Once in awhile, you find a restaurant whose reviews don't quite line up with the experience. Times like these, I'm extra happy to be a yelper so that I can help someone make a good choice. Cucina Venti is without a doubt a 5-star dining experience. The ambiance is spectacular, and the food delivers a punch, in the best way possible. Upon walking in, we were swept up in the decor. It's gorgeous! The house bread was the first to confirm the food will likely be good; it was warm, fluffy, and very flavourful. It comes with a cheddar cheese dip which some of us used, and I had it with olive oil. Yum! The calamari appetizer was well-cooked and came with two sauces, a spicy green sauce and a red sauce. It was soft but not chewy. Entrees were the Seabass Salad (a special), the Greens Apple and Gorgonzola salad with grilled chicken added, and the Chicken and Sausage Paella. Everything was on-point. We are very frequent diners and world travelers, so when we say something is good, it's really good. Cucina Venti is worth your time and money. I will be back, and if anything is different, I'll update my review; I know it's just as possible to have a one-off good experience as a bad one.
(5)
K F.
LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! We eat here often and have NEVER been disappointed! The food is fresh and amazing, the wine selection is great, the service is wonderful. Whether you have the honor of being served by Andrew (who I miss dearly), or Howard (WHO IS A DOLL) or Michael, or even Angelica, they are all terrific. I have tried almost every single item on the menu and it's all fabulous! The mushroom ravioli, the paella, the pizza, the spinach salad, and the white wine Sangria. It's all delicioso! I never hesitate to go there. Dining on the patio is nice too. It's a tad pricey for those not used to eating in the Palo Alto/Mountain View area, but it has never discouraged me cause it's always well worth it.
(5)
Rainier M.
I loved the environment of the restaurant. The place is stunning, the music is very appropriate, and the overall feel of it is great. The food is above average. With the exception of entry bread they provide which is superb. I ordered Spaghetti with clams, and they were good. Would definitely recommend, would go back as well.
(4)
S. S.
Excellent meal! Friends in the area have recommended this restaurant many times. We spent a few days in the area and decided to give it a try. Our friends had been there many times and said "everything is great." They were right. We had the boccie balls and arugula with buratta salad for starters. Our mains were scallops, halibut and short ribs. All were top of the line. Service was excellent, drinks excellent and atmosphere excellent as well. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the that the noise level is quite high. Yes, we will return!
(4)
Jennifer S.
Came here after a photography shoot down at the park....what a great choice! Soup, drinks, entrees, ice cream and service were beyond amazing! I will try to come here before my next, and every concert :)
(5)
Shulin T.
I had my wedding reception here last week and the orchestration of the entire service was flawless, professional and efficient. Our guests enjoyed the spread, which included fettuccini carbonara, lamb & vegetable skewers, chicken marsala, strawberry fields salad, bruschetta, tiramisu, etc. Manager Chris' dedication and experience in event management is unparalleled and would put any nervous host at ease. We also visited this restaurant on a separate occasion and were impressed by the house bread, mushroom pizza and butternut squash soup, which was thick and rich in flavor. I could not have asked for a better wedding reception and am eternally grateful to the team at Cucina Venti.
(5)
Jeff S.
This was the worst choice this week for us. For once we decided to order out and we got ripped off. The food was cold and tasted like rubber. The delivery driver was lazy, he could barely speak English, directions were given and he couldn't follow them. The 60.00 total for two small cold pizzas and calamari were so disappointing. I have a culinary degree, so I understand the business. I should have just thrown my money out the window on the highway. NOT AUTHENTIC CUISINE!!!!
(1)
Hunter A.
Excellent place. The food, wine, service, all awesome. Great waiter, Danny, made perfect suggestions, and the sausage and honey pizza was one of the best I've ever had. I'll be back whenever I'm in mountain view.
(5)
Hen A.
across the street from the movie theatre...weekend dinner and tables plenty...restaurant atmosphere is dark and nice....outdoor patio is perfect for a lovely day...seated outside shaded by umbrellas and curtains...a big menu with a list of specials provided...wedges of pizza bread with tomato whipped butter complimentary...water around and browsing the menu...order of calamari and mussels for appetizers...calamari battered and fried fine...cocktail and tartar sauce to dip...pungent unpleasant stench from mussels...could it be the sauce?...just bad mussels and taken away...sausage leek pizza with an added $3 fried egg on top...soggy center pie....margherita pizza didn't look like any margherita pizza had in past...poor looking tomato and cheese pizza, and soggy too...chicken and sausage paella was better and tasted good, but dry hard cubes of chicken breast was a tough chew...seafood pasta was enormous and decent, and requested no mussels after tasting the mussel appetizer...turned to a decent clam pasta in red sauce...some fear of the clams did come to mind...sips of wine and enjoying company over food...
(1)
Chers S.
Hard to find as there's no sign outside. Restaurant is in the back corner, 2 stores down from Starbucks, with white lights strung outside. We started off with the sizzling prawns appetizer; pretty tasty and a good item to share with the table. The pesto ravioli was delicious. Very filing for a non-meat dish. I would definitely order it again. Big restaurant, good for groups.
(4)
Lynnee J.
This was a wonderful find! I was surprised to find a nice restaurant next to the 7-11 and Century Theaters on Shoreline. The service was friendly and attentive. The food was delicious! We ordered a prawn appetizer that was nicely seasoned. I had the salmon entree with sauteed greens - YUM! The salmon was perfectly cooked and came out piping hot! Bonus for us - they had live music on a Thursday - which was delightful. I will return again.
(5)
Candi H.
We had a work event here last night and they had a live Jazz band out on the back patio which was awesome. The owner Bella came over and introduced herself, she was very welcoming. The appetizers that we had were delicious, my favorites were the meatballs stuffed in pasta, the portabella mushrooms stuffed with cheese and sausage and the bacon asparagus pizza. The staff is amazing and were fast and efficient. I will be back for dinner with my boyfriend on a Thursday because of the live music. If you decide to go, I suggest going on a Thursday to listen to the live music while you dine :).
(5)
Rak P.
Fantastic pizza!! Great pasta too! And service was EXCELLENT! Really like the ambience of this place, we always have a great time here. Vinny did an excellent job taking care of us with all our requests, serving us with a smile each and every time. Good times!
(5)
Duncan I.
Well...we've been there several times and we're getting more and more disappointed. Today, super hot day, we went for lunch (1pm). We asked for a table and all the inside tables were reserved... (even the small one in the back of the restaurant). The waitress showed us the outside tables... There are like over 10 tables, all of them in the sun, no shades. We asked if we can get an umbrella and she said that there was no more left, they have only 3, and all 3 were used by a family of 4 people!!! She didn't want to ask them if we can get one, another waiter asked, and the family refused!! So we left. This place used to be much more friendly.
(1)
Happy D.
Yum! The bread is amazing! I had a salad with salmon that was wonderful. My friends had the mushroom pizza and Bolognese pasta which was also very good. They even made buttered pasta that they brought out quickly for the kids we had with us. Plus, I'm a sucker for Italian restaurants with Italian waiters..
(4)
P F.
A+++! Excellent service, wonderful people and amazing food! I love the back patio where you can get away from the busy world and have a nice glass of wine. Great place for lunch or dinner. I will definitely be back very soon. Thanks, Bella and Monica! :-)
(5)
Jenny K.
I really liked it! Their pizzas are very good, especially the sausage and leek one (I forgot which one it was, I think that was the combination). The waitstaff was very nice, which I totally appreciate. Our server was very nice--I didn't get his name, but he was friendly and accommodating. I would go again!
(4)
G. N.
First of all this restaurant is beautiful! My best friend and I came here for the first time on Sunday and everyone makes you feel welcome. We decided to sit outside and the bar tender G served us. He is an amazing server and he is really personable and everything that I would want as a perfect server! Will be coming back here often. Thank you for the amazing lunch.
(5)
Jaime O.
Service was great. The margarita pizza was ok and the minestrone had huge chunks of carrot. The taste of the minestrone broth was good, just hard to eat those massive chunks of vegetables..
(3)
Adamme K.
The best lasagna I've ever had at a restaurant! My go-to place when I want lasagna. They have other good looking things on the menu as well, but I love my staple. The only thing not-great thing about this place is the odd butter substance they serve with the free bread, but I look over that. :)
(5)
Joseph Y.
I really like the ravioli here in the light cream sauce. I have been here 5 times in the last couple months, for the same dish. The salads are large portions, but could use more beets.
(4)
Nikhil A.
They forgot to get my order. PERIOD! For a team dinner, I got mine when everyone was done and ready to leave. Poor
(1)
Susan H.
I dined here this past Saturday night. I had the penne pasta and had prawns. I thought the flavor was good. I was not very pleased that my entree only had 4 small shrimp and cost $17.75. Based on the price alone, I will not order this item again. The bread they bring to the table is excellent. We ordered the Nero's Fiddle pizza and it was a great unexpected combination. The pizza has asparagus, bacon, asiago cheese, and lemon zest The pizzas are thin crust and not very large. Perfect for an appetizer or if you are not that hungry. I will likely return but will not order the penne pasta dish with prawns again.
(3)
John H.
What a gem! Tucked away in a small commercial strip center across from the Computer History Museum. The food is outstanding. The grilled prawn salad is huge and has these big, meaty prawns on it. The paella and chicken marsala are excellent. The Mediterranean sea bass salad is amazing and huge. The pizza is solid. They've added a really nice bar area. And they have a large, comfortable patio outside. Great for a sunny afternoon. This place is also great for groups--- we've been there on a number of occasions with groups of 8-15 and they can always accommodate. One other thing that makes it stand out: their bar uses that inert gas system to "pour" any wine by the glass from the entire, extensive wine list. Go wild!
(4)
Nikayla K.
This place has such a great location, I really wanted it to be great. I've gone there several times trying to give it a chance. First and foremost, it's not clean. My silverware was caked with old food. My water glass had old lipstick marks on it still. Every single time I've gone, I have gotten bread with hair all over it. They must sit on on old dirty towels and the fibers get stuck to the bread. The place is dark inside, so most people will never notice that. Second, the food is inedible and cost twice as much as it should. The pizza is downright soggy, thin, and gross. The meals are over-cooked. They really need to hire cooks at something above minimum wage and enforce some type of food quality standard. It's very evident that the chef there does not care. If I pay the prices that they charge, I expect someone who knows how to cook food and my dishes to be clean. Actually, I'd expect that at any restaurant.
(1)
Christine N.
This restaurant is in a prime location. Google is next door and there's a movie theater across the street. But just because you're in a good location doesn't mean you can get away with poorly-made food. (The service wasn't bad though) I ordered the honey, sausage, and serrano pizza (a Vesta-in-Redwood-City-knockoff). I hate to say it, but Trader Joe's frozen pizza is better than what they served me. I would not recommend any Googlers eat here.
(1)
Huong C.
Great wine selection along with handcrafted cocktails! For food-my favorites are: Sausage Honey Pizza, Mango Salad, Lamb Chops and the Linguine Al Portofino
(5)
Claudia G.
We wandered into Cucina Venti (or Pizza Venti) on a Sunday afternoon. The place was mostly empty and we sat outside. We had a couple of great cocktails, and a truly delicious seafood paella (that they very kindly prepared without bell peppers for me), mushroom risotto and meatballs. We also shared a bowl of big chunk minestrone soup. The food was great and plentiful (the leftovers fed me for two more days), and the bread is freshly baked. Service was prompt, friendly and courteous. This is a great spot for a Sunday lunch; I highly recommend it.
(5)
Sean S.
Ok food but nothing special. It's decent pasta but not worth the price. I'd say if you can find a better place because it mainly exists due to it's location more than it's execution.
(3)
Christine C.
Great food....needed something delivered for dinner and didn't want Chinese food or pizza. Had a great menu and the family loved the food!
(4)
Tatiana G.
Food is OK, but waiter Andrew has totally ignored me, even after I tried to get his attention about 3 times, including waving and chasing him and asking him about my order face-to-face: I finally got my cranberry juice from other guy...
(2)
Derek-Mendel M.
Nice atmosphere with a friendly staff. The lasagna, meatballs and honey pizza were excellent.
(4)
Allison M.
We went here for Valentine's Day, having made our reservation several weeks in advance. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready-- which wasn't a huge deal, but it meant that when it finally was ready, the hostess asked us which menu we wanted-- the prix fixe or the standard menu-- before we really had a chance to look at them. At the tables that were already set, they put both menus down. They also put us in a table in the middle of the room where I kept getting bumped despite the fact that I had asked for a both specifically... And there were plenty of open booths right around us. Our table, moreover, didn't have a rose on it. This sounds so nitpicky, I know, but we came having done our research about what a wonderful V-day experience it was, and we weren't going to get it! I mentioned this to our waitress, and she kindly pulled one off of the neighboring table, telling us the restaurant had only ordered enough for the first seating (our reservation was 7:30 pm). Our waitress was fantastic, as busy as she clearly was. She was extremely sweet and attentive, so even thought the service on the whole was lacking, it wasn't her fault at all. As far as the food goes, we ordered the calamari appetizer, which was good but certainly not the best I've had. Our entrees were fantastic-- the pesto and prawns pizza as well as the scallops & fettucine. If I had to pick one to order again, I'd go for the scallops but honestly they were both great. They balanced simple flavors with savoriness, and hit the right richness without being greasy or heavy. Make sure you don't order too much, though... they don't reheat too well! Overall, I'd go back but would avoid the rush on Valentine's Day, especially since it wasn't quite the romantic experience it was billed to be.
(4)
Gary A.
What a great find! We stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the excellent range of Mediterranean cuisine. Interior as well as outdoor seating is available. Great find... Lamb or Lasagna, salad or soup, you can't go wrong.
(5)
Erik N.
3.75 stars. We had the seafood paella and the mushroom ravioli with fresh spinach and a side of fresh spinach. The paella was more like risotto and my wife was not impressed and wished she had ordered the bolognese. The ravioli was good, but they said not handmade in the restaurant. The service was ok. I think they need to train their people better before they put them on the floor. There was a mix up on our order and the waiter did take it off the bill. Service overall was friendly.
(3)
Anon r.
I don't know why this is less than a 5 star restaurant. I rarely give 5 stars but this restaurant is definitely one. great food and service
(5)
Nirmal D.
Restaurant was a little difficult to find. It is in the corner of a Starbucks 7-11 complex. Butter nut squash soup was pretty good and it was chef's special item. Tried the ribs, which was decent. Shrimp pasta was bad and was little dry. Dessert options were minimal and on that day (atleast) they had only tiramisu to offer. Overall a decent experience. But definitely not worth the price.
(3)
Jessica M.
This place is amazing! The calamari and bocce meatballs were to die for. The pizza was fabulous too. I had the sea scallops and they were cooked perfectly with the asparagus grilled to perfection. Overall it was a great experience and we have a new go to place to eat in mountain view.
(5)
Eugene B.
I really love this place. Very good food and nice pleasant interior. If you like seafood pizza then "Pesto and Prawns" is your choice.
(5)
Marisa and Chris H.
We've tried every pizza place in Mtn View, we think this one is the best by far. We love their pizzas with honey, their dough is crisp and delicious, and the cheeses they use taste unique and complex. These are artisan pizzas, not cheap, but better than any I've had in Mtn View or Palo Alto. The service is attentive and we like they often have live guitar music. The ambiance is pleasant, quiet, dark and amber in color (certainly a nice place for a romantic dinner), there's outdoor seating for a more festive group. We haven't tried anything other than their pizzas and their salads, and we really think it's an unexpected treasure of a find tucked in a standard strip mall. Prices are high, but a great date place by the movie theater.
(5)
Jessica P.
The ambience of this restaurant has improved from the past few visits we had. Nice cozy like setting.The food is still just ok. We ordered the seafood pasta dish and the mussels or clams gave a very muddy taste and I could taste the dusty particles. Not fun to chew on. The flavors of the sauce were good but not spectacular. The shrimp appetizer was the best. the servers are a bit snooty and don't really attend to you if you don't order too much.
(2)
Jessica T.
Good food. Cheap and tasty. Great location next to the movies!! I really like the complimentary bread they gave us and the bocceballs were a great appetizer. Are server Herman was really polite and gave great service. Good selection of drinks and wine, prices are fair. We will return.
(4)
ASG A.
while i agree that service can be hit or miss, venti's italian food is fresh, flavorful and artfully presented. my favorites are the calamari appetizer, venti garden salad and legally blonde pizza. delicious!
(4)
Lakshmy M.
Came here for lunch. We had the mango salad and the pesto ravioli, both amazing. Good service too.
(5)
Andrew N.
I absolutely love the ambience and service. The food is outstanding and tastes so fresh. I highly recommend the seafood paella! It will change your life! I love coming back here every time. They also have a beautiful outside patio to have a lovely lunch or dinner. And better make a reservation this place gets packed.
(5)
Mansi A.
We didn't think we'd find much in terms of restaurants on the eastern side of 101 in Mountain View (and for the most part, that is true). However, when heading to the movies at Century 16 during rush hour, the last thing we wanted to deal with was additional traffic and being late for the movie. We decided to check out Cucina Venti (aka Pizzeria Venti), which is tucked away in the corner of the plaza just across the street from the theater. Flanked by a Starbucks and 7-11, the Italian gem is found in the extreme corner of the strip mall - barely noticeable, but nicely decorated with Christmas lights. Upon entering, you're welcomed into a cozy restaurant with friendly staff. Freshly baked in-house bread served with herbed butter - win!! So good. I wanted to eat the whole plate, but restrained myself at one piece. We ordered a small spicy chicken pizza (note: small is huge and definitely enough to feed two people). "Spicy" is also misleading, because it was nowhere near spicy at all. We added a ton of chili flakes to warrant the "spicy" notion. The pizza was tasty overall - the crust with hints of the warm bread served prior to the meal. The menu was fairly extensive with options of pizza, pasta, salads, and more! We may have just found our pre-movie dining spot in Mountain View! Check it out the next time you need a meal prior to catching a show at the theater or even at Shoreline.
(4)
Eli O.
We ordered specials. Octopus salada and mushroom pizza were so heavenly!! Generous portion of octopus that was tender yet grilled perfection. Mushroom pizza was very tasty with copious amount of variety mushrooms with thin crust that was crispy outside and chewy inside. Great service!! Definitely we will come back next time.
(5)
Jennifer H.
I really loved this place. Quaint, with beautiful ambience! Twinkling lights, exposed ceiling, proper bar with soft lighting, heartfelt live music duo. Romantic. The lasagna was very delicious as was my friend's carbonara. Delightful staff. This is unmarked in a strip mall. I'm smitten. Charming gem.
(4)
David E.
We have had 2 company holiday parties and loved the personal service we got and the food...OK this is what they specialize in-was outstanding. I love there food. Best Bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms and Ahi Tuna appetizers around. The Italian food is tops and they have an awesome Italian spumoni bar in view. The chef at this restaurant is tops in the south bay by my food tasting. I have filmed over 700 weddings and ate at many restaurants and venues. Outstanding location and food. Beautiful bar and wine selection with outside dining for some sun or shade. Afterwards across the street is the Shoreline Movie Theaters for a after dinner date. Bella is the owner of the Restaurant and she is often visiting the guests.
(5)
Aneesh B.
Have had business lunches catered by Venti four or five times, but finally had a chance to sit and have a meal on their patio. It was a decent lunch, and I'm happy they have so much more to offer than a carb-fest. Food: Started with calamari, which was pretty good. Tentacles were crispy, and the bodies were tender and not chewy. Sauces were just ok; almost didn't need it anyway. For my entree I had the blackened ahi salad, which was seared tuna with pickled ginger, tomatoes, red onion, and sesame dressing over mixed greens. Tuna was good, but didn't really taste blackened. I think I would also ask for dressing on the side next time. A couple others at the table ordered the octopus salad, which I scammed a taste of, and the octopus was nicely grilled and not overcooked. The salmon looked good, though my friend said it was a little bland, and others at the table enjoyed their lamb chops and turkey sandwich. Though I did not have pizza or pasta during this lunch, I have enjoyed both during business lunches. Pizzas are done well, and are the middle ground between thin and thick crust. The sauce is well-balanced, and they don't kill you with cheese. The standout for me, though, has to be the "Bocco balls." What are these morsels of goodness, you ask? Meatballs topped with cheese and marinara sauce, then wrapped in pizza dough and baked under more sauce. So tasty, like little bombs of flavor. Service: Super-attentive. We were in a party of 8, and were extremely well cared-for. Seems the staff is well-trained as they were all professional, courteous, and not afraid to show personality. I don't like it when the staff is afraid to interact. It's part of having a nice experience! Vibe: South Bay cool. The patio is quite nice, and the dining room, which I expected to be boring inside, was quite inviting. This is a well-run business that makes you want to come back for more. Family-friendly: Definitely. Enough said. Summary: There are so many Italian restaurants "out there." You need to be choosy these days to decide who deserves your hard-earned money. For me, Venti is great. A good place to grab pizza, pasta, and seafood. But oh man, I could make a meal out of those bocco balls...
(4)
reuben r.
Early Sunday lunch decided to try the small Siciliano (sausage/broccoli/garlic). It's six slices so if you order a cup of soup or share a salad more than enough good. This is a first for me to have broccoli on my pizza and was a nice change. The crust Is thin with slight crisp. Very nice setting tucked away off Shoreline.
(4)
Virginia S.
Pro: The space is attractive, the staff is friendly, and the food is generally pretty good. Con: Service can be inconsistent -- sometimes there will be a long wait between courses, other times courses will be delivered too close together. Tonight, we waited almost an hour for a glass of wine each, and it took an hour an 45 minutes from our arrival until our main courses were served. One wait person blamed the wait on the fact that all the items are prepared fresh, giving as an example the filet mignon -- which any cook knows doesn't take more than 10 minutes. Our lead water was as nice as could be and very apologetic about the long wait. But it's clear that there's a problem with timing in the kitchen. Additionally, though most of the food was perfectly all right, there were a few major missteps -- the risotto cake was tough and disgustingly oversalted, and the cheesecake was still frozen in the middle. Not a huge deal, perhaps, but that much more annoying when you've waited so long for your meal.
(2)
Amy Y.
We've got this delivered to work fairly often and it's one of my favorites to have for an office dinner. Everything is packaged very neat and nicely, and sometimes I feel like the delivered food is almost as fresh as if I had dined in. I've had the lamb shank, which is a large piece of lamb shank covered with mild tasting tomato sauce and risotto, with peas and carrots floating around - it is the only menu item I've ordered multiple times, as I was too tempted to pass it to try anything else! Very delicious and never overcooked or soggy. The risotto had a nice firm texture to it, and the cream was perfect and not too rich. I've also had the linguine pescatore, which tastes very nice, has a good amount of seafood, and a mild spice to the sauce. As good as it was, I'd still say it wasn't worth the value of its price. Also good but pricey, only because it didn't have so many pieces, was the seafood ravioli; if an endless plate of it was put in front of me, I would never stop eating. I tried a couple of their salads, which taste fresh and nice (leaf and dressing-wise), especially with a warm, grilled chicken breast. As for appetizers, the bruschetta is pretty nice, maybe a little on the oily side and bordering on being loaded with flavor, but has a nice hard bread base. They also have complimentary focaccia bread that tastes slightly dry and greasy to me, but not bad. Overall, this is an excellent Italian restaurant - nothing makes you feel like you've overeaten, and every meal I've had tastes like it was executed with finesse and had fresh ingredients. Concern is only for the amount to pricing ratio, as I feel like I've gotten more value at similar restaurants.
(3)
J F.
Maybe the pizzas are good but we've eaten here twice now and the food is way over salted and tons of garlic on everything. We started with a really odd Burratta which was like regular mozzarella on the outside and cottage cheesey on the inside. It tasted like nothing. Not the usual creamy rich lusciousness one expects. I had the lamb chops which were tiny and over cooked. My friend had the filet mignon which was also over cooked and served with a rice cake of leftover risotto, probably from the Paella? Dessert was truly boring tira misu that was very dry and bland. We won't be be back to try the pizza.
(2)
Kim D.
So I wanted a nicer dinner and good drinks before I actually went to the Shoreline to watch the Oddball fest. I picked up my friend and we went here. We were the most underdressed people here..but we didn't care. We ordered up a storm. Beers, drinks, seafood ravioli, salmon pizza, calamari, and lamb meatballs. Food was pretty much hitting the spot. Every dish was very yummy but my favorite was the seafood ravioli for sure. Drinks were impeccable. My favorite was the mango mojito. Tasty goodness. Our bill....steep. $100+ but given we ate a hell of a lot of good food and good drinks. I think our drinks cost more if anything BUT....again, I'm willing to pay for good food and drinks. We treated ourselves and it was a good start to our night.
(4)
Karen G.
This is our go-to spot when we want a sit-down lunch at work, and more recently, a happy hour destination. The food is good. They have a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, and salads to choose from. Try the ahi tuna salad. So delicious! Honestly, it is a bit overpriced. But the convenience and quality of the meals I've had make up for it. The service is usually really great, though one time we had a server who got irritated with us for asking for split checks. So just know, if you must ask for this, do it at the beginning when you place your order, and you shouldn't have any issues. I mentioned this has recently become a happy hour spot for us. I've been to two VIP events here put on by the manager that were really great. The first time was when they were getting ready to open their new bar. And that last time was just a few weeks ago for the grand opening. They offer live music (really great by the way) and great wine selections, along with appetizers. They also have an online ordering system. I've used it twice when I want some great tasting pizza but limited time to grab lunch. It works great and is SO convenient. I have only picked up, but they do offer delivery if you meet their minimum spend requirement.
(3)
a t.
We've been here several times in early afternoon over a few months and each time was a wonderful experience. We've had specials: watermelon salad, sea bass salad, pork with chanterelles, wild mushroom pizza. All great dishes. Service was good -- attentive, not obtrusive. Will definitely be coming back.
(4)
Fred I.
The staff here are great. VERY accommodating to my family. We came here with our 5 year old and they made a pizza HIS way! The appetizers were delicious and the thin crust pizza was light and crunchy. Will definitely be back again. Did I mention the service was amazing? Thanks Danny!
(5)
Robert H.
Pizzeria... so don't order the salad? Short and sweet. Paid $16.75 for a "Blackened Ahi Tuna Salad", and got a box with $2 of greens, a plastic cup of extra oily dressing, and 5 thin pieces of tuna. No, that's not a typo, $16.75; as much as it would've been for a "small" pizza. I'm not sure I understand the point; is this on the menu for "suckers"? Look at the photos and form your own opinion. And to be clear, there were just the 5 pieces of "sashimi grade" tuna, no more was buried beneath. There was also a minuscule amount of ginger. This review is based on a Waiter.com delivery. Maybe they just don't care about takeout/delivery customers, but based on the other review mentioning the salad, that seems unlikely.
(2)
Oscar L.
Great pizza, and pasta. Sit down or takeout with nice atmosphere. Thin crust pizza is great I recommend the honey sausage. The employees are friendly and provide good service. They also deliver.
(4)
Vi Y.
Went here for lunch with a few coworkers. Pros, it was not packed at lunch and you did not have to wait. Cons, the parking lot is tiny, so you may have to find a place to park outside. I got the pizza, my coworker got the grilled shrimp salad. The bread and dip reminded me of the stuff they used to serve at Florentine's. So addictive! I didn't get to try the pastas, but the salad was good and the pizza was decent. I think this is a good place for a casual business lunch!
(4)
Pratik G.
Went for Friday Lunch. Ambiance : Nice. We opted to sit outside, as place was surprisingly empty. Server : Very nice, knowledgeable. Offered us nice suggestions. Food was served in reasonable time Menu : Bit disappointed to see very few vegetarian items. But our Server was more than happy to accommodate custom made dishes just for us. Food : Good. We tried Vegetarian Pesto Pizza and Angel Hair Pasta. Both were good. Overall very nice experience. Will look forward for my next visit.
(4)
Peter T.
I was hoping this would be my go-to quick Italian spot, but it fell short. The price to quality ratio is a bit off. The food itself is pretty good. Fresh ingredients but lacked seasoning. I would pay 10-13 per plate, but I think 15-18 is a bit over priced. The decor is beautiful, and the restaurant is nice and quiet. Just wish it had a bit more to offer for a little less moolah.
(3)
Rob C.
cute hidden neighborhood joint that probably draws upon regulars. nice space. switch from pizza focused menu in the past, however the round pizza still isn't that great despite the price. ciao bello overwhelmed with cheese, mostly a bacon flavor and not much else.
(3)
Shane F.
My experience at Cucina Venti was excellent. The staff was friendly and helpful. The Bartenders were knowledgeable and exciting. A fun little hidden gem out by Shoreline. When I had dinner there, the Chicken Marsala was fantastic! I highly recommend it!! The servers were great and acted very quickly. An overall wonderful experience. I have been there for a happy hour event, where the appetizers were fantastic and we had a great time. Everyone was fun and friendly. The mixed drinks were excellent as well.
(5)
Shaina F.
Christmas Eve and New Years Eve they're giving a complimentary glass of champagne during dinner time :)
(5)
Erik R.
Not sure how this place got three stars. My family stopped at the Computer History Museum and my daughter was in the mood for pizza. We walked in. Nice place but deserted (should have been my first clue). I was then rudely asked what we wanted. I told them that their sign said open and asked if they served lunch. They were open! We asked to be seated outside. No problem but they couldn't open the umbrella to give us some shade. I wonder why each table had an umbrella. No menus. Our waiter went to get them. Five minutes later I started to read reviews on yelp. Still no menus so we got up and left. No idea on the prices since they have no menus. No idea on the food as they don't seem interested in serving any. I kind if feel bad that we disturbed them from watching the soccer game. I wouldn't recommend this place based on lousy service.
(1)
Denise W.
I was in town, and ordered their food for delivery to my hotel, and the food was excellent!!!! I ordered the garlic bread, salmon, and canoli, and the food was delicious! If I am in town again, I'll order from them again. Happy customer here!
(5)
case l.
It was my mistake for ordering seared tuna salad from a italian pizzeria. i didn't swallow the metallic tasting tuna and am now consciously working to avoid developing a gag reflex going forward to the idea of sashimi in general. other food is ok. 1 star for the quality consistency, 2 stars including the times the food is good.
(3)
john C.
We were there for dinner last night. We were a party of 19 and everything was excellent. Delicious appetizers, excellent manhattans, perfectly cooked rib eye steak. Couldn't ask for much more. They are opening a breakfast and lunch restaurants two doors away in about a month. Can't wait to have a meal there.
