Update after four years: walked in with girlfriend and they were very flustered by this since we didn't have a reservation. It made sense since they did fill up while we dined, but still the staff gave us such a weird vibe when seating us both. Not one waiter or host made us feel welcome... The food was great even though my lasagna size portion was a joke. Felt like an appetizer, but charged as an entree. I say it was good, but nothing to write home about. The last bit of concern was their surprise service charge. They just tack on 20% to the bill. We asked about it and they could not give us a clear answer, but its not counted as the tip. Aren't your patrons already paying the service charge that is stated on the menu? Maybe just raise your prices? Pay your wait staff more? This charge left a very bad impression and will probably never go back. read more

I used to love this place so much, but due to rapidly declining service, a growth in the pretentious attitude of all the staff, and mediocre food that used to be great, I won't be back. What happened Speranza?! Upon my last three visits there, I was treated with such an uppity vibe from the host to the wait staff. The most recent encounter I had there was pretty much shameful. I had made a reservation over a week in advance for a special event, my boyfriend meeting my Dad for the first time. We arrived, were asked to wait 20 minutes, then were seated at a two top table for all 3 of us to sit at. I asked the host to move us since we wouldn't fit comfortably, his response "that's all we have now, though you can wait more if you like." He said this as plenty of other 4 tops were available. We tried to the selection of cheeses that looked so basic, and were not memorable. We asked the waitress about wine, she said "I'm newish, not the best person to ask." Mmmkay... The food was mediocre at best. My boyfriend got the squid ink pasta, which was terrible and after two bites he didn't want to eat anymore. We had also ordered the Lobster Risotto was under salted and quite soggy. The dessert was described as "cookies n' cream" but when it arrived it looked like a store bought cookie served with a scoop of cool whip. All in all it's such a shame since this was a go to spot of mine and I'm a 5 minute walk from here but bad service and a rude attitude don't have a place in the dining community, bye Speranza! read more

A 20% service fee that also was added on the tax (which is illegal) is what utter rudeness we were affronted with at the end of an otherwise pleasant meal. The server really was lovely and i felt bad they had to deal with this awkward exchange. All menus must state this service fee beforehand and again doing this on top of tax is illegal. I am sad because the food and service were amazing but this shady practice means not only will i never return i will tell my friends not to either. Farfalla, michelangelos and la pergoletta are all far superior options if your in the mood for italian in the area. read more

Everything I wanted to order was not possible. ABSOLUTELY NO MODIFICATIONS. No Protein is allowed to added to Pesto Pasta. No sides of pesto are allowed to be given out to customers. read more

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The food is really memorable. Mushroom risotto was dreamy. And service was solid, no issues at all. 3 stars is for the ridiculous 18% service fee that got tacked on. We asked our server if this is in place of gratuity and she explained that they are paid well and you can add on if you'd like. Didn't really answer my question. I really really dislike this new trend of adding a Service Charge and then expecting another tip on top of that. Also shady was that the 18% fee was charged on tax, which I didn't realize til I got home and did the calculation. This has pretty much ruined Speranza for me. Used to be a special night out, but I can't see going back. read more

Starting with the good stuff. The pasta we had (wife had the clam pasta, and I had the shrimp with cream sauce). were FRICKIN' FANTASTIC! The place is cute and fun and has a relaxed casual atmosphere that we really liked. Now the not so good. The hostess tried to hide her annoyance when we asked (without a reservation) to move to a better table. She moved us, but I could tell she was stressed trying to figure out her next round of tables. I get it. It's annoying but, really...? Who wants to be stuck at a 2 top right in the way of everything. Her annoyance though, was palpable. Second, The service was slow. Not out of negligence. The waiter we had was just slammed. So each round of things we needed just took a long time to get someone's attention. We could of eaten 20 minutes faster, had I not had to wave him down to order desert, and to get our check. While signing the check the hostess came over and was about to let us know they needed the table soon. I cut her off and said "I'm signing the check now, but I need a pen." She nodded and walked away. It took a while to get the pen, too. Like I said, we could have easily been out of there much sooner, but the service was slow. (the food got to us very quick though after ordering, FYI) Lastly.....UGGG. This "service charge" thing. I don't know if it's fair to complain about a single restaurant when others are doing it. But for us it was the first time we have ever been charged it. I did not see any posting that it will be added at the end of the meal. I was confused and asked the waiter what it all meant and if it was his tip? He said it wasn't but an added charge to cover the increases in food costs and for better salaries for employees. I'm all for that. But I was definitely not expecting an extra charge. I'm so confused why they don't just add a little more to each dish, so we know what we are paying at the end. We ordered 2 pastas $20 each (FANTASTIC) one beer $8 (VERY GOOD BEER ON TAP) one desert $12 (SMALL but KINDA PERFECT) Total $60. But the bill we got was $77.53 So "service charge" was an extra $10 and $7 tax Plus a $14 tip from us. TOTAL $91.53 Overall it was a lovely meal, but me and wife spent the drive home talking about how great the food was and how lame the extra charge was. read more

