This is a genuine Italian restaurant with delicious food. Many people celebrate special occasions here and the staff sings Happy Birthday with a guitar. The service was impressive (gluten free pasta is available for most dishes). The atmosphere is fun. read more

Send Red Cross because this place is a disaster. We arrived on a Thursday evening at approximately 6pm and we were seated rather quickly. Approximately 10 minutes later a server did a "drive by" and placed two waters on the table without saying a word. Little did we know, this would be the only water we received during our meal because we never got a refill. The restaurant wasn't very busy at all and the service was atrocious. We ordered our food and my wife elected for the Cesar salad that was an extra $4 (not worth it). I ordered the "house salad"which consisted of a bowl containing "Fresh Express" mixed greens with ZERO TOPPINGS and some decent dressing in a thimble. The bread was stale and resembled that of a crouton. Thankfully the garlic butter made it somewhat palatable, but overall not good. Once our entrees arrived, I came to the realization the Chicken Cannelloni was as impressive as the salad and bread. It was rather tasteless and had a very unwelcoming texture. I had two bites before tapping out. My wife ordered the Veal Villaggio which was decent at absolute best. The wait staff cleared the table and never bothered to ask why 90% of my food was unconsumed. I elected to not take anything to go because I didn't want to experience this atrocity twice. The waitress made a guest appearance about 15 minutes after we were done "eating" and I asked for the bill. When she returned with my credit card she placed it on the table in yet another drive by fashion. As we were walking out the door we made eye contact with another employee who elected to say ZERO words to us. If you are in the market for dehydration, bad Italian food, worse service, and you love blowing good money....LOOK NO FURTHER! read more

Wow this was good . Undergoing construction. But fantastic food! I had the brascole which had great taste and a good amount of pasta. The wife had eggplant rollatini! read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

See all

Had a lovely meal here. Walked in without a reservation on a Tuesday evening. This is my very first time dining at Villaggio. We were greeted promptly and the hostess asked if we had a reservation. We did not. Our wait to be seated was less than 15 minutes. There were a lot of people seated in the dining room. The service is somewhat slow here. It appeared that they were short on servers. With that said. When service came it was with a smile and apology for having us wait. The food was excellent. Nothing out of a package here. Everything is made to order. We will definitely be going back. My advice is go here if you are not in a hurry to dine. Make a reservation. (If it was busy on a Tuesday night, imagine the weekend.) Plan to dine leisurely and be prepared to have an absolutely wonderful meal. read more

Special occasion place first time, but we'll now be regulars! Osso bucco was sooo delicious and plenty left for lunch the next day. Mussels in red sauce beautifully prepared, angel hair pasta with olive oil and garlic so good! Everyone loved their pasta dishes-perfectly done and more for the next day. Limoncello cake, tiramisu, and chocolate dessert plus vino topped off this very wonderful meal. read more

The food was ok, but the waiting time was a nightmare honestly we spend like one hour and thirty minutes to eat plus when the food get to our table we were already full with bread and beer . I couldn't leave the place because i went with my family . I would never came back here. . Service was so bad the sever was showing up every 25 min Our food never came and we spend 2 hours there . read more

I generally don't like Italian food. But this place was great! Everything I've tried here has been amazing. From the Osso Buco to the veal chop. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Waste of money. Ordered ravioli and tiramisu to go. Picked it up 20 mins early to their suggested pick up time and the ravioli was cold like it had been sitting out for hours. Rather than smelling like good Italian it smelled like a dirty refrigerator. Completely inedible. The tiramisu had no flavor and not worth the effort or energy of using a spoon. That bad. Don't eat here and if you try it you'll know I was right. read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

We used to love this restaurant. It's amazing what damage new management can do. We walked in and were ignored by the little guy at the desk. He was on the computer. He sat us at a half table. It felt very cramped, and we asked to move. There were plenty of tables open. He went to get the manager. The manager just stared at us with a nasty glare. You would have thought we were causing trouble. At that point, my husband and I looked at each other and had the same thought. We're out of here. What a disappointment, especially since we've been coming here for years. Never again! read more

We have been here several times but this last visit will be our last. We were a party of 8. We had reservations, but still had to wait for them to prepare our table. Our waiter was a bit stand-offish but food came out in a timely manner. We started with lobster bisque and clam chowder soup-both seemed watered down. I ordered the filet mignon as I have had it in the past and really enjoy it. This was not filet- it was a small piece of sirloin- for $41.00. It was my husband's birthday so I didn't want to complain, but after we left he told me he didn't enjoy his osso bucco as it was mostly all bone. No one in our party felt their dinner was up to par. I don't know if it's new chef's/owner, but for almost $200.00 after the mandatory included 20% included tip, we don't feel that it was worth it. Don't think we will be going back. read more

