Sigh ..... where to begin? Negri's offers mediocre food and inhospitable customer service. We were passing through Occidental for the night and we were looking forward to some unpretentious food at what is supposed to be an "institution" in town. Negri's is totally sub-par on a multiplicity of levels. You can only rest on your laurels for so long. Skip Negri's spend $20 more at Hazel's, or better yet, find far more hospitality next door at Barley and Hops. read more

I've known Negri's since childhood. The food, is excellent, especially the Raviolis, and Minestrone. Great selection of fine wines, t

Haven't eaten here in a few years and went back the other evening!! The food was just as I remembered it, GREAT!! Service was quick, friendly and professional! Love Negri's and will always go back!! The remodeling in the bar is BEAUTIFUL!! They have done a wonderful job keeping up with the time!! read more

Went last week for a Valentine's dinner. Food was decent, I'm Italian so it's hard to find good Italian food that comes close to Nonni's... We liked that it was an old-style restaurant in a small town environment... from the family-orientated decor to the rolling carts of food. Minestrone was good and hearty, bread perfectly crusty and doughy. Antipasto and salad were sort of bland, although the raviolis were excellent. He ordered the chicken parmigiano which was cheesy and good. I had the red snapper which was sort of bland. For $100 with drinks, not worth it, but fun to try. The worst part? I got food poisoning the next day...the only thing we ate differently for 2 days was our main course at Negri's...stay away from the fish! If I had not gotten sick it would have got 3 stars... read more

Went to Negri's Saturday night. Good old family dining. Started off with minestrone, great flavor and the vegetables were cook through, pepperadell noodles cut up, great addition. Well mixed green salad with a delightful blue cheese vinagarett. The entree was a melt in your mouth calamari steak that has no rival. Absolutely the best. Lightly breaded with a caper sauce on the side. Their homemade raviolis with sausage, spinach and cheese were smothered in a mild , not to tart, marinara sauce. We also ordered the banana fritters. They were ok, not great, a little over cooked. The breading was tough. Very nice wait person. Very attentive and cheerful. read more

Whether you come for the classic Italian dining experience or to visit the beautifully remodeled bar (which features its own menu & 3 big screen TVs), Negri's does not disappoint. I've been coming here for years and I always leave happy. Great food, great drinks and great people. read more

It had been over 25 years since I'd been to this restaurant. It's amazing that they've kept up the quality for so long. If you like Family Style dining, this is definitely the place for you. Also, try the Apple Fritter for desert - it's not a usual fritter, and is more apple than batter. Kudos to Negri's! read more

Excellent Italian food...Minestrone was da BOMB!!! The owner makes it every morning, BRAVO!!! Service was great, well worth the trip!!!

The good, the bad, & the ugly. We had a very mixed " feel " about this restaurant. We usually go to the Union, but wanted to try this place. We decided to order out, as we wanted to relax at home & watch the game. Well, I called to put in an order, & was told everything had to be ala cart, as they don't serve dinners to go. WHAT? Every restaurant I can think of has full dinners to go, including the Union Hotel. Well, this made it very expensive, $96.00! Anyway, here's the review of the food. The minestrone soup was very good. The salad was horrible, we actually threw it away. The greens looked old, the blue cheese looked like powder, & the walnuts were plain, not glazed. The marinated beans that we had on the side had a very unpleasant smell. Now, the fried chicken was good, not great but good. The ravioli's were excellent. We had ordered a loaf of their French bread which also was very good. My husbands spaghetti & meatballs were okay he said. The " grilled" shrimp were not grilled, but were tasteless in a butter sauce, but it was not good. The dish tasted "off". We had ordered one dessert, a chocolate mouse which guess what? They forgot to put it in our order, even though we were charged for it. Well, we live 6 miles away, which is a total of 12 miles, & we didn't feel like having to go back that same night. So, I called the manager & explained what happened. I asked her if we could pick it up tomorrow & she said yes. She didn't offer anything like your money back for the dessert , or another free one. So, I told her for all of this trouble & because it was their fault for not checking our order before charging us, we would like an extra dessert for free. She said okay, but she didn't sound too thrilled, like this was a big deal. I was amazed at the lack of concern or caring about such lousy service. The next day my husband picked up the dessert that we had paid for, & guess what? That was it, no extra dessert. He said he wasn't going to ask again, & that would be the last time ever going to this place. Having to take the time to drive all the way back, & the manager could care less. No apology, no nothing to make amends. The other restaurants in this town have always treated us great, & I have never seen anything like this before. And the ala cart is nothing but to take advantage of people who want to take their dinner home, & get charged outrageously for it. read more

