This spot is a hidden gem, a diamond in the rough. When we sat down we knew it was a local family…read moreowned favorite...unlike all of the chains in the area that only care about your moment. We got great value for our money and the food was delicious. The pomodoro was like nothing I've had before. The scallops and shrimp were extra fresh and perfectly cooked. My wife got the beef bolognese which was good, though she liked my dish a lot more lol Service was very friendly and nice. They also give complimentary bread. It's a small hole in the wall spot, but definitely worth the visit. We'll be back next time we're in town. We can for the Jerry Seinfeld show 5/5 overall

Old school "red sauce" Americanized Italian. The marinara is decent enough, nothing special…read more Pasta is cooked to American tastes and is not exactly "al dente". The service is good, the prices reasonable. Decor is dated but clean. Parking is plentiful. If the "Italian" food version of the '50's to the 80's is what you or your out of town guests seek likely you'll enjoy Norma's.

This Italian Restaurant is off Highway 111 & Palm Desert drive…read more We got a reservation on Mother's Day last Sunday, as we enter we were warming & kindly greeted. As our host walked us back to our table. I noticed how beautiful, classy, chic, superb, super clean it was, and so wear the restrooms. This Italian restaurant is huge, Everything inside was super elegant! As we sat down, we were greeted by our waiter Jack. Jack asked us if we had any questions, he answered them all beautifully! So we ordered Bocconcini di Mozzarella Caprese, Shrimp Dijon della Casa, 2 Linguine alle Bolognese, Fresh Minestrone Zuppa, Gnocchi al Pesto, fettuccini Alfredo with chicken, Fettuccine Alfredo with sausage, Risotto Tutto Mare, Risotto con Funghi with chicken, 2 order king crab legs. Their signature Bread is so delicious!! Everything was so mouth watering & highly delicious!! Everything explodes in your mouth, the savory tastes, I wished I could have eaten more, I was full! I also want to make a note, I normally do not eat crab at all. Once I tried & tasted the king Crab I was floored it's the best crab I have ever had! On top of that, Uriel was constantly making sure are glasses of waters, sodas, alcohol were always full without us asking us he was on it ! Castelli's is now my #1 Italian place to go to! Highest quality of their food, portion size was incredible, hospitality amazing! Their price points are so spot on! I highly recommend anyone who looking a a fabulous & delicious place to eat please come here! Jack & Uriel were so polite, kind, sweet, caring, super down to earth ! These are your rare diamonds please treasure them well! I would love to Thank Castelli's & their staff for our wonderful Mother's Day Dinner, with deliciousness & awesomeness on the side! I would especially love to Thank Jack, Uriel, Juan for making sure we had everything we needed ! You guys Rock! We definitely will be back again!! Can't wait!! I'll tell all my Family & Friends to visit here! Please be kind & courteous to these hard workers

Came here with my family to celebrate, made a last minute reservation on their website for 815pm…read more Tried to go for something earlier but for the size of our party it pushed out the time. I noticed the restaurant closes at 9 so it was already interesting to see they were taking reservations past 815. We got there and were greeted very nicely. Sat down and was enjoying the atmosphere, we had a lovely, patient, accommodating waiter Jose. About 20 minutes past by and we were suddenly told by our host that hats weren't allowed in the restaurant. Everything was fine and dandy we tried to make ends meet and work around that. My bf left to get something more appropriate. Few things... it is not posted/listed on the restaurant establishment or website, OR YELP that there is any sort of dress code. We also weren't told while entering/before being seated about this "rule". Throughout the time waiting for my bf to figure something out, it felt very rushed to order. I am not here to complain about the rule, it just would've been nice to see it listed anywhere beforehand OR we could've been informed before sitting down. Mainly writing this review for others, especially those visiting from out of town of this "policy" before having an awkward/rushed experience. Food wise: complimentary garlic bread definitely didn't taste fresh. Tasted as if old bread was microwaved. We ordered calamari as an app, and it was very crispy and tasty!! I ordered the spaghetti bolognese with meatballs, the pasta was overcooked. If the noodles were al dente i think it would've been a solid meal. Also ordered cocktails, just ordered normal margaritas. Do not expect craft cocktails! Margaritas were very sweet and tasted very much like margarita mix. Overall, i believe the calamari was the star of tonight, and a special shout out to Jose!

Wow, Amazing food! Very family oriented and welcoming, highly recommend!! Enjoyed a beautiful…read moredinner with great service

ONE OF THE BEST MEALS AND SERVICE IN MY LIFE. And i am old and have eaten in 1,000s of high end…read morerestaurants. Going back for my birthday and driving from Fresno. Can't wait. relatives coming from Chicago and Cincinnati and insist we go there.

Immaculate service and good Mamma Gina will always be my family and I favorite restaurant for…read moreall life celebrations. The special care and details they put into their food is just amazing. Their mussels and clams in red sauce just a fan favorite as well as their seafood pasta!

