinera + parmesan so it gave a nice break in the flavor profile. Something to consider when ordering next time. The chicken parmesan was delicious. I found the lasagna to be okay and would pass on the broccolini next time (to be fair, I got rid of all the cheese so that probably change the flavor profile they were going for).

The best pizza and pasta I've ever eaten in my 16 years of living life Also great n fun environment…read morewith music and good service!

Came here before seeing a show at the Pantages since it is so close. There is valet parking across…read morethe street. The entrance to this place is like a house that was converted to a restaurant, with some tables and the bar inside and two separate patios. The ambiance is quite relaxing. We opted to sit inside since it was hot outside. I ordered the chicken because I wanted protein which was pretty boring lemon chicken, would recommend the pizza and pasta instead . The short rib pasta was cooked perfectly and the right amount of cheesy and a little sweet. We were all so full after. Sangria and cocktails were all great as well. There is a $35 cake fee which I didn't mind because they cut and serve it for you, thought we did have to ask 3 different people for our cake and then ask again to have the leftovers boxed and given back to us. Otherwise, service was great. I'd come back for drinks and to try more pasta!