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Divino
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
11714 Barrington CtLos Angeles, CA 90049
Neighborhood: Brentwood
(310) 472-0886
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
55 reviews for Divino
Review Highlights
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"Started off with complimentary bread and an amuse bouche." In 3 reviews -
"The gnocchi with the porcini mushroom sauce was delicious." In 1 review -
"I was very pleased with our dining experience." In 4 reviews
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55 reviews in English
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Review from Jacob A.
Los Angeles, CA
4/22/2012
What a pleasure it is to find an Italian restaurant, which cares so much about little details. what I mean by this, is that Divino has never strayed from it's heart.
I have been here 8-9 times over the years and the food is always at the forefront of Adriatic Cuisine. The owner is from Montenegro, and the flavors reflect this. It is always a little nuanced and pure.
The Dish I can seem never to forget is the Orchiette with a zucchini sauce. It is light and rich at the same time. It's the kind of pasta dish you eat with bread, to soak up the flavors.
The wine pairings are spot on.
This place is warm and loving. I feel welcomed home every time I return.
I highly recommend it. -
Review from Susan D.
4/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for my daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner, planned by the groom's parents (who live in LA). Wow! What a treat, we had a private room upstairs for our party of 14. We started with a couple of nice cheesy pizza's to share (one with anchovies). Then a lovely spinach salad covered in goat cheese and pecans, and a huge plate of Caprese.
Next....Huge platter on Gnocchi in a red sauce and a huge platter of spinach ravioli. The Gnocchi were like little pillows of butter.... And the Ravioli's, the pasta was paper thin and delicate and just melted in your mouth. Okay we didn't waste any of those.
Oh no....time to order the Entree, and most of us are already kind of full. I order a rib eye steak, my husband orders the veal. My steak was Fred Flintstone size with a big bone in it, cooked medium rare it covered most of my plate. Oh and here comes a side dish of potatoes and veggies (really unnecessary after everything else). I ended up taking my steak home for breakfast the next morning, steak and eggs....oh yeah!
I think my future son-in-law's parents had pre-ordered most of the food except the entree menu and had also hand picked the red and white wine choices.
Our dinner was really amazing, and one I will dreaming about for a long time since I live in NoCal. Maybe my next visit to the kids I can talk them into going to Divino.
All I really want is a giant bowl of Gnocchi, and I'll be in heaven. -
Review from kim p.
4/2/2012
we went for a late lunch on sunday and it was pretty empty. i think its because the kitchen closes at 3pm on sunday. the space is open and airy and the staff is very italian. the food is a bit pricey but it is sooo delicious. they do everything really well and the bread they bring to the table is warm and perfect. its very italian and very authentic.
i had the salad with tiger shrimp and it was really well made!!! the panini my date had was toasted just right as well.
great little hideaway for an intimate dinner or a classy lunch in brentwood. the starbucks is right next door as well -
Review from Amy B.
Westlake Village, CA
5/10/2012
I dined today at this restaurant with my parents, it was ok, caesar salad ok but I had better ones. My Margherita pizza was very good, the place was practically empty at lunch time yet. I don't know if it will make it there. It was good but not great.
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Review from jay s.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2012
Sorry but the stars shown are not always the reality. Went to Brunch this Sunday. Three tables were occupied out of 20. Tried ordering from brunch menu only to be told that they were out of certain foods in order to prepare for the selection. This happened to three of us at the table out of 6 people.
NOT GOOD! -
Review from Logan A.
Los Angeles, CA
3/25/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Completely unimpressed with this place, both in terms of service and food quality/value. The servers have poor/rude attitudes and the host was completely pompous/rude. Further, the food is utterly bland and unimaginative, along with being served in small portions (particularly the fish), with low-value for $. Won't be back, there are far better places for Italian in Brentwood, namely any of the places on San Vincente.
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Review from Brian W.
New York, NY
3/17/2012
I've been going here with my family and with friends for a long time and have loved every single meal. Really fresh food, really great vibes. Take a date! Take your family!
