Luna Trattoria

Great collection of wines and an amazing North Italian menu! We dined in on a Friday night and I would highly recommend making a reservation. There was live music in the outdoor patio. Our server helped us pick out local Pinot Noirs from Anderson Valley and it did not disappoint! We loved that they had a wide varierty of choices for appetizers. For my entree, I had their Oven Baked Cod from their specials menu. It was fantastic!

My friends and I were enchanted by this place from the moment we saw the entrance. We were then transported to a fantastic European feeling garden. We did not have a reservation so we did have to return at 7:15 pm in hopes we would be first on the list for the 8 pm start for walk ins. We returned right at 7:15 because everything we heard about this place made us believe it was going to be more than worth our time. While we waited, we loved being able to look at the menu, read the various signs on the walls, and even watch a man hand make all the raviolis. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable, cracking jokes even between us and other tables. Each dish was unique and delicious in its own way. I would personally recommend the Pasta Sangiovese, even though it was not one of the handmade pasta dishes. It was hearty, flavorful, and not like any other on the menu. Whenever I'm back in Mendocino, I will be sure to make a reservation here, it is a can't miss spot!

Great spot, cute outdoor vibe with SALTY mediocre food. Excited to try as this spot highly recommended by SO MANY people (our bnb host, locals, neighboring spots). Came in without reservation, was third in line & started lining up 15 min before the restaurant opens. Able to get seated at the bar no problem. 5-star service by the servers but food fell short ..really short! Food would have been 4-star if not for being tooooo salty. Why so salty?? Everything was too salty, edible but way too salty. When asked if the dish is supposed to be this way, they said yes. We did not send anything back & just had our food ..first & last time. We were served with focaccia- not warm and rather dry. Tasted like it was made the day before and warmed up. I was told the Ragu was a pride & joy of the owner but unfortunately for me it lacked flavor, no depth and watery..almost taste just salty watery tomato sauce, with some minced beef & celery & carrot,. my dish tasted flat, too salty, watery and i dont know..i wouldnt call that pride & joy for sure! Ravioli was great but again..why so salty? Same with the side order of meatballs & croquette. Feedback for the host..would be great if the host can manage the line as people were cutting the lines & host didnt say anything, unpleasant and seem standoff-ish. Sadly can not recommend this place at all

I’m so happy I found this place! I didn’t have any expectations but this place blew my mind. The entrance feels like a secret entrance to a fairy tale garden as you walk in and the garden area for dining is so beautiful just like what you’d expect from the entrance. Food was out of this world as well. Especially the steak! I couldn’t believe how tender and flavorful the steak was. Gnocchi melted in the mouth as well. Been to many Michelin star restaurants in cities and this is one of the best restaurants I’ve been. Music was beautiful and really fit the vibe of the restaurant and service with Bonnie was very good as well. Cant wait to come back!

This was some of the best Italian food I’ve had in a long time. I had the homemade ravioli, tried the gnocchi, and the croquette appetizer. Everything was delicious. We tasted a variety of the desserts which were all really good as well. The service was great, especially considering we had a large table with some difficult people. The restaurant itself is also very cute and cozy to be in. I highly recommend it. I will mention the path to get into the restaurant is kind of long and tricky to navigate for elderly people or people with disabilities.

My wife and I recently stopped by this amazing little gem and I loved every second of it. From the fast seating, to even faster drink orders, this place had it all. This was some of the best service I have ever received in Cali, and also some of the best Italian food I have had on my trip. Honestly, I hope everyone has a chance to eat here. It was truly amazing and a perfect end to our vacation here :)

Fantastic place. The vine covered path to the restaurant is so cool. The aesthetic is whimsical and classy at the same time. The garden is gorgeous. The food is SO GOOD and the staff is friendly and attentive.

We visited this restaurant during our trip to Mendocino and immediately loved the cozy, home-like atmosphere. We tried the Gnocchi with a half-and-half cream cheese and marinara sauce, the Farfalle della Nonna pasta, and finished with Tiramisu for dessert. Overall, the food was enjoyable—especially the Tiramisu, which was a standout! The cheese sauce on the gnocchi wasn’t quite to our taste, and the pasta had a bit more nutmeg than we prefer. Despite these small details, we had a pleasant dining experience and truly appreciated the warm, welcoming vibe.

