earned a star for: 1. great and friendly staff 2. delicious food, i love their seasonal options but always end up getting the trio 3. thursday's are so busy because its kids eat free night but still do quick and friendly 4. bathroom has a changing table and step stool for kids to reach the sink 5. indoor and outdoor seating always available 6. good for big and loud parties. fun, upbeat atmosphere. very kid friendly. can't really think of any negatives. we are frequent flyers of this establishment and have never left upset read more

I often order the pasta trio since I need lots of carbs for my long runs. The dish is often ok enough to justify the expense. Unfortunately today every si how one of the pasta variety felt reheated and and bland. I called the restaurant and mentioned this to the manager and she was not able to provide any help given I had ordered through DoorDash. read more

We went here with my family. I ordered the chicken fettuccine Alfredo, we got the garlic bread to share my wife got the create your own pasta with penne, pasta, Alfredo, and prosciutto when it came out the entire dish taste alike. Somebody burned it. They did we make her dish minus the prosciutto. She got a "bad taste in her mouth." After that the penne pasta with the Alfredo sauce was pretty good. My uncle really liked his lasagna and my aunt got the spaghetti. Overall. The service was decent and the food was OK. Was it worth $40 a person? I don't think so. If they can get the food a little tastier, don't burn it bring the service up a little bit more. We could easily be a four or five stars. We might try it again for back in town we will see. read more

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My daughter and I went there at about 1 pm on a Saturday. There wasn't a lot of people when we got there so we were seated pretty quickly. I ordered their special, beef brisket ravioli (only for Father's Day weekend) and it was amazing delicious. My daughter ordered chicken marsala and the chicken was very dry...even the mushroom sauce didn't help...we were sad about that. Then there was the service...I see why so many people complain about how slow the service was. Waitress took over 20 minutes before taking our order. Food came out at reasonable time. Waiting for our check when we were finished was frustratingly long. We left before getting a printed receipt because it didn't look like she's coming back with it anytime soon. We were there for 2 hours total and we didn't order drinks, appetizers nor desserts! read more

Went in for lunch after visiting Oakland for a matcha festival. I've gone to the other locations and have always had good food and good experiences. Wasn't the case here. We walked in to a pretty empty restaurant, but we weren't greeted for a good 3 minutes. There was a man at the counter helping a customer, a waiter standing at the food counter, a waitress serving a table. The customer in front of us seemed a little frustrated by the wait as well. There was an internet outage so they were having issues with printing. This was repeated several times while eating. I ordered a steak Caesar salad. The steak was forgotten and given in a cold ramekin- with cold gray meat. Not appealing. The baked pasta was dry and the cheese ravioli was over sauced. I won't write off the restaurant chain, but will not return to this location. The restaurant was quite dark. read more

Tomatina - Caesar Salad* - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

After coming off a 12-hour shift, I wanted to relax and enjoy my day off, so I decided to have dinner at Tomatina. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. I ordered the lasagna. The presentation looked great, but the taste did not match the appearance. There was very little meat, and I had to dig through the dish to find any. When I finally did, it tasted like previously frozen meat. The staff replaced it with Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs, but that was not much better. The sauce was watery, and the meatballs tasted undercooked and lacked flavor. Overall, the food quality did not meet my expectations, especially after looking so appealing. Sadly, I will not be returning. read more

Service was alright they forgot my chicken in the shrimp/chicken Alfredo, pasta was alright super greasy my favorite was the bruschetta. Carrots were super old and brown not fresh at all one piece had mold. read more

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Tomatina in Alameda is our go to spot when we're craving pasta, and once again, my pic made it to their main Yelp page (Yaaaaay) At this point, they should just let me design the menu lol. Let's talk about those house made garlic rolls straight up addicting. I try to pace myself, but next thing you know, I'm three deep before the appetizers even hit the table. No regrets here ya feel me lol! My favorite dish is the Frutti di Mare, loaded with seafood and cooked just right no rubbery shrimp here. We usually start with the chopped antipasto salad, a solid one to share before diving into all the carbs. The Carne Combo pizza is always a hit, and I like to order a personal one for home but let's be real, I barely make it through the door before I'm going in for a slice smh. Another favorite is the Shrimp Pomodoro, but here's a pro tip ask them to add crispy pancetta. It's one of my food hacks. Sorry, chef, but I had to share. The one thing I wish this location had is fried calamari. It's my favorite app, and it would pair perfectly with those dangerous garlic rolls. Chef, bring it back I promise I'll order two : ) The place is always clean, the staff is friendly, and it definitely gets busy in the evenings. Service can be a little slow, but good food takes time. I feel like three stars would be lowballing, but four feels a little too generous. Yelp really needs a 3.5-star option that would be the sweet spot. Either way, we keep coming back, so that should tell you something : ) read more