Speranza - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Hard noodle & No meat sauce!! I order RIGATONI ALLA BOLOGNESE no meat sauce & hard noodle, stem spinach??

My husband loves getting delivery from them. I support them and love that they are a local spot. I Love the bread and toppings. In my opinion there's too much pepper in their pasta dishes and I've tried many of them. I'd lighten up on pepper...Just a suggestion. read more

Solid choice for Italian dinner date night! We were able to get a table when we walked up on a Saturday night, albeit the table was half in the bushes ha! Make a reservation and surely you'll get a better table. Service is fast, good wine selection. It was packed but I could still hear my boyfriend easily. The bread is served hot with two sauces, one is like a pomodoro maybe and the other is a tapenade. Both yummy. I had the ziti alla Norma with spaghetti instead of ziti (the ziti is housemade with eggs, so spaghetti is the vegan choice). It was rustic and satisfying, but perhaps not something I envision myself craving in the future? My boyfriend had the squid ink linguini, which he loved. He said it got better with each bite, as droplets it squid ink kept flying all over the table, landing dangerously close to me. We didn't have room for dessert after pasta, bread and two wines. My boyfriend was ready to go back Sunday night for the bucatini. Ha! read more

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Food is ok but somewhat greasy. Comically small portion for a $17 veggie lasagna, which seems to be nothing but eggplant, noodles and mozzarella. Can't find any tomato sauce or other veggies in it besides a few pieces of spinach. Lasagna is supposed to contain sauce and ricotta!!! For a place with such high reviews I expected much better. You can get legit lasagna for a lot less. The portion I got is basically child-sized. Disappointed. read more

Speranza - This was $17. It's the size of a side dish. - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Wow wow wow! I have been caught out several times by Italian restaurants on DoorDash with nice pictures but when the food turns up it's just amateur hour...not with Speranza. We were watching Sopranos so I had a craving for Italian food and ordered plenty: Rigatoni alla Bolognese (Pasta) Bruschetta all'Aglio (Antipasti) Linguine alle Vongole (Pasta) Patate (Contorni) Chocolate Mousse (Dolce) The rigatoni alla Bolognese was outstanding I can see why it's a house speciality rich Bolognese sauce beautifully flavored with perfect bread accompanying. I was so impressed with the chefs at Speranza I can tell they are knowledgeable and talented even the packaging in brown boxes rather than plastic I really like that touch. Super happy I will sleep well tonight after my Italian feast read more

I dined at Speranza recently and... I was 100% NOT a fan. I sort of knew before going that I wasn't going to like it... Goes to show, you should listen to your gut. I couldn't not go though because my husband and my friends invited us... So I tried my best to smile and look happy that I was there. The menu is very pasta based, they make all their pasta from scratch so I was told... Yet, I can't eat pasta so, it really doesn't affect me in the least. Everyone I dined with got a spaghetti/fettuccini/pasta dish and loved every morsel. Even my husband loved it despite only getting fettuccini Alfredo without his beloved chicken and broccoli additions (can you believe that this restaurant doesn't have chicken or broccoli on the menu?!) Me though? I hated it. Not only was the food I ordered (the swordfish - which tasted NOTHING like swordfish, the squid and a soggy side of asparagus that was $7 for 5 spears) nothing to ride home about (and EXTREMELY TINY PORTIONS BY THE WAY), but our waitress; rude. I got this snobby vibe from here the entire time we were there which made me REALLY not want to be there. I don't care how much my husband liked his pasta, I will NEVER go back to this Italian restaurant. The worst Italian restaurant I've ever been to in LA to date. PS: the Italian girl we were with got the squid ink pasta and rated it a 7 out of 10... Do what you want with that information. Ha Ha! read more

