I had very high hopes with this place being that it was recommended by a handful of people on top of it being a place Infatuation has on their list. But it was underwhelming...I had the stuffed peppers, garlic bread, spicy fusilli, lasagna and chicken parm. They were all good but there wasn't really anything "wow" about it. Uovo is still the superior choice for pasta and the prices make it a no brainer. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this place - it's just "okay". Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad food it just didn't live up to the hype. read more

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Calamari was good, the marinara and lemon were nice but they had some weird dark sauce on the side. Not sure why that was there. 4 stars. Rigatoni bolognese was very rich, the mole of Italian food. Really good for a few bites. 4.5 stars. Chicken parm was classic, plenty of really nice sweet tangy marinara, moist, well cooked chicken, and nice size. 5 stars. Donna's Dirty martini with vodka was good and the olives were delicious, maybe marinated or picked. Refreshing well balanced. 5 stars. Torn between tiramisu and espresso martini and made the wrong choice w the martinis. Had a gross cherry amaretto that ruined the r drink. One star on that. Service was good though and really liked the cute ambiance. I also liked that I was able to get a rez through email! Appreciated that. read more

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I really liked the ambience here. It's a cute restaurant in a bustling area. I had the Donna's spritz, Fusilli à la vodka, Caesar salad, and chicken Parmesan. The spritz was just okay and I wouldn't order it again. The salad and vodka pasta were very good. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Chicken Parmesan. I'd try some other dishes if I came back, but would definitely get the vodka pasta again. The service was wonderful. read more

Donna's - Caesar salad, Donna's spritz - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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So delicious! Celebrated a birthday here; service and food were lovely. Everything was very delicious and the presentation was great, but not sure why it's difficult to pinpoint a favorite plate. The Caesar salad was amazing (just look at the cheese) and the spicy vodka pasta were delicious, but at the same time, I feel like I could go somewhere else to get something similar. read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This place is hard to get a reservation, but it does offer limited walk-in availability. Was able to be seated after around 15 min on the waitlist walking in. Sat at the bar and was greeted by the best bartenders! Very welcoming and knowledgeable about not only the menu but also the drinks. He coursed out the dishes after we gave our entire order. Skip the chicken parm (it doesn't come with pasta?!) and started tasting a bit rubbery when cooled down. It is a huge portion though. Caesar salad was delish! One of the better ones I've had. Vodka pasta was perfectly al dente and my favorite of the night. Popular for a reason. Garlic bread was alright. Meatballs were succulent and flavorful, highly recommend. Skip the limoncello, it was way too sweet and disproportionately not-tart (for something that is supposed to be lemon). I almost tasted some artificial mint flavor?! Not pleasant, reminded me more of a cleaning product. Tiramisu had delicious mascarpone but the lady fingers were dry: 8.5/10 The cutest decor and ambient lighting, good noise level (not too loud), intimate and cozy. Well worth the hype! read more

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Finally able to snag a reservation and try Donna's. Favorite items ranked: grilled shrimp (might have been a special), lasagna, fusilli alla vodka, garlic bread, and meatballs Would come back to try more of the pastas. read more

I was able to make a reservation for Saturday at 5:30 p.m., and I definitely recommend making one. When I arrived, there was a line out the door for a table, but with the reservation I was able to walk in and was seated right away. Everyone working was so kind and attentive, which made the experience even better from the start. There is metered street parking available, as well as nearby parking lots if you prefer to pay. The Limoncello Drop was perfect. It was light, refreshing, and had just the right balance of flavor. The garlic bread was out of this world! There was a generous amount of cheese on top that paired perfectly with the bread. The inside was soft, buttery, and full of flavor, while the crust was crispy and perfectly baked. I would honestly come back just for the bread. The Fusili Alla Vodka was delicious with great flavor and a nice touch of spice. The Chicken Parmesan, on the other hand, was disappointing. The sauce just tasted like tomato, and it was lacking salt, making it overall bland. I wouldn't reorder the Chicken Parmesan, but the other dishes made up for it. We ended with the tiramisu, and it was absolutely incredible. It was served nice and cold, had the perfect amount of sweetness, and the cream on top had just a hint of saltiness that tied everything together beautifully. I will definitely be coming back, and next time I need to try the Caesar salad! read more

