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me and the wife went here for dinner.
we had the tasting menu for two, hands down one of the best italian eats in l.a.
the service was excellent and the food was awesome.
i will be back for sure, a great alternative to valentino which is totally overpriced and has gone down hill big time....
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My grandmother would love it.
It's just very.... 1987, and not in a good way.
The food is good, but the prices are not.
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I went to this place to meet a friend from Colorado. I got there first, and was quite shocked when I walked in because I thought I would walk into a lobby or someplace where someone would meet me to ask "how many?" It was quite the opposite. I walked in right where everyone was eating! I felt kind of wierd.. So I walked to the back of the restaurant to wait for my friend.
The atmosphere is very dark and mysterious. Candles everywhere, and the waiters all have heavy italian accents. Once we were seated, our waiter told us all of the specials, and I couldn't really understand what he was saying.
I heard the word "steak" and got that. My steak came and it was a thin piece of meat with garlic and cherry tomatoes on top. Very good. I also got potatoes and spinich, also very good.
My friend got a filet with cream sauce on top, which he said was great.
They only have wine there, and I wanted a beer. I didn't see the price, as my friend paid for it. But overall it was a good place.
I had a beer across the street, and would yelp about that but forgot the name...
Recently moved here from Boston, where the excellent North End Italian restaurants left us with high expectations. Very solid food. The ravioli were divine, and the penne were also excellent, if a bit salty...maybe a bit heavy on the pancetta.
Also the best olives we've had so far in LA. Actually, the only olives that didn't completely suck. I mean, what city tolerates a tapas place that serves green olives stuffed with pimento as a "tapa" (WTF)? More on that in another review.
Notable shortcomings:
Way, way overpriced wine. The couple next to us actually thought the half-bottle prices were for full bottles (surprise!). Given the prices, this kind of mistake probably happens all the time.
Slow service.
Waiter trying on a ridiculous Italian accent. I know what Italians sound like. It's not "prego-this, prego-that." Hopefully his acting auditions go better than his table service.
Our waiter was obviously more concerned with his image than with satisfying me, the customer. I went there with my three older childeren. The lighting was so bad that I couldn't read the menus. My son and I wanted to split a steak and a pasta dish, so we asked the waiter to split the two dishes on two separate plates. The waiter wanted us to know that this steak cost $100, maybe he thought that it was a tad overpriced and wanted to make sure we knew it. I'll give him credit for that. In that the steak was so costly, I didn't think that splitting two dishes on two plates was asking too much. But this waiter was so full of himself that he could not lower himself to accede to the customer's wishes He just couldn't do that little request for us. Now a business can run its business anyway it sees fit, but ultimately they will only do well if they meet the customer's needs and wants, even if those wants are peculiar. I am so glad to have Yelp so that other people will know that they should not expect any special customer service unless it suits the waiter's fancy. Here's my advise: Go to California Pizzza Kitchen on Wilshire and get their four cheese raviolis with mushrooms. It will save you money and they are more hospitable.
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Before you try this poor example of Italian cuisine, read the LA Times review on Ado...same Chef, same routine, different scam.
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Very unique, tiny little restaurant. I felt like I was dining on an oversold Southwest flight. The… Read more »
I had an outstanding meal here recently. All the food was really thoughtfully prepared -- particularly my pappardelle with a quail meat sauce.
It's pricey, but the quality of the product merits the expense. I consider Via Veneto a real find and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to friends looking for high-end Italian in L.A.
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My favorite Italian in Los Angeles, although I can't afford the likes of Georgio Baldi so I can't say I really know, but this is pretty great.
A beautiful space on Maine St in SM with true Italian waiters, a large wine selection and amazing food. Salads, pastas and desert were all amazing. I had gnocchi which was my favorite pasttime while in Italy, and this was easily comparable. The panna cotta was the best I've ever had. Expensive but easily worth it, and a perfect date spot. Dim lighting, a great space and a staff that felt like family.
