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Divina Cucina
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
3730 Verdugo RdMontrose, CA 91020
Neighborhood: Glendale
(818) 248-3077
- 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
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
122 reviews for Divina Cucina
Review Highlights
"...delicious fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar."
(in 4 reviews)
"Their Bruschetta is amazing."
(in 26 reviews)
"The homemade pasta here is outstanding."
(in 30 reviews)
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122 reviews in English
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Review from Chris K.
North Hollywood, CA
12/7/2011
Ate lunch here a couple of years back. This place has a great ambiance and
is very nicely done. The table services is great. The waiter we very attentive.
Their pasta is delicious and this place can also be a great date spot. -
Review from Marvin L.
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
12/25/2011
I haven't been here in a few years, and I remember it being a decent restaurant.
Sad to say, I was disappointed on my revisit. I was w/ my brother and 2 cousins from out of town during the holidays, so this wasn't just another Friday dinner. Good food would have been a great compliment to our conversation.
Oso Bucco-I expect for it to be falling off the bone. Meat was way too dry and the saffron risotto was too "mushy"
Chicken Dish-They tried to get creative and stuff the chicken, but the feta cheese was too much and it did not go well together. The pasta that came w/ it was not "al dente", noodles over cooked and sauce was just regular.
Overall, food was overcooked all around. Best part of the meal was my glass of
Sangiovese and the house bread. The bread was pretty good.
Even though I didn't pay, I felt for my cousin who picked up the $120+ tab on very mediocre food. I have NO problem spending a little extra on outstanding food, but would much rather get some In-N-Out and eat in my car, over being in a nice environment just to eat overpriced food that is no good. I was trying to figure out if the quality fell on their part, or my standards have since been refined? I think it's the former. Plus I had some really good Italian food at Spago's just a couple weeks before which I found to be delicious and food prices were similar. -
Review from Jan C.
Glendale, CA
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe I didn't try this place sooner! This restaurant is definitely way too small compared outside. It only seats 50 people inside and 40 outside, so I suggest to reserve or arrive early because it does get crowded. But the ambiance is comforting and homey. The staff are also very welcoming and friendly.
Now the food! Free bruschetta and fresh bread for appetizer. It also came along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a dip. Both were so good, I can just eat that the whole time. We ordered the calamari fritts, it was okay, breaded perfectly, kind of bland and the portion was a little small, but maybe because we were a party of 5.
Overall, the all the food we ordered were cooked perfectly! Any pasta is a must because its freshly made! The veal and breaded chicken was delicious as well, although the risotto that came with the veal was too rich, so a bit overwhelming.
Additional parking off of montrose, its in a little alley in the back of the restaurant. -
Review from Sonia J.
Los Angeles, CA
11/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Love it... the only miss I've had is the veal saltimbocca... it kinda sucked, but I love everything else I've had so I'm willing to give them a pass on one bad dish. We've eaten there twice and will go back soon... The bread is freshly baked and the apps are great. We've had the chopped salad and the antipasto plus the cream of asparagus soup. All were very good. The BF had the special, a massive filet with brandy sauce with sweet potato au gratin and veggies. It was cooked perfectly and I cannot emphasize enough that it was massive. I had the chicken piccata and it was very good. I would forever order the chicken over the veal but the filet over the chicken. I just wish they would put a rack of lamb on their menu... I"d be sold.
Try this place out.. the service is really good and the people are really nice. I probably shouldn't have been ordering the veal.. LOL -
Review from stefanie l.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
11/2/2011
They bring you delicious bruschetta starter (complimentary) - good start to any meal!
Ordered the portabello mushroom/mozzarella cheese appetizer - deelish.
Dinner - had spaghetti bolognese and the pasta alfredo with chicken & mushrooms. Both were yummy.
Not a fast restaurant. Pretty busy. Waitress was attentive and genuine. Would definitely go back. Jus a little bit pricey for the type of meal. Other places in the area are 1/2 - 2/3 the price. Oh and the air conditioner is like on high when it's 60 degrees outside - not kool. -
Review from Hannah H.
