We were craving a good homemade Italian meal and we read that Mama's meatballs were the real deal…read more We were not disappointed. We started with wine and they served little garlic bread balls as we went over the menu. We selected three appetizers (we had five in the group), the Bruschetta, caprese and the meatballs. The bruschetta came with three pieces, there were two meatballs and about six tomatoes and cheeses made the caprese. They were all delicious, but the meatballs were really good, a great homemade taste. We ordered a variety of mains: the salmon piccata, (nice size serving), baked penne (so good), Ravioli Di Ricotta (very tasty, less ricotta than the penne dish), Tortellacci Ring-shaped pasta filled with braised short ribs, served in ossobuco sauce (my favorite, paired great with the Chianti), and a penne with vodka sauce (my daughter raved about the sauce). For desert we forced ourselves to split up a bomba (Spumoni with chocolate shell) and a crème brûlée. Both were excellent, but we think we should have tried the Tiramisu because the menu said something about prepared table side. Well, I guess we'll have to come back, that and, we did not try the pizza! Well worth it, great meal, very attentive service, and a nice atmosphere with a formal dinner presentation.

We were really looking forward to trying out this place as I have had it bookmarked for a while. I…read moremade a reservation for a Saturday night at 7:00pm. We arrived and the hard working hostess sat us at a table for two. I wasn't thrilled with the table as it backed up to the order register so I felt like I had someone always standing over me. Our hostess quickly brought us waters and we began to wait. We probably sat for a good 15 minutes and we were ready to leave, however, Jaime saved the day as he approached our table and quickly made amends. There were other servers working but they seemed really lost or not interested in helping us. There were a lot of other large tables dining around us so I understand why we (a table of two) did not stand out. You never know who you are ignoring though. We quickly made our choices and selected Mama's Meatballs for an appetizer and we were excited to try the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina served in a pizza crust nest. Jamie did everything he could to take care of us, but he was slammed. He made sure to drop off an order of their garlic knots which were tasty. The meatballs arrived and the flavors were very good which made us excited for the main dish. I found the gnocchi to be somewhat disappointing. The gnocchi itself was good but the pizza nest should have had the sauce poured over it with maybe some seasoning and cheese. The pizza nest was dry and just unappealing. We probably should have ate more meatballs. Overall our experience here was very mediocre (3.5) between the service not being up to par and the food being just ok. I appreciate Jamie doing his very best but he could have used some help from the other servers. I will give a huge shout out to the hostess (wish I knew her name) as she hustles. She was clearing tables and setting up for new customers and really going above and beyond. Will I be back? Probably not but glad we got to try the meatballs.

We had such a wonderful experience at Giuseppe's in San Luis Obispo. From the moment we sat at the…read morebar, the atmosphere was fun, lively, and welcoming. It is exactly the kind of place where you can relax and enjoy a great meal. A big thank you to Jeff behind the bar, who took amazing care of us and made the whole experience even better. We also had the pleasure of meeting Giuseppe, the owner's son, who was incredibly kind, welcoming, and clearly passionate about the restaurant. The food was absolutely unbelievable. The Italian baguette sandwich is a must. It is so flavorful and perfectly done. The beet salad was fresh, delicious, and a great complement to the meal. We truly love sitting at the bar here. It has such a fun vibe, and we cannot wait to come back. Thank you again to Jeff for the outstanding service and to Giuseppe for running such a fabulous restaurant.