(5)
Amber K.
I had a mixed experience here (for lunch on 3/12/2014). The service was prompt and friendly, and it was lovely to sit in the sunny patio and watch the world go by on Shoreline Boulevard. Some of the food was very good, and some of it was mediocre. And, all in all, it was quite overpriced. I ordered the caprese salad ($9.50), the zucchini fritters ($9.50), a personal size "Legally Blonde" pizza with artichoke hearts, spinach, and ricotta ($12.75), and a coffee ($3.75). I shared this meal with my toddler daughter. For the one-and-a-half of us, the total bill (plus tip) came to almost $50. That was very pricey for a pretty ordinary lunch! Here's a rundown of the items: (1) The caprese salad was uninspired, with bland supermarket-type tomatoes and sad-looking basil leaves with black spots on them. It was served with flavorless black olives that looked like they came out of a can. Maybe this is my fault for ordering a caprese salad in any season other than summer, but in any case, it was disappointing. (2) The zucchini fritters were delicious - crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, served with a flavorful yoghurt dipping sauce and lightly pickled cucumber slices. My only complaint is that they were tiny (four of them, literally one bite each = $2.50 per bite). (3) The Legally Blonde pizza was pretty, and it was the most reasonably priced of all the items, but the flavors were quite bland. I felt as though it could have used more garlic, more flavorful mushrooms (instead of button mushrooms), fresh herbs (instead of just spinach), more interesting cheese (instead of just ricotta), and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice or lemon zest. Oh well. (4) I can't believe I paid almost $4 for a six-ounce cup of drip coffee. It wasn't even that good. Should've gone to a nearby cafe for one-third the price! I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but nor would I make a point of coming back here. I guess I'm spoilt by Amici's on Castro Street, which has never served me a disappointing dish, and overall is better value for money.
(3)
Alex B.
Hands down the most AMAZING Italian restaurant in town! Staff was amazing. Food was incredibly divine! We had the mango salad, apple/pear salad, calamari, zucchini balls, and the seafood paella. Everything tasted so good! Came here for a lunch meeting and was blown away by how awesome the food/service was. Definitely coming back for date night!!
(5)
Matt A.
Excellent,menu choices ,food and good value.
(4)
V. S.
Their bread is amazing!!...and I'm not a big bread person. I ordered a sandwich which was ok, but I probably ordered the wrong thing. Salad was great and the coffee and tiramisu was delish. 4 Stars for the bread! Great service!
(4)
Becky B.
The recent remodeling at the restaurant makes the dining experience much nicer. There's a wall between dinners and the kitchen. The TVs seem more hidden now making the place seem less like a sports bar. The waiter tonight was super friendly and pizzas were great. Wine and prosecco was good too.
(4)
Armando M.
Amazing food and service! I recommend everyone tries the spinach salad. The pizza here is to die for... Great place for celebrating a birthday or just any time you crave authentic Italian food!
(5)
Kristen S.
Cute spot with an elegant feel inside. I think the food is a little overpriced for the quality but I've never had anything that was terrible here, either. I like the stuffed mushrooms and the pizzas are average-to-pretty good. Again, for the price, it's decent. I've heard mixed reviews about the pastas, but have never tried them myself. I usually come here for an after-work drink with friends, and it's a nice atmosphere for that -- especially on nice evenings outside on the front patio.
(3)
A C.
I think they changed owners, had lunch there today and it wasn't good. Took forever to get mediocre food, they didn't even have a dessert menu. Crap Location tucked in the back.
(1)
K H.
Food and atmosphere are fine, but beverage prices are a bit steep, I asked for a glass of house pinot grigio which turned out to be $10. A cup of decaf was $3.75 (a very small capuccino $4.75) , plus a beer for $6 (no problem with the beer price)... Bottom line, .. one large pizza, one shared salad, and the drinks listed = $75 before gratuity. Next time will ask for the list of wines by the glass and will skip the coffee, or better yet will just ask for tap water....live and learn.
(3)
Ramiro Z.
I picked up dinner for my family last night and must say It was Awesome. It's a great thing when expectations are exceeded and this is one of those occasions. The restaurant always looks great and everybody is beyond friendly. The food is AWESOME! If the owner reads this please mention it to the Cheff. Thank you again and see you soon :)
(5)
Steve V.
Food may be good but service is horrendous! Been sitting here for 10 minutes and have yet to have someone help me. Got a menu yet haven't been offered water or anything. This is not the first time happening. But if you still want to give this arrogant establishment any money, order the braised ribs on Mashed potatoes. Update. Manager finally came by and helped me. Maybe understaffed?
(1)
Chris G.
The pizza is classic thin crust Italian, The food is good. We eat here before going across the street to the movies or going down the street to a concert at Shoreline. The Bocce balls are good as a appetizer ( meatballs covered in pizza dough and baked).
(4)
Alondra M.
The ambience and food make for a delightful experience. The place is charming and cozy. The bread is accompanied by delicious butter. The sole with Mediterranean salad is amazing! Their selection of soups and salads meets a varied palette. Highly recommend!!!
(5)
Kristine P.
My family loved and enjoed every bite in this restaurant. This is not our frst or last visit and I would recomend this to all of my friends. The meal service price everything is great.
(5)
Carmen H.
The honey and sausage pizza was amazing! As weird as it sounds, you'd be surprised at how good it really is. The atmosphere at the place was definitely something worth going back for. Their little outside eating area was also quite nice. The staff was nice and helpful as well as knowledgeable about the menu.
(5)
J D.
Came here with the kids for dinner. The service was great. We had the patio all to ourselves which was nice! It was a bit chilly but they had heaters which made it just right. The food was excellent. I had the penne which had a nice spicy kick. My son had the chicken skewers that were perfect, not over done like some places I've been. My daughter had the chicken Fettuccine Alfredo which had mushrooms and slivers of zucchini. It too was great, not your average F.A. Finally her boyfriend had the seared scallops, perfectly seasoned and done. Tucked away in the corner, a great find.
(5)
Jen S.
A little pricier that what I would want to spend on a work lunch, however, since the boss was paying...and no I didn't order the most expensive thing on the menu but I did order a Timpanini which is basically big puffed calzone and it comes with salad so I guess you could say, I was trying to be economical/practical, maybe somewhat healthy because it came with a salad. The timpanini was pretty good and large enough that I had leftovers for the next day. Service was great to our large work group.
(4)
Steve S.
Upon entering Venti at 7pm on a Saturday night, we noticed a lot of empty tables and only one man at the bar. Not a good sign. We decided to sit at the bar because The Giants game was on but the bartender wouldn't change the channel to the game because he said the playoffs were on for hockey but nobody was there to watch and he certainly wasn't watching the hockey game. (we knew the other man at the bar and even he wanted to watch The Giants game. Even after numerous statements like I wonder who's winning, etc, he didn't change the channel. The worst part was that he never ever ever smiled. He was quite gruff in his attitude to be exact. We ordered a salad before our meals. We both had full plates of salad when the waitress brought out our hot food. Two stars for our experience there is generous. We won't be back
(2)
Doug C.
My favorite broiled salmon on spinach salad. ~$14. Salmon crispy on outside, not overcooked, fork tender on inside. Not fishy. Not on the menu. Perfect for non carb eaters.
(5)
Nicole M.
I can't believe the good reviews... I came here with another person. We ordered bolognese and chicken marsala. Both were terrible. "Marsala" didn't have marsala flavor and chicken was doughy. The pasta was swimming in Ragu-esque sauce. The wine prices were so high! Why? The food prices weren't much better. Another note: why the cheap flatware? Terrible waste of a date night and $120.
(1)
Daniel H.
I met my friend here for lunch and there were not a lot of people here at 12:30pm. I recognized our waiter from the Osteria Coppa YEE back in August. We ordered a medium thin-crust Three Cheese Pizza ($20.50) with sun dried tomatoes, pancetta and other stuff that I can't remember (see pictures). We received bread with cheese (I think) while we waited for our pizza. It was pretty fluffy and tasted great with the cheese. Our pizza came and it looked pretty big for a medium. It tasted a little salty (probably the pancetta) but other than that, it was good. I must have filled up a little on the bread because I went through two slices (8 slices total) before I got full. The owner of the restaurant checked on us before our waiter told us the other person was the owner; in addition, our waiter came back to check on us to see if everything was good. I don't know why this place didn't have a lot of people come in to eat. I thought the food (based on the stuff I ate) was good.
(4)
Jamie C.
Not sure how long this restaurant has been around, but we only just discovered it this past December. One of my co-workers recommended it and since then, we have been here about 4 times. The complimentary focaccia bread with herb spread is DELICIOUS!! I love how warm and soft the bread is and even eating it plain is good. We've tried a couple of different dishes so far and I have to say, the portions here are quite generous and prices are decent. - Deep Fried Calamari - Nice big, crispy pieces of calamari and wasn't too greasy. - Strawberry Fields Salad - one of my favorite salads although they tend to use too much poppy seed dressing. I would ask for the dressing on the side. - Pizza - we've tried the sausage pizza and chees & pesto pizza and both were not bad. - Linguine Leonardo - this was just ok for me. I think it could've been tastier. - Seafood Ravioli - I'm not a fan of ravioli but I really like this dish and the lobster cream sauce really tops it off. - Spaghetti with Clams - they gave a lot of clams! - Spaghetti and Meatballs - not bad. - Mon Ami & Chicken Venti Timpanini - Frickin' HUGE but there's too much cheese for me so it's not really my thing. The last time we came here, we tried their gelato. 3 bucks for a scoop is ok I suppose but our waiter was nice and gave us each a big scoop :D That's always an extra star in my books!!
(4)
Andy D.
I think this place is just Meh! Good atmosphere but I think that's all it is. Price of food is ok. A bit pricey for lunch over the quality and the service. Came here with co-workers for lunch under the company's tab (thank god). I wasn't sure who our waiter was as we had 2 different guys taking our order which made it difficult as one guy would come out and take our order and then someone else doing the same and throughout our meal was the same thing. I had the Jumbo Scallops with Fettuccine and shared a Calzone with a friend. Those are enormous so bring and appetite if you want to order one of these. My pasta was flavorless, and was loaded with liquid. The portion was also very small, I haven't been to any Italian restaurant where the pasta wasn't filling regardless of the price. Personally I won't be back on purpose to this place although my co-worker had raved about it coming here many times but she doesn't eat much nor does she really cook. I guess there is a crowd for everything.
(3)
Jared P.
I've got to be honest, my recent bad experiences with this place have motivated me to finally write a Yelp review. Pizzeria Venti USED TO BE the bomb. The food WAS always awesome, the wait staff WAS friendly and the service WAS prompt. Unfortunately I feel like this place has suffered greatly over the last few months. The last few times I was there our food has been tolerable but not nearly as good. The service has been shabby, so bad that we had to ask for silverware twice, water twice, anything we wanted twice. This wasn't just an isolated occurence. Also, we noticed some things about the interior of the restaurant. It doesn't appear to be as clean as it once was. Things just appear generally disorganized and they have this large horrific looking sign that's broken across the top to promote their catering services. A few months ago I'd of given this place four stars. Now, it gets two. They need to clean up their act and focus a bit more on the quality of their food and service again. Then they'll win my business back. We probably will not be using them for Italian again for another few months. If you need to eat somewhere else in the area I'd suggest Sunny Bowl, the Japanese place or Chalpala up the road as nearby alternatives. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of options in that area unless you want to deal with busy downtown MV.
(2)
Kathi L.
Food was OK, nothing special. Prices for lunch are high. $15 for a salad is a bit much for a lunch. There were others in my group who ordered the pasta. It was tasty, but way too large of a serving for lunch. How about offering a half-size serving for $9 or so? Wait staff also needs some training in how to serve. My salad was handed to me in front of my friend, right under her nose. I guess it was too much work to place it on the table in front of me.
(2)
Reyn J.
Lunch on a Friday. Wine: House Chianti: acceptable. Appetizer: Bocce Balls...really, really good (Italian herbed meatballs topped with cheese and marinara sauce, and wrapped in pizza crust before being baked to perfection.). Courses: Angel Hair Pasta (tossed with Roma tomato, fresh basil and garlic). Good sauce, fresh tomatoes, tasty pasta al dente. Chicken Marsala (Chicken breast sauteed in Marsala wine over mashed potatoes with grilled vegetables). Tasty, but chicken overcooked, which made it a bit tough. Overall, very good and attentive service, nice decor, not too loud. Enjoy!
(2)
Miriam W.
I'll eat here only if I'm in the area and we want a sit-down without competition on how/where to sit. Agreed that pricing is high for what you get and lunch time; servings are good. Sometimes food overly salted. Seasoning well does not equal salting heavily. Only one bathroom; odd. Patio seating tiny tables/odd. Not a very nice outdoor setup out front. You will never struggle to find seating here, i will say that. Food is a bit mediocre and I've had hit or miss service a couple times. Once, I had a great female server. Then, a lame guy server. Then, a super nice and proactive/helpful guy server. You just never know. Sometimes I've been left to stand at the door waiting to get seated for 15 min in an empty restaurant. Sometimes I've been jumped on as soon as I walk in the door. If you want to eat out to talk smack about your coworkers or plan a coup, and you don't want to deal with Castro and the traffic - this is an option. Of course, you'll have to fight for parking with the several other businesses in the plaza. :)
Came here with a large group a little while back. The food seemed fresh and there was a wide variety of options. Many great looking dishes and very vegetarian friendly. I had the pesto raviolis which were quite filling and tasty. My husband had a pizza, which was also really good. Service staff is very attentive, prices are reasonable, and the flavor is good. All in all, would recommend this restaurant, especially if you are looking for somewhere that can accommodate a large group.
(4)
Michael G.
This is the 3rd time I went to Pizzeria Venti for lunch and each time it gets better. The food is tasty, but not particular exceptional. It is a solid place for lunch but it is most certainly not in my top 10. I find the variety of dishes to be lacking; meaning their choices are limited and are not of the greatest variety. Yesterday, my work friends and I had fried calamari as an appetizer and though I found the breading to be a bit greasy, there was no fishy aftertaste and the texture was not too rubbery. For my main course I ordered the green apples and greens salad with breast of chicken added. The variety of greens was excellent as was the overall freshness of the salad. After 3 times.....I would like to give it 4 stars but add in a service staff that is somewhere between too eager and too lackadaisical and food that is good but not great, I have to give Pizzeria Venti and A-OK rating.
(3)
Aj J.
Decent atmosphere. Quick and solid service. Food was bland and extremely too expensive for what it was. For ~17 a plate and 12/glass of mediocre wine, there's not much reason to go back
(2)
Silke M.
Love, love love this place. Extremely friendly and welcoming servers. The best and freshest salads and amazing European Pizza's! Always cozy lively atmosphere still being able to have conversations.
(4)
Local S.
Menu has evolved slightly during 2012 at this unusual, elegant large Italian restaurant which I recently visited for the sixth time, on Shoreline (near 101 and the unique, highly recommended Computer History Museum). Doubly unusual: Venti is (1) an Italian, not Italian-American, eatery in the US which is always something of a novelty; and (2) it's a franchise from Tuscany, using heavily Italian-sourced ingredients. American inventions like "pepperoni" sausage are also available in some dishes. (In Italy, pepperoni does not mean a sausage.) Also this year, Yelp's listing caught up with Venti's 2010 name change. Although signage still shows the original "Pizzeria Venti," it's "Cucina Venti" in large advertisements (weekly in the local M V Voice) featuring interesting seasonal recipes from the restaurant. No more rectangular Tuscan pan pizzas yelp.com/biz_photos/cuci… but the more conventional round pizzas are going strong, available with both US toppings and more European combinations like three cheeses and pancetta (with fresh spinach and onion shreds). An order of the small lamb meatballs ($8.75), served in tomato-vegetable compote and contrasting to the far larger, blander pastry-wrapped "bocce" balls yelp.com/biz_photos/cuci… (I detailed the bocce balls' merits and limitations in previous review) was a savory appetizer, the lamb (seldom used in ground form in the US) conferring an interesting, more European flavor. A "personal" sized pizza with the toppings cited last paragraph ($11.75) is now about 12 inches (30 cm) across (sized like the Neapolitan classics at our local temple of original pizza culture, Napoletana Pizzeria), nice moderately toasty crust. Pesto ravioli ($12.95) came on a large platter with six or seven large round al-dente ravioli in a well-balanced slightly creamy classic basil-garlic-nut sauce. Gave a rich impression overall. My favorite of the specialties tried was linguine "Leonardo," a LIGHT pasta dish with chicken bits and fresh spinach, dressed lightly with olive oil and capers, very satisfying without being in any way heavy or over-done (Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi, please note!), $14.95. A waiter offered a good block of Parmesan-type cheese, grating it over dishes where requested. Decent by-glass wine selection is available but not cheap, many choices priced around $10. Quite distinct in style from classic 20th-century US-model "Italian" (-American) restaurants, with their abundant meaty-cheesy dishes and jugs of cheap red wine. And an upscale atmosphere good (and much used) for business dining. As a gathering place, Venti is exceptionally convenient (by silicon-valley standards), just far enough off 101 to get no noise from it. Yet Venti is nearer to 101 than most of the popular upscale "highway 101" silicon-valley restaurants like Birk's, Parcel 104, or Lion and Compass. More on Venti's history and specialties in my previous review.
(4)
G W.
We made last minute plans to go out for dinner with the kiddos on Christmas Eve. Our dinner here was fantastic! Focaccia with cheesey butter spread is delish. We ordered - 2 pizzas, the Grande Max and Sophia's Choice. Both were excellent. Crispy crust all the way through and just the perfect amount of sauce and cheese. The Max is salty and meaty, while the Sophia is sweet. Yum! We also ordered 2 pasta dishes - Penne Alfredo and Seafood Linguine. Again, both were excellent. Perfectly cooked and saucey. The only thing I would have enjoyed more, is if there was more linguine in my dish. Near the end I had an abundance of seafood (yum!) but not enough pasta to eat it with. I ate it all anyway, though. ;-) Everyone loved their gelato for dessert as well. Such a hidden gem in a little strip mall area by the theaters. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Trish C.
Ah. Read the reviews, and was working in the area when I got a craving for some good Italian food. I'll admit, that craving isn't out of the ordinary, so I'm always looking for such a place. I was also alone and just wanted some quiet time to enjoy my dinner at a leisurely pace. So the restaurant closest to where I was working was only open for lunch, and then I saw reviews for this place. Although it is in a strip mall that's easy enough to find, it's tucked away in the corner and not immediately recognizable as the restaurant. It was a Wednesday night so relatively empty. Usually I have trouble choosing from a menu when I'm overly hungry, but the menu here caused me that nice little problem even though my stomach wasn't meowing. I had a couple of nice glasses of Merlot, the bread was reminiscent of the old Florentine restaurants that used to populate the area, and I had this lovely fresh jumbo scallops pasta dish in a white wine lemon-butter sauce - not heavy at all, and enough sauce to dip some bread into. A little tiramisu at the end -- gave me a satisfaction only good food can bring, without the feeling of having eaten too much and being bloated and such. I got great service, a nice little corner table where I could leisurely read while eating, and found myself thinking this must be a little of what restaurants and food in Italy must be like - except Italians serving you, of course. I cannot wait to come back here.
(4)
Joy N.
Excellent food and ambiance! The owner, Bella is wonderful! We ordered the calamari, Marsala chicken, penne pasta, Roma Pizza, pesto prawn pizza and I loved the purple orchid cocktail! Great experience; thank you!
(5)
Nick P.
Pizzeria Venti's a good addition to this part of Mountain View. It's got a surprisingly large menu (including many pasta/ravioli options) and presents a calming atmosphere that I'd say works really well for people wanting to get away from the office. I ordered a mandarin + fennel salad and was overall very impressed. The abundance of mandarin slices was certainly there, and I think they provided enough character so that the salad could even go without dressing (a sweet vinaigrette). What capped off the salad best were the toasted pistachios; you also get some cherry tomatoes and fresh onion in there as well. The price was steep ($11.75 without meat), but overall I think going to a place like this once in a while during the work week is worth it. Besides, Venti has excellent focaccia, so that might be worth the trip alone.
(4)
Anna U.
Definitely THE best Italian place in the area. As with Italians the food is always excellent but the staff / service not so.
(5)
Krista S.
Came here randomly after trying to find a place to eat and decided on this place. It's this italian bistro type enviroment, pretty cute and dim. We just ordered the brick over pizza and soup. Kind of pricey for what it is, there's nothing really special about the pizza. This would probably be a great place to have a dinner date or something like that.
(3)
Charlotte T.
Great place, always great service and food. They have live music which was a surprise. Really set the atmosphere. Prices are reasonable.
(5)
Local consumer C.
I rarely give a five stars to any place, unless they really blow my socks off. Perhaps this place was so awesome because it was so slow when we went there last night (President's Day). Either way, their service is as amazing as their food. And it wasn't just one good server, it was ALL of them. They kept our drinks filled the second the glass was close to empty, they were interactive and very professional. The ambiance is extremely nice for a pizzeria yet still comfortable to bring our kids. This was FINE dining to them! lol Not only will I definitely be back, but I'll drive the 70 minute drive to come here again, for sure! The only minor negative thing I would mention is that the parking is a bit limited, especially considering how many people they can seat and the other businesses in the plaza that the parking is shared with. Although it looks like there is plenty of street parking nearby.
(5)
Tim K.
A find for us. We had a Sunday dinner here with some locals. They enjoy the pastas so much they have not gotten to the "Entrees" section of the menu. We enjoyed the calamari and bruschetta appetizers. The bruschetta had a nice garlic zing to it. The pasta Bolognese was very good, the seafood ravoli were also very good. The seafood tasted fresh. I had the Chicken Marsala. This is my test dish in new Italian places as I make a pretty good version at home. Venti's sauce was just right. It had a good Marsala flavor without overpowering the dish. The chicken could be cut with a fork. The mashed potatoes were hot and the vegetables tasted fresh. For us this is a great step up from FJ&L. We will be back.
(4)
Catherine L.
Every dish I've tried here has been solidly delicious - i love their risottos!
(5)
Adrienne F.
The food here is OK -- standard American Italian. I normally would give it 3 stars, but I'm giving it a fourth because it's better than most of the other Italian food options in Mountain View. Both the food and the decor feel very standard -- the kind of place you can take a group and no one will be unhappy. It's a popular post-work dinner spot (Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, etc. are right next door). If you are looking for a restaurant for a date or a cute neighborhood dinner spot I'd recommend something else.
(4)
Silke G.
I used to really like coming here (for years now) and most of the food is pretty good, though their kabobs were really dry. I love the pollo ripeno, but it's only part of the specials menu and not a regular part of their menu. During my most recent visit, I noticed they charged me $4.75 for "Italian Brewed Iced Tea." I was really shocked by this and asked if it was a mistake. They said it was not and offered to have the manager come talk to me. I declined because I was upset by this and thought a manager trying to justify this would further annoy me. It's an insane price for something made in batches with tea bags and water. They should offer a less expensive option to their customers. Also, the time previous I went here, I ordered the California Fresh sandwich and was offered a choice of fries or salad and chose fries. This most recent time ordering the same thing, I was told I could only get salad unless I wanted to pay extra for the fries. I don't know if this all changed in the past couple of weeks or not, but it's upset me to the point of not wanting to go there anymore. I'm very disappointed.
(2)
Andrew K.
Came here for a company dinner and had a pleasant meal. The bread was delicious--always nice to start off the meal strong. Everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes, and i'm surprised by the negative comments about the service. Service was spot on for our table. Attentive, friendly, and the waiter (owner?) even came by after we were done and offered us some free gelato in return for humoring his horrible jokes. Honestly, the gelato was not that great...but still a nice gesture. Not sure if I'd come back since there are so many italian places around and this one is a bit out of the way, but I certainly have no complaints!
(4)
Flor D.
Mussels, Mussels, Mussels...be still my heart. Yes, these things are stinkier than oysters, however, when paired with a great glass of red wine, a killer garlic broth, and crusty garlic bread, I am sold. No kisses for you! Although I work fairly close to this joint, the reviews had discouraged me from stepping inside. The outside tables look cool, but if the food is not up the standard, then it won't help them any. SURPRISINGLY...the food was mighty tasty. The Greek salad was a complete meal. A little pricey at $9, but good nonetheless. Should have been more like $6. For Dinner, I had the muscles. So good and so many. Worth every $12 dollar bite. Delish and highly recommended. For Dessert, I had some gelato classico Gelato. Specifically, banana's fosters+hazelnut. What a way to end the evening. Pizza looked a little sad, so be adventurous and have wine with a little something something!
(4)
Kiki A.
The food was okay. I liked how close we were to the Shoreline. Our service was good as well. Their bread is pretty delicious however. My gripe is that my card was charged by accident for the wrong amount and then voided. Ok. Well someone should have told me that. It sent my acct into overdraft. Nice. Then my bank being the blood suckers they are, charged me an overdraft fee. So when I called the restaurant, the manager was nice enough but what about my overdraft fee? No mention or offer to cover that. Won't be going back.
(1)
Judi M.
Been here three times and the first two were obviously good enough to return a third time. However, the bad service the third time will result in me never coming back again. The second time I came in, my friend ordered a Chicken Vesuvius Pizza but without the chicken. They added extra artichoke hearts instead. It was SO good! The crust and veggies were spot on and it made such an impression that I had to come back the next day with CarinaM. Sadly, I seem to be cursed recently when choosing restaurants with my partner in crime. We had such a long streak of good luck, but alas, it had to end. Service was awful! The restaurant had five tables and two severs. You do the math. I thought I ordered the same pizza as the day before, but it was the wrong one. Instead of trying to remedy it, the server assured me it tasted the same. He was wrong. I would've happily told him that had I chance to see him again during our meal, but obviously he had better things to do than check on paying customers. Suffice it to say, I will never be coming back to PV again.
(2)
Debbie Chiou S.
Tried the caprese salad with chicken. Weird to have caprese salad on greens. Much of it was iceberg - not my favorite. Mozzarella and tomatoes were fine, but balsamic vinaigrette was a bit sweet, and the added chicken just bland. Could've definitely used more basil.
(2)
Saba S.
Sat at the bar. The place itself is nice and smells tasty. I didn't like the gigantic flower arraignment next to my face at the bar. I heard the owner just came back from a wedding and had to put them somewhere. Bush league if you ask me. The complimentary focaccia bread with herb spread is DELICIOUS!! I love how warm and soft the bread is and even eating it plain is good. - Deep Fried Calamari - Nice big, crispy pieces of calamari and wasn't too greasy. Overcooked, but the spicy pesto sauce made up for it a bit. Overall the calamari was okaaay. My main course was the Ahi Salad. I liked the ginger sauce. The ahi was cooked just right with nice texture. The salad was, once again, okaaay. The service was GREAT! Really impressed with the staff and service. They get three stars because I just couldn't like the food a much as I wanted. Price was a little steep, but right for what this restaurant is going for in terms of style and decor, but not the food. I might come back if I'm going to the movies.
(3)
Melissa B.
Today was my first to going here with some coworkers and I ordered the prawn salad with a side of asparagus. Everything was delicious up until about an hour after lunch and I felt sick to my stomach with what seemed to be food poisoning. Even with that I'll give 3 stars and I would eat here again but may skip the greens and go with pasta or pizza.
(3)
Debbie N.
Picked this place because it was so close to Shoreline cinemas and needed a quick dinner before a move. Looked at their website/menu and Yelp reviews...we were not disappointed!! Initial impression on entering...cozy high end restaurant and not to loud considering it was packed...The ambiance, food and service was fabulous!! We had a glass of champagne (with a raspberry in it :-), the Mango Arugula salad and the Salmon/Spinach entree...perfectly cooked & delicious! Our waiter knew we were going to the movies so was on it with quick service and was very nice. This is now my favorite Mt. View Italian restaurant!!
(5)
Andy D.
Great place. The owner/manager was super personable, waiters were great, the decor was pretty amazing for a strip mall and the food was stellar. I had the spaghetti & meatballs. Girlfriend had a spinach and shrimp salad. We both said we'd be back to try the pizza. (I also enjoyed the big screen playing the Giants' game in the back. Out of the way enough not to bother, but great for keeping track of the score.)
(5)
Rustan M.
Best Italian I've had in Mountain View, hands down.
(5)
John T.
The tuna salad and pizzas are big enough to share. Overall it a great place to just relax with some friends.
(4)
Coco L.
Pretty decent place. I was a little surprise at the ambient, as I was expecting more a mom n pa shop in that part of the town. Thin crust pizza with bacon, onion and asparagus - the bacon was pretty good Seafood risotto with Mahi Mahi - has a nice flavor to it, the risotto was nice an soft; this is on the wet side Lamb skewer was decent
(3)
Karne N.
Had a really pleasant evening at Cucina. It was our first time there and we'll be back. The food was tasty, the service was excellent (thank you Arturo) and the ambiance was nice too. A bit pricey for the portions but that was the only negative. If the weather had been warm, sitting outside would have been a great option. We tried the Bocce balls appetizer - delicious and original, the Linguine Leonardo (chicken, spinach, and linguine in a broth) which was very good despite a bit too much lemon. My standard test for an Italian meal is the spaghetti in meat sauce. Theirs is excellent.
(4)
Zensident G.
Enjoyed our dinner very much. I had tomato basil soup. It came with great presentation, with a cream on top that had been drawn so that it took on a leaf pattern. Very tasty. I then had the lamb shanks. Lamb shanks are not that common at restaurants and Cucina Venti served them up excellently. I really liked the dark, quiet decor as well. Would definitely go again.
(4)
Ed L.
Saw the Restaurant Ad in the Post and since it's really close by our work decided with the wife to give the place a try.When we walk in the Restaurant it was like 100 degrees. inside. Not a good first impression. Customers wants to dine in comfort, If I want a sauna I will go to a Spa.I almost walk out but lucky for them there was outside sitting and we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as it was an unusual hot day today. For appetizer we order a plate of Bruschetta...it was light and refreshing. My wife order the Spaghetti and Meatballs and I order the Special which was the Halibut. My wife enjoyed her entree as the sauce was not greasy and it goes great with the fresh warm bread that the waiter brought by.My Halibut was very fresh and taste great and it also came with some nice large slices of tomatoes and veggies. Personally the veggie dressing was a little sour for me but my wife likes it though. The service was very good and we enjoyed the food. The waiter was very pleasant and offer my wife a sample of their gelato on the house but sadly she was stuffed and will take his offer at another time. I will returned again with the family and hopefully next time the air conditioner is back on.
