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Amalfi Ristorante & Bar
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
143 N La Brea AveLos Angeles, CA 90036
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
(323) 938-2504
Announcement
Happy Hour!!! 7-days a week 5:30-7:00pm Discounted Drinks and Appetizers
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 11 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Steven J. said: "Stelian "Steve" Tasu and his gang are finally back after being closed for remodeling for months! First of all, the place looks GREAT now! NO more eating under fluorescent lights -- the decor and the ambiance is really pleasant...…" read more »
190 reviews for Amalfi Ristorante & Bar
Review Highlights
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"The pumpkin ravioli was absolutely delicious." In 56 reviews -
"CARROT and GINGER SOUP- healthy, creative, delish." In 6 reviews -
"Its right next door to ACME comedy." In 9 reviews
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190 reviews in English
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Review from Fiona Y.
Los Angeles, CA
3/14/2012
This pasta is so delectable!
I had the today's special which was some sort of creamy vodka sauce concoction with asparagus and garlic. I have to know what it's called! If anyone knows, please message me...this was the best pasta dish I've ever eaten!!
The atmosphere is romantic and cozy. The service was on point.
I'll definitely have date night here again. -
Review from Cali T.
Studio City, CA
2/8/2012
First time diner, Long time admirer.
I've drive by this place everyday to and from work and never had the chance to step inside until a few nights ago. I took a date here and her first words were,
"I like the atmosphere here."
It has a very comfortable feeling inside with a dim lighting, yet enough to see your date and admire her beauty from across the table.
The menu has about 8-10 choices per section and everything sounds amazing. I tried the pumpkin stuff raviolis with braised short rib. Wow, this should be everyone's first dish they try here. Price: $18.
They have a nice selection of wines and they start at around $8.
Overall, a great place for dinner and conversation. They didn't rush us and were very courteous. The prices are on the higher end so be prepared to spend a little money.
I will be back again. -
Review from George M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
We were upstairs at Room 5 for a concert.
One thing going for them is that they serve dinner until 11 pm and then they have a late night menu.
The place looks nice, it actually looks nicer than what came in terms of food. I mean, you would accept better things from a place that looks so cool.
We were seated at a booth in between two other tables. The tables were a bit close to each other I thought. The lady's handbag from the next table pretty much occupied our seat on the booth, so we had to ask her to move it.
(Maybe I should give them the business card of the lady who makes purse holder stands for restaurants.)
The silverware was actually very cheap silverware from Smart & Final and it wasn't wiped clean. I know that dishwashers leave water spots on silverware (I run a restaurant), but that's why you have your staff to wipe them off. These not only had the water stains. but also fingerprints. I think a place like this should pay more attention to this detail. I also would have expected a bit more higher quality silverware.
The wine list isn't too big, but it's OK, although they fill the wine glasses way too full (nothing wrong with that), but if you're a wine connoisseur, you won't be able to swish the wine around the glass and smell it. Not a biggie, because they don't actually have such exclusive wines that you would want to sniff them too much, anyway. :-)
We ordered the fried calamari with shrimp. I didn't quite understand why they had to put in artichokes and zucchini in the mix. They don't add any flavor or any excitement to it; I didn't think it was necessary. The breading had no flavor whatsoever either (it was plain flour). They had a few bay shrimps in there (also almost unnecessary - once you put shrimp in there, use at least 16/20's), but you could hardly notice them. I suppose they are trying to justify the $15 price tag by putting all this crap in the mix. NOT NEEDED! It's definitely NOT worth the $15. The grainy Dijon mustard is not a good dipping sauce for calamari. The marinara sauce that also came with it was too salty and didn't have enough tomato flavor to make it a good dipping sauce. We didn't get a lemon wedge with it, either. I do like to sprinkle lemon juice on my calamari, especially if the dipping sauces are not very good.
The menu says" fried golden brown", but it was rather white.
The Roasted Tomato Soup was OK, but rather bland.
We ordered the Pan Roasted Chicken. The chicken itself was tender and well cooked and while the portion size was good, the sauce was too salty and vinegary. It kind of killed it all.
You know how sometimes a dish makes you think like all their dishes taste the same? Well, this was like that. The spinach and the noisette potatoes were not bad, but everything was soaked in that salty, vinegary sauce.
We had Tiramisu for dessert. I'm a sucker for Tiramisu as I've had the best Tiramisu in town and this came pretty close to it, but it had a bit too much Amaretto flavor. But it sure beat many of the mediocre to bad Tiramisus this city has to offer.