Ristorante Mamma Gina was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The restaurant has a very…read moreclassy, elegant interior with a charming ambiance that makes you feel welcome the moment you walk in. Our server, Francisco, was exceptional. He was incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and took the time to answer all of our questions and explain the dishes without ever making us feel rushed. His service was truly top-notch. The food was absolutely amazing--every dish was full of incredible flavor and perfectly prepared. A special mention goes to our son's fettuccine Alfredo, which was honestly the best I've ever tasted. It was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious. The attention to detail throughout our meal really stood out. Our water glasses were never even close to empty, and the ice-cold water was constantly refreshed without us having to ask. From the outstanding food to the impeccable service, this was a five-star dining experience in every way. Thank you, Francisco, and the entire team at Ristorante Mamma Gina. We look forward to coming back the next time we're in Palm Desert!

This pizzeria has a great open-floor concept, with the bar as you enter in on the left, high-top…read moretables on the right, and plenty of group seating toward the back. The layout makes it feel welcoming whether you're stopping in for a casual date night, meeting up with friends, or bringing a larger group together. Bread is available upon request, and it arrives wrapped up in a cute little package, which was such a fun touch with so different garlic and red pepper olive oil to dip in. We ordered the Meat Lovers Pizza and the Meat Lasagna, and both were perfect choices for anyone who loves a hearty meal. The lasagna deserves a special mention because it comes topped with a sausage. Yes, a sausage right on top! For a meat lover, it's pretty heavenly. There was honestly nothing to pick apart about this dish. I loved every bit of it. The pizza was equally satisfying and packed with that classic meat-lover goodness. The service was great. Could be due to them not being super busy. They made their rounds a few times to make sure our empty cups and dishes were taken, refill on our bread if we wanted and anything else to make our visit satisfying. And if you're planning a party, they also offer mobile catering, which sounds like a fantastic option for your next celebration or gathering! Overall, a cozy and versatile pizzeria with good food, a setup that's good for casual and fancier celebrations but don't need to dress too fancy.

Just a mess from start to finish. Ordered through DoorDash and received a sloppy, greasy, oily mess…read morethat was completely inedible. To make matters worse, they sent the completely wrong pasta, leaving my family member with nothing to eat--which, honestly, was probably for the best. And apparently they don't have ranch. At a restaurant whose menu is roughly 80% salads. Make it make sense. Absolutely unacceptable food and execution. Save yourself the money and order literally anywhere else. Such a shame the desert truly has no good pizza!

We had a great time celebrating my birthday here! The restaurant was packed on a Friday night in…read moreAugust, so it was definitely loud and busy, but the service was excellent and the atmosphere was fun. We started with the Burrata with Heirloom Tomato and Beef Carpaccio, both of which were delicious. We also had the Lobster Roll, Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp, and the Grilled Skirt Steak with truffle shoestring potatoes -- the skirt steak was especially good! We also tried a sushi tuna roll, which was another great addition to the table. The drinks were fantastic, and everything came out tasting fresh and well prepared. To top it all off, they brought out a nice little lemon cake for my birthday, which was a really nice touch. Overall, even though it was crowded and loud, we had a great experience. Great service, amazing food and drinks, and a fun Friday night atmosphere. Definitely a good spot for a celebration!

We had a great early dinner at Porta Via and everything we ordered tasted really good. The linguini…read moreand clams were cooked perfectly with no chewy pieces at all. My youngest loved her spaghetti and meatballs and she is usually pretty picky about pasta. I had the butternut squash ravioli and they were rich, creamy, and exactly what I wanted. My wife ordered the miso glazed seabass and she loved it. I stole her bok choy and that made me very happy. The restaurant is really clean with a laid back contemporary vibe and great music. The AC at our first table was blasting cold air right on us and the staff moved us right away with no issue at all. They were also incredibly kind to my youngest whose birthday we were celebrating. They surprised her with her favorite tiramisu and a candle which completely made her night. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. We will definitely be back.

For my extended family out here in the outsize long-jump pit of Palm Desert, Sweet Basil has become…read morea go-to location for celebratory meals of late. Unlike so many other parts of trips out here - the oppressive heat, dodging careening buggies driven by seemingly lost and possibly inebriated golfers, and the discovery of sand in eyes / nose / shoes / liver - it's a tradition that sits very well with me. I'd even go as far as saying that the food here makes all of the above worthwhile. The restaurant has a car park to the rear and limited street parking in front. The interior has a lovely ambiance, quietly refined by subtle lighting and a gentle arboreal theme. I've seen it busy and our party has also had the place to ourselves on late visits, but I'd definitely recommend a reservation just in case especially with a larger party. The staff provide attentive and genuinely caring service, and the portion sizes are substantial and easily justify the more-than-reasonable cost. The food itself though is the reason this place is always a highlight reel spot for me. Every dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the palette, beautifully presented and packed with flavor. My personal go-to is the perfectly seasoned and healthy Harvest Salad, usually with an added protein (the blackened chicken adds a real flavor kick and the variety in texture that I love in great food). Fortunately my partner happily defaults to the opulent and delightful Lobster Lasagna, as I'd be loath to miss out on a bite or three of that too. Appetizer-wise, I'm yet to regret any soup-of-the-day choice. The Zucchini last night was... well... yep, perfect is no overstatement. Sweet Basil is an absolute gem, and a must-visit for any visitor here. The only even remotely negative things I can think to mention is to be aware of the rather early closing time for at least part of the year.