We were in the mood for Italian food and decided to try Villagio for the first time. It was a Friday night and a little crowded but the wait wasn't ridiculous. The host was very apologetic and offered us drinks while we waited. The live music was nice, not overly loud, offered the perfect background music for dinner. Our waiter was Alex and he was great! He was very attentive and funny. We ordered Bruschetta, Mozzarella triangles, chicken parm, shrimp parm, lasagna and a ravioli with spinach in a pink sauce that was a special for the evening. The portions were huge and everything was delicious. We're looking forward to going back in the future! read more

I absolutely loved Villagios! I don't even know where to start.... Our waitress Francesca was delightful and was the best part of our dining experience. I came with a big party and every dish our table had was amazing including the appetizers! You can tell the kitchen pours love into these dishes. My favorites were the Veal, cannolis and tiramisu! This is a great place to go for a good family meal and the atmosphere is great! I will definitely be returning next time I'm in the Tampa area. read more

My favorite Italian restaurant! They have an amazing fillet mignon topped with gorgonzola cheese! Large room in the back with a round table that seats large parties, approximately 20 people. We've celebrated many family birthdays here. Ask for Alex! read more

this used to be a great establishment, and used to be the best authentic Italian food in the area but now it has gone very downhill. I don't recognize a lot of the people there anymore and the quality shows it. the meats taste cheap and the pasta tastes bland. overall this place has fallen to chain-food like quality and it's very disappointing considering how good this place used to be read more

This was a first visit for the four of us. Heard good things and was looking forward to it. Got seated quickly(I had, but didn't need, a reservation). Waiter got our drinks and appetizer(Burrata cheese plate with olives tomatoes and lettuce) that was very tasty along with some garlic rolls. Dinners arrived and were tasty and nice sized servings. This is where it started to go south. I went to use the restroom(single occupant men's and women's room) to find the men's restroom clogged and in need of a plunger. I went up to the bar and told a waiter the condition and he said he would get it taken care of immediately. Twenty minutes later when I went back, same condition. Back at the table my friend wanted more bread and another glass of wine. Tried to flag waiters down as they served the tables all around us, but to no avail. This went on for fifteen minutes before we finally got our check and left. So food was good enough to bring us back. Service and concern about hygiene in the restaurant will have us looking elsewhere. What a disappointment for a restaurant that had received good reviews read more

It was good food but it took over an hour to get our entrees because the "kitchen got overwhelmed." I would be willing to try again.

You're hard pressed to find fine dining in lutz. This gem has excellent service, nice atmosphere and good food to boot! Everyone had Italian accents which to my novice ears made it feel way more legit. I've never met a burrata I don't like and this was no different. The gnocchi and ravioli were great and had a real family feel to it. Def coming back for a lutz date night. Sandro, our server, was fantastic. I hate being a Karen but the wine tasted corked and Sandro promptly brought an alternative I loved! read more

Not my style sauce. Excellent service. Very old school meals. Feel right out of the old country

I've been here at least a half dozen times and have never seen anything come out I wouldn't gobble up. Great service. Live music on the weekends. The owner jimmy is absolutely top notch. Anytime I drive by I feel I must stop in. I have never been disappointed or received bad service here. They do such an amazing job!! read more

Delicious food and a fun atmosphere. We live over 100 miles away but we will be back!

Literally, one of the best meals I've had. It's an unassuming building in an interesting part of town but the second you walk in it's a classy, lively, and crowded place! Had a table a five, made reservations that afternoon and were able to be seated within 15 minutes of that reservation time. First thing you notice is a man absolutely shredding on the guitar (think dinner music on steroids), had a wonderful waiter with a thick Italian accent who helped us pick out our meals. I got the Italian surf and turf (forgive me, I don't remember the name). It was EXCELLENT. Between the table, we got the ravioli, spaghetti, fettuccini, and veal Parmesan. Every dish was outstanding. Then the desserts. Oh gosh the desserts! The creme brûlée had a hint of citrus that made it next level. The tiramisu was the perfect texture and not too sweet or syrupy. The lemon cake was amazing too. The only things I wish were a little better- service was a little slow once our salads came out. Between salad and entree was quite a while. And the garlic knots at the beginning were not as amazing as the rest of the food, didn't match the quality I would make the 3 hour drive down to Wesley Chapel JUST to visit Villagio's again. read more

