This is definitely going on the date night list! The Scene Villa Harlequin gives a more upscale, intimate dining experience - the vibe feels both classic and local at the same time. It's the kind of place you go for a nice dinner, date night, or when you just want to slow down and enjoy a full meal. The Eats We started with drinks - my husband had The Italiano, which was smooth and well-balanced, and I went with a Hedges Family Wine, which paired nicely with dinner. For the meal: My husband had a house salad and the pan-seared fish, which was cooked well and complemented by the kind of rich, flavorful sauces they're known for. I went with the wedge salad and the surf & turf, and listen...this is where they shine. The surf & turf is a standout - steak paired with seafood and a bold, flavorful sauce that leans into that fusion they're known for. Everything came out well-prepared, plated nicely, and felt like a complete dining experience rather than just a quick meal. The Service Service was attentive and polished without being overbearing. Drinks stayed filled, courses came out at a comfortable pace, and the staff made sure everything flowed smoothly. It matched the overall feel of the restaurant - thoughtful and consistent. Parting Thoughts Between the cocktails, the wine, and standout dishes like the surf & turf, it delivers a well-rounded experience. Definitely a solid choice for a nice night out in Lake Charles - and one I'd return to when I'm in the mood for something a little more elevated. read more

I had never heard of the Villa until a friend recommended it but I thought it was good. My steak was cooked exactly how I wanted it. The bread it comes with is also to die for. My only complaint is that I requested my eggs over easy and I got the total opposite of that but that's okay! Service was just ok. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Steak + Eggs - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

We went as a small birthday celebration group and it was the best time to show up. Arrived around 5:39-6:00 PM and the server was a little slow but I think she may have been working most of the tables downstairs but very attentive to our needs. From the appetizers to the salads, bisque to the main courses everything was outstanding and delicious. I personally had the fish of the day which was halibut covered and surrounded by crab and crawfish cream sauce and it was worth every penny and I would definitely have it again. Do yourself a favor and get out and make a reservation here and you'll see what I mean, enjoy. read more

The wedge salad was excellent. The Blue Cheese dressing was the best I've tasted. I also had the tomato soup with crab. It was very good as well!! The pasta with shrimp was just okay. I would have thought bread would be provided but it was not. Had to purchase separately. I'll definitely go again for the salad and soup. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Gamberreti = Shrimp Pasta - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

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The atmosphere for the area was excellent, as was the service. The staff was very polite and attentive. However, I don't think I'll be returning. The food and price were just not on par. We ordered cheaper stuff and it was $30 an entree, many were 50+. When the food came out I was thoroughly disappointed, I got the Veal Parmesan and it was just canned spaghetti and wayyy more cheese than veal. Like honestly the spaghetti was something I'd serve at home to a kid and the sauce was not great, I get far better at the grocery store. The food wasn't gross but for the price it was thoroughly disappointing, you can get far better for far cheaper in the area. I could have made the same thing at home from the jar and I'd be much better. If youre going for the food quality, please pick somewhere else, don't waste your money. read more

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Best food for the money. Attentive wait staff, and the filet was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Had a lovely anniversary dinner.

Been meaning to write a review after several trips most recent was the best. How do they keep getting better? Ambience is wonderful. Can be date night or just a laid back dinner. Our party had an off menu appetizer that was basically a mozerella prosciutto fried cheese bomb which was, in fact-the bomb! Also several drink from their menu of cocktail are 10/10 recommended. If youve never had smoked bourbon you are missing out. The veal piccata and steak were cooked perfectly The tomato/crab soup is some of the best tomato soup we have ever tasted and the crabcake was also probably the best ive ever eaten. Service as always excellent. If youve not tried this place youre missing something in LC. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Mozerella prosciutto bomb/app - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

The food was so good,service was impeccable, lovely dining experience and great cozy atmosphere!!! Will surely be back!! read more

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Villa Harlequin delivered another amazing brunch experience this morning! The Savory Bread Pudding was absolutely delicious--fluffy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with the rich crawfish cream sauce and poached eggs. The Mixed Berries on the side were so fresh and sweet, the perfect complement to the main dish. Every bite was perfection. If you're looking for a fantastic brunch, this is the place to go. I can't wait to come back! read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Savory bread pudding - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

Pleasant staff, nice ambiance but, fairly pricey. (Prices viewed via Yelp do not reflect current menu prices. My bad for not checking on line first.) read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

One of the last decent restaurants in Lake Charles! The owner, Blakely, will be there anytime you go. He truly cares about quality and consistency, which is hard to find nowadays. Each dish is unique and well thought out. Will forever be a Villa fan!!! Best brunch, lunch, and dinner in SWLA. read more

Five star all the way!!! Food is incredible, service is great. Their brunch is as good as anywhere you will go.

This place is all the boxes: food-excellent, service:excellent, and atmosphere: excellent!!! Loved it! Highly recommend!

