I WISH I LEFT A BIGGER TIP! .. and I hate tipping!…read more We just came back from Italy and had an amazing time there with the food we tried. Fatto a Mano sells pasta and pizza that takes us right back to Italy. If we ever miss that country, then this is the only place we have to go to satisfy any nostalgia. Marco is such an amazing host. He makes everything from scratch and is up front with how long it'll take for him to make your food. We got there right when it opened and the place filled up quickly. But he still made time to ask for our names and check in on us frequently. You can tell the customers love him because so many people came in and talked to him like they had known him for years. We got the carbonara and Estiva. The carbonara was perfect. Just like the way they make it in Italy. Al dente with the sauce perfectly integrated with the noodles. Generous with the ingredients and a flavor explosion with every bite. The Estiva is a pizza with basil pesto, yellow tomato confit, and "fior di latte' mozzarella. All I'll say is that it was delicious and any one who likes pesto needs to try this. Now, why do I wish I left a bigger tip? The delicious food would be enough but it was Marco! He addressed us by name every time he passed by. The most memorable aspect was when we were getting up to leave. He loudly said if we could please wait 5 minutes so that he could give us gelato for free! He was making it fresh as well so his machine needed some time. It was delicious! We threw our trash away and started to walk out, but then he told us to wait so that he could give us gelato again! I told him he already gave some to us and then he said we needed more... and that he insisted because "it is like 1000 degrees outside!" I'm coming back and I'm brining my family and all of my friends!

This place was fabulous! We ordered:…read moreROMAINE SALAD- LOVED this! CACIO E PEPE- my kids loved this. This was slightly too creamy for me AMATRICIANA BUCATINA- this was my fave. This was slightly spicy, but so flavorful. BOLOGNESE FETTUCCINI- this was my hubby's fave ROMAN STYLE PIZZA -MARGHERITA-(1/4 sheet pan) this is a thick crust pizza.. but the bread was so pillowy. It was light. LOVED it -ROMAGNOLA- (1/4 sheet pan) this had the Parma ham.. and arugula- this was my fave!! GELATO- this was given to us after our meal. It was like a coffee- vanilla. It was fanatic! The owners were awesome. I can't wait to come back!

This place is a great spot for Japanese Italian food. I got the uni & scallop pasta which was full…read moreof garlic and the pasta was al dente. It was very delicious and flavorful. The staff was very nice and attentive. The decor was dark and a nice touch to the atmosphere of the Japanese restaurant.

We are a simple group, we see Japanese and Italian fusion pasta and we go. The parking was a bit of…read morea nightmare, so if you manage to find it, this place is a must-try so you don't the opportunity. Luckily our group had about 6-8 people so we were able to try quite a bit of the food. Glapponese - Ground pork, garlic, bacon, soy sauce for pasta. Very strong umami in this. It's for when you'd like a simple pasta with meat and nothing too overpowering. Tarako - Cod roe and nori. This is another simple pasta when you'd like something with a strong salty flavor but want to mostly enjoy the texture of the pasta, which was soft and chewy btw. If you want a familiar Japanese flavor, this is the one to order Carbonara - A very familiar pasta in case you want to stay on the safe side. They still make it very delicious and creamy if you're in a simple mood for an Italian style pasta Keema Curry - This is where you start going for a more complex taste for your pasta. If you can't decide if you want an Italian or Japanese pasta, combine the tastes with pasta in curry Service I feel can be a bit more attentive. When they sat 6 of us down first, there were only 5 settings, so it seemed pretty natural to bring us a sixth set of utensils. But when we realized they missed it, we ended asked them. Not a big deal. But when our remaining two friends came, they sat them with us and brought out only 1 set of utensils, so we had to ask for it again. Just a small detail that had me a bit confused during the experience, but the food itself was great and we'd love to come back when they reopen

Food was 10/10 very fresh and delish! The waiter and staff specifically Francisco was very…read moreattentive nice, and friendly. I would def recommend!

The fettuccine Alfredo is super good. The spicy rigatoni and pink sauce penne was okay…read more We ordered the pesto penne but they gave us the pink sauce penne instead. We waited over an hour for the pesto pasta and kept having to remind them for it. It takes long for the food to come out (30-60 min) even though there were only 2 other tables in the restaurant. For the price, it's definitely worth it to come here but I wouldn't come back again because of the service and how long it took for the food to come out.

