Great tasting food. We tried the fettuccini alfredo, the spaghetti pomodoro, and the penne alla bolognese. The spaghetti pomodoro reminded me of the spaghetti I had in Rome, Italy. We spent approx. $85 for 3 dishes, 3 soft drinks, and a bottle water. They were super nice to our kids and gave them some coloring book pages to color. read more

Maybe 2.5 stars? Convenient location for a pre-theatre meal. Someone said this is the best Italian food in San Diego - sorry I cannot agree on that, The food was decent, nothing really standout about it to be the best in SD though. Party of 6. The place was busy, so some leeway in amount of time it took to get our entrees, but service was not very welcoming or warm and in fact while ordering our food, the waiter just stepped away from the table without saying anything....odd. Prices - pretty much what you would expect for a downtown restaurant. Wine list was good. read more

I attended a private grand opening back in December. The wine samplings and appetizers were great. I met the owners Roberto Bernardoni and Patrizia Branchi. They were very friendly hosts. Even though Roberto's English is pretty rough, you can sense the great satisfaction they get from serving their guests. They had a singer and a pianist performing some opera tunes the whole night to add a nice whimsical touch to the party. Roberto gained his experience in San Diego as the head chef at La Strada just down the street. Everything on the menu is influenced by the flavors of his hometown in Florence. He goes back every 6 months or so to get inspiration for some new dishes. Roberto hand makes the desserts everyday, so you're not eating some delivered treats from some unknown bakery. It is located right across from the very popular Horton Plaza. I used their parking structure, then walked up to their validation kiosk for 3 hours of free parking. As you head across 4th Avenue, you will see Operacaffe nestled next to Bandar restaurant. The ambiance has some nice touches, patio seating, and is definitely about the size of café. Then you start to wonder how much their dishes are gonna cost? Well, I made sure I had my tax refund check cashed and waited to comeback a few times before reviewing this place. I got the Pizza Opera for an appetizer, Spaghetti Di Mare for main dish, and tiramisu for dessert. I was going to do wine but thought a Peroni beer would work. They have PERONI!!!!11111. The overall experience was good portions, great food, and reasonable price items. The service was good, but next time they better not sit me so close to the china cabinet. I do look forward to trying the ossobuchini milanesi which is supposedly equivalent to the ossobucho at La Strada and trying more of the extensive all Italian wine menu. read more

My husband is a picky eater. When we were meeting our friend in San Diego during ComicCon I knew I had to find a place he would enjoy eating. I came upon Operacaffe and saw that they had Alfredo, which is one of my husband's favorites, so we chose to come here, and are so happy we did. Everything about the restaurant is wonderful. The staff, atmosphere, and of course the food. Now if my husband is ever in the mood for Alfredo we will make a little trip down from Temecula. Yes, it really is worth the drive. Thank you for continuing to wow us :) read more

Eating the deep-fried pizza dough filled with melted cheese and topped with prosciutto was a defining moment in my life. It was like my first kiss: It was wet. Sticky. And if I wasn't careful, some would have gotten on my pants. Daddy liked. (This appetizer happened to be named "Coccoli" and not "Ha," which was the name of the first girl I kissed. In retrospect, how cool would it be if the first person I ever kissed had the name "Coccoli?") Sadly...it was all downhill from there in this borderline tourist trap across from Horton Plaza. The pre-meal bread was stale or dry or used to be wood? I wasn't sure. Point being, don't eat it. Unless you like eating wood...then I say, go for yours! The main dishes were overpriced and under seasoned. I got the gnocchi with duck ragu...and I had to steal some of the gf's sauce off her dish to make it palatable. Sadly, she wouldn't try mine because she has "feelings" and won't eat things like duck or veal or rabbit. She especially hates it when, knowing this, I make my food talk to her and say things like "I'm just a baby cow...pleeeeeease don't eat me. I have so much to live for!" Seriously, why does she go anywhere with me? Anyway, The Operacaffe hit one high note, but certainly did not have me singing for more. Yeah. I went there. Cliche...just like this restaurant. read more

