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I gotta say that I was really surprised by this place! A co-worker brought me here after hyping it up and it still lived up to it's reputation!
Really, it was the little touches such as the melon in the salad that let me know that it was going to be a really good meal, which it was.
And even though it was a little on the pricey side and the waitstaff was in a huge hurry to get you out the door, I think this could become a potential go-to when it comes to high quality places to eat!
What the hell, La Viola.
I can't believe the terrible service I received this weekend. The food was still amazing, but the service was crap.
I had friends visiting from out of town. I thought we could have a nice dinner out, so I made reservations at La Viola for 8pm. When we arrived, the hostess and I were clearly speaking a different language. She insisted that my reservation was for 8:30 for 4 people. I argued it was party of 5, 8pm. It took a few minutes before she realized she was looking at the wrong reservation.
We waited outside for over an hour. I watched waiters hustle to set up tables outside on the sidewalk. Finally, the hostess called our party...and asked if we wanted to sit outside. NO. It's mid-November. I do not want to sit outside. When I said so, she actually rolled her eyes and proceeded to work her way down the reservation list, asking the other parties the same question. When she was met with the same response, she merely shrugged and retreated back inside. What the hell?
Another 25mins. later, our table was ready. From here out, our dinner was great. Food was delicious, service was good, if brisk. If only we would've been seated -- at a table inside -- in under an hour & a half, it would've been a great evening.
Our dinner was served at 10:30pm - 2.5 hours after the reservation was made. Totally unacceptable.
What I don't understand is why a restaurant with like 10 tables overbooks reservations. It would've been far less painless to have been denied a reservation at La Viola; at least then I would've been able to book at a restaurant that could actually seat our party.
I had made a reservation for Saturday night and when we walked in, I was gald I did; this tiny BYO… Read more »
I give this 3.5 stars. To start, warm toasty bread was pretty good (although difficult to break apart), and the insalata di arugula I ordered was actually very good - feta, artichokes, the right amount of dressing. My main pasta dish was the gnocchi, which was just okay. The little green pieces did not come out very hot, and they looked like minature tater tots. The shape probably threw me off and it didn't have that soft chewy taste. The flavors were good, however. The texture was the only thing that was a bit off, in my opinion.
I did have a good time with new friends though. When we got seated around 9:15pm, it was SO loud that we were basically yelling. And FYI, even with a group of 7, they did not automatically charge us for tip.
La Viola has so many endearing qualities. The coziness, the service, the location and much more. I have never had lighter, softer gnocchi! amaazzzzzingggggg. Love this place.
Evaluating Italian Restaurants in Philadelphia is an exercise in futility. On any given night, there could be ten number #1's. The market is saturated with tasty Italian grubbetry, so what's the point of debating? Not to mention, questioning a native Philadelphian's favorite Italian is more or less akin to questioning their belief in God...or Obama.
Philadelphia gets a lot of heat for being a terrible place, and in some limited respects, I have to agree (e.g. No matter how much I love Philly, I do have to concede that the recent Homeless People bathing in the Love Park fountain trend is a legitimate blemish on my fair city), but there are certain arenas that we dominate in an indisputable fashion - Sports Fandom, Cheesesteaks, Trash Talk, Fixed Gear Bikes, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and, most importantly, Italian Cuisine.
Thus, my intent is simply to talk about my personal favorite Italian spot in the city...La Viola. No grand proclamations, just one man's opinion (which if you ask my girlfriend, doesn't amount to much).
I'd be remiss if I didn't start my post with everybody's favorite fixture at La Viola. The Little Guy. I don't know his name, I don't know what magical land he comes from, but I love him and I would do anything to take him home with me. Sublimely expert in his dispensation of the positive vibes, I routinely find myself drifting off into a world of bliss as he lists the specials in his famously sing-song accent. Pasta with red sauce you say? Sounds divine!
I always go for the Tomato Mozzarella starter (it's not on the menu but they've got it, I promise). It's a great way to start a meal. Satisfy my immediate hunger without overpowering my entrée. As far as this traditional dish goes, no one does it better than La Viola in my book. Simple & Fresh. The Mozzarella is always delicious and as a man of Scottish-English descent if there's one thing I know, it's good Mozzarella.
