Testa Barra Kitchen & Cocktails

My experience at Testa Barra Kitchen & Cocktails was absolutely amazing. Firstly, the atmosphere during the Christmas season is breathtaking. Everything from the decorations to the festive drinks made me feel like I was in a Christmas movie. Moving forward, the service was perfect. Our waitress, Madison, was so kind and bubbly. She made us feel very welcomed and comfortable. Finally, the food and drinks added to the perfect night. We ordered four festive drinks from their Dasher Room’s holiday menu, and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. I believe my drink was the Holiday Cheer-Meister, and I enjoyed it very much. I am not a drinker, and it tasted more fruity to me, thank goodness. The food we ordered was delicious as well, and I have them captioned with their names in each picture. Overall, my experience here was incredible, and I would return.

I’m leaving 2 stars because both times I’ve been to Testa Barra there’s been an issue. After two bad experiences with Testa Barra’s food and service, I think I’m officially done giving them my money. Back in April my family and I ordered carry-out from them. It was our first time trying them and we were excited to give them a shot. After spending quite a bit of money, the gnocchi we received was extremely burnt—so burnt it wasn’t even edible. Honestly, I’m not sure how any chef or cook would let that be served to someone, but they served it to us anyway. It was extremely disappointing, especially for the prices they charge. The owner did send a gift card for the cost of the burnt food to try to make things right, which we appreciated. So last Saturday my family and I decided to give them another chance because we understand mistakes happen. This time the food was fine, but the service from one of the employees was absolutely unacceptable. My bill for two pizzas was $36.04, and I had the $30 gift card from the first experience. I gave the front hostess $7 to cover the rest of the bill. When a different woman finally brought me my pizzas, she had me sign for my bill and immediately walked away. I said, “Excuse me, I was supposed to get some change back.” She replied, “We don’t give change for cash,” and then—what really upset me—she added in a rude and condescending tone, “It’s only like 80 cents anyway.” I was shocked to get a response like that from someone who works directly with customers. I just shook my head and walked out. It wasn’t about the money—it was the principle and the way she tried to make me feel bad for wanting my own change. The funny thing is, I was actually planning to give her a $30 tip for simply bringing out my carry-out order. All she had to do was be kind and at least offer my change back. We called shortly after to speak with a manager to explain what happened and to mention our previous bad experience. All he really had to say was that it was a “great training opportunity” for the employee and that if we ever wanted to place a carry-out order in the future, we could place it directly with him. I don’t know about anyone else, but I work too hard for my money to receive burnt food and to be spoken to that way for simply wanting my change back. In a world where everything is so expensive, it doesn’t take much to be kind—or to not burn people’s food that they spend their hard-earned money on.

Have visited Testa Barra on several occasions, always enjoy the fresh recipes and delicious dishes. Miso Glazed Salmon, Connie’s Lamb Shank, Chicken Milanese and Zuppa Toscana soup is pictured. Service is always above and beyond, highly recommend visiting Testa Barra!

I absolutely adore this place! The waitress we had was so beautiful and such a sweetheart! I forget her name but she was an angel! Top tier customer service from her!! Our food was amazing! The pasta sauce was so good!! The Brussel sprouts i cant even begin to talk about those! I think about them randomly sometimes. Anyways. Thank god we stopped here.

I recently celebrated my birthday at Testa Barra with a group of 18 women, and it was absolutely perfect! The atmosphere is incredible—warm and welcoming, yet stylish and fun. The cocktails were not only gorgeous but also delicious, and the food was simply outstanding—both in taste and presentation. Every dish looked like a work of art and tasted even better. The staff was amazing: super friendly, attentive, and organized. Even with such a large group, they managed to split all the checks correctly without any issues. Our food came out quickly, and our server even made sure to let us know that gratuity was already included in the bill. It was a flawless experience from beginning to end. Everyone in our group loved it—it was unanimous. I’ll definitely be coming back again. Highly recommend!