Like a lot of places in Mendocino Luna Trattoria has a beautiful patio for outdoor dining. We came here for my Bday dinner even though we were still sort of full from lunch. I ordered the surf and turf 8oz flank steak with 3 grilled prawns and linguine $44. My wife had the acorn and butternut squash tortellini $26. My steak was exceptionally tender given the cut but could have used salt and pepper. The prawns were plump and delectable. The tortellini were flavorful. We got to select a free Bday dessert so I picked chocolate cheesecake which was decadently delicious. Lil Lucie ordered grilled chicken breast $6. When I was cutting Lucie's chicken breast I noticed about a 1/4 was undercooked and asked for it to be re-fired. They brought out a whole new chicken breast so Lucie was quite happy. Luna Trattoria's homemade pasta is perfect and this is a fantastic spot to enjoy a nice dinner.

Arrived at 8:05pm for one of their walk-in tables, and had about a 20-30 minute wait. Not too bad considering how popular the place is. Cozy table upstairs which was nice to have a place a bit quieter than the main dining area, and definitely warmer than sitting outside. Food was pretty good--nice portions that are filling, nothing crazy big. Nice pasta dishes, good but not life-changing.

I was so excited to try this place with my boyfriend while we were in Mendocino on a mini getaway. We made reservations at this place and when we got there, we had excellent service. We didn't order any drinks as we don't really drink alcohol and we didn't order any appetizers since we figured the main dishes would be more than enough food. We had the lasagna and the cioppino. Both were delicious, especially the cioppino. The lasagna was small in serving size but decent overall when it came to taste. My lovely boyfriend paid and gave a 20%+ tip. And as he was selecting how much to tip, a customer kept looking over to see how much we were going to tip which was really weird. Lastly, as we were leaving, a middle aged man who I presume to be the owner said thank you and we responded thank you and bye. As we continued to walk, he said "Yeah, go home." My boyfriend is a young Black man. I am a young Asian woman. I was so appalled and hurt. It soured my entire experience. I could say maybe it was because we didn't order any drinks or appetizers but that still doesn't excuse blatant racism. It was absolutely disgusting. We would love to come back to Mendocino but now we know where not to go back. At least their food wasn't anything to die over.

Our reservation was supposedly for inside dining because we were worried that it was going to be too cold outside. After seeing how pretty the outdoor area was and that they had heaters, they were able to accommodate us and get a table outdoors. The servers were nice and prompt. The carbonara was better than a lot of other places I've tried. The mousse didn't have a strong chocolate flavor, so if you don't like very sweet desserts, you'd enjoy this one. Overall, we liked everything we ordered and it was a nice surprise to experience live music on a week night!

This restaurant does not disappoint! From the beautiful walkway to the front door to a quaint dining experience. Such a gorgeous atmosphere. The wait staff were so friendly and made great suggestions for food and wine selections. This was our second time eating here and the food is outstanding!

I was very disappointed with the lasagna as I could not detect any protein in it BUT my husband's steak with mushrooms looked absolutely delicious and I wanted to steal his plate away. Thank goodness he's a generous man, and he pitied me and shared from his generous portion. The Semifreddo was very mediocre- more disappointing than good and the cannoli was just ok.

Food is ok. We ordered spaghetti alle vongole, calamari, cannoli and lasagna to go. They were very busy and I don't understand bec food was just average to me. The hostess did her best to take care of the customers as there was a line to the check in area. I made reservations but never heard from them despite me following up. Turns out, they did make my reservations but I never got a confirmation. I will definitely not coma back here but head to Fort Bragg for a more tasty spaghetti alle vongole. BTW, don't bother ordering the salad. Looks like it was just mixed greens from the grocery store. The only reedemable part of the salad was the tasty vinaigrette dressing. Street parking.

