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Speranza
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2547 Hyperion AveLos Angeles, CA 90189
Neighborhood: Silver Lake
(323) 644-1918
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- 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:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
164 reviews for Speranza
Review Highlights
"No Corkage fee so bring your favorite wine."
(in 33 reviews)
"I highly recommend choosing the "homemade pasta" option."
(in 23 reviews)
"There's a liquor store across the street," he added."
(in 8 reviews)
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164 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle Y.
Los Angeles, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
yum. so finally had the opportunity to try out speranza. it's mainly outdoor seating but there are heaters so you'll be nice and toasty your whole meal.
you get seated relatively quick. and this delicious toasty bread comes to your table with a tomato based tapenade and a balsamic vinegar dip. oh man, you can go through so much of this goodness.
i ordered a decaf latte. yum. the espresso is delicious here.
also, my bf and i had just ate but we had to order something so we had the pomodoro bruschetta. i dipped the bruschetta into the balsamic that's on your table. so good. it's heaped on top with a delicious tomato/olive oil/garlic mixture so it's heaven in your mouth.
my table ordered a slew of items and everything looks really really good! the lasagna is a small portion but apparently it's very hearty. the pastas look heavenly. the best thing that came out to the table was the minestrone. it's a huge portion and looks filling beyond belief! -
Review from Laura G.
Los Angeles, CA
1/12/2012
1st the cheese & pear plate is the BEST in town...served with a rich, velvety triple creme brie and a hard cheese that's been carved into flowers- It wont soon be forgotten... Then the bread... forget the no-carbs, this bread is worth every extra min of cardio that you'll need to do to compensate for this delectable fare!
I live in neighboring Los Feliz, and we've got loads of good Italian, but we drive over to Silverlake, because this place is outstanding. Bohemian in decor - the servers are sweet and knowledgeable about wine, books, movies and FOOD!
We ended up here one night because Barbrix wasn't open yet and the gal at the front desk had way too much attitude to consider talking to us before "opening time"... Barbrix is good, but I have not been back. In 2 months, my husband, son and I have been to Speranza four times and we plan to go again and again.
The wine list is unusual, but well thought-out with excellent options by the glass. Home-made pasta is habit-forming and once you've had it - your spoiled for life. Suggestions: No meat pasta - Ziti w/Eggplant (light but substantial); IF you like mullet roe they do a linguini with it and that is all my husband and son ever want to order! Save room for the Choc. Moose and the wonderful meringue cookies served with fresh whipped cream.
Speranza is a GEM (not just for Silverlake), but for all who pass through the plastic tarp into that magical little patio. You will eat well here, the food is fresh, creative and absolutely delish! -
Review from Valerie M.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 12/30/2011
I had to throw in the last star. Seriously, I'm addicted to that Amitriciana. Get it. Order a side of peas and spoon some into the bowl. Mix it up. Eat. Enjoy.
(You're welcome).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/20/2011
Nearly a 5-star experience . . . another lovely find in the new 'hood! Enjoyed my pasta so, so much… Read more »
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Review from Min T.
Los Angeles, CA
12/22/2011
3.5
Speranza is one of those places I never really hear about because it's such a neighborhood place. LA seems to be the sort of town to drive for the "best" of something. Well, if you want Italian in Los Feliz or Silver Lake or even Echo Park, I'd go here.
They have some nice apertifs. I like my Lillet cocktail. A lot of the wines were only $6 a glass.
We started with the pear and fennel salad served with a horseradish dressing. The slight spiciness intermingled with the pear quite well. We also had a beef carpaccio that was very nice.
I asked for the veal ossobuco and our poor flustered server wasn't sure they had veal but then suggested another veal dish to me. Bless his heart.
We also shared the pasta alla borga. The fish roe in this was almost overpowering. It's a good thing I like fishy (in a good way) pastas.
Our server brought us cookie "crumbs" but stumbled along his explaination he would have given us whole cookies but due (mumble) "somethingsomething something," he said we could have nothing or the crumbs. We took the crumbs. Bless his heart.
We sat on the patio. I loved the flowers everywhere, the blankets on the chairs in case you got cold and even our sweet bumbling server (bless his heart). -
Review from Melia S.
12/13/2011
Quality food served with class in a rustic but charming setting made for a spectacular dinner at Speranza.