For entrée, I always go with the ravioli. No matter where I am, if they're on the menu, they're going in my face. I guess, I'm just a ravioli guy - skinny, but slowly becoming sort of fat, like a turtle out of its shell - and for my dollar, there is no better ravioli for the price than the Ravioli Alla Viola. Lobster stuffed, smothered in a pink cognac sauce, these are the tops. Forget any plans you had to tear up the dance floor at Pure late-night, because you'll need a nap after this carb-heavy feast.
People always ask me, so the food is good, so what? The Little Guy is cute, who cares? Lots of places have good Italian food and interesting little people. What makes La Viola a favorite?
Well, I'll tell what makes it different - A natural phenomenon that seems to be entirely unique to the 253 South 16th Street region. Somehow, over the years, it's become the Official Philadelphia Girl's Night Out Birthday Celebration Headquarters.
Every, single time I go here, the place is oozing with alcohol-infused, estrogen-inspired, birthday mayhem. And I mean, MAYHEM. Tables filled with ladies, Max Azria and plastic tiaras everywhere. The sheer level of noise is incredible. At a certain level of drunkenness, it would seem that all girls become incapable of controlling the volume of their voice. I'm convinced that there is some bizarre Aboriginal ingredient in Yellow Tail Chardonnay that transforms the ladies into helpless victims of some form of cochlear sabotage.
Whether it's the Real Housewives of OC Vicki-style "Wooooooo" or the mildly more creative "Woooooo Hooooo" or my personal favorite, the ear-splitting, "Yeeeeeeee", at some point, the girls WILL involve you in their celebrations and you WILL enjoy it.
It's this share-everything, family-style atmosphere that keeps me coming back. For a guy that hates people but loves gatherings, this is my favorite kind of scene.
Thank You La Viola! And, in the eternal words of Oprah, You Go Girls!
PS Fellas, should you encounter the aforementioned scenario, man up, spit a little cross-table game, and take a birthday girl home because if you don't, you can be sure the Little Guy will.
La Viola is one of the trail blazers in the world of Italian BYOBs in the city. It serves standard Italian fare and is relatively inexpensive. The chicken stuffed with ham, spinach, and cheese and the lobster ravioli are delicious. Although the place is the size of a shoebox and you sit one inch from the next table, there is something endearing about it. The servers are all business and keep conversations brief, which may be intentional, since I am fairly certain that most are Albanian. You can't fool me! La Viola loses points because you inevitably will be seated thirty minutes after your reservation time, the menu hasn't changed in years, and they can rush you (it is not uncommon to eat a full meal and down a bottle of wine in one hour at La Viola).
Been twice now. Good little BYOB. Everyone had very tasty pasta dishes. Friendly and attentive enough service even when crowded. It is slightly cramped and even got quite loud on a Saturday night. For good Italian food the cost is great. Everyone at our table had salads and mains and our bill came to just around $100 for five people!
Its been awhile since I've liked an Italian restaurant, given that the bf is an EXcellent chef of pasta - but this place is fabulous! A first fave of mine in Philly. The decor is nice..a small SF-esque place that made me feel right at home. Not that I'm Italian at all (what, with being 5 ft tall and having squinty eye) (don't be shocked, i can be racist about my own kind -- but YOU can't!! ha ha) but it felt very Italian. Probably because I could barely understand that waiters due to heavy Italian accents. (though my friend said it was a Russian accent...ehh same difference)
GET IT:
--Mussels: I don't even really like mussels but the wine sauce they come in is great. (The empty-of-mussels-bowl was kept through the whole meal for the sauce+bread combo)
--Calamari: Grilled, not fried. Comes with a fresh tomato bruschetta type topping
--Penne a la Vodka: I think this is the BEST penne+vodka sauce I've had (though bf's is very close..heh). I think better than Patsy's in NY, which is pret-ty darn yums.
BYOB is freaking awesome. I love that so many places are BYOB here so that I don't hafta spend an extra $10-$20...-$30-$40...on glasses/bottles of wine. And overall, this place is totally affordable. Go Philly!
BYOB place. Very cosy. Nice upscale decor but once you sit down, you don't get the pretentious feel you sometimes get in NYC. Everyone around us was having a good time and drinking away! We actually got two free glasses of red wine for next table.
