Miceli's Italian Restaurant
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
13 reviews
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
""Boston's finest" is their promise, and it's a promise that delivers(literally). Delicious pizza, fast delivery, and reasonable prices. I…" read more »
36 Reviews for Miceli's Italian Restaurant
I love the food there and if they did the food at my wedding and at my grandmother's funeral and always freindly and great. Joe Miceli is best part of the resturant in my opinion so go there at night and ask for him and he will take care of you 100% Tell him Chris Castro sen't you and you will get treated right!
Ps. Every Italian cook is different and I happen to love the food there and not at other more expensive places so you be the judge, order chicken marsala or ravioli and the salad can't go wrong.
Miceli's deserves 5 stars for their garlic cheese toast alone. SOOOO ooey-gooey-yummy!
Other than that, it ranges between 3-4 stars.... the pizza is actually pretty decent AND they deliver to my hole in the wall, neck of the woods which is always an added plus...but I'm not a big fan of their blue cheese dressing or their chicken parm sandwiches....but when I'm craving pizza - it's definitely the best delivery option in town. (Well, at least that will deliver to me!) Not only that, but they keep your number, address and cc number on file - so all you need to do is order! Super easy!
P.S. If you're feeling a lil exotic, try the Buffalo Chicken pizza...Chicken, Scallions, Spicy Pizza Sauce and Ranch Dressing will set your mouth on fire, but the combination is priceless!
Whatever you do...don't forget the garlic cheese bread!
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My wife and I were craving an inexpensive, good meal last night so we thought of Miceli's. I now remember why it has taken me 8 years to go back to this place.
What a cute place. Nice, clean and a piano player that set the mood.
Now, the un-fun part. The server had an attitude like he was doing us a favor. Now granted, we did go in on Father's Day and maybe he had 10 kids but he looked pretty young so I am assuming not.
The bread was probably the best thing the entire night, seriously. The price point is great but I would have gladly paid twice as much for good food. My wife's chicken dish tasted like processed chicken that just fell apart in your mouth - not appealing. My spaghetti and meat sauce made my stomach turn almost instantly - not appealing either. As for the meatballs, they were the grossest meatballs I have ever had. Take it from an Italian, the grossest! They tasted like turkey meatballs that were so grounded and almost entire to pan fried - argh! Gross.
After a $65.00 bill (and our wine was $24.00 of it) we left a tip and then headed home; full but unsatisfied.
Maybe the pizza is better but, I can get pizza anywhere. Save your time, your money and most of all, your stomach.
I love this place. The food is good and highly affordable and although it's not high end Italian food (obviously) whatever may lack in quality it TOTALLY makes up for in atmosphere. I had one of the pasta dishes which was not bad. The decor is what gets me, you forget about the down and out slums of Hollywood when you are there. I think I even forget I was in California for a second. I love the opera singer with piano playing partner in crime. It's a great spot for a casual first date.
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Yes, it's a landmark and yes, it's an easy fall in kind of place with a quirky kind of atmosphere. The food was just ok. My date ordered the chicken cacciatore and said it was great. My seafood linguine was just fair. The Caesar salad was lemony almost tart. The parking attendant had a bad attitude. Barrone's is the same type of spot and much, much better.
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Having been to Italy a few times and being of Italian heritage, I have to be more strict with my criticism of Italian food then I do with many other types. I just can't get over some of the great places that I have eaten at over the years. Miceli's is not one of them. I admit that other people seem to like this place but I do not. I only go when I have been out-voted by the rest of the group.
My main concern is that the food is mediocre at best. Mediocre and not at all authentic. For instance, when I order linguine with clams (alla vongole), I do not want linguine with a can of clams dumped over it. The dishes are consistently too salty. And, to top it off, this place is downright expensive. If you are going to be in the area and want to go to a dark, American style Italian restaurant I recommend you go to Vitello's instead, which has food that is a little better.
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An interesting atmosphere, and as many have said: it's mainly a pizzeria but I gave the caprese salad, or antipasta, a chance. I was delightfully surprised and the mozzarella and pepperoni were generous and it was a treat among the salad leaves.
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i ate at the miceli's in hollywood my first time in los angeles. i thought it was great. then, i took my mom to the other miceli's and the atmosphere was a lot better than the one in hollywood. first of all, i think it's so cool that the servers are singers too. second, the lemon drop martini is great. third, the food is pretty tasty. it's a great place for some fun entertainment while you have dinner.
