This is one of my all-time favorite go to places for dinner... The staff is amazing especially…read moreRochelle. She is one of the most gracious waitresses I have ever encountered, her suggestions for food items and the hospitality we receive is allows spot on... The food is fantastic. I have never had a bad meal here... It feels as if you're coming home to family when you eat at this restaurant. Try their chicken piccata it is out of this world.

My wife and I came for dinner on her birthday. She had been here before as it's across the street…read morefrom her office and she said she and most in the company enjoyed coming here. We split a Chicken Marsala and a Fabrocin1 Salad and both were good, and I had a Coke to drink. I can see why people enjoy this restaurant and would recommend it to those who enjoy good Italian food.

Casalena exceeded my expectations! From the ambiance to the food and service, everything was…read morewonderful. The atmosphere was relaxing, with beautiful, dim lighting that created the perfect intimate and cozy vibe. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to make a reservation that same morning for 7:00 p.m. for four people to celebrate a birthday. The reservation process was easy and convenient, which made planning the evening stress-free. As for the food, I ordered the Vodka Lumaconi pasta, and it was absolutely delicious! The Yuzu Lychee Martini was amazing as well, refreshing, perfectly balanced, and definitely a must-try! The service was excellent, making the entire experience even more enjoyable. Everything came together to create a wonderful birthday celebration. Definitely a 5 out of 5 stars! I highly recommend Casalena and look forward to coming back!

You know those individuals who want to bypass their birthdays and hardly celebrate? Well, I am the…read morecomplete opposite! My birthday is the ONE day/time a year where I want to be a queen, celebrated, live it up and adored. I expect my birthday to include multiple festivities with a birthday dinner to top it off. Casalena in Woodland Hills has been at the top of the list for trendy, upscale restaurants recently and has even been a vendor at Yelp events (2025's CarnEvil). I finally got to experience Casalena in all it's glory for my 42nd birthday accompanied by fellow Yelper Michael B. Casalena holds real estate on the corner of Ventura and San Feliciano Drive in Woodland Hills in a building tucked behind large flora & fauna immediately giving a VIP aura and hidden mystique. This very special building was built in 1982 by the Makhani family and is currently owned by the Makhani children/siblings. Based on a fictional 'Lady Lena', a strong but nurturing idea of a goddess to the Makhani family; Casalena combines modern flare with elegance, boasting a Mediterranean menu and aiming to provide each and every guest with top-tier hospitality. We made reservations for my birthday on a Saturday at 6:40 and arrived to a PACKED restaurant - and I mean PACKED! - but I was blown away by the architectural design and ambiance of Casalena. Casalena is a dimly-lit, wooden accented, full glass walls, arched ceiling, paradise with a bar area, main dining hall complete with fireplace and a sunroom that somehow combines Hollywood with New York City vibes. I've never even been to New York City but it has that feel. I also hear there is an upstairs area but I did not venture to the second floor. We were seated on the east side windows of Casalena and I do have to complain that it was SO loud that you find yourself repeating conversation to your fellow diner(s) but it is the tradeoff to such a popular spot. Our waiter Cory took our birthday drink orders with my choice of a Golden Sour (bourbon, Pamplemousse liquour, port, lemon, egg froth - $20) and Michael going with The Juicy Scoop (passion fruit vodka, blood orange juice, lime, dehydrated blood orange - $19); while we also elected a starter of Hamachi Crudo (ponzu, serrano, crispy leek - $25). As you can see: prices at Casalena are slightly steep so bring your A-game wallet. Our drinks were beautifully crafted with my Golden Sour being a symphony of smoke essence, egg white, bourbon and sour; while Micheal's Juicy Scoop was the color of an island sunset and had the perfect pucker. The Hamachi Crudo started leads with Casalena tending to 'forget' the ponzu vinaigrette (they did to the table next to us, as well) so make sure to ask because the dish needs it. For my birthday meal, I selected the daily special of Pan-Seared Scallops (creamy polenta, micro mustard frill - $39) and Michael was in a pizza mood with the Spicy Soppressata (fresh mozzarella, scamorza, Soppressata, Calabrian honey - $26). I absolutely ADORE Casalena and its energy/design but I wouldn't say you get your money's worth in terms of food. My $39 dish was TINY in portion and although the polenta was tasty; it wasn't blowing me away and neither were the FOUR, baby-sized scallops. That's right: the entree only came with four scallops and not even jumbo-sized! The dish was also sort of bland in my opinion. I dislike upscale restaurants overcharging for mediocre, small-portion plates. Micheal's pizza was better, in my opinion, than my choice which I tasted despite being Celiac and not being able to have gluten. The pizza's crust was soft but crispy, lots of cheese and plenty of salami but again: not really anything I haven't had before. Not bad, but not out of this world and what I expect for the prices. I wanted a candle to blow out for my birthday (and I have plenty of wishes) so we ordered the Pink Lady Tarte Tatin - again, despite gluten - because Pink Lady apples are my favorite (butter caramel, pink lady apples, puff pastry, vanilla ice cream - $15). Although Casalena did provide a candle, they charged us for the dessert which most places give free for your birthday. Lame. The dessert was delicious though: the puff pastry was slightly flat but the combination of the pastry, thin, baked apple slices and vanilla was a lovely fall dessert treat. I know this might seem like I am picking on Casalena but their bathroom situation is WILD. The ladies' room is closet-sized and only has TWO stalls which is insane for the size of the restaurant and guest occupancy while the men were standing in a long line for the unisex bathroom. What?! Casalena has amazing energy and is a fantastic choice to impress a date or have a birthday celebration but just don't expect the food to send you out of this universe and bring your wallet. On a plus note: Michael received an email thanking us for us visit, which, although a form email, was a wonderful closing note. Not perfect; but I did love Casalena overall and would return.