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Came for a walk in Friday night for a friends birthday dinner - it was approx a 2 hour wait so if you don't have a reservation, and aren't wanting to commit to that wait - this isn't your restaurant for the night. But if you have this knowledge and decide to wait - it is 100% worth it! The great news is... there's a lot of bars and restaurants around (both casual, sit down) that you can do to pass the time so that's what my friends and I decided to do! I put our name down at 7:36pm and we were seated around 9:20pm. After a few apps and drinks at the other nearby restaurants we were ready for the Donna's experience! For appetizers we went with the Cesar salad, stracciatella, meatballs, and garlic bread. For our pastas we went with the linguini & clams and fusilli alla vodka And we also ordered the patata side dish. The pastas were extremely fresh and had a good amount of sauce and flavor. On an individual level I'd say they're a bit on the medium/smaller side but since we were all sharing it felt like the perfect size. Definitely a good variety for every pasta lover out there. The real showstoppers to me were those appetizers!! The stracciatella was amazing - from the fresh peaches, tomato's, and crisp pink peppercorn every bite was heavenly. My favorite item here The Cesar salad was tasty and super cheesy with crispy fresh croutons. A must order and well loved at Donna's! The meatballs were a table favorite with my friends and really added a bit extra to our pasta dishes. Especially loved the garlic bread and its cheesy goodness. Comes in 4/5 thick slices and great with the stracciatella or your pasta dishes. If I could course it out in the future I would want it closer to the pasta dishes so I can eat them together. Patatas with the Calabrian chili aioli was definitely good and one of my favorite items in general when I see it on the menu We also had some GREAT drinks - I couldn't find them on the website but I went with the cherry sour drink. We also ordered an espresso martini, margarita, lemon drop. Our waiter was amazing and extremely lively! Great ambiance overall - only downside about the restaurant layout is there is only one single stall bathroom so if you have to go... you might be waiting a while or find yourself going next door. Not a dealbreaker but a good heads up if it's your first time dining here. For dessert we ordered the olive oil cake and cannolis. We were stuffed but these desserts were great and I hope to order their tiramisu next time! Truly a great experience and I'm already looking to book my next reservation back here. Great area to eat dinner at and I'm so happy my friends recommended we eat here! Til next time, Donna's!!! read more

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After years of having this place bookmarked I finally was able to visit Donna's. I've heard a lot of hype both good and bad about this place, but service and ambiance wise this place was amazing. Hanna was our server and she did an amazing job explaining the menu while always checking in with us. As for the food let's get into it: * Fried Calamari 8/10 - The Squid Ink Aioli sauce makes this dish standout. Wish it was a bit crispier, but great appetizer. * Shrimp Scampi 10/10 - By far the best dish of the night. The Shrimp was cooked/grilled perfectly, and the sauce which had garlic and white wine was amazing! Would recommend order a side of spaghetti noodles with this dish (won't regret it). * Chicken Parmesan 7.5/10 - I've had better, but I'd actually order it again. Good cheese to sauce ratio. * Lasagna 6/10 - Least favorite dish, wasn't terrible, but I could probably make it better at home. Overall a great experience, my only negative would be the parking situation, but that's LA for you. Would I go again? Absolutely! read more

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Came to Donna's on a weekday because I thought the wait wouldn't be as long. For a party of three I waited around 90 minutes for a table Once seated, the service was prompt! My waitress was so sweet and helped provide recommendations. The ambiance was warm and intimate. I ordered the vodka and campanelle pasta. I loved the noodles! They were uniquely shaped I could tell they were fresh and house made. The garlic bread was definitely worth trying! It was thick, crisp, and had a tasty cheesy exterior. I also ordered the arugula salad, just to have some greens to balance out the meal. Overall Donna's is definitely a solid choice! While the wait it long, it's definitely worth trying! read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day and it was a great experience. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. Tried a few different items and everything was great. The garlic bread was the best I've ever had. This is definitely a great place to have a nice dinner. read more