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Food = a win! Service = better than the last time I was here. BUT 18% SERVICE FEE?!? 18% automatically built it?! Really?? (we were a small party) Speranza, you just killed a beautiful, relaxing, local night out in the neighborhood with your smarmy greed. It just feels ... TAWDRY and CHEAP. (same reasons I don't date certain folks anymore) Okay. Let's pretend this 18% is a built-in tip. (which it IS. which is STILL wrong) I did ask the server/waitstaff for clarification when the bill came. (PS There was ZERO mention of this 18% automatic add-on listed on the menu or pre-ordering.) Got some nebulous/bullsh*t explanation how it wasn't really a "tip" but how it's some non-defined add-on that is shared with their FULL staff. Wait. I thought "wages" was part of a legit business model, no? Don't menu prices factor in? I then I actually get down to the nitty gritty of signing the bill. HUH?? I'm supposed to tip, on TOP of this "non-tip tip" PLUS on top of the tax?? (I'm looking at those handy recommended calculations for 15% /20%/25% tips on the bottom of the bill) This all seems shady-shady. I opt to leave not what you "suggest" on your sales slip because I'm not a sucker. I do leave SOMETHING because I feel like maybe we are ALL getting screwed: my friend, me, and your staff. And frankly, I don't want to be brought down to your level. I did enjoy the night. Until this dodgy move on your part. Please, Speranza owners and management: this is on YOU. We want to love you. Really we do. But PLEASE. Do NOT play us. read more

While the food was pretty good, and the service was pleasant, I will not be returning because of the SURPRISE 18% 'SERVICE FEE' that was added to my bill. At least be upfront about your need to account for inflation; for example, by increasing the prices on your menu, at least I'll know what I'm actually paying for, rather than being surprised at the end. When asked about the service fee, my server politely explained that it was to cover the fair wages of the staff and that it's not gratuity -that's an additional fee, should I choose to tip....which, I'm not going to not tip. This left an unfortunate bad taste in my mouth, despite the fact that, as mentioned, the food was actually pretty good. Soooo, if you're ok with surprise fees, keep in mind that if you dine here, you'll pay ALMOST 40% EXTRA with this service fee plus tip. read more

If you like to be treated like total garbage by a demeaning staff, then this is the place for you. Let's not even talk about the mandatory 18% surcharge, THAT IS NOT THE GRATUITY. That alone is some serious bullshit. Let's just focus on the complete contempt this place has for its customers. We had a party of 8 last night and we waited TWO HOURS for our meal. Other parties that came in after us, were served before us. Why? Not sure except for the rampant contempt that the servers and front of house people have for some tables. Is it because some of the people at our table were minorities? Is it because some of the people at our table were young? Is it because this restaurant doesn't give a crap about anything except selling way overpriced pasta and then hitting you with an additional 18% charge? I don't know. There are a ton of places in this city with great food and hospitality. This place has nothing but contempt for its customers, and is as much over hype as it is blatant rudeness. I will never go here again and if you're smart, you won't either. read more

I would give them zero stars if possible. I ordered them from Door Dash to deliver to my post as a security guard. . My order cost $48.34. Whoever the "genius" manager is overseeing to go orders they decided to send out my order with no utensils. When I called to complain about it as I was furious....he said they do this all the time Their manager is not only immensely stupid but unapologetically insensitive. Why anyone would send take out order without utensils is beyond me. I had to drive off my post 5 min away to get a plastic knife and fork. On top of that by the time I ate my $48.34 meal it was gummy and cold. This place is trash read more

Excellent neighborhood Italian. Gorgeous patio, every dish is great! Every time We have either dined in or took our meal to go, the service and quality was fantastic! Highly recommend a reservation on weekends especially. read more