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Review from Katherine C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/9/2012
Divino is carb heaven! While the crowd is older Brentwood shi shi, if you're not looking for a scene, this cozy place has hands down excellent food and reasonable prices (adios Pizzicotto). Since I'm alas, a 9 to 5er and not a trust fund baby, the fact I think this place is worth it says a lot!
First of all, not only did we get really good complimentary bread (thick crusty bread and flat pizza bread), but we were also served a complimentary appetizer (ricotta wrapped in eggplant with a touch of tomato sauce and basil) and complimentary dessert (sugared pastry cookies - not sure what they're called).
I'm a home made pasta fiend so our entrees were the porcini gnocchi (light pillows of gnocchi and amazing porcini flavor) and pappardelle with osso bucco (yummy ribbons of pasta - albeit with a stingy portion of osso bucco). The flavors were simple and delicious! Although I had to roll home, I'd love to roll back here soon. -
Review from Sasha C.
Marina del Rey, CA
11/7/2011
This low key little place makes really fresh food. The Rigatoni is really good. I recently went here with three other people and they all ordered that same dish and loved it. For me, my favorite is their gnocchi.
Our friends who go there often raved about their minestrone soup so my boyfriend ordered it. It was so good that I had half of it. On another visit, I tried their carrot soup. That was good too.
Regardless of where the staff is from, they are always very attentive with us. I noticed that many of the people coming in know the staff by name so I don't think it's just us that they were attentive with. From time to time, they bring you a bite of something for you to try. I don't know about you but I like those little touches. Last time, they brought us polenta. It was so good that I plan on ordering it the next time I go.
I hope this review helps. : ) -
Review from Laura D.
6/16/2011 5 photos
Well, so far I have only dropped in here around 11.30 am to get a cappuccino to go, but I will definitely be back based on the fabulous smells coming out of the kitchen!
The owner is from Montenegro, which is now part of Croatia, but he's Italian, and the place sure smells like it.
This is just the kind of place I like -- small, white tablecloths, with tables not too close together, and the right look -- a little rustic, with fabulous black and white photographs of the owner's homeland on all the walls.
When I saw the sign in front I initially thought it was just a coffee bar. As it turns out, they're not really set up to make to-go coffees, but they indulged me and were very kind to make one for me, even in the midst of preparing the dishes for lunch.
As soon as I left, I bookmarked this place for a lunch in the not too distant future! -
Review from Sarah M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/15/2011
This place looks nearly identical to Pizzicotto, also in Brentwood, but I'm happy to say the food here is much better.
I really suggest this place for a 2 p.m. lunch. Sunlight pours in through the windows and fills the downstairs dining area with lovely natural light. I say 2 p.m. because the parking lot is abnormally tiny and busy, so try to avoid peak hours. There are also a few tables outside if you're into dining al fresco.
I ate upstairs, where there's only one large table for private events. The owner came out to greet us and the waiter for the day was polite and knowledgeable. Started off with complimentary bread and an amuse bouche. The bread is essentially a small French-ish loaf served piping hot - I'm talking billows of steam pouring from the basket. +1 for hot bread. It has a nice crust and is lightly airy inside. While relatively flavorless, it goes well with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The amuse bouche was ricotta cheese rolled up in a nice strip of eggplant , topped with tomato sauce and parsley. I normally despise eggplant and don't consider myself a fan of tomato, but this was smooth and spectacular.
Entree: seafood linguini. I like seafood, I like linguini, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. The dish was just lovely - clams and mussels in the shell, rings of calamari, a few beheaded baby octopi, plump shrimp. All of the seafood was thoroughly cleaned and cooked to perfection. Everything was gently tender. No sand, no rubbery/chewy nastiness! Excellent!
Dessert: tiramisu. While light and delicate, it was just all right. I think I prefer a more bastardized American version of tiramisu, with thicker cream and denser ladyfingers. But I can tell they use fresh ingredients, since I could definitely smell the pleasant fragrance of espresso and cocoa powder and cream emanating from the dessert dish. I haven't tried their cappuccinos or espresso, but they looked tasty.
