When I first arrived in Santa Monica from New York in 1993, I always opted to eat at a natural…read morefoods café just next-door to Fritto Misto, and I unfortunately never gave them a chance. Last week, I was in the mood for "Italian", and I remembered Fritto Misto, and I looked at their menu. They had meals that sounded delicious, and I was delighted that they served whole wheat and gluten-free pasta options. I wound up having a fantastic meal there, and I ate there again this week. Everything is so fresh, flavorful, and delicious! The environment is very warm and friendly, and the staff is very accommodating and helpful. I didn't feel like I had to choose between health and flavor when I was there; I got both! Bravo, Fritto Misto! A big thank you to Robert, the owner, and the two waiters/servers who helped me; Kevin and Carlos. Though I don't drink, a big thank you to the bartenders who were very friendly and helpful when I walked in.

Ambiance: - Located in santa monica, so parking is a bit…read moredifficult - Lots of seating inside and on the patio - employees friendly and helpful Food: - Artichoke & Mascarpone Stuffed Gnocchi: crowd favorite, good chew in the gnocchi - Black and White Spaghettini with bolognese: standard bolognese sauce, and good texture of the black and white noodles

IN CRE DI BLE! staff perfect, food perfect, atmosphere perfect, everything perfect!!! even had the…read moretwo portions of my main! Will be coming back all the time!

Exceptional food, standout service, and leadership that truly cares…read more We visited Uovo late in the evening in on Easter and stayed until closing, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. The pasta was easily some of the best we've had outside of Italy -- simple, authentic, and executed at a very high level. It genuinely felt like being transported back to Italy. Every dish was balanced, fresh, and memorable. Our server, Kiara, delivered exceptional hospitality. She made us feel welcome, relaxed, and genuinely taken care of the entire evening. She's a great example of how service should be done. We enjoyed it so much that we were recommending the restaurant to people on our way out. There was a situation during our visit that concerned me at the time. I won't go into details here, but what matters most is how it was handled. Shortly after, I was contacted directly by the regional manager. He had already reviewed the situation internally and addressed it promptly. Our conversation was thoughtful, professional, and focused on doing the right thing. What stood out most is their philosophy: they're not just in the business of serving pasta -- they're in the business of taking care of people. That clearly extends to both their guests and their team. That level of accountability and leadership is rare, and it turned a great experience into one that I respect even more. Kiara absolutely represents the standard they aim for, and we'll definitely be back.

The food was good. Portions were a bit small, but even after…read morefinishing dessert, I still felt like I could eat a little more. The pasta was just my style, and the steak... well, it was just steak. The dessert was nothing special, but overall, it was a solid meal. Next time, I'd probably skip dessert and order four dishes instead.

I visited Piccolo for DineLA a few weeks ago and had a great evening! I'd heard of this place for a…read morewhile but had never been, so I'm glad I finally got to give it a try. I came here on a Friday evening and was able to find metered street parking fairly easily. My friends and I were fortunate enough to be seated in the gorgeous back patio, and the multiple heaters kept us toasty warm despite the chilly winter evening. I participated in the DineLA menu, which was priced at $45 for 3 courses - not bad for LA, especially Santa Monica. I started with the octopus salad and was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion size. The octopus had a nice char and tasted pretty tender, though I'd say it was cooked just a tiny bit too long for my liking. For my entree, I was in the mood for a cheesy bowl of carbs, so I opted for the Pici Guanciale e Cipolla, which essentially tasted like a carbonara. I loved that the housemate pici noodles were cooked perfectly al dente and had a delightfully chewy texture, and the parmesan fondue coated each bite of noodles with velvety goodness. For dessert, my weakness for chocolate took over, and I had to try the Tronchetto. Though I was initially a bit underwhelmed by the small portion size, it ended up being the perfect amount given how rich and decadent the chocolate mousse was. Throughout the evening, our servers were knowledgeable, welcoming, and attentive - almost a little too attentive, as they tried to clear my plates before I finished eating on a few occasions. However, they profusely apologized and I acknowledged that there was only one bite left each time (I was really trying to lick the plates clean), so we had a good laugh about it. I'm really glad I was able to try out Piccolo's DineLA menu, and I loved the romantic and intimate ambiance. This would be a perfect date night spot!

food was incredible. good ambience and amazing views. some of the juiciest chicken i've ever hadread more

