The restaurant was on my "to try list". The reservations were fairly simple and once we showed up, we were seated right away. The restaurant offers plenty of seating space inside as well as outside. Our server was really attentive and suggested items from the menu that are popular as well as some of the entrees that are loved by staff. Calamari Fritti was a different spin on a traditional calamari. It was fried with a batter that was a little sweet. The lemon wedge helped cut the sweetness. The two sauces provided a nice touch. Seared scallops were delicious and cooked perfectly. The bed of sweet corn risotto accompanied the protein well. The crispy shallots were a miss, for me. They were bitter. Roasted salmon entree was good. The fish was cooked well and the pesto pasta was good. Overall, the restaurant was a good choice for a delicious meal. The service is great and ambiance completes the dinner. read more

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Came in here for a Timeleft dinner Friday eve and was 30 mins early-- so I decided to sit at the bar for a quick bite and drink before everyone else got there. The place was so charming, but I always find TVs to be an aesthetic buzzkill. It felt out of place compared to the rest of it; but that's someone's cup of tea! (Esp during World Cup). There were 3 other people sitting at the bar, rather chill. Took some time to get the bartenders attention-- she'd be chatting with coworkers, looking right past my direction, then proceeding to chat. The gentleman next to me was attempting to get his check for 5 mins before he got her attention lol.. it just gave such a cold vibe to the start of the experience. I asked what the quickest thing on the menu would be, concluded to getting some bread (ya girl was ready to eat an elephant) to make things quick and 15 mins later proceeded to cancel it. I work in this industry, so it's hard when I see someone take note of something, then proceed to not give a hell about it and chit chat. No pit stop to the kitchen, no "hey, can we check on this?". It was cancelled, then the dish came out anyway. The runner was sweet and just gave it to me anyhow, however at that point it was 5 mins from the rezy and the moments passed for a gal to have a peaceful grub. She dropped the check without a word and grabbed the check without a word and that wassss on THAT. Food was great, dinner went awesome-- our server was kind and attentive. Got the shrimp squid ink pasta, was nice to see pescatarian options-- tho not many vegetarian. Paid parking across the street was $3. Not a bad deal! Thanks for having us yall. read more

chicken pesto pasta ($27) - i love everything about this bowl of PESTO; from the pasta type to the flavor, it is everything i expected a simple pesto pasta to be - the shape is trottole, which became one of my favorite because it's thick and chewy, holds the sauce exceptionally well - the crazy ingredient is the pine nuts! Not many places have them in the dish; pine nuts add a subtle piney notes and faint forest aroma that i am a big fan of - the portion size is crazy too; with generous amount of chicken, i was full just half a bowl in - while the noodles can be even more chewy and the sauce a bit less heavy and oily, the quality is there and flavor hits the spot wild shrimp scampi ($20) - Super jumbo bouncy shrimp i love the quality and the chew - heavy on the garlic, herb butter, and squeeze of lemon ! Great flavors but could be a bit heavy as a starter - comes with grilled bread which was nicely toasted and crunchy, pairs perfect with the garlicky n buttery shrimp funghi pizza ($24) - a basic mushroom pizza that didn't really stand out - it was good but the truffle oil was a bit too strong for my liking and not in a pleasant way; it makes sense though because truffle oil will always come off stronger and different than actual truffle slices being freshly grated on top - the crust wasn't memorable and the flavor was average, so i wouldn't personally recommend this rating: 4.7/5 - i know this is a corporate spot and a chain but it is honestly so good if you just want something simple, easy, and reliable... they have it all - the ambiance could feel a bit upscale but still comfortable and casual - the service was OUTSTANDING! From wine tasting and giving recommendations, to serving food, our waiter did an amazing job accommodating us yay; he literally went above and beyond into splitting my pasta bowl into two, knowing i was gonna share it with my friend IG: @nom.noms.only read more