The food was delicious and we enjoyed every bite of it! The customer service was top notch and they made us feel right at home. Definitely adding this to our list of favorites in San Diego! read more

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Great little Italian food place is the Gaslamp district in San Diego! This place is wonderful! When you first walk in you are taken by the decor, very rustic/modern and big! The staff here was amazing, they were able to get us in with no reservation and no wait on a Friday night. I had the Chicken Al Pest, which was amazing. The noodles were nice and soft, the pesto sauce was delicious and I just loved it. My boyfriend got the rice stuffed meatballs I believe and he enjoyed them very much. Definitley stop by if you are in the mood for Italian food! PS dont forget to order the creme brulee! read more

Operacaffe - Creme Brulee and chocolate gelato! Mmmmm! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Went for lunch. Just one word COCCOLI! Deep-fried pizza dough delights filled with creamy cheese and topped with prosciutto. Also very good the "Piramide" -- Polenta with porcini mushrooms, ham and gorgonzola sauce. Can't wait to go back with more time to enjoy a full meal. read more

Mamma Mia, Not your typical Itailian restaurant . Very cute relaxing cafe. Not a bad wait time on a Friday. They have an ok selection of wine. The food was very good although I thought my noodles could have been cooked a bit longer. Service was friendly and price, ok, a little much for the food, but it worked . So just as long as you get a good server have good company and your noodles are fully cooked you should have a splendid night~ read more

Exquisite entrees, but seriously lacking everywhere else. We went here for a birthday dinner, and were really excited after seeing their menu online. It looked delicious. So many tasty looking options. But, it didn't quite go how we thought it would... Service ---------- Right off the bat, they lost points with the service. We got our bread, but it took a few requests to get plates so we could poor the olive oil. And not even a small apology or a smile. I guess we're just not fans of staring at our food instead of eating it. And it didn't get any better as the night went on. They were busy, I will give them that. But I've seen other places handle "busy" much more gracefully. I'm hoping they're just new, and need a little time to perfect the service. They looked more panicked than rude. The food ------------ Well first, that bread we all waited to eat... um, not so good. Maybe it just sat for too long, but it tasted like discount bread from the grocery store. Nothing horrible, but not worth wasting valuable belly room. Appetizer: Indiavolata Di Gamberi (shrimp, toasted garlic bread, spicy tomato sauce). Alright, this is where it got a little interesting... The spicy tomato sauce was good. It was a shame there was no good bread to eat it with. That "garlic bread" that comes with it is buried WAY deep in the center of the plate. At first we thought they forgot the garlic bread, because we didn't see it on the plate. We then asked, but our waitress told us the plate didn't come with garlic bread (even though the menu says it did). Alright... whatever... we'll just eat. Then we got a soggy little surprise when we sunk our forks into the center... There it is! That garlic bread... or what use to be bread. (But the sauce was delicious). Entrees: Okay... Honestly, I really liked the entrees. If I had to go back, I'm getting nothing but an entree. What we had at the table: 1. Penne Speperina (penne, spicy sausage, mascarpone, mint) 2. Pizza Opera (prosciutto Pizza) 3. Corona Dagnello (grilled lamb chops) 4. Spaghetti Pomodoro (spaghetti with meatballs) All the plates were good. The Pizza Opera and the Spaghetti Pomodoro were enjoyable. However, the Penne Speperina and Corona Dagnello were truly memorable. The lamb was cooked perfectly, had great flavor, and left you craving more (especially since they give so little of it). The spicy sausage in the Penne Speperina was incredible. I usually find pasta dishes boring, but this one got me hooked. I don't know what they put in that sauce, but it was addictive. The entrees had to be the high-light of the meal. It started to give us hope. Dessert: After the entrees, we thought they were on an upswing. Sadly, dessert is the reason they got two stars, instead of three. We ordered one dessert and split it: Torta Del Nonno (Short bread cake) The Torta Del Nonno was a serious No No. We all were amazed after the first bite, but definitely not in a good way. You can go to any grocery store, blind fold yourself, and pick any random dessert... and it would be hands down better than this one. Not the way we wanted to end the meal. Last thoughts ------------------- I'm hoping it was an off day. I can't wait to read more reviews from other people. I'm hoping they sort things out and get on the ball. I'm probably not going back, there are just too many other good options. But they definitely have some good potential. read more

