This place is so fancy shmancy feeling. It feels like you know it's fancy when you walk in because…read moreof the tablecloths and the service, and it was really nice overall. I got the spaghetti carbonara, and it was so cheesy and delicious, and I loved the pieces of pancetta in there. I also really liked the bread they serve you before bringing your dishes out because it's literally just mini pizza strips. Would come again and maybe sit outside because it looked so nice out there.

I chose this restaurant because I was looking forward to a nice dinner on the patio. The patio…read moreitself is beautiful, but when we arrived it was almost completely empty and we were seated along the bushes, even though there were plenty of other tables available. I do want to mention that the food was very good, and our waiter was friendly and attentive throughout the evening. Unfortunately, once our food was served, we were swarmed by dozens of flies. The staff brought over small table fans in an attempt to help, which I appreciated, but they just weren't enough to keep the flies away. It became so difficult to enjoy our meal that I ended up having my entrée packed to go because I couldn't comfortably eat it. We had originally planned on ordering dessert, but by that point we just wanted to leave because of the flies. I would absolutely come back because the food and service were great, but the fly situation on the patio really needs to be addressed. It's hard to enjoy an otherwise wonderful meal when you're constantly trying to keep flies off your food.

I was invited to a gatheringl ast night (8/29/2026) with a group of people at this restaurant…read more Everything that was brought to the table was very good. The bread/wine/ravioli/dessert were all excellent on the taste buds and the wait staff were very nice. To round out this review the ambiance was great and judging by the size of the crowd there great also.

Was craving spaghetti and meatballs. Didn't want Sam's Club Repast spaghetti . I wanted authentic…read moreand I asked Chat to point me in the right direction and it guided me to Sorrento. It's a small but engaging Italian restaurant they prides itself in making authentic dishes and it did with the Spaghetti and Veal Meatballs. It was done just like I like it, not too acidic and enough seasoning to leave a lasting impression on the palate. Not only was the spaghetti great , but they came around with a basket of assortment of breads you could pick from. Not a big Fan of bread but the Garlic Toast was very good. The ambiance and service was very complementary with soft piano music being played by the house musician. All in all, it was a very relaxing experience and most of all, it addressed the craving.

If we could give this 6 stars, we would. Food was amazing and could tell everything was homemade. I…read moregot the cheese tortellini and wish I could drink the sauce it was so good. The lighting and atmosphere was perfect for a quaint date night. And I want to know what jazz playlist they were playing because it was great. What blew it out of the water was the service, particularly by the owner himself. As someone who works in the restaurant industry, having the owner on the floor is almost never seen. But this man was working all jobs: helping the hostess when she got super busy, food running, bussing, checking up on all tables, doing the best for everyone. Plus, he was incredibly kind with an amazing smile. Idk what he saw in my partner and I, but he gave us tiramisu on the house. We are not fancy influencers or rich folk, and I feel that was kinda obvious. But I think he did it just to make our date night a lil bit more special. And that kind of effort should be rewarded.

Magdalena's was such a great find! The pizza was absolutely delicious and made fresh, with a crust…read morethat was just right. The Bolognese was also excellent--rich and flavorful without being overly salty, which I really appreciated. What stood out to me most was how well-balanced everything tasted. You can tell there's a real focus on fresh ingredients and authentic Italian flavors. The food is flavorful and satisfying without feeling overly heavy or salty like many American Italian chains. I feel comfortable feeding my child the food from here. I'm so glad to have found a quality Italian restaurant in Houston that lets the ingredients and flavors speak for themselves. Even the panna cotta was delicious, and I'm usually not much of a dessert person! Definitely a 5-star experience. We'll be back!

Go and pay whatever amount of money they ask you for the food. Holy cow yes it's that good!…read more Lovely ambiance and insanely delicious. Wife and I split everything - a Cacio e Pepe salad (you heard that right), chicken parm (amazing) and a sage/fennel sausage pasta that was mind blowing. We were confused when the waitress brought a moka pot as we didn't order coffee - but that's how they've brought the tiramisu. Whaaaaa... Hurry up and go.

