Came to have a family dinner. We were seated in the back room along with a few other unfortunates…read more There was a group of about 40 people in there. You can only imagine how loud it was, no you really can't! We asked to be moved and were told no. Couldn't speak to one another, couldn't hear the server nor he us. To make it even worse we were at a table for 6, there were 7 of us! The only reason I even rated a 3 is because the food was good.

Do not hesitate! Put your name on the list and wait because this place was amazing. This place is…read moredeceptively large. When you first walk in, it only looks like there's a handful of tables, but then there is also a back patio and whole other dining room behind that. Each member of our group ordered a different dish and enjoyed getting to sample each other's pasta. My brown butter sage ravioli was deliciously sweet and melted in my mouth. I also was obsessed with a friend's bolognese. Side note for anyone gluten free: their gluten free pizza is cooked on the same surface as the normal pizzas. They don't use a stone to prevent cross contamination. They did say that the gluten free pasta however was not at risk for cross contamination because of how it was prepared and in fresh water. Not a problem for me, but it was concerning for a member of our party.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!…read more As always... excellent pasta! Lasagna Bolognese was delicious!! That béchamel sauce is incredible. Also had the Burrata Al Modo Puglia which was to die for!! Lastly, had the Fettuccine Alla 'Emiliana and I tell ya... that homemade pasta melted in my mouth... soo amazing!! Staff at first was a little non existent... they sat us and then ignored us while bringing bread and water to everyone around us ... but once Melissa came to greet us - all was good. She was very friendly and super helpful in choosing our meals and wine. And she just had great energy and a great sense of humor. It is a small place ... so be sure to make a reservation! Street parking only... make sure you check the meters! Would I go back? Yes

Good food, very unfortunate service--enough so to warrant this review…read more We had a 7:15 reservation and arrived around 7 to see if maybe they could fit us in early, but that wasn't possible. No problem at all--not expected and no big deal. The hostess wasn't overly friendly, but everyone (including her) seemed to be very busy and filling multiple roles, so we chalked it up to that. We came back at our designated time and were told by the same hostess that our table was not ready--they were paying--and to expect another 15 minutes. This was communicated with zero kindness or apology and had more of a "that's too bad for you" vibe to it. We were told told to walk around the block. Really? At this point, I'd just categorize the hostess as rude and we honestly should have just gone somewhere else at that point because the service didn't get better. When we were seated (in their very nice and well-decorated inside tables) we were offered water and told bread would be coming, which was very welcome given that it was now 7:45. Our waiter disappeared at that point and about 10 minutes later the hostess appeared for us to order some wine. We also asked after the bread and finally got some. 10 minutes later a NEW waiter came and took our order. The food itself was very good but could not eclipse the rude, chaotic, and disorganized service. I am not an industry expert but it seemed like they need to employ some bussers. The current model looks to have everyone over-worked, dropping the ball, and--frankly--not that friendly.

I very rarely hop on Yelp to leave a review. Having worked in restaurants since I was 15, I tend to…read moreassociate Yelp with people sharing negative experiences. However, I wanted to take the time to recognize Buona Tavola's incredible owner, Andrea Fabbretti. I couldn't help but notice Andrea personally serving the tables around us, including ours. You can immediately tell how much he cares about his guests and how passionate he is about both the food and the overall experience. He shared that he is from Italy, which absolutely comes through in the thoughtfully selected wine list and delicious pasta dishes. We had a wonderful experience, and I'm so happy to see his restaurant doing well. It is very well deserved!

This was my favorite restaurant in SLO…read more Recommend making reservations in their courtyard, it is beautiful there. Service was prompt and friendly. The food here made our night. The pasta sauce was flavorful and we loved every bite. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Our waiter Jamie was the star of the show tonight. He was busy, but attentive w our order. The…read moreshort rib ravioli are My favorite for sure. Everyone in the group enjoyed their meal. Big shout out to our waiter! Overall: A+

The meatballs were no better than decent frozen ones I've had. The sauce on them was sweet like…read morecheap tomato sauce out of a jar. The pizza crust was not good. Still ate the whole thing tho cause it's pizza. The salad and garlic knots were good. Overall a disappointing experience.

