We made a reservation for a party of six at 6:30 PM on a Thursday night, arrived on time and were warmly greeted and seated immediately. We were promptly greeted by our server, Jess, who was "wonderful and lovely" as described by one member of our party. She gave us a quick review of off-menu specials and recommended we order before a party of 20 fully arrived. We didn't feel rushed and appreciated her looking out for us. The pace of our dinner moved along exactly as expected. Service (Jess, et al) is friendly, professional and timely. Members of the service staff moved in and out efficiently to refill water, remove plates and keep our table uncluttered. The dining room is busy and loud (or maybe we're old), so there was quite a bit of "what did you say" in our conversations, but it did not diminish the experience. The wine list provides a great selection to complement the menu without breaking the bank. Menu prices are in line with what we see these days - and the large portions make dining here a great value. Our table ordered Pollo Scallopini, Vitello (veal) Scallopini, Melanzane (eggplant) Parmigiana, and the off-menu special Salmon Piccata. Everything was excellent. The veal was a big hit with the table. Strongly recommend making a reservation. Looks like they do a good job with larger parties without impacting smaller tables and couples. This place is a mainstay in Walnut Creek for a reason. read more

I called to ensure they would be open on Easter Sunday, spoke to the owner, he was so nice. Upon entering we were warmly greeted and shown to a great table in the corner. The place is fairly small, but tables aren't too close together so you can have a conversation without hearing other people. Our server, Alex (female) was amazing! She was so warm and authentic, the service was exemplary. The wine list is extensive, with a comprehensive list of old world wines and some new world faves. They feature Pride Mtn. Merlot, one of the best local reds. The food was on point, my Dad had the shrimp scampi, he said it was excellent. I had the pork chop, so good. The chop was pounded thin and had a crispy texture to it (yum). It was covered in demi-glace and mushrooms, just delicious. Overall, great experience. Highly recommend. read more

Came back again (with pictures this time) because I couldn't get enough the first time around. This is now our "spot". I'm going to attempt to have every dish on the menu but each time I come, guarantee, I'm having that Caesar Salad!!! Cue Prepare to be sick of me read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Panzotti Di Formaggio (Cheese Ravioli) Fettuccine alla Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Service was great - carpaccio was over the top - martini was fabulous - then they plated my food with too much liquid from the under cooked brussel sprouts - still hard and food swimming in water. Get it right next time ! I should have sent it back immediately but we were all talking and having fun - the food was ruined read more

Went here for my son's 21st birthday dinner after taking him & my mom to see a matinee performance of "The Book of Mormon" in San Francisco which was outstanding & brilliant satire. The restaurant was amazing! We ordered cheesy garlic bread & also the escargot. (If you want this, keep in mind it takes 15 minutes to prepare.) Drenched in butter & garlic, it was good just my mom commented the snail meat was a little small & not plump. I had the lasagna (which comes out piping hot since it takes 30 minutes to prepare & cook). The nice thing is the menu advises of this. My son had the pasta a la carbonera with pancetta which was outstanding! My mom ordered chicken picata and my daughter had penne with the butter. Also my Manhattan was on point and the Roy Rogers (Coke with grenadine) was refreshing. The bar area was packed and has a wide variety of drinks & spirits to wet your whistle. For dessert, they gave my son a complimentary slice of tiramisu. I had the key lime cheesecake with berry coulis, my daughter had the chocolate cake & my mom ordered the zabilogne with strawberries. All in all, it was a fantastic dining experience and we will be back. Thanks to Rebecca, our waitress & the owner who checked on us. Note: They do have a new chef who is making the menu his own. As we left around 9:15pm, I peeked through the front window. The kitchen was humming. The chef & his team were hard at work getting customers dishes out. Bravo! read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Key Lime Cheesecake - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I've been back here a number of times, and I'm sorry to say that the food just isn't that great. It hasn't lived up to my first experience (when I ordered a "special"). The ambiance is awesome but I think paying over $100 for two people to have a fairly bland meal isn't worth it. read more