We were here last weekend for brunch for my sister birthday of a group of 12ppl…read more Everything went well. Service was very nice and food was good. It was good to be back and see the same consistency.

Lombardi made an already special night unforgettable! We celebrated my girl's mom's birthday, and…read morethe team also helped me coordinate a surprise proposal to my now-fiancée. Everything came together perfectly. A special shoutout to Everett--he was AMAZING! Attentive, personable, and completely in on the surprise. He truly went above and beyond to make the night special. Amazing food, beautiful atmosphere, and exceptional service. Thank you, Everett and Lombardi, for being part of a moment we'll never forget!

I'm torn with my star rating. On one hand, loved my gluten-free pasta dish; and the restaurant is…read moreaesthetically pleasing and there's some good people-watching. I also like the patio vibes--it screams "have an Aperol Spritz, per favore!" So lemme share the good, based on my recent dinner there: :: They were able to make the Fazzoletti Al Pesto & Burrata pasta dish gluten-free. I loved the freshness of the pesto sauce and the addition of toasted pine nuts. Would order again. :: Truffle fries... a must-share for the table :: Caesar caccio e pepe salad (san the housemade focaccia croutons for me) :: The tableside pastas seem to be their main attraction. Fun to watch (and record). :: Segreto--the "speakeasy" accessed through the unisex restroom--is an experiential moment. You can also access it through the outside entrance. ...But I think there are better Italian food options in Houston at a better price point (for example, Coltivare). I didn't like any of the cocktails I tried: the skinny marg was a tiny daiquiri-style marg, very tart, very underwhelming, and gone in a few sips. In the speakeasy, I had a really terrible old fashion-style drink called The Smokeshow. It had a bunch of wooden chips in it that fell into the drink during the smoking/fire process. I scooped out as much as I could, and then didn't finish the drink because it wasn't good. It was bland. The beau didn't finish his either. Not sure I'd go back, maybe for their aperitivo hour (3-6pm daily at the bar or patio) featuring $10 select wines and martinis, $2 oysters, and $8 bites; or their business lunch special ($36).

They are as slow as they warn on the menu, but still good and an enjoyable wait honestly! Waiter…read morewas sweet and was trying but did forget to write down and order one of our pastas. Perhaps overpriced pastas for the very tiny portions. Overall delicious and would return, it's a very authentic Italian experience if that's what you're looking for!

I celebrated my wedding anniversary and birthday at Mimo, and it was my first time visiting the…read morerestaurant. I've had Mimo on my radar for a couple of years, but somehow I never found the right occasion to finally give it a try. Well, celebrating both my birthday and wedding anniversary seemed like a pretty good reason! I must say, Mimo had to fight hard to earn those five stars. The experience was memorable, not necessarily because it was perfect, but because it wasn't. The imperfections, oddly enough, are what made it memorable. Let's start with the menu. There aren't many dishes, which is generally speaking a good sign these days. There's really no excuse not to use fresh ingredients when you're working with a smaller menu. At the same time, I wouldn't say the offerings were particularly adventurous. That said, the quality was definitely there. We started with the Fritter as an appetizer, and it was super delicious. The combination of fried zucchini, corn, and that touch of honey somehow really worked! Then we ordered a pasta dish each, under the common assumption that a pasta dish in most Italian restaurants (including the ones in Italy) is supposed to be filling. Well... no! These were pretty small. I ordered the spaghetti al limone, while my wife went for the gnocchi. Both were good, although the spaghetti were cooked somewhere on the borderline between al dente and chewy. The corn in the gnocchi also felt a little alien, like it didn't really belong there. Still, we couldn't deny that the flavors were good and the ingredients were fresh. Oddly enough, we were still hungry, so we ordered a second dish each: the Pork Milanese for me and the Pesce del Giorno for my wife. And this is where Mimo saved the day! The Pork Milanese, with mortadella and pecorino cheese on top, was delicious. And the polenta that came with my wife's dish was one of the best I've ever had. Interestingly, these dishes were disproportionately larger, more than making up for the minuscule portions of the pasta dishes. So, I guess it all worked out in the end! Another date saver was the service. It was outstanding. Attentive, friendly, and exactly what you would expect from a restaurant trying to create a special experience. Then came dessert: the Zeppole. It was good, but nothing particularly special. To me, it tasted like churros made with a dough that incorporated ricotta. Not bad at all, just not something I'll be dreaming about later. And that was our experience at Mimo! I think the review probably benefited from the fact that I was there celebrating a special occasion. It was a somewhat strange experience, with some ups and downs, but we genuinely enjoyed it. Would I be back? Possibly... Four stars stretched to five? Yeah... FIVE Stars!

