Outdoor dining has become such a treat during times like these, even when you're sweating your brains out in 90+ degree SoCal weather. Luckily, the Americana at Brand offers plenty of great options. We were in search of a bite to eat and had originally tried to get a shaded patio table at Trattoria Amici. They quoted us a 30 minute wait but informed us Ombra, an outdoor wine bar located right next door, took walk-ins and offered the same menu. First, I have to say the Rigatoni Norcina here is a stellar 10/10. You really can't go wrong with the exquisite combo of Italian sausage, mushrooms in cream sauce and a generous drizzle of truffle oil. Each bite my boyfriend and I took was met with exclamations of how delicious it was. We also had the Porcini E Anduja pizza, which featured porcini mushrooms, housemade spicy pork salame and smoked mozzarella. The flavor was pretty tasty but it could have been a tad bit crispier. The wine and cocktail menu here at Ombra is definitely worth checking out! I've had the Purple Haze, which is vodka and blackberry-based with mint. Super fruity and refreshing, it's the perfect drink for kicking back and enjoying with good company. read more

Ombra - Rigatoni Norcina - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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Great ambience, good service, the food was decent. Surprisingly it was the dessert that was the most extraordinary! Really great chocolate cake that was made in House! read more

The food was below mediocre. When I ordered Amici Salad and asked the waiter if there was any meat she assured that it doesn't have meat. The salad came with sausage in it... I sent the salad back right away, didn't even take a bite. The waiter apologized and we ordered a different salad. Eventually they charged us for both salads. Very bizarre. Spaghettini Frutti do Mare was just ok, Lobster Ravioli were also meh. Definitely won't come back for food and definitely not coming back for not honest service. read more

Ombra - Lobster Ravioli is just meh - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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What can I say about this pitfall of an Italian restaurant? I would never downgrade a business this much, but wow... from the salad being completely drenched in dressing to the pasta shared being microwaved and still cold when we sampled it with clients. I would 100% not recommend this place for their food. Service is ok, the staff seemed stressed and the ambiance is basically what you're paying for. 3/10. read more

Did not eat an entree but appetizers and drinks were great! The fried calamari was really good. It came with fries carrot and zucchini sticks and those were good as well. I don't even really like carrots but fry those suckers up and they are great! The marinara was also really good. The star of the show was the black fig margarita.. so good I got 2! Also ordered a regular margarita but it was not as good as the fig. Get the fig. We sat on the outside patio and there was a short wait. They seem to always quote 30 min wait but we were seated in around 10 minutes. read more

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Service is great if you are a male who the male manager is attracted to. Men, just hit on the manager and you'll get extra special treatment (probably a free drink at least if not more). He only likes to service the men he thinks he has a chance with. read more

Located just across the trolley tracks from Barnes & Noble is this sweet spot perfect for drinks & photos w/ the girls. Stopped by after some shopping with GF's we seated ourselves & were served by Mariana. She was very helpful and knowledgeable on the menu items so thank you ! This outdoor boutique bar is a very chic spot,you forget you're outside on a sidewalk. Gfs and I each ordered the Create your own Gin bev. I got the Amass California Gin which is in the sweeter side I added the sweet tonic & garnishes of my choice you can choose up to 3. Gin cocktails are served in a large glass for your enjoyment. Mine hit the spot. They also have fun cocktails. I also had a French 75 per recommendation of another server he was very helpful I enjoyed it. They also have light bites I had the Broncoccini which is eggplant heirloom tomato & burratta w/crocantinni I'm a fan. Great stop pre or post shop or just a good hangout spot. read more

