DM
Google
My family and I first tried this restaurant years ago when we first moved to Las Vegas; however, at that time, I wasn't submitting Google reviews so the experience wasn't formally captured on this site or any platform for that matter. But, our review of this place wasn't completely ignored because I developed an internal tracking and rating system at my house so we can rate every dining experience while living in Las Vegas. Our rating of this restaurant was right in the middle of the rating scale; in other words, we felt it was "just ok." I don't remember all the specifics, but I do recall the food quality being subpar and the customer service was less than adequate. Fast forward in time to 27 Dec 2025...my family and I decided to try this restaurant again because I wanted to see if our opinions would change from our first and only visit. Needless to say, it was an astounding yes...in a good way!
I made reservations for that evening and I was glad that I did because the restaurant started to get very busy around that dinner window...but that is standard Las Vegas operations; you should always consider making reservations. The restaurant hostess was efficient, though she didn't seem as friendly as I've experienced with hostesses at other restaurants. Then again, sometimes people don't mix smiling with being professional...so I get it. Regardless, she didn't have an attitude and escorted us to our seats promptly so for that, I appreciated her professionalism. Speaking of customer service, our main server that evening, Phouvong (Larry), did a phenomenal job! He was extremely attentive, friendly, and operated very efficiently. He explained the special for that evening and never pressured us into purchasing a certain entrée. So kudos to him for making the experience memorable. On the other hand, and nothing against Larry (since there was another person walking around with the water jug), I was slightly disappointed that our water service was basically non-existent upon the conclusion of our meal (desserts). It was going well throughout the evening, but stopped refilling our glasses automatically whenever we received our desserts. I am basically a fish and love my water so it pains me whenever the water service is slow or I have to constantly ask for it.
We ordered the Cucina Martini, Red Blend Prisoner, and Italian Musical for our drinks; Fried Mozzarella for our appetizer; Seafood Fra Diavolo, Chicken Marsala, and Linguine and Clams for our entrées; and Chocolate Budino, Spumoni Sundae, and Affogato for our desserts. Everything was magnificent, with (my) Seafood Fra Diavolo taking the crown. The pasta (and proteins) were cooked to perfection on all three entrées and the sauces were well seasoned. The Fried Mozzarella hit the spot, but I felt it could've used a tad bit more flavor (seasoning). But then again, anything being fried adds a depth of flavor already - pure magic. The martini was decent; it was good to try something different and a different take on the classic martini, but I prefer the classic martini instead. The Affogato was simple but delicious! I mean c'mon...mixing espresso with Vanilla Bean ice cream blends extremely well, just like Sonny and Cher. I swear I heard an Italian version of, "I Got You Babe" playing in my head while enjoying that dessert.
The price-to-quantity/quality ratio was reasonable; the portion size was perfect. The restaurant's décor was elegant and blended well for a non 4-dollar sign restaurant. I don't remember what it looked like before to see if there were any changes or renovations from years ago, but everything looked clean and organized from a dining area standpoint. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone! It's too bad that I live in the far Northwest part of the city so driving here is often a field trip for us. But if I'm ever in the area again and don't feel like trying a new restaurant, then I'm happy to know that we can always return here with confidence that we'll receive outstanding food and service.