The food at Luce was absolutely phenomenal! We started with the toasted goat cheese and pesto, bruschetta, and clams in brodo. Everything was delicious, but the goat cheese with pesto was easily our favorite! For our main courses, we ordered the pinsa margherita, hunter's sausage, and lobster and prosecco gnocchi. The hunter's sausage was the standout for us, but honestly, you can't go wrong with any of these dishes! The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but that adds to its charm. The ambiance is cozy and intimate, with a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes it perfect for a date night or a nice evening out. We were lucky enough to grab seats at the bar without a wait, but next time we'll definitely be making reservations in advance to get a table. Overall, the food, ambiance, and entire dining experience were amazing. Luce is absolutely worth a visit, and we'll definitely be back! read more

I was in town a couple of weeks ago, Hanging out with my brothers and we were looking for a place to grab a bite and some drinks with friends. So we ended up choosing Luce. This spot definitely got a nice date night vibe to it. Darkly lit. Super chill hostess but limited seating. There are maybe 6 to 8 tables total including a L shape bar that you can pull up to which is exactly where we sat. The bartender was really on point the night we visited. Immediately took our order, gave us a quick perusal of the drinks, and then promptly poured three different types of spirits, a wine for my first brother, a vodka and cranberry for my second and a whiskey flight that they had on the special for myself. We enjoyed all three. In terms of food, we ordered a couple of different appetizers, including the pizza. And I actually was hoping we were going to order dinner because all of the entrees that we saw hit the bar around us looked fantastic. We ended up connecting with a really cool local business owner by the name of Sonny, who is also at the bar having a bit of dinner before heading back to his Shop. That made the overall night even better. This is definitely a spotI will be checking out when I'm back in town. read more

Luce - Charcuterie board - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Food was really good! The lobster gnocchi was flavorful. They have a huge assortment of whisky so if you're a whisky lover I would recommend getting the whisky flight. The restaurant was really small and I recommend making a reservation in advance if you want to go. Otherwise, they will turn you away. read more

Luce - Lobster gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Great service. Amazing food. Cozy atmosphere. A must place to eat when in Norfolk. Clams were perfect and the halibut was fantastic

We arrived a little bit before 5 o'clock not knowing the restaurant opens at five on the dot no big deal. Atmosphere is pleasant and dim lighted. Because the restaurant is more cozy than spacious, the food did not take very long to arrive generally 10 to 15 minutes for the appetizer. About 20 minutes for the entrées. read more

Luce - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Outstanding, solid 5 stars! Excellent experience at Luce for delicious and tasty Italian cuisine. All five of us loved our food, service was great (Zak, our waiter did a fantastic job), ambiance is cozy and like eating in Moms house. Our experience was excellent, I don't understand some of the negative reviews, but I know the restaurant business is very hard. Limited seating, make a reservation. Pasta is homemade, one of my criteria for selecting Italian cuisine. Delicious food and good value, I'll be back. read more

Luce - Homemade pasta with seafood. Plenty of seafood, perfectly cooked homemade pasta below. - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Date night with hubby before seeing a play, so Luce was the perfect location. We didn't have reservations but only a 30 min wait. The hostess / waitress was great. We ordered bruschetta, mussels and the tenderloin. Everything was delicious, especially the mussels, but the tenderloin was medium rare when we asked it to be medium, the sauce was STRONG - so we scraped it and used the left over sauce from the mussels. Not sure if I'd order the tenderloin again but highly recommended the rest. read more

Luce - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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This was kind of a meh dining experience. I called the restaurant to make a reservation for 3 people on a Tuesday evening. I was told that there was no availability for the evening and I should try to walk in for bar seats. Upon arrival, the bar was not busy so we took three seats and noticed that the table behind us never got sat the entire time we were there. To me, this is a pretentious restaurant that falls below the bar in every way. Second time dining here and would not return because service from Branice C. was a C- in her caring that she was even at work, to the upcharges for extra marinara sauce to go with the greasy overbreaded calamari appetizer. The oil saturated flavor was almost nauseating. Please change the oil in your fryer! Prices were not excessive but the upcharge for using a credit card was. Who really walks around with $300 cash in pocket to pay for dinner without a credit card fee. JUST ADD IT IN YOUR MENU PRICES!!!! The Boar Ragu was truly not boar but probably run of the mill ground beef and the four tiny slices of steak on the Caesar salad was a joke. There are so many other lovely restaurants along this block that this is a skip right past for the future. read more