Honestly I wanted to like this place a lot more, I really really did. My group of friends and I celebrated my lady's birthday here for dinner, and I must say the service is something to be taken aback from. Our waiter was very brisk and short with us, showing very little hospitality and good waitership. While the food was good, the overall experience of getting rushed, and what felt like condescension from our waiter really ticked me off for the whole of the night. I'll say again, the food is decent, with price and quality. And if you happen to go, your experience might be a bit better than mine was, and I pray it does. ALSO: first basket of bread is free. EVERY basket after is $2. read more

Came here since we had a groupon/living social. Location/parking: In Gaslamp. Park at the Horton or good luck finding street parking. Seating/wait: Came here on a weekend for dinner. Not many customers. Service: Great service even though we sat outside. Explained everything with patience Food: -The complimentary bread was so good my boyfriend ate it all before I came back from washing my hands. The servers were kind to refill the basket. -Gnocchi Della maremma: gnocchi with wild pork and rabbit with Barolo wine and tomato - It was not for me. I thought it would have more flavor but really bland. -The other pasta and tiramisu we order was okay. It was mediocre but who needs mediocre when Little Italy is just around the corner? Décor/ Ambience: -Gorgeous. Very classic Italian look with plenty of artistic decor. Restrooms: -Nice and clean. Dogs: Outdoor seating so I brought my doggies! read more

The Service: Hosted a birthday dinner here for my girlfriend and had a great experience. It is hard to find a good place in Downtown to host a gathering and get reservations, especially without breaking the bank. I was able to call in and get reservations. The manager personally called me and offered me to have a set menu at a set price and guaranteed a much speedier service. They also called the day of the event and reconfirmed with me. Although we started our dinner almost 40 minutes later than our reservation time, there was no complains or attitudes from the staff, and I really liked that. Also, for such a large group, our food was served very quickly and paying our tabs was very quick as well. The Food: The food was delicious. They had a lot of great choices, especially for vegetarians. They also served us bread before our entrees, and it was delicious as well. I ordered one of the raviolis and it was creamy and full of flavor. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. read more

I had an excellent dining experience when our service club met here for lunch recently. Although it was a banquet with just 2 choices for each of three courses, those choices were outstanding. I loved my flavorful mushroom (so earthy!) ravioli and an authentic caesar salad. The servers really hustled to get out the meals for the 40 or so of us in attendance. It's a nice homey space as well. read more

The pasta (except spaghetti) is hand made and you can tell. The ingredients are incredibly fresh and everything is melt in your mouth good. Another good thing is that portions are large and prices are really moderate..compared to other Gaslamp Italian, it's probably $15 an entree vs. $25. TIP: Go to restaurant.com and get a gift certificate! Save yourself ten or fifteen bucks on your table's meal! I had the sausage pasta my first time. Simply incredibly! I was skeptical about the mint but the flavored pairing was culinary excellence! I've also had the pepperoni pizza which was also excellent. The environment is cozy and the outside patio is very romantic. The only thing I DO NOT recommend is the margarita pizza. Not very flavorful. It's a little odd, because everything else on the menu is mind blowingly good. read more

I'm really not understanding some of the bad reviews on here. I come here at least a couple times a month with my husband and LOVE it. It is absolutely my favorite restaurant in San Diego. The wait staff and hostess recognize us every time and give some of the best service I've seen while out to eat. The food is ALWAYS amazing and never takes longer than 25 minutes to come out.. The prices might seem a little pricey but not when you compare it to a chain (Americanized-Italian) like Olive Garden. Homemade pastas and sauces make it worth the price, which I don't believe are too high for the food and service. We will be coming here for as long as we live in San Diego! read more

