Tiny restaurant, good thing I made reservations. Ordered the three cheeses appetizer, It was ok. We also got a bottle of wine to go with with the cheeses. For my main course, ordered the tagliatelle al ragu, which was ok. Overall, food is ok. Service is good. Good place for a date with the low mood lighting. read more

Bad place... terrible.... horrible... what a nightmare.... made a reservation and as soon we arrived 5minutes before our reservation.... a not very friendly waiter or hostess told us that they're over book and that maybe we should try the next door restaurant... unbelievable what a waste of time. The place is so tiny and they didn't even apologize. So disappointing. Customer service sucks. read more

Who's writing these yelp reviews? Friends of the owner? The food was good - best part actually, but portions were tiny. The waitstaff was unfriendly and frankly didn't understand the wines all that much. The place looks like a yogurt store - not romantic, warm or inviting. I don't get where all these great reviews come from. Don't go out of your way to get here. I feel like a fool for thinking this place was going to be something special, read more

I've been running, walking and speed-walking past this place for many months. I had long anticipated its opening. And finally, last night, I stopped in. Well, I'm not sure if I built things up too much in my head before visiting, but my experience fell a little flat. However, I'm awarding Enoteca Molinari four stars because it's a new neighborhood spot that I think deserves the benefit of the doubt. I came here to meet up with someone for happy hour, and the $5 glass of wine is a great deal. I won't pretend to be a wine connoisseur, but I thought it was quite good at such an inexpensive price. I also tried some complimentary olives, the ($5 HH special) pear/gorgonzola crostini, and ($5 HH special) chickpea fries. More good deals on good snacks. I just felt a little something was missing from the ambiance and the service. Our waitress was very nice, but didn't really offer any interesting thoughts on the wine menu, didn't really check in all that frequently ... I think she was just a bit inexperienced, and will hopefully improve over time, but it kind of made me wish I had sat at the bar instead. Also, while I often really appreciate minimalism, the walls seemed overly plain, like they needed a bolder paint color or artwork, and the lighting seemed a bit bright for a wine bar. In general, I was hoping for more character; but again, I think this is something that may evolve over time. I'm really rooting for Enoteca Molinari, and I'm happy to see a lot of other positive reviews so far. This could be a really cute, fun place to go for an evening. I'm looking forward to exploring their non-HH wine selection in the near future, and will hopefully be able to post an updated review soon! read more

We were disappointed in our meal after reading such great reviews. The wine selection was excellent, but the service was incredibly slow for such a small restaurant. They forgot our soup and the dishes were certainly nothing to write home about - though the ragout was cooked for many hours, it was lacking in flavor. They did accommodate a vegan-gluten free diet, which we appreciated. Updated: the owner reached out to us explaining that a server was in training and that they would offer us a soup and suggest other menu items. We won't be returning, but appreciate the prompt customer service and responsiveness. read more

Enoteca Molinari is one of the best Italian restaurants I've ver been to, and it's not just the food that's outstanding. The decor is perfectly simple, and the lighting is always on point for a relaxing dining experience. The owner, Joe, works most nights behind the counter, chatting with patrons about fine food and wine -- he's incredibly knowledgeable on both subjects and I enjoy discussing these mutually shared passions with him immensely. The kitchen is open, and the one chef, Angelo, is from Italy and is an incredible culinary artist. Highly recommended. TRY THE: Tagliatelle Ragu read more