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This is a place that seems to cater to folks that want to have a good time and not worry too much about the menu.
The atmosphere is gaudy Italian, with red and green everywhere and Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. To me it seems like they over play the phony Italian flair, buck heck, it's meant to be a fun place not a 5* fine dining place.
The service was great and our waiter was fun and friendly.
The food was reasonably priced, in the $10-$14 price range.
The quality of the food was just so-so. Seemed that some of the stuff came from cans and that my garlic on the linguini was a little too dark, which ruins the taste of garlic. The pizza was quiet good.
We only were here for lunch and I'd like to be there in the evenings when the waiters sing.
It really does seem to be a place built more for fun dining than fine dining.
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Good food, interesting/entertaining atmosphere. I have been here a few times and always enjoy the experience. The food is yummy and the staff is knowledgeable about the food. I recommend stopping by and having a bite to eat.
My guy and I had a perfect Saturday date night at Miceli's, although at other times we've returned and found the food to be a little average, but never the dessert.
All of the waiters at this place sing all sorts of songs throughout the night. On our awesome date night, we were seated in the VIP area right smack in the middle by the piano and spotlight--closer to the action than even the one celebrity I spotted at a nearby table (that child actor-now-grown-up from Growing Pains--the one with the ringlets, not the eating disorder). The best part of the night was when our waiter, a distinguished-gentleman-looking mid-50's guy, started singing my favorite musical song, the Don Quixote Lord of La Mancha song. Another pudgier waiter joined in at the middle of the song to play and sing the part of Sancho, his trusty sidekick/squire. I just loved it all, and couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. Later on our waiter serenaded me with some love ballad I hadn't heard before, but wound up, of course, liking a lot. It was such a fun time...finished off with a perfectly divine (the right word) chocolate-chip-cookie-pie-a-la-mode. Mmmm. Try this place out, but don't come for the Italian entrees, which are still moderately priced, come for some fun and entertainment on a weekend night. Be sure to call in a reservation, as this place fills up! We always park up the alley-street near the restaurant for free, so I have no horrible valet tales to report. I also like the lollipops at the hostess stand.
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Rule number one: Do not go to Miceli's if you're an Italian food snob; you're bound to be disappointed.
Rule number two: DO go to Miceli's if you love Broadway and/or showtunes and you're looking to have an innocuously fun and entertaining evening with your family and friends.
Rule number three: Request that Tess be your server, if you can -- not only can that girl belt out a melody that will knock your socks off, she's one of the sweetest people in the world. And sweet people like she will go out of their way accommodate you and make your stay happy and memorable.
Rule number four: If you don't think you're a fan of wine, order a glass of the sweet sparkling white wine -- ASTI -- and you will suddenly become one! I ordered one, and after my entire table tried a sip, they all ordered their own glass. It's a perfect companion to the homestyle Italian fare!
And lastly, Rule five: Avoid the valet, if you can. Not only is he a total jerk (he was discourteous to me and to every single other woman I saw pull up), but the lot's really tiny and not conducive to your car remaining unscratched. There's usually metered street parking up Cahuenga across from the car dealership. If you simply *must* valet, Godspeed, my friend!
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"Throughout the years, Miceli's in Hollywood and its sister location in Universal City, have drawn dignitaries and celebrities galore. People from JFK and Richard Nixon and the Beatles to today's stars like Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, and Julia Roberts. What brings people back, besides the terrific food, is the unique atmosphere and super-friendly service, not to mention the live entertainment." -statement from their website.
I would say that the service was not the best, as our waitress was too busy singing to refill our drinks. Oh, and no celeb sightings to report...
try: vermicelli puttanesca (tomato, basil, garlic, greek olives, capers, anchovy, olive oil) but substitute for spaghetti and hold the anchovies. the pepperoni and olive pizza is pretty good, too.
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Okay...Here's my reasoning:
This place is colorful and full of life inside. It's like eating at an Italian version of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean (only without the pirates and without a boat). Miceli's is a great place to take out of town visitors and kids.
Just up the street from Universal Studios...parking is easy to find (with a private lot and valet) and as Stephy mentioned in her review...they have their system down!
The food is pretty good for Americanized Italian food (ingredients are invariably fresh), the wine list is decent, the prices fair, the bread tasty and invariably piping hot...the entertainment (singing waiters and waitresses) is free and often surprisingly good!
For what it is....this place is worth the visit!