Los Angeles, CA
10/10/2011
Went here recently with my parents and we all loved it!
The atmosphere is fun and the staff was friendly. We ate on the patio which was a bit loud, though we got used to it.
We ordered an appetizer of mixed grilled vegetables, meats and cheeses. It was all delicious, especially the fresh mozzarella!
I ordered the chicken stuffed with goat cheese and spinach in a red pepper sauce and it was DELICIOUS! My husband ordered the parmesan chicken and ate every bite. We didn't get dessert (SO full) but we definitely will next time!
The food was delicious. Loved every bite! -
Review from Tim P.
Glendale, CA
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great place. They give you a small delicious plate of tomato bruschetta and basket of bread when you sit down to curb your hunger. We ended up splitting the Rigatoni with Sausage (split charge is $2.50) and loved it. A great italian pasta is defined by the sauce and this place has it down.
We were seated outside in a covered patio that had a great ambience.
-Nice wine selection. Also, my wife loved her pear martini. -
Review from Elizabeth C.
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
12/24/2011
TOOK EXTRA MONEY from DEBIT CARD w/o consent. It was my boyfriend's b day. We finished working around 9:20pm so there weren't many choice around our house. He liked divina cucina so I called them asking for their operation hours. The lady who answered my call told me that the kitchen closes at 9:30 so we need to hurry. We got there around 9:33. As we ordered, the lady kept saying "hurry you are last customers, no one is here". THEY SHOULD HAVE SIMPLY TOLD US THAT THEY ARE CLOSING EARLY WHEN I CALLED. It was already annoying but we felt bad because we were the last customers. I explained to our waitress that it was my bf b day and we got off late from work and that we really appreciate their work. The lady (seemed like she was the owner) and the waitress stopped saying us to hurry after my comments. We ate and after they brought us free MELTING ice cream wishing happy b day (we thought it was really nice of them). However, still annoyed from their "welcoming" We only tip 15%. Next day, when my bf was checking his bank account, he found that divina cucina took extra money making it 20% tip.
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Review from Guy D.
Glendale, CA
7/21/2011
Terrible service. Bland food. My yelp rating system is inflated. If a place is decent, I give them a 4. This gets a 1. It took us 45 minutes to put in an order. Eventually, we went inside to get a server to come out.
They said their computers were down... So I would have given them some space/understanding about that, but after the waitress apologized an hour in... And we asked to order some wine... it took another 25 minutes to have the drinks come out! At least drop our drinks and try to make us happy, no?
When the wine finally came out, I recognized it as a 4 dollar bottle I had bought before at Trader Joes. It was being sold for 26 dollars! I know restaurants make money in alcohol mark-up, but come on. Over a 100 dollar bill for over an hour wait.
The food was bland compared to other local Italian spots like Cafe El Sol or Far Niente in Glendale (both being far superior and more affordable).
Would disrecommend Divina to anyone. -
Review from Rick S.
Glendale, CA
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic meal. I had Tricolori Ravioli and it was spectacular. The homemade pasta here is outstanding. My friend's raved about their food too.
Good service and a friendly atmosphere. -
Review from Jeannie Y.
Glendale, CA
Updated - 11/30/2011
this place still makes my heart skip a beat :)
just wanted to keep giving it the shout out it deserves!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2010
Love the cozy chill atmosphere of this place. I make reservations most the time for dinner. Do not… Read more »
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Review from Alexandra S.
Los Angeles, CA
7/4/2011
We've been to Divina Cucina for lunch several times and have always enjoyed their bread, bruschetta, and creamy mushroom bisque. Their pasta with vodka cream sauce is also a standout dish. Coated in a rich, delightfully pink sauce, the pasta is perfectly cooked and delicious with freshly grated parmesan.