To keep it 100, Élephante is a beautiful restaurant with incredible service, the staff was kind…read moreevery step of the way and they made my friends birthday so special. The food is okay. The tuna tar tar tasted generic and the sauces carried, you couldn't really taste the fish. The calamari was incredible, but also tasted like 5 other calamari's I've had, it wasn't bad, but it didn't bring that south of Italy that the restaurant aspired to produce. The two pizzas we got were the burrata and the wild mushroom pizza The burrata was rich and the tomato's were fresh, and the wild mushroom was amazing. I wish I only got that, maybe I should've tried more of the menu, I was really pleased with my dinner But it's not as special as it seems

My daughter and I had dinner at I'll Forno last week. Food was great, however our rib eye steak was…read morekind of tough. In an after dinner review request from I'll Forno, I mentioned this and the owner sent me a lovely email and graciously removed the charge for the steak and even offered to by a round of drinks next time we were in. This is great customer service and appreciation. Can't wait to return!

Valentine's Day is one of the busiest days of the year if not the busiest for restaurants so it's…read morealways tough going to a new place and reviewing on such a crazy day but Il Forno took it in stride and handled it like any other dinner service. The restaurant is really nice inside, the moment you walk in you feel like you're in for a treat. The staff are friendly and attentive, our waiter in particular was outstanding. My wife had a pizza which came out fresh and hot and very tasty and I went for the black and white Tagliolini, mine was very tasty. The scallops might have been a tiny bit overdone, they had a little bit of bounce to them but they were still delicious and very well seasoned. Dessert we had the chocolate raspberry cake and it was a perfect finish to the night. Incredible service, outstanding food and despite it all they are still very reasonably priced. Can't say enough nice things about Il Forno, you'll just have to go see for yourself.

Good cheese boards and pasta. Like the outside space in the back area in the Santa Monica location.read more

This place is my go-to when I'm craving Italian for lunch. It's very easy to get to, and we've…read morealways been able to get a table during lunch. The staff is great, and the menu offers a nice variety of dishes. Some favorites are the mushroom pizza, boar ragù, sole, and branzino. We often bring out-of-town guests here because of the convenient location and their ability to accommodate larger parties. Our favorite table when dining with friends is the one immediately to the left when you enter- it's more tucked away from the rest of the restaurant, making it cozy, more intimate, and easier to have conversations. Dinner typically requires a reservation unless you arrive early, and it's much livelier than lunchtime. The wine recommendations are always excellent, and it's a great spot for a relaxed, leisurely meal. They strike the perfect balance between a polished dining experience and attentive service. We usually sit inside, but now that we have a puppy, we're looking forward to enjoying their patio on our next visit. Parking is easy- if meters aren't available, there's plenty of parking on nearby residential side streets (just pay attention to the signs). It's also a great area to walk around afterward for dessert or coffee.

Im a big Italian food lover and the pasta was great! Literally to almost perfection!…read more The quality of the food was amazing, you can tell they take passion in making sure all the food is made with fresh produce. We were seated in the outside patio and the environment was warming. Plants, fresh, breeze, old school pizza machines. Such a good vibe.

I had such a mixed but ultimately great experience at Milo & Olive…read more The food? Honestly incredible. Everything we ordered was packed with flavor and felt really thoughtfully made. The Diavola pizza I ended up choosing was so good--perfect balance of spice, richness, and that classic wood-fired taste. The bolognese was super authentic and just oozing with flavor, and the Caesar salad totally surprised me--in the best way. It had these tiny crunchy crumbs on top that gave it such a unique texture. BUT I have to mention something that really threw me off. I asked one of the pizza makers which pizza she recommended because I was stuck between a few options, and she paused, looked at me, and said, "I don't really like the pizzas here." I genuinely didn't know how to respond. I even had to double-check with my friend to make sure I heard her correctly. It was such a strange moment... especially because the pizza ended up being amazing. On the flip side, our server was fantastic. Even though she was clearly slammed, she kept checking in and made sure we knew she hadn't forgotten about us. That level of attentiveness goes a long way. Overall: incredible food, great service, but one very confusing interaction. I'd definitely come back..just maybe skip asking the pizza maker for recommendations next time

I had a great dining experience at Cento Pasta Bar. The food was coursed out properly, and was…read moredelicious. I can definitely recommend the grilled octopus, rigatoni pasta, and hamachi crudo. Service was also amazing! Parking is tough; I recommend you valet. Overall, they had a great cocktail menu. Definitely worth the drive out there.