Waiters are pretty friendly. The menu is straight up Itailan; price is perfect for your wallet. We ordered homemade gnocchi with tomato and Parmesan cheese, salmon with fettuccine and orchenette with sausage. Each dish is delicious and great portion.
The only downside is this place is cash only. So make sure you come prepared!
The food was amazing.. the ambiance was fun and festive.. and the prices were DOWN RIGHT PERFECT. YES.. My new fav gem!
This place has great italian food. Wait staff is friendly, it's BYOB. It's a little squished in there, but they opened up a place right across the street to alleviate some of the crowdiness.
Their prices are very reasonable as well. The only is con is, if you are looking for a quiet, romantic evening it would not be a good place for a first day, etc. It can get very loud.
Went here with a total of 6 people, celebrating a friend's birthday.
Atmosphere: I think this place would be great for a date, but also, despite it's teeny tiny size, it worked great for our bigger table of 6.
Service: I always like a place where it seems like the entire wait staff is looking out for you. I am still not sure which waiter was technically "our" waiter, because I kept grabbing them as they walked by (I was on the end) if we needed something, and they were all attentive. They also came by regularly to fill water and kept a close eye on our wine bottles, coming back when they were empty to open up our next one. They even kept the white one cold in a bucket away from our table.
Food: I'd say good. I was starving, so as soon as the bread came, I gobbled it. (You'd think after all these years of dining out and being hungry and filling up on bread and then regretting it because I am too full to finish my meal, I'd have learned by now to limit myself on the bread. But sometimes it's just so good...) So the bread was good.
For appetizers, we split two orders of mussels - one with the red sauce, one with the garlic wine sauce. I prefer the white sauce, so liked it better, although both were great. And came dripping in the sauces (here comes that bread again), so we could soak it all up with the bread.
Four out of 6 got the gnocchi, which we described as Christmas on a plate. It was spinach gnocchi, so green - with a chunky red tomato sauce on top, and some mozzarella cheese balls on top of all that. Sprinkle some parmesan, and you've got yourself a snowy Christmas village that both looks and tastes great.
I also go to sample the lobster ravioli. My bite didn't have the lobster in it, but the sauce was flavorful and ravioli tasted fine.
And now.....on to my dish. You could say I have a knack for ordering...or just that I know what I like the best. My dish was my personal favorite. I got the orrichette alla romano, which comes with sausage, chicken, and mushrooms. I asked for no chicken, and they made it for me, no problem. Large, generous amounts of mushrooms, and tasty sausage, in a shell-shaped pasta. It was a white garlic sauce, but had chunks of fresh tomatoes, so was reddish at the same time. The fresh cheese made it perfect.
Where we only tried 3 meals for 6 people, we tried 6 desserts for 6 people. And shared them all. I was told the tiramisu was really good, but I can't the stand soggy cake-ness that is tiramisu, EVER, so I am not a fair judge - you'll have to trust my friends that it was good. However, everything else was great. And they even took the time to pop a candle in the birthday girl's dessert, learn her name, and sing Happy Birthday - enthusiastically.
There are lots of Italian BYO's that I want to try, but for something romantic and intimate, I'd come back here in a heartbeat.
I would never come here of my own volition (read: wallet), but recently had the good fortune of being treated to dinner here by my boyfriend's mom, an Italian who wanted good Italian food. For fancy-shmancy cuisine, you certainly can't beat the price here-- I would say our dishes were worth at least what we paid for, and the free delicious crusty bread (bring on the refills!) certainly helped.
My boyfriend got some sort of chicken roll-up which he said was delicious, and his side of vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes was nice and simple but also tasty.
His mother got the special of the day, black linguini. I tried a bite and liked it, only to find out later that its color comes from squid ink....damn vegetarianism, thwarted again! On the other hand, it's nice to know they're using all of the "resources" from the squid, which is featured amply (is that a word?) on the menu.
I got the only vegetarian dish, but luckily it was the tastiest Italian I've had in Philly. Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with a fresh, simple marinara. The gnocchi was not too squishy, not too firm, and the perfect potato-spinach blend of flavors. When I read other descriptions of the dish on Yelp, I was expecting something totally different, so let me add: the ricotta comes in little cubes, served on top of the marinara. They pack a perfect bite of flavor.