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Date night with hubby before seeing a play, so Luce was the perfect location. We didn't have reservations but only a 30 min wait. The hostess / waitress was great. We ordered bruschetta, mussels and the tenderloin. Everything was delicious, especially the mussels, but the tenderloin was medium rare when we asked it to be medium, the sauce was STRONG - so we scraped it and used the left over sauce from the mussels. Not sure if I'd order the tenderloin again but highly recommended the rest. read more

So my wife chose this place and I am glad she did. Everything is made in house fresh. Very small and very cool. We will be back to this place. Our server was awesome she was as happy with our choices as we were. We chose the octopus appetizer. Oh man was it amazing. Usually the octopus is small and overly charred this one was cooked perfectly and a nice sized piece very flavorful treatment a little fragrant glaze with a little bite of balsamic The pasta Antonio was loaded with fresh ahi. So very good we enjoyed all of it. Lemony goodness and bright not overtly sauced which is perfect. The wild boar rigatoni was hearty and full of flavor. Ironically my wife ordered this and she loved it. Lots of boar and very flavorful sauce. Fantastic dish. Tiramisu was perfect very good. So many people over do the espresso flavor but this was just the right amount. Cold and full of flavor. Great place great food great service. read more

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Another solid 4 star bar counter seating experience. Wife enjoyed the Persephone cocktail (mad tad sweeter on request). House red was high value ($6 happy hour). Toasted goat cheese and pesto app was top notch ($14, 5/5 stars); warm, creamy, savory app on fresh bread with garlic and veggies. Gamberi e crema al limon ($29, 3.5/5 stars) had big, tender shrimp over pasta. Pollo a la Vodka special ($29, 3.5/5 stars) was a ton of chicken in thin pink sauce; side of fresh bread would have helped. I could have asked for some but wanted to save room for dessert. Pistachio cheesecake was DYNAMITE ($14, 6/5 stars). Bar tender described it perfectly - "sweet but not too sweet, big enough to share about 3 bites each, light/airy and not overly filling but big on pistachio flavor." read more

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Stopped in based on reviews and they did not disappoint. We sat at the bar where the bartender made some food recommendations and they did not disappoint. Great service along with a great atmosphere, reservations highly recommend as seating is limited read more

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service and food were excellent! it is a small space and it was packed but it did not feel crowded or too loud to hear your companions. special shout out to Tana (i believe was our servers name) she was the best :) read more

Amazing food and cozy vibe- a must-visit downtown spot! We were at Luce on Friday and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The space is intimate and cozy with side-by-side counter seating right in front of the open kitchen -- perfect for watching the chefs at work and adds to the whole experience. We started with the ensalata di Luce and it was fresh and flavorful, a great balance to the rich mains. The pollo con strati was perfectly cooked and the lobster gnocchi was phenomenal -- rich, indulgent, and definitely worth ordering a side of sourdough bread for dipping in the sauce! To finish, the cheesecake with berries was a delightful end to the meal -- creamy and just sweet enough without being heavy. Service was attentive without being intrusive and the ambiance complemented the food beautifully. This place is small and fills up fast, so reservations are a very good idea, but snagging a seat at the counter made our night feel special and lively. Overall -- truly one of the best Italian meals in Norfolk if you're looking for great food, a cozy atmosphere, and a memorable dinner. Always my fave & we will definitely be back! read more

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This is our go-to for an anniversary or celebratory dinner. Hands down the best Italian food in Norfolk with an amazing wine selection. My spouse doesn't drink, and he said the mocktail was amazing and not too sweet. Yes, it's expensive, and yes it's difficult to get in. Make a reservation well in advance and save up, because it's worth it. Last time we sat at the bar facing the kitchen, and it was so much fun talking with the chef as he cooked. He let us enjoy our date night, but also gave us some fun behind the scenes looks. One of my favorite restaurants! read more