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One of the worst dinning experiences of my life, not because of the food, but because the waiter simply would not leave us alone. Upon arrival he berates us for not ordering alcohol, and then when I didn't order salad he gave us a (no joke) 10 minute lecture on why you have to eat salad before the main course.
This was only the beginning...
Throughout our entire meal he was hanging over us talking about this and that, and just generally ruining our experience. We gave him several hints that we weren't interested in his stories and at one point I even once asked him if he was on coca1ne because he was talking so much. I have never been so annoyed in my life. The manager had to ask him several times to get food or greet other customers as his attention was on us the entire time. Clearly the manager was getting annoyed with him as well. The food was delicious, but I will never go here again for fear that I will get this same atrocious, coked out waiter.
What a waste of a good evening...
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Decided to come here after our tragic encounter at Pig and Whistle.
I was very pleasantly treated as we entered. This place is a perfect informal date place complete with live piano player. The place is full of old signed Chanti bottles everywhere.
Food portions are massive and well priced. Service is great and the best place to sit would be on the upper platform as it seems more private.
btw Five Rivers Pinot Noir was Excellent!
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Food is good, but not great. My brother goes there like once a week and i dont understand why. If you dont want to have a real conversation with who you are eating with than its fine. I enjoyed the singing but not when they go right in your face and your trying to talk to the person sitting across from you. Its not funny just annoying.
my old neighbor (R.I.P.) went to this particular Miceli's at least once or maybe twice a week. I never understood why. Perhaps it was because he was from Ohio and never truly had good italian food. that aside, he took us there often when i was younger. i remember liking the place. then again, i was younger, hadn't been to italy, and hadn't had a taste for really good food. once i was older to realize good from crap food, i realized that miceli's sucked. i gave it two stars because whenever we came with said neighbor, our service was stellar and we'd always walk away with a bag full of fresh rolls. so i guess some times it pays to be with a "vip" miceli's goer.
everytime i went i would order something and forget that i had ordered it before and didn't like it. it's either the sauce or the cheese but something would leave my stomach feeling angry at me. the entertainment is alright if it doesn't get obnoxious, which it could if it's not your cup of tea. the desserts are horrible. the only think i'd recommend is the spumoni. go to the eagle rock bakery if you want some good italian desserts.
if you want italian, go elsewhere..if you have to go to miceli's go to this one and not the one in hollywood. that one is even worse.
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This was one of those deals where I broke up my day and two (2) meetings with what I had hoped to be a nice relaxing lunch. Well, my first meeting was such a train wreck that my ability to smile and/or digest was suspect at best - and doing so at the same time - well - that was out of the question. But then a lovely server, Rae, came over and assured me that she would make my dining experience fantastic.
To that end, she asked if there was anything she could do? Well, given her kinda of initial annoying smiling energy and my almost "knocked-out" feeling, only one thing would have relaxed me at that point and as I pondered what that would be like I guess she sort of read my mind as I fantasized for a moment and when I snapped back into reality - we both just started laughing - and I was so embarrassed because she obviously was SO cool. Then Mickey Dolenz from the "Monkees "passed by my table right behind her and she and I both had the strangest look on our face as if to say, "Was that ...?"
Anyway, this was a clearly a very cool woman with a dynamite spirit and lunch turned into a refreshing experience in which my meatball sandwich tasted great because Rae was so sweet, cool and funny. She also said something to me that really resonated - that is, she is "from LA but"not of LA" - and I understood what she meant. (BTW - Mickey Dolenz was SO nice to the staff and even signed a Monkees album cover that one dork [but very nice guy] employee happened to have hanging on the wall. I can understand holding out hope that Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie might pop in and sign something but Mickey Dolenz? I guess the picture I carry around in my car of comic Jeffrey Ross even has a shot at getting signed. (just kidding Jeff - you know I think you are the funniest person ON THE PLANET)
I have eaten here before and I think it is "okay" in terms of food - and it has a great "room" - but having a server like Rae demonstrates the effect the "experience" has on the taste of the food. Ordinarily, it would have been a forgettable lunch in which I would have gotten lost in my "Variety" and Bread-dipped in oil and basil - but instead my recollection makes me smile and I am looking forward to going back. It is also always nice to meet a nice, lovely and cool person. So, thanks Rae.