Food, service, and feeling comfortable. Kinda like having dinner at a friend's house.read more

Okay....so here's the deal! This is a well run place and the…read morefood is very good. Still, a few notes. They bring out amazing garlic knots, but we still ordered the garlic bread. The garlic bread is okay, but the portion is hilariously small for the price. It's not expensive to make, so I don't know why they don't give more. Garlic bread is basic stuff, so this is something you want to get right. The salads are weak. I ordered lasagna, which was excellent, but the salad before it was just lettuce, two olives and some grated cheese over a tomato slice. My wife laughed and said, "Can't they afford a cucumber in that kitchen?" Seriously, the salad makes a poor impression especially since it's pretty simple to make a nicer salad. A place like this should not lose to Olive Garden on a salad! As for the pasta...it was very good. I suggest reservations so you don't wait. It was packed but not noisy at all. Overall 3.5 stars. Dinner for 3 was $110 before tip, 135 all in. That's not cheap, but that's the way things are these days and we've spent much more on lesser meals.

More than a year ago, I went searching for authentic Hungarian food and stumbled onto Posto 896…read more I've been a regular ever since, and I have never been disappointed. The menu blends Hungarian comfort food with Italian favorites, and I've loved both sides of it. The hardest part of every visit is deciding what to order. The Gulyás is rich and hearty, the Chicken Paprikás is creamy and full of flavor, the Stuffed Cabbage tastes like true home cooking, and the Schnitzel is perfectly crisp. You truly can't go wrong. Whatever you do, save room for dessert. The Somlói Trifle is my go-to, Hungarian classic that's totally indulgent, and the Palacsinta (Hungarian crepes) is a close second every time. The staff is warm, friendly, and welcoming, which makes every visit feel like coming home. Between the incredible food, the great vibes, and the service, Posto 896 is my go-to spot for Hungarian cuisine, and I'll keep coming back for years to come. Highly recommended for anyone craving authentic Hungarian food, Hungarian desserts, Italian classics, or a cozy neighborhood restaurant with great service.

After a very long day, I somehow ended up in Sherman Oaks driving down Ventura Boulevard when the…read morewords "Hungarian & Italian Cuisine" caught my eye. That combination was interesting enough to make me turn around, park the car, and walk over. Sometimes the best meals are the ones you don't plan. I was lucky enough to find street parking, but considering they are located in a relatively small shopping center on one of the busiest stretches of Ventura, they have wisely arranged valet parking as well. As soon as I walked in, I was welcomed by a gentleman who I assume was either the manager or the owner. They didn't really have a table set up for one, but instead of turning me away, they were kind enough to make it happen. That was a great first impression. The restaurant itself is extremely clean, smells nice, and is beautifully designed with artwork throughout. It has a comfortable, slightly modern atmosphere with tall ceilings that makes you want to sit down, relax, and actually enjoy your dinner instead of rushing through it. I ordered a bottle of sparkling water, the beef soup, pork chops, and pickles on the side. Everything was good--except the pickles, which just weren't for me--but the star of the meal was definitely the beef soup. The soup was excellent. Well made, well seasoned, just a tiny bit spicy, and the portion was generous enough that I would honestly say two people could share it. After a long day, it was exactly the kind of food I needed. The pork chops were also prepared well, although they weren't completely to my personal taste. I was expecting a little more seasoning or spice. That said, I'm not Hungarian, so there is a very good possibility that they prepared them exactly the way they are supposed to be made back home--and I'm the one asking Hungary to change its recipe for me. For everything I ordered, plus the quality of the service, my bill came to about $68 as of September 2026. Considering the amount of food I received, I thought that was very reasonable. I'll definitely be back. There are quite a few other things on the menu I want to try, and next time I'd like to come when I'm not at the end of a very long day, take my time, order something different, and possibly enjoy it with a good glass of wine.

