This place was so neat! The patio was lovely with nice lighting and a live musician, very relaxing! It would be a great place for a date with the dim lighting and the nice, long wine list. I went with a friend and and the food was wonderful. We had the shrimp bisque to start and my friend ordered a bowl so I could try some but the waitress surprised us and split the bowl in two so we each had our own, I thought that was thoughtful (: The voodoo penne was good and if you're a fan of lots of peppers and tomatoes then it would be good choice. What I will say is that this place is pricey, it was over $30 a piece before tipping which I think is about double a lot of places prices for similar dishes. The presentation and preparation of the food was fabulous though, you can tell that they care about how the food looks! I would go back but not too often, it'd hurt the pocket book too much :P read more

They close at 11pm we show up after a show at 1020 and they have people inside but have closed...stuff in front of the door and all. Alright, all we wanted was a night cap! Just go to The Wine Cellar, y'all. read more

If you're looking for something a little more sophisticated than the Olive Garden (or O.G. as my best friend and I like to call it!), head out to Cafe Boa for the best Italian food Arizona has to offer. The cafe and wine bar has a variety of delcious pastas on the menu ( I love the Tortellini Brigantino). They also offer a variety of martinis (my favorite is the pomegranate martini). And their illuminated patio makes for a romantic setting for those date nights. read more

We went here for the first time a few months ago per a recommendation & I wasn't very impressed. Staff was very nice & my boyfriend liked his meal but my meal was so-so (I had the gnocchi). This week I thought I would try it again...I ordered the pesto pasta for pick up & it was delicious. Glad I gave it a second chance. read more

4 of us went to the Ahwatukee establishment. It was the absolute worst experience we ever had. No manager on premise. Bathrooms filthy. We had a 7pm reservation. Were sat down 15 minutes late. It took 15 minutes to get water and 35 minutes to get our beverages. After 45 minutes they put bread and dipping sauce on the table but there were only 2 dishes and sets of silverware/ napkins. REALLY!! Then it took another 15 minutes to place our orders. Appetizers came out 30 minutes later. Refills on beverages were close to the end of our painful experience. If Macdonalds was still across the street I was going to purchase a soft drink and bring it back so we could at least drink. The patio was really beautiful. The gentleman handling the music was very nice and personable. The serving staff intentionally avoided eye contact with patrons. The Appetizers were good. The entrees were just okay. Never will I darken their doorway again. Shame on them for advertising like they're something special. We didn't leave until 9:30pm and that wasn't because we were excited about time there. read more

Caffe Boa Ahwatukee is a great spot if you have a taste for simple Italian. The food is good, but not amazing, and the menu is quite large. There are always a ton of daily specials written on the chalkboard, which is located on the wall. Prices can seem a bit high for the quality of the item, but I have never had a bad experience with my food or service. (*hint* they have great wine flights) The waitstaff has always been friendly and attentive during dinner hours (I have never been during lunch), but if you make a reservation through OpenTable make sure to double check that they checked you in to your reservation. They always forget! You can eat both inside or outside, and you can usually get a table on the weekends without a reservation! Although - if they have live music on the night you plan on going, you may want to make one just in case. Happy Eating!! read more

This was the worst. I was put at a table in the middle of everything and was bumped a million times. I used to love this place. I won't be back. Only go if you want to eat 5 ravioli on a plate swimming in sauce. read more

After reading all the reviews of restaurants in the area, we chose Caffe Boa and were delighted at how perfect it was, and yes, the butter cake is as good as everyone claims. We arrived at 5:45 and were surprised at how few people were there on a Sat night. I guess not having a happy hour on Sat was the difference but by the time we left, the place was full. Our server was wonderful, prompt and helpful. The food was delicious with large portions so we all needed boxes. There were gluten-free options also, even pasta. I can highly recommend this place and would go again the next time I am in the Phoenix area. read more