This place is so good, they do very authentic simple food that reminds me of the food in rome or naples. Everything I have had has been super fresh and perfectly cooked. Their vegetable sides and salads are always so good you can tell they put a lot of attention into every aspect of their food. Every time My wife and I have been to Enoteca Molinari the same people have been working there with the same two cooks cooking everything in the kitchen, which is in the dining area so you can see them prepare everything. I am not a wine enthusiast or expert but they seem to have put the same amount of thought and care into the wine list as the food. Every wine I have had has been amazing and they use this device on the open bottles that reseals them after every glass so the wine is fresh even when you just order a single glass. The service is great, very friendly and welcoming without being overbearing. The atmosphere is intimate and modern without being pretentious or stuffy. This is my favorite italian restaurant in the east bay by far, I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Wow! After a difficult day, I was taken to Enoteca Molinari for a lovely dinner. This small, charming space with its simple, yet elegant, decor on College Avenue in Rockridge is only big enough for a few tables, so we were glad to have made reservations in advance. The waitstaff was helpful and present (without hovering), and excelled at making some very good wine recommendations ... graciously accompanied by samples. The wine list is well curated, with a variety of reasonably priced Italian varietals by the bottle and the glass. The menu is blissfully short and focused, featuring on this particular evening perhaps three pasta dishes, and three meat courses. I ordered the Gnocchi with Smoked Mozzarella sauce while my partner had the steak. In a world of unimaginative and ubiquitous Italian food, so often drowned in cheese, butter and garlic, this place made an *impression*. The exquisite, reasonably sized portions of savory goodness were just enough to showcase their handcrafted perfection! Dessert was panna cotta and salted caramel pudding, with two (suggested) dessert wine pairings. Again, exquisite -- great sized portion and a very reasonable price. This is simply one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Highly recommended! read more

Enoteca Molinari was a very pleasant surprise.... I had made reservations and was greeted by a smiling, cheerful member of the staff. It is a small place but decorated very tastefully. It was clean, airy, cheerful and very pleasant. The menu was easy to read, and the food was absolutely incredible. We started with the Antipasti Misti and a glass of Ronco Calino Franciacorta Brut NV, Metodo Classico. Our main entrees were Bistecca Con Rucola E Parmigiano which was done to a perfect medium rare....and Gnocchi Con Fave E Pomodorini.. we asked for a red wine recommendation which came in right on the money.. light, buttery and very low in tannins. Dessert was salted caramel pudding and a panna cotta with a pistachio and turkish fig reduction... The whole culinary experience was outstanding.. I highly recommend Enoteca Molinari... read more

A small menu makes for delicious and well executed food; I'm always excited when restaurants don't try cater to EVERY palate, but stick to what they excel at. The gnocchi with marinara sauce was a standout; it was fresh, earthy, and actually tasted like potatoes. In addition to the gnocchi, we shared the tagliatelle ragu, a radicchio salad, and a very moist almond cake; our server was friendly, efficient, and made excellent wine recommendations that paired perfectly with our food. This charming, low-key, intimate restaurant is such a flavor powerhouse! We will definitely return. read more

We had a delightful dinner at Enoteca Molinari last night. It was our first visit to the restaurant and we were really pleased with everything. It started with the outdoor seating, with a table for two on Taft Ave instead of College, so we had a view of a treed side street instead of College traffic. Our service, provided by Fabiano, was just right. He showed up at the right times, really knows the menu and has a great sense of humor. They had a wide wine selection - mostly Italian of course. The Insalata siciliana was a tasty start with a great combination of flavors, the tagliatelle al ragu with beef and pork had a robust country feel, and the almond tart with strawberry and cream just melted in my mouth. We'll be back! read more

My husband and I went there on a whim last night and we were so impressed! The bartender and food servers were so warm and attentive. The homemade, ragu pasta was perfect and upon the restaurant team's recommendation, we tried out a new bottle of wine that brought out the flavors like I've never experienced before. If you're looking for an intimate evening with your significant other or close friends and family, this is the spot! read more

Very nice dinner here tonight. Chef has a "light touch" with the flavors -- definitely not heavy. My husband had the bean soup and the small portion of the beef/pork tagliatale. It was delicious -- smaller portion was definitely ample. I had the caprese salad and the oricheta. Both were yummy as well -- especially the caprese salad. We were too full for dessert, but they all looked good. Staff was attentive and helpful as well. We'll be back! read more