The food was amazing. The pictures show how much we liked it. First of all, you have to get the meatballs for the starter. AMAZING!! Then you get Norcina for your dinner. After that (Why not!!) get the pizza!!! Make sure to get an old fashion, they make it at your table. Thank you for the great experience, WE WILL BE BACK!!!

I’ve been here a few times and always love it, but tonight was extra special thanks to our server, Matti. Pure sparkle and nonstop good energy, Matti made us feel like we were being hosted by a friend who really knows how to take care of you. Matti is phenomenal, made our celebration even better, and honestly deserves the world.

Went here for the first time for my birthday and they made it unforgettable! Bring roses to the table and give you a complimentary slice of birthday cake with a candle. The food, drinks, and service were amazing!! If you go you must get the manga meatballs. Of course, the J Baldwin calamari is always a must get as well. We got the chicken parm with potato gnocchi and the short rib ragu, both amazing. The Catch me Açaí drink and the table side made old fashioned were both so good! Best old fashioned I’ve ever had. Went last night and already thinking about those meatballs again, will definitely be back!!!

Moved a few years ago but still loving coming back to Macomb County, specifically Testa Barra and J Baldwins for drinks and dinner. Last night was one of those times. Started with reservations in advance and glad we did, we were seated immediately while others waited. The place was packed but organized, plenty of staff on hand. The football game was on but not distracting, later the entertainment was a singer who was not too loud and sang some good songs. Our food was over the top, Braised short ribs, some pasta and a salad. Everything was over the top ie; service food and atmosphere

Last night's dinner was our second year with reservations at Testa Barra's Dasher Room, and we were just as impressed as we were last year. First and foremost, we don't dine here that often, but the several times we've been, we never had a single bad experience. Any of the wait staff we've encountered have all been very personable and welcoming. Sure, it's part of the job, but here, you can tell they truly enjoy what they do because the conversations go beyond just them taking our order. I usually get the boneless short rib, but the chef's menu had the herb-crusted prime rib (medium) with zip sauce as well as roasted garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned broccolini. My fiancée had her favorite, filet mignon (medium) with caramelized onions as well as the same sides. We topped it off by sharing our favorite dessert, tiramisu As always, we enjoyed our meals, I wish I got a cocktail this time, but we truly enjoyed what we had as well as the atmosphere, and much like last year, major kudos to the decorating crew. It was very festive and really lifted our spirits. Our waitress, Sydney was very friendly and patient given how much busier it got as the evening progressed. All in all, we are looking forward to coming back to the Dasher Room next year, as husband and wife.

A-ok place for dinner but food/drink can be hit or miss. Our waiter was pretty good, very accommodating, and one of the owners stopped by after our meal to check in, which is always a nice touch. For drinks, I liked their espresso martini best but the Girl Next Door cocktail was also good. For food, I was recommended to try their fig pizza but maybe it was an off night because it was just ok - kind of dry. I was able to try a bite of someone else's barramundi and that was much better. My mom didn't really care for her scallops that were on special - too salty. I will say they are generous with the complimentary bread and also birthday dessert (a huge slice of chocolate cake). We also ordered a few other desserts for the table, which were delicious! All in all, a good experience but I'd just be careful what to order for my meal next time.

Testa Barra is one of.our favorite date night restaurants. We have never had a bad meal here (or their sister restaurant, J Baldwins). Chef Gabby and Chef Mike and their team are top notch from cocktails, entrees, and dessert, they do a great job. Our two favorite entrees are the ragu and the short ribs, but I am also a sucker for the girl dinner (lobster, truffle fries and ceasar salad). They always do a great job with gluten free options which means a lot to me as someone with celiac. Come further holidays and make a reservation for the Dasher Room, all decked out for the holidays!

Been here for birthdays a few times and their food hasn't disappointed me yet! Big fan of the Catch Me Acai drink (oldish photo, but still delicious!)