Amazing authentic Italian food. The pastas here immediately reminded us of the pastas we had in Italy last year. I highly recommend for anyone looking for charming and authentic Italian cuisine in the area. We made a reservation for patio dining. It was outdoors and well decorated with string lights. We were hoping to have live music but they didn't have it that night (Sunday). They had plenty of heat lamps so it wasn't cold. Service was very attentive and friendly. They give complimentary bread with focaccia and some kind of pizza bread which was so good that we asked for another bowl of bread and they happily obliged. Carbonara: absolutely amazing. It was so similar to the one we had in Rome. I highly recommend this. Perfect flavor with plenty of meat, rich but not overly creamy, gooey and saucey with al dente noodles. It's not common to find a place that does carbonara right but they sure do! Penne alla vodka: the perfect red sauce balance to the carbonara. Very saucy and served with al dente noodles. I loved the flavor. We wiped our plates clean of sauce with the bread they provided and left utterly stuffed.

Luna Trattoria is magical! The food is outstanding, the setting is gorgeous, especially on the patio, and especially as the early evening turns to dusk, and then dark, with all the beautiful patio lighting Luna has! To add to the magic, they have live music most evenings on the patio. Our server, Allesio, was excellent, offered great recommendations, and made the evening more fun with his hilarious sense of humor. Luna owner Massimo Melani checked on us several times during the evening, when he ventured out of the kitchen where he was part of the team creating food magic. I had the Gamberoni alla Griglia (Grilled Prawns served with Linguine pasta in a fresh chopped tomato sauce, garlic, parsley and olive oil) - and it was truly a work of art, and absolutely orgasmic! The prawns were grilled perfectly, and the pasta (I opted for the gluten-free fusilli) and sauce were over-the-moon delicious. (You can see I'm running out of superlative adjectives to describe Luna). Others at our table had: - Butternut Squash Tortellini (OMG - fantastic) - Lasagna (wow!! wow!!), and - Spaghetti al Pesto Genovese (Fresh basil, garlic, pecorino and parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil) - so freakin' great! We can't wait to go back to Luna Trattoria for another magical dinner & evening!!

Since dining options in Mendocino are somewhat limited, it's easy to see why Luna Trattoria has earned such high ratings for Italian cuisine in the area. For takeout, we ordered the spaghetti al pesto Genovese, penne al salmone, and fried calamari as an appetizer. The calamari lacked seasoning, and while it was my first time having spaghetti with pesto at a restaurant, I found it a bit plain--though I still finished it. The penne al salmone was the standout dish, thanks to its rich and creamy pink sauce. Because the restaurant was busy on a Friday night and only outdoor seating was available, we didn't get much of a feel for the ambiance. However, I did enjoy the charming walkway with string lights leading to the entrance. Service was efficient--our online order was ready on time, just as they had promised over the phone. I'd be interested in dining inside next time to explore more of the menu--just probably not the calamari.

Our hosts at the Headlands Inn B&B highly recommended dining at Luna Trattoria, which was the perfect choice for our final night in Mendocino. Everything was "Buonissimo!" TIP: If possible, make reservations a few days in advance... or, if you're like us, grab a seat at the bar where walk-in's are welcome.

Luna Trattoria holds a special place in my heart since this is where I celebrated my anniversary. It was a plus that we could bring our pup with us to dinner too! I made a reservation through text which was super easy and came on a Thursday at 7 pm. We were seated outside and it was really cute. They even had a live singer there. Right when we sat the waiter brought out water for our dog. He was super knowledgeable and friendly too! For appetizers we ordered calamari fritti which was a great amount of crispy and chewiness. The marinara sauce was different from what we've had before and we really enjoyed it. You also get complimentary bread which was light and fluffy! You get two different types too. I believe one is just plain and the other is a cheese tomato one! For our pastas, my boyfriend ordered the spaghetti carbonara and I got the orecchioni with meat sauce. Oh my goodness, the pastas were so good. It was the best carbonara my boyfriend has had and it was the real deal. I really enjoyed my pasta too! It was the perfect amount of creaminess in the ravioli and the meat sauce was perfect. I'm always a red over a white sauce and I felt like with this dish a got a little of both. For dessert we shared a custard italiana with mixed berries. Something light and sweet! Overall, I highly recommend and would love to come here again! You can tell this is a loved restaurant as it was packed inside and outside on a weekday.

