My wife and I were looking for a restaurant in Berkeley to enjoy before taking in a show at the Berkeley Rep. I really enjoyed the Branzino, a pan seared sea bass served with this unique black rice. My wife tried the Spaghettoni. It was a bit too al dente for her. She did enjoy the Pinot Nero wine. The servers were very friendly and helpful. Looking forward to experiencing more restaurants in Berkeley:) read more

NO! Terrible service. Cold food. Where did the good chef go? Never going back. Where is friendly service? Where is service, period! Flagging down waitresses keeps you busy here, good exercise maybe. But to pay this kind of money to eat at this failing restaurant is a big mistake. read more

Service was great. Tartufo was exquisite absolutely delicious, LOVED it. Salad was a miss for me...I don't get the reinvention of salads with vegetables that are too hard and sauces that don't taste like anything. Cacio e pepe was heavenly for 2 seconds before it quickly registered as quite possibly the saltiest thing I've eaten in my entire life....like that was a level of saltiness I didn't know my mouth was even capable of registering. It was honestly a pretty small portion but I couldn't finish it despite me LOVING noodles because holy cow it was salty. I drank two whole jugs of water trying to eat it. Dessert was a day special that I can't remember the name for... It was okay. Not bad but I've had better. It wasn't too sweet though so I guess that's a big plus after the cacio e pepe. Overall, if all the dishes were as amazing as the Tartufo (which at this point thanks to the cacio e pepe I can't even remember the experience of anymore I only remember it was really great) then definitely worth the price. But despite the strong start it went downhill and barely redeemed itself at dessert so just 3 stars. Can't bear to make it too low because the Tartufo was really amazing and the staff was nice...but the lows were too low for a higher rating.... read more

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Lovely Italian spot in Elmwood. My partner and I visited for a celebratory holiday meal, and Donato was a great spot for a special occasion. The restaurant interior was decorated for the holidays. The staff accommodated our request to sit socially distant from other parties. We split the Cappelletti and the Rigatoni. The Cappelletti was my favorite - it had a unique sweetness from the walnut sauce and reduction, and the ricotta was delicious. The rigatoni had more of a standard red sauce and was tasty but not quite as unique. The shrimp in the rigatoni were large and juicy though! I ordered the Piucinque Sour and it was delightful. We also ordered a hazelnut cake for dessert. It came with chocolate sauce and the most incredible coffee gelato. A delicious meal all around in a peaceful, elegant setting! read more

Donato & Co - Interior - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Found this place from Restaurant Week list.  I had high expectations coming in for lunch and I left with warm gratitude for this place.  The open kitchen has a wood oven.  I also saw lots of wood in storage on the way to the bathroom.  This s a good sign because wood gives a wonderful smokey smell, taste, and flavor to food. We asked for bread, they served us Focaccia and Italian bread with a homemade spread; just loved it and it was complimentary. Appetizer was Radicchio on top of a cheese sauce with some artichoke chips as toppers.  Radicchio is an Italian purple leaf vegetable; who would have guessed this cooked veg would be so good with sauce and crunch.  And the presentation was beautiful.  Thank you for going outside the box.   Main course was Ravioli with Guineafowl and hazelnut.  Ravioli was house made, noodle has a nice thicker than the norm texture, each piece of square was folded in half to itself, I like the bite size, nut was a great compliment. Dessert was chocolate rum cake with orange cream sauce and Gelato ice cream.  It was small but intense, chocolate was bitter, rum was strong, Gelato was impeccable. Thank you for the exceptional meal, it was all Italian, but not watered down American-Italian, which is rare and a real gem. read more

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The radicchio salad was overdressed and very anchovy forward without a sharp enough cheese to balance it out. The sous vide chicken with mashed potatoes and brussels was bland and needed acid. We asked for any kind of sauce to give it some oomph and the server brought a lemon vinaigrette, which helped. For this food at this price point I would go with two stars, but my cocktail was good, the service was pretty good, and the atmosphere and lighting were cozy. read more