North Italia - IG: @nom.noms.only | chicken pesto & funghi - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Stopped by North Italia for an early lunch and had a great experience. The space is beautiful--plenty of seating, a large bar, and a really inviting outdoor patio. We grabbed seats at the bar and Max took great care of us. Service was attentive without being overbearing. We shared the seasonal burrata, fungi pizza, and beet with chicken salad--everything was excellent. The standout was definitely the pizza. Some of the best I've had in recent memory--thin, perfectly cooked, and just really well done. Will absolutely be back. read more

North Italia - Fungi pizza - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Just so happened to stumble in after leaving the pier and trying to find something for a group of 4, with 1 vegan. This was a great experience. Our server was amazing throughout the night. It's a large restaurant, very nicely decorated. Everything we ate was amazing. I also tried the calamari and pina no colada, not pictured. It was great. Really enjoyed my pasta, and everyone at the table had a great meal. The vegan said this was the best pasta she has had. read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came back twice, and even though the service is pretty great, the food is a bit inconsistent. I get the same thing every time, which is the chicken pesto without cream. Each time, has been different. The first time was the best, rich flavor with a tang of lemon. Last time was sort of watery and runny. Another time, it was too lemon-y. I understand the modification of not adding cream may be something the staff isn't used to, but I would hope ingredients or measured out to be consistent. Consistency is super important to me because I want to be able to enjoy a meal and bring friends and family and feel excited to receive a great meal at the same standards each time. The ambience and service make the dining experience great, but I wish the food was more consistent. read more

North Italia - Trottole Chicken Pesto and Spaghetti Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these two dishes were? The cavatelli had a lot of shrimp and crab in it with a strong seafood taste, which I didn't mind, but it was a bit on the oily side. The truffle garlic bread was also really good!! Buttery, garlicky, and truffly but it wasn't hot when it arrived /: The service was good, they checked in on the table a decent bit and the interior is nice as well. read more

North Italia - Ricotta Cavatelli - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Love North Italia, been going here for years. Usually go to the one in El Segundo but this location was still super nice. Love the food & aesthetics ! read more

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Wow, so happy I finally got to check this place out! We came here for my niece's birthday and were able to snag a last-minute reservation. We waited a few minutes for our full party to arrive before being seated at a table near the back by the kitchen. I ordered the spicy vodka rigatoni and it definitely had a nice kick to it! Our waiter was super helpful and recommended a few appetizers to start since it was our first time visiting. The staff was also incredibly sweet for storing my niece's cake in the fridge and bringing it out when we sang happy birthday. This spot is very family-friendly, and the portions are generous enough to share while still being a solid serving for one person. I also didn't realize they have a Walnut Creek location, which is much closer to me, so I'll definitely have to check that one out next time! read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Our server, Summer, made our first visit extra special. She was cheery, engaging and made thoughtful recommendations. The restaurant was a bit cavernous with lots of tables, but many live plants softened the walls. We started with the hot honey and prosciutto pizza. The crust was pleasantly crispy, but I wish there was more prosciutto. The seasonal salad was a knock out! Delicious crisp veggies including corn, pea pods and asparagus in a green goddess dressing was a perfect 10! The bolognese was also delicious with fresh pappardelle pasta and a meaty sauce. Sunday Night Lasagna was rich, creamy and so flavorful. Food and service were outstanding. I look forward to eating here again. read more