We made a reservation on a Saturday evening. We were greeted upon entering and were seated immediately. Our server was prompt, polite, and knowledgeable. All the food and drinks we ordered came out in a timely manner and tasted delicious. The wine selection was great! We did order a spritzer that was far too strong for my taste, which our waitress removed from our ticket without hesitation. read more

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I ordered a lemon drop martini. No sugar rim, tasted like straight lemon juice there was honestly nothing else in the cup it was sour. Our server was attentive and explained the specials. The fish was okay but full of bones so be careful. The atmosphere was amazing as it always is! read more

You can't go wrong with the Surf & Turf! I have tried it at least 4 times and love it every time. The Hanger Steak is tender, tasty and awesome stand alone and the lump crab and crawfish in a spicy white wine cream sauce is awesome stand alone, but the 2 together is out of this world goodness. The cream sauce is good to dip the tasty Roasted Potatoes in too! The last time I went, I tried the Pork Shank. It was fall off the bone tender and delicious! If it wasn't so much meat, I would've eaten every single bite, but I definitely saved my extra and the waitress put it in a to go box for me to finish at home. The Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes were creamy and delicious and the Green Beans were well seasonsed and extra tasty with the Neuske's Bacon Bits sprinkled throughout. What a treat the Bacon was! If you are tired of binging on the Hanger Steak each visit, give this one a try and you won't regret it! read more

Service and atmosphere were fantastic. Tenderloin pasta was very salty and glass of wine was stale.

This was our plan B since we couldn't book any restaurants at the Casino this past Thursday night for our team dinner. However after our dining experience here, this should've been plan A all along. Props to LeAnn(?) for getting us a last minute large party reservation and seating us upstairs where it was privately away from others and allowed us to enjoy ourselves where our table was set and prepped the moment we walked in. Our server Stephanie gave good recommendations and was patient and gracious with us as we had some people coming in later than the reservation time and some who didn't know much about Italian dishes (crazy right?). The menu is traditional italian with some dishes having a cajun flair to it. Some of the food dishes we couldn't stop raving about included the arancini, tomato soup, veal meatballs, lasagna, veal picatta, and the surf and turf. The arancini had crawfish and jalapeno and is a favorite for appetizers. One of our party members is italian and for some odd reason, never had arancini before. After tasting it here, he's fully on board the train! The veal meatballs come served in a marinara sauce and had good texture and meatiness to it. Some diners had the tomato soup as an appetizer which was hearty, warm, and the right texture. Our italian member ordered the lasagna and loved every bite of it; left him so full but said he couldn't stop eating it with the flavors from the layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce. As for the veal picatta, it was tender and had a good crust with citrus flavor from the lemon and capers. However, of all the food ordered, the star was hands down the surf and turf. Over half our party ordered that dish which we all couldn't stop devouring or talking about it afterwards. The hanger steak with fingerling potatoes topped with a cajun crawfish/shrimp sauce topping with a garnish of broccolini; get that steak med-rare/medium and you won't stop eating/chewing and savoring every single bite. Now when I think of Lake Charles, I think primarily of that dish thanks to this place! They also have a good wine selection by the bottle and several glass options that pair well with the food. Their Valravn Zinfindel is perfect for steak or lamb and has a nice touch of fruitiness to it and so easy to sip. I only wanted one glass, wound up ordering 3 glasses! My third glass was my dessert; thought about asking for the dessert menu but we we're all so full from our meal. But next time we'll inquire since they have an amazing chocolate cake and tiramisu from what I've read in the reviews. The entire team was complimentary of the place and the staff. So next time we'll just come here when we're in the area instead of trying the casino restaurants! read more

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Went at 7:30 on Thursday and only 1 other couple in restaurant. Food was awful. More than 3/4 of food uneaten and they just took it away without asking how it was. Not going back read more

Service was great, went for lunch. Food was horrible, I had the duck meatballs & pasta. Meatballs were like rubber, sauce was a greasy mess. Husband had pasta with a cream sauce that was obviously broken , greasy & nasty. Never again! read more

Super tasty. Not over buttered like so many places in the south. Quite and warm room. Great waitstaff. Especially Derek. Had the Red fish special with yellow fingering smashed potatoes with just enough thyme. Just wish they had an espresso machine. Fun watching bartender as I ate the front. Home made ice cream including basil. . . read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Blackberry cheesecake. - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

Food and service were awesome. Very laid back spot to dine. One of me and the wife's favorite spots in Lake Charles read more

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Yup another 5 star experience. Gary is an awesome waiter, makes it enjoyable and attentive. Had surf and turf again cause not getting it is a sin. Had the lamb which was great but the orzo it was served with was even better. Flavorful. Had the tomato bisque cuz again must have. Tried the arancini and burrata, both delicious. And ended with the ice cream sandwich just wow. Was no where near hungry or had room but ate that whole thing. Again from beginning to end just worth it. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Ice cream sandwich was just taste Of awesomeness! Do not skip it! - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