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Stopped by for a spontaneous, solo weekday lunch and it was an alright experience. I walked in after 2:30pm and the restaurant was fairly empty, I had to wait briefly, as no one was at the front. Eventually, I was able to choose a seat, sit down and review a menu. I opted to choose the lunch special, where you choose from a soup or salad and an entree (such as a mini pizza, a sandwich or a pasta dish). I ordered the caesar salad with dressing on the side and a mini pizza with mushrooms and roasted red peppers along with a raspberry Italian soda. I was a bit bummed that they didn't have olives and green peppers as an option for toppings, since I usually like to order pizza with mushrooms and olives. Customer service was okay, since there was only one person working at the front, so it seemed a little inattentive. Although, I have no complaints and was satisfied with the service. The salad was a bit lackluster with too much cheese, and some wilted pieces of lettuce. I probably should've ordered a different salad or soup. The croutons were good and I'm glad I asked for dressing on the side. The mini pizza was pretty tasty, although I was a little sad that they didn't include enough toppings, the pizza was a bit sparse, and needed more cheese. I enjoyed the pizza, it was the best part and the crust was really good, in terms of texture and taste. The raspberry Italian soda was nice and refreshing. Overall, an adequate lunch experience, and it's nice you can get lunch combo for about $14-15. Lunch combo options are available Monday to Friday until 4pm, which is helpful. Possibly worth visiting. read more

Tomatina - Caesar Salad* - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

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Super friendly and efficient staff. A nice wine menu and great ambiance for a date or for larger groups. The homemade garlic rolls and marinara were freshly baked and came with a delicious garlic olive oil sauce. The special was a lobster pasta dish that was enough for 2 people. Great portion sizes! We look forward to trying the pizza next. read more

Terrible service. This place has really gone downhill. My son & I were seated and sat there for at least 20 minutes without anyone checking on us. Meanwhile, people who came in after us were getting their orders taken. The waiter kept making eye contact with us but never once came over. Whenever we used to come here, we were always greeted right away and our order would be taken quickly, so this was really disappointing. The whole atmosphere felt off -- everyone looked miserable and like they hated working there. Definitely not the experience we expected. To top it off they weren't even busy! read more

Went on a Thursday again for kid eats free with an adult entree purchase. First time trying the chicken alfredo with zucchini noodles. It was tasty. The zucchini noodles definitely don't take up most of the sauce but I didn't care since I wanted something healthier hence the zucchini noodles over any pasta. It was tasty and overall it filled me and I didn't have that heavy feel as is with pasta or high carb meals. Make your own calzone is delicious. Could select up to three toppings of your choice. Service was fast and efficient though it was a little busy though not the busiest I've seen. So that helps in terms of not having to wait too long. The server was excellent. Our toddler was hungry and starting fussing, and the server provided us with gratis bread which satisfied the toddler! Great job! It wasn't too loud since it wasn't filled, which makes it a nice eating out. read more

Tomatina - Chicken Alfredo with zucchini noodles - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

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Tomatina has simple Italian dishes. The food isn't amazing, but it's always consistent and good. While many other restaurants have lowered quality and increased prices lately, they have stayed consistent and I appreciate that. I appreciate how family friendly the restaurant is. We also often order the family meal through Door Dash when friends come over for dinner. It is a great deal! We typically order the spaghetti and meatballs, chicken fettuccine alfredo, garlic rolls, Cesar salad, or piadines. My only complaint is that I wish they had more vegetables on the menu. Particularly broccoli. Which our kids typically eat with pasta. read more

Came here to enjoy their lunch special. I tried the minestrone soup with fresh vegetables added and chicken spaghettini ( chunks of chicken spinach, Parmesan cheese mixed with spaghetti noodles) read more