Good food, romantic busy ambience. I usually get the FETTUCCINE MARE E TERRA which is delicious! It can be pricey for the portion sizes and is not worth doing take out, in my opinion. I justify the price and portion for the enjoyable ambiance. Makes a nice date night spot. read more

Nice evening and nice dinner. Got a table in the back, the lush garden. Our server was very helpful with wine recommendations. I got the endive and gorgonzola cheese salad with walnuts. The bread and olive oil were good. Salad was just OK. The Old Vine Zinfandel was delicious. I got the swordfish and arugula. Others got pasta with bolognese sauce, pasta with clams and garlic, and the squid ink pasta. Everything was delicious. Of course we ordered the pasta al dente, and dinner was delicious. Dessert was tiramisu, And it was OK. Definitely worth coming back. Service and atmosphere made the evening so enjoyable. read more

Speranza - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

It's so rare that I give any restaurant a review, but our experience ordering delivery from Speranza was so singularly horrible that I had to write one here. We ordered two orders of their Rigatoni Bolognese and it was. absolutely. awful. A massive proportion of what looked and tasted like store bought boxed rigatoni pasta, barely any sauce at all, bland tasting and pale beef. You could make something like this at home in 15min and it would've tasted better. Two orders of this rigatoni, a small order of beet & soggy arugula salad, and a small tiramisu was almost $70. I feel completely ripped off. I'm sure they have some some good pasta, but if you're craving Bolognese the way I was: stay very very far away. read more

Speranza - Rigatoni alla Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Food is always excellent. Went for dine in and we've also done delivery on the apps. Parking can be difficult. But it's a cute very small restaurant. Staff is always nice. Great date night. Almost didn't want to write this review because I love it as our secret spot, but they deserve all the accolades as it is truly excellent. read more

I really like the food and ambiance here and the service is good, too. I'm leaving a mediocre review because I agree with complaints about the service fee. They don't do anything to explain it and it irks me that we don't even know whether this goes back to the staff. I thought it was a minimum gratuity and then I felt like something was weird with the staff as they picked up the check as I was leaving and looked more into it. At least do a better job explaining it but I agree that you should just include in your prices and pay people a living wage if you're going to go this route. Basically I'm expected to pick up a surprise 20% fee that isn't explained to me AND do the traditional 20% gratuity? No thanks... read more

Horribleeee service, we've been here a few times and it's never been this bad. There were a ton of employees working today and it was busy but they did not come by us at all. We were the table right infront of the door to the kitchen so it's not like they couldnt see us. They forgot one of our friends food and half of the food that came was cold. Honestly pretty terrible, wouldn't have left a tip but gratuity is already calculated in the bill, which is bs... wouldn't go back. read more

Jeez! One of the worst services we've ever experienced. There were 6 people in my party and majority of us agreed how terrible the service was - mainly because 2 of them arrived late and didn't experience the early drama. We had a first experience of their awful attitude when we got there 12 minutes before they opened. It was like capital sin to show up a little early. We should have just walked away as there are too many other options in that area. We made reservations for 6 people and the person who called about it mentioned it to the staff and that 2 out of the 6 will not be joining. They wanted us to sit in a particular area which was all the way to the back and covered by foliage, it was not the best seat so we requested if we can sit somewhere else. The terrible attitude escalated after that request. It went from capital to deadly sin. It was just so painful to watch how miserable the staff was. No one was smiling, you won't even hear them say the casual greetings every restaurant staff are expected to extend to their guests. It was so unfriendly and cold. Their food didn't bring any much needed warmth to our dining experience. Other than the warm bread and free cookies at the end of our meal, nothing was notable nor worth ordering again. They also got 2 of our orders wrong, we didn't bother to send it back or correct them as God knows what they're capable of doing to our dish with such coldness in their personalities. We ordered a bottle of wine and they just left it on the table. The server told as in a matter-of-factly tone that it's self-served. I'm like htf would we know that! If you are like us who enjoy quality and genuine customer service, stay away from this restaurant. I don't know how they get their ratings this high but they are not deserving. Also, the woman owner is very rude and would just cut you off any time you want to speak. Yikes. read more

