We were pleasantly surprised by our dining experience in that it was the first night of their new menu and it was concise and well done! Our server Madison was quite good, very attentive. The bartender's wine recommendations were spot on (although they were out of 'bubbles' which was our first choice). We had the calamari and the buratta appetizers - highly recommend. If you have not eaten at Venicia recently we strongly recommend you give it it a try. read more

Service was slow, but the waitress was extremely nice. I wasn't super impressed with the food, it was very oily and my soda was very flat. read more

Venicia - Fettuccini Alfredo with grilled chicken. - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

Our experience was not good. Sadly we won't be back. the calamari was cold and salty right out of the freezer? the salad bar was blah: unidentified salad dressings. the Greek salad was not very fresh. How does an Italian restaurant not make an authentic pizza?. " Outsourced flatbread " as the crust. what!! The only redeeming quality was a wonderful server. we loved her. read more

Excellent staff, good atmosphere, terrible food. Bland salad and mushroom risotto overcooked and flavorless. Broccolini limp. Shrimp was okay at an extra charge. Staff were professional and attentive, but when asked for feedback offered no response. I'm not sure why anyone says this food is acceptable. read more

Venicia - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

Please don't advertise on Yelp as dog friendly, if you are not dog friendly. Staff should not have to be surprised when someone like myself, who is visiting here for the first time, doesn't know if by chance you have dog friendly seating behind the restaurant. read more

Venicia - Proof of Pets/Dogs being allowed at this restaurant from their Yelp page. - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

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It took a long time to get our food. Luckily the cocktails were good. I ordered chicken parmigiana it was very dry, and burnt. I realized it was burnt after I got home or I would have sent it back. I'm not eating here again. I like the ambience, but the food is terrible. read more

Venicia - Chicken parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

Top quality Italian food and good service. Our group returns to this restaurant regularly.

We came in on a Friday night, the place was packed and had mellow live music during dinner service. We just stopped in for a bite, and everything was fantastic. We started with the wedge salad and the antipasto plate, and we shared the mushroom risotto which was cooked perfectly. This was our first time dining here, and we'll definitely be back. The atmosphere was lively, the service outstanding, and the food absolutely fabulous. Highly recommend! read more

Venicia - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

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Wow. 5 stars may not do it. Special was awesome. Service was awesome. Thank you Brooklyn. But I cannot understate the flavor and texture combination as being wonderful. In a word delicious. Thank you chef and staff. read more

Went to Dinner at the Venicia last night with my family and was a little disappointed. The seating and overall vibe of the restaurant was nice and the service was good. The food however was very "ok" and for the price of the food it was very underwhelming. Overall it was mid food that was heavy overpriced. I wouldn't ever come back.. read more

To start, I'm not here to be rude or complain. I'm simply here to give feedback to the restaurant in hopes they take it into consideration to provide customers with a better experience. After a couple of hours after eating the chicken dish it made me feel sick. Not a great way to spend my birthday. The menu: for an "Italian" restaurant, the pasta options are lacking. You need more than 4 pasta dishes. All of which are extremely basic. There is nothing eye catching about the menu. I can get half of the items at most restaurants in Humboldt. It would be nice to have bruschetta and gnocchi. Both extremely easy to make. They have 9 pizza options and only 4 pasta options. At a restaurant that's trying to be nice and more upscale, this needs to change. You need more pasta dishes period, they're so simple. The food: The person I was dining with had the "Fresh Linguine Pomodoro" and added shrimp. The sauce was bland, you could only taste plain tomato. Lots of salt and pepper was needed to have any flavor. The shrimp was overcooked and chewy. It was $9 to add 6 pieces of shrimp, if that, and we weren't informed of the charge at the time of ordering. $33 for bland pasta and 6 pieces of shrimp. I had the "Chicken Piccata" which tasted good. However again, made me sick. The side of mashed potatoes were very sweet which I thought was strange. The pieces of chicken were tough on the edges, which made it hard to cut but the middle was cooked very nicely. The sauce was delicious. The side of fresh vegetables was just broccolini so that wasn't as fun as a mix of vegetables but it was still good. The espresso and hot tea were good! The service: Our server was great to start but we were kind of neglected towards the end. Weird since it was almost empty. It took a while to get the check and we had to ask a different server for it. The ambiance: the restaurant atmosphere was nice and they weren't very busy but it was a Monday night. They had live music which was a singer and I didn't think it really went with the feel of the restaurant. Maybe some calmer music would have been better. Again, just some things I hope the restaurant takes into consideration. We don't have many Italian restaurants so I really want to see them improve and thrive. read more