(4)
De S.
I always come here for: - Mango salad, adding grilled salmon: THE BEST IN TOWN - Free delicious bread - Great selection of Gelato Also, - The ambiance is great - Quick and friendly service For someone who's not so fond of Italian food, the menu above surpass any restaurants in the South Bay. I always find reasons to come back even though this place is out of the way.
(5)
Danny H.
A lot of the clientele were teenagers waiting to see The Hunger Games. We were a large group of "adults" heading off to watch that movie which itself was otherwise fine but seriously, if your protagonist is supposed to be a hot shot with the bow, teach the actress the basics of archery?! (I know, artistic license . . .) All I remember about this place is that it seemed unreasonably pricey and that the men's room was oddly posh. Our waiter did a good job handling our largish party but it got busy near the end and none of the rest of the staff were keen to help him close out our bill. Next time I'd say just grab some grub on Castro St before hitting up a movie. More options, better prices.
(2)
Sunil R.
Great to have a nice sit down restaurant in this part of Mountain View. Now we don't have to drive to University Av or Castro to have a good Italian meal. I was definitely surprised when I walked in. This place is in a tiny strip mall next to a 7 Eleven and did not expect this to be as nice as it was inside. They have outdoor seating as well which I appreciate. The bread and butter they served was fresh and delicious. The strawberry salad was yummy as well. Sign me up, I am going back.
(4)
Elisabeth F.
Wow, best seafood paella I ever had. My partner's seafood linguini was also totally delish. Good wine and service too. A hidden gem! Will definitely come here again.
(5)
Kathy R.
Great place to go before or after the movies. Had the mango salad and legally blonde pizza. Bread is homemade & great. Excellent service. We sat on the patio. Couldn't have been better.
(4)
Rachel A.
We went here because I had picked up my husband from work nearby and I hadn't eaten (but he ate at his work meeting). My husband felt bad, so he treated me :) I ordered the pizza with cheese and prosciutto. It came out with a super thin crust, that was really great. It was pre-sliced into squares and served on a bamboo board. They were generous with the toppings. I really enjoyed the combo of all the cheese, prosciutto, and red onions. The waitress seemed to want us out since my husband didn't order anything. She brought the bill after I finished my pizza. She didn't ask if I wanted dessert or anything, so I had to tell her I wanted the tiramisu. They ended up being out, so we had the cannoli instead. It was pretty good, but had obviously been put together previously. The bottoms were a bit soggy, but the cream inside with the fresh berries was great. Overall, it's fine and I wouldn't be opposed to going back. I'd like to try other dishes.
(3)
Colin B.
Went here on a whim for sunday dinner, food was good, prices were kind of high for basic pasta dish and sandwich. I didn't realize its a franchise place as I've only seen one ever. Would go again if I was with a group to at least try their pizza.
(3)
Glenn G.
The food is pretty good but I won't say it's excellent or really exciting. However, the location is doubly surprising - it's right across the street from the old Century 16, and shares a parking lot with a 7-Eleven. The latter lowered my expectations to the point where I was easily pleased, and the former caused me to want to remember this place for future reference - there aren't a whole lot of decent restaurants within spitting distance of Mountain View's only movie theatre, not to mention Shoreline Amphitheatre. When its time to eat, you can always order pizza (I usually do in places like this), but another pleasant surprise is the range of non-pizza, traditional Italian fare on the flip side of the menu. I had the lasagna, which was rich, tasty, and a reasonably sized portion. My friend had the Linguine Leonardo with chicken, spinach and caper sauce. It was really outstanding - I'll try that next time if I don't take the plunge and sample the pizza. The bread they serve is also warm, soft, fresh, and accompanied by a decidedly scrumptious tomato butter. When its time for dessert, Pizza Venti has a very good gelato - definitely try it. Considering the location, the breadth of the menu, and the excellent, friendly service we received, I give this place 4 stars.
(4)
Terre P.
I go here for a few things one of them being the Pizza Del Giorno (Bleu cheese, feta cheese, walnuts, & topped with honey). I have them add chicken and it is awesome. But this time I ordered the personal sized one. Really too much for me to eat in one seating but definitely personal 'cuz I'm not sharing (I'm eating the rest for dinner). . . . but . . . . I don't care for the personal pizza crust. I believe it to be focaccia bread not pizza crust. I love foccia bread, but it is too much, too greasy for this pizza. So, next time I go, I will order something else, unless I can get regular pizza crust. I was there with other Yelpers and Julie K. tried to order her pizza (I can't remember what she ordered) but it did not come in the personal pizza size. Ok . . . whatever. I'll be back because I like it, but I was just a little (tiny bit) disappointed. :-(
(4)
Jeff N.
Awning says "America's Only Authentic Sliceria." Sign on the window says, "Pizza By The Slice or Pan." Me: "Yes, I'd like to get two slices." Waitress: "Oh, we don't sell slices." Idiots.
(1)
Leslie G.
This place is awesome! I originally ordered delivery to my hotel room through Eat24.com and was totally impressed. Then I went there for lunch with a coworker and I loved it! I have tried 5-6 different things but their bruschetta and any of their salads are excellent!
(5)
Chad H.
My wife and I stumbled on to Cucina Venti by accident. We were headed to the movie theater across the street and we had some time to grab a bite to eat. We thought about sandwiches at Quiznos, but this place was just 2 doors down. It has a few tables outside in the front, and a large patio in the back. The interior is very nicely decorated, with furniture and nice lighting. Arturo was our waiter and he had some suggestions for our wine choices. My wife had the Timpanini and I had the seafood paella. Both were excellent. The kitchen was quick and the food was served hot and steaming. The house garlic bread and the butter spread is to die for. The manager, stopped by our table to check on us and we told him it was our first time there. He sent over 2 servings of their home made gelato on the house. Wow, it was great. A very nice , classic Italian meal. Can't wait to try something else on the menu. We will be back. Ciao
(5)
Tina J.
I really liked this place for it's fresh tasting italian food. A pleasant difference from the heavy, unhealthy Italian places that are more common. Everything tasted delicious and freshly made. The bread came out piping hot. It was not very many customers for a saturday lunch, so were very accommodating for our group's 2 toddlers. The ambiance is amazing for a strip mall restaurant; very nice decor, like a date place.
(4)
Allison R.
I chose Cucina Venti for dinner for a work event because it is so close to the computer history museum (destination after the dinner). I wanted to narrow down the menu a bit and limit alcohol and they were extremely accommodating with my request. They took the time to talk with me over the phone about each of their options for appetizers/entrees/desserts to decide which to choose. We had about 25 people in the party, and some commented that the service was a bit slow, however, this is somewhat expected with a large party. They also noted that the food was great (appetizers: bruschetta/calamari, entrees: grilled salmon, lamb skewers, chicken marsala, mushroom ravioli). After the event, the woman I had worked with to develop the limited menu called to see how my experience was - great customer service. Minus one star only because of the comments of slow service!
(4)
B K.
Waiter was extremely loud, rude and is one big liar I was here with 3 other friends. I had specifically ordered a vegetarian sandwich which comes with an option of soup or salad. The waiter got me the sandwich with chicken and when I mentioned I had asked for vegetarian, he rudely said that was not what I ordered. He took the plate inside, removed the chicken out of bread and got the same thing back. He lied to me that it was fresh bread and of-course I could see some particles of chicken still. Later he bills us for the soup and charges for a dish we didn't order. My advice- double Check your bills ALWAYS. When we told him to correct the bill, he got loud and said the menu shows no option for soup or salad when it actually does. He constantly kept lying and acted as if he did a favor by giving the soup for free. SERIOUSLY! He should get more familiar with the menu, not charge the customer for things they didn't order and STOP LYING. It's okay to do mistakes but it's not good to be arrogant and disrespectful. We will never go back there
(1)
Rosa L.
After a long day, I sometimes just want to wind down with a nice hot meal without cooking it myself or picking it up... essentially delivery becomes handy! Delivery tip: If you order from grubhub there is a $50 minimum. I call and usually they will deliver if you order around $30 worth of food. I've ordered from Pizzeria Venti a few times and their food is tasty. Mind you, their plates range from $11-$20 and portions are just right (perhaps a bit on the smaller side) Orders: Spaghetti & meatballs Spaghetti & clams - generous with clams Fettucini Alfredo California Sandwich Caprese Salad Linguine & Scallops - sometimes too lemony Lasagna All were good though none were complete show stoppers. I've heard their pizza is fabulous and their pasta dishes are really quite tasty for the price.
(3)
David G.
What a great find. Good reasonably priced Italian is hard to find. We were looking for lunch before a movie and found this gem across the street. The food was excellent, we had to put the bread aside to save room for our meals. The meat ball sandwich was huge and perfectly cooked. We will come back movie or not.
(4)
Robin L.
Two words: Bocce Balls...and I don't mean the kind you throw on some sandy court Pizzeria Venti has Bocce Balls that have fallen from the sky for us mere mortals to enjoy. Please, eat these dough wrapped meatballs, baked to golden perfection and smothered in the most delicious marinara and cheese immediately! I'm also a fan of the antipasti platter which features an array of italian meats, cheese, marinated veggies and bread. And if all else fails, this is a freakin pizzeria, try the pizza. So a shout out to Betty D as I say, I "heart" this place. The food is excellent, the place is really cute inside and the service is great. I'm not sure how they are staying in business as every time I've been in there the place has been empty, but I hope I'm just going at off times b/c I don't want this place to get eaten by our economic downturn As an aside, and to attest to what I reckon is Pizzeria Venti's attention to detail, they have a cute bathroom. The single bathroom sports furniture and nice touches to make it feel homey. It also sports a list of every hour it's been inspected and cleaned, which I've gotta tell you, in my opinion just isn't common. Anyway, if you're not into yummy italian, nice ambiance and cute/clean bathrooms, just go so you can say that you've eaten a bocce ball, and it was quite nice.
(4)
Ida C.
It seems quite a few ppl had mediocre experiences here but I came here last week for a business lunch and was pretty impressed with a couple of the dishes as well as the service. Granted, some of the staff spoke Spanish to one of the folks in our party and that might have been what lead to someone swinging by our table every 5 mins to see if there was anything else we needed but heck... the lesson: learn Spanish. Hey, no flaming! How can it hurt anyone to be multilingual anyway? We ordered the Caprese salad (3/5), Strawberry Fields salad (3.5/5), Seafood Ravioli (3/5 and pretty MEH), Lasagna (3.8/5) and OH MY GOSH, the Linguine Leonardo with chicken, spinach and caper sauce was unexpectedly delicious (5/5). Had it not been for the Linguine Leonardo, I'd give this place 3 stars but for that entree alone, Venti gets bumped up to 3.5.
(4)
Alex Y.
Looked online to find out if this place looked good and menu items sounded great, but sad to say the food was not. I could barely give this place one star. Our waiter was MIA most of our meal. We never received waters and the food was bland. Not Italian food at all. I had the saffron seafood risotto and it didn't taste like seafood at all. There wasn't any seafood in it but Mahi Mahi. And it was already chopped up and in the risotto which made it dry and tasteless.
(1)
Dave S.
Caveats: Lunch, holiday party, never saw a menu or $$ I was surprised to see a place like this in a strip mall with a starbucks and 7-11! We had about 30 people, and they suggested a mini-buffet the day before in order to speed things up. Good call. This way, we all got to try more items (always a good thing). They started us off with bruschetta platters, apple/walnut/cranberry salads and fresh bread with an herb butter. The bruschetta was good, but the bread was intoxicating! There is something about fresh, soft, warm yeast breads that is making me almost drool even now... The entrees included chicken marsala with veggies (peppers and onions) and mashed potatoes (good and peppery); mushroom raviolis, and chicken penne with a spicier marsala sauce. They were all good, but since I like spicy, I'd say the penne and mashed potatoes were my faves. The service was great, but since it was a corporate event, I'm sure they were on their toes. One last thing- someone in a previous review said they only had five tables and two waiters.... what were they smoking?! I'd say they have seating for at least 80. Why 4 stars? It's hard to be critical when you're having fun and someone else is picking up the tab...
(4)
Anna S.
This review proves that YELPing is good for your belly AND your pocket book! Can you say, "HOOK UPS"!? *After stalking their table all night at the Yelp Summer Bash event at the Computer History Museum, I really wanted to come and eat here with my bf. Earlier in the day, me and the man had some crazy good massages at Watercourse Way in the late afternoon, and we decided to go for a walk around the lake at Shoreline Park. Little did my bf know I had dinner planned out so that we conveniently past by this place and the museum. Shortly after walking around, I convinced him that I had my heart set on eating dinnner here, even though he does not like to go out for italian food. Being my last night in town before my "Girls' week" in Seattle, he was obliged. "I WIN!" yeay! The place was a bit stuffy, because the a/c was trippin', but Bella (the owner, which I met at the Yelp bash) suggested we take a seat out on the cute patio in front. Much cooler, and not too noisy for being off the street. Let's just say, after I raved about the food from the Yelp event, Bella was flattered and offered us a few items on the HOUSE! (Mentally, I was raising the roof with my hands. Hollah!) A slice of Chicken Pizza with mushrooms and olives, and two salads with green apples, feta, walnuts, cranberries, romaine, and vidalia onion dressing. She hooked us up with at least $15 dollars of free food. I could barely eat the entree at this point. Entrees included the angel hair pasta with shrimp (prawns were extra fresh and cooked perfectly), and penne pasta with chicken in a spicy cream dressing. The ingredients were extra fresh, and the service was terrific. Bella and Pizzeria Venti, you won the keys to our hearts and stomachs! Yelp love+ Good food = 5 stars! Raise the Roof!
(5)
Carina M.
Breaking it down before the review... Food: 2 stars Service: 0 stars Came here last night with a good friend. She had eaten here the day before and was raving about it. She wanted to have what she ate yesterday. I was in a sort of pizza and salad mood so I went along. She was happy with her salad...I was not. I normally get a caesar salad wherever I go - dressing on the side, no croutons. Dressing was decent, but not enough to make me think it's the best I've ever had. I ordered a thin crust, personal sized pesto pizza. While some people will squee with glee when they realize a personal pizza here is really an 8 inch pizza, I did not. In fact, I was dismayed because I realized I felt obligated to take home this pizza when I ate only 2 pieces. Pesto was all right, but it lacked that ZING that I expect when I eat pesto. I actually thought for a moment that this was Costco pesto. It was a bit on the flavorless side. I didn't want to hurt my friend's feelings because for the past 2 times she's chosen restaurants, it's been a bust. This is the 3rd one that was a bust. Maybe my review on the food was tainted by the very bad service. Our server rushed us to order, brought water to the table, brought our salads, then our pizzas...only to disappear after the food had been deposited. He made 2 appearances again after we had finished eating, only to bring us boxes, then water for me because I had to ask him for it. Isn't an empty glass normally an indication? Plus, it had been sitting empty for about 20 minutes, but he might have seen it had he come by at all to see if we liked our food. We decided against dessert because it didn't look that great. Server dropped off the bill...and we didn't see him at all after that. We had to flag down another server to ask for the bill, and then had to re-flag down the same other server to get change. I might add that the other server looked and acted slightly resentful that he had to do that for us. Like he was doing us the favor... Where was our server, by the way? Well, I watched him talking to everyone behind the counters, some customers that came in and just about everyone that was employed there. I didn't understand how he could not handle one table - ours. In the end, our bill for 2 'personal' sized pizzas, 2 salads and 3 glasses of water came out to $44.98. $45 for that? Really? I might have been ok with shelling that out if service had been better. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant as the place to go. I think I should've gotten a hot dog at the 7-11 across the street. Workers were friendlier and I would've saved myself some good money to buy more nail polish. This place took money from my nail polish reserve...and it wasn't worth it. That is unforgivable.
(1)
Mehrnaz H.
We had dinner here on a Friday night with prior reservation. The location is a bit out of the way unless you are going to the shoreline concert or the movies across the street. The atmosphere is beautiful, classy but simple. I really liked the feel of it. The pizzas were the best part of the dinner. A couple of us had the scallops and the scallops were very small and the sauce was too rich for the seafood. The pasta was served perfect as well. All together, I would say if you are in the mood for pizza and do not mind the out of the way location, it is a good spot, but I would not go out of my way to go there.
(3)
Aaron M.
Nice to see this newish place getting some foot traffic... their much touted "sliceria" slices were good - with enough cheese that you'd be crazy to ask for extra - but managed not to change me life. Actually, it is very nice that they give you the option of getting a single slice of any pizza you want - even at dinner time - but the quality of the pizza didn't strike me as better than Pizz'a Chicago (or even close). When you walk in, it's unclear if you order from the cashier or from a table... there was not a host or hostess or sign indicating what to do, and the decor suggested it wasn't a counter ordering kind of place... eventually after standing there awkwardly for a couple minutes, we got an answer from the cashier who told us to seat ourselves. We got the recommended "grande max" slice which was kind of a kitchen sink of toppings (and the gray colored sausage was the best of the meats that came on it) and a pepperoni slice, which we both slightly preferred. We were split on the bruschetta, which I found particularly fresh and enjoyable. Service was reasonably prompt and very courteous. We got out of there pretty cheaply, espeically since we had a coupon for a free slice. I suppose this place probably has its niche in Mountain View, and I could see going back. They have a very nice "classic Italian" interior that looks like what the Cheesecake factory would be if it weren't so fantastical and over the top. I'd even say classy, except for the HDTVs showing sports. It's also nice to be a little healthier by ordering only one slice of pizza (instead of by ordering an entire less-tasty "healthy" pizza at Zpizza).
(3)
Samantha L.
This place is AWESOME! Just AWESOME!!!!! I am SOOOO excited that I found it and I hope it stays!! I plugged it on Facebook 'I love MV' page. I am a big fan of Don Giovanni's cuz I got married there, but this place just did it in! The angel hair pasta was SUPERB! The husband had Linguine and Scallops and about sipped the broth when it was gone! The service was awesome! Our server, Arturo, was WONDERFUL! He was courteous, attentive, and friendly. The menu was extensive, gelato was YUMMMM, and all staff "checked" in on us. The manager made sure that we were taken care of, gave testers for every gelato flavor, and gave us some background info on the restaurant. Quite impressed and can't wait to go back!! The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 was because of 2 reasons... #1, no Italian beer (other beers, but I wanted a Peroni) #2, no bread served at the table (biggie! It's a nice way to start off) Check it out!!!
(4)
Cath M.
I can't really complain b/c we weren't planning to eat a meal - shoot we just wanted to go to Starbucks to get something to eat to hold us off for the No Doubt concert. Then the boy suggest going here to eat since one of my friends were starving. It was packed from all the concert goers getting a meal but service was still fast. I ordered the tomato & basil and a glass of sangria. The rest of the party did the same. The pizza tasted like a frozen pizza - bland and not tasty at all. Cheesy, way to cheesy but even the cheese didn't taste anything. It wasn't crispy even though it was thin crust. Our favorite was their sangria! It was really good - refreshing. The fruits and the amount of red wine was just the right balance. We needed it to pump us up. Overall, probably won't go back here unless we have another concert. Good drinks and good service. Did I mention that it's cheap!
(3)
Jeremy G.
This is a nice hidden Italian restaurant that's never crowded and a perfect date spot -- more on that later. I haven't had the pizza here yet, even though it calls itself a Pizzeria, but everything else I've ordered (pastas, sandwiches) have been really good and the service is always quick and friendly. As for it being a good date spot, the location is great. If the date is going well, you can go across the street to the theaters and catch a movie. If the date isn't going so well, you can crawl across the street to drink your sorrows away at The Sports Page. It's a win-win. Even though it seems like a hidden location, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall, it's far from a hole in the wall. The place is very nice and the atmosphere is great. Oh, and before I forget, they also do catering. My company had them deliver loads of food for a big release night, which worked out really well.
(4)
Mike T.
This place is a little hidden away but it's pretty good. Surprisingly, none of us had pizza. We scarfed down the Seafood pasta and the Mon Ami which was basically this HUGE ass calzone which is kind of like a Cordon Bleu baked in a fluffy crust calzone. Pretty damn good! Came with a small salad also. Just beer and wine which is disappointing since I prefer to drink myself into a stupor when eating Italian. Oh well, I'll sneak in a flask from the 7-11 next door next time
(4)
Christine V.
Great pizza restaurant right off the freeway in Mountain View. The outdoor patio is very cute and cozy and perfect on a nice night. We had the Bocce Ballz which were pretty good, lots of yummy melted cheese. I preferred the pizza though. The pizza by the slice is the perfect size, not too small and not too big. They serve beer and wine and Smirnoff Ice. The service was very friendly and we were made to feel comfortable. I will definitely return!
(4)
Tina A.
I'll admit their pizzas are pretty good (I've had them to-go), but the other items they offer are not their forte. The angel hair carbonara I ordered was flavorless - even after topping it with a mountain of parmesan - and the tiramisu, which you know from my profile is my favorite dessert, was more of a cake, with an almond taste to it...not authentic at all.
(3)
Jason H.
To be honest, the pizza isn't great (it's pretty bland). BUT, the Bocce Balls are tasty and super filling and they have Sierra Nevada. The ambience inside is pretty nice, albeit a little dark, but I prefer to sit outside. The gelato looks delicious but I've yet to try it. I'll update this entry once I've tried it. I noticed some specials today that sounded promising -- spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, scallops over fettuccini alfredo, and ... uh ... something else that sounded OK. As a bonus for some people, there is a Starbuck's a few doors down.
(4)
jazzy l.
Flatbread pizza. We got the $10 pizza which is half cooked (they heat it up for you). Artichoke, feta, red onion. Not that crispy at all. There's not much dining eatery around this plaza so this is a considered a fancy sit-in pizza place. They serve illy coffee too! Pizza Antica (Santana Row) has the better flat bread pizza I have tried so far out here in the bay area.
(2)
Katherine B.
Preface: The food is 5 stars. It is terrific. From the bocce balls to the assorted pizzas to the tiramsu and cannolis, the food is hard to beat. The service for a large group, however, leaves a lot to be desired and is the reason for the 1 star overall. We decided to do a little something different for our wedding rehearsal dinner. We are both huge pizzas fans and this place has both delicious pizza and a classy feel. We met with the manager, Chris, about six weeks before our scheduled date and set up a menu, timing and the way the tables and food were to be set-up/presented. We arrived at the exact time we stated we would be there to a small bit of confusion. There was a long table set-up outside, but not enough seating for our entire party of 35 people (this was not how we agreed the space would be set-up). There was confusion about the open bar and what was to be made available to our guests. The heat lamps outside were all out of fuel and an employee was sent off to get more propane while we clustered together for warmth. Once the lamps were fixed we settled down at our tables and were served salad, but not the type that we had ordered. We went with it. After waiting 45 minutes we went to inquire where the appetizers were and were told we had not ordered any. At that moment the manager realized we were not the party she thought we were, though how a party of 35 is confused for another party when all other parties in the restaurant had fewer than eight people total is a bit hard to comprehend. The correct food was then made and delivered to our tables but instead of splitting up the larger orders of appetizers and different types of pizza like discussed, they were all placed at the half of the table closest to the door, leaving half of our party with no access to food since the long table also was difficult to get out from. It was clear halfway through the dinner that the restaurant had stuffed up quite badly and they tried to recover, but it was a pretty miserable experience which made us question if we had ordered enough food for our wedding the next day and only imagine how things could go so wrong. Again, the food was quite great and I encourage people to go to the restaurant and try it, but if you are having a party larger than 10 I can say I would absolutely look elsewhere as they clearly can't prepare adequately for such, even when plans have been made and recorded six weeks beforehand.
(1)
nastasha s.
Very surprised on how high this place is rating. I am not a food snob of any sort but i am very big on service and presentation. Went here with a few of my co-workers for some quick lunch gelatos (oour usual spot was not open yet and we were on a time crunch). WHAT A MISTAKE! the gelatos were not only terrible but the consistency sucked, they literally served it to me and before i even sat down, it was melted. They gave me another one, of a different flavor and the same thing happened. If i wanted that gelato i would've had to drink it. The same thing happened to the 10+ other people around me, all with different flavors. They need to keep the gelatos cooler. When i said something the second time they just told me 'thats just how some of them are'. OKAY! Yikes. Plus, the girl (idk if she was the manager) with fake eyebrows, was complaining very loudly about the large group of people we brought because apparently a large party was coming soon. RUDE!!! The staff there rushed us out of there and didn't even apologize for the inconvenience. If you guys didn't want to make 100+ dollars on nasty gelatos, you could've said something. WILL NEVER GO BACK. PS Got a major headache after just tasting 2 of the gelatos there...or maybe it was from all the commotion they were causing due to our 'large' group of people.
(1)
Diana L.
One would think being located right across the street from the movie theater it would have been packed on a Saturday night. Nope, dead as a doornail. We needed a quick bite before going into watch Inception (which was weird, btw) so we walked over here and ordered a spaghetti with clams and mahi mahi. The spaghetti itself did not have a big portion but instead came with a surprising amount of clams. The flavor however, severely lacked in this traditional Italian dish. The clams were not as fresh as i would have liked but weren't terribly overdone either. My boyfriend lamented that the mahi mahi was overdone. So overall, the food was very disappointing but perhaps their pizza is better since it is a pizza place. The best part? The soft, fluffy focaccia-style bread that arrived at the beginning.
(2)
Michele P.
We stumbled upon this place out of the blue one day for lunch, and it was PACKED, so we decided to see what all the hubub was all about. Three of us shared the sausage, onion, and bell pepper pizza, and the fourth ordered the seafood ravioli. A quiet hum came over the table as we began eating--the pizza tastes just like it does in Italy (SO GOOD), and my friend inhaled her ravioli. The five stars is definitely for the food: the service can be hit or miss (we've been a few times now), but the staff is really nice, which always helps. My advice is to early if you want to get out of there in a reasonable amount of time. Did I mention the bread they serve before the meal? I usually try to stay away from such trappings, but let me just tell you--the bread is divine and totally worth the calories. I can't speak for the delivery, which I hear is rather sketchy (at best), but if you want an authentic, delicious pizza served with (really) cold beer, this is a great spot. No, it's not cheap, but remind me the last time pizza was inexpensive? You'd pay the same at Round Table.
(5)
Bethany P.
Went here tonight for a friend's bday dinner. It was just OK. We ordered the angel hair pasta with prawns and the sausage, pepper and onion pizza. The pasta was pretty good, but the pizza was a bit of a disappointment. A little burned on the bottom - and it wasn't the traditional round pizza - was a rectangle shape. The waiter was nice, but unfortunately, did not refill our waters once during the 2 hours we were there. On the positive side, they have an outdoor dining area in the back of the restaurant which is really nice. Perfect for a warm evening dinner. Only beer and wine here. Oh, and champagne (on the menu), except they were out of it. They also have gelato...so I think if I were to come back, it might just be for the gelato and the patio :) (At least there's another gelato place to support other than the one downtown mountain view which charges an arm and a leg just because he can. ie, no competition).
(3)
Christina M.
The service is good, but the food is mediocre. They charge wayyyyyy to much...$10 for a salad? Really? I guess it boils down to remembering that Pizzeria Venti is actually a franchise...despite the fancy outdoor seating and wine menu, you can get all that at a Pizza Hut, too...so at least they try! It's right near my work, they're always smiling, and i'm too lazy to buy the salad fixins' or pasta to make my own ravioli (or whatever) so sometimes i'll pay the $10 :D
(3)
Lyn L.
I had always seen this place whenever I was going to the Cheryl Burke studio, but I never really had a reason to stop by, that is until last Friday. I met up with a couple of friends for dinner here before I had to go across the street to the studio. One of the first things our server asked us is if we needed to be somewhere at a certain time. Thankfully he did so, because I had to be across the street in an hour and 15 minutes. He said they get a lot of patrons who go see movies after dinner, so they like to make sure people have enough time to finish their food and still make it to their movie. There was quite a selection to choose from on their menu. I decided to go with the Chicken Venti Timpanini. It's basically a stuffed pizza pie and it comes with a side of green salad. When it came out it was huge! It had chicken, artichoke hearts, mushroom and cheese inside. I found it to be a little too watery, but that was probably due to the alfredo sauce. Other than that, it tasted great. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was and the service was great. Our server got us out on time. It's too bad we didn't have enough time to try their homemade gelato, but I guess that just means we'll have to come back again.
(4)
Yuki K.
So, I've been here a few times. Interior is upscale, which is why the food prices are so high. Food isn't bad but not worth paying so much. I guess they get customers due to their convenient location near the movies and Shoreline. Staff is always nice. However, the owner -- who will be nice to any customer's face, so don't be fooled -- treats them terribly. I've earned my money the hard way -- often when working for somebody like this -- so I choose to spend it elsewhere. Her attitude and lack of trust says more about her than it does about her staff. It's not exactly a high-crime area, so ask yourself what's with all the video cameras.
(1)
Alan J.
This is one of the best places to get food on this side of Mountain View. Really great if you want to have a sit down dinner before going to a movie or dancing in the area across Shoreline. The atmosphere is rather relaxed. Despite the decor on the nicer side, you wouldn't feel too far out of place here if you showed up in jeans and a T-shirt. The staff has always been friendly. The food is really good, and very well proportioned for the price you pay.
(5)
stacy r.
My friend and I were out this past Friday night to see a band at the Sports Bar. We had not eaten dinner and were starving. The Sports Bar has a menu but they stop serving food at 9:00pm, including appetizers, even though they are open until 1:00am. Alas, we arrived at 9;00 with plans to eat there but could not. So, we walked across the street to Pizzeria Venti. It was my first time there, although my friend had eaten there before and said it the food was good. Our food was... outstanding...the best I've had in a while. My friend and I shared the mushroom soup and the apple salad. I had mushroom ravioli and my friend ordered a seafood pasta. They also served fresh baked bread. All of the food was delicious...great flavor, freshness, texture. I would highly recommend this restaurant and would definitely return again. I do not give 5 stars lightly!
(5)
Sam K.
This place just keeps getting better and better. The atmosphere is very warm and homey. The service is super friendly/family like. But it is the amazing food that puts Pizzeria Venti, soon to be more aptly named La Cucina Venti, over the top. Tonight I had the best scallops of my life over an amazing savory sauce of veggies and grilled asparagus. The orange fennel salad was fresh and unique. My wife's chicken marsala dish was nicely seasoned and completely disappeared from her plate - and she usually shares with me. Dessert was a cup of blackberry gelati. A perfect meal at a fair price. The bocce balls are a fun indulgent appetizer. Don't let the neighboring Quizno's and 7-11 scare you off.
