Food is always delicious and great service! Everyone is so friendly and accommodating! Great Ma and Pa Italian restaurant! Also, you have to love a BYOB! Angela from Fishtown read more

Fantastic service. Great prices Most dishes and sauces etc could use more seasoning. read more

Food is under seasoned and overly priced especially compared to murph's in Fishtown. Something is missing in every dish. Not sure if it's parm or pecorino in the white sauce dishes? Not sure. read more

Wonderful neighborhood byob. Unfortunately the bacon in my girlfriend's pasta was woefully undercooked and we were not going to make an issue of it but when we told our server she apologized profusely and then took it off the bill. Other than that glitch, meatball appetizer and seafood pasta delicious. Fresh Caesar salad big enough to share. Very friendly attentive service, reasonable prices (note-cash only) and easy parking. Nothing exotic on menu but homemade and tasty. read more

I'm embarrassed that it has taken years for me to discover this quaint Italian BYOB only a few blocks from my condo in Old City. I stopped in on a warm night with friends from my condo building and had an enjoyable meal outside. The meal started with the standard bread common at an Italian restaurant. I followed that up with a Caesar salad. It was made perfectly, with fresh crisp lettuce, croutons, and just the right amount of dressing. For my entree i tried one of the specials, a seafood ravioli dish. It was ravioli stuffed with crab & lobster meat, with shrimp on the side. Both covered with a delectable sauce. I wanted to lick the plate after I devoured the delicious meal. I ended the night with the tiramisu. A tasty dessert to end my night. On the negative side, the restaurant is cash only. In 2019 that's a disgraceful inconvenience to the customer in order to avoid a credit card fee. I guess they are oblivious to the business they lose because of it. I live close by and would probably become a regular if they accepted credit cards. The food and friendly service is certainly worthy of repeat visits. read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great dinner option for Italian comfort food if you're visiting Old City. It's a cash-only place that's BYOB (bring your own wine). Although the exterior is not appealing at first, it's well worth a visit. My wife, two sons (13 yrs., 11 yrs.) and I came for dinner at 7pm on Dec. 26th. We enjoyed the linguini di mare (with red sauce) and fresh gnocchi with tomatoes and gorgonzola in a pink sauce. Both dishes were comforting. For dessert, the cannoli (with a sweet ricotta filling) and tiramisu (layered with a hints of amaretto) were delightful - I'm glad we saved enough room to sample dessert. Each entree is about $20 per person. The atmosphere inside in the restaurant is not fancy, but feels like a casual, family-owned neighborhood trattoria. The service was friendly and welcoming. read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - Restaurant Interior at 7pm. - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Decided to give this place a try since it's within walking distance from us. Right when you walk in, you can immediately feel the rustic Italian vibe from the decor and the design of the interior. The hosts and waitstaff were all extremely friendly and welcome us in very warmly. Starting off with the good: We started off with the arugula mango salad that is on their specials. Very fresh and flavors paired well. For those who can't mix sweet and savory though, probably not the dish for you. We were told the mushroom crepes are also very good but unfortunately did not order them this time. The tiramisu we had at the end was also delicious. It looked like something I would make at home since the two pieces we had didn't look uniformly layered or cut but it was so good, that's all that matters. The entrees: I was able to try the gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce, the penne a la vodka, and the lobster ravioli. The lobster ravioli was probably my favorite - taste was good, sauce was creamy, only critique is the ravioli itself was a bit undercooked in my opinion. they also topped the dish off with some jumbo shrimp so in terms of bang for your buck, this was the best dish. The gnocchi wasn't as soft as I would like and I thought the sauce was under seasoned, a bit watery, and I couldn't really taste the Gorgonzola part of the sauce, which is usually the main reason why I order that dish. The penne a la vodka was also just ok and had similar issues as the gnocchi dish (under-seasoned, a bit watery). Overall this is a very convenient location for this neighborhood but wouldn't be at the top of my list for Italian food in Philly. read more

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Super quaint, authentic Italian in the heart of old city. I've walked by hundreds of times and the smells in combination with the noticeable atmosphere inside finally brought me in. Inside was packed, however we lucked out on a table outside down the quiet alley off 3rd Street! Our table started with burrata and calamari, the burrata was wrapped in prosciutto. Also, complimentary bread and zucchini pate was sent out as well. These were great starters, specifically love me some burrata. I ordered the gnocchi while my GF ordered the veal saltimbocca. The gnocchi is made with ricotta cheese instead of potatoes and served in there daily special sauce. DELICIOUS The sauces on every dish we ordered were unique and added great flavor to each dish! Make sure to grab extra bread to soak up the leftovers... 3 rules: BYOB, cash only, and no cheese on seafood read more

