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Babbo's Original Mediterranean Bistro

3 star rating
based on 62 reviews

Categories: Italian, Greek, Pizza, Mediterranean  [Edit]

717 Stanford Shopping Court
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 321-1488
Price Range:
$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Private Lot
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
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"a recent dinner for 5 of us was just wonderful. the service and pleasant staff is one of the best you can find.  the food was great,…" read more »

62 reviews for Babbo's Original Mediterranean Bistro

Review Highlights   

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"…is perfect since it's right in Stanford Mall and it provides an slightly…" (in 9 reviews)
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"I had the goat cheese salad, which was sooo good." (in 4 reviews)
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"It was a nice sunny day so the outdoor seating was perfect." (in 7 reviews)
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Photo of Amy C.

 

7

36

Amy C.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/22/2009

Ordered the seafood pizza and gorgonzola pear salad.  I would definitely come back for the salad because I love pear salads and this one was really good.  The pizza description said it had spicy prawns and I was a little put off by that because I can't stand anything spicy, but when we got our pizza it was not spicy at all, which is good for me but for someone that expected some heat it might be a disappointment.  The first thing I noticed when the pizza came out was a wave of fishy seafood stench (just like walking into a seafood market).  The pizza itself was okay.  

Pros: gorgonzola pear salad was really good and sitting outside on a sunny day with shade was relaxing.  

Cons: really fishy smelling pizza.

Photo of Jennifer A.

Elite '09

21

221

Jennifer A.

Walnut Creek, CA

3 star rating
8/21/2009

After a few strenuous hours of shopping, my parents and I dropped into Babbo's for lunch after seeing the delicious food people were eating at the tables outside. My first impression was that it was a little on the pricey side for a mall restaurant. I think sandwiches, pizzas, and salads were $15+, while entrees were over $20.

A lot of people were eating focaccia sandwiches, but I had a craving for pizza and ordered the Babbo special. It was pretty good with big chunks of feta and huge olives. My only complaint is that the thin crust pizza wasn't very crispy. My mom's bolognese pasta was quite good as well, but I really loved the focaccia that came with it. Grrr, I knew I should have gotten a sandwich! It was crispy on the outside and slightly greasy and olive oily. Mmm yum.

I'd give Babbo's more like 3.5 stars and I would come back, but I'd be more interested to check out the other options at the Stanford mall. I took a peek into La Baguette and their sandwiches and pastries looked quite intriguing...

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Photo of Lu W.

Elite '09

97

166

Lu W.

Santa Clara, CA

4 star rating
8/19/2009

First off, I don't have much feeling about this place, and I'm writing this mostly to tell the mighty Yelp god I'm alive and well.

I went to Babbo's with two friends, one who's in town from Germany for a 3-week SLAC internship, the other arrived from Germany just months ago performing her particle bombardment duties. It wasn't a flawed dining experience, but neither was it spectacular. Sitting in a busy corner with a merlot and watching the Stanford Mall shopping crowd swarming by set a semi-bourgeois tone; a delicious smoked salmon salad completes the deal.

Mind you, this is the Stanford Mall, the crown jewel of strip malls, so no free bread and hummus should be expected, nor was it offered. The friendly waiter deserves high marks for making my German-mannered company feel at home.

It's understandably pricey, but you do get a little bit of decadent pleasure back.

Photo of Kazu O.

 

19

42

Kazu O.

San Mateo, CA

4 star rating
8/22/2009

A bit overpriced, but definitely tasty!

We were starving as we got to the Stanford Mall. I was in the mood for something new so we decided to try out Babbo's. It was a nice sunny day so the outdoor seating was perfect. I wasn't aware that this was a Mediterranean Bistro, though.. I could've sworn that the store directory listings in the mall called this place Babbo's Pizzaria" or something??

We ordered the Pear-Gorgonzola Salad and, since we were thinking this was a pizza joint, the Sotto Mare Pizza. We were not disappointed with either one. The salad had thinly sliced, sweet pears and very creamy gorgonzola. The combination of those two with arugula and candied walnuts was delicious. The Sotto Mare Pizza was great! They serve the clams and mussels on the pizza with the shells on. The fish that came on the pizza was very juicy/flaky. The red sauce was the perfect flavor for the seafood, and the crust was nice and crunchy. I'll definitely order this one again the next time I come here.