The food was excellent. But just as important is the atmosphere itself. Super cozy and old school Italian. Very classy. Service was great too. Apps: mozzarella marinara i believe it was called roasted calamari Main: veal marsala eggplant rollatini Desert: ny style cheesecake We had coffee too, lavazza. We'll be back!! read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Eggplant rollatini - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

See all

This is a place that looks nothing from outside... like that famous stake place in tampa. But the food we like a lot. My granddaughter is a very fussy eater. She ate and ate and ate and ate and ate spaghetti. She loved it. We love it too. A nice no chain restaurant. And there's not a lot of those left is there? The waiter brought over a small piece of cake for my granddaughter just to be nice she was so full. She had trouble eating it made whole table laugh thank you guys we will be back. read more

food was delicious and plentiful- and the service was so friendly and helpful. so glad we found this beautiful gem in lutz!

Delicious food, service was good I love the clams and pasta dish. Try the tiramisu it is delicious.

If you are a boomer who remembers the 70s fondly then you will like this place. We were very disappointed. It is crowded/packed but we have better food at Macaroni Grill. The waiter was great, the wine and service were good. But the food was bland. read more

Each time I've come here, there's been one factor that makes the most impact on my experience...the servers. Outstanding, distinctive and more professional service than any other middle class price point restaurant I've been to in Tampa over the last 3 years. I don't love Italian food, but I absolutely won't pass up an opportunity to come here with my Italian in-laws. We'll spend $250 on dinner for 4.5 people, and yet the time they take to tend to our wants and food prep is almost secondary to the post-6pm entertainment that helps aerate the wine and enhance the entire experience. Kudos to the business owner for keeping a mindful eye on customer comfort that helps make this soulful retreat worth coming back to. Keep paying that staff, and I'll keep bringing my tourists back. Thanks! read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Humberto Zambrano is a vocal virtuoso! 813-446-2616 hjzh65@hotmail.com - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

Food remains stellar and the atmosphere is always pleasant. Just today the wait to get entrees was incredibly long.

Stopped in for unplanned dinner. No reservation, but Jennifer got us a table. Food and vibe were great as well as the bottle of wine that Mirabella, our server suggested for us! We will def be back!! read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

See all

My boyfriend and I decided to try Villaggio last night for my birthday dinner based on the great reviews. We got there, and the parking lot was packed, so he dropped me off at the door. I waited at the host stand for about 2 minutes. One server (ended up being our server) walked by. Then another minute or so he walked by again and asked how he could help me. I said we anted a table for 2 please. He said okay someone will be here to help you soon, or I'll be back. Alright no problem. About another minute goes by, and my boyfriend made inside to wait with me. We waited on someone to help us for almost another 4/5 minutes. Seemed strange because they weren't as busy inside as the parking lot alluded, but no problem. We're understanding people. Finally a woman greeted us and asked if we had reservations. I said no I'm sorry. We just wanted a table for two. She replied nicely that we were lucky that they were not too busy and that she should be able to have a table for us. I said great! Thank you so much! She sat us in the section with the server I mentioned earlier. He came by and asked what drinks we wanted, and we both replied that we were okay with the waters for now because we were still looking over the drink menu. He came back maybe 5 minutes later and asked had we ever been there before. We said no, and he listed the new appetizers and specials on the menu and left. He didn't ask if we wanted an appetizer but that's fine I figured he'd come back while we looked over the menu with his list of new items on the menu. He had three other tables that he was working on. We watched him helped these other tables, going back multiple times to two of them. During this time another party arrived in his section while we still waiting for him to take out order. He walked passed us at least 10 times and we had to of waited at least 20 minutes without anyone coming back to take our order. We ended up walking out of the restaurant literally without anyone even noticing! I have never done that before let alone on my birthday! It was really shocking honestly. I am not sure why no one was eager to greet us or seat us. We were not under dressed. We did not have reservations, but they were "not busy" and had space available for us and others who came in. The only pleasant part of this experience was hearing the live singer and being able to leave! Unfortunately I cannot speak on the food, but I can say I won't ever come back to try it. read more

Our favorite Italian restaurant in the Tampa Bay area! Have been going there for years and have never had a bad meal. We're going tonight, for our 35th wedding anniversary, and my mouth is already watering for their delicious Veal Marsala (my fave). I tend to stick to what I like, but my husband is more adventurous and has had many of the menu offerings. He raved about their Osso Bucco, loves their Mare E Monti and can't decide whether Veal Allessandro or Villaggio is better. And, while they don't make their Caesar Salad tableside, it always tastes freshly prepared. read more