My only complaints are the extreme lack of veggie options, and the somewhat-surly waiters (though the hostess was very nice). If you want some good Italian on a budget in the city, check this place out.
I met up with my friend and her boyfriend (third wheeling, I know) last Friday night for dinner downtown. And of course, it was up to me to choose the restaurant. For the record- I hate making decisions. And especially when it comes to restaurants downtown since the only place that I can ever come up with is the consistently mediocre food from Marathon Grill. Bleh- no mood for settling for that tonight. Soo, I made a mental list of all the places we could go downtown and voila! I remembered how much my parents raved about La Viola and called information to reserve a table. Since it is BYOB, we stopped by the Wine and Spirits and picked up two bottles of vino. By the time we got to the restaurant, our table was ready for us.
One problem...this place is small. It's really just a rectangular room jam packed with tables, family style. Not only was I third wheeling this date, I was also the third wheel of the random couple sitting inches away from us at the same table. Talk about awkward. The girl on that date did not look pleased when we were seated, clearly ruining their romantic evening. Oh well. La Viola is so not the place to go for a quiet, intimate date. The place is way too loud I could barely hear what my friend was saying and we were practically sitting on top of each other. I don't like eating when I can even hear myself think. Another note: I felt really out of place. The other patrons were business executive types dressed up for a night on the town. I described the restaurant later to my friend "like going out in Olde City, only with food". Not my scene, but what do I really expect on a Friday night at 16th and Locust?
Anyway on to the food. The menu is pretty limited, a few appetizers, some pasta dishes (a lot of which had seafood in them...disappointment), and some meat entrees as well. I opted for the orecchiette pasta with mushrooms, plum tomatoes, and sausage. There may have been one other ingredient but it was delicious, nonetheless. My friend ordered a pasta dish with salmon and her boyfriend got the veal. They enjoyed their meals as well.
I just don't know if i will make a second trip to La Viola. The menu is too limited for my picky tastes and it was way too loud. If I do, I'll make sure to go on a nice night so I escape the noise and sit outside.
I went here with a group of friends for my best friends birthday in March. The food was great and that wait staff was very pleasant. I ordered some sort of pasta. I loved that they didnt over cook the pasta like most Italian places. Big plus. There food was good but not the kind of place that I crave going back to. For sure one of the best places I've gone to in the city but not the absolute best out there. Another plus is that it is really reasonably priced. If you are looking for an affordable genuine Italian meal definitely look into La Viola!
Not the best BYOB service, and the food was just okay. We tried the chicken fontina and the salmon, and both were served with the same type of sauce. Doesn't seem very authentic Italian to me.
Probably won't be back.
Mom says when you turn the ipod volume up past half way you're gonna end up a deaf fuck. I'm on my way, and I really know it at La Viola. But I guess that's what you have to pay for inexpensive and delicious fare, (yes San Franciscans those words can be combined once in awhile). Philadelphias, mark my word you are a lucky folk esp. when Monk's is across the street.
My family has been going to this restaurant since it opened. Funny enough my dad lost his hearing aid here and has banned us to go here ever since. Equally funny enough I had once of the best steaks of my life on the night that this occurred. A fat gigantic steak cooked medium rare covered with bernaise or a cheese equivalent. I saw god, and though I don't remember who I was dating then or what I was wearing I certainly remember what I was eating that day. Bravo.
Tonight, years later, I had yet another equally tender steak coupled with what I was told was a so so lobster ravioli in a pink creme sauce (years ago a waiter had advised me against what I thought was the menu's key player). I was in a good boat, especially since I saw it just after seeing MILK and thought that perhaps there was something self righteous about each bite I took ( join PROP 8 campaign stop feigning liberalism when you keep sitting on your ass you hipster bitch). ANYWAY........
The pastas the steaks, and the oh so rare and delicious GRILLED calamari are reason enough to grace the doors of this establishment. BUT might I add that it's BYOB. That's something for the napa folks to suck their tongue around. Yes indeed.