I wanted, and tried my best, to like this place, but the sophisticated appearance masks some real, fundamental problems. First, the good news: a nice selection of flavorful appetizers, including a few truly imaginative ones, and most of the wines are available by the glass. But, regrettably, that's all I can think of for the good news list. And now, of course, the bad news. My party of 5 arrived on time for our Saturday night reservation, and we were promptly ushered past two 6-seat tables to...a 4-top in the back corner. I spent the entire evening with one of my legs out in the walkway next to the table (and the server kept tripping over me), as there was only half a place available at the table. Meanwhile, it took nearly an hour for our entreés to arrive, despite four different visits to our table by the server and the manager assuring us that "the food will be here very soon." At one point the manager promised "2 minutes," prompting one of my companions to start a timer. Needless to say, it was not merely two minutes until our plates arrived--more like eleven. Nor did they comp any of our meals...they sent a plate of the least-expensive appetizer (which we had not wanted, otherwise we would have ordered it with our actual apps). If that's the best they can think of by way of apology, well, I'm offended. More offensive yet was the manager's attempt to blame "the computer" for the delay, because some other server had gotten their orders in ahead of ours. Clearly untrue, as the table in question had not even been seated when we ordered, and in any case irrelevant. If there isn't a human back in the kitchen expediting, and if the manager can't give instructions to the line to override "the system," then you guys need to call Gordon Ramsay ASAP. Finally, the wine list was undistinguished and not well described. San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter is packed with restaurants. There are many, many better choices than this one. I recommend dining elsewhere. read more

I just love this place! Food is always super tasty. I love their Salmon dish - it normally comes w/ risotto but I request broccoli instead. Their bruschetta is great too! read more

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Picture this: A chill April evening, 4th Avenue is bustling as always, ambulance sirens blaring, traffic stretching as far as the eye can see, and Horton Plaza looming over the most inconspicuous little Italian cafe wedged in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Zoom in and you'll find crowds of people cheerfully dining on old-fashioned Northern Italian fare. With a romantic ambiance, extremely friendly service, and affordable cuisine, Operacaffe definitely captivates its patrons ranging from high school prom goers to old married couples to friends filling up on carbs before hitting the town. Once again, thanks to Groupon, I learned about Downtown San Diego's newest Italian gem, and for only $20 I received a $45 voucher. Parking at Horton Plaza was plentiful and easily validated, our waitress was extremely friendly (not to mention the constant supply of water and bread), and the restaurant overall offered a certain level of coziness. Unfortunately, I do not remember the exact names of our dishes because A) I ordered off of the Specials menu and B) they have yet to update their online menu (but their website is professionally done and deserving of curious foodies). We started with a very meaty fried calamari. It was definitely a larger portion than at most restaurants, but the breading eventually became a little too much for me. Next came the main courses: a spinach ricotta ravioli served with lobster and artichoke and a porcini mushroom ravioli in a vodka sauce. The pasta consistency was al dente for both, while both sauces packed a powerful flavor punch. If I had to choose my favorite between the two, I would have to go with the mushroom one. There was more sauce and flavor - a clean and enjoyable dish. The spinach and ricotta taste of its counterpart got lost in the flurry of ingredients, although the lobster and artichoke did provide a flavor combination that I thoroughly enjoyed. Lastly, we were too full by the time the dessert menu came, but I will definitely try their tiramisu the next time I go (the owner boasted about it in a review I saw online). Despite spending my time striving for food critic mastery, I realized that often times what makes unforgettable dining experiences can not be limited to the confines of your dinner plate. Little things like their cheap-looking IKEA dinnerware and the somewhat overly-salty focaccia bread basket pale in comparison to heartwarming company and stimulating conversation. If you're looking to make that first date magical, Operacaffe is the place to be; its quaint interior coupled with candle-lit tabletops ooze romantic vibes and its delicious menu items have a habit of keeping both the customers and their wallets full. You'll thank me when your sweetheart is eagerly hinting at date number two and you have the money to oblige. read more