Another amazing meal at Luna. Service was very fast this time around and the food was great per usual. The bolognese sauce is absolutely to die for and the pesto pasta was very fresh.

Cozy quasi-hippie atmosphere (perfectly befitting Mendocino), slightly better than average service, and sadly, woefully mediocre (and under seasoned) Italian fare. This is based on only a single visit, but since we're only passing through it's doubtful we'd give Luna a second try.

The carbonara was so delicious and noodles were perfect. We made reservations for indoor seating but they were able to accommodate us outdoors which was very nice of the staff. There was live music and the outdoor lighting was super cute!

Highly recommend making reservations, the restaurant is always full. We made a reservation for garden seating and the place was beautifully decorated with heaters beside every table. Calamari - absolutely love it, very light batter with fresh calamari and delicious cocktail sauce Portobello mushroom salad - mushrooms grilled to perfection, paired with miso based sauce, a refreshing salad Linguine alle vongole - my favorite dish, clams linguine in garlicky sauce, the dish is so simple yet tastes rich and fresh, must try Carbonara - the pasta is very creamy and rich, almost too heavy that I wish there was some acidity to balance the fat

This place is wonderful! I absolutely loved everything about Luna Trattoria. Food , Service , Live Music All of it was an incredible experience. Our server was the BEST ! Thank you Luna Trattoria for the best of everything to bring in my new journey around the sun

Wow is Luna special. From the moment you arrive it's an adventure- walking down the narrow pathway to find this treasure. Once inside bask in the quaint atmosphere. It's so cozy. Ease up to the bar and enjoy a full menu. The service and welcoming atmosphere in Luna is wonderful. The menu is varied with many choices for appetizers, small plates and mains. Pace yourself readers as there's lots to explore. We split a caprese salad with yellow tomatoes - good but not tomato season now. The bread with olive oil and balsamic is delicious. All the pastas are homemade and cooked perfectly al Dente. We shared the pesto ( oh the fresh basil!) and butternut squash raviolis. Both delicious bowl licking good. Dessert? Beyond our capacity that night though so many delicious choices. Luna is special and we can't wait to return. Enjoy!

We arrived in Mendocino on Thanksgiving Eve with no dinner plans. We decided to try Luna Trattoria as not many restaurants were open that evening. Thankfully we were able to sit at the bar which was very comfortable. The bartender provided great service with solid recommendations for both wine and dinner options. The Pepper Steak was a special and was cooked perfectly - the sauce was a bit heavy but overall it was very good. The Tortelli a Funghi Porcini was excellent. Very filling, we had no room for dessert. If you are in the mood for solid Italian in a low key, friendly place I recommend Luna Trattoria.

Food is authentic! The service is right from Italy, an Italian flair, outstanding wait staff from the maître D to the young woman pouring the water . The ambience, the music of Italy everybody with smiles on their faces Thank you, Massimo ! The Tambornini's from Napa

Luna trattoria was highly recommended to us by someone that used to lived in the area. We were celebrating a birthday. Beautiful atmosphere and wonderful service. We dine outside and got seated in a romantic corner setting. Beautiful garden. The entrance to the restaurant is a path with overgrown trees and vines. Service was amazing and so was the food. The server she was amazing and made us feel welcome and special. Authentic Italian food. Definitely coming back. I definitely recommend. Until next time. Chao!

What I loved: -Beautiful walkway leading to the restaurant -They accommodated a last minute, same day 5pm reservation -Food was great - salad was fresh, bread was delicious, potato appetizer was soooo good, loved the mushroom pasta entree and chicken Parmesan, and tiramisu for dessert. -Service and food was fast What I wasn't fond of: -Server said they were expecting a large party at 7pm, and it was clear that we were being rushed through our dining. Our appetizers were boxed before we were done with them, bill was brought out with dessert, etc. When the dining is $125, I'd expect a better experience. -We weren't asked if we were there for a special occasion (it was my date's bday) unlike what other Yelpers mentioned. -Eccentric decor, but others may find it charming. What I recommend: -Based on other Yelpers - DO MAKE A RESERVATION by phone -Walk in times were advised to be after 8pm

Luna Trattoria is nestled away off the Downtown Mendocino road. This is the go-to Italian food spot in town. We didn't have a reservation so we called ahead to see if they were busy. They said they had a seat at the bar open so we were delighted. Upon arrival, half the inside tables were empty and they still sat us at the bar. No one mans the bar so we were serviced by staff passing by. Thankfully, we only popped in for a small bite and weren't expecting much. We ordered the Penne Alla Vodka which was a good portion for two. The dish was good, not great. Overall, this spot gets the job done for a simple Italian craving fix but isn't anything to think about for days to come.