Service: they got the job done, no complaints. Quick refills on water and the food arrives at a reasonable pace.
It's a nice place if you're in the area. Nothing absolutely amazing that merits a far drive, but you'll enjoy a pleasant meal if you do choose to dine here. -
Review from Jefferson L.
West Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 5/9/2011
Though I used to love this restaurant, I haven't eaten here in over a year due to racist treatment that my girlfriend and I received on our last visit.
Unfortunately, we decided to walk-in on a night where the manager wasn't working (and he is quite a friendly, courteous, and hospitable gentleman). We walked up to the host and asked for a table for two. He responded by telling us "your table is ready upstairs to the left." We thought it was strange that he told us to seat ourselves, but nonetheless, we ascended the staircase towards the table he suggested. When we peeped our heads into the sectioned off area, we were greeted by a group of people we were unfamiliar with, sitting around a large table meant for a private party. Then we realized they were all Asian.
When we went back downstairs to ask for our own table, the host was already out of sight. Instead, a very friendly waiter seated us and apologized for the mix-up. Unfortunately, this experience left a foul taste in my mouth. I hate to sound like a "bitchy Yelper" but it definitely made me feel like a second-class customer.
I may return some day, but there are so many restaurants in LA where I've never suffered such treatment. It's a shame, because I've eaten here probably a dozen times over the past 4 years and have enjoyed each and every meal.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/18/2008
It would be a lie to say this is the best Italian restaurant I've ever eaten at. But it's certainly… Read more »
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Review from Annie N.
2/24/2012
Came here to try the tasting menu which was around $29 per person. I was stuffed! Though the portions aren't like Claim Jumper style, and are true to gourmet, you somehow fill RIGHT up. We had a bottle of wine with our dinner, picked out by the owner himself! Goran is his name I believe. He ciruclated throughout the restaurant all night, visiting with patrons. I was nosy enough to learn that he travels back and forth to Italy and brings home fresh new recipes for the place. It is very authentic and delicious! Their white table cloth tables are adorable and the ambient mood leaves that candlelit glow on your face =). Perfect for a romantic night. Divino is in a quaint little nook in Brentwood. There is a lot of passion put into this establishment and I'm a definite fan =) OH and they have a mailing list too that I signed up for. So far I've received news about another tasting menu so I'm assuming with his travels, he updates the stuff often.
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Review from sandy o.
Granada Hills, CA
1/3/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Had a lovely dinner. There were 4 of us, and we all enjoyed our dinner! Service was attentive, and the food succulent & delicious....will go back!!
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Review from Anika E.
Hermosa Beach, CA
5/10/2011
Usually it's hard for me to absolutely LOVE an Italian restaurant...some are usually very meh. But this place was awesome! We went on a whim for a friend's birthday, and we were not dissapointed.
They bring you steaming bread right out of the oven, as well as a rosemary flatbread type thing that was also very yummy.
For salads/soup, we got:
This crazy good beet and burrata salad with cucumbers...and my friend got a salad with shrimp on top -- I didn't try it, but I heard no complaints from her end of the table.
The soup of the day was some kind of white bean, with what I think was calamari. I didn't realize beans could have so much flavor!
Main courses:
I personally would like to think that I "won" with my order. I got the orecchiette with calamari and this TO DIE FOR sauce. It was green, so maybe basil...there was also spinach and tomato in the dish...get it. Everyone tried to snag bites off my plate. It wasn't too heavy, either.
My friend got the linguini with a "zesty tomato sauce" with seafood on it - mussels and clams, etc... His was good too. He almost ordered my dish, then changed his mind last minute. I felt sad for him.
No dessert, we were too full...but next time we will definitely try it! -
Review from Gin-Chong T.
