What a wonderful meal at Al Covo trying the tasting menu. We walked in around noon to see if they could take us without a reservation and were told to come back in half an hour when they open. So we wondered un the area and went back at opening time. The service was excellent and the food was even better. All the seafood was so fresh. Ending with the wild strawberries was perfect. Definitely go if you can. We were going to make reservations earlier in our travels but didn't know exactly when and where we would be so we didn't give out credit card info to secure a reservation. read more

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Splash! That's the sound of chefs tossing a medley of seafood into a deep fryer. Al Covo was so good my wife and I both got the set menu while my daughter had a kid friendly mix of fried fish. This is what was on the set menu and my ratings of each. Egg and herb omelette(this was not part of it) Raw fish and shrimp Ceviche Clams Gnocchi with squid ink Sole Fried softshell crab Cheesecake Panna cotta Service was so fast and our waiter was seriously so nice. Nothing else The meal felt so homey. read more

Greta service at this restaurant! We came right at 2, as our train was late arriving and so didn't leave us many (good) options for lunch and this was close. They accommodated us still, and asked us to limit our ordering. No big deal we were the ones coming in at kitchen closing. They took our orders and actually came back to ask if we wanted to order dessert and insisted that we do. Glad we did, because the dessert was also very good. Schnitzel and fries were fantastic read more

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Amazing food. We were given the name by a friend. The lunch was one of the best we had and would say to check it out when you are in Venice Italy. read more

Believe the hype, Al Covo is excellent. Possibly the best meal we had in Venice. The service and atmosphere are equivalent to the amazing food. Highly recommended. read more

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Not what I was expecting..... We had an OK experience at Al Covo. Frankly, I don't understand the hype about this place. We are at the tail end of a two week trip to Italy and have had incredible food almost everywhere. This night however was a real disappointment. The restaurant has high reviews from Condé Nast Traveller and TripAdvisor but I can't believe they are accurate in 2024. The service was mixed upon arrival. Some of the waiters were happy to see us, others were noticeably grumpy. The night we attended, about 100% of the guests were tourists, a most ominous sign. The restaurant has an elegant interior and a rather large outdoor patio area. The weather being nice we opted for the outdoor patio. For starters, we ordered the "a cotto" platter of which according to the waiter consists of "fresh boiled seafood". Boiled seafood? But I digress. The plater looked amazing. Some of the items like the razor clams, clams, and mussels were excellent. The snails on a skewer were devoid of any seasoning and not particularly appetizing. Were these sea snails maybe??? IDK? The calamari was bland. The octopus was not sufficiently seasoned. The shrimp were average at best, but quite frankly the worst quality and flavor I've had during my trip to Italy. We also ordered the farm vegetables with hummus. The hummus was dry and bland. If I had to guess, it had dryed out in the refrigerator or was just plain old. In any event, the flavor was lacking. I'm a vegetarian weekdays and this was probably the worst hummus I've had in about a decade. With the hummus, I was expecting in my naïveté fresh vegetables to dip, but instead the plater came with wilted cooked spinach, limp sautéed string beans, tiny pieces of a sautéed diced zucchini, and pepperonata. These limp veggies couldn't be dipped into anything. The cooked vegetables were all fine taste wise but for the life of me I can't understand what to do with the hummus? Can you? For entrees, we tried the grilled baby cuttlefish which tasted like much too fishy octopus, the vegetarian pasta of the day with pesto which was just ok, and the fish stew. I love bouillabaisse, Cioppino, and clam chowder of any sort. But this broth? Not so much. The soup suffered from a profound lack of flavor, it literally tasted like low-sodium fish stock. It wasn't bad but it wasn't something particularly good. Service was OK. Some waiters were very attentive and others seemed indifferent. It took over 30 minutes for us to get our check after asking twice. First we were given the wrong guest's check, next the AMEX machine wouldn't connect to the WiFi. It's not that these are unexpected events, but I haven't had a single dining miscue remotely like this anywhere else in Italy. Food. 3.0 - 4.0 stars Ambiance: 4 stars, there was a nice guy playing the accordion for about 15 minutes during dinner Service: 3 stars, disjointed and at times indifferent. Would I come back here? No way! read more