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Montecatini is a very solid choice for well cooked generous portions of primarily southern Italian dishes. The service is invariably efficient and friendly. My favorite dish, but your mileage may vary, is the eggplant parmigiana, with tender eggplant and a light touch with the sauce. Be careful, though, because it's served straight out of the oven and it's HOT. I can't comment knowledgeably on dessert because we're always too full for any. But what I've seen looks pretty good. Montecatini is great of a boisterous family dinner, less great for an intimate and quiet meal. Yep, pretty loud, pretty much always. For quiet and calm there are other choices that'd serve you better a few steps away. Parking is sometimes doable right outside and a pro tip is just to park as you're coming down Civic from Ygnacio when you reach the cupola at Civic park. Just a couple of minutes walk and there's almost always easy parking available. read more

If it wasn't for speed of service I would have given 4.5+ stars... Arrived with a larger party and reservation. It took nearly 45 mins for drinks to be served and another 45 mins for food to arrive. The restaurant was full but I found the timing to be unacceptable. If you don't have enough wait or cook staff, or your staff aren't trained to accommodate a full restaurant, don't fill it up or seat more people. One of the biggest issues I see with restaurants is knowingly operating short staffed and the crutch of an apology. Outside of this, the food was very good and ambiance was nice (although loud). I would go back for those alone with hopes service would improve. read more

I have to say the ambiance was very appropriately early "Godfather". I did find the tables too close and the chairs uncomfortable. They were very busy when we went and it negatively impacted the arrival experience, the guy up front was very slow to acknowledge us. The "at the table " experience was quite good. Now for the food. My wife ordered the scollops in a lemon sauce with pasta and vegetables. The scollops were quite good and the fresh green beans were perfectly cooked and tasty as well. The pasta was cooked perfectly but the tomato sauce it was in tasted very bland and quite "chef boy-r-Dee ". This is not an order I am likely to make again. My own order was the minestrone soup which suffered the same sort of washed out, sort of off flavor. The entree was a special for the evening, beef oso buco and was quite good. The mushroom broth was flavorful, the beef was not over done and still quite tender and flavorful as well. This I would definitely order again. I should mention that the cocktails and wine were quite good and worth the squeeze. I am likely to visit again on a less busy evening. I liked the feel of the place. read more

Service was amazing !! When I was unsure about which glass of Red to order, she brought me two tastes without me asking! Let me just say that lasagna was fire!!! I do t know if that's what they're known for but I will order that every single time ! The pappardelle bolognese was good as well just needed alittle more meat but the sauce was pretty rich and the Parmesan topped it off! It was pretty loud and the tables were very close to each other so it was hard to hear your own conversation unless you were yelling too but the atmosphere was lively with birthdays and family gatherings The decor fit into the holiday spirit! read more

Food was so good! We had the Caesar salad, carbonara, the seafood pasta, and the bolognese pasta. Service was superb from every staff who we encountered. Our main server was Rachel and she was truly wonderful. She made us feel welcomed, always checked in with us throughout our dining stay, and had great customer service. The environment is so cute, cozy, and comfortable. Love the dim setting. Comfortable for a family with young kids as well! We had our 7, 6, and 3 year old dine with us and the staff made our whole family feel welcomed. They were also super nice to our kids. read more

Referred to this restaurant by brother in law co-worker and can't believe we've never been. This is probably the best Italian food I've ever had! It was a birthday celebration and certainly was worthy of the celebration. Service was amazing from the moment we arrived through the entire evening. Everyone was friendly and engaging. We shared the antipasti appetizer which was really great and enough for three to share. We all had different entrees (chicken saltimbocca, lasagna and chicken parm, and all agreed ours was great! This is going to be a new favorite of ours! read more