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Why anyone waits in line is beyond me. The restaurant fare is on par or just below what you would find at The Olive Garden. I live within walking distance and have given Miceli's five tries as I really wanted to like this place but in the end it disappointed every time. Pasta was overcooked on every occasion, wait staff was not attentive to customers, and the singing staff more annoying than fun.
Skip this place and drive down Lankershim to Little Toni's as your taste buds and your ears will thank you!
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remember that movie, lady & the tramp? you know that whole scene where that bitch & the dog...um, lady & tramp were downing their spaghetti & end up kissing after they realize that they were both sucking on the same string?
well...this place is kinda like that, i mean, without that whole letting animals into the restaurant. i do have a point to all of this.
11 of us walked in last night to have an early dinner before hitting up hollywood. i haven't been in since '98-'99...and honestly nothing much has changed. the place still has young waitstaff...checkered table clothes, dimly lit setting, and heaping portions of food. my nieces had no complaints.
everything from the appetizers, to the chardonay wine was pretty much up to par. even my single shrimp & garlic pizza was pretty big. (can't wait to get home to finish it off!)
on a completely unrelated note: i want to personally tell our waitress rae, that she was pretty cool for knowing who imarobot was. indulge in the solid 4 stars, rae!
If you are looking for a fun place to eat dinner with your family or significant other and love listening to music, I would highly recommend Miceli's! I went there with my boyfriend on a Saturday night before Universal Halloween Haunt and we had a wonderful time! Some of the singing waiters were suprisingly very talented! One of the waitresses sang the song "Popular" from Wicked and was absolutely amazing! She could have been in the broadway cast! This is a fun place to go and reasonably priced! There should be more places in LA like this!
sigh....
again i say...sigh.....
We SO WANT THIS PLACE TO BE GOOD!
Ok so...we decided what we wanted more then anything to night was italian food and some great atmosphere.
we got the atmosphere. and Our server...as well as the other servers, sang brilliantly.
However...Does that escuse crappy ass food and REALLY REALLY bad service.?
We were sat in right by the piano. Our host sat us right at the start of a beautiful duet from Little Shop Of Horrors., he then promptly sat down at the drum set and accompanied the singers. BRILLIANT! it was wonderful.
When the song was over, the host AND drummer came back to our table and asked us if we wanted drinks. The wine list is actually quite remarkable, so we chose a nice j lohr chard, and a wonderful old vine zin.
Another five minutes come by, and were thinking...its ok...its miceli's were here for the atmosphere.
FINALLY our server arrives and all she says is "ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?"
Seriously? Are You Ready To Order? We are both foodies and I personally have been a bartender and server for 10 years. AND EVEN AT A MEL"S DINER have i never heard a first greeting like that.
We ordered The Miceli's Veal and a clam pasta. I cant remember the names because frankly...I've had Lean Cusine Microwave Dishes better then this.
Here's the Deal...If you want a show...go to the bar and order wine, sit back and enjoy the performance.
The Food is Atrociuous and The service is non-existent. Why oh why can't They understand that they would have a GOLDMINE on their hands if they would just serve a really hearty Italina dinner in a family style atmosphere where the servers treat you more like a family and then go up and belt it out for you.
Our older female server sang "My Man" brilliantly. But...and I hate to admit this...for the first time in our dining experience we actually left 10%. Perhaps if the server had said more to us and actually made us feel welcome then...when we got the 75$ check for 2 people...arguably with 2 glasses of wine each..the best part of the meal...then maybe we would have given our customary 25%.
Our advice...until they realize that they should have a solid menu that doesnt detract from the performances...and a solid friendly service staff that doesnt make you forget all the wonderful things...then sit at the bar and enjoy the performance....
Miceli's is, at its core, a pizzeria. For years I've been telling everyone that the further you stray from pizza, the less happy you will be. The rolls, which are made from pizza dough are something special. Beyond that, I can recommend very little.
Growing up, this was my favorite place in the whole world and I have a lot of great memories here. Today, I prefer the OG Hollywood location, but I still visit about once a year. Sadly the music, food and service have been in decline for a number of years, so much so that I don't really visit on a whim any longer.
Update 5/08: after 20 years of going here, I'm afraid that the time has come to write it off for good. Maybe we've grown up, maybe they've slacked off, but this is really horrible food. It's a shame what they've let that pizza become.
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La la la LAAA!!!
HERE WE ARE, The MICELI's Staff,
The food is ok, but the place is still is CRAAAP!
