Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Spasso Ristorante

    3.9 (723 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Spasso Ristorante Takeout or Delivery

    Spasso Ristorante Photos

    Business Info

    SPASSO RISTORANTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Spasso Ristorante

    Recommended Reviews - Spasso Ristorante

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Horrific experience.

    I ordered over $200 of food via DoorDash, and the chicken Parm had zero seasoning whatsoever. It tasted like it was smothered in ketchup. The truffle risotto was tasteless. I don't typically leave reviews, but after spending $200 here I truly regret my decision.

    Wild Mushroom Ravioli
    Melissa C.

    Located in downtown San Carlos, Spasso has an elegant vibe inside the restaurant but still a spot you can go to for a more casual dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was brought out fairly quickly. We were served bread and a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dipping sauce with caramelized onions while we waited for our food to arrive. The dipping sauce for the bread was so amazing that we asked the server for extra bread and dipping sauce to take home and he gave an extra sauce to us. I would come back for this dipping sauce because it was that good. Items ordered: - Crab cakes ($22): Comes with 3 Dungeness crab cakes with sesame soy aioli and served with salad. Crab cakes were soft and pretty filling for a starter. The salad had a different dressing that contrasted the sesame soy aioli, but I didn't mind it too much. - Wild mushroom ravioli ($26): I loved how the dish came with a lot of mushroom and the garlic roasted cream sauce definitely elevated this dish. Would get this again! - Veal piccata ($36): The veal was tender and had great flavor. The capers added an extra taste that was pretty strong and a bit salty, so may be better to eat with a few capers if you don't prefer the strong flavor from the capers. The mash potatoes and spinach for the sides was delicious.

    Chocolate Lava Cake
    Lindsey G.

    Spasso Ristorante is such a charming spot with authentic vibes and pasta dishes that are beautifully portioned--dainty yet flavorful and satisfying. We started with the prime rib spring rolls, which were spot-on in texture and flavor--light enough to still enjoy the rest of the meal. For mains, I had the veal cannelloni, which was tender and superb, while the penne with chicken came highly recommended and did not disappoint--rich, balanced, and absolutely delicious. We finished with the bread pudding and chocolate lava cake. Both were good but didn't quite hit the same elevated level as the mains. My Spasso espresso martini was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the staff graciously swapped it for a glass of Justin wine, which was perfect. We left with happy bellies and leftovers to enjoy later. Spasso is definitely a must-visit for authentic Italian and warm, welcoming service.

    Winnie K.

    I wanted to give maybe a 3.7-ish...? Went here on Valentine's Day. Food was good. Service was good. The server took our order wrong and they were fast enough to give us the correct dish after like 5 mins. A bit disappointing was they changed their menu on Valentine's Day, which originally we wanted to order the seafood plates from their regular menu but they no longer serve it on Valentine's Day, which led to some disappointment). They mark up their menu prices (increase $2-$4 per item) on Valentine's Day's which makes sense to me. I am new to the area so I might try out some other Italian places in the area and see which one is my favorite....

    Veal Piccata ! So tender and flavorful!
    Amanda M.

    Tucked away amidst the various shops in downtown San Carlos, exists a truly exquisite Italian restaurant worth the hassle of finding nearby parking ! Spasso's menu is minimal, but I've come to learn that it's better to be excellent at preparing a few dishes than decent at many. And I'll tell you what... the dishes here do NOT disappoint! From flavor to portion-size, to presentation and variety, this place has all your bases covered. While there does not appear to be any dress code for attendance, I will mention that the decor is definitely elegant so prepare yourself for an upscale dining experience. The service here was great. The entire wait staff was helpful and quick to bring you whatever your heart desires. Side note: come thirsty! The drinks here are phenomenal! Just be aware, the limoncello is small, but packs a wallop of a punch!

    Mushroom Truffle Bruschetta
    Divya K.

    My husband and I visited the restaurant during our short stay in San Carlos. The ambience is nice and so was the food. There was complimentary bread and balsamic olive oil with onions in it to start with. The balsamic was so good. Really liked the addition of onions in it. We ordered the mushroom bruschetta, pork chop and saffron pappardelle. The bruschetta was really good. I could taste the truffle oil in it. The only let down was the pappardelle. It tasted a bit bland. We ended our dinner with tiramisu which was really good and strong on the coffee. Overall a nice date it was!

