Food and service were excellent. Very small and quaint restaurant. I liked that the food is the point not the room. Knowledgeable wait staff and not so stuffy. read more

Wonderful gem of a place: simple fantastic food in an intimate stylish setting that is not pretentious. Extensive Italian wine list can be a bit intimidating but the lovely staff was great at making excellent recommendations. read more

I just love this restaurant! The food is delicious, the wine is perfect, and the atmosphere is wonderful mix of elegance and comfort. I'm grateful this restaurant is in the neighborhood, and I look for to many more visits. read more

Went here last night to celebrate a friends birthday. I walked in around 5:30pm when they first opened. The staff was very attentive and friendly. I ordered the Ragu and my friend ordered the halibut. My dish was delicious. My friend said her halibut was a little dry but overall okay. I plan on going back with my husband next time. read more

Wonderful food, great wine list and an intimate atmosphere. I love that the menu is seasonal and the variety is just right. This is one of the best little restaurants in Rockridge. The service could be a bit more welcoming but no real complaints. read more

I don't give 5*'s often. I should have given four, just to figure in the fact that it is so remarkably intimate. But the dining experience was + enough to ablate that detracting feature! read more

Don't come here if you're under 30! My girlfriend and I arrived on a Tuesday night hoping to enjoy a nice dinner. Don't even think about walking up to this place without a reservation as this is the wait staff's carte blanche to treat you like a second class citizen. I'm not sure if they are offended by not making a reservation, but something about us set them off. The waiter threw us in a menu and filled our water cups less than halfway. We waited about 10 minutes or so and our waiter returned only to tell us, "I'll be back"! At that point he started small talk with a few other patrons and did about everything he could other than come take our order. We left after that not wanting to experience a meal with this speed and quality of service. Don't waste your time here, go to Belotti, A16 and the new Donato and Co. read more

Superb!!! Very nice atmosphere. The dark chocolate with mint pudding is awesome. Will come back soon for wine.

We knew going in that it was going to be pricey, so these comments are based on already having decided on a "splurge." There were two of us, and we ordered with an eye to sharing. --Mushroom pate - so/so; wouldn't order again --Fennel & blood orange salad - wonderful! --Zucca salad (butternut squash) - wonderful! --Lamb entre - quite good! and on mound of butter & cheese soaked mashed potatoes (yummy) --Swordfish entre - quite good, but accompanying cauliflower, nothing special --Panna Cotta with pear - my husband liked it, but for me - nothing special - would try something else another time --Two "mini-flights" of wine (2 1/2 glasses in each mini-flight) - we followed recommendations of our server - didn't love any of the wines, although they went ok with the meal. Don't think I'd do the mini-flights again. --Espresso: Bitter. Next time, would order Americano or Cappuccino Overall: had a good time, service was good, but definitely a splurge. Go back? Maybe. Too pricey for regular indulgence; our splurges are few & far between these days. read more

Super cute! Really amazing food. Great atmosphere. Everyone working there is just a pleasure. If you're looking for a place on college you've found a good spot. Has yummy veggie options too. read more

This is our absolute favorite spot in Rockridge. The food is impeccably prepared, and the atmosphere is intimate. Highly recommend any of their salmon dishes, and especially the almond cake! read more

Greasy, tasteless food served with an "attitude". When we asked if an entree was served with a vegetable, we were informed (in a supercilious manner) that "potatoes are a vegetable." When we complained that the potatoes gratinee had no cheese, we were informed that "Italians do not put cheese on things." The service was slow (butter took 10 minutes to arrive). I have had better food with less "attitude" at Denny's. read more

Wonderful food (house cured albacore pasta was superb), small plates/portions which is fine for me, prices acceptable, nice service. My only objection is the mediocre quality of the only rose wine offered (Etna, at $44 per bottle, wow!). I advise asking for a taste before ordering a bottle. They have only Italian wine and what looks like fair prices but I think they missed on their selection of the rose! Just back from Italy, I know there are far better rose but perhaps not imported. Strange reservation system on line. Could not find a table for 3, except at 8:30, but a table for 2 or 4 no problem at all. read more

This is my favorite Italian place in Oakland. Everything is handmade, fresh and authentic. The wine list is totally on point and they are great about letting you taste and find just what you're looking for. The space is charming and I can't wait until they expand to include some outdoor tables! Seriously, I eat here once a week. Love these guys! read more