We had creme brulee also for dessert -- good, but personally, I can't really tell too big of a difference between good and bad creme brulee.

I enjoyed my meal a lot... my only gripe is that the price is a bit high, especially for lunch.

Photo of hellinabasket j.

 

0

6

hellinabasket j.

San Jose, CA

1 star rating
9/5/2009

Was a little disappointed today.  My husband and I go to this place for lunch a lot because we LOVE their sandwiches.  Sometimes we go there for dinners but it's pricey.  We decided to splurge tonight but didn't have the most positive experience.  We love the food but the service is a hit or a miss. I feel like if you're going to charge $20-30 for an entree the service should be pretty good.

We ordered the sea bass and prawns linguine dishes. We also both had a glass of wine. First, our server didn't bring us any bread. He didn't refill our water glasses when they were empty. And it wasn't even busy.  At one point I spilled my glass of wine which was still pretty full.  Granted it was my fault and nobody else's but I feel like at a place like this they should have offered me a refill. Our server came and cleaned up the spillage but that was it. They charge 9.50 a glass so I was a little disappointed.

We still tipped the guy 15% since we're not mean people but I really didn't feel like he deserved a tip.

It's too bad because we like their food. Nowadays I feel like restaurants have excellent service due to slower business. I don't think I'll go there again. Including tip we paid $90 for our meal (just me and my husband) and we didn't feel good about how we spent our money which sucks.

Photo of WENDY T.

 

9

19

WENDY T.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
8/21/2009

During our mad dash to Sprinkles before closing, my best friend and I ran into Babbos.  We walked through this little alley with outdoor seating and thought that it would be a nice place to have dinner.  So why not right?! What do we have to loose?  

The outdoor seating was nice but the only thing I didn't like about it was that the tables were SOOOO close together.  We were basically a hands length from our neighbor.  That was just a little too close for comfort since everyone can hear our conversation.  

Since we've never been here, we wanted to sample the menu and opt'd to share 3 dishes.  Of course we had to get a glass of wine to go with our dinner....after all, it was a girls night out! :) Napa Acacia Caneros Chardonnay paired great with our appetizer.  

Mediterranean mussels- This was yummy to have as an appetizer.  The mussels were just a lil on the "dinky" side but the sauce was great for bread!

Gorgonzola Pear Salad- You have to be a Gorgonzola lover or a big cheese fan to enjoy this salad.  The creamy cheese (plentiful amount) + sweat pear slices + candied walnuts + house vinaigrette dressing = yummmmy!   I would go back to have this salad if I'm feeling very cheesy!

Peperonata Flat Bread Pizza- MEATY MEATY MEATY and yummy.  The pizza was perfect for 2.  The pepperoni was different than your usual pepperoni...it was meaty!  The caramelized onions gave the pizza a little sweetness, which I enjoyed very much.  

The meal came out to $75(tip included), which wasn't bad since we got a half bottle of wine.

Photo of L L.

 

0

20

L L.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
8/8/2009

We were strolling around the mall and came here for lunch. I had the grilled salmon and my friend had the seafood risotto. My dish was very flavorful. The fish was served with grilled tomatoes, zucchini, lentils and potatoes au gratin. My friend ate all of the risotto, so I suppose that was good, too.

The service was very good as well. The white-haired owner (whose picture as a young man is on the menu -- too cute!) tried to get me to order the salmon poached because the flavor was better. The waiter also brought my friend an empty bowl for her seafood shells.

The bill came to $50 plus tip, which I thought was steep for lunch in a mall. (Course, it was Palo Alto.)

Photo of paulty V.

 

4

94

paulty V.

Sunnyvale, CA

3 star rating
7/11/2009

Kinda wish I saw the reviews for this place before visiting, but we were walking by, the weather was gorgeous, and a few tables were free outside.  The waiter was kind and personable and seated us quickly.

The chestpains began when we opened the menu - holy cow was it pricey.  $15 for pizza the size of a small dinner plate?!  I guess it's "gourmet" but wow.

Lucky for them, I was starving and really enjoying the view outside, so we stayed.  We went for a light dinner (light on the budget and light on the tummy) and split a pizza and (appetizer) salad.  