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Already bustling at 5:45 on a Saturday night. Two of us arrived without reservations yet they took the time to accommodate us about a wait. Pleasant, personable and knowledgeable staff. Food was incredible. Salmon with capers was the best I've ever had. Honestly I can't wait to go back read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Local spot. BYOB. Everything is fresh!!! Tons of specials, so you have so many options not on menu. People are lovey and so nice!!! Must try!!!!! read more

Such high hopes... The atmosphere is heavy duty neighborhood restaurant. Our waiter might have been an actor playing the part of a "crew" member in The Sopranos except he would have been overacting. Up front, the two things you probably already know, LLDG is cash-only and BYOW (wine). Not that we have that out of the way... The food, unfortunately, was uneven. Between the five of us we shared two appetizers, three main courses, and a dessert. From a quantity standpoint it was more than enough. Quality was another story. The starters, backed by their homemade bread, and dessert were delicious. The main courses were all... meh. All overdone and under flavored. I might consider giving this place another try next time I'm in the area were it not for Philly having so many other eating opportunities. Too bad, this place showed so much promise. read more

This is in a beautiful part of Old City and the interior is just as lovely as the surrounding neighborhood. The food was delicious as well. I had the special of ravioli stuffed with lobster in a shrimp sauce. It was -very- filling. The staff was nice in that they were prompt about chilling our beers as this is BYOB. Our waitress however was not around frequently, so I took a star off for service. Be warned this is cash only and there is an ATM on-site. read more

Although this was located in touristy Old City, it was tucked away in the quiet corners of 3rd and Cherry street. This hole in the wall Italian place is most certainly one of the best I've had in the city so far. Their portions are insanely generous with a very reasonable price. My friend and I got the gnocchi, seafood ravioli, risotto and the meat&cheese plate (as an appetizer). The gnocchi was super soft and chewy. The amount of sauce and flavor they put in each dish was simply perfect. You know this place is legit when you hear the chef shouting in Italian. The meat&cheese plate was a great deal but probably the least impressive out of everything but I would say it is definitely better than what A Mano's offered. The most memorable would probably be their tiramisu cake. It was a heavenly piece of giant fluff and you can certainly taste the strong espresso it was drenched in. Needless to say, my friend and I waddle out of that restaurant. It's also cash only but they have an atm on site. read more

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Looks like of a restaurant left behind by the times with remnants of a payphone still stuck to the wall outside. However, this is Italian American food at its finest with the like eggplant rollatini, gnocchi in any of the great house sauces and a classic cannoli to finish it all off. Love this family run place --- bring cash and your own bottle of vino. read more

This is a great BYO, family owned, Italian restaurant in my neighborhood. I had been meaning to try LaLocanda since last summer and I'm so glad I finally did. Their food is delicious! It's all homemade and you can taste the difference. There is complimentary bread for the table (*does happy carb dance*) and the portions are big! I ordered the veal (pounded flat with a slice of prosciutto and a side of green beans) and my friend ordered the orecchiette pasta (with ground sausage and mushroom in a red sauce). Both dishes were fabulous! Service may be off depending on the night. When I went there was one server for the entire restaurant. Overall you cant beat a good BYO. I wish there were more in the city! I'll be back! Do keep in mind this is a cash only establishment. If you forget they have an ATM in the back. read more

I'm seriously surprised I haven't written a review for this place yet! I found this after some serious searching on yelp for a new BYOB Italian spot and this place was a great find! They've got limited seating but it's never too hard to get a reservation for a larger party the week that you're planning to go. They have their standard menu but I always go because I'm dying to hear all of their amazing specials! They always have something new and wonderful to offer; at least a salad, appetizer, pasta, fish, meat, and dessert that's on the special menu! The most recent time that I was there, I got this delicious pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce. I could have eaten four plates of it. Our group started out with the burrata appetizer that was the special of the night. They also given you plenty of bread and a romesco sauce for the dipping to start the meal! All I can say about this place is yum! My only quam with this place is that the kitchen is open to the restaurant and like I said its a small space so it can get a little smokey in there. Otherwise I'm more than happy to choose this place when I'm out and about in old city! read more

Same great restaurant....new location. Food is great. Staff is great. Parking is easier. BYOB.