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2022 Review - Please note their menu has changed. Their flatbreads (which is what was shown repeatedly in the Yelp photos are no longer available.) I took pics of the new menu. If you are out at The Americana at Brand, there's a cute little spot next to the grassy with a full bar. It's a wine bar right across from "Trattoria Amici", their full restaurant equivalent. If you are lucky, there are two tables that give you a full view of the fountain and it's beautiful backdrop. They also have some tables right on the sidewalk that's a little more awkward because everyone shopping passes you, so I would recommend waiting for a table to open up on the inside (open air) area. Once we realized that the flatbread was off the menu, we started to really look at the menu and realized the men more resembled the Trattoria. So if you plan to get pasta, check out the Trattoria page. Our meal: COCKTAIL - The Escobar Daiquiri Captain Morgan Rum, Grapefruit liquor, lemon juice Deliciously refreshing and really tasty. My boyfriend liked it so much he got a second glass. I don't usually drink but even I really liked it. If I didn't pay attention, I could have easily drank way too much. APPETIZER - Fiori Di Zucca. Three piece fried squash blossom filled with ricotta cheese with vegetables served on spicy pomodoro sauce. I recommend putting generous portions of sauce on each one for a tasty bite. IN SALATE - "Amici" Salad I highly recommend this salad if you want a tasty and refreshingly light meal. It is a fancy Italian Chopped Salad with romaine, arugula, radicchio, eggs, garbanzo beans, provolone, pepperoncini and salami in lemon dressing. Mix it well because you can taste the bitterness of the radicchio. But when you toss this together, all the ingredients create this delicious medley in your mouth. I am not usually a salad person but this one really stands out and is probably my favorite part of the meal. LA PASTA FRESCA - Linguine so Frutti Di Mare I am usually a fan of fresh pasta and love linguine. But the texture of this pasta was a bit off. It felt either under cooked or the kneading needed more time. It didn't have the al dente bite. The sauce and seafood was good. I just wished the pasta was different. Overall, loved the atmosphere. They had a nice full bar and the drink our server recommended was really good. Definitely worth a visit. read more

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Went for a quick lunch with a friend on a Friday. Got seated immediately. Our server was super sweet and nice. Based on the pictures I knew I wanted the Basil Gimlet but when I told her exactly what I wanted she also recommended that drink. We both got the same drink and it was delicious. I ordered the quinoa salad and my friend got the same thing with shrimp. We both loved our drinks and the food. The salad was so fresh, light and healthy. I will definitely return and highly recommend this place. read more

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Horrible. Sat down on a quiet Friday afternoon about 12:30. There were 3 other tables. Ordered 1 ice tea, 1 water and 2 entrees. Waited over an hr and finally asked where our food was as all the other tables around us had received theirs and were eating. Told it would be another 5 minutes which turned into 10. Got irritated and told them we wanted to cancel our purser and leave. The guy had the audacity to charge $4 for 1 cup of ice tea! What?!? Place is trash. read more

I've been coming here since May and I have never been disappointed! I usually get the gin & tonic OR I'd ask the bartenders to make me something sweet and yummy. The deviled eggs are yummy as well. As far as service goes, it's all 5 stars. I've encountered nothing but amazing service, great talks with the servers and bartenders, clean tables, and everything being on point. Yes it can be busy but that's out of the workers control. Thank you Ben, Oda, Brian, Saila, Diego, and Erica for always taking care of my party and I each and Everytime we needed a little de-stressor. They also give you validation! read more

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Amazing pizza. Amazing service. Manager Scott was amazing. Helped with our food and service. Highly recommended. Thank you. Two thumbs up

I used to love coming to this place but after what happened last night I won't be coming here ever again. We ordered drinks and dessert. The check was brought with our food LOL. Mind you we went on a Monday and it wasn't busy at all. While we're eating the other waiter brought another copy of the check.... then, while we were still working on our food and talking. The waiter just picked up our plates. I asked him why are they rushing us and if they are closing anything soon since it was only 9 pm. He said that he was just trying to clean the table. Like okay... then the other waiter came and took my drink and asked me if I was still drinking it while she picked up my glass. So rude! We felt so rushed for no reason. Half of the tables were empty and to be treated like that is just beyond disappointing. read more

Good place to stop by and grab a drink and food in Americana. To sum it up, "great drinks, good ambiance, nice service, and ok food with generous portions." Drinks: My partner and I decided to order custom gin and tonics. The drinks were refreshing, fun to create, tasty, and the portion also was generous. 4/5 I'd love to try out their other cocktail options next time. Food: All tasted good, but my partner and I both greed that nothing was mind blowing or special. However, they were all pretty good considering it's food served at a bar. - Insalata Di Carciofi: The salad was very unique, and the portion was very generous. However, we thought that the artichokes could have been a little softer to compliment the arugula. We also thought it could have tasted better if there were other ingredients to add other flavor and texture profiles (for example, raisins to add a little sweetness to the tang of the lemon dressing, and to add something not crunchy like the artichokes.) 3/5 - Tagliolini Alla Buzzara: The pasta tasted good, but it was definitely nothing really special. The pasta was a little overcooked (my partner and I both like more al dente). The shrimp also did not taste as plump as we would've liked. 3/5 - Brasato di Manzo: It tasted good, but could have definitely been better. The meat itself did not have much depth in flavor; the sauce felt like it was the main part of the dish. The rice on the side, however was cooked perfectly with great texture and flavor. 3/5 read more