They had decaf espresso, so that's a good thing. I don't want to drink caffeinated coffee late at night, but I don't like just plain decaf coffee. I like espresso.
Another advantage is that they take Discover.
We had 10% off coupon with a Yelp check-in, so that at least made it less of a pain to pay for a not so great dinner.
I must say though, that Brooke, our server was lovely. Nothing was her fault, so we tipped her above 20% of the original bill.
Their website states: "Voted Best Los Angeles Italian Restaurant", but it does not let you know who and where voted.
Well, let me tell you: it isn't the best Italian in LA, by far! -
Review from May C.
Los Angeles, CA
5/11/2012
This place is so low-key and untrendy but it is one of the best Italian restaurants in LA. The short rib ravioli with pumpkin seems like it came out of a Batali kitchen. The kale salad isn't especially original but it's excellently made and delicious. All of the pasta specials of the night are generally going to be a winner. I just love getting a great, consistent meal, in a restaurant that doesn't have a waiting-line five blocks long.
-
Review from Rochelle P.
Burbank, CA
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place! We came here for a birthday last Saturday. The bread and the olive oil dip was amazing, as was the rest of the food. We all got different things so we got to sample different dishes. I loved everything! The pumpkin ravioli was very sweet and tasty, the mac and cheese was delicious - the prosciutto nicely complemented the cheeses - and the gnocchi with the sausage meat sauce was outstanding! I loved my dish too - the tagliolini with shrimp! it tasted light and healthy compared to the other dishes, but it didn't lack flavor or texture. it was a perfect dish for my new Weight Watchers diet!
I will definitely come back here, and for a 10% off deal via Yelp check-in, why wouldn't you return? -
Review from stephen p.
Los Angeles, CA
1/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars
On the busy LA Brea is Amalfi. As you enter the bar separates the restaurant and on a Sat night it was fairly empty.
The restaurant was mainly couples out on date night except for the table of regulars next to us. Oh, and the big table of theatre goers - this is really convenient for the place upstairs. We sat in the corner and enjoyed a good view of the restaurant and diners, but Samantha thought the layout seemed a little off. Our waitress was also the manager it seems and helped guide us through the menu.
The food was ok...nothing remarkable, but we wanted to try this place - probably had a coupon to use. I wish I had some pics of the dishes to remind me of the night! This place can accommodate larger groups pretty easily. -
Review from Brian C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/17/2012
Not great for the price point.
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Review from Chantelle T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a company holiday party so we only got to taste their hors d'oeuvres. Everything we had was pretty standard but nothing too spectacular.
The bar was very generous with their wine (a glass of wine was nearly twice the normal amount) but they weren't very generous with the other alcoholic beverages.
The ambiance was okay but in comparison to the other restaurants in the area it falls short. -
Review from Jim A.
12/27/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Food is pretty good! We tried the salami pizza, meatball penne, and the pumpkin ravioli.
Nice atmosphere.
Friendly waitress's who catered to our needs very well
The price was decent.
I'd come back. -
Review from Bailey O.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Went here for my 21st birthday dinner, and don't regret it at all! Food was delicious, atmosphere charming, and wait staff - awesome!!!
AND... it didn't break the bank. I'll definitely recommend it to people looking for good italian. :) -
Review from Kira S.
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a lovely little place! Stopped in with a good friend the other night for dinner and really enjoyed our meal!
We had the fusili pasta with shitake mushrooms, artichoke hearts, truffle oil, and a light topping of some sort of shredded cheese. It was perfection! Pasta is one of those things that even at "Italian" restaurants can be really hit or miss. And pasta dishes can be on the pricey side, even though they aren't necessarily expensive to prepare. This fusili dish was well worth the money. The veggies were tender but not over cooked, and I think this is one of the first times I've had a dish with truffle oil that had the right amount of truffle oil! I could actually taste the flavor in the dish (a lot of times you can't), very subtle. But it complimented the other flavors well without making the dish heavy. Probably one of the most 'balanced' dishes, flavor wise, that I've ever eaten.
In addition to sharing the fusili, we also ordered the risotto with lamb medallions. This was good, but not up to par with the fusili. The sauce was a beautiful red wine reduction of some kind that complimented the lamb well--but it was a BIT too saucey for me. A little too potent/heavy. And I LOVE sauce. It was nice to share, but I would have been bored half way through if I had ordered just the risotto for myself. We finished off the fusili (both dishes were generous portions) and still had a fair amount of risotto to take home as left overs. I still haven't finished the risotto 3 days later. I'm not really drawn to it. It would be a tasty appetizer sized dish I think, or good to share as a side dish with a larger group of folks, but I probably wouldn't order it as a main dish again.