Not good for children or large groups, best for a significant other on a special night! Enjoy...
A while back, I hit Via Veneto, a tiny, packed, artsy-Italian restaurant in Santa Monica that a friend had once taken me to in order to cheer me up.
The maître d' ran through the specials in heavily-accented English and I find myself wondering if he is hamming it up a bit, or has his English really only progressed to that level? The cynic in me tends to come out when I'm crabby, and it peers suspiciously at my waiter and his similarly-heavily-accented-English. He looks like he could be from New Jersey and I wonder if he ever screws up and talks this way at home on his days off. Probably undeserved, as I later heard the owner and several of the wait staff speaking in Italian. Perhaps they only hire the real thing...
I ordered the portobello mushroom salad, with sliced, grilled, marinated portobellos on a bed of flash-fried salad greens, topped with a thinly shaved hard cheese (pecorino?) to start.
While waiting for the salad they brought me bottled water ("Flat or sparkling?" - I am tempted to say 'tap' like I usually do - I'm low-brow, why fake it? It's just water... But for some reason I can't bring myself to say the words this time. Silly... My pride forces me to add $8 plus tax plus tip to my bill for something that won't increase my enjoyment) and an amazing crusty bread with what I would swear is just a hint of nutmeg in the crust. Also a little dish of tasty tender green olives, and of course olive oil for dipping the bread.
The restaurant was cramped and loud, patrons' tables mere inches apart from their neighbors'. I wish I could just chat with the couple next to me, but they are on a date and it doesn't seem appropriate. Garçon? I would like a conversation with this meal...
That was a Monty Python reference. You either get it or you don't.
In lieu of the desired conversation, I started to write this in my head, carrying on an internal dialogue of impressions and witticisms. (Yes, the witticisms DO seem to have evaporated in the interim. Drat! ;o)
I stared blatantly at the people around me. Southern California is full of beautiful people, and Santa Monica seems to have even more than its' fair share. Beautiful couples out on dates: young couples, attractive older couples... One woman far too young for the gentleman she is with (yes, yes, in my overly-opinionated opinion - She looks to be in her early 20's and he in his mid-50's) and I ponder how they came to be dining together... A birthday party. A couple of parties of 6...
My salad arrived and I decided to get a glass of wine after all. A full-bodied red of a varietal I'm unfamiliar with. I believe he called it a Noré.
A stir went through the diners and I look edover my shoulder, out the window. A local performance artist was standing outside, blending in with the tree behind him. I have seen him before, on the boardwalk in Hermosa I think. He was walking on stilts and was covered in a strikingly beautiful, if slightly-creepy, outfit of foliage, including his face. The owner went out to greet him warmly and they chatted briefly.
I returned to the wonderful salad, the delicately crunchy leaves of arugula, coated with oil and flash-fried. They drifted off the fork, as insubstantial as air.
Next, my raviolis arrived. The maître d' had failed to list the four ravioli specials, and so I was anticipating disappointment at having ordered the simple raviolis al pomodoro, stuffed with ricotta cheese, from the menu. I shouldn't have been, because they turned out to be DIVINE. The pasta was homemade - almost crepe-like in texture, and buttery in flavor. The 'gravy' was a light tomato-with-creme sauce, so good that I mop up the rest with that spectacular bread. And as if THAT wasn't déclassé enough, after contemplating the waitstaff's response if I licked the plate I settled for running my finger through the last smear of it and sucking it greedily off my finger. I hoped anyone watching enjoyed the spectacle rather than being horrified; I relished the moment and closed my eyes in surrender to it...
I remember being disappointed in their panna-cotta, so this time I ordered the tiramisu. It was good. But STILL the weakest link in the meal. Perhaps the pumpkin or apple tartes would have been better... The cappuccino was lovely, and needed, so as to make me a more wide-awake drunk.
Enjoy this restaurant with time to spare and discposable income!