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The service was ok, I was treated but not ignored . I got to choose my table. The workers acted like they did not want to work or be there. The place had a few customers but not busy at all. Food was tasty, but the portions were smaller than I remember. There was also no bread. I thought we use to get bread before our meals. It's was a bit dark if you walked into the dinning area and the bathroom had some strange smell. But it was clean. Overall, I have to think about coming back here . read more

Tomatina - Frutti de mere pasta and Housemade Meat Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

I ordered the Marry Me Shrimp today bc the description sounds very good. Unfortunately what I received wasn't edible. Besides being extremely spicy, the garlic & chili flakes were burned in the sauce. Ruined the dish. Such a disappointment. read more

I went for lunch here with my colleague. Pizza is not mine. However everything else we ordered was yummy and fresh. Lucas the amazing server was funny and very professional. He did such an awesome job. Ty to the bartender for making my mocktails taste amazing when I asked for no sugar one. This is a gem in Alameda. Must try! Loved the seating by the window. read more

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Went during lunch hours on a Sunday ; Not too busy the food came out fast and delicious! Good music and the food portion is perfect ! And the drinks very refreshing! read more

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Horrible Horrible Service! I ordered a pizza and 2 salads for dinner via Door Dash. We received the 2 salads, but NO PIZZA! The Dasher confirmed that he was only given a bag (2 salads-unsealed bag), but no pizza, and he's already on another delivery so he can't go back. I called the restaurant and was placed on hold for a long time. I called back and my call was dropped. I called back a few more times but NO ONE ANSWERS THE PHONE. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE SERVICE! I would give them ZERO STARS if that was an option. read more

Every time we come here, we are always waiting so long. We get the same reasoning of being short staffed. This place is kid friendly which is nice, but when we're waiting for over half an hour to just get our orders taken, and then over 40 minutes to get the food, it's a little much. If they know it's going to be this way, at least offer to bring the kids dishes out first. The servers are nice enough, but it's almost like you can tell they know we've been waiting so long that they are nervous to come check on us. Maybe it's better when you don't go during dinner. Maybe do a really early dinner to avoid it. The food is pretty good, but I personally don't think it's worth the wait. But if you really want to go and get some food, go when you're not hungry so that by the time you do get the food, you'll be hungry for it. Oh and make sure to check the bill that it's really yours. We got the bill and paid it before realizing it wasn't even ours. They had to cancel it, but that meant we were swiping our card twice. This is the first time that this has ever happened to any of us. read more

Was looking for Italian food to eat and came across this cute little place. There is outside seating as well, but the day that I went it was really cold so I sat inside. They were really busy, so service was slow but the staff is so friendly. We ordered the garlic rolls and it was a perfect appetizer but it was very filling. I ordered the chicken fettuccine alfredo and it was so creamy and delicious. My sister got the ravioli and she absolutely loved it as well. We really enjoyed this place. It's aesthetic, it's comfortable and you feel so welcomed. The smell of pasta in there is so yummy! I'd recommend to give this place a try. read more

Tomatina - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

It was last Friday afternoon. Since Mtn. Mikes didn't come through for me, I decided on Tomatina. St. Helena used to have a Tomatina, but they closed and became Pizzeria Tra Vigne. Anyway, this is a sister restaurant (one of many) and I'd never ordered here. Pedro was my gracious server. I got a mini pizza which comes with soup or salad. I chose the minestrone and a Peroni. Hadn't had one of those in a while. The minestrone (Tomato, Noodes, Zuchini, Spinach, Beans & Carrot) wasn't to my liking. Oh, it had a great flavor, but the vegatables (zuchini and carrot) were very al dente. I like mine a little softer. I still ate a nice sample of it. The beer was great. So Italian! The pizza was the same. Nice puffy edges and thin in the middle. I guess Napoli style? Baked perfectly! Beautiful mozzarella. The pepperoni and garlic were perfect with this. The place was clean and so were the bathrooms, at least the men's room. Less than $25 with tip. 4 Stars. read more