My husband and I were visiting San Luis Obispo for the first time and decided to stop by Giuseppe's…read morefor our anniversary. We had our dog with us, and when we stopped in during the afternoon while walking around downtown, the hostess was incredibly pleasant and helpful. She was tall with dark hair and gave us a great recommendation on what time to come back for dinner before things got too busy. We really appreciated how welcoming she was. We came back later that evening and checked in for a table. The hostess working then, who had short brown hair, told us the wait would be about an hour, so we decided to wait. We walked around with our dog and came back to check on our table. When I asked about the wait, she told me in what felt like a very condescending and dismissive tone that we had about 45 minutes left. I mentioned that it had already been about 30 minutes, and she then corrected herself. I completely understand that restaurants get busy and that working a busy dinner shift can be stressful, but there's still a way to communicate with customers without making them feel like an inconvenience. Our table was eventually ready, and we were taken through an alley to the back patio with our dog. Unfortunately, there wasn't much interaction or warmth during that process--no "How is your evening?" or anything that made us feel particularly welcomed. That being said, the food itself was good, and our server was fine. The service was a little slow, but the restaurant was extremely busy, so I think they may simply need additional staff to keep up with the volume. We noticed people who arrived after us were we're going to have a two hour wait. Personally, I wouldn't wait that long. Overall, the food was good and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere, but the customer service and extremely long wait took away from what was supposed to be a special anniversary evening. I think there is definitely room for improvement in how guests are treated while they're waiting.

Wonderful place. A gem. We sat outside, which was really…read morecute, and had great food and great service. Loved the short ribs (amazing dish), the green goddess salad as well as the Napoli style pizza. The dutch baby was a perfect ending for dinner, i love it when restaurant focus on a central cooking area like a big oven (in this case), so desserts have a similar theme. It feels very authentic.

The Ricotta & Honey pizza was so good, and the Bee Stang was another one of my favorite. The Spicy…read morePig was a bit too salty for our taste, the saltiness overpowered the toppings so it made it hard to fully enjoy the flavors. I like that you can choose between Neapolitan and Detroit-style pizza. Both were delicious, so I'd recommend getting one of each style to try. The ambiance is warm and cozy with a modern rustic vibe. There's both indoor seating and a nice outdoor patio. The service was okay. My only complaint is that I wish there were more than one restroom, especially during busy hours. A fun touch at the end of the meal was that they gave us gummy bears with the check. It was unique and left a great final impression.

Our group of 8 chose CDV for our Friday night meal to kick off the weekend, and we could not have…read moremade a better choice. You do feel as though you are in an Italian restaurant but there is a lot going on with the decor, from multi colored walls to a plate wall and random photos all around. Thankfully, we were so engrossed in our conversation and the amazing food, the chaotic decor did not detract from the experience. Our main server was Emma. We learned she has worked there for 10 years and she obviously is good at what she does and must love it a whole bunch. She was on every detail with our table and many around us. It was a fairly busy night but manageable. We ordered several different things from the menu and about 3 different bottles of wine. Emma came to the rescue to discuss and help make choices along the way. My order was the mushroom raviolis and it was so delicious. Everyone raved about their meal. Generous portions. You might want to sit your meal if you want dessert. You will not regret any dinner you have at this place. I'm already thinking ahead to when I can order those raviolis again. Yum!

Good food and service offset by lousy acoustics…read more We both had the beet salad which was tasty and nicely presented. The wife had roasted eggplant and I had the pork saltimbocca which were both tasty and generous in the portions. I noticed that a fair number of people took take-away boxes as did we. What threw things off was the terrible acoustics. All hard surfaces in a fairly small space meant that the any conversation anywhere added to a very high noise level even when the restaurant was only 2/3 full. And when people left towards the end of the night the musak was even worse, no clarity whatsoever just noise. It was difficult to carry on a normal conversation without leaning in to hear each other. We'll go back again, but just making sure that we sit outside.

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.

We visited Petra during a short stay in SLO for a conference. This is a solid little spot with…read moreample beer selections and mediterranean food. Service is front counter style with large fridges full of beer off to the side. I was surprised by how quickly I received my food given how busy the place was! The overall vibe was...fine? It definitely had a clear college bar meets log cabin aesthetic. A great place to grab a quick bite, but not necessarily the best spot to have a romantic meal. I ordered the beef kabob plate. The meat was cooked well, veggies were great, and the pita and tzatziki both had great flavor. We ordered some additional pita and hummus on the side, and the texture and flavor of the hummus were good. I purchased some baklava to-go, and it was easily my favorite part of the meal. Overall, I'd absolutely visit Petra again. It's definitely a staple of the area for a reason!