The location is okay (street parking), and the overall vibe of the place was cool and modern with big booths. Unfortunately, that was the only thing impressive about this place. Sometimes, I feel like Californians don't know what "good food" is. Or they think that just because the bill was over $300 for four people with no drinks, then it *must* be delicious. It was not delicious. The service was invisible. Never asked us if we wanted additional iced tea or water, never brought bread (we asked for it and he brought it when we were finished eating), never asked us anything, switched the orders so everyone got everyone else's dish, but the bill sure did come on time! Food: I was dining with two Italians and a home chef. The Cacio e Pepe was fettucine alfredo. Call it whatever you like, but it's fettucine alfredo. The Mezze bolognese was overcooked, needed salt, and overall everything we had was uninspiring. My advice is-- don't go there hungry because you will receive a "baby sized" soda bottle, an ice cream scoop of pasta, and indigestion the next day. Way too rich, everything was covered with heavy cream. Maybe we just came on an "off night," but a restaurant that charges $27 for a scoop of pasta should never have an off night. Did we eat it? Yup, we were hungry. Did any of us like it? Nope. The dessert was just OK (Hazelnut trio). We did end up having one pear cocktail that was delicious, so I assume they have a decent bartender. To be honest, the food at Gypsy's Trattoria is tastier. Wear whatever white aprons and uniforms you want-- bland food is bland food. We won't be back after our hard-earned $300 mistake. read more

The Italian fare at Donato & Co is upscale, familiar and contemporary. I came in on a Wednesday evening with two coworkers after ditching our primary destination in favor of this much nicer place. Welcoming atmosphere with friendly staff. Our server was hit and miss, a contrast to some of the others we saw. Seating was nice, decor relaxing and I don't remember any music since it was easy to converse. The food was super tasty. Bread was good with olive oil and vinegar, we didn't get any starters. My roast half chicken was super moist but cut up awkwardly. The sunchokes were a great side, but inconsistently cooked, potatoes were crispy and perfect. My coworkers really liked their steak and pasta. The food was excellent, and that was reflected in our bill. Good service and really good food await you at Donato & Co in elmhurst. read more

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Great food and super friendly service in a comfortable restaurant. We go to Donato most often of all the Italian restaurants available nearby. The menu suits everyone in our party and is authentic, yet creative. Cocktails are delicious as well! The food (including the fantastic desserts) is house made. read more

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I had occasion to revisit Donato and Co recently. The service was great, and the cocktail program and wine service was on point. The food was good-nowhere near as bad as it was during their opening first months read more

Great food; Great Service; great ambience; excellent wine list; quiet atmosphere.Just an overall excellent dining experience...

Wow, a very special birthday party for 35 friends. The service and atmosphere were pure southern Italian with fresh seafood and pastas in pesto sauce. A small jazz band set the mood perfectly while we dined on oxtail risotto, fresh sea bass and a fantastic chocolate dessert The wine pairings were spectacular!! Located the heart of Berkeley with Plenty of parking Behind the restaurant. . read more

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We had a nice dinner for two. The whipped ricotta & beet salad was the star of our meal! The verdi papparadelle was good but not as flavorful as we had hoped and the cacio e pepe was a different style than I am used to but overall was a good dish. Cocktails were fantastic! Service was great and we would dine here again. read more

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Loved this place the first time 2 years ago. Wanted to love it again. Alas ... someone was very heavy handed with the salt shaker! Server was excellent giving us space to celebrate our anniversary dinner, and gracefully accommodated my green bean aversion by substituting wild mushrooms. My partner loved the Montepulciano which accented the prosciutto and fig plate nicely. Generous portion of perfectly salted prosciutto, fresh arugula, homemade breadsticks and 3 juicy ripe mission figs. Could have used more figs and light dressing on the dry arugula, but ok otherwise. My branzino melted in my mouth, so perfectly moist. But the rest of the dish was so salty I couldn't finish half of it, and the other half needed the help of an entire canteen of water to go down. The purple rice was a striking touch, and a hopeful contrast to the too-salty broth my fish swam in, but alas, it too was salted. Each olive and caper, normally welcome bursts of sodium-rich flavor was another dread-inducing salt lick, and the medley of wild mushrooms too (including wood ear my favorite!) had sadly also been tainted. My now prune-wrinkled mouth craved anything neutral, and I eyed my partner's pork chop and grilled polenta until he read my mind and gave me a portion. The pork too, sadly, was more like a cured ham it was so salty, though still tender and moist. My shriveled tongue found respite between bites of finally neutral polenta and more gulps of water. Appreciate the creative menu and excellent service, but the salt was just too much. We'll be back, hopping someone was just having an off day. We took the leftovers and expect they'll make nice flavorful accents to more bland bases (cauliflower rice, grits, and farro). read more