They DO get bonus points though for giving a YELP discount! Not sure if they always do, but when I checked in, I immediately had a 10% coupon pop up on my phone. Score! Nice to have it to use immediately, and not 'on my next visit'--I find that really annoying. If you want to give me a coupon, give me a coupon for NOW! Thanks Amalfi!
Our waiter was cool. Knowledgeable about the menu and attentive, without being in our faces every 5 minutes. They also had a happy hour menu that we just missed. $7 appetizers I think. Will definitely have to go back and try that out later. -
Review from Monica G.
Santa Monica, CA
3/5/2012
Great atmosphere, drinks and food! Service is sometimes better than others but overall always a great experience. Excellent pastas and meat dishes and...excellent martinis. Anyone I've taken there has always really liked it.
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Review from Maggie M.
9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's ok, not my favorite spot but it isn't a bad place to stop by before going in to ACME Comedy club. Plus you get a discount from the comedy club on drinks and you can take the drinks into the theatre.
Oh, and the main reason it doesn't get more stars is b/c Happy Hour is only from 5:30 - 7:00... what place has happy hour for only 1 1/2 hours?! I don't get it. -
Review from Amy K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
One of my go-to spots for great pastas and easy ambience.
Recommendations: Shrimp Taglione, Pumpkin Ravioli, and the 5 cheese platter with quince. -
Review from Matt C.
Anaheim, CA
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food was very tasty. I had their gnocchi which were very tender and flavorful while my wife had their spaghetti and meatballs. I wasn't sure which one tasted better because they were both so good! Their cobbler (which was more of a crumble) was pretty good too. I will say I was not impressed by their specialty cocktails though. It seems like they were trying to be a bit too adventuresome with their mixology. Other than that, it was a great evening!
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Review from Eva K.
7/28/2011
This place has a great bar. Lovely ambience. I wouldn't come back for the overpriced food, though I hear there's a happy hour. Would go back for that. Loved the seating.
Oh, and it's next to a comedy club. Which is always fun. Or not, if the jokes are embarrassing and you just feel awkward. -
Review from zio f.
Los Angeles, CA
5/2/2011
I have been using (and loving) Yelp for more than three years, but, because I write for a living, have chosen not to write many reviews. However, my experience at Amalfi was so bad, that I felt it was necessary to do so.
The hostess was inexcusably rude (when I asked a simple question, she answered, "That's not my job," refused to help, and it was downhill from there). I asked to speak to the manager--something I have probably only done twice in my life--and he was unapologetic and equally rude.
I considered walking out, but it would have been impossible to get a table at another restaurant on a Saturday night on a holiday weekend, plus I had been genuinely excited to try this place.
The pumpkin ravioli with braised short ribs in a mascarpone sage sauce was very good. However, based on the way I was treated, I will never return.
To end on a positive note, I plan to do some reviews of my favorite places, to make up for this negative one. -
Review from Laura G.
4/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
My new favorite thing: Osteria, casual type dining with dynamite food.
I picked this restaurant for 2 reasons. 1. YELP reviews 2. the word TRUFFLE appeared on the menu a few times.
We started with the Ahi Tuna Tartare raw ahi tuna diced and tossed with black truffles & shallots - FABULOUS, served with these great thin vegetable like chips. REALLY good.
Next was Beef Carpaccio sliced raw beef tenderloin, baby arugula, capers and parmigiano. The capers added a nice surprise to this dish. There was a fantastic seasoning on the arugula but it was not a dressing. I would eat this every day.
Dinner was a house special: Steak sliced with arugula and mashed potatoes (which we substituted with broccolini) served with a Barolo wine reduction sauce. Steak and Barolo wine reduction sold us. This was my least favorite dish - it was good but those appetizers set the bar high. The steak needed flavor - maybe a little salt I thought but once you ate the steak in the Barolo wine sauce It was good.
We also had the Pumpkin Ravioli With Braised Short Rib pumpkin in-filled ravioli with tender braised short rib in a mascarpone sage sauce. My new question if I eat Pasta in a restaurant is: Is your pasta homemade? If Yes, I order a pasta, if no, I'll pass.