The excellent reviews for this classic Italian restaurant drew us in, so now need to add one of my own! Expect a dimly-lit space, tables with tablecloths and candles, and walls covered with photos and framed art reminiscent of Italy. The restaurant isn't huge and tables are strategically placed to maximize the available seating. However, it's not a very open space and does get loud as it fills up, which happened very quickly at 5pm on a Saturday night. Service is excellent. We were greeted, seated, and served with warmth and efficiency. There's a lot going on in a busy restaurant like this and they handle it well. Complementary bread wasn't heated, but can't complain about anything complementary! Meanwhile, the dishes we ordered were all delectable. We shared Beef Carpaccio and Pancetta-Wrapped Prawns as appetizers, both of which I'd highly recommend. I love calamari steak and opted for the incredibly tender Seppia Dore, served with al dente rigatoni in a light, tasty tomato sauce and served alongside a medley of perfectly cooked and seasoned fresh vegetables. Yum! Other recommended dishes from my family were the Cioppino and the Chicken Piccata. Only the noise level stops me from giving Montecatini a 5-star review, along with the fact that I have (only once before) had a better calamari steak than they offered. But this is really a 4.5 and I look forward to returning! read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Cioppino - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Montecantini Ristorante is a hidden gem in Walnut Creek, delicious Italian food with real, quality ingredients ( bonus on the housemade pasta), a relaxing ambiance and above all -- stellar customer service that is hard to beat. 1ST VISIT: Our first visit here was nothing short of amazing! We went on a last minute whim for a date night and while the restaurant was packed due to it being a holiday weekend, they found a way to accommodate us. They even moved us to a better table when it became available. Prosciutto Antipasto is highly recommended as a an appetizer. It's a nice generous portion enough to satisfy a hungry table of four while waiting for entrees, I absolutely loved their Lobster Ravioli, it was creamy, savory, flavorful but not overpowering, al dente homemade pasta and a nice hearty portion that left me feeling full but not overstuffed. it absolutely satisfied my Pasta 'n' Lobster craving. My husband got the Pappardelle bolognese which he had no problem scarfing down and left no crumbs (or sauce) on the plate. Needless to say, he was very satisified. I'd definitely recommend the cheesecake. I generally try to pass on sweets, but honestly, it was worth every calorie! It could tell it was made with quality ingredients and they did not take short cuts in the preparation. It also was not overly sweet, perfect balance. CUSTOMER SERVICE: By far some of the best customer service I've ever received in my entire life! I worked in the restaurant industry as a waitress for nearly 7 and have worked my fair share of parties, weddings, baby showers, private dinners and everything in between. I've also had the chance to travel internationally and have stayed at nice resorts and luxury hotels. So when I say they did an amazing job, it's coming from a personal experience ( and waitresses can be hard to impress). Everyone was so kind, genuine, attentive and timely despite the fact the restaurant was jam-packed. Everyone from the host, to the manager and even our server went out of their way to make us feel accommodated, welcome and special. 2ND SERVICE Just when I didn't think customer service could get any better, they blew me away again! I've been dealing with some pregnancy cravings and really had a taste for a fresh ceasar salad. I heard their dressing was made in house and delicious. One night when the craving hit hard, I called to place an order for pickup thinking I still had time. What I didn't realize was that the kitchen was already closed and they were no longer taking orders. However, the gentleman I spoke with on the phone said he could work something out and make an exception if I could make it to the restaurant right in time for closing. I rushed over minutes before closing--happy that they were willing to accomodate my last minute request. When I walked in, the hostess gave me the biggest surprise by handing me the salad and refusing to take payment from me. They wanted to congratulate me by treating me to a dish on the house. I was stunned! Not only did they go out of their way to accomodate my request when the kitchen was closed, they didn't even charge me for it! I was blown away and and the high expectations they had already set with my first visit was surpassed. I didn't even think that was possible but they outdid themselves again! This has become my favorite Italian Restaurant, amazing quality food, relaxing ambiance and EXCEPTIONAL Customer Service! I definitely plan to be back and highly recommend them to anyone wondering if it's worth a visit! I definitely plan to be back! read more

This restaurant, has been in this part of Walnut Creek for years!!! It reminds me so much, of the vibe and feel of some of my favorite places/restaurants in North beach, SF. You immediately feel welcome the minute you walk in. Marco the host, was warm and accommodating. It was very busy for a Sunday night! He helped us find a cozy spot and kept us company throughout our meal, as my friend was visiting for the 1st time. We both shared the tomato caprese salad, which was devine! Lots of fresh pesto, on a bed of pillowy, crisp lettuce. For meal: My friend had the lasagne (at Marco's recommendation), he ate the entire serving. I had the homemade delicious Ravioli. We finished with the most refreshing, flavorful lemon/blueberry sorbet. Thank you to all staff, you were on it the entire eve. And made us feel special. Big kiss! read more

