Avoli Osteria

Avoli is one of the best restaurants in Omaha. The wait staff are so knowledgeable on the menu and there is exceptional service to ensure the food is coursed correctly. The ambiance is perfect it’s small but not too close together or too quiet. The food is always amazing

The best food we've had in Omaha! We started with a beautiful cucumber salad and the grilled octopus, next the squid ink radiatori, followed by the Croatian duck pasta that was on special, and ended with a perfect flourless chocolate cake. Our server coursed out our meal perfectly! Can't wait to come back!

Definitely one of the top 20 dining establishments in Omaha overall. Service is detailed and impeccable. Nearly all of the pasta is handmade on site. Tried a special with locally sourced morel mushrooms, and it was out of this world. The carbonara is unquestionably the best I’ve had.

Avoli Osteria was a hit with my wife and I. She loves all things pasta so we finally got to check out this spot on Mother’s Day. We decided to sit on the shaded patio and it was just beautiful outside. Chad our server was fantastic, super friendly and knowledgeable about the menus. I started with the Rababaro Scura and my wife had the Marula Concerto. Both good cocktails. I started with the octopus as an appetizer. The char on it was perfect and really enjoyed the potatoes it came with as well. My wife had a Caesar which was tasty real fresh with a lighter dressing. My wife had the penne a la vodka and added the spicy sausage on recommendation from Chad. She really enjoyed it and the fresh mozzarella it came with. I had the house tagliatelle which came with a ton of meat in the sauce and the noodles were perfectly al denté. We both had leftovers to take home which they box table side for you. Overall we really enjoyed the place. Not sure there’s one dish that would make me come back but everything was just very good. And the service just made it a 5 star experience.

TL/DR - Chad our server was extraordinary, carbonara was amazing, appetizers were amazing, atmosphere was great- our table could have used a draft as it was slightly warm. INCREDIBLE Italian food in a comfy & sophisticated restaurant. My wife took me here to celebrate a big win and it was a wonderful experience. Chad was super helpful in deciding what to get since I had never been there. I chose the carbonara, complemented by an order of pork belly at Chad’s recommendation. It was a lot of food but my goodness was it good. As an appetizer, we got the Brussel sprouts and marinated olives. Both were amazing- the brussel sprouts were crunchy all the way through and hearty in the middle- wow! I was then surprised by a delicious dessert with a congrats from Chad. Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. Only reason I gave atmosphere a 4/5 is because it was a little hot and stuffy at the table we got. It was a corner table so that is to be expected somewhat but it would have perfect with a slight draft- maybe a ceiling fan on the lowest setting would do the trick. One more thing to add: evidently there was a glass broken near our table and I didn’t know about it until later when my wife told me. Just an illustration of the crew’s ability to keep the mood relaxed and professional. 9.5/10 overall experience.

Another anniversary spent once again at the legendary Avoli Osteria. The precious moments we spent coming here and reliving the best night of dining we have ever experienced is a severe understatement. First we ordered the focaccia. The charred bites of toasted to perfection Morales were exquisite. Next was the pasta dishes. Bolognese Bianca was presented beautifully and balanced the flavors perfectly. The gnniochi with the homemade pesto and blue cheese creme was a thing of art. The main dish of the night is the Besteca 24 Oz Riley steak. 38 day dry aged steak. To die for. And to top off the night. Our wonderful Waiter Steven was out of this world hospitable. He remembered where we sat and what we ordered from over a year ago. He is what makes this establishment feel like home. And this is where we will be spending our precious moments at from here on out. Thank you avoli chefs for your wonderful dishes and thank you Steven for being a beautiful soul.

Took my wife out for her birthday dinner and we were very surprised by the atmosphere and the way we were being taken care of. The food was out of this world amazing. We couldnt believe the caliber of dishes we were about to receive. The kitchen worked like a symphony of beautiful motion under the tutelage of the chef who ran the kitchen. The carbonara was creamy and felt so rustic. Very homemade. The dry aged new york strip was without a doubt the best steak I will ever have. My life is now in shambles cause I will always be wanting this steak for every meal. Steve the waiter was funny and nice. He was amazing. We will be returning custerrmers quite often

The best Italian restaurant in Omaha! Their Carbonara is excellent, and the other dishes, including octopus, are incredible. Highly recommend!