This place is definitely a neighborhood gem and if I lived anywhere near, I'd be in a lot of trouble. The restaurant sits right on the street, but you'd never know once you stepped inside. Outside of the one blaring emergency siren, it was quiet which made for easy conversation as opposed to screaming at your dining companions over a trendy soundtrack or football game. That's another thing I noticed, there appeared to be no TV, but this isn't a come in and watch TV kind of place. This is a "we're serious about food so we don't need a TV" kind of place.
They have three dining areas-a heated patio, bar/lounge area and inside dining area. It didn't feel like I was dining at a restaurant-more like having dinner at a friend's house which is always a great kind of ambience. Our waiter was really nice-friendly without being overbearing and made decent wine recommendations. I ended up with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc because they'd ran out of the varietal I wanted. He was kind enough to bring me two whites to sample before making a decision!
My friend and I had gone on a dim sum binge earlier in the day so weren't quite starving, so dinner was light but full of all of the right flavors! We started off with the raw artichoke salad which was an excellent starter-light, crunchy, salty and a little buttery and nutty from the artichoke. The capers added a nice acidity to cut through the artichoke and the anchovies added a nice saltiness!
We had the linguine and clams for the main course-pasta was cooked perfectly and the clams were fresh. The sauce that sat at the bottom of the bowl was where it was at though! Garlicky and buttery goodness....we asked for more bread to sop it up and none of it went to waste!
Speranza definitely deserves a visit if you're ever in the area-great for smaller groups and definitely would make for a great date spot! -
Review from James M.
Duarte, CA
12/31/2011
The food is excellent! The Bottarga is magnificent! The staff is very nice and friendly. If you want good Italian food, you must try this place!
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Review from Justin W.
Los Angeles, CA
11/14/2011
Came here last night for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. The food was very delicious! They make their pasta fresh, which makes a huge difference in taste. They had many GOOD vegetarian options to choose from, which was a huge plus. The zita ala norma was amazing. I can't wait to come back!
Side note: I had read from reviews that they had no corkage fee so we brought our own wine, but I guess at some point they changed that. It ended up on not being that big of a deal though because the wine that they have is reasonably priced and delicious. -
Review from senator t.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
Exactly what a neighborhood italian place should be, especially if this neighborhood were in NY or San Francisco. Reading some of the reviews on here further pushes down my respect for LA diners. Well selected wine list, fresh season menu, well executed hand made pasta. Service was prompt, friendly, honest yet professional. Had the clam linguine which needs to be executed perfectly to be good, and it was. Bolognese was fresh and delicious. Everything priced well. Love the decor and multiple patios. Love this place.
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Review from steven l.
Los Angeles, CA
11/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
For as good as italian goes. This is a farely good spot. The ambiance is welcoming and encourages you to just hangout and enjoy the silverlake ambiance. The pasta although fairly fresh and al dente was nothing to totally rave about. But the idea that it is fresh is great. I had the squid ink pasta and it was pretty good.
I enjoy italian food and make my own noodles from time to time and thought some items needed more seasoning. It wasn't terrible though but the food doesn't have the rich flavors usually that I crave from italian restaurants. I would say the pallette is very soft for a lot of their flavors. Very Japanese pasta if you know what I mean. But overall service cost of food and ambiance were all satisfactory.
If I want intesne flavors hit up the osteria momma or mozza but this place will suffice because of it's proximity next to my pad! -
Review from Nathan B.
Los Angeles, CA
10/22/2011
I've been to Speranza twice now. Both times the food was really good. The first time we got a server who looked liked he'd majored in Victorian literature and hadn't bothered acquainting himself with either the food or wine menu before beginning to work there, but he was friendly.
Most recently, me and my GF got a very friendly girl server (Nicole) who did, in fact, know what was good on the menu. She was very friendly, super helpful, and saw to it that we were stocked up on bread and water the whole time -- and the place was busy, too. It was extremely helpful that she knew what dishes were and were not gluten-free, and it's incredible that they do, in fact, have gluten-free dishes.
The beef cutlet they served me was so delicious I could have had it for dessert, too. Their pasta is great. The atmosphere is nice and fun and you are treated well. My only recommendation would be to not ask if you have a reservation if it's pretty clear there are enough seats for everyone. Other than that, this place is phenomenal. -
Review from Frank B.
Los Angeles, CA
10/18/2011
Not bad...loved the warm bread, tapanade & red pepper spread!!!
