I came in during the summer of 2024. I was a walk-in and the host was really nice and allowed me to take a table as long as I was able to finish within 45 minutes. The interior was really moody and great for a date night! The service was exceptional and my server was really amazing in guiding me through popular items on the menu. I had the Chilled Watermelon salad which was delicious and a ravioli with corn and jalapeño stuffing. Both were incredibly tasty but the ravioli was not as filling as I thought it would be. read more

Dolly Olive - Ravioli with corn and jalapeno stuffing - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My fiancé and I were visiting Portland for a short weekend getaway. I came across Dolly Olive on Yelp and decided to give it a try. I don't normally go for pasta, but Dolly Olive is worth the trip. We started with some focaccia bread and meatballs. Boy! It was a treat the bread was crusty and soft at the same time. The meatballs had great flavor. We were definitely dipping our bread into that sauce too. The pastas...I loved it! The flavors were on point. The pasta was fresh. Nothing like I've ever had before. I absolutely enjoyed it. Wish they had something like this closer to me. read more

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We recently tried Dolly Olive for a pre-concert dinner, and it was such a beautiful experience from start to finish. The space has a warm, welcoming energy, just the kind of place where you could linger over a glass of wine and good conversation. We started with the grilled heirloom carrots, which were perfectly tender with a smoky char, balanced by crunchy hazelnuts and a fragrant tarragon-bernaise sauce. The eggplant parmesan was the true standout--crispy on the outside, soft and melty inside, with a deeply flavorful tomato sauce. I've had a lot of versions around Portland, and this was hands-down the best. For dessert, we shared the iced Bundt cake--a beautiful mix of strawberry rhubarb jam, pine nut brittle, and meyer lemon ice cream. It was a delicious combination of flavors. A lovely spot for date night or an evening out with friends. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Great food, always great service. Have been for brunch, happy hour and dinner. The biscuit breakfast sandwich is especially lovely as are the pastas around dinner. If you can, pop into their bar Bar Dolly next door for a drink. read more

Dolly Olive - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Amazing food and stellar service! We got the foccacia of the day (leek, potato, aleppo pepper), summer corn ravioli, roasted carrots and the tricolor cauliflower. This is the first time I can remember every single thing on the menu sounded amazing -- I wish we could have gotten it all. The ravioli was really innovative and unique, and most of all delicious. The foccacia and cauliflower were closer second favorites! We'll absolutely be going back! read more

Ordered two things for delivery. One was the tagliatelle which is according to their website the second most liked item they have. It was horrible. Like inedible horrible. There was so much overwhelming butter that basically the dish was butter with pasta, not pasta with butter. Yuck. As for the eggplant parmesan. It looked okay. But it was super salty and seemed overwhelmingly rich. Wouldn't recommend that either. Took a couple pictures to try and show how thick the congealed butter is on the plate but I don't think it fully comes across read more

Dolly Olive - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Everything was good, nothing was great. Very expensive to be sitting so close to the tables on either side that you could easily eat off their plates and you're definitely sharing every conversation. Service was attentive but slow to respond. We tried 4 plates plus the focaccia and there's nothing that stands out in my memory, it was all basic well prepared Italian food. Montelupo does the same food better, in a better atmosphere, for less cost. read more

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The food and ambiance was good we when in a Saturday night after worship night at church since it was close by . We enjoyed the food . The said there meals are shareable but I'm not go sure based on portion size overall the service was amazing my friend has allergies and the highlighted a menu for her with stuff that would be safe for her to have. read more

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So so good! Came here for dinner and every single bite was delicious. We ordered a good variety of different dishes from focaccia to salad to pasta to steak and I have nothing negative to say about any of it. Service was also amazing. Very tentative and nice. The ambiance of the restaurant is dark and romantic. read more