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Authentic Italian restaurant. Amazing candlelit atmosphere. Warm and traditional. Valet service not excellent. Wonderful calamari salad, delicate ravioli, tasteful spaghetti with bottarga, fresh spigola under salt and incredible grilled langostini. White truffle dishes at reasonable prices. Awesome wine list and very good homemade desserts. The real power of this restaurant is the waitstaff: passionate, qualified and original from Italy. Prices from $ 18 to $ 40 for dish. Little tables for a perfect romantic date and charming private room on a balcony. VIP watching.
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This is by far the best Italian food that I have ever had in the US and it rivals many if not most meals that I had in Italy during the 2 months that I've spent there. The lobster ravioli which was homemade (and one of the specials this evening) completely melted in my mouth. Oh, try the non-buffalo mozzarella that comes with the caprese salad and the panna cotta. The mozzarella was soft like it is in Italy, but the tomatoes could have been a tad more ripe. Definitely a small complaint in what was overall a damn near divine experience!
Dinner took us over 2 hours there and the service was a bit European (not as fast as we're used to here), but it was because the girl had so many tables- she was never slacking. The place is almost entirely lit by candlelight so it's nice and romantic though the sound level is a bit higher than most romantic restaurants. You don't have to raise your voice, you just can't mumble or whisper. Luckily, we got the best table in the house I think which is the two seater in the front window. There's a lot more privacy at that table than at the others (except maybe what appeared to be a private room on the 2nd floor). I will definitely be back soon!
New York Style Romantic Italian restaurant on Main St. Santa Monica!
This places gets so busy, so make you to make reservations!
Prices reasonable but by all means is not cheap. Delicious yet The Ambiance is nice but a little too close for comfort for me.
The food is GOOD!
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I could give it five stars for best food tasting, but only three for mediocre location. The inside is so freaking small that only a few tables are placed so that people are cramped. I went upstairs to try to get a view but the rude owner kicked back down. He could've been nicer, but he wasn't.
For the prices these guys demmand, I expected more.
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Overall?: Delicious meal at a higher end Italian food restaurant. Would definitely recommend it for a hot date or an anniversary. The place is dark and a little too cramped to come with more than even 6 people.
Who Should Go?: People who want the ambiance, who like to see how the celebs eat, who love asparagus and who can imagine it with ravioli. People who want to say, "Yo babe - I know of this really great, little neighborhood Italian restaurant. Serves really authentic food" and be THE MAN.
Tips?: Valet parking is available right in front of the restaurant but we found street metered parking. Make reservations, this place gets really busy at night. Don't let your mind wander during the specials. If you are a baller get the rib-eye, I hear it's amazing.
-1 point for your wallet hurtin afterward.
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This place will definitely transport you to a tavern in italy, trust me I am a native italian and this is as good as italian food as you'd find on the west coast. NOT FOR TOURISTS, if you want your boring italian fare don't bother coming here. the ravioli are amazing as well as the portobello salad and the c-bass mmmm delizioso :) the only drawback are that is definitely cramped so if you are claustrophobic you'll die here : ( good news are that you may be close enough to paris hilton that you may elbow her for your in the face and disfigure her nose. They might also need your seat and do not hesitate to rush you to give your seat to a celebrity.
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Best Italian in LA, IMO. Easily better than all high-end pretend-Italian places on Canon in Beverly Hills. The Asparagus Ravioli and Tuscan white bean soup almost cause accidents in my pants. Their bread, olive oil and olives are also ridiculously amazing. Everything on the menu is fantastic.
The staff is not rude. They're hilarious, actually. Very, very Italian. I'm sure the bleach-blond from the OC is more comfortable at her local Spago or something. Probably why she had a problem with the staff.
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This is where I wish I could give three and a half stars. The food was good and the ambiance is perfect for a romantic night out. The wine list is a little out of control with only a handful of bottles under a $100 bucks. And the wine list is a couple pages. And the appetizers ranged from 15 to 20 bucks. But as a recent NY transplant, these guys give an NY restaurant style that others on Main Street can learn from.