(5)
Rachel S.
I'm never going here again. The service was not that great. Our server forgot to bring our drinks until after our soup arrived. About 30 seconds after our soup was served, the entrees hit the table. Not very well timed. We ordered the minestrone soup and it was more like vegetable soup. There were no noodles - only large chunks of vegetables, including broccoli and potatoes. I was expecting some type of bean, but was mostly navigating the broccoli chunks in my soup. I ordered the bruschetta and it almost gagged me. I wasn't sure if I was tasting garlic, vinegar, or basil overload, but it was terrible. For an entree we had the tortellini with marinara sauce and it was so so. Something I could have heated up from a frozen dinner at Trader Joes on my own. We will not be back.
(1)
Ken R.
Ah - Bella, Bella. The owner of Pizzeria Venti is exceptional. She is a great host, and eating at Pizzeria Venti is a true treat. The menu at Pizzeria Venti is pretty eclectic, and there have been some recent additions to the menu. Previously, I would have leaned towards a 4-star rating, but the recent additions have hit the spot. As well, the restaurant has matured after starting up a couple of years ago. The interior is spacious and if the weather is nice, the patio works really well despite being somewhat close to the busy Shoreline Boulevard. I find some of the butter sauce pastas to be a little too rich for my taste, but some of my collegues swear by them. The pastas with red sauce are really nice. I had been going with the Spaghetti & Meatballs previously (I know boring), but now my personal favorite is the Chicken Marsala. The mashed potatoes kick ass. Once again, I give the highest rating to Venti partially based on the fact that the owner Bella is a star herself.
(5)
Jessica C.
After reading the reviews, I wan to know where everyone was really eating? First of all the service was super slow for lunch. We were one of the last tables still sitting there while the place was empty. I'd give service a 2.5 star. As for the food, we started out with the bruscetta- nothing to write home about. The Bocce Meatballs were a hit with the table and I would recommend that as a starter. I had the seafood ravioli - ate 2 pieces and called it a day, no to-go box. Enough said. Overall, i give this place a 2.5 star for overall food and service. I will not be coming back.
(2)
Jeremy C.
Incompetent delivery! OK, I've gotta write a review to counter some of the positive reviews, some of which I think may be unfounded. The food is decent if a bit expensive. We've ordered a few times, and it's always tasted fine. Don't bother with the delivery. Every time we order delivery the guys get lost. They don't have a GPS and don't seem to know Google Maps, paper maps, or have any first hand knowledge of the area. I always get a call for directions, and the driver never speaks enough English to understand the directions I try in vain to give. And then tonight, after 3x the usual directional ordeal, ending with the guy getting a personal assist from Sunnyvale PD to point him in the right direction, he literally turned the pizza box+warmer vertical while getting it out of his car, while I'm standing right there, and then when I opened the box to show him what he had done, he tried to say the kitchen must have made a mistake. I sent the food all back with him (if he found his way back anyway) and ate leftovers instead. The manager was nice enough about apologizing etc.; she said they sent a bus boy out for the delivery. Maybe so, but I just have a hard time fathoming how it could be so bad. Color me disappointed (and pizzaless).
(1)
Bob M.
Always have great food here. Quite and usually very easy to get a table. Love their pizza and gelatto. Service has always been friendly and professional. Great for a nice dinner before a movie across the street.
(4)
Mimi P.
Great service. We played two games of Lasertag at neighboring Laserquest and headed over to Pizzeria Venti. You get 20% discount with your scorecard from Laserquest. We ordered two pan pizzas - one cheese and one pepperoni. The pizza was ok. The pizza comes in a rectangular pan. The crust was a little soggy, but the sauce was good. The atmosphere was really nice. It is hidden in a corner section of the shopping are by a 7-eleven
(3)
John P.
From a taste perspective I'm still loving this place and I'm very happy with the service but there are a few initial errors that have been cropping up from time to time with missing ingredients in some of the dishes. They are more than happy to fix orders and for that I'm sticking with four stars which is definitely good and above normal, but less mistakes need to be made for five stars. There was also a night when we arrived just before closing time and originally were told that it's no problem but then suddenly the cook had already gone home. Dude. There are four of you. How does someone like a cook go home for the evening before closing without saying goodbye to the other three? Being that this means you are going to be cleaning his kitchen? Just tell me that it's closing time and you'd prefer not to sit us which is why I asked. I still love the place, but my infatuation has waned.
(4)
Lauren M.
I have to update this review because I think I was being stingy on my first review, and I find myself craving their pasta dishes on a weekly basis. The Rosetto sauce on the tortellini is so delicious! That is definitely my favorite dish. Also, they recently changed up their bread- now they serve bread and butter which they make themselves. Definitely better than the old stuff. I've been here with big groups (15-30) and service has been very good. They also do catering which is convenient if you have an office party or something like that - have done that too and it's worked out well. In short, the food is excellent and the servers are friendly. I definitely am a fan of Venti's.
(4)
Jason L.
Went here with high hopes, being a real pizza fan and fond in particular of places like Amicis and Pizza Antiqua. Location was good, as I was taking the wife to see District 9 at Century 16. Anyway the pizza was vastly dissapointing, with cheese outshone by the 5 lb bags or mozzarella from Costco, sauce of no note and unimpressive crust. Pasta, in this case clam spaghetti, was average at best. Bread was utterly lame, more like Sara Lee or Wonderbread than real Italian. Service was good, with waiters really doing their best, but the food was a real let down, particularly disappointing when the nice decor and high price are considered. Plenty of Italian places with better and cheaper food, go to any of them instead.
(2)
Ben B.
Probably more like a two and a half in my opinion, but whatever. Anyway, I went with a group from the synagogue I attend after seeing a film at the Jewish film festival. Great film, though I wish I could say the same about the meal here. I got a caprese salad and mushroom ravioli. The "caprese" was a complete disgrace. Having been in Italy, I can say this "caprese" was a travesty. First of all, it shouldn't include any greens (techincally a caprese has just mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, with maybe some olive oil and/or pepper). Still, the greens were fresh, so not too bad. But it had dressing. I thought they meant some balsamic and olive oil. But what they meant was the standard "balsamic" vinaigrette which you buy at any supermarket. It was just wrong, nothing more to be said. The ravioli were similarly mediocre. They tasted like the only thing in the sauce was cream, and not even particularly fresh. What the dish lacked in quality it made up for in quantity, but even that is pointless when the dish isn't worth eating. The spinach dip appetizer was very nice, but unfortunately when they took our appetizer plates (and silverware) away, they forgot to give us new silverware until we reminded them. Not impressed. Maybe the pizza is good. Other pasta dishes were good (or so people said).
(2)
Monica S.
We took the team out for pizza after the game and everything worked out well. The only wait we had on a Saturday night was waiting for the tables to be re-configured to accommodate our large party. The pizzas were nice (4 people = 1 large and ranged from $20-28). Our server proved to be competent by keeping water glasses and sodas refilled. Personally, my favorite is still Pizza My Heart (their Pesto Pizza is better, too), but this pizzeria just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Next time I'm in Mountain View, I'll give the other menu items a try.
(4)
Jane D.
Sun does shine on the right side of a Pepperoni pizza sometimes. We were hungry and Quizno's was closed. The choices were Pizzaria Venti or 7--11. Although, 7-11 was damn near tempting, we decided to go with the pizza place. We ordered to go. We picked two slices of pizza from the counter and waited for them to be heated up. I am able type and eat pizza at the same time because there is virtually no pizza grease on my slice. I got pepperoni too. Friends, this is not your $1.50 Costco Pizza, its a few more bucks than that. But the point is, its a good pizza and you won't be disappointed. The best part of the evening was when Richard Simmons ran in and yelled this is the best place on earth. He looked like a regular. This guy was in tennis shoes, short shorts, and had a huge head of hair. Like Richard Simmons, the resemblance was uncanny. He looked like a regular and the guys who worked there apparently knew what he wanted to order. He seemed like a really happy customer if not a famous fitness instructor.
(4)
Melanie N.
Love this place, great service and the food is always wonderful. Bocce Balls are my favorite. Highly recommend this for your business lunch or romantic dinner
(5)
Rachel C.
Ate here tonight after striking the booth at the festival. Was starving. Vegetarian deep dish pizza was great. Don't think it was because I was sooooooo hungry. I just think it was really good. I didn't try anything else, but one of my friends had a salad that was huge and looked yummy and really fresh. He too had a deep dish pizza . . . . . cleaned both of his plates. Far more food than I could possibly eat. GRADE: "A" FOR FOOD. The service was quick and friendly. We were checked on regularly to see if we needed more drinks or anything else. GRADE: "A+" FOR SERVICE. All in all it was a good, not fantastic, but really GOOD eating experience. I definitely will go back here the next time I'm down in Mountain View.
(5)
Kim N.
South Carolina Chain offering Timpani, Pasta, Soups, Salads and of course Pizza. Saw this place when it was under construction because we were checking out the Kwiki Mart next door. Well we've returned and found some weird dichotomies to it. First it's built out like a sit down restaurant. Nice furniture, beautiful space. However what they offer is more akin to fast food. You order at the front, where they have pizzas by the slice or pan, get a number and they bring you your food. We had the meatballs, spinach/ricotta timpani and cheese ravioli. Unfortunately everything turned out to be lukewarm and had to be sent back for reheating. The meatballs were tasty, the timpani was ok but the ravioli wasn't all that great. Some of the servers were really nice but the checkout girl seemed pretty disinterested. Not sure if it's worth returning or not because the food's not all that spectacular but it might be an alternative to the theater food if you're catching a flick.
(3)
Rovie A.
I went here again to get some gelato after lunch. I can now say that their gelato, pizza, and service is good. The only issue I still have with this place is with the cashier. Last time they overcharged me and this time it took 10 minutes to pay for gelato to go! They really need to fix their issue with the cashier, maybe get multiple cashiers instead of just one. And Rachelle, I'm sorry if you think my review is "rude" but I have a right to state my opinion on Yelp. Also, I don't think it's good for you to harass your customers on Yelp. Recently I had a conversation with Bella, the owner, and I'm glad to see that she's reading the Yelp reviews and is aware of the issues regarding Pizzeria Venti. It's great that they are paying attention to Yelp reviews.
(2)
Eric D.
We had lunch there with colleagues from the office. While the food was great, service for a medium sized group during lunch time wasn't impressive. The walnut & honey pizza was a big hit with everyone. Definitely a good place to grab a different kind of pizza with a spot up the scale of local pizzerias.
(3)
Juliet C.
If you are a party of 2 or of a party of 13 Pizzeria Venti is great! When we have come as a party of 2 we were happy with the large table and great service- outside is nice but Shoreline can be a busy street. As a party of 13 there was something for everyone and the service was great- one entree took extra time but the gave us some complimentary sangria. We brought a cake and they were great about lighting the candles and bringing it to the table and there was no extra charge!
(4)
Nancy C.
MEH. It's a nice spot to eat w/o having to deal with Castro parking... but the pizza was really cheesy, not very "saucy-y", and its all thin crust. The service was good, but I'm not dying to go back nor would i refuse to go if somebody invited me. But... it has gelato!
(3)
S F.
Great place to eat out on the patio area if you don't mind average food. The pizza is very expensive and not all that great which is doesnt speak well for a pizzeria.
(2)
Laura C.
I have eaten in Pizzeria Venti about half a dozen times by now. It has good food and excellent service. If you tell them you're in a hurry and trying to catch a movie across the street they are wonderful about getting you in and out quickly. If you want to eat more leisurely they are happy to let you take your time too. The pasta is good and the gelato is fantastic! I definitely recommend this place :)
(4)
Chris M.
We stopped by on our way to Dave Matthews Band @ the shoreline. Having had nothing all day we were starving and did not want to get gouged at the Amphitheater, so my girlfriend and I stopped @ Pizzeria Venti. The place is hidden and is rather small. They have your standard Italian fare Pasta, Pizza, Calzones, etc. The prices are in the moderate range and meal portions are about average, they are still filling, and taste good as well. Definitely a good alternative to the hot-dogs and cheeseburgers found at the shoreline.
(3)
Tracey Lee D.
I have been here twice now. The first time was a few months ago, and so they were still brand-spanking new. There were a few customers in there, but it seemed pretty empty despite the full parking lot outside. I was greeted by a very friendly man who was happy to tell me all about the menu. I wound up getting a slice of the feta and onion pizza, I was contemplating getting two slices, and just went for one, and I am glad that I did because this pizza is expensive! I hadn't even looked at the prices as I was talking with the guy and all. He rang me up and my eyeballs just about popped out of my head. The slice is about 4x6, and it was $4.75. That's a damn pricey piece of pie. Granted, it was good, but not worth the price. If the slice was twice the size, I would have been fine with that. Anyway, I found myself starving on the way from a meeting at one of my facilities back to the other one. I needed to eat immediately, and I could not stomach fast food. I recalled the area around this place having a few options, so I stopped by again. I just really got an amazing craving for pizza, so despite my prior experience, I went again. At 4 pm on a Thursday, the place was EMPTY, however there was some bustle in the kitchen. A different man greeted me this time, but again, very friendly. I had forgotten just how expensive everything was, and since I was starving, opted for something other than a slice of pizza, since I would have had to buy about 4 slices to satisfy my hunger. Speaking with the man about their vegetarian option, he steered me to the timpanini, their "stuffed pizza pie." I got the three cheese and herb to go, and I asked for Alfredo sauce on the side. It took a good ten minutes for my food to be ready, and I am not sure if they were making a whole new one or if they were just heating it, but I didn't really care as I was about to pass out from hunger. I got my food and was walking to my car, planning on eating a few bites before driving back to work. I got a whiff of marinara sauce, and quickly opened the box when I got in my car. To my dismay, my timpanini was smothered in marinara sauce, which I had specifically said I did not like nor want. Yuck and sigh. I made it back to my work without passing out, and then removed as much of the marinara as possible. The timpanini was good, despite the lingering and offending sauce. At $7.75, it was filling and just about worth it. If someone else was paying, I would be happy to eat their food, but they are just a bit too pricey for what you get. I might try a salad one day, but I have no overwhelming desire to go back.
(3)
Courtney S.
My (now) husband and I hosted our rehearsal dinner here for about 60 people the night before our wedding. We had a great experience with Pizzeria Venti! We worked with Bella and Alex to set up the reservation and to choose our menu. They were both really nice and provided excellent service, even letting us come in for a complimentary tasting in order to help us choose the menu for our event. The restaurant provided the entire back patio for our party, which was great. There was even an accordion player for ambiance. More importantly, the food is FANTASTIC! We had a buffet set up with chicken marsala, lasagna and mushroom ravioli, and bruschetta and stuffed portobello mushrooms for appetizers. All of it was delicious. We learned it is difficult to find an affordable restaurant at which to host a rehearsal dinner with 60 people on a Friday night. Many places simply don't have space for that many people. After much searching, we were thrilled to come across Pizzeria Venti and highly recommend the restaurant. My husband and I will definitely be back for date night!
(5)
katie s.
This place is AMAZING! I was first introduced to it by a friend who is super picky, so I knew it had to be great - and I'm not disappointed. I've been here about 10 times now for lunch and dinner. Each time I've been warmly welcomed, graciously served, and left happy! Bocce Balls are D-lish! Pizzas are generously sized and perfectly prepared. Love the pear, cheese, walnut, and honey pizza! Salads are fresh and HUGE. For two, a personal pizza and a salad to split is perfect. Great bar selection. Outstanding service. Outdoor patio is really nice.
(5)
Amaris D.
Loved the atmosphere. Loved the Staff. Loved the food! I will reccommend this place to everyone. The pizza is soooo good! I hope to go back and try the gelato yummm!
(5)
KW T.
Went here for lunch with some coworkers since it's close to work and just opened. Had a slice of the Everything - Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, & Onion. Despite that title, the slice doesn't have much topping on it. It was average, the best ingredient being the sausage. At $5 for that slice though, it's pricy for what you get. For that price, you can get full on a La Bamba regular burrito with pollo asado! Service was slow, it took over 20 minutes to get 3 slices of pizza. Was expecting faster service since the pizza was already out front and just needed to be heated. Don't plan a return visit.
(2)
Kate R.
I agree with Nancy R. The pizza is alway luke-warm and caked with cheese. I find it odd that i have to actually ask to have the pizza heated. I'm only giving three stars because the service is decent and the gelato is fabulous. My coworkers like this place, but for me it's just a notch above "ok".
(3)
C. T.
Ate here with a couple of friends after seeing a movie across the street. Have never before had gorgonzola and walnut pizza, but it was tasty enough. The bus person continually came by to fill our drinks - maybe that's the norm, but I was impressed by her thoroughness.
(3)
Aparna B.
I had a slice of their pizza and the ginger gelato ..yum yum yum, just what I needed after 2 weeks of salads and water !
(4)
Debbie M.
We had a late lunch here yesterday after seeing a movie at the theaters across Shoreline. We were pleasantly impressed. The place was nice and comfortable on a cold and rainy day. The food came out in a reasonable time and was nice and hot. i had the angel hair pasta which was a little salty for my taste and my husband had pizza which he devoured. I would order my dish again, but would ask for it w/o salt.
(4)
Dorit K.
I had lunch there today. We've decided to give it a try since it's open for quite a long time and we haven't been there. We got there at 1pm, the place was almost empty. It's very impressive inside, it seems that they spent a lot of money in decorating the place. Our waitress was new, she got confused and everything went wrong with her, but we got to meet the owner Bella who is a lovely woman who compensated us for that We ordered two soups: Minestrone and the white Italian beans and a pizza (half of the Del Giornio which was blue cheese,mozzarella and nuts with honey and tomato sauce. Half was onion, mushrooms, chicken and black olives). After placing the order, someone came and said that they don't have the beans soup (bummer). We indeed got the other soup after 10 minutes. The soup was great, one of the best I had. The pizza took about 20 minutes to back. We got one half as expected, one half with bacon (and we asked up front if there is bacon). Our waitress was so confused. The owner who sat next to us offered to fix it at no cost, and also got us another soup for free. The pizza arrived and it was good. The dough was different then others I know, it was sweeter but thin as I like. The combination of the honey, nuts and cheeses was perfect. We ended up paying half of the bill actually, about $20, which was a perfect deal. However, I'm not sure I would pay $14+14 bucks for two halves of their pizza. They definitely need to fix their service but the food is good. I will give them another chance. If you happen to be there, try to catch Bella, the owner. She listens to your comments, she is very open and very nice.
(4)
Deborah F.
I had a not so good experience the first time I went there but decided it was worth another & I am glad I did. My coworkers & I ordered pizza and we really enjoyed it. The owner Bella came over to greet us and inquired how we liked our choices. I will definately make a point to come back. We were there on a Friday & it was very busy but service was excellent & they were very accomodating. I give it 4 stars for food & service.....
(4)
Tall D.
Great food, especially for the price. Better pasta than you will find on Castro St. Very consistent, in my experience. The owner is very nice. The one star reviews here are absurd!
(5)
Kristen H.
Wow!!! I wish I could give more than 5 stars!!!! Although I have walked by this restaurant dozens of times, I never tried it because I have a short lunch break. I assumed it was only dine-in because of the ambiance, but after finding out they do food to go I decided to give them a try. I feel compelled to write a review because I am SUPER IMPRESSED by the incredible customer service! I literally have never received better customer service in any other restaurant. I was treated like a queen from the moment I walked in! The staff was friendly and courteous, the manager introduced himself to me, and while I was waiting for my food (I ordered "to go") restaurant staff set up a chair just for me next to a table, gave me a complimentary drink, and complimentary warm fresh bread. Since I had to take it to go, they anticipated that I may have to do that in the future and gave me a to go menu so that I can phone ahead next time. I felt like a queen the whole time I was there! Best lunch break ever! Now that I back in the office and actually eating my food, it is super yummy!!! I will be going back to Pizzeria Venti in the near future for lunch again, and probably use them to cater an event too! 5+ stars!!!
(5)
Janette L.
We have eaten here several times and have always left happy. The service is consistently friendly, eating in or taking out. The quality and preparation of food is excellent. This last visit we ordered the calamari and it is the best I have ever tasted. The waiter said the squid is freshly filleted in house. The seasoned coating is light, perfectly spiced and the accompanying sauces delicious. The pizzas are great and the salads fresh. It's the perfect combination of good food and good service.
(5)
Erin P.
We had a large event here and I was very happy with everything from food to customer service. I never write reviews online and the service here was so outstanding I thought I would write my first one! The staff treated us as if we were family and the owner went out of her way to work with our budget for this event and upgrade our food choices for free! Thank you, thank you to Pizzeria Venti! It was so yummy and nice!
(4)
R S.
My wife and I stopped by late one Saturday afternoon - halfway between lunch and dinner - (is that linner?). We had no idea that the place existed and we had no preconceptions. At any rate, we shared a salad and each had a slice of pizza and then we decided to have the ginger gelato. We loved everything. The dressing on the salad. Both of the slices of pizza. The gelato. Seriously, everything was top notch. There was no one in the joint, but as I mentioned, it was an odd time. Despite the fact that the place is 15 miles or so from where we live, we have made a pact to go there again and get more dinner-style food because we enjoyed the linner so much.
(4)
E L.
Our experience was only so-so, but could have been because we had a large group, mostly made up of kids. I had communicated with one of the staff extensively the 2 preceding weeks because we were planning a BD party for my 11 year old, to consist of a movie across the street, followed by dinner at Pizzeria Venti. They were nice enough to make a reservation for the outside patio (not enough room inside), and the kids enjoyed running around outside while waiting, but the customer service was significantly sub-par. We had to continually flag down staff to get the basics and to order, they lost my order twice, and I ended up eating after most of the guests had left already, and the outside set-up was less than ideal. They said they had run out of gas, so the gas lamps didn't work, which was OK at first, but the evening got pretty chilly. The lighting was poor. The food was decent, but a bit overpriced. Not sure if the experience would have been different with a smaller group, inside the restaurant, but wouldn't recommend this for a larger group.
(3)
Denise F.
We LOVE Venti's. Period. I have eaten here a half dozen times with both colleagues and my fiance. The service is always so good and they make a special, personal effort to ensure that we are happy every step of the way (thanks, Monico!). The food is delish. I had the Linguini Leonardo last night and really enjoyed it. My dish was simply grilled chicken, spinach and mushrooms in a lovely lemon garlic caper sauce. Their focaccia bread and spread before dinner is wonderful...served warm and melts in your mouth. The location is definitely odd, given that it's in a mini-mall next to Starbucks and 7-11, however, once you're in the restaurant, you forget about location and it's all about the inner ambience, service and food. Do not forget the gelato at the end of your meal. We tried both the tiramisu and the strawberry cheesecake last night. To die for...... I see that some people think their prices are too high. Is $14.00 too much for a pasta dish? $10 for a salad? Let's face it, overall prices in the Bay Area are high. I think they are priced perfectly for a lovely meal.
(5)
Joan G.
The pizza was good - good crust, fresh ingredients. I ordered a slice with a side salad, but the salad was big, and cost $5.00. The whole order came to over $12.00. In summary, the food was good quality, but a bit overpriced. It would be good if there were lunch specials (such as a slice and a small salad for $6.00)
(3)
Indira M.
I went there when they first open and they had Excellent pizza, meatballs and gelato!!! When I went there they had excellent service! But, I just went there recently 5/14/08 because I was craving pizza. My choice for this place went down. The pizza was not good - The flavors of the pizza went down! I just didn't get that fresh taste of sauce, cheese and dough on the pizza (mind you I got the meatball/green bell peppers and sausage). However the service was excellent so 2 stars for that.
(2)
Net b.
I've been here several times and the food is delicious (although the calzone is too salty). The service is usually good here but today it was not. The waiter forgot several things, seemed apathetic and unenthusiastic, and didn't apologize for a series of errors. But overall, the place is great and we'll definitely be back!
(4)
Ripal S.
I went there for dinner one evening and the place is quite elegant. The food was exceptional and quite delicious. All the people who work there are friendly and professional. My waiter, whose name I believe was Eric, was EXCEPTIONALLY amazing. He kept checking on my table without asking and made sure me and my friends were taken care of. Restaurants usually have mediocre service where the waiter seems to not care. Service is a big part of eating at a restaurant, and this restaurant nailed it. I would definitely go back again.
(5)
C W.
This place is very reasonable priced. The food was fresh and well cooked & presented. We will definitely be going back here...
(5)
Mar V.
I'm Italian and I've frequented this place for a few years. The atmosphere is great, it's a great place to have a large dinner party if you like to avoid the annoying crowds. What I like about PV is it has something for everyone: Patio, Bar, TV, Gelato, Good Meals, Pizza and the space to hold it all, comfortably. It's more modern and more intimate than Maggianos. Their clams, pesto and spinach salad with mango are all delicious.
(5)
Ram G.
Good ambiance and excellent pizza. I would go again.
(4)
Irina V.
Love this place. Salads are awesome, pastas are are delicious and always fresh. I work for GetQuik ( getquik.com ) they are on our good list for our corporate clients. Very nice place to have lunch with coworkers and friends.
(5)
Farmer G.
I rarely ever go out of my way to write a review based on a negative experience. But, today, I had the worst culinary experience of my life at this restaurant. My friends and I take lunch at Pizzeria Venti twice a week. And two of us order the Linguine Leonardo. We both like it.. its been very good and fairly consistent. Today, we went there and we got sat right after a large party. The waiter asked us what we wanted to drink and we just ordered our food. Coffee and Linguine Leonardo. We always get the same thing. We waited 50 minutes for our food. No status updates from the waiter. Then when the food comes we both looked down at the meal we had waited so long for and it looked barely anything like the dish it normally was. The chicken looked like they had taken sandwich meat and sauteed it and through it in with some pasta. And the sauce that normally comes with the dish was completely left out. It wasnt even there. So imagine eating watery linguine with tomatoes and really mediocre chicken. We were both very upsed that were being treated this way. We *were* very regular customers. Seriously.. 1-2 visits per week. When he asked us what we thought about the food we both, without hesitation literally told the man that it was horrible. I have never said that to a waiter ever. I am normally very tolerant. But the food truly was horrible. And he just said "Sorry we are kind of busy". No attempts to try fix things with us. So I told him he had just lost two regular customers permanently. And they have. I will never set foot in that restaurant again. Nor will the people I take to lunch weekly. The service has gone down hill and today they have hit bottom. If anyone asks my opinion about this restaurant, they will get an earful. Guaranteed.
(1)
Brian G.
WOW- I'm shocked by the reviews on yelp. I've always had extremely good service and food from Pizzeria Venti. I work close by and have enjoyed lunch here multiple times. Yes the place is totally empty but the pizza I have had has always been very good and the service has been great. I think they are still trying to work out some of the "newly opened bugs."
(5)
Benjamin S.
It's a shame this place is so well hidden. In a better location it could really thrive. The atmosphere is nice. The food here is great. Even the salads are tasty with huge portions and decently priced. We loved the Bocci Ball appetizers. Most of all I have to say that the staff was very attentive and helpful. I've gone back to this place twice in as many weeks.
(4)
Beth F.
I stepped into Pizzeria Venti and heard the soothing tones of Frank Sinatra and appreciated the genuine sense of peace inherent in the place. There were only two other customers when I went inside, and I was promptly seated and served my Greek salad. I received a generously sized portion of lettuce, olives, red peppers, feta, onions, and pepperoncini drizzled with tangy vinegar and other seasonings. I definitely think I got my $9 worth of salad without feeling stuffed or even deprived. I was treated very cordially throughout my entire visit, and they didn't have any issues with me reading a book at the table or savoring the bites of salad. I'd definitely recommend it to someone looking for a quiet refuge, or someone looking to avoid the traffic before heading south. Mmm!
(4)
Wendy G.
If I could have given fewer stars, I would have! We were completely disappointed. $30 for a rectangle of undercooked bread with a bit of tomato and cheese on it? No wonder we were the only people there! By far the worst pizza I've had in the last year -- and that's saying something!
(1)
Merry D.
I got a response from the owner/manager - apologizing for the noisiness and very sweet about it! Never are we always at our best, and I believe Pizzeria Venti has more to offer than I experienced on this particular visit. And again, the food was good (we had pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas) - would revisit to try again!
(3)
Jasmine W.
my friends and i ordered a pesto pizza with chicken, strawberry-something salad, pesto ravioli, meatloaf and garlic bread. all of the food was fantastic n our server was quite friendly and thorough. only complaint was that either the napkins or tablecloth left fuzzy white lint all over my clothes as well as the 3 girls i was with. no big deal really, just a lil annoying.
(4)
Ben G.
This place had flavorful pizza with a tad too much cheese on some, but pretty decent overall. The atmosphere was kind of oddly spacious and loud, but it wasn't a huge space either. Our server was kind and accommodating, but was a bit awkward at some points. I would probably go back here mostly for the close proximity to the movies.
(3)
Meredith O.
This place is OK. I think its extremely overpriced and the food is just alright. I had one of their calzones that wasn't anything special, but they do have terrific potato leek soup. I have gone now a couple of times and the service is always a bit slow, but very courteous. It is nice to have a restaurant nearby that adds some variety in Mtn View.
(3)
Diana L.
My husband and I live nearby, and this is a great place to go after work when you don't feel like cooking dinner. It's not fancy, but it's not pricey either. It has a pleasant atmosphere, nice people, and good food - one of our favorite Mountain View restaurants.
(5)
D D.
Stopped in for lunch one day and had a great meal and friendly service. Had the calzone special with spinach salad on the side. It was very tasty.
(4)
Lily S.
after watching Star Trek (good movie) me and my friends walked across the street and stopped into Pizzeria Venti. The atmosphere was really chill, and it was a nice place to enjoy good food and conversation. We all ordered pizza, the pizza wasn't too greasy and it was really delicious. I ordered a mushroom pizza and there was a heap of mushrooms on my pizza, it wasn't overwhelming or anything, it was perfect. My friends all enjoyed there's as well. The people are really friendly, and checked up on us. We also got dessert, we got ice cream, and the lemon sorbet was yummy. :]
(5)
Sanjay D.
You're better off going to downtown Mtn. View before the movie then having a bad dinner here. Pizza's not that good, Pasta is mediocre and service sucks.