You cannot see the front of the restaurant from the street. So be careful about that. Once inside, I saw my other 7 companions for dinner. The place was darkly lit. The space heaters were amazing. I did not think the service as slow as other reviews. I think this place would be a good date restaurant, if you know my meaning. I ordered the Branzino and a side of spinach. Both we're very tasty. The spinach was buttery. But I left hungry. read more

This place has to have the rudest and most disrespectful staff in LA. And if you've ever been to LA you know how high the bar of disrespect is. You enter with no waiting area and the staff brushes you off as you stand awkwardly in the middle of the restaurant waiting for help. This is the 3rd time IN A ROW I have arrived here WITH a reservation and they've taken over 10 minutes to find it. The most opposite of a welcoming feeling you could get. On top of this the staff is imposible to track down during your dining experience making you have to wave them down to get any service. They also don't allow you to bring in wine (even for a corkage fee) and when I asked the reason, I was told "irregardless this is a private establishment and it's for your safety". TLDR is unpleasant staff, overpriced food, and trash ambience. Food is just okay and there are too many good restaurants in LA to waste your time here read more

Speranza - Trash - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

NO more BYOW!!! Came here for my birthday dinner which my friend pick it. Good pick!! I made reservation for this day just in case it would get busy. Which it did later in the night. But the time I made it for was 7:30pm not bad was not so full yet. But as the night came along it was getting busy busy. Better make a reservation for this place. Staff was great and friendly! ONLY one problem was that one staff gave us the cups with her finger in it. Like here's your cup with my finger in the cup. Not cool. Hand me the cup from the bottom not with your finger or even holding it on top. Other than that cute place. But can't find the entrance if you haven't been in there. Now for the food: Fettcinie Mare E Terra: good if you like creamy tomato Pesto: is ONE of my FAVORITE comes with shrimp and potato the taste is so good. Linguine and clams is ONE of my FAVORITE yes I know but both are favorites. Sooo GOOD!! Fettuccine with roasted zucchini & radicchio in tomato/bechamel sauce was EEHHHH Bruschetta it's good if you like more bread cause they give you bread but this one is with tomato and you know.. Parking SUCKS! Street parking and you can't find it if you have other restaurants with Valet. NO Valet service there!! read more

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Hidden gem in the Echo Park Area. Fresh made pastas are the highlight here. We started with a swordfish carpaccio as appetizer. Black squid ink pasta was amazing as a main. Also had bucatini with clams was super garlicky and tasty. Decent wine selection at good prices. Dessert we had tiramisu and chocolate soufflé. Daughter had two half pasta orders it was so good. Great value with the Bill conf in at $115 including tax and tip. Great outdoor patio as well. Very hard to find and looks like a dump from the outside. read more

Speranza - Black squid ink pasta - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I ordered a take-out dinner for a friend recovering from surgery. It was terrific. Delicious, on-time, hot and aromatic. The staff was very helpful too. The meal was just what the doctor ordered to lift her spirits. read more

Let's start w the important stuff: NO LONGER BYOB --- yep, we were sadly disappointed since we only came here for that reason. As I entered, the first thing that this place reminded me of was a site set up by Dexter as he prepares his victims... Thank goodness it was broad daylight and there were a ton of people there or I'm not sure if I would've been brave enough to go in by myself! Once you get through the creepy orange curtains, you'll find a decent outdoor setup but it seems you need reservations to get one of those tables so we were stuck at one of the few indoor tables (which is essentially like eating in the kitchen) and it was sweltering hot --- guessing it's the curtains?? Though it's perfect for those that enjoy eating in a steam room atmosphere. Food was decent but not memorable, aside from the squid ink pasta, not because it was particularly delicious, but because it made mouths turn black after just one bite! Def not recommended as a date night entree :P Parking here sucks. That's all I have to say about that. read more

Speranza - Squid ink pasta. - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A nice experience. The wine was delicious, the atmosphere charming, the staff was nice and inviting. I ordered the lamb chops. I'm a sucker for lamb if I see it on the menu and it was great. Everyone else's pasta dishes looked good too. I like the lights on the outdoor patio. Next time I'm in LA I would go back! read more