I would probably give this restaurant 4 stars if it weren't for the service. Sometimes the service is delightful and efficient, while other times it has been slow and cranky.
Overall, a solid Italian restaurant with stellar vodka cream pasta! -
Review from Cindy T.
6/30/2011
We were greeted by a friendly waitress as soon as we walked in. We said we were waiting for friends, but the hostess welcomed us to wait at a table anyway.
The complimentary bread is soft and warm. The complimentary bruschetta tasted like diced tomatoes on bland crackers.
We ordered gnocchi with the four cheese sauce and a risotto with chicken. When my risotto arrived, the waitress said she made sure that nothing in my dish touched shrimp.
The grains in my risotto were near-crunchy and the chicken was dry. The gnocchi was a bit too chewy.
Although the service was pleasant, our dinners did not compel me to make a second visit. -
Review from al p.
Glendale, CA
Updated - 10/2/2011
Great place to have quality food with reasonable price. I have been there 3 times and loved my dish every time. Customer service is good as well.
This place is small and could get load and noisy but food is really reaaly good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2011
i had a good experence. i had food here twice. i rate this place
quality of food = 8 out of 10
… Read more »
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Review from Leanne D.
Chino Hills, CA
Yes I'm still in love with this place!
Anytime we're in the neighborhood, my boyfriend & i can't help but want to eat here. Actually, if we notice it's been too long since we've been here & we're craving, we'll actually drive all the way here just to have a taste.
Parking lot is a little small, but always able to find a spot open. The place is nice&cozy. They recently changed their lanterns to flowery ones for easter - how cute! Anyways, we're always sat right away and served with complimentary bread. They give you bruschetta, a focaccia loaf, and jalapeno-sort of breadsticks. There's olive oil & balsamic vinegar on the table in this awesome grape glass container!
Now on to the FOOD! I never stray from my favorite ravioli di zucca (butternut squash ravioli) in a heavenly cream sauce & my boyfriend usually gets the ravioli di aragosta (lobster ravioli) in a sweet pepper sauce. Both are AMAZING! From the filling to the sauce. It's just that good! MUST TRY!
Service is usually good. They have waiters taking orders/checking on you & there is also busboys who give bread/drink refills & check on you as well.
Still my favorite restaurant? Yeah, I think so! =)Listed in: 5 Star Status!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/16/2010
OMG this place has the most amazing squash ravioli with a delicious cream sauce. It's kinda far from… Read more »
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Review from Nichole F.
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
7/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Best gnocchi I've ever had! The four cheese sauce option was perfect. It's hand made. The dish is quite rich with the creamy four cheese sauce. I saved some for the next day but someone ate it before I even got out of bed.
The cannelloni with mushrooms is a wonderful dish as well. It had more of a hearty savory taste. It is amazing how meaty mushrooms can sometimes taste.
The service was great. We arrived at the end of the night, so that could have helped. The owner was there as well, often checking in on our experience.
Parking was a little disorganized, but not a problem. I could see it being a problem on a busy Friday or Saturday night.
I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back. -
Review from Jason C.
La Canada Flintridge, CA
3/8/2011
Divina Cucina is an Italian restaurant that is situated in the Montrose area around La Canada/La Crescenta. My dear parents and I arrived at 7:20p (after making a call at 7 to put our name onto a waiting list) and were seated quickly. This was all well and good until we got to actually ordering the food. Our waitress took our orders (Linguine al Nando, Linguine Vongole, and Pollo della Casa).
To turn an interminable story short - we waited for an hour for our food. Other customers that came before us left before we even received our food. Our waitress's updates were sparse and when I voiced some displeasure regarding her statement that our food would be at our table shortly and was not - 15 minutes had passed - she replied indignantly that it was on the way. Tremendously rude and off putting and really put the restaurant in a bad light. We finally got our food at 8:40p and it was ok. My chicken was adequate, but my sauce would develop a film over it if not used. The al Nando was bland and sans flavor; A forgettable dish that I would expect from the Olive Garden. Sadly, we once upon a time had an office by this restaurant and would go for lunch. My mother said we shouldn't ever come back again. -
Review from Naoko S.