All I wanted was a nice Italian meal. Maybe some ravioli with cheese and some meatsauce with a nice glass of red wine. Instead, I was presented with an Italian stereotype worse than the Soprano's... Tune after tune of bad Broadway covers at decibel levels that would make Boeing engineers jealous.
(Now, I am ok with kitsch, but it has it's place, and this is not it! If I want to hear singing, I'll go to the Macaroni Grill. At least there, I can draw on the table!)
The food was nothing spectacular either. Yuu can find comparable quality in your grocer's freezer.
Perhaps next time, I'll go to Ralph's. Grab some Lean Cuisine and a $5 bottle. Throw on some old Pavoratti records and smile, knowing I saved about 20 bucks!
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I came here months ago...on an unaware blind date. One of my favorite recruits said let's hang out...so I said, "totally!" Being the positive social gal I am.
I arrived...wearing my hot new jeans from Angel Denim on Melrose...and low and behold...a very different situation. This wasn't just buddies getting together. I met a wonderful gentleman who just isn't for me. We ate dinner and shared stories......and I tapped out.
Too bad, we could have been great friends...if we both wanted to be just friends.
I ordered the Caprese from the App menu. It was good...but not amazing. I am just spoiled. Miceli's didn't capture my heart...and the singing on an unaware blind date...yeah. Not so much.
I am anticipating better memories that next time...which I think next time will never happen.
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I went here with a date because I was hankering for some reasonably priced, reasonably astoudning Italian food. He warned me that the place is a bit crowded and the waiters, considering they are wannabe Broadway actors, will sing, but not necessarily do they sing at you. They just sing, occasionally walking by the tables and feeding you pasta while they do this. Our waiter was the Phantom, and surprisingly, he was a better singer than a waiter. Not the most personable waiter, but I suppose he was more preoccupied with his performance.
Yeah, it's pretty loud, and you have to struggle at times to keep the conversation going because if you're a soft-spoken person like myself, you need to shout, which isn't all too pleasant because, at least for me, I end up spitting more than talking. But you know what? I had a pleasant experience.
The fried calamari was good, served with what I hope is homemade marinara sauce, which is the only way to go. Not a calamari person usually, but hey, Italians know how to fry them up...it's comfort food appetizer. Before the appetizers, though, we were promptly served very warm bread, which was delightful without butter. Thought I'd mention that little detail, because some mention of quick service is always a positive.
I got the spinach lasgna, but our waiter actually gave me my date's order, so I ended up eating my date's chicken lasgna. Either way, I thought both were marvelous, wonderful mozzarella oozing on top. It tasted fresh, not like something that's been sitting in an oven all day and night.
I must say, I liked the kitschy "outdoor" decor...to true blooded Italians, it may be condescending, but for someone like myself who appreciates kitsch, it provided a nice romantic atmosphere.
Experience it for yourself. The singing doesn't get too out of hand in my opinion. Most people are busy eating or shouting at the top of their lungs, but hey, after a glass of wine, you'll be shouting "Bravo!"
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This is another perfect experience place except for when the check arrives. But the mocha ice cream is unforgettable. It passes the Chicken Marsala test. Spaghetti meat balls are excellent. In fact, it is hard to order that dish anywhere else. And seafood is a nice suprise. The place would get a five if the price were a little better.
The pizza here is very good. And if anyone tells you they can get that anywhere then they have a palate that is not to be trusted.
Quick tip: if you go, get a discount by buying a $25 coupon for $10 or a $10 coupon for $3 on restaurant.com.
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Oh, my God. What was I thinking?
One star - the sparking red wine was good. And another for the cutie singing with crystal clear voice.
No, Monica P, it wasn't you. It was another very cute female.
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Good prices, great atmosphere, but the food wasn't really anything spectacular. I have to say I was a little bit disappointed in the food, but overall a plesant experience.
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This place is NEAT. If you are bored, and don't really care about food...and would prefer to people watch, this is a great place.
It's not that the food wasn't palatable, in my opinion, Italian should be done pretty darn well, there's just no excuse. Especially for the simple pasta dishes and pizza offered.
But I won't deny it, I still enjoyed myself...I must've had a good lunch that day.
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i went their for lunch and had their caprese salad....it was awesome..there lasagna isn;t bad either...