Great date night or place to take the parents when they visit from out of town, while being an…read moreaffordable place for a nice meal. We shared the Carminucc' and Otto pizzas, the Otto was my favorite because of the goat robiola. Hey Girl Hey cocktail was very good, and I really appreciated they offered a CBD infused drink, lust peachy. It was very refreshing and a great alternative for a fancier non alcoholic drink. We were quick to be seated, greeted by our server, and everything came out quickly (on a Saturday evening) which was nice. We sat on the patio and we had perfect weather that day so it was nice to have the fresh air. We have eaten inside before and also liked the inside ambiance as well. My wife and I went here in college and I'm glad that during our most recent visit, things tasted just as great as we remembered! Hope to be back on our next trip to SLO!

No reservations. On their website - "We Kindly Don't Take Reservations."…read moreSeriously? What's "kindly" about inconveniencing a potential patron? By not taking reservations the restaurant is saying "we don't really care what plans you might have. You'll stand and wait until we can fit you in." That's not kindly. It's rude. Arrogant. Not at all customer focused. I'd like to try the food (I've heard it's very good) but my time is worth something and I won't spend it waiting for an available table.

Came here for a celebratory dinner for two and left so happy!…read more To start, definitely get the burrata and bread (if you like olives). The olive and balsamic mixture under the burrata was our favorite part of the meal. To drink we got the lemon freeze and the pepperoncini martini. The pepperoncini wasn't overpowering and was our favorite cocktail. For mains, we ordered the parpadelle Ragu and the spicy vodka rigatoni. Both were excellent. The servings are quite filling, but if you leave any on your plate they don't give to go boxes. We skipped dessert and opted for two espressos (the coffee is also excellent). We were sat outside on the patio (had not sat there before) and enjoyed the cool night. I wouldn't recommend sitting here in the heat. The staff the whole night was polite and helpful. There are maybe 6 parking spots behind the restaurant, but paid street parking if you can't find space!

I finally made the opportunity to celebrate an important birthday for someone who I consider super…read moreimportant. Nate's was suggested and the party was excited because few have had the chance to eat there. I was double excited because Nates is a Micheline Star restaurant, that means something, I couldn't wait to see what that "something" was... I adore the feel of the restraint, it has an elegant posh vibe with a western theme that doesn't intimidate. Super romantic place to have a quiet dinner for two, so keep that in mind. There were four in our party and our reservation was set for the outside garden but we were given the choice of inside or garden, we chose inside. simple We were greeted warmly and they asked whose birthday it was and wished a happy birthday. Really nice touch- I love it. . Seating is great, everything was lovely. Our waitress was the absolute best. I forgot to get her name, she was attentive, had a nice sense of humor and always had a big bright smile. Awesome. There Micheline Star was playing in my mind as I looked over the menu. I was going to base my choice off of what others were ordering, because I wanted a variety to be served. We ordered the Vodka Pasta, Rosemary 1/2 chicken, a burger w house-made cheese and another pasta dish. Conversation with drinks was great as the restaurant was filling up. I was shocked how casually dressed people were as they entered. There were several families, college students and couples all enjoying the service. Dinner arrived and everything looked gorgeous. Portions were a good amount and everyone was excited to taste the Michelin Star food! Our dinners arrived and it was ok. We ordered dessert and that was fabulously well done. Kudos to the whoever made the chocolate tort. They brought out a Roman candle on the dessert to celebrate the birthday. All in all, Nate's on Marsh is a super romantic place to go enjoy a nice meal. Overall: B

Novo has always been a great experience and the dishes are always delicious. We've been coming to…read moreNovo for years and it has been our traditional dinner spot. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We have always been seated outside and love it when we are lucky enough to have a table along the creek side. The curry dishes, brussel sprouts, and ahi nachos are great to share. The outdoor seating is relaxing under the oak trees. Appears to host families with parents visiting their kids attending Cal Poly. Always a great evening.