Can't believe this restaurant has been around so long and I hadn't tried them. Small ecletic…read moreItalian resturant with simple homestyle Italan dishes. Everything we had was very good, not excellent, but above average. I would rank the Eggplant Parm one of the best in town. Pasta meat sauce was "OK", but my personal likes would have had more seasoning. Friendly, efficient staff. If you're looking for a trendy place to "see and be seen" Riva's is not your kinda place. If you're looking for Italian dishes you'd find in an Italian grandmother's kitchen, this is the place for you. Reasonable prices and hearty servings.

Too much pasta and little meat for the price they charge and how tacky to charge a fee for an extra…read moreplate for you to share a meal. Heavy portion but it's mostly pasta. Also they added 3.00 more to the tip I left. How classy.

Finally got a moment to go on a date and visited Da Marco for the second time. Vibe is very old…read moreschool fancy. Black and white uniforms, dim lighting, attentive staff that check on you and lots of fluffy bread. I remember the food being better the first time around. The burrata salad was an 8/10. The burrata itself was a bit bland but the dressing, arugula, and tomatoes carried this dish hard. The dressing seemed olive oil based - wasn't the lightest but also not too heavy. I throughly enjoyed the roasted tomatoes. It really made the salad well rounded with sweet but acidic notes that complimented the arugula. The cacio e Pepe ravioli was great. Quite creamy and buttery maybe slightly over salted . 8.5/10 wish it was bigger The pappardelle was addicting. The wide noodles held the meat and sauce together well. It was hearty but not overwhelming. 9/10 The short rib was my favorite meat dish. I loved the sauce but the meat was not very tender. The risotto was cheesy and paired well with the sauce on the short rib but was a little under cooked. The components all together made for a nice dish. 7/10 Did not love the quail but my husband did. I gave my piece to him. I personally found it tough and dry (was well seasoned) but the broccoli rabe it came with was delicious. 5/10 The chocolate cake is a must. The banana ice cream was not as banana or as creamy as I would have liked but the cake was heavenly. Smooth, rich, but light. 10/10 would order again. I did not share the Caramelized banana because it was too good. I honestly didn't notice I ate it all. My bad. Da Marco is one of the very few restaurants left that have that old timey refinement. Men and women actually get dressed up to come here and, as stated before, they do try to provide great service. A bit pricy for what you get but I still had a good time.

My foodie friend and I returned for our annual birthday fill of White Truffle Tagliolini, and this…read moretime, we brought family! As usual, the staff was so warm and welcoming. Seriously, entering Da Marco always feels like returning to the home of an old friend, which never gets old. On the topic of service, our server was spot-on, expertly attentive without being intrusive, and he paced or courses perfectly. We started with the burrata salad and the always surprising shaved celery salad, which sings with freshness and vibrant flavors. The second course included our pastas: lobster ravioli, pappardelle, and the coveted white truffle Tagliolini which never disappoints. Our third course was the impressive off-menu porterhouse, and it was perfectly seasoned, served with beautifully delicious cannellini beans and sautéed spinach, and we added puréed potatoes, which were buttery and fluffy. Desserts were a triumph: Italian wedding cake, chocolate cake, a stunning pistachio dessert, bread pudding, and Panna cotta. All were delightful. While we do appreciate the cozy atmosphere, perfected by the flickering fire in the fireplace, my one major complaint of this restaurant is that there is just one toilet per restroom. This restaurant gets packed, and one toilet per gender is quite insufficient, as noted by my mom and sister. Still, we look forward to our next visit!