Yes, the pasta is homemade and the pumpkin ravioli was fantastic. Flavorful with the short rib and sage sauce. I'm not a pasta girl and I really enjoyed this.
Oh - and when I checked in a CHECK IN OFFER popped up - 10% off my meal. NICE - that was a surprise.
The only constructive advice - The waiter was OK - I don't think he was trying to be rude or a dunce but PLEASE - Do not ask me if I want dessert while I'm still eating dinner. Also don't look at me like I have 2 heads when I answer with "I'm not finished with dinner". Then, PLEASE don't ask me if that means no. I was really trying not to be a BITCH (I think I did good). Then don't bring the check BEFORE you ask us if we want coffee or a cocktail - ASK US IF WE WANT ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE YOU PLOP DOWN THE CHECK. I don't think he was rushing us I think he was just not very good at his job (it was that simple so I can't be too irritated). So much of the "Experience" is your service. I am obviously reviewing the food here which was great. -
Review from Crystal C.
Los Angeles, CA
9/8/2011
This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants. My favorite pasta is one that is off the menu - I am still not sure what it is called, but it has muscles, shrimp, and various other types of seafood, it is delicious!!
The prices are reasonable considering surrounding areas have half as good food for more then this cost. Its def. on my top 10 favorite places. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Orange County, CA
2/2/2011 7 photos
This placed is filled with a bunch of sarcastic dudes and I sincerely enjoyed every bit of it! First of all, we arrived 15 minutes past our reservation and less than half our party was there but they held our table anyways. We sat at the bar and ordered their calamari and a cocktail. Our bartender totally reminded of Johnny Depp. Foxy but sarcastic as heck. My friend was a bit shocked by I thought it was totally cool!
Sad to say, the food was average at best. The food was on the bland side but the portions were just right. I ordered the tagliolini with shrimp. The pasta wasn't spicy enough and I'm not sure where the garlic was but I did get a good amount of shrimp. I had a sampling of everyone else's dish and none of them stood out to me. The pastas lacked sauce and flavor with the exception of the pumpkin ravioli w/ braised short rib. If you ever come here then I suggest you stick with that one. You can't go wrong with braised short rib in a mascarpone sage sauce! Nothing jumps out at you here. Luckily, everyone was happy with what they got.
Our waiter was decent but our bus boys were awesome. Again, sarcastic dudes! I asked if I could get a to-go box and he right out said, "no" with a smile. It might rub most people the wrong way but I thought it was so funny.
I recommend going here strictly for the bar. -
Review from Kirk D.
Los Angeles, CA
2/23/2011 42 Check-ins Here
Amalfi is a great spot to hang with friends or have a romantic dinner for two. The front bar and patio is great for a group of friends to have a drink and some awesome apps (the great calamari and the tasty truffle fries are my fave). The beer selection is pretty good, especially the Chimay on tap.
The dining room is open but comfortable with a fireplace in the corner providing welcome ambience. The best romantic table is the one at the end of the banquette near the fireplace. Excellent table for impressing that special someone. That said, they have a great wine selection and on Tuesdays, they have a 1/2 off deal on bottles.
I usually start with a cheese plate, which offers a great selection of international cheeses, fruits, almonds and quince. My new thing is the Antipasto. Great spicy salami, prosciutto, cheese, olives, etc. It's perfect for sharing. The free bread basket and garlic and tomato infused olive oil is a great compliment to this.
My favorite entree is the Pumpkin Ravioli with Short Ribs. The perfectly prepared sweet/savory ravioli and the creamy sage sauce are delicious. The short ribs are better than the ones at Spago (Really? Yes.) It's the best thing on the menu. Also great are the Salmon and English Pea pasta with pink vodka cream sauce, the Nanno Burger (yes, the burger) and don't forget to get a side of Brussels Sprouts. They're delicious.
It's a great place for a casual hang or a first date. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is upscale but not fussy casual. -
Review from Mina W.
5/11/2011
I drove past this ristorante allllllll the time without giving it a second glance. One day, my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to give it a try, along with John T. The interior had a casual but sophisticated vibe, and reservations usually arent needed, I don't think this place is on most ppls radar
We ordered:
mussels and clams: steamed in a white wine and saffron broth. It's hard to get this dish wrong, so YES it was wonderful! Dipping the bread in the buttery broth was heavenly.