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I came here once for Sunday lunch and again for a Thursday evening dinner. Both were spectacular. The pasta is great. I definitely recommend getting a salad. Potatoes were so good. I highly recommend making a reservation for dinner. We did so the night before and there were spots but not many. Every party there had a birthday of some sort. The tiramisu was not free but worth paying for. The staff was very kind. I would definitely recommended visiting! I got the shrimp dinner dish and the shrimp were a bit too charred for my liking and were a bit overcooked. The fries are so yummy. I don't think you can go wrong with anything. read more

Dolly Olive - Tagliatelle, pomodorro - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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WOW -- what a lovely restaurant. We'd flown in from Silicon Valley as my mom who lives in Portland was at the end of life. We walked over from The Benson for dinner, my husband and I, after a long day at the hospital. The manager found a great table for us in the bar which worked perfectly as we needed to store my husband's walker and a bit of extra room. From the grilled cabbage to the corn ravioli to the pasta with ragout, the food was delicious. And the desserts ...! They were playing nice music and the space itself is charming. My husband had an interesting cocktail with rye and black pepper and I had a glass of wine. We had two waiters as they transitioned toward other tasks at the end and both were so friendly, sharing details about the food and personal anecdotes that were heartwarming. The evening so lifted my spirits. Thank you for much more than just great food. read more

This "sniffs in" at 4.5 stars... We booked late so we were seated in their next-door Bar Dolly. It's a simple but charming space. Their menu and Yelp images really spoke to our likes, so it was a no-brainer. Most dishes were salty but tasty. I never add salt to anything and here I would have removed a tad if I could have. BURRATA CHEESE in STRAWBERRIES w/SAUCE: -- never had a sweet burrata dish but it mostly worked -- I still prefer a savory rendition, but it was good -- excess liquid compromised the burrata IMHO RATING = A- DOLLY'S FOCCACIA: -- spectacular visually -- fluffy and semi-firm -- spongy -- I drizzled EVO over it and fell in love RATING = A+ BUCATINI PASTA POMODORO (I think): -- nice use of basil and sauce not overdone -- really good texture and taste on pasta RATING = A MEATBALLS in RED SAUCE: -- dark colored marinara sauce that tastes infused with a red wine reduction -- delicious meatballs -- up to medium-sized -- 2-3 meatballs RATING = A CREAMY POLENTA with MUSHROOMS: -- very salty but good in spite of it -- super creamy with great texture -- shrooms appear fried adding textural contrast -- excellent dish RATING = A GRILLED CAULIFLOWER: -- medley of garlic -- nicely done RATING = A- ESPRESSO MARTINI: -- my first exposure to this other than Trader Joe's in a bottle version -- not creamy enough with only the head adding a creamy touch -- too liqueur tasting for me -- too sweet -- If I try this drink again, I think I would prefer a milky creamy one more in the vein of an Irish coffee RATING = B SERVICE very friendly and helpful and not suffocating. read more

One of the best restaurant meals I've had in a long time! The spicy pork ragu was out of this world!

gorgeous vibes, fairly intimate. and the food was incredible, flavors i've never had before and that i could never replicate i'll be thinking about the Short Ribs Arancini for a long time, don't skip on those. servers at the bar were so great, thanks for a great night! read more

Dolly Olive - Ribeye Steak Herbed Frites Dolly Caesar Dolly Focaccia Pistachio Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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What a wonderful find: found Dolly Olive and was enticed by the menu. When we got to the restaurant, we were told there's a weekend brunch menu-not what we expected but to our surprise was a great mistake on our part. We will definitely go back for the brunch and cannot wait to try the dinner menu at some point. Everyone was so helpful, and friendly: our server Victoria P was exceptional. We tried a little bit of everything and it was beyond phenomenal; the seasoning and cook in the food was delicious; our cocktails were generous and tasty. The prices were very good for food quality and amount. Make sure to make a reservations, the place was packed, but very enjoyable atmosphere. We cannot wait to go back. read more

