A great little spot that we stumbled onto by accident and made it our GOTO in Venice. Perfect Italian ambience with a really neat staff and tremendous food. Everything on the menu was a pleaser. I had Lasagna one evening and the whole Grilled Fish the next. My wife's Pasta with Scampi and Gnocchi were Italian comfort all the way. Wish we'd had more time in Venice. read more

Read about this well reviewed spot so we came to check it out. Arrived at 7:30p to a line. Seating was well organized and we sat after 20 minutes in the beautiful back patio. What we had: Caprese salad - caprese was dry, tomatoes were hard and not in season. Meh. Not even the yummy oil & vinegar could elevate this dish. Tagliatelle with seafood - excellent Spaghetti with shrimp - very good but a tad too spicy Fish of the day - sea bass was nicely grilled but we had to season it. Side of potatoes, spinach & carrots that came with it were so basic. Fine but nothing to write home about. I think this food was just average. Kinda "white people basic food". It gets extra points for the lovely patio and friendly service. read more

Charming looking place but it stops there. The service was so lackluster with the server barely looking at us as she spoke her minimal words. The bread put on the table was so stale, The 2 pasta dishes were so unpalatable that neither of us finished them. Back to the Cicchetti at Cantine del Vino Gia Schiavi! read more

TLDR: Charming setting and friendly service, but the food is bland, overcooked, and overpriced. Despite its reputation, this is just another tourist trap. You can do better in Venice. General Info: Located just steps from the Gallerie dell'Accademia, this trattoria is frequently recommended online as a "hidden gem" where locals and gondoliers eat. That claim doesn't hold up. While the restaurant is a bit tucked away and has a charming, slightly rustic interior, it clearly caters to tourists. That said, the service is genuinely friendly and attentive, and the space itself, especially the back patio, is very pleasant. It feels like it should be a great find, which makes the food all the more disappointing. Food: I started with the cozze marinate (marinated mussels), which were the clear highlight of the meal. The mussels were fresh and flavorful, served in a rich, salty broth full of umami, one of the few dishes where the seasoning and seafood quality came together well. Unfortunately, it all went downhill from there. The tagliatelle capesante, gamberoni, pomodorini (tagliatelle with scallops, prawns, and tomatoes) featured decent prawns, but the pasta was overcooked and rubbery, and the sauce was watery and bland. It desperately needed salt and brightness to bring it to life. The spaghetti al nero di seppia (spaghetti with cuttlefish in squid ink) was equally underwhelming, a classic Venetian dish that should pack savory, briny intensity. This version was flat and dull, with overcooked, chewy cuttlefish and no real depth to the squid ink sauce. I also tried seppie in nero con polenta (cuttlefish in squid ink with polenta), another traditional Venetian staple. The polenta itself was well-made (light and fluffy), but the cuttlefish was once again overdone and tough. Like the spaghetti, the dish was bland. Even the complimentary bread was a disappointment: cold and tough. After all that, I didn't bother with dessert, as none of the mains gave me any reason to expect a turnaround. Overall Thoughts: There's a myth, repeated across countless online reviews, that this is a secret local spot. In reality, Trattoria Ai Cugnai is just another tourist-centric restaurant in a city full of them. That doesn't mean it has to be bad, but sadly, most of the food was just not good. While the location and service are lovely, the dishes were mostly bland, overcooked, or poorly seasoned. For the prices (€15 for starters and €20-25 for mains), it's simply not worth it. I found far better food elsewhere in Venice at similar prices. This place is coasting on old charm and a reputation that no longer matches what's on the plate. Skip it. read more

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We had the most delightful and serendipitous lunch here. Just wandering around looking for a lunch spot. They were very busy but so welcoming! It was quite refreshing as we have not seen a lot of enthusiasm from servers and greeters at most places we have been on this 24 day trip! The food was delicious- I had the sea bass and my partner had a pasta (I forget which one). This was our last day in Venice or we would have returned. read more

Fantastic find! Great food and great service and not too expensive. It came highly recommended as a place where Gondola pilots frequent. We are glad we went! read more

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What a joke. The premis is that it's a local fav. Nothing could be further than the truth. Your treated like cows told to stand in line( to wait for the tourists) then moved to a stagings table with menus. This is because once seated you are expected to know immediately when the lifeless waiter comes to take your order. Mediocre food and experience. Listen closely and you will be privileged to hear the owner say (that's a problem), I heard it spoken-at least five times in the first 15 minutes. Ciao read more