Food was amazing, sitting was a little crowded but worth it. Service was great, it's a real busy restaurant, so take that in consideration and try to book ahead will work better and have availability. Thankfully the waitresses had to wait a few but sat us at the bar. It was our honeymoon so I'm reallly glad we got in without reservations. Bad on our part. But food was amazing. The bread and oils was very good. Restaurant atmosphere was nice, somewhat intimate, lots of cool lights little light running down the windows and in general railings etc. I'll try to get a pic was very nice and well worth it. I hope this has been helpful, if you in the area it's a must dine in. Oh and there is no dress code it's pretty much casual or semi dressy.

It's all about the linguini alla vongole! I had my heart set on this before we walked through the door. A generous amount of clams mixed with perfectly al dente linguini: this was a lighter pasta dish that hit the spot. I also loved the two types of complimentary foccacia: cheesy tomato and rosemary. Delish! We also got the house made tortellini fungi porcini which is a mushroom lover's dream. It was good, but nothing compared to that linguini alla vongole. Stuffed, we ordered the cannoli to go to enjoy later. OK as well. Make sure you call and make rezzies in advance! I called a few days before for a Saturday and was able to score a table for two at 5:30pm inside only. When we got there, the walk-in couple in front of us was turned away and there was a sign stating the next reservation was for Tuesday! A bit disappointed my fiance's 50th was not acknowledged even though I said something when making the reservation. 3.5 stars rounded up.

This joins all the other positive reviews. Luna is an utterly charming place to share a meal. The outdoor patio is perfect, the wait staff is so nice and the food is solid. We enjoyed the spaghetti and meatballs and the pasta carbonara. We had fried calamari as a starter and split a Caesar salad. Solid Italian establishment in Mendocino.

Great, authentic Italian food but, because it is Mendocino, expect to spend a pretty penny. The pasta here is so fresh and definitely tastes homemade. We tried the gnocchi, which was the PERFECT consistency. It was neither gummy nor chewy and almost melt in our mouths. The gorgonzola sauce was flavorful and rich but not too overpowering. The meat sauce and marinara were also delicious and had just the right amount of tang to sweet ratio. The Penne alla Boscaiola was also excellent with balanced flavors and fresh pasta. The focaccia was hot, fresh and abundant and our calamari appetizer was fried perfectly without being too over battered or oily - although we felt like they skimped a little on the portion for the price. We felt a little rushed by the server but, because of the limited restaurant space and reservation times, we understood that this is authentic Italian food but not necessarily meant to be a long, leisurely authentic Italian dining experience.

We used to love this restaurant and have been a couple of times before, but our recent visit was so disappointing that we won't be back. We made a reservation for two and brought our six-week-old. We planned our weekend around it. It was our mistake not to book for three -- we're new parents and still figuring out how to navigate dining out with a baby. At other restaurants, this hasn't been an issue, so we didn't realize it would be a problem here. I don't normally write reviews. That said, the way it was handled was unnecessarily rude. Instead of showing even a little understanding or flexibility, the hostess was dismissive and unaccommodating. For a restaurant we once recommended, this was such a letdown. Mendocino is full of places that combine great food with genuine hospitality -- sadly, this is not one of them apparently.

Absolutely perfect dinner at Luna! This was our first time. Service was wonderful. I had the mushroom tortellini and my husband a penne pasta. The wine was a great price too. Next time we will make a reservation outside as there was live music.