    Tomato Bruschetta
    Jeneivie M.

    Visited this spot with my boyfriend for our first date and now our 1 year and they do not disappoint. the food is amazing, very full of flavor and portion sizing is perfect. we've tried their bruschetta, dungeness crab cakes, penne with chicken, oven baked chicken parmesan, and the grilled salmon. we've also tasted their wine - pinot grigio mezzacorona, reisling, and savignon blanc girard. the service is exceptionally fast and efficient. the staff would check in regularly to see how things were and promptly gave water refills when necessary (which i highly appreciate). the ambiance is nice for a formal/casual dinner. especially for our first date and one year, it was really special. i'd highly recommend this spot for special occasions or just a nice night out with friends or family. (:

    Saffron Pappardelle
    Sammi O.

    We like to come here for nicer celebration meals! The bread and olive oil dip is honestly the star of the show. It's complementary and warm and delicious. Meal wise everyone was happy with their choices. They accommodate allergies/make substitutions and my sister loves the teriyaki skirt steak. The veal piccata was very good. The pastas are pretty good but less stand out. I thought the veal cannelloni was a bit like a lasagna. The texture of the pappardelle was perfect. It gets busy so make a reservation!

    Veal Cannelloni
    Renee F.

    We had a wonderful dinner at Spasso's. Our server, Yaren was friendly & sweet, making sure we were taken care of. She even asked if we were celebrating anything special, just so she didn't miss it. Food was delicious, starting with the Bruscetta and the Buratta apps. We had several entrees, including the Sausage Rigatoni, Chicken wrapped in Pancetta, Chicken Parmesan, Veal Cannelloni For dessert I tried the Tiramisu and the Créme brûlée, both which we very tasty. The restaurant itself is cozy and comfortable with a full bar. A nice place for dinner or a special meal.

    Seafood pasta
    Karyn N.

    Had a good outdoor lunch on Easter. Spasso has nice ambiance both inside and outside. Appetizer: -prime rib rolls- it is similar like a fried Tex mex egg rolls with meat and cheese. It had a good flavor, nothing special. Food: -seafood pasta: very good. Plenty of seafood and the sauce is well flavored. I would order again. -skirt steak: it's excellent. The strip steaks were so tender and melt in your mouth. Highly recommend. The wines: had a good selection but not too many Italian wines by the glass for an Italian restaurant. Service was 4 star: fast and attentive, not exceptional. Overall experience: would recommend.

    Bar
    Dave K.

    So many great outdoor spots in downtown Redwood City. Inside at the bar / tables or outside you can't go wrong! Great sign that the restaurant was very busy on a Sunday night. We lucked into two seats at the bar. The bartender was in the middle of a conversation with 2 regulars but quickly got to us with setups and drinks. I strongly recommend the martini. Perfectly chilled. Great way to start a Sunday Date Night! Our order was very ordinary (bolognese and eggplant parm) but it was anything but. Perfect aldente pasta. Delicious rich bolognese. Cooked down to mouth watering goodness. The eggplant parm was tender and flavored. Incredible. Service was on point. 100% going back.

    Raw chicken hidden beneath that mushroom sauce - glad it was obvious!
    Cristina A.

    I want to give this place 5 stars for the service, and am giving them 2 instead of 1 for being generally good and a safe place to eat, but I am not sure WHAT in the world occurred in the kitchen yesterday evening. It was a very quiet weekday evening at Spasso with maybe only two other parties at the entire restaurant. I usually order a chicken parmesan or the chicken bolognese, but decided to give the pancetta wrapped chicken a try! As soon as it came out and we began to dig into our food, I noticed how difficult it was to cut into the chicken... erm... ... because it was completely raw. There was no doubt about it as it wasn't even pink only in a thick section - it was served more like a rare steak would. I laughed and sent it back. But in all seriousness I hope they have a serious conversation with the cooks. Completely unacceptable.