My wife and I had dinner at La Viola on Wednesday night, July 29th, before the Neko Case concert at the Kimmel Center. We both thought the food was absolutely wonderful. My wife ordered grilled calamari as an appetizer, and they were awesome. I had a special salad, which was also great. For our dinner, we shared the special fish of the night, which was a Mahi Mahi, and the special pasta. The pasta and fish were both fabulous. The restaurant is small, and the tables are close together, but the service was very attentive. It is a BYOB, and they only accept cash, so be prepared. I would definitely suggest trying La Viola, and we will be returning.
La Viola is good, but nothing I'm dying to run back to. It's a great spot when you're looking for a nice BYOB (white tablecloths, fancy ambiance) in Rittenhouse Square, but service can be brusque and some dishes are a miss (while others are definitely a hit). The crowd tends to be on the older side, lots of lovely grannies, to accompany the 20-somethings who are looking for affordable Italian.
They'll seat your large group, but expect to rub elbows with your friends on the left and right while waiters bumping into you throughout dinner.
Definitely a winning date spot although I happened to go with the boyfriend and his family last night. Love the linen tablecloths, knowledgeable waiter, no corkage fee, and the prices were quite reasonable - $15 for veal, $13 for most other dishes. (I don't eat veal as I feel it is bad karma to eat tortured animals.). They were nice enough to chill our white wine and offer to bring it out when the remainder of the table arrived. The tiramisu was again not as good as Ernesto's - I one day aspire to create a comparable version myself - do you have a winning recipe? I had a lovely time and will definitely go again. CASH ONLY!
We picked up a tasty Grenache at the wine and spirits store down the street, and were lucky, unfashionably early enough, to walk in without a reservation. La Viola is dim, and warm, and filled to capacity with a diverse crowd. We had to squeeze ourselves into the center of two other two-tops, but everyone was friendly and generous about getting up to let us slip by. We began the meal with a basket of very hot, very crusty homemade french bread with an balsamic vinegar, fresh rosemary and olive oil dipping bowl. I started with the Funghi Trentino. Mushroom lover that I am, I was in heaven. The prima portion was huge enough that I was able to share, and mopped up all the delicious sauce at the end with another slice of bread, just because I couldn't help myself.
I ordered the Gnocchi Al Filletto Di Pomodoro, a homemade spinach gnocchi with tomato basil sauce and fresh ricotta cheese. Gnocchi, delicious gnocchi.The pasta was startlingly light and pillowly, perfectly sauced, and salty ricotta chunks, sliced and eaten with every bit, added just enough bite. I finished with a dark coffee, black, and a few bites of the house tiramisu. I'm not really into dessert, but compared to the rest of the meal, dessert with only "good."
At it's affordable, BYOB prices, and with such delicious, comforting Italian food and impeccable service (especially in such a tight space) I understand why La Viola has loyal regulars.
My FAVORITE byob restaurant in Philadelphia. This is my go-to place for visiting friends and family. Both the original, La Viola, and the expansion across the street, la Viola Ovest, are reasonably priced great food. I found this place when a friend who was visiting asked for a suggestion of a nice Italian restaurant, in center city, with entrees under $15 and preferably byob. I told him he was ridiculous for asking but came across La Viola and have never looked back.
Also notable is the great service I have had EVERY time.
Downside: If you are looking for privacy this is not the place. You often sit at tables with other parties of people so be prepared for a fairly noisy atmosphere. But in my opinion it adds to the charm. The best solution for this is the only go to La Viola OVEST (across the street expansion) as you are less likely to be placed at a connected table.
My veal pomodoro might have been the worst meal I have had in a long time. That being said, the lobster ravioli was delicious, the rack of lamb was a huge portion and the roasted salmon was tasty too.
I think the restaurant is way too cramped. It is beyond "cozy" to the point of making it difficult to get out of certain seats without having your entire party get up. It was kind of fun, but kind of not.
They also overbook, so be prepared to wait even if you have a reservation. I've been to way too many good BYOs in Philly to warrant more than 2 stars.
Nice, casual Italian fare.
Went here before the second half of the WS game that the Phillies clinched.
Service was a little weird - they were very "hands-off" waitstaff, not pushy with fabulous Italian? accents.
Started off with the spinach gnocchi - a little heavy for my taste. I am not a fan of spinach but that wasn't the issue - it was too thick.
For entree: Vitello alla Viola - very nice. Good flavors and generous portion - the sauce was great.
We were in a hurry to get to McFadden's to watch the game so didn't partake in dessert.