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A Wonderful Dining Experience! Al Covo was absolutely amazing! The food was delicious and full of flavor, and the dessert was just perfect. The staff were kind and professional, and the owner was incredibly warm and welcoming. Truly a place I'd love to come back to! read more

Need reservations! When we arrived they had to turn away several people because they were booked. We booked it a month in advance. Let me say that the food was astonishing! The soft shell crab, the egg Sammy, the spider crab, the ceviche! The sole! Ugh.... It was so good. I dun like giving 5 stars but the experience and the food was spectacular. Service was amazing, ambiance was amazing, the food! I wish I could come back. read more

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WHAT. A. MEAL! Tucked into the dreamy streets of Venice, this restaurant is quite the culinary experience. Our waiter, sommelier & attendant were ever present, ready & willing to accommodate. We ordered the fried artichokes, beef cheeks & wild duck. Each course better than the next. On our way out, we had the lovely opportunity to speak to the owner & his wife about how they made the duck so dang tasty! The entire experience was dreamy! read more

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This farm to table restaurant delivers! I had the milk fed lamb which was delicious. I've not had lamb quite that tasty and it was absolutely based on the quality of the ingredients. The spider crab appetizer was unique and light. My husband ordered the fried seafood platter which may have stolen the show. I will be back next time I am in Venice! read more

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Understated restaurant but a WOW experience. Food, service and ambience are wonderful. And a great price point for the high quality you get at this restaurant. A highlight of our one week in Venice! read more

Clearly a very popular place. They were fully booked for lunch and we saw them turn away a lot of ppl. The food was good overall, though some of the dishes were a bit salty for our taste. My fav thing was probably the fried sardines that they gave with the bread. FYI for those new to Italy, apparently it's rude/weird to ask for tap water in restaurants. We did not knowing and got some very strange looks. Learn from our mistake and just pay the few euros for bottled still water :) read more

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I am very puzzled by all of the amazing 5-star reviews because Al Covo was really quite average. Maybe we were expecting too much, based on other reviews and the hype from TV shows. We had the raw seafood platter, squash blossoms, clam spaghetti, and fried john dory fish. Everything was just OK, on the bland side. Good service, nice wine selection. Just overall a very disappointing meal because it did not taste especially fresh or interesting. read more

Taking my family to Al Covo has been the highlight of my trip to Venice. The atmosphere was refined yet cozy - the service was stellar - and the food incredible. We asked our waiter (Richard) to surprise us and pick out our meals for us. He did not disappoint! We started with the best ceviche I've ever had. It was super fresh and it reminded me of high end sashimi. The fish was perfectly balanced with acid and texture. That taste was the single best bite i had in my entire European trip. What followed that were several courses of interesting and unique local dishes that had us all smiling and and excited for then next treat. We finished with sharing several of Diane's homemade desserts. All were so good that I'm glad we tried all of them - but the Dark Chocolate cake was so good we had to order a second piece! Trust me - don't skip Diane's Chocolate cake - it is beautifully decadent! As I enjoyed my dinner - I came to see that there is something very special about Al Cova and the family that owns and runs it. Diane and Cesare, along with their son, were very welcoming. You can see the passion and love they have for Venice and their restaurant in their interactions with many of the guests. Big smiles and hugs were plentiful as patrons arrived or left. This experience is one that my family and I will cherish for many years to come. read more

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Good service Best calamari I've ever had!!! FRESH and amazing Of course the environment was amazing as well, LOOK WHERE YOU ARE haha Nice people Would definitely come back here to eat again when I'm in that part of Italy ! Food was amazing all of it and loved the bread read more

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Al covo was the highlight of our trip to Italy. The service was impeccable and the servers were very knowledgeable about all of the dishes and made good recommendations. The restaurant was beautiful! We had the tomato pasta with burata and pork schnitzel and both were perfectly done. Even the timing of the service was amazing and elegant. The homemade Venetian chocolate and hazelnut gelato was Devine and I am still thinking about it. read more