Los Angeles, CA
6/29/2011
A nice place to grab Italian when you're in the mood.
Ambiance: Cozy. The tile floor and proximity of the kitchen makes the place a little noisy too. Sitting outside is probably more intimate. Lots of wine bottles on the wall.
Parking: A small lot but plenty of additional parking in the back.
Food: They serve complimentary bruschetta and bread with oil/vinegar. I had the ravioli di zucca (butternut squash in an alfredo sauce). The pasta is purple with black stripes, not sure why. This almost killed my appetite. It was tasty though. And the sauce is super light. A little bland for me.
Service: The hostess was a very nice lady, paid close attention to our table. Our server was good, but not great.
Overall, I was a little surprised by the pasta but I would definitely come back and try their other pastas. -
Review from Tanya S.
Glendale, CA
3/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I love Divina Cucina very much...
I'm not sure why I don't dine here more often considering I live 2 blocks away, but when I do stop by I'm never disapointed.
The restaurant is very charming and has a great selection of italian food & desserts to choose from.
The only thing I will say is that our server whose name starts with a C (very appropriate) was just such a drag. She really ALMOST ruined our experience because she so curt and unpleasant. I was directly facing the kitchen and I could see/hear her yelling at the cooks in the back in a really condescending way the whole time. She was such a bonafied bitch that I wanted to slap her in the face with my pizza. Lucky for her my pizza was too delicous to waste.
Whatever our waitress lacked in EVERYTHING, the rest of the staff made up for with their friendliness. There's a very warm cozy feeling when you go there and I highly recommend sitting outside. -
Review from Roy N.
Glendale, CA
4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious food, great service.
Amazing cannellonis! -
Review from Carol H.
Burbank, CA
1/9/2011
Yes, they only take reservations for parties 4 and greater. Went on a Saturday at 7:15 - only a 10 minute wait...got lucky I guess it as busy.
Overall, I like this place - its not a foodie gourmet place, but a good value, great food, wine and service. I'll be back
The good:
+ $10 corkage - this is cheap since they have a pretty good house wine list
+ The house wine list - lots of reasonable, good Italian choices
+ Large portion sizes - good for hungry guys
+ free bruschetta appetizer - YUM
+ good homemade bread, olive oil and balsamic
+ good tastey home style food - not excellent/gourmet - but very good
+ service (at least the 2 times I was there) very good, always had water, plates cleared, etc
+ reasonable prices - pastas in the $14-18 range
The minuses:
- no reservations for parties of 2 or 3
- patio seating was chilly - still ok
- congested parking
- outdated decor -
Review from Charlene C.
Monrovia, CA
12/27/2010 2 photos
Not to sound too sappy, but Divina Cucina will always have a special place in my heart.
I've been dining here since 2004 when I worked in Pasadena. My old coworkers introduced me to this place... and is where we celebrated many birthdays & had luncheons.
WHAT TO WEAR? You'll always be safe with business-casual with my personal experience.
Been here with many coworkers, dates with my husband, double dates.. you name it. We even took some friends here as payment for pet-sitting our dog!
SERVICE: The food sometimes takes a while, but worth the wait in my book. Never had a negative experience here so far.
FOOD: Bruschetta Con Pomodori, various Linguine dishes, Pollo alla Parmigiana (very nice portion!) Butternut squash soup are all very good.
I really enjoy this restaurant and the owner comes around to greet everyone as well. If you still have room in your stomach after all that... try some of their desserts :) -
Review from R M O.
Pasadena, CA
3/31/2011
One of the best restaurants in town. The people who work there greet you with lovely smiles and a big hello. I have been going for years and the servers fight over who waits on my family. They are great. I love their soup and all specials. The ravioli is to die for and so are many of the pasta's. We would go there with my husbands family and mother-in-law. She loved going. They treated her so kindly. She loved the food, being an Italian. After she passed we all went back to celebrate her life.
