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    Frankie's

    4.2 (550 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    FRANKIE'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Chicken Marsala
    Pat O.

    We arrived at around 5:30pm on a Wednesday night. We were the only diners until we left at 6:30pm. I had the chicken marsala over pasta. It was delicious. The sauce and fresh mushrooms were so good I ate all of the pasta and had 2 of the 4 pounded breast steaks leftover. The service was superior, and the old school atmosphere and music were very nice. They've been around for 40 years and they're planning on updating and offering lunch.

    Chicken Parmigiana and Fettuccine Alfredo

    It was my boyfriend's birthday and we were looking for a new place to find pasta ( which is his favorite food ) and were happy we decided to try this restaurant. We were greeted by the owner Frankie himself, who was very kind and attentive to us. And we were given the best service by Ricardo , despite him being the only server working that shift. The restaurant is a very cozy place with good vibes for a good night out. I tried the Chicken parmigiana , and asked for a fettuccine Alfredo instead of regular pasta ( which comes in the order ) and I will say I've never tried a chicken parm so fresh and tasty as this one. The sauce was so light and you could taste that everything was made fresh ( nothing prepackaged or frozen ). The fettuccine Alfredo was so cheesy, delicious , and worth the price. My boyfriend had the fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp , and was highly satisfied with his food. Said it was worth the price and the serving is just the right amount to keep you satisfied. Since it was his birthday, we also got to try the cannoli's , it was our first time trying them and they were very delicious and sweet. We will definitely be back to try other dishes ‍

    Bread
    Taryn I.

    Was catching up with a friend and we decided to try out Frankie's. The restaurant was pretty quiet and it seemed like the other tables were regulars joking with the waiters and waitresses and having a great time. They started us out with some bread which was decent and then we got the ricotta gnocchi and Julia's grilled chicken. The gnocchi was so good and the chicken was delicious. At the time I was really craving garlic bread so I was a little sad they didn't have any on the menu but otherwise we had a really great time.

    Gnocchi Dominic
    Mae M.

    Great Italian restaurant on Melrose! As soon as my friend and I walked in, we knew we found an authentic Italian place! The staff was very welcoming and the place mostly had regulars we could tell know the staff well. The food was very tasty and some of the best gnocchi I've had - so soft it melts in your mouth! I highly recommend that. They do give complimentary bread which is nice, but it was a very simple bread you could buy at the store. Wish they did a garlic bread! Make sure to ask for olive oil too as they only brought out butter originally for us. Ambiance is dark for dinner and would be a nice spot for a date or initiate gathering.

    2025 Dinner menu

    Super good food, definitely try the Bruschetta - I loved their pasta despite it not being some crazy high tier pasta dishes, is simple and filling Nice lil night time ambiance at night Service was great, very prompt and helpful

    Calamari
    Clarice R.

    Last night I celebrated my bday with family. I made reservations for this place a couple a weeks ago. Namely, I've been on a mission to have baked stuffed clams. I am from NY - born and raised and it's so disappointing that you can't find that app anywhere out here in California. When I stumbled on Frankie's I was so stoked. My expectations were high; I'm from NY. What do you expect?! LOL. Upon entry, my party of 7 was greeted and sat immediately. The restaurant looked just like the pictures. I love that old school NY charm vibe. We had a dozen clams Oreganato and calamari for appetizers. My mom also had Manhattan chowder. The waiter tried to explain how it's red sauce based. We know lol. That's another staple that you can rarely find on the west coast. She said it was amazing. For entrees, everyone said theirs was delicious. Three of us had the Veal Parm. That's what I had with a side of angel hair. Reminded me of being on Arthur Ave the last time I went home in March. It was bomb. My bro-in-law had the Shrimp Teresa entree which came with jumbo shrimp over fettuccini with marinara and mozzarella. Looked like nothing you can get out here. Frankie's had the NY restaurant vibe that I miss so much (also helps my dad's name was Frank--RIP). For dessert, they were so sweet, giving us cannoli and singing to me. I literally felt moved. This restaurant reminded me of Thursday dinner every week with my parents when I was a child at our old stomping grounds called Copolla's in NY. Told my hubby without a doubt we will be back for a real meal and date night. Thank you, Frankie's for making my birthday memorable.