How does this place have four stars?! My boyfriend and I went for our anniversary and were so excited because all these great reviews... But it was such a let down :( I've never had such rude waiters in my life. We had two waitresses interact with us. They both acted completely inconvenienced by our presence and the only words that came out of their mouths were "what do you want?" And "K". It was crazy. One of them came and held up the cheese in front of my boyfriend (bc it was way to much work to ask if he'd like some) and when he said yes she practically threw it on his plate. It was so strange. Additionally, the food was not that good! We got the finocchio salad and it was more horseradish than arugula, and like two little pieces of pear. The carpaccio was okay. The pasta was underwhelming and SO garlic-y. I love garlic but when it's the entire flavor of the dish and every bite has tons of huge chunks in it, not the best. Overall, this place is NOT wort the hype! The setting is beautiful, sure. But the terrible service and the mediocre food is just such a bummer. My boyfriend came here for our anniversary expecting a yummy, magical dinner, and instead were treated terribly and wasted our money. :( Two stars because it's pretty and the food came out really fast. read more

Speranza - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This restaurant is probably good if you eat there however during Covid times if you're getting it for take away it's just spending your money elsewhere. We've order through Uber eats a few times now. Their sauces are great but it's such a pity that the pasta is overcooked every single time. Even when putting a note on the order do not over cook the pasta. It gets to you super mushy & not pleasant to eat read more

I am completely and utterly impressed with this precious gem. As I walked into this tarp with vinyl strip doors I was floored. Did not know what to expect and to my dismay there was a cozy set up with low lighting, heaters, plants and controlled hustle and bustle. Exceptional service all around and cozy little blankets for all to use if needed. Bread with dipping oil/tomato- delectable! Caprese- Mozzarella with tasty ripe tomatoes. Pasta with creamy tomato sauce, asparagus & shrimp- tasted like a home cooked sauce...delicious. Pesto pasta with potatoes & shrimp- good (I love pesto, but there was a hint of citrus?) but not my favorite pesto. Cookie crumbs and pieces they share with their customers at the end of your meal are insane, yum! Highly recommend and kudos to the owners! They have been in business for 10 years. 3/10/18 And I'm back! Had the Linguini with Clams. All I have to say is...OH MY GOODNESS, WOW! read more

Great food and ambiance. Service is a little slow but overall worth the wait ! Lasagna and the creamy seafood pasta are great!

Spent the day helping set up an apartment for our son - that it turns out lives next door. So we headed out to dinner, late and given the location we decided to stop in. glad we did. Without a blink of an eye they sat us without reservations, and as more of the guys who my son knows stopped in, they offered to move us to a bigger table. Very friendly and accommodating "vibe". We sat, talked, enjoyed the bread and dipping options and then, wow!, the food, was simple, good, very good. And the price most reasonable. From simply grilled scallops, to a wonderful basil tomato sauce for the fresh pasta. Nice wine selection and loved being surrounded by plants - you did not even know you were sitting feet from a busy traffic intersection. read more

Speranza - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great ambiance and always great service! Our go to resto for friends and out of towners. Love for lamb chop and cheese plate.

We love this place. Solid pasta dishes at great prices. Friendly staff. Fabulous value for your money. Plus, if you don't know where it is, you might pass it by, which makes it all the more hip. Highly recommended. . . read more

When they weren't open for sit down during the pandemic I was very sad. I'd get it to go all the time but it wasn't the same. Well, they're finally open for business and it still rules. To me, Speranza never disappoints. I personally think it's my favorite Italian in Los Angeles. Honestly shocked how few reviews there are in comparison to other places. Side perk of Speranza : they have amazing bread and tapenade and they give it very frequently - let's be real it's all about the bread at these places and how often you get it. You get your bread, you get your clams linguine, and then sop up all that left over juice when you're done - can't go wrong.. make sure you get there before 9/9:30 because their kitchen closes at 10 and you won't get a table. Speranza all the way read more

Classic silverlake spot. Great food; very simple and straight-forward Italian dishes with high quality ingredients and a California feel. It's like a clean, home-cooked meal.... but better than most people could ever make at home. I love how the owners have their kids waiting tables from time to time, but all the staff (mostly very young people in front of house spots!) are wonderful. read more