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Words can't explain how much I love this place! Anything you try is tasty and good quality. My favorites are Alla Vodka Pasta, Caesar Salad, Garlic bread, chicken Parmesan and branzino! Drinks are amazing too. Luckily, I was able to make reservations but they have some walk ins too!! read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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We came here to celebrate our anniversary and had such a wonderful experience from start to finish. The atmosphere was warm, inviting, and perfect for a special night out. One of the highlights of the meal was definitely the garlic bread -- it was absolutely to die for and honestly some of the best we've had! The pasta was cooked perfectly and full of flavor, and the branzino was fresh, tender, and delicious. Every dish we ordered tasted thoughtfully prepared and exceeded our expectations. We also want to give a special shoutout to our server, Francia, who did an amazing job accommodating us throughout the evening. She was attentive, kind, and helped make our anniversary dinner feel extra special. The only small issue we experienced was that our drinks took a little longer than expected to come out, but it really didn't take away from the overall experience. The quality of the food and the excellent service more than made up for it. Overall, we left very happy and already talking about coming back again. This is definitely a spot we'd love to return to with our friends and family. Highly recommend for a date night, celebration, or just a great meal with amazing food and service! read more

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Meter Parking It's a small restaurant. Wait time was about 45mins for us since we didn't have reservations. We started off with garlic bread and calamari. 3/5 - The garlic bread was tasty! They use sourdough bread and no lie. The outside was super hard. But the inside was definitely soft. I like sourdough breads but this time. It was really hard to eat the outside. 5/5 - Calamari was tasty and good. On to the food! Presentation wise, looks good! Food came out hot and fresh! Sadly, everything was pretty basic to the taste. 3/5 - Spaghetti and Meatballs 3/5 - Linguini and Clams 3/5 - Fusilli Alla Vodka They do get pretty busy. So arrive early enough to find parking. It's LA! read more

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I came here recently to celebrate my friend's birthday with a small group of friends. We made reservations well in advance which is highly recommended. The 4 of us were seated in a lovely booth in the corner. It was a warm, cozy, inviting space--dim lit, lively, and great vibes. Service was awesome! We loved our server who was super fun! We ordered the following: - Drinks: Limoncello Drop: delicious!! I could probably drink 10 of these LOL. It was so light and tasty! If you're a fan of lemon drops, get these. - Garlic Bread: delicious!! We all really enjoyed this. It comes out looking like an overwhelming hunk of sourdough bread but it's already pre-cut and was gobbled up within minutes. - Tonnato Caesar Salad: a bit overdressed in my opinion. It was good but a tad bit too salty and saucy for my personal taste. - Fusilli alla vodka: the BEST pasta of the night! I can see why this is one of their most popular pastas. Highly recommend this one! It was delicious and very balanced! Loved the spicy kick of the chili oil combined with the creamy whipped ricotta and pecorino romano. I would definitely get this again. - Truffle Ricotta Gnocchi: get this if you like truffle because it comes with lots of it! Yummy but a tad bit on the heavy/creamy side for me. I don't really enjoy the mouthfeel of gnocchi so it's probably just due to my own personal preference. I'm sure some people would love this dish! - Rigatoni Bolognese: Standard and good but didn't really stand out to me. Tasted like what you'd expect. I probably wouldn't get this again. - Dessert: we got the semifreddo which was pretty small but delicious! It came with a candle but we were a bit surprised to see that we were charged for it. It wasn't on the house although we were celebrating our friend's birthday. However, we did get complimentary shots of limoncello afterwards which was a nice gesture I suppose... Parking: VERY difficult. All of us had a really hard time finding parking. Some of us eventually found street parking several blocks away while others found a paid public lot which also had minimal spaces. There's a few public parking lots nearby but they are small and mostly full! I wish they had valet or better parking options! Overall, if you're looking for an intimate, cozy yet energetic space with great Italian food in the Echo Park area, Donna's is an excellent choice if you don't mind the parking situation! read more

