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    Ricardo's Kouzzina

    4.3 (110 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Seafood
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 8:30 PM

    Order Ricardo's Kouzzina Takeout

    Ricardo's Kouzzina Photos

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    RICARDO'S KOUZZINA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ricardo's Kouzzina

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    Dirty Martini without the 'Dirty'
    Mike R.

    First visit after a glowing recommendation. Unfortunately, it will be our last visit. In summary the service, food, and value were well below minimal expectations. We were perhaps the 2nd diners arriving soon after opening on a Saturday afternoon. After explaining to the server we'd never been there before and needed some time to look over the menu, she showed up what seemed like every 30 seconds until we'd ordered drinks, appetizers, and entrees. Not sure of the rush, other than to get back to the rest of the staff standing in front of the kitchen to continue whatever conversations were going on with the staff. Ordered 2 'Dirty Martini's' that were delivered by the bartender. A few sips in and realized there's no 'Dirty' in the Dirty Martini. With our sever nowhere to be seen we went to the bar directly and were informed the order was not for a dirty martini. Bartender offered to make new drink, but we were fine and just took a glass of brine to add to what we had. Walked right by the gaggle of servers (ours included) with the brine and not word or asking if everything was ok, nothing to interrupt what we verified as staff gossip. Food is delivered by a runner and literally 20 seconds later with our first bite in our mouth, our server appears to ask 'how's everything tasting?'. Really? We can't answer as our mouths are full and finally say "our first bite" with a reply to the effect of 'OK, let me know if you need anything". Again, really? My wife ordered the Shrimp Santorini (our friend recommended) and it resembled an assembled dish with no creativity, little flavor, and a massive disappointment. Literally looked like angel hair pasta that was over cooked with boiled shrimp on top. No grilling, sauteing no nothing to the shrimp. Literally they could have been pulled out of a frozen Costo bag, dropped in some hot water and thrown on top. I would challenge you to convince me there was any effort or skill used to put that dish together. I ordered the Lasagna. I generally expect lasagna to have some structure to it but the lasagna was flat, and not even warm in the center (at least it wasn't cold/frozen). The marinara had no substance and came across as a quickly assembled tomato base, again following a theme, little flavor. Very disappointing. Desserts looked good (we're slow learners) and the peanut butter pie noted that it was light & fluffy, and an 'award winner' so we thought that would be our best shot of some redemption. When asking the sever if it's made in house the answer was "I dunnnnnooooo, but it's an award winner". Got it. Sums up the entire experience. We asked the same question to the runner who delivered the pie and at least he could respond to the effect that it's brought in from an outside party. While the peanut butter pie wasn't light & fluffy it was good and we definitely enjoyed it. Interesting at the end when our server brought the bill she asked how everything was and my wife responded, "it was ok". Didn't even phase the server as she dropped the check and returned to the gaggle of staff in front of the kitchen. Interesting that we saw several other servers going back and forth to tables, delivering food, and checking with diners. Ours seemed to have other priorities, and clearly, we weren't one of them. Overall, truly a disappointment. Clearly, they have been successful, and I wish everyone success, but it won't be on my dime again.

    Fried Calamari
    Rj R.

    First off, DELICIOUS! I've been craving for Calamaris for a week now and I finally got it. From the breading to the dip, perfectly cooked and serving size-PERFECTION! I also got the Meatball Marinara. Pasta was al dente! The sauce flavorful, perfect tomato kick. And the meatball, savory perfection. I'm raving and I'm not sorry! I totally enjoyed my orders. I can't wait to order again and try other dishes! I highly recommend this place! Two thumbs up! First off, DELICIOUS! I've been craving for Calamaris for a week now and I finally got it. From the breading to the dip, perfectly cooked and serving size-PERFECTION! I also got the Meatball Marinara. Pasta was al dente! The sauce flavorful, perfect tomato kick. And the meatball, savory perfection. I'm raving and I'm not sorry! I totally enjoyed my orders. I can't wait to order again and try other dishes! I highly recommend this place! Two thumbs up!

    Lasagna (I forgot to take a photo before I cut it up) - $22.00
    Sandy R.

    Came on a Satruday evening around 530pm. All seats were either taken or waiting for parties to arrive for reservations, so my husband and I sat at the bar. We had excellent service by the owner's son. We enjoyed his friendliness and personable demeanor; he made us feel welcome. Our dinners came out very quickly. I ordered lasagna ($22), and it was flavorful and almost melted in my mouth. The homemade rolls are served warm, and they, too, seemed to melt in your mouth. Not only is the service and food stellar, but the building is historic and nostalgic. The location was an old ice house that fell into disrepair over the years. Now, it offers exposed brick, dark wood, and an inviting atmosphere. If you are thinking of dining on Friday or Saturday evening, make sure to make reservations. Highly recommend!