All of the yelpers are pretty spot on with this joint. When the boy suggested that we do an Italian BYOB on our trip up to Philly to see the NIN concert I, of course, turned to Philly Yelp for insight. Lo and behold, La Viola turned up as a solid Italian BYOB and was open until 2300 hours on a Friday night. It was on.
Cozy, cramped quarters where you're pretty much sitting elbow-to-elbow with other (often Italian-speaking) diners next to you. Fortunately, we arrived circa 2230 and the place had pretty much cleared out, so we had a giant table toward the back (or as back as it gets in their little dining space) all to ourselves.
The wines that I'd pulled out of my stash of Linden Vineyards stuff worked out incredibly well, and I think the wine made the meal more than anything else.
The bread that everyone else raved about was totally charred for us. Unimpressive - I had a piece before giving up. The Vitello Alla Viola I ordered had a great rich sauce with savory 'shrooms and crunchy prosciutto sliced more like pancetta than the thinly shaved prosciutto I'm used to. The veal itself was surpassingly tender, but didn't seem to have any flavor on its own. Moderately priced at $15 - I certainly wouldn't consider it a steal, but completely acceptable.
I think the star of the evening was the ricotta cheesecake paired against our Linden Vidal Riesling. The light sweetness of the ice wine matched the savory richness of the cheesecake, and by that point I was already pretty toasted off of the half bottle of red that we polished off with our entrees. It almost helped to placate my annoyance at the server presuming we wanted our second bottle of wine put in a plastic bag to go, instead of offering to serve it. Yeah - we get the message - you want to go home. Do your job.
They did redeem themselves by chasing us down on the street to return the bottle opener that we'd brought with us and accidentally left. Up until that point, I was solidly in the three stars camp. Acts of kindness like that should count for something, yeah?
So my BF and I went to this BYOB at 5:30 on a Wednesday night and were seated right away as there was only one other couple in the restaurant. Our waiter was very talkative ... with the hostess and the other waiters. We must've stared at him for 15 minutes (he was literally standing five feet away), waiting for him to acknowledge us and come take our order.
We order the mushroom appetizer ... it was just alright. There just wasn't much dimension to the flavor and the texture seemed off. It seemed overcooked.
I ordered the pasta special. Holy crap, it was not good. This time, it wasn't even fully cooked. Now I don't like mushy pasta, but I swear to God I could hear myself bite into it. The three measley shrimps on top of it were okay, though. But again, did they even bother using any sort of seasoning? I sure didn't taste it.
You know, it was empty in that place. It wasn't like the cooks were rushing to get the dishes out to the table. A little bit more consideration into the meals would've been nice. Maybe a little better service from our waiter.
On the plus side, it's a BYOB, which I love. And the prices are very reasonable -- but if the food blows, does it even really matter?
I'd like to think I hit this place on an "off" night, but I doubt I'll be going back to give it another try anytime soon. Luckily for us, there are much more worthy BYOBs to be had in Philly.
Not THE best Italian ever, but delish nonetheless.
The bread was warm and crunchy in just the right spots (insert sexual joke here). My Cesar salad was mediocre, but my gnocchi was heavenly. I feel like they kind of skimped on the portion size, considering how large the damn plate was. My tartufo was AMAZING. When you put chocolate AND ice cream together, I'm pretty much a total sucker (insert additional sexual joke here).
The tables are quite small, and I challenge you to eat dinner with 8 other family members, fit 2 bottles of wine, wine and water glasses, appetizer and entree plates without feeling ridiculously cramped. The service was pretty wonderful- very on top of their shit.
It was really crowded on this Wednesday night between 730-830. I'm unsure if it was because families were indulging on pre-Thanksgiving get-togethers like mine- or if it's like this on every Wednesday. Either way, it would probably be a more a pleasant experience minus most of the people and the loud conversations.
+1 though for their BYOB rule. And thank god my cousins from California know how to chose their wines....
LaViola has the PFFIBYO , the Phily formula for Italian byo, down pat. And that's why they are successful and why Philadelphia is getting more and more famous across the country as the City of BYO's. It's not so difficult.