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Yikes. Plus side... we sat in nice chairs... facing the stage... lovely music on a beautiful day with my lover! Cons: if a been happier on the free ASTRO turf,a foot away from me... with a picnic or a coffee... and saved 80 bucks! The tagliere literally was 4 small cubes of cheese,4 spicy peppers, 2 slices of salame, 2 of prosciutto (bland wax) and mortadella and 2 slices of yummy oiled bread. We shared an expensive plate of Carbonara that lacked pepper, and taste... overcooked bacon.... This bar has all the ambiance and menu of an Italian meal... but the flavors are all off! Next time we'll bring a packed lunch! read more

Ombra - Overpriced mediocre food - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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We went in to get drinks and an appetizer . We ordered calamari and Purple Haze drink. It was so good ! The drink and food and the servers were very nice with smiles on their faces . Definitely felt comfortable and welcomed and enjoyed my time eating there . I would definitely come back for that purple haze drink!!! read more

Ombra - Purple Haze - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

It's a bar. Outside. In the center of an outdoor mall. What better a place to be a boujee bitch? I heard they have food sometimes. That's not why you come here though. Zing. read more

Ombra - Gin. Tonic. Etc. - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

This is a great place for people watching while sipping on a nice drink with a small group/date. Our server was good and we had no qualms with our service, but the group next to us was complaining to their server about not getting food in time (I did notice that pizzas would take a while--but perhaps it's made fresh so takes longer?) We ordered 2 soups: Corn soup (seasonal): This was SO GOOD. Definitely our favorite--it wasn't super thick like chowder, but it was a pureed/blended soup that was light and refreshing, but also contained some nice spices that I can't quite place. Broccoli soup: I thought this would be a pureed soup like the corn one, but it was actually partially pureed with plenty of little broccoli bits. It was pretty good, but I don't think it was as mind blowing as the corn soup. Also, it came with goat cheese bits, but I think a different kind of cheese would have better--perhaps feta? Overall, we had a nice experience here. You are paying a bit more for your food, but I can tell that they put a lot of quality in their dishes and you are also paying for the view. I'd probably come again when I'm in the area. read more

I had the lobster ravioli. Delicious but came out cold. I sent it back but 5 minutes later I was given a cold Rivoli dish again at which point I gave up. It wasn't busy at the time. I like the wine selection. read more

They don't open until 12:15 (not 12pm). They provide validation for parking. My favorite dish was the calamari! It included carrots and zucchini which was a bit unusual but still a welcomed flavor. I'd love to try the squash blossoms, didn't see it on the menu until after we ordered everything. I really enjoyed the make your own gin and tonic options. I had Astral Pacific with Q elderflower which was sweet but not too sweet--so refreshing on a warm day. The flower garnish could have been better though! I'm pretty sure they picked it out of the garden in front of the restaurant and it wasn't candied with ginger. But overall service was great and we had an amazing server who wore his mask and shield properly and kept our drinks filled throughout our meal. read more

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I feel Ombra is a nice addition to the Americana. Established as one of the patio seating areas of the Americana, Ombra has a nice vibe but only when the weather is nice outdoors of course. During my second visit our group needed a place to hang out for drinks that allowed pets. Ombra welcomed our group with no wait and no problems. One thing that makes Ombra stand out compared to other "bars" is their extensive selection of Gin & Tonic. I personally is not a fan of Gin and & Tonic but still had to try. There is an entire page dedicated to the combo as you can construct your own mix to your liking. What I found out that night was not only can you make a Gin & Tonic, you can adjust the drink a bit can change it to Vodka. (which is more friendlier to the palate) I feel that Ombra is a nice place to meet people or come in for a quick one. Parking: paid lots throughout Glendale VERDICT: Rinse and repeat read more

Racist employees! I came here with my husband to enjoy a meal and were treated terribly, I've never had a problem with the inside dinning until we decided to try the outside where we were greeted by a rude host and a rude waiter who also happened to be the manager. read more

We were shopping and walking, saw these cheese boards others were having and had to stop in to try. Francis served us with an awesome smile. The dark rum mojitos were so good, we had to get more. I loved the large ice cubes they use. My drink did not get watered down like at other places. So the cheese boards were as fabulous as they looked. We ended up ordering a bread basket since we needed more crostini's, they were fresh and warm. The olives are marinated perfectly. The flatbread was soooooo amazing. It's made on flaky puff pastry topped with shaved Parma prosciutto. We enjoyed this so much we had to try the buffalo mozzarella and eggplant appetizer. OMG! Loved it. So impressed with the food and drinks that I can't wait to go back. Unfortunately it's a bit far for me but will definitely be back soon. read more

