Loading...
- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Cafe Lombardi's
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Cafe Lombardi's
Review Highlights
27 reviews in English
-
Review from Mike C.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 12/16/2011
This is our go to local Italian restaurant and it has never disappointed. Having a craving for their Chicken Sorrento.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/30/2009
Consistently very good. Great neighborhood Italian food. The waitstaff are friendly and attentive.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sara P.
Horsham, PA
3/4/2012
This place is very small, but it has excellent food. I know people who have also held small events here and they do a very nice job.
-
Review from Tom S.
7/14/2011
I have simple expectations for Italian restaurants. They should be small, they should have great Italian music playing and they should serve outrageously delicious food. Obviously one of those is more important than the others.
Small - check. There was room for fewer than 100 people inside, and our party of four sat at a good table with space between us and the next group. They were filling up near the end of our meal, and really had to pack people in there. This should be the case at every good Italian place.
Music - no luck. The only complaint I had was that no music was playing. Instead, a TV was playing sports highlights of some sort with no volume. This is where Lombardi's falls from a 5-star to a 4.
Outrageously delicious food - good God, check. We started with the most tremendous mussels I've ever seen, lovingly drenched in rich marinara sauce with our bread to scoop up the extra. My entree was sensational too, a penne dish with a creamy pink sauce and oodles of juicy crab meat. I stole a taste of my lady friend's chicken parm as well, and I could have cried, it was so good. And of course, BYOB means this was not an expensive dinner.
I want this place all to myself (with some Verdi on the speakers, please). -
Review from Matthew S.
North Wales, PA
1/6/2012
This place offers great Italian comfort food. They serve big portions and their sauce is excellent. I really liked the rigatoni w/ crab meat. Also, their Spaghetti and Lasagna are very good. I didn't care for their eggplant parm as it had way too much breading. Last time I went, the pasta had a bit of a stench to it . Makes me a bit worried that their kitchen may not be the cleanest.
The place is small and gets very crowded during peak hours. Don't go here if you mind being seated next to complete strangers. -
Review from Suni A.
Willow Grove, PA
4/8/2012
This place has picnic table seating and is very noisy and the parking is VERY tight. The food is worth the hassle you need to go through.
-
Review from Elena C.
12/28/2010
I'm so excited to have a fantastic Italian place less than a mile from our new home! We had:
- Insalata Lombardi
- Fried Mozzarella
- Chicken and Jumbo Shrimp Alexandra
- A special of the night: shrimp and hot Italian sausage in a fra diavolo sauce over penne
Everything was delicious. The mozzarella sticks were pretty routine but the sauce that it came with? Wow! Really rich and flavorful and no doubt fresh and made on site. The salad came with a great vinaigrette dressing that was light and tangy.
The chicken and shrimp Alexandra (named for the owner's daughter or granddaughter I think) was perfect. The shrimp weren't stringy, they were huge and tender. There were two giant pieces of chicken and plenty of pasta. The sauce had a light blush to it. I'm not really a fan of tomato sauces but I could order this one again and again. Insanely good.
T got the special. It included Italian sausage and some penne and was delish. Spicy!
This place is homey and the service was great. We made a reservation at 5 which was unnecessary. We walked right in and got a table (this was Dec. 23 so maybe everyone else was holiday shopping?) but I could see how it could fill up quick on a Saturday night. Teeny but so cute. A perfect place to come out of the cold for a meal. Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Kenny D.
North Hollywood, CA
9/17/2011
Have passed by this small, but cozy place a number of times. Decided to go in with my girlfriend and what a pleasant surprise! Seems like a secret hideaway because we got a table in less than 5 minutes.
I got the three cheese ravioli, insalata lombardi and peach sorbet. The raviolis were perfectly done and the sauce they were in was delicious. The salad had an awesome balsamic on it that was perfectly complemented with a few lines of olive oil that was sitting on the table.