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I had a great time here last night and absolutely loved every dish that we ordered! Our experience at this restaurant started off slow. There were two extremely large parties of almost 20 sitting next to us and the servers seemed a little stress. We were not helped for about 10 minutes until I flagged down a server but after that, our experience was amazing. The server was absolutely the kindest and one of the most animated servers I've had. He was really excited about the food and said that we ordered some of the best dishes in the restaurant. Supposedly the white truffle garlic bread and the bolognese were the best dishes on the menu so we got those! The food began to come out about 15 minutes after ordering but I'm not complaining because the food was so good. Our server was absolutely right! The white truffle garlic bread was SO delicious. It came out really hot and the bread was cooked perfectly. It was so crunchy and the ricotto and mozzarella added a whole nother level to this appetizer. We also ordered the black mediterranean mussels and my god, I was so impressed with this. I'm usually not a huge fan of seafood but these mussels had such an amazing taste. Very minimal fishy taste which is what I don't like. It has pieces of salami in it too that I think added to the taste of the white wine and garlic butter sauce that the mussels were cooked in. For our entrees, we got the spicy meatball pizza which also was SOOO good. I was a huge fan of the ricotta and mozzarella and loved the sausage that they use. Again, we also got the bolognese which was the "house specialty" according to the menu. While this dish was really good, it wasn't as good as the other ones ordered; honestly, that was fine though given the extremely high expectations I already had. I think what made it a little disappointing was that it was slightly "too" al dente. The dough of the noodles were very chewy, but the taste was good! Overall, very impressed. Thank you for a great experience. Somewhat expensive though but worth it. Shoutout to Eddie F. for being such a great server! read more

North Italia - Black Mediterranean Mussels highly recommend!!! - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Always a homerun. Food is flawless. The garlic bread is to die for, vegetable alas is fresh and flavorful.wait staff goes out of their way to accommodate you and the dining area is spacious, clean and comfortable. So many restaurants try to pack people in, not here! Noise level is perfect. They made me my favorite eggplant sandwich, though it is not on the menu, I merely told them what I like and there it was. read more

The restaurant is really nice, it's a bit dark inside so it feels a bit intimate. You can see the kitchen, which is also cool. Staff are a bit nonchalant, but do their job well otherwise. I do appreciate how they do their best to accommodate for allergies (one of our party has soy and dairy allergy). Personally, I wouldn't come back though. I was disappointed with the food. The plating was nice, but the pasta wasn't very flavorful and I felt like it didn't have enough sauce. Also, bomba style pizza comes with just a side of ricotta cheese (or some similar cheese), not sure why that costs $5 more, doesn't feel worth it. We should have asked what it was beforehand, but we assumed it was a stuffed crust or something of the like. The area is nice, so the high prices are understandable but the taste of the food doesn't meet expectations. read more

North Italia - The Pig Pizza (not shown, "bomba style") - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I came here last night for dinner. The ambiance was open and modern. The inside was very spacious. This used to be the old Buca di Beppo and North Italia really opened up the space and exposed the high ceiling. I ordered the following: 1. Steamed mussels with bucatini - Since they didn't have clam linguine which was what I wanted, my waitress smartly suggested I do this customization of adding pasta to their steamed mussels made in a garlic buttery wine sauce. I appreciated the customization. I was charged $12 extra for the noddles. This dish also came with grilled bread. The grilled country bread was thick and tasty. 2. Hazelnut tart This was very dry. It had good chocolate flavor. The gelato it came with was delicious. I asked for the pistachio gelato which was another customization and that was creamy and the nuts provided a nice crunch. 3. Ice tea The ice tea tasted house-made and fresh. I would get it again. Overall, the food wasn't bad. Service was good. Good ambiance. read more

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What a disappointing experience we had today. We came in to celebrate my husband's birthday with a 5:00 pm reservation. By 5:15 a waiter finally came by to take our order for appetizers and entrées. We ordered the burrata, the eggplant parmesan, and the sweet corn polenta. However, our appetizers didn't arrive until 5:40 and in the meantime, our waiter completely disappeared. Eventually another waiter came by, and my husband asked about our entrees. We had ordered the short rib and the chicken parmesan. He was told they'd be out soon (in 5-6 minutes). My husband pointed out that it was already 6:15 and we had been there since 5:00. The waiter apologized and said it would be just a few more minutes. Our food finally arrived at 6:30. While the dishes themselves were good, the wait times were unacceptable. A manager came over and acknowledged that she noticed several tables seated after us were served much earlier, but said she wasn't sure what had gone wrong. She promised to "look into it," but never followed up. By the time we finished dinner and dessert, it was already 7:00 pm. What should have been a simple meal turned into a two-hour ordeal which was especially frustrating since the restaurant was nearly empty when we arrived. Instead of remembering the food, we'll remember the lack of service. A truly disappointing way to celebrate a birthday. read more