The first time I went to Luce was work-related, paid for by a lonely short man wearing a snapback. I brought back leftover mussels to reheat and share with my boyfriend. I don't have many experiences with good mussels, but the ones at Luce make my head tingle in the best way. I have since gone back multiple times with my boyfriend, a not-as-lonely short man who knows better than to wear a hat in a nice restaurant. We always get the head-tingling mussels, which makes one drink feel like two, and two feel like four. read more

I had the pleasure of revisiting Luce after a couple of years and the food is just as flavorful as I remembered! I recommend making reservations a couple weeks out or if you have time to spare to wait, they do offer walk-ins. Also for parking, it's a bit tricky to find street parking downtown Norfolk, but the parking garages offer a free 2 hour pass, so that would be the best move. We ordered the bone-in veal chop Milanese made with the perfect panko crust and lemon caper sauce that was to die for. For the pasta, we order the special which was fennel sausage and a cream sauce with rigatoni pasta cooked just al dente creating the perfect texture. Service was impeccable and the restaurant is a bit smaller, so the noise level can be loud. Can't wait to go back! read more

Luce - Bone in veal chop Milanese - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Second time here and it was a wait to get it but worth it. The food here is as close to Italy as you're going to get. I had a glass of Moscato to go with my dinner and it was all perfect. read more

Luce - Pasta with shrimp and a Limone sauce. So delicious. - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Was in Norfolk for business and decided to stop here for dinner. It did not disappoint! Val was our server and she was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. She answered our questions and helped us pick our choices for the evening. I chose the Gamberi e Crema al Limone and it was rich and full of flavor. The shrimp were massive and the noodles were absolute perfection. The asparagus pieces were also the perfect texture, they weren't soggy but they weren't too crunchy either. My friend chose the Lobster and Prosecco Gnocchi, it was delicious and we were pleasantly surprised by the lobster portion. They certainly didn't skimp. We finished the evening with mini cannolis and tiramisu. Both were rich and the perfect ending to a wonderful dinner. 10/10 recommend. Small venue so I would encourage you to make a reservation. read more

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This was kind of a meh dining experience. I called the restaurant to make a reservation for 3 people on a Tuesday evening. I was told that there was no availability for the evening and I should try to walk in for bar seats. Upon arrival, the bar w read more

One of my fav place! Even though it's small, It's worth trying it! I mostly eat at the bar area, cause you get a better feel of the restaurant plus you get to meet interesting people. And by the way it's simple decore, but the food makes up for it by far. You can actually see the kitchen in the back, and mesmerized how the chef conjure these wonderful dishes. The service was perfect! I ordered "Cesar Salad" it was nice they grill the lettuce just a touch to bring out the flavor and the dressing was so good! Next I ordered the "Clams Brodo" and Wow! I sipped up all the juices. Lol And finally my dessert was "Fresh Fruit Puff Pastry" It was so fresh and flaky that it completed a perfect meal for me for sure! All and I mean all of my plates where squeaky clean. Lol Definitely will come back! If you are in the area you definitely have to try. read more

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Absolutely amazing. Open kitchen allows you to view how hard they work to make you an amazing meal. Prices extremely fair. Many unique dishes not found at traditional Italian restaurants I had a spicy chicken dish with vegetables. While I would have liked a little more vegetables this dish was spectacular. Neat atmosphere as it is very cozy. I recommend sitting at bar towards kitchen so you can watch them create. Don't miss this Norfolk gem! read more

Luce is recommended by all the locals and it is definitely worth your time. The dessert was served warm - one of my favorites because it was a brownie covered with nuts and a caramel drizzle. The service was outstanding. This is a small location. Please make reservations in advance. If not, you may get lucky and have a seat at the bar - which I did after happy hour crowd was left. Prepare to be amazed by the risotto and scallops which happened to be today's feature muscles was the star of the entire experience. read more