Westwood, CA
4/22/2007
Don't have a ton of time, so the gist of the experience is:
1. Quiet location, and it was not too crowded on a Sunday night (7 pm).
2. We had the Chicken Fantastico, which was...not so fantistico, but more like Chicken Mediocre (dry and slightly overcooked); and the Linguine Ai Fruitti Di Mare (linguine with mixed seafood) had really al dente pasta.
3. Service was fairly attentive.
The baked pizza bread (i.e., what someone referred to as the "rosemary crispy thingy") was excellent. Leads me to believe that their pizza would be excellent.
We didn't have wine, and weren't hungry enough to order antipasto nor a seconde, but the food was a tad expensive for the price (did I just the term "a tad"?), so I'd actually give this place three-and-a-half cannelloni. -
Review from nada p.
Van Nuys, CA
5/20/2007 1 Check-in Here
I just love this place, even though it's little cramped inside ( hopefully you don't have any large friends and if you do, don't invite them to go with you :)
Great food, my favorite dish is gnocchi/white sauce
Goran and the staff always make you feel like very important guests, I would recomend to call before you go and make a reservation on any night of the week, waiting area - oops there is no waiting area, again it's very cozy, tiny space, there is seating area upstairs as well and a little cute patio with no smoking, but once again it gets little cramped :(
If you park on the street make sure you put money in the meter, they have valet parking as well :))
I love, love, love this place !!!
,Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Sherri B.
2/4/2009
Like a lot of middle-aged baby boomers, i enjoy a fine dinner with my girlfriend.
Last nite it seemed like all of the westside shared my feelings.
Every table in this place was filled with women who dine with their g/fs
but i digress
The food is to die for. Starting with the crispy bread (like a nan) which was delicious. Our servers could not be more attentive. They gave us a sample of the soup de jour (tomato) very yummy
I ordered the calamari special appetizer and i swear i ate every single tentacle
i don't know how they cooked it, but it was most unusual and fabuloso.
Main course was chillean sea bass . . cooked to perfection
and a side of 3 things, the best being the potato.
I really loved this place
The only warning i will give is the price. $34 for a piece of fish is kind of expensive
Price for 2 (no drinks) was $100
sherri went home happy and broke :) -
Review from Jessica L.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2008
One of my favorite restaurants in LA.
The food isn't overly complicated, just delicious. Favorites are the divino salad, rigatoni al ragu, the veal, a special that is comprised of delicate pasta stuffed with lobster & vegetables in a light broth, the pizza, and really pretty much everything I've tried.
Goran (the handsome, charming, always impeccably dressed owner) is often there to greet you at the door and makes you feel like a 'special' customer. The service is great, and you'll find that the waiters and waitresses are authentically Italian (always a good sign!)
Try the rigatoni al ragu - it is THE perfect pasta dish in my opinion. I've gone there with 4 or 5 girlfriends and we literally ALL ordered rigatoni al ragu (it's that good). Also, have the flourless chocolate cake for dessert - it's decadent and the thought of it makes my mouth water. The pizza bread they serve you is scrumptious - so don't fill up on the regular bread they bring you at the start!
Its true that there's no place to wait if you arrive before your reservation, so you'll have to squeeze in by the doorway with other waiting diners, but in my experience, everyone is so excited to eat here that they're friendly and not too bothered about it!
In short, Divino = amazing food, great service, pleasant atmosphere that's not too fussy, and quite cozy. -
Review from Miriam B.
Santa Monica, CA
6/8/2008
I think the worst thing a chef can do when you send overcooked meat back to the kitchen is be spiteful about it, but that's what happened last Friday. I've been a fan of Divino...recommended it to friends, had lunch dates of my own there, but no more.
Steak Salad Special. "Medium rare on a bed of arugula." Sounds great. I cut into the filet. Medium well. "Did you say it was to be medium rare or medium well?" I ask the server, sincerely believing that maybe I'd misheard, as it is so obviously overdone.
"Medium rare."
"Could you please ask the kitchen for a new cut, then? My lunch date and I totally agree that this is medium well."
She peers at the meat, turning it over with the fork. "I see a little pink here," she replies.