Came here with my parents for dinner after shopping all day and the vibes were very cozy and…read morecomfortable. The food was incredible. for drinks we got the Don giorgio it was very nice. Appetizer we did the heirloom tomatoes and burrata it was amazing. For food we did the margarita pizza, Branzino , chicken parm and rigatoni vodka (sub sausage for crispy chicken tastes sm better ) everything here was honestly 10/10 . would highly recommend if your craving italian.

BRING BACK THE FARM SALAD!…read more Service is good. Could be better. The day my friend and I went, there was a couple and two friends who left because they had to wait for so long, I would say for at least half an hour for someone to come over to their table.

Perfection = HOM I thought it was impossible to improve on…read moreperfection, and it happened before my eyes. I ordered the lemon chicken and it was delicious. Thinly sliced, a delicious sauce and just enough capers.. My son ordered the Chicken Parmesan. That dish is my favorite. The lasagna was amazing too. The service is impeccable. They take complaints if any with a smile. I don't know what is is about HOM, as soon as you walk in, you feel better than home.

I'm honestly really disappointed with this takeout experience. We spent around $75 on Italian food,…read moreand when we opened everything up, we were shocked by how little food there actually was for the price. I've attached pictures so people can see for themselves. I completely understand that restaurant prices have gone up, but for $75, I expected substantially more food and a much better overall value. I really don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, and I'm hoping this was just an off night. I'd absolutely be willing to give the restaurant another chance because I'd much rather have a great experience and be able to update this review. I hope someone from the restaurant sees this and reaches out, because I'd genuinely like to understand what happened here because everyone working at this establishment is SO NICE! I hate leaving bad reviews

Outstanding Experience!…read more I had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant to celebrate my nephew's graduation, and I can't say enough good things about it! The service was exceptional, and the food was absolutely delicious. We had a party of 16, and they accommodated us effortlessly. The ambiance is also worth mentioning. We were seated in the Capri room, which was stunning and made us feel right at home. It was the perfect setting for our celebration! On behalf of my family, I highly recommend this restaurant. We had a fantastic time, and I can't wait to return!

Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday, and unfortunately, I had one of the worst dining…read moreexperiences I've ever had because of our waiter, Oscar. He was extremely rude and unpleasant from start to finish, which really put a damper on what was supposed to be a special celebration. Unfortunately, the food has also gone downhill. It's such a shame because I used to really love this place and looked forward to coming here. Oscar seriously needs additional training in customer service. I hope management takes this feedback seriously because customers deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect, especially when they're coming in to celebrate a special occasion. Very disappointing experience, especially from a place I used to enjoy so much.

Another stellar meal at Il Nido, with terrific service in their cozy dining room. Not as many…read morepeople this time, but enough to create a bit of Friday night buzz. Caesar Salad was top notch, with cool, crisp lettuce, buttery, fresh-made croutons, and shavings of a parmigiano reggiano that was pungent in the best way. The dressing was creamy without being overly so, and boasting just the right overtones of anchovy. My entree was a special of the night: short rib ravioli with mushrooms and truffles in a cream sauce. Fantastic. The pasta pillows were large and perfectly al dente, the tender short rib filling being rich and beefy and wonderfully seasoned. Mushrooms and truffle shavings added layers of autumnal forest funk, while cream gave the whole dish a luxurious texture. This was a rich, RICH dish, and wholly satisfying. Also rich was my wife's Spaghetti with Pesto. Creamier than she expected, the sauce was nonetheless packed with the strong notes of concentrated fresh basil and just the right amount of garlic. Like my ravioli, the dish could have been shared due to its creaminess, but we brought them home to enjoy later. I'll Nido continues to be one of the best Italian kitchens in the area, with a gracious staff and a menu varied enough to please anyone. Grazie!!

I was in the area for my God Daughter's Engagement party and I was checking out the local haunts in…read moreSherman Oaks which led me to IL Nido. This is mom and pop sized Italian restaurant and i was able to walk right in. Dim dining lighting, white walls and contemporary track lighting makes for a pleasant dining room. Date night or group dinner catching up where the customers i saw that evening. My server was a nice guy and helpful with the menu. The kitchen got the dishes out quickly. Drinks were always fresh and they checked in on me throughout my dinner. Garlic Bread - Fresh and a generous serving. Burranta Caprese Salad - Fresh all around. Great starter plate. Fettucine Bolognese - Fresh Pasta and Sauces made for a great main dish. A solid bolognese dish if you're feeling it. IL Nido is a great Italian option if you're in the area. If I was local to Sherman Oaks, they're definitely on the solid safe list of restaurants I'd frequent. Cheers!