Pumpkin Ravioli w/ braised short rib: pumpkin-filled ravioli with braised short rib in a mascarpone sage sauce. man oh man this was delicious. Im a sucker for ravioli with a sweet kick in the middle. Reminds me of chinese pastries with sweet filling :)
Barolo Risotto: arborio rice in a barolo wine sauce, topped w/lamb medallions. This was good, but nothing to write home about. I found the risotto to be a little too bland.
I say, give it a go! -
Review from Tati R.
5/15/2011
A friend and I wanted an early Sunday dinner, somewhere yummy but I was in a sweatshirt and jeans so nothing to fancy and ended up at Amalfi at 5.30pm. Several other people were at the bar and dinning room, the atmosphere was not a dead as I thought it would be which was good.
We sat at a table near a fireplace so I could gaze into my friends eyes by firelight, I guess. Either way it was very pretty. The waiter was attentive without being bothersome. I had great pasta, spaghetti bolognese. I felt gross, I ate the whole thing but no regrets, I couldn't stop myself. My friend had the fish and chips which he thought was pretty kick ass. -
Review from Hannah L.
Los Angeles, CA
11/20/2011
came here last night for dinner after reading such good reviews on yelp. the place was packed at 10pm on a saturday night so i was glad we had a reservation. nice looking restaurant, server was friendly and attentive, but the food...WTF. i ordered the tagliolini with shrimp and my friend ordered the pumpkin ravioli. i thought you couldn't go wrong with pasta, creamy garlic sauce, and shrimp but apparently you can??? server is bringing over the pasta and i'm thinking, "holy shit, what is that SMELL? please don't let it be my food." sure enough, i take a whiff of that thing when he puts it down and was like...UHH. nevertheless, i tried a few bites. didn't taste as bad as it smelled, but that's probably because it didn't taste like ANYTHING. thought about sending it back but my friend didn't really like her pumpkin ravioli so we switched.
the ravioli was surprisingly sweet - almost felt like i was eating a dessert. but it was good. loved the sauce. the short rib on the other hand...tasted like something you'd get in a school cafeteria. maybe i came on an off night.
pastas were both $18, wine was $8. we checked in on yelp and got 10% off so that was legit. the place is adorbs and the pics of the other dishes make everything look so cute. i personally wouldn't come back but think it has potential for a nice date spot. -
Review from Hilary S.
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/6/2011
Went here with a couple friends who had purchased a Groupon for the restaurant, so they invited us to join them. The only positive experiences I had was that we had a great time with our friends and the decor and ambiance is very nice inside.
Beyond that I have to say that this place is overrated, overpriced, and our waiter was a complete fill in the blank with a negative slur.
From the get-go the guy was a total tool. But what really took it over the top was the following:
My friend was unhappy with her pasta, it tasted like pasta thrown with olive oil and that's it, no flavor, no garlic, no salt, no nothing. And for a 16 dollar pasta, it better taste better than something I can make at home for 2 dollars. She politely requested to send it back and our waiter stood staring at her with a disgusted look for like 30 full seconds before he interrogated her about what was wrong with it. After that we might as well have waited on ourselves. He payed no attention to us, we sat with empty water glasses the rest of the night. My boyfriend had to literally walk around to find him to ask him for water. When we did find the waiter, he comes back and filled each of our glasses up less than half way with water and walked away.
Despite being waited on by maybe the rudest waiter I have ever had, the food there is totally mediocre. My salmon pasta was not what I expected, it tasted like lox and cream sauce-yuck! At our entire table there was only one decent dish--the pasta with truffle oil. I don't get why so many people like this place, maybe our awful waiter just really ruined the experience.
I won't be back. -
Review from Kelly L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2012
I took a friend there last night for the first time
for his birthday & I can't say enough positives
things about our overall experience. Kelly waited
on us & she was an absolute delight. Now let's
talk about the food it was so damn good, I'm
thinking of hitting up their, Happy Hour sometime
today. My new favorite place to go to & I will tell
all my friends about it. -
Review from Katherine S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
You know . . . I would love to give this place 5 stars but I always order the same thing so I can't give a completely honest review. I always get the pumpkin ravioli with braised short ribs because it is simply divine!! I can't stand it, the ravioli is so good! The mascarpone sage sauce is so sweet and creamy. The sage adds so much depth to it, too.
I shouldn't punish Amalfi's star rating because I'm too enamored by one of their dishes to try anything else, but my boyfriend has tried several other things and hasn't been as impressed. He really loved the linguini with clams and mussels (not as much as I love the ravioli), but wasn't as into their Chef's Burger. Apparently, the bleu cheese overpowered the burger.