Wanted to sit outside as we were having one of our un-seasonal hot weather spells. Unfortunately so did everyone else to we opted for one of the 2 inside window tables...a great choice as we got to see the place in action. Staff is pretty competent & service was fab. & the hot bread just kept coming..loved it. Wine list is avg to just ok...the Gott Sauv Blanc was serviceable....Minestrone was homemade & great. Capresse salad, service in a bowl was very inventive in making flavors meld. Lasagna served in large ramekin - Ray loved it. My Fett, Shrimp w/ pink sauce...could have used little more seasoning.. Ate next day cause I filled up on the bread...Forget the berry dessert,...came w/ 5 blueberries.. -
Review from Dino D.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012
I have been to this restaurant more than a half dozen times, and I have to admit that I've enjoyed the food there each time, however tonight was not one of them. The waiter began by telling us there was only one roasted tomato soup left, and no Oso Bucco. I ordered the veal cutlet (Milanese) which was very disappointing. It was served with a small shot glass worth of salsa like mixture, rather than a tomato sauce one usually expects with that kind of dish. It was overly breaded oily and bland. i also ordered a side of asparagus as it is served a la cart. So the total for this was $25! I would normally send send something like this back but I was hungry and just didn't want to have to deal all that conflict. I regret not sending it back now. We each had one glass of wine, the last bowl of soup ( $8) no dessert and the bill was $68. plus tip. This is no longer a "neighborhood" restaurant for an inexpensive causal dinner. I doubt that I'll be going back anytime soon. Too bad since it's walkable.
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Review from april c.
South Pasadena, CA
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
this place is just lovely! a friend's fave, we went here with no particular cravings otherwise, and all i could say the first hour was, 'holy crap, the service is incredible!' because it IS! seriously, it wasn't empty, it wasn't packed, but the service was as on-it as a 5-star hoity place, whereas here it was relaxed and happy, with families and couples and it just sort of looked like a movie...
...and tasted much better than a movie, not that i've munched many..
the fennel salad is an incredible mix of yes, fennel, and parm and pine nuts and horseradish and...yum! the bread landed on the table within literal seconds and it was warm - yum! the pasta - though we had a brief order mixup - was quite good; evidently house-made, great bite (and bonus, a cute waiter who would apparently add as much parm as you can stand) - yum! and lastly, the tiramisu, also yum!
i was very impressed and look forward to returning. service really sells a place, all told, and while the food was certainly worth returning for, the service was simply flawless and greatly appreciated. -
Review from Bianca D.
Los Angeles, CA
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Discovered this place after Boyfriend vetoed Barbarella on sight and impulsively dragged us next door. We liked it so much we returned 2 weekends in a row.
The food is amazing, the wine list is reasonable, the vibe is Silverlake hip at its unpretentious best (yes, it's true). And they have blankets on every chair at every table on their quaint, cozy open air patio. Enough said. -
Review from Cindy H.
Los Angeles, CA
8/14/2011
I liked everything about Speranza.
The food is about the same quality as Little Dom's, but no frills and less of a scene. The courtyard is casual enough to be perfect for weeknights, but elegant enough to avoid the lumberjacks. There's no more free corkage, but they have an inexpensive ($6 per glass) and well chosen wine list. The pièce de résistance: a very clean and cute restroom. -
Review from Miles B.
Los Angeles, CA
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of our neighborhood spots. Not sure I'd go out of my way to come here if we didn't live close - but we've been going for a few years now and like the place.
Recently they've started selling wine and have some deal with a vineyard. The zinfandel is great and about $25 for the bottle. Nice to go there, sit outside with a bottle and split some pastas. Good low key night.
Also, the meringue cookies they give you with the check are insane. Don't miss those. -
Review from Martin K.
North Hollywood, CA
8/9/2011
Place was nice. Food was OK. Nothing to spectacular except for the people watching. This place is a must for hipsters to be seen. Not for a super spectacular meal.
My friend and I got the Lasagne, and his wife got the rigatoni. The presentation of the Lasagne was great, in 6" ramekins. Pretty cool. The rigatoni from what i'm told was so so, more on par with just boiling noodles with a basic store bought tomato sauce.
The tiramisu was very rich with espresso, very nice, but a little soggy.
Basically, the wine was good, bread was average, and the food so so.
Great for hipster spotting, just be prepared for spoiled children. There was one 4-5yr old, that after he picked a table that was reserved for someone else, that had a 5-10 minute breakdown. The parent's barely did anything to calm him down. -
Review from Matt Q.