As for the reviews of the rudeness, we arrived a little before six(when it was opening) and they wouldn't let us in, even though it was nasty weather outside. One customer stormed out of the restaurant saying these guys were ridiculous and walked on his reservation, and this was new years eve(pretty pissed off). But if the foods good, and you have a restaurant always packed, they most be doing something right.
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I didn't expect to find such delicious Italian food at the beach. I was wrong! Some of the best fresh homemade pasta dishes EVER. Each one was a winner.
Traveling to Italy several times and my mother being from there, I've had my share of good Italian food. Via Veneto has a mix of positive and negative aspects.
The decor is nice and cozy. Its not a very large restaurant but the artwork and dim lighting is a nice fit for this space.
The servers are all italian and they present a nice wine menu and a long list of "specials" which I have heard are always delicious. They do, however, rush you. I was especially surprised that the waiter grabbed my appetizer before finishing!
The menu has a nice selection and the food comes out quick. I don't think that it's worth the price for the dishes, however. My girlfriend got rigatoni with pancetta (which was slightly above average, but they didn't put much pancetta in and the sauce was especially thick). I got gnocci with gorgonzola cheese sauce and it was considerably heavy on the stomach. The gnocci itself was smaller than I've seen in a while, and the overall portions are not great for the price.
It also gets very noisy at night and the personal touch is lost when you're bumping elbows and chairs trying to get to the tiny bathrooms in the back. It's not as romantic of an atmosphere as I expected.
If you're prepared for this to simply try the food, I would recommend it. But I promise it won't blow you away.
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Oh, heaven. Butternut squash and pumpkin ravioli.
Lovely ambiance, great food, sauce to die for.
The staff initially spoke to me in Italian (awww) and our waiter, Carlo, was fantastic.
Highly recommended.
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Made reservations for Saturday at 7pm and was seated right away. Our 4th person was running late, so we asked the waiter if we could order appetizers while we waited for her. The waiter said that b/c the kitchen was very busy they couldn't take our order until everyone had arrived and we ordered our entrees. (???) I don't really understand the logic behind turning down people who want to spend money, but whatever.
We noshed on wine, bread and olives while we waited. The bread and olives were really, really good! The crust was super crunchy but the inside was nice and soft. The olives were not too salty. The wines offered are very pricey. One of the cheaper bottles we could find was $75.
Our 4th person arrived and our waiter finally let us order. But first he listed off a very long list of specials, which combined with his heavy italian accent and the surrounding noise, we started zoning out midway through. We ordered tuna tartare, calamari salad and crab salad for appetizers. The crab salad was my personal favorite, but all were very good. I ordered the shrimp spaghetti which was a special. It was good, but I liked that the least of all the entrees. My husband ordered the risotto de mare which was very tasty, my friend ordered the veal & mushroom ravioli which was my personal favorite. My other friend ordered a risotto as well, but I didn't try his. He cleaned his plate though.
I thought the service was fine. I didn't think they were rude or snobby. But we did have to ask for everything we needed, such as refills on water. And the place is way too tight and overcrowded. The tables and chairs are so close together that the person sitting behind me kept hitting my chair every 5 minutes. That was super annoying.
Overall, I thought the food was good, but the experience was lacking. The place was so dimly lit that my older friend had to use the light from his cell phone to read the menu. I think for the price, there are tons of other better italian restaurants in the area where I don't have to feel like a sardine.
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This is where I learned that I love chianti. Also, my langostini was the most delicious alien-type critter I ever ate.
But...similar to another review, we had to wait outside 45 minutes past our reservation time for our table. I wonder how long Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had to wait when they went to Via Veneto last week for Posh Spice's birthday?
And when we tried to split the bill they told us they couldn't pay with more than two credit cards. Bullshit! They just lazy.
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I love this place and I wish it wasn't so far away as I would want to come here weekly. I like it better than Ago's. The atmosphere is so romantic. The food is divine. I literally lick the plates and drink every last drop of my Italian wine.
