Great Italian restaurant with nice vibes. The ambience inside is chic and upscale. The service is attentive as well. We came here in the evening for dinner and ordered two pasta dishes, and the Caesar salad. The Marina's Caesar salad is one of the best I've ever had and is a definite must try. We also ordered the mushroom tagliatelle and a tomato spicy pasta (not sure if it was the spicy vodka pasta or not). Both of the pasta dishes were well made, and well balanced. The mushroom pasta was not too salty with a rich creamy buttery taste. The tomato pasta had just the right amount of kick with chewy fresh pasta. The portions are on the smaller side but were enough to satisfy us. Overall, would recommend visiting! Try the salad and their fresh pasta too. read more

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My family and I came here for dinner on a Sunday. The place was pretty full. It was a good thing we had a reservation. The restaurant is not very big but it does have a good lovely vibe. Our waiter was very friendly. He took our order on a tablet. We received our drinks and waited for our food to come. Approximately 15 minutes after we placed our order, the waiter came back to tell us that there was an "internet problem" and our order did not go through. He had to take our order again. He apologized profusely. He offered us complimentary bread as a way of apology. I had a toddler with me and he was starving at that point. I had to give him some cereals (my emergency snack) to keep him quiet. The food finally started arriving. Here are my thoughts for each item. Blistered bread: 3/5 stars. Interesting looking bread. It is served puffed up. Nice presentation. It gets deflated when you cut into it. Taste is average. Nothing spectacular. Charred Broccolini: 3/5 stars. It was too charred for my liking. Taste: average. I don't care too much for the sauce that comes with it either. Fried calamari and artichoke: 5/5 stars. This was the best dish of the night. Excellent calamari and artichoke. It was fried with a light batter and seasoned well. Delicious. House Italian sausage pizza: 4/5 stars. This was a bit spicy but good. Crust not too thick which is the way I like it. Spicy shrimp alla Vodka: 4/5 stars. Spicy but not too spicy. It has a nice flavor. Liver mousse tortellini: 2/5 stars. This is supposed to be filled with chicken liver mousse and crispy chicken skin. I did not taste any crispy chicken skin. Overall taste: meh. I would not order this dish again. Venetian duck ragu: 3/5 stars. I liked the pappardelle pasta but the duck was too salty for my taste. There is supposed to be Maitake mushrooms on this dish. I only tasted one mushroom. It could use more mushrooms. Pork chop Milanese: 3/5 stars. This dish comes with a huge mound of salad on top of the pork chop. The pork chop tasted average. The salad is the best part of this dish. Butter and Pecorino pasta from the kids menu: 4/5 stars. It has a nice buttery taste. It's too bad that my toddler grandson was too full to eat the pasta. He got full eating cereal and bread since it took so long for the meal to arrive. I think the food was okay. Overall value not so good. A bit pricey with small portions. Having had to wait awhile for the food didn't help with the overall experience. read more

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I've been here several times, and my experience has been different each time. Unfortunately, tonight wasn't great. Our drinks didn't arrive until after we received our main course, even though we ordered them right when we sat down. Our waiter didn't check in, and we had to ask twice about our drinks. Instead of apologizing, she suggested we order ahead next time to avoid waiting. As you can imagine, we were very disappointed with the service. Overall for the food - Grilled Octopus- Simply amazing. Lamb Chops Scottadito- Once again it was amazing. Calamari- Basic calamari (sauce was amazing). Mushroom Tagliatelle- Extremely salty. Bianca Pizza- Wasn't it. Branzino alla Griglia- Amazing only if you could handle picking the bones out. Spicy Shrimp alla Vodka- The shrimp doesn't go well with the vodka sauce and the bread crumbs are literally breaking your teeth as you're eating. 8oz Wagyu Flat Iron Steak- Good, would get it again. Overall - While the food was good, it wasn't enough to make up for the overall experience we had. The vibe was just off :( read more