Great place for all -
Review from Virgil S.
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
Updated - 11/5/2010
I had to amend this review and lower the rating to 2 stars from 4. First off, I have to mention that Divina doesn't take reservations for parties of less than 4. The last time we went (party of 3) we waited about 45 minutes which is a bit long but it was pretty busy. The manager kept telling me that "you're next." Then they proceeded to seat parties of 2, 4 and 5 that showed up way after we did.
Either they should except reservations for all numbers of guests or none at all.
I may be alone in this thinking but I feel that the owner should not treat long-time, regular customers like this. We left and haven't returned.
Arrivederci, Divina.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/7/2009
We've been going to Divina for about 7 years, The menu offers a pretty wide selection, The Ravioli… Read more »
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Review from Rob P.
7/7/2011
Went here for dinner on a Wednesday night with a group of friends. All of us first timers. There were definite highlights and lowlights.
FOOD
Right off the bat, if this review was food only it would be 4 if not 5 stars... but more on that later. We were seated promptly and within minutes were give our complimentary Bruschetta which was very tasty. The bread was crisp on the outside yet soft in the middle and had a great fresh flavory with a nice garlic aftertaste... very well done. Also brought out was fresh bread with oil and vinegar. The bread in particular with both these dishes were delicious. You can tell was freshly made in house.
Entree-wise, I had the Lobster Ravioli which might be the best Lobster Ravioli I've ever had. It came with a sweet pepper sauce that was delicate, light and tasty and perfectly complimented the lobster. The balance was perfect as with each bite you could fully taste the lobster in the ravioli.
SERVICE
Here is where the evening went south quick. I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to service... you never know whats going on in the back of the house or how many tables a waiter or waitress has to cover. The service started out good but as the night went on our waitress came over less and less and by the time we wanted our bill I almost had to flail my arms to get any attention as 3 restaurant employees walked by without even glancing our way. The real kicker... the big reason I went with a 3 star over 4 star review was that when we got our check I quickly asked our waitress if she could take a picture of our group. She said that she couldn't and had to run back to the kitchen. Mind you I was standing next to her at this point with my camera in hand! She said she'd be right back... but 3-5 mins later I really just gave up. I thought about asking for the manager but god knows how long that would have taken and it was late already.
OVERALL
All in all, the food was really amazing, everything I hoped it would be and I fully intend to go back again with the hopes of even passable service! -
Review from Christina H.
San Diego, CA
12/1/2010
One word: BOLOGNESE . And I don't even really like bolognese. Divina Cucina's bolognese is one of the most scrumptious, luscious pasta dishes I have ever eaten. The meat is tender and delicate, the seasonings are perfectly balanced and the sauce sticks to the noodle so that every bite gets a meaty zing. This is the kind of sauce that requires the diner to sop up every last drop with whatever you have around: bread, finger, straw...
The Arugula and Parmesan salad is also a wonderful accompaniment. The lemony dressing adds a lovely acidity to the peppery notes in the arugula and there is a perfect amount of shaved parmesan: just enough to get the perfect bite of all the flavors and textures in every bite.
One warning: the back room can get FREEZING! If you have to eat in the back, try to time it so you get there when the room is relatively full... that way you can benefit from the body heat! Note: reservations only for parties of 4+.
All in all a wonderful restaurant with great service and and delicious food. -
Review from Michelle W.
Los Angeles, CA
3/2/2011
Parking is weird and it was difficult to tell if the place was even open.
The service and ambiance were awesome. The food was average. I have had better Gnocchi elsewhere. That said, we will go back and try other menu items. -
Review from Aleida S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/2/2011
My first time at Divina Cucina was New Years eve 7 years ago. The place was packed to the rafters and my 12year old daughter and I walked in without reservations. The owner was very pleasant and seated us after a bit of a wait.