Ordered the calamari to share, and the Tagliatelle al ragu. Calamari was honestly kind of plain and not that flavorful. For $12 I was very disappointed because there wasn't much to it. It was also a very tiny portion. The Tagliatelle al ragu was delicious. The portion was small as well even though I ordered the larger size ($19). It was lacking in meat too. I feel like the noodles were just barely coated to where some bites were lacking some of the flavor of the sauce. It's a small intimate restaurant. The atmosphere is just OK to me. It feels like they took a casual restaurant, cleaned it up, and dimmed down the lights. The servers were present - but not necessarily friendly. We were also not offered bread (which I actually love - and I saw others had it. It wasn't on the menu that I could tell so maybe I missed something?) I'd probably not come back to this place. I expect to pay more for Italian, but I expect to have a nicer dinner than the one I had (better ambiance, service, etc). Disappointed because I really wanted to find a nice italian place! I guess I'll stick to my current place in Napa (Ristorante Allegria)! read more

This is a lovely, cute, little place. I was excited because I wanted to get some Italian food and wine, and this place is so close to my place. When me and my boyfriend got there, the place was full (because it's pretty small), so they told us it would be a 40 minute wait. We ended up leaving and then coming back, waiting around for like 1 hour or even more because they underestimated the time it would take for customers to leave. They had very good service, so it wasn't that big of a deal. The wine was great, and our waitress had very good recommendations. But the food was honestly just OK. Everything was very fresh and unique, I suppose, but I felt like I probably could have made the pasta myself at home. It's just too overpriced for what it is, honestly. read more

4th visit to Enoteca Molinari and it was busy on a Thursday night. Started again with the chickpea fries and very light and airy and good starter. The Cortese by the glass is one of the best I have had and a big fan of Gavi di Gavi wines. The pear and gorganzola crostini is really tasty and pear was really flavorful for this time of year. Gnocchi is next and the lightest fluffy pillowy ones I have ever had and the mushrooms earthy and nice touch. Friend had the ragu and thought the gnocchi were better. But the butterscotch budino knocked our socks off. Super intense and creamy but firm. Would order more just to go and have next day!!! Joe, the owner, has a great selection of Italian wines here. It would get 5 stars but just think the knowledge of the servers is a little lacking. They are friendly and all but for the best experience sit at the bar and Joe will serve you as he knows the wines inside and out. Wish I had more time to visit here more often as it is a great n'hood spot! It gives Dopo a run for it's money! Cheers! read more

Delicious house wine (I'm not a wine snob so most red wines are good for me ). Delicious pork tenderloin with prosciutto. It had purple potatoes on the side that were seasoned just perfect...... Delicious house made pasta....Delicious potatoe cake... My bf and I were walking around college avenue and decided to stop in here for dinner. We were very happy with the food. The server was friendly, however she just started the job and didn't know what anything was on the menu... I loved the small quaint bar/restaurant atmosphere...dimmed lights.... very small tables and bar seating. read more

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The food was good, although not top notch. Lost points for the poor service. Had a reservation for 7:30 but waited at least a half an hour while 2 other groups got seated before us. Poor planning and didn't offer anything to make up for it. read more

I'll be honest, I don't normally take the time to do these reviews, but Enotica Molinari is a standout and deserves the recognition! I'm the daughter of a Sicilian immigrant who used to live in Italy, and can say with confidence that this place is the real authentic deal. That is so refreshing, given how many places make the claim, but then disappoint. The food was delightful, fresh, and creative. And the wine pairings (and recommendations) were spot on. The staff aren't just there to do a job, but to provide an experience, and they do it well. read more