Marina - Grilled Octopus - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

My second time at this restaurant. Had a good experience the first visit that is why I chose this restaurant for my birthday celebration. The service was not welcoming. I approached hostess to tell her our party is here. No warm welcome. My friend had to go back to hostess and tell her our party is all here. We arrived during happy hour and they would not honor happy hour menu at the seated table so we went to the bar. No warm welcome from bartender and owner told my friend you can only order at the bar. There were no seats and the service was so unwelcoming we really wanted to leave. The server then said we can have 1 round of happy hour but only drinks and not food menu items. The food made up for the bad service. I guess that is why they don't treat customers with hospitality since they have a consistent steady flow of customers and the food, drinks and desserts are delicious. read more

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We came on a Friday night and they were able to seat us at the bar right away. We ordered the salami pizza and the spicy vodka pasta with shrimp. Food came out fresh and everything was delicious. Our server was great and super attentive. Really cute Italian restaurant in Pasadena with great food! read more

Marina - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I loved the interior of this restaurant. It was home-y but vibey and a nice place to have a group dinner. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to its looks. We ordered the blistered bread and ricotta as a starter, and the amount of ricotta that was on the plate was skimpy, so we had to ration it. The bread looked better than it tasted. I definitely prefer Èlephante's version of it. As for the pizza, we tried the calabrian salami and bianca, both of which had great crusts, but the flavor was nothing memorable. We also tried the spicy shrimp alla vodka and it had an interesting tangy flavor that I didn't expect, although the pasta was cooked well. It was quick for us to be seated since we had a reservation, which I recommend, since the interior was pretty small. The service was good and the food came out altogether which was nice. read more

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Beautiful restaurant and delicious food (at a reasonable price)! My girl friend and i came as a walk-in on Saturday evening and got seated pretty quickly. Loved that the calamari had artichoke too. Can't wait to be back. read more

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We visited Marina for dinner during the week and did not make any reservations as there were plenty of available tables available for indoor and patio. Although we did not make reservations, I think the next time I come I will do so because as we sat there the room started filling up with a lot more people! The restaurant had plenty of available seating fit for large parties which we saw a lot of. Since it was just the two of us we decided to share a few dishes. We shared the: 1. San Daniele Prosciutto & Fig - the dish may seem heavy with the buttered toast and stracciatella, overall it was a perfect starter. The figs were perfectly riped and sweet and complimented the salty prosciutto. The portion was also very generous for two individuals. We actually ended up with leftover cheese and prosciutto that we munch on while waiting for our other dishes. 2. Bianca pizza - if you love the taste of truffle oil you will definitely love this pizza. We could smell the truffle as the waiter was bringing the dish over to us. It is definitely on the richer and saltier and but I felt it was a nice follow up to the dish we had previously. 3. Cacio e Pepe - the pasta was cooked perfectly and was not soggy. It was the right amount of saltines and creaminess. The dish overall was tasty, but I wish I would have gotten a marinara based pasta dish to add some acidity to our dish choices. The dish was topped with fried artichokes that were a little salty. If you get this dish, make sure to mix the artichoke in to decrease the saltines. 4. Gianduja Budino - lastly we got a dessert and decided to go with a caramel hazelnut crumble. If you are a chocolate lover, this is the dish for you! The base like a caramel pudding topped with hazelnut crumbles that add a nice texture to the creamy pudding. There are Korova cookies to accompany the dish that are very chocolatey. It was a little bit too much for me, but my friend loved it. Overall we enjoyed the dessert because it wasn't too sweet and helped to wrap the whole meal. Overall, our experience at Marina was great! The staff members were wonderful and kind, and the food was delicious. I would definitely come back to try a few other items off of their menu. As a word of note, parking is available close to the restaurant in the underground parking lot. It is a pricier lot compared to other parking lot around the location, but Marina does provide parking validation that subtracts four dollars from the overall cost. If you don't want to park in the parking lot, there are a few other lots close to the area that you can walk to or you can also do street parking which may be limited, depending on when you go. read more

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People kind and sweet Ragu flavored up so nice Pizza was light yet with amazing flavor It is really loud in here so hard to hear my friends but super cute! Service was so sweet and helpful read more