If you want fresh, not heavy, Italian food that is prepared in the moment and will burst with flavor and elegance in your mouth than this is the place.
This GENTLEMAN is the best date place if you want to make a lasting impression. It is also a place to bring your in laws or family if you also want to wine in dine in style and make a memorable night.
I have always been lucky to be able to walk in with out a reservation and the amazing wait staff always figures something out and gets me a table even with a group of 4. I love Italians for their ability to improvise anything. Mil baccis to the waiters!
I can't rave about this place enough. It is THE best Italian I have had in Los Angeles. Hands. Down.
It is small and cozy.... Yes, the tables for two are too small and you have to try to jigsaw everything. Yes, the wait staff is s l o w. And sometimes hard to understand with their thick authentic Italian accents. Yes, it is a bit more pricey.
But the food so makes up for it, it just doesn't matter. They could put bamboo shoots under your fingernails upon arrival and bitch slap you in between every course and it would still be worth it. Everything I have had here is fantastic. The proscuitto and burratta I get every time. The proscuitto is freshly sliced and the burratta just melts in your mouth. Phenomenal. The lobster and cherry tomato pasta is amazing as well... with huge hunks of lobster, simply delish.
There is always a list of specials longer than the actual menu. If they have it, try the pheasant and truffle pasta. The portobello salad is wonderful as well if they have it. But then again, I have yet to have anything that wasn't phenomenal.
And yes, the occasional celebrity sighting... like Seal and Heidi Klum making out over their pasta last week.
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You know when you walk in the door, you're getting the real deal. This place isn't going to coddle you or make sure your every whim is catered to - it's all about a true Italian food experience.
We've eaten all over Italy, and never thought we'd find a place on the West Coast that could take us back. This is consistently one of the best nights out for an Italian meal that we've experienced, anywhere. Been in small groups, and larger groups. Never has one person in our outings been underwhelmed by a dish. And we all enjoy it so much that we feel compelled to share.
No point in describing finer points of particular dishes - just go. But make sure someone tries the Rosemary Grilled Ribeye. And the homemade pastas change all the time and are outstanding - delicate sauces with layered flavors and interesting meats, like quail and rabbit. The printed menu is pointless. Listen for the specials, which consistently repeat favorite dishes. The papardelle with anything on it amazes.
So how could some people come away angry/disappointed? They must have gone in expecting Crazy Bread and Bottomless Salad Bowls and comfy booths staffed by fresh-faced aspiring actors.
Here's the reality:
- it is small and crowded. similar to bustling cafes and restaurants in Italy... go figure!
- it is loud, and sometimes hard to understand the waiters through their accents, like Italy... go figure!
- the staff has a smart, sharp sense of humor and they play off the mood of your table. give them attitude and they give it back... go figure!
If you think you're more important than the table next to you, you're in the wrong place. If you think waiting 15-20 for your table to clear out, yet complain that you feel rushed out when it's your turn to get up, you're in the wrong place. If you think you're gonna just "pop in for dessert" on a college budget, wrong place. People are here to feast.
Bottom line:
Hearty, authentic and delicious layered flavors. Spendy but absolutely worth it. Would much rather spend here than at trendy "fine dining" spots.
Learn to use the people on laughable sites like Shittysearch who put up a 1 star for this place. I now seek out the other places they don't like! Seriously.
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i remember coming here (gasp) a couple of years ago. i remember being unimpressed (probably because we went to giorgio dibaldi right before) - but i did recall that the food was fine and they had great wine.
enough said.
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The food is absolutely orgasmic. Pasta that melts in your mouth. This is hands down the best Italian food in LA.
So this place can be a little snotty-- It's far from consistant when it comes to service and you could get stuck at a crappy table. But the food is divine. I'm obsessed with the lobster ravioli.
Great date place and try the barruta if you like cheese and they have it.
This is a superb and expensive place. Authentic Italian, as in "exactly like we are Milan or Rome". Our waiter recited, from memory, about a dozen different specials.