(1)
Ginny L.
Love this place. The staff is so friendly! The pizza and salads are good. Definitely try the gelato!
(4)
Suzy G.
I just came from a company event there and it was so fun! The employees at Pizza Venti were so much fun and the owner was fabulous. I would recommend having your party there. Great food and drink. Excellent service and clean and very pretty and fun place to be in. I can't wait to go back. Thanks for the great time. Our company enjoyed it very much. We will be back.
(5)
Anthony C.
I'd give them a 4 for atmosphere, but 2 for value. When I order pizza by the slice, I don't expect miracles, but at $4+ a slice, I'd hope for something pretty tasty. Instead, it was mall quality or a bit below, but big enough that I wasn't fuming mad. Outdoor seating is a plus, crappy shared parking situation with Starbucks and 7-11 is not so great. Next time I'll try a sandwich or salad, I think.
(3)
Ken K.
This new Pizzeria Venti just opened recently, and the sweet and sour irony of it is that it is next to three famous chains, namely *$ coffee, 7-Eleven, and Quizno's. This small complex still has some business spaces that are not yet remodeled or done. Other than a pending Dentist office, I do not smell high hopes of future glamorous and glorious food porn and smut in this area. When Google employees have to leave their Disney like faregrounds and gourmet cafeterias to eat outside, only to be surrounded by food mediocrity in general outside their compound and beyond, you can't help but wonder if they also offer and took hits of Disney-like crack. PV seems small on the outside, but when you go inside it is pretty big with lots of tables and a pseudo counter space. It's easy to get lost in the moment, when you walk in you're supposed to go to the register and order (like fast food style). The problem is that the cashier is all the way on the other side, with the gelateria counter closest to the entrance, so you would end up looking like a dummy if you walked in and waited to be seated. Not sure where the feng shui logic is here, gelati closest to the entrance and money near the kitchen? Or should money be near the entrance, or are they worried it might depart? Pizza is the main staple here, although supposedly "pan pizza". A rectangular but unspectacular slice will run you $4 to $5 depending on the topping you choose. Pasta dishes run in the $9 range, then there are soups, salads, desserts (there's a menu by the table with NO PRICES), and of course gelati. A fun thing to note is that they use a different form of currency here. Instead of pricing by $, they use "BUCKS". So a slice of pepperoni is 4 1/2 BUCKS instead of $4.50. How Sorpanically cute, when it ain't so Tony... badabing badaboom doom. Minestrone was $5 and it's just vegetable soup ya? Well just like I said in the Kingdom of Dumpling review, something simple can be interpreted so many ways. I'm more of a thick chili like meltdown pasta e fagioli MOFO consistency when it comes to Minestrone or at least has a lot of great flavors and depth even if it is not thick. Sadly PV's was while a lot of material, just seemed more watery although it had the right color. They relied too much on herbs/spices, and maybe it was chopped Italian parsley that melted into the soup, but it was just meh (something I could have made at home). I had the "special" pizza which was just cheese, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, and bell pepper. Sad to say that despite their claim that they import all the ingredients from Italy from the salt, water, flour, cheese etc, the whole effort put into and the end result it was like that of Campbell's, Boyardee, and/or Kitchen Classics putting heads together to come up with pseudo gourmet. The pizza wasn't that bad, but it was not great either. The cheese for one thing did not stretch for miles when I tried to gnaw it off the pizza, and definitely this was not like your Neopolitan wood fire oven posh classic (far from it). I'm sad to say that even Buco Di Beppo's does a much much better pan brick pizza margherita than PV. Also you pay before you sit down. That means you have no control over your waited destiny at the tables, so even if you tip in advance that does not guarantee you stellar service. Service here needs major improvement. After I got my soup, 5 minutes later the waiter asked me if my pizza came yet (which is didn't but a glance from him would have answered his own question). I never got my iced water even though the waiter had the receipt in front of him for the order checklist. So much for Asian Cheapness and not buying my own drink! Took a glance at the gelati counter. Definitely looked nothing like the primo stuff that's all over the place at virtually any gelateria in good ol' Italia at cities like Roma, Firenze, Como, Venezia, Capri, Amalfi etc. I ended up getting better service at the 7-Eleven next door getting my own drink and dessert!
(2)
Carolyn P.
We had a good experience here, the waiters came often, almost too often and then stopped as they all gathered to move this big table which is fine but then they stayed together chatting after so my husband had to motion to get our waiter back as we had only 30 min before a flick. The waiter made some unneeded excuse that he had to help them which was weird as we could see that. The food was done fast and was very good. I'm thinking we will be back.
(3)
Bob H.
Wandered in while waiting for my son to finish laser-tag across the street... expected nothing... ordered a slice (cheese), spaghetti meatballs, and salad for the wife. Spaghetti was good, salad good - and pizza delicious. Perfectly crispy underneath, thin but put together in sort of a Sicilian Pizza way - i.e. thick layer of cheese on top, not a lot of sauce. Very tasty, and I am a pizza snob (Giovanni's all the way for regular NY style Pizza). Clean, upscale atmosphere, nice HD TVs, good food - I'm a fan. I shall return.
(4)
Topher C.
Pros: Great pasta, nice interior. Group friendly. Hi-def TV for sports. Good price (10 for lunch, 15 for dinner) Cons: Parking sucks. Meh: Pizza is ok. New wait staff. PV is really a sit-down and eat place (if you eat in). You have two options, you can order pizza by the slice, and then you go sit down. The wait staff then gets you drinks, and takes care of you for the rest of your visit. Or you can just sit. The pasta is great. Try the "Penne with Chicken and Chipotle Cream Sauce." It's warm creamy pasta with a small zing... very good. I would go back for this dish. The pizza is deep dish like, but the crust is medium thickness and not as greasy. The standard cheese pizza is a little heavy on the cheese. Crust wasn't soggy, but that's deep dish. Not much sauce. Not expensive. If you go out for lunch this is a reliable eatery. Good for groups, but you should carpool because the parking sucks. It's a little hard to find at first. It's in the back corner behind the Starbucks, Quiznos, and 7-Eleven. Just opened in late November 2007. Waiting staff is is a little new to their own menu. Hopefully that'll change as people go.
(3)
Adam L.
Selected Haikus from Adam's VentiExperience: Ordered slice to go. Sausage, mushroom, green pepper Paid for one, got two! But kindly freebie Does not offset the pain of Food quite sadly vile. Cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese, Not a drop of any sauce! Tombstone for the win. Why giving *two* stars? Takeout service wasn't slow. And I didn't die. EDITED TO ADD: Just got an ALL CAPS note from a "Sam H" (with no reviews) who -- seemingly triggered by my less-than-glowing review of Pizzeria Venti -- asserted less-than-kind things about me. Anyone else find themselves in a similar spot? Just curious :)
(2)
Ernestine A.
This is the place I can never remember the name but love. The atmosphere is relaxing, the service is great, the remember me and I have only been in a few times and the food is yummy. The bread they bring when you first sit down is heaven. I go here with friends from work and team members for a nice and out of the way lunch.
(4)
Andy M.
A wonderful find. Tucked in a small strip mall between a Starbucks and a 7-11, this place is a hidden treasure. Tasty, generous portions, and cordial staff make this place a winner. It's pretty much across the street from the Shoreline movies, so it makes a perfect complement to a film. I had a seafood pasta that came with 10 mussels along with lots of prawns and scallops. My only regret if you could call it that is that the portion size was so big, I wouldn't have finished it if I'd ordered an appetizer. I'll have to come back again to do a small plate meal.
(4)
Linh H.
Nice atmosphere, good pasta, but bad service. Pretty rude waiters and waitresses that just throw down your menus and try to get you out of there asap. They seem to judge you if you're still in your teens and watch over you with glaring eyes that you might eat and run. -_-
(3)
Norma A.
This place is much more than a pizzeria! It looks small but it is actually a good size and the out door seating is nice too. I had the "Tagliolini with Shrimp and Zucchini" my friend had "Angel Hair Pasta" the dish portions are just right! Not too much, not too little... Just right... Would I return? Yes. There is so much more to try! :)
(4)
Amanda K.
You would never guess from the exterior that the inside of this pizza spot is like Little Italy. My husband and I dropped in for a casual dinner one night and were blown away with the service, delicious food, quality experience.
(5)
watani f.
came here, like many, before heading to the rock the bells festival at shoreline. my mission was to find something to eat close by to shoreline that's not going to rape me like shoreline will. 1st thought was a 2 vege slices with a tall glass of water shall hold me all day and into the night. then i looked at the prices for slices. $4.25 for cheese, $4.75 for vege. crap, for a slice and no deep dish option? so, cut back a slice and make that 2 glasses of water. gotta be smart with my money. when the nephew and i got our slices, they were served on a hot plate steel looking thing with a handle. i'm sure there's a name for it. the slices were rectangular, about 6" or more long and about 3" wide. nice presentation and a little over the top for a slice of pizza. my vege tasted ok. nothing extaordinary. our service was responsive, attentive and friendly. nephew got a free refill of lemonade (no ice) before we could ask. nice place, good warm atmosphere, decent pizza and friendly staff.
(3)
Iris Y.
Amazing Ahi Tuna SALAD!! You call that a salad? It was like beef and sashimi at the same time! I also was spoiled by their exotic Dijiorno Pizza which had the topping of goat cheese, walnuts, honey and basil :))) I've never had nuts on a pizza before but was fantastico and very unique! Side spinach was buttery but good and I had never known there was a NY Syle pizza near my work until here! Pretty good and decent service, I'll be back sometime!
(4)
dave m.
I checked this place out last night before the concert at shoreline. I had the calzone was good and my girlfreind had the tortellini with rosetto sauce, was also good. The prices are kinda high for the food, if they lowered there $$ would probably get a better rating. This place is good for the location (dinner before a concert) but I don't think I would be a local to this place... too many good other italian places in the area.
(3)
Warner Y.
We've been here a couple of times and I'm really starting to like this place a lot. The seafood ravioli is really really good. My first visit here I had the spaghetti carbonara and was disappointed, it was too runny for me and just lacked something. The second visit was over the top, they had a braised lamb shank special that was set in a tomato base over polenta. OMG!!!! This is quite possibly my most memorable dishes of the year!
(4)
Vaishali S.
I've been here twice now, once for dine-in and once for take out. When I ate there, the ravioli was good, but not one of the best I've had. I picked up an ahi tuna salad to go today and it wasn't very good. They put pickled ginger, tomatoes, tuna on top of mixed greens. The dressing was really sweet and didn't really taste like a sesame dressing. I probably won't be going back any time soon, but it's nice that it's open on the weekends when I'm sometimes stuck at work.
(2)
m t.
I think the pizza is almost four stars good, but my overall summary is three stars when taking into account value and overall experience. Wine list -- not so great. Service -- not so bad. Pasta - pretty good. Pizza -- quite good. Prices -- not horrible but not a good value. I recommend the Pizza Max. I'd never had capers on pizza, but it was brilliant.
(3)
Jasleen K.
Came here for lunch with my friend. Ordered the Angel Hair Pasta while he ordered the Fettuccini. The interior of this place is very much upscale and the food was quite pricey. When my food arrived, it was such a small portion and all I could notice were the dozen tomatoes covering my pasta. Definitely not worth paying but hey, I was hungry. I don't think we're going to come back here because a) the food kinda sucked and b) the waiter was so rude to the rest of the staff. The staff here needs to know how to work together as a team rather than putting themselves in a hierarchy. Overall, I thought it was pathetic. Sorry Pizzeria Venti but you need to get your act together.
(1)
Michael S.
Great thin-crust pizza. Cute little restaurant.
(4)
Eric K.
How, on earth, this place got so many stars? Do you people even know what an Italian cuisine is?! Well, if you don't, you better not learn it from Pizzeria Venti. I went there with a group of people and was unfortunate to try many of their various foods. Each of the dishes I tried was made of very low quality products (oily cheeses, tired vegetables, meat with aftertaste). The chicken I had was over cooked and the string beans were under cooked. The risotto cake was deeply fried and tasted like burned oil. In general the food had non of the rich tastes of fresh olive oil, fresh vegetables, quality cheeses, spices and herbs that are so common in the REAL Italian cuisine. The meal I had was not prepared by a professional cook, and I doubt if the menu was even designed by one. Yes, it is cheaper to hire a McDonalds chef, but then the prices should be lower... The only star that this restaurant deserves is for the excellent coffee and the right temperature in which I got my San Pelegrino.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Nic Z.
Once in awhile, you find a restaurant whose reviews don't quite line up with the experience. Times like these, I'm extra happy to be a yelper so that I can help someone make a good choice. Cucina Venti is without a doubt a 5-star dining experience. The ambiance is spectacular, and the food delivers a punch, in the best way possible. Upon walking in, we were swept up in the decor. It's gorgeous! The house bread was the first to confirm the food will likely be good; it was warm, fluffy, and very flavourful. It comes with a cheddar cheese dip which some of us used, and I had it with olive oil. Yum! The calamari appetizer was well-cooked and came with two sauces, a spicy green sauce and a red sauce. It was soft but not chewy. Entrees were the Seabass Salad (a special), the Greens Apple and Gorgonzola salad with grilled chicken added, and the Chicken and Sausage Paella. Everything was on-point. We are very frequent diners and world travelers, so when we say something is good, it's really good. Cucina Venti is worth your time and money. I will be back, and if anything is different, I'll update my review; I know it's just as possible to have a one-off good experience as a bad one.
(5)K F.
LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! We eat here often and have NEVER been disappointed! The food is fresh and amazing, the wine selection is great, the service is wonderful. Whether you have the honor of being served by Andrew (who I miss dearly), or Howard (WHO IS A DOLL) or Michael, or even Angelica, they are all terrific. I have tried almost every single item on the menu and it's all fabulous! The mushroom ravioli, the paella, the pizza, the spinach salad, and the white wine Sangria. It's all delicioso! I never hesitate to go there. Dining on the patio is nice too. It's a tad pricey for those not used to eating in the Palo Alto/Mountain View area, but it has never discouraged me cause it's always well worth it.
(5)Rainier M.
I loved the environment of the restaurant. The place is stunning, the music is very appropriate, and the overall feel of it is great. The food is above average. With the exception of entry bread they provide which is superb. I ordered Spaghetti with clams, and they were good. Would definitely recommend, would go back as well.
(4)S. S.
Excellent meal! Friends in the area have recommended this restaurant many times. We spent a few days in the area and decided to give it a try. Our friends had been there many times and said "everything is great." They were right. We had the boccie balls and arugula with buratta salad for starters. Our mains were scallops, halibut and short ribs. All were top of the line. Service was excellent, drinks excellent and atmosphere excellent as well. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the that the noise level is quite high. Yes, we will return!
(4)Jennifer S.
Came here after a photography shoot down at the park....what a great choice! Soup, drinks, entrees, ice cream and service were beyond amazing! I will try to come here before my next, and every concert :)
(5)Shulin T.
I had my wedding reception here last week and the orchestration of the entire service was flawless, professional and efficient. Our guests enjoyed the spread, which included fettuccini carbonara, lamb & vegetable skewers, chicken marsala, strawberry fields salad, bruschetta, tiramisu, etc. Manager Chris' dedication and experience in event management is unparalleled and would put any nervous host at ease. We also visited this restaurant on a separate occasion and were impressed by the house bread, mushroom pizza and butternut squash soup, which was thick and rich in flavor. I could not have asked for a better wedding reception and am eternally grateful to the team at Cucina Venti.
(5)Jeff S.
This was the worst choice this week for us. For once we decided to order out and we got ripped off. The food was cold and tasted like rubber. The delivery driver was lazy, he could barely speak English, directions were given and he couldn't follow them. The 60.00 total for two small cold pizzas and calamari were so disappointing. I have a culinary degree, so I understand the business. I should have just thrown my money out the window on the highway. NOT AUTHENTIC CUISINE!!!!
(1)Hunter A.
Excellent place. The food, wine, service, all awesome. Great waiter, Danny, made perfect suggestions, and the sausage and honey pizza was one of the best I've ever had. I'll be back whenever I'm in mountain view.
(5)Hen A.
across the street from the movie theatre...weekend dinner and tables plenty...restaurant atmosphere is dark and nice....outdoor patio is perfect for a lovely day...seated outside shaded by umbrellas and curtains...a big menu with a list of specials provided...wedges of pizza bread with tomato whipped butter complimentary...water around and browsing the menu...order of calamari and mussels for appetizers...calamari battered and fried fine...cocktail and tartar sauce to dip...pungent unpleasant stench from mussels...could it be the sauce?...just bad mussels and taken away...sausage leek pizza with an added $3 fried egg on top...soggy center pie....margherita pizza didn't look like any margherita pizza had in past...poor looking tomato and cheese pizza, and soggy too...chicken and sausage paella was better and tasted good, but dry hard cubes of chicken breast was a tough chew...seafood pasta was enormous and decent, and requested no mussels after tasting the mussel appetizer...turned to a decent clam pasta in red sauce...some fear of the clams did come to mind...sips of wine and enjoying company over food...
(1)Chers S.
Hard to find as there's no sign outside. Restaurant is in the back corner, 2 stores down from Starbucks, with white lights strung outside. We started off with the sizzling prawns appetizer; pretty tasty and a good item to share with the table. The pesto ravioli was delicious. Very filing for a non-meat dish. I would definitely order it again. Big restaurant, good for groups.
(4)Lynnee J.
This was a wonderful find! I was surprised to find a nice restaurant next to the 7-11 and Century Theaters on Shoreline. The service was friendly and attentive. The food was delicious! We ordered a prawn appetizer that was nicely seasoned. I had the salmon entree with sauteed greens - YUM! The salmon was perfectly cooked and came out piping hot! Bonus for us - they had live music on a Thursday - which was delightful. I will return again.
(5)Candi H.
We had a work event here last night and they had a live Jazz band out on the back patio which was awesome. The owner Bella came over and introduced herself, she was very welcoming. The appetizers that we had were delicious, my favorites were the meatballs stuffed in pasta, the portabella mushrooms stuffed with cheese and sausage and the bacon asparagus pizza. The staff is amazing and were fast and efficient. I will be back for dinner with my boyfriend on a Thursday because of the live music. If you decide to go, I suggest going on a Thursday to listen to the live music while you dine :).
(5)Rak P.
Fantastic pizza!! Great pasta too! And service was EXCELLENT! Really like the ambience of this place, we always have a great time here. Vinny did an excellent job taking care of us with all our requests, serving us with a smile each and every time. Good times!
(5)Duncan I.
Well...we've been there several times and we're getting more and more disappointed. Today, super hot day, we went for lunch (1pm). We asked for a table and all the inside tables were reserved... (even the small one in the back of the restaurant). The waitress showed us the outside tables... There are like over 10 tables, all of them in the sun, no shades. We asked if we can get an umbrella and she said that there was no more left, they have only 3, and all 3 were used by a family of 4 people!!! She didn't want to ask them if we can get one, another waiter asked, and the family refused!! So we left. This place used to be much more friendly.
(1)Happy D.
Yum! The bread is amazing! I had a salad with salmon that was wonderful. My friends had the mushroom pizza and Bolognese pasta which was also very good. They even made buttered pasta that they brought out quickly for the kids we had with us. Plus, I'm a sucker for Italian restaurants with Italian waiters..
(4)P F.
A+++! Excellent service, wonderful people and amazing food! I love the back patio where you can get away from the busy world and have a nice glass of wine. Great place for lunch or dinner. I will definitely be back very soon. Thanks, Bella and Monica! :-)
(5)Jenny K.
I really liked it! Their pizzas are very good, especially the sausage and leek one (I forgot which one it was, I think that was the combination). The waitstaff was very nice, which I totally appreciate. Our server was very nice--I didn't get his name, but he was friendly and accommodating. I would go again!
(4)G. N.
First of all this restaurant is beautiful! My best friend and I came here for the first time on Sunday and everyone makes you feel welcome. We decided to sit outside and the bar tender G served us. He is an amazing server and he is really personable and everything that I would want as a perfect server! Will be coming back here often. Thank you for the amazing lunch.
(5)Jaime O.
Service was great. The margarita pizza was ok and the minestrone had huge chunks of carrot. The taste of the minestrone broth was good, just hard to eat those massive chunks of vegetables..
(3)Adamme K.
The best lasagna I've ever had at a restaurant! My go-to place when I want lasagna. They have other good looking things on the menu as well, but I love my staple. The only thing not-great thing about this place is the odd butter substance they serve with the free bread, but I look over that. :)
(5)Joseph Y.
I really like the ravioli here in the light cream sauce. I have been here 5 times in the last couple months, for the same dish. The salads are large portions, but could use more beets.
(4)Nikhil A.
They forgot to get my order. PERIOD! For a team dinner, I got mine when everyone was done and ready to leave. Poor
(1)Susan H.
I dined here this past Saturday night. I had the penne pasta and had prawns. I thought the flavor was good. I was not very pleased that my entree only had 4 small shrimp and cost $17.75. Based on the price alone, I will not order this item again. The bread they bring to the table is excellent. We ordered the Nero's Fiddle pizza and it was a great unexpected combination. The pizza has asparagus, bacon, asiago cheese, and lemon zest The pizzas are thin crust and not very large. Perfect for an appetizer or if you are not that hungry. I will likely return but will not order the penne pasta dish with prawns again.
(3)John H.
What a gem! Tucked away in a small commercial strip center across from the Computer History Museum. The food is outstanding. The grilled prawn salad is huge and has these big, meaty prawns on it. The paella and chicken marsala are excellent. The Mediterranean sea bass salad is amazing and huge. The pizza is solid. They've added a really nice bar area. And they have a large, comfortable patio outside. Great for a sunny afternoon. This place is also great for groups--- we've been there on a number of occasions with groups of 8-15 and they can always accommodate. One other thing that makes it stand out: their bar uses that inert gas system to "pour" any wine by the glass from the entire, extensive wine list. Go wild!
(4)Nikayla K.
This place has such a great location, I really wanted it to be great. I've gone there several times trying to give it a chance. First and foremost, it's not clean. My silverware was caked with old food. My water glass had old lipstick marks on it still. Every single time I've gone, I have gotten bread with hair all over it. They must sit on on old dirty towels and the fibers get stuck to the bread. The place is dark inside, so most people will never notice that. Second, the food is inedible and cost twice as much as it should. The pizza is downright soggy, thin, and gross. The meals are over-cooked. They really need to hire cooks at something above minimum wage and enforce some type of food quality standard. It's very evident that the chef there does not care. If I pay the prices that they charge, I expect someone who knows how to cook food and my dishes to be clean. Actually, I'd expect that at any restaurant.
(1)Christine N.
This restaurant is in a prime location. Google is next door and there's a movie theater across the street. But just because you're in a good location doesn't mean you can get away with poorly-made food. (The service wasn't bad though) I ordered the honey, sausage, and serrano pizza (a Vesta-in-Redwood-City-knockoff). I hate to say it, but Trader Joe's frozen pizza is better than what they served me. I would not recommend any Googlers eat here.
(1)Huong C.
Great wine selection along with handcrafted cocktails! For food-my favorites are: Sausage Honey Pizza, Mango Salad, Lamb Chops and the Linguine Al Portofino
(5)Claudia G.
We wandered into Cucina Venti (or Pizza Venti) on a Sunday afternoon. The place was mostly empty and we sat outside. We had a couple of great cocktails, and a truly delicious seafood paella (that they very kindly prepared without bell peppers for me), mushroom risotto and meatballs. We also shared a bowl of big chunk minestrone soup. The food was great and plentiful (the leftovers fed me for two more days), and the bread is freshly baked. Service was prompt, friendly and courteous. This is a great spot for a Sunday lunch; I highly recommend it.
(5)Sean S.
Ok food but nothing special. It's decent pasta but not worth the price. I'd say if you can find a better place because it mainly exists due to it's location more than it's execution.
(3)Christine C.
Great food....needed something delivered for dinner and didn't want Chinese food or pizza. Had a great menu and the family loved the food!
(4)Tatiana G.
Food is OK, but waiter Andrew has totally ignored me, even after I tried to get his attention about 3 times, including waving and chasing him and asking him about my order face-to-face: I finally got my cranberry juice from other guy...
(2)Derek-Mendel M.
Nice atmosphere with a friendly staff. The lasagna, meatballs and honey pizza were excellent.
(4)Allison M.
We went here for Valentine's Day, having made our reservation several weeks in advance. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready-- which wasn't a huge deal, but it meant that when it finally was ready, the hostess asked us which menu we wanted-- the prix fixe or the standard menu-- before we really had a chance to look at them. At the tables that were already set, they put both menus down. They also put us in a table in the middle of the room where I kept getting bumped despite the fact that I had asked for a both specifically... And there were plenty of open booths right around us. Our table, moreover, didn't have a rose on it. This sounds so nitpicky, I know, but we came having done our research about what a wonderful V-day experience it was, and we weren't going to get it! I mentioned this to our waitress, and she kindly pulled one off of the neighboring table, telling us the restaurant had only ordered enough for the first seating (our reservation was 7:30 pm). Our waitress was fantastic, as busy as she clearly was. She was extremely sweet and attentive, so even thought the service on the whole was lacking, it wasn't her fault at all. As far as the food goes, we ordered the calamari appetizer, which was good but certainly not the best I've had. Our entrees were fantastic-- the pesto and prawns pizza as well as the scallops & fettucine. If I had to pick one to order again, I'd go for the scallops but honestly they were both great. They balanced simple flavors with savoriness, and hit the right richness without being greasy or heavy. Make sure you don't order too much, though... they don't reheat too well! Overall, I'd go back but would avoid the rush on Valentine's Day, especially since it wasn't quite the romantic experience it was billed to be.
(4)Gary A.
What a great find! We stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at the excellent range of Mediterranean cuisine. Interior as well as outdoor seating is available. Great find... Lamb or Lasagna, salad or soup, you can't go wrong.
(5)Erik N.
3.75 stars. We had the seafood paella and the mushroom ravioli with fresh spinach and a side of fresh spinach. The paella was more like risotto and my wife was not impressed and wished she had ordered the bolognese. The ravioli was good, but they said not handmade in the restaurant. The service was ok. I think they need to train their people better before they put them on the floor. There was a mix up on our order and the waiter did take it off the bill. Service overall was friendly.
(3)Anon r.
I don't know why this is less than a 5 star restaurant. I rarely give 5 stars but this restaurant is definitely one. great food and service
(5)Nirmal D.
Restaurant was a little difficult to find. It is in the corner of a Starbucks 7-11 complex. Butter nut squash soup was pretty good and it was chef's special item. Tried the ribs, which was decent. Shrimp pasta was bad and was little dry. Dessert options were minimal and on that day (atleast) they had only tiramisu to offer. Overall a decent experience. But definitely not worth the price.
(3)Jessica M.
This place is amazing! The calamari and bocce meatballs were to die for. The pizza was fabulous too. I had the sea scallops and they were cooked perfectly with the asparagus grilled to perfection. Overall it was a great experience and we have a new go to place to eat in mountain view.
(5)Eugene B.
I really love this place. Very good food and nice pleasant interior. If you like seafood pizza then "Pesto and Prawns" is your choice.
(5)Marisa and Chris H.
We've tried every pizza place in Mtn View, we think this one is the best by far. We love their pizzas with honey, their dough is crisp and delicious, and the cheeses they use taste unique and complex. These are artisan pizzas, not cheap, but better than any I've had in Mtn View or Palo Alto. The service is attentive and we like they often have live guitar music. The ambiance is pleasant, quiet, dark and amber in color (certainly a nice place for a romantic dinner), there's outdoor seating for a more festive group. We haven't tried anything other than their pizzas and their salads, and we really think it's an unexpected treasure of a find tucked in a standard strip mall. Prices are high, but a great date place by the movie theater.
(5)Jessica P.
The ambience of this restaurant has improved from the past few visits we had. Nice cozy like setting.The food is still just ok. We ordered the seafood pasta dish and the mussels or clams gave a very muddy taste and I could taste the dusty particles. Not fun to chew on. The flavors of the sauce were good but not spectacular. The shrimp appetizer was the best. the servers are a bit snooty and don't really attend to you if you don't order too much.
(2)Jessica T.
Good food. Cheap and tasty. Great location next to the movies!! I really like the complimentary bread they gave us and the bocceballs were a great appetizer. Are server Herman was really polite and gave great service. Good selection of drinks and wine, prices are fair. We will return.
(4)ASG A.
while i agree that service can be hit or miss, venti's italian food is fresh, flavorful and artfully presented. my favorites are the calamari appetizer, venti garden salad and legally blonde pizza. delicious!
(4)Lakshmy M.
Came here for lunch. We had the mango salad and the pesto ravioli, both amazing. Good service too.
(5)Andrew N.
I absolutely love the ambience and service. The food is outstanding and tastes so fresh. I highly recommend the seafood paella! It will change your life! I love coming back here every time. They also have a beautiful outside patio to have a lovely lunch or dinner. And better make a reservation this place gets packed.
(5)Mansi A.
We didn't think we'd find much in terms of restaurants on the eastern side of 101 in Mountain View (and for the most part, that is true). However, when heading to the movies at Century 16 during rush hour, the last thing we wanted to deal with was additional traffic and being late for the movie. We decided to check out Cucina Venti (aka Pizzeria Venti), which is tucked away in the corner of the plaza just across the street from the theater. Flanked by a Starbucks and 7-11, the Italian gem is found in the extreme corner of the strip mall - barely noticeable, but nicely decorated with Christmas lights. Upon entering, you're welcomed into a cozy restaurant with friendly staff. Freshly baked in-house bread served with herbed butter - win!! So good. I wanted to eat the whole plate, but restrained myself at one piece. We ordered a small spicy chicken pizza (note: small is huge and definitely enough to feed two people). "Spicy" is also misleading, because it was nowhere near spicy at all. We added a ton of chili flakes to warrant the "spicy" notion. The pizza was tasty overall - the crust with hints of the warm bread served prior to the meal. The menu was fairly extensive with options of pizza, pasta, salads, and more! We may have just found our pre-movie dining spot in Mountain View! Check it out the next time you need a meal prior to catching a show at the theater or even at Shoreline.
(4)Eli O.
We ordered specials. Octopus salada and mushroom pizza were so heavenly!! Generous portion of octopus that was tender yet grilled perfection. Mushroom pizza was very tasty with copious amount of variety mushrooms with thin crust that was crispy outside and chewy inside. Great service!! Definitely we will come back next time.