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We had a reservation for 5:00 pm and had high hopes considering the reviews. Service is great and the people are all very nice. There was a nice ambiance inside with dimmer lighting and would be a nice place for a night out. However, the food was all-in-all underwhelming. We ordered a variety of appetizers, including the truffle fries, broccolini, bread & dip, and calamari. The fries were fine with nothing special about them. The truffle was a topping so it was also isolated to some fries, with most just being regular fries (so I would just purchase the normal fries personally). The bread/pita was cool, but again nothing special as the dip was a blend of olive oil&butter -- again nothing spectacular. The calamari was my favorite dish as the lemon aioli dip was flavorful. In the entire dish though, considering it was calamari & artichoke, there were only two pieces of artichoke on that entire plate. For the pasta dishes they are known for, we ordered the shrimp vodka and duck ragu. The shrimp vodka had sparse pieces of shrimp and was just average. The duck in the ragu tasted gamey and the pasta felt extremely overcooked. We also ordered the salami pizza, which was the best of our mains. It was salty from the salami but had a nice sweetness from the honey on top of it. The crust is thin and has a nice crunch. However, everything was again still just okay. I probably will not be visiting again. read more

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We had our company dinner at Marina last night - 38 in attendance and what a meal. Marina's staff and chefs delivered on all fronts!!! Thank you Gustavo and Nader for taking such care w/ our dinner and for the impecabble service!!! The Greenridge Group read more

One of my favorite Italian restaurants serving scrumptious pizza and pasta along with dishes with Middle Eastern flair. Make a reservation as this happening restaurant with a full bar is popular especially on weekends. Located just around the corner off Lake, this Pasadena gem has validated underground parking in the lot below as well as a handful surface level lot spots. Seating: mix of table and booth seating as well as outdoor seating with heat lamps. My favorites: Bread & Ricotta Grilled octopus Bianca truffle mushroom pizza Margherita pizza Mushroom Tagliatelle Cacio e Pepe Truffle Cavatelli Tiramisu Gianduja Budino hazelnut pudding Friendly attentive service by Daniel and the staff. Support small business! Highly recommend giving this trendy restaurant a try. read more

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Came here on a rainy Thursday evening to celebrate a birthday dinner for four people. The restaurant was easy to find and parking underground was convenient and easy. The parking fee is reduced if you're dining at Marina. We ordered several items to compose our meal: Starters: Grilled octopus and persimmon salad -Excellently prepared. -Portions relatively small, especially the octopus. Would have liked a bit more, or should have been told by the server to consider ordering two portions. Pasta/Pizza: squid ink Fagottini, rabbit bolognese, Marguerita pizza, prosciutto pizza -Delicious. Well prepared. -Squid ink pasta was not as pronounced in flavor. Looked like more of a visual standout. But flavor was just okay. -Rabbit bolognese was well crafted and the sauce was rich and flavorful. -Pizzas were my favorite! Perfectly cooked crust and balance of sauce and toppings were amazing. Main: Dry Aged NY Steak -Was okay. I would have expected better for their signature protein on their menu. -Bone marrow bone was a nice touch but not needed. -Steak lacked "beefy" flavor, despite being labeled as "40 day dry aged". Service: excellent and attentive server and support staff. read more

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This was a very cute small chic restaurant in Pasadena. Definitely a nice restaurant for a date night/ birthday dinner. Out of the dishes I tried, the octopus was my favorite dish as it was tender, paired well with the tomatoes and crispy potatoes, and it had a delicious sauce. My least favorite was the squid ink fagottini, very underwhelming in flavor and texture. The spicy alla vodka wasn't spicy, it was good but wasn't anything special. Pizza and branzino we cooked well too. Overall, loved the service and the octopus appetizer. Rest of the food, was just okay. Nothing stood out, and it's not an Italian restaurant that I would crave dishes to come back in the future. read more