Ok...I wanted to go someplace different. We were in a restaurant rut, so I used yelp to just browse some places in the area. When I saw cafe boa, I realized that I hadn't been there in about 13 years....time to check out the menu. So I checked out the menu online and I was hooked...couldn't wait to get there. We walked in and the ambiance was very nice...romantic, but not overly dark. When we sat down, my husband looked at the menu and said "what can you eat here?"...referring to my wheat allergy, but I had seen the menu online so i said.."oh, just look" and grabbed the menu. My heart sank when I saw something completely different than I had seen online. Where was the Sicilian street corn? Where was the rakija bar? And the farro risotto? And the meat and cheese board? Well, apparently I had seen the menu fit the Mill Ave location and they were drastically different. We were here and already seated, so I had to make the best of it..not much in the gluten free arena, but I settled on the Roma salad with chicken. My daughter had the gnocchi and my husband had the voodoo penne. WOW...the Roma salad was absolutely delicious. The tomatoes were perfect...not gooey...really firm. Large slices of buffalo mozzarella, the chicken was moist, not the standard salad chicken you usually see, and the basil was fresh, all topped with balsamic and some fresh ground pepper...truly wonderful. My daughter enjoyed the gnocchi. The sauce want overpowering, and the gnocchi themselves were quite tender instead of the standard thick globs of dough you often get at restaurants. None of us finished our meals because the portions were generous. An evening that started out tenuously ended well. Although there admittedly isn't much on the menu that I can eat, I'll be back because what is there is exceptionally well done. P.S. maybe we'll hit the Mill Ave location next week for my birthday to check out what looked like an amazing menu. read more

My friends and I decided to have a girls night and try Caffe Boa. The foot was good. The lasagna was delicious and a great serving. The drinks were good. I was a little shocked to see it so empty on a Saturday night but it was a great atmosphere. I would go back and maybe sit on the patio. It looks beautiful. read more

Cafe Boa is a small, classy restaurant tucked away in an unassuming strip mall in Ahwatukee. They have a rather limited main menu, but typically 4 or 5 daily specials. I went here on a quiet Monday night with some coworkers and it wasn't busy at all. The service was prompt and friendly, although they did forget to put our appetizer order through. I had a Hawaiian sunfish that was stuffed with Asiago cheese over a bed of fresh rice and steamed veggies... It was delicious and a very generous portion. The waitress brought us a free dessert for the appetizer mix up, so we were very happy that they took care of us. I will certainly be back to sample more of their specials. read more

First time @ Boa. My dinner took a long time to come out. I had the beef medallion special. Asked for medium, but was more well done. Some bites even had a burnt taste. The sauce was tasty (Marsala style). I would rate the food quality less than The Olive Garden. The waiter was nice but very busy. Doesn't appear they were expecting the crowd they had. Would I try Boa again? Probably not. Cute place though. read more

All I can say is that I wish this place was better. I feel I should try something else on the menu because although my main entree looked appetizing it did not have any flavor at all. I actually got a appetizer for my main entree which was the crostini with a topping picked by the chef each day... today it was a medley of marinated veggies similar looking to a tapenade. It just had no flavor. I did get their sonoma salad (small) and it was very tasty. It had figs, goat cheese, croutons, tomato and a vinaigrette dressing. Another reason for the mid range score was service... this is lunch time people and I am kind of in a hurry. There was only one server and what seemed like the manager helping out... not enough people to handle a lunch rush. read more

Cafe Boa is an Ahwatukee gem! Great food, service, and ambiance. The live music on the weekends is great. The Antipasta was fantastic.

Simply awesome! Must try the lasagna and do not forget the fleet butter cake to die for!

Five stars. (updated from my earlier post). The owner contacted me and encouraged me to return. We made a special stop for the butter cake and found it to be perfect. The staff was warm and welcoming. I think that 8.50 is pricey for lunch dessert but the quality and presentation is there, so I will continue to be a happy customer and order the cake. Kudos to the owner for following up with a customer with grace and style. Recommend that you give this Caffe a try. They have marvelous selections in addition to the cake. read more