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Donna was all the hype with little bites. An Italian blend of authenticity and flavor. Entrees and apps can be treated as family style but be aware the portions are small. Friendly and elegant service, quiet but dimly warmth ambiance. The Bread is so good, and lasagna and chicken parm are to try, and Sip some wine. read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Food is okay, service is okay. Cute ambiance tho! Pro tip for restaurant - try and course out the plates a little more and change plates between saucy dishes. We had to ask someone for new plates as our meatball sauce was all over and we were looking to eat our salad. Server handed us a stack of plates instead of handing them out individually. Idk maybe I'm picky! But it's the little things ya know. read more

Damn, a place that lives up to the hype! First off, got lucky on a walk in for bar seating on a Thursday. Waited like 20 minutes and slid right in. Definitely a good spot for a date night or a meet up w friends for a good catch up sesh. Ordered a few of the things so lets get to it: Martini - The martinis here are surprisingly some of the best crafted ones I've had in LA, and yeah theyre mostly simple, but it's very easy to make a shitty martini, but here A1 baby. Calamari- Got this thinking it was going to be subpar, but damn guys perfectly lightly battered, and they must beat the hell out of the squid in the kitchen because this is some of the softest calamari ive had in LA. Caesar Salad- Solid. Above average and very tasty. Get your greens in with this. Mushroom Arancini- Another thing I didnt expect, but this was so good! Cheesy mushroomy goodness and a nice crisp first bite. Fusilli Alla Vodak - This is what's made this place a legend and I see why. I will say this over Carbone ALL DAY. Creamy, but not TOO creamy, and full of flavor. If you love a vodka sauce this one is hard to beat. You've gotta experience this one. Overall a GREAT meal. Definitely will be back. Reservations are tough, but maybe try showing 10-15 before open to try to snag some bar seating to avoid a long wait without a rez. COME HERE! read more

Went to Donna's for the first time last night! Made a reservation on Resy and sat at the bar. The place was on the smaller side and had a cool vibe. The bartender was very nice. We got the GARLIC BREAD and the MEATBALLS to start and both were delicious!!! Then we had the FUSILLI ALLA VODKA and the LASAGNA ROLLATINI - also delicious!! Took the few remaining pieces of garlic bread and the rest of our pasta dishes home because we couldn't finish all the delicious food all at once - can't wait to reheat those leftovers!! read more

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I was really looking forward to trying this spot after seeing it all over social media. We waited about two hours after putting our name down, so the anticipation was high. Unfortunately, I walked away a little disappointed. The chicken parm and garlic bread were just okay not bad, but nothing special. The vodka pasta definitely lived up to the hype: rich, creamy, and delicious. And the cannolis were the real highlight especially the chocolate one. Sadly I did not get a picture of them. That said, the service and overall experience missed the mark. Our waiter never returned with our leftovers after offering to box them, and after waiting quite a while, we had to leave without them, which was frustrating, especially since more than half our plates were left behind. On top of that, the meal felt a bit pricey for what it was, and honestly, not worth the two-hour wait. The restaurant itself is cute, and we did have fun bar hopping down the street while waiting. I'm glad I tried it once, but I wouldn't go back. read more

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All hype, all Parmesan, and a Friday night we won't get back. We dined at Donna's on 2/13 after seeing all the hype and were excited to try this "trending" spot. Since we didn't make a reservation, we understood the two hour wait for bar seating and didn't mind it too much. When we asked the hostess for a recommendation, she suggested the stuffed peppers... stuffed peppers? I should have taken that as a sign. We ordered the garlic bread, lasagna rollatini, and chicken parmesan. Honestly, I don't even know where to start. The food is clearly designed to look good in photos, but the excessive Parmesan on every single dish made everything overwhelmingly salty and nearly inedible. Even after scraping cheese off the top, the sauce in both entrées lacked flavor. The garlic bread was especially disappointing. We assumed we'd finish it before the entrées arrived, but after two bites it just sat there untouched. We noticed other tables also leaving theirs behind. I also should have taken it as a sign when I saw so many people walking out with to-go bags and when looking around most tables were just pushing food around their plates. The drinks were unremarkable, and I'll leave it at that. read more