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Wow! This place was incredible! Used our $150 chase sapphire reserve dining credit and decided to try out this restaurant. So incredibly glad we did. Had the Focaccia bread, mushroom ravioli, and potato cavatelli. Did I mention they make their own focaccia and pasta in house. It was incredible! For desert we treated ourselves to house made Chocolate fudge ice cream and a strawberry, Lemmon, and basil Sorbet. Dang! I think this may have been the best sorbet and ice cream we've ever had... yes, yes it was!! The server was also incredible and so was the atmosphere. WE WILL BE RETURNING! read more

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This place was incredibly delicious and accommodating. Really beautiful, relaxing, and elegant ambiance. Our waiter was so kind to us; truly some of the best service I've ever had at a restaurant! They were also super accommodating of my dietary needs and provided me with plenty of vegan options. The broccolini and carrots were incredible. I will definitely try a pasta dish next time when I am not so much in a rush. read more

As my wife and I arrived in Portland, we heard the phrase of "Eating Our Way Through Portland", so that is what we tried to do during our short excursion to this wonderful city. The first night we decided on the Dolly Olive, based upon the reviews that we had read. We were not disappointed. It is a nice cozy restaurant full of nice friendly people. We received a nice welcoming from the hostess and an equally friendly greeting from our server, Callie. We started off with glasses of a very nice Borgo Pretale Le Crete wine. Then, Callie made some recommendations so we picked a few of them and got started. The Tricolor Cauliflower had such amazing flavors, which complimented the extremely wonderful flavors in the Grilled Heirloom Carrots. Both dishes were gone before we knew it. We just kept eating because it was so good. We followed those up with the Potato Cavatelli. It was a little on the spicy side but once you got past the heat, the flavors just kept rolling across our tongues. Here again, it disappeared before our very eyes. By sharing, we saved some room for dessert. We decided on the Warm Ginger Cake. Again, the flavors were amazing. We will definitely be back here on our next trip to Portland. read more

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I've been here a few times with different folks who all have different dietary restrictions- they were each able to find gluten free, dairy free, or shellfish free items they loved, and I've enjoyed all of the food, cocktails and wine I've tried here. I wish the restaurant had a bit more space- seating is very close and on one of the visits we were seated too close for comfort to a table having a terrible date that seemed to be leading to a breakup. For folks with mobility limitations, this space is very difficult to navigate. Besides the tight quarters, I adore this spot. read more

Amazing service, the best Caesar salad I've ever had, great drinks. I've gone four times at this point and am always impressed by how delicious the food is and how friendly and professional everyone is. Perfect alone or with a group. read more

Food: Fries were goood they were somewhat too salty foccacia was the best ive had (it was so good I ate it before I could get a photo) Service: Everyone was nice they didnt get anything wrong Ambiance: Like any other dinner WARNING everything is family sized don't come here yourself read more

Dolly Olive - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

DISCRIMINATION Dolly Olive just gave me one of the most disgusting displays of public discrimination I've ever seen in a Portland restaurant and that's saying something. Our group of seven was seated for 15 quiet minutes, waiting for drinks, when a hostess strutted over and randomly singled out ONE friend who happens to have a disability and announced that they refused to serve him an alcoholic drink and offered him a child's drink instead. No discussion. No "hey, can we talk privately?" Just a public takedown of the one person at the table who deserved kindness the most. He hadn't spoken to anyone. Hadn't acted oddly. Hadn't eaten or drunk anything. We literally walked in off the street and they decided to target him. It was humiliating, cruel, and jaw-droppingly unprofessional. If you want to watch a restaurant judge and shame a disabled guest for absolutely no reason, Dolly Olive is apparently the place for you. And the food not worth the price and not near as memorable as the treatment of one of the kindest people you will ever meet. There are too many incredible restaurants in Portland to support one that treats people like this. Dolly Olive should be ashamed. I refused to drink my alcoholic beverage out of respect for my friend. read more

Dolly Olive - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

If I could give Six stars, this would have been it! OMG! Meals were over the top, starting with Foccia bread and ending with Eggplant Parmigiana!!! Callie did a great job explaining all meals!!! We will be back!!! read more