I'm not sure if this restaurant was simply overhyped, I ordered the wrong dish, or I just have an exceedingly high bar when it comes to Italian food, but Luna Trattoria fell short of the mark. While in town for a long holiday weekend, I made a reservation for dinner on a Saturday night. Once we arrived, we were seated upstairs. Our server could not have been more kind and attentive, she was phenomenal. Where others have felt that the service was lacking, that was not our experience. We started with the melazine appetizer - it was very thinly sliced eggplant that had been breaded and layered. It reminded me a lot of of eggplant lasagna or eggplant Parmesan. It was all right, but nothing noteworthy. For our entrees, we ordered the lasagna with meat sauce and the gnocchi with meat sauce. Again, neither dish really stood out or had that "wow" factor. I'm not sure if the high ratings are due to the fact that there is not a lot of competition in Italian restaurants nearby but I don't think I would go out of my way to come back here.

What a beautiful place to have dinner. We came from my birthday in late August and ate inside, although outside is very pretty , and honestly it would be a hard choice whether to eat inside or outside. The staff is really cool and we are able to talk to the owner and he made some great suggestions. I would definitely come back and I definitely would recommend this place. My lasagna was really good. The sauce had a really good flavor. Be sure to make a reservation if you come on a popular night.

It was suggested that one could not, for love nor money, get a table without a reservation here. However, we were immediately as walk-ins shown to a lovely table in an absolutely enchanting garden. The service was excellent, the wine list is comprehensive and the food very good, although as a European, I found the portions somewhat over-sized. I can recommend the pasta dishes - they are cooked perfectly.

This is the best Italian spot on the coast by far. I'd even go as far as saying it's the best in Nor-Cal. Give it a try. There's not a bad thing on the menu!

WOW!! What a fantastic place. Loved the location, as we stayed at the Nicholson House right behind it. Food was absolutely brilliant! Best carbonara ever. Great wine!.. Our server, Samantha was just stunning with everything she presented and assisted us with recommendations!!! Loved her!! Highly recommend Luna!!

We came here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner, and it was an amazing experience! We had made a reservation a few weeks in advance. I highly recommend making a reservation, because there is always a long wait without one. Complimentary focaccia is provided, which we enjoyed with olive oil. We ordered the gnocchi combo (choice of 2 sauces) with meat sauce and cream-gorgonzola sauce, as well as the tortelli al funghi porcini. Both pasta dishes were so delicious!! The gnocchi was homemade, fresh, and had a pleasant pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Both the meat and cream-gorgonzola sauces were extremely flavorful and well-balanced. The tortelli (ravioli) also had an amazing soft texture with a bit of chew, and the mushroom tasted fresh and earthy. We ordered both the tiramisu and crème brûlée for dessert. They were delicious! The tiramisu was the best I have ever had-- creamy and lightly sweet, with deep flavors of espresso and cocoa. Service was very friendly! Our server saw us taking pictures and offered to take photos of us together! We sat outside on the deck, which was beautifully decorated. There was live music, and the outdoor seating area is very cozy. This was a memorable dinner. Sadly, Mendocino is a 4 hour drive for us. We hope to be back soon!

It was a cold Wednesday night and it was crazy busy. The hostess offered us a seat on the back patio or a 20ish minute wait. We were starving and had bundled up so we took a chance on the back patio. It was like we stumbled upon a secret garden! It was beautifully lit, the heaters were actually heating, there was a live guitarist, and our very personable server bringing out wonderful food is what made this such a special dinner! Can't wait to eat here again.

We were seated and greeted with a reservation, and our server was so cheery and friendly that it brightened the atmosphere. His smile radiated sunshine. Our seat, next to an open window on the second floor, was beautiful, and we were able to watch the sky fade as our food arrived. The atmosphere was perfect after a lovely day in Mendocino. As for the food, things are a bit on the pricy side, but portions are at least quite filling. The bruschetta tasted alright, as the tomatoes, while seasoned well, felt a little bit soggy. The penne al Sangiovese had a very distinct wine flavor; it wasn't super strong, so it is definitely unique as a purple pasta sauce. Nevertheless, for strong flavors, I might suggest the vodka penne instead. The pollo Valdostana served a good portion of chicken and meat with a nice pairing of asparagus and potato, but the potato could've been seasoned a little more. Nevertheless, this meal was very satisfying, and I loved the feel of the restaurant interior.