Operacaffe - Fried Calamari - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Operacaffe is little restaurant in downtown SD that many people can easily miss since it is on 4th & F. But this one Italian restaurant you do not want to pass out on. First off the bread they give you to start off your meal is sooooo good! I had a whole basket to myself and still wanted seconds. The calamari was a good portion for an app and it was quite delish! Now what I would highly recommend at Operacaffe is the Fettuccine Alfredo. Unfortunately you have to pay extra for chicken and broccoli (items which I added to my dish) but it was worth it. The noodles were so amazing and the sauce was light and creamy. I would come back just for this dish if I was craving Fettucine Alfredo. Only downsides to this restaurant were when I sat outside with my friends and the lights kept flickering on and off which was quite annoying & the fact that the food was a little on the pricer side. Other than that, nice casual atmosphere, good food, and friendly staff made my dining experience a lovely one! read more

After searching for an Italian place in the Gaslamp district where we will not feel underdressed, we decided to give Operacaffe a try and we were all glad we did! I ordered their seafood salad - mixed greens topped with olive oil tossed seafood - yummy! LA Piramide was also yummy! Especially the mushrooms on top. Uncle ordered penne bolognese and cousin ordered tortellu de granchio (this thing was especially yummy but pricey). I loved loved their bread! I had decided that I will let myself enjoy some wheat this past week with Thanksgiving and all - maybe that's why but I really liked their bread. Service was exceptional! read more

This place was ok. We made a reservation and we were seated promptly. However, we felt very rushed throughout the meal. We were hoping to order dessert and a second glass of wine but we were barely through our dinner when the waiter brought our check and asked us if we wanted boxes. Haha.. I guess we needed to eat faster. We just left and went somewhere else for dessert :). The food was fairly average. read more

Went here again for a special occasion on 3/2/17. The good and service was amazing as always and they went above and beyond to make sure that the entire experience was worthy if a special occasion read more

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I received a restaurants.com gift card for this restaurant so we visited for a light dinner and wine. Bought and entire bottle of one of their Tuscany red mixes (so good!!) as well as split the buffalo caprese salad and lobster spinach tortellini. All of which was mind blowing delicious! Perfect sauces, everything well made and perfect portions. The staff was also very friendly, efficient in filling water and checking in and overall we just had a really great time! Great wine bar/Italian caffe read more

Maybe the head chief was enjoying his holiday at home, whatever the explanation, tonight's Christmas dinner at Operacaffe was inexplicably, offensively bad. Ordering off the holiday chef specials, my brother and I hoped to experience a taste of Italy. What we got instead was a little blast from childhood (not in a good way) and a Christmas with Chef Boyardee. Duck meat in truffle cream for $20 was a ground up mystery meat, tasteless and questionable. A white wine marinara tasted like spaghetti-os. At $50, it was a disappointment that juiced the merry out of our Christmas dinner. Will not return. read more

We stopped by this restaurant after the recent All-Star FanFest. Saw some good reviews, but our experience was just OK. It has both inside and outside seating -- we were outside and enjoyed the people-watching atmosphere. Our food was only OK. We shared a Pear Salad, and I guess we prefer the pear to be sliced, instead of a whole pear on a bed of lettuce. We also shared the Opera Pizza, which sounded good, but just wasn't as tasty as we hoped. Not bad. Just not great. We were careful NOT to say we were sharing/splitting the meals, because they charge $2 for Splitting. To be fair, it's clearly listed on the menu that they charge, but I don't like feeling nickle-and-dimed like that. They also will charge extra for more bread. These are policies we don't typically see at other restaurants. Even though it wasn't busy, the service was really slow. Once we finally got the waiters attention for our bill, I told him to wait right there, while I gave him my credit card. Didn't want him to disappear again. The hostesses were a bright spot. They were friendly and helpful and seemed to genuinely enjoy what they were doing. read more

We love this restaurant Best pizza and ravioli pasta! My favorite ravioli boscaiola and opera pizza. Fast and friendly service by Pedro recomended!!! read more