We got the Quattro...something pizza.  It had 2 slickes with capers and proscutto,  2 slices with anchovies and olives (YUM), 2 slices with ginormous atichoke hearts, and 2 slices with mushroom.  Nice way to lay out the ingredients so we literally split each flavor.  
The salad... I can't remember the name but it had gorgonzola cheese and walnuts.  Very good, except they went a little overboard with the cheese.  

We didn't try any desserts and instead soaked up some sun and did some people watching.  Most of the stars, sadly, are for the ambiance and waiters (based on the other reviews, I guess we got lucky).  The food was ok, but was way overpriced.  We'll try Max's instead next time.

Photo of Anjelica B.

 

5

25

Anjelica B.

Union City, CA

2 star rating
5/18/2009

I don't know whether or not to give this place 2 or 3 stars, so forgive me if the rating switches up again

Me and my boyfriend were actually looking for another restaurant to have lunch but I decided on my plan B to go and try this place. Mediterranean food is one of my favorite types of food so I figured this place would have at least a decent looking menu. Anyways, most of the outdoor seating was full and we didn't really mind where we sat so we sat inside where we were one of only 3 couples.

Once we got our menus I was getting pretty anxious to order and when I opened my menu I was kind of disappointed - everything on their lunch menu was overpriced! I mean the appetizers, salads, entrees, pastas...everything was  over $12; there were only 2 or 3 dishes that were $9.50, one of those being a cup of soup. A CUP of SOUP?!?!

Anyways, I order the spinach pasta filled with veal and chicken ($17)  and when I finally got it,  there was only 11 pieces of spinach pasta.............sigh. (really wish I ordered the shrimp salad I was looking at...) Thank GOD it tasted really good so that sorta made up for it. Sauce was a little too salty though.

Oh and they gave us the bread restaurants normally give before you order AFTER they brought us our food.  The bread was really really good though, but still kind of odd that they give it to you later...maybe our server just forgot?

What really killed it for me was how overpriced the food was...I paid 24 dollars for one dish and a freaking cup of juice ($3.50, btw). I'm really glad everything tasted awesome but even someone like me that spends more money on food than anything wouldn't go back because even the food isn't enough for the price you pay.

Maybe if I can magically pull money out of my ass or obtain a large bag full of money to spend I'll come back, but until that happens I'll stay clear.

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Photo of David B.

Elite '09

815

469

David B.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
4/4/2009

The weather was just amazing today. Couples were gathered sharing conversation over beverages and meals outside.

I saw the seats from a distance and had to pounce on them.

I didn't even notice they were restaurant seats but even better because we were hungry! I was in the mood for something light and the Spinach Salad was perfect. A delightful mixture of feta, pine nuts, balsamic vinagarette, tomatoes, baby artichoke hearts, fresh ground pepper and sweet red peppers.
What is it with me lately? Am I on some kind of health kick? It was a delicious salad and even better with the free bread:) Since this is an Italian restaurant it would have been more fitting though to offer us some vinegar and oil to dip the bread in. In a perfect world.....:)

Gotta love San Jose!!

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Elite '09

285

736

Katharine A.

Menlo Park, CA

2 star rating
3/9/2009

Pretty mediocre all around.  I have come here several times and although I never really count the experience as anything remarkable.  I always return, but it is never my choice.

The most stunning thing on the menu is this honey-mustard sauce that is addicting.

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Elite '09

19

65

James S.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
3/10/2009

Definitely better than most mall restaurants.  I think under normal circumstances I would rate Babbo's as 3-stars for a few reasons.  The food is fresh and very good, but I've had some dry chicken sandwiches, and some fish dishes that were so drenched in butter that you couldn't taste the fish.  The restaurant is also very cramped and does not have its own bathroom.  You have to walk into a service hallway for the mall to use the bathroom.

The reason that I give Babbo's a 4-star review however, is the owner, Lazlo Fono.  He's an ex olympic skier who is quite old and a bit frail these days.  Yet you'll still find him at the restaurant, chatting with the customers quite frequently.  If you find a hard to understand old guy trying to make conversation with you at Babbo's, give him a chance and you'll discover he's a fantastic person with a rich history.  Even to this day he travels the world and skis in countries I can only dream of skiing in.  Cheers to Lazlo Fono!

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18

46

starrynight c.

