Really loved my time at Donna's. Came here for my sister's birthday dinner and it was amazing. The hostesses and our server were fantastic. Appreciated o how our server recommended some of her favorites on the menu. Definitely try the arugula salad if you want to change it up a bit from the usual Caesar salad. The garlic bread was a hit! It was a great mix of buttery on the inside and crispy on the outside. Chicken parm and fusilli was also sooo good! I'd recommend to do family style and share so you can try more of the menu items. The interior is very clean and beautiful. The lighting is a bit dim but it adds to the vibes of the restaurant. Will definitely come back! read more

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The food was good, but it wasn't blown away as I was expecting, especially considering how hard it is to get a reservation. I'd heard so much about the garlic bread, but I honestly thought it was just okay. We ordered the broccolini (which was very cheesy), the arugula salad (also very cheesy), the vodka pasta, chicken Parmesan, and the linguine with clams. The linguine was good, but I wish it had a little more seafood than just clams. I'd say the dishes I enjoyed the most were the chicken parmesan and the vodka pasta. The cocktails were actually really good, and I appreciated that they had spritz-style mocktails too. The restaurant itself is cute, cozy, and has a nice atmosphere. Overall, I'm glad I tried it, but I can't say it was necessarily worth the hype. read more

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Donnas was absolutely perfect! The ambiance reminds of if literal small Italy cafe vibes, very intimate. Our server Hannah was absolutely kind and sweet. Definitely would come back again!   Garlic Bread (5/5) I honestly don't say this lightly, but this is probably the best garlic bread I have ever had in my entire life. The outside was crusty and crispy and the inside of the bread was to die for. Super soft and warm with oogey, gooey buttery-ness with each slice. There are small garlic pieces inside, but that's what explodes the bread with amazing flavor. If there's anything you need to get, it's the garlic bread for sure.   Caesar Salad (5/5) Also an amazing starter! I love how each bit of lettuce was coated with cheese, so every single bite had some love in it. Croutons added a nice crunch for texture. Solid to begin your meals with.    Chicken Parmesan (5/5) Size was large, so please come hungry! The chicken was breaded perfectly and the sauce wasn't too heavy at all. Everything paired so nicely with each other. Basil added a nice aromatic touch to the dish without overpowering it. Amazing meal. read more

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This has to be my new favorite LA restaurant. Every dish I had was amazing, even the dessert. I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken parmesan and linguini & clams pasta. The caesar salad was also made really well. The service was friendly and quick. It's a super cute vibe inside too! Parking can get tricky since it's all street parking, but not too bad. read more

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Excellent dining experience! From the moment we're seated to the great food and service we received it was overall a super pleasant evening for us. For each and every food that we had, none was disappointing. The tiramisu was perfect. 10/10 we'll be back here for dinner if we can get a reservation. read more

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Getting reservations here felt like getting concert tickets for a popular artist. Reservation slots drop at 10am, 28 days in advanced. Within minutes, tickets for Saturday night were completely taken. Crazy! So much hype around this restaurant and for the most part, it did actually live up to it. Garlic Bread - Heavenly. A crunchy exterior with a soft buttery finish in between every slice and topped with parm shavings. This was definitely my favorite out of everything we got! Arugula Salad - Dressed perfectly with a tooooon of cheese on top. My type of salad! There was enough acidity in the dressing that the cheese wasn't too overpowering. Meat and Cheese Plate - Assorted meats and cheeses with olives and artichokes. All the cheeses were rich and the meats were sliced thinly. The portion of the plate as a whole was a little on the small side though. Fusilli Alla Vodka - The flavor was good but it honestly tasted like I could've made it at home. I was expecting a more rich creamy sauce with a handmade pasta. My hopes were extremely high for this dish since this is the one everyone gets. It wasn't bad by any means, it just wasn't what I was expecting after seeing all the great reviews on it. Pan Seared Branzino - Comes on a bed of green sauce. The branzino itself was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The sauce felt a little out of place. A little too herby. It comes deboned. Patatas - Generous portion of crispy large potatoes with a delicious bed of aioli. Cannolis - Comes with 3 fun sized cannolis of differing flavors. Strawberry, chocolate, and I'm forgetting the other flavor. A fun take on your classic cannoli. My least favorite was the strawberry shortcake. It had the concept of a cannolis but just didn't hold up well and was more like cheesecake. The chocolate was the best. I did enjoy the toppings on either side of the cannoli for an extra crunch. Rosina - Perfectly balanced cocktail. A little sweet with enough tartness to not make it overpowering. Service was great, the interior of the restaurant was cute and homey, food came out quickly - overall, a very good experience. The hype around this place made my expectations extremely high, and although they weren't all met, this was still a meal I would definitely come back for. read more