Here's a summary of my official review for Grow Omaha Eats: https://growomaha.com/avoli-osteria-is-a-quintessential-italian-gem-in-historic-dundee/ The pasta is top notch and in my evaluation I found just about everything to be made to exacting standards. The cocktails are excellent. The service is top notch, with an incredibly knowledgeable staff. The ambiance is cozy with romantic warm lighting, beautiful chandeliers and rustic black-and-white decor. There's a modern feel reminiscent of something you might find in the Italian countryside.

Ambience: Amazing Service:amazing Food: my wife's chicken was incredible and perfectly cooked. beef carpaccio was very good, olive oil gelato fabulous, my entree was carbonara--quite disappointing as it had zero guanciale in it...the KEY component was missing completely. I was very excited to try Dario's pasta and I thought the pasta itself was good, but the dish itself really failed with such a key component missing.

My first and last time here. Completely overrated. I can't imagine how this place rates 4.3 stars. What are reviewers thinking? We both had Cesar salad. It was Cesar in name only. No bite. No zip. No flavor. One would think an Italian restaurant would have good Chianti. One would be wrong about this place's Chianti. Totally forgettable. For some reason, our waitress insisted we place our entire food order at the outset. I ordered some olives. The kalamata olives were flavorless. She kept pushing the bread and I had to tell her no three times. She was also rude. Avoli brags about its homemade pasta and sausage. Spaghetti Works has better pasta and Hy-Vee has better sausage. No lie. I had Spaghetti Carbonara. No flavor. No pepper. No little meat pieces. The comparison here is Cibo Vino. Its Carbonara is a 10. This place is a 2. To add insult to injury, everything is 30% too high. Some Dundee hipsters were sitting next to us and for some reason they were screaming about something the entire night. Frankly, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had in Omaha for a long time. I'm totally perplexed by the high rating when there are so many better restaurants in Omaha and Council Bluffs.

1st visit, food and service was great and also love the atmosphere. The only reason not giving it 5 stars was I felt it was very over priced and definitely over priced for the portions and bar.

Just a short note here for consideration which I did not mention in previous review. Though the mixing, and creating our own personalized choices in food options here is encouraged, that does come with additional costs. So be careful what we wish for!!

I really don't have any complaints! It's on the higher end and would be a great place to take an out of town guest that loves homemade pasta. I think we gloat slighted on the octopus considering the size it is and other pictures I've seen though it still tasted delicious. The Parmesan fries were to die for. The bread was warm, soft, tasty, and my special was perfect! It's the dry aged beef (forgot the full name) but I LOVED the olives on top. All pasta is made in house and you can tell! Our server was super knowledgeable and willing to work with us on how we wanted to split the check and on if they had certain drinks. The location is easy enough for parking and they do have several spots right in front. It was darker inside and the lighting went down a little after 7 so if you're looking for a comfortable, intimate spot - make your reservation at 7! We went on a Sunday evening and had no problems getting in and being served. Definitely recommend!

Still going strong. Had to update my review since it's been nearly a year since my last visit and there is still no complaint insight. Visited again and it did not disappoint. This restaurant is world class all the way around.

We had just returned from our honeymoon in Italy when my mom requested Italian for her birthday dinner. With a high bar set, we knew the only place where my husband and I wouldn't feel disappointed would be Avoli. Everything from the decor to the detail in the rustic country dishes made us feel like we were back in Florence. The servers there are always very nice and knowledgeable about the menu. But the food is always the star of the show and there's no doubt Chef Dario knows what he's doing. We started with bruschetta, which had such interesting and delicious additions with the whipped ricotta and the lemon aioli. I can never pick what I want for the pasta dishes, but this time I went with the bolognese bianco. "YES" is my only response. Finally we split the plum creek chicken. My husband is not a chicken fan, and even he was raving about this dish. Tip: if you see a dish with truffles on the menu, order it.