The formula? Here it is! No surprises on the southern Italian menu, pasta and chicken done very well, mandatory eggplant parm, as an app or entree usually very good, waiters with a suspicious Italian accents, (always the waiters, never the female servers, they all speak perfect English, have you noticed? Wonder why that is?), dutiful service, a reservation poiicy that can best be described as mercurial, a identical dessert menu with tiramisu, canolli, rum cake and spumoni and reasonable prices. Feel like Italian and can't decide? Put the following names on paper and throw a dart. Porcini, Branzino, La Locanda del Ghiottone, Fontana della citta, Roberto's, Pesto, Scinicchio's, Franco's, L'Oca, LaBaia, Mercato and some I've missed. And if you wait a few days a new one will have opened.
After rave reviews, reservations for 12 people at 9 pm were made for my friend's bachelorette party on Saturday night. Interestingly, we were only seated around 9:30-9:45 (after waiting outside in the cold) at two separate tables, and when the silverware came it was thrown in the middle of the table. We were less than pleased. Our first conversation with the manager went nowhere as he refused to help us out.
After stewing for about 10 minutes about the horrendous service, they redeemed themselves. Finally, the manager was being reasonable and he had the two tables pushed together and brought out complimentary caesar salad and antipasto plates for our troubles.
After that everything was great - food was delicious (a favorite seemed to be the lobster ravioli), and who doesn't love BYOB? I'll definitely return since they fixed things in the end, but be warned, a reservation doesn't necessarily mean anything and service is spotty. But again, thanks to them for ultimately turning it into a great way to start the night.
I went there because the restaurant had such good reviews here.
The food was okay, nothing to complain about there. The atmosphere pleasant in the converted tenement apartment.
I would have given this place at least three stars originally, but then something truly annoying and messed up happened to my brother and I during dessert.
We were the last table for the night and most of the staff was outside chit-chatting and smoking cigarettes. One of the waiters asked us if we wanted dessert. My brother ordered the tartouffa (sp?).
The waiter comes back out with chocolate cake. That is an innocent mistake. We told him we didn't order that. He went back to the kitchen which is less than 20 feet away and starts yelling "This 'maricone' wants the tartouffa now!"
If the place were crowded, maybe we wouldn't have been able to hear him or make out so clearly what he said. But this "pendejo" thought he could get away with that. Maybe because we are Asian and he assumed we wouldn't speak English or Spanish well enough to "comprender."
We got into an argument with the waiter and the kitchen staff who assured us "he didn't say nothing."
The owner was equally unhelpful when we tried to explain what happened. "These guys just joke around in the kitchen." That is in and of itself fine. I understand, I've worked in plenty of restaurants with Mexican kitchen staff. But I have never let the horseplay or wordplay move outside of the circle of me and them -- the insults are saved for each other, not the paying customers.
I will not be going back to this place again and I wouldn't suggest it for anyone wanting a nice peaceful insult-free meal.
This is quaint BYO that would make a great place to take a first date.
Their menu is smaller and doesn't exactly include all the classic Italian dishes, but you'll find something you like.
The portions are smaller than most places, which is actually a positive aspect for me. I think this is how they keep their quality high for the prices they charge. Also, I usually am never able to finish my meals at most Italian restaurants.
I got the calamari and pasta special (light marinara over black squid ink spaghetti with mussels, shrimp, and salmon). I absolutely loved the calamari especially since it was uncut and served with capers. The pasta special was also different and something I've never had before and I really enjoyed it. I finished it all without feeling too full.
This place won't blow you away with the food, but for the price, atmosphere, and service, I think it's just amazing. I'll definitely be back again.
La Viola. The restaurant that has gotten me through numerous first dates. For those of us dying to get out, but are doing so on tight budgets, La Viola is great. Not only is it a BYO, but it's got a great ambiance - accommodating both girlfriends or friends who want to get out, as well as couples looking for an intimate spot - and most of the plates aren't over 14 dollars. It's a great overall Italian experience, casual but still charming, and I haven't had a dish that I didn't love.
Old school Italian restaurant...right down to the table in the corner with six older gentlemen in shark skin suits, gold chains and slicked back jet black hair that gets dyed weekly. Nothing like atmosphere to make a restaurant feel authentic. With that crowd comes fantastic, old school service as the owners of this restaurant clearly place a high premium on treating their patrons as if they were guests in their home. White table cloth setting...very intimate and romantic setting. FYI - the restaurant has a very limited number of tables and tables might be too close to each other for some people. They have opened a second location across the street.