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An LA staple for a reason- long wait time/hard to get reservations, the service is great, and the ambiance is very LA influenced. Photo ops in every corner! I would suggest this place only for smaller parties because how little space there is inside. We got the garlic bread, calamari, vodka, lasagna, seafood lemon pasta, and pesto pork pasta ??? Not sure the name and the food was good! This place is most definitely for cheese lovers- everything had SO much cheese it was a bit overwhelming. Probably won't be back because of their limited selection of pastas- really wanted to see more variety but felt it was a little lacking and the pasta was just good, not great. read more

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If you want to try Donna's you need a reservation! This place gets packed but it's a great little restaurant with a cool vibe in Echo park. The Caesar salad and garlic bread was phenomenal, enough to make us come back just for the "appetizers." They were exactly what everyone had said they were going to be. The fusilli was also very good, not too spicy and the perfect mix of tomato/creamy. The chicken parmigiana was solid and it was huge! I don't think I'm the best critic of the chicken parmigiana since I rarely order at other restaurants but I had to try it since it was what everyone talked about. The flavor was great, but I could do without it and just order the Caesar, garlic bread, and fusilli read more

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Wow, this is one of the few places in LA that actually lives up to the hype. The food was great especially since everything came out piping hot. The meatballs were probably the best I've had in a long time, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. Simple dishes, but so flavorful and well executed. read more

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First time coming to Donna's and it's easily become a new favorite. Amazing customer service and beautiful ambiance. I ordered the fusilli vodka pasta, garlic bread, and Moscato Sparkling Wine (best I've ever tasted). Will definitely be returning! read more

Donna's - Fusilli Vodka Pasta, Garlic Bread, Spaghetti & meatballs - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A friend had a recent birthday and I told her to pick a restaurant for her birthday dinner. I've never heard of this place since Echo Park isn't exactly familiar to me but after seeing their menu, I was looking forward to trying them out. Reservations were tough to get, so she booked out a month in advance with alerts in case something else came up earlier. Nothing ever changed, so we had our 5:15p reservation on a Wednesday (they open at 5p). Before the day, I have to say their customer service was top-notch; I had reached out to let them know that it was for a birthday (since I knew the birthday girl didn't call this out herself) and if they accepted cash, and someone got back to me within an hour after I left a voicemail. They also reached out regarding parking suggestions in the area for that day since there was a Dodgers game which was greatly appreciated. We left earlier, and made it with 5 minutes to spare. Hostess desk is crammed up front right at the door, so there will be a lot of activity as you enter. She was very friendly, and led us to the dining room behind this area against the wall. This was a smaller space, but it already had several parties seated and they only opened 15 minutes prior. Still bottles of water were placed on the table, so we were able to pour ourselves which I liked. On our table tonight: -Squash Arancini ($8) -Garlic Bread ($16) -Fusilli Alla Vodka ($25) -Chicken Parmesan ($36) -Side of Spaghetti (Aglio Olio or Marinara, $13) I was a fan of the arancini with the hint of sage. The talked-about garlic bread was pretty good; it was potent towards the middle of the pre-cut slices where I could only finish one (and I love garlic bread). I tried some fusilli before the ricotta and chili oil was mixed in, and I would consider getting this for myself another time. Aglio Olio, although just a side portion, was enough of a main dish for myself and the chicken parmesan was okay, but I'm not the biggest fan of this dish in the first place. Cheese was abundant on the arancini and the garlic bread (and from what I could tell, some of the salads) but this can be put on the side as the party next to us did if you don't want to be overwhelmed with all the cheese. Dessert was cannoli's ($14), and they let us sub another chocolate for the lemon ricotta. You will get charged for the birthday dessert, but they did add a candle. To get to the restroom, you have to go through the back bar area which also has some tables, so I can see why reservations are a must here even though they will accept some walk-ins. Service here was friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed our time here at Donna's, and I'm glad to have tried an out of the way restaurant (well, for me at least). Would be happy to return! read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First time dining at Donna's and I'm glad we were able to get a reservation. The restaurant is quite small and located in echo park along sunset, so you can entertain yourself quite a bit exploring the neighborhood waiting for a table. The food is extremely flavorful and worth venturing to the neighborhood to enjoy. It was Sunday, so I passed on a cocktail (I know, boring). The stuffed peppers contained cheese and garlic and soaked in olive oil. I never had a peppadew pepper before, and they are very tiny! However, the flavor is robust and it makes a good starter. The garlic bread is legendary with butter and garlic baked in and topped with Parmesan. It's very filling so be careful. Cesar salad was solid and also topped generously with cheese. The pastas are delectable and there is quite the variety to sample. Fusilli alla vodka was rich and as good as it gets. Good old spaghetti and meatballs was anything but boring. The meatballs were an explosion of flavor. Veal piccata was very tart and heavily soaked in liquid. I might not order this next time. For dessert, panna cotta was very striking in appearance with strawberry and basil--very rich. Tiramisu was ok. I definitely would like to return to sample other dishes. How to get a reservation is the question. read more

