Ristorante da Danilo

This restaurant is a real jewel of the historic centre of Modena. Here, fresh pasta is the absolute protagonist: tortellini, tagliatelle and fried dumpling are prepared with great skill according to traditional recipes. A place where you will find tradition not only in the menu but also in the warm welcome of the owner Danilo and his wonderful staff.

Everything was worth it.. we had reservations (a must). Mushroom Crepe appetizer was outstanding and the Balsamic glazed beef with potatoes was my favorite. One fun note: The cloth tablecloth pattern was matched to the paper (high quality) napkins! lol

Must make reservations. We had the filet steak cooked in balsamic vinegar. The steak was so tender and juicy. Good portion. We also had the Scaloppina con funghi. I believe it was pork. The porcini mushroom sauce was oozing out of each cut of meat. Delicious.

Friend of mine from Modena recommended me that place and was absolutely right Perfect service, excellent food and that taste lambrusko sparking red local wine what you need more???? Must with sure to eat their mix from cooked beef tong, salami and some other meets which was delicious- really bravo to the management! Only remark about the non so good tiramisu was very fat and hard to to eat must to correct formulation….

This restaurant came highly recommended by a friend, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive throughout our visit. On our first night, we had reservations and were blown away by the food—everything was fresh, flavorful, and generously portioned. We enjoyed it so much that we returned a second time without a reservation, showing up right at opening. Despite that, they graciously seated us and once again delivered top-notch service and delicious food. I can’t recommend this place enough!

Amazing home made pumpkin tortellini and terimisu. The tortellini was the perfect balance of salt, sage, and flavour. The terimisu was delicious with espresso mixed with the mascarpone, the cake drenched in sugared espresso and a strong coffee flavour topped off with cacao nibs. Best Tirimusu I’ve ever had. I highly recommend this place

Food is exquisite. Service was on point. Prices are very inexpensive. This could easily be a Michelin restaurant!

We enjoyed the primi piatti in this restaurant, which are their strength. We took the spaghetti carbonara and the ravioli stuffed with pumpkin in a ragù sauce. The lambrusco was also very good. When it comes to the secondi piatti, we had the veal cut with mushrooms and asparagus and were disapointed by the lack of flavor of the dish and cheese, and lack of freshness of the vegetables.

The tortellini in brodo was very very good. Their bavarese al nocino was a world class desert.

A solid 4 stars, could have been 5 stars but a few mistakes were made on my part. I heard about Ristorante Da Danilo from a couple of food blogs and after reading about it I knew I had to try it. I don't speak Italian so I was unsure about calling for a reservation so I did what my plan was for most of my time in Italy, and that was to just show up at opening to try to get a table. It helped that it was the slow season so those two reasons worked for me during my trip. I started with the Prosciutto e Parmigiano Reggiano as an antipasti. Being in the Emilia-Romagna region I had to try the regional specialities Of Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This was a plus because it also came with gnocco fritto and the Parmigiano Reggiano was topped with an aged balsamic vinegar. Gnocco fritto is a type of bread from the region that is fried and usually eaten with an assortment of salumi. The prosciutto was excellent especially when eaten with the gnocco fritto. And the Parmigiano Reggian, aged 36 months, with balsamic was also outstanding. Next was the Primi Piatti or first course. I ordered the Lasagne verdi al forno which was baked sheets of green pasta with meat filling and bechamel sauce. In the U.S. most lasagna is made with a tomato sauce or ragu, but the bechamel is next level and this was the best lasagna I've ever tasted. For my Secondi Piatt, second course I decided to try the Bollito misto, which is a typical dish from the region which is mixed boiled meat (beef, stuffed pig trotter, head, tongue). Pig trotter is pigs foot, which I've had before. The boiled meats were served with 4 different sauces including mostarda (a mustard based sauce with candied fruit), salsa verde, and a chutney like sauce. I tried all the different sauces with all of the different meats but it just didn't do anything for me, it was just boiled meat. I couldn't even pick a favorite meat. I usually power through and finish everything but I just couldn't do it. This turned out to be the most disappointing dish I ate in Italy. I don't think it was made badly, it was just something I am not used to. For the Contorn or side dish I ordered Spinaci al burro e formaggio (Spinach with butter and cheese). This was alright, just as you would expect. For the Dolci della Casa (Home-made desserts) I had to try the Zuppa Inglese, which literally means "English soup." Once again I had read about it and I knew it was a regional dessert not likely to be found in other regions. It is described as a trifle-like dessert but I neglected to note that it is made with a liqueur and I don't really like any kind of alcohol, so while it was pretty, it just wasn't for me. All in all it was a good meal, because what I did like was excellent and what I didn't like was due to my preferences or what I was used to and not the fault of the restaurant. I did try to get in for lunch about 3 weeks later but the restaurant was fully booked.

Lovely restaurant. Was recommended by our Airbnb host. We came in without a reservation and I think they could tell we were a tad overwhelmed by the busyness of the front desk area and kindly squeezed us in. The staff from front to back were really patient and kind to us, but for some reason the table next to us was FUMING and maintaining looks that could kill. It was so obvious and aggressive that we left for the check after our first dish. The food was okay but nothing wild to right home about. I think we wanted to like it more with it being a recommendation but the energy just really felt tense.