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We were going to Redwood National Park and were in the area for 2 nights. We went to Venicia the first night and liked it so much we went back the second night. The food was absolutely delicious. We had the most amazing and sweet waitress, her name was Madison. She just made both nights special. The Chicken Piccata is a must. read more

We saw the IG post about lasagna night, so we went. The atmosphere was nice, server was great, the food was enjoyed by the whole family. The only thing I need to mention is the strong sewage odor coming from the restroom area...you can't smell it until you're heading to use the facilities. There is a large mirror in the hallway of stench...it was covered in greasy fingerprints...kinda gross. I don't really like Italian food, we went for my husband who does...he loved his lasagna and the kids loved their noodles. This is Humboldt, if the food was okay, and experience was okay, you get a 5. read more

We went to Venecia tonight and had a wonderful experience. Our food was delicious and our server, Brooklyn, she was superb!

Sooo glad we ended up stopping into Venicia! Wasn't sure what we were in for, having never been to Arcata before, but it was exactly what we needed. The ambiance was great. Drink options were plentiful. And, food and service was 10/10! We were promptly seated and the host had focaccia and dipping oil on the table before we even looked at drinks. House salad was great, and ultimately, I got the chicken parmesan, which was HUGE! Soooo worth the price. Chicken was cooked perfectly, and the veggies that came on the side were cooked well with a little bit of a snap to them. Perfect. I literally couldn't eat anymore or I would have. Sooo good! We will definitely be back next time we roll through. IPAs were good this time, but martinis for next time. Also, didn't take any photos, but each dish was picture perfect! If you're in Arcata, this is one you gotta check out! read more

So disappointed. We went previously and I loved the Brussels and chicken Alfredo. My partner surprised me for our anniversary tonight and took ne again. The Brussels are no longer fried, I kindly asked if they could fry them like previously and the chef refused. We ordered the chicken Alfredo and it was definitely lacking in flavor and the chicken was burnt. Apparently there is a new chef. I dont know why the new chef made changes but its definitely not worth the price anymore. read more

Venecia is such a cute, vibey spot in Arcata. Super chill but still lively, and it ended up being the perfect place to celebrate my daughter's graduation from Cal Poly. The service was great -- everyone was friendly, attentive, and made the night feel special without being over the top. The food was tasty, the drinks were solid, and the overall vibe just made it a really fun, relaxed celebration. Such a nice experience all around. Would definitely come back! read more

We are here while visiting our daughter and it was sooo good! I had chicken parmesan and my husband had chicken piccata. They were perfect! The ambiance was nice. They let us make a reservation for our party and we all had a great time! We will eat here again next visit! read more

Venicia - Chicken Parmesan sooo yummy! - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

Whelp, I wish I could say it was a good experience, but sadly, no. I sure do miss Mazzotti's. I went there with three other octogenarians, myself being a 72 year old. This was my second visit in as many months and we had the same waitress both times. Clearly she does not enjoy her job. Everyone else's order was mixed up, but mine came as I had ordered. I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and she decided to provide me with the most expensive glass on the list, which is OK I can afford it. Everyone around the table said we would no longer come to this restaurant. After we paid me and another lady went to the restroom, as I was coming out of the restroom which faces the kitchen, the Dutch door was open, and I saw a sous chef bring a bunch of spaghetti to reheat, using his bare hands with no gloves. That was the clincher for me. I hope someone from the health department sees this review. Disgusting. read more

Waitress was rude. Food had no favor. Very expensive for nothing. My friend ordered an espresso drink, no expresso taste just tasted the alcohol. When served oysters asked for the bread that was ordered. Waitress answered her in a loud voice stating when ready. read more

Sorry to say the food is pricey and mostly not good. A simple spaghetti and meatballs ($25) had watery, mushy pasta. Seemed like it had been cooked early and then just dipped in hot water. The sauce and the meatballs were pretty flavorless. Positives? Good focaccia. The fish was fresh. The service was good. read more