On February 14, 2014 we went to Cafe Boa for our Valentine's Day dinner. They offered a three-course menu at $48.95 per person. The first course offered a Spring mix salad with watercress, candied walnuts, goat cheese and pistachios with Champagne vinaigrette dressing. The second course offered a choice of three: A) pan seared halibut over a bed of rice pilaf, brussel sprouts and root vegetable; B) handmade duck raviolis on seasoned broth and herbs; and C) medallion of beef, medium rare, with a peppercorn reduction. Peruvian whipped potatoes and vegetables. The third course offered a chocolate torte with fresh berries. There sitting arrangement times were 5pm, 7pm and 9pm and we chose to dine at 7pm. We arrived 15 minutes early and there were still a lot of nice tables open. Of all the places they decided to sit us was in front of and near the men's restroom door. Having to look at that door during our meal seemed disgusting and we asked for another table. They said they understood and set us at another table. Why, in a nice restaurant, would they even think of putting a dining table in sight of the men's restroom door? How crass! After we were seated, we lucked out and got a really nice person to wait on us. We ordered a very nice bottle of Pinot Grigio, which was wonderful, and as soon as it was brought to our table we ordered our dinner. Cafe Boa has a great ambiance and it was so romantic, until they brought us the first course. The salad looked delicious, but it was awful. It was mostly the Spring mix, with two very small cherry tomatoes, two candied walnut halves and a piece of goat cheese that was about one-inch round and a quarter in thick. When I took my first bite, it was acrid tasting and made my nose crinkle. There was hardly any dressing to be had. After the second bite, I was done with my salad. My husband ate half of his, saying the only reason he did was because he was hungry. My husband loves fish, so for his second course he had ordered the halibut. He took one bite and said it was disgusting and very fishy tasting, which meant it was either frozen at one time or it was just old. It was supposed to be pan seared, but the piece of fish they used was way too thick to be able to sear properly. Thus, it was crusty on the ends and very dry in the middle. He tried cutting into one of the brussel sprouts with a knife, with no avail, and made the comment that they were so hard he could use them for golf balls. I had ordered the beef medallions and the peppercorn reduction was so thick it was more like an old-fashioned gravy. A reduction is supposed to be flavorful and bring out the taste in the beef, but the flavor was horrible and I couldn't even taste the beef. I don't like restaurant vegetables, so I gave them to my husband and he said they were okay. The whipped potatoes were good, but nothing to brag about. After getting part way though the second course, the person who was waiting on us came over to ask how good the food was and I told her the truth...that it was awful from the beginning. She asked if there was anything she could do about it, but I just told her there was nothing that could be done; that even if she brought us another plate it would probably be the same. For the third course, we had the chocolate torte and berries, two small berries to be exact. The cake part was tasteless, but the icing and the pudding in the middle was good. All in all, despite the food not being up to par, my husband and I had a nice time and enjoyed ourselves. We told each other that neither of us would ever go back to Cafe Boa again, especially for a wonderful occasion such as Valentine's day! read more

I love this place, but tonight a man at the bar was so loud and cursing! There were 6 tables all looking at wonder as to how could management allow this to happen. I asked the waiter to talk to him, and they made the guy leave! Was able to enjoy my stuffed sunfish and Pinot listening to Sade! Love Caffe Boa read more

Best. Dessert. Ever. The butter cake is beyond good. Sometimes we go just for that! The staff is always very friendly and accommodating. I had gnocchi as an entree and it was very good. Tasted just like my great grandmas. The drinks are also very good, with unique flavor combinations. The patio is beautiful. read more

Great atmosphere, great food, amazing butter cake! We will definitely be back! Food had great flavor. Love the Voodoo Pasta!

By sheer chance we literally stumbled upon Cafe Boa and we were so glad we did!! The specials were: 1. Steak medallions in a peppercorn sauce with fries. The steak was almost tender enough to cut with a fork. The peppercorn sauce was mild, yet deliciously full in flavour. The fries were crispy and done to perfection. 2. Spinach ravioli in a vodka cream sauce. Packed with flavour, this dish was an absolute delight to help my wife finish, as it was a generous helping. Maybe a little on the pricey side, but finding a place that was, for the most part organic, and free of any Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), which was very important to my wife's sister's health, it was well worth it. Being from Alberta, Canada, this quaint little restaurant with a lovely, warm patio, was enough all on its own to entice us back to beautiful Phoenix, AZ read more

I wish I was able to review the food but I can't because my husband and I and ended up walking out after sitting at our table for 20 minutes while the servers and hostess walked by over and over without so much as a hello. After we were seated the hostess said she would bring waters which never happened. Then we watched another table show up, get waters and cocktails and order their food while we sat there totally ignored. Did I mention when I made the reservation I mentioned that this dinner was for our 10th anniversary and hoped it would be special? Yeah it was special considered I think I've only maybe walked out of restaurant 1 other time in my life. read more

Not good. I went because I've been to Caffe Boa on Mill Ave, they seem to be very different restaurants. One, too much sauce served with the pasta dishes, over powering to the point that I fished my ravioli out of the sauce and ate it off my bread plate instead. It didn't seem to be house made pasta. The appetizer was over salted, I wanted to send it back but our server was so kind and so good at his job that I didn't want to ruin his night. There's room for improvement. The atmosphere is really nice, we enjoyed the fountain on the patio, and the fireplace for warmth. read more

Went for happy hour with my boyfriend and his son. There was literally one other party in the whole place, sitting inside. We chose to sit out on the patio. It was a nice little area with a pretty fountain. I can see how it would be a really nice ambience in the evening when there is live music out there. We sat down and very clearly stated that we were there for the happy hour. After looking over the menu and deciding on some happy hour options, the waiter came back and said that the manager informed him that happy hour deals are only good if you sit AT the bar. First of all: We were one of the only parties there. Really? You want us to leave the one table you have outside to sit at the bar? Secondly: We clearly had a child with us, therefore we couldn't have sat at the bar. I just don't understand why they wouldn't give us happy hour pricing. We still ordered drinks/appetizers off of the happy hour menu, but paid full price for everything. The food was mediocre, nothing great. I got the bruschetta and my boyfriend got the quesadilla. It was just disappointing first experience but I will come back because it's super close to our place. Next time we will come kid-free to sit at the bar and get the full happy hour experience. read more