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This is a letter I sent to Lucce's chef owner. Since I did not receive a response to my letter, I am posting this as my review of the restaurant. Chef Antonio Cauruana, I would like to begin complimenting you and your restaurant on the extraordinary menu, food quality, ambiance and bar service. I had an unfortunate experience at your restaurant on July 20th, 2026 I would like to discuss with you. I will start here in this e-mail, but welcome further discussion. I know fine dining and I know Italian fare. I am quite familiar with the fact some restaurants choose to have chosen blocks of time for their guests for a reservation. I accept the terms when I am made aware. This was not my circumstance and I made it clear this policy as presented to me by the server an hour and fifteen minutes into our experience, telling me we had better hurry choosing our entrees because we would have to leave by 7pm. I had dismissed her attempt at getting our order earlier by telling her we were having a leisurely time and wanted to enjoy our time. So, I was quite shocked on her third attempt to get the order that we were being given a time line. I felt rushed and this wasn't done in a friendly manor. I mentioned we were sitting at the bar and had made a reservation for the bar and that at no time online or at the door was I told about a two hour policy. The server mentioned we were seated at the chef's bar seats and that they were booked at 7pm. I offered to move anywhere as not to be rushed. An argument ensued about how restaurants currently commonly give reservations in blocks of time and I should have been aware. The discussion was quite confrontational, so I asked to speak with the manager and also was pretty much told the same thing with no resolution. I decided to pay the bill at the bar and let chips fall where they would fall. I was willing to stay, but only with a fresh reservation. I was willing to step away from a confrontational argument and into resolution with someone who was reasonable. I asked my friend to negotiate going forward, even though she was my guest. I want you to know that I write for and appraise restaurants all over the greater Richmond area and have been in this business for fifty years. Things happen and I think tempers took over where good sense and quiet conversation could have resolved this to better satisfaction for all. I do want to share how I think this situation could be resolved and avoided in the future. My suggestions for going forward with this two hour policy would be to adopt these policies: The key is to set expectations early and politely, so guests do not feel surprised or rushed once they are seated. The best practice is to communicate a two-hour dining limit at multiple touchpoints: online reservation page, confirmation text/email, host stand, and, if appropriate, the menu. Here is wording that is clear, courteous, and commonly used in upscale restaurants: For the comfort of all guests, tables are reserved for up to two hours from the reservation time. If you would like a longer dining experience, please let us know when booking and we will do our best to accommodate you. For different situations: Reservation confirmation We look forward to welcoming you on Saturday at 7:00 PM. Please note that reservations are allotted a two-hour dining time to allow us to accommodate all guests. Host stand / phone script Just a quick note: your table is reserved for two hours this evening, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your meal. If you need anything during your visit, please let us know. Menu footer (subtle) During peak dining hours, tables may be reserved for a maximum of two hours. What to avoid: "You have 2 hours." "We need the table back." Posting the limit in large, punitive language. A useful hospitality trick is to frame the policy as table reservation duration, not a time limit on guests. "Tables are reserved for two hours" feels much less confrontational than "guests are limited to two hours." If the restaurant is high-end or known for leisurely dining, I'd soften it slightly further: To maintain smooth service for all parties, evening reservations are generally scheduled for approximately two hours. That wording preserves warmth while still giving the staff a clear basis for managing table turns. Chef, thank you for taking the time to look at my perspective. I would appreciate a response if you choose to take the time. All my best, Laura Van Manen read more