The sorbets they have are in peach, mango, lemon and coconut. Best part is that they serve each one in a frozen, hollowed out fruit of whatever kind you get! Got the peach and on top of the superb presentation, it was perfectly balanced with the sugary and peachy tastes.
It's not that expensive and the waiter was a no nonsense, just "get things done" kind of guy with a good sense of humor. It kind of felt like sitting in the over-sized dining room of an Italian grandmother. You can also bring your own bottle of wine in with you. Didn't do that this time, but will make a note of it for next time.
Bottom line: Go here for great Italian food with no fuss and no muss. -
Review from Scott A.
Blue Bell, PA
12/22/2011
This quaint Italian restaurant delivers big time. The food is fantastic. The service is quick and attentive. Today, I had the Chicken Parmigiana with spaghetti and it was perfectly cooked in tomato sauce. In my previous visits, I enjoyed the Gnocci Mamma Lombardi in a rosa sauce and Lasagna alla Lombardi. I highly recommend Cafe Lombardi.
-
Review from Rajarshi D.
Atlanta, GA
11/22/2011
Am not the biggest fan of Italian cuisine unless it's authentic, and I liked the food here at Lomardi's. I tried their 'Chicken Maddalena', and it was tasty and filling without eating a lot of carbs or cheese (the reasons I avoid Italian for, sometimes). The ambience was warm, service was good, and I was surprised to see how less I had to pay for this kind of food. Recommended if you are in the area.
-
Review from Jessica P.
Huntingdon Valley, PA
4/22/2011
Hands down my favorite Italian restaurant in the area. My husband and I go here all the time as we both work and live nearby. We've dined on Valentine's day a couple of times, once with reservations and once without. Both times they were very accomodating. We have a large group that goes for an annual Christmas Eve lunch and again they always accomodate the group.
The food is fantastic, obviously. Why else would we keep going back? I get the same thing every time, the Casconcello al Pesto (ricotta and pesto stuffed ravioli in a rosa sauce). It's amazing. My husband almost always gets one of their specials and they are always willing to tweak it to his specific requests. We love this place and will continue to go here as long as they are around! -
Review from Nate M.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2008
Wow a great place in an out of the way spot. I'm staying in a hotel in the burbs due to my work locating me out here. Been making the most of it by trying some locale fare.
I was hungry for Italian so I checked out this place. It was crowded and I was lucky not to have to wait for a table. In true Italian style the tables were almost on top of each, so if you prefer a truly intimate place go elsewhere.
It was BYOB however if you forget, ask for a glass of the complimentary wine. I had an appetizer of fried mozzarella. Normally I stay away from this but this seemed like the place where they bread their own. And it was.
I ordered the ravioli filled with pesto and ricotta cheese in a rosa sauce. Wow. The ravioli was good and almost enough to justify the price. The rosa sauce was excellent. It was really tasty and I was glad I saved the bread that was set down before the food arrived to soak up the extra sauce on the plate.
The price was pretty good too. Service was great. If you are way out here and looking for great place to eat, check it out. -
Review from Vlad K.
Cherry Hill, NJ
9/11/2009
Went there for lunch a couple of times with co-workers...
The place tries to be a down-to-earth-homely--yet-upscale-authentic-italia n... well, it does not really work... the place it too crowded, not because there so many people, but people they lack space and the tables are too close to each other... the food is okay, but not for the price they charge you and during lunch rush hour, good luck getting good service... -
Review from Damian O.
Warrington, PA
7/18/2011
Good food and great service. I took my wife here and had a really good lunch. We don't get out much to eat since we had kids but when we do we take no prisoners. The highlight was the calamari (unbreaded). I wish I could order it like that at other places. It's less oily, starchy and they gave us so much. Pasta came out ala dente style and tasting good. I would definitely go back.
-
Review from jess I.
Plymouth Meeting, PA
1/11/2010
I have to admit that I was skeptical of this place. But boy was I pleasantly surprised....