"Absolutely outstanding! The pasta was one of the best meals I've had during my visit to Los…read moreAngeles. The portion was generous, the ingredients tasted incredibly fresh, and every bite was full of flavor. You can tell that a lot of care goes into the food preparation. What made the experience even more memorable was the exceptional service. The lady who helped me was warm, friendly, and genuinely welcoming. He made me feel valued as a customer and added a personal touch that is becoming increasingly rare these days. If you're visiting the Original Farmers Market, Farmer's Corner is a must-visit. Delicious food, wonderful service, and an experience that I'll definitely remember. I look forward to coming back!"

I ordered the Cacio e Pepe--perfectly done. So simple, yet not easy to get right…read more I'd love to come back and try the Bolognese next time--the one at the next table looked amazing! I went on a Thursday at lunchtime, and there was still a line and all the tables were full. But I was able to get a table for myself. It has a mostly family-friendly vibe.

This was one of those places I knew nothing about, discovered randomly when looking for places to…read moreeat nearby, took one look at, and said to myself that I definitely needed to try it. Dropped by on a Saturday evening with my brother, no reservation. I was worried we'd be stuck waiting for an hour or more for a table but we were seated in less than ten minutes, despite the fact that it was a full house. The menu has an interesting assortment of traditional Italian pastas, Japanese classics, and Japanese-Italian fusion dishes. It's not a huge menu, but is just the right size to have a number of dishes I wish I could've tried all at once. I went with the bacon and mushrooms Japanese style sauce, which was a dashi and soy sauce base with bacon and mushrooms and a garnish of grated radish and nori. This was incredibly delicious, unique, and a true blend of Japanese and Italian flavors. The bacon was phenomenal and there was a generous amount on the plate. My brother got the arrabbiata. He asked them to not make it very spicy, but it still had a good kick (I definitely wouldn't have asked for it to be milder, but to each their own). The flavors were rich. And in both dishes, the pasta was cooked perfectly. Dinner comes with a complimentary salad and rolls. Our food came out fast, and our server was friendly. The owners were really nice, welcoming people. I loved the vibe of this place, with its dim lighting and quiet, laidback atmosphere. PASTA e PASTA is a gem and absolutely on my must-return-to list on my next trip to Little Tokyo.

This is my second time dining here and each experience gets worse. The pastas are decent I do wish…read morethey had different options of noodles and for the price it isn't bad but what led to the two star rating is the service!!! It was not busy at all we got at right away and there was empty tables but our server could not remember a single request we asked for . We asked for Parmesan, the check along with Togo boxes on separate occasions (which I think are quite normal requests to ask for ) he forgot all of them and we had to ask his co-worker. At the end of the meal he apologized for forgetting the items and asked if we wanted a Togo bag for our meals which as you guessed he forgot again. I'm sorry but the restaurant was at like 20% capacity. Also they messed up on part of our order. All and all we will not be returning again Also the gratin we ordered was very hard to eat.

A DREAM shop. Unassuming, piccolino mio--but don't be fooled. Behind that modest exterior lies a…read morewonderland of the most delightful, high-quality ingredients, specialty goods, and handmade fresh pasta sold by the pound like it's no big deal. And a personal breakthrough: I used to schlep all the way to Larchmont Cheese & Wine or Bay Cities before beach days for a proper sandwich. Not anymore. I have sandwich geniuses living right down the street. The bread? Exceptional. The cheeses? Dangerous. The meats? I may never recover. And then there's the lemon Italian ice. My daughter and I have been here three times in the last week, shamelessly returning like two neighborhood raccoons with excellent taste. It is the perfect antidote to a scorching Altadena afternoon. This place is an absolute gem. Go for the pasta, stay for the sandwich, leave with three things you didn't know you needed and a strong desire to become Italian.

The sandwiches were awful. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea but they're overpriced and taste major…read moremeh. Service was great and the girl at the counter was lovely but the price of everything was way too steep and it didn't deliver at all. We ordered the mortadella and the artichoke. We didn't even finish our sandwiches. Ended up going to a different restaurant for food.