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We wanted to go somewhere on the nicer side on our last night in Italy and found this place. It was pouring out so we were able to get a table for 2 without a reservation as a party had cancelled. It was a beautiful restaurant. We were thinking of doing the tasting menu, but we saw enough apps and entrees that we wanted to try so we decided to forgo the surprise. The complimentary bread and pumpkin soup served in a tiny cute bowl were great. We split the clam pasta and seafood gnocchi. They were very different from the pasta dishes that we had been getting. For the entrees, my friend got the swole fish and I got the tagliata. Both were excellent. In general, everything was so cleanly done. We were satisfied and didn't feel terribly full despite how much we ate and drank. But nothing was mouth watering delicious that made me think I had to come back if I were in Venice again in the future. Also, they didn't know they had a problem with the card machine until after our meal, which was understandable given the bad floods that they had. What was concerning was how little they cared that to use the ATM that was nearby, we had to pay a 4 euro fee as well as a 12 percent fee on what we took out. We didn't mind paying the fee as there's no expectation to tip in Europe/Italy, but we were just surprised by how they handled it. read more

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Al Covo was given a top recommendation by some friends I trust. I was planning to visit Venice and made an Al Covo visit a priority for my party during our two night stay. Unfortunately, we did not have the experience we hoped to have. While the atmosphere was nice (we ate on the patio on a warm evening), the food was good, but not exceptional. Service was very uneven throughout as well. To elaborate, the menu suggested more classic, simple preparations and that is what we received. However, only one or two of the dishes (from appetizers to entrees to sides) ordered amongst eight of us jumped out as outstanding. One that did jump out was the seasonal squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta -- the fresh flavors of the squash blossoms coupled with the cheese came through very well. They were cooked delicately and very well. The other dish that was simple and tasty was their tagliolini with spider crab and roe. Again, simple dish with great ingredients and good flavors! Other dishes we had included a tuna carpaccio special, their prawns catch of the day, a swordfish catch of the day, Adriatic sole with artichokes, and a fresh vegetable side (zucchini, potatoes, peppers). These dishes were unfortunately "mid" (just okay) and less than memorable for a five-star restaurant with Michelin recognition. The prices of the dishes were as-expected for a high-end restaurant with a solid reputation -- the value just wasn't close to there for us this night. On the service side, we had one outstanding server who was charming, witty and attentive and another (sommelier?) who provided wine list guidance that did not have the same approach and seemed to do the bare minimum. I asked for a good local white wine to pair with a couple of the dishes we ordered (tagliolini with spider crab, Adriatic sole and prawns special). I was immediately offered a Soave from the list -- interestingly, it was the lowest-priced offer from their white wine list. Interested in something that might be a step or two up in quality, I asked about the more mid-priced wines on his list. He offered the next Soave (same label) and wasn't really willing to talk about the higher priced varietals on his list or ask any questions about what I drink or like to drink -- really odd for a sommelier. I ended up getting a single vineyard wine from the same vintner as the one he originally recommended. Unfortunately, that wine was not very good -- I would have preferred to spend 2x as much to get a better wine. It was also odd to us that our silver was not changed between courses. Our server took our clearly used silver from our appetizer plates and placed them back on our settings. Not the biggest deal, but not what I'd expect from a high-end place like this. Lastly, we made specific reference to food allergies in our party as requested at the time of our reservation. Our servers had no knowledge of this and were accommodating to these by pointing out the allergen notes in the menu (very well done), but we were told we had to stick to what worked in the menu -- no further accommodations could be made by the kitchen. This ended up being very limiting to the member of our party who had dairy, nuts and shellfish allergies. I wanted to cast this off to a bad day for the restaurant, but our sample size was pretty large and we had a far superior dining experience elsewhere in Venice for far less than the cost of Al Covo. I know others have had better experiences, but I will prefer to explore the many other great places in Venice before considering coming back. read more

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A particularly hospitable restaurant for traveling Texans as the owner is, I believe, from Lubbock.