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Was finally able to beat the Resy war and snagged a reservation for Donna's a month in advance! Kinda crazy if you ask me, but the hype around this place has yet to subside so my partner and I wanted to try. Vibes: much smaller on the inside than I expected, the tables are a bit close to each other too but it's fine. moody lighting, very mid century italian vibes, super nice! Food: Fusili a la vodka and garlic bread were incredible. the garlic bread was soft on the inside, crunchy edges and an absolute flavor bomb. the fusilli stole the show, perfectly al dente pasta and the sauce was delicious! everything else was meh, to just okay. the stuffed peppers are pungent and tiny, definitely an acquired taste. the rolled lasagna was very rich, and a bit salty. and the chicken parm was soggy and forgettable. they were fine but we weren't blown away. also take "family style" portions with a grain of salt, these were definitely on the smaller end of that spectrum lol. would I come back?: probably not. parking is super inconvenient so come early in advance to find a spot. On the pricey end for the amount of food you get but that's LA dining for you. some dishes were very good, but we were blown away enough to come back. glad to say we tried it though! read more

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If you have walked up sunset in the silver lake/echo park area you have probably walked by Donna's, a busy Italian restaurant. Decided to give this spot a try for my friend's birthday. We got the following: calamari (standard calamari not really crunchy), garlic bread with burrata (the garlic bread was one of stars of the night, the burrata on the side sounded good. But not really needed), chicken Parmesan (standard, nothing to write home about), truffle gnocchi (expected more flavor, a bit underwhelming), spaghetti with meatballs (the meatballs were flavorful), and fusilli alla vodka (star of the show, creamy and flavorful). Not pictured: Negroni (eh), old fashion (a bit spirit forward, but again eh), and cannolis (the strawberry was the best). Service was attentive, we got sat quickly as well. Parking may be difficult so plan on walking over. Overall, it is a standard Italian restaurant. For what you are paying for and the hype you expect more. read more

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I came here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. To start we got the Caesar salad. This was very refreshing. We also got the calamari. This was delicious. I loved the two dipping sauces it came with and the calamari was perfectly fried. Definitely recommend both dishes. Then we got the fusilli vodka and the chicken marsala. The fusilli was absolutely delicious and I would definitely come back for this dish. Unfortunately the chicken marsala was not that good. The sauce was this off putting sweet taste and my sister and I did not like it. The chicken was incredibly tender though. For dessert we got the chocolate torte to share and this was incredibly dense and rich. Super tasty. Overall I would recommend this place and besides the marsala dish, everything else was delicious. read more