We have been eating there on a regular basis since and the food is always good. They make the BEST Fettuccini Alfredo...I have tried this dish in a lot of places and none of them have managed to top Divina Cucina's.
I do agree that the service is slow at times but I have found that if we get there before 6pm the service is great. -
Review from Kendra J.
Tujunga, CA
1/7/2011
LOVE this place!
I love their butternut squash ravioli! Its my absolute favorite dish! The flavors are just right and the sauce is so rich, i end up taking half my food home and enjoying it the next day.
I've also had the bruschetta which is incredibly fresh and delicious. The anti-pasto is huge and I've split it with my family.
I've only been a handful of times, but I always order the same thing because its too delicious not to! -
Review from Erin F.
Tujunga, CA
11/21/2010
This is my favorite Italian restaurant in the valley. Fancy enough to take a client on a business dinner (or lunch, I guess, though I haven't done that) but casual enough for jeans. The atmosphere is inviting - good lighting, tasteful decor. The waits staff is attentive and friendly.
The first time I went to Divina Cucina I ordered the Rotolo di Pasta. The menu description, "sheets of pasta filled with Italian sausage, spinach, pecorino cheese, then rolled and baked with our delicious tomato sauce" was right on - and then I discovered that the pasta is handmade. Oh. My. Gosh. The consistency of the pasta is light, light, light and just perfect. The filling was hearty - savory and fresh - an interesting combination.
I have visited Divina's numerous times since and have always ordered the same dish. I know I should try other menu items - but I'm addicted to this handmade pasta extravaganza... Oh, and I always order their chopped salad, too. Be warned: This salad is huge. HUGE. It is a meal, itself, so I usually eat about 1/4 and take the rest home for lunch.
They have a decent wine menu, as well. I haven't had dessert, here (hello, calories... just say, "no.") but my friends have ordered the Mocha Mud several times. Definitely big enough to share but they're a stingy lot and they each order their own - and eat every bite (while I smugly sip my equally calorie-laden latte and shake my head, disapprovingly). :)
If you haven't visited Divina's, you're missing out! Go! It's always busy - and there's a reason for that - but once you're in and seated, the night is YOURS to enjoy their fab cuisine, ambiance and the company of a good friend.
Why didn't I hit all 5 stars? Parking, baybee. I need it. I want it - and lots of it. To be fair, parking at Divina's is not nearly as painful as most LA restaurants. I have always found a spot but you may have to wait. And who likes to wait? :)
UPDATE: I broke the spell and ordered the salmon. It was so fresh and better than most upscale steakhouse salmon. Thick cut, perfectly cooked throughout.. Served with potatoes - they were just okay. Next time I'll order asparagus, instead. -
Review from GORDON W.
Santa Ana, CA
2/21/2011
Outstanding!
Reservations for two? No problem
Parking? No Problem
Food? Really Really Good!
Ambiance? Two Hugs!
Outdoor dining? Warm and Cozy
Will we be back? Of course! -
Review from Ellen C.
3/15/2010
Has my palate changed in the last 3 years...possibly. Perhaps the quality of food has diminished.....possibly.
Whatever the case, I wasn't impressed this time.
I would've given them only 2 stars, but since I did sort of liked them before, I felt obligated to give them that one more star.
Service started off okay, but then it was impossible to get her attention when we wanted our check.
Travis' lasagna had absolutely no flavor. What's wrong with some salt, pepper, basil, oregano..etc.. It tasted like they dumped a can of Heinz tomato sauce.
My portobello mushroom ravioli was slightly better. It just reminded me of beef stroganoff sauce rather than a nice Italian mushroom sauce.
I don't think I'll be returning unless I get a sign from God that the food has improved to my liking. -
Review from travis h.
Pasadena, CA
3/7/2010
hmmmmmmmm
disapointing for a rainy Saturday night.
