La Stanza Cucina Italiana

I found this little gem about a year or so ago. I've been plenty of times since. I love that they open early (4pm) for dinner and I have never had an issue with making a reservation. Make a reservation...this place gets packed! Parking is easy. I always find parking in the lot right next to the restaurant. What to order...Don't go without ordering their Arancini di Riso! I know that's always something I enjoy before my main course. It comes with two so it's perfect to share with someone else. I have always enjoyed their soups, salads and pasta selection. One of my favorite pastas sounds like something that may make you go "I'm not sure about that". But trust me...Y-U-M...it's Fiocchetti Aurora! But any pasta that looks good to you will be tasty!!! I've yet to have anything there that wasn't a treat!Service has always been great! The staff is friendly and pays attention the whole time you are at the table. Perfect to go with friends, family or even a date night. Enjoy!!

Delicious meal :) The restaurant has a small outdoor seating area and two separate dining rooms inside, with the restroom located down the hall in the middle of the space.I ordered the branzino special, which was simple and delicious. I appreciated the comfortable half-booth seating, which gave me plenty of space.I had difficulty hearing the person I was with, likely because I was seated close to the kitchen, and it was very busy.There's a rather large assortment of non-alcoholic beverages available that are not on the menu, including sodas and teas. I would certainly return for another good meal.

I visited stanza on Friday evening. It was easy to get a reservation both inside and outside, but we sat outside as we as we had a dog with us. The servers were very kind, but it seems like they were very busy and maybe understaffed. However, the food was very yummy and the ambience was warm. We each got an entree as well as the cheeseboard and the pinsa. Some of the pastas were handmade and some were not. I believe he mentioned that the rigatoni and the linguine were the two that are not homemade. We also got the carbonara ravioli, the Bolognese, the rigatoni, and the Bronzino. Overall, our favorites were the ravioli, rigatoni and Bronzino.I would definitely return!

Wow! It was amazing at a little local place! I've been to this place when it was a different name. The service was great and the food was amazing! Kids loved it too!! It's a tiny place with tables packed. But they have a semi private room too.

La Stanza is a hidden gem near the Menlo Park post office! I've been here a few times and have always enjoyed the food and experience. My uncle and I came here tonight to celebrate his birthday, and we really enjoyed our meal. He ordered the pappardelle pasta dish, and I had the seasonal salad with watermelon, goat cheese, pistachio, and cucumber. Everything was delicious, fresh, and flavorful! The staff members here are also friendly and welcoming. Someone will greet you as soon as you walk in, which is a great start to the dining experience. here is also plenty of parking available in the lot behind. Overall, I really recommend La Stanza!

This place is a gem!The food is excellent and the service is timely and courteous. The atmosphere is intimate and charming (although it can loud during peak time).Prices are reasonable (for the area). We keep coming back to La Stanza Cucina Italiana for the food and service. Highly recommended!

***3.5 stars*** My party of 3 walked in on a Sunday evening and there was no wait. Ambience is nice. Cute, small restaurant. We shared the arancini, rigatoni alla carcerata, and ravioli carbonara. Arancini was ok, I felt like it could've been crispier. I wasn't the biggest fan of the rigatoni because it tasted bland and the ground meat was on the dry side. Overall we felt like this dish could've had more flavor. The peas also did not add much to the dish. We enjoyed the ravioli carbonara though! This dish was creamy and reminded me of a ravioli version of cacio e pepe. Pretty small portion (7 small pieces of ravioli). If I got this for myself, I'd definitely be hungry after. So good thing they give free bread! The tomato spread that came with the bread was ok, but we requested olive oil and vinegar instead and enjoyed that a lot more. For dessert, we did the yelp check-in for a surprise dessert which ended up being a chocolate mousse. This was pretty good and rich. We also ordered the rosa di mela (hot apple tart with vanilla gelato). This was made very nicely! The tart was sweet, flaky, freshly made, and went so well with the vanilla gelato. Overall I liked the desserts more than the entrees. Service was great, everyone we interacted with was very friendly.

Awesome Italian food tucked away near downtown Menlo Park! I got a glass of their house red which was delicious. We shared the arancini and then I got the gnocchi in the Gorgonzola cheese sauce and it was amazing. The service was amazing and this was a family owned vibe. 100% will go again!!

Came here with a reservation right before closing time! Good:- Food came out super quickly - Loved the free bread here - The arancini was crispy and super flavorful - Loved my fusilli bolognese, great portion size and savory Bad:- A little casual for an Italian placeOverall I really liked the vibe of this place! It's nice and quiet and the prices are reasonable.

Hit or miss with some of the dishes; the penne was pretty salty and nothing to rave about but the rigatoni was pretty good! Tried a few specials and they weren't too bad. Servers were quick and friendly.