Nu uh. Never argue with the patron about the doneness of the meat. What good does that do?
She brings the meat back to the kitchen and comes back 10 minutes later with a new steak salad. The meat is raw. I can barely chew it. I'm sawing away at it with a steak knife, masticating until my jaw hurts, and fuming. I hate to be a serial complainer ("Overcooked!" "Undercooked!"), so I keep my mouth shut this time, but this VERY rare cut is obviously a statement, and it's insulting.
Good bye, Divino. You're no longer Divino. -
Review from Elaine A.
San Pedro, CA
11/2/2008
My boyfriend and I ate here last night when it was cold (by SoCal standards) and raining, so we ordered heavier dishes...gnocchi in porcine mushroom sauce, veal cutlets and chianti. The quality of the food here, including the salad, bread, and desert (we ate a creme brulee custard) is great, and it has a cosy, private atmosphere tucked away in quiet Brentwood neighborhood.
The owner greets everyone at the door, and the wait-staff are very good. -
Review from Amy B.
Los Angeles, CA
7/17/2009
I was taken here by a close friend of the owner. That meal was exquisite. The antipastas were a refreshing start, but the highlight of that meal was the special that I ordered. Monkfish on a bed of pea risotto. The monkfish was cooked to perfection and the texture of the risotto was nice and creamy. I left feeling satisfied and not weighed down.
I've been back since, and the food was just as good. The gnocchi is just as good as everyone says. Our waiter was very friendly and the owner personally attends to all the tables when he is there. -
Review from John P.
La Canada Flintridge, CA
9/18/2007
I ordered a dish w/ pasta and mushrooms. Pasta texture was excellent. Maybe could've been a tad warmer. The appetizers, some eggplant w/ tomato sauce thing were ok. Margherita pizza was EXCELLENT, I and I consider myself a pizza conossieur, even if I can't confidently spell the word.
Interesting thing is, I give this place 5 stars, b/c despite the location, nice decor, and great service, the prices were reasonable! Good value. My boss paid, so maybe I didn't notice the prices as much. Hahah. -
Review from John K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/24/2008
Italian food, great Brentwood secret. Great food, nice service, cozy seating.
Only problem, portions are a bit too small for the price and the people here are a little stuck up if you ask me. -
Review from Samantha T.
Sherman Oaks, CA
5/4/2010 3 Check-ins Here
YUM. I have been coming to Divino for a couple years now and I love it. It's a bit on the pricey side but what do you expect it's in Brentwood square. Anyway the service is usually pretty great and the bread is AMAZING. The ambiance is warm and cozy and the seating is definitely cozy. They have a front room and an upstairs room both of which are pretty small and can get a bit noisy if you have a group of old drunk guys (which happened once) to me. It's more of a middle age to senior place as it's pretty pricey but I go here as often as my grandma is willing to pay :)
I always without fail order their vegetable pasta, which is not on the menu but you can ask for. It's seasonal vegetables on penne in a sauce that could possibly cure cancer, it is that good. The only NEGATIVE is that the waiters/greeters can be a bit snooty if you go in with jeans and a t-shirt on. Its a place to dress nicely, so if you wear jeans pear with heels or boots, its upper-class casual, which to me means nice.
Also don't expect to get in and out quickly.....it's a true Italian place, eat, drink wine and enjoy the company of family and friends! 5 stars all the way! -
Review from Suzanne T.
Santa Monica, CA
2/4/2011
I used to think Giorgio's had the only truly spectacular gnocchi in Los Angeles, but the Divino gnocchi with chicken Ragu is DIVINE. Truly delicious. Worth a visit.
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Review from Tamar V.
Santa Monica, CA
5/12/2011
I rank all Italian restaurants by their ravioli, and first thing i have to say about this place, is dont get the ravioli, the zucchini took over to such an extent, I didnt know zucchini had such powers.