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Another Pasadena dinner meetup with friend for a belated birthday meal. Even though it wasn't too packed, reservations are recommended if you can! It was a cool early evening so we sat outside in the patio area. We split the Mushroom Linguini ($27), Carbonara ($24), and dessert. Both pastas were rich and perfect for sharing to get the different flavors from each one. Dessert was slightly tangy from the lemon, but yummy. Metered street parking or parking in nearby structures. read more

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First time here for my birthday! Was hoping the food will be good because of the reviews. We order: Calamari: which is just regular test. Nothing surprised. Lamb Chop: not bad Duck Ragu: Duck is not fresh with pasta Wagyu Flat Iron steak: it's all right. Doesn't taste like wagyu meat!! Wine : open a bottle which never goes wrong! I'll never go come back here again. I'll go Huston to be safe! read more

Looking for a relaxing spot to enjoy Italian food? This place delivers! SERVICE: 5/5 Melissa was absolutely fantastic! She checked in often without being intrusive and even brought us wine samples to help us decide. Since we weren't sure which would pair best, she thoughtfully offered a couple of options. Sweet, attentive, and professional, she made the experience even better. FOOD: 4.5/5 We started with the lamb chops, which leaned a bit dry since we ordered them medium-well. I'd definitely recommend going medium-rare for a juicier bite. The bucatini pasta was outstanding, with a rich tomato flavor that really hit the spot. But the standout for me was the Bianca pizza with its earthy mushrooms and truffle. PARKING: 4/5 Parking is pretty convenient. You'll find spots in the plaza next to the restaurant as well as nearby street parking. read more

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Dinner at Marina was an absolute treat. Our server Abby deserves her own shoutout, she guided us through the menu with spot-on recommendations while also running the bar and espresso station. She was attentive without ever hovering, which made the experience feel seamless. We started with the Truffle Fries and the Lamb Chops "Scottadito." The fries were addicting, but the lamb chops stole the show: tender, flavorful, and easily the standout of the night for me. The Calabrian Salami Pizza had great flavor balance, though I found myself wanting just a bit more salami and a touch more crisp on the undercarriage. Still, it was a solid pie. For pasta, we sampled three: the Truffle Cavatelli, Spicy Shrimp alla Vodka, and Cacio e Pepe. The truffle cavatelli was on another level, the richness of the truffle paired with the sausage was just magic. The vodka pasta came in second for me, with the dill bringing a surprisingly fresh lift to the dish. The cacio e pepe, while enjoyable, leaned a little too buttery with an undercooked bite to the pasta; not bad, but it fell behind the other two. Dessert was where Marina really showed some range. The Blue Cheesecake was a bold choice that absolutely worked, tangy, creamy, and unlike anything I've had elsewhere. Easily my favorite of the desserts. The Tiramisu was well-executed and satisfying, while the Hazelnut Gelato offered a smooth, nutty finish to the night. Ambiance at Marina feels chic yet comfortable. The room buzzes with energy without being overwhelming, and there's a polished warmth to the space that makes it feel both modern and inviting. It strikes that sweet spot between elevated dining and neighborhood comfort. read more

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This was our 2nd time dining here with the family. It was my daughter's Bday and we had a reservation, this time. We were seated, at a nice comfortable table, for 6. My daughter came for the cacio e pepe and she enjoyed just as much as last time. Our family ordered 2 cacio e pepe's, a margarita pizza, 2 scallopine chicken and spicy shrimp on pasta. The only left overs was 1/2 of the pizza, which my husband is looking forward to having for lunch. We ordered a bottle of Prosecco, which was nice to toast to my daughter. I'm sure we'll be back. read more