Cute Italian spot with outdoor patio & indoor counter areas! Perfect for girls night out & date…read morevibes! My sister and I came in without reservations around 8pm and they sat us inside on the counter after 10 minutes of waiting. They were pretty full for table dining. We ordered: Steak Tartare (4/5) - Bread was perfectly oiled & crispy on the outside and chewy in the inside. The tonnato was very umami and made the dish but the steak itself was alright. Spicy Pomodoro (3.5/5) - This didn't hit as hard for me; I wished it was more spicy and I didn't taste any truffle. Pasta itself was perfectly al dente. Sweet Corn Agnolotti (5/5) - This was delish! Make sure to get equal parts of the pasta, sauce, corn, and crème fraiche (like a light sour cream) to get that flavor explosion. Creme was a little sour, corn was sweet, and the agnolotti was salty; perfect bite fr. My only negative is that this dish was too small for $28 :(. Blood Orange Pavlova (4/5) - A truly layered dessert because if you ate the sorbet by itself, it would be too sour but otherwise, another flavor explosion. The pavlova was thick and you really have to jam your spoon in to break the pieces apart. Service was friendly and fast! Overall, I'd come back!

Ospi Venice does a great job and I'm glad to have tried them at last. I had enjoyed restaurant…read moreJemma di Mare in Brentwood and imagined their sister Ospi would also be a hit. Ospi is a bit more Americanized, and they do that very well. Spacious and gets crowded, so a reservation is a good idea. Fun cocktails and a variety of wines to choose from, if you're so inclined. The Chef's Negroni is a soothing, smoky and somewhat sweet cocktail that starts with cathedral mezcal. I loved it. We ordered a several dishes - and let's start by saying you must try the ricotta. 'Whipped cheese, sea salt' does not do it justice, but it's wonderful and perfect to share. The Beef Tartare is another winner, served with crispy potato and parm. It's pretty huge, and rich, and conveniently cut into pieces for easy sharing. The crunch potato chips on top are a nice finish. A creative take on a classic, purists might wonder what's going on, until they taste it. The Caesar is huge and great to share, too, as well as the Crispy Rhode Island Calamari. These are more in the department of comfortable staples, but are delicious crowdpleasers, nonetheless. Of the entrees we ordered, everyone seemed to like mine the most: Malloreddus (bbef cheek, ragu napoletano, thyme, toscano). It sounded a bit quirky, but inviting. The server gave it a bit thumbs up, so I'm glad to have ventured this way. Served over the small pasta pieces that you can watch being made closer to the front of the restaurant. The Lemon Tagliolini features lobster 'fry diavolo', basil and pistachio. Not too spicy, and the lobster and pasta were perfectly cooked. The cannelloni was perhaps the one entree that, while good, did not rise above 'just fine'. Perhaps the flavors were a bit toned down that night, or maybe overwhelmed by the gorgeous Sorrentina blanket of mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil. Dessert was good, and the DIY affogato was delicious. Noteworthy service, and a friendly sometimes boisterous energy in the restaurant help make for a fun dining experience.

We were at Ospi for Mother's Day celebration. We started…read morewith the biscuit and kale salad. I'm a kale lover but this salad was one of the best I have had. Next was Copione pizza with a super thin crust and beautifully balanced sauce. Spicy Rigatoni was not spicy at all but delicious. I was a little disappointed by the Breakfast carbonara. Poached egg on top of the pasta is not the best choice. Overall our experience was great and we will definitely go back if we are in the area.

Last-minute dinner on a Friday night of a holiday weekend, fully expected a long wait and chaos…read more Instead: no wait, smooth seating, and genuinely great service. Already winning. We ordered the calamari to start (perfectly crisp, not greasy), split a pizza that was solid and satisfying, and I had a pasta with a white sauce that was rich, comforting, and exactly what I wanted. Everything came out hot, well-paced, and clearly made with care. For a spontaneous plan on one of the busiest nights of the weekend, this was an easy, enjoyable dinner. Consistent food, attentive service, and zero stress. Would absolutely come back, especially knowing they can handle a crowd without dropping the ball.

Stopped by North Italia for an early lunch and had a great experience. The space is…read morebeautiful--plenty of seating, a large bar, and a really inviting outdoor patio. We grabbed seats at the bar and Max took great care of us. Service was attentive without being overbearing. We shared the seasonal burrata, fungi pizza, and beet with chicken salad--everything was excellent. The standout was definitely the pizza. Some of the best I've had in recent memory--thin, perfectly cooked, and just really well done. Will absolutely be back.