    Mushroom ravioli with a cream and pesto sauce and tomatoes. Light and filling at the same time. Fresh and delicious.
    Ruth L.

    Dinner was delicious. Angie recommended the redfish and the mushroom ravioli. Did not disappoint! Great service good atmosphere love dining here! Ended the evening with key lime pie and cheesecake. Until next time

    Calamari and martinis

    Great service as always. Tremendous food and atmosphere. Good cold martinis. This is the place

    Crème Brûlée cheesecake.

    The food, ambiance, and the service were all so awesome! Sommer was our FUN server & handled us all so well! We loved every single thing - the calamari and toasted ravioli for appetizers were ::chef's kiss:: !!

    Our receipt.

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    1 year ago

    Nice place, great atmosphere, food was delicious, service was prompt. Highly recommend!

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    The atmosphere is inviting, great drinks, and the food is always delicious. The wait staff are very nice and helpful.

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    1 year ago

    pork chops are amazing but strip steak was a 1 on 10 scale. service was excellent steak was flat tough and zero flavor

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    3 years ago

    We love Ricardo's!! The food is amazing. Service is good. And restaurant is historic and amazing.

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    Santoro's Italian Kitchen

    Santoro's Italian Kitchen

    4.3
    (8 reviews)
    15.8 mi
    $$
    Casual dining
    Full bar

    This is a VERY welcome addition to the lake area! We will definitely eat there again! {Background}…read moreI am of Italian heritage and both my parents {1st Gen} were awesome cooks. I have been cooking Italian meals since the 1970s. Thus, I am VERY picky and critical of Italian food. Only a handful of Italian eateries were acceptable to me in Atlanta. I have had veal dishes around the lake area at different establishments. I have been totally unimpressed; getting it once, and never again due to it being either overcooked, tough or both. Here, the veal parm was hot, tasty, ample size and cooked almost perfectly*. {I personally like it a bit pink inside, *but it was NOT overcooked and was NOT TOUGH which is more typical here at the lake area. } We had 6 PM reservations for our anniversary dinner to try it out for the first time. Emma, our server, was EXCELLENT! We were seated within 5 minutes of checking in. Our server assistant, Mya, was at our table and took an order for wine and appetizers, which came quickly. Emma, our main server was cheerful and attentive throughout our meal. After ordering our main dishes, the food came very promptly and the place was full. Prices were quite reasonable for the good quality which was more superior than the other "New Italian" eatery in the area and personally, better quality. The decor was changed which is nice and open. It was a bit loud, but not much louder than any other open spaces. That would be expected as the dining room was full. We did not see the owners as some reviews have stated, but I would have thanked them profusely for having great service and food. We sure hope they are successful and continue the great food and service. I would also tell them that Emma was exceptional and a wonderful server which made our dinner extra special. Thanks!

    Amazing! Went for lunch on a Sunday. Our waiter, Tyler was fantastic…read more Caesar salad was so good, large enough for two people. Arancini cooked to perfection. I had pesto slice, really good and crispy! My husband had meat lovers slice & loved it. Will definitely go back for dinner, bar looks really nice like a true Italian bar you'd see in Italy. *****NOTE: My review from over 3 years ago was for previous restaurant and previous owners. Reviews after May 2026 are for NEW restaurant.

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    Santoro's Italian Kitchen
    Santoro's Italian Kitchen
    Santoro's Italian Kitchen

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    Amore Del Lago

    Amore Del Lago

    4.4
    (25 reviews)
    19.3 mi

    This restaurant is located in the Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee. My colleague and I decided to have…read moredinner inside due to the weather, and we were so glad we chose this place. We started our meal with a few appetizers--meatballs--and initially opted for the focaccia bread. Then we changed our minds and decided to try the pizza since everyone raved about how good it was. Best decision ever. Swapping the focaccia for the pizza was absolutely worth it. pizza crust was perfectly crisp yet light, and we ordered a meat-lovers-style pizza that was absolutely delicious. We ate two slices each and had to send the rest back because we left it on the table--otherwise, we would've eaten the whole thing.At that point we were full, and we could've asked for the check, but where's the fun in that? Instead, we decided to split a pasta dish, which turned out to be the perfect portion. The pasta was delicious, the sauce was amazing, and by then we were officially too full to eat anything else. We finally asked for the check, completely satisfied. Overall, it was an amazing experience. The food was excellent, our server was wonderful, and everything was a solid 10 out of 10.