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Had the pleasure of having a Kids-Free dinner in celebration of my best friend's birthday this past weekend. We managed to get reservations to a 7pm dinner on a Saturday, and I am so happy that we did. Here's how it went ... Upon entry we were greeted by a super friendly host. He told us to sit tight just for one second so he can make sure our table was ready. We were seated immediately after he came back. We were a larger part of 7 so we were seated at the very back near the restrooms. I'm always pretty turned off being seated so close to either the door to the kitchen or the restroom but surprisingly enough, that section of the restaurant was not busy, like most. We were seated right in front a giant wall of wine, which was actually beautiful to look at. Anyways, we were greeted by server, Abby, and she introduced herself. She was sweet and I feel like she read the room pretty clearly. She didn't hover and knew to give us space as we continued conversing through the night. She snuck in to check on us every so often, but not too much to interrupt our yap. I think the only little mishap that evening in regards to service was a (second) bottle of wine that we had asked for, but waited a while to get so we had to flag someone down to check on it. BUT!! It ended up NOT being a mishap, as she was just chilling it for us. So a 10/10 for ABBY! Now Food! We started with the blistered bread and ricotta. This looked like a giant pillow of bread sprinkled with cheese with some smoothed out ricotta to dip it in. I feel there were some pretty high expectations for this just because of how it looked like, but I felt like it was on the saltier side. Now that might have just been the cheese on top of the bread, but it was still SUPER salty. The ricotta played a big role in playing that flavor down. Overall, the group rated this a 6/10. The next appetizer was Grilled Octopus, which was cooked great, but nothing too spectacular about it, so we rated this one a 6/10 as well. Everyone's favorite, and probably star of the night, was the Lily's Mushrooms. I had something similar to this at another restaurant last month and was adamant that the group get and try it! And it definitely did not disappoint. A 10/10 across the board! For the pastas we ordered the charred scallops risotto, which was AMAZING! The seafood umami really came out on this dish! If I got to rate this on my own it would have been a 10/10 *chefs kiss*, but the consensus was 9.5/10. We also got the duck ragu, which we rated a 7/10, as well as the rabbit Bolognese which got a 8/10. Don't get thrown off by these ratings though! The pasta here is made incredibly well. The way it is made and cooked has the perfect chewiness to it! We also got 2 pizzas; their Salami (7.5/10) and their Sausage (8.5/10). Again, just like their pasta counterpart, the dough was PERFECT! I think the only reason we docked more on the Salami was because we expected a little more from the hot honey. Lastly, for our mains we ordered the steak and pork chop dishes. The steak was cooked well, but nothing too outstanding, so we rated this one a 7/10. The porkchop, too. We rated that one a 7.5/10. But the slaw/salad that accompanied the porkchop was really good! We ended the night with a tiramisu which was a yummy 7/10. I know that the ratings look a little harsh, but I cannot emphasize enough how good the experience was here. All the food was between good and great. All the carbs were made perfectly, and honestly - that's all I ask! :) I love me a good carb with protein and cheese. Will definitely be coming back! Cheers and Happy Eating! read more

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Marina in South Pasadena, a little trendy Italian spot. This restaurant had not been on my radar, but saw their menu for DineLA and decided it was worth trying, So grabbed a few friends, made a reservation and off we went. The restaurant was decently busy for a Sunday evening, and we waited a little bit for our table to be ready, but once we were seated, water was brought. We had glanced at the menus and started with cocktails. The Salvavita is a bourbon based drink with pineapple, citrus and sage. Very refreshing with the acidity from the pineapple and citrus playing with the oak and spice of the bourbon. The tangerine smash was also nice, tequila forward but a nice tangerine flavor coming through, Dinner started with an amuse of red beets and tomato gaspacho with a bread crisp. Not as beet heavy flavor-wise, as you might think, something refreshing to start the meal. For appetizers, we tried the squash blossoms and hamachi crudo. The squash blossoms were actually good, as I feel a lot tend to hold on to the oil they're fried in. These felt a little lighter while stuffed with ricotta and a toasted hazelnut. Added something different that most squash blossoms don't have. The hamachi crudo had an avocado mousse and ponzu sauce, a nice bite, not overly acidic. Entrees consisted of shrimp a la vodka and seared striped bass. The shrimp a la vodka was decent with nice chunks of shrimp. There were other elements in the dish I was looking for, particularly the mascarpone and ill, which did not come through for me. Ended up feeling like a generic vodka pasta dish to me. The striped bass had a great presentation, but the piquillo crema was a little underwhelming, and the skin of the fish could have been crispier to give it better texture contrast, But the fish was cooked well, overall. Desserts, everyone tried something different from the options, so tiramisu, blue cheesecake and hazelnut gelato. The tiramisu was tiramisu, nothing that stood out. The blue cheesecake was different. Good crust and macerated gooseberries on top, and the cheesecake was nice, but that blue cheese flavor does come through in the end, and you question whether this is the flavor you want with your dessert item. I still can't say whether I really liked it or I didn't, feel I'm indifferent on it, but don't think I would order it again necessarily. The hazelnut gelato was good, chunks of chocolate shavings inside, giving little pops of texture and crunch. Probably the better dessert we all felt. Overall, friendly staff, nice ambiance, some decent appetizers, entrees didn't necessarily hit for us, and desserts were up and down. I'd say go for the drinks and some appetizers, skip the shrimp a la vodka and bass and maybe grab dessert elsewhere. read more