Operacaffe - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Okay.....yes it was that good!!! Ordered through Uber eats, and this place was excellent. Each bite of the fettuccine al pesto and chicken parm were delicious in their own way. One with a great pesto nutty taste, and the other with rich homemade style marinara sauce with just the right amount of breading on the chicken. I asked for Alfredo and Marinara on the side, and both were delivered and licked clean. They were a bit cheap on the bread and apparently don't send any through Uber eats unless you add it on your order. The food was excellent enough that it was not worthy of docking any stars. read more

Had dinner here before a show on a Saturday night. Looks like it gets pretty busy on the weekend so I'm glad we had a reservation. The food was delicious and our server was polite, but missed a bit on the details. Our pasta was dropped off and we were promised they would return with cheese... never came. I'm glad we decided to just dig in anyway. So when our coffees were dropped off after dinner and we were promised sugar, I didn't hold my breath. (We definitely never got the sugar, if you're playing along at home). My bf and I laughed it off, but it was a lost touch. They had a lady wandering around doing free promotional photos. My bf is a sucker and ended up buying one of the pics. I actually kind of thought it was a nice touch and not too pushy of an up-sell. Not sure if I would go back unless I really needed Italian in the gaslamp again... but if that's what you're looking for, it's a safe bet the food will be good. read more

This place only gets 2 stars because their bread and balsamic vinegar are delicious! I came here for lunch and ordered their seafood pasta, or whatever it's called in Italian. I was expecting homemade pasta and/or really fresh seafood for the price, since it was about $20 for the dish. C'mon now. Pasta is the easiest and cheapest thing to make and I have a hard time paying more than $10 for it unless I know it's good! To my (bad) surprise, I got cheap $1 box pasta, and tons of it...AND there was practically any seafood. What a bummer! What's even worse is that I asked the waitress for her recommendations, and she raved about this dish. I guess most of my money went to paying for their primo Downtown location. read more

Felt like Italian and didn't feel like making it myself so I stopped in here last night for a quick bite on a Friday night about 8pm. Moderately busy, about 1/2 full. I ended up getting the hostess as a server which turned out to put a damper on my service. Decent wine list with moderate prices. Almost pulled the trigger on an nice Amarone but ended up going by the glass. Had the farfalle which was good, not great.. hard to say what needed to be done to improve it, but I wasn't bowled over. I'm going to go back and try more things (salad and a different entree) because I love the backstory on this and I want to see DECENT restaurants survive down in the Gaslamp. My one point of contention is the service - very attentive initially but I was dithering over the wine, and it kind of fell apart after that. The dish for olive oil had some crud in it (which I noticed after I poured the balsamic in). Asked for another one and never got it. I also found myself staring and waiting, trying to get someone's attention to get another glass of wine, trying to get the check, etc. It wasn't AWFUL service, just bad enough to notice. read more

Average food. The service was very good however and it is across the street from the Balboa Theater so if you are going there this is a very good option. read more

The service was great, but the food was mediocre. I think they prep food on plates beforehand and just warm them for the customers. I ordered veal medallions, which arrived at our table only a few minutes after our server took our order ... which was in no way long enough to have prepared our food fresh. The veal smelled kind of funny, and it was not crisp at all ... just soggy and chewy. The pasta of the ravioli was so thick. The raviolis tasted ok but they were slathered in a thick unappetizing-looking sauce. The quality of the food doesn't match the prices they charge. I would go elsewhere before coming here. read more

I'd been wanting to try this place for a while, and couldn't have died peacefully until I'd done so. It was the decor that drew me in - it is so cute inside! I came here on a weekday at around 6, and my friend and I were the only people in here. The service felt a little awkward for some reason, and the place kind of felt a little cold (figuratively, not literally). And sadly, the food just wasn't anything special. I had the pesto, and it wasn't extremely flavorful. I couldn't taste FRESH garlic, or FRESH pine nuts, which are what make pesto so amazing. I do think the noodles were handmade, so that's a plus. My friend ordered the mushroom ravioli, and that was pretty good...just nothing to write home about. I'd take Mamma Mia's or Arrivederci over this place any day. Overall...good not great. read more

Service and staff were wonderful and the food was delicious!!!!! Would definitely recommend this place!