    Bruschetta

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    3 months ago

    A great authentic Italian restaurant. Great food and atmosphere. Highly recommend. Service was great too.

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    2 months ago

    Great food & wonderful service. Have been going there for many years & servers are always so friendly.

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    I think you're all sleeping on this place and it's embarrassing being that it's priced nicely and they make a ton of stuff from scratch

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    Page 1 of 14

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    Bestia

    Bestia

    4.3
    (8.4k reviews)
    7.6 mi
    $$$

    This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The Cheap Sunglasses cocktail was nice…read more The housemaid buttermilk ricotta with grilled bread was sublime. The prosciutto and arugula salad was without equal. The Cavatelli alla Norcina was so good I thought I died and went to heaven. We ordered one of each dessert and they were all good. But the Vin Dolce Chiffon Cake, sauteed apricots & cherries and vanilla-mascarpone whipped cream, rules over them all.

    I ate at Bestia several years ago, before COVID, and I still think about that dinner today. I had…read moreflown from New York during a dreary stretch, and landing in sunny Los Angeles felt like arriving on another planet. California offered an immediate rush of light, space, and possibility. My memory is that when I turned my phone back on at LAX, my friend messaged to say he'd gotten us the hookup at Bestia. That dinner belongs to a chapter in which I spent considerable time in California and felt energized by the contrast with New York. My friend is highly discerning, with impeccable taste in food, design, and culture. He notices details most people miss, so when a place impresses him, I pay attention. From the moment I saw his message, I knew the reservation meant something. Even before we entered, Bestia's character was evident. Faded lettering crossed the corrugated metal facade, while brick walls and old loading doors preserved the warehouse's industrial history. Inside, enormous windows and garage doors brought light into a room shaped by glass, exposed ductwork, and warm amber pendants. When I fantasize about living in a loft, many of the attributes I picture are here, especially the incredible windows and connection to the street. Inside the restaurant, the dining room achieved a combination I rarely encounter. It had the table density and collective buzz of a great New York restaurant, but within a large, design-forward space closer in scale to something found in Chicago. New York creates energy through tight rooms, while Chicago excels at ambitious spaces with strong architectural identities. Bestia captured both advantages and made its considerable footprint feel alive and unified. We sat shoulder to shoulder at a pale stone counter facing the open kitchen. Golden era hip hop was playing, and A Tribe Called Quest still rings a very specific bell. I ordered the squid ink pasta, and it was exquisite, with enough depth and precision to command attention amid everything happening around us. We also spotted an unmistakably A-list celebrity, whom I will leave unnamed, making the night feel quintessentially Los Angeles. During that period, I often stayed at the Ace Hotel downtown, and the Arts District felt vibrant, raw, and full of possibility. The proximity to Skid Row could be deeply jarring, with severe hardship existing beside ambitious development and expensive restaurants. That contrast kept the neighborhood from feeling like a neat story of urban renewal, even as Bestia seemed to anchor its evolution. The warehouses and loading docks gave the area a character that no new development could convincingly recreate. Nearby, I also remember the American Apparel complex during its demise and the rise of impossibly cool Los Angeles designer John Elliott. His Escobar sweatpants and Villain hoodie helped define the kit of that moment; loyalists will understand. Los Angeles is a fickle city, drawn toward whatever is new and shiny, which makes Bestia's longevity especially impressive. Scene without substance is plastic, and Bestia earned its electricity through exceptional cooking, assured service, and a remarkable space; if I lived in Los Angeles, this would be one of the places I'd rely on whenever I wanted to impress someone. This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

    Photos
    Bar area!!
    Bar area!!
    "Coffee and Donuts"
    "Coffee and Donuts"
    Margherita

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    Margherita
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

    4.4
    (1.8k reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    So shocked I hadn't heard about this place sooner but if you love pasta and don't want to spend $30…read moreon every dish this is the place to go! Loved that it had some classic dishes and some fusion ones as well. Came on a Friday night and joined the waitlist but only had to wait about 10 minutes! There was complimentary bread and a side salad that came with the entrees, and the bread was warm and delicious... We ordered the two Allegro specials on the menu-- Uni pasta and Bolognese. For appetizers we went with the server's recommendation; chicken gizzard confit. Chicken gizzard confit was mind blowing. As someone who enjoys things like gizzard, these were cooked in a way I had never had before and it was delicious. The uni pasta was sooo rich, creamy, and flavorful. 10/10 I would recommend it. The bolognese was good too it was super complex compared to the ordinary bolognese and had eggplants as well. Overall, the ambience was great and experience was amazing. Service was also very good and attentive. Super great spot for a date night or just a casual dinner with friends!