Stopped by on a Friday afternoon for lunch after visiting the Peggy Guggenheim museum. Arrived a bit before 1PM and beat the rush which followed soon after our arrival. Decent menu and quality ingredients. As we walked in a table had the seafood tagliatelle which two people at my table ordered and looked cooked to perfection. We shared a caprese salad for the table and I opted for the sea bass which was perfectly executed with a crispy skin and paired with a healthy medley of vegetables and a side of polenta. Staff was no frills to the point and expeditious, ambience was cuter than expected like a little treasure in an ally with a nice back room that felt like we were in someone's backyard. Price point was great and proximity to shops and the museum was perfect! Would definitely come again. read more

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Absolutely wonderful & quaint place. The food and service is exceptional. Had chicken carbonara, seafood pasta, meat lasagna, tiramisu and lemon torta and everything tasted superb. Above all Tony's service and was above and beyond great. We highly recommend this hidden gem. We will definitely come back. read more

Ai Cugnai - Tiramisu and lemon torta - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

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One thing I learned in Venice is that you should have reservations, even travelling solo, because a lot of places are sort of small and fill up quick. That being said, this little restaurant was able to seat me after only a short wait and the service was pretty quick. There was a good menu but I ordered the Carbonara, because it was pretty much the one pasta dish I hadn't had in Italy yet and it did not disappoint. The portion size was perfect and it was really creamy and delicious. My only complaint about this place is that there were not a lot of options for wine by the glass- pretty much a merlot and a pinot grigio. I was not about to polish off a whole bottle by myself the night before my AM flight, so I didn't get to try anything new. That being said, everything else was great, it was affordable and the ambience was very good. There was a nice big room in the back and some outdoor seating so they have a little more space than I initially suspected. read more

Ai Cugnai - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

We were told by a local that this restaurant was the real thing and not a tourist stop. It was the best meal that we had in Italy! The waiter was great and provided suggestions for ordering. All the meals were amazing and everyone was happy with their food. The seafood was so fresh and tasty. The place is very popular so make sure to get there when they open. You will not be disappointed. read more

Ai Cugnai - Authentic Venetian restaurant! - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

This was amazing. My husband and I loved our meals. Very flavorful and colorful. The charcuterie was so soft it melted on our mouths. So much better than anything we have tried in the USA. It's a small place that takes reservations. Half of the restaurant was reserved when we got there, so we were lucky to get a table. The servers work hard and fast. They speak English and the menu has a page for a few different languages. We highly recommend this place. read more

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Hungry and tired after the Guggenheim Collection, we walked by Ai Cugnai and decided to take a chance on lunch. Were we ever lucky. Within five minutes the manager (I think he may be the owner) had us seated in the garden in the blessed shade on a very hot day. The very cold birri were most welcome. Al Cugnai is typical Venetian cuisine prepared well and served with pride. And speed. No fanfare here. Not fine food, but good, tasty regional cuisine. Heavy on seafood. This is Venice after all. I devoured: 1/2 plate fried sardines in a white "saor" and 1/2 plate prawns in a red "saor." Saor is a sauce made of pickled onions. I was supposed to choose one or the other but asked if I could have half sardines and half prawns. The owner said this is a typical dish of Venetian fisherman. I think I may have licked the plate. I certainly wiped up all the sauce with bread. My wife had ravioli stuffed with fish and bathed in a tomato sauce. She loved it. Tiramisu for dessert. How could you go wrong? Business notes: The owner of Ai Cugnai appears to have concluded that the profit is in turning the tables, not in charging high prices. This was as close to fast-food as you'll find at a sit-down restaurant in Italy I swear we were in an out in an hour. And that means a much smaller number of menu choices than in most restaurants. read more

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I ate here twice on my recent trip to Venice. It is simply delicious Venetian home style cooking. It has a reputation of being popular with the gondolieri for lunch, and there was always a line of French tourists waiting to eat here! I strongly recommend the pastichio de pesce, which is essentially a fish lasagna. I also had the vegetable soup and the frito mjsto which were both good. Very friendly owned and staff. read more

Can't say enough good things about this restaurant! Best way to end our time in Venice! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for authentic, delicious food! Our waiter was so friendly and attentive! There wasn't one thing from the wine to the mains that me and my family didn't enjoy!! read more

Ai Cugnai - Fried Squid - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

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This is a highly rated restaurant. We called about a week in advance and got a reservation. I heard them turning away people the night we dined there. We sat in the small outdoor area. This is a small place. It was busy but people spoke quietly. The service was fast. We ordered an appetizer plus got the bread with oil/balsamic. I had a nice glass of red wine, because why not? Food met expectations in both quality and price. read more