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Friendly staff and the food came out quick. The ambiance was perfect for a date night or catch up with a friend. The portions were small but filling. Not the best bang for your buck but the quality was unreal. read more

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Spaghetti Neri is just ok but an experience to taste it , not happy with the portion for the price and I expect scallops to be a bigger size. :( kinda disappointed, sorry :( read more

After reading the reviews, I REALLY wanted to like this place but it was a huge letdown for me. Maybe if I dined in instead of takeout would have helped but that shouldn't matter if the food is good. First thing, this place is not cheap for the amount of food you get. I'm not saying I need buca di beppo portions, but for $21 just for a small carton of pasta, it is a little bit of a letdown. Again, if the flavors are good, like my previous takeout from Belotti Ristorante, I would reconsider but it was just not good. I ordered over the phone and got the Pappardelle with a side of broccoli rabe. The pappardelle was good homemade whole wheat wide noodles with wild mushroom medley, garlic oil, Grana Padano...but the description sounds better than the taste. I understand that wood ear mushrooms can be considered "wild mushrooms" but it should never be served with Italian pasta. For $21, maybe some Chanterelle or Morel mushrooms would be nice. Both it was a combination of white button, and kind trumpet caps, which are good mushrooms, but had no flavor. I did not taste as garlic, it just tasted like whole wheat with lots of oil on the bottom of the box and soggy mushrooms. However, that was not the worst of it, the broccoli rabe was so bitter that it was almost not even edible. I am all for broccoli rabe but a little something, garlic or red pepper flakes, basically ANYTHING like splash of lemon juice but none of that was there. I was in the area for an appointment, but of the Italian places in the East Bay, this falls around Gypsys near campus, if I wanted to pool of oil. read more

The food and wait staff are great. The only problem with this restaurant is the hostess. She is rude and not helpful. Everyone else waiting had the same opinion. We probably won't return. read more

The food here is a little different and good. I enjoyed everything we ordered and the service was good. read more

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Great neighborhood restaurant, fresh ingredients and good menu! Everything I've tasted there has been great. The service is always friendly. One of my go to places when in Berkeley. read more

Donato & Co - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came in on a Saturday night without a reservation, but was seated surprisingly immediately! Thank you to the kind and quick hostess! The interior has a lovely warm vibe, and there were a lot of families and mature guests. Definitely outside of the college bubble of Berkeley. Had the scarpetta, which was small but tasty, and sotto terra, which was vibrant and refreshing, as appetizers before having the pizzoccheri and cacio e pepe as our main courses. I would definitely go out of my way to recommend the pizzoccheri! Finished off with the la pera for dessert, which was really delicious and interesting: popping candy and alcoholic pears on a soft, spongy cake! Loved the service, the ambience, and the food. When I have a big budget to spend on dinner, I'll definitely be back! read more

What a delightful surprise! We were invited here by our friends and were so surprised how delish everything was! The apps, salad, main and dessert were all so yummy and the service was on point. Would gladly return again. Hopefully soon! read more

Absolutely loved this place. Every one of the dishes was expertly prepared with an attention to flavor. The pork belly risotto was perfectly cooked. The pork belly was crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside. Scrumptious! The grilled chicken was equally tasty. A nice spiced exterior with a tenderness that left you wanting more. My daughter had the eggplant dish and said it was delicious as well. Good flavor and vegetarian friendly. The desserts were all good. My favorite was a vanilla creme crumble something something. Can't remember the name but oh my was it good. Service was friendly and prompt. read more

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We ordered delivery from Donato & Co for New Year's Eve and were pleased with all their dishes. We picked out a couple of cold appetizers, which were all delicious. Their different salamis were soooooo good and the burrata and pate are also MUST gets! The pasta dishes were also very well-sauced and cooked (although we had to reheat by the time they arrived - busy night for uber eats). The ravioli pasta in the mushroom sauce was to-die-for. Everything was a little bit on the pricey side, so we'll save our next visit/order for a special occasion again! read more