Wow. This SUCKED. Service was a total menh (and I'm a waitress, so I know what I'm talking about), and the quality of food was terrible. The bread was somewhat stale and definitely not made on premises. You could only really eat it because you were starving. We tried to start out with the bruschetta, which was really bland and poor quality. Decidedly not market fresh. I then had their "famous" pear salad. It's the photo they show in all their write ups. Sure, cute presentation, but complete lack of flavor. The arugula was old and dirty, the pear had been hastily hacked to cover up obvious bruising, and the Gorgonzola was almost see-through. Almost inedible. And my bf's pasta was just ok. Overall, certainly does not live up to the shishi expectation they set up for themselves. read more

Just like the rest of my recent reviews let me start with I am an nj/ny transplant to San Diego, majority of what I have had in California so far has at best been mediocrity... Operacaffe offers a verity of traditional italian staples with decent flavor but not the best ever.. I started with underdressed saled and continued on to Pollo Limone. The sauce was full of flavor and great texture chicken was slightly overcooked, rissoto side complimented sauce to point of losing own identity, and vegitiables best part firm and crisp and fresh flavor. At the end decided to test connollies and texture was spot on with a store bought shell but cream was had to much of a sweet orange citrus flavor and lacked semi sweet chocolate chips, letting filling fall short of what I expect in a conolli. Server was attentive and efficiently took care of my dinning experiance professionally. He was italian and spoke all pleasantries in Italian the pleases, thank you and so on. Overall Okay not impressive.... read more

Hostess ignored my request for how long the wait would be, barely glanced inside, and said they would not seat for one. Did manage to catch the couple behind me merit a long check inside. Hope this gives you an idea on the type of staff here. To the restaurant: I came by at around 7:30 on 12/25 when there were no other people in line. I was willing to wait and I was turned away in the rude, disrespectful fashion above. The restaurant was still open when I passed by on my way to a competitor about an hour and a half later. I don't see any excuses for this terrible inferior customer treatment. I'm a frequent traveler who works in consulting and consistently eats out at high quality restaurants, and the way I was treated makes my blood boil. I've seen restaurants give reasons as to why, but the hostess just said "I'm sorry" and gave me a look of "be on your way." Who treats their customers that way?! read more

I personally know the history of this restaurant and can reassure all Americans that the food is 100% representative of our cuisine. Though the ingredients may arrive from different places as they must always be fresh, the very heart of mixing them is left to wise Italian hands and each and every one of the served dishes are simple and tasty as Italian food should always be. Try their ravioli and treat yourself with some "schiacciata" while waiting for your order, dip it in a bowl of spicy olive oil and...Enjoy read more

****Make sure you check in with your phone to get a free glass of wine! Each person in your party will receive a glass!! One of the reasons why we ended up eating here is that it was one of the few restaurants in the area which was open on Christmas Day. I really liked the decor inside this place! Located in the Gaslamp District of SD, from the outside it's hard to distinguish this place from every other Italian restaurant in the area. But once you walk in it's very homey and the dimly light atmosphere makes it feel welcoming. There's a very small stage with a piano so I'm thinking sometimes there are performances here?? Minestrone soup: The serving is HUGE so just order one and share it with your table! One order is plenty to share with 2-3 people. My mom and dad each ordered one not expecting such a huge bowl of soup. It's a good appetizer and gets your stomach ready for the main dish. Spaghetti De Mare: I was expecting a bunch of seafood and delicious sauce with this dish, but I was disappointed with the amount of seafood. The sauce was very watery as well and it didn't have the tomatoes that it said it would! I only ate a little over half of the dish :( I would recommend ordering something else from the menu since there is such a wide variety to choose from. Overall, my experience here was a little disappointing. The atmosphere made it feel like I would be eating amazing, authentic Italian food, but I was disappointed with the outcome. I most likely won't be dining here again since there seems to be a bunch of other Italian restaurants in the area which are really yummy. read more