San Carlos, CA

3 star rating
4/5/2009

I think this is one of the best options for dinner at the stanford mall.  I've been here three times now and it's been a solid experience every time.  The lamb ragou is great!  I had the mushroom ragou this last time and it was just ok.  It's a super light dish, not the red sauce that the lamb has, but the mushrooms are very tasty.  The service was very good - very warm and friendly wait staff, makes it feel very cozy and happy.  They're not extremely attentive since we never got cheese for our pastas, but that's ok, I got over it because their bread was so yummy.

It's on the side close to sprinkles and sigonia's (the food market in the mall).  They have outdoor seating that looks cozy, but since I usually come out for dinner and I don't dress appropriately, I've never eaten outside.  

More than solid post shopping dinner, yum.  I'll be back again and again.

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28

193

Marsh-Silog P.

Union City, CA

3 star rating
6/22/2009

Came here for a late lunch with the hub, it was pretty good.  He ordered the salmon and I ordered the seafood pasta which was just as good.  The only thing I didn't care for was the tight seating in the back of the restaurant, any closer and I would have been able to hug the lady next to me.

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Elite '09

260

523

Steph C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
1/13/2009

Babbo NYC it is not, but Babbo SSC provides consistently good Italian fare in a cosy setting.  The outdoor patio is wonderful on a nice day and the wait staff is always so friendly I want to hug it.

I've been a handful of times and have tried most of the pastas.  They've all been tasty, but the spinach tortellini in creamy sauce is great.  This is coming from a marinara maniac - I stray from my preferences for that tortellini.  Also worth noting is the smoked salmon appetizer that comes with the standard Lox accompaniments on flat bread.  For dessert try the lemon tart.  Yum num num.

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Photo of Rie S.

 

0

32

Rie S.

Chicago, IL

1 star rating
7/24/2009

Are you kidding me?  Two pizzas and a coke for $40?  

And it's not like it's quality pizza either:  I think I've had crispier ones out of a microwave.

Photo of anna c.

Elite '09

859

712

anna c.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
11/2/2008

Came here for lunch one day. We grab a table outside as we had the pups with us. Hubby got the peperonta pizza, friend's daughter got mussels and clams and I had spaghetti and meatballs. The peppers and onion on the pizza had a wonderful charred flavor. It could have used a few more pieces of sausage though. No complaint on the mussels and clams. It did get messy as the server didn't bring a bowl for the empty shells. The spaghetti was ok. Sauce was good but the meatballs were dry.

Service could have been more attentive. We were never asked if we wanted refills on our drinks. Prices are a little high for what you get. The nice outdoor seating makes up for some of the shortcomings though.

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Elite '09

115

294

Linda L.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
8/17/2008

The place seems very busy, and there are tons of waiters there (sunday).

They even pull out the table to seat you and push back the table, and push in the chair as you are seated. how nice!

The prices are reasonable, around $15 a plate of pasta.

The penne ... bolognese was very delicous! It had a creamy tomato sauce that wasn't overpowering. The penne was cooked to prefection. While the bolognese wasn't too salty (unlike the ones at pasta pomodoro)

The only thing i dont like is how close the seating is to one another, not very private for conversations.

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Photo of H H.

 

11

105

H H.

Union City, CA

4 star rating
11/21/2008

I only hit Stanford mall once in a blue moon, but all my forays here have met with good service,  so not sure which buffoons are working on the days other Yelpers come here.  
My dad loves this place for the lamb dishes, and we had a lovely wine/pizza/pasta/fish dinner with friends here. Seafood pizza was a big hit, as was our fish and pasta dishes.  A little pricey for the relatively small fish and salad, but nothing absurd given that it is Palo Alo.  Did not try the dessert or coffee since they don't strike me as a place that specializes in that sort of thing.

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37

302

richard p.

San Jose, CA

2 star rating
9/2/2008

Fuuuuuuck. My sister and I thought this was going to be Mario Batali's restaurant.

We were thoroughly disappointed.

Considering that I have not eaten here yet, I won't give them 1 star but I won't give them the 3 cause they ripped off the name and are probably profiting off the fame of the croc-wearing chef.

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1

13

Lynne L.

Menlo Park, CA

3 star rating
6/22/2009

Sea bass (a touch under $30) with potatoes gratin for lunch tasted excellent less some odd skin bits in the potato that might have been skin from a head of garlic.  Typical over-salted of any high end restaurant I've eaten in lately but it wasn't overly salty throughout so it was manageable.