Ate here last night with a group of 4. The food was outstanding! The service not so much. I ordered the special halibut and it was cooked perfectly with a crispy crust. We all shared bites and the tables favorite was the Al Forno... the lamb Ragu was amazing! The salads are so fresh and cocktails were delish... I just wished our server could keep up. We didn't receive our wine until we were all nearly done with our meal. All in all the food was worth waiting through slow service. At least we are on vacation. read more

The service was great and so was the ambiance but my God. The pasta was sickening. Somehow far too filling and way too sweet? Their restaurant salad was probably the best I've had. This seems like a great place to go for happy hour and things like salads and sides and drinks, but the pasta (despite being the main selling point here) was honestly jarring. The taste and noodle choice for each dish (both my partner and I got pasta) was just completely unexpected and honestly bizarre. I would come back, but I wouldn't even think about going near the pasta again unless I wanted to be surprised. read more

Food was outstanding and the service was prompt and professional. Very pleasant eaterie.

Perhaps it was because being the day before Valentine's Day, but this was a train wreak. Started out well, my wife got a nice cocktail but my beer was off almost flat. She got her salad and it was OK, then we waited for over an hour before the meal arrived. She had calamari that was like eating rubber, generous plate but inedible. My chicken parm was dry and the sauce overly sweet. The Broccolini was terrible overcooked. As I looked around people seemed to be enjoying but all looked the same. Maybe this is the standard, but not mine. The wait staff was really good, someone needs to look into the cooks. Second time there and the last. read more

The atmosphere and the food were amazing. The staff was top notch. I highly recommend this restaurant 10/10

First this place looks so nice inside! I wasn't expecting it to feel classy yet casual. The fun lights behind the bar immediately catch your eye. Our service was great, we had the sweetest waitress - Brooklyn. She is a huge part of why I loved it here so much! The meal comes with focaccia and a sun dried tomato butter, which was actually unbelievably good. We also order the calamari as an appetizer, which was way more than 2 people's worth, but we are as much as we could because it was that good. The cocktail sauce with it is tangy and amazing. Husband loved the tartar sauce it came with too. There were capers and lemon slices FRIED with the calamari - never seen that before! I was deciding between the eggplant parm & chicken piccata and our incredible waitress described both meals a bit more in detail to help me decide. Love her!! I went with chicken piccata which comes with mashed potatoes and the veggie of the day, which was asparagus. Food came out so quickly! The sauce on this was a lemony buttery heaven sauce with capers. Husband went with chicken parm and he was very happy with his meal, periodically saying to himself "wow... very good" throughout Giant portion sizes - I immediately split my meal in half the take the rest home. Come hungry. Ask about dessert! There are often some more than what's in back of drink menu and they have daily specials. We got the crème brûlée of the day which had a hazelnut flavor added to it. It had a little leaf and butterfly cookie on top which were such a nice touch. I definitely wish we were staying longer so we could come back. Great place in a sort of weird square. read more

1st visit for lunch in February was good all though the same unpleasant waitress was there. 2nd visit we requested salads right away (last visit they were delivered with the main) even though she said they don't normally d"do it that way" she brought them out. The glass of wine price ranges from $12 - $15!!!!! Meatball dish was ok, but smaller than visit in February and very greasy. Lamb burger was on a sweet bun with a sweet aioli, not very appetizing. Took home a pesto linguine and that was REALLY bad -- dried out pasta and very little pesto. Absolutely would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Great food! (Wednesday is lasagna night and it's a different one every week.) Pasta is made local, all other ingredients are local when possible. Great bar, great service, great ambiance. What else could you ask for? read more

Returned to Arcata CA after 6 years and wanted to stop by Mozzatti's for their bread and butter. I learned that it's Venicia now. We enjoyed our meals. The waiter was friendly and helped us choose a good wine to pair with our pasta. I personally asked for the Alfredo pasta with crispy chicken instead of grilled and it was delicious; I would definitely order it again. Their bread and butter was good, I would recommend for more bread because they only provided us with one slice of bread read more

Venicia - Alfredo pasta with Crispy chicken instead of grilled. Had to pay an additional $10 for the crispy chicken. 9/10 - Italian Near Me - Arcata, California