We visited Avoli Osteria after having driven by it many times but for some reason, just never finding our way inside. And oh boy - I'm so glad we finally did! The ambiance of the restaurant is homey and warm, but with a dash of glam. Several chandeliers hang from the ceiling and gilded mirrors adorn the walls. It has a modern feel with a nostalgic essence at the same time. We started our meal with the Bread Service and Caprese Salad: -The bread was a rosemary focaccia and obviously freshly baked. It came with a delicious oil for dipping, but was so fluffy and flavorful itself that it didn't even need it! -The Caprese was divine, with thinly sliced tomatoes (that were so light and fresh, they definitely seemed super farm-to-table), wonderful bits of mozzarella, and a drizzle of tangy balsamic. For our mains, we tried to stay a little lighter and stuck with the Primi menu options only (saving room for dessert!). We each shared bites of each other's dishes because they both looked so appetizing. I had the Ricotta Gnudi, and it was superlative. Little gnocchi style dumplings filled with ricotta (instead of potato), topped with kale, pistachios, and prosciutto! Each bite literally melted in your mouth. The richness of the ricotta in the gnudi was perfectly paired with the saltiness of the prosciutto and crunchiness of the kale. My husband had the Sweet Corn Risotto, which came with accompaniments in the middle of the plate of Asiago, little exquisitely marinated cherry tomatoes, and summer squash (perfectly seasonal as we have a bit of summer left!). The base of the corn risotto was delightful and flavorful all on its own, but add in the tomato for acid and the squash for the umami, and it was heavenly! We took a look at the desserts and were so happy we saved room because we decided we wanted to try two of them. My favorite dessert on the planet is tiramisu, so when I saw they had it as a dessert option, that was definitely my first choice. It was super scrumptious with fluffy/not overly-soaked cake, a creamy spread of delectable mascarpone cheese, a dollop of not-too-sweet ice cream for pairing, and a dusting of tasty crumble on the plate below. One word: YUM! So after we decided we were ordering the tiramisu, my husband wanted to add one more sweet treat. We asked our server which is her favorite and, without hesitation, she said the Budino. We trusted her, ordered it, and let's just say - she definitely did not lead us astray. The Budino was an indulgently lovely pudding-like custard (with a butterscotchy flavor), that had a salty caramel layer at the top of the glass along with a dab of whipped cream - and a sugar cookie on the side to top it off. This was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted! I kept stealing bites from my husband's glass. Final Thoughts: If you haven't already deduced from my rating and review, I will suffice it to say I definitely recommend you do not make my mistake and pass by Avoli Osteria without stopping in!!

I made a reservation about a week ahead for Friday night dinner, as it can get pretty busy on weekends. This place has a very cute, cozy, romantic vibe that is perfect for special occasions or date night! I ordered the red pepper garganelli pasta and tiramisu for dessert. The food came out very fast and the service was good! My pasta was pretty good- the pasta noodles were cooked well with the red pepper cream sauce. It wasn't the best pasta that I've had before, but it was pretty good! The dishes here are all on the pricier side- I'm not sure it was worth the price!

I loveee love love Avoli. It is probably my favorite restaurant in Omaha and somehow I never hear anyone talk about it. The food is just incredible. I went with my friends for a holiday dinner and we all loved our meals. The service was great and it was very cute and cozy in the restaurant for the holidays. Also I HIGHLY recommend adding the pork belly to your dish. It is seriously a game changer.

Chef Dario is a master. After Dario's closed, I finally decided to try Chef Dario's other restaurant, Avoli and I am so happy I did! Northern Italian food? Well, I guess I love it. The burrata appetizer was amazing, I would order it again over the bruschetta. Both were delicious, but the burrata was on another level. All of the pastas were phenomenal but the red pepper garganelli was next level. Definitely need to get a reservation here and I recommend expecting to pay $50-100 per person depending on how you order (family style is definitely cheaper and doable).

Great food service and ambiance, this is my go to spot for a good dinner with the wife.

The absolutely most high price restaurant in the region. Hours are very restricted. Made 3 calls ahead with no return calls after leaving phone number. High salt, creams, very sugary desserts. I did appreciate the side order of skinless chicken. The waiter was stiff and unpleasant. High brow!

