This is one of our favorite places to eat in Dayton, really good staff that does everything they can to ensure you have a great experience. The food is good and getting better every time we go, which is about 3 times a month since they opened. What's good; For apps, focaccia, calamari, meat balls and fried mozzarella. For mains; the trifecta pizza, lasagna, pork chop, blackened salmon, orecchiette, the grilled Italian and smash burger. Sides; grilled asparagus and pecorino fries. Where I think they need to improve; The pasta is always dry so I have to ask for a side of EVOO, this is an Italian restaurant, why isn't every plate dressed with EVOO before service? Most of the pasta and desert offerings are NOT made in-house which I cannot understand, as that would set this place apart. What's not good; artichoke stuffed mushrooms and the steak selections, I do not recommend them. Especially the steak which is way to thin to cook medium rare or even medium and get a proper char, please charge more for your steaks and server them at least 1.5 inches or more thick. Lastly if you're a local this is the old Jacob Myers restaurant and they've done a fabulous job on the remodel, thank you! Special shout out to Bobby and Ashley for always making our experiance at Luca's great!! read more

11/7/2024 Beautiful building & several rooms to dine in. Ashley V was our server very friendly & efficient. We had a wonderful meal. The Chicken Picatta was probably the best I've had. Bill really enjoyed his Grilled Chicken Alfredo which is his go to item at Italian restaurants. Had to try the Artichoke stuffed Mushroom's they are delicious. The homemade Focaccia is so soft, tender & so flavorful. read more

The young ladies that make up the wait staff are wonderful and very attentive. Ashley, Brooklyn and Amber really enjoy taking care of their patrons. The food is flavorful and the portions/presentation is great. We usually come early in the evening and catch happy hour :) The restaurant is very neat and clean always. Sometimes they have live music and you can still visit and have a conversation- which I really enjoy. If you tried Luca early on and did not enjoy it- come back and try it again. One word of caution- don't expect authentic Italian food- it is a more Americanized version - it is still very good however and you will not leave hungry. Come try it! read more

Ristorante Luca - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Dayton, Tennessee

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Had early dinner with friends. We were the first customers but others started coming in shortly after we were seated. Nice table in the dining room. We both ordered a large Caesar to share. Beware of the croutons, they were like rocks and honestly the flavor didn't even resemble a Caesar salad. My husband liked the taste better than I did. Two of us ordered the pork chop. Small chop very well done but good flavor with ok mashed potatoes and excellent broccolini ( my fav). The chicken piccata was just ok and hubbys pizza was also ok. We will try again but will stick with the Italian dishes like maybe chicken parm next time. read more

Ristorante Luca - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Dayton, Tennessee

This place gave our party of 7 a great night out. We were surprised to learn you could arrive by boat via their own dock right next to their parking lot, which is what we did. Upon arriving you notice an impressive property and a welcoming entrance. The service and hospitality was impeccable. The chef /owner Gabriel even took the time to check on our service and food and also recommended some interesting and very good dishes. For apps we had the stuffed mushrooms, calamari, chicken wings and focaccia. It was all superb! For mains we all had different dishes, but my favorite was the bistecca (12 oz ribeye) and perfectly prepared fries. The desserts were on point too. The taramassu, almond cake and key lime pie were all amazing! Highly recommended! read more

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Hands down my favorite place in Dayton. The food is so good!! My girlfriend and I love it. We try to eat here every weekend and it never disappoints. The staff and manager are very nice and respectful. Atmosphere is wonderful by the water and when they have live music! Definitely worth stopping by if you're passing through town. read more

This is a breath of fresh air in Dayton. We needed a real Italian restaurant and we got it. Everything I have ordered has been absolutely delectable!!! The appetizers were fabulous that I could have made a meal of just them. And I can't say enough about the rest of the menu. Everyone at the table got something different and we all tasted each others plates. Yummy!!! I don't see how this place only got a 3 and change star review. Apparently people don't know good food, they are too used to eating all the fast food in this county!! read more

A very good Italian/American restaurant, the ambience is quite upscale for casual dinning. The menu has a variety of foodstuffs, pizzas, burgers, steaks, and many pasta choices. The service is polite, knowledgeable, and very helpful. The pricing is all over the board, from cheap to moderate. read more

Ristorante Luca - New menu! - Italian Near Me - Dayton, Tennessee

Don't order the shrimp scampi. It's a big bowl of noodles in water with about 6 pieces of unseasoned shrimp.