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Very pleasantly surprised by the excellent food at this place. At first we were a bit put off by the prices, but it wasn't much higher than the restaurant it replaced and the food was in a whole 'nuther category at Venicia. Fresh, mostly local, and absolutely yummy! Good portions and a very warm atmosphere. But mostly the very high quality of the dishes made this place worth the price and will see us returning. Great wine list and the prices are not off the charts. read more

Ok... great service!!! Great food!!! Bomb drinks!! What's not to love. Will be back! Best conversation with the bartenders. Recommend sitting at bar! read more

Went for the second time to Venicia. I was blown away by the delicious food. The shrimp special was superb. A very generous helping. Delicious French bread and whipped butter as well. Our server was amazing too. She was prompt and sweet and engaging. I can't wait to go back for lunch. Going to get the Caeser salad again. Yummy. read more

The food was authentic and exceptional. Our server was very friendly and accommodating. The saxophone player was very good. An enjoyable experience for our whole family. read more

I've been there twice, and I really wanted the food to be good. I like the atmosphere--I mean they could do something about the lighting/cafeteria style eating in the middle of the room, but the bar has been upgraded & is fun to sit at. i just can't justify the price for the food they are serving. I ordered the lamb bolognese that was so mid--I can't believe they are charging $31 for that with a straight face. I tried to eat it instead of sending it back based on how it looked because that felt weird, but I honestly just couldn't finish even half, and was so disappointed. The eggplant parm was ok I guess. The eggplant dip was pretty good. We waited 30 minutes for our drinks, while we watched the bartenders doing everything behind the bar besides making drinks. Then I was served a warm spritz. I had to walk to the bar to suggest ice, and the bartender was like "oooooh!" I mean after being open for a few months, you'd think they would have at least that figured out. My friends ordered a pasta dish that was tasteless too. I wish them the best in getting their new restaurant together but I think they need to do a better job in the kitchen if they want to charge those prices. I mean Italian food is so good! They can do better. I'd rather eat at campground if I'm going to pay that much. read more

I'm giving it a three star because I want to give it another chance, but tonight was unfortunate. My wife and I made reservations at 7pm tonight for a birthday dinner for myself. We got there at 7pm tonight, was seated quickly. (we didn't need to make reservations it was a pretty slow evening) but we didn't get any water or service so we left at 7:15. As for the ambiance, it looked like a renovated night club with confusing booths and pathways, so I don't blame the servers for not finding us read more

I visited while on vacation with friends And it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Angela, our server, was fabulous--attentive, friendly, and knew the menu inside and out. I ordered the house martini, which was perfectly balanced. The wine selection was also great, with plenty of options to choose from. For food, I had the pesto pasta, which was bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors. My kids couldn't get enough of the calamari, and the chicken Parmesan was a hit. Everything we ordered was delicious, and we left happy and full. Highly recommend for a memorable family meal! read more

Hostess was a bit cool, but others were welcoming. Server was great. She made some great wine selections and had just a friendly relaxed manner. Food is good, all alacarte.Party of 4, all enjoyed our entrees. House made focaccia bread as a starter was yummy. Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp, Lobster and shrimp scampi, a crab special, and I had the pasta with tomatoes garlic and fresh basil, and wedge salad.. It was delicious. Tasted very fresh, pasta cooked perfectly. We were too full for dessert, but rumor is they are pretty amazing. Stunning bar area. Beautiful inside... It is a bit loud... they were busy! It is also a bit expensive, considering there is no salad or soup included. Party of 4 one bottle of wine, no appetizer $245.00 I would certainly go back, but it would only be for a special occasion. Not a spot to be on our regular restaurant rotation because of cost. read more

Service was excellent. Waitress was attentive and helpful. Food was good and more than ample in serving size. Didn't realize there was going to be music. Not a fan of music in the background while I'm trying to have a conversation with someone. read more

We had a party of seven. I don't normally comment too much on service, but our server was the best that I have seen in years. I'm sorry I forgot her name. I tasted my brother 's. Spaghetti and meatballs and was impressed. I had the lamb pasta dish. It was not the traditional tangy red sauce, but I liked trying something different. I think I had the leftovers for breakfast. Always a good sign. Excited to go again. read more