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We were recommended to Donna's and everything seemed really yummy and good so we decided to stop in to celebrate my boyfriends birthday. We made a reservation for Thursday night just incase there was a wait. Upon arrival, we noticed they were very busy and the wait was pretty long so I do recommend making a reservation a least a few days before arrival. The hostess sat us after 5-10 min, the whole restaurant was BUZZING with people and dates. The restaurant overall was fairly small and intimate so it's understandable why the wait would be long. The server, Robert, was extremely friendly when he greeted us. He recommended a few cocktails to us and apps. We grabbed a few cocktails and got their garlic bread and cesar salad for the table. The garlic bread was good but honestly a pass for the future visit. The cesar salad was really good and refreshing so we will forsure get another. I, personally, got the Limoncello Drop (Their twist on a limoncello and lemon drop martini) which was delicious! I highly recommend getting one, it's extremely light, refreshing and zesty. For the mains, We decided on the chicken marsala, spaghetti & meatballs, and Fusilli alla vodka. The chicken marsala was extremely juicy and flavorful while it's smothered in onions and mushrooms. The spaghetti was decent, alittle bland and lacking flavor so we'd pass on it next time. The Fusilli alla vodka was our favorite though! The flavor is the chilis and vodka sauce work well together and the pasta was cooked very well. I got extra calabrian chilis for the pasta which complimented the pasta very well. We noted that the vodka is a MUST in the future. For dessert, since we were celebrating my boyfriend's birthday, we got the olive oil cake which was soooo delicious. They do NOT offer free or complimentary dessert for birthdays (which we didn't expect nor want) so just a heads up! The cake was really moist and flavorful yet did strongly taste like oil (kinda obvious). The did put a candle and whip creme on top for us to sing which was really cute. Overall, I recommend stopping in for a cute date night or to celebrate birthdays! The staff was really nice and funny. Most of the food was really yummy and flavorful. Plus all of the cocktails were a decent price point and full of flavor and ingredients. I will for sure be back soon to try more and grab another Limoncello drop martini!! read more

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Really amazing Italian food spot and the Fusilli Vodka is amazing. The flavor is excellent and honestly probably one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had, it's a must try. The fried calamari is really good too. I also tried the chicken parm and it was amazing. The tiramisu is very unique with the salty aspect. Overall really great food. The inside is also very beautiful and has a nice dark vibe. The service every time I've been has been okay nothing special but nothing negative to say. read more

Donna's - Fusilli Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I came here for a birthday dinner w my girlfriends. We came on a weeknight around opening. Parking: there's no private lot and I don't see valet. Hence, it's street parking. Give yourself some time to look and circle around. We each found street parking about 2-3 blocks away--all free. You can also find entered street parking as well. The restaurant itself is super cute. I love the vibe inside and the ambiance. Very cute date night Place!! The food: Meatball: I recommend! Good size and perfect to share. It comes w two which we found adequate for our group of three. Garlic bread: yum! Love the texture, seasoning, and cheese grating over the bread! Good to eat w the meatballs! Broccolini: everything is super carb heavy, so we opted for this instead of a salad, Fussili alla vodka: great choice and crowd pleaser. Linguini and clams: yummy but kind of lacking on the clams. lol! Lasagna: probably the most disappointing dish of the evening. Lacked texture. Super salty. We all thought this was the most skippable dish. Dessert panna cotta: a good finish to the evening. Came w a birthday candle. read more

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Waiter was super nice and chatted with us. The food was amazing, I really loved the fried olives and the meatballs were to die for. Now the garlic bread was unlike anything I've ever had. Imagine the softest most moist cake you've ever bitten into, but it's savory garlic flavored. (I think I want that garlic bread instead of a birthday cake next year.) of course the chicken parm and the pasta were great. Ambiance was cute, nice and dark. I love the home-y vibes! read more