We were here to meet some friends and to have dinner. We have never been to this restaurant and it was quite busy. The food was pretty good overall, but a couple items just weren't up to par. The ravioli was way too buttery and quite hard on the outside as if it was pan seared. It just did not have a lot of flavor. The caprese salad was pretty good, but really felt like it could use some toast or bread with it. The best part was the potato leek soup, which they should totally keep on their menu and the ricotta toast. The service was pretty slow as well as the manager came by and said they were understaffed. They had some live music which was ok but was pretty noisy and hard to hear conversation. Overall, this is a pretty good place to visit and we would like to try it again.

Joined testa barra for the first time at a cooking demo of Baldwin's favorites. I highly recommend signing up for the demos as they provide a four course meal and the recipes! Everything I ate was incredible and the staff were wonderful. Can't wait to return to try the full menu!

Great ownership. Great drinks - they have fabulous bar tenders. Food was fabulous, Apps and entrees are the only Italian I enjoy. Their pasta with the vodka sauce is solid. Their special menu is always special. However Waiter Service is hit or miss. Tonight was a miss. We had a terrible waiter. My wife and I spent an extra 60 minutes just waiting for our waiter to get back to us in our 2.5 hour time. I complained to a manager and they didn't seem to care this time. Usually though they own their mistakes. But all that said, always leave with a dessert. This is a restaurant with very good food.

Had such a nice dinner this week. The lasagna was so fluffy and creamy. The shrimp were big and the cocktail sauce - I need your recipe!!! The horseradish in it was just right! My salad was huge as well. Definitely enough for two ppl. Service was prompt. And I love the way the restaurant looks. Cozy, swanky. Always a good time!

We will always recommend the bar cart service at Testa Barra. The rotating speciality cocktails that are on the Bar Cart menu are extremely creative and delicious. Make sure you try the House speciality Gin, Hard Head, it's a collab between Testa Barra and Detroit distillery and you can only get it at Testa Barra. The service is always spot on with Great recommendations if you don't already know what you might want.

Great place for a perfect night out. Testa Barra looked fantastic and had delicious food. The Short Rib was tender, juicy, and flavored so well. The Norcina - Fusilli was great as well, great flavor on the sauce and the sausage was a spectular add. The real highlight was the tableside Spicy Ghost, a fantastic spicy tequila cocktail that paired so well with the rest of the meal. Our service was quick, fast, and on point throughout the entire meal. Thank you so much, Testa Barra.

Loved it here!! Pizza portion was gigantic for a low price ($16), and tasted incredible. Fig and balsamic vinegar paired so nice with the goat cheese and greens on top. Slightly sweet but still savory enough for a filling meal. Couldn't recommend this option enough. Want something more filling? We also tried the salmon.. this was seriously the best cooked salmon I've ever had. Puts other establishments to shame. It was served with this delightful carrot based sauce... wouldn't have known it was carrots if I didn't read it on the menu. Delicious. Service was quick, friendly, all that I could ask for! Only downside I'd say is location and decor. Located up in Macomb township, this inside of a strip mall next to a vape shop and gym. Parking lot is large enough you will not have issue finding a spot. I'd recommend getting a reservation though

Second time in one month. Is now my favorite for an elevated relaxed dining experience. They do everything right here!

Happy hour! Great server and delicious Marguerite pizza. The remodeling of the interior has a great vibe. The music added to the ambience.

We went for happy hour and sat in the bar area. Very nicely decorated and music not so loud that you can have an actual conversation with whom your are with. My only complaint was having to ask for more water several times. The food-delicious, looking forward to coming back.

This small restaurant is quaint and has a good vibe. The marguerita pizza was good. We would hang out here more often, but their cocktail prices are too high. For a small pizza and 3 drinks (2 glasses of wine and one mixed vodka drink) the bill came to $66 before tip. we can find equally nice places to enjoy a small pizza and a couple drinks for less than $80!! But they do a good business so obviously the price doesn't deter some from enjoying an evening here.

Honestly always a great experience. The ambiance is great, great staff & the food is always up to par & consistent. One of me and my families favorite places to go.