I had a vegetarian lasagne that just had no bite.
The tomato sauce tasted like someone in the back
opened a #10 can an blended it.
I believe the other was a spinach and cheese manicotti
with mushroom sauce.
The sauce was a thickened cream sauce with sliced
button mushrooms. A dish that should be very light and earthy tasting just had that cafeteria thing going.
I see why they get good stars as there realy is not much to compare them to up in that area and for the average dogooder they will be happy.
But for a 46$ tab...nahhhhh -
Review from Jason C.
Altadena, CA
7/11/2008
Pre-judge-someone-by-their-look mode was switched on...
Verdugo Hills Hospital in La Canada. That is where Jane and I found ourselves 2 weeks ago after her water broke. Yes. The water that signals that you have 24 hours to safely deliver your baby. And, 6.5 hours later, Chloe arrived. Then, 6.75 hours later, Jane wanted food. Good food. And if I showed up with a Der Wienerschnitzel bag, then I had better find a new wife and baby. While limping. After she kicked my knee cap off. Fortunately, the little village of Montrose has many eateries, and Divina Cucina was high on the suggested list from the nurses. So, with laptop in hand, wireless web throughout the hospital, I scanned Divina's web site menu and ordered over my cell.
As other reviews note, the building is odd and the parking is odder, but the smells seemed Italian enough to signal that I wasn't eating at Sammy's Slappin' Spaghetti Stop. You know. A place where the dominant smell is canned goods with a flicker of parmesan infused incense burning in a corner. While I waited for my food, I scanned the remodeled room. Tuscan meets Orange County stucco meets Dunn Edwards paint color ZF-48 (festivo yellow). Fine. No problems. I'm going to eat the food, not the stucco. I hoped. While waiting, I chatted with some other customers and they all raved. Of course, my "pre-judge someone by their look" mode was switched on and they looked like they would rate a McDonald's McSkillet Burrito as authentic Mexican food. Not comforting, but what can you do.
Fast forward, I proudly popped back to the hospital sporting bags of Spinach Salad, Ravioli di Zucca, Vitello alla Marsala and about $50 less available credit on my card. Not bad, but I wouldn't call it a "going out of business" bargain either. Am I limping? No. Was it the best Italian food on the planet. No. Was it better than average considering that you're not in a trendy westside location and you just helped deliver a baby and you're sleep deprived. Absolutely! -
Review from Sarah C.
Rowland Heights, CA
3/21/2008
Fair priced and tasty Americanized Italian food.
The risotto texture was off, I wouldn't recommend ordering it. Small restaurant, nice patio, service was good. -
Review from Tatertots Rock X.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 9/3/2008
Ok, I have to confess...I eat left over pizza.
And DIVINA makes me want to keep doing it over an dover again!
Like I said, I eat leftover pizza,but not just left-over pizza, I'm talking pizza that has been out OVER NIGHT...not cold pizza, cuz that requires refigertation...I'm talking pizza that has been left on the front seat of the car from the night before...ya know, go to the fridge at 6am for some breakfast and figure you left the pizza at the restaurant since you can't find it...so eat a healthy breakfast (some grapefruit and some sprouted bread and a couple of slices of Manchego) and head off to start the day...
Get to the car...
PIZZA!!!!
So, I've done this a couple of times, but 2 weeks ago, I went with my Hot-Dog-Eatin'-Partner-in-Crime to Divina for dinner and of course ordered that chopped salad (golly, I love it!) and a pizza. Saved 2 slices to put in the fridge (I really like fridge-temp pizza for some reason).
As per my usual pizza problem, I went to the fridge in the morning, couldn't find it, so I figured it was on the front seat of my car (it wasn't) or at the retaurant (it wasn't)...no hope. I was bummed. Grabbeed an Odwalla Protein shake and headed off to my studio.
PIZZA!!!
I left it at the studio!!!
Oh, DIVINA, your pizza is amazing when it's left out over night!!!