After several visits to Donna's, I can finally give it the full review it deserves. This place is a gem. Everything we've tried has been excellent, and it's one of those rare restaurants where every dish feels like a hit. The Caesar salad is easily one of the best I've had. Every piece of lettuce is perfectly coated in dressing, the croutons are great, and the mountain of freshly grated cheese takes it over the top. The garlic bread is unreal. If you order the prawns, do yourself a favor and dip the bread into that buttery garlic sauce, spoon some extra sauce on top, and eat it while it's soaked. It's ridiculous. The Alla Vodka pasta is always a safe choice, rich and comforting without being too heavy. The lasagna came out with a beautifully crisp top straight from the oven and was packed with flavor. The potatoes were another surprise favorite--super crispy and served with a house-made aioli that made them impossible to stop eating. The chicken parm was excellent too: crispy, fresh, loaded with sauce, and exactly what you want from a classic Italian-American dish. The meal ended on a high note with complimentary limoncello shots from the house. For dessert, we had the tiramisu and panna cotta. The panna cotta had a subtle basil flavor that made it unique and memorable, while the tiramisu was honestly one of the best I've ever had--light, creamy, and perfectly balanced. Service was fantastic. The staff was friendly, funny, and genuinely welcoming. The funniest part of the night was that we accidentally booked a reservation at the Donna in New York instead of this restaurant. Even after our mistake, the host was incredibly kind and got us seated within about 15 minutes. One thing to note: pets are not allowed, except for service animals. Donna's has become one of my favorite spots. Great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere. I'll definitely keep coming back. read more

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Was on the way best home and had never been to Donna's, so we decided to stop by and see if we could get a walk in table. There was a 30 minute wait, so we put our name on the list and got seated at the bar when ready. Started out with the meatballs, which come with two. Decent size, looks tasty but, flavor wise, they felt a little lacking. Definitely were not memorable. Entrees, we got the Fusilli Alla Vodka and the chicken parmesan. The chicken parm was cooked well, could have been a little crispier on the outside, and sat in the sauce instead of having the sauce on top, so you can add as you please. Was a decent chicken parm overall. The Fusilli Alla Vodka was the winner of the evening, though, with the whipped ricotta on top and chili oil with the pecorino romano on the pasta. Just a tasty bite each time. Overall, nice little Italian restaurant in Echo Park. Definitely try the Fusilli Alla Vodka, absolutely worth it. The chicken parm is decent as well, but pass on the meatballs. read more

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Finally grabbed a reservation at Donna's and it did not disappoint! The vibe is cozy and perfect for dinner and casual drinks. Service was friendly and relaxed, but still attentive throughout the meal. The food leans Italian-ish with fresh, simple flavors, and everything we tried felt well executed and shareable. Portions are solid, and the menu has a good mix of lighter bites and more filling options. The wine and cocktails also hit the mark and round out the experience nicely. They offer complimentary limoncello at the end of the meal! read more

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I've been here two times and I have to say the ambiance and vibe is unmatched. It's so romantic but feels chill at the same time. During my first time I got a limoncello, chopped salad, vodka pasta, and the garlic bread. The second time, I got all of the same things as the first but added a Caesar, a chicken parm, and a cherry cocktail. I really liked the limoncello the first time but the second time seemed a bit more ginger forward? And the chopped salad was less vinaigrette sour and more creamy the second time but I preferred it when I first had it. The vodka pasta did not disappoint and was exactly as good as the first time. The new things: The Caesar salad was actually the better salad of the two and I usually prefer the more vinaigrette-ey salads like the chopped salad but this one was done really traditionally and you can definitely taste the fishiness of the anchovies. The cherry cocktail was quite nice and I preferred it a little more than the second time limoncello. The chicken parm was amazing and the chicken itself was so bouncy and juicy. Would definitely get these items again. read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