Los Angeles, CA
9/29/2011
As of right now, this is my favorite restaurant in Silverlake. I'm a huge fan of the simple, cute decor/outdoor garden seating. This place is not luxurious, but the food is pretty stellar. The first time I came here, the staff were cutting fresh pasta inside; even more pasta was hanging near the kitchen. then i tasted the pasta! its perfectly done. the mare e terra is my favorite, but the squid ink and the pesto are right there as well. The service has always been great, and everyone I've ever taken here has loved it. I'd choose this comfy spot over Angelini Osteria any day.
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Review from Jim A.
Los Angeles, CA
11/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Excellent Italian food and pleasant ambiance. The pasta is handmade! There is a small indoor dinning area and an outdoor section with heat lamps in case it is too cool. The service was a little slow but the servers really bustle! Very casual. The prices are on the higher end but we thought it worth the price. Everything that our group of four ordered was absolutely delicious.
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Review from Bob B.
Beverly Hills, CA
4/27/2011
I heard bad things about the place, but I don't see them as justified.
The pasta they make is fresh and made on premises. The dishes we favored were the lasagna and linguini dishes.
The wine is pretty great too, and the desert are among my favorite of ALL TIME. Especially the Tirimasu. Ignore the angry hipster reviews and at least give this a shot.
Wasn't a fan of the risotto, which was over-priced, but you really cannot go wrong with any of the simple, yet perfectly satisfying and delicious pasta-based dishes. -
Review from Regina B.
Los Angeles, CA
I have been there twice now, both times for special occasions.
Both times I was throughly impressed. I will summarize this one given my excellent experiences.
1. Great service: Both times, different waiters, different group size, yet consistent, friendly and helpful service. I like waiters that love the food and are not shy in giving you suggestions..
2.Amazing food: I wont even talk specifically on the dishes, since after sampling almost half their dishes, I can confidently say...Feel free to order ANYTHING. It will be amazing. And, all the pastas are hand made.
3. Nice wine list: This is just a plus to the already great everything else.
4. Cute ambiance: This is not relevant to the food, but definitely to the experience. Its not a must for me, but it sure is appreciated if so.
5. Reasonable Price: It was worth it. Big portions, so I had a nice meal the next day for lunch. And for home made pasta, the prices are absolutely average.
The only reason why they don't get a full 5 rating, is because I was born to an Italian father and raised in italy for a 3rd of my life, and a part of me cannot help but be a purist when it comes to tradition. These dishes are not traditional. They are modern, fresh and nice.
If you are looking for legitimate traditional, feel free to try my 5 star rated italian restaurants.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Erin M.
Detroit, MI
3/24/2011
I came here on a dinner-date late last spring. Granted I hadn't lived in Los Angeles for very long when I was introduced to this place, but I can say hands-down that, to this day, this place was probably the most magical location I've ever been taken on a date.
The food was decent (we ordered something weird that included fennel as the main ingredient. Neither of us actually had any experience eating the stuff, but as it turns out, it's a vegetable that tastes like licorice. Which would be nice, if you were a fan of licorice, but neither of us was, sooo ... Apart from that, though, the pasta dishes were good and they have a decent veggie selection.
Our waiter was chill and pretty cool (as seems to be the usual in L.A. - which is a good thing), and the atmosphere was great. We sat outside on the *gorgeous* patio - surrounded by outdoor heaters, beautiful outdoor lighting, and the most astonishingly pretty flowers and trees I've ever seen on a restaurant patio. This is definitely an amazing date spot.
Oh, and besides the incredible patio, another big positive point about this spot is that (as many people have already mentioned), there's no corkage fee, and there's a liquor shop across the street that actually has a halfway decent selection of wine to choose from. -
Review from Kenya F.
Los Angeles, CA
8/17/2011
I'm a fan of this place. It would be easy to dismiss it as some kind of hipster myopia, but the pastas are very good: simple and yummy. Good wine list, good bread, good atmosphere.
It's loud. -
Review from David N.
Los Angeles, CA
4/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mediocre at best. Went here for Saturday dinner. We asked to see the menu first to check things out. We decided to stay after reviewing the menu but it took 10 min of waiting out in the front entrance for anyone to come back to seat us. The staff would just walk by us but didn't help us or even flag down the host.