North Italia - Braised Short Rib Marsala - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Very attentive front of house who were very happy polite and friendly. They were able to assist everyone in my group and get us situated. Atticus was very helpful and had excellent suggestions from the menu. I really enjoyed the Chicken Scarpariello. The Aperol Spritz from the bar was bright and refreshing. Enjoyed my dinner and the ambiance of the restaurant. Thank you. read more

North Italia - Chicken Scarpariello - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This Italian spot is so yummy! The arancini is some of the best I've had & the pasta is also perfectly cooked. We ordered the lasagna, rigatoni, & the short rib pasta and all of them were delicious! Our waiter was also very kind & definitely made us want to come back read more

North Italia - Sunday Night Lasagna Spicy Rigatoni Vodka - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Service was good. Regular without any extravagance. Though what did stand out is the shelf with a lot of bottles on it. I don't know what fastenings they use but that shelf was STRONG, idk how it carried itself. Very nice touch to bring a lot of bottles in the front. We came when it was slow - got seated right away. Food was regular - nothing outlandish. Taste - same. Though what I do recommend is the ice cream! Big portion, very tasty and definitely worth the money. I want to say that I enjoyed seating on their couch rather than a regular table. The atmosphere is very interesting as there are literally no walls and you can see the whole hall just by looking around. - I like the implementation. Also the kitchen is open view too! I unfortunately noticed it only after I went to a clean restroom. read more

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Try the bumbolini! It's amazing! You will enjoy the outdoor seating. It makes you feel like you're on vacation. Staycation! read more

North Italia - Bumbolini and steak salad! - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

First of all I want to give our server Gloria a huge shoutout! She was amazing!!! Helpful, kind, and great with suggestions as well. The lasagna was out but she helped us order our pasta and add the braised beef on top to give it the same flavor palette and it was amazing to say the least! The garlic bread is also a must anytime you come here. Paired it for the first time with the soup (spicy tomato bisque) and it felt like dipping a fancy grilled cheese into the soup, which was just delicious. I could ramble on about the food but come for yourself. The vibe of this location is also perfect for date night or just a chill night out with friends and family that isn't too far from the beach. By far my favorite North Italian location and my fiancé and I will be back real soon! read more

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Came here with friends who were visiting from out of town (Washington State) last Tuesday evening and they had a craving for italian. We walked over from the pier and it was a light walk very nice weather and easy to get to the North Italia. Upon entering the place is very spacious (it was almost empty when we were there however I read in other reviews that it can get pretty crowded) and clean and the servers were friendly, a little TOO friendly. Our server was so upbeat and fun that at first we were really happy, but at some point we were tired of the constant upbeat in depth explanations. It would have been fine and we still would have been happy, however it took over an HOUR for our food to come out. None of us ordered anything complicated, and as I mentioned earlier it was almost empty there were not many customers, so not sure why the food took that long to be served. I got the pizza, one of the kids got a burger and fries, and everyone else got pasta dishes. I was ok because I was enjoying catching up with my friends and seeing them again so we had allot of great conversation, but you can understand the kids were very antsy and my friend's husband was getting very tired and grumpy from waiting. In terms of taste, everyone loved their food and my pizza was great. I was very happy with the pizza and would order it again. I would love to try some of the pasta dishes that everyone else ordered, and you know, considering it's an italian restaurant, that burger looked SO good. read more

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Great food and great customer service Beautiful place too. Pizzas were delicious and exceptionally good. Highly recommended read more

Last-minute dinner on a Friday night of a holiday weekend, fully expected a long wait and chaos. Instead: no wait, smooth seating, and genuinely great service. Already winning. We ordered the calamari to start (perfectly crisp, not greasy), split a pizza that was solid and satisfying, and I had a pasta with a white sauce that was rich, comforting, and exactly what I wanted. Everything came out hot, well-paced, and clearly made with care. For a spontaneous plan on one of the busiest nights of the weekend, this was an easy, enjoyable dinner. Consistent food, attentive service, and zero stress. Would absolutely come back, especially knowing they can handle a crowd without dropping the ball. read more

