Great food Very friendly staff and fast service…read morePlace looks small from outside but has enough space for large groups Definitely recommend

Went here to have some one-on-one time with my mother-in-law, and it worked out perfectly! Parking…read morewas a little hard to find, but once we did, we walked in and got seated right away. The restaurant is nice and clean. I do have to say, it took the server a long time to take our orders and come back to check on us, but other than that, their service was great. We hadn't eaten much, so the bread they serve at the beginning was heavenly! We ordered the special appetizer of the day, zucchini and mozzarella sticks. The zucchini was delicious, and I loved the crunch on the mozzarella sticks! The breading was nice, thin, and crunchy. I also went with the pasta special of the day, which was linguine with seafood and broccoli in a creamy red sauce. It was delicious and more than enough to fill me up! My mother-in-law ordered a pasta with white sauce and shrimp off the menu. I believe that's what it was, but unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of it. I would definitely come back again! I would just ask that the server check on us a little more frequently, but again, we were there to catch up, so it's not a huge deal. Overall, I still loved the experience!

Pizza pizza, yes please! Slice, slice, yes please!…read more Was working nearby for the day and needed a quick lunch break. This was perfect! Located in a really cool marketplace but with it's own entrance and little corner space, there are 4 sets for 4+ seaters and some 2 seaters. I would have LOVED to sit outdoors but there was only 1 umbrella. Bummer! My pizza was delicious. And the extra bonus was that they had a small mixed greens salad to balance all the protein on my slice. What made this marketplace even better was the plentiful amounts of parking available for free in the back. It made me think of San Mateo. Love a little "Peninsula coolness" in the east bay. Good job, Castro Valley!

Came here with the fam and was really looking forward to trying this well-rated pizza place and…read moreunfortunately was disappointed :( to be fair, we did order to-go so it was about 20 minutes before we ate our food. but i did re-heat my pizza and it was still just okay. my biggest complaint was that the bread was way too hard it was starting to hurt my jaw while eating! we got the sweet ginos, bbq chicken and little italy slices; buffalo wings and garlic cheese bread. we were starving going into this (which usually makes food taste better) but still- mediocre! the cheesy garlic bread was a great start, hard to go wrong. the wings were good, very saucy, a bit soggy(expected) and came with one small ranch ($1.10 for extra). the pizzas weren't bad per say, just nothing special going on. there was no wow factor that would make me want to come back. and i tried so hard to like it after hearing so many great reviews on the quality and everything. sadly i did not get the same experience as others.

An iconic old style Italian Market & Deli that's makes up some tasty sandwiches. Located on "the…read moreBoulevard" in Castro Valley, this long time deli is our go-to place when visiting my wife's home town. Thr inside is one big market containing whatever Italian food item you might possibly want. Only a couple of small table inside to eat at and none outside makes Luca's an order and take out place, but their sandwiches are definitely worth it!

This place is a staple here in CV. However I just watched a manager talk down to his employees…read moreabout making a sandwitch wrong. The exact quote was "don't you read?" Great management style bud. Then when I ask to simply just have it re made the guy said right in front of me. Just scrape them off. The food is always good but idk if I would like to support a business that's this cheap and treats thier employees even cheaper.

We haven't visited Hayward for dinner for quite some time, and visiting here brought back great…read morememories!!! The room is welcoming, unpretentious, fast, friendly service. We started with Calamari, and it was crispy, just out of the fryer, with two sauces. I only wish we had some of the tentacles, but the rounds were large and tasty. I wanted eggplant, but while it wasn't on the menu, the waitress said that they had it available, and it was great, very fresh slices of eggplant, under a melty cheese top. Just what I wanted!! My date had the seafood linguini, and loved it, especially the variety of seafoods (scallops, shrimp, shell fish, calamari). We ended with three scoops of spumoni. We haven't had such a "traditional" Italian American dinner in years, and it was just fun, tasty, and brought back many great memories!!!

We were in Hayward, so we decided to just walk around downtown, and Saturday nights are really…read morebustling!! We decided to check out Buon Appetito, a restaurant she visited regularly for business lunch and dinners. We were seated near the back but it was fine, bright, and welcoming. After browsing the menu, I was surprised they didn't have eggplant parmesan, but our waitress said they had it available, so that's what I ordered. My date ordered the seafood linguine, and we had calamari appetizer. The appetizer was perfect with the bread! Nicely. breaded, thick rounds, crispy and the sauces were perfect with it. The eggplant was probably the best I've had, it came in an oblong dish, piping hot out of the broiler, with well done eggplant, lots of creamy cheese, and perfect sauce. The linguini was fine too, lots of variety, and creamy sauce. We ended the meal with three scoops of spumoni, Great meal, wonderful, friendly service, a great reminder of the classic "red sauce" dishes of our past!!!