    Location did not do this restaurant justice! Inside Honda Plaza, all the way at the very end of an…read moreold aged boring plaza, Pasta e Pasta has a somewhat cartoon character signage. Once step inside, the decoration, the vibe totally changed. It's a dark hue with humbling yet elegant setting with a bar table and I almost felt like a dining in the cave ambiance. The menu was not complicated and only focused on pasta, but there are so many choices to my liking! The squid ink, the mentai cream, the uni sauce, and the garlic butter sauce. We ended up settling with Creamy Crab Gratin, mentai cream pasta, the Pescatore Bianca (seafood spaghetti), and Tarako Spaghetti (Cod roe and squid garlic butter sauce). -Crab Gratin is really creamy and cheesy. I just didn't quite get why there are a few pieces of penne pasta inside. But overall tasted good! -All pasta comes with bread and salad. The salad is really fresh and serve mostly lettuce and cherry tomato, which is how I like it. The dressing is not the ranch creamy kind, more cloudy vinaigrette based, also to my liking. -Seafood spaghetti came with a variety of seafood, shrimp, squid ring, mussels, clams, etc. The portion is huge. -Mentai cream pasta: delicious! I think if I order uni pasta, it'll be the same cream base sauce but with uni and $6 bucks more. I'm happy with my choice. The whole dish is consistent, creamy with a slight kick from the mentai, slices of mushrooms and shredded seaweeds on the top. Delish! -Tarako Spaghetti: I took a small bite and appreciated the strong taste of garlic butter in the sauce. -All 3 pasta are served with the thin spaghetti like angel hair. Service is ok, we asked for water refill and the response was polite. Dirty dishes were taken away timely. If I had more time, I would definitely come back for a second visit. A place like this deserves to be in a more upscale block on the street. Btw, parking inside the plaza is not free even though it's just a strip mall. Expect about $8 bucks for dinner parking. It's gated entrance. If you get lucky, you can park on the street and pay the meter.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

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    Settecento

    Settecento

    4.4
    (1k reviews)
    5.7 mi
    Romantic vibe
    Live music

    Amazing Amazing Food! best Italian in DTLA. Branzino is the best! Along with salads, pastas, and…read moretiramisu

    So I called to inquire about parking & answering machine answered…read moreThen 1 min later they called back! They used caller ID! Wow what amazing customer service! I couldn't stop raving about that for hours. Library parking free w/ validation (we went Thurs around 6 pm ish) I used to work next door so am very familiar w/ that lot etc Upon exiting the lot via the north stairs you arrive east of the restaurant literally in between it & library & the beloved Calif Club south Extremely lush & picturesque w/ all the greenery & old architecture. (As if there's no homelessness malady meters away right) Upon entering the open air bar area there's no host stand we saw We snagged 2 bar seats. It was busy TV NOT SHOWING DODGER GAME ooof very bad news bears ! Service was efficient & hospitable ( mind you we sat at the bar) We unfortunately missed happy hour so ordered off the full menu & in my opinion the full dinner menu on a Thursday night in the spring time is extremely limited So we ordered a salmon appetizer, a burrata appetizer & a meat pasta entrée to share. I had a tequila based cocktail. He had a bourbon or whiskey based cocktail. (Not stiff btw) The food was not disgusting. But it was not life changing & portions are tiny ! The views are breathtaking like if you are a 17 or 20 year-old celebrating your birthday, or a tourist; it's very romantic and just beautiful. But I have worked in downtown for many many years and have seen transformations and I am immune kinda, to the views, like not in a bad way, but ive just been exposed to this so long, in other words, if a first date brought me here, it wouldn't impress me. AnyWho, in addition to the interior seating & the bar seating, the patio seating is vast & spacious, & in my personal opinion, a walk from the bar in other words, the servers are racking in a minimum of 15,000 steps a shift (which I'm jealous of by the way), but my point is the patio is humongous & therefore, if you choose to sit outside, you may wait a long time for your items, check, etc. & service possibly. So the restrooms have single private stalls, but the actual sink to wash your hands is open for both sexes. Upon leaving before 8 PM, it got really busy. Yes I will return if the situation calls for it and yes, I will recommend. But I absolutely will not make it a point or go out of my way to return.