The ambiance here is perfect for date night. Super classy, great cocktail and wine list. Our food was delicious. Not massive portions but you don't leave hungry. I ordered a cup of soup as an appetizer and it was literally my favorite thing. So delicious. The food was all great! We also split dessert which we ordered a chocolate Cherry dessert -- super rich and really hot the spot for my sweet tooth! Our server was quick and helpful!

Delicious food and friendly staff! Expensive meals but worth splitting to try! Free gelato with Dundee passport.

Every thing was good: Food, Service, Drinks, Ambiance, Great place to visit drink and dine.

Fabulous Italian food and experience! We came here very, VERY hungry and had a variety of dishes. It's cozy, romantic, and had great service. We'd love to come back for date night!

Good atmosphere, but food portions were small for the price and waitress had the worst attitude I've ever experienced at a restaurant. Would not recommend there are plenty of better Italian places in Omaha.

Service was amazing, very detailed on dishes and how they are made. Loved the presentation of the food. Pasta dishes we had were delicious. Great date night spot to relax and enjoy time with your company.

Delicious food, gracious service, nice ambiance. Thoroughly enjoyed the delicious pasta. We'd come back again.

Love this place. Reminds me of the food I had in Italy. Great service, great food. My favorite Italian restaurant in Omaha.

I can't say enough good things about this place- by far the best italian spot in town. It is a bit pricier but in my opinion well worth it; we went for a graduation dinner and the atmosphere fit the vibe perfectly. I got the squid ink pasta and there did not skimp out on the seafood in there. Pasta was fresh and hand made and you can absolutely tell. The sleeper star of the night was the vegetables of the day which was brussel sprouts with parmesan and chorizo... 10/10. We also got the Torta de la nonna and cannoli for dessert and they were also great. The server was very knowledgeable and gave us great recommendations. Would and will come again!

This place is serving up insanely great food. I was a big fan of Via Farina here in Omaha before trying Avoli but this place is a cut above the rest. I've never been to Italy or honestly claim to be a food critic or know everything but everything we had was beyond fantastic. Beautiful indoor dining area but we sat outside on a beautiful evening and could not have been more satisfied. The grilled octopus was the star of the show.

The service is fantastic, the food is incredible the pasta is a much try as well the bruschetta is to die for. Ambiance is fantastic perfect for a date night!

The food was fabulous and our server was excellent and informative. There were six in our party. We started with the full board charcuterie And frites. Excellent, especially the pork belly dip. The salmon dinner was spot on. The squid ink pasta with shrimp was tasty. Carbonara is always a favorite. I had the seasonal vegetable pasta and it was really good. We tried the cherry chocolate cake dessert. Scrumptious. I had the gelato trio - my personal favorite.

The food, drinks, and staff were all great! Had a very clean and posh ambiance. We had a great time and will definitely be back.

Italy in Omaha. We've been wanting to try Avoli Osteria for quite some time now, and randomly today I looked up their menu and saw they had reservations available! If you're not from around here or aren't too familiar with the location of this place. It is located in the historic Dundee neighborhood. Depending on when you go do take the time to stroll before/after your meal! Dundee may be hard to find parking, there are some reserved spots for the restaurant, but it is shared with some other local shops in the area so make sure to plan ahead. The ambiance is wonderful. Dim lights. Very romantic, classy, and chill! You can be dressed up or casual! I highly recommend making reservations as they get very busy! They have bathrooms available as well and we're every clean! I had the white wine risotto and as one of the reviews here taught me, add the pork belly. I am so glad I did! So crisp, but melts In your mouth good! The risotto is one of the best I've had, rich in flavor, but still had the fresh element to it! My husband had the carbonara and it's the closest one we've found in town to the one we had in Rome! We highly recommend! We will definitely be back! The service is great even in their busy moments they still take time to communicate what's going on. So glad we tried it and we will definitely be regulars!

Awful. Worst "Italian" food I've ever had. I'm afraid my bar is high because of the big cities I've eaten real Italian food in. This restaurant is overrated & overpriced. So disappointed

Fabulous food. Wonderful atmosphere ! The bread is to die for and I love the Negroni.