I went here for lunch and it was fabulous. The food is absolutely to die for. These people know how to cook. I had a pasta primavera-esque dish (spaghetti in tomato sauce with vegetables) and it was delicious. My lunch buddy ordered the eggplant parm, which was also fabulous. They serve warm rolls with quality olive oil for dipping. Even the salad was delicious - with quality leafy greens (no iceberg here!).
The service was prompt and attentive. Our food came out quickly, despite the fact that the place was very crowded with a large party of 20+.
I recommend this place hands-down. -
Review from Mandy H.
9/27/2010
I went to Cafe Lombardi's with my boyfriend for a date night before we saw a movie close-by. I love BYOBs, so when I saw there was an Italian BYOB near my boyfriend's house, I had to try it.
When we walked up to the door, we saw that there were silhouettes of people painted on the outside wall of the restaurant which I thought was a little weird. The inside of the restaurant wasn't much fancier. There were red and white checkered table cloths on each table and the waiters and waitresses wore all black outfits with black baseball hats that said Cafe Lombardi's.
We have the mussels in red sauce for an appetizer. I liked them, but my boyfriend said he didn't. He's a big fan of clams so I think he would have rather had clams in red than mussels, but that wasn't offered on the menu. Then I had the Chicken and Shrimp Alexandra as I am a sucker for seafood and pasta (especially in a rose sauce) and he had the chicken with crab meat over pasta special of the day. When the dinners came out, they didn't look like there was any chicken in them, but as you dug around a little through your pasta, you found 2 chicken cutlets hidden underneath. I thought it was kind of a strange presentation, but it tasted good enough.
In the end, Cafe Lombardi's isn't my favorite Italian BYOB, (most likely because I've been so spoiled with Philly's fabulous BYOB scene) but I can't say I wouldn't consider coming back, as the price is reasonable and the menu is substantial. -
Review from David S.
Glenside, PA
5/9/2009
This place is awesome! The service is great and the food is top notch. I have been there twice and both times got the Chicken and Shrimp Alexandra (both times were excellent). My wife had the Rigatoni Arcobaleno, and it was very good as well.
I started the meal with the crab bisque, and it was really good. My wife started with the Insalata Lombardi, which was a good house salad.
I also had the Calamari all Veneziana, which is good if you like calamari that isn't fried.
Also, it is BYOB, which is good to know so that you can bring a bottle of wine to go with the food.
The place looks like a hole in the wall, but if you are in the Horsham area, then you need to stop in. Seating is somewhat limited, so if you have a large group, then call in advance for a reservation. -
Review from Pat D.
Oreland, PA
9/3/2008
Great little place. It's the kind of place that can become "your place" -- that out of the way place that you fall back on. There seem to be a lot of regulars. It's very casual, very noisey, crowded, and very friendly. Good selection of Italian dishes, decent specials, good service. We've been there with a crowd -- try 6 visiting Mexicans -- as well as just the 2 of us. It is almost aways my DH's place of choice when we want to do out for dinner on the spur of the moment.
Parking can be a challenge. Hearing your dinner partner's convesation can be a challenge. Getting a good meal is NOT a challenge. -
Review from Jerry K.
Bucks, PA
12/29/2011
This is unrefined dining at best. The waitress taking the used fork off of a finished plate and telling you to keep it - tacky, tacky, tacky, unless the dishwasher is broken or simply off this day. South Philly bar food aspirations, but not quite. The sauce for the shrimp arrabbiata was very good, but the jumbo shrimp were somewhat soft texture. This could be from freezing, thawing, and re-freezing. Overall, it has "0" ambiance and if you just get pasta it is perhaps worth going to fill the stomach. The cold bread was actually decent and the olive oil is excellent. The service, well the service is throwing a plate in front of you. No water being offered here, as they probably would not have any ice. The 2oz. wine glasses are quite special, but may be better suited for candles. I hate to sound like a snob here, but looking at the other reviews, I want to put it in perspective. $50 for 3 people is great for filling the stomach, if that is the ultimate goal.
-
Review from Rachel E.
Philadelphia, PA
3/14/2011
The food is good, the waitstaff is OK at best, and the location is terrible. But it is a BYO in the 'burbs which is sometimes hard to find.