Service is super friendly, and our waiter was funny. The wine list isn't extensive but the selections are really good. -
Review from Cris M.
Romeoville, IL
8/9/2011
I was visiting from Chicago with some family and we went to Amalfi for dinner. The place has a great vibe and atmosphere and I think they are deserving of 4 /5 stars. The drinks were yummy and my food was really good. I have Strozzapreti w/ chicken ($17.00) --so maybe it is a bit higher priced but I really enjoyed my dinner. I also tasted some of the pizza, which I found as delightful as well. The waiter was not only friendly but helpful with menu suggestions. It was a great expierence overall.
I will be back to Amalfi on my next trip to LA. -
Review from Kathleen K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/28/2011
This is my favorite date night/special occasion spot. I found from a coupon on Livingsocial and have been back many times. We've never been disappointed in the service or the food. Excellent.
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Review from Janelle K.
San Francisco, CA
Great food, fun atmosphere, great for larger groups! We came here to celebrate my sister's graduation and had a fairly large party. While the service was a little on the slow side, the food was great. Here are my recommendations:
- Tuna Tartar: Amazing! Perfect amount of salt and truffle oil served with crispy taro chips. Everyone at our table loved this dish.
- Tomato Soup: the soup was delicious. Not too creamy and like fresh smashed tomatoes
- Pumpkin Ravioli and Short Ribs: BEST thing on the menu. I read reviews earlier and everyone recommended this dish. I actually didn't order it but wish I would have. My husband ordered it and it was so good. The mascarpone sauce made the dish.
- Beet Ravioli & Brown Butter Sauce with Mushrooms: This was one of their specials and just OK. It needed more sauce and was a little on the dry side.
- Creme Brule: Served on fire and really creamy and good. This was the best dessert out of the chocolate mouse and the berry cobbler. -
Review from Kie flora I.
Arcadia, CA
Try their Creme Brulee!!
I decided to try this restaurant because I had a Yelp offer --- 10% off my bill....
The Complimentary Bread/Olive Oil is delicious. Make sure that you ask for the Focaccia Bread if its not in your basket already. The Olive Oil with the aroma of Rosemary & Garlic are a perfect dipping sauce.
I ordered the Beef Carpaccio for an appetizer, and the Spaghetti with Jumbo Shrimp, Mussels, Clams with Asparagus and chopped tomatoes with Spicy Garlic Oil as my Entree.
My friend ordered the Sea Bass & Grilled Veg (which came out burnt.. & more so Beach BBQ style....)
I was a little upset that all of our dishes came out at the same time, the Beef Carpaccio was nothing too special but the Spaghetti was very good.
For dessert, I ordered the Creme Brulee; the presentation is lovely, as the dessert comes lit a flame, and my friend ordered the Tiramisu; succulent with a rich coffee flavor.
Regarding the Atmosphere/Ambiance:
2 out of 5; the music they were playing was hard rock music, but the setting was "romantic" with dim lights... confusing isn't it?
The dessert & company were the probably the highlight of my night... -
Review from Julia L.
Los Angeles, CA
I swear that Groupon and now with OpenTable doing special offers on restaurant certs, I eat out even more!
When we drove up to the valet parking (because metered parking on La Brea was nowhere to be found), it looked so familiar - that alleyway looking area. Valet guy said it used to be Farfalle - yup - went there a long time ago for someone's b'day dinner.
Walked in to a nice clean brown color scheme everywhere with a casual bar hang out atmosphere in the front, dining in the back for just about anyone (some were dressed in jeans & tshirt like us and others waltzed in wearing cocktail dresses & sportscoats...guess dinner b/4 clubbing in Hollywood?).
Service is friendly in here from the maitre d' to the bus boys.
Tried the fried calamari (w/ shrimp, artichoke hearts & zucchini) and dipping sauces of a version of cocktail sauce & mustard seeds. Very lightly battered & tasty!
Ordered the fusilli pasta w/ mushroom & artichoke in truffle oil. The best dish there.
The waitress talked the boy toy out of his choice of mushroom risotto 'cos she said it's just like fusilli dish w/ truffle oil but with rice instead of noodle. We should've stuck with our original choice.