Visited on a late Friday night and we were quickly seated. Our server recommended the limoncello Mules which were bright and citrusy. Started the meal with an appetizer of arancini- the vodka sauce is delicious! We then opted for a pizza and settled on the Figa Bigawhich was packed with flavor. I would definitely love to come back and try their brunch menu on a weekend and explore more of their signature cocktails.

Dined here twice this week! The Michael Agnello wine dinner event was 5 stars. We were greeted with Champagne, browsed jewelry, nice spring side salad, tasty chicken puttanesca, and delicious chocolate crème brûlée pot. Also paired with the Scrooge drink and Bononza Cab. Service was attentive. Event room was cozy and decorated for the holidays. It was lovely hearing from the entire Baldwin family and their history. A step above would've been if they walked around to ask how everything was. Last night we tried our luck to dine in the dasher room with our toddler. We got a floor table, which was fine for us. We got the kids pizza but were super disappointed that he never got the bombolino. I forgot to remind the waitress so I'm hoping they'll make up for it and give him 2 next time. We got the Scrooge drink again - it tasted different than at the wine dinner. Not as good but served in a bulb which was cute but I think it ruins the effervescence of the Champagne. I questioned if Champagne was in it at all. We also ordered an Old Fashion. For dinner we ordered the Chicken Saltimbocco dish. It was not as good as the wine dinner chicken dish I had days earlier. It was also missing mushrooms which the waitress had corrected. The wine dinner version had nice large flakes of Parmesan. This evening's chicken had none. I'm not sure what to expect if I order this again in the future. Waitress was really busy and checked in frequently. Only downside was that missed bombolino which I'm hoping we'll get double if we decide to come back!

Calamari expensive but good you will wanna order 4 more servings they give you 4 pieces

Incredible service, beautiful food. Little bit fancier but nothing too formal. Very reasonable pricing if you don't want to go crazy.

Tried the Happy Hour, didn't mind the smaller portions for the price. The service should have been better for the restaurant was not busy. Waited way too long for 2 drinks when there were only 10 patrons in the place. When our food finally came we could tell it had been sitting a while as the melted cheese was hardened. The best thing was the meatballs.

Always great food and service!! Tried a pizza for appetizer this time . Will try something new next time .

Wonderful food and service but can be a bit noisy if you're looking for a quiet venue.

Definitely adding to my list of go to places! What a treat! I order the ragu conchiglie, my husband ordered the shrimp scampi and a friend ordered the figa biga, all were outstanding. The prices were on the higher side but the portions were very large and the leftovers were just as good! The service was good, not great but the ambiance was spectacular. We sat at the bar while we waiting for our table and the bartender was great!Highly recommend!

Excellent food and great cocktail selection. I am a big fan of Testa Barra and have been going there since they opened. Excellent service, friendly staff, and overall a great experience during each visit. Plenty of parking out in the lot too which is a great feature.

Came with a group of friends on a Saturday night. What a nice place. Very clean and well kept. Service is wonderful. Food was delicious. The interior design is quite unique. The live music was a perfect touch. Such a cool atmosphere.

Still dreaming about the meal that we had at Testa Barra Kitchen & Cocktails on Saturday... Dan went with the lasagna. It was amazing as usual. I tried something new for me here- Rigatoni ala Vodka. It was sooo good and I'll definitely be ordering it again. We ordered some wine and the spicy ghost cocktail (I love that they put fresh jalapeño in the ice cube) Our server was the best and gave us recommendations for next time. The manager came over to check on us. The service is always above and beyond here and the food is incredible. We still need to make it in for pizza sometime!

Testa barra is always a treat. We absolutely love their pizzas and the short rib is phenomenal. Great cocktail selection.

Some of the best Italian food I've had in a long time. Our waitress was super helpful and knowledgeable on the food menu. We will definitely be back soon to try more of the delicious food.