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Had the most stellar experience at Donna's!! If I were to mention any one thing about the food it is definitely TEXTURES! Every dish we got had the most sublime textures - will get into more detail soon. We started off with the garlic bread and caesar salad for our appetizers - I feel like most of the time bread is just bread, but holy this garlic bread was absolutely divine. First of all, it looks ADORABLE!! It has a beautifully crisp crust but the bread itself is super fluffy with a garlicky fragrance, came out nicely warm and toasty with a cloud of parmesan. On the other hand, the caesar salad was a mountain (!) of parmesan. Could be a little less generous on the cheese imo so the refreshingness of the greens can shine more, esp considering all the other dishes can be a bit rich and heavy, but nonetheless a decent salad. For our mains, we got the fusilli alla vodka pasta and chicken parm,both of which I'd highly recommend. The fusilli pasta was so tender and soaked in this velvety, slightly sweet but very savory tomato vodka sauce - probably one of the best vodka sauce pastas I've had. Now I'm not the biggest fan of chicken parms, but Donna's lowkey almost converted me because this chicken was super succulent and the cheese x tomato x basil really elevated the flavor. Breading was light as well, so maybe I'll give chicken parms a second chance. Finally we ended with the tiramisu, which is just a classic. Silky soft and moist - practically disappeared in seconds. A friend also ordered a glass of the Shawna, and she was super small but packed a punch, kind of reminded us of oriental medicine. Definitely an acquired taste. They also gave us these citrusy (nonalcoholic) shots after, which was also surprisingly yummy and a nice palate cleanser. Overall, they had lovely service and a cozy interior like a close relative's home (note: it can get a little loud at times since there's a lot of tables close together and is an intimate space). Would also make sure to have a reservation beforehand as they get pretty packed. Thank you Donna's for a lovely meal! read more

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I was able to snag a 9:30pm reservation! We arrived an hour earlier hoping a table would be available at walk-in or before our reservation, but it wasn't. I was really excited to try it, but was left feeling it's a little overhyped especially for the price. It's pretty small inside and very dimly lit. The vodka pasta was amazing, but the spaghetti and meatballs didn't taste as good. The bread was buttery, but very hard/crunchy to the point where we were struggling to cut slices of it. The caesar salad was good, but the tiramisu tasted a little salty? which I didn't personally enjoy. I'm glad I tried it, but don't think I'll be coming back unless it's to order the vodka pasta/caesar salad again. read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Super cute spot in the heart of Echo Park! It's a smaller restaurant but offers an intimate experience. The food was pretty good but definitely on the saltier side- I would go back for the drinks for sure though- they were all so good! Our server was also so attentive and kind as we were celebrating a friend's birthday. He offered us complimentary wine tasting and lemon drop shots. Overall a great experience and am excited to go back! read more

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Donna's is now my favorite Italian restaurant! No question. Our server Rob did an amazing job taking care of us. We ordered practically the whole menu, I really suggest going with a bigger party because there are way too many good items on the menu! Apps: garlic bread, Cesar salad, patatas, and fried calamari. All of the apps were good but the stand out for me was the garlic bread, it had crispy edges and a really soft buttery inside. Amazing sourdough! Second favorite was the calamari bc the squid ink sauce. So good! Main: linguini & clams, fusilli alla vodka, chicken Parmesan, and lasagna rollatini. The main attraction for me was the fusilli alla vodka and chicken Parmesan. The pasta was made to perfection and the sauce and ricotta cheese just stayed on the noodles. Chefs kiss. But you can't go wrong with any of these dishes. Perfect for date night or casual dinner, the downside is parking. Good luck finding a spot! read more

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The service was good, the food was okay, the bread was probably the star. I don't know if I'd pick this again when craving Italian. read more