~ food: 8/10 ~ service: 10/10 ~ ambiance: 10/10 ~ parking: limited street parking came here for my bf's birthday dinner and the vibe was great. the space feels like a cozy, welcoming italian home. our server was incredibly kind and funny and made us feel comfortable right away. i requested no ginger in my drinks, and he recommended a classic lemon drop martini instead of the specialty limoncello drop--it was amazing we ordered the famous garlic bread, but honestly i don't really see the hype beyond how aesthetic it is. it could definitely use more garlic and more seasoning the pasta was slightly undercooked, but the sauce was perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. i loved how simple yet elevated the dish felt, with all the little details coming through the chicken parm was huge. the chicken was crispy, and the tangy sauce cut through the thick layer of cheese really well. this was my favorite dish of the night the tiramisu was good, but not the best i've had. it could benefit from sitting longer to soften up more, though the flavor itself was solid overall, i would come back for the ambiance, service, and drinks, but not necessarily for the food. while everything was good, none of the dishes truly wowed me read more

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while i did enjoy this place, it didn't quite blow me away like a lot of people said it would. i can see why it's a classic in the area though. there's a certain aesthetic attached to dining at Donna's that's kinda hard to match. the service was pretty solid, very attentive. i had one server that was very polite and kinda and one that just kinda seemed like they were just trying to make it through their shift. we split a few different things: I'll start off by saying that the garlic bread was incredible and the best I've ever had. next we had the caesar salad which was also among the best I've ever had, though I don't get salads often. we finished food with lasagna. it was pretty decent, I wouldn't get it again but I'm also not big on lasagna. the cocktails were so good and really hit the spot! my favorite part about this place read more

Donna's - Garlic bread, caesar salad - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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4 stars for the Garlic Bread...otherwise this would have been a 3 star. Donna's is good but don't know if it quite lives up to all the hype. Absolutely loved the Garlic Bread and Tiramisu...it would be criminal to come here and not order both. We also shared the Lasagna and Chicken Parm. The Lasagna's flavors were a bit muted...like something was missing to really give it oomph. The Chicken Parm was fine but not super memorable. These four dishes were the perfect amount for two. Our waiter was great and we loved the complimentary Limoncello shots! read more

After weeks of trying, I finally snagged a coveted Donna's reservation! And I'm happy to report it absolutely lives up to the hype. We arrived right at 6:45pm for our reservation and checked in with no issues. Walking inside felt like stepping into a locals only supper club. The vintage floral wallpaper and cozy interior made it feel like dinner at a nonna's house back in Italy. What we ordered: Garlic bread (10/10): spongy sourdough loaded with Parmesan cheese, butter and garlic. A must order. Caesar salad (9/10): one of the best Caesar's I've had. Lots of croutons(a win for me). Lasagna rollatini (100/10): star or the show. Simply incredible and the rolled format makes it perfect for sharing. Pan seared branzino (8/10): perfectly seared and filleted off the bone with pickled veggies and pesto which tied it together nicely. Tiramisu (8.5/10): A massivr slice with an incredible salted cream top. So happy my partner and I got to experience Donna's. Everything was so good it genuinely made me wonder if there's a team of Italian grandmas cooking in the kitchen. Truly a 10/10 dinner experience that I'll be thinking about for awhile. read more

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This is a pretty cute little place with good service and some tasty Italia fare. No reservations, so we were quoted a 90 minute wait and seated in about 75 minutes. It's cramped inside as they maximize the little space they have, so unless you're small, it's not the most comfortable place. The place is kind of charming, just the same. I had an old fashioned and it was okay. The food was very good, but with the exception Stracciatella, nothing was really overly special. Bread starter was good. My wife had lasagna and I had Rigatoni Bolognaise and both were very good. I would definitely recommend and return. read more

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My friend and I went to Donna's during the week during a dodger game. So I'll start off by saying the parking is not the best, but there is a lot around the corner where you can pay for parking and any other given day parking would probably be easier than on a day where the Dodgers are playing. Now let's talk about the food. I'll start off by saying that we shared a lot of food and it was all delicious! from the garlic bread to the clam linguine to the chicken marsala, calamari, and the dessert. Everything was very delicious. Good portions. It was a lot of food for two people, but we managed to eat it. The service was great. There's no complain about anything when it comes to their service. we were seated at a smaller table when we got there and we asked to be moved to a bigger table and they accommodated us, which was really nice. Ambience very old-school Italian, but with a touch of I would like to say whimsy. It is a small restaurant so reservations are a must, very authentic very delicious. You do have to place your order all at once and the chef will pace out your entrées, which was nice. Definitely will come again if I can get another reservation. It took me about a month to finally get a reservation, but it was worth it. read more