Son's steak was rare, but I worked up sweat anyway cutting it for him. Improved knives or steak would be welcome.  Typically, he cuts his own food and has for many years. Even telling my son he was incurring wrath of our ancestors as part-chinese who could not wield a knife properly was  not enough incentive to motivate him to be able to cut it. He didn't complain of taste, which probably means it was excellent as he is very picky. He ate all of it and all the potatoes.

Waiter was okay. With espresso and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, along with drinks, tip, lunch for 2 was a bit under $100.

For a hot noon-time @ Stanford Mall, which, at least of which I'm aware, lacks good food sufficient to surfeit a boy having a growth spurt, with afore-mentioned pre-teen stating he was starving, it was an oasis. Even if an imperfect and expensive oasis, it calmed the storms.  

Tables are close together but aisles are very spacious so it's not that bad. It was a nice $100 break mid-day on a Monday.

Lights are kind of hokey, new wave. Paintings are ?'20s European modern but more light hearted. A lot of flowers in vases.  Waiter nice, but not classically trained.

They forgot bread entirely. Worked for us as there wasn't all that much table space for two. They didn't hurry the service nor the bill and service was not ,as is it typically in most restaurants with $30 minute plate of fish, intrusive and unsettling.

Bathroom door was locked initially. Help who was not serving us told my son to go find his own waiter when he asked for assistance.

No view to speak of whatsoever. Nice big pole in front of my face and no mirrors so I couldn't see towards front of restaurant.

Given other options and low blood sugar boy, give it a 3. Only one customer's cell phone went off during lunch and there were no "let me look important" types in the restaurant imposing upon others with their cell phone usage, etc.  Mostly retired folks.

It'd be nice if they'd provide cheese/fruit service or make it a bit more Italian traditional but again, compared to anything else of which I'm personally aware at Stanford Mall, it hit the spot fine.

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Sarah L.

Menlo Park, CA

5 star rating
12/7/2008

I've been going to this place since I was a little girl (and when Bravo Fono and Cafe Andrea were still in operation).  

The food is always fresh and delicious.  My favorite dishes are the Four Cheese Pizza and the Caesar salad with chicken.  The pizza blends the cheeses together with perfection.  They do not over power each other and the dough is amazing (and light).  

The salad dressing is light and no overly creamy (rare in Caesar dressing).  I like that they serve it in leaves, rather than the traditional tossed salad.   The chicken is not dry and compliments the salad.  Just to forewarn those who do not like anchovies, make sure you ask them to exclude it from the salad.

Each meal is served with plain focaccia bread that is light and not too filing.  

Their desserts are simple, but lovely and the service is always amazing.  One of the former waiters (now the maitre d) has seen me grow from a little girl to an adult.  He is always very sweet and personable, which not lot of restaurants (especially in the mall) can boast.  

In the end, Babbo's is a fabulous place to dine and relax after a day of shopping.

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Elite '09

10

216

Angela H.

San Mateo, CA

4 star rating
5/18/2009

I had the goat cheese salad, which was sooo good. The dressing was a really nice vinaigrette that I only wish I had also had my friend's pizza to use the crust to soak the rest up with. The Gorgonzola pizza, by the way, was also delicious. Cute outdoor place, reasonably priced, but just beyond tasty!

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0

10

Judy K.

Saratoga, CA

2 star rating
10/6/2008

Went here with my lunch buddy-two females who eat out often.
In a nutshell: food was great but overpriced and the service was spotty.
Mr. Waiter could not bring himself to smile or be overly friendly. We were not offered refills on drinks, empty glasses were not removed, we were offered tepid tea and my knife which was removed with my salad was not replaced with my pizza. I replaced it myself by taking one from the empty table next to us.
All in all, won't be back soon. Oh yeah-do not under any circumstances use the bathroom facilities....yaaack!
Also thought that the warning at the bottom of the menu about a $10 per person minimum was tacky.

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Justine R.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
5/16/2009 1 photo

Their shrimp salad is just incredible. It comes with ten big prawns and an assortment of deliciousness. The contents of the salad are all separate but it's perfect because everything has it's own unique flavor. The black beans were seasoned so nicely and the avocado was fresh and tasty. It was a healthy and filling meal and we all left very satisfied!