    We came here for dinner and had made a reservation for 2 people a few weeks prior. It was wide open…read moreat the time, but was pretty full as the time got closer. We decided last minute to join some friends who already had a reservation so they canceled ours and added us to our friends with no issue. It was hard to understand why the reservation system showed little availability as the restaurant was half empty. May be they were short staffed. We were seated in their fully enclosed patio at a low table (there were high tops as well). Our server was very knowledgable about the menu and offered up the specials from memory. We started with the focaccia, which I highly recommend! Everyone at our table thought it was the best they've had. It came with a whipped ricotta and olive tapenade, both of which were excellent! For my entree, I had the carnivora pizza which was perfectly cooked. Thin and slightly crunchy, there were not a ton of toppings that overwhelmed the crust, which was good in this case. The calabrian chiles gave it a nice kick and made the meal for me! My only issue was that they got my leftovers mixed up so when I opened them the next morning, it was not my food!

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    Amore Del Lago
    The focaccia appetizer.
    The focaccia appetizer.
    Amore Del Lago

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    Girasoles

    Girasoles

    4.2
    (103 reviews)
    18.5 mi
    $$

    We think this is a special place in Watkinsville for Sunday brunch. The food and service are great,…read morebut not inexpensive, and there are outdoor tables under umbrellas for pleasant weather days. Food:5/5 During the Sunday brunch, the chef and owner, Jose, makes delicious custom waffles and omelets right in front of you. The second room is buffet-style serve-yourself with salad and delicious lunch dishes of different meat-dish choices and vegetables, On the day we were there these included pulled pork, shrimp and grits, and a chicken dish. The dessert table is laden with cakes, fruit, and cheesecake, but you may be too full from the savory dishes to enjoy dessert. There is a menu instead of buffet for week day dining. Service:5/5 The servers are quick and pleasant. The owner and chef, Jose, comes around to the tables between his cooking duties to make diners feel welcome. Facility:3/5 There are indoor and outdoor tables. Although it's not large, it's casual, clean and cheerful with wall murals and cloth napkins. Location 4/5 Located on the main road thru Watkinsville, it's easy to access. Parking is somewhat limited, but usually is adequate. Price: The food is very good and the price reflects the willingness of the loyal customers to pay for the nice dining experience here, even though it is more than breakfast meals at our other favorite breakfast places. Coffee is additional to the food price.

    This was our first bad food experience with Girasoles. The service and ambiance was good but we…read moreboth ordered one of the specials and neither was actually good. In 35 years of marriage, it's the first time my husband left half of his dinner uneaten, and certainly didn't want it to go. Usually their seafood is excellent, but this was tasteless and not cooked well at all.

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    Buffet
    Buffet
    Corn Csserole
    Corn Csserole
    Our current upto date menu

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    Our current upto date menu
    Fresca Trattoria

    Fresca Trattoria

    4.4
    (82 reviews)
    41.6 mi

    Overpriced & not good ambiance…read more Restaurant was empty but we were seated right next to only other table with people, next to bar area, apparently to make it more convenient for wait staff/right next to kitchen/service area. Food tasted good though.

    Truly a piece of culinary excellence…read more For the most part, our table stuck with appetizers, and somehow that alone delivered a full dining experience. Every single dish came out intentional, balanced, and full of flavor -- the kind of food that makes you slow down and appreciate each bite. Some highlights from our visit: Bread Basket -- warm focaccia with EVOO, balsamic, house dipping oil, and whipped ricotta (absolutely dangerous) Crab Stuffed Mushrooms -- rich, delicate, finished with a lemon butter drizzle Braciola -- parmesan breadcrumb filling, red sauce, served with focaccia Beet Carpaccio -- roasted beets, goat cheese, candied walnuts, arugula -- the perfect mix of sweet, earthy, and fresh Fried Tortellini -- cheese-filled with an nduja parmesan sauce that had serious depth Italian Spring Rolls -- pepperoni, sausage, mozzarella, peppers & onions -- unexpectedly incredible Even though we focused on starters, nothing felt small or secondary. Each plate stood on its own and showcased the kitchen's attention to detail and flavor. The drinks were immaculate -- balanced, smooth, and thoughtfully crafted. Yes, the plates looked like they came from Dollar Tree (no judgment, lol), but when the food is this good, that becomes part of the charm instead of a flaw. I'm already looking forward to going back. Fresca Trattoria is one of those places that reminds you why dining out can still be special.

    Photos
    Fresca Trattoria
    Roma Panino
    Roma Panino
    Italian Sodas

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    Italian Sodas

    Ricardo's Kouzzina - italian - Updated June 2026

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