This was one of my favorite recent dinner experiences!! We went with a group of 4 and shared everything. The service was incredible- the waiter was attentive, helpful with ordering, and ensured we had a wonderful meal. The ambiance is very cute and would be a good date night spot or group spot. Definitely recommend reservations as it was very busy. We got the short rib arancini, daily focaccia, tagliatelle, burrata, heirloom tomatoes, prawns, confit chicken, and almond cake. I would order everything again except the short rib arancini. It was still good but just not necessarily worth the cost or anything incredible. The rest of the items were truly excellent and I am looking forward to going back!! read more

Dolly Olive - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Everything was good! The focaccia was GREAT. Absolute must have. Going to be dreaming about the focaccia for a LONG time. Servers were attentive; everything tasted good. Would recommend! read more

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We came on our weekly date night without a reservation. This place has been on my list of places to visit for a long time. The ambiance is beautiful, but since the functional point of view I feel like they are missing a place for people to wait to be help. We got a little table for two in a corner right in the entrance. It felt nice, cozy and intimate. The server was really nice at the beginning but a little bit too pushy on us to order drinks (which we didn't want). After making our order we didn't saw her anymore, she didn't refill the water on the table for our entire dinner. Service let a lot to desire. We got told that food was serve family style, which made me think it were very large portions (no, they are no). We ended ordering multiple stuffs because I wanted to try a little a lot of things. We were in a small table that quickly got crowded. They didn't come for the empty dishes almost until the end of our meal. Now let's get to food. We started with the burrata that was really good, I think it was the best thing we ordered. We also got the carrots, that were just okay, they were cold. The tagliatelle -which I was super excited to try- was undercook, but the flavor was yummy, it was such a shame. The brussel sprouts were fantastic. The octopus could used more grilling and lemon. The focaccia was okay, the olive oil was superior for sure. read more

Dolly Olive - Burrata - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Not just olives. All their food was great, accommodated us for a quick meal before a whiskey library event. The bar was quiet at the open and they have nice non alcoholic options (whiskey library + more drinking would be a bad idea after all) read more

I have a couple of past reviews where I mention that a pork chop "might be" the best I've ever had. Dolly Olive actually DOES have the best pork chop I've ever eaten. Hands down. And I eat a lot of pork chops! We came here for our anniversary and it was just as great as I'd hoped. Along with the aforementioned pork chop, we had the focaccia, tagliatelle, cauliflower, and prawns. Everything was great. Honestly, they could've just brought out the focaccia 5 times and I would've given a five star review. It's outstanding. We also had the cannolis for dessert, which were excellent. Service was an A+ as well. Couldn't have been happier with our experience. read more

Dolly Olive - Pork chop w/potato purée & lemon salsa - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I don't know how I missed reviewing Dolly Olive. My wife and I have a tradition going there for every celebration or when family is in town. The service is the best and they are incredibly friendly and helpful. You go there for the atmosphere. The dimmed lights, humm of voices around you, nice compliments from chef. The desserts are so thoughtful - my favorite are tiramisu and espresso cakes but they change them often. Nice choice of drinks and flavors are unique. read more

Dolly Olive - Dessert - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Dolly Olive was a delightful restaurant during our Portland stay. We went twice over the course of 5 days and would come back for the salad alone. First we came for dinner and ordered the farm salad, cauliflower dish, cabbage dish, and pork entree - all the food was thoughtfully brought to the table so we had time to appreciate and enjoy each one before getting the next. The mix of flavors were really great and the portion sizes were larger than I would expect. The restaurant was also very good at accommodating our allergies. Nuts and sesame, were clearly told which dishes had them and which could be modified, and then they did modify when needed without any hickups. We came back for brunch and all the food was delicious, and especially the bloody mary - it was light and made in house. The brioche and baked feta were great starters and then we had the eggs in purgatory and hash, both of which were delicious. The restaurant is relatively small and intimate, great for a date night! read more