He tried instead the recommended special fish of the day: Sea Bass w/ a shrimp/spinach risotto. Risotto was a little too undercooked. Fish was alright. I actually liked the lemon cream like flavoring on top but boy toy ate more than 1/2 of my dish (basically I kept feeding him 'cos I saw his face with his 1st bite of the "other" risotto). I felt bad 'cos he is on a search for the best risotto - he went somewhere in downtown San Diego - doesn't remember the restaurant name - never found it again - and always dreams of the perfect risotto. Any recommendations?!?!?
Posted up some pix of the food...looks yummier than it tastes, except the fusilli. I'll come back just for that dish.
We were disappointed that we thought they'd have a large selection of beer from seeing a nice bar in the front. But the one beer I would've instantly ordered, Guinness, had a notation of "coming soon"...what a tease! LOL! -
Review from Betsy R.
1/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have been meaning to try this place forever b/c it's right down the street from where I live. Upon arrival, I was very impressed with the ambiance b/c from the outside it looks kind of dingy. It was a beautiful night - perfect evening weather so the front was opened. We sat on the bar side so we can look out onto LaBrea. It feels like I'm on vacation watching the people pass by while eating my Italian dinner.
The service was good and the warm bread with the dipping oil is very NICE!!! We ordered 2 different wines by the glass and both were lovely. They had 3 beers on tap - all good. The dinner menu is OK but I was kind of bummed they added meat to things like Pumpkin Ravioli. It would have been nice to have a veggie ravioli like most Italian restaurants offer. But they did have a few things on the menu I was interested in trying.
My hubs started with the beef carpaccio and he was very pleased. I had the spinach salad with poached pears. It had the perfect amount of dressing and tasted very fresh. They def weren't stingy with the blue cheese and walnuts either. For dinner we had the parmigiana pizza - the crust was tasty and the red sauce was good too but I would try the Pizza Margarita next time b/c the tomatoes made it too messy to eat. The hubs had the fuselli, artichoke, and mushrooms mixed with a truffle sauce, which was an excellent dish. The artichokes were divine. Highly recommended.
We didn't have room for dessert b/c the portions are super generous. Overall the dining experience was very delightful and I def would go back especially for pizza and salad. I would even go here for happy hour b/c the bar is inviting and they have some great wine and beer choices. I didn't want to give this place a 3* b/c it's more like a 3 1/2 and I might consider upgrading to a 4 if I was able to try a meatless ravioli. -
Review from Teri L.
Northridge, CA
6/9/2011
Just had the BEST meal EVER!!!!!
Don't even LOOK at the menu, just get the pumpkin-filled ravioli with braised short rib in a mascarpone sage sauce!!! HOLY CRAP!!! My tongue was DANCING!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from BustA G.
Pasadena, CA
2/7/2011
We've dined her twice using a LivingSocial voucher. Didn't have any problems redeeming. We had wanted to sit near the fireplace but was told it could only be used for larger parties. I had a pan-seared sea scallops appetizer with mashed potatoes and sauce. It was delicious and wish they had it has an entree on their menu. We also ordered the kale salad which was tasty and filling.
Our server was courteous and explained the meal specials that we could choose from. I had called to find out whether they had happy hour specials. They don't but mentioned that they were looking into adding on happy hours. -
Review from Robert C.
9/30/2010 Seated via OpenTable
6stars just because it's Adam Carolla's restaurant!
But really the food is amazing, the decor is fun and inviting and the prices are not too steep.
They also are next to the ACME theater and have Room 5 Comedy House on their 2nd floor that hosts a bunch of great comedy lineups (they also serve a limited Amalfi menu upstairs).
Went back last night after a long, long time. Everything is still up to par.
They have a small outdoor seating area and also decent sized bar area. The back is spacious and comfy with plush booths and high ceilings. But to be honest, all I really care about is food and service.
The beef carpaccio appetizer was decent. Not the best in the world but combined with Parmesan/Pecorino flakes and a lot of meat. I would try something else next time.
The Prosciutto pizza which I aways get is divine. Neapolitan style with truffle mushrooms. Yum. Top pizza joint in LA even though they do so much more.
Tried their signature Fusili for the first time and was overwhelmed. The artichokes, the truffle oil "that was not overpowering" as my YELP partner in crime, Angelique L said.
The bread and olive oil sauce was bomb as well. Reasonably priced wines as well. We had the house Zinfandel. We came shortly before the kitchen was closing so our food was a little rushed but the waiter acknowledged that and sincerely apologized. He told us the deal before we ordered. Overall good service.
We had a Living Social coupon so the $73 dollar meal was only $43. And honestly you could do it much cheaper as we had 3 glasses of wine, an appetizer and took food home.