The ravioli here is the best I've ever had! On their menu you have a choice of entree or dinner. The dinner comes with delicious minestrone soup, salad, bread and olive oil, salami and pickled vegetables, plus your entree. It's a feast and a great deal! read more

This place is so totally awesome! I cannot understand the bad reviews! The food just kept coming out, bread and oil, a giant pot of minestrone, peppers and salami, beans...we were stuffed before we took the first bites of our entree! I ordered the 1/2 and 1/2 spaghetti and ravioli and my boyfriend had the chicken marsala - both were fabulous. Sure, the restaurant is dated but it's an old family style Italian food restaurant! That's to be expected in my opinion, and only added to its charm. I fell in love immediately and when I'm next in beautiful Occidental, CA - I WILL return to this place ASAP. read more

I've had dinner our at Negri's several times, but the last time I was there was the best!!! My favorite is the Chicken Parm, but I have also had the Chicken Caccatore (Sp???), the steak, and ravioli's. It's a great experience everytime. Never had to wait for a table, but spending time in the bar is good too! I love going on their specials nights - especially to watch baseball. Always a good time! read more

If there is one plate you MUST try when eating at Negri's is the homemade secret family recipe fried chicken. The BEST ever!! Add a salad and home made raviolis and you belly will be full with left overs to take home. Service was 5 star as well. I got a chance to chat with the owner who took the time to tell me a little history behind the restaurant. This place has been family owned since 1943.....And I can see why. Thank you Negri's for a great dining experience. In the great words of Arnold - I'll be back!! read more

Been to Occidental a few times and when i go there this is our go to spot for dinner. My family loves it. The bar has great TV's for sporting events which my hubby enjoys and the service is always great! Recommend the ravioli and the west county grass fed burger. read more

Negri's Original Occidental - Everyone seemed to enjoy watching the games - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

Excellent food and great service! Nona's ravioli and chicken parmigiana were delicious! Great soup and salad, too. Terrific bar area. Great food for the price! read more

Since I can't reply to your response which I find interesting given all of your responses to those with a low feedback seem to be defensive with some sort of comeback to "justify" your business. I myself am a business owner and you should probably respond to those that leave positive feedback for you also. Also, never a good business practice to compare yourself to other businesses. I am happy to hear your business is "thriving" but I must say on a Saturday night in all the times I've dined there pre-Covid one side of the restaurant has never been completely closed off and very dark. I fully support family decisions but that definitely didn't seem to be the case when Evelyn told another table as she shrugged her shoulders with an eye roll "well...we aren't doing the family style anymore what are ya going to do". Again, I wish you all the best I just personally will not be back nor will I recommend anyone to dine at your facility. read more

Oh man. Where do I even start... this food was AMAZING! we live over 4 hours away, and we would vacation here just to have this food again. We found out about this place while vacationing in Napa, a local told us we should check out this restaurant and it would be worth it. We drove 1.5 hours to try it. So glad we did! Big portions, absolutely delicious food, and friendly staff. We will be back! read more

Such a cute town and restaurant. Totally accommodating to kids. When we were there, a group of firefighters who had been taking down the wildfires was eating dinner and when we offered to pay for there meal, the restaurant said they were already comping them which is a true sign of good people and business. Totally recommend. Mac and cheese was delicious and the polenta meatballs are a must. Should of had them as a meal. Also had a great martini from the bar. read more

Took the wife to Negri's for dinner tonight at 6:15 pm. It was slow with only four working tables. The server was great. However the meal took forever to get and then when it arrived my fried chicken was so over cooked that it was dried out. $23.50 for this. My wife ordered chicken parmesan. Why there were French fries in it. Why ,only the kitchen would know? My complaint was how they handled their mistake. I ordered the meal. The cost difference was $5,50. Because I had them remove my meal. They charged me separately for the items to make up for the cost of the meal. Costing $12,00 rather than $5,50. Poor customer service. The owner/manager never came to the table. Just looked at you as you left. And you have lost more two more guest. As time has gone on you can see how guest service has been replaced with just being cheap. Sweet Tees gust got more of our business. Their fried chicken is amazing and always cooked perfectly. read more