Food was nicely done with a mix of classic pasta dishes with fresh summer vegetables, daily specials and most (not all) of your classic Italian dishes. Mussels in red sauce were excellent followed by cappellini with prosciutto di parma and peas.
Quick reminder that this place is BYOB.
Ordered the chicken rollosomething or other (stuffed with ham, 1st chix on the menu) and the mahi-mahi special. The chicken was great, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The mahi-mahi was overcooked and underwhelming. If something is a special, it should be special, no?
The bread was generic, but the olive oil dip had balsamic and herbs, which made it nicer than usual. The space was very loud (it was hard to have a conversation) and the tables right up against each other, so we were almost bumping elbows if not careful. They were pushing bottled water, appetizers and desserts but not too hard. We brought a bottle of wine, which they opened immediately.
If I had the chicken in peace, this would have been a 5 *. I give it minus one for the fish dish, and minus one for the ambiance. If you like loud spaces at dinner, this is perfect for you. I would go back, but would try to get there earlier when fewer people are there so it isn't so loud and crowded. But then again, that only goes to show how popular this place is.
Cash only, so stop by the bank on the way. Unless you have a reservation, don't even bother to come in a group. Call and reserve in advance.
Simple, solid italian food on the cheap for a NOT on the cheap ambience, menu, and professionalism.
I paid less here for a bruschetta special and chicken breast stuffed with fontina cheese and spinach in a fantastically delicious rose sauce than I have at, say, houlihan's or whatever Shenanigan chain you can think of for half-assed nachos and a sloppy turkey club.
This is one of my favorite spots in the city. I've probably dined here about 15 times now, and only once did I think my food was anything less than delicious (and it wasn't bad that one time, just not as delicious as it usually is). The room is a bit small and can sometimes get kind of loud, but the food is consistently well prepared and the price is incredibly reasonable (especially with BYOB factored in).
A very small Italian restaurant which serves up very generous portions at very reasonable prices. And it's BYOB, so bring any bottle of wine you like and there is no corkage fee. Very crowded quarters, too, so if you don't like literally sitting next to a stranger, this place ain't for you. And it's cash only.
Was the food spectacular? No, but all of it was very good. Servers were indifferent and barely made eye contact (and also sloppily poured our wine) but otherwise, they were prompt and efficient.
Lobster ravioli was excellent and the homemade tiramasu was not too sweet and very light. Everything else we tried hit high marks in flavor.
A solid choice.
I've eaten at this restaurant every time I've visited Philly and they are pretty consistent.
The calamari appetizer - one of my favorites! Cooked just right every time. I had the shrimp and sausage pasta with a creamy red sauce...also very good.
The staff is very friendly and I feel like I'm a guest at their house...good old-fashioned home-cooked Italian meal. However, it is very cramped and depending on where you're sitting, your seat might bump into your neighbors, but is part of the charm of the experience. It is not a fancy meal, but nevertheless, a very good one! I will be back each time I visit Philly.
My sister loves the bread here and raved about the prices so my bf and I checked it out yesterday. We were glad that we called ahead (approx 2 hours) to make a reservation for 7PM. Even so, we waited for few minutes. While we were waiting, a girl came in and asked about the wait for a table for 2 and the hostess directed her across the street for La viola West as the place was sold out for the evening.
We started our meal with a great Riesling, which went well with our mushroom appetizer (3 kinds of mushroom in garlic sauce) (Yay Yelpers who suggest yummy appetizers!).
I got the veal with artichokes and liked it a bunch. It came with snow peas and mashed potatoes.
Bf got the fettucine pizzaola which came with capers and olive and red peppers, but was a little heavy on the tomatoes.
Too full for dessert so we'll have to try that next time.
Perhaps a bigger group than 2 is better. It was rather loud and somewhat better for a party of 3 or more.
Reasonable stand by place. La Viola Ouest across the street has the same food and more seating. Both locations have great service and good fresh Italian food at decent prices.
Three Course Recession Menu
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
18" Tomato Pizza $3.99
Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Washington Square West
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Avenue of the Arts South
Category: Italian
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Italian
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