We sat outside which was great. It was a warm and a perfect night to be out. They promptly provided us with water, bread, and their tomatoe and olive dipping sauses. That was probably the highlight of the meal. We started off with the Endive sald with gorgonzola and walnuts. It was bland and noting special. The lasagna was great and our other pasta dish was forgettable. I don't even remember what is was already.
The were way understaffed during dinner hours which was a negative. The waitress was very nice but due to the magnitude of tables they had to handle, the service was slow. It took awhile to get any water refilled and trying to pay took some time. The table of 19 guys behind us didn't help much either.
Overall.... mehhhhh it was alright. Will I come back again? Probably not. -
Review from A J.
Los Angeles, CA
12/18/2011
I lived in Italy for six months and was spoiled beyond words by the food there. As a result, I'm insanely picky about the "Italian food" I eat in America. Speranzas, however, is authentically prepared and very reasonably priced. Their tomato chili soup was extremely flavorful and my handmade pasta with eggplant and tomato was fresh and perfectly portioned. The atmosphere was very trendy and romantic. Will go back to try the lobster risotto for only $22!
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Review from sue r.
Pasadena, CA
9/9/2011
Speranza has authentic feel good homemade Italian food. The pasta is handmade, fresh, and amazing. They have hot fresh bread that they serve with two kinds of dips that are both to die for - one tomato based, the other olive. Just amazing. Try (hard!) not to overdo it on the bread so you're hungry enough for the heaping bowl of fresh pasta. Great service. And I love the icy water jug they place at your table so you're not busy trying to flag down the waiter for water every ten seconds.
This place makes me feel like I'm eating in my backyard at home, even though I don't own a home and don't have a backyard. Lol. I'm a big fan of this joint. It's the same food quality as other amazing restaurants, but less expensive and without the hype. Doesn't get better than this ladies and gents! -
Review from Penny P.
Los Angeles, CA
6/27/2011
I love this spot. We can walk there. D had a couple of big beers we shared the amazing pear, fennel salad w a touch of horse radish. Then I had grilled squid and D had fettucine so perfect I finished it.
They have delish bread and spreads and even give u a little cookie to finish. I hope this place stays around as long as I do!!! -
Review from Andy H.
Los Angeles, CA
3/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really want to love this place.. It has so much going for it - ambiance, homemade pasta, location etc. I've been three times now, hoping that it will get better but considering the price I feel the service is pretty horrible. The wait staff are also clueless about the food they are serving, what's on the wine list, or what's on the cheese plate - sigh. I've had consistently over-cooked pasta, way overly-salted or completely bland food.
Try La Buca on Melrose near Vermont instead for great homemade pasta! -
Review from Abigail O.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2011 10 Check-ins Here
Speranza drives me to seek love simply so that I may have more date nights spent eating a perfect bowl of pasta.
The tomato relish and olive tapenade automatically served with warm bread as soon as you are sat is worth the trip alone. The homemade pasta is just perfect and never leaves you wanting more. Always cooked just right with just the right about of sauce. Usually, I am the type of pasta orderer that avoids getting just the Spaghetti Pomodoro for fear of being boring but it a must, if only once, to experience simple pasta at it's best. The Ziti alla Norma is my second favorite.
Now that my heart is beating fully again after a short, frightening, and unexplained closure (they were getting a Liquor License and building out a bar says the rumor mill), I look forward to trying even more on the menu.
I do miss the BYOB charm but think the addition of the bar is well needed and long awaited by all.
A reservation is highly recommended, as the tables are few.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from victor k.
Los Angeles, CA
1/4/2011
I am probably biased because Speranza is a short walk from my house and I eat here frequently. So much, in fact, the service kind of treats me like I work there ... just enough attention not to feel dissed but giving me plenty of space to enjoy my meal.
I was a little depressed when the BYOB stopped, Speranza closed and reopened with the wine box only serving Californian wines. Thankfully, they have now started serving quality Italian wines by the glass and bottle that compliment their delicious courses.
Obvious winners are the bacon-ziti and lasagna. In addition, I strongly suggest getting the hand-made pasta when it's an option for your dish.
Hang out and stay a while, enjoy your food and don't forget to order the tiramisu before it's too late! -
Review from emilie h.
Los Angeles, CA
12/6/2010
I had been avoiding this place solely based on the mediocre reviews on Yelp. Luckily, a co-worker recently gave it rave reviews so I finally decided to try it!