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Elite '09

58

217

Candice S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
4/5/2008

Loved this place! Super chic and conveniently located at the beautiful pedestrian Standford Mall.  What's not to love, right?  This quaint little cafe has adorable outdoor seating that resembles a true Italian cafe.  

The menu has an asortment of unique apps, focassia sandwishes, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, seafood, and rotisserie. Their wine selection is pretty inviting and you won't realize you're getting buzzed cause it's just that good.  

This is a great place, and I highly recommend it!

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67

Richard C.

Watsonville, CA

2 star rating
3/5/2009

Mussels and clams with pasta--uh, what happened to the mussels and clams?

Babbo's serves mediocre food in a crammed atmosphere at stratospheric prices.  Personally, I'll stick with Max's next door.

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Shaina H.

San Mateo, CA

3 star rating
9/29/2008 3 photos

I was hungry and wanted to get something to eat! passed by Babbo's and decided to grab a seat for a Saturday brunch! I sat outside since it was a nice sunny day! the waiter brought water right away and took my order as soon as i was ready. I was hungry but wanted something light so I ordered the shrimp salad...

the salad came out fast and was a nice portion. lots of shrimp rested on some baby lettuce with tomato, avocado, mushroom, cucumber...etc on the side. focaccia bread was served along with my salad so i was pretty full after finishing the salad!

the food, service, atmosphere was quite nice, this place deserves a 4 star.. but i paid $22 for my meal that's a little on the pricey side... so i would rate 3 star overall. but this place is definitely worth going if money isn't a issue!!

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true c.

Menlo Park, CA

3 star rating
1/22/2009

Babbo's is more like 2.5 stars because it's overpriced and the food is just average.  But the friendly waiters bumps it up a notch.  Babbo's is never busy like Max's next door, so it's okay if you're meeting others at the mall and you need a quiet place to eat at your long-time leisure.  We were not rushed even though we were at Babbo's for 2 hours catching up among friends.  If you want better tasting food at better prices, go next door to Max's Cafe.  If you need a quiet, unrushed place to eat and you absolutely cannot drive to downtown Palo Alto and you must eat at the mall, then I suppose Babbo's is okay.

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Julia A.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
11/17/2008

Three and a half stars, but I rounded up.  I'd give Babbo's five stars if their mushroom ragout was consistent: it's my very favorite dish here and it really depends on who's cooking it, as sometimes it's perfection (it's Mushroom Heaven, actually, when it's done right), but other times it's overcooked and overly salty.  I found the waitstaff to be friendly but the service itself can be iffy (sometimes you have to wait awhile for drinks or the check), and the tables are really close together so you're unintentionally eavesdropping on other diner's conversations, and they're doing the same with you.

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Elite '09

15

223

Maggie K.

Burlingame, CA

4 star rating
2/3/2008

The food is consistently very good here.  Why not 5 stars...occasionally, the waitstaff gets your order wrong.

I have been coming to this place since my daughter was in middle school and still a carnivore.  She's since become vegan.  She still loves this place, as do I.  

Wonderful soft polenta appetizer.  Awesome comfort food.  We also had the butter lettuce salad, nothing outstanding.  Just very fresh butter lettuce with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  We both finished all of the salad.   Very refreshing.

I've tried almost all of their main dishes, the latest being the filet of sole.  Great dish, outstanding sauce, crisp asparagus side, and a simple potato.  The potato sopped up the sauce beautifully.

I've not tried the pizza because I figure if you want pizza, don't go to a fancy restaurant for that.  The pizza will be an afterthought.

My daughter had the mushroom stew.  It's her favorite amongst the vegetarian choices.  That vegetarian food choices are offered in such a place are worth a couple of stars in itself.

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Elite '09

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Alexa F.

South San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
12/29/2008

Pizza was pungent & smelled like feet. The lemonade tasted like lime juice and sparkling water. My attempt to make it better by adding packets of Splenda failed.  Uhhh did I miss something or did my waiter eat half my mussels and clams? $19...ripoff

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2

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Sharon S.

Pacifica, CA

2 star rating
2/24/2009

Considering the prices they charge, the food is substandard and the wait staff is somewhat snobbish.  Their hamburger on foccacia is average, caesar salad is bland for $10.95 and chicken al limone was too saucy for my taste.  Unfortunately I have yet to find a place that is more than average to eat at in Stanford Shopping Center.