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The place is small for the amount of people that visits them. Clean and cozy though. The service was ok. Either they were understaffed, or extremely busy. We had to walk and look for our waiter to order more drinks. The food was delicious. Every single thing we ordered. I was so happy enjoying the food and conversation that forgot to take more pictures of food. read more

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I went to the North Italia in Irvine and since then I've been waiting to come back. I recently went to this one located in Santa Monica and it gave the same feel & vibe -- very clean, nice, and has outstanding food. The staff here is super nice and friendly as well. I enjoyed my waiter's attentiveness to my party -- my cup of water was never half empty & always filled! We came here to celebrate a birthday and it was well worth it. I'll be coming back to any north italia. read more

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I've been to other North Italia and they were much better. There was a party of seven of us for brunch and my husband and I both had the chicken Parmesan sandwiches. Hardly any chicken and a lot of bread. I took it home half of it and then I found a bone in the chicken, not happy. We had an appetizer of bread with some kind of spread and it was just OK. The place wasn't very busy and it was big, but our server didn't come around very often. I don't know about the other people in the party if they like their food. Some of the portions look rather small for what you pay. I wasn't going to do a review but when I got home and had the rest of the chicken sandwich I thought thought I need to say something. You need to step up the food because it's too pricey for what you get. They had a bunch of large tables and a few were full. They also have an outside area, which is nice. Also you have to park on the street or in the parking structure so just be aware. read more

After checking into our hotel, we chose this location for an early dinner with our kiddos. We were seated promptly in this spacious, lovely restaurant. Our server Hans, was simply one of our great highlights of the night because he knew literally everything. My husband, a.k.a. the sauce guy, started making his requests and he chimed in with extra sauces for him to try. There was some kind of a mixup with another table, ordering the wrong appetizer, rather than tossing the grilled bread they gave it to us. We ordered the cacio e pepe pizza which came out missing a slice of pizza due to a kitchen staff mishandling it. They gave us the pizza to get started, but they also gave us a complementary Cacio E Pepe pizza so that we wouldn't be missing a slice. This pizza was better than the first pizza which was good. Their kids' menu was pretty good. My daughter enjoyed her spaghetti. We all enjoyed the Buratta. The salmon dish was so delicious, and something that you can't get anywhere else. We've now been to this location twice and I've had great experiences both times. read more

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It's not often I have the opportunity to get outside my Ventura County bubble but North Italia was selected as our work holiday get-together. Ordering off a pre-fixed holiday meal menu, I went with the aranaci small plate to start off. The mixture of the risotto with the pec romano cheese was a great way to start the meal. A few others at the table enjoyed the bruschetta duo and chopped salad but I do think I chose correctly with the arancini. For the main entree I was torn between the chicken parm verde. The spin on the chicken parm with pesto was very enticing but I ended up with the "house specialty" bolognese. The bolognese was a solid dish to go with especially during a lunch. Not too heavy and just the right portion. Service was solid throughout the meal and I was able to park in the structure right across the street. Overall North Italia was a solid choice for our holiday gathering and I'd likely be back. read more

Gluten found in the GF pizza at North Italia. Beware if you have celiac or a gluten allergy. The staff was super nice and offered to make me another GF pizza in a dedicated oven and even then it still tested positive for gluten. The restaurant is really nice though and service was great. read more

North Italia - Gluten found in the pizza. Twice. - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I swear North Italia never disappoints! I usually frequent the El Segundo or Torrance locations since those ones are a lot closer to me but everything about all the locations I've been to are just the same! I decided to go to this location since it was a 10min drive from my work! The ambiance was great, the service was quick, and overall it's just a relaxed, chill environment like all the other locations. The workers are super friendly and are very polite. The food? You really can't go wrong with any options. I just highly recommend the truffle bread because that alone is just a 10/10. Overall, definitely recommend it if you're in the area! read more