Went for an early dinner yesterday 9/26. I was last here decades ago with my parents and grandparents. They loved the atmosphere and food then as much as I loved it then. Had great service and really great food. read more

Negri's was a wonderful experience for me and 3 of my friends on Friday night. Two of us had the Chicken Marsala, I ordered the Alfredo. We were all amazed with the amount of soup, salad, antipasto, bread and were getting full before the main course arrived. I loved the alfredo, it was wonderfully creamy and the cheese was amazing. However, the Chicken Marsala with green onions and mushrooms was THE BOMB!!!! IT was sooo good. I had to help my friends with the sauce.... it was scrape the bowl clean with your fingers good. SO glad it is a family style restaurant where that wasn't looked down on! :D It was so good, we came back on Sunday with 3 more friends. There were a couple orders of the Chicken Marsala, Chicken parmesan, Half & Half (2 pastas your choice of sauce), and a Meatball sub. We had the works again for the dinners, and it was all really great. Thank you Negri's! We'll be back when we are near Occidental. read more

Excellent ambiance and the very best home cooked Italian meal ever served! A true family favorite with an extensive menu sure to please everyone. The staff are warm and friendly making it seem as if you are one of the family. Huge portions, iconic history and authentic Italian cuisine make this the absolute best Italian restaurant ever. A family favorite for generations. Don't forget to try the apple fritters for dessert! They are to die for! read more

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Another great night at Negri's! The food is excellent and the people are nice! We really like the Zucchini Pancakes. Everyone will love the beautiful town of Occidental. read more

Salad, antipasto, minostrone, ravioli and then comes your entree. Reminds me of family dinners at nonni's. The food just keeps coming. I'm Italian and if we eat Italian, we eat at home. That is unless we go to Negri's. Enjoy the beautiful scenic drive through the redwoods up to Occidental and stop at Negri's for a dinner experience you won't regret. I know we can't wait for our next visit. read more

Negri's Original Occidental - Our son loves Negri's in Occidental. - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

Hello, I have always loved going there. Recently I went there with few of my friends and the waitresses and the owner were so amazing and extremely helpful and very generous. I love the food there it always taste awesome and very delicious and Yummy. The owner always greets everybody when people come into the door way and she finds them seats for people very quickly. They are very fast excellent workers there. They are generous, kind, sweet and they care about there customers. I also love Italian food so it was a perfect place to go to eat and I would definitely go again. Ren read more

This place is my favorite when in West Sonoma County. I love the food, service, location, & ambiance. Although I've moved far away, I still plan on going back to Negris for my Italian food fix! read more

Negri's Original Occidental - Oh yum, espresso martini! - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

We visited this Restaurant after a stellar review in the Press Democrat. We sat in bar to have dinner and watch the Giants on the big screen. Bar area nice and spacious. I ordered the Solstice specialty drink. Tasted like sparkling pink lemonade with absolutely zero spirits. $10.00 down the drain. They lost me at "the bar". Husband had a manhattan on ice so no screw up there. You have to ask for the full dinner menu if you plan on eating dinner. They won't offer it. We shared the polenta w/meatball appetizer and garlic bread. While the garlic bread was the best we've ever had the polenta w/meatball was plain Jane with hardly any flavor. We also shared a bowl of minestrone soup which was very tomatoey. Not our style. The wedge was good but if you don't like your salad smothered in dressing order it on the side. My main dish penne with pesto sauce. The sauce was nice but the rigatoni overdone. But that's just me. When I go to an Italian Restaurant I would rather a tad al dente then soft and mushy. Husband had raviolis in bolognese sauce. We thought they were great and the sauce good. All that aside we are glad we tried it ......once. This is in response to Amanda's comment regarding meatballs /polenta. I should clarify: it was the meatballs that were bland and unflavorful. The sauce was good. And I understand about the bar vs dinner menu but when someone sits in the bar and says they want dinner ...offer the full dinner menu. We as 2 adults with no kids love to eat/drink in the bar area occasionally especially when there are great sports to watch. read more