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Not sure why this place has such low reviews? We used to be regulars here when my daughter attended school out here. Quality/Quantity - Simple menu done well. Known for their Piadine, my regular item. Also my go-to item when I want/need to eat healthy, basically a salad wrapped in pizza bread. Subway is my other go to place for healthy eating, a "sandwich salad..." Too bad they closed the one on Park Street. Cut and pasted from their website: "Piadine - A fresh, hot flatbread topped with crisp salad, ready to fold and eat." Also known for their pizzas; they have two pizza ovens, see picture. Not sure how long they have had these lunch specials...? We used to only come for dinner. It is a good deal, pick two items for $13. I also like their daily specials, see pictures. Might have to come back on Mondays for those $3 beers. Full bar also available, sorry forgot to take a picture. Today I was good and got the following - Mediterranean Salad & Turkey Piadine. My usual go-to would have been the steak Piadine, but that was not an option for this lunch special. My guest got the Mediterranean Salad & Pasta and Sauce. She finished her entire lunch and I took half my Piadine home. Yes, I am a light eater. Atmosphere - Good size location. Both indoor and outdoor dining. Since the pandemic, additional outdoor seating in front of the restaurant. Open 7 days a week from 11am to 9pm or 10pm; see picture or website, Yelp hours differ slightly. Open kitchen. Street parking, current extensive construction with restricted parking, good luck. I parked 4, yes FOUR, blocks away. Good thing I enjoy walking. Service - Christina was good. She checked up on us twice. We were almost the only customers and never felt rushed. 1.5 hour lunch as it was very good to catch up with a friend. Loyalty program. Price - $33 + generous tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1997 with your 8 locations. read more

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LARGE PARTY REVIEW: We recently hosted a birthday party here for a group of about 26. We had the patio all to ourselves. The tables were nicely set up with simple flowers. The patio is covered, and there are heaters overhead. My sister worked with their manager to pre-select the menu ahead of time. She indicated that the communication was a little slow, but eventually everything was settled. The food was set up on trays and served buffet style. Everything was very good, especially their pizzas. They even let us bring our own birthday cake, and they cut and served it for us on their own plates. I thought that was a really nice touch. Their service was wonderful throughout the evening. When the little ones got restless, the manager came out with color chalk so they could draw on the walkway behind the patio. She said they will hose off the walkway afterwards. Our reservations was only for 2 hours, but we probably stayed an extra half hour, and they never rushed us out. The patio leads to an alleyway where there's a brick wall covered with vines. The staff offered to take a picture of our group against that wall, and it turned out great. I can't say enough about their service. This is a great neighborhood spot for some casual Italian food or for a special occasion. read more

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I'm addicted to their tiramisu. I only get it to go, so I can't comment on the ambiance, but any time I need a treat I come here. I've also had a couple of their pastas and enjoyed them. It's exactly what I want when I eat American Italian. It's really solid and not excessively fancy! read more

The food was on the delicious side but very oily which brought guilt to me once I reached the last layer! The waitress did not carry much of a friendly vibe but was somewhat patient. The restaurant was big with plenty of available seats, both indoor and outdoor. Street paid parking was available a couple blocks away. read more

Tomatina - Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

Fast casual Italian spot serving pasta, pizza, and salads. Service was prompt and to the point. The meatballs were tasty and the bread was warm, I wish the marinara sauce had more flavor. Caesar salad was ok. Shrimp Pomodoro was fine but had a strong burnt taste -- I think the basil was burnt but the shrimp was nicely cooked. The lemonade refills are available for $1, the bill for 3 people was $94. The meal was fine for a quick bite but I'm unlikely to come back read more

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Food here will be great. Service is going OK ambience chatter dishes kitchen sound all around. read more

Tomatina - Monthly special menu - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

For a delivery order, I am pleasantly impressed. I ordered through DoorDash a few nights ago and received the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and four garlic rolls. Basically, I enabled the garlic rolls. They were so fragrant and with the oil and parsley (?) included in the box with the rolls it was a perk that they weren't soggy. I didn't even need the marinara sauce I ordered on the side. It was the perfect amount of oil and minced garlic bits to rub the bread around in the box. C'mon, I ordered takeout so I don't have to do dishes. This was a treat. The Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo was also superb. Sure, it may be easy to make and hard to screw up, but the amount of sauce was perfect. The flavor was evident and I had a full belly when I was done. This place met my cravings right where they were at - Italian. read more

Super great place to go for happy hour! All the food and drinks were great and reasonably priced during happy hour. It was also nice because you could order more stuff on a QR code through your phone (great for a last minute drink right before happy hour ends) Food was decent portions for the price and all very fresh and tasty. My only issue was the service - it definitely took upwards of 20 minutes for each round of drinks to come out. read more

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Came to get lunch and we had to wait 42 mintes for a table.They had two servers and only 11 tables in the restaurant occupied. They sat us after there where only 6 tables occupied in the restaurant? This is crazy! read more

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The food is okay. For the price, I expected better taste and larger servings. Not sure if I will return.