Came here with a girlfriend on a Wednesday night. The place is pretty dim but it was definitely a great date location. When making a reservation we already knew it was BYOB and cash only. Somehow we still forgot...but some previous patrons had left a bottle of wine behind so the waitress served it to us! We ordered two specials that night, the lobster ravioli with shrimp ($25) and the salmon in a curry sauce with risotto ($28) -- totally not the names of the dishes but I don't remember the fancy names. Both were amazing, cooked well, flavorful...and I even dipped the bread in my sauce and practically ate every last drop of it. Our waitress was Lidia, and she was a lot of fun too so we had a great time. read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Loved it. I've been twice, wonderful staff, excellent food, BYOB. Can't wait to come back.

My husband and I have been going to La Locanda for about a year and a half now, and it is absolutely our favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. We used to live in the neighborhood and still enjoy eating there whenever we are in the city or are looking to celebrate a special occasion. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, the food cannot be beat, and the service is wonderful--it feels like you're being welcomed by family each time you enter! Cash only, but also BYOB so be sure to bring your favorite bottle of wine to enjoy with your sure-to-be-delicious meal! read more

A nice BYOB with a thick italian accent, at least when it comes to the names of the dishes. I thought the servers were passionate about the food. I was impressed by the highly recommended crepite con funghi (mushroom crepes), although I didn't love the caesar salad and thought it could have used more flavor and less dressing. I tried the "gnocchi di giorno," which was served with a gorgonzola sauce. I loved the pasta (which I think they said was ricotta based and not with traditional potato), but couldn't eat more than half of it because the sauce was so rich (and the portions are generous). I think I would have really loved the gnocchi if it were a day they made it with a red tomato based sauce. To be honest, I think I loved the complimentary eggplant pate that was served with the bread best! All in all, it's a romantic place that will leave you feeling very full. read more

I wasn't sure what this place was until I noticed the menu in the window. What a terrific special find...even though it's right in front of your face! Reading some of the other reviews before I went helped a great deal. So many people mentioned the mushroom crepes...if I could only use 2 words to describe them it would be "Holy S*%t"! The silky cream sauce accompanies these 2 perfectly cooked crepes that are filled with an assortment of wild mushrooms. The addition of the freshly chopped onion and tomatoes adds just the right amount of acidity to this wonderful starter. We used the great bread that came as soon as we sat down to mop up every last bit. We also had the house salad that was loaded with fresh mozzarella, olives, roasted peppers, greens, and finished off with a lovely house dressing. I had the gnocchi with the gorgonzola cream sauce. These are not your typical run of the mill potato gnocchi. These are ricotta gnocchi that have a very consistent firm yet pliable texture....very filling and delicious! My wife had the pork chop served with risotto. The thick cut pork chop was cooked perfectly and had an addictive reduction poured over it. The risotto had a nice hint of shallot and was a perfect vehicle to soak up the remaining sauce. Joe our server was great! He finished us off with a piece of tiramisu and a canolli. The lady fingers were properly soaked that added to the already decadent moistness of this classic. The canolli was filled with a perfectly balanced mascarpone (not to sweet). This is not the type of restaurant that turns and burns and has a kitchen staff of 50. The dishes are expertly crafted by chefs who would rather put out quality than quantity. That said...try not to be the ugly restaurateur if you are seated 15 minutes after your reservation or if your food doesn't come out as fast as the local cheese steak house. If you are concerned about getting your water filled every 5 minutes...may I suggest that you order the Italian still or sparkling water that is readily available. Don't forget this is a BYOB and cash only (they have an ATM on premises in case you forget). And most of all enjoy! It is obvious that Joe and his staff have poured their blood and sweat into this establishment...all I can say is Bravo! read more

We had a fantastic LUNCH here today. Yes it is open for lunch. Even though the phone recording and the Yelp do not mention lunch hours. The lunch hours are 11 - 2 Tuesday thru Saturday. They have a lunch special each day for $15 which has three courses. We really enjoyed the special today which excluded an excellent salad with fresh peppers mozzarella balls tasty dressing and crisp greens. The primo was a crepe filled with mushrooms in a lite creme sauce with a side of tomatoes. The second course was a gnocchi with peas very lite and delicious. I now have a new weekly lunch spot. The place was empty because no one knows they are open for lunch. The service was very friendly. read more

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Awesome Italian food and desserts. Their pasta is hand made in the restaurant, the specials of the day are very unique and reasonable price. Also you can bring your own wine. The restaurant is great for family dinners as well. Great staff they really know how to explain all the menu if you should need... My only advise will be to give better attention to their bathrooms. read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - Great pasta in here, and the crimbulle is delicioso. - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My boyfriend and I came here last Saturday to celebrate my job offer in Philadelphia. I wanted real Italian food since I hadn't had any in so long. This was the perfect place. They are very popular so on a Saturday evening at 6:30 pm they were packed and it was fairly noisy but we don't mind noise as long as we can hear each other, which we could. The waiter said more people should come on Sunday's! It is BYOB which we love. We ordered the burrata appetizer which was wonderful, they give you more burrata than other places so I was happily surprised. For dinner we ordered two of the specials which included lobster and ricotta ravioli and a pesto covered cannelloni. It was exactly what I was looking for, comforting, delicious, and the best Italian I've had in so long. To top it off the wait staff were great and everyone seemed to know the customers personally! Will definitely come back. read more