Very disappointing, and very dishonest if you asked me. I ate there a month or so ago, and I have to say the steak I had was very subpar. So subpar, it still comes to mind nearly a month later (while watching a restaurant scene in the TV series Lioness (2nd season)). I was there (at Luce), with my son and my wife. I ordered "Filetto di Luce" which is described in their menu as "Fire-grilled beef tenderloin." In other words, fillet mignon. The only problem was, I didn't think it was beef tenderloin at all, but instead, apparently it was a petite sirloin cut in a round shape to look like a fillet or tenderloin (just guessing)(albeit, also much more thin than I expected). And, based on the chewiness or toughness, a low grade sirloin at that. (Or, in the alternative, perhaps they have a different definition of beef tenderloin than I do?) Why do I think it was a much less expensive petite sirloin, instead of the beef tenderloin (aka filet mignon) as described in their menu? Because our waiter admitted it when I asked him. He said I was the first one who had noticed it. (I am originally from Iowa and I worked at a refrigerated meat warehouse when I was in my early 20's - that serviced roughly a few hundred grocery stores in the Midwest.) (I know my beef.) First, the steak was cooked to the temp I wanted. It was pink in the middle. But that is the only thing they got right. It was dry, and I mean as dry as you can imagine as steak can be. Not an ounce of juice in it in my opinion. And, as I said before, it was tough, like low grade or rancher steak (definitely not U.S.D.A. Choice or Angus beef I didn't think). It was so chewy I had to spit out a lot of it. So I asked the waiter, "If I didn't know any better, this is a petite sirloin, not a fillet mignon?" He said he was impressed, I was the first person to notice it. He said if I wanted to have an actual fillet mignon (or beef tenderloin) I'd have to go to their other restaurant. (I don't know if they even have another restaurant.) Plus, I think they charged more - $39 instead of the $34 their online menu states. I think the waiter dismissed that as their online menu is not up to date. Nevertheless, I was expecting a juicy thick, tender steak, and what I got bared no resemblance to that. And, by the way, at the beginning of this review, I mentioned "very dishonest." I wasn't exaggerating. Not only did the steak suck, but to describe it as "beef tenderloin" in their menu is not even close to accurate if you asked me. Furthermore, it was WAY over priced, for what seemed to me to be a low grade, cheap cut of beef; low quality food if you asked me. A mockery of fine cuisine. That's how I see it. I had looked forward to an enjoyable meal, and left very unsatisfied to say the least. Obviously, I wouldn't go there again, or recommend anyone else goes there either. But who knows, maybe they will actually serve the beef tenderloin they advertised in their menu - the next time somebody else believes what their menu says and orders it. read more

Luce - Screen shot from their menu. - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

On a recent business trip, my wife joined me and we ventured out for dinner in the city. This restaurant is small and cozy - and I mean *really* small. We called ahead to check for availability and were told we could grab seats at the bar. Perfect! We walked right in with no wait and settled in immediately. The bartender was sweet and friendly, but something was off with the service. She didn't seem overworked (the place wasn't that busy) and she didn't appear inefficient either, but the service just... wasn't great. She seemed like a lovely person who probably isn't cut out for the service industry - nothing wrong with that, just not her strong suit. Right off the bat, we hit a snag when my wife asked about swapping the tuna for shrimp on one of the dishes. Nope, absolutely not possible. It seemed like such a simple substitution, but they were completely inflexible about it. Not a great start. We started with bruschetta, which had great flavor, but it was billed as having a ricotta with it, and if there was any ricotta on there, it was microscopic however, there was about seven tomatoes worth on there... A little imbalanced and needs some improvement. I ordered a chicken dish that was quite tasty and came in a generous portion, but here's where things went downhill fast - two pieces of chicken were loaded with gristle. I'm talking completely inedible, unappetizing gristle. When you're dropping $100+ on a meal at a place like this, serving gristly chicken is just unacceptable. My wife's gnocchi with lobster was pretty good, no major complaints there. But here's the plot twist - the best thing we ate all night was a simple side of fresh pasta with basic seasoning! Seriously, it was fantastic. Maybe they should focus on nailing the basics like that incredible pasta instead of being so rigid about substitutions or serving subpar chicken. We wrapped up with a hazelnut torte that was just okay - nothing to write home about. Despite the hiccups, we actually had a fun time together, and honestly? We'd probably come back just to order that amazing plain pasta with a simple protein on the side. Sometimes the simplest things are the best! To those about to nosh, we salute you! read more

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While I was on work travel I went here twice. The cutest little bar with very few seats and it's definitely worth the wait. I had the Halibut (with a spicy crust in a chutney) one day and another day the wild boar ragu with the glass of their happy hour wine. It was amazing. The bartenders were very interesting and attentive and had a fun and upbeat perspective. I really enjoyed sitting at the bar. However the ladies who work there, the hostess, was not as friendly. But the bartender made up for it. Highly recommend. read more

