Cardellino

BRING BACK THE SPINACH MAFALDE! (only half joking, it was my favorite)one of my go-to restaurants in the city for a nice dinner out. always on point with the food and drinks, and really knowledgeable staff that is top notch.apparently the vibe used to be different with the interior, but whatever they are doing now is great. lighting is on point and it's nice and dark and cozy inside. Also love that you can get ice cream outside after dinner.

I really loved this place about 3 years ago. I don't know if there was a change in management or ownership, but it was different this time around. When my group first walked in the hostess/manager asked how many people and we said 8. We made a reservation for 5:00pm but she seemed somewhat annoyed in her facial expressions. We sat down and were greeted with our server, who also seemed a bit annoyed with our group. No big deal. Also new to me since being here, we had to order everything all at once. I've been to many other restaurants, higher end restaurants, and I've never done this before. Our table got 5 minutes to order everything and when it was time, and most of us were still deciding our server was again, annoyed. The whole "happy hour" BS is from 5-6 only at the bar or outside. If this is the case, please say something on your website before guests arrive and are dumbfounded when you can't have the happy hour menus. The first dish my girlfriend and I got were the meatballs. They came out lukewarm, and the ricotta cheese made the dish colder. They were very good, but just not at the right temperature. My girlfriend enjoyed her vodka pasta, no complaints there. I ordered the Sunday supper. It was okay. The spaghetti wasn't fully cooked all the way, they were still kind of crunchy instead of soft. The short rib was the only thing on the plate that I liked. Cooked very well, and the sauce was good too. I absolutely hated the crème fraiche on the top. It was too much and again, made the entire dish cold. The whole aesthetic of the restaurant is beautiful. It's gorgeous in there. I love the open kitchen idea. When the check came, we weren't able to split the bill and then our server took 20 minutes to collect the payment. Just was very bummed about our service in all honesty. Felt like we were the group that got stuck in the back. Hoping for a better time the next time I go. If there is a next time.

There's not a lot of bad things to say about this place if any. I came here on a gorgeous Saturday night and was met by some of the loveliest waitstaff in the area. They shared their love for the pup who was with me celebrating his birthday. After being shown our seats outside on the patio, we asked to move to the shade where they said of course and gave my dog a water bowl. There was four of us in our party but two were arriving late. They were extremely patient with us and didn't rush us despite the lateness in our reservation. The menu is a one pager, front side is food and back side are drinks. It's split between appetizers, pastas, meat, and side dishes. About 10 dishes in each section to choose from. My table went with the carbonara x2, ribeye medium, and the halibut for our mains. The pasta was a bit dry but everything else was great. The steak is done a specific Italian way. I think the price for that is pushing the higher end of what I would pay for a non steakhouse steak. We went with a bottle of wine. The Chamisal was fruity and paired well with all of our food. It was a solid choice to upgrade from a glass to a bottle. For our sides we went with the summer squash and the broccoli which were both delightful. The yogurt used on the broccoli could have been a side itself. To round out our sides we also had the asparagus. The egg was a nice lovely addition to it and pulled it neatly together. The only side to the meal is that the summer squash did give two people at the table an upset stomach after they went home. We finished the night with some carrot cake and a port wine. Perfect ending to a great evening out. Since it was a special occasion, we were okay paying the price for the meal but it did get pricy really quickly. Won't be a regular here but would definitely recommend for a special date night. Parking can be tough with a ton of businesses in the area but we found parking pretty quickly around the corner. No more than a 6 minute walk.

I made a last minute reservation for 5:45 PM, because I knew parking was going to be an issue and wanted to give myself enough time to walk and not rush. I came in a little early and was able to get seated right away! I loved the interior design and the energy.really set the ambiance of the entire restaurant. My server was Chris and he was very knowledgeable about the drinks and food. I'm the type of person who likes to look at the pictures and reviews before coming to a restaurant, so I know what to order and not wait around too long. I definitely was not disappointed. I wanted a refreshing, light cocktail, so I got the cantalupo cocktail, which was just what I needed and was looking for. Then the lamb lollipop and filet mignon carpaccio came out -- both were so flavorful and amazing. Lastly, the spicy rigatoni, to end my night, was chef's kiss. It wasn't spicy, but just has a bit of kick, which I loved! I definitely would recommend this place for a GNO, date night, or a treat yoself to a yummy meal kinda night.

Love this place, the food was exceptional and the location itself is beautful.We had the mussels, spicy rigatoni, shrimp linguine, steak and everything was delicious. The steak was great as a shared plate while we all enjoyed the fresh pasta.This local gem is worth a reservation!

Happy hour here is the complete business five dollars martinis dirty martinis in food wise. They have pretty good choices. Had the lamb didn't really care for it. It was a bit dry. The reconstructed pasta lasagna was OK but definitely come back for happy hour and the mart was so cool, forgot his name he's from Albania believe

Our server was absolutely kind and accommodating.We sat outdoors with two pups and were offered water for them. Staff moved one of the umbrellas upon request to block the sun from roasting my head-- although the gentlemen moving it assured me it wasn't going to help--it did. We stopped by for happy hour and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the aperol spritz and negroni. I tried the ravioli, burger, and crositini. Serving sizes are shareable & perfect for a light eater.I will be returning in the future with an actual appetite because the pasta looked amazing !! The asparagus with an egg on top is going to be my must have next visit. Overall a great experience ! Pet friendly too

The atmosphere is nice and welcoming. Not a large restaurant but roomy. The service was excellent. Very attentive servers and bartenders. Everyone was friendly and gave good recommendations on what to try. The food was fabulous. The Sunday dinner is very filling and so good. The meat was pulled apart and tender. All the sides were excellent. The bread is also very good but don't have a pic. Dessert was yummy and not too sweet for cheesecake. Nice spot for a good meal. Have been here several times and everything has always been great. Would recommend if you are in the area and want some good food.

I've had my eye on this place since I recently was in the Mission Hills area. Intrigued, I decided to finally try this place out! Recommendations:Cantalupo - This spirit forward drink with delicate notes of fresh cantaloupe is a refreshing drink to start off your dinner. Sourdough Boule - Comes fresh with steam coming out of it as you split it open! Love the butter sprinkled with crisp garlic and salt. Lamb chops - This didn't taste gamey st all! Perfectly seared and seasoned. Our bartender, John, was very attentive and service was quick. Love the relaxed, rustic, and elevated vibe. Tips:The Secondi entrees are shareable and don't include side dishes.

Unfortunate recent experience with food and service here. I brought an out of town guest to dinner since he's a fan of Italian steakhouses and this place has high reviews. The waiter didn't seem to understand his instructions on how to cook the filet to his liking, and service overall seemed distracted in a less than full dining area. But the worst experience was with the food itself. My mushroom tortellini was so very salty that I couldn't taste the pasta at all. I am a mushroom fan but the concentration of mushroom and salt in the sauce was way too heavy. I very rarely send back food, but I had to call it quits after two or three bites of this dish. After that, my appetite was ruined and I wasn't able to pick a substitute dish despite the manager's offer.Meanwhile, my guest was having salt issues with his meal too. I tried a bite of his filet, and it was also so salty that he had to scrape the garlic and herb topping off the top to be able to finish the meat. The sourdough bread appetizer was nothing special either in taste or texture. I was bummed to bring an out of town foodie guest to this spot and have them leave with a bad impression of the SD dining scene.