Maccheroni Republic - Life is full of pasta-bilities!…read more So if you know anything about me, you know that I love pasta more than just about anything. While I can only officially claim about 12% Italian heritage, I'm 100% down for Italian food, especially homemade pasta, any day of the week. I'm spending this week in Little Tokyo for a conference, and while Japanese food is also absolutely my jam, when Maccheroni Republic slid into my Yelp feed, I knew that I had to hoof it over there immediately after we broke for the day. I saw the front of the building, and my heart sank because it looked closed, but then I noted the sign that indicated that the entrance is on the right side of the building through the courtyard. Thank goodness! I strutted through the courtyard, and observed about 15 people waiting for tables. Unbothered, I went up to the host stand and chatted with the stylish maitre'd - Dino - who indicated that he could have a table for me in 7-10 minutes. I proceeded to wait and I watched how he deftly sat the other waiting parties in order without difficulty or notes. To the untrained eye, it might have looked a little chaotic, but Dino absolutely knew what he was doing. About 15 minutes later, Dino sat me at a corner deuce in the inside dining room where I had a nice view of everything. Angel efficiently took my order and did a very good job of overseeing my table as well as about nine others. The dining room is so cute and homey, and the patio is a welcome respite from the bustle and business of downtown. Since I was "da sola" or on my own, I just tried the shrimp cakes and I ordered the Rigatoni all Norma which is one of of my go to pasta dishes since I don't eat much meat. Incidentally, this dish is named after Norma, the famous 19th-century opera composed by Catanese native Vincenzo Bellini. According to legend, a famous Sicilian playwright, Nino Martoglio, tried the pasta and was so overwhelmed by its perfection that he exclaimed, "Chista è 'na vera Norma!" ("This is a true Norma!"), comparing the culinary masterpiece to the musical one. So says Wikipedia anyway. The shrimp cakes were delivered quickly by a sweet food runner who kindly checked on me periodically during my dinner. The four shrimp cakes were accompanied by sauteed onions which paired really nicely with the crispy cakes that were brightened with a spritz from the fresh lemon wedge. She also brought a basket with four slices of Italian bread which I enjoyed with the EVOO and Balsamic that were on the table. My Watermelon Ciao was also so good. It was sweetly tart and such a nice treat on a Monday! Not long after I polished off the shrimp cakes, the rigatoni was delivered and dusted with a generous layer of parmigiana. The little fresh mozzarella pearls glistened on the top of the pasta and slowly melted and oozed into the sauce as I stirred it up. Yum! The rigatoni were al dente and delicious, and they were perfectly sauced. Of course, the eggplant was perfectly cooked as well, I only wish there had been a few more pieces of it - although by the time I ate the last noodle, I was so full! Alas, I had no room for dessert, but I intend to bring some of my conference colleagues back for a meal before the end of the week because it was THAT GOOD. I also loved that this place is NOT pretentious at all. There were all sorts of folks enjoying their food here from medical professionals in scrubs to college kids in shorts and t-shirts, and I was also very casually attired, but I was treated well and welcomed with graciousness and delicious food! Mille grazie Maccheroni Republic, Dino, Angel and everyone at this wonderfully lowkey yet fabulous trattoria.

First time at this restaurant. The staff was really…read morewelcoming and attentive which really makes a difference when stopping to enjoy good company and food in downtown. We went fairly early in the afternoon , to enjoy Lunch while visiting my aunt. They brought out fresh bread and it was really good, the balsamic vinegar had an amazing flavor . Forgot to snap photos of the appetizers , it's was Brushetta and The bone marrow, both were excellent Every dish came out and was sooo good , a nice portion and every dish was very well balanced and exceeded our expectations. The shrimp tasted very fresh and was perfectly plump and not overcooked. The Ragu with wild board was excellent and ragu was rich and hearty. Lasagna was very rich and decadent and we enjoyed every bite. Gnocchi con carne was delicious as well For dessert we had affogato , espresso was very rich and velvety , with the perfect sweetness. Flourless chocolate cake was amazing . We look forward coming back, the patio was really cute and offered shade and made us feel like we were transported to much calmer atmosphere (love downtown la though ) Above all else , every single staff member we encountered made the experience amazing , we will definitely be back.

Pasta Sisters…read more Mouthwatering delicious Pastas I'm happy to wait in line for ! Highly recommend pesto pasta ! With the burrata on top. So creamy perfectly balances out the saltiness of the pasta. Bolognese super on point, you just want to immediately stuff your face with it after one bite. Love that there are many pastries and dessert options too. Large and spacious, Great service, very kind folks here. 10/10 -follow me for more foodie adventures

Yummy! I love their pesto pasta, it's such a beautiful vibrant shade of green and the taste is…read morevery yummy. The burrata cheese that people usually get is also light and pairs well with the pesto pasta. Service is great - you order at the counter and sit down.