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Chef Antonio Cauruana, I would like to begin complimenting you and your restaurant on the extraordinary menu, food quality, ambiance and bar service. I had an unfortunate experience at your restaurant on July 20th, 2026 I would like to discuss with you. I will start here in this e-mail, but welcome further discussion. I know fine dining and I know Italian fare. I am quite familiar with the fact some restaurants choose to have chosen blocks of time for their guests for a reservation. I accept the terms when I am made aware. This was not my circumstance and I made it clear this policy as presented to me by the server an hour and fifteen minutes into our experience, telling me we had better hurry choosing our entrees because we would have to leave by 7pm. I had dismissed her attempt at getting our order earlier by telling her we were having a leisurely time and wanted to enjoy our time. So, I was quite shocked on her third attempt to get the order that we were being given a time line. I felt rushed and this wasn't done in a friendly manor. I mentioned we were sitting at the bar and had made a reservation for the bar and that at no time online or at the door was I told about a two hour policy. The server mentioned we were seated at the chef's bar seats and that they were booked at 7pm. I offered to move anywhere as not to be rushed. An argument ensued about how restaurants currently commonly give reservations in blocks of time and I should have been aware. The discussion was quite confrontational, so I asked to speak with the manager and also was pretty much told the same thing with no resolution. I decided to pay the bill at the bar and let chips fall where they would fall. I was willing to stay, but only with a fresh reservation. I was willing to step away from a confrontational argument and into resolution with someone who was reasonable. I asked my friend to negotiate going forward, even though she was my guest. I want you to know that I write for and appraise restaurants all over the greater Richmond area and have been in this business for fifty years. Things happen and I think tempers took over where good sense and quiet conversation could have resolved this to better satisfaction for all. I will not publish my experience, however I do want to share how I think this situation could be resolved and avoided in the future. My suggestions for going forward with this two hour policy would be to adopt these policies: The key is to set expectations early and politely, so guests do not feel surprised or rushed once they are seated. The best practice is to communicate a two-hour dining limit at multiple touchpoints: online reservation page, confirmation text/email, host stand, and, if appropriate, the menu. Here is wording that is clear, courteous, and commonly used in upscale restaurants: For the comfort of all guests, tables are reserved for up to two hours from the reservation time. If you would like a longer dining experience, please let us know when booking and we will do our best to accommodate you. For different situations: Reservation confirmation We look forward to welcoming you on Saturday at 7:00 PM. Please note that reservations are allotted a two-hour dining time to allow us to accommodate all guests. Host stand / phone script Just a quick note: your table is reserved for two hours this evening, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your meal. If you need anything during your visit, please let us know. Menu footer (subtle) During peak dining hours, tables may be reserved for a maximum of two hours. What to avoid: "You have 2 hours." "We need the table back." Posting the limit in large, punitive language. A useful hospitality trick is to frame the policy as table reservation duration, not a time limit on guests. "Tables are reserved for two hours" feels much less confrontational than "guests are limited to two hours." If the restaurant is high-end or known for leisurely dining, I'd soften it slightly further: To maintain smooth service for all parties, evening reservations are generally scheduled for approximately two hours. That wording preserves warmth while still giving the staff a clear basis for managing table turns. Chef, thank you for taking the time to look at my perspective. I would appreciate a response if you choose to take the time. All my best, Laura Van Manen read more

The restaurant is small yet comfortable. The food is delicious and our waiter was very attentive and made excellent recommendations. Highly recommend. read more

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SOOOoooOoOooO good! We walked in on a Saturday night and were told a 20 minute wait for bar seating, which was fine for us. It's a tiny little place. We were seated right around 20 min later. The service at the bar was good and attentive. I got the rig and goose (rigatoni alla vodka) and my husband got a seafood dish. Both amazing! Lots of fresh pasta options! read more

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This was a great dining experience all-around! Pros: Easy to make online reservations (make sure to make one a few weeks out) Extremely nice staff from the hostess to our waitress they were great. Great cocktail and wine list. Husband loved his glad of wine. The basil-lemon infused water-refreshing! Food-all the dishes we tried were so good and freshly made. We had the rig & goose and added chicken-.great flavor! The special of the day was a slow roasted beef ragu which was so good over fresh pappardelle pasta. We also started the night with the mushroom appetizer which was so flavorful! Dessert was the hazelnut cake with espresso ice cream-so yummy! Cons: Nothing! Just a few things to note: It is a small restaurant but it feels nice and intimate inside. Most of the seating is high top or bar seats. There is one table for 6 but most of the high tops are 4 tops. The bathroom is shared with the building and is a little bit of a walk. Nothing bad! Can't wait to go to their Chesapeake location for more of their amazing food! read more

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The food was absolutely amazing and the service was top tier ! We were sat immediately with no reservations on a busy night .