Luckily was only a 15 min wait on a weeknight at 730pm. The inside is small and cozy with limited…read morebar counter space as well as regular table seating. I can see why the wait could be up to hours long. I love sitting at the counters and watching the sushi being made and was able to be seated there! Service was friendly and very attentive Got the sushi boat which came with a variety of items. As a sushi lover, I appreciate that the fish was so fresh and silky. A little on the pricy side but worth the quality and splurge

Simply delicious…read more Professionally prepared. So fresh and balanced. I can't see how it could be any better. Also tried the fried squid legs-so perfectly cooked. Tender and battered well. Service staff was efficient and friendly. We always enjoy the atmosphere here, whether table or sushi bar. Try the sake with your meals, if you can ;)

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.

So, I just happen to be dining at one of my all time favorite restaurants tonight! It's been quite…read morea few years. Lo and behold, it's a surprisingly great restaurant for low carb. They have an extensive selection of gluten free dishes. I ordered the Timballo Valdostano, aka eggplant Parmesan. No breading on the eggplant. Had a favorite of mine for wine, the Tablas Creek white blend with Viogner, Marsanne, and Roussane grapes. Oh man, I've missed this wine! A real treat! Their Montepulciano by the glass was also excellent. As someone who's dined in Tuscany, tonight's meal took me back to that. Also, what restaurant now a days does this. Not only did they ask if I wanted my leftover boxed (not by me), but they brought it back with a cute little sticker sealing the box! I'm super bad at remembering server's name, but not tonight. Thank you Jackson!

Visiting Paso Robles for a quick getaway so we did not make reservations ahead of time. However, we…read morecalled on our way to Paso and was able to snag a dinner reservation. They only had outdoor seating for the time we wanted to dine. Which worked out great for us. There's a heater outside so we were warm seating outside on this windy day. I think this was a better deal as the tables inside were very cramped/close together. There's just enough room to get by between tables! Out side we had a nice table and able to spread out a little. A much more comfortable option. We had a trainee waiter (Julio) and his supervisor Lalo ( I think that's his name). They had quite a list of specials the poor guy had to recite! He did a great job. The food was really good and portions were generous. We had Linguine ai muscoli di Mare e porri (withshrimp, scallops, clams and mussels) in a white wine sauce -I asked for the cream to be omitted. We also had the Orecchiette con rapine e luganega. Delicious and very generous portion We were stuffed and had to decline dessert. Definitely will come back again.

We were lucky to get reservations for 4 of us at 8. I had the eggplant dish with Penne pasta. My…read morehusband had the Fettuccini de carne miste. Both were awesome. There was fresh basil in my eggplant dish which was a wonderful finish. Claudia was our server. She was very very knowledgeable and attentive to our party. We were able to bring a bottle from To in James winery which they allow the first bottle free corkage otherwise $35.00.

So delicious, excellent service and great location in downtown Paso…read more We visited with a group of 6 ladies with reservations and our server was attentive throughout our experience, making sure our drinks were full and our food delivered successfully and quickly. Everything we ordered was really outstanding and it's not surprising given they make their pasta in house. Highlights from our meals included Pappardelle Al Cinghiale - homemade pappardelle with wild boar ragu and Aragosta - lobster tagliolini, Mighty Cap Mushrooms in a light champagne cream sauce. We found out Il Cortile is loved by the locals, so you know it's a solid choice for visitors. A must try for lovers of fresh pasta in Paso.