These ranged from risotto with clams or risotto with porcini mushrooms, to tuna tartare, to swordfish with capers and butter, butternut squash ravioli, thinly sliced veal in wine sauce. Other specials: prosciutto and melon and a lemon-dressed seafood salad of mussels, clams, calamari and shrimp. Homemade ravioli with diced veal and mushrooms or filet mignon with sliced porcini mushrooms.
Nice wine list with lots of Italian and California brands. Desserts were very good too, not enormous, just well done.
The bill is the shocker. You must know that the average, per person is going to be around $50-$75.
Service was top notch and responsive.
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I came here based on a recommendation from my roommate for a date. I made a reservation, and the host on the phone was really accommodating for a saturday night.
The place is on the small side inside, but i'm from New York- so I'm not used to these larger than life restaurants. I really believe that great things are kept in small packages.
The wine (a californian organic Cabernet) was really amazing and complimented the food beautifully.
The waiter was amazingly knowledgable- as I had read on different Yelp reviews- he recited the specials (around a dozen or so) from memory.
We had a sampling of the 3 different raviolis for an appetizer. I liked the asparagus one the best. It was light and savory.
I had a special of the night- pappardelle with pine needles and a quail ragu. It was effin awesome.
Oh! and we sat behind John Legend.
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Food was amazing. Decor was charming and warm. Based on other postings, IO expected service to be poor, but it was attentive and great, granted I went on a Wed. night. Try the caprisi with fresh buffalo mozzarella, and the fantastic porcini mushroom risotto.
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Excellent. I felt like I was back in Italy having a leisurely, delicious dinner. I could order my dinner in Italian unlike all the other Italian restaurants in Venice or Santa Monica!
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The place was very, very solid. But not five stars on the yelp system. Great wine selection BUT only 3 reds offered by the glass and one of them they didn't have. I, unfortunately, don't know my wines well enough to buy a $100 - $200 bottle so always prefer a few more option sold by the glass. They did have a few half-bottles available. The wine I did have ( Ca Rossa) was very good.
The Beef Filet Carpaccio (Carpaccio di Manzo) was excellent. The Scallopini di Porcini was good... but not 5 stars.
Crowded little tables? Yeah, I guess so... so what? Expensive? Not especially for food and ambiance of this calibre.
Bottom line... nothing blew me away but good, solid wait staff, food, wine, ambiance. I'll go back. I liked Piccolo better.
One more thing. I feel immensely grateful for the fact that I can spend on ONE meal what most of the world makes in a week or even a month.
So when I complain about a wine list or a tuna tartare that was lacking I do so mostly for the fun of screwing around on Yelp. I know it's not really important, especially when record numbers of children are starving to death every day. I hope all you other yelp reviewers keep this in mind and occasionally, instead of going somewhere for dinner, send that $150 to a food bank or Doctors Without Borders or to the Disabled American Veterans.
Sorry about the lecture.
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let's talk about it.
this place tastes good.
we entered, my homegirl, her auntie and i into a warm lit intimate space with maybe just over a doze tables. felt ultra romantic for our lady friend threesome. it also reminded all of us ny'ers of our beloved east coast and the real live italians that live there.
high hopes.
we were seated at a back table and had a good view of jerry seinfeld at the next table with some man friends.
then began the speaking of the menu. the menu is twice the size that you might at first think. half is written and handed to you, you know, menu style. The other half is sung to you in a sing songy tuscan inspired english by a super cute italian who gesticulates with his hands what some pastas might look like, some of the fishes swim like, etc.
we began with a ravioli sampler- lobster zuchinni, and an asparagus ravioli. this was on neither menu but gab knew this was an option. gab smart. we also had some artichoke parmesan sala which didnt thrill me but made aunt diane real glad.
i had the special hand cut papardelle with qual ragu. BOMB! Aunt diane had a seafood pasta bonanza over spaghetti. i don't feel that good about spaghetti, but BOMB none the less. Gab had a slow swimming white fish with baby artichokes and spinach. ultra BOMB. no. amendment. EVERYTHING was ultra bomb.
while i am sure they would love to be rated on par with that hidden neighborhood tuscan mountain gem family run bistro we all know and love 3 hrs outside of sienna, downstream from nonna's nonna's vineyard, I will give them this; really delicious, unfortunately expensive, ny quality italian food.
fab pick when your not footing the bill.