Best meal I've ever had. From the service, drinks, and the food -- nothing was missed!

The food here was phenomenal, and so we're the drinks. The staff were also fantastic.

Amazing food! We will come here every time we visit Omaha. Authentic as it gets. Risotto is fabulous. The service is impeccable. Don't be in a hurry. Enjoy the experience.

I was looking for authentic Italian in Omaha for a friends bday dinner and this was perfect! They serve house made pasta and focaccia that is cooked to perfection. We were early for our reservation and got seated right away. The server came right over and greeted us too. The wine list is chock full of great wines and if you have the hankering for a delicious Italian red, get the bottle of Amarone! I was so happy to see it on the menu (my friend who lives in Italy sent me some and it's not so easy to find in the US). We all absolutely loved the foccacia and olives for an appetizer. We also devoured our meals (squid ink pasta with seafood, bolognese, carbonara with pork belly) they were delicious and perfectly portioned. All of us had dessert too and I suggest getting one of each! Pistachio ricotta cake, gelato flight, butterscotch budino). The restaurant is comfy, romantic for date night. Great place in Dundee!

This review is long overdue. I came in on a job interview having never been to Omaha before, and this restaurant was one of the main reasons I fell in love with this city. The quaint, cozy, yet elegant dining room felt inviting, and the food was amazing. As a vegetarian, my hosts assumed that an Italian restaurant would have non-meat options (aside from appetizers). While the menu did not, the server and chef were quick to adjust a sausage risotto dish to meat-free and it was the best risotto I've ever had. I still think about that dish! Kudos all around.

I really wanted to love this place. They got some things right: the ambiance was stellar and some of the food really hit the mark. But the service was what really disappointed me. Here's the skinny. As we were winding down our meal, our server comes over and says we should hurry up and leave because there's another booking for our table soon. I looked at my watch and we had been there an hour and 10 minutes. I thought it was a bit strange. Mostly out of shock we got up and left. On the way out, I asked the hostess if this was common practice...to rush out diners so quickly and brusquely. She explained that near the holidays they try to turn tables over faster. That makes sense. But when I suggested they inform patrons about this when arriving or when they book a reservation, she rudely told me that they already do that. I disagreed and she proceeded to argue with me about it. Later I pulled up my res confirmation and it does not mention anything about timing. I also checked the website; nothing there either. As a diner who just spent about 200 on dinner, it was frustrating to feel like I was getting pushed out the door. If you have a super short dining window, you should absolutely tell customers so they know what to expect. This completely changed my experience for the worse. Our server was either a very serious person or was having an off night. I don't think I saw her smile. She offered us drinks/wine 3 separate times. I'm not drinking at the moment for health reasons and didn't feel I should have to explain myself over and over. I understand that the more diners spend, the bigger your tip will be. But this just felt pushy. The food was hit and miss. They do a very nice cheese and meat board. It is quite large so it was too big for the two of us. I loved the carbonara. Homemade pasta, great emulsion, and you can add a protein, so we chose pork belly. Scrumptious. The lobster risotto was another favorite. Perfectly cooked lobster and the risotto was executed well, not mushy. The roasted veg salad tasted odd. I didn't recognize some of the components based on the menu description, and the whole thing has kind of a burnt or bitter taste. Not very tasty. I was also disappointed in the texture of the bolognese bianco. It was not even reminiscent of a sauce...more like a crumbly paste. We loved the decor and the ambience. It's a shame other things didn't work out so well.

Pasta dishes here are good but not exceptional and a little expensive for what they are. Ambience is nice and cozy, good for a date night. Service is good as well. Overall, not bad but I think there are better Italian food options in Omaha.

Absolutely the most amazing food I've ever tasted in Omaha! The atmosphere and service was incredible and so welcoming, with Northern Italian cuisine presented so beautifully I hated to mess it up! The owner/chef Dario, took the time to speak to us and explained our unique dishes.....can't wait to return to Omaha for another meal!

Wonderful food! Our favorite was the focaccia and Olives and cheese board. Very fresh tasting food and wonderful atmosphere.