We came here for my birthday dinner with a 7:15 reservation, and while the food and our server Yuki…read morewere genuinely great, the hostess experience was so frustrating it colored the entire evening. We arrived on time and stood at the entrance for about 7 minutes with zero acknowledgment. Servers and bussers walked right past us, no one said a word. When the hostess finally showed up, there was no apology, just a question about our reservation. She said our table was "almost ready" since the current guests had paid, but then refused to seat us at either of two open 4 tops, saying she wanted to save them for larger parties, even though at least four other 4 tops around the room already had just two people seated at them. She offered us a drink while we waited "a few minutes." Fifteen minutes later, still no table and no drinks provided, while guests with later reservations were seated ahead of us. When we asked again, her story changed: now the original table hadn't actually paid yet. By this point it had been 25 minutes past our reservation, so we finally confronted her directly and pointed out the empty 4 tops with only two people at them. Her explanation was that those parties had reservations, and I reminded her that we had a reservation too. She reluctantly seated us after that, with no apology or acknowledgement. What made it even more frustrating was watching her, later in the evening, seat other parties of two at 4 tops without any hesitation at all. There was never any acknowledgment of the wait or any reason given for why the rules seemed to apply differently to us. It's a shame, because the food and Yuki's service were excellent and deserved a five star night. But the disorganized, inconsistent hosting at the door made the first half hour of my birthday dinner stressful instead of special. Ask for Yuki if you go, just brace yourself at the door.

Came here for dinner Friday night at 8pm for 2 with no reservation. We parked in a nearby free lot…read morebut they said they validate if you park in the structure. We were walk in, the hostess offered us seating in two bar areas and also made room in the front room for us. We sat at a table in the front room. It had nice ambiance and nicely decorated with plants. Our server was super sweet and helpful. We ordered a Paloma which was great but I heard the pisco sours are good and homemade. Wish we tried one but next time! The service was so fast. When we got our cocktail the food arrived! We ordered the señor lomo which was their lomo saltado. It was sooo good. The sauce was so flavorful and the filet mignon was very tender. It came with a lot of veggies, fries and rice too. Also ordered the escabeche which was a sea bass with similar delicious sauce and veggies. It had mixed colored roasted potato's underneath. Fish and the dish was soft and equally flavorful and delicious. I would say the sauce was slightly lighter than señor lomo. They had a platter of desserts on display. Wish we could have all of them. They all looked pretty and delicious. We tried the papaya creme brûlée. Thought it mostly tasted just like creme brûlée. Highly recommend. It is one of the best Peruvian places I've been. Kinda pricy though, each dish was about $40.

excellent food, seriously disorganized service…read more The food at Mistura had some genuinely outstanding moments, but the service was poor enough to significantly affect the overall experience. The Tamalito Negro was easily the highlight of the meal and one of the most memorable dishes I've had recently. The Peruvian black squid ink tamale was soft and flavorful, and the creamy ají amarillo sauce worked beautifully with the shrimp. It was creative, distinctive, and absolutely worth ordering. The Corazón, or grilled beef heart anticucho, was also excellent. It still had the characteristic flavor of beef heart, which I appreciated, rather than being over-marinated or disguised. The texture was just right: tender but not artificially soft, with enough chew to remain satisfying without being tough. The Seco de Cordero was much less impressive. The lamb was fine, but the cilantro-based sauce was too salty for me, and the dish did not have the same refinement or excitement as the two appetizers. At $50, I expected more. I also tried the classic Pisco Sour, which was smooth, refreshing, and much stronger than it tasted. Unfortunately, the service was extremely disorganized. After I was seated, nobody came to take my order until I actively called someone over. I was not given water and had to request it when the cocktail finally arrived. My server also entered my order incorrectly and ordered a second Tamalito Negro instead of the Corazón. The food runner noticed that I had already received the tamale, took it back to confirm with the kitchen, and only then was the mistake discovered. As a result, my appetizer arrived after my entrée. I also waited a long time after asking for the check and a to-go box, although the server eventually took the food to the back and packed it for me. The kitchen clearly has talent, particularly with the Tamalito Negro and Corazón. But at this price point, guests should not have to repeatedly flag someone down for basic service, water, correct ordering, and the check. I would consider returning for the food, but the service needs major improvement.