I went here for mothers day and they were out of lamb shanks by 4 pm which disappointed my mom a lot but everyone ended up loving their food anyway. The vegan pasta dish was even a hit for my sibling! I got the vodka pasta dish and it was delicious but the cream brulee was so good, I wish they gave us more because it was expensive for such a small amount. Overall, I thought this place was ok. I didn't love how the tables were so close together because I felt too close to the other parties of people.

Testa Barra is a VIBE! This place is so cool. It doesn't make you think you're in a semi rural part of Michigan. It's in a strip mall but they've done a wonderful job outfitting it into a swanky cool semi upscale place. The service was PHENOMENAL! From the moment I walked in the door I felt welcomed. No one was at the hostess table but a young man cleaning tables quickly acknowledged me and came over to greet me. I chose to sit at the bar and there were about three to four different bartenders of which all interacted with me in service and collaborated very well together. The menu wasn't overwhelming but certainly had seemingly intentional selections that were interesting in their composition. I ordered the Guilty Vegan Pasta adding the arrabbiata sauce which was AMAZING. There is apparently a semi Ghost kitchen of a restaurant called Orro operating in the restaurant with a separate menu. The menu also had some intriguing options like an extremely fresh made guacamole served with circular tortilla chips that added a nice flair. The final course was a coconut milk panna cotta topped with cinnamon and golden raisins and it was simply scrumptious. The restaurant brings a unique big city flair to Macomb County/Shelby township. Testa Barra is definitely worth the drive. Great place for all types of occasions. I couldn't commend the staff enough! They seem to really enjoy one another and it shows in the service they deliver.

Edit: We were contacted not once, but twice last night (the same night of incident) by not only the owner, but a chef as well. It is very obvious that they deeply care about their restaurant, as they had taken the time to apologize and read their reviews; It's touching and I think it speaks volumes about their character and commitment to a higher standard not only for the restaurant, but for the community in which they serve. Again, I believe the short comings we experienced with taste and pace were likely due to the kitchen being backed up rather than something Anthony did or didn't do and all was out of his control. Anthony was very personable and well informed about the menu items too. Upon reflection this morning, I'm beginning to think last night was just a rare occurrence in this restaurant and though unfortunate, life goes on. I've raised my rating to 3 as it was still just an ok experience, but the immediate contact and concern was touching and I do think they meant well by it. We will try again another time and hopefully it's a better tasting meal and overall experience! Wishing you all the best and thank you for reaching out to myself and my husband to hopefully resolve these issues for future guests. ******************************** Original: Came in for our anniversary and to try a new restaurant that we had heard mostly good things about, but wanted to see for ourselves. We were greeted by the hostess as she was seating another group and then promptly seated at a high top table (though it literally was just a couple of feet by the door/hostess stand...I felt like we should have been interacting with all that people who came in while waiting/staring at us as they waited for a table lol...like we were in the way of the door if that makes sense? The hostess came by a few minutes after seating us and after drink order was taken with a rose, as she must have seen a note on the reservation that we had come in for our anniversary (should she have known or checked before seating us, yes, as we had one of the first reservations of the night, but not too big a deal). Our waiter (Anthony) was very nice and well versed in the menu items. The decor was nice and good flow, but unfortunately those are the only good parts from our visit... I had the recommended/award winning salmon that our waiter had suggested and it was served with broccoli; the broccoli was mainly stems and undercooked and while the ginger sauce on the salmon was good, the salmon itself had the skin left on it and the edges were hard as a rock/over cooked. My husband had a pasta with sausage (forgot the name), but they did in fact leave out the mushrooms as per his request. He said it was ok, but just missing something. Service is extremely slow for a 5:30 reservation on a Wednesday! I don't believe this to be Anthony's fault at all, rather it seemed like a kitchen issue/backed up? Whole restaurant experience is just missing something and unfortunately we left unimpressed and not wanting to try dessert. If I'm being honest, it was disappointing after hearing about their "award winning chef" and it kinda ruined vibe of the night--over priced/over hyped for what you'll receive and the slow pace didn't help matters. Afraid to see what the environment/pace would be on a weekend!