This place is so so very good! The food, the wine, the atmosphere, everything. Do yourself a favor and have the fried zucchini flowers when they're back. So light, and delicate, with this lovely creamy ricotta for dipping. Pretty sure I've tried all the salumi by now, and the soppressata is my fave... but they're all good. And please, you must stay for dessert. The salted caramel pudding is rich, smooth, with a little salt crunch, and just enough sweetness. No rubbery cream-flavored gello here - their panacotta is nice and soft. But last time we were there, it was the chocolate hazelnut cake that absolutely blew my mind. I mean really.... just blew my mind. Seriously. This place is so good. read more

These guys are the best. Super friendly service. Small place, excellent for a group of two to four. Appetizers are always really good. My wife and often each get a pasta with the intention of swapping mid-meal and mutually cancel that plan because we're enjoying it so much. read more

Very small place but don't judge a place by its cover I learned. Best classic Italian I have had in a LONG time!!

I would like to dine here every evening. can't think of anything better then chatting with Joe the owner about the italian history of oakland while he is pouring great wine and I'm watching Angelo the gorgeous Napolitano chef making his MELT IN YOUR MOUTH Caponata. Service is great, Menu is simple and outstanding. Buon Appetito! Sandie concierge read more

We actually ate here on a whim not knowing what it was because we were trying to eat at A Cote next door without a reservation and the wait was about an hour, we were on a tight schedule because we were going to see Anthony Bourdain speak at the Paramount so we stopped in here to see if we could get a table... all the tables were empty but reserved but there was a few seats at the bar so we were seated there. It was actually nice to sit at the bar because you can see all the action of the kitchen. The only downfall was that they squished in a party of 3 next to us halfway through our starters, in a spot that had 2 chairs only and even the party of 3 kept asking the person if that was going to be okay when it obviously was too small of a spot to fit 3 people. So I was eating my meal sitting on the corner feeling like sardines in a can and hitting the guy next to me whenever I tried to use my arm to eat. They have a great wine selection here of mainly Italian wines. We started off with the pate and chickpea fries, both were really delicious. For main courses we shared the 4 hour pork and the sea bass. They were good and very flavorful but the portions were small. When we were ordering my husband was saying how great the prices are but when the plates came out, he said nevermind, they are tapa sizes not entree sizes. For dessert we shared the tiramisu, which was really good too. I would come back again to try other things. read more

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I can't believe we haven't tried this place before. We love fresh pasta and this place didn't disappoint . Such an amazing, cozy, romantic spot. Can't wait to go back already. read more

We thought it was "good, not great." It's a nice little italian restaurant in Rockridge. Sparsely furnished, with bright lighting and small tables packed together, so you are really hearing all the conversations around you. The win here is the food and wine, which took a while to order due to spotty service at the beginning but became more attentive as we dined. We had the beet salad, vegatable soup, swordfish and house-made pasta with sausage and broccoli. We'll put this restaurant in the rotation. read more

Lovely. Great service, nice wine, great food, really nice atmosphere. REAL Italian. We had a great time! I had the stewed beef over pasta (can't remember the name), a salad with pecorino on it, and the squid. We expected the squid to be fried. It wasn't and was still nice but not my favorite thing. read more

enoteca molinari is a great addition to the hood. it's more of a restaurant than a true wine bar, but maybe it becomes more of a wine spot the later it gets? i had read the food was worth trying so i made the husband and i reservations for dinner around. the place itself is small, so if you go for a meal, definitely make a reservation. there are a handful of small tables for 2 and one larger table in the window that can probably accommodate 5 or 6, plus the small bar over the chefs kitchen and another small bar that faces a wall--fine for drinks, but you probably wouldn't want to eat there. the service is friendly and we were very happy with our server's wine recommendation based on what we said we like. the food itself is a solid three stars. i was all over our starters--chickpea fries with kind of a chimichurri dipping sauce and a salad of blood oranges, mandarins, fennel and olives. great flavors and refreshing as well. the polenta cakes with wild mushrooms were good, but not great--probably hard for me to judge right now since i just tasted bar agricole's version a week ago and it blew my mind. we also had a linguine pasta with a white pesto that was very creamy and a little too heavy for one person to finish. we shared the salted caramel pudding for dessert and this was delish, though definitely too rich to eat on your own. the design is crisp and clean with blonde wood floors, off white walls, marble counters and simple seating. the crowd here is definitely older--mostly 50s-60s and i think it's because it's a quiet, chill ambiance and the food is easy. i would go back, but i'm not in a big rush to. i do think they could improve on their pasta execution. with a menu that is mostly pasta it should be a little more impressive. apparently they make their own, but ours was missing that distinctive chew that sets apart a homemade pasta, altho i see other reviewers have had it in theirs so apparently they can do it. but as of now i think dopo or cotogna in SF do a better job. read more