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This place is easy to miss from the street, but the inside was nicely decorated for the holidays. I came here for my birthday with my parents, and the staff were so kind and generous. They gave me two birthday desserts: vanilla bean ice cream and tiramisu topped with gooseberry. For appetizers, I recommend the persimmon salad and calamari. For entrees, I recommend the mushroom tagliatelle. The menu rotates each season, so I'll definitely be back. It's our new favorite Italian restaurant in Pasadena! read more

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I've dined here twice now - once indoors and once outdoors. Both experiences were great! I came today for their Dine LA menu which I chose the: Squash Blossoms, Shrimp alla Vodka, and Tiramisu. I have never had Squash Blossoms before and let me tell you the way they prepared them did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the combo of the ricotta cheese and honey with them. The Shrimp alla Vodka was cooked well - it wasn't anything mind blowing but I would order it again. I ended the meal with their Tiramisu which I've had before and I really enjoy it! The last time I came here I had their Grilled Octopus and my husband and I really enjoyed it to the point that I've told multiple people about it! Our service we receive has been great here. I made reservations online and for some reason they couldn't find it in their system, but it wasn't a huge problem. The waiters are always super attentive and check on us throughout our meal. 10/10 recommend Marina and will definitely come here again! read more

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Went for dinner on a quiet Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. Not crowded as most peeps were out of town... so quiet that parking was free in the lot with no valet attendants on duty. Ordered 4 starters and two pastas for the four of us. - Caesar Salad with mixed greens and anchovies - Grilled Octopus or Pulpo - Puffed Bread with Hummus - Grilled Lamb Chops (comes in three, so ordered one extra, asked for medium rare and delivered as a medium) - Truffle Cavatelle - Mushroom Tagliatelle Service was a little spotty for a quiet Memorial Day weekend, forgot our drinks and lamb chops might have sat before coming out resulting in medium chops. But overall, still top tier. read more

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Wow amazing restaurant and just great experience overall! Went here on a Friday night, had reservations which I highly recommend. The place was busy and it's not the biggest restaurant so you will likely be waiting awhile at peak times. The menu isn't too overwhelming and has just enough choices to have a little something for everyone in my opinion, even the kids! We tried many of the fresh pastas, the margherita pizza, mushroom and blistered bread appetizers. They were all good in their own way and if you bring enough people, maybe you can share and try them all. Seems like you can't really go wrong with anything here. We also celebrated a birthday so got a couple desserts which were fine, mostly too full to enjoy I think haha. There is parking right next to the place but only like 8 spots or so, if you are unlucky there's a nearby paid parking with rates in picture. It is also nearby other parking areas so if you're familiar with the area there are other options too. read more

Marina - Parking rates nearby - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Pasta made to perfection is the motto! As much as pasta isn't my #1 preference of cuisine, Marina kills it when it comes to their dishes. Paired with aromatic secret sauces straight from the kitchen, they are close to what you call perfection. Service is great here. All the servers are attentive and goes above and beyond to assist you in whatever you need. Needless to say, the ambiance provides a somewhat of a romantic date night type of spot. They do not disappoint! read more