(5)Jennifer H.
I really loved this place. Quaint, with beautiful ambience! Twinkling lights, exposed ceiling, proper bar with soft lighting, heartfelt live music duo. Romantic. The lasagna was very delicious as was my friend's carbonara. Delightful staff. This is unmarked in a strip mall. I'm smitten. Charming gem.
(4)David E.
We have had 2 company holiday parties and loved the personal service we got and the food...OK this is what they specialize in-was outstanding. I love there food. Best Bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms and Ahi Tuna appetizers around. The Italian food is tops and they have an awesome Italian spumoni bar in view. The chef at this restaurant is tops in the south bay by my food tasting. I have filmed over 700 weddings and ate at many restaurants and venues. Outstanding location and food. Beautiful bar and wine selection with outside dining for some sun or shade. Afterwards across the street is the Shoreline Movie Theaters for a after dinner date. Bella is the owner of the Restaurant and she is often visiting the guests.
(5)Aneesh B.
Have had business lunches catered by Venti four or five times, but finally had a chance to sit and have a meal on their patio. It was a decent lunch, and I'm happy they have so much more to offer than a carb-fest. Food: Started with calamari, which was pretty good. Tentacles were crispy, and the bodies were tender and not chewy. Sauces were just ok; almost didn't need it anyway. For my entree I had the blackened ahi salad, which was seared tuna with pickled ginger, tomatoes, red onion, and sesame dressing over mixed greens. Tuna was good, but didn't really taste blackened. I think I would also ask for dressing on the side next time. A couple others at the table ordered the octopus salad, which I scammed a taste of, and the octopus was nicely grilled and not overcooked. The salmon looked good, though my friend said it was a little bland, and others at the table enjoyed their lamb chops and turkey sandwich. Though I did not have pizza or pasta during this lunch, I have enjoyed both during business lunches. Pizzas are done well, and are the middle ground between thin and thick crust. The sauce is well-balanced, and they don't kill you with cheese. The standout for me, though, has to be the "Bocco balls." What are these morsels of goodness, you ask? Meatballs topped with cheese and marinara sauce, then wrapped in pizza dough and baked under more sauce. So tasty, like little bombs of flavor. Service: Super-attentive. We were in a party of 8, and were extremely well cared-for. Seems the staff is well-trained as they were all professional, courteous, and not afraid to show personality. I don't like it when the staff is afraid to interact. It's part of having a nice experience! Vibe: South Bay cool. The patio is quite nice, and the dining room, which I expected to be boring inside, was quite inviting. This is a well-run business that makes you want to come back for more. Family-friendly: Definitely. Enough said. Summary: There are so many Italian restaurants "out there." You need to be choosy these days to decide who deserves your hard-earned money. For me, Venti is great. A good place to grab pizza, pasta, and seafood. But oh man, I could make a meal out of those bocco balls...
(4)reuben r.
Early Sunday lunch decided to try the small Siciliano (sausage/broccoli/garlic). It's six slices so if you order a cup of soup or share a salad more than enough good. This is a first for me to have broccoli on my pizza and was a nice change. The crust Is thin with slight crisp. Very nice setting tucked away off Shoreline.
(4)Virginia S.
Pro: The space is attractive, the staff is friendly, and the food is generally pretty good. Con: Service can be inconsistent -- sometimes there will be a long wait between courses, other times courses will be delivered too close together. Tonight, we waited almost an hour for a glass of wine each, and it took an hour an 45 minutes from our arrival until our main courses were served. One wait person blamed the wait on the fact that all the items are prepared fresh, giving as an example the filet mignon -- which any cook knows doesn't take more than 10 minutes. Our lead water was as nice as could be and very apologetic about the long wait. But it's clear that there's a problem with timing in the kitchen. Additionally, though most of the food was perfectly all right, there were a few major missteps -- the risotto cake was tough and disgustingly oversalted, and the cheesecake was still frozen in the middle. Not a huge deal, perhaps, but that much more annoying when you've waited so long for your meal.
(2)Amy Y.
We've got this delivered to work fairly often and it's one of my favorites to have for an office dinner. Everything is packaged very neat and nicely, and sometimes I feel like the delivered food is almost as fresh as if I had dined in. I've had the lamb shank, which is a large piece of lamb shank covered with mild tasting tomato sauce and risotto, with peas and carrots floating around - it is the only menu item I've ordered multiple times, as I was too tempted to pass it to try anything else! Very delicious and never overcooked or soggy. The risotto had a nice firm texture to it, and the cream was perfect and not too rich. I've also had the linguine pescatore, which tastes very nice, has a good amount of seafood, and a mild spice to the sauce. As good as it was, I'd still say it wasn't worth the value of its price. Also good but pricey, only because it didn't have so many pieces, was the seafood ravioli; if an endless plate of it was put in front of me, I would never stop eating. I tried a couple of their salads, which taste fresh and nice (leaf and dressing-wise), especially with a warm, grilled chicken breast. As for appetizers, the bruschetta is pretty nice, maybe a little on the oily side and bordering on being loaded with flavor, but has a nice hard bread base. They also have complimentary focaccia bread that tastes slightly dry and greasy to me, but not bad. Overall, this is an excellent Italian restaurant - nothing makes you feel like you've overeaten, and every meal I've had tastes like it was executed with finesse and had fresh ingredients. Concern is only for the amount to pricing ratio, as I feel like I've gotten more value at similar restaurants.
(3)J F.
Maybe the pizzas are good but we've eaten here twice now and the food is way over salted and tons of garlic on everything. We started with a really odd Burratta which was like regular mozzarella on the outside and cottage cheesey on the inside. It tasted like nothing. Not the usual creamy rich lusciousness one expects. I had the lamb chops which were tiny and over cooked. My friend had the filet mignon which was also over cooked and served with a rice cake of leftover risotto, probably from the Paella? Dessert was truly boring tira misu that was very dry and bland. We won't be be back to try the pizza.
(2)Kim D.
So I wanted a nicer dinner and good drinks before I actually went to the Shoreline to watch the Oddball fest. I picked up my friend and we went here. We were the most underdressed people here..but we didn't care. We ordered up a storm. Beers, drinks, seafood ravioli, salmon pizza, calamari, and lamb meatballs. Food was pretty much hitting the spot. Every dish was very yummy but my favorite was the seafood ravioli for sure. Drinks were impeccable. My favorite was the mango mojito. Tasty goodness. Our bill....steep. $100+ but given we ate a hell of a lot of good food and good drinks. I think our drinks cost more if anything BUT....again, I'm willing to pay for good food and drinks. We treated ourselves and it was a good start to our night.
(4)Karen G.
This is our go-to spot when we want a sit-down lunch at work, and more recently, a happy hour destination. The food is good. They have a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, and salads to choose from. Try the ahi tuna salad. So delicious! Honestly, it is a bit overpriced. But the convenience and quality of the meals I've had make up for it. The service is usually really great, though one time we had a server who got irritated with us for asking for split checks. So just know, if you must ask for this, do it at the beginning when you place your order, and you shouldn't have any issues. I mentioned this has recently become a happy hour spot for us. I've been to two VIP events here put on by the manager that were really great. The first time was when they were getting ready to open their new bar. And that last time was just a few weeks ago for the grand opening. They offer live music (really great by the way) and great wine selections, along with appetizers. They also have an online ordering system. I've used it twice when I want some great tasting pizza but limited time to grab lunch. It works great and is SO convenient. I have only picked up, but they do offer delivery if you meet their minimum spend requirement.
(3)a t.
We've been here several times in early afternoon over a few months and each time was a wonderful experience. We've had specials: watermelon salad, sea bass salad, pork with chanterelles, wild mushroom pizza. All great dishes. Service was good -- attentive, not obtrusive. Will definitely be coming back.
(4)Fred I.
The staff here are great. VERY accommodating to my family. We came here with our 5 year old and they made a pizza HIS way! The appetizers were delicious and the thin crust pizza was light and crunchy. Will definitely be back again. Did I mention the service was amazing? Thanks Danny!
(5)Robert H.
Pizzeria... so don't order the salad? Short and sweet. Paid $16.75 for a "Blackened Ahi Tuna Salad", and got a box with $2 of greens, a plastic cup of extra oily dressing, and 5 thin pieces of tuna. No, that's not a typo, $16.75; as much as it would've been for a "small" pizza. I'm not sure I understand the point; is this on the menu for "suckers"? Look at the photos and form your own opinion. And to be clear, there were just the 5 pieces of "sashimi grade" tuna, no more was buried beneath. There was also a minuscule amount of ginger. This review is based on a Waiter.com delivery. Maybe they just don't care about takeout/delivery customers, but based on the other review mentioning the salad, that seems unlikely.
(2)Oscar L.
Great pizza, and pasta. Sit down or takeout with nice atmosphere. Thin crust pizza is great I recommend the honey sausage. The employees are friendly and provide good service. They also deliver.
(4)Vi Y.
Went here for lunch with a few coworkers. Pros, it was not packed at lunch and you did not have to wait. Cons, the parking lot is tiny, so you may have to find a place to park outside. I got the pizza, my coworker got the grilled shrimp salad. The bread and dip reminded me of the stuff they used to serve at Florentine's. So addictive! I didn't get to try the pastas, but the salad was good and the pizza was decent. I think this is a good place for a casual business lunch!
(4)Pratik G.
Went for Friday Lunch. Ambiance : Nice. We opted to sit outside, as place was surprisingly empty. Server : Very nice, knowledgeable. Offered us nice suggestions. Food was served in reasonable time Menu : Bit disappointed to see very few vegetarian items. But our Server was more than happy to accommodate custom made dishes just for us. Food : Good. We tried Vegetarian Pesto Pizza and Angel Hair Pasta. Both were good. Overall very nice experience. Will look forward for my next visit.
(4)Peter T.
I was hoping this would be my go-to quick Italian spot, but it fell short. The price to quality ratio is a bit off. The food itself is pretty good. Fresh ingredients but lacked seasoning. I would pay 10-13 per plate, but I think 15-18 is a bit over priced. The decor is beautiful, and the restaurant is nice and quiet. Just wish it had a bit more to offer for a little less moolah.
(3)Rob C.
cute hidden neighborhood joint that probably draws upon regulars. nice space. switch from pizza focused menu in the past, however the round pizza still isn't that great despite the price. ciao bello overwhelmed with cheese, mostly a bacon flavor and not much else.
(3)Shane F.
My experience at Cucina Venti was excellent. The staff was friendly and helpful. The Bartenders were knowledgeable and exciting. A fun little hidden gem out by Shoreline. When I had dinner there, the Chicken Marsala was fantastic! I highly recommend it!! The servers were great and acted very quickly. An overall wonderful experience. I have been there for a happy hour event, where the appetizers were fantastic and we had a great time. Everyone was fun and friendly. The mixed drinks were excellent as well.
(5)Shaina F.
Christmas Eve and New Years Eve they're giving a complimentary glass of champagne during dinner time :)
(5)Erik R.
Not sure how this place got three stars. My family stopped at the Computer History Museum and my daughter was in the mood for pizza. We walked in. Nice place but deserted (should have been my first clue). I was then rudely asked what we wanted. I told them that their sign said open and asked if they served lunch. They were open! We asked to be seated outside. No problem but they couldn't open the umbrella to give us some shade. I wonder why each table had an umbrella. No menus. Our waiter went to get them. Five minutes later I started to read reviews on yelp. Still no menus so we got up and left. No idea on the prices since they have no menus. No idea on the food as they don't seem interested in serving any. I kind if feel bad that we disturbed them from watching the soccer game. I wouldn't recommend this place based on lousy service.
(1)Denise W.
I was in town, and ordered their food for delivery to my hotel, and the food was excellent!!!! I ordered the garlic bread, salmon, and canoli, and the food was delicious! If I am in town again, I'll order from them again. Happy customer here!
(5)case l.
It was my mistake for ordering seared tuna salad from a italian pizzeria. i didn't swallow the metallic tasting tuna and am now consciously working to avoid developing a gag reflex going forward to the idea of sashimi in general. other food is ok. 1 star for the quality consistency, 2 stars including the times the food is good.
(3)john C.
We were there for dinner last night. We were a party of 19 and everything was excellent. Delicious appetizers, excellent manhattans, perfectly cooked rib eye steak. Couldn't ask for much more. They are opening a breakfast and lunch restaurants two doors away in about a month. Can't wait to have a meal there.
(5)Amber K.
I had a mixed experience here (for lunch on 3/12/2014). The service was prompt and friendly, and it was lovely to sit in the sunny patio and watch the world go by on Shoreline Boulevard. Some of the food was very good, and some of it was mediocre. And, all in all, it was quite overpriced. I ordered the caprese salad ($9.50), the zucchini fritters ($9.50), a personal size "Legally Blonde" pizza with artichoke hearts, spinach, and ricotta ($12.75), and a coffee ($3.75). I shared this meal with my toddler daughter. For the one-and-a-half of us, the total bill (plus tip) came to almost $50. That was very pricey for a pretty ordinary lunch! Here's a rundown of the items: (1) The caprese salad was uninspired, with bland supermarket-type tomatoes and sad-looking basil leaves with black spots on them. It was served with flavorless black olives that looked like they came out of a can. Maybe this is my fault for ordering a caprese salad in any season other than summer, but in any case, it was disappointing. (2) The zucchini fritters were delicious - crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, served with a flavorful yoghurt dipping sauce and lightly pickled cucumber slices. My only complaint is that they were tiny (four of them, literally one bite each = $2.50 per bite). (3) The Legally Blonde pizza was pretty, and it was the most reasonably priced of all the items, but the flavors were quite bland. I felt as though it could have used more garlic, more flavorful mushrooms (instead of button mushrooms), fresh herbs (instead of just spinach), more interesting cheese (instead of just ricotta), and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice or lemon zest. Oh well. (4) I can't believe I paid almost $4 for a six-ounce cup of drip coffee. It wasn't even that good. Should've gone to a nearby cafe for one-third the price! I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but nor would I make a point of coming back here. I guess I'm spoilt by Amici's on Castro Street, which has never served me a disappointing dish, and overall is better value for money.
(3)Alex B.
Hands down the most AMAZING Italian restaurant in town! Staff was amazing. Food was incredibly divine! We had the mango salad, apple/pear salad, calamari, zucchini balls, and the seafood paella. Everything tasted so good! Came here for a lunch meeting and was blown away by how awesome the food/service was. Definitely coming back for date night!!
(5)Matt A.
Excellent,menu choices ,food and good value.
(4)V. S.
Their bread is amazing!!...and I'm not a big bread person. I ordered a sandwich which was ok, but I probably ordered the wrong thing. Salad was great and the coffee and tiramisu was delish. 4 Stars for the bread! Great service!
(4)Becky B.
The recent remodeling at the restaurant makes the dining experience much nicer. There's a wall between dinners and the kitchen. The TVs seem more hidden now making the place seem less like a sports bar. The waiter tonight was super friendly and pizzas were great. Wine and prosecco was good too.
(4)Armando M.
Amazing food and service! I recommend everyone tries the spinach salad. The pizza here is to die for... Great place for celebrating a birthday or just any time you crave authentic Italian food!
(5)Kristen S.
Cute spot with an elegant feel inside. I think the food is a little overpriced for the quality but I've never had anything that was terrible here, either. I like the stuffed mushrooms and the pizzas are average-to-pretty good. Again, for the price, it's decent. I've heard mixed reviews about the pastas, but have never tried them myself. I usually come here for an after-work drink with friends, and it's a nice atmosphere for that -- especially on nice evenings outside on the front patio.
(3)A C.
I think they changed owners, had lunch there today and it wasn't good. Took forever to get mediocre food, they didn't even have a dessert menu. Crap Location tucked in the back.
(1)K H.
Food and atmosphere are fine, but beverage prices are a bit steep, I asked for a glass of house pinot grigio which turned out to be $10. A cup of decaf was $3.75 (a very small capuccino $4.75) , plus a beer for $6 (no problem with the beer price)... Bottom line, .. one large pizza, one shared salad, and the drinks listed = $75 before gratuity. Next time will ask for the list of wines by the glass and will skip the coffee, or better yet will just ask for tap water....live and learn.
(3)Ramiro Z.
I picked up dinner for my family last night and must say It was Awesome. It's a great thing when expectations are exceeded and this is one of those occasions. The restaurant always looks great and everybody is beyond friendly. The food is AWESOME! If the owner reads this please mention it to the Cheff. Thank you again and see you soon :)
(5)Steve V.
Food may be good but service is horrendous! Been sitting here for 10 minutes and have yet to have someone help me. Got a menu yet haven't been offered water or anything. This is not the first time happening. But if you still want to give this arrogant establishment any money, order the braised ribs on Mashed potatoes. Update. Manager finally came by and helped me. Maybe understaffed?
(1)Chris G.
The pizza is classic thin crust Italian, The food is good. We eat here before going across the street to the movies or going down the street to a concert at Shoreline. The Bocce balls are good as a appetizer ( meatballs covered in pizza dough and baked).
(4)Alondra M.
The ambience and food make for a delightful experience. The place is charming and cozy. The bread is accompanied by delicious butter. The sole with Mediterranean salad is amazing! Their selection of soups and salads meets a varied palette. Highly recommend!!!
(5)Kristine P.
My family loved and enjoed every bite in this restaurant. This is not our frst or last visit and I would recomend this to all of my friends. The meal service price everything is great.
(5)Carmen H.
The honey and sausage pizza was amazing! As weird as it sounds, you'd be surprised at how good it really is. The atmosphere at the place was definitely something worth going back for. Their little outside eating area was also quite nice. The staff was nice and helpful as well as knowledgeable about the menu.
(5)J D.
Came here with the kids for dinner. The service was great. We had the patio all to ourselves which was nice! It was a bit chilly but they had heaters which made it just right. The food was excellent. I had the penne which had a nice spicy kick. My son had the chicken skewers that were perfect, not over done like some places I've been. My daughter had the chicken Fettuccine Alfredo which had mushrooms and slivers of zucchini. It too was great, not your average F.A. Finally her boyfriend had the seared scallops, perfectly seasoned and done. Tucked away in the corner, a great find.
(5)Jen S.
A little pricier that what I would want to spend on a work lunch, however, since the boss was paying...and no I didn't order the most expensive thing on the menu but I did order a Timpanini which is basically big puffed calzone and it comes with salad so I guess you could say, I was trying to be economical/practical, maybe somewhat healthy because it came with a salad. The timpanini was pretty good and large enough that I had leftovers for the next day. Service was great to our large work group.
(4)Steve S.
Upon entering Venti at 7pm on a Saturday night, we noticed a lot of empty tables and only one man at the bar. Not a good sign. We decided to sit at the bar because The Giants game was on but the bartender wouldn't change the channel to the game because he said the playoffs were on for hockey but nobody was there to watch and he certainly wasn't watching the hockey game. (we knew the other man at the bar and even he wanted to watch The Giants game. Even after numerous statements like I wonder who's winning, etc, he didn't change the channel. The worst part was that he never ever ever smiled. He was quite gruff in his attitude to be exact. We ordered a salad before our meals. We both had full plates of salad when the waitress brought out our hot food. Two stars for our experience there is generous. We won't be back
(2)Doug C.
My favorite broiled salmon on spinach salad. ~$14. Salmon crispy on outside, not overcooked, fork tender on inside. Not fishy. Not on the menu. Perfect for non carb eaters.
(5)Nicole M.
I can't believe the good reviews... I came here with another person. We ordered bolognese and chicken marsala. Both were terrible. "Marsala" didn't have marsala flavor and chicken was doughy. The pasta was swimming in Ragu-esque sauce. The wine prices were so high! Why? The food prices weren't much better. Another note: why the cheap flatware? Terrible waste of a date night and $120.
(1)Daniel H.
I met my friend here for lunch and there were not a lot of people here at 12:30pm. I recognized our waiter from the Osteria Coppa YEE back in August. We ordered a medium thin-crust Three Cheese Pizza ($20.50) with sun dried tomatoes, pancetta and other stuff that I can't remember (see pictures). We received bread with cheese (I think) while we waited for our pizza. It was pretty fluffy and tasted great with the cheese. Our pizza came and it looked pretty big for a medium. It tasted a little salty (probably the pancetta) but other than that, it was good. I must have filled up a little on the bread because I went through two slices (8 slices total) before I got full. The owner of the restaurant checked on us before our waiter told us the other person was the owner; in addition, our waiter came back to check on us to see if everything was good. I don't know why this place didn't have a lot of people come in to eat. I thought the food (based on the stuff I ate) was good.
(4)Jamie C.
Not sure how long this restaurant has been around, but we only just discovered it this past December. One of my co-workers recommended it and since then, we have been here about 4 times. The complimentary focaccia bread with herb spread is DELICIOUS!! I love how warm and soft the bread is and even eating it plain is good. We've tried a couple of different dishes so far and I have to say, the portions here are quite generous and prices are decent. - Deep Fried Calamari - Nice big, crispy pieces of calamari and wasn't too greasy. - Strawberry Fields Salad - one of my favorite salads although they tend to use too much poppy seed dressing. I would ask for the dressing on the side. - Pizza - we've tried the sausage pizza and chees & pesto pizza and both were not bad. - Linguine Leonardo - this was just ok for me. I think it could've been tastier. - Seafood Ravioli - I'm not a fan of ravioli but I really like this dish and the lobster cream sauce really tops it off. - Spaghetti with Clams - they gave a lot of clams! - Spaghetti and Meatballs - not bad. - Mon Ami & Chicken Venti Timpanini - Frickin' HUGE but there's too much cheese for me so it's not really my thing. The last time we came here, we tried their gelato. 3 bucks for a scoop is ok I suppose but our waiter was nice and gave us each a big scoop :D That's always an extra star in my books!!
(4)Andy D.
I think this place is just Meh! Good atmosphere but I think that's all it is. Price of food is ok. A bit pricey for lunch over the quality and the service. Came here with co-workers for lunch under the company's tab (thank god). I wasn't sure who our waiter was as we had 2 different guys taking our order which made it difficult as one guy would come out and take our order and then someone else doing the same and throughout our meal was the same thing. I had the Jumbo Scallops with Fettuccine and shared a Calzone with a friend. Those are enormous so bring and appetite if you want to order one of these. My pasta was flavorless, and was loaded with liquid. The portion was also very small, I haven't been to any Italian restaurant where the pasta wasn't filling regardless of the price. Personally I won't be back on purpose to this place although my co-worker had raved about it coming here many times but she doesn't eat much nor does she really cook. I guess there is a crowd for everything.
(3)Jared P.
I've got to be honest, my recent bad experiences with this place have motivated me to finally write a Yelp review. Pizzeria Venti USED TO BE the bomb. The food WAS always awesome, the wait staff WAS friendly and the service WAS prompt. Unfortunately I feel like this place has suffered greatly over the last few months. The last few times I was there our food has been tolerable but not nearly as good. The service has been shabby, so bad that we had to ask for silverware twice, water twice, anything we wanted twice. This wasn't just an isolated occurence. Also, we noticed some things about the interior of the restaurant. It doesn't appear to be as clean as it once was. Things just appear generally disorganized and they have this large horrific looking sign that's broken across the top to promote their catering services. A few months ago I'd of given this place four stars. Now, it gets two. They need to clean up their act and focus a bit more on the quality of their food and service again. Then they'll win my business back. We probably will not be using them for Italian again for another few months. If you need to eat somewhere else in the area I'd suggest Sunny Bowl, the Japanese place or Chalpala up the road as nearby alternatives. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of options in that area unless you want to deal with busy downtown MV.
(2)Kathi L.
Food was OK, nothing special. Prices for lunch are high. $15 for a salad is a bit much for a lunch. There were others in my group who ordered the pasta. It was tasty, but way too large of a serving for lunch. How about offering a half-size serving for $9 or so? Wait staff also needs some training in how to serve. My salad was handed to me in front of my friend, right under her nose. I guess it was too much work to place it on the table in front of me.
(2)Reyn J.
Lunch on a Friday. Wine: House Chianti: acceptable. Appetizer: Bocce Balls...really, really good (Italian herbed meatballs topped with cheese and marinara sauce, and wrapped in pizza crust before being baked to perfection.). Courses: Angel Hair Pasta (tossed with Roma tomato, fresh basil and garlic). Good sauce, fresh tomatoes, tasty pasta al dente. Chicken Marsala (Chicken breast sauteed in Marsala wine over mashed potatoes with grilled vegetables). Tasty, but chicken overcooked, which made it a bit tough. Overall, very good and attentive service, nice decor, not too loud. Enjoy!
(2)Miriam W.
I'll eat here only if I'm in the area and we want a sit-down without competition on how/where to sit. Agreed that pricing is high for what you get and lunch time; servings are good. Sometimes food overly salted. Seasoning well does not equal salting heavily. Only one bathroom; odd. Patio seating tiny tables/odd. Not a very nice outdoor setup out front. You will never struggle to find seating here, i will say that. Food is a bit mediocre and I've had hit or miss service a couple times. Once, I had a great female server. Then, a lame guy server. Then, a super nice and proactive/helpful guy server. You just never know. Sometimes I've been left to stand at the door waiting to get seated for 15 min in an empty restaurant. Sometimes I've been jumped on as soon as I walk in the door. If you want to eat out to talk smack about your coworkers or plan a coup, and you don't want to deal with Castro and the traffic - this is an option. Of course, you'll have to fight for parking with the several other businesses in the plaza. :)
(3)Chris Q.
I dropped in hungry for a late lunch and chose the linguine pescatore which has generous amounts of mussels, clams, shrimp, and fish in a perfectly-spiced tomato sauce. With each enthusiastic bite my appreciation for the dish increased as I reveled in the taste, texture, and balance of flavors. I finished my meal with a caffè macchiato (Italian style: espresso with a dab of steamed milk) and the mini biscotto on the saucer made a perfect dessert. Bonus points for classic décor, high ceilings, white (cloth) tablecloths, and cozy booths. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable. I am looking forward to coming back for the pizza and other dishes. If I could change one thing I would prefer a nice hard-crust bread instead of the softer bread served before the meal. Note: Pizzeria Venti is in the process of changing its name to Cucina Venti which caused a little confusion at first since they are listed separately on Yelp. 4/2013.
(5)Stephanie L.
Came here with a large group a little while back. The food seemed fresh and there was a wide variety of options. Many great looking dishes and very vegetarian friendly. I had the pesto raviolis which were quite filling and tasty. My husband had a pizza, which was also really good. Service staff is very attentive, prices are reasonable, and the flavor is good. All in all, would recommend this restaurant, especially if you are looking for somewhere that can accommodate a large group.
(4)Michael G.
This is the 3rd time I went to Pizzeria Venti for lunch and each time it gets better. The food is tasty, but not particular exceptional. It is a solid place for lunch but it is most certainly not in my top 10. I find the variety of dishes to be lacking; meaning their choices are limited and are not of the greatest variety. Yesterday, my work friends and I had fried calamari as an appetizer and though I found the breading to be a bit greasy, there was no fishy aftertaste and the texture was not too rubbery. For my main course I ordered the green apples and greens salad with breast of chicken added. The variety of greens was excellent as was the overall freshness of the salad. After 3 times.....I would like to give it 4 stars but add in a service staff that is somewhere between too eager and too lackadaisical and food that is good but not great, I have to give Pizzeria Venti and A-OK rating.
(3)Aj J.
Decent atmosphere. Quick and solid service. Food was bland and extremely too expensive for what it was. For ~17 a plate and 12/glass of mediocre wine, there's not much reason to go back
(2)Silke M.
Love, love love this place. Extremely friendly and welcoming servers. The best and freshest salads and amazing European Pizza's! Always cozy lively atmosphere still being able to have conversations.
(4)Local S.
Menu has evolved slightly during 2012 at this unusual, elegant large Italian restaurant which I recently visited for the sixth time, on Shoreline (near 101 and the unique, highly recommended Computer History Museum). Doubly unusual: Venti is (1) an Italian, not Italian-American, eatery in the US which is always something of a novelty; and (2) it's a franchise from Tuscany, using heavily Italian-sourced ingredients. American inventions like "pepperoni" sausage are also available in some dishes. (In Italy, pepperoni does not mean a sausage.) Also this year, Yelp's listing caught up with Venti's 2010 name change. Although signage still shows the original "Pizzeria Venti," it's "Cucina Venti" in large advertisements (weekly in the local M V Voice) featuring interesting seasonal recipes from the restaurant. No more rectangular Tuscan pan pizzas yelp.com/biz_photos/cuci… but the more conventional round pizzas are going strong, available with both US toppings and more European combinations like three cheeses and pancetta (with fresh spinach and onion shreds). An order of the small lamb meatballs ($8.75), served in tomato-vegetable compote and contrasting to the far larger, blander pastry-wrapped "bocce" balls yelp.com/biz_photos/cuci… (I detailed the bocce balls' merits and limitations in previous review) was a savory appetizer, the lamb (seldom used in ground form in the US) conferring an interesting, more European flavor. A "personal" sized pizza with the toppings cited last paragraph ($11.75) is now about 12 inches (30 cm) across (sized like the Neapolitan classics at our local temple of original pizza culture, Napoletana Pizzeria), nice moderately toasty crust. Pesto ravioli ($12.95) came on a large platter with six or seven large round al-dente ravioli in a well-balanced slightly creamy classic basil-garlic-nut sauce. Gave a rich impression overall. My favorite of the specialties tried was linguine "Leonardo," a LIGHT pasta dish with chicken bits and fresh spinach, dressed lightly with olive oil and capers, very satisfying without being in any way heavy or over-done (Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi, please note!), $14.95. A waiter offered a good block of Parmesan-type cheese, grating it over dishes where requested. Decent by-glass wine selection is available but not cheap, many choices priced around $10. Quite distinct in style from classic 20th-century US-model "Italian" (-American) restaurants, with their abundant meaty-cheesy dishes and jugs of cheap red wine. And an upscale atmosphere good (and much used) for business dining. As a gathering place, Venti is exceptionally convenient (by silicon-valley standards), just far enough off 101 to get no noise from it. Yet Venti is nearer to 101 than most of the popular upscale "highway 101" silicon-valley restaurants like Birk's, Parcel 104, or Lion and Compass. More on Venti's history and specialties in my previous review.
(4)G W.