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This is a very seductive outdoor cocktail bar set alongside the lawn and fountain of the self-consciously designed town square in suburbia called Americana. The artificial, bourgeois environment is a post-modern commercial development that is nothing akin to the organic, historic town squares of Europe and that's evident in the utter exclusion of regular people; it's Los Angeles, and yet there is not a single homeless person to be seen in this park. But go ahead, suspend reality and savor excellent drinks and cocktails at this jolly bar to the accompaniment of bubbles being blown by bougie children and the fabulous soundtrack of piped in music that is coordinated with the water fountain. The clever bar tenders explain the curated wine selection and have an expert hand at craft cocktails with clever ingredients. I was extremely impressed by the genteel quality of the wine-ing experience, and the fantastic flatbread, that tasted of fresh and clean ingredients. It's a lovely place to enjoy a late afternoon sun, and feel the elements (such as they are in the middle of artifice and corporate chains) while sipping an alcoholic beverage. Their food is great! While I didn't taste one of their drinks with flowers in it, its clear that a great deal of thought has been put into creating drinks that are aesthetically pleasing in addition to tasting wonderful. I sense this is the kind of bar that will delight many women, who are more sensitive to those kinds of special touches. read more

Ombra - Flatbread was exceptional - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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3/12/23 - Seated at 12:20pm. Actually we had to seat ourselves because the server didn't feel like walking up to us at the host stand lol. There were only 3-4 other parties seated so it was a slow hour. Service was disappointing (they need proper training) and so was the food. I even had to flag one of the waiters down to ask for plates & silverware AFTER our appetizer came out - unacceptable. Do not waste your time and money here lol. The only pro of eating here is the outdoor ambience and drinks but that's it. We waited over 40 min just for 2 salads when it wasn't even busy. We also ordered roasted potatoes and they completely forgot about while we were eating our salads and I told them to just cancel it. Also found an insect on my tomato from my salad (see picture). Food here is BELOW mediocre. Cesar salad doesn't even a real Cesar dressing - had too much of a Mayo base. Where are the anchovies?? Cracked pepper or capers and salt?? How are you going to charge $20 for a salad that tastes worse than a Trader Joe's salad?! The chicken for the salad was also tasteless! Fried Calamari is bland and only the spicy marinara sauce that comes with it gives it some flavor, but we still ate it anyways because we were so hungry. I will never come back, not even for the drinks. read more

Ombra - Insect on my tomato from my salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

My last visit here was not the best but that was over 4 years ago so I figured how bad can it be. Well I was wrong I came to get some last minute shopping done with a friend, we decided to get a drink before calling it a night. We ordered one drink and I finished mine quickly, we asked for the waitress 3 times and she was busy and no one was taking our food order when she finally came I asked if I could please get a cappuccino while I waited for my friend to finish her drink she said you can not order coffee or tea you can only order when you get food . I found this very odd. I asked for the check and got a coffee at the macaroon stand next door. I don't understand how the same manager is still here and still providing terrible service. I left a tip but I honestly did not want to....... By the way I paid $40 for two drinks read more

Stopped here for drinks to kill some time. My friend and I walked in and were immediately greeted. We chose where to sit and given some time to look over their menu. Our server was very friendly and checked on us often. Our drinks came at a reasonable time and they were quite refreshing! I would totally come back some other time to try their other drinks and sample some of their dishes. read more

Ombra - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

Nice ambiance and helpful service. I like being in the middle of it all. The best part is the build your own gin & tonic option. The server can help you decide what to get if you need suggestions of what goes together. read more

Ombra - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

We were shopping in the neighborhood and thought we'd try this "wine bar" for dinner. The food was good but not excellent. We ended up with the seafood pasta and Branzino with a shared amici salad starter and a crème brûlée dessert. My personal highlight was a Purple Haze cocktail. I felt the need to comment because though the service was earnest and they did make things right by comping one entree, so many mix-ups occurred. My first enter came out wrong and then I was told It was not detailed correctly on the menu. I finally got a second - albeit free- dinner after my dinner partner had finished their's. Our coffee order was also wrong and came way before our dessert despite being offered simultaneous service by your server. Like I said, I walked away happy. I just believe it could have gone another way... read more