Food (4/5): The food was pretty good; I had the penne alla vodka, Parmesan chicken (forgot the exact name of the dish since it was written in Italian) and the bruschetta classica to share. The penne alla vodka was pretty good. Italian isn't my favorite cuisine, and there wasn't anything standout to me. The complementary bread bowls are slightly elevated not being plain (there was a rosemary and pizza-esque flavors), but the prices for the food in general was quite high as well. Service (4.6/5): My servers were very sociable and attentive, filling my table's waters constantly. Ambiance (4.7/5): The interior is very nice. My table was next to the bead curtains where you could see the nice outside sunset and nature. The tables and restaurant were clean too. I would highly recommend reservations because walk-ins are only accepted after 8:15 PM the day my group went, and even then the place was quite busy.

Luna is an awesome choice if you looking for more traditional style Italian dishes. It can get quite busy so reservations would be recommended. On this trip we had the stuffed mushrooms, the fried calamari, steak & shrimp, and the linguine vongole. For dessert we had the berries with custard. Enjoyed everything here and enjoyed the banter with our Italian waiter. Calamari (4.5/5) - calamari was tender,batter wasn't too thick. Only real critique is that wish the portion was a bit bigger Stuffed mushrooms- (4/5) - these were tasty but not sure if I would order these again. Steak/shrimp (5/5) - Both the steak and shrimp were cooked well. The menu says the steak is 8 ounces but felt a bit smaller. The shrimp had a nice bite too it and tasted fresh. Fish comes with a substantial portion of linguine. Linguini vongole (4.5/5) - Didn't get to eat too much of this as my kids slipped this up. Nice broth with the noodles a good portion of clams Berries with custard (4/5) - This was better than I expected. Leaning more on the lite side with the fruit being a major component of the dish. I'm not the biggest fan of raspberry and blackberry but if you like that you would enjoy this more. The custard itself was really good.

As someone that hasn't had much success at Italian restaurants on the west coast, this is the best Italian spot I've tried in California! We came by early for dinner the past holiday weekend and were luckily able to get bar seating without much of a wait. After putting our order in, we were quickly served complimentary bread. Once our food arrived, we were delighted with both dishes - spaghetti & meatballs and farfalle California. My fiancé and I both agree that the farfalle was our favorite but the spaghetti was still solid. At the bar, everyone was friendly - both employees and other patrons that were chatting with each other. Overall a great experience and would come by again if I'm in the area again!

I never write reviews and, after working in restaurants for over a decade, I understand how hard it is to work with the public so I especially hate writing a negative one. Let me start off by saying that my husband and I look forward to going to Luna Trattoria every time we are in town. This time, we travelled to Mendocino on our first vacation as a family with our new baby. We were looking forward to our reservation at Luna, and planned our day around it. When we arrived, we were told that we should have made a reservation for 3 since we had our baby in her stroller. That was my mistake (I'm a new parent and still learning!). I totally understand that the restaurant wasn't able to accommodate us, however, it was the way we were treated by the hostess that upset us. We felt quickly dismissed by her and there were no attempts to accommodate us. For example, was there room inside? Was there a reservation for a later time for 3? Even a simple apology would have sufficed. We were quickly dismissed and our reservation was cancelled. We left feeling very upset by how the situation was handled. Needless to say, we won't be coming back to Luna Trattoria. We found other restaurants in the area that were able to accommodate our family and were nice about it. Again, not upset that we couldn't keep our reservation (I get how reservations work), but upset about the way were treated.

What a special secret garden! This place is adorable! But more importantly, the food is delicious and the staff is top notch. I don't live locally but have gone here multiple times and the gluten free pasta is just amazing. What's better than eating pasta and sipping wine in a secret garden?

I'm not sure where all these glowing reviews are coming from because I was not impressed. In a few words, over-priced and underwhelming. Honestly, my ravioli tasted like something you could get at Costco and throw some Rao's sauce on it. Boring. I will say my partner's cioppino was good, according to him anyway. I thought the seafood tasted old and decidedly not fresh. They give you a basket of bread, but no soup or salad with your meal. If you want those, prepare to drop another $10-$16. For a pile of lettuce. Service was fine, the wait staff are nice and attentive. A corkage fee of $25 is a little absurd tho. Going back? Not anytime soon. Or ever.

