Everything was great! After seeing the negative reviews I was nervous about eating here. The food…read morewas delicious. We all raved about the meatballs. I had the shrimp scampi and it was so good, I ate the whole thing. The service was excellent. The waitress was very attentive and checked on us often even though it was a Saturday night. This was for a special occasion and it met all of our expectations.

Went with a group of 15 on a Wednesday evening. Seated on patio, with only one other table…read moreseated. We were seated for over half an hour before our server returned for drink orders. They didn't start arriving for quite a while and multiple drinks were incorrect. It was well over an hour before our food order was taken. We were almost two hours in before the food started arriving. The salads that came with meals were good. A number of folks ordered the bisque and after some entrees were already being served to some, our sever said they were out of bisque, but making some more. About a half hour later the bisque came and everyone said it was cold. I'll just describe my meal, but there were issues with others as well. I ordered the halibut ($44). It was served atop mashed potatoes and asparagus. The potatoes were cold. The fish was a very thin filet (was it even halibut?), breaded and grilled. It was so hard and dry I had to use a knife to cut it. It was mostly breading and not much fish. If we were not guests of the dinner coordinator, I would have sent it back.. Our group understands the challenge of serving a big group, but this was beyond unacceptable. Is there any management oversight? Who's training the kitchen? We were seated for over three hours just to get through our meals, with no appetizers or deserts ordered. The restaurant was not busy for inside seating either.

We visited Patria in to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, and it was a hit for all of us. We…read moremade reservations ahead of time and were seated promptly. The restaurant has a great drink selection and a great menu. We were pleasantly surprised to learn they offer a Tuesday dinner special that includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for only $32! This menu also had a special drink selection. I ordered the house salad, prawn risotto, and chocolate lava cake. The salad was very fresh with spring mix and butter lettuce, which I especially enjoy, and it was topped with a light vinaigrette style house dressing that was light and delicious. The prawn risotto was creamy, flavorful, and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. The chocolate lava cake was rich and very chocolatey, a bit too rich for my personal taste, but still enjoyable. It also came with vanilla gelato, which was delicious. As a table, we also ordered the tableside tiramisu, which was such a fun and unique experience. I am a tiramisu connoisseur, so anytime I see it on the menu, I ordered it. It is my favorite dessert. Although this was not my favorite one, I very much enjoyed the experience. I will mention the espresso needs a little more time to fully soak into the ladyfingers, but the presentation and experience alone made it worth trying. The ambiance was lovely with nice background music, and the service was attentive and welcoming. Everyone in our party truly enjoyed their meal, especially the birthday girl. Overall, Patria is a fantastic dinner spot in Salinas, and I would absolutely return and highly recommend it.

Food was great, start to finish, and there was finally some ambiance and I say this as my sole…read moreissue in the past was that the place was silent as a library, because when I'm out for dinner and drinks I like at least a little ambiance. I'm glad to report that last night had some music in the bar, it was soft and sounded like Italian folk (Frank Sinatra would've been nice too) but it was perfectly fine because it broke up the atmosphere in a positive way. Calamari appetizer was great and my pork chop was too. Service was equally great as it was prompt and accompanied. I'll be back soon, so if you haven't tried Patria yet, you should.

This Italian-American originally from NY would like to say this is the best Italian food (outside…read moreof North Beach in SF maybe) I've eaten since moving to CA over 25 years ago. I wish they had realized that there was a big volleyball tournament coming to town and mostly staying at the La Quinta next door (also a fabulous experience FWIW) and increased their staffing because the well intended servers were busting their butts but totally unable to keep up. Honestly though, the food was so good I'd deal with it again and still won't deduct a star for it.

The atmosphere in the restaurant felt very Italian to me. I'm not sure because I'm not Italian, but…read moreit did give me that vibe though, except for the fact that, if I remember correctly, the music in the restaurant was not Italian. Some random American music was playing, I think. I like that the room felt a little old and a bit dark in tone, but that there was also a decent sized window that provided some brightness to contrast it well. The service was fine, I have no complaints here. The main thing that I'm not particularly fond of based on a single visit to this restaurant is the food. To start, there are a lot of things to choose from on the menu, and you can choose what meat that you want with your pasta. I don't particularly like that kind of set up to begin with, because there's a chance that I could choose a combination where the flavors don't really complement each other. I don't want to have to be a professional chef or even need to be knowledgeable in food in order to know what tastes good on the menu. In regards to the actual food itself, I thought it was weird that my raviolis already were kind of cold when they came out. In addition to that, none of the food I received striked me as particularly bursting with flavor. The flavors felt muted and a little bit dull. It wasn't bad, I just wouldn't call it a superb fine dining experience. If I'm back in Los Banos, I would want to try this place again, but I think that I should ask the server what I should order instead of trying to craft it myself.