I got there on time, but my friend was running very late. Despite this, they gave me a table and were very attentive for the half hour I sat there alone. The little wine bar/hut attached to the patio was missing some of the reds I would expect from an Italian restaurant, but what they had was still good. My friend finally showed up and they brought us more bread and were extremely accommodating with her food allergies.
My Italian boyfriend has made me a bit of a pasta snob and Speranza didn't disappoint. Everything tasted fresh and the portions were just the right size. I'm really looking forward to trying more!
Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant and I urge those of you who had bad experiences to try it one more time. It seems like they've really made an effort to improve. -
Review from Vitto V.
Studio City, CA
10/4/2011
Every time I go to this place , it reminds me of Italy. Speranza has authentic feel good homemade Italian food. Very cute , mellow, relaxing , cute , trendy restaurant. Food is 'fantastico', wine is 'spettacolare' :)
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Review from Miss S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/15/2011 2 photos
Just went here for a Valentines weekend date with my boyfriend and it was great! I have been once before, years ago, when it was still BYOB. However they have a very nice and well priced wine list now, which is great.
The food - my boyfriend had the beef carpaccio, which he liked, but didn't love. I had the beet salad/carpaccio which was very good. We shared the cheese plate - yum! It was actually such a generous portion we had to take some of it home. I was disappointed that the server didn't seem to know anything about the cheeses, so we got no explanation about anything. I recognized a couple of the varieties but would have liked to know what the others were. Would also recommend they serve the cheese with a little something sweet - a drizzle of honey or smear of fig jam would have taken it to the next level.
Our entrees very very good. Unfortunately they were out of the sea bass, but my boyfriend got the crab legs instead. He said they were amazing, though the portion was on the small side for the price (to be fair, the server warned us the fish portions are small). Just don't order this if you're really hungry. I had the house made fettuccine with zucchini, radicchio and tomato bechamel - HEAVEN.
Drinks were good -- I had the Spritz (persecco with aperol) which was lovely. BF had a sauvingnon blanc, also very good, especially for only $6. Ambience is nice, but definitely sit outside if you can. Inside is small, crowded, and loud. Heat lamps and blankets draped over the chairs are a nice and romantic touch! Oh, and make reservations -- it gets packed! -
Review from Tom C.
Seattle, WA
9/20/2011
Passable pasta, decent pricing, nice semi-outdoor seating. Good place to meet friends if food isn't the main thing on the agenda. Staff could use some training. Beware the benches that are back to back - a pain to get in and out of.
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Review from Jenn R.
Glendale, CA
8/20/2011
Had a fantastic meal here for my birthday! Service was excellent. Love the secludedness on such a busy street. Had the Rigatoni Bolognese. Really tasty with house made pasta! Had the pear salad which was very fresh and just the right size. Also had the Bullpen Cab Franc. Just the right addition, then tiramisu and a cap to finish. All around fab place and will definitely go back. Only, note to self, heels not necessary. Very low key hip crowd. Oh yes! Forgot to mention they put little plaid blankets on the chairs to help you keep warm outside!
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Review from Sarah P.
Los Angeles, CA
8/26/2011
Hyperion meets Rome. We hadn't been here since it was Cafe Capri, run by an Italian family. I understand this place is now run by a husband and wife team - she's from Vietnam and he's from Germany. My daughter, husband and I split the pear and cheese plate which was great. I had the scallops which were cooked very nicely and husband and daughter had pasta. I wouldn't go out of my way to drive here but it's a great neighborhood spot. Lovely urban outdoor seating, relaxing atmosphere, and good, fresh food.
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Review from Matt P.
7/6/2010
If you haven't received the public service announcement yet, Speranza is no longer a BYO! It's been a while since I've been here, so when I was informed that I need not bring my bottle to the table, I was a little shocked. But no worries, there is now a cool, nifty semi outdoor wine stand to cater to your BYO needs. And don't fret you won't end up owing an arm or leg to a Mexican cartel to finance your evening. Each glass is reasonably priced at $6 no matter the squeeze of choice.
Onto the eats....
Breaded veal ($22) - A true disappointment. Thin bits of mashed veal, I'd say about a third of it meat & two thirds bread batter, lacked any real flavor, which was probably due to being masked from the heavy, dry breading. Not worth the coin for the quality.
Branzino ($22) - a very well prepped & cooked fish. If there a way to cook a sea bass to perfection, this is it. The fish was so tender it literally just fell apart trying to dig into the first bite. Also, they will let you debone it yourself if it's to your liking.