Best Italian spot in Hayward! I love this place their food is always hot n fresh and you'll always…read morereceive the best service. The style of the restaurant is open with lots of seating I personally love sitting closes to the window. All their pastas are incredible! The Bruschetta was super fresh and they include the perfect amount of balsamic vinegar on it! Keep note there's only street parking.

I had order food delivery. It was delivered ahead of schedule, hot and followed instructions. Kudos…read moreto the delivery person. The order consists of spaghetti and meatball and calamari fritte. The calamari was hot and crispy and especially nice when dipped in the tartar or cocktail sauce. Included with the food was a French bread and olive oil, balsamic vinegar and peppers. The spaghetti and meatball was a good value with a couple of sliced meatballs. The sauce was on the lighter side. Overall, the portion was appropriate and value was good.

Tried out Rigatoni's with my wife and our two kids last night. New to the area and wanting to…read moresupport local spots, we went in with an open mind after seeing the post about the Dublin location closing down after 27 years. We ordered the lasagna, chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and rigatoni bolognese, solid classic Italian comfort food. (The lasagna was my favorite of the three though my wife thought frozen lasagna from Grocery Outlet tastes better.) The self-serve bread bar was a nice touch and a hit with the kids. The dining room had a relaxed, low-key vibe, not too crowded for a Saturday, which meant no wait and plenty of room for our family. Food was fine; nothing that especially stood out, but nothing wrong with it either. Comparable entrees all run about $19, and with self-serve water and bread bar, service felt pretty hands-off; the woman checked-in with us just once during the whole meal. In contrast, we've also recently eaten at 88BaoBao, which is another counter-service type of restaurant but comparable entrees run about $11-$14. Despite being the "cheaper, no-frills" option, the young teen waiter/server/bus boy came by repeatedly to check in on us, refilled our water multiple times, and even noticed our daughter was cold and closed the door for us. My wife, who almost never tips extra, went back after the meal just to hand him an additional tip. That contrast made the value gap at Rigstoni's stand out more than it might have otherwise. The restaurant itself was pleasant enough and not too crowded, which was nice for our family, but at a higher price point with more hands-off service, it didn't feel like it justified a 20% tip the way a place doing more for us did. Still hoping Rigatoni's finds its footing, we like having good options nearby. ________ Non-Asian restaurants versus Asian restaurants in Castro Valley. *don't know who the owner at Rigatoni's is and the staff seems to be Latin. *I would assume 88BaoBao has Chinese owners and the outstanding service was from a Caucasian, maybe Hapa teenager with glasses working there.

Rigatoni's Restaurant is a fast-casual Italian eatery located in a very popular shopping center in…read moreCastro Valley. I feel like it's been a staple in downtown for many years, and give nostalgic memories for those that have lived in the area. Now with kiddos, we stopped by for a quick meal after a weekend event with a big group. We were able to grab seating right away and order at the register/grab our numbers. I miss a complimentary bread bar, and Rigatoni's has never failed with that :) Service is friendly and our meals came out accordingly. A few standout comforting dishes: the Rigatoni Bolognese, Broccoli & Chicken Rigatoni, Cheese Ravioli, House Made Lasagna, and the Fettuccine Alfredo to name a few. The lasagna comes with a rich meat sauce, but what I love about the rigatoni bolognese is that it comes in a cream sauce which is just so tasty. There's a little something for everyone on the menu here. They have a kiddo menu, sandos, salads and other starters, and combo meals for a smaller-sized entrée, a soda, and choice of starter soup or salad. They have soups and sauces to-go, and appears they do parties/catering. Rigatoni's will always have a special place in my heart ~ it's a pretty straight-forward establishment that does the trick. Parking can be found in the adjacent shopping center, pricing is fair.