First time here. The only thing nice about last night, was my beautiful date. I'll only comment on my experience. I ordered a salad, spaghetti and meatballs, and summer smash to drink. I don't like to drink alcohol while eating dinner, just before during conversation. After 25 minutes, my dinner came out. No drink, no salad just spaghetti and raw meatballs. And all that for $80. I wont be back.

I really wanted to enjoy this meal more but it was just a little bit disappointing. We came here for a date night and split the romaine caesar, penne alla vodka and carbonara. Side note - we chose to walk in because you have to put in credit card information to get a reservation ($50 charge for same-day cancellation after 5pm or no show). The Caesar salad was alright but the nuts (macadamia?) in it felt out of place, and the dressing tasted very anchovy heavy. The carbonara was the most disappointing - it was overly salty, which I almost never say about a dish, and was lacking that rich carbonara flavor that you expect. We enjoyed the penne the most and I liked that it came with chicken. The cocktails were good and the bartender was very friendly! Overall, this is an alright date night spot. I think the ambience could be dramatically improved with music (there was none) and slightly darker lighting. I'd like to come back to try some other dishes or their specials that might be better!

Great Italian for Omaha. Love the bar, main dining and they even have a room for a larger party. It's our go-to for authentic Italian

Great food and great service. Only knock is their inability to modify dishes (couldn't remove pistachios from dessert), and their espresso machine was down, so no affogato. .

Possibly one of my favorite meals I've ever had! I got the Risotto and Pork Belly and it was amazing. My husband got the Carbonara with Pork Belly and it was a little fatty for him so he said he might try the chicken next time. But overall an amazing experience can't wait to go back!

A phenomenal place! Will definitely go back! Food, atmosphere, and service were all Tier 1/Top Notch!

The food, service and ambiance were all excellent. Gnocchi is killer and get the gelato flight!

Exceplent Italian food & nice atmosphere tucked in a corner area of quaint older Dundee neighborhood

4.5 stars. Was very impressed with our dining experience. Visited 3-4 years ago and my experience then was an unnoteworthy one. Visited again recently and was completely blown away. They have completely changed the menu, upgraded the quality of ingredients and added more creative/surprising and gourmet options that are a refreshing departure from the standard Italian offerings in the US. Pasta was fresh and we tried 4-5 pastas, a number of apps and dessert. Highlights were the bruschetta and hazelnut pasta. Only pointer is the waiter didn't ask how the steak should cooked otherwise we were all very impressed and will be coming back again soon.

Avoli is an experience! It's welcoming, it's Old World, it's unpretentious, and it's delicious. We started with Peronis and Negronis, moved on to bruschetta and Caesar salads before the main event. It's August and tomatoes are prolific, and that's what I normally associate with bruschetta, so it might have been helpful had I read the actual description on the menu. This was a delicious surprise -- gremolata, ricotta, arugula and salmon. It was soft, cheesy and the salmon was amazing. The Caesar salad was humongous - definitely big enough to share, with some left over. The dressing was not too strong, the Romaine crisp and the anchovies -- Yum! Dinner choices were penne alla vodka, potato gnocchi (with a side of Italian sausage) and cacio e pepe. Cacio e pepe is something I've been reading about on the food pages for almost two years now, and each time I've tried to make it, it tasted OK, but my pasta water always runneth over, so the result at my hands was less than optimal. Here, there seemed maybe to be a lack of pasta water, as it was more on the overcooked gummy side -- but oh, the flavor! It was amazing, and there were -0- leftovers. I would order it again in a heartbeat. Gnocchi was a hit, and the sausage was wonderful, with just a little heat after the first bite. Together with the arugula pistachio pesto, it was delightful fare, and not overly heavy. Likewise with the penne -- not swimming in sauce, just right texture. Wrapping up the evening, we tried the tiramisu and the budino -- a pudding dish topped with a sweet caramel sauce. While delicious, the caramel still was grainy with sugar, which made me more inclined to revel in the tiramisu, which I loved. It took me a long time to venture to Avoli. Now, I can't wait to return!