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I have been wanting to go to Donna's for so long and it has been so hard to secure a reservation. We came on a Tuesday and came around 5pm and got a table for 4 by 6pm so that was amazing. The food was soooo good especially the tiramisu is was perfect. Drinks were amazing and the bread was soooo soft. The pasta was amazing and so was the chicken and the salad. I would definitely like to come back. The ambiance was great as well, lots of cute little dinners but busy and so cute. read more

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Audrey was amazing and so was the food five stars to Audrey five stars for the food Vibes are impeccable 10 out of 10 Recommend. Will be coming again! read more

Donna's doesn't miss. Ever. So I gotta throw down another review!! Had a date night with my girlfriend. My fourth visit, but first time dining in the formal dining room. I usually sit at the bar because it's just a vibe. Beautiful space, great energy, and the service is always top-notch. But the dining room surprised me. It was intimate, cozy, and perfect for a slower, more romantic night. It's been about 8 months since my last visit, and the food is still just as good as I remember. Every bite made me happy. I boast about how this is my favorite Italian in LA, a little too much at times lol. We shared: -Garlic bread...my all-time favorite (yes, even beating out Sizzler, which holds its own for nostalgia) -Scampi, Meatballs, Caesar, Vodka fusilli, Chicken parm (GET THEM ALLLLLL. They're all perf) - Tiramisu...I'm now determined to recreate the salty cream topping in a matcha latte at home. It's THATTT good. Also want to shout out Michael, who was absolutely incredible. The kind of server who actually cares, brings good energy, and somehow strikes that perfect balance of chill and attentive. I hope he's there every time I come back. Donna's continues to be one of my favorite spots in LA. Solid food, great vibes, and it always delivers. THANK YOUUUU! read more

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Had a great dinner at Donna's! The food was absolutely delicious, and every dish was full of flavor. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the garlic bread definitely lived up to the hype. The atmosphere was warm, cozy, and romantic, making it a perfect spot for a date night or special occasion. Friendly service and a wonderful overall experience. Will definitely be back! read more

No pics, too busy eating. I cannot believe I was able to finally get a reservation. Not only on the day of, not only for 4, but for prime time, too. The stars were aligned, I cranked the Peloton on high to prepare. We arrive, the place is adorable, I'm obsessed with the wallpaper and color pallets. Now for the main event. First up, the squash arancini. MIND. BLOWING. I think the entire table said "oh, sh" at the same time. The cheese fonduta is magic, I wanted to lick the plate but we were in public. The stuffed peppers are a sleeper hit. I don't like most peppers, but bc the arancini were so good, I gave them a try and of course they were sensational, too. The cheese inside made it all worth it. Then the garlic bread. Excuse me, THE garlic bread. Look at the pics, I mean, come on. Quality bread, gooey garlic throughout, with an avalanche of cheese shredded on top. Glorious. The hits keep coming. Next is the stracciatella with persimmons, nuts, balsamic. Creamy, dreamy, and delightful. The table loved the meatballs, and it was evident why they are known for their red sauce. Caesar was solid and delicious, but honestly, the croutons could use a glow up. Now it's time for the pastas - rigatoni bolognese was meaty, the new doppio was like the stracciatella in terms of creaminess and flavor profile, and my favorite, the spicy fusilli, was incredibly flavorful. Now the secondi - chicken parm and lasagna were of course excellent, but to me this course of the night wasn't as remarkable as the others. Once the dinner stomach was full, then it was time to fill the dessert stomach. The table loved the chocolate torte, but the olive oil cake was the best I've ever had. So moist, flavorful, perfectly ripe persimmons, incredible cream. The service was phenomenal, which added to the experience. Needless to say, we walked out full, happy, and ready to return. read more