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I would give this a 5 star, but the place is small and loud.. But the food is A+ stuff...
my appetite knows no boundaries here. if you are willing to splurge ask your waiter for service family style. suggest a few key things that you like from the menu and then let him fill in the rest.
via veneto is the best best BEST italian place i have ever been to in los angeles. from pastas to red meat to seafood and simple satisfying desserts... mmmmmmm.
i've been here maybe 5 times and i cannot wait to go 50 more. the staff is so warm and inviting. there are always tons of specials based on what looked sexy at the market that day. the restaurants is small and loud but somehow this just adds to it's charm. the vibe at via veneto is very celebratory. speaking of celebrations--- i noted an upper level loft above the kitchen where a party can have a special dinner for maybe a birthday? my last birthday was at Melisse, my birthday before that was at Mastros... my next birthday will be here.
notable dishes:
fresh fetucinni laden with butter and white truffles.
pumpkin ravioli
porterhouse with rosemary
langostinis
grilled squid with a wonderful smokey grilled taste. amazing.
quail parpadalle
pana cotta
tiramisu
great wine list and really really knowledable wait staff here.
buon appetito!
People thought this was:
italian heaven
sometimes rude sometimes friendly
totally worth it
People thought this was:
The food is very good, but the service and attitude should not be suffered. The restaurant staff seems to have a number of odd rules that they indiscriminately enforce. One member of our party arrived in shorts (6:30pm in July in Santa Monica!) and he was almost not allowed in. Another party arrived later and was denied because one was wearing shorts.
Next, the waiter refused to take any orders until we were ready to order everything. The first few bottles of wine we tried to order were not available. From there, service was rather spotty. By the end of our meal the place was packed and very loud, which is OK, but the waiters were basically ignoring us by that point. They clearly wanted us out ASAP.
There is no reason to suffer to get a good meal in this city. Don't tolerate it.
A really great friend of mine is unfortunately moving to Germany for a great job opportunity and we decided to have her going away dinner here. We got the loft room above the main dinning area. It is a fantastic place for a small private party. The fit and finish of the place is great. Very New York to me. Dark and moody, narrow skinny stars to climb , lots of natural materials in the decor, friendly waiters with thick accents and fantastic food.
Our waiter for the event was so charming and very nice. We had a five course meal. I over did it and was full by round two. Why oh why did I over do it?! I'll tell you why. The pasta course had this quail pasta with truffle oil and I got a little nuts. Helping my friend finish hers...and then another friend...After the pasta course we got a wonderful white fish and lobster, could only handle a few bites. And then we got a wonderful beef course which I could barely take. Followed by dessert.
The wines are very pricey so be careful there. But they do have a great selection.
Worth every penny and I will return.
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OMG! the only reason i didn't give 5 stars is because of the price, not that it's not worth it...i'm considering signing over my first born, at least they'd be very well fed.
i gotta say, i ordered the $24 vegetable risotto and complained very loudly to my dinner companion about the high price, then when i saw the small portion complained even louder, but by the third bite i'd definitely quieted down. this was the best italian i've ever had in LA and worth every penny. i tried my date's dish too and can't decide which was my favorite.
i even loved the bread and oil leading up to the meal and i usually just see bread as a needless filler, or a vehicle for butter, but, wow!
i can't wait to go back.
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Italian
Santa Monica, CA
Category: Italian
Venice, CA
Category: Italian
Santa Monica, CA
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: American (New)
...the city I breathe, live, work, eat, drink,…
My favorite Italian food picks-- Let's talk about…
All I can say is that after going to these…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