The naanwiches were unique and tasty. They were served grilled naan bread. The portions were…read moregenerous too. We had the Grilled Portabello Mushroom topped with melted Gruyère, roasted tomatoes, garlic aioli. Very yummy that melted on top. The Chicken Curry with cashews, dried cranberries, garlic aioli was delicious as well! The naanwiches came with orzo pasta salad which I really enjoyed. The restaurant was pretty nice and comforting. The service was pleasant and attentive.

I'm in town on vacation, and was craving pizza. Checked Yelp to see who's good, and Black Cat…read morelooked decent, so I placed my DoorDash order. The composition of the pizza was unusual to me: extra scoop of sauce on top of each slice. The crust was decent, crispy edges but soggy bottom. The portion size was generous. But--yikes!--this was the *saltiest* pizza I've ever had. It tasted like someone accidentally knocked a box of salt over while making the pizza and, instead of starting over, they just mixed the salt in and kept it movin'.

Wow!!! Just wow We…read morecame into town and someone recommended this place All 6 of us in agreement t way before we left this is hands down one of the best pizzas and food we have had in a long time! Geez!!!! Where has this place been? We ordered lots of different appetizers all good Salads we ordered the Caesar- it's a real Caesar so if you are not aware that Caesar dressing is made with anchovies then you are aware now... So this is like a real Caesar salad with thick buttery croutons and fresh shaved Parmesan cheese and anchovies! Fantastic was it Then the pizza was ordered Pepperoni with hot honey Fig and Pig (my personal favorite) Meat lovers Vegetarian All were terrific especially the Fig and Pig I'm not going into the flavor- I'll use all the same old boring adjectives and we would still be here without the pizza So just go and order some really good food! Ooh please save room for desert They were out of a couple to try from but the damn bread pudding was fabulous! I'm kinda sad I live an hour or more from here because I don't have anything like this at home! So I'll have to come back and this place will be on my list of eateries!!!! Ooh service- great! And the place it's self is decorated with none only a black cat- and I also own one of those so the decorating is damn cute, it's quieter and charming

I don't like pasta or Italian food....but one dinner at Mario's changed ALL of that! In fact, we…read morereturned for dinner again a month later! Pasta Primavera served with olive oil and garlic is what changed my mind-nice and light, lots of veggies and pasta that didn't make my gut hurt. You can opt for a regular size or a large size -both are generous servings. My husband had fettuccine Alfredo and loved it.... The menu is large with lots of offerings. The ambience is friendly and fun , with lots of conversation. Seating is comfortable, even at the bar. The food comes out relatively quick and the wait staff is friendly , appropriately attentive, and clearly enjoy their work!!! The second night, we met friends for dinner and we met Mario, who told us his grandson Vito, was our waiter! Vito blushed, but gave us a big smile! Highly recommend Mario's. No reservations needed, unless you have a large party to be seated...even non-pasta eaters will find something delectable on the menu!

Waiting for a pizza order to go. And this short chubby bald guy started bad mouthing people taking…read moreadvantage of a Monday special they have here. Totally uncalled for if he doesn't like his job get another one. Also they told me it would be a 20 to 25 minute wait its now going on 40 with no end in sight.

It's a lively bar and there are no reservations. The seating is on high-top chairs. I don't…read morenormally like sitting on those because my legs get their circulation cut off because my feet don't reach the rung bar. But my feet did reach and they were comfortable. Wonderful choices in the Happy Hour menu. We had a salad which was huge. I had a filet mignon which was delicious and cooked perfectly. The customer service was excellent.

We very much enjoyed this bar/restaurant. First of all this area of Palm Desert was so lively and…read morehad a great vibe. We got seated once our entire party of 4 arrived. They had a chalkboard wait list that we could list our name on. We got seated right away and had immediate and attentive service. Happy hour starts at 4 for the whole night. I did not think it was necessarily happy hour prices though. For example, a good glass of red was $10. Our entire bill for a meals for a party 4 with a bottle of wine and other cocktails came to $210 total. The portions were pretty small so it's easy to be part of the clean plate club. We loved the Ravioli Neru and the spaghetti bolognese. We definitely would go back.