Worst experience and food ever! My family has quite a few food allergies (gluten, dairy, egg, peanuts, etc.), so we called ahead to make sure they had gluten free pasta as advertised on their menu. So we come with a party of 9 and they seat us outside because they say it's warmer than inside and that they had heat lamps. They did have heat lamps, but only 1 for our entire table b/c they said they ran out of propane. When it came time to order, the server told us there was no gluten free pasta. I expressed my disappointment that we were misled when we called earlier about the gluten free pasta availability, saying that we would never have come there if we knew there was no gluten free pasta. Server apologized profusely and told us that the manager offered to send out some 3 free desserts - sorbet and crème brulee (creme brulee had gluten of course, so the gluten free eaters could not eat it). Anyways, our party ordered food and it took 1.5+ hours waiting in the cold for all the food to come out. When it did come out, the lasagna I had was cold in the middle and the rest of the food was overcooked and mushy. Whatever my son ate, he had an immediate allergic reaction to the food while at the restaurant. 2+ hours later we left the restaurant having to pay a big bill, cold, hungry and sick. I felt bad for the server, she tried to accommodate as best as she could. The manager, however, never even came out to talk or to apologize for us. read more

Wonderful experience here. The wine list and cuisine was top shelf and the ambience makes for an intimate experience. On one of my visits they had an awesome Brasilian band. read more

AMAZING! We ordered this for lunch at the office and everyone was raving about it, even the hardest to please.

I came here last night with my grandma and we started with the crostini boa appetizer which included a prosciutto crostini, salmon crostini, bacon and date crostini and a tomato basil crostini. Each had a different cheese too. Delicious. We shared a creamy bow tie pasta that had chicken, asparagus and sun dried tomatoes. Also delicious. My grandma and I liked the general vibe and had very good service. Our waitress, Allie, was good about checking up on us and all of our food came in a timely fashion. read more

Server was attentive & made very good suggestions. The dried figs on the Sonoma salad were the right texture but flavors did not completely mesh. Dressing on salad was soupy. Pesto penne delicious...very rich & huge portion. Overall 3 stars. Go on a night they play live music...later in the week read more

Summary: I don't say this lightly. I had the best diver scallop dish in my life. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful in the patio area. The service was a bit slow but they had a large party when we were seated at around 9 pm. The drinks were nothing special. The martinis were priced at a premium but did not measure up. The butter cake was well above average. The atmosphere has a local, warm feel with custom painting, reveals and furnishings that remind you that you are not in a chain. We got there late but their kitchen is open until 10:15 on Saturday. We asked to sit on the patio since others on yelp had great things to say about it. We were not disappointed. You would never know that you were sitting next to a parking lot with the plants and walls completely isolating you. There is an elegant fountain, outdoor fireplace, and romantic lighting. This is a great place to take a date to. We ordered martinis, a cucumber martini and a raspberry and chambord martini. They were small and, frankly, not unique, although they charge a premium price. We decided to skip appetizers and had bread. The bread was fair but nothing special. For the entree I ordered the gnocchi with chicken and Prosciutto in a garlic cream sauce. In terms of presentation, it looked like porridge with a couple of green twigs for color. As unappetizing as it looked, it had a pleasant taste with great textures. I would rate it as a slightly above average meal. My girlfriend ordered the diver scallops rolled in fettuccine. Presentation on this dish did not do it justice as it looked relatively average with no color or texture variations. The scallops were seared with a smooth butter glaze. They were the size of a child's fist and were perfectly cooked. No fish taste at all. The spices were a great compliment and, everything combined, was as close to a perfect bite as I have had in years. I'd like to think that this is not a case of "all stars aligning" and that they can reproduce this at will. If so, I will be one happy and loyal patron. By the way, did you notice that I was describing my girlfriends dish? I took that bad boy over as soon as I saw even the slightest hint of her slowing down. I think she let me go at it because she saw that I was starting to bath myself in the dish. Ok, dessert. They have a specialty dish called butter cake. It was a creamy cake, with an almost creme brûlée center. It was not overly sweet but was heavy enough that two would be satisfied by sharing one. It is worth trying and I will have it again. I can tell you without a doubt, that despite the lack of presentation, I cannot wait to have an excuse to get back their for those stupidly ridiculous scallops. Beware though, with no appetizer, two entrees, and dessert, the bill came to over $120 with a tip. Don't know abut your pocket books but I would not just stroll into this place. Best if it is planned with some special folks at your side. read more