I know i know normally i am the bad of the reviews. I have been holding off on this place because i didnt want anyone to know. LUCE in Norfolk is the best restaurant in Hampton Roads by a wide margin. I have been here at least 20 times. Every single time i come the expectation is met! Everyone single staff member gives you 20/10 service. The rig and goose is 100/10 and any of the steaks are just as good! This is the one and only place i have ever been and it gets better every single time! Dirty martini 10 Sprits 10 Old fashion 10 This is my number 1 restaurant in norfolk. read more

Our family of 4 each ordered different meals plus bruschetta appetizer to share. All meals are prepared to order in the open kitchen. Pasta is house-made on site. The waitress was knowledgeable in explaining the preparation of each meal. There is an amazing bar menu as well. Don't miss this great place! read more

We had an event to go to Friday night so we stopped by Luce before they opened to ensure we got a seat since we didn't make reservations. Before we knew it, there was a line waiting! We were seated at the bar which was comfortable. We were surrounded by "regulars" which is always neat to see people who build relationships with the staff by how often they frequent. As my entree, I got the Pinsa Di Parma and dessert I got Tentazione di Cioccolate. They both were delicious. I kind of regret not getting the bruschetta as an appetizer. I saw someone get it and it looked great! Oh well. Next time. read more

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I haven't been in awhile so I suggested my date for us to go here. I remember the ambiance was nice and the food being delicious. We had early reservations and were greeted by the hostess and sat us down. Very friendly. We ordered cocktails and I ordered the Ransom Note. Very delicious. I even ordered it again. Our food came before the bread so I'm not sure if they meant to do that. I ordered the scallops. Sadly the risotto was not cooked well. It needed to be cooked a little longer. We ended up sharing the cannoli dessert. Very delicious as well. It came in two so we each had one. Overall nice place but I was disappointed for the food. read more

Luce - Scallops and risotto. - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Vibes on a weekend evening were immaculate. Seating is intimate, lots of lively chatter. Cocktails and wine were delicious. As for the food, the bruschetta was decent. Hefty portions of tomatoes, but it could've used a bit more seasoning. Dressing was a bit light on it. The pastas were a hit though. Would definitely recommend both pastas, hearty and full of flavor, rich and creamy. read more

Luce - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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This food was absolutely amazing! The ravioli on the Valentine's Day special menu was so delicious! Also, I had a dish that had fried eggplant and a fried chicken breast, which was kind of like chicken Parmesan. It was the best! The service was on point and the staff was super friendly. I will definitely return. read more

I can't believe I didn't come try this place earlier, but I'm glad that I finally went. On the corner of the busy street of Granby in downtown Norfolk Luce can be easily missed by the other locations around it but once you walk in you get immersed into a beautiful, ambient themed bar and upscale restaurant. The waitress was very attentive, and when I asked for a mock tail that was spicy she was able to work with the bartender to make this happen. The appetizers were portioned well for the cost and for four people to share. The bread was crispy and soft on the inside. The toasted cheese was not as warm as we would gave liked to dip with the bread that came with it, but still delicious overall. As for the appetizers, there were only two vegetarian pasta options, but we ordered both and they were amazing! Definitely would come here for a date/celebration with close friends. Just know they that you will definitely need a reservation cause this place is always packed and there is a two hour cutoff that is strictly adhered to! Have to go try the other one in Chesapeake now! read more

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Small cozy place in central Norfolk. Plan ahead because reservations can be tight. We enjoyed our meal. I thought the highlight was the appetizer, tuna tartar with truffles and sweet cherry juice. I think that combination of flavors is hard to make work, but the chef nailed it. Bolognese atop home made rigatoni was also very good, deep flavors in the Bolognese. Pork shank was OK, perhaps a little greasy. Nice wine list. Worth going to in Norfolk. read more

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