Wow where do I begin? We came here because of the show "Somebody Feed Phil" and to celebrate our honeymoon/my graduation - we were super excited and it was the only food reservation my husband and I made for our whole trip to Venice. Unfortunately, this place did NOT meet the mark. We made a reservation months ago for 7:30 pm (right when they open, so about 11-13 people in the dining room). It took 45 minutes for someone to come to our table to take our drink orders. Meanwhile, other waiters were looking at our table and never checked in with us for any type of service and were just standing around. At this point, we contemplated walking out. The server did not explain the rotating dishes and we had to ask him to, as many of the dishes were unavailable due to issues with kitchen appliances and sourcing (not that big of a deal, since we did not want to order those). After ordering drinks and our meal, it took another 20 minutes for a beer and Aperol spritz to come to the table. Instead of anyone checking in on us, a different waiter asked us if we wanted any wine, and we explained to him we still had not received our first round of drinks. Our original waiter checked in on us and apologized for forgetting to put in our drink order. Our waiter out of all of the waiters in the restaurant looked the most stressed, so I'm not sure why other waiters were not helping him run tables as a previous server myself. We received our crudo and oysters, which were good. Then our meals came out (the two pasta specials), they were decent. Midway through our meal, my partner and I finished our first round of drinks and a third waiter came by and asked us if we wanted anything else to drink. I ordered a Campari spritz (because at this point we did not want to order a bottle of wine) and when my husband went to order, the waiter rudely interrupted and shushed him without taking his drink order. We were both SHOCKED we our mouths agape. We figured he might be coming back for his drink order but never did. Meanwhile, there might have only been 1-2 more couples in the dining room, so the place was not extremely busy like they had to turn tables. At that point we finished our meal, asked for the check and left. We will NOT be coming back here or recommending this place to others. read more

We arrived 15 minutes early for our reservation. We went into the restaurant and even though people were already inside eating they said that they were not open yet. We asked if we could sit at the bar and were told no and escorted us to the door and closed it behind us. When we finally went inside we asked about the 7 course tasting menu and we were totally ignored. The menu is a lot smaller than on line. The food was ok but not what we expected. I would never recommend or go back. The pasta with shrimp had 1 shrimp and the fish main course was very small and not worth the price. read more

Service was good. Bread basket, horrible. Pasta dish was too salty. Definitely over rated. Disappointed.

This restaurant needs a professional chef because whoever is preparing the food doesn't know anything and the presentation of the dishes is horrible. I ordered a carpaccio and it came with mayonnaise in the center, no arrucula salad, nothing. I've never seen this and I'm the daughter of Italians and this restaurant in Venice doesn't make sense, it doesn't have anything Italian about it. I think the food is prepared and frozen. Simply horrible, not worth what they charge. The waiter is super arrogant and the service is also horrible. Very disappointed and very expensive for horrible food and service . Zero stars. read more

We had a wonderful dinner at Al Covo in May. We were able to eat outside which was very pleasant although missed the interior ambiance! Our server was fairly attentive but also enjoyed some food delivery and fun discussion with the owner. She was delightful! read more

This place was just delightful. Only just tucked away from the hubbub of the crowds, this restaurant is easily accessible and still gives you a quaint, cozy feel while you dine there al fresco. The service was exquisite and the food was absolutely delicious. read more

Slow food movement inspired. True ingredients from the lagoon of Venice.

Al Covo was a like finding a spindle of gold in a haystack. They are a part of the slow food movement and their detail to fresh fare will not disappoint. The owners are lovely and also own CoVino which also a magnificent dining experience. The squid ink pasta is out of this world and I dream of flying from the states to Venice just to return to this cuisine Oasis that exists in a land of sub par tourist traps. Go! You will not be disappointed. read more

Great food and service. One of the best restaurants in Venice. Menu focuses on local ingredients and the chefs highlight the local produce and seafood. read more

We had a wonderful dinner in Venice with friends- we were a little early for our reservation but they seated us - service was prompt- our waiter was very knowledgeable about wines since we wanted to try some Italian wines - our entrees were delicious and the deserts fantastic read more

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A little away from the St. Mark's but well worth the venture. They graciously accepted our late evening arrival and accommodates us with a nice table located in a cozy air conditioned room. They waiter was attentive and appropriately descriptive. Since we did not have time for a full tasting menu, was helpful in selecting similar items off the menu. The Pacheri, seasonal baby cuttlefish special dish, Linguine and Clams, Tempura like seafood variety and homemade Burrata Cheesecake and Panna Cotta Desserts were all most satisfying. I would also add that the husband/wife owners who host this fine restaurant were so welcoming and warm. Just adding the exceptionally good and overall enjoyable dining experience in Venezia. read more

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Great place, great food, great service. Fantastic experience! We really had a great time after few bad choices in Venice this one was finaly the pure Venice experience. read more

Came highly recommended but turned out underwhelming. Yes, the service was very nice but the food was nothing special. On balance of food/overall experience and price this is a NO for me. read more