Fortunately i have a cousin who loves this place, and thats how i met the parpadelle osso bucco, which was happiness, so little meat, so much flavor. Yes, i do know what that is, and i did asked about how it was raised and waiter had never been asked that before, which gave me quite a fright, and i stopped asking.
This restaurant tends to run heavy on the fish, and on the broth sauces, so if youre not a fan of either, this menu is going to give you trouble. We almost always get a pizza as an appetizer, and they're fantastic. Very thin, and good quality ingredients.
Theres a great amuse-bouche with eggplant, highly recommend and also some great desserts, especially there's one with apples, that people will outright steal off your plate.
Overall a nice place for a night out, it can be crowded downstairs, but we tend to come here in a large pack and end up upstairs where theres much more room. -
Review from Shirin E.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2011
Very cozy place with warm atmosphere. Food is decent, service is good.
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Review from Gee M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/29/2009
I really like the food at Divino. The pasta is great and fresh (freshly rolled out maybe?) and everything was seasoned and presented beautifully. If I was reviewing the food alone the restaurant would get four stars, no doubt about it. But I can't get past the sllllllllllllllloooooooooooowwwwwww service and the volume level in the restaurant.
The first thing I noticed about this place is that it's way to loud. It's extremely crowded and annoyingly slow. The service took forever and the waiters weren't attentive in the least.
I really wanted to like Divino. But the noise level and snobby service made it pretty darn hard. -
Review from Richard B.
Durham, NC
6/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had very cost effective lunch menu, but also could order from the extensive dinner menu. Most enjoyable experience with salads, pasta and steak.
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Review from Cyrus G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2009
2010 visit
Skip this place and go directly to Brentwood Bar and Grill across the street on Barrington for better ambiance, better food and better service for the same price or less.
The food was mediocre at best and nothing special for the price.
The service staff is mostly unaccommodating and useless. Don't ask them about anything, request any favors or complain about anything.
It is amazing how most restaurants around here with only 3 stars last year have crept up to 4 stars now. A very strange trend! Yelp, yelp, yelp, fishy, fishy, fishy.
2009
Every item we ordered was ok. The main problem is that these people are not northern Italian, in fact they are eastern European. Our waiter was a bit unstable. When asked if the chef could make up a vegetarian dish, he told us they have certain rules and they have to follow it. They can only take the meat out of a dish but they cannot replace or improvise. He came across as nervous and troubled. It sounded like the person in the kitchen is a low paid monkey and not someone with any creativity. A big part of a fantastic Italian place like Valentino is the ultra cuddly charm of the staff. Everyone goes out of their way to make you happy. -
Review from Brian P.
Los Angeles, CA
6/5/2011
Local spot with beautifully prepared Italian food with a twist. Family owned and always a great meal.
If you drive by on a Sat morning, you'll fin Goran planting beautiful pots in front of the patio. -
Review from David T.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2011
Great, cozy Italian restaurant in Brentwood. Everything was delicious. We are definitely going back.
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Review from B. ..
South Bay
12/18/2006
Phenomenal restaurant. EXCELLENT service.. one of the best.. the owner of the restaurant Goren greeted us for dinner and kept coming to our table to make sure everything was fine.. before we sat down, helped each of us w/ our coats and placed them on the backs of our chairs. Started us w/ this rosemary crispy thingy.. not sure what it's called, but kinda reminds me of nanh. i think you have to request for this though.. it's complimentary nonetheless..
we started our meal with Carpaccio which was absolutely delicious--thinly sliced raw beef topped with fresh arugula and shaved parmesan, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
For our main courses, we had Proscuitto pizza which was good.. but i wouldn't say the best.. cuz i've been spoiled to have better homemade pizza, and pizza much more fanciful..
we also had Gnocchi A Piacere (which is fluffy potato dumplings with porcini mushrooms sauce)--this was very good.. w/ just the right amount of tenderness.. i'm not a big gnocchi fan, but this was pretty good.