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Holy mother cannoli!! How have I lived this whole life without trying fish, lasagna? And I don't only blame myself. How dare you good people on Yelp, in my life, walking the earth tell me of this fish lasagna?!! So I actually had to full entrees because I'm a greedy. I was also really afraid the fish lasagna was going to be whack and didn't wanna waste a night in Venice on the dish that wasn't amazing. Well, when I ended up with is to dishes that were out of this world. And the staff was love-er-ly!! Such gentleman. I loved everything about this place. Tonight's meal is in the top 3 of all our time in Italy. read more

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This was the most delicious food we had on our trip. It was authentic and service was good. Food was outstanding!! read more

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Amazing food - an absolute must-go for dinner if you find yourself in Venice. The squid ink and pesto pastas are nothing short of phenomenal; easily the best meal I've had in the area, and quite possibly one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted. Even if there's a wait for dinner, do yourself a favor and go here. read more

We had a really terrific dinner at this lovely and lively small restaurant near the Accademia in Venice. The traditional cuisine was excellent. we had fresh caprese salad, pasta and a neat dish. The location is charming and in a quieter neighborhood. Very nice wait staff who spoke English. The price was excellent - about 70 Euros for two people with wine and beer. Two doors down is an amazing gelateria. You know this place is great because most of the diners were local folks out for dinner on a warm summer evening. Highly recommended! read more

Ai Cugnai - Dining al fresco on a warm evening - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

2 years in a row, and i am not disappointed :) Family owned, that expresses true Venetian Food Culture. (tip for those of you visiting Venice, do not trust places with pictures outside about their food 99.9% of the time that location is tourists only, the food sucks, and you will over pay) - this place is a MUST. Owner remembered my father from our first visit so we were seated rather quickly. I would recommend making a reservation, if not, wait times can be up to 1 hour or more for a family of 4. Squid Ink Pasta is a must in Venice. It looks weird, may sound weird, but its absolutely delicious. The ink adds a bit of a salty flavor to the pasta, which elevates the flavors of the mussels, and squid in it. I also highly recommend the gnocchi with shrimps and spinach. The sauce is tomato based, and had a hint of spice. This plate can be shared, if you are having appetizers. For appetizers, i recommend the cold seafood platter. Fair warning, its not a pretty plate, but its absolutely delicious and extremely fresh. The little bit with shrimps and the picked red onions, i could not eat enough of, practically had all it of it on my own. A great array of various sea foods prepared in various ways. ALL is cooked, just served cold. For Drinks, i recommend the white wine in my photo, this is the house white, not overly dry, and served really cold. is a perfect pairing with the seafood found on the menu. I can't wait till i am back in Venice to hit up this place one more time :) read more

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Lovely place! The house wine and house Prosecco were wonderful and affordable. The squid pasta with the black sauce was superb! We stumbled in for lunch and were told we were lucky to get in without a reservation. Highly recommend! In a cute and quiet area with just a few minutes walks from the Peggy Guggenheim museum! read more

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We ate there 2 times in Venice. Real Italian home food. Be prepared to wait if you don't get there early. Would go back for sure. Very authentic. Very casual read more

This place may have had the best pasta we ate in Venice. Stumbled into it for lunch and boy were we lucky. The inside is charming, and the food was delicious - linguine with a light, buttery clam sauce loaded with clams and a gnocchi dish that was absolutely pillowy. I'm sorry we never made it back here for dinner but if I'm back in Venice, this is at the top of my list. read more

Ai Cugnai - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

When travelling, I always try to get off the beaten path so as to not end up eating bad food at exorbitant prices. While I don't mind paying for good food I cannot stand eating bad food. So with this in mind I went to the opposite side of my hotel was and came across this little trattoria. We ordered a Spaghetti Carbonara and a Seafood Lasagna, both were very good albeit not exceptional. The service was fast, efficient and friendly and the prices were very reasonable. Overall it was a good choice and I would probably return. read more

Delicious meal in Venice! Reasonably priced for the area and good menu (something for everyone). The gnocchi was so perfect in texture, never had a better one! Would recommend if you were traveling to the area. Ps - get the tiramisu you won't regret it. read more

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This is and has been my favorite Italian-cuisine restaurant in the world. The fish. Meat, pasta are out of this world. read more