I brought my mom here for her 66th birthday dinner this evening, and the food we ordered was all delicious. We began with the wild arugula nectarine salad (yum!), shared the Bianca (truffle mushroom) pizza, and she had the steak frites, while I opted for the bucatini. All was tastefully executed. We also had a passion fruit marg and the "I Don't Give a Fig" cocktail. Both quite good. Our server was Danny, and though he began pretty strong, we felt he could have been a little more attentive. He didn't ask if we wanted more cocktails when we had finished our drinks, and he didn't bother upselling us on anything else. He did bring my mother a bowl of vanilla ice cream with a candle and sang her happy birthday, but with the amount of food + drinks we had ordered, a small bowl of ice cream at a pretty high-end restaurant felt kind of cheap. We've been to other restaurants on our birthdays where the server was thoughtful enough to bring us a slice of cheesecake or something a little more exciting than just ice cream. Ice cream felt like we were at a Denny's or an IHOP. This is no deal breaker; it's simply an observation. Something else to note: parking in the adjacent underground lot cost $12. It would be great if the restaurant and the garage had some sort of deal where the restaurant could validate patrons' parking, or at least discount it. Ambiance: relaxed, casual. read more

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Just went to Marina Pasadena for the first time tonight and I was not disappointed. Everything was absolutely delicious. We had the Italian sausage pizza and it was perfect. We also ordered the truffle pasta and the chicken breast with white wine sauce and pommes purée the chicken was perfectly cooked and the potatoes were soft, creamy, and comforting. Every dish was delicious! We also want to give a huge thank you to our sweet server, Mel. She was fantastic so kind, attentive, and genuinely warm. She made the experience even better. We just moved into the area and will definitely be back! read more

Marina - Mocktails - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Absolutely wonderful dining experience from start to finish! Tony was our server at the bar and he couldn't be more attentive towards our every need nor more pleasant and gracious. All the food and beer was absolutely delectable! Happy hour is an incredible deal and a great way to sample many of their key items. Will definitely return! read more

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Great food, ambiance, and service. They have a nice bar and an interesting menu. The puffy bread is delicious!

Marina is a wonderful Italian restaurant located on Cordova between Hudson and Lake. Parking options are on Lake or in their underground garage (validated). The restaurant replaced Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill. Marina's indoor space is clean, modern, and inviting, perfect for both a dressed up evening or a casual dinner. The outdoor space complete with space heaters provides a nice option. The service is professional and friendly, but the star of the restaurant is truly the food. The dishes are prepared simply but the flavors are amazing - balanced, well-seasoned while letting the natural taste of the fresh ingredients shine. My friend and I were blow away by each dish. They have great vegetarian options; a bit less options for vegans. They had a wonderful grilled mushroom dish that I forgot to snap a picture of, but was mouthwateringly delicious! I plan to dine here many more times! read more

Marina - Seasonal vegetables - A white, oval-shaped plate features cooked broccoli rabe garnished with chopped herbs and seeds, arranged in a slightly overlapping manner. The plate is set on a wooden table, with parts of other dishes visible at the edges of the image, indicating a meal setting. - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

The service was good. We made a reservation and waited 45 minutes to 1 hour on a Thursday. However, they were apologetic and gave us excellent service, so we did not mind waiting. We did order a few things that were forgotten, like a pizza and an entrée. The ambiance was very nice and casual. As an appetizer, we had blistered bread and ricotta, which was to die for! It was so delicious. We got the house Italian sausage pizza, which was also good. Now, for the entrée: We ordered Truffle Cavatelli, mushroom tagliatelle, and shrimp alla vodka. The truffle Cavatelli, especially the meatball, was salty for me. I drank water after every bite. The sauce's flavor was good, but it was just salty. Everything else was good! I would definitely come back again. The only downside was the 3% service charge for supporting competitive kitchen wages, which was not notified to us. read more