While this seems to be a local favorite, we were underwhelmed. Service was friendly but slow. Food…read morecame out fast, but potatoes were cold and oily, and the sausage sandwichbpresented a lot more like a (sausage) burger with an egg. Lettuce and tomato seemed out of place for breakfast sandwich, and the overall effect was more "soup sandwich" than something focused. I really feel like they are trying too hard - at least with this dish. Tone it back and get the basics right - then add a few little things for flair. 10 ingredient sandwich just seems way overworked... Stars seemed a little overworked as well, service was on the slow side- though they didn't seem particularly busy. Nice patio setting by the creek.

OMG. I absolutely love Detroit-style pizza and this place got it soooo right…read more We started with the Caesar salad which was delicious, and then ordered the elote pizza which came with chorizo, corn, cilantro, and the works. It was sooooo good!! Definitely would want to come back here for different pies. Although... don't order the espresso martini it was lackluster... to say the least.

Came to Bear & the Wren with friends for dinner on Saturday. Our friend made a reservation so we…read morewere seated shortly. I'm glad we were able to sit outdoors with our pup! We did family style and ordered the strawberry fennel salad, melon salad, two bee stang pizzas Detroit style, spicy pig pizza Detroit style, and elote pizza Neapolitan style. Presentation of the food is chef's kisses, but the dishes themself are on the pricy side. I do think the portions are on the smaller side, especially $15 for a small salad is a little much, but overall the food all tasted very good. Everyone's favorite was the bee stang. I will say I am a Neapolitan style pizza so would have loved to tried that with the bee stang. Overall, great experience and good food. Our waitress was super sweet and attentive. The atmosphere is extremely pretty and moody. Great for date night or an intimate dinner with loved ones!

Café Roma -- Worth the 30+ Mile Drive!…read more We drove over 30 miles to try somewhere new, and Café Roma absolutely hit it out of the park! We usually go to Giuseppe's in Pismo or SLO for Italian, but we may have just found a new contender. My guy ordered the Osso Buco with spinach instead of risotto because he's doing low-carb. His verdict? "Best I've ever had." And this man NEVER raves about restaurant food, so when he also said the salad was fantastic, I knew we had a winner. I had the bruschetta, followed by the beef carpaccio (both appetizers, but that's my thing), which was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I've been missing beef carpaccio since Giuseppe's and Ember stopped serving it, so finding it here was basically a gift from the Italian food gods. And the spumoni in a chocolate shell? The absolute BOMB. The owner even came over to chat with us and told us Café Roma has been here for over 40 years. Such a charming guy--and he said his mom still stops by every day. I'm guessing that's because she's the only one allowed anywhere near the sauce. She probably has the recipe locked in a safe and takes it home with her every night. Fantastic food, wonderful people, and absolutely worth the drive. Café Roma, you've got two new fans!

Food, delicious. Service, excellent. Ambiance, lovely…read more Entrees: Flat iron steak Lasagna Shrimp Chicken Parmesan All well prepared, presented, and delicious. Wine: Cabernet (Which one escapes me... was too preoccupied with enjoying it.) Dessert: Tiramisu Creme brulee Need I say more? Perfect dining experience for our out-of-town guests, and for us.

Yum! First time at this spot and had to try the gyro pizza. It met the hype and reviews. It was…read moreflavorful, cheesy, and tender pieces of gyro meat. The shawarma pita sandwich was also bomb. The chicken was well seasoned and juicy. Gotta try the kabobs, garlic sauce, and rice next time. This one is a keeper.

After a long road trip, we stopped at Petra in San Luis Obispo for a light lunch before an early…read moredinner reservation, and it was a great find! We split the Greek salad and the gyro pizza, which was definitely the highlight. The pizza was flavorful, unique, and such a fun Mediterranean twist on traditional pizza. The Greek salad was fresh and perfect for keeping lunch on the lighter side. There's plenty of outdoor seating with several covered tables, as well as indoor seating, and we were able to find street parking nearby. A great casual lunch stop in SLO!