My wife and I Yelped this place best choice we ever made. We're from Corpus Christi Tx and have some great restaurants as well but Vila Harlequin is at the top of our list. We can't wait for the opportunity to get away to Lake Charles this is our favorite and first stop. The food service and atmosphere has always been great. Not but a couple of miles from the Hwy if you're only passing through put this place on your bucket list and stop you will be happy you did. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Quite comfortable dining - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

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Outstanding food and excellent service. Will definitely be back for more. The chicken and waffles for brunch is out of this world! read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

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This is such a lovely restaurant. We had heard a lot about it so we decided to meet a friend there for an early evening meal. My husband will only eat whole wheat pasta and when we made reservations we asked if we could bring the whole wheat pasta. They were glad to accommodate us. Our waiter was wonderful. I had a cup of Harlequin's Creole Tomato Bisque with Basil & Lump Crab, fried oysters and two glasses of the Matua Sauvignon Blanc, The soup was wonderful I could have made a meal of that with the wonderful bread. But I am glad that I ordered the oysters as they were cooked to perfection. My husband had the Gamberetti using his own pasta. He was well pleased. We much appreciate the fact that they were willing to do this for us. All and all it was a lovely evening. read more

Delicious place for either brunch or dinner. This will be a definite stop every time we come to Lake Charles.. Loads of ambience and a lot of variety on the menu. Waitstaff is incredibly patient and friendly! read more

A exquisite experience in a homey corner of downtown Lake Charles, as reflected m the ambience, price range, and quality. Interestingly enough, our next choice (that some of us passionately fought against) was yet another Chinese buffet. In a belated holiday celebration, my family and I settled here after a fun afternoon by the scenic lake. Service is incredibly friendly albeit expectedly slow. The waiter playfully engaged in our tables small talk and was extremely accommodating in pasta substitution. To start off, we ordered antipasto and a rosotto. Frankly, I wasn't a fan of the meats and cheeses selected for the former, but the juiciness and flavor of the rosotto creates a lasting impression. The four of us ordered a veal parmesan, mussel fettuccine, lasagna, and tenderloin papardelle. The way the restaurant cooks meat is remarkable, with the tenderloin grilled to perfection. The sauces of each pasta dish is also pleasurably and uniquely rich. However, in my opinion, the noodles could all be more al dente. Pastas are always best chewy! A good find and solid way to tie up a quick, joyous family trip. read more

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Chef Amanda Cusey's award winning dish which earned her Queen of Louisiana Seafood 2022 is incredible. See attached picture and description. The service was great! Gary is perhaps the best waiter I've even had in my entire life! My wife said that their bread pudding was the best she's ever tasted, and she's a licensed culinary instructor. I tend to agree with her. It was topped with a marscapone and goat cheese ice cream that complimented it perfectly. The meatball appetizer with grilled crostini was also quite tasty. Well worth the $$$ spent. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Pan seared redfish over tomato polenta with crawfish cream sauce and green beans. - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

Lake Charles,La "The Villa Harlequin" you are one the top of the list for culinary delights. Dress to impress this is a place to be seen! I have eaten here many times, and have yet to have a bad experience. I love dining here!! The sophistication and elegance of each plate is simply marvelous! Keep up the good work! See you next time. read more

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High level restaurant with a menu that will have you craving for days! Fresh, flavorful and elite servers!

So Sunday brunch is absolutely amazing. The mimosa's are great. I had the bread pudding with eggs and it was amazing. Staff was great, place is amazing well worth the visit read more

Veal Parm was good, small portion but good, pasta was real good.but now dessert I was disappointed! it was supposed to be Tara Massu. I don't really know what it was. but it wasn't NOT Tara Massu and it was not good. Our waiter was great. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

The food was amazing, and the service was on point. A very nice setting for a date night or a family get together. Thanks for the great experience. read more

Went after work while traveling and sat the bar. The bartender was great, didn't talk too much, but was friendly and had perfect suggestions. The food was absolutely tasteful and perfect! read more

Lovely renovated space in what used to be bank according to our server. The menu was diverse but there were few non-meat options. My friends got the chicken liver risotto, the carbonara, and the lasagna (INHALED by the 10 year old with gusto) and I had the shrimp salad minus the meat and subbing in the house vinaigrette. They were very accommodating with my non-meat ways. Service was prompt and friendly. The cocktails were tasty and the wine list was well curate with a little of something for everyone. Definitely a good spot for date night, if that's your thing. read more

Food and ambiance are pretty good, but need to step up their game when it comes to cleanliness. read more

Villa Harlequin | Italian - Unacceptable. - Italian Near Me - Lake Charles, Louisiana

Service and drinks were great! My salmon special with risotto was delicious, my wives pasta was good as well! Would return.

One of our favorite restaurants in Lake Charles. Great food and wonderful staff makes this an easy choice for a dinner out or Sunday brunch. read more

Great food and great service, definitely recommend to try this place out. The surf and turf plate from here is the best I've had. The mimosas are amazing as well read more