Great experience at this classic restaurant. The bar was full before 6 PM - I think Happy Hour is popular here! We scored a corner table and were well taken care of. We ordered some drinks and ordered the prosciutto antipasto to share and then ordered the chicken scaloppine, the special (ling cod over angel hair), and the bonein pork cutlets Sorrento. The prosciutto antipasto was really good with a nice mix of foods. Our dishes were all amazing. This place can get noisy with a lively bar, but this is a fun place, especially for a celebration dinner. read more

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They knew it was my birthday dinner through the reservation, and they put a little confetti on the table to feel special! The fettuccine carbonara was delicious!!! Our lovely server was a delight, she was very attentive. Montecatini is on the smaller side and there's usually a bit of a wait for a table if you don't have a reservation. read more

I was lucky to get a taste of this home style Italian cuisine for our office lunch today. The chicken piccata was full of plump capers and has a sauce that was light and delicious. The Caesar salad dressing was full of flavor and great when paired with the chicken. So good. read more

A classic for a reason!! It was busy but the staff were so accommodating. We sat at the bar and split the shrimp scampi. Love that they split it for us! Perfectly juicy shrimp in a garlic butter sauce you want to sop up with the bread. My fav is the side pasta and veggies that come with all entrees. Just so good! read more

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I was in the Walnut Creek area for a week, and this was by far the best meal I had. I ordered the salmon special. It was a little pricey, but included a very large piece of salmon, along with fabulous capellini in a wine butter sauce, with baby tomatoes and capers, and fresh string beans. Server was lovely, and the place was really cute, across from the Lesher Center. read more

Popped in for dinner over the weekend and sat at the bar. Place has such a friendly vibe. Wish I had taken photos of everything! We had the Linguini al vongole, Lasagne casalinga, Caesar salad and for dessert a delicious cake imported from Italy. To say everything was delicious is an understatement! Service was spectacular and Marco is an absolute gem! His darling personality somehow made our amazing experience even more wonderful We're already looking forward to our next visit. read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Cake from Italy - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

By far the best food and service in Walnut Creek! Sure you can go to some of those bigger places but I promise you you won't get better service or better food not to mention better prices at any of them. The Chicken Parm is outrageous the staff is some of the best I've ever delt with. This is an "Old School" Italian Restaurant, that being said there is a good mix of ages in there. Go and try it you won't regret it. Make reservations!!! read more

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Wow! Mostly good food and service Absolute favorites: Fettuccine alla viareggina - seafood pasta in a tomato cream sauce, super tasty sauce with fresh garlic and the shrimps were perfectly crisp and bouncy. Scallops were a bit overdone but you can't expect much from a non seared scallop Tiramisu - super delicate with fresh cream, no thickness or oversweetness at all. It was like a light heavenly cloud, some of the best around Carpaccio - rare thinly slices beef, lime for acidity, balanced with the cream sauce and arugula. Perfect app The good: Strawberry zabaglione - Basically strawberries and a nice fresh cream sauce - was so light and refreshing, a good finish to the meal The OK: Ceasar salad - very basic, did not come with anchovy in the dressing and was overall pretty The meh: Vitello marsala - veal was tough unfortunately, which is not the point of that type of meat. Pasta and sauces were underwhelming Service was friendly and attentive, you can tell they were committed to excellence Atmosphere was very NYC Italian vibes Overall, I'd recommend! read more

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I finally went to Montecatini in Walnut Creek and had such a great experience. I don't think I had ever been before, or maybe just not in a very long time, but I know they've made a lot of changes in recent years and it really shows. The restaurant has a traditional, old-school Italian feel, but in a warm and inviting way. The food was excellent. The lasagna and carpaccio were incredible, and the risotto was wonderful as well. The staff were all lovely, including the bartender, and the service felt genuinely welcoming. Such a good local spot and definitely worth checking out. read more