North Italia - Bolognese (House Specialty) Hot Honey & Smoked Prosciutto White Truffle Garlic Bread Spicy Rigatoni Vodka - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I enjoyed the short rib sandwich with au jus and the side salad was pretty good too. Nice outdoor seating, fast service. Woth checking out if youre in the area. read more

Came here with my nieces one Friday evening last February. There were only three of us. We did not overstay. And there was no indication we created a problem. However, when we got our check, they included the tip already. We would have paid the tip anyway. When we asked the server why they charged us the tip, the server said that it was getting late. No, it was not late yet. And about the food, of the 7 items we ordered (not including the drinks), it was only the calamari that tasted good. The others were just so-so. Anyway, we did not appreciate them charging us that tip. To the managers of North Italia, a tip is a gratuity. Definition of Gratuity: A gratuity is something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service. -- Merriam-Webster Dictionary. North Italia should have just stated that it was a service charge instead of tip. AND let us know BEFOREHAND before we made our reservations. read more

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Ate here multiple times, worst thing that ever happened was they ran out of arancini. A little loud at night but great during the early afternoon, very quiet and close to everything. Great place for a quick drink. read more

A cozy place with a great atmosphere and delicious food. I highly recommend the eggplant with cheese and the pizza -- both were absolutely amazing! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Will definitely be back! read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

An Italian spot that can cater for gluten free. I ate almost every single flatbread piece in the white truffle garlic bread. It was crunchy, held its shape, and was cheesy and flavorful. Also got the spicy broccolini without the breadcrumb topping, and polenta. I loved pairing both of these with my Bolognese which they swapped the original pasta with a gluten free penne. The servers knew exactly which dishes had gluten. read more

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Had such a great experience. It was my first time there and it couldn't have gone better. We got the beef carpaccio, Hot Honey & Smoked Prosciutto, and Trottole Chicken Pesto. Usually not a big fan of pesto but everything was tasty including the pesto. Big shoutout to our server, Matthew, he was very friendly and had great suggestions for next time! read more

We went to North Italia restaurant because of Dine LA. I thought the appetizer was quite good. What I chose was the calamari with pickled vegetables. For my main course, I ordered the chicken Parmesan. It came out lukewarm and way undercooked. It was almost shocking that this left the kitchen that way. So I returned it, in about 10 or 15 minutes later a fresh one came out which was much better, hotter, and just plain edible. My wife and I could not eat our dinner at the same time because of the kitchen's mistake. We both enjoyed the tiramisu dessert. When we asked the waiter for dessert. It took at least 15 or 20 minutes to get it to the table. I'm sure this was prepared in advance and was probably sitting in a refrigerator:-) There shouldn't have been that kind of wait. There was a mistake on the bill that was in favor of the restaurant. When I showed it to the waiter, he didn't understand but once I explained that we bought our dinner on DineLA he corrected the mistake. The Jury is out if we're going to come back to this restaurant. read more

North Italia - Italian Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Excellent food, friendly service, and a great atmosphere. Everything was delicious. Highly recommend and will definitely return! We would also like to thank Cori (think I spelled her name correctly)for her excellent service. She was very friendly, attentive, and made our dining experience even more enjoyable. We truly appreciate her kindness and professionalism. read more

This place is FIRE !! Very friendly attentive service, great tasting food & a great vibe filled with music and a great atmosphere. Great appetizer is their calamari. Calamari is good but The red sauce filled with real tomatoes is ultra delicious so you may want extra sauce! Tortellini dish also has that amazing red sauce. Tip: get extra sauce for sure. Not enough of this addictive sauce. I also added some shrimp to take it up a notch. read more

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Chad was amazing! Our server was so busy but ensured we were well taken care of. We loved all of our food except the salad and he was kind enough to take it off our bill. The drinks were very well made and had the most patience with us. I love it here! read more

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