Dolly Olive - Farm green salad with walnuts in the side - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

As I entered the space I noticed it was a modern kind of elegant restaurant. Some lovely tea lights at the bar where I waited at the bar while my table was cleared, as well as on each table. Our server Paul was very kind and helpful. Now the food; we started with the burrata, which was very sweet and creamy-however I would have chosen a classic balsamic vinaigrette to cut the bright and sweetness of the strawberry Yuzu combination. Then the Tagliatelle, the noodles were perfectly cooked, wide, and satisfying. However, I didn't taste as much of the parmagiano and I would have liked a touch more black pepper. The cauliflower was everything, the only issue was the hair that was in our first batch that had to be replaced and it was quickly done so and taken off the bill, so thank you to the manager and staff for your assistance. But the cauliflower was delicious, a great char, lovely flavors, and that added sweetness from the golden raisins, honestly an absolute star. We had the Eggplant Parm as the 'main' and I was a bit disappointed that once again it was lacking on parm, especially for a dish with parmesan in the name, and it was also a bit smoky with the crostini grilled and paired on the plate. I really did enjoy my adventure through the menu and would like to come back and give the restaurant another try, the staff was quite accommodating. It's just that at this price point and with my honest opinion, the food was more of a 3.5. Still worth trying as their menu rotates!! read more

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We ate at Dolly Olive and enjoyed it thoroughly (except for one thing). The atmosphere was nice, staff members were very sweet and eager to please, and the food was fantastic. We had the Carrot & Farro Salad ($16 stated price on the menu), Burrata & Mushroom Duxelles ($18 stated price on the menu), and Sicilian Eggplant Parmesan ($25 stated price on the menu). I would have given this restaurant a five-star rating except for one thing. They added a 3% wellness fee. The wellness fee is added to provide a better workplace for the employees. This is great; I am certainly in favor of supporting these workers who treated me so nicely. The problem is that this charge is sneaked in. We diners don't understand that we will be paying it until it's already put on our bill. This manner of inserting this charge obscures the true cost of the menu items when we're ordering. I think it's dishonest. The cost of the Carrot & Farro Salad is not $16 as stated on the menu. It's $16.48. Good enough. Put that amount on the menu. The cost of the Burrata & Mushroom Duxelles is not $18 as stated on the menu. It's $18.54. Sure - I can pay that, but please be honest. The Sicilian Eggplant Parmesan is world class. I would certainly come back for that dish. But, please be honest. The cost is $25.75, not $25 as stated. The price of $25.75 should be printed on the menu. Ultimately, the additional fee was only $1.77, so I paid it without mentioning my concerns to anyone. The restaurant might have deleted the charge if I had requested, but I'm happy to support the staff and bringing it up would have made me feel uncomfortable. My point is that it's not honest. Increase the prices shown on the menu so that we don't get a surprise at the end. (Yes, I ultimately located something about the fee on the back page of the menu in small print. I also found it on the website at https://www.sesamecollective.com/post/wellness-fee. Regardless - adding this fee is not the way to go. Put the correct prices on the menu so that there are no surprises. It's more honest that way. That said, this restaurant is REALLY good. I would definitely return. I hope that they do away with the extra fee business and adjust their prices. If they don't, then hopefully I will remember the fee nonsense in advance, and not be surprised when it shows up on the bill. Summary: Go to this wonderful restaurant, but don't be surprised when their wellness fee shows up on your bill. (With luck, restaurant management will adjust prices and do away with the extra fee.) read more

New to Portland and just stumbled in. Everything was absolute fire. From the simple Caesar and bread to the sweet corn agnolotti and meatballs, everything was on point. Just happy I walked into this spot by chance. read more

Best focaccia in town! It is a cute and cozy spot. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly. Great selection of wine. Plenty of options for us vegetarians. I've been here 4 times already and will come back again. We want to try their Dolly bar next door. read more