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Betsy C.

Mountain View, CA

3 star rating
5/8/2008

My friend and I just went there recently for a "girl's lunch."  The setting is perfect since it's right in Stanford Mall and it provides an slightly fancier alternative to the other places.  

The service was pretty decent though nothing special.  We ordered smoked salmon appetizer that came with a pizza bread, but then our waiter accidentally spilled everything on the empty table next to us.  Luckily, the salmon was ok, but the pizza bread and dill sauce was all over the empty table.  He replaced the sauce, but then picked up the pizza bread and said, "it should be alright" and served it right to us.  Yikes!  Granted, it was an empty and presumably clean table, but still.

As for food, we did enjoy the smoked salmon appetizer, and the pear  and walnut salad.   Contrary to other diners, our pear was quite ripe and the walnuts delicious.  We topped it off with some paella valenciaga, which was pretty yummy too.  When we asked for the dessert menu, our waiter said to us, "you two are big eaters.  I like it!"   Hey, did you have to be so honest?

Anyway, all in all, I thought the price was slightly expensive for the type of food served.  But given the location and convenience to a fancy shmancy mall, I'm not surprised.   Given a choice, I probably will go to the Neiman Marcus cafe (3rd floor of Neiman Marcus) rather than go back to Babbo's.

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Benjamin M.

Palo Alto, CA

5 star rating
1/1/2007

One of the best pizza's I've had, and not for an outragious price. I remember having some other food here too, and was very pleased. A wood fired oven provides a unique taste that you just can't beat, and the ingredients are all fresh and delightful.

The location is a little cramped, but there's seating outdoors so you can view all the activity going on in the mall. If you don't like people watching, this place is deeply set into the building, so you can hide out in the back as well.

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Jennifer P.

Los Gatos, CA

2 star rating
1/23/2007

The food was pretty standard fare, but it was overpriced. If you are going to spend $13 on a cup of soup, it better be one of the best soups ever! It sadly wasn't.

Business must be good due to all the shoppers who get sucked into Babbo's just from passing by and looking at the quaint checkered tablecloths!

Save your money and go to the California Pizza Kitchen ASAP instead.

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Katie F.

Atherton, CA

5 star rating
9/28/2007

Best pizza, salads, pasta, soup, ambiance ever!  The owner came to our table and introduced himself.  You could see he took great pride in what he was doing, and that truly makes a magnificent restaurant.

Go for the goat cheese salad.  It made me think I was back in St. Tropez.

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buttercup r.

Palo Alto, CA

1 star rating
3/29/2008

I wasn't going to review this because I haven't been back in a while due to my decision to boycott it, but it seems things haven't changed much and my review would still be relevant.

I remember it as if it were yesterday. We were a group of 6, the only customers in the restaurant. You'd think with 3 waiters we'd get good service. Not so. Each stage of the meal took FOREVER, from the water to the bringing of the food (lukewarm) to the dessert (MELTED ICE CREAM) to the check. How I regret being young and timid. If this happened now, you can bet they would've known my dissatisfaction and gotten no tip. But I secretly got my revenge by not going there and telling everyone to do the same.

Oh yeah, and it's overpriced.

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3

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T P.

Los Gatos, CA

4 star rating
4/23/2008

This is one of my favorite restaurant.  I went over there again for lunch on Tuesday.  Tutto marie pasta was very good so the truffle cake (I guess I was very hungry and finished everything!!).  Not sure why the coffee served "warm" instead of "hot".  So I am giving 4 stars instead of 5..

I will for sure go back again as this is one of best if you want to have a lunch break while shopping in Stanford Shopping Center.  Outdoor seating is relaxing, but please be noted that they won't allow you to place your furry kids directly on top of the chair...  so bring a pet stroller if you have one.  ; )

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Linda B.

Saratoga, CA

4 star rating
6/19/2009

Our lunch was exquisite.  The melon in the melon-prosciutto dish  just melted in our mouths... ripe yet firm.   The baked goat cheese salad was truly delicious, -- actually worth making a special  trip for.  The pricing is appropriate for the general tenor of the center.  People at our neighboring table were praising their pizza.  The water is delicious unlike most Palo Alto water. We look forward to returning.

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