Luna Trattoria is such a unique Italian restaurant with upscale food lacking pretentiousness. The ambiance and decor is eclectic in a warm and welcoming way. Service was excellent, our server Jessica was friendly and knowledgeable and we always had our water glasses topped off and unnecessary plates removed in a thoughtful and unobtrusive manner. Regarding our food: 5/5 Melanzabe Parmigiana: cheesy eggplant where the eggplant flavor was somehow so strong and not overpowered by the cheese. As an eggplant fan I would order this every time. 5/5: Funghi Ripieni: stuffed mushrooms where again, the flavor of the mushrooms was so strong, natural, and beautiful. 4/5:Orecchioni: delicious with such a pronounced sage and spinach flavor. Perfectly delicious but compared to other dishes, I wanted more complexity in flavors. 5/5: Tortelli al Funghi Porcini: incredible pasta and mushroom dish. 5/5: Bistecca della Luna: this was the star of our group dinner. The steak was perfectly cooked. The mushrooms were incredible. The asparagus was the best I've ever had. And the sauce is something I will dream about for years. 4/5 Tiramisu: very good but not extraordinary. I've had similar tiramisu many times (and always enjoy it!) 5/5 Custard Italiana with mixed berries: this is so simple and yet so insanely good. The cream was so light and fluffy and was a perfect end to our meal. Will never come to Mendocino without visiting Luna Trattoria, it was such a happy experience!

This place was like walking into a story book fairytale . You walk into a garden of whimsical lights that illuminate the garden . Super cute for a date night or a special celebration. When we went it was super misty . For some reason I thought they had prerecorded some frog noises next to the gazebo area . At the end of dinner I realized that they were in fact real frogs right behind the restaurant . Loved the sounds of nature . The ambiance was defintely nice . The service was amazing . Our waiter was super attentive and kept wiping our table since all the list made things wet . We really appreciate him and he made sure to turn on the heat lamp to keep us warm. We even brought our fur baby with us . The bread here was sooo good . The focccaia was on point and the olive oil and balsamic went nicely with it . I ordered my go to carbonara since the waiter said that was pretty popular . Omg it was cooked perfectly . It was super silky and the pancetta had the perfect saltiness. It was actually a lot of food but it was creamy & delicious I ended up eating everything off my plate . My fiance ordered a pesto dish with a steak . Although his food was decent , I would say mine was perfection. For dessert we had a tiramisu and affogato . I thought it was super sweet they put a candle since we were celebrating fiancés birthday that weekend . Overall , this place was super cute & romantic and had amazing Italian food . Can't wait to come back again . Had a wonderful experience .

My friends and I got a reservation here (yes make sure you get a res unless you want to walk in past 8:15pm for dinner)! Our waiter was so kind and funny. We got some great sitting on the second floor near an outside door where we could see the grass + sky. That made our meal that much better. In terms of food, I got the lasagna and my friends and I shared the bruschetta. Both were good but not extraordinary. I've been to Italy twice so it's a little hard to meet those high marks. My friend got the penne alla vodka and that was probably the best dish out of all of us. Would recommend for any folks that come in the future!

Service was great! Recommend making reservations, we got one in the same day. Food was impeccable. So good! We sat outside in the evening and it was very enjoyable. They have space heaters that they fired up if you got too chilly. It was very romantic and made for a memorable dining experience!

Luna Trattoria is romantic to the max! The ambiance in the garden with live music makes you feel like you're dining in a living fairytale. The food is elegant and delicious, and everyone that helped us was both highly professional and warm & welcoming. They have great food (especially the green ravioli with browned butter sage sauce) & wine menus, with reasonable prices for Menocino. We are definitely coming back!

I didn't make a reservation (which you should absolutely do) and yet they made room for me & my lady for dinner. Then proceeded to deliver the best ciopinno Ive ever had alongside the rest of an amazing meal, with an amazing server + busser. Simply the best, thank you for such a treat.