There is nothing like good ole Italian food. When you drive past this place, it doesn't look like much and it doesn't stand out a whole lot either. Maybe one day they will update the outside, but I promise it does not take away from the experience. I guarantee you'll be super impressed once you actually walk in. I was always greeted at the front door with a smile which is super important to me. I love good service, heck...don't we all? That's almost just as important as the food. They recently did some renovating so the restaurant is a little more user friendly. They have private party rooms, regular dinner seating and a separate high top bar area. The service was nothing short of spectacular, 5 star. Let's get to the good stuff now...The food and wine!! Delicious, they had nice wine options and the food menu is phenomenal. I had the the pleasure to taste several dishes, the chicken parm, fettuccine, all of the appetizers were delicious. Everything tasted fresh. The food takes some time to come out, but you don't get upset about it because you know it's going to be fresh, hot and savory! Don't keep reading my lengthy post, go..go get some of this authentic Italian food! I cant wait to go back, and I'm glad I work so close to this place. read more

Ordered takeout. Excellent pescatore and veal Marsala. Ready and hot when we picked it up . Very friendly and helpful. We will return read more

Service was awful it was 1 1/2 hrs to get food and food was not good! Will not be going back!

Good food for the price. We've been going here for more than 10 years. Not usually crowded.

The food we paid for was burnt / overcooked. The lasagna lacked a distinct flavor. In fact the sauce tasted like it came from a can and was comparable to spaghetti-os that children are served. The fish was overcooked as well and the butter lemon sauce was not prepared properly. This resulted in the butter and lemon sauce being very watery. The garlic bread knots had absolutely no flavor at all. The bruschetta bread was toasted so long that it felt and tasted like a crouton and the diced tomatoes once again didn't have flavor. Our salad appeared wasn't fresh. I was hoping that the cheesecake would be the saving grace but I was disappointed. The cheesecake must have been ordered from a third party vendor because it tasted like it came from a box of Jello. We do not have any intention of visiting this restaurant again. Major disappointment. I wish that I could get my money back. read more

Villaggio is the type of Italian restaurant which you will find in N.Y. City's "little Italy" section. From the minute you walk in, you feel like you have been transported to a restaurant in Italy. There is live music which complements the decor. The food was excellent. The two appetizers we had were buffalo mozzarella and sautéed calamari in tomato sauce. The meal comes with small garlic rolls. Everything was delicious. For my entree, I had veal villaggio which were veal medallions topped with ham , mushrooms and mozzarella sautéed in a butter and white wine sauce. It came with a side of pasta. If I was home I would have licked the dish it was so good. The menu is large and has many traditional Italian dishes. For desert we shared their lemon cheese cake which melts in your mouth. Now for you non Italians, this type of cheesecake is either made with ricotta or marscarpone cheese. It is a lighter cheesecake than those made with Philadelphia cream cheese. The servers are cordial and attentive. They do not rush your meal. You are here for the evening. There is plenty of parking. . read more

See all

We were surprised by the quality of service and the delicious food. Even being super full we were attended with attention by the owner. Cozy environment! We will be back for sure. read more

Villaggio's Ristorante Italiano - Italian Near Me - Lutz, Florida

Best food, best service, we have had just about every type of event there, all were fantastic

Went here for my boyfriends birthday dinner based on recommendations. First we finally get seated and no one stops by. At the table next to us, a regular is chatting away with a waiter. He asked why or she requested him and she said she really wanted him and in the meantime another person was taking her tables order. Weird. Finally this guy that spent the last 10 min chatting away stops by and says he's our waiter and asks if we want any drinks. My boyfriend orders wine and he doesn't even ask me if I'll be drinking that (I was planning on getting something else) and he's off before I can even order my drink. Finally someone else comes back. It's the poor lady from the table our waiter wanted to serve. They had switched. I asked if I could order my drink. She takes my drink order and is off again. Finally comes back and takes our order. Food takes forever. About 40 min after we arrived we got our salads. We paid the extra fee to upgrade to a pizza joint quality Caesar. Lettuce was brown on half of mine. Then we get the garlic knots. They are cold. Then our first appetizer comes out. Meatballs. They were ok but nothing to write home about. Then our bruschetta comes out. Can't really mess that up. We finally get entrees. I ordered a filet. Medium. It was well done. Completely ruined. I told some girl and she just apologized and ran away. Awesome. So my meal was ruined. My boyfriend said his was ok. I won't be back. Our waitress was really nice and I did feel bad about the whole table swap thing. Overall was not the fine dining as advertised. Fine dining would not include a well done steak that wasn't corrected. Really disappointed. read more