Came on a Sunday night and waited around an hour for bar seating. The interior is dimly-lit with cozy vibes and is the perfect spot for a night out with friends. We ordered the garlic bread ($15) and the fusilli alla vodka ($25). We were not the biggest fans of both dishes, but note that it's because we are not cheese lovers. Both dishes had an insane amount of cheese in them. The garlic bread was hard to cut into and there was too much cheese even in the bread. For the pasta, we did not eat the cheese on top at all but it didn't matter because the pasta itself tasted like cheese. It was difficult to finish both dishes. We also got an expresso ($5) which tasted standard. Overall, we enjoyed the vibes but would order other things next time. read more

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Donna's is DELICIOUS and worth the difficult reservation. Easily one of the best restaurants I've visited in L.A. Every dish we ordered was amazing, but the mushroom arancini was the stand out. I will be back! read more

Donna's - Mushroom Arancini -- started eating before we took the photo because it was that good! - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Listen, this will not be your favorite review BUT it will be an honest one. We made a reservation for 5 pm, a table of two, and were seated once the doors opened. Yes, there was a VERY long line outside, but reservations bypass all of it. Once we were seated we knew rather quickly what we wanted to order as the menu is pretty small, and opted for the Chopped Salad, Garlic Bread, Fusilli, and Chicken Parm. Now here's the most important thing to note, the food was NOT BAD, but people are on tik tok and Instagram calling it life changing and the best Italian-American food they've ever had and it's absolutely not. Again, THE FOOD IS NOT BAD but it falls very short. By no means did the chicken Parmesan or the fusilli change our lives. In fact, the best chicken parm in LA just might be in Santa Monica (IYKYK). The garlic bread was tough and felt gimmicky. Look, if you're trying to get a reservation because you've been influenced by social media, go for it.. but manage your expectations if you're truly looking for high quality Italian-American dishes outside of the tristate area. read more

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Such a cute restaurant with friendly staff, but was slightly underwhelmed by some dishes - considering the social media hype around it. Rating would be around a 3.5 if we could give half stars. My friend and I had a reservation for 2 on a Sunday at 9pm at the bar. Despite it being a late slot on Sunday, the restaurant was still packed. The bar has more limited space, but is honestly a vibe for a pair of friends looking to catch up :) The bartender was super kind and recommended to us his favorite dishes, as we were overwhelmed with the amount of options. Wanting to try a little bit of everything, we went a little overboard (especially considering we were sitting at a bar seat haha) and ordered the iconic garlic bread, chicory salad, shrimp scampi, fusilli a vodka, and caramelle. We started with the salad first - I was surprised when they brought this out, because it was a pink salad! We wanted to try something different from the typical Caesar salad, and this salad was definitely unique, but we loved it! The sweet hints of apple, pear, and even hazelnut paired so well with the acidic taste of the vinaigrette. The shrimp scampi came next, and I must say, great presentation! The verde sauce in the scampi was unexpectedly amazing with the shrimp despite being slightly salty for my liking. The garlic bread was honestly a bit underwhelming, especially considering it's one of the most hyped up dishes here. The amount of cheese was commendable, and the bread was fresh, but I couldn't really taste the garlic much - it kind of felt like a regular loaf of bread with some cheese grated on top. I did like the combination of dipping the bread into the shrimp scampi sauce though. The fusilli a vodka came out next, probably my favorite of the night. The portion was a good size, and the glob of ricotta piled on top helped cool your tongue down a bit, since the pasta was spicier than I had anticipated. The pasta fusilli was perfectly al dente. I will say though, that this dish got cold pretty quickly, so eat it soon! The caramelle was probably the least favorite of the night. I personally found it to be tolerable, but my friend really did not like it - it was way too sweet for her and the brown sugar flavor overpowered anything else. It honestly felt like biting into a dumpling with candy in it, which wasn't our favorite combo. The gorgonzola's saltiness also didn't compliment the sweetness of the dish, in our opinion. The vibes of Donna's are definitely there - super aesthetic, as you can see from the photos I've attached. The restaurant is dim and bustling, and the experience is definitely nice. Some foods are a hit, while some others are a miss. Definitely an iconic LA social media restaurant though, so at least try it once! read more

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Drove across the planet (LA) to get here. Worth the drive. Everything was delicious. Will have to travel back (often!) read more