I finally had a chance to visit this wine bar that has been on my list for months. It is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. I have wanted to stop by several times late in the day on weekends but they do not open until 5:30PM. I wish they opened at noon 3PM Friday - Sunday at the latest. I was alone reading a wonderful novel and fooling around on my Iphone while enjoying a wonderful glass of Soave and the delicious chickpea fries. The chickpea fries are a signature dish that is lighter than falafel and perfect for sharing. I can not wait to taste more of the menu. The heirloom tomato crostini that passed me by looked delectable. I had food envy. Lovely presentation. I will be back. The servers are wonderfful, good conversationalists and accomadating. The owner is also very friendly. Shop locally. A 4.5 star wine bar. read more

AMAZING! I was very very excited to try out this place and it didn't disappoint. Chick Pea Fries - Soooo delicious and clever! Gogonzola/Pear/Walnut Crostini - Melt in your mouth. The pears they served were so perfectly ripe it was insane. Bistecca - Wow - perfect seasoning, cooked well. I would imagine having a huge meal of just the steak alone. Polenta Mushroom - very good. Dessert - flourless Hazelnut/chocolate Cake/torte - delicious! I was surprised since the cake was not the Super heavy flourless cake you expect, but was still light but utterly delicious! Next time I go - i want to try the Ragu pasta as that sounded delicious. As you can see - i plan on going back!!!! My only thing is that i walked past the place since there isn't sign-age outside on the street - only on one inside wall (and I was walking in the opposite direction of it). read more

with all of these great reviews I wonder, did we do something to piss them off? went for an impromptu dinner on a Tuesday night and was treated with indifference if not borderline hostility throughout the meal. i am not looking to be your friend folks, but a bit of eye contact with your customer helps. it was also weird that my salmon with peas came drowning in a soup like sauce when the order next door, which inspired me to order it, looked completely different. even the owner who served us the wine did not answer our questions. we left shaking our heads wondering... Updated: In fairness, the owner of the restaurant has contacted me offering have me come in for dinner and find our what happened during our meal. read more

Everything about this place rocks! My wife and I live in the neighborhood, and this has definitely become our favorite place when we want to enjoy great wine and service. We've been back at least 4 or 5 times and we plan to keep frequenting this place in the future! It actually kind of pains me to give them a good review because I don't want too many folks to come in and take tables away from us! The waitresses and bartender are all so very knowledgeable and helpful...I'm generally very intimidated by wine lists, but they folks just really know how to make the entire ordering process fun and easy! I especially love how they'll let you try a bit of the wine before ponying up your money for the full glass...it really shows how much they care about their customers. read more

I have been in Yelp sabbatical b/c I now have two kids so don't have time to Yelp! But, this restaurant has brought me out of hibernation. For my birthday last night, we didn't have reservations and were just going to wing it by going to Acote. Well, as it turns out they were totally booked, so we went next door and had an enjoyable dinner. Good service, great wine, and the food was also good. Not sure what's up with the naysayers below, but we ordered olives, salami (totally delicious!, and made in Berkeley too!), a Pork Ragu dish, and a seafood broth, and a dessert). The portions are pretty small, yes, but if you you appetizers, main, and dessert, it's totally sufficient. Our bill, with all of that and two glasses of wine = $80 pre tax. True, not cheap. But a good experience. I probably won't come here every day, but I'll be back. Thanks for a great birthday dinner! ;) read more