I had dined at Paradiso once before and when I came back it was even better than I remember. I…read moredidn't have a reservation, but luckily I was able to put my name down on a Tuesday evening. All of the items on the menu sounded delicious. I chose between the salmon belly and the Hokkaido scallops, and went with the scallops. They did not disappoint! My cousin had the seafood fettuccine and she said it was fantastic. Our server, Teresa, was knowledgeable and friendly. She had the most charming Halloween themed sparkling earrings on. Our meal was delicious and the pace of the evening was just right. We were having such a lovely evening we didn't even realize we were finishing up dessert past closing time! I would definitely recommend Paradiso to anyone who appreciates good food and a fun and active atmosphere. I look forward to my next visit.

Walked in on a Saturday night with no reservations around 6:30 and was seated right away for a…read moreparty of two. We ordered the brussel sprouts, Venetian aracini, summer special with swordfish, and rigatoni bolognese. The brussel sprouts were tossed and coated in parmesan cheese. The pieces were crispy without feeling heavy and paired nicely with the chili aioli. The aracinis were delectable. The filling was creamy, but the tomatoes provided freshness to the dish. The swordfish is plated on top of basil pesto risotto. Never had swordfish before, but this had my tastebuds dancing. The piece of fish was decently sized, marinated and moist, although the risotto can get a bit heavy. The pasta was cooked to al dente, and there were chunks of meat throughout the dish. Solid plate of pasta. Came out already topped with parmesan cheese. Some of their menu items are a part of a pre fixe menu for $55 thats offered in the afternoons Monday-Friday such as the salmon, short rib, and chicken piccata options. There is a bar area located deep in the restaurant. The servers were attentive and checked up on us and refilled our water several times.

Husband and I were looking for a local spot for a quick date night. There's not a lot of places to…read moregrab a late night bite between San Leandro and Castro Valley. We've been next-door to Garden Café a handful of times, but decided we would like a cocktail tonight. Bartender was super friendly. Chatty amongst patrons while keeping everyone happy. Since there's no food at the bar, you are welcome to order something from Garden Café next-door, and bring over. If you're not in the mood for Chinese food, you're also more than welcome to bring your own food or order delivery. Literally says so on their drink menu! No frills, solid drinks, chill vibes on a Monday would definitely return.

No exaggeration - I had the best cocktail of my life here. I ordered a strawberry lavender gimlet…read moreand oh my. It was such a layered drink. I'm usually a two drink gal but I only needed one this day because I enjoyed sipping on this so much. I went during the day so it was pretty empty but the vibe was still right. They played good music and the bartender was friendly. I'll definitely be back.

Owner was so chill, knew everyone. Easy to talk with, seemed genuinely interested in what was going…read moreon on with her guests. The food was amazing and the drink selection was fun and interesting.

Talk about a hidden gem, I literally had to walk down into the basement but it was worth it. The…read moreambiance gives moody date night vibes but the bar area was very lively. We sat at a high table and our server was very prompt and explained some cute of the menu options. We sipped on Pinot Nior and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Both choices were spot on, plus we shared the hummas plate. It was filled with delicious nibbles and the hummus was so creamy and tasty. I can wait to visit again.

Exceptional. I…read moreworked with Tami, the events manager for my Mom's birthday celebration. She was responsive, thorough, and very transparent. In a world of guessing and reading between lines...she was as direct as they come. Love that! The food was 10/10. Every guest praised the experience, and were so grateful to be in a cozy space with friends old and new. We had 28 guests in the Tuscan room and that's definitely a bit on the tight end of capacity. The cocktails were delicious, and our dedicated server was a delight. Customer service was top notch. I ordered the prawn chittara to go and it was 100/10...I hope they never take it off their menu. Its phenomenal. Can't wait to come back for dinner soon.

Food: One of the…read morebest breads I've had! The dipping sauce is amazing as well. The Caesar salad has just the right amount of creaminess and a nice, noticeable anchovy flavor. The Linguine & Clams is delicious, with just the right amount of sauce, it keeps the clam flavor nice and intense while still giving me plenty of sauce to dip my cannelloni in. Everything was flavorful and well-balanced. Service: Our server was great and friendly. However, the older gentleman who appeared to be the manager didn't smile or greet us, which made the overall welcome feel a little cold. I also got the impression that the staff was more attentive and friendly toward their regular or assigned guests. I wish the overall service felt a little warmer and more welcoming. It would definitely make us feel more comfortable coming back as regulars. Ambiance: The restaurant is well maintained for an older establishment and has a comfortable, classic feel. The food is very good, and we enjoyed our meal. I just wish the overall atmosphere felt a little more welcoming, we'd love to feel like valued guests and become regulars.