I love the eggplant parm and lasagna. My boyfriend hated his chicken marsala. And the desserts were pretty fantabulous. Our waitress would also talk to us from halfway across the restaurant and not acknowledge that she heard us when we responded. I know its a small place, but come on.
I also thought the menu was a little seafood-heavy, and it could use to be expanded.
Overall, I would go here again if I wanted to go to a cheap italian BYO not in the city. Usually I would rather go to Carabba's or Cafe La Fontana for food or atmosphere or service. So I'm giving it 4 stars for the food, minus one for the lacking menu and atmosphere and skilled waitstaff and awful parking lot. -
Review from rachel d.
Louisville, KY
9/16/2011
My father and I were in Willow Grove for a seminar and needed a place to eat for dinner. I checked on Yelp and the reviews sounded good so we tried it out. We both got the special which was scallops, shrimps and mussels over a spicy marinara with penne pasta. It was delicious! We both finished our meals and were sufficiently stuff. And the best part of the evening was the bill, only $18 per special with all that seafood! We will definitely be back when we return and highly recommend them!
-
Review from Jim M.
Wildwood, NJ
9/25/2011
Since moving to Montgomery County, I have been to this restaurant more that any other in the area. I have been to South Philly numerous times to such places as Villa de Roma, Dante and Luigi's and Ralph's. Lombardi's has it all over these places. I am not downgrading the above mentioned restaurants because they are all very good, however if you want a great italian meal you must try this place. Service is above average, prices are great, and it is a BYOB. The one negative is the tables are too close. TRY IT!!!
-
Review from Stella H.
Hatboro, PA
12/30/2008
Excellent homemade goodness - much better than I can make myself. Love all of the veal dishes - they have the best veal in the area. Good choice for catering as well. Excellent value and my guests raved bout the food. Catering can be done on/off premises.
-
Review from Ron M.
Baltimore, MD
8/23/2009
This is a pretty decent little place if you are not expecting too much. They could do with a few less table, they've got them crammed in to the hilt. Probably an ok place to take a first or second date or the family. This is not for special occasions like an anniversary or romantic night on the town though. The decor is way lacking, they have no liquor license so you have to BYOB. I don't know about the rest of you but I always feel a little strange carrying in a bottle. The food is moderately priced and is delivered to the table by one of the un-uniformed wait staff. There is not a stand out here, everything is mediocre at best and just ok. I don't think you will have a bad meal here though, the kitchen seems to have their act together, just don't expect too much
-
Review from Pete S.
Abington, PA
2/28/2010
A family favorite for quite some time, Cafe Lombardi offers a great selection of Italian classics. The crab meat with the rigatoni in the vodka sauce is what dreams are made of. The atmosphere is cozy and at times can become too close for comfort. Bring your own bottle of wine or beer and enjoy some great food.
-
Review from Timothy K.
Warrington, PA
3/28/2011
my gf and i always seem to be looking for italian restaurants everywhere we go and we have a couple of places that we like. i got the chicken parm and i forget what my gf had, but the place has a great atmosphere, great food and the staff is very nice. we had a great time and the BYOB was a nice touch. we definitely recommend it!
-
Review from Scott C.
Lansdale, PA
8/3/2009
The best pure Italian restaurant I've every eaten!!!! It's like eating with an Italian family! The balsamic vinaigrette is out of this world! I've settled in on the Chicken Marsala for now. Oh, you have to try the calamari.
-
Review from Rachel B.
Ambler, PA
1/11/2010
My first visit was 11 years ago. I remember it being a pretty decent meal. Despite the fact that it is in the general vicinity of where I've lived and 2 minutes from my office, I hadn't been back until last week. I had the ravioli combination (3 different varieties) in pink sauce. It was delicious. Each ravioli filling was distinct and flavorful, as was the sauce. Portion was very generous. Service was attentive and prompt. I look forward to returning and maybe even ordering take-out for lunch.