and lastly, Orechiette Branzino (pasta Orecchiette served with fresh tomatoes, arugula, branzino and calamari seasoned with basil olive oil). This was not my dish, but i had a taste of it. and i'd have to say this one was the winner.. EXCELLENT flavoring.. the next time i go there. i will order this dish.. Anyone know what kind of pasta Orecchiette is? haha. its' funny.. they look kinda like a saucer shape, yet w/ a lil mound above.. (we were joking .. but they kinda looked like condoms). haha.
anyways.. now dessert..
we had a chocolate mousse.. fairly good
Tiramisu--also fairly good
and i had the Crema de vanilla (this is what they call .. similar to creme brulee with a caramel topping).. VERY good..
we were there late.. but they didn't rush us at all.. they said they'd stay open for however long we wanted.. i know it was past their closing. but wouldn't you call that excellent service? not only that.. the wine and the appetizers were on the house, because we were celebrating a birthday...
and then to end the evening.. they helped us w/ our coats as we got up to leave.. I will definitely come back here again... this is what i call a place that really caters to their customers and makes them feel special.... 5 stars to them! -
Review from Peter S.
Fountain Valley, CA
5/28/2008
Simple, elegant, and sexy food.
I went here for lunch the other day with my girlfriend as she finished up some business in the city and was completely amazed and jealous that a restaurant of this caliber was not in my neighborhood.
Divino is tucked into the corner of a quaint little shopping center that really reminds me of a piazza of Rome. The restaurant is very small and maybe 20-30 seats making for a quaint yet comfortable dining experience. The restaurant is decorated in what I could only imagine an Italian restaurant on the Adriatic coast would be like.
The food was simply excellent I started out with the beef carpaccio that was very typical and nothing out of the ordinary, but did taste very fresh. My main course was a very simple pasta dish that was made into something fresh, airy, sexy and magical. I forgot the name of the dish but the ingredients were handmade pasta, shrimp, porccini mushrooms and a very light broth for the sauce. It was other worldly and completely took me by surprise.
The only reason I didn't give divino five stars was because they were receiving a produce shipment during lunch service that was very distracting. It seemed to me that there walk-in must be up stairs so back and forth traffic made for a slightly distracting experience. Other than this the service was great and the food was better I would defiantly go here again. -
Review from scott k.
Santa Monica, CA
2/20/2009
been a loyal customer for years...
always get the salmon, which is very good, consistent.....
the staff is very competent....courteous....friendly.....
might I suggest the montefalco wine ......it is worth it! -
Review from Jane C.
Seattle, WA
2/19/2008
love this restaurant! a friend recommended it years ago and whenever i'm in los angeles i always stop in. not only is the food excellent, the service is the same.
last visit, i had the gnocchi (some of the best i've ever had). i've never been disappointed by any of the food choices.
there's a cozy and romantic feel to the decor and the owner has his childhood pics on the menu and business card. -
Review from winnie r.
Brentwood, CA
8/4/2011
Honestly, I have wanted to love this restaurant for years. Sadly, it always disappoints. The service is warm and friendly. Unfortunately, I find the food to always be lacking in flavor or anything original. IMHO, there is not one memorable dish on that menu. The restaurant and its menu have gotten very tired. Too bad.
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Review from Patty O.
9/15/2008
I went here for my birthday dinner and had a great time. The ambiance is really mellow and the service was great. I felt like they really were taking care of us and wanted to make sure we had a great dining experience. I had the gnocchi which melted in my mouth :)
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Review from Ingrid P.
Redwood City, CA
11/22/2006
I cannot believe there is no review for Divino. This place has been a staple for my food-loving family for years. It is tucked away in a tiny mall in Brentwood but you forget about the outside as the inside has nice decor and service. It has never let us down - food, wine, ambiance, and service. If you are looking for a place that is loud, trendy, and mainstream, don't come here. But if you want good food, quiet/pleasant atmosphere and consistency of good food, drink then this is a great place. Its definitely a popular place with the Brentwood locals. When I have gone either for lunch or dinner, it has always been fairly busy. Not only that, several recognizable faces eat here probably to get away from the trendy and obvious eateries....