The calamari was great, very similar to the quality we had in Italy. The squid was very fresh and the sauce did not over power the dish. The wine that was suggested was also perfect, a white wine from Piemonte and Sicily. We only had appetizers and wine for a quick pre-dinner meal before picking up the kids, but would come back for a full meal. I also want to mention the great service! read more

Totally my favorite Italian restaurant or maybe just my favorite restaurant Staff is friendly food is wonderful always and I feel like it is my place read more

Can't get enough of Enoteca Molinari! My husband and I go here at least every other week, sometimes more than once a week! The proprietor really knows his stuff and travels to Italy to select some of his wine and educate himself on the cuisine. The chef is top notch - the food is fresh, inventive and in smaller portions with low prices so you can try several things for an Italian feast. I like the primitivo wine especially and suggest starting with the cheese and meats. read more

Thank you to Joe for being so incredibly hospitable to me and mom when we dropped by yesterday. He was nice enough to serve us wine and offer us appetizers even though he wasn't open...We are moving to Rockridge soon and couldn't ask for a nicer introduction to the neighborhood - and the wine was excellent! read more

The best addition to the Rockridge dining scene in a long while.

Very good Italian wines, comfortable ambiance and friendly, helpful staff. The menu is simple - not overwhelming with very tasty choices. Nice to be able to diversity my favorite spots on College near Rockridge Bart. (I consider it on a par with Oliveto cafe and Somerset). read more

Great addition to College Avenue! Joe, the owner/manager knows his Italian wines very well and has a lot of fun pouring those wines for his guests. The wait staff was friendly, efficient, and really added to the good vibe of the beautifully designed and constructed wine bar. Steve, the Chef is an absolute gem and his small plates are very, very tasty. The chickpea fritta and the squash soup were excellent and the tagliatelle with ragu was perfect! A very interesting list of Italian whites and the red wines were obviously selected with a lot of care by Joe. Definitely a place to visit again. read more

My wife and I both watched the same evolution Joanna described and finally were able to check out Enotec Molinari on New Year's Eve- not usually a good night for walk-ins, but that's become our habit in the last few years and it really paid off this time. I can echo the previous reviews- pleasant room, very welcoming propietor (from the neighborhood!), effective and friendly waitstaff, nice wine list and excellent, straightforward food at a reasonable price. Good Luck, Joe and the rest! You deserve it! read more

Chickpea fries with salsa verde were fantastic! Presentation left something to be desired but they were still great. The tri-tip was perfectly cooked. White bean and greens soup was really good too. Swordfish was bland and the combination of olives and capers somehow fell flat. Our wines were excellent and the service was great. read more

Great new addition to the neighborhood. Management is super nice and accommodating. Food and wine are excellent. The one thing I didn't like was how close the tables are, but that's rather standard I guess. read more

The best part of this little local joint, it's the service, food is delish and Joe seems to hit the wine selection spot on.

My favorite east bay Italian restaurant.  It is a very small room, so it is a tough place to drop in without reservations with a group of 4 on prime nights, but we have been lucky early in the week.  It has an great and reasonably priced, Italian wine list.  The waitresses are friendly, the food is great.  The room is simple and clean, very quiet and calm, and is in a safe neighborhood.  The appetisers change seasonally, but the entrees stay pretty constant.  My favorite item is the tagliatelle al ragu, which is really delicious, and comes in an appetizer size and a full size -- the full size is a generous, but not huge, portion for an adult man.  We visit about once a month, and often walk the two miles, sometimes with the kids, on nice warm nights.  Great for locals, and visitors.   Strongly recommended. read more

Fantastic neighborhood bar. Love the wine list and the attention these guys pay to their guests.