Will be back for sure!Listed in: Guido thin Slice, Favorite Restaurants
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Review from Geoff C.
10/17/2010
Extra star for total surprise. Had a big crew to see a friend playing upstairs at Room 5 Lounge, so ditched our dinner plans and just tried Amalfi downstairs.
Really good salads, and had an amazing Pumpkin Ravioli with Short Rib....I couldn't have drawn upa better dish.
But the real surprise here were the pizzas. Amalfi had a Top 5 Italian style pizza. Thin flaky crust and the sausage and rapini was ridiculously good.
Throw in a glass of Malbec. Game over. I'll be back. -
Review from Anna F.
Los Angeles, CA
11/7/2010 Seated via OpenTable
Amalfi was really really tasty. I had gotten the groupon because I have wanted to try this place since I lived in mid-city a few years ago and thought hey, if I have some "play money" here I'll totally go. Also, when I first moved to LA I saw it on the Hills and it looked good... yea.. I'm a tool, don't judge me.
Anyways, the decor is nice, we were sat at the first table you come to upon entering, which was kind of weird because it's sort of an area where people stand around once ACME gets busy, but it made for good people watching, maybe ask to be sat in the back-ish area if you want a more intimate experience. It was also the LA comedy fest.. or something so maybe there were more people around than normal. We ordered 2 glasses of the Malbec and the special salad to start. The Malbec is nice, a good red table wine and the salad was awesome. It was really fresh, creamy buffalo mozzarella over heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, arugula and spinach (I think) with a lemon dressing. It was very very good, I've never had mozzarella that creamy and it was a pretty large portion, enough for the bf and I to split and feel a little full.
For entrees I got the pumpkin ravioli with the braised short rib, and bf got the gnocchi. The gnocchi was pretty good, but the pumpkin ravioli was awesome. I'm not normally a huge fan of pumpkin ravioli on its own because it's a little too sweet for me, but this dish seemed like it was the one to go for in the other reviews and you are all correct. The braised short rib paired so so nicely with the pumpkin ravioli, it cut the sweetness and added texture.. so good.
Our waitress was really sweet and they are very attentive, making sure everything is good, refilling water and such. The only thing was that the whole experience was really quick. We felt a little bit rushed, like everything came out in a timely manner which was great, but we were there, from parking to paying, for 45 minutes.... a little short for a $70.00 dinner for 2 date night ya know? Maybe they were trying to get people through there quicker because of the event at ACME next door?
Rushed a little or not I really want to come back and try some of the other dishes and maybe go for dessert next time! -
Review from MA H.
Burbank, CA
5/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just had dinner and really enjoyed it. The Pumpkin Ravioli was my favorite. I really was impressed with the pizza; thin crust is the way to go. Loved the cobbler!
Service was friendly; however, water refills few. I will probably return. -
Review from Chanda G.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2011 5 photos
This is the third time we have eaten at Amalfi, bringing different friends each time. The first experience was sparked by a GroupOn deal and has
stayed one of our Top Three restaurants in Los Angeles.
I would always recommend a reservation, calling or using Open Table through their web site. Tonight we arrived at 7pm, it was pretty empty, and by 8:45pm, tables were packed and several parties waiting in the lobby.
Tonight's host is new and insisted we either sit at our table or at the bar while we waited for our double-date counterpart. We were there early, neither of us wanted drinks and I couldn't understand the push for sitting down when the restaurant was almost completely empty. I don't respond well to pushy and sassy without cause.
Otherwise, the service is exceptional! The complimentary freshly baked bread is served with olive oil, infused with basil, roasted tomatoes, fresh garlic and mushrooms. It was double date night so we shared two appetizers: Caprese and Bruschetta. Both appetizers were made to order, beautiful tomatoes, fresh basil, creamy mozzarella, crisp bread. Entrees: my favorite, Fusilli; my girlfriend and best friend's boyfriend had the Braised Short Rib and Pumpkin Ravioli; and my best friend ordered the Salmon with Zucchini Risotto. Every dish is made to order and it's always obvious by the flavor of the dish, the al dente pasta and the steam untouched by a food lamp. I'm not too crazy about desserts in general and their desserts aren't anything to write home, or Yelp, about.
The have valet ($5) but you can usually find an open meter between 6 and 7pm. The meters are in effect until 8pm. Mixed crowd: dates, friends, large or small groups, grandparents, younger, middle-age. I wouldn't recommend Amalfi for kids.