HIGHLY recommend!! Wow! My only disappointment is that we did not have time to return and try some…read moremore of their fantastic dishes. I really wanted to try the arancini but we ordered enough. We were in town for a wedding, found this place on OpenTable, where I was able to make a reservation. From the time I arrived, it was smooth sailing. The hostess was professional and efficient. She got us to our table quickly. Service was also prompt and on point. The restaurant is clean and beautiful, not too loud, nice date night ambience. Finally, the food!!! Wow, just wow! My husband and I shared a salad, a couple pastas and clam chowder. The chowder was the best I'd had in Monterey on our trip-the most tender clams, inspiring even. We had the Gorgonzola gnocchi with apples and pecans. Delicious but strong flavor-was grateful we were sharing. And also the carbonara-absolutely delicious! I am spoiled with good food often and also love to cook. I can tell you the ingredients are fresh and quality and the kitchen staff knows what they are doing. Very grateful to have found this place. Don't miss out!!

My entree was wonderful, but 2 others in our group of 6 described their entree's as "okay". My…read morewife had the seabass special. The fish was perfect but the gnocchi was "just okay". Another person had the short rib which was presented perfectly. The meat was tender but he said it was extremely salty. Everyone else really enjoyed their food. It was crowded but they found a table for us outside. We were in the sidewalk dealing with foot traffic and cars but it was fine. Our server was extremely attentive and very helpful. I recommend giving this place a try.

Pastability's as an easy crowd when we need a family meal or catering platter. The blackened…read morechicken is one of their more popular dishes, and has always been a favorite of ours. The food is always good quality, the service is always quick, the prices are reasonable and we are always satisfied. A pasta plate to feed 4 to 6 people with garlic bread is $55. $70 if you add salad to the family meal. Overall, very reasonable for eating out and for the quality! They also have a gluten-free pasta option, for my celiac and anti-inflammatory diet friends. We have had both, and you can't really taste a difference. Overall, if you're a local, you probably already know that this place is pretty great, but if you're not a local or you need to town, definitely go check them out!

This place is literally a staple. We often order from here for work, birthdays and get togethers…read more All the food is absolutely phenomenal super fresh and it never disappoints. They have super good deals for big party packs. They also have good lunch specials, etc. they also have a fridge inside with grab and go options Which is amazing when you get off work and you don't feel like cooking. They have amazing soups and salads, and the portions are always generous So happy that this family is opening up other locations. They definitely deserve it! I don't want to tell people how absolutely life-changing the artichoke bisque is but thank me later -now when it's sold out, I only have myself to blame!

Amazing service and amazing food! We absolutely loved our meal at Il Tegamino in Carmel-by-the-Sea…read more I had the gnocchi, and I cannot say enough about how good it was! It was perfectly cooked, so flavorful, and had cheese, cheese, and more cheese in the best possible way. Rich and delicious without being too much. I would absolutely order it again! My niece had the linguine pescatore, which was also delicious. We normally don't like pasta dishes that are too soupy or have so much sauce that the pasta ends up drowning in it, but this one was perfect. The amount of sauce was just right, and all the seafood tasted incredibly fresh. Everything together gave the dish this slightly sweet, fresh seafood flavor that we really loved. And I have to mention that gnocchi one more time because it really was THAT good! Definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Atmosphere was just right.. quiet and cute just like most little restaurants in Carmel by the sea. We finished with the tiramisu, which was another surprise. So delicious, with this wonderful little crunchy topping that added a really nice texture. Great food, wonderful service, and a meal we thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. We will definitely be back!

Such a cozy quiet spot in Carmel! A little hidden, a little dim, a lot of warmth :) Intimate space…read moreboth inside and outside, and even if fully packed I don't think it would interrupt the dining experience. My friend and I made a dinner reservation a couple weeks in advance, and it wasn't too crowded on Mother's Day weekend! Rucolina ($18): Salad to share, perfect amount for 2. Arugula, beets, Gorgonzola, candied walnuts are a classic combo and we polished it. Linguine Alla Pescatora ($45): I thought it was so funny two girls next to us ordered this to share, but my friend ate it all by herself LOL. A huge dish of seafood, they don't skimp! I tried a mussel and the sauce was excellent. Gnocchi (small $22, large $44): I was hesitant about ordering gnocchi because I never like the gnocchi I've ordered at other Italian restaurants. Never thought me a gnocchi snob, but here I am. But other reviews raved about Il Tegamino's gnocchi (our waitress included) so I did it. Ok fine it's the best gnocchi I've ever had. Pillowy soft, straight out of the oven, still sizzling and bubbling when it was placed in front of me. It was cheesy and potatoey without either flavor overpowering the other, and the mushroom truffle sauce is IT. It needs the sauce. I ordered the large and had leftovers to share with my mom, but you bet I could've finished it. I would come back just for this! We picked this place expecting it to be a treat and a bit of a splurge, so we expected the prices. Our server was lovely; my friend loves sweeter white wines but a Moscato wasn't on the menu. She disappeared into the kitchen and came back out with a heavy pour of Moscato and my friend loved it! I first thought it was bold of her to assume she'd want the full glass but she was right :)