Ive been here 5 times now. Great food, excellent wine, and a cool intimate vibe. Joe and his staff are friendly and knowledgeable so don't be afraid to ask for wine pairing recomendations. Wife and I will be back soon! read more

Accidentally stumbled upon this place. Very charming little restaurant/wine bar. The environment is intimate & classy. We sat at the bar. The wine was excellent. The beef ragu was great. The other entree's were so-so. My favorite thing though was the dessert: pana cotta. That pana cotta was amazing, some of the best I've had. I'll definitely go back, at least for an after-dinner wine plus pana cotta, and probably also go back for the ragu. read more

DELICIOUS!! Wonderful fresh pasta, I wanted to lick my plate. Fantastic service and amazing wines. The dessert was awesome, BEST panna cotta I have ever had. I cannot wait to go back! Perfect for College Avenue. Yum! read more

A delicious very authentic Italian meal. It's a charming place but not a lot of seating unless you like counters; the tables are crowded together. Because it's so small, the noise level is low which was a big plus for me. I advise getting a reservation. A terrific wine list! A neighborhood gem with lovely service. read more

GREAT PLACE!!!! Not sure what Gabby and Ann were talking about.. Staff was fantastic! Nice, helpful, and patient. The wine list is extensive, all Italian, and an excellent variety. Joe, the owner was very helpful in selecting the right wine for the meal. The best part is the place is small and intimate. The food was fantastic and made right in front of us. Apparently Steve the chef, used to head for Lalimes kitchen when it was really good. Highly recommended! Great food, helpful staff, and comfortable atmosphere! read more

Went there for dessert, and it was amazing! Great ambiance, good service. Definately coming back for a full course meal!! Dessert was the bomb.com. Chef like an Italian version of chef Rasmey, minus a few "f" words. read more

Absolutely delicious, authentic food made by the owner/chef, and if you sit at the counter, right in front of you! Handmade pasta perfectly prepared. It's a tiny, intimate place, so make advanced reservations. read more

We keep on coming back to Enoteca as we're never disappointed - it's so cozy and vibrant, and like someone else said here, a small slice of Europe on College Ave. The chef is from Naples and the owner is Italian and he has excellent taste in wine and menu. Great for an in-the-week meal or on the weekends and good for a twosome or a group of about 6 people. The menu is updated from time to time for seasonal changes and we're a fan of the cheeses and charcuterie, and starters, and the dessert - fantastic budino. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant. It is walking distance from my house which makes it a huge plus. The staff is the warmest I have found in any restaurant, anywhere. I am sure that starts with the incredibly kind, and service-oriented owner. Just the friendliness of the owner and staff makes me want to keep going. My father says the wine list is excellent, and extremely diverse for such a small place, I don't know- I don't drink. The food is outstanding. I have a cheese allergy, which is not easy to accommodate in a small Italian restaurant which focuses on pasta dishes, but they always managed to make me outstanding meals. The negatives: their portion size is tiny. This is a big problem. Both times I have eaten there, I have gone home and been hungry an hour later. Also, while the wait-staff is incredibly friendly, they seem to miss the mark, forgetting to bring bread, then bringing it without butter, not asking if we wanted ground pepper with our salads, etc...It is standard in an Italian restaurant to have bread on a table before you even ask for it. Also, I love the simplicity of clean lines of the decor, but they need to add, a little decorating. I will keep coming back, and exposing new friends to this fun neighborhood restaurant. We are lucky such a talented and kind owner put his skills to such use, but I do hope they do their part by increasing portion size and training their wait-staff a little bit-two changes that would not be hard to make. By the way, because the restaurant is so tiny (maybe it holds 20, max), is is best to get there around 6 or toward the end of the night. read more

Great pasta and pleasant atmosphere. We were visiting from the other side of the bay and were fortunate to find this gem. The tagliatelle al ragu was tremendous! The owner/proprietor gave the experience a personal feel that our family really appreciated. read more

Love the ambiance. Wine situation looks great. Overall, wanted more flavor from the food. Not enough umami. Service was good.

Enjoyed our dinner at the bar of this very small restaurant. We got in early, at 6pm and was great chating with the staff about wine selection and food. Everything was tasty and well prices. My only complaints is that when the restaurant did get full around 7pm, it was hard to get staff's attention. We much preferred it when we had the place all to ourselves. read more

Resembling the clean, modern look and feel of my favorite wine bar in Florence, I immediately felt a kinship to Enoteca Molinari. The service was a delayed with miscommunication between the waiters and the bartender, but they were aware of being overwhelmed and apologized a few times. It's an atmosphere that facilitates good conversation accompanied with Italian wines and simple tasty plates. I'm really not sure how 2 hours went by so quickly! read more