    Photos
    Settecento
    Settecento
    Settecento

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    Donna's

    Donna's

    4.3
    (710 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$$

    Food, incredible. Drinks, amazing. Service, always on point!…read more Always worth the hype when we come to Donna's. Had a booth this time and were one of the first people into the restaurant. Pro tip: the 5pm reservation never disappoints. Street parking was not bad either. Definitely a good date night spot!

    Wow, I was surprised at how busy this place was on a Wednesday night. We had 5:45 pm reservations…read moreand when we got here the places was FULL. I feel the seating was a little tight in certain areas put they did make clear walking paths. Traffic to get here was horrible but we got lucky and found a non-metered spot about a block away as soon as we arrived in the area. For apps, we ordered the garlic bread and meatballs. The garlic bread was different. It was a sourdough loaf with oozing garlic butter inside but was only toasted whole so overall ate very soft and I missed the typically toastiness I get with most garlic bread. The flavor was still very good, especially dipping it into the marinera that accompanied the meatballs. For entrees and sides, we ordered the lasagna, the eggplant tortellini, the chicken parmesan and the broccolini. I can only say they really like their parmesan here. I'm not the biggest fan so I brushed a lot of it off. The tortellini was the star of the show for me and I think it was partially because all the other dishes were marinera + parmesan so it gave a nice break in the flavor profile. Something to consider when ordering next time. The chicken parmesan was delicious. I found the lasagna to be okay and would pass on the broccolini next time (to be fair, I got rid of all the cheese so that probably change the flavor profile they were going for).

    Photos
    Bar area.
    Bar area.
    Vodka pasta
    Vodka pasta
    Broccolini

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    Broccolini
    Mother Wolf

    Mother Wolf

    4.0
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$$

    Food was absolutely amazing. Quality of the noodles and the pizza were impeccable, and the cooks…read morehave it down to a science. The highlight was the zucchini blossoms, their special. I recommend the arrabbiata, the oxtail ragu, and the amatriciana.

    It was the husband's choice for our final birthday celebration dinner and he was quick to decide on…read moreMother Wolf. Why? For the BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA (38oz Prime Porterhouse). I know, crazy, right? But we did it! You'd think just having the Porterhouse would be enough -- apparently it wasn't because we started with bread. At our server's recommendation we chose the bruschetta. Wow, what a fantastic start! The crunchy charred bread topped with the creamy Burrata and house made apricot jam was beyond delicious! Then he asked for his favorite pasta from our last visit -- SPAGHETTI ALL'ARRABBIATA. We can never get tired of this one. The house made pasta coated in that spicy sauce is so satisfying. Then came the steak. Although our server warned us that it was huge, we were still surprised when it arrived. But then came the included sides of fried fingerling potatoes and Ruchetta salad -- to say 'generous portions' is an understatement. I literally laughed at the mountain of salad when it arrived. It was all just incredible. The Prime Porterhouse was at the correct temperature, seasoned well and melt in your mouth amazing. The fried potatoes were hot, crisp and tasty. The salad was so good that the husband ate it -- I couldn't believe it! I tapped out early and in order to leave room for dessert, I had to force the husband to stop. We chose the CROSTATA DI MARMELLATA because of the apricots. We were so happy to have dined while they're in season and incorporated into Mother Wolf's menu. We were then surprised with complimentary sorbet (NETTARINA) and gelato (VANIGLIA) for our birthdays. Beautifully presented, the sweetness of each dessert was perfectly balanced and a wonderful end to a fantastic dinner. And this goes without saying -- service was impeccable. Thanks to the Mother Wolf team for another great experience!

    Photos
    Open kitchen
    Open kitchen
    Polpette Di Coda (Oxtail Meatballs)
    Polpette Di Coda (Oxtail Meatballs)
    Croquettes, least memorable of the night for me but good!

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    Croquettes, least memorable of the night for me but good!

    Frankie's - italian - Updated July 2026

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