Valentinos Ristorante Italiano

Obviously, given my namesake, I had to come here. I went on my birthday and let me tell you it did not disappoint.The ambience is classy, subtle, and a bit demure.The weight staff is extremely attentive in personal. The bartender STEVEN himself even came out and asked how the drink was. Which was a chocolate espresso martini. Which I have known to drink many different places and this is by far the best one I have ever had. I'M SORRY, I CANNOT REMEMBER ALL THE NAMES AS THEY WERE ALL VERY UNIQUE. BUT I WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THE FOOD. THE MENU TAKES A BIT OF PERUSING BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS WRITTEN IN ITALIAN. THEY OFFER A LOT OF SEAFOOD VARIETIES, WHICH ISN'T OF COURSE THE BEST FOR ME WHO IS A VEGETARIAN, HOWEVER I ENDED UP WITH THE BRUSCHETTA as a starter. The BRUSCHETTA or four little sliced pieces of bread served on the most delicious and authentic olive oil, combined with little cherry tomatoes of different varieties.And then opted for the sautéed spinach with pinenuts, raisins, topped with Gorgonzola and it was incredible ! IT HAD JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SALTINES COMBINED WITH THE SWEETNESS OF THE RAISINS.By then we had had several visits from the chef CINO himself who was just an absolute delight .Even picking the Chardonnay that I had never heard of was absolutely flavorful and delicious .We went on a Thursday at around 7pm and it wasn't too busy. I would however, recommend reservations. Everything was made with love to every last detail. And you could tell both the chef and the bartender put all their love and pride into their creations. This was absolute art.I cannot wait to come back again.

This place was a culinary catastrophe! I walked in hoping for a taste of magic, but what I got was more like a food crime scene--overpriced and underwhelming. Honestly, this restaurant sucks harder than a vacuum cleaner in a tornado. If you're looking to spend a small fortune on food that tastes like it was seasoned with regret, then this is your spot! Seriously, they need a crash course on how to use basil and garlic--maybe even a YouTube tutorial. At this point, I'd rather roll the dice on street food in India. At least there, the risk of food poisoning comes with the thrill of an adventure!

First thing is it's valet: pulled up to a red carpet to walk you into a high class Italian villa. Very clean and very new. The room we were sat in was very green but beautiful with comfortable seating. Our server didn't really explain any of the menu or the experience but was very attentive. The appetizers were very good but bruschetta while tasty was underwhelming in design or plating. The main course was delicious but our steaks were not correct. He ordered medium-rare and got very rare and I ordered medium and got mostly rare barely medium - rare. No complaints.The vegetables weren't special simply a side of sautéed veggies and some homemade mash potatoes. The truffle sauce was delicious and a huge addition to my meal. My partner got the Gorgonzola inspired sauce and it was equally as amazing. The tiramisu was killer and the drinks were amazing.

I'm surprised this place has such low reviews! It's possible they were figuring things out when they first opened, but from my experience, everything was fantastic.I came here for Christmas Eve dinner, and both the food and service were excellent. The pasta was FRESH and the octopus was absolutely delicious (MUST ORDER!). I also loved the ambiance--the holiday decor made it feel so festive and cozy. It's a very trendy spot, and the location is super convenient, just about 20 minutes from Tampa (Westshore).The only small downside was the drinks being a bit slow, but honestly, everything else made up for it. Highly recommend!What I ordered:- POLPO ALLA GRIGLIA: Grilled European octopus paired with Chef's three-cheese sauce, and grilled cherry tomatoes, all enhanced by the Chef's signature dressing, resulting in a simple, textured experience.- OSTRICHE CRUDE: Fresh oysters served on ice offer a briny, oceanic delight, perfectly complemented by a zesty Champagne Mignonette and the umami nuances of ponzu, creating a refreshing and sophisticated tasting experience.- FETTUCCINE AL TARTUFO: Savor a Prime filet mignon bathed in a rich truffled butter, elegantly finished with imported sliced black truffle. This exquisite dish is paired with truffled whipped potato and seasonal vegetables.- RAVIOLI VALENTINO: Indulge in homemade ravioli bursting with succulent Canadian lobster, elegantly accompanied by shrimp and a half lobster tail, all enveloped in a light, creamy pink vodka sauce that perfectly balances the richness of the seafood.