This place is like a little slice of Europe in the middle of Rockridge. Intimate and inviting, with a creative and absolutely delicious menu of carefully curated dishes. It's my favorite place for a romantic date, a catchup session with a girlfriend, or some me time sitting in the sunny window bar with a book and a divine glass of Italian wine. read more

We have had lovely meals here before, but on the night of our 40th anniversary my expensive steak was served cold and the "espresso" was tepid and tasted like instant coffee. The waitress was unfriendly about my allergies. Because it was a special occasion and my husband hates any sort of fuss, I said nothing. I know this is a tiny restaurant, but it was not full the night we were there and there is no excuse for cold food. read more

I'm stretching to find negative things to say about this place. Their wine list is wonderfully packed with Italian wines. The server behind the counter was very helpful and knowledgeable. The interior is refined, clean and modern. There is a large stone-topped bar that dominates this small space. My girlfriend and I ordered a bottle of Nebiolo and an assortment of small plates. Our server decanted our bottle for us and dutifully refilled our glasses. For the appetizer, we got slices of bread with a light fava-bean spread. Super tasty! The entrees were generally good but not always outstanding. Our final bill bordered on pricey but it was worth it! read more

How can something so simple be so delicious? Loved the fennel, orange, olive salad. Prosciutto di San Daniele is sliced paper thin - moist and delicious. Great place for a dieter.. Even better place is you love pasta and salumi. Wide selection of interesting wines by the glass. Bread sticks are addictive. read more

Just visted this restaurant. I had looked up all the great YELP reviews expecting a premium Italian dining experiance. My wife being from Europe really has had great exposure to Italian food.I grew up in a Italian neighborhood.This food was average. Portion to price ratio was not a value when considering quality. Wait staff was excellent . read more

This is a very small neighborhood spot with less than ten tables and about 8 seats at the bar. They usually have a vegan item on the menu, but they are very willing to accommodate if they can. Great wines at a good price and the service is friendly. Great spot for a glass of wine and a bite. read more

I recently went to dinner at this restaurant. Unfortunately, we found the food and the experience underwhelming. There was no dish which stood out for us. We started with the calamari appetizer. The calamari tasted fresh and was tender. It is presented like a salad with fennel and garbanzo beans and some herbs. But the dressing had little taste. The dish could have used more zing to it. There was no bread placed on the table so we asked the waitress for some. She came right back with a tiny amount of bread and what must have been a tablespoon of olive oil. The bread itself was a nondescript French bread of which there were four very small pieces. Why the meager portion of bread? We were never asked if we wanted more. I have been to other Italian restaurants in the neighborhood such as Donato & Co. where a basket of warm focaccia bread and other slices of delicious bread was served and offers of refill given. Then, my husband ordered the Saltimbocca (pork tenderloin) and I ordered the Tagliatelle with meat ragu. My pasta dish was ok but not memorable. I felt it needed more flavor. My husband's pork tenderloin was ok but mostly tasted of salt. The sauce was average. The pork was not juicy nor succulent. We then shared a dessert of their almond/olive oil cake. The dessert was very good and memorable. We ordered a few glasses of wine. The wine was delicious and for me, the highlight of the meal. The ambiance of the restaurant left something to be desired. I found the decor rather sterile and with nothing to absorb the noise, not a place you would want to take a date or celebrate a special occasion. I feel this restaurant has potential to be a good but should create an atmosphere of Italian warmth by serving artisan bread generously, by warming up the decor with some noise absorbing material and by developing their menu which is a very limited one. The chef should rework some of the dishes to add more complex flavor to them. For the price, which was not cheap, I would not be motivated to return especially, since there are so many outstanding Italian restaurants in Berkeley and Oakland. I will say, the wait staff were very nice. read more