The pasta dishes that I've had in the past are pretty decent as well and on average hover in the $15 dollar range. The one that really sings (of course I can't remember the exact name of the dish) is a bolognese. The three keys to this pasta bowl starts and ends in the sauce - tomato, bacon, and chili sauce. A pretty decent mix to top off a bowl of steaming pasta if you ask me.
The layout is pretty simple and unassuming, very open, though still has a cool vibe - a chill place to relax during the summer evening to sip on some vino, have a relaxed dinner, or even a good place to take a date.
Overall a 3.5, but with more pluses than minuses, I have to round up. -
Review from Melanie O.
Los Angeles, CA
3/7/2011
Ok, lets keep it simple...
Pros:
- I give them props for having homemade noodles
- the ambiance is very mom and pop. I love that they provide blankets for the outdoor seating.
- The bread was excellent with tasty dipping sauce (I believe it was a tomato purée and Olive pesto).
- well priced wine list
So why only 3 stars?
My linguini was over cooked. I was so hyped about homemade pasta, it was a let down when I got doughy, clumpy pasta. However, my friend had the fettuccini and shrimp which was pretty good.
Over all here is the bottom line - Speranza is not nearly as good at Terroni's on Beverly! This place is a bit cheaper but not so much cheaper that you expect less. One thing going for it over Terroni's...it's way less crowded and quieter! -
Review from Allison L.
Los Angeles, CA
6/29/2010
So everyone, I know it says you can bring your own wine with no corkage fee. But now you can't. I showed up with my grocery bag full o'wine on Saturday and the host told me they stopped doing that. No apology, just a blank stare into some hipster beyond: "we don't do that anymore...yeah."
Don't get me wrong. Atmosphere, amazing. Food, very good. Service, yikes. If you like hipster guys in chambray blue button ups and ray ban eyeglasses, then you're in luck! But if you like to get your wine before your food arrives or ever have anyone refill your water or, I don't know, even pay attention to you....don't be impressed by this place. It was like the wait staff was confused about everything, even explaining their own menu or how to seat people in a restaurant.
I'd come back for the beautiful outdoor space and delish food, but next time I'll bring my patience and leave my vino at home. -
Review from Jesenia G.
Los Angeles, CA
7/6/2010
This was my second time here and I must say that while I can't recall my first experience being superb or worth writing about, the only reason I returned was primarily because of the homemade noodles and a no-corkage fee policy.
Well, ladies and germs, I am kind of surprised to see that no one had made a recent post as to the abolishing of the no-corkage fee. That's right my foodie friends. YOU CAN NO LONGER BRING YOUR OWN WINE! To my dismay and embarrassment (I had suggested this as the celebratory place for my friend's birthday), the hostess promptly told us to "put the bottles of wine in our purses or store them in the back of the restaurant" (verbatim). Talk about no tact. Apparently, someone had "ratted them out to the police" (verbatim) and they were no longer permitted to allow their patrons to bring in their own wine.
Conveniently, however, they did have their own wine list sparsely equipped to buy from. Hmmm...probably a cover-up to change the policy and market their own wine, in my opinion.
Secondly, while the noodles are home-cooked, they are nothing to write home about. The sauces are bland and frankly, I'd be better off preparing store-bought noodles and a homemade sauce, which I could do better than Speranza considering the bland assembly of a tomato garlic pasta dish my friend begrudgingly returned. It looked and tasted like something a college student threw together on a late night binge.
Thirdly, the waitress kept making snide remarks about our orders.
Example no. 1:
Friend: "...I'd like a salad please"
Waitress: "Oh, THERE'S my salad"
As if to say the rest of us fat asses should follow suit. Sorry, sweetheart, I like to eat. You should try it sometime.
Example no. 2:
Me: "We'd like to try the tiramisu, please"
Waitress: "ONE tiramisu?"
Me: "Yes, ONE tiramisu!"
As if to say, gees, I would think you fat asses would want one to yourselves.
The tiramisu was okay but it wasn't like Terroni's on Beverly. We decided it was probably store-bought, but the proof is in the mascarpone cheese (can I get a drum roll please, ha!).
It's a shame the experience was so bad. I might have overlooked the bland food and awful service if I had been drinking as much (of my own) wine as I wanted. I won't be coming back, just in case my tip amount didn't make it known.