Ombra wine bar was a great place to go after spending the afternoon shopping. We ordered the aperol spritz and the purple haze, which were both amazing. The service at Ombra was exceptional and the orders were brought out in a timely manner, for being an extension to the restaurant. The Margherita pizza is a must if you like thin yet chewy authentic pizza with a crunch. The goat cheese salad was also a refreshing accompaniment to the pizza and meatballs. Overall I would suggest dining at Ombra, the calm ambience and amazing food are both an amazing way to end a shopping day. read more

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Really enjoyed this place. I loved the fact that they used clear ice. The charcuterie board was amazing. This is one of my favorite things to order but not all the bars can get it right. I mean just look at the picture. Perfection! read more

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My GF and I grabbed a drink here after she got tired of shopping and I got tired of waiting. I guess they specialize in Gin and Tonic but I didn't get that. I got their Japanese Whisky cocktail - I forgot the name - and my GF got their Purple Haze. Their cocktails are REALLY good. We also shared a charcuterie board which was average. I would stick with their drinks. Pretty good. read more

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Food tastes oily, bland and cold, we got the sprouts and calamari. The service is sooo slow and we were there on a Monday evening. Definitely not going back. read more

This bar located inside Americana in Glendale is practicing masked/distanced outdoor seating. The wait is a bit long if you have more than 2 people in your party. Definitely an Insta worthy favorite since the gin and tonic drinks come with 3 free "topping/decorations" inside. Very aesthetically pleasing and loved the combo I got (though I forgot... it was the strongest gin LOL). I want to say it leans pricey but again you're paying for the aesthetic. Overall, I'd definitely come again! read more

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The pros: The ambiance is lovely at the Americana and our server Robert was super friendly! I recommend sitting outside. The cons: The "fig margarita" had zero taste of fig. Zero. I was curious if I had been made the wrong drink. I would avoid this unless you are looking for a plain margarita or perhaps ask the bartender if all his ingredients like fig syrup and rosemary are available before making that drink. The Japanese cocktail my husband got tasted great, however! He gave me his drink as I was pretty unhappy with the fig margarita. The carbonara I would avoid, if indeed you enjoy authentic carbonara. For $22, it was a plate of normal pasta with fatty guanciale. I'm not sure why I was expecting something better as you really need to search for a nice carbonara in the city. Take whatever pasta the server recommends instead. The calamari was aight. My husband liked it. Maybe I'm spoiled or something. We didn't get fried carrots like the previous reviewer. The coating was pretty flimsy and lacked flavor IMO. They didn't give enough marinara for the quantity of calamari. But it's a big plate, so you get your money's worth on this one, sort of. A number of ppl outside had dogs so, dog friendly place. I think if you order the right things you could have a great time here, because the ambiance can't be beat! read more

I love hanging outside at the Americana, and what other way to enjoy the outdoors than with food & drinks at Amici's outdoor bar? They have a page dedicated to gin and tonics if you're in for a refreshing drink! ---cheese board: yummy spread for snacking with our drinks This outdoor bar is covered so you'll be shaded while watching the water shows and people watching from your table NOTE: if you parked in the garage get your ticket validated here read more

Ombra - Gin & tonic - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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I love this (relatively) new addition to the Americana! My review is long overdue but this is a go-to for delicious food and ornate cocktails. It's a beautiful extension to the Italian restaurant and a perfect spot for a date or going out with friends or family. They only have outdoors seating with an open bar but they provide heaters during the cold season. TOMATO SOUP (5/5): I love me some quality tomato soup, and this was one of them. Rich, hearty and difficult not to lick the plate clean. TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE (5/5): Also delicious. Rich in flavor with breaded crumbs in each bite. Nicely paired with a glass of wine and the tomato soup. PARKING Available in the Americana private lot. read more

Ombra - Tomato soup and truffle Mac and cheese. - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

Stopped by for a nice glass of wine to end the night with friends. We got a bottle of Costa d'Almafi Furore Rosso 2016 under the "Reds - Light & Perfumy" section of the menu. It was very pleasant and a great selection to go with the cheese board. The cheese board had four different cheeses (Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Fiore Sardo, Brie, Gorgonzola), some nuts, olives, honey, and crostini. Service was very friendly and welcoming. Atmosphere was lively and buzzing as it is in the middle of Americana. Price is a little high, but it's a classy wine bar and not a dinky old tavern. read more

Ombra - Cheese board - Wine Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

I enjoyed my experience here. I really liked the peaceful environment, my drink and our charcuterie board. I definitely recommend this place specially if you are shopping in Americana and wanna grab a bite or a drink. read more

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I love sitting in the outside bar, Berto makes the best Hugo spritz. One of my favorite places in Glendale