We haven't been to Lillians in a couple of years, and the quality has declined. We ordered bread…read morewith tapenade to start. While the tapenade was good, the bread seemed like tough grocery store bread. My husband's chicken was so dry, he had trouble chewing it. I ordered the salmon on risotto special. While the salmon was tasty, the risotto was sitting in a pool of olive oil. We were very disappointed.

The food hit the spot. I had the chicken Parmesan on a bed of rigatoni noodles and marinara. It was…read moredelicious. The service was very friendly. I was seated right away. I thought it was going to be a wait because the place was packed. The table service was very friendly and always timely. She checked backed on me more than just taking the initial order. Since the place was packed it was pretty loud inside. You could still hear the piano music in the background. Next time I am back in town, I will definitely recommend Lillian's for a dinner for the team I work with. I know they will enjoy it as much as I did.

I got the calabreze pasta and asked if they could give it to me with spaghetti noodles and they…read morewere very accommodating! It was delicious the sauce was pretty thin but when i added cheese it thickened. Flavor was really good! Partner got the carbonara pasta same thing with the sauce quite thin but he loved it. We got the tiramasu at the end it was SUPER good! Staff was great waitress was young i think training wasnt sure how to use the phone for ordering but very nice and attentive. Only thing I would say the huge picture of the owner is a bit weird with the setting & the bathrooms had blood and poop on the seats.. and door handle. other than the bathroom.. clean place.

I do not enjoy this place…read more When it first opened, it was great but each subsequent time has been unpleasant. IMO, the portions are much too big and the prices (for the quality you get) are way too high. Last time I went and got the filet, it was so awful I spit it out. The service is slow. I mean like 30 minutes waiting on a check slow. If they would curate their menu to a few special items and go back to super fresh food I'd consider trying again. As for now save your money and drive up to SJ or Carmel and get QUALITY food.

My husband and I decided to come here on a whim. We were staying in the area for the weekend and…read moredecided to try this place out based on the reviews and we were not disappointed.. well, my husband was with his steak but for me, my meal was absolute perfection! We got seated outside and immediately got the bread with garlic and olive oil. It was delicious! We ordered the calamari as an appetizer and the portion was decent. The sauces were both spicy which we loved! If you're not a spicy person, may not enjoy them. The calamari had an even ratio of rings and tentacles. The breading was light and the calamari tasted delicious and fresh. I decided to go with the Fettuccine al Pescatore and I was blown away by everything about this dish. The pasta was delicious and a very generous portion. The sauce was amazing with a spicy kick. The seafood was a generous amount and tasted fresh and cooked to perfection. As I was enjoying this meal, I looked to my husband and said "this is one of the best meals I've ever had!" My husband got the ribeye steak and it was over cooked. He didn't enjoy it and complained quite a bit as he ate it. I told him to send it back but he just ate it. It took a while to get the server to come back to give us the check. We had to chase him inside the restaurant to pay. Ambiance is very laid back. Small indoor seating space but felt stuffy. Outside seating space with heaters. Outdoor seating was nice especially with nice weather. Saw a lot of locals coming to the spot. I will be coming back to enjoy another delicious meal.

Food was good, not great. Ordered the special which was a New York steak over penne pasta, and the…read moresteak was overcooked, when I asked for medium rare, I got medium well. Pasta has balsamic vinaigrette over the Gorgonzola cheese pasta, which made the pasta sweeter. Different but I don't prefer it. Bruschetta was ok, the bread was like a crostini, very crunchy! The Rotelle di Parma was very rich, with the abundant cheese. Service was ok. When mentioned a lobster ravioli may be out, it was already out awhile ago! Requested bread twice and was stingy with the garlic. Bummed they did not have aperol spritz. Sat outside which was not the best ambiance, highly recommend to eat inside. Not very elegant outside and no design or decorations to create that elegance appeal. NY Steak Penne Pasta Special $50 - 4/5 Rotelle di Parma $26 - 3/5