We had dinner here lat night. The service and food was so tasty and delicious. Lucas, our waiter recommended the chicken parmesean. It came with spinach and yummy spaghetti. The dessert that we ordered came recommended as well; peach cobbler with a side of vanilla bean ice cream. To die for. Can't wait to come back again. Kudos to Lucas and the Tomatina Team. Oh, and thank you for always coming by and filling our water glasses. ~Salvador read more

I visited with a friend for dinner but it was MKL day and a holiday so busy for a Monday and the noise from the open kitchen made our conversation a bit difficult. That said, everything else was superb; we had the soft polenta and Pear/Proscuitto pizza - both delicious. I have to give high praise for our server Koa; he was everything a server should be ... when we were wondering about which wine to choose he let us know which were on Happy Hour prices; he also offered to get a small taste of the wine for my friend when he wasn't sure which to choose. He was attentive and easy to find throughout our meal. His service was excellent and his consideration for his guests in helping us make selections was appreciated. He did a fantastic job :-) read more

Stopped by, starving, for lunch, hoping for one of their personal pizzas -- which, apparently, they no longer serve on weekends. So I opted for their hummus "piadina" -- basically a gigantic piece of undercooked, beige pizza dough with an almost invisible layer of "hummus", topped with an oversalted salad of romaine, a little onion, a few olives, and feta, which did nothing to satisfty my hunger. Cost with tax, just under $19 -- not good value, in my book. To satisfy my hunger, I went across the street for 2 fish tacos at Cholita Linda -- delicious, fresh food, and it cost less than half that "piadina" . . . should have gone there in the first place. Not sure what happened at Tomatina . . . not planning on going back there. read more

I ordered the lobster tail dish, which is only offered twice a year December 31st and January 1st if you haven't tried it... you have to wait until then!! read more

Tomatina - Lobster Tail - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

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I ordered online and it was ready ontime. This is the 1st Tomatina that got my order PERFECTLY correct! I will not go to Union Landing Tomatina in Union City anymore. They always botch my order and shorten my name (I dislike that immensely) seeing KIMBERLY written on the bag may seem like a small thing but it made my day! The food was hot & freshly prepared! The place was bustling with happy diners, it was nice to be in & out quickly! See ya next week! read more

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Food is good classic Italian. Victoria our server was good and did great. The ambience is family style.. read more

Tomatina - Pasta trio was very nice but my rigatoni a little cold compared to the rest. - Italian Near Me - Alameda, California

Best dining experience I've ever had in this restaurant. We had a kind, handsome young waiter, I believe his name was Tristan. He welcomed us in warmly and always made sure we had everything we need. Always brought out bread, marinara sauce, and water whenever we were out. I recommend this restaurant to all of my friends and family. read more

Tomatina has always been a good place to get a decent plate of pasta, but my most recent visit to this location took the cake--or the plate, rather. While the service was relatively lacking (la chica just kept forgetting about us, it seemed), the pasta (I came up with a penne creamy pesto with sundried tomato and mushroom make-your-own) was worth the visit and the cocktail was ULTRA worth it. A cucumber coconut cream confection that my girl and I both ordered and lost our minds over. It was unbelievably delicious. We ordered ours sans splash of Sierra Mist but I guess it'd be yummy either way. My girl had the lasagna and said it was good, and it's a staple she's pretty familiar with. I was surprised that they were so empty on a Saturday night. The front door was wide open, making the front of the house freezing, so we played musical chairs a few times before ending up in a booth in the middle of the room. Otherwise, the visit was comfortable, the food was good, and the lackluster service wasn't enough to put a damper on the experience. read more