Wonderful, chic, yet not pretentious place right here in North Macomb. The inside looks welcoming cozy yet classy and semi fancy too. Lots of high end decòr without going over the top. My wife and I enjoyed a bit of a date night and began here for a few drinks and tried their charcuterie board, which is a popular option for us to dive into a few cocktails and tasty cold eats that can stIll build good appetite. So the bartenders have that classy big city knowledge and personality without the rush or edginess you may not rather have. She let us sample any drinks we were unsure of and she knew how to think of good recommendations of libations based on our preferences and wanting to try something new. The charcuterie board had a generous helping of tasty prosciutto (for some reason my wife didn't like that cut but I loved it). The salami and selection of cheeses as well as a sweet fig spread was on there too. The presentation was definitely something to behold, like in a mountain form. I'll upload a picture. Next time if we go with another couple we will also order the calamari which looks fantastic. The meals here also look very good and I'm psyched to actually do dinner here one day in the near future. The suspense will have to build until then. Two thumbs up and highly recommend so far!!

Such delicious food. The staff and service is great here as well. I love the decor in this place too. We also went when there was live music, which was a nice touch.

I feel like I am being very generous giving Testa Barra 3 stars... The food is nothing special. The sweet potato fries looked good, but had so many huge chunks of brown sugar stuck to them, they were basically inedible. The waiter took it back to the chef and the owner came out making a big deal about it, but then still charged us for them. Another time, I ordered a pizza that they delivered to our table basically raw. Even the waitress was mortified that someone had brought it out to us in the condition it was in. They did remake it this time and took it off the bill, which was nice. I really wanted to like this place but after multiple visits, in which I have been disappointed every time, I do not feel the need to ever go back.

Don't get me wrong, the place has a very cool vibe. What's disappointing about this restaurant Is there inconsistency of food and service quality. I've been here before where the food and service is absolutely wonderful, and then weeks later I've come back on the same day in the same time frame and ordered the same food choice, and it is a completely different experience. I religiously order the dippy eggs brunch item, and each time I order it, it is prepared differently. It is so frustrating. I've ordered the Nutella beignet bombs and sometimes I have fruit with them and other times I do not. I order a mimosa and sometimes it's a generous poor, and other times it is not. It's really unfortunate because I have had good food at this establishment, it just depends on who's working I guess ...

Went here with my mom over the holidays and we were very impressed with the ambience, the service and the food. I still think about how good the apps were!

The last time I was here, I had angel hair pasta with lobster tail. It was served with a blush sauce that was not very spicy, but just enough. A generous lobster tail on top finished it nicely. They have great drinks, bartenders and a sheik atmosphere

From the service to the food to the ambiance every thing is wonderful .. we go about every other month and have not had anything that was t good on the menu. If you let them know ahead of time if you are there for a special occasion they will have a little sign on the table for you too

Celebrated our 28 year wedding anniversary. Chef recreated our favorite dish off menu-scallops casino with lobster instead of scallops. He even came out of the kitchen to talk to us. Dish was superb and service made our night special. Our favorite restaurant, 5 stars! Thank you!

What an excellent experience! The food was outstanding. Rob our waiter was very informative and knowledgeable about the food choices. Meet the owners son and everyone was so friendly. Definitely going back.

The Baldwin Group is a family of fine restaurants. And it is run by a wonderful family. Testa Barra is by far my favorite. When you dine there, you are treated by the family, like family, I am a long time supporter of their restaurant. Tonight, we began with their newly imagined, vegetarian-friendly arrincini. It did not disappoint, loved it paired with the vodka sauce. Next came a charcuterie. It was delicious; right down to the wonderful beemer cheese offering; a Gouda from Holland rich and flavorful. Our entrees were pasta bolognese, pork medallions, and pasta Ala vodka. All were plentiful and prepared to perfection. Chef came out to the table to insure our happiness with the meal. But, we weren't finished. Dessert was crème brûlée, and the cheesecake of the day. Seriously? What more could a diner require? Additionally, our service was very professional and we were well taken care of at every turn. The cocktails were exceptionally well prepared, and they stock my favorite red, Gaja, as a matter of course. I will always return to Testa Barra. It is "home" to me. The Baldwin family excels at hospitality. Book early. Go often. I've never been disappointed. Easily, the best restaurant in suburban Macomb County.