This is a classic Italian restaurant with delicious dinners at a faIr price. Service is always friendly if sometimes a bit slow on busy nights. read more

Fantastic cocktails at Joe's bar with local cider from Dutton Ranch on draft(absolutely my favorite cider in the area) and focused local beer selection. The ravioli are famous for a reason, we tend to order them to go due to the young kiddos but love hanging out in the bar for a couple rounds until the food is ready. Kid friendly bar area, just have to be respectful of others. Staff is always awesome and friendly. read more

I bet back in the day, this place may have been good. Went there and I can only say that the Alfredo needed much more cheese. But it was decent. The soup....holy $%it, it sucked. Minestrone. I could tell that this place gave us the soup that hadn't sold from previous days. The noodles were horrible and the soup itself was worse. Loved the small anitpasta they gave us. Two stars for decent gnocci and decent alfredo. Just wish I could have come here 40 years ago when they probably gave people a hell of a dish. read more

I had the best Dinner's this week at Negri's the Osobuco was excellent, the Chicken Alfredo Marvelous and the Ribs are to die for. Ladies and Gentlemen if you are in the area of Occidental this is the place to go! Amanda behind the bar and her Mom Evelyn are an Atmosphere in it self they are Great. I will be back! Dean Koch read more

Found this gem last year after zip-lining in the trees. Decided to come back after a short camping adventure on the Russian River and was not disappointed for the 2nd time. Their home made pesto and garlic bread is definitely worth the drive. Love this cute place. read more

MY NEW FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT! I'm not Italian, but if I were and was to go home for a home cooked "Mom" meal, this is exactly what I would expect. Family owned with quite the history and it shows. Cute dinner/kitchen feel in the dinning room. Very friendly staff, and the portions are filling. Garlic bread is a must with your minestrone soup and meal. The lasagna is my fave but the ravioli is great too. I like Occidental and the roads around there are a great ride, so I find myself making sure we end up here around dinner time. read more

My Letter to Negri's, two days after our Holiday party of 30+ people, planned two months in advanced: After taking two days to process my disappointment, as well as get feedback from the owner and several others in our party, I regret to inform you that we will not be making a return visit to your restaurant. We did not have lofty expectations, but at almost $30 for dry salmon with tartar sauce and french fries or flavorless steak with french fries were a complete let down. We read the menu as being able to choose the side we wanted (mashed potatoes, veggies, or FF), and not only was no choice given, but the dishes were inconsistent. That and each plate served, leading up to dinner barely gave most people a taste, and some people went without completely. The raviolis? Each person had 2, 3 if they were greedy and lucky! Salami? I gave my 2 slices to my husband, as he was starving, and did not eat the salad. The antipasto was the same. I had been there many years ago, and what we were served between 6-8 people was what I had been served at my table of two. Then there were the elusive zucchini cakes that the menu promised. No one saw hide, nor hair of them. The server was more than happy to ply us with additional liquor, but getting a refill on coffee, bread or actually getting our food was harder than skating on glass. We have never been made to feel so unwanted in any place we have ever been to in the past, and this company has been going strong for 15+ years! It was just confusing to see such a lack of preparation when we had booked this party more than 2 months in advanced! Then there was the woman who came out to the table, and when the OWNER inquired about dessert, she jumped down his throat, LOUDLY and aggressively announcing that dessert was not included and scurrying away. He actually wanted to ORDER dessert! And then we were pushed out! We just spent a grand on dinner, to be pushed out the door while we were talking and letting the drinks (we were generously plied to add additional costs to our bill) wear off was unacceptable and unprofessional. It came across loud and clear that you had our money and get out. Service was barely acceptable, as she would be rude, and then laugh it off as if she were joking, and the younger girl with her seemed massively overwhelmed. Add to that the FREEZING cold (which we were brushed off when we complained about being so darn cold), and all in all, it was a train wreck. This is the FIRST year the owner has EVER been this upset by a restaurant choice, the first year he has ever come to me, during the meal, and said "Never again." And we each echoed the sentiment. Never again will any of us waste your time with our money. Regrettably, Shanda Their response, later that day: I am sorry to hear about your experience. Evelyn Negri will be calling you to discuss this as soon as she can. That phone call never came.... It seems that we were not worthy of the amazing service and food we had either experienced in the past, or heard about. Instead we were treated with a complete lack of respect, and the boss man was not only ignored, but also was NOT consulted before taking drink orders and adding them to his bill. Completely unprofessional, unfriendly, and heartbreaking experience. I wanted to share something that I had remembered being worth sharing with others, and instead we left with heavy hearts, and frozen limbs. Christmas dinner was ruined, and not a care to be had. Lesson learned... the hard way. read more