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Such a wonderful place to come across! Husband and I were in need of dinner and we happened to come across Donna's right as they opened. There was a line outside the door which is always a good sign! (Make reservations) We sat at the bar, with an incredibly experienced bartender! We ordered off menu classic cocktails and she made them pristinely! Caesar salad- A MUST Fussili alla vodka- Delicious!!! Not too rich, and a wonderful portion! Spaghetti & Meatballs- my husband enjoyed this, and said the meatballs were to die for. I would come back for the ambience alone, so the food being delicious was just a HUGE bonus! Can't wait to return! read more

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We finalllyyyy were able to snag a reservation here, albeit at 9:30 pm on a Monday. Even then, people were waiting outside for a table so most definitely recommend making a reservation. I absolutely love the interior. It reminds me of the cozy vibe of an old NYC Italian restaurant. We sat at the bar and service was incredibly attentive throughout our dinner. We had: -garlic bread (this is a MUST, no notes) -Caesar salad (loved it) -fusilli pasta (I loved the texture of this pasta and would definitely get it again) -chicken parm (this was good, but nothing special! -tiramisu (I like my tiramisu with more coffee flavor so didn't love this, but will get the cannoli next time) Loved this place and can't wait to work through the menu. Highly recommend. read more

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I celebrated my birthday with my sister here the other day. We shared the Tonnato Caesar Salad, Fried Calamari, Fusilli Alla Vodka and Chicken Marsala. We were both pretty hungry so we finished basically all of this. For the most part, everything was yummy and we really enjoyed the pasta. We didn't love the chicken marsala though. The chicken was super soft/tender but the soft was not a traditional mushroom flavor. It felt very heavy on the wine and sweet. We would definitely skip on this one next time. For dessert, we tried the Chocolate Torte. This was yummy, but VERY decadent. Probably better shared amongst more people than 2. read more

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I absolutely loved this place! My daughter brought me here for my birthday, what better experience than dining at a restaurant that shares your name. Parking is definitely a challenge. There's a paid public lot around the corner, and street parking is pretty much nonexistent, so plan accordingly. The restaurant seats about 64 people, and reservations are highly recommended. We arrived right at opening (5 PM) and there was already a line outside, but luckily we were able to grab seats at the bar. Our bartender, Valentino, was amazing and made excellent recommendations. When I told him my name, he mentioned they don't get many "Donna's". In three years, I'm only the second! The garlic bread is a must, definitely start with that. Everything I ordered was delicious. I ended the night with an espresso martini and tiramisu, and the tiramisu was the best I've ever had; not overly soaked or too heavy on the coffee liqueur. The space is beautifully decorated, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere, perfect for a special occasion or a cozy night out. I will definitely be back! read more

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Food: 9/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 9/10 Donna's is an absolute gem in Echo Park! Definitely worth the hype! Was lucky to get an early dinner reservation right when they opened (through Resy) and I truly had the best seat of the restaurant. Everything from the food, service, and vibe were all top-tier. My recommendations are: garlic bread, Tonnato Caesar, chicken parm, whichever pasta Alla Vodka, and do not skip on the tiramisu for dessert! Perfect spot for a cozy date night or any special occasion, can't wait to go back! read more