Donato & Co - Salumi, Prosciutto, Pate, Tagliatelle, Burrata, Cappelletti - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Definitely love the place! I really enjoyed the different wine & they have a bar. Food is great & my waiter was awesome!! I will definitely go back with friends next time! You are sitting inside but you are very much so social distancing. read more

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It is a delight to find an authentic Venetian style Italian restaurant in the Bay Area. They know how to prepare and serve fish, from anchovies to cod. The service was attentive, and the portions very generous. I recommend it highly. read more

I loved the Pear cocktail, the mista salad, the pizzel pizzas, plus the lemon pund cake and decaf cappuchino. Thank you for the chocolate birthday cake!! What was a bit disappointing was the Scarfano seafood dish. It had all the seafood but lacked the rich tomato broth infused from seafood. It had a bland taste. The fregola pasta was good in it. The overall rich seafood broth flavor was lacking. It was a very pricey dish to be disappointed with. Having eaten great Sicilian seafood and pasta in Sicily, I feel they need better recipes. The dish looks beautiful but lacked the Sicilian rich taste. read more

Donato & Co - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

How sad- My once favorite establishment for quality food has fallen from grace. While not terrible, it's simply not up to standard with comparable dining establishments in the area. Every course was mediocre in our 5 party seating. Pasta overdone, portions smaller, ( including the quality and quantity of calamari ) Service was harried- I'm devastated having to write this review... read more

Food was good pleasant server Putting bread on table rather than asking for it would add to the Italian experience read more

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and had a wonderful experience. The staff is friendly and incredibly accommodating and the outdoor seating is spaced out and warm with all the heaters! We got the cacio e Pepe which was fantastic - it's a bit more pepper heavy but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it! We also got the tortelli and let me tell you, that brown butter sage sauce with the combination of the squash, ricotta, orange filling is divine. Overall fantastic experience and we will be coming back :) read more

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Good food but don't take your appetite for large portions here. If you're hungry, eat something before you go. The homemade pasta portions are small, child size. With pasta being an inexpensive food to produce, you would think the restaurant would be more generous. The plates they bring the pastas on are cute, but not ample. This restaurant is not a good value, though it was packed with adult patrons who must have been starving after eating such small portions. A better value would be Agrodulce Osteria on Shattuck. read more

Fantastic ambience, wonderful service and can't beat the food. We are a big fans of the cappelletti and the arancini. Always enjoy our experience there! read more

Loved this place except for their drinks. The sweet drinks were sour and the food portions could be a bit larger but I loved my Bolognese. I'd go back just for that! read more

Went here a couple weeks ago with a friend as a walk-in on a Sunday eve and was able to get a table outside for 2 around 7pm easily (if we had wanted to eat inside it might have been a wait though) I got the squid ink pasta dish and my friend got the mushroom, both of which were absolutely delicious! For dessert we got the most chocolatey chocolate dish and would absolutely get it again my friend also got an affogato which I tried which was also very good! Our waiter was had some very charming/goofy, golden retriever type vibes that made for some good laughs read more

I'm disappointed that there are a number of negative reviews. We went with another couple last night and had excellent food and excellent service. The chicken and duck liver terrine was rich and delicious as an appetizer. I'm going to try the bacala next time - you don't see it on enough menus. My wife got the pappardelle, which she loved. I had the fish stew (Scorfano), as did our friends. The fish was very fresh and the broth flavorful. The portion was quite substantial. None of us had room for desserts, probably because we had also indulged in a basket of fresh bread dipped in a wonderful olive oil. The ambience was great. As soon as you walked in the door you could feel (and hear) that positive vibe. Location is excellent, near the Elmwood Theater, and not close enough to downtown where it is much more crowded. Every employee with whom we had contact was smiling and polite. I like the fact that there are many choices in the different categories of the menu. The menu items are inventive and varied, and I had no trouble picking out a couple of possibilities from each category. To me the prices are reasonable. Not too cheap, not too expensive, right about what you would expect for a very good meal in the Bay Area. My wife and I are both looking forward to returning to Donato as soon as we have the opportunity. read more

I've eaten here twice and this is now one of my top two favorite restaurants in the East Bay. The pasta is incredibly delicious. I loved the tortelloni and the spaghetti neri. The salads & appetizers were also great. The waiter recommended a wine to go with my meal and it was a good choice. I shared the tortino di nocciola piemonte both times and will probably have that again next time. The inside is architecturally distinctive with high ceilings and the space is nicely designed. We ate outside last night and it was surprisingly comfortable and peaceful. I had thought that being right on Ashby Ave would make it too loud, but maybe as the tables are set back against the restaurant and not close to the street it was unusually pleasant. I can't wait to go back here! read more