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I was randomly found this place through TikTok and decided to try it. Please keep in mind it is easier to have a reservations opposed to showing up. I don't know how long the wait is but I was able to get a reservation through a cancellation, otherwise you do have to reserve further out. There is only street parking available so it can be a little tricky due to the location. My reservation was at 5pm. People start lining up before they open. If you have a reservation at 5pm, I would suggest arriving early and trying to be one of the first in line since some people are trying to get on the wait list and could make you miss the 15 minute mark they give you. It's a cute little spot for a romantic date. The food was okay. I had the garlic bread, which for me was not the best. I'm not a huge fan of sourdough bread but I could see why others would like it. I also had the calamari which was also okay. Not the best I've had but not the worst. I ordered the fusilli ala vodka for my main dish. Again, nothing that wowed me. It was good but not enough to make me want to return or understand the hype of this place. The garlic Parmesan and lasagna were also underwhelming. I've had better pasta. There was nothing necessarily wrong but it's just okay. For dessert I ordered the tiramisu which I hadn't noticed was salted and unfortunately not something I like. The service was great. I did appreciate that part. read more

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I UNDERSTAND IT NOW! I understand the hype and why it's so hard/long to get a ressy here. one word...QUALITY. Everything from service to the ambiance and of course the food. My God, I have no words...just get here try everything you see in this review and whatever else your heart desires you will not be disappointed. GET HERE! 100/10! read more

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We have been wanting to come to Donna's for quite some time, finally snagging a 5:00 reservation for a Friday. This place is quite small and if you don't have a reservation be prepared to wait. From what we could tell, the capacity is maybe 60 if there are not additional rooms in the back. Drinks ordered: Cherry Cherry and a Coke Note: the Cherry Cherry was very good but something a bit different than I usually order. The ice cube has a cool design on it too! The coke was great and came with a glass of small ice, which enhanced the crispiness of the coke (love a good coke) Apps: Garlic bread and Caesar salad Note: the cheese! The mountain of cheese! Amazing. The bread is very crunchy on the outside but the inside is soft and warm. The salad was definitely our favorite, it was well dressed and had a good balance of ingredients. Dinner: Chicken Parm and Lasagna Note: the Chicken Parm is *just* the chicken parm (no pasta or sides), so be prepared to either share or order another entree. The lasagna was very good, and paired well with the chicken parm. Dessert: Tiramisù Note: it took a while for it to come out but it was worth the wait. It tasted slightly different from a standard tiramisu, the one here at Donna's is very creamy Overall rating: 8.5/10 Bill: around $150 for all items listed above (not including tip) read more

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Officially my current fave - the almighty Italian Gem or Echo Park, Donna's. She's popular, so expect reservations to be booked about 2 weeks out. If you want to attempt a walk in, I would arrive around the time they open, put your name down and swing by Bar Flores or Lowboy for a few drinks. Another note - no reservations over 6 people. Street parking is your best bet but also a true pain in the area, so I've usually taken a rideshare. When you walk in, the ambiance is homey, tasteful and overall lovely. The staff is friendly, attentive and will happily guide a newbie through the menu. The important part, the food: - Garlic Bread: My god. A sourdough loaf baked in the heavens by Zeus himself. Topped with cheese and stuffed with butter. Don't be an idiot like me and ask for a side of butter - you won't need it. - Tonnato Caesar Salad: The cheese ratio? The cute little baby croutons?! Kind of addicting and another must in the starter world. - Fusilli Alla Vodka: The creamiest, richest, most delicious vodka pasta to ever enter this temple they call my body. It's a staple. It's a moment. This should be the first entree that you order, no exceptions. - Rigatoni Bolognese: Stop #2 on the Flavor Town tour brings us to this meaty little wonder. Solid bolognese. - Campanelle: Spices galore shower this taste profile, and we're here for it. I usually don't get this one, but this was my first time and 10/10 would definitely revisit. Every time I go to Donna's I'm basically already plotting on my next visit because I'm determined to try everything. Til next time! read more

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