    Tomato Mozzarella Arancini

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    17 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lindsey G.
    14
    253
    1002

    10 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 3
    Photo of G T.
    0
    13
    0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    29 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Karyn N.
    77
    22
    45

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Aj P.
    476
    13
    7

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Santino D.
    110
    93
    329

    6 months ago

    Absolutely incredible food! Great service! Phenomenal dessert! Can't wait to go back!!!!!!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Fely R.
    49
    13
    0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Q Q.
    0
    604
    176

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Max P.
    33
    11
    1

    1 year ago

    My family and I love their food, service is great and friendly and fast. Their chicken parmigianno is our go to.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joy X.
    14
    264
    0

    7 months ago

    Solid Italian restaurant. My family and I really enjoyed the mushroom ravioli, pesto gnocchi, and chicken bolognese

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    The service was over the top! The food was great and the ambiance was very nice. Will definitely go back again.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rocker 1.
    2
    319
    64

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of To G.
    0
    53
    1

    7 months ago

    Very good, not great, not home cooked level, but very edible and service was good. Would try again.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 19

    Spasso Ristorante Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Spasso Ristorante

    What's your corkage fee?

    From their website, "Corkage fee is $20 per bottle. No Corkage Sunday and Monday Nights"

    Hi. Are you open for delivery or curbside pickup during covid-19? For alcohol too? Thanks. R

    Hi Robert, We are open for pickup and for delivery only dinners. 7 days a week between 4pm-8pm… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Doppio Zero San Carlos

    Doppio Zero San Carlos

    3.9(305 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$
    Family-owned & operated
    Established in 2023

    Came in on a Thursday night and had a great evening with delicious food. I don't usually have…read moreItalian cuisine but I was in the mood for it, and I'm so glad I gave this place a shot. To me the star of the show is their pizzas; there's a variety of options and they're each made very well. The pizza had a good snap and thin crust- made it addictive; burrata cheese was creamy and the pistachios were a great addition on the mortadella pizza for added texture. Thursday night still had a decent amount of people so it's a little noisy but I could walk in and get a table no problem. Service was super friendly and my waiter patiently and eagerly explained the menu items to us.

    Food - I thought it was great. Pizza was delicious. The branzino was good. Salad and broccolini…read morewere delicious. Wine was good and a generous pour. Service - they were on top of it, and everybody was Italian, which made it feel like you might actually be somewhere in Italy! Ambience - this is where they fell down for me. At these prices, and with this level of quality of food and service, it just felt sort of like being in a cafeteria to me. And we were placed at a table which was super awkward, kind of partly next to a wall, partly not, and one of the waiters for a big table behind us literally bumped into my chair every time he walked by, which was super annoying. They have cheesy plastic cards on the table with a QR code that you're supposed to look at for something... I'm not sure what as they actually hand you a real menu. Tacky. All in all, I'd go back though because the food was really good. Maybe try sitting outside and see how the outside patio feels.

    Photos
    Doppio Zero San Carlos
    Doppio Zero San Carlos
    Doppio Zero San Carlos

    See all

    Impasto by Terun - Semi private up to 18

    Impasto by Terun

    4.2(190 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    I've eaten at Impasto multiple times now. After an amazing experience at their parent restaurant…read moreiTalico in Palo Alto I was excited to eat here. I have not been disappointed in any of my visits. The food is amazing salad, pasta, the best lasagna I've ever had and of course pizza you can't miss here. Last date night my wife and I splurged on cocktails and loved both the old fashion and the special martini. My last visit though was a highlight as our server Alex just went above and beyond. My daughter and I enjoyed a daddy daughter date and capped the day with dinner and got the best service from Alex. He got our food out to us without delay made small talk and just completely made us feel at home. In the days of turning over tables to make a profit Alex and Impasto made us feel more like family than customers.

    A compact spot by San Carlos Caltrain station serving Italian food. They have indoor and outdoor…read moreseating. Since it was rather cool, we'd reserved indoor seating and were seated promptly as we arrived. The service is friendly and courteous, but can get a bit patchy. We ordered some drinks and one of our dining companions wanted to sample two wines to make their decision. However, our food arrived before the drinks and they handed us a glass of wine, forgetting about the tasting portion they was requested. The cocktails were good, so that was a win. We got the Rigatoni Bolognese which was okay (3/5) and the Neapolitan style Calabrian pizza (5/5) which we enjoyed. This is topped with creamy burrata cheese and had dramatic looking chilies on it which didn't really help the flavor but made for a stunning photo. The service can be super attentive, when one of folks realized we were sharing the Rigatoni Bolognese, they were quick to give us an extra serving fork without asking. These small touches go a long way to making a meal special and we appreciated it. Being rather full, we skipped dessert but they got us complimentary Limoncello which was a nice touch. I'll look forward to returning to try more of their burrata and pizzas!