Saturday dinner reservation Jam packed and ambiance was l o u d Mixed crowd from young to senior, from the casual dressed to party dresses. Traditional Italian restaurant vibe (picture Tony Soprano eating here). Service was surperb. Tried: Minestrone Toscano soup Seppia dore (calamari steak) Fettuccine alla primavera (vegetarian fettuccine) Lasagna casalinga (beef lasagna) Gnocchi bolognese Food was absolutely delicious, vegetables cooked proper, sauces and seasoning was spot on. Highly recommend if you want excellent Italian food (great variety as well). read more

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Food: Overall food quality was pretty good. Free bread basket was nice but nothing to get excited about. We got the Carpaccio during happy hour and were very happy with the flavor and portion size considering the discounted price. Entrees were all pretty good. Only complaint from my table was the Tortellini dish was a bit under salted so it was quite bland. Everything else tasted great. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we got a free slice of tiramisu, which was also amazing, great taste and quite large for a complementary dessert! Place: Restaurant is a decent size but the dining setup is a bit crowded/cramped. Not to the point where it was uncomfortable, but needed to kind of squeeze between tables to get around and noise levels had many conversations overlapping. Price: Slightly on the higher end of medium with most pasta dishes ranging between $25-$33 and most regular entrees being $30+. Overall good place if you have a craving for some Italian food. read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Fettuccine alla Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I have heard incredible things about Montecatini, and I was thoroughly impressed with my experience. Fantastic wine; I was offered a selection from different California wineries and couldn't decide between them! I went with Santa Barbara and was not disappointed. Our server Renee took care of our table the entire night and excelled at her service. Will return again! read more

Had an office lunch today. Terrence prepared lasagna, chicken piccata and Caesar salad. This worked out wonderfully. read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

We got an email blast from the Walnut Creek team last year and again this year, and if you've never had their world-famous tomato cream sauce, this is your moment. Their holiday take-home menu is incredible--you can order lasagna, chicken piccata, and Caesar salad to feed your whole family without having to slave away in the kitchen. Yesterday I picked up a large lasagna for my family for Thanksgiving, and I also grabbed lunch for two of my customers: a half lasagna, chicken piccata, and Caesar salad. Wow. Everything was amazing. Thank you, Terence, and the entire team--you guys are the best! read more

Our go-to Italian restaurant every time we are in the Walnut Creek area. Good ambiance, great wine and tasty food makes for a wonderful evening out. read more

Montecatini in Walnut Creek is hands-down my favorite Italian restaurant, and I've tried a lot of Italian places! Every time I'm in the area, I make it a point to stop by. Located near the Lesher Center in downtown Walnut Creek, parking can sometimes be tricky, but the surrounding shops make a stroll enjoyable if you have to park a little farther. From the outside, Montecatini might not grab your attention, but step inside, and you're welcomed by a cozy yet lively atmosphere perfect for a romantic dinner or a fun night out with friends. We've been coming here for years, and we've developed a few go-to dishes. My personal favorite is the Melanzane Parmigiana--lightly fried eggplant served with a rich tomato cream and cheese sauce. It's indulgent but absolutely worth every bite! The dish comes with angel hair pasta and crisp mixed vegetables, making it the ultimate comfort meal. My husband fell in love with one of their specials years ago, and now it's his regular order. It's an incredible combination of sausage, chicken, and shrimp tossed with penne in a delicious brown rosemary sauce. What's amazing is that even though it's not on the regular menu, the kitchen prepares it for him every single time! Montecatini delivers consistently great food, warm service, and a great atmosphere. If you love Italian food, this is the spot to try. read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Melanzane Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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I have been going to this Restaurant for over 30 years and I have NEVER been disappointed in the food and service. Everything is delicious and believe me after all these years I've just about tried it all . read more