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A homophobic restaurant. We made a reservation in advance, but when we arrived, there was no table available for us. The hostess mentioned that one would be opening soon, yet instead, we were eventually offered a downgraded table in the back, right next to the restrooms. While it's difficult to prove intent, the way we were treated made us feel unwelcome, and it seemed clear to us that our presence as a same-sex couple was not appreciated. The staff came across as dismissive, rude, and unnecessarily arrogant throughout the interaction. We ultimately decided to leave and take our business elsewhere--and we're glad we did. We ended up having a wonderful dinner at Celestino's, where we felt genuinely welcomed and respected. read more

This is a classy Italian eatery in the South Lake area of Pasadena. The decor was sparkly and modern but the space still felt cozy. Friendly service and informative. Food is served family style. We got the calamari and oyster mushrooms with the calamari aoli sauce being the standout. We shared the pizza bianca, cacio e pepe, scallopini di pollo and shrimp pasta alla vodka. Everything great especially the cacio e pepe and the pizza bianca. Glad we got there early as the place got pretty busy. Will plan on returning. 5 stars read more

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Had such a lovely experience at Marina! The service was truly standout: friendly, attentive, and made me feel genuinely taken care of throughout the night. You can tell the team really cares about creating a great dining experience. The cocktails were super fun and creative, each one felt like a little surprise. As for the food, everything was solid, but a couple of dishes really stole the show. The prosciutto was unforgettable. It was Delicate, rich, and full of flavor. Easily some of the best I've had in a long time. The cacio e pepe was a beautiful twist on the classic. Vibrant, earthy, and deeply satisfying. It had that comforting simplicity you want, with just enough flair to make it special. Overall, Marina nails it with a great vibe, thoughtful dishes, and a team that makes you feel right at home. I'll definitely be back! read more

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The foods, cocktails, and services are excellent and must try the pork chop and pasta when those are so good. read more

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Marina is an absolute delight and easily earns a full five stars. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a warm and inviting atmosphere that sets the tone for a wonderful meal. Parking is a breeze since the structure sits right beneath the restaurant and they kindly validate, which makes the visit even more convenient. Their cocktails are thoughtfully crafted with a smooth balance. I especially loved the mezcal based Desperado which had an elegant depth without overwhelming the senses. The food is just as impressive. Their fresh made pastas and seasonal produce truly stand out and show the level of care in every dish. My friends and I enjoyed the Grilled Octopus, Market Carrots, Bianca Pizza, Mushroom Tagliatelle, and Pork Chop Milanese. Every plate was beautifully prepared and full of vibrant flavor. I ended the meal with a smooth digestivo from the dessert menu which was the perfect finish to an already memorable evening. Marina delivers exceptional service, wonderful food, and a lovely environment. This was my second visit and I look forward to a third. read more

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Parking: Limited ground level parking and ample underground parking; with a fee after validation Ambiance: Chic, upscale and sophisticated Service: Fantastic- the staff were really great to us Food: Visually appealing but tasted average :( Half of our party's favorite thing was the Caesar Salad, Blistered bread, Calamari and Lamb Ragu. We ordered the $125 Porterhouse Steak but it wasn't too special. Other mediocre eats were the Octopus, Sausage Pizza (very salty) and Truffle Cava We ordered a great amount of drinks here and would probably come back for drinks or happy hour but would skip out on their regular dinner menu read more

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Out of the many Italian places I've tried in the LA area, I believe this is one of the best! The food was deliciously flavored without getting too rich- the citrus salad was refreshing, the steak was cooked to perfection (loved the mashed potato too), the butternut squash pasta balanced out the other dishes, and that tiramisu was heavenly!! And while the price can be a bit steep, I think the food, service, and ambiance were well worth it. Came on a weekday night with no wait. You can park at the parking lot on Shoppers Lane where the first 90 minutes are free (parking free after 7 pm). read more

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We had a lovely meal at our local Italian restaurant. Hubby and I shared an appetizer and salad. For entrees he chose the Bucatini on menu while I opted for a special pasta of the day - Tagliatelle with Duck Ragu. Food and service were excellent. The restaurant has an energetic vibe but is a tad noisy. Overall, a great place to dine in Pasadena. read more

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