Always amazing!! We love coming and here and love the live music! Staff is always friendly and the place is always up to par

I really enjoy my dinner a lot. The host and server we had were so lovely and kind to us. I like coming here once a month a nice treat.

One of my favorite Italian restaurants with a modern flare in ambiance, flavor, and presentation, and satisfying craft cocktails. Darwin took exceptional care of us and was so personable. He suggested we start with the arancini- definitely need to order that again. OMG. So cheesy and topped with the most delicious vodka sauce! We also had the calamari, absolute staple at testa and JBaldwins! The pasta alla vodka is another one of my faves- creamy vodka sauce, salty pancetta, just fantastic. The main hit of the night was the margherita pizza. Testa's pizza is a MUST, but now they offer Roman-style crust which is absolutely AMAZING! It's fermented for 3 days, resulting in this fluffy inside with a crispy, slightly salted crust... WOW. For dessert we had the seasonal pumpkin cake, which I will be having dreams about and we just couldn't settle on one so the raspberry cream cheesecake was taken to-go. Made a delightful evening treat Absolutely fantastic place for a date night or bringing the fam. Kids even get to start with their own pizza dough ball to make!

Amazing service! Great ambiance! Yummy food! We were visiting from out of town and saw all the positive reviews here. Definitely lived up to it and more. Server was so friendly and welcoming to us!

Fabulous evening with great food, friends and drinks! Solid 4 rating for this nicer dining establishment. Serves traditional Italian and some American cuisine with a solid wine and cocktail menu! Arrived a bit early for our reservations and they were able to seat us quickly. Thankfully, we were not in the "naughty corner..." (IYKYK) Hostess was super bubbly and friendly. We felt like we were taking to one of our adult children's best friends - very personable. Our server Paul was dynamite. He checked in on us very frequently and delivered good service throughout. For our table of 6 enjoyed several beverages. - Split a bottle of Gavi di Gavi wine (Italian Cortese) - rating 4.25 - bottle of Daou Cabernet which is a nice, value priced cab - rating 4 - Evening special cocktail called "City on Fire" featuring local whiskey and handmade mixers. It was smoked table side by Paul using a bourbon barrel stave. Nice table side presentation. The drink was tasty! - rating 4.5 Dinner included: - Calamari: light coated strips with briny sauce featuring capers, lemon, etc. Very tender, albeit a tad salty. Rating: 4.1 - Mushroom Risotto: special feature Chanterelle mushrooms. I did not taste this, but two at my table raved about it. Rating 4.25 - Ragu with house made pasta: GET THIS! Hearty dish with a very flavorful Ragu meat "sauce". Rating 4.25 (wish it had pappardelle) - Rigatoni with vodka sauce and blackened chicken: very flavorful and rich. Garlic forward. Pasta seemed a bit past al denti and I would liked if a bit more saucy. Still, the flavors were rich and enjoyable. Blackened chicken was a tad on the overcooked side. Rating: 3.8 - Other dishes enjoyed by our table was the shrimp scampi w/ spaghetti, and the lemon chicken. - bread service with the focaccia was very tasty. This restaurant uses garlic liberally, which I love! 4.25 - tiramisu: Generous portion of well executed tiramisu. Traditionally made and enjoyed by all. - Gelato : GET THIS! salted Carmel gelato was spectacular! Rating: 4.5

The food is well prepared and presented wonderfully. Service is second, the weight staff is adaptive as well as the bus staff. The upscale atmosphere is always inviting and friendly