Delivery is 4 stars:
As of 1/15/2007
So here's the deal with this place. I still won't go in here for lunch or dinner as I sooo prefer the Hollywood location and the service is much friendlier on the whole, BUT what I will give this location is awesome delivery. They are super cool on the phone, really helpful, keep your credit card number on file so it's as simple as calling, giving your number and bam, there ya go. Also the delivery guy is adorable and always says, "How's the family?" I always say "We're great," then I shut the door and look at my lonely little apartment and my two cats and I sigh. Oh well the life of a single gal :)
In restaurant: 2 stars.
I...am...floored! *dink*
At what just happened to me at lunch today. Now as a backstory, Miceli's (especially the Las Palmas location) is one of my FAVErit restaurants around, mostly for the cheese bread and the fun Chianti bottles you can write your name on, but today, EWHH to the 10,000th degree!
The food wasn't even the issue (although the said cheese bread was a little underdone) it was the service of one broad in particular. I have no idea what this horrible woman's name was, but the minute we sat down, it was ATTITUDE.
In LA, 9 times out of 10, you are being served by an actor/musician/artist (and I know that's a stereotype, but this one just oozed obnoxious 'look at me, i'm a stuck up actress with a tighter ass than you' energy). Now keep in mind that this was bday lunch, so you think she could maybe muster up a smile and endulge the happy day just a bit, but I guess that is too much to ask from an angry B on the lunch shift.
So we order our drinks and about 10 minutes later they arrive with the same lame attitude as before. Then the food, again late and it's not like the place was busy. In fact there were garlic dust balls tumbling through the restaurant (that was a joke). Anyway, the food comes late, she doesn't even attempt to play interested or ask if we need anything or if everything is okay. Just more bitchy looks.
At one point, we thought, jeez, did one of us accidentally bed her boyfriend or something, cuz the stares were very cat fight-ish, but considering 2 of our gang were happily married and the other girls attached it seemed highly unlikely.
So after a painful 45 minutes and a very ruined lunch dining experience, it was time for the little scoop of ice cream with the candle in it. Then (and only then!) does miss perky pants light up for her chance to shine and sing like the little princess her stage mother told her she was. This would have been fine if she didn't continue her snotty shenanigans and rudely try to out sing all of us. Then as a less than happy ending she busts out the painful whitney houston "I will always love you-esque" finish, because CLEARLY it was all about her!
Now I've waited tables before and any server worth their salt knows that no matter how craptastic your day may be going, you suck it up and act like a trooper. I don't think she got that memo, but she did get a big fat 1% tip for her day in the sun.
Ugh, maybe try the nightshift with this place and if it looks like you are going to be seated in Pain In The Ass Patty's section, ask for another table!!
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This is one of those places where It would be barely a 4-star. But it's not.
It's mostly a place where you go for the atmosphere. If you don't want to be in a noisy Italian restaurant where the waiters/waitresses occasionally belt Broadway tunes, don't go here. If you want fantastic, mouth-watering pasta and pizza with the best service in the planet, don't go here. This is a fun place where you can hang out with your friends (or a casual date), maybe have a birthday party as well.
I used to live right down the street from Miceli's so I'd come here fairly often. It would mostly be a family thing, where we'd be in a booth, but once I had 10 of my friends with me for a birthday party. They can be pretty accomodating for groups, as long as you make reservations in advance.
But yes. There is live music, and if you can't stand singing, really. Don't go here. My personal favorite musical number? When the pianist is playing by himself or with the drummer. The pianist guy has a very nice jazzy style and he improvs like no other.
The food here, is eh. It's pretty decently priced, and it tastes pretty good. I like the pizzas here more than the pastas, though. But you can never go wrong with spaghetti or lasagna. They have pretty good seafood pasta dishes too, which my parents always get. The bread is always warm and delicious though.
Sometimes the wait can be long, especially on weekends. But you can hang around the bar and get a drink while you wait. Also, sometimes they stick you in the far corner of the restaurant, which isn't the nicest spot.
Also, parking here is horrific unless you get the valet service.
I used to have this place as 4-stars, but really, it's not. When I think Italian food, I really don't think this is the "ultimate stop". It's good, convenient if you're in Universal City/Studio City, with a very lively atmosphere, but you have to be in a certain mood for that.
Edited 3/30
Good prices, great food and a slight wait. Everyone is extremely friend and it's a nice place to sit down and get to know the person you're with or laugh your head off with the people you know. It's a stone's throw away from Citywalk and so you can run up there and enjoy some after dinner stuff. Sit back, unwind and enjoy the meal!
go for the music - stay for the heartburn
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