Overall, we enjoyed the ambience and service was friendly. We've been to other sister restaurants and had great experiences so compared to those, this one fell a little flat. What stood out the most to my group of 4 is how small the portions were. The Broccoli Raab & Italian Sausage for instance, seemed more like an appetizer potion, even with the added egg for an additional charge. My husband had this and considered ordering a side of potatoes to fill up but we opted to grab some snacks elsewhere afterwards. The food itself was good though! We also asked for hot sauce and the only option was one made in-house with Calabrian chilis. It was pretty sweet (too sweet for a friend) but I enjoyed it! We didn't know there was a $2 charge for a small ramekin of it though ($8 in total since all 4 of us were unaware of the charge and ordered some to try) until the bill came. Cocktails were good. I just had some pieces of rolled up tomato skins in the Dolly/Bloody Mary that were a little scratchy but no big deal. Really loved the Floor is Lava cocktail though - wish I got that instead of the Bloody Mary first. read more

Dolly Olive - Brunch - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I just love Dolly Olive's brunch menu and can't wait to go here for dinner or happy hour someday! Located at the corner of SW 12th & Alder, in the old Bistro Agnes spot in downtown Portland, Dolly Olive is a super cute and cozy spot. Perfect for downtown working brunches or after-work drinks and bites (see their Appertivo menu). They really make the most of the space they have, so just be aware that tables are close together here. That said, my husband and I felt like we could have a good conversation here and enjoy our meal. The cocktails were delightful. We got the Violet's Pride and False Start. Most portions are shareable here. I was most excited about the zeppole (little donuts) and they did not disappoint! So light and just the right amount of sweetness with cute festive sprinkles. Because sprinkles make everything better. We also got the broccoli raab and Italian sausage (with fried egg on top) and the baked eggs in purgatory, which were both tasty and had a bit of a kick. We also ordered the Bambino, which is like a classic breakfast/brunch dish with fried potatoes, sunny side eggs, bacon, and grilled focaccia. Service here is attentive and friendly. There's street parking, and we usually can find a spot within a block or two fairly easily whenever we're in the area. The atmosphere is warm and lively. Definitely recommend this spot for brunch -- make reservations! read more

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Highly recommend going with a group so you can order multiple items and share! Everything was exquisite! Fresh, high quality ingredients! Service was excellent and the ambiance was intimate. Perfect for a date night or an evening with friends. read more

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All I can say is... wow! This entire meal was exquisite. One of the best meals I've ever had. The bread had a roasted garlic center that I've never seen before. The chicken... omg.. AMAZING. Salmon melted in our mouth. We will be back for sure The single woe- way too dark. A few people around the restaurant were using their phone flash lights to view the menu. That is the only thing to change Loved the food & service read more

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I chose to celebrate my birthday at Dolly Olive and the night was perfect. In fact, I noted 4 other people celebrating their birthday's as well. We started the night in Bar Dolly with a drink and focaccia bread before we moved to Dolly Olive for our set reservation. All of the food, drinks, and service were exactly what I hoped for having eaten at Dolly Olive before. And Bar Dolly was equally as nice. This restaurant is just very special and very different. The decor, lighting, and music set a great tone which is then followed by great service and truly, truly, delicious food. Each time I go I am just so amazed by the flavors of all of the dishes. Eat here. You will LOVE IT!!! And you'll like Bar Dolly too. read more

I don't get all the rave reviews. The portions of two entrees were small, appetizer-sized (with entree-prices!), although, we were told in advance by our server that the portions would be small, meant to be shared, and to maybe order two entrees per person. I asked for some bread to sop up some of the left-over sauce and was charged $3 for two small slices. The food (eggplant parmigiana and manila clams) was underwhelming, my choice of wine, some brand of chardonnay, bitter. No white zinfandel was available. Worst of all was the surprise charge on the check which stated "a 3% charge has been added to your check to ensure that we are able to continually provide our employees with quality health insurance and personal wellness resources"! Needless to say, we'll not be back! read more