Beautiful atmosphere. A step into Italia. I ordered the TAGLIOLINI SORENTO wichA mix of the distinctive black color of "Nero di Seppia"(squid ink) tossed with a medley of baby clams, calamari,mussels, and shrimp in a subtle briny seafood flavor. Personally, the seafood was way over cooked and very chewy. I sent it back & ordered soup instead which was good. Service was excellent and speedy. I will have to return before I can rate the food better. This experience was not so good.

First time visit, and loved the place. Rosie has followed the chef for a while, and, the wait was worth it. Beautiful interior, very elegant. Cocktails by Steve were delicious , and he was excellent in taking care of us. Food was out of this world, the lamb chops were perfect!

Is your familiar with the area, you'll know this building has been several different restaurants in the past 2 decades. Valentinos is definitely the most upscale dining to date. Most all aspects of the inside and outside are very eye catching and lovely. We visited as a group of 8 ladies for a Birthday dinner and were definitely treated like Queens. The ambiance is elegant and upper scale and beautiful. The layout is divided into 2 floors and several spaces. 3 private rooms upstairs, large 2 sided bar and dining rooms with another smaller private room/ wine storage on the main floor. We sat in this smaller private room and it was very impressive. Beautifully decorated, music, lovely place settings and fresh flowers on our table and throughout the restaurant which is definitely a nice touch. Our server Daniel was patient but simple things like water took a while and we sat for over an hour before getting our first bar drink. Complimentary bread and a tasty fried item was enjoyed and the menu offered a wide variety of Italian dishes. Seafood, steak, pork, chicken variety of appetizers like octopus and calamari were enjoyed as well as good size side salads. All our meals had a good portion size and tasted very fresh and well seasoned. I enjoyed the spinach, chicken and cheese filled ravilio and was very satisfied. I am used to finer dining and feel the prices especially on their wine was a little over priced and this would be my main hesitation on returning. As a Mom myself, I do not find this restaurant appropriate for kids. It is a great choice for a special occasion dinner or evening. Outside dining was available and had a lovely setting as well but being directly next to Gulf to Bay Blvd can see how that could be noisy. All staff I encountered was pleasant and professional and it was a nice touch for the Chef to greet us at our table.

Magnificent. The best of the best Italian, hospitality, and ambiance. I celebrated my birthday dinner and wow was it everything and more. The elegance and history the building itself holds on top of adding top-notch cuisine is an experience you will not forget. While waiting for our table, we sat at the bar and enjoyed a cocktail while listening to the live performer sing holiday songs. Once the table was ready, we were sat and offered still or sparkling water and housemade bread. Our server was nothing short of amazing. Any question we had he did his best to answer. We ordered calamari, pulpo, veal, grouper, and tiramisu as my birthday treat. Every single item was carefully curated and plated. The veal was fall off the bone tender, the calamari was crisp, pasta cooked al dente, and the grouper was flaky. If there is time, ask about the haunted areas in the building and you might be able to get a tour!

Excellent meal and service in a lovely restaurant. The bartender mixes delicious cocktails and my sister and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. We each had Caesar salads, which were very good. We were not offered fresh ground Would have enjoyed, but the salad was nevertheless, fresh and tasty. The linguine vongole was very good. Bread was not automatically delivered to our table, which required that we ask for it, but once we did, it was immediately brought over. Just a couple slips from the weight staff. Nothing major, and nothing that took away from the evening. There was an excellent male singer singing throughout the evening. He was, very good and added a nice touch to the ambience. We did not try desert, but will try to save room for dessert next time. They had many good selection on the menu. We will be back.!

Really overpriced and pasta is not made in-house. There are way better Italian restaurants around that don't come close to these prices.