    Photos
    Impasto by Terun - The room

    The room

    Impasto by Terun - Terun Pizza

    Terun Pizza

    Impasto by Terun - Lasagne, fichi pizza, eggplant polpette

    See all

    Lasagne, fichi pizza, eggplant polpette

    Vivace Ristorante

    Vivace Ristorante

    3.9(606 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    We were a group of 15 moms celebrating May birthdays and welcoming summer, and we had such a…read morewonderful experience. The ambiance was warm and perfect for a lively but comfortable gathering. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, and a special thank you to our waiter for being so thoughtful and attentive--ensuring everything was served in the right order and flowed perfectly for a large group. Great hospitality, great food, and a truly enjoyable evening.

    Absolutely odd and off-putting experience. We hosted my dad's birthday dinner here, and…read moreunfortunately the service really put a damper on the night. The older gentleman serving us was extremely strict, rushed, and constantly lingering around our table. He repeatedly checked if we were ready to order and would just stand nearby if we weren't. It felt like there was no breathing room, especially while we were still enjoying appetizers. I honestly didn't understand the rush. When we finally decided to order, I let him know we were ready but politely asked if he could start at the other end of the table because I personally wasn't ready yet. He told me no, that he had to start from the head of the table. Mind you, he was literally holding a sheet numbered 1-12, so it didn't seem like it would've been an issue to accommodate a simple request. Thankfully, the food itself was good and honestly saved this review. However, the service continued to disappoint. I had to leave early and kindly asked if he could pack my food. He put his finger up, said "one second," then walked away to help another table he seemed much friendlier with. He never came back, and I ended up asking another employee for help. The food was great, but the service needs a lot of improvement. I don't know if employees aren't trained to uphold a standard for their customer service or if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed???? I'd only consider coming back because of the food.

    Photos
    Vivace Ristorante - Bar area

    Bar area

    Vivace Ristorante - Prawns and scallop Risotto

    Prawns and scallop Risotto

    Vivace Ristorante - Double cut pork chop is always delicious!

    See all

    Double cut pork chop is always delicious!

    Pazzo - margherita pizza

    Pazzo

    4.4(529 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Call me an older timer (ok don't please!) but I remember this place when it was once called Rumi…read more Fast forward it now to Pazzo which has now been a staple on Laurel Street for a looooong time! This place deserved a review awhile ago as this is now my 3rd time back to experience with stretches in between (I moved around a bit, nothing personal!) This last time though for sure deserves all the stars! We decided to come here because my kiddos wanted pizza AND pasta. As it once was said, "Hey! Give them want they want!"... we had just finished a play date so serious hunger was upon us. Pazzo came to mind and I had never taken the kids with me so we just went for it, and thank you brick oven gods for leading us straight to you. It was quite busy and we lucked out getting a seat quickly, we were met with the sweetest most understand cool waiter (a young gent) that saw my kids ravenous faces and helped get us settled and eating quick! His service was beyond and I am super regretting for forgetting his name! We ordered 1 Caesar salad so good kids asked for another. For meal ordered 2 seafood linguinis and a sausage pizza. Everything was just delicious and just right...you can't beat the atmosphere which is loud (not obnoxiously) and family and fun date friendly! This place has a following and you should get on it too if you haven't yet tried!

    Expectations is high coming here due to the recent episode on Check Please. We ordered the…read moreCavatelli pasta ($22) and Special pizza of the day ($30) pepperoni, pecorino and pepper. It took almost 30 minutes for the food to arrive and we were the first at the restaurant when they opened at 4pm. Pasta portion is small and a little salty but is good overall. Taste 4/5;value 3/5 Pizza has burned edge and not balance in taste. It is salty and the crust is very thin which made it floppy. Taste 3/5; value 2/5 Service is very good. 4/5 The restaurant is small and noisy. It was almost full by 5pm on a Saturday.

    Photos
    Pazzo - Pizza was wood fire

    Pizza was wood fire

    Pazzo - Caesar salad

    Caesar salad

    Pazzo - Linguine with prawns, pancetta, beans, garlic

    See all

    Linguine with prawns, pancetta, beans, garlic

    Spasso Ristorante - italian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...