For the last 20+ years my family and I have gone to Negris for dinner every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend while vacationing on the Russian River. The food has always been great and we have enjoyed being picked on by the waitresses. Everything has changed since this last weekend. We were there this last Saturday night for dinner. There were new younger waitresses that seemed confused and took a long time to wait on us, a long time. I had ordered their porterhouse steak. It was severely overcooked as I had ordered medium rare. On the third or fourth bite I found a long hair that had been on the meat and had stuck between my teeth. It was very long and started a forced gag response. I pulled the hair out and gave it to the waitress and told her I could not finish my meal because of this. The waitresses contacted her manager and in turn the old lady in charge. She came over and told me no one in her kitchen had hair this long and I could have the dinner for half off. I ended up paying 13 dollars for three bites of steak with an extra side of hair. It is sad tradition has to change and after 20 years we will seek another restaurant for our Memorial/Labor Day vacation dinners. This placed had once been the bomb and have now sunk to subpar cuisine. read more

Came here with family for my birthday dinner last weekend. It was an awful 2+ hr dining experience. Took forever to get our drinks, then our food, never got our drink refills. Apparently there was no busser that night according to our server. Anyway that was the excuse for terrible service. I had ravioli, they were over cooked as were 3 others of our meals, 2 were steaks 1 was tortellini. Just one of our party liked their meal. Wasted $137.00, won't be back and won't recommend. read more

Place has gone downhill. Service is abrupt and completely unfriendly. Seems like everyone there is miserable, probably because the owner hangs around scowling at people and greeting people she knows warmly, then back to scowling. Not a welcoming bar by any means read more

Been going here since i was a little boy with mom and dad. Introduced my wife to Negri's when we were dating. It's been a family tradition with my own children. Love the food and family atmosphere. A day at the beach almost always ends with a fine meal and a long drive home on a full stomach. read more

The minestrone soup is sooooo good. Best I ever had. I also love their healthy kale salad. The chicken cacciatore is divine. Their homemade salad dressing are incredible. Atmosphere is good. Nice little patio off the bar. This place is super fun read more

Years ago, during my first trip to San Francisco, my aunt and uncle dragged my college buddies and me to the town of Occidental which, in those days, was nothing more than a post office, hotel, general store, and three family-style Italian restaurants, including this one, their favorite. Why would anyone drive to the middle of nowhere just for dinner, we wondered? As we waddled out afterwards, doggie bags in hand, we knew why. Four generations of Negris have been serving both locals and tourists alike with authentic family recipes, friendly service, and more food than anyone could possibly consume at one sitting. Make no mistake, the cuisine is neither nouvelle nor gourmet, but it's a warm reminder of Sunday dinners at Nana's house if you happen to be Italian. What draws most people here are the all-inclusive 'Old World' dinners, priced according to your choice of chicken, beef, or seafood entree, which includes sauteed vegetables and garlic fries or mashed potatoes. What precedes your main course is a seemingly endless flow of courses - antipasto, ravioli, minestrone, a mixed green salad, and zucchini pancakes, with baskets of Italian bread hot from the oven. By the time platters of roast chicken were delivered to the table, we were ready to surrender, and what we took home was enough for another meal. Little about the decor - wood-paneling and red-and-white-checked tablecloths abound - has changed since then, and the tradition of overfeeding continues to this day, at a higher cost, of course - although the top price is an unbelievable $17.95. I'm not sure I'd come all this way just to eat, but if you're spending time in the Russian River area, this is the place to sate a hearty appetite. read more

Negri's Original Occidental - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California