Donato & Co - TORTINO DI NOCCIOLA PIEMONTE - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

What a nice addition to Elmwood District of Berkeley; I've always been fond of this area! Needless to say when my friend invited me to have dinner here, I was ready to go. I skimmed the menu online, and knew immediately what I wanted to order - the pappardelle and shrimp! From the Yelp pictures, this dish looks divine. I'm so happy I ordered this dish along with oxtail risotto. We also ordered the assortment of house made/cured salumi, pickled vegetables & olive oil focaccia. I love me some focaccia bread. Another must-have is their organic cauliflower "bistecca", butternut squash cream, Pantelleria capers & almond pesto! I love the ambiance and open kitchen. We would have ordered vino, but we were wine tasting all day in Calistoga. There's always next time, gives me a reason to come back. Brunch sounds delicious! Although, there's always room for dessert, and we ordered the semifreddo all lavanda with lemon curd & meringues with a shot of limoncello. lf you're in the neighborhood looking for fresh Italian fare, this place has it all. 'Til we meet again ~ Saluti! read more

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Food was amazing and the service was great. We got seated right away and our server gave us wonderful recommendations and we had a fabulous meal read more

Hmm... I'm honestly conflicted. If I was rating the ambience, service, and the bar alone, I could easily rate a 4.5 stars. However, the food... that food needs some help y'all! 'Twas a Tuesday evening, and Shayla was looking for a nice place for din din. When I saw this newbie, I knew that I had to make an appearance. Let me just say, the ambience took me. If I was to say that I was enamored, that would probably be an understatement. This place is a beauty! It's open and spacious and the color scheme is calming. They have an open kitchen that faces the dining area which I just love, love, looove! I'm a sucker for open kitchen concepts and this one is comforting. The bar is simple and chic. I felt so comfortable there, and it didn't even feel like I was sitting at a bar. The bartenders are so much fun! I kept my eye on the male bartender as he worked his magic whipping up his cocktails. Oh yeah... and the cocktail that I had was FABULOUS! I almost regretted my glass of wine as I would have quickly replaced it with another cocktail. They do have a fine wine selection as well, but the cocktails are where it's at baby! So, they have this old groovy thang called an "Ibiscos Fizz" which is comprised of hibiscus infused Tequila, lemon, ginger, and Prosecco. Let me tell YOU... that thang was BOMB! Loved every second of that drink! But, I can't really say the same about my entree. For food, I started out with the chicken liver pate and crostini and chose the Pappardelle pasta with gulf prawns as my entree. The chicken liver was good but nothing special. I actually enjoyed the baked apples that came along with it more. The pappardelle however, was a huge disappointment. The flavors were just... confusing. I read the ingredients before ordering, but I didn't really "read" them like I should have. Who puts cannellini beans along side papparadelle and shrimp? It tasted just as weird as it sounds. First off, the pappardelle was dry and under seasoned. The gulf prawns were delicious, but they just didn't taste right with the beans. There was this weird ketchup looking red sauce on the plate that just looked like it shouldn't haven't been there. What was even more odd was that it actually TASTED like ketchup. Not sure what it was, but it didn't need to be on the plate. The food presentation was also lacking as well. For a high scale looking place like this, I just expected a lot more in terms of the food. My bartender Heather was wonderful that night though! Would I come back? I wouldn't mind coming back for drinks, but I probably wouldn't get the pappardelle again. I'm hoping that they will make some improvements to their menu in the future. read more

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Pleasantly surprised by this Italian joint in Elmwood! Came here for a friend's birthday lunch, and our reservation was immediately seated. Service here is exceedingly nice and to the point. Tons of seating inside, but I'd recommend making a reservation for dinner on weekend nights. Food is in line with Californian Italian restaurants in San Francisco. I ordered a burrata salad ($13ish) and a veggie egg frittata ($16ish). The salad was great, nothing special. Frittata was incredible! Perfectly cooked, with crispy veggies and fluffy eggs. read more

Donato & Co - salad - Italian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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