Lovely little gem in Venice. Service was fantastic. Food was excellent. Reasonable prices. They take credit cards! Highly recommend

Fantastic! Three of us showed up at the door at 8:55pm, with no reservations(I'm a moron...stranger in a strange land). The place was packed, but the manager/owner asked us to wait for 5 minutes(we were starving, and stupid)....and within 5 minutes we were seated. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best place we have eaten at in the 7 days we have been in Italy. What they call prawns, I call big crayfish, but they were so tasty on the pasta I got. read more

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Ai Cugnai is a must in Venice! Try to make a reservation before you go. We got lucky, as we went later in evening around 9:00pm and was able to snag one of the last tables. The menu has lots to offer and the wait staff is very friendly and welcoming. While everyone raves about the gnocchi, I ended up ordering the Carbonara and it was amazing!! If you have room for dessert, order the lemon cake. It was light and fresh and a perfect way to end my meal. read more

Ai Cugnai - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

During our stay in Venice we ate here twice. Best spaghetti we ever had - also have great seat food! Menu is quite small but has enough variety. Mostly Italians ate there while we've been there Prices are reasonable - we spend around 40 euros for 2 persons including wine, a starter and a bottle of water! read more

Wonderful restaurant. We selected it based on the previous 5 star reviews, which were spot on. It was nearly full shortly after opening and we got in without a reservation but it was full throughout so reserve ahead. The melon with prosciutto was so sweet and ripe. Spaghetti carbonara was cooked to perfection and the squid in its own ink with polenta was surprisingly succulent. Chicken Milanese was good but not remarkable. The lemon tart was however quite remarkable. Add a wonderful bottle of valpolicella and at 90 euros we had the best and least expensive dinner in Venice to date. Service was old school and terrific. Go!!! read more

Delicious we searched n search 4 a mom n pop restaurant n busy Venice w/ the Rialto & ST Marco n arms reach but most businesses were 2 touristy 2 enjoy the real pot & pan action called "homemade" but there it was... the house wine is delicious and reasonably priced. The taste of homemade rolls and fresh basil, Italian tomatos, n mozzarella anti-pasta. All continued with the fresh pasta and grilled sea bass. The icing on the cake was learning this place was started by 2 sisters that married 2 brothers n 1911 and is still family run. Jimmy the grandson had sparkles n his eyes telling us the history and showing us the indoor outdoor patio that is mostly used by ALL the local gondoliers. This is truelly a special place. Enjoy read more

Ai Cugnai - Treat urself 2 a wonderful homemade Italian meal - Trattorie Near Me - Venezia, VE

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It had great service people are very nice. The wine is delicious and it's very chilll. I had the carbonara and it was less creamy the. I thought but in an enjoyable way. The TIRAMISU was sooooo delicious. read more

Excellent Food, Service and Very Friendly, Sociable Owner!! A true gem situated in a small quiet street, serving delicious truly authentic local Venetian food. Has a small window front, giving the outside appearance of a very small bistro, but was actually a very spacious authentically decorated restaurant inside with ample well spaced seating. Ai Cugnai was founded in 1911. This is where the locals and many Venetian gondoliers gather at late night for a great dinner and wine. Ai Cugnai was highly recommended to us by our gondolier after we completed our wonderful gondola tour that evening, and indeed was a great recommendation. I had a great "Fritto Misto" (Fried seafood platter) that was highly recommended by the owner. The pasta dishes were all very delicious and excellently prepared "al dente" (Exactly how it should be prepared - Not over cooked & not under cooked) Each of us all enjoyed every dish. We all wished we could have returned for more, but unfortunately that was our last evening in Venice. Highly recommended !!! read more

Don't know about the food, just the service and atmosphere. We left before ordering. They seat tourists in an ugly addition in the back, the menu was too basic and they asked us to order 3 times in he first 5 minutes and got upset when we asked for more time. read more

Recommendation of my B&B. Simple decor with a patio in the back. I ate here twice because of the friendly service and excellent fish/ seafood. Fish lasagna is excellent pasta course. Sea bass with vegetables is a rare cases of an Italian dish with enough sides to make a balanced meal. The biscotti with sweet wine made an excellent end to the meal. But the complimentary limoncello really finished it off molte bene. read more

friendly stuff, decent food, house wine wasn't as expected usually in italy... reservation is needed

Excellent restaurant - gnocchi with shrimp was the best of many we tried in 10 days in Italy. Great spaghetti with clams! Happy we were able to get in without a reservation. Go and enjoy! read more