For me, this really hovers between one star and two. Like Tae K. I was shocked at the many four and five star ratings. After reading about it as one of the better BYO places in town, we decided to pop in for dinner on First Friday recently. The place was hopping and we were ready for a great meal. Not taking credit cards is a drag, but I can live with that. We also did not have wine, since the meal was spontaneous and the nearest wine store was a few blocks away. In the end I wish I had gone on a wine run, because a good wine buzz might have blunted the disappointment in the food. Service was terrible! Friendly, but there was ONE waiter and ONE busboy for the entire restaurant. Long waits for food, had to ask for water refills. OK, the food: Basically, extremely ordinary Italian food. Frozen Celentano's probably better. Yes the portions are large, but does that matter if the food is mediocre? We had the mussels to start, as well as salad special. Salad was overdressed and soggy, and not very flavorful. Mussels were OK, but half the mussels were totally closed. Had to ask for a spoon for the broth - something that should be a given for mussels. Main courses were also both boring, and pretty tasteless. It is a fun bustling atmosphere, a good location in the heart of Old City, but those are its strongest assets. Will not be returning! read more

New location. Same great people. The atmosphere and full view of the kitchen is the same as the old place on 3rd and Cherry. Probably the favorite place in Philadelphia to go for an incredible dining experience. Everything is individually made and homemade. The ambiance is without question, the best around. Quaint, personal, and we find it to be the quintessential Italian restaurant in New England. Definitely worth the trip from wherever you are in Philly to come here. The crepes as an appetizer is to die for. read more

I'll start with the atmosphere which was warm, cozy and inviting. The service was incredible! The really make you feel like you're a part of the family. The food was SO fresh, flavors were accurate, sharp and distinctive. I loved every bite of everything we've ordered.The food here was better than a lot of places I've been to in Italy. Very authentic experience. read more

This is hands down the best Italian food in Philadelphia. I have eaten at many Italian restaurants in South Philly. But this place is better then any of the south Philly spots Add it's a BYOB read more

La Locanda Del Ghiottone - a plate of pasta and wine glasses - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mussels tasted OK but we're very sandy, bread was meh, linguine with salmon and spinach was tasty but a little on the salty side. Food was good, not fab but I hadn't eaten anything all day. Service was okay but shorthanded. Only one server who was very nice had her teenage daughter helping (who was obviously not happy about having to be there). Wish Yelp had a half star rating... Would have given this place 3 1/2 's read more

Took my mom here for her 80th birthday party. Or maybe I should correct that. Took about 20 or so friends and family here for moms 80th birthday and we had so much fun we didn't want to leave! Though there is usually about a two hour limit on tables, we were there longer, and there was only a bit of pressure to wrap it up. The staff was really helpful, generous and attentive. The byob policy is perfect for a situation like ours, and we just let the food fly! It was delicious - every bit of it that I remember. I write this review a year and a half later as we are sitting in a cafe across the street, previously hoping, though we should have checked first- for a lunch meal that doesn't exist. Oh well. We will be back!! It was totally memorable enough to return on a day getting mom into the city. read more

Best Italian in Philly. Perfect for date night or a small group of friends. I was worried about the limited menu but the food was spectacular, reminding me of the times I lived in Italy. I suggest getting their antipasto and definitely don't skip dessert with this one. I got the cannoli and loved it. I actually enjoyed their gnocchi but that was because they filled it with ricotta, rather than potato. My partner had their lobster ravioli special and thought it was incredible. read more

Great food, great service, cool atmosphere. We went for a Sunday night dinner and had a great time. The entire house staff was awesome and our waiter (sorry that I forgot his name) was awesome. There was a slight mix up with one of our meals, but they gave us a salad to hold us over. It was super busy so that type of stuff happens, but the way they handled it was really awesome. We didn't ask for or expect anything while we waited for the quick fix, so it was a very nice gesture on their side. We would give five stars even without all of the extra service, but it's obvious that they take pride in delivering great food with great service. Highly recommend! read more

This is a quaint BYOB fantastic Italian restaurant located in The Old City neighborhood. The food and service were outstanding and it's definitely a place you want to visit when you are in Philadelphia! They offer a 3 course dinner special that is absolutely reasonably priced from Sunday - Thursday! Out of this world tiramisu and creme brûlée... Nothing else to say other than don't miss out visiting this restaurant!! read more