A great restaurant in Modena for delicious homemade pasta and regional food. We shared an anti-pasto appetizer with delicious salami, prosciutto, and cheese, the Tortelloni Vecchia Modena (spinach and ricotta filled pasta) with a tomato sauce and veal milanese in a parmesean cream. All of these dishes were fresh and light and delicious. Wine list was fine. Ambiance is excellent; service is great. A much better restaurant then Osteria Francescana. Highly recommended.

Da Danilo is one of my fondest travel/meal experiences ever! We'd read a little about the restaurant online, and decide to swing by in the afternoon to make a reservation for that evening. When my friend Georgia gave her name for the reservation, a friendly woman in the restaurant exclaimed "my name is Giorgia too!" She assured us that she'd be our waitress that night. Thank goodness she was! Giorgia took our meal at Da Danilo from a normal (delicious) meal in Italy to an evening that we all remember still. She explained everything on the menú super thoroughly, making sure to let us know what the most traditional dishes from Modena were. For wine, she recommended us a local Lambrusco that she and her girlfriends used to drink when they were younger. After some delicious pumpkin tortelloni with meat sauce (it sounded like a strange combination at the time, but the flavors were a perfect balance for each other), Giorgia brought us two typical desserts to share. They were just as delicious as the rest of the meal. We topped it off with a photo with our favorite person in Modena-- and a promise to come back to visit someday. Thank you Giorgia and everyone at Da Danilo for an unforgettable evening!

We came across this gem thanks to yelp's recommendation. Delicious local food and friendly service. We tried the pastas and the steak in balsamic vinegar and enjoyed every moment. Highly recommended

Not many restaurants were open for dinner in Modena on a Monday night, but da Danilo was, and it was filled with customers. We had read that this restaurant specializes in Modenese homestyle cooking and one of the restaurants in the city worth checking out. That evening, we arrived at the restaurant without a reservation but our waitress assured us it wasn't an issue and seated us pretty promptly. We started off with half a bottle of lambrusco as that is the wine of the region and it was nice and light. Our waitress also brought us some bread which was dry and broke into little pieces as I tried to tear it apart but this seemed like this is just how Modena bread is supposed to be like from what I've seen and read in other pictures and reviews of other local restaurants. For our meal though, we ordered the tortellini en brodo to start, which was a bowl of clear broth of many pieces of little tortellini filled with minced meat, a local dish of Modena. The tortellini en brodo was tasty and perfect on this cold night. Our next dishes were the ossobucco in vegetable sauce with a side of mashed potatoes and the veal with mushrooms, ham, and asparagus. Both were deliciously made, the ossobucco was very tender but the sauce was okay. My husband enjoyed his veal but we were still hungry after all this food, as we had really worked up an appetite from our travels that day, so we got the tiramisu and chocolate cake for dessert. Overall we came to experience Modenese cuisine and got what we came for. Service was great - it was like eating at a good friend's house and the waitress was like your friend's mom. After everything we've ordered: water, half a bottle of wine, an antipasti, 2 main courses and 2 desserts, the bill only came out to 57 euros which was very, very reasonable.

The only thing I'd give a 5 star here is their service. Same thing as Aldina, I called them they said no table - I showed up at 7 and got a table for 2! The food is OK at best, the tortelini did not feel fresh, the prosciutto is really nice though. We ordered a classic red wine which we thought would be really good, not that good - it was okay. The pasta and the dessert was fine, nothing fancy! More expensive than the other Trattoria's but the service was very nice.

Great local favorite. Quaint, cozy and comfortable. Very accommodating staff. We arrived way late (11:00 pm) and they went out of their way to ensure we had a wonderful evening and meal. The steak was prepared just like we requested, served with an interesting balsamic vinaigrette. Get ready to enjoy a lot of vinegar if you visit this area. The Osso Bucco was excellent. The portions were perfect. But like every good restaurant in Modena in the old town, not the easiest to find.

This is a very popular restaurant in Modena which we found via yelp. There was quite a wait even for a Monday lunch in October. The waitstaff was friendly yet very busy servicing multiple tables each. We sat in the outdoor patio which was very pleasant. We each got a first and second course and dessert with wine and espresso. Our pastas were both excellent - mine was the lasagna. Both our meat dishes were ok. I wouldn't order again. Grilled fillets. Wished I had ordered something else. For dessert I had a local dessert (I can't remember the name) but it was delicious and highlight of my meal. This is a very popular place and I would also suggest asking the waiter for recommendations which I wish I had done. Would revisit and recommend.

We had a lovely dinner here with exceptional service. Our waitress was both efficient and entertaining. We had a carafe of the house wine which was pleasant and as expected for the price! My husband had the traditional tortellini en Brodo which was excellent! So much flavor in those little pasta packets! I had the Osso Buco with mashed potatoes which was also excellent. The meat was so tender no knife was needed. We finished with Trimasu, which was a more frozen but still delicious presentation, and local liqueur made of walnuts and "secret spices" - very strong but very good. Overall a wonderful experience.

Terrific spot and the Gnochi Frito with Coletello as an appetizer was amazing. Love the puffed dough they use here. The selection and menu will satisfy all tastes with many unique dishes. Great pricing in half bottles of vino as well. Convenient location near duomo.

Recommended by many locals. I went with a friend and they split two kinds of pasta on each plate for us. Try the Nocino (digestif) after the meal ... It's made from walnuts and simple syrup and is 80 proof. Very good!

Nice place to Have great dinner but need to make reservation Before otherwise You should Expect To wait table :) :)