Venice is a difficult when making choices on where to dine. There are many that sound great, and do not meet expectations. I did a fair amount of research of reviews, and was drawn to Al Covo. We were visiting from Austin Texas which is where Diane and Caesar (owners) met back in the 80's. Texans are a family, so we had to make a stop. Al Covo exudes class without being over the top. The art, flowers, and decorations gave us a warm feeling as if at someones home. All of our food from fish dishes, meat, and pasta were fantastic. There is pride in the kitchen and it shows. Diane welcomed us as only a Texas can and chatted about her journey from Lubbock to Milan. She is a ball of fire and a lovely host and made us feel very special to the point the locals peered over to see what was going on. It was a fun last night in Venice. Thanks again for a wonderful evening which we still talk about with our friends back in Texas. read more

Six of us on an Italian holiday had a delicious and memorable lunch at Al Covo. We sought it out based on a friend's recommendation. We didn't have a reservation and were initially turned away (we believe because we looked like tourists), but alas a table opened up. Service was impeccable and food quality superb. I had the pasta faggiole soup (19 Euros) for a smallish but delicious soup. If you go, go all out and splurge with all courses and wine. read more

We joined for a seafood tasting menu for two this week and it was an absolutely stunning dinner. Wines were offered expertly paired with our food courses. Service was warm, nimble, and knowledgeable. The owners, Diane and Cesare, and their son were all present and hard at work. We were welcomed as family upon arrival and will absolutely come back the next time we visit. Thank you! read more

Al Covo - Seafood Near Me - Venezia, VE

A hidden Gem!!! Please find your way here and enjoy the fantastic food! We came here the first time 26 years ago for our honeymoon and have sent countless friends here! Al Covo never disappoints!!! We have returned 26 years later and it's perfection!!! Bravo to you Cesare Paulo and Diane!!! Can't wait to come back for more of your delizioso dishes! Grazie!!! read more

Four and a half stars. The staff is super friendly. The restaurant seating is comfortable, not too cramped. The food is good and the chef really made an effort to make the dishes unique and special. There was a dark chocolate pasta dish that was really tasty and likely not to be found elsewhere. I thought the dinner was overpriced compared to other restaurants in Venice but this was near Piazza San Marco and had celebrity photos on the wall thus the mark up. read more

Quaint ambiance and nice hospitality. We went for the chef's tasting menu which consisted of a variety of small bites coming from the kitchen. Some were innovative and interesting, while others were lackluster. One of them was reminiscent of fish and chips, in the words of the other couple sitting near us. Overall, I would recommend coming to the restaurant but perhaps avoiding the tasting menu and ordering specific dishes instead. Remember that reserving in advance is recommended. read more

What a great restaurant! We were interested in a visit after watching an Anthony Bourdain show on Venice. The food looked great and after a wonderful meal I can say Bourdain knows his restaurants. We ordered the tasting menu for 75 euros a person. It was seven courses of deliciousness. Our favorites were the fresh Adriatic raw prawn, the marinated anchovies and the swordfish. And the panna cotta was one of the best I've ever had. We asked if we could meet the owners and our waiter (the service was also terrific) arranged it. Cesare and Diane graciously took a couple minutes from their busy evening to chat and pose for a picture. Treat yourself to one of the best restaurants in Venice and head to Al Covo ASAP, but make reservations -- the place was packed and it was reservations only. read more

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Yet another incredible seafood restaurant, one of my top three in Venice. The restaurant is buried at the eastern end of Venice near the Arsenale. It is a very cute though formally rustic place. The chef is Venetian and his wife is Texan which makes things much more fun. I am always looking to push the envelope with food and this restaurant satisfied that urge while at the same time providing excellent "normal" food for my wife and son. As I mentioned in my review of Ristorante Osteria DA Fiore, I have never had fish so fresh as at these restaurants. What made Al Cove so special was how the chef handled the fish. I had a raw appetizer assortment which included raw soft shell craw-fish, raw squid sliced into thin ribbons resembling pasta, and a few other truly interesting species of seafood I had not experienced before. All were delicious. My main course was a sort of Venetian reinterpretation of Pasta con Le Sade, the best I have had. My wife and son were not only impressed but truly satisfied with their meal. Since my wife wants to live in Venice she had a great time talking with the wife of the chef about raising kids there, etc. read more