Yep, on an evening where my studio's temp was 77 degrees...eek.
Obviously y'all use great ingredients!!!
I had to call my Hot-Dog-Eatin'-Partner-in-Crime to tell him how good it was.
He couldn't wait to have some leftover pizza!
We went yesterday to have our usual chopped salad and to order a pizza that could be left out over night, and then ordered some Beef Carpaccio...
So GOOD!
and the servces: Always GREAT.
I love this place more and more.
No pretense.
No snooty-ness.
Just friendly staff.
Good food.
PIZZA!!! That tastes great the next day!Listed in: I'm a REGULAR...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/23/2008
I love their Chopped Salad!!!
The place is just across the street from my studio and I grab a salad… Read more »
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Review from Gevik M.
Encino, CA
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food and nice service, been around for a long time, owners are nice people as well.
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Review from Mari B.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2008
Divina Cucina is a charming intimate restaurant with really nice rustic decor and great food. From the hanging paper stars, cherubs decorating the walls, to the rose petals in the bathroom. This place is adorable.
The food is divine. The bread basket was filled with different breads and complimentary bruchetta. Between my husband and I we ordered the following items: caprese salad, gnocchi piacere with pink sauce and black pasta with seafood (special of the day). The highlight was the black pasta...it was flavorful had a hint of saffron the shrimp were nice and plump a very good dish. All the other dishes were enjoyable as well the portions were generous. The only thing I didn't enjoy as much was the dessert, I had the flan. The waiter was great he asked me if I wanted to return it. Service was above average and prices were very reasonable.
It was an overall great meal for our entire party. This is my favorite Italian restaurant at the moment, I can't wait to return and enjoy their delicious food. -
Review from Nicole P.
Los Angeles, CA
6/2/2008
My husband grimaces every time I mention coming here (he must have a karmic past with the location or something), but I honestly love the food.
Divina's has a beautiful pasta selection, and they all seem to be handmade. The sauces are never too saucy or creamy and they have modified anything to my fairly overly-healthy (read as boring) palate for Italian food.
They make a great bread.
I am in love with the spinach and goat cheese salad with pine nuts and a super light and yummy dressing.
Service is good, and their patio is cozy and romantic (except one time when a small child screamed through dinner at the table beside us). We won't hold Divina's accountable for that one, and with or without my man, i'll be back when the pasta craving strikes! -
Review from Lisa V.
5/25/2009 1 Check-in Here
Italian food doesn't ordinarily enter my mind when wondering 'what's for dinner?'
Don't ask me why.
But some of the best Italian fare I've ever sampled has been pretty random occurrences out of state (see my reviews from Olympia, WA & Newport, RI). We had an "OK" experience with a place in town a few months ago (in all fairness, we plan on giving them another shot since we went on a special menu kind of evening). When the hubby proclaimed that he was in the mood for a giant bowl of good pasta, I got to Yelping a place we could try that was close to the hike we were about to embark on.
I thought Divina Cucina sounded familiar and as soon as we pulled into the tiny driveway it all came back to me. One of the best 'linguine and clams' I'd ever had was at the this very place, but of course during "pre-Yelp" times.
We got started with a very decent bruschetta and delicious fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then we tried their Portabello mushroom & grilled shrimp appetizer. Hubby ordered: Rotolo di Pasta & moi: Quattro Stagioni pizza.
Everything was delicioso! Good gravy, Italians know how to make a good tomato-based sauce!! Even though I was slightly disappointed that they forgot to put the olives on my pizza (the server brought it to me on the side!), every bite was absolutely flavorful and well thought out. On a couple of occasions, the owner came by to check on us. She was a delight and very down to earth. An appealing factor about this place is that it is a classy joint without the usual snobbery.
We did not leave room however, for any dessert which is unfortunate but just means we'll have to return to this yummy establishment that has our vote (for now) for best Italian within a 10 mile radius of our casa!Listed in: FOOD...