Right off the bat, if you are trying for upscale Italian don't have the TV on Faux News. The food was very good I had the pork chop and o asked for it medium and the got it right. The hamburger was a four. Not hand patty. Fettuccine Alfrado was a 3.5. Service by Amber was excellent as was the venue. Change the station and you might get to a four. read more

Usually great food and service. Tonight, my med rare steak came out med/med well. I didn't eat it, and told them that I didn't want any to wait on a replacement. She understood and showed me where she wrote it down correctly. Server said Mgr wouldn't remove it and would only give a quarter off on the steak. :( They started at open so strong, but have fallen down the ranks way too quickly. :( read more

Ristorante Luca - Medium rare - Italian Near Me - Dayton, Tennessee

It took at least 45 minutes to get our food. My son got the meatball hoagie, which was on a 6-inch roll with three meatballs and hardly any sauce, and soggy French fries. I had the chicken piccata and my husband had the shrimp scampy. They were just okay. Didn't have much flavor. Our waitress was very attentive. The atmosphere was nice and seemed clean. I was really hoping this restaurant was going to be good, but definitely fell short and we won't be giving it a second chance. read more

Was there tonight, horrible service and expensive for the amount and quality of food. It took two hours to eat. Our server was waiting tables all over the restaurant. Will not be back again!! read more

Welp... if I could sum up this restaurant in one word- anggie . I really really was hoping to quench my thirst and hunger tonight-- but I guess my satisfaction was not on their radar. safe to say the service was lacking, the food did not impress the hungry alpha in me I WOULD RATHER EAT AT MCDONDALDS!!! Alpha out! read more

OMG! What a delightful addition to the Dayton food scene. The food is incredible!!! I stated with a spinach dip and got a wonderful appetizer that I felt like a glutton for eating it all by my self. The crusty bread that goes with it was unbelievable!!! I don't know it was made from but it was great! Then I got the Shrimp Scampi....to say the least INCREDIBLE.....!!!!! I had enough for lunch the next day. Too bad I didn't have any of the appetizers left to eat with it. I didn't dare look at the desert menu because I know the reputation of the chef who makes them!! I will be going back every time I have visiting friends and family or when I just need to pamper myself! You will not be disappointed with the food!! read more

The caesar salad was disgusting. Our food took at least an hour to come out, and it all came out lukewarm. The dressing was wayyyy too creamy and tasted expired. Sour/Bitter lettuce. Sweet tea was sweet though. read more

This is a beautiful new restaurant on the lake in Dayton! We have had several things on the menu and everything is delicious. We especially appreciate the amazing gluten-free choices! read more

Ristorante Luca - The gluten-free pasta and gluten-free meatballs were amazing - Italian Near Me - Dayton, Tennessee

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Just horrible, no flavor, no ambiance. How can it be. Another dud in Rhea county. So disappointed

We order take out often from here bc we are really happy with the flavors and quality of everything we've ordered so far!!

Yelp keeps asking me to update my review so here it is; haven't been back and haven't heard any positive comments from neighbors.

Do yourself a favor and GO to Luca! I've been several times since they have opened and they never disappoint. The location is perfect and peaceful, tucked back by the water, the service is exceptional with wait staff going above and beyond. The food is delicious with plenty of options to choose from. Thanks for opening this little gem! read more

Been there a couple times. Sat at the bar. Food was served quickly, was hot and tasty. Service was great. Will be back!

Wonderful! The food and atmosphere was incredible. The prices where decent. We had Chicken parm and Alfredo. You must get the caprese appetizer so fresh and delicious. read more

Way too expensive. Could've went to Texas Roadhouse twice for the amount we paid at Luca. Also Its nothing like Olive Garden, you don't get a salad with your entree unless you wanna pay an extra $8, you have to pay for bread that's also not free with your meal. Food was bland no seasoning of any kind. Portions the size of tv dinners. Do not recommend, they won't be in business long anyways. read more

Ordered the pepperoni pizza and it was delicious along with some pasta, also had the bistecca and it was not so good it lacked flavor.

The food is fantastic. The setting by the lake in beautiful. The dining area is comfortable but stylish. The staff is very friendly. I have eaten there mutiple times and every meal and experience has been top notch. This place would be an expensive outing in a big city. It is rare to have good authentic upscale Italian for a reasonable price in a small town. read more

couldn't find a better gem in rhea county, you can definitely tell all the work they've put into this business. absolutely no complaints, comes with breadsticks, you can add a salad to pasta for just $4!! service is always amazing, i've never sat in and had a bad time. all of the staff is delightful! ambiance is great with a happy atmosphere, always some soft melodies playing! anyone who has had a bad experience here clearly aren't happy with other things going on with life. would give 10 stars but that's not an option !!!! read more

Unfortunately have to agree with the other low quality reviews. Caesar salad was iceberg not romaine; croutons were rocks with no flavor; some grated parm that ought to be at least shredded if not shaved; dressing was bland as well. Luckily I got the small not the large. We did get bread so it seems management does read the reviews. The salmon was sold as "blackened" because it had some different seasoning (?) sprinkled on top; the garlic mashed potatoes were bland, glue-y and looked like a school cafeteria serving. Service was ok- only had 2 servers and the hostess on shift. Took a little while but the food was still warm when it hit the table. Ambiance? Not really. They might think about a server's uniform- nothing fancy, maybe just the black pants/black (or same color) polo, etc. to make the high prices a little more (subconsciously) palatable. Look more higher end. Not much really reads "Italian" in the decor. read more