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My friend and I have been wanting to try Donna's for forever and finally got a reservation. Parking was a bit hard but there are small lots nearby that are pretty cheap (we paid like $1.80 for 2 hours) if you can't find street parking. We waited for about 5 minutes before we were seated. Our waiter was very friendly, helpful, and attentive. He gave us some recommendations and made sure we always had water. We ordered a lot because we wanted to try a bit of everything. Vodka Pasta: 10/10, they didn't have fusili shape when we came and I can't remember the name of ours but this was so good. It was savory but not too salty and the sauce was so well balanced. The pasta was perfectly al dente and we kept eating it even when we were too full. Fried Calamari: 9/10, very crispy and nicely seasoned. The sauces were fun and the squid ink aioli was an interesting flavor profile. Garlic Bread: 7/10, the garlic taste isn't that strong and it was more like a cheesy bread but still good. The outside was crispy but the inside was fluffy. Spaghetti and Meatballs: 7/10, Spaghetti was cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce was pretty good. The meatballs were personally not our preference as it had an aftertaste we weren't fond of. Tonnato Caesar Salad: 6/10, a decent caesar salad, the tiny croutons were fun. It was however VERY salty. All our food leaned on the savory side and we were hoping this would be a fresh balance to it but it was just so salty we couldn't finish it with all our other food. Patata: 5/10, this was nothing special. Potatoes were decently roasted but there wasn't a lot of flavor besides salt. The calabrian chili aioli wasn't that strong flavor wise and sat underneath the potatoes. I wouldn't order this again. Tiramisu: 6/10, this was salty which is not something we expected. Our dishes all leaned salty and we were expecting this to be slightly sweet but it ended up being salty and we were just salted out. Zero Proof Spritz: 6/10, was a bit too sour for me. Cherry Cherry: 7/10, my friend found it okay. She wished the cherry flavor was a bit stronger. All in all we were mainly there to try the vodka pasta which did not disappoint. Some of the other dishes were hits or misses but the service and vibes were spectacular. I only hope it's not all super salty next time read more

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Highly recommend making reservations to come here because even on a Monday night, I waited for 1.5 hours on the waitlist. Pretty solid meal but would not wait that long again. The inside is dark but lively. Big fan of the decor. Started with the famous garlic bread. This was a little disappointing because the crust was so hard it hurt the roof of my mouth. The arugula salad was simple but light and refreshing. The pastas were both excellent. You can tell they're homemade from the fun pasta shapes and the perfect texture. The fusilli alla vodka was one of the best I've had in LA. The campanelle was also rich and hearty. I liked that the side of chili sauce they give was actually really spicy. Overall, I would come back if I can snag a resy. read more

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I had very high hopes with this place being that it was recommended by a handful of people on top of it being a place Infatuation has on their list. But it was underwhelming...I had the stuffed peppers, garlic bread, spicy fusilli, lasagna and chicken parm. They were all good but there wasn't really anything "wow" about it. Uovo is still the superior choice for pasta and the prices make it a no brainer. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this place - it's just "okay". Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad food it just didn't live up to the hype. read more

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I really liked the ambience here. It's a cute restaurant in a bustling area. I had the Donna's spritz, Fusilli à la vodka, Caesar salad, and chicken Parmesan. The spritz was just okay and I wouldn't order it again. The salad and vodka pasta were very good. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Chicken Parmesan. I'd try some other dishes if I came back, but would definitely get the vodka pasta again. The service was wonderful. read more

Donna's - Caesar salad, Donna's spritz - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Calamari was good, the marinara and lemon were nice but they had some weird dark sauce on the side. Not sure why that was there. 4 stars. Rigatoni bolognese was very rich, the mole of Italian food. Really good for a few bites. 4.5 stars. Chicken parm was classic, plenty of really nice sweet tangy marinara, moist, well cooked chicken, and nice size. 5 stars. Donna's Dirty martini with vodka was good and the olives were delicious, maybe marinated or picked. Refreshing well balanced. 5 stars. Torn between tiramisu and espresso martini and made the wrong choice w the martinis. Had a gross cherry amaretto that ruined the r drink. One star on that. Service was good though and really liked the cute ambiance. I also liked that I was able to get a rez through email! Appreciated that. read more

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So delicious! Celebrated a birthday here; service and food were lovely. Everything was very delicious and the presentation was great, but not sure why it's difficult to pinpoint a favorite plate. The Caesar salad was amazing (just look at the cheese) and the spicy vodka pasta were delicious, but at the same time, I feel like I could go somewhere else to get something similar. read more

Donna's - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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