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We went here because it's a favorite of friends who recently moved into the area and love the friendly welcoming atmosphere. It certainly is that, and I can highly recommend the mushroom crepe appetizer. It was just delightful. I followed that with veal saltimbocca -- emphasis on the SALT. Under ordinary circumstances, I would have sent it back, but as I said, our friends are huge fans & I wasn't going to rain on their excitement with the new house and all. I'd like to say my veal was an aberration, but my wife said the same thing about the mushroom sauce on her otherwise tasty gnocchi. read more

I wish I could leave less than one star, what a scam! Food was decent. Establishment was dusty, dark and hot. Waitress, Rita, was a scam artist! Added a bogus amount to our bill claiming it was tax (it was a round number and the percentage was higher than what the tax should have been). Then added more than 20 % for gratuity to our bill (2 adults and 3 children). When we questioned this she thickened her accent and kept repeating herself over and over, all the time knowing she wasn't being clear and rolling her eyes like we were dumb and she was annoyed, a complete scam! Would we recommend, clearly not. read more

My very first experience at La Locanda del Ghiottone was on a first date, almost a year ago. The guy I went out with had dined there several times and the owner and staff welcomed him with open arms. In fact, they showed us to the "engagement table," where they claimed many first dates occurred in which the couple later got engaged. Mmm-hmm. Probably one of the more awkward moments of the date... Luckily, the food (and wine that I was now guzzling at warp-speed) made up for any weirdness. My date asked if I liked mushrooms, and when I said no, he insisted on ordering the mushroom appetizer anyway and promised I would like it. Ooohkay. I had to hand it to the guy, the "crepe con funghi" was good. Points. He also recommended the homemade gnocchi, which I believe is a special and made from cheese instead of potatoes. Of course, being the stubborn girl that I am, I went for the ravioli instead. Which were good, but not as good as the gnocchi, which I stole from my dining companion's plate at every opportunity. The tiramisu that was given to us "on the house" was to-die. There was a love connection made that night, only it wasn't with my date. But I will be forever grateful to him for introducing me to this charming little Italian BYO. Swoon. read more

The waiter rushed through informing us of the specials. The waiter also forgot our appetizer. I ordered the Fettuccine al salmone. I took two bites it was not seasoned and the fettuccine sauce was so runny. When I twirled the fettuccine in the sauce on a spoon it would not stick to the pasta. The pasta by the time I took a bite and it was dry. Wasn't impressed read more

Amazing location, the overall asthetic of the restaurant is warm and inviting. However, the food was average and the poor service made it difficult to enjoy eatinf. Dinner should not come with a side of hostility, yet this is exactly what occurred when a fight almost broke out between the server and a costumer. #thatsaspicymeatball read more

Man, I really hate writing reviews like this but when you're in the business of Yelping they're inevitable. Boo and I got married in October and spent our honeymoon in Paris. For this reason we thought it would be an appropriate gesture to take our mother's to a French restaurant to say thank you for their help with the wedding. More specifically we wanted to go to Bibou however anytime we could grab an reservation someone in our dining quad was unable to make it. As the weeks went on we decided lets just go somewhere we know is reliable and will be easy to get a table. La Locanda Del Ghiottone please enter stage right. Boo and I have been here several times and it's always been solid. Never mind blowing but I have really yet to find that anywhere in Philadelphia when it comes to Italian. We made our reservation for 7:30 and upon arriving waited about 10 minutes to be seated which is totally reasonable. We were placed in the corner by an exit which made it very cold and the moms actually left their scarves on for the duration of the visit. This is definitely not the end of the world, I would much rather be on the chilly side than the hot side. This review is geared more towards the service so I'll give a quick recap. We got 3 apps and 4 main courses and everything was very good. The waiters we had were some of the best I've ever had and by the time we were ready for dessert everyone was thoroughly satisfied. We ordered canolis for dessert and sipped espressos while we let the meal digest. We were having a fantastic time up until this point when an older hostess leans in to me and says "I'm gonna give you five minutes ok". Both moms looked at me like what did we do wrong?? I just looked at her and didn't say anything. We'd been there for an hour and 15 minutes at that point. Boo and I were organizing the money and preparing to call for an Uber. It was completely inappropriate and if our table was really needed there are a million more polite ways of going about it. The bill came to about $260 with tip and before this little incident it was worth every penny, but this was such a huge turnoff and as much as I loved our waiters I won't risk having any type of meaningful meal here again. read more