Now, I've been here once before in April and loved it. The food was great, The server was polite and knowledgeable, and they had someone playing live music on the beautiful patio. The reason for the 3 stars is tonight. My man and I have pretty hectic schedules and had been planning on coming back for some time. We rushed tonight to make it before 10pm when it closes. We got there at 9:30 and already all the chairs were turned over on the tables and it was closed. Pretty disappointed because I had been looking forward to dinner there again. The scallops in the pasta with a creamy sauce was amazing, Would have been nice to have it again. So, April experience was great, this one, non existent. read more

Pasta had ZERO flavor. I was very disappointed. To be fair, the bruschetta was good.

The food is over priced and mediocre. No prices are noted on specials board. We spent over 100 dollars on a meal Saturday night at another restaurant that beat this 100 dollar one hands down. The aioli starter with bread tasted like pureed tuna salad instead of an aioli. The scallop dish was bland. The scallops could have stood more of a sear and the fettucine should have been dressed with a blended cream and lemon instead of the heavy alfredo used on the dish. Dessert was tiramisu and yes , it was bland too. No taste of marsala or any other liquer soaking the cake of the tiramisu. Over all this was a waste of an effort to have a good meal at a new place for us. read more

Disaster!!! Went to Cafe Boa for New Year's eve. Had reservations for INSIDE. They only had seating available on patio. It was very cold and there were not enough heaters. Menu was limited to 8 items. They only had two meat dishes. We were informed that the filet was not available and while ordering wine we were informed that the prime rib was no longer available. No other meat dishes were available as substitutes. We left. No manager stopped by our table during the entire 45 minutes we were not being served. read more

After a lot of hype, we decided to check the place out. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer, which was mediocre. The maranara didn't taste fresh and the flavors were off. The calamari was okay. We ordered a caesar salad to split and the staff was nice enough to serve it on two plates for us. Unfortunately, the lettuce was not cleaned well enough because there was still dirt on it. Now, I can understand that that may happen every once-in-a-while but I would really like it if I NEVER had to experience E-Coli poisoning. We mentioned the salad to the manager and she was very apologetic. My guest ordered a burger and was more than happy with it. The sauce for the Adriatico pasta plate was not pleasant in flavor or appearance. The dish was more like a noodle soup than anything else. When it comes to Italian food, the noodles should be just wet, NOT swimming. The shrimp that came in the pasta was perfectly cooked and very generously portioned. Taking everything in to account, the $45 lunch we had there was just not worth it. I highly doubt we'll return to this restaurant. read more

Went to Caffe Boa last friday before a movie, the food was pretty good but I wasn't impressed. I know Fridays are busy at any restaurant, but the wait staff was extremely slow. We didn't have to wait for a seat when we arrived, but we were sat at a table that was sticky and filthy. Drinks took much longer than they should have, and we were not very impressed. The food was very good but other than that, this place wouldn't be our first choice for dinner. read more

Amanda has exemplary service tonight and every night. If you ever come in ask for Amanda because she is the best waitress. Service with a smile!!!! Let me tell you I am becoming a regular at this fine establishment and this place is THE place. Definitely recommend the bread as a starter because it's super warm and amazing. Then either a special or bolognese for a main dish. Oh and dessert is always a sure thing. I literally playmates caffe boa when I can't come in for myself. read more

Had a birthday dinner here for my daughter and it was fabulous. The medallions were delicious, but the filet with the peppercorn sauce was out of this world! And the scallop pasta dish was mouth watering good. The service was absolutely 5 star and the ambiance is beautiful and relaxing. I personally love the patio. read more

I LOVE Cafe Boa in Tempe, and often take new clients there or visit for a unique dish and great glass of wine. Ahwatukee, however, let me down. We brought my out of town relatives and the service was horrible. We were waiting a long time to be greeted, to receive drinks, and then our food took unusually long. When it did come out, it was the wrong order. Perhaps it was a combination of a poorly trained waitress and slow kitchen staff? Either way, it's a disappointment because I live closer to this location and was hoping for a new wine hangout. read more

Great fusion of Mediterranean and Italian food. I got the Voodoo Penne which consists of murkier colored penne pasta, blackened chicken, tossed in a cream sauce with bell peppers and tomatoes. This is one of of their popular dishes. Very delicious! The atmosphere here is wonderful. If weather permits sit outside and enjoy their terrace. I happen to be here during a night they had live music. It was pretty awesome. Try it, you will enjoy it. read more