We made last minute plans to go out for dinner with the kiddos on Christmas Eve. Our dinner here was fantastic! Focaccia with cheesey butter spread is delish. We ordered - 2 pizzas, the Grande Max and Sophia's Choice. Both were excellent. Crispy crust all the way through and just the perfect amount of sauce and cheese. The Max is salty and meaty, while the Sophia is sweet. Yum! We also ordered 2 pasta dishes - Penne Alfredo and Seafood Linguine. Again, both were excellent. Perfectly cooked and saucey. The only thing I would have enjoyed more, is if there was more linguine in my dish. Near the end I had an abundance of seafood (yum!) but not enough pasta to eat it with. I ate it all anyway, though. ;-) Everyone loved their gelato for dessert as well. Such a hidden gem in a little strip mall area by the theaters. We will definitely be back.
(4)Trish C.
Ah. Read the reviews, and was working in the area when I got a craving for some good Italian food. I'll admit, that craving isn't out of the ordinary, so I'm always looking for such a place. I was also alone and just wanted some quiet time to enjoy my dinner at a leisurely pace. So the restaurant closest to where I was working was only open for lunch, and then I saw reviews for this place. Although it is in a strip mall that's easy enough to find, it's tucked away in the corner and not immediately recognizable as the restaurant. It was a Wednesday night so relatively empty. Usually I have trouble choosing from a menu when I'm overly hungry, but the menu here caused me that nice little problem even though my stomach wasn't meowing. I had a couple of nice glasses of Merlot, the bread was reminiscent of the old Florentine restaurants that used to populate the area, and I had this lovely fresh jumbo scallops pasta dish in a white wine lemon-butter sauce - not heavy at all, and enough sauce to dip some bread into. A little tiramisu at the end -- gave me a satisfaction only good food can bring, without the feeling of having eaten too much and being bloated and such. I got great service, a nice little corner table where I could leisurely read while eating, and found myself thinking this must be a little of what restaurants and food in Italy must be like - except Italians serving you, of course. I cannot wait to come back here.
(4)Joy N.
Excellent food and ambiance! The owner, Bella is wonderful! We ordered the calamari, Marsala chicken, penne pasta, Roma Pizza, pesto prawn pizza and I loved the purple orchid cocktail! Great experience; thank you!
(5)Nick P.
Pizzeria Venti's a good addition to this part of Mountain View. It's got a surprisingly large menu (including many pasta/ravioli options) and presents a calming atmosphere that I'd say works really well for people wanting to get away from the office. I ordered a mandarin + fennel salad and was overall very impressed. The abundance of mandarin slices was certainly there, and I think they provided enough character so that the salad could even go without dressing (a sweet vinaigrette). What capped off the salad best were the toasted pistachios; you also get some cherry tomatoes and fresh onion in there as well. The price was steep ($11.75 without meat), but overall I think going to a place like this once in a while during the work week is worth it. Besides, Venti has excellent focaccia, so that might be worth the trip alone.
(4)Anna U.
Definitely THE best Italian place in the area. As with Italians the food is always excellent but the staff / service not so.
(5)Krista S.
Came here randomly after trying to find a place to eat and decided on this place. It's this italian bistro type enviroment, pretty cute and dim. We just ordered the brick over pizza and soup. Kind of pricey for what it is, there's nothing really special about the pizza. This would probably be a great place to have a dinner date or something like that.
(3)Charlotte T.
Great place, always great service and food. They have live music which was a surprise. Really set the atmosphere. Prices are reasonable.
(5)Local consumer C.
I rarely give a five stars to any place, unless they really blow my socks off. Perhaps this place was so awesome because it was so slow when we went there last night (President's Day). Either way, their service is as amazing as their food. And it wasn't just one good server, it was ALL of them. They kept our drinks filled the second the glass was close to empty, they were interactive and very professional. The ambiance is extremely nice for a pizzeria yet still comfortable to bring our kids. This was FINE dining to them! lol Not only will I definitely be back, but I'll drive the 70 minute drive to come here again, for sure! The only minor negative thing I would mention is that the parking is a bit limited, especially considering how many people they can seat and the other businesses in the plaza that the parking is shared with. Although it looks like there is plenty of street parking nearby.
(5)Tim K.
A find for us. We had a Sunday dinner here with some locals. They enjoy the pastas so much they have not gotten to the "Entrees" section of the menu. We enjoyed the calamari and bruschetta appetizers. The bruschetta had a nice garlic zing to it. The pasta Bolognese was very good, the seafood ravoli were also very good. The seafood tasted fresh. I had the Chicken Marsala. This is my test dish in new Italian places as I make a pretty good version at home. Venti's sauce was just right. It had a good Marsala flavor without overpowering the dish. The chicken could be cut with a fork. The mashed potatoes were hot and the vegetables tasted fresh. For us this is a great step up from FJ&L. We will be back.
(4)Catherine L.
Every dish I've tried here has been solidly delicious - i love their risottos!
(5)Adrienne F.
The food here is OK -- standard American Italian. I normally would give it 3 stars, but I'm giving it a fourth because it's better than most of the other Italian food options in Mountain View. Both the food and the decor feel very standard -- the kind of place you can take a group and no one will be unhappy. It's a popular post-work dinner spot (Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, etc. are right next door). If you are looking for a restaurant for a date or a cute neighborhood dinner spot I'd recommend something else.
(4)Silke G.
I used to really like coming here (for years now) and most of the food is pretty good, though their kabobs were really dry. I love the pollo ripeno, but it's only part of the specials menu and not a regular part of their menu. During my most recent visit, I noticed they charged me $4.75 for "Italian Brewed Iced Tea." I was really shocked by this and asked if it was a mistake. They said it was not and offered to have the manager come talk to me. I declined because I was upset by this and thought a manager trying to justify this would further annoy me. It's an insane price for something made in batches with tea bags and water. They should offer a less expensive option to their customers. Also, the time previous I went here, I ordered the California Fresh sandwich and was offered a choice of fries or salad and chose fries. This most recent time ordering the same thing, I was told I could only get salad unless I wanted to pay extra for the fries. I don't know if this all changed in the past couple of weeks or not, but it's upset me to the point of not wanting to go there anymore. I'm very disappointed.
(2)Andrew K.
Came here for a company dinner and had a pleasant meal. The bread was delicious--always nice to start off the meal strong. Everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes, and i'm surprised by the negative comments about the service. Service was spot on for our table. Attentive, friendly, and the waiter (owner?) even came by after we were done and offered us some free gelato in return for humoring his horrible jokes. Honestly, the gelato was not that great...but still a nice gesture. Not sure if I'd come back since there are so many italian places around and this one is a bit out of the way, but I certainly have no complaints!
(4)Flor D.
Mussels, Mussels, Mussels...be still my heart. Yes, these things are stinkier than oysters, however, when paired with a great glass of red wine, a killer garlic broth, and crusty garlic bread, I am sold. No kisses for you! Although I work fairly close to this joint, the reviews had discouraged me from stepping inside. The outside tables look cool, but if the food is not up the standard, then it won't help them any. SURPRISINGLY...the food was mighty tasty. The Greek salad was a complete meal. A little pricey at $9, but good nonetheless. Should have been more like $6. For Dinner, I had the muscles. So good and so many. Worth every $12 dollar bite. Delish and highly recommended. For Dessert, I had some gelato classico Gelato. Specifically, banana's fosters+hazelnut. What a way to end the evening. Pizza looked a little sad, so be adventurous and have wine with a little something something!
(4)Kiki A.
The food was okay. I liked how close we were to the Shoreline. Our service was good as well. Their bread is pretty delicious however. My gripe is that my card was charged by accident for the wrong amount and then voided. Ok. Well someone should have told me that. It sent my acct into overdraft. Nice. Then my bank being the blood suckers they are, charged me an overdraft fee. So when I called the restaurant, the manager was nice enough but what about my overdraft fee? No mention or offer to cover that. Won't be going back.
(1)Judi M.
Been here three times and the first two were obviously good enough to return a third time. However, the bad service the third time will result in me never coming back again. The second time I came in, my friend ordered a Chicken Vesuvius Pizza but without the chicken. They added extra artichoke hearts instead. It was SO good! The crust and veggies were spot on and it made such an impression that I had to come back the next day with CarinaM. Sadly, I seem to be cursed recently when choosing restaurants with my partner in crime. We had such a long streak of good luck, but alas, it had to end. Service was awful! The restaurant had five tables and two severs. You do the math. I thought I ordered the same pizza as the day before, but it was the wrong one. Instead of trying to remedy it, the server assured me it tasted the same. He was wrong. I would've happily told him that had I chance to see him again during our meal, but obviously he had better things to do than check on paying customers. Suffice it to say, I will never be coming back to PV again.
(2)Debbie Chiou S.
Tried the caprese salad with chicken. Weird to have caprese salad on greens. Much of it was iceberg - not my favorite. Mozzarella and tomatoes were fine, but balsamic vinaigrette was a bit sweet, and the added chicken just bland. Could've definitely used more basil.
(2)Saba S.
Sat at the bar. The place itself is nice and smells tasty. I didn't like the gigantic flower arraignment next to my face at the bar. I heard the owner just came back from a wedding and had to put them somewhere. Bush league if you ask me. The complimentary focaccia bread with herb spread is DELICIOUS!! I love how warm and soft the bread is and even eating it plain is good. - Deep Fried Calamari - Nice big, crispy pieces of calamari and wasn't too greasy. Overcooked, but the spicy pesto sauce made up for it a bit. Overall the calamari was okaaay. My main course was the Ahi Salad. I liked the ginger sauce. The ahi was cooked just right with nice texture. The salad was, once again, okaaay. The service was GREAT! Really impressed with the staff and service. They get three stars because I just couldn't like the food a much as I wanted. Price was a little steep, but right for what this restaurant is going for in terms of style and decor, but not the food. I might come back if I'm going to the movies.
(3)Melissa B.
Today was my first to going here with some coworkers and I ordered the prawn salad with a side of asparagus. Everything was delicious up until about an hour after lunch and I felt sick to my stomach with what seemed to be food poisoning. Even with that I'll give 3 stars and I would eat here again but may skip the greens and go with pasta or pizza.
(3)Debbie N.
Picked this place because it was so close to Shoreline cinemas and needed a quick dinner before a move. Looked at their website/menu and Yelp reviews...we were not disappointed!! Initial impression on entering...cozy high end restaurant and not to loud considering it was packed...The ambiance, food and service was fabulous!! We had a glass of champagne (with a raspberry in it :-), the Mango Arugula salad and the Salmon/Spinach entree...perfectly cooked & delicious! Our waiter knew we were going to the movies so was on it with quick service and was very nice. This is now my favorite Mt. View Italian restaurant!!
(5)Andy D.
Great place. The owner/manager was super personable, waiters were great, the decor was pretty amazing for a strip mall and the food was stellar. I had the spaghetti & meatballs. Girlfriend had a spinach and shrimp salad. We both said we'd be back to try the pizza. (I also enjoyed the big screen playing the Giants' game in the back. Out of the way enough not to bother, but great for keeping track of the score.)
(5)Rustan M.
Best Italian I've had in Mountain View, hands down.
(5)John T.
The tuna salad and pizzas are big enough to share. Overall it a great place to just relax with some friends.
(4)Coco L.
Pretty decent place. I was a little surprise at the ambient, as I was expecting more a mom n pa shop in that part of the town. Thin crust pizza with bacon, onion and asparagus - the bacon was pretty good Seafood risotto with Mahi Mahi - has a nice flavor to it, the risotto was nice an soft; this is on the wet side Lamb skewer was decent
(3)Karne N.
Had a really pleasant evening at Cucina. It was our first time there and we'll be back. The food was tasty, the service was excellent (thank you Arturo) and the ambiance was nice too. A bit pricey for the portions but that was the only negative. If the weather had been warm, sitting outside would have been a great option. We tried the Bocce balls appetizer - delicious and original, the Linguine Leonardo (chicken, spinach, and linguine in a broth) which was very good despite a bit too much lemon. My standard test for an Italian meal is the spaghetti in meat sauce. Theirs is excellent.
(4)Zensident G.
Enjoyed our dinner very much. I had tomato basil soup. It came with great presentation, with a cream on top that had been drawn so that it took on a leaf pattern. Very tasty. I then had the lamb shanks. Lamb shanks are not that common at restaurants and Cucina Venti served them up excellently. I really liked the dark, quiet decor as well. Would definitely go again.
(4)Ed L.
Saw the Restaurant Ad in the Post and since it's really close by our work decided with the wife to give the place a try.When we walk in the Restaurant it was like 100 degrees. inside. Not a good first impression. Customers wants to dine in comfort, If I want a sauna I will go to a Spa.I almost walk out but lucky for them there was outside sitting and we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as it was an unusual hot day today. For appetizer we order a plate of Bruschetta...it was light and refreshing. My wife order the Spaghetti and Meatballs and I order the Special which was the Halibut. My wife enjoyed her entree as the sauce was not greasy and it goes great with the fresh warm bread that the waiter brought by.My Halibut was very fresh and taste great and it also came with some nice large slices of tomatoes and veggies. Personally the veggie dressing was a little sour for me but my wife likes it though. The service was very good and we enjoyed the food. The waiter was very pleasant and offer my wife a sample of their gelato on the house but sadly she was stuffed and will take his offer at another time. I will returned again with the family and hopefully next time the air conditioner is back on.
(4)De S.
I always come here for: - Mango salad, adding grilled salmon: THE BEST IN TOWN - Free delicious bread - Great selection of Gelato Also, - The ambiance is great - Quick and friendly service For someone who's not so fond of Italian food, the menu above surpass any restaurants in the South Bay. I always find reasons to come back even though this place is out of the way.
(5)Danny H.
A lot of the clientele were teenagers waiting to see The Hunger Games. We were a large group of "adults" heading off to watch that movie which itself was otherwise fine but seriously, if your protagonist is supposed to be a hot shot with the bow, teach the actress the basics of archery?! (I know, artistic license . . .) All I remember about this place is that it seemed unreasonably pricey and that the men's room was oddly posh. Our waiter did a good job handling our largish party but it got busy near the end and none of the rest of the staff were keen to help him close out our bill. Next time I'd say just grab some grub on Castro St before hitting up a movie. More options, better prices.
(2)Sunil R.
Great to have a nice sit down restaurant in this part of Mountain View. Now we don't have to drive to University Av or Castro to have a good Italian meal. I was definitely surprised when I walked in. This place is in a tiny strip mall next to a 7 Eleven and did not expect this to be as nice as it was inside. They have outdoor seating as well which I appreciate. The bread and butter they served was fresh and delicious. The strawberry salad was yummy as well. Sign me up, I am going back.
(4)Elisabeth F.
Wow, best seafood paella I ever had. My partner's seafood linguini was also totally delish. Good wine and service too. A hidden gem! Will definitely come here again.
(5)Kathy R.
Great place to go before or after the movies. Had the mango salad and legally blonde pizza. Bread is homemade & great. Excellent service. We sat on the patio. Couldn't have been better.
(4)Rachel A.
We went here because I had picked up my husband from work nearby and I hadn't eaten (but he ate at his work meeting). My husband felt bad, so he treated me :) I ordered the pizza with cheese and prosciutto. It came out with a super thin crust, that was really great. It was pre-sliced into squares and served on a bamboo board. They were generous with the toppings. I really enjoyed the combo of all the cheese, prosciutto, and red onions. The waitress seemed to want us out since my husband didn't order anything. She brought the bill after I finished my pizza. She didn't ask if I wanted dessert or anything, so I had to tell her I wanted the tiramisu. They ended up being out, so we had the cannoli instead. It was pretty good, but had obviously been put together previously. The bottoms were a bit soggy, but the cream inside with the fresh berries was great. Overall, it's fine and I wouldn't be opposed to going back. I'd like to try other dishes.
(3)Colin B.
Went here on a whim for sunday dinner, food was good, prices were kind of high for basic pasta dish and sandwich. I didn't realize its a franchise place as I've only seen one ever. Would go again if I was with a group to at least try their pizza.
(3)Glenn G.
The food is pretty good but I won't say it's excellent or really exciting. However, the location is doubly surprising - it's right across the street from the old Century 16, and shares a parking lot with a 7-Eleven. The latter lowered my expectations to the point where I was easily pleased, and the former caused me to want to remember this place for future reference - there aren't a whole lot of decent restaurants within spitting distance of Mountain View's only movie theatre, not to mention Shoreline Amphitheatre. When its time to eat, you can always order pizza (I usually do in places like this), but another pleasant surprise is the range of non-pizza, traditional Italian fare on the flip side of the menu. I had the lasagna, which was rich, tasty, and a reasonably sized portion. My friend had the Linguine Leonardo with chicken, spinach and caper sauce. It was really outstanding - I'll try that next time if I don't take the plunge and sample the pizza. The bread they serve is also warm, soft, fresh, and accompanied by a decidedly scrumptious tomato butter. When its time for dessert, Pizza Venti has a very good gelato - definitely try it. Considering the location, the breadth of the menu, and the excellent, friendly service we received, I give this place 4 stars.
(4)Terre P.
I go here for a few things one of them being the Pizza Del Giorno (Bleu cheese, feta cheese, walnuts, & topped with honey). I have them add chicken and it is awesome. But this time I ordered the personal sized one. Really too much for me to eat in one seating but definitely personal 'cuz I'm not sharing (I'm eating the rest for dinner). . . . but . . . . I don't care for the personal pizza crust. I believe it to be focaccia bread not pizza crust. I love foccia bread, but it is too much, too greasy for this pizza. So, next time I go, I will order something else, unless I can get regular pizza crust. I was there with other Yelpers and Julie K. tried to order her pizza (I can't remember what she ordered) but it did not come in the personal pizza size. Ok . . . whatever. I'll be back because I like it, but I was just a little (tiny bit) disappointed. :-(
(4)Jeff N.
Awning says "America's Only Authentic Sliceria." Sign on the window says, "Pizza By The Slice or Pan." Me: "Yes, I'd like to get two slices." Waitress: "Oh, we don't sell slices." Idiots.
(1)Leslie G.
This place is awesome! I originally ordered delivery to my hotel room through Eat24.com and was totally impressed. Then I went there for lunch with a coworker and I loved it! I have tried 5-6 different things but their bruschetta and any of their salads are excellent!
(5)Chad H.
My wife and I stumbled on to Cucina Venti by accident. We were headed to the movie theater across the street and we had some time to grab a bite to eat. We thought about sandwiches at Quiznos, but this place was just 2 doors down. It has a few tables outside in the front, and a large patio in the back. The interior is very nicely decorated, with furniture and nice lighting. Arturo was our waiter and he had some suggestions for our wine choices. My wife had the Timpanini and I had the seafood paella. Both were excellent. The kitchen was quick and the food was served hot and steaming. The house garlic bread and the butter spread is to die for. The manager, stopped by our table to check on us and we told him it was our first time there. He sent over 2 servings of their home made gelato on the house. Wow, it was great. A very nice , classic Italian meal. Can't wait to try something else on the menu. We will be back. Ciao
(5)Tina J.
I really liked this place for it's fresh tasting italian food. A pleasant difference from the heavy, unhealthy Italian places that are more common. Everything tasted delicious and freshly made. The bread came out piping hot. It was not very many customers for a saturday lunch, so were very accommodating for our group's 2 toddlers. The ambiance is amazing for a strip mall restaurant; very nice decor, like a date place.
(4)Allison R.
I chose Cucina Venti for dinner for a work event because it is so close to the computer history museum (destination after the dinner). I wanted to narrow down the menu a bit and limit alcohol and they were extremely accommodating with my request. They took the time to talk with me over the phone about each of their options for appetizers/entrees/desserts to decide which to choose. We had about 25 people in the party, and some commented that the service was a bit slow, however, this is somewhat expected with a large party. They also noted that the food was great (appetizers: bruschetta/calamari, entrees: grilled salmon, lamb skewers, chicken marsala, mushroom ravioli). After the event, the woman I had worked with to develop the limited menu called to see how my experience was - great customer service. Minus one star only because of the comments of slow service!
(4)B K.
Waiter was extremely loud, rude and is one big liar I was here with 3 other friends. I had specifically ordered a vegetarian sandwich which comes with an option of soup or salad. The waiter got me the sandwich with chicken and when I mentioned I had asked for vegetarian, he rudely said that was not what I ordered. He took the plate inside, removed the chicken out of bread and got the same thing back. He lied to me that it was fresh bread and of-course I could see some particles of chicken still. Later he bills us for the soup and charges for a dish we didn't order. My advice- double Check your bills ALWAYS. When we told him to correct the bill, he got loud and said the menu shows no option for soup or salad when it actually does. He constantly kept lying and acted as if he did a favor by giving the soup for free. SERIOUSLY! He should get more familiar with the menu, not charge the customer for things they didn't order and STOP LYING. It's okay to do mistakes but it's not good to be arrogant and disrespectful. We will never go back there
(1)Rosa L.
After a long day, I sometimes just want to wind down with a nice hot meal without cooking it myself or picking it up... essentially delivery becomes handy! Delivery tip: If you order from grubhub there is a $50 minimum. I call and usually they will deliver if you order around $30 worth of food. I've ordered from Pizzeria Venti a few times and their food is tasty. Mind you, their plates range from $11-$20 and portions are just right (perhaps a bit on the smaller side) Orders: Spaghetti & meatballs Spaghetti & clams - generous with clams Fettucini Alfredo California Sandwich Caprese Salad Linguine & Scallops - sometimes too lemony Lasagna All were good though none were complete show stoppers. I've heard their pizza is fabulous and their pasta dishes are really quite tasty for the price.
(3)David G.
What a great find. Good reasonably priced Italian is hard to find. We were looking for lunch before a movie and found this gem across the street. The food was excellent, we had to put the bread aside to save room for our meals. The meat ball sandwich was huge and perfectly cooked. We will come back movie or not.
(4)Robin L.
Two words: Bocce Balls...and I don't mean the kind you throw on some sandy court Pizzeria Venti has Bocce Balls that have fallen from the sky for us mere mortals to enjoy. Please, eat these dough wrapped meatballs, baked to golden perfection and smothered in the most delicious marinara and cheese immediately! I'm also a fan of the antipasti platter which features an array of italian meats, cheese, marinated veggies and bread. And if all else fails, this is a freakin pizzeria, try the pizza. So a shout out to Betty D as I say, I "heart" this place. The food is excellent, the place is really cute inside and the service is great. I'm not sure how they are staying in business as every time I've been in there the place has been empty, but I hope I'm just going at off times b/c I don't want this place to get eaten by our economic downturn As an aside, and to attest to what I reckon is Pizzeria Venti's attention to detail, they have a cute bathroom. The single bathroom sports furniture and nice touches to make it feel homey. It also sports a list of every hour it's been inspected and cleaned, which I've gotta tell you, in my opinion just isn't common. Anyway, if you're not into yummy italian, nice ambiance and cute/clean bathrooms, just go so you can say that you've eaten a bocce ball, and it was quite nice.
(4)Ida C.
It seems quite a few ppl had mediocre experiences here but I came here last week for a business lunch and was pretty impressed with a couple of the dishes as well as the service. Granted, some of the staff spoke Spanish to one of the folks in our party and that might have been what lead to someone swinging by our table every 5 mins to see if there was anything else we needed but heck... the lesson: learn Spanish. Hey, no flaming! How can it hurt anyone to be multilingual anyway? We ordered the Caprese salad (3/5), Strawberry Fields salad (3.5/5), Seafood Ravioli (3/5 and pretty MEH), Lasagna (3.8/5) and OH MY GOSH, the Linguine Leonardo with chicken, spinach and caper sauce was unexpectedly delicious (5/5). Had it not been for the Linguine Leonardo, I'd give this place 3 stars but for that entree alone, Venti gets bumped up to 3.5.
(4)Alex Y.
Looked online to find out if this place looked good and menu items sounded great, but sad to say the food was not. I could barely give this place one star. Our waiter was MIA most of our meal. We never received waters and the food was bland. Not Italian food at all. I had the saffron seafood risotto and it didn't taste like seafood at all. There wasn't any seafood in it but Mahi Mahi. And it was already chopped up and in the risotto which made it dry and tasteless.
(1)Dave S.
Caveats: Lunch, holiday party, never saw a menu or $$ I was surprised to see a place like this in a strip mall with a starbucks and 7-11! We had about 30 people, and they suggested a mini-buffet the day before in order to speed things up. Good call. This way, we all got to try more items (always a good thing). They started us off with bruschetta platters, apple/walnut/cranberry salads and fresh bread with an herb butter. The bruschetta was good, but the bread was intoxicating! There is something about fresh, soft, warm yeast breads that is making me almost drool even now... The entrees included chicken marsala with veggies (peppers and onions) and mashed potatoes (good and peppery); mushroom raviolis, and chicken penne with a spicier marsala sauce. They were all good, but since I like spicy, I'd say the penne and mashed potatoes were my faves. The service was great, but since it was a corporate event, I'm sure they were on their toes. One last thing- someone in a previous review said they only had five tables and two waiters.... what were they smoking?! I'd say they have seating for at least 80. Why 4 stars? It's hard to be critical when you're having fun and someone else is picking up the tab...
(4)Anna S.
This review proves that YELPing is good for your belly AND your pocket book! Can you say, "HOOK UPS"!? *After stalking their table all night at the Yelp Summer Bash event at the Computer History Museum, I really wanted to come and eat here with my bf. Earlier in the day, me and the man had some crazy good massages at Watercourse Way in the late afternoon, and we decided to go for a walk around the lake at Shoreline Park. Little did my bf know I had dinner planned out so that we conveniently past by this place and the museum. Shortly after walking around, I convinced him that I had my heart set on eating dinnner here, even though he does not like to go out for italian food. Being my last night in town before my "Girls' week" in Seattle, he was obliged. "I WIN!" yeay! The place was a bit stuffy, because the a/c was trippin', but Bella (the owner, which I met at the Yelp bash) suggested we take a seat out on the cute patio in front. Much cooler, and not too noisy for being off the street. Let's just say, after I raved about the food from the Yelp event, Bella was flattered and offered us a few items on the HOUSE! (Mentally, I was raising the roof with my hands. Hollah!) A slice of Chicken Pizza with mushrooms and olives, and two salads with green apples, feta, walnuts, cranberries, romaine, and vidalia onion dressing. She hooked us up with at least $15 dollars of free food. I could barely eat the entree at this point. Entrees included the angel hair pasta with shrimp (prawns were extra fresh and cooked perfectly), and penne pasta with chicken in a spicy cream dressing. The ingredients were extra fresh, and the service was terrific. Bella and Pizzeria Venti, you won the keys to our hearts and stomachs! Yelp love+ Good food = 5 stars! Raise the Roof!
(5)Carina M.
Breaking it down before the review... Food: 2 stars Service: 0 stars Came here last night with a good friend. She had eaten here the day before and was raving about it. She wanted to have what she ate yesterday. I was in a sort of pizza and salad mood so I went along. She was happy with her salad...I was not. I normally get a caesar salad wherever I go - dressing on the side, no croutons. Dressing was decent, but not enough to make me think it's the best I've ever had. I ordered a thin crust, personal sized pesto pizza. While some people will squee with glee when they realize a personal pizza here is really an 8 inch pizza, I did not. In fact, I was dismayed because I realized I felt obligated to take home this pizza when I ate only 2 pieces. Pesto was all right, but it lacked that ZING that I expect when I eat pesto. I actually thought for a moment that this was Costco pesto. It was a bit on the flavorless side. I didn't want to hurt my friend's feelings because for the past 2 times she's chosen restaurants, it's been a bust. This is the 3rd one that was a bust. Maybe my review on the food was tainted by the very bad service. Our server rushed us to order, brought water to the table, brought our salads, then our pizzas...only to disappear after the food had been deposited. He made 2 appearances again after we had finished eating, only to bring us boxes, then water for me because I had to ask him for it. Isn't an empty glass normally an indication? Plus, it had been sitting empty for about 20 minutes, but he might have seen it had he come by at all to see if we liked our food. We decided against dessert because it didn't look that great. Server dropped off the bill...and we didn't see him at all after that. We had to flag down another server to ask for the bill, and then had to re-flag down the same other server to get change. I might add that the other server looked and acted slightly resentful that he had to do that for us. Like he was doing us the favor... Where was our server, by the way? Well, I watched him talking to everyone behind the counters, some customers that came in and just about everyone that was employed there. I didn't understand how he could not handle one table - ours. In the end, our bill for 2 'personal' sized pizzas, 2 salads and 3 glasses of water came out to $44.98. $45 for that? Really? I might have been ok with shelling that out if service had been better. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant as the place to go. I think I should've gotten a hot dog at the 7-11 across the street. Workers were friendlier and I would've saved myself some good money to buy more nail polish. This place took money from my nail polish reserve...and it wasn't worth it. That is unforgivable.
(1)Mehrnaz H.
We had dinner here on a Friday night with prior reservation. The location is a bit out of the way unless you are going to the shoreline concert or the movies across the street. The atmosphere is beautiful, classy but simple. I really liked the feel of it. The pizzas were the best part of the dinner. A couple of us had the scallops and the scallops were very small and the sauce was too rich for the seafood. The pasta was served perfect as well. All together, I would say if you are in the mood for pizza and do not mind the out of the way location, it is a good spot, but I would not go out of my way to go there.
(3)Aaron M.
Nice to see this newish place getting some foot traffic... their much touted "sliceria" slices were good - with enough cheese that you'd be crazy to ask for extra - but managed not to change me life. Actually, it is very nice that they give you the option of getting a single slice of any pizza you want - even at dinner time - but the quality of the pizza didn't strike me as better than Pizz'a Chicago (or even close). When you walk in, it's unclear if you order from the cashier or from a table... there was not a host or hostess or sign indicating what to do, and the decor suggested it wasn't a counter ordering kind of place... eventually after standing there awkwardly for a couple minutes, we got an answer from the cashier who told us to seat ourselves. We got the recommended "grande max" slice which was kind of a kitchen sink of toppings (and the gray colored sausage was the best of the meats that came on it) and a pepperoni slice, which we both slightly preferred. We were split on the bruschetta, which I found particularly fresh and enjoyable. Service was reasonably prompt and very courteous. We got out of there pretty cheaply, espeically since we had a coupon for a free slice. I suppose this place probably has its niche in Mountain View, and I could see going back. They have a very nice "classic Italian" interior that looks like what the Cheesecake factory would be if it weren't so fantastical and over the top. I'd even say classy, except for the HDTVs showing sports. It's also nice to be a little healthier by ordering only one slice of pizza (instead of by ordering an entire less-tasty "healthy" pizza at Zpizza).