I love this restaraunt, it's of my favorites. I hadn't visited in a while and I ordered one of my choice plates, chicken picatta w/vegetables. I was disappointed they had changed the vegetables from sliced carrots and broccoli to green beens! Maybe they just ran out of the former?Everything else was perfection! read more

visited here on a sunday night and it was PACKED. i ordered fettuccine alla carbonara and it was sooo good. i ate every bite. the service was slow because of how packed they were, but its understandable. they do have bar seating though and a tv to watch sports games on! the parking can be a little chaotic and there is no free parking on sundays around here!!! my bf got the bolognese & was not a big fan. he thought mine was waaay better. i would definitely come back for this pasta dish specifically. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day after both working that morning. We ordered drinks and placed our food order shortly after being seated. Unfortunately, we ended up waiting close to an hour and a half without receiving our food, and our server did not check on us during that time.What was especially frustrating was seeing tables who arrived after us receive their meals while we were still waiting. It made us feel overlooked, I understand holidays are busy, but some communication would have gone a long way. Even a quick check-in or update about the delay would have made a big difference. I hope this was just an off night, but I'd encourage management to make sure orders are being properly entered and that servers are checking in on their tables. Honestly the time we did get our food I didn't even want it anymore, we just wanted to go but the server kept avoiding us. read more

Montecatini Ristorante - Beef bolognese - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Everything we've tried here has been amazing. I think my favorite dish so far has been the Chicken Parmesan, which my husband says is tied with their salmon. Their cheesecake is one of the best cheesecakes I have ever tried. read more

I don't live in or near Walnut Creek, but I recently had the occasion to meet up with an old high school friend that I haven't seen in decades (since high school). She was also traveling, so neither one of us had previous experience with Montecatini. Of course we were hoping for a good experience, but had to rely on reviews and advice from a friend who lived in the area. It all worked out great! Nice atmosphere, quiet enough to allow conversation and great food. We started with Old Fashioned drinks and escargot for an appetizer... the escargot was delicious, served shelless in a rich garlic butter sauce. Caesar salads were up next and were fresh and very tasty - just the right balance IMO of the parmesan and other flavors... just the right hint of anchovy. I chose Ciopinno and she ordered the Scallops - both were delicious! I particularly appreciated the generous portions of seafood in the Cioppinno. The scallops were delicious as well (I had to sample for review purposes, of course!) - buttery tender, cooked just right. We closed by sharing tiramisu for dessert... a beautiful as well as tasty dish. Everything was great, and our server struck the right balance between being attentive and leaving us alone so we could have a nice conversation. Having a parking garage nearby certainly helps as well. Parking can be tough to find in this area. read more

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My bf and I have been here a couple times when the pasta craving hits, both with reservation and without. Amazing food!! Would recommend booking ahead of time, but walking in is only a 10-15 min wait. They're busy all days of the week. Very traditional decor, inviting and cozy environment-- that being said, it's loud due to the sheer amount of people inside. Tables are close to each other to maximize seating. Not quite "yelling-to-hear-each-other" loud, but don't expect it to be intimate. Service is professional and attentive. ZUPPA DI VONGOLE: MUST-order. The broth is purely addicting. We order this every time. Clams are juicy and tender, but the flavorful broth is the star. Save your bread for this. FETTUCCINE ALLA VIAREGGINA: Excellent texture and generous seafood heaped on, seasoned well. Love the creamy red sauce. LINGUINE ALLE VONGOLE: My personal favorite. Not only are the clams garlicky and buttery, but their sauce is so rich and savory, coats the pasta perfectly. Great date spot. Always impressed by the food and welcoming staff. read more

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We had a really nice meal at Montecatini. This is a classic old school Italian joint. It has a pretty extensive menu with numerous pasta dishes and mains. Honestly it was hard to choose. Some highlights were the gnocchi (which we got with vodka sauce), tortellini and calamari (from the secondi menu). In terms of appetizers, the mussels appetizer and garlic bread were delicious. From the cocktail menu I ordered the spicy albahaca, which was awesome. Perhaps the best part of the meal, though, was our lovely server who was so patient with my wild toddler and very sweet to my parents whose birthdays we were celebrating. She decorated our table with confetti and brought out complimentary tiramisus to celebrate. This is a great family spot and I look forward to going again! read more

I dined at this restaurant last night for the first time but definitely not the last! I made online reservations I had to modify a few times thankfully that was so easy no trouble there. Day of we ordered the lasagna and eggplant parmegiana. Both dishes were amazing. I had the lasagna and I would have licked the plate if I could! Service was friendly and attentive, price extremely reasonable. I can't wait to go back. read more