(3)Samantha L.
This place is AWESOME! Just AWESOME!!!!! I am SOOOO excited that I found it and I hope it stays!! I plugged it on Facebook 'I love MV' page. I am a big fan of Don Giovanni's cuz I got married there, but this place just did it in! The angel hair pasta was SUPERB! The husband had Linguine and Scallops and about sipped the broth when it was gone! The service was awesome! Our server, Arturo, was WONDERFUL! He was courteous, attentive, and friendly. The menu was extensive, gelato was YUMMMM, and all staff "checked" in on us. The manager made sure that we were taken care of, gave testers for every gelato flavor, and gave us some background info on the restaurant. Quite impressed and can't wait to go back!! The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 was because of 2 reasons... #1, no Italian beer (other beers, but I wanted a Peroni) #2, no bread served at the table (biggie! It's a nice way to start off) Check it out!!!
(4)Cath M.
I can't really complain b/c we weren't planning to eat a meal - shoot we just wanted to go to Starbucks to get something to eat to hold us off for the No Doubt concert. Then the boy suggest going here to eat since one of my friends were starving. It was packed from all the concert goers getting a meal but service was still fast. I ordered the tomato & basil and a glass of sangria. The rest of the party did the same. The pizza tasted like a frozen pizza - bland and not tasty at all. Cheesy, way to cheesy but even the cheese didn't taste anything. It wasn't crispy even though it was thin crust. Our favorite was their sangria! It was really good - refreshing. The fruits and the amount of red wine was just the right balance. We needed it to pump us up. Overall, probably won't go back here unless we have another concert. Good drinks and good service. Did I mention that it's cheap!
(3)Jeremy G.
This is a nice hidden Italian restaurant that's never crowded and a perfect date spot -- more on that later. I haven't had the pizza here yet, even though it calls itself a Pizzeria, but everything else I've ordered (pastas, sandwiches) have been really good and the service is always quick and friendly. As for it being a good date spot, the location is great. If the date is going well, you can go across the street to the theaters and catch a movie. If the date isn't going so well, you can crawl across the street to drink your sorrows away at The Sports Page. It's a win-win. Even though it seems like a hidden location, tucked away in the corner of a strip mall, it's far from a hole in the wall. The place is very nice and the atmosphere is great. Oh, and before I forget, they also do catering. My company had them deliver loads of food for a big release night, which worked out really well.
(4)Mike T.
This place is a little hidden away but it's pretty good. Surprisingly, none of us had pizza. We scarfed down the Seafood pasta and the Mon Ami which was basically this HUGE ass calzone which is kind of like a Cordon Bleu baked in a fluffy crust calzone. Pretty damn good! Came with a small salad also. Just beer and wine which is disappointing since I prefer to drink myself into a stupor when eating Italian. Oh well, I'll sneak in a flask from the 7-11 next door next time
(4)Christine V.
Great pizza restaurant right off the freeway in Mountain View. The outdoor patio is very cute and cozy and perfect on a nice night. We had the Bocce Ballz which were pretty good, lots of yummy melted cheese. I preferred the pizza though. The pizza by the slice is the perfect size, not too small and not too big. They serve beer and wine and Smirnoff Ice. The service was very friendly and we were made to feel comfortable. I will definitely return!
(4)Tina A.
I'll admit their pizzas are pretty good (I've had them to-go), but the other items they offer are not their forte. The angel hair carbonara I ordered was flavorless - even after topping it with a mountain of parmesan - and the tiramisu, which you know from my profile is my favorite dessert, was more of a cake, with an almond taste to it...not authentic at all.
(3)Jason H.
To be honest, the pizza isn't great (it's pretty bland). BUT, the Bocce Balls are tasty and super filling and they have Sierra Nevada. The ambience inside is pretty nice, albeit a little dark, but I prefer to sit outside. The gelato looks delicious but I've yet to try it. I'll update this entry once I've tried it. I noticed some specials today that sounded promising -- spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, scallops over fettuccini alfredo, and ... uh ... something else that sounded OK. As a bonus for some people, there is a Starbuck's a few doors down.
(4)jazzy l.
Flatbread pizza. We got the $10 pizza which is half cooked (they heat it up for you). Artichoke, feta, red onion. Not that crispy at all. There's not much dining eatery around this plaza so this is a considered a fancy sit-in pizza place. They serve illy coffee too! Pizza Antica (Santana Row) has the better flat bread pizza I have tried so far out here in the bay area.
(2)Katherine B.
Preface: The food is 5 stars. It is terrific. From the bocce balls to the assorted pizzas to the tiramsu and cannolis, the food is hard to beat. The service for a large group, however, leaves a lot to be desired and is the reason for the 1 star overall. We decided to do a little something different for our wedding rehearsal dinner. We are both huge pizzas fans and this place has both delicious pizza and a classy feel. We met with the manager, Chris, about six weeks before our scheduled date and set up a menu, timing and the way the tables and food were to be set-up/presented. We arrived at the exact time we stated we would be there to a small bit of confusion. There was a long table set-up outside, but not enough seating for our entire party of 35 people (this was not how we agreed the space would be set-up). There was confusion about the open bar and what was to be made available to our guests. The heat lamps outside were all out of fuel and an employee was sent off to get more propane while we clustered together for warmth. Once the lamps were fixed we settled down at our tables and were served salad, but not the type that we had ordered. We went with it. After waiting 45 minutes we went to inquire where the appetizers were and were told we had not ordered any. At that moment the manager realized we were not the party she thought we were, though how a party of 35 is confused for another party when all other parties in the restaurant had fewer than eight people total is a bit hard to comprehend. The correct food was then made and delivered to our tables but instead of splitting up the larger orders of appetizers and different types of pizza like discussed, they were all placed at the half of the table closest to the door, leaving half of our party with no access to food since the long table also was difficult to get out from. It was clear halfway through the dinner that the restaurant had stuffed up quite badly and they tried to recover, but it was a pretty miserable experience which made us question if we had ordered enough food for our wedding the next day and only imagine how things could go so wrong. Again, the food was quite great and I encourage people to go to the restaurant and try it, but if you are having a party larger than 10 I can say I would absolutely look elsewhere as they clearly can't prepare adequately for such, even when plans have been made and recorded six weeks beforehand.
(1)nastasha s.
Very surprised on how high this place is rating. I am not a food snob of any sort but i am very big on service and presentation. Went here with a few of my co-workers for some quick lunch gelatos (oour usual spot was not open yet and we were on a time crunch). WHAT A MISTAKE! the gelatos were not only terrible but the consistency sucked, they literally served it to me and before i even sat down, it was melted. They gave me another one, of a different flavor and the same thing happened. If i wanted that gelato i would've had to drink it. The same thing happened to the 10+ other people around me, all with different flavors. They need to keep the gelatos cooler. When i said something the second time they just told me 'thats just how some of them are'. OKAY! Yikes. Plus, the girl (idk if she was the manager) with fake eyebrows, was complaining very loudly about the large group of people we brought because apparently a large party was coming soon. RUDE!!! The staff there rushed us out of there and didn't even apologize for the inconvenience. If you guys didn't want to make 100+ dollars on nasty gelatos, you could've said something. WILL NEVER GO BACK. PS Got a major headache after just tasting 2 of the gelatos there...or maybe it was from all the commotion they were causing due to our 'large' group of people.
(1)Diana L.
One would think being located right across the street from the movie theater it would have been packed on a Saturday night. Nope, dead as a doornail. We needed a quick bite before going into watch Inception (which was weird, btw) so we walked over here and ordered a spaghetti with clams and mahi mahi. The spaghetti itself did not have a big portion but instead came with a surprising amount of clams. The flavor however, severely lacked in this traditional Italian dish. The clams were not as fresh as i would have liked but weren't terribly overdone either. My boyfriend lamented that the mahi mahi was overdone. So overall, the food was very disappointing but perhaps their pizza is better since it is a pizza place. The best part? The soft, fluffy focaccia-style bread that arrived at the beginning.
(2)Michele P.
We stumbled upon this place out of the blue one day for lunch, and it was PACKED, so we decided to see what all the hubub was all about. Three of us shared the sausage, onion, and bell pepper pizza, and the fourth ordered the seafood ravioli. A quiet hum came over the table as we began eating--the pizza tastes just like it does in Italy (SO GOOD), and my friend inhaled her ravioli. The five stars is definitely for the food: the service can be hit or miss (we've been a few times now), but the staff is really nice, which always helps. My advice is to early if you want to get out of there in a reasonable amount of time. Did I mention the bread they serve before the meal? I usually try to stay away from such trappings, but let me just tell you--the bread is divine and totally worth the calories. I can't speak for the delivery, which I hear is rather sketchy (at best), but if you want an authentic, delicious pizza served with (really) cold beer, this is a great spot. No, it's not cheap, but remind me the last time pizza was inexpensive? You'd pay the same at Round Table.
(5)Bethany P.
Went here tonight for a friend's bday dinner. It was just OK. We ordered the angel hair pasta with prawns and the sausage, pepper and onion pizza. The pasta was pretty good, but the pizza was a bit of a disappointment. A little burned on the bottom - and it wasn't the traditional round pizza - was a rectangle shape. The waiter was nice, but unfortunately, did not refill our waters once during the 2 hours we were there. On the positive side, they have an outdoor dining area in the back of the restaurant which is really nice. Perfect for a warm evening dinner. Only beer and wine here. Oh, and champagne (on the menu), except they were out of it. They also have gelato...so I think if I were to come back, it might just be for the gelato and the patio :) (At least there's another gelato place to support other than the one downtown mountain view which charges an arm and a leg just because he can. ie, no competition).
(3)Christina M.
The service is good, but the food is mediocre. They charge wayyyyyy to much...$10 for a salad? Really? I guess it boils down to remembering that Pizzeria Venti is actually a franchise...despite the fancy outdoor seating and wine menu, you can get all that at a Pizza Hut, too...so at least they try! It's right near my work, they're always smiling, and i'm too lazy to buy the salad fixins' or pasta to make my own ravioli (or whatever) so sometimes i'll pay the $10 :D
(3)Lyn L.
I had always seen this place whenever I was going to the Cheryl Burke studio, but I never really had a reason to stop by, that is until last Friday. I met up with a couple of friends for dinner here before I had to go across the street to the studio. One of the first things our server asked us is if we needed to be somewhere at a certain time. Thankfully he did so, because I had to be across the street in an hour and 15 minutes. He said they get a lot of patrons who go see movies after dinner, so they like to make sure people have enough time to finish their food and still make it to their movie. There was quite a selection to choose from on their menu. I decided to go with the Chicken Venti Timpanini. It's basically a stuffed pizza pie and it comes with a side of green salad. When it came out it was huge! It had chicken, artichoke hearts, mushroom and cheese inside. I found it to be a little too watery, but that was probably due to the alfredo sauce. Other than that, it tasted great. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was and the service was great. Our server got us out on time. It's too bad we didn't have enough time to try their homemade gelato, but I guess that just means we'll have to come back again.
(4)Yuki K.
So, I've been here a few times. Interior is upscale, which is why the food prices are so high. Food isn't bad but not worth paying so much. I guess they get customers due to their convenient location near the movies and Shoreline. Staff is always nice. However, the owner -- who will be nice to any customer's face, so don't be fooled -- treats them terribly. I've earned my money the hard way -- often when working for somebody like this -- so I choose to spend it elsewhere. Her attitude and lack of trust says more about her than it does about her staff. It's not exactly a high-crime area, so ask yourself what's with all the video cameras.
(1)Alan J.
This is one of the best places to get food on this side of Mountain View. Really great if you want to have a sit down dinner before going to a movie or dancing in the area across Shoreline. The atmosphere is rather relaxed. Despite the decor on the nicer side, you wouldn't feel too far out of place here if you showed up in jeans and a T-shirt. The staff has always been friendly. The food is really good, and very well proportioned for the price you pay.
(5)stacy r.
My friend and I were out this past Friday night to see a band at the Sports Bar. We had not eaten dinner and were starving. The Sports Bar has a menu but they stop serving food at 9:00pm, including appetizers, even though they are open until 1:00am. Alas, we arrived at 9;00 with plans to eat there but could not. So, we walked across the street to Pizzeria Venti. It was my first time there, although my friend had eaten there before and said it the food was good. Our food was... outstanding...the best I've had in a while. My friend and I shared the mushroom soup and the apple salad. I had mushroom ravioli and my friend ordered a seafood pasta. They also served fresh baked bread. All of the food was delicious...great flavor, freshness, texture. I would highly recommend this restaurant and would definitely return again. I do not give 5 stars lightly!
(5)Sam K.
This place just keeps getting better and better. The atmosphere is very warm and homey. The service is super friendly/family like. But it is the amazing food that puts Pizzeria Venti, soon to be more aptly named La Cucina Venti, over the top. Tonight I had the best scallops of my life over an amazing savory sauce of veggies and grilled asparagus. The orange fennel salad was fresh and unique. My wife's chicken marsala dish was nicely seasoned and completely disappeared from her plate - and she usually shares with me. Dessert was a cup of blackberry gelati. A perfect meal at a fair price. The bocce balls are a fun indulgent appetizer. Don't let the neighboring Quizno's and 7-11 scare you off.
(5)Rachel S.
I'm never going here again. The service was not that great. Our server forgot to bring our drinks until after our soup arrived. About 30 seconds after our soup was served, the entrees hit the table. Not very well timed. We ordered the minestrone soup and it was more like vegetable soup. There were no noodles - only large chunks of vegetables, including broccoli and potatoes. I was expecting some type of bean, but was mostly navigating the broccoli chunks in my soup. I ordered the bruschetta and it almost gagged me. I wasn't sure if I was tasting garlic, vinegar, or basil overload, but it was terrible. For an entree we had the tortellini with marinara sauce and it was so so. Something I could have heated up from a frozen dinner at Trader Joes on my own. We will not be back.
(1)Ken R.
Ah - Bella, Bella. The owner of Pizzeria Venti is exceptional. She is a great host, and eating at Pizzeria Venti is a true treat. The menu at Pizzeria Venti is pretty eclectic, and there have been some recent additions to the menu. Previously, I would have leaned towards a 4-star rating, but the recent additions have hit the spot. As well, the restaurant has matured after starting up a couple of years ago. The interior is spacious and if the weather is nice, the patio works really well despite being somewhat close to the busy Shoreline Boulevard. I find some of the butter sauce pastas to be a little too rich for my taste, but some of my collegues swear by them. The pastas with red sauce are really nice. I had been going with the Spaghetti & Meatballs previously (I know boring), but now my personal favorite is the Chicken Marsala. The mashed potatoes kick ass. Once again, I give the highest rating to Venti partially based on the fact that the owner Bella is a star herself.
(5)Jessica C.
After reading the reviews, I wan to know where everyone was really eating? First of all the service was super slow for lunch. We were one of the last tables still sitting there while the place was empty. I'd give service a 2.5 star. As for the food, we started out with the bruscetta- nothing to write home about. The Bocce Meatballs were a hit with the table and I would recommend that as a starter. I had the seafood ravioli - ate 2 pieces and called it a day, no to-go box. Enough said. Overall, i give this place a 2.5 star for overall food and service. I will not be coming back.
(2)Jeremy C.
Incompetent delivery! OK, I've gotta write a review to counter some of the positive reviews, some of which I think may be unfounded. The food is decent if a bit expensive. We've ordered a few times, and it's always tasted fine. Don't bother with the delivery. Every time we order delivery the guys get lost. They don't have a GPS and don't seem to know Google Maps, paper maps, or have any first hand knowledge of the area. I always get a call for directions, and the driver never speaks enough English to understand the directions I try in vain to give. And then tonight, after 3x the usual directional ordeal, ending with the guy getting a personal assist from Sunnyvale PD to point him in the right direction, he literally turned the pizza box+warmer vertical while getting it out of his car, while I'm standing right there, and then when I opened the box to show him what he had done, he tried to say the kitchen must have made a mistake. I sent the food all back with him (if he found his way back anyway) and ate leftovers instead. The manager was nice enough about apologizing etc.; she said they sent a bus boy out for the delivery. Maybe so, but I just have a hard time fathoming how it could be so bad. Color me disappointed (and pizzaless).
(1)Bob M.
Always have great food here. Quite and usually very easy to get a table. Love their pizza and gelatto. Service has always been friendly and professional. Great for a nice dinner before a movie across the street.
(4)Mimi P.
Great service. We played two games of Lasertag at neighboring Laserquest and headed over to Pizzeria Venti. You get 20% discount with your scorecard from Laserquest. We ordered two pan pizzas - one cheese and one pepperoni. The pizza was ok. The pizza comes in a rectangular pan. The crust was a little soggy, but the sauce was good. The atmosphere was really nice. It is hidden in a corner section of the shopping are by a 7-eleven
(3)John P.
From a taste perspective I'm still loving this place and I'm very happy with the service but there are a few initial errors that have been cropping up from time to time with missing ingredients in some of the dishes. They are more than happy to fix orders and for that I'm sticking with four stars which is definitely good and above normal, but less mistakes need to be made for five stars. There was also a night when we arrived just before closing time and originally were told that it's no problem but then suddenly the cook had already gone home. Dude. There are four of you. How does someone like a cook go home for the evening before closing without saying goodbye to the other three? Being that this means you are going to be cleaning his kitchen? Just tell me that it's closing time and you'd prefer not to sit us which is why I asked. I still love the place, but my infatuation has waned.
(4)Lauren M.
I have to update this review because I think I was being stingy on my first review, and I find myself craving their pasta dishes on a weekly basis. The Rosetto sauce on the tortellini is so delicious! That is definitely my favorite dish. Also, they recently changed up their bread- now they serve bread and butter which they make themselves. Definitely better than the old stuff. I've been here with big groups (15-30) and service has been very good. They also do catering which is convenient if you have an office party or something like that - have done that too and it's worked out well. In short, the food is excellent and the servers are friendly. I definitely am a fan of Venti's.
(4)Jason L.
Went here with high hopes, being a real pizza fan and fond in particular of places like Amicis and Pizza Antiqua. Location was good, as I was taking the wife to see District 9 at Century 16. Anyway the pizza was vastly dissapointing, with cheese outshone by the 5 lb bags or mozzarella from Costco, sauce of no note and unimpressive crust. Pasta, in this case clam spaghetti, was average at best. Bread was utterly lame, more like Sara Lee or Wonderbread than real Italian. Service was good, with waiters really doing their best, but the food was a real let down, particularly disappointing when the nice decor and high price are considered. Plenty of Italian places with better and cheaper food, go to any of them instead.
(2)Ben B.
Probably more like a two and a half in my opinion, but whatever. Anyway, I went with a group from the synagogue I attend after seeing a film at the Jewish film festival. Great film, though I wish I could say the same about the meal here. I got a caprese salad and mushroom ravioli. The "caprese" was a complete disgrace. Having been in Italy, I can say this "caprese" was a travesty. First of all, it shouldn't include any greens (techincally a caprese has just mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, with maybe some olive oil and/or pepper). Still, the greens were fresh, so not too bad. But it had dressing. I thought they meant some balsamic and olive oil. But what they meant was the standard "balsamic" vinaigrette which you buy at any supermarket. It was just wrong, nothing more to be said. The ravioli were similarly mediocre. They tasted like the only thing in the sauce was cream, and not even particularly fresh. What the dish lacked in quality it made up for in quantity, but even that is pointless when the dish isn't worth eating. The spinach dip appetizer was very nice, but unfortunately when they took our appetizer plates (and silverware) away, they forgot to give us new silverware until we reminded them. Not impressed. Maybe the pizza is good. Other pasta dishes were good (or so people said).
(2)Monica S.
We took the team out for pizza after the game and everything worked out well. The only wait we had on a Saturday night was waiting for the tables to be re-configured to accommodate our large party. The pizzas were nice (4 people = 1 large and ranged from $20-28). Our server proved to be competent by keeping water glasses and sodas refilled. Personally, my favorite is still Pizza My Heart (their Pesto Pizza is better, too), but this pizzeria just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Next time I'm in Mountain View, I'll give the other menu items a try.
(4)Jane D.
Sun does shine on the right side of a Pepperoni pizza sometimes. We were hungry and Quizno's was closed. The choices were Pizzaria Venti or 7--11. Although, 7-11 was damn near tempting, we decided to go with the pizza place. We ordered to go. We picked two slices of pizza from the counter and waited for them to be heated up. I am able type and eat pizza at the same time because there is virtually no pizza grease on my slice. I got pepperoni too. Friends, this is not your $1.50 Costco Pizza, its a few more bucks than that. But the point is, its a good pizza and you won't be disappointed. The best part of the evening was when Richard Simmons ran in and yelled this is the best place on earth. He looked like a regular. This guy was in tennis shoes, short shorts, and had a huge head of hair. Like Richard Simmons, the resemblance was uncanny. He looked like a regular and the guys who worked there apparently knew what he wanted to order. He seemed like a really happy customer if not a famous fitness instructor.
(4)Melanie N.
Love this place, great service and the food is always wonderful. Bocce Balls are my favorite. Highly recommend this for your business lunch or romantic dinner
(5)Rachel C.
Ate here tonight after striking the booth at the festival. Was starving. Vegetarian deep dish pizza was great. Don't think it was because I was sooooooo hungry. I just think it was really good. I didn't try anything else, but one of my friends had a salad that was huge and looked yummy and really fresh. He too had a deep dish pizza . . . . . cleaned both of his plates. Far more food than I could possibly eat. GRADE: "A" FOR FOOD. The service was quick and friendly. We were checked on regularly to see if we needed more drinks or anything else. GRADE: "A+" FOR SERVICE. All in all it was a good, not fantastic, but really GOOD eating experience. I definitely will go back here the next time I'm down in Mountain View.
(5)Kim N.
South Carolina Chain offering Timpani, Pasta, Soups, Salads and of course Pizza. Saw this place when it was under construction because we were checking out the Kwiki Mart next door. Well we've returned and found some weird dichotomies to it. First it's built out like a sit down restaurant. Nice furniture, beautiful space. However what they offer is more akin to fast food. You order at the front, where they have pizzas by the slice or pan, get a number and they bring you your food. We had the meatballs, spinach/ricotta timpani and cheese ravioli. Unfortunately everything turned out to be lukewarm and had to be sent back for reheating. The meatballs were tasty, the timpani was ok but the ravioli wasn't all that great. Some of the servers were really nice but the checkout girl seemed pretty disinterested. Not sure if it's worth returning or not because the food's not all that spectacular but it might be an alternative to the theater food if you're catching a flick.
(3)Rovie A.
I went here again to get some gelato after lunch. I can now say that their gelato, pizza, and service is good. The only issue I still have with this place is with the cashier. Last time they overcharged me and this time it took 10 minutes to pay for gelato to go! They really need to fix their issue with the cashier, maybe get multiple cashiers instead of just one. And Rachelle, I'm sorry if you think my review is "rude" but I have a right to state my opinion on Yelp. Also, I don't think it's good for you to harass your customers on Yelp. Recently I had a conversation with Bella, the owner, and I'm glad to see that she's reading the Yelp reviews and is aware of the issues regarding Pizzeria Venti. It's great that they are paying attention to Yelp reviews.
(2)Eric D.
We had lunch there with colleagues from the office. While the food was great, service for a medium sized group during lunch time wasn't impressive. The walnut & honey pizza was a big hit with everyone. Definitely a good place to grab a different kind of pizza with a spot up the scale of local pizzerias.
(3)Juliet C.
If you are a party of 2 or of a party of 13 Pizzeria Venti is great! When we have come as a party of 2 we were happy with the large table and great service- outside is nice but Shoreline can be a busy street. As a party of 13 there was something for everyone and the service was great- one entree took extra time but the gave us some complimentary sangria. We brought a cake and they were great about lighting the candles and bringing it to the table and there was no extra charge!
(4)Nancy C.
MEH. It's a nice spot to eat w/o having to deal with Castro parking... but the pizza was really cheesy, not very "saucy-y", and its all thin crust. The service was good, but I'm not dying to go back nor would i refuse to go if somebody invited me. But... it has gelato!
(3)S F.
Great place to eat out on the patio area if you don't mind average food. The pizza is very expensive and not all that great which is doesnt speak well for a pizzeria.
(2)Laura C.
I have eaten in Pizzeria Venti about half a dozen times by now. It has good food and excellent service. If you tell them you're in a hurry and trying to catch a movie across the street they are wonderful about getting you in and out quickly. If you want to eat more leisurely they are happy to let you take your time too. The pasta is good and the gelato is fantastic! I definitely recommend this place :)
(4)Chris M.
We stopped by on our way to Dave Matthews Band @ the shoreline. Having had nothing all day we were starving and did not want to get gouged at the Amphitheater, so my girlfriend and I stopped @ Pizzeria Venti. The place is hidden and is rather small. They have your standard Italian fare Pasta, Pizza, Calzones, etc. The prices are in the moderate range and meal portions are about average, they are still filling, and taste good as well. Definitely a good alternative to the hot-dogs and cheeseburgers found at the shoreline.
(3)Tracey Lee D.
I have been here twice now. The first time was a few months ago, and so they were still brand-spanking new. There were a few customers in there, but it seemed pretty empty despite the full parking lot outside. I was greeted by a very friendly man who was happy to tell me all about the menu. I wound up getting a slice of the feta and onion pizza, I was contemplating getting two slices, and just went for one, and I am glad that I did because this pizza is expensive! I hadn't even looked at the prices as I was talking with the guy and all. He rang me up and my eyeballs just about popped out of my head. The slice is about 4x6, and it was $4.75. That's a damn pricey piece of pie. Granted, it was good, but not worth the price. If the slice was twice the size, I would have been fine with that. Anyway, I found myself starving on the way from a meeting at one of my facilities back to the other one. I needed to eat immediately, and I could not stomach fast food. I recalled the area around this place having a few options, so I stopped by again. I just really got an amazing craving for pizza, so despite my prior experience, I went again. At 4 pm on a Thursday, the place was EMPTY, however there was some bustle in the kitchen. A different man greeted me this time, but again, very friendly. I had forgotten just how expensive everything was, and since I was starving, opted for something other than a slice of pizza, since I would have had to buy about 4 slices to satisfy my hunger. Speaking with the man about their vegetarian option, he steered me to the timpanini, their "stuffed pizza pie." I got the three cheese and herb to go, and I asked for Alfredo sauce on the side. It took a good ten minutes for my food to be ready, and I am not sure if they were making a whole new one or if they were just heating it, but I didn't really care as I was about to pass out from hunger. I got my food and was walking to my car, planning on eating a few bites before driving back to work. I got a whiff of marinara sauce, and quickly opened the box when I got in my car. To my dismay, my timpanini was smothered in marinara sauce, which I had specifically said I did not like nor want. Yuck and sigh. I made it back to my work without passing out, and then removed as much of the marinara as possible. The timpanini was good, despite the lingering and offending sauce. At $7.75, it was filling and just about worth it. If someone else was paying, I would be happy to eat their food, but they are just a bit too pricey for what you get. I might try a salad one day, but I have no overwhelming desire to go back.
(3)Courtney S.
My (now) husband and I hosted our rehearsal dinner here for about 60 people the night before our wedding. We had a great experience with Pizzeria Venti! We worked with Bella and Alex to set up the reservation and to choose our menu. They were both really nice and provided excellent service, even letting us come in for a complimentary tasting in order to help us choose the menu for our event. The restaurant provided the entire back patio for our party, which was great. There was even an accordion player for ambiance. More importantly, the food is FANTASTIC! We had a buffet set up with chicken marsala, lasagna and mushroom ravioli, and bruschetta and stuffed portobello mushrooms for appetizers. All of it was delicious. We learned it is difficult to find an affordable restaurant at which to host a rehearsal dinner with 60 people on a Friday night. Many places simply don't have space for that many people. After much searching, we were thrilled to come across Pizzeria Venti and highly recommend the restaurant. My husband and I will definitely be back for date night!
(5)katie s.
This place is AMAZING! I was first introduced to it by a friend who is super picky, so I knew it had to be great - and I'm not disappointed. I've been here about 10 times now for lunch and dinner. Each time I've been warmly welcomed, graciously served, and left happy! Bocce Balls are D-lish! Pizzas are generously sized and perfectly prepared. Love the pear, cheese, walnut, and honey pizza! Salads are fresh and HUGE. For two, a personal pizza and a salad to split is perfect. Great bar selection. Outstanding service. Outdoor patio is really nice.
(5)Amaris D.
Loved the atmosphere. Loved the Staff. Loved the food! I will reccommend this place to everyone. The pizza is soooo good! I hope to go back and try the gelato yummm!
(5)KW T.
Went here for lunch with some coworkers since it's close to work and just opened. Had a slice of the Everything - Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, & Onion. Despite that title, the slice doesn't have much topping on it. It was average, the best ingredient being the sausage. At $5 for that slice though, it's pricy for what you get. For that price, you can get full on a La Bamba regular burrito with pollo asado! Service was slow, it took over 20 minutes to get 3 slices of pizza. Was expecting faster service since the pizza was already out front and just needed to be heated. Don't plan a return visit.
(2)Kate R.
I agree with Nancy R. The pizza is alway luke-warm and caked with cheese. I find it odd that i have to actually ask to have the pizza heated. I'm only giving three stars because the service is decent and the gelato is fabulous. My coworkers like this place, but for me it's just a notch above "ok".
(3)C. T.
Ate here with a couple of friends after seeing a movie across the street. Have never before had gorgonzola and walnut pizza, but it was tasty enough. The bus person continually came by to fill our drinks - maybe that's the norm, but I was impressed by her thoroughness.
(3)Aparna B.
I had a slice of their pizza and the ginger gelato ..yum yum yum, just what I needed after 2 weeks of salads and water !
(4)Debbie M.
We had a late lunch here yesterday after seeing a movie at the theaters across Shoreline. We were pleasantly impressed. The place was nice and comfortable on a cold and rainy day. The food came out in a reasonable time and was nice and hot. i had the angel hair pasta which was a little salty for my taste and my husband had pizza which he devoured. I would order my dish again, but would ask for it w/o salt.
(4)Dorit K.
I had lunch there today. We've decided to give it a try since it's open for quite a long time and we haven't been there. We got there at 1pm, the place was almost empty. It's very impressive inside, it seems that they spent a lot of money in decorating the place. Our waitress was new, she got confused and everything went wrong with her, but we got to meet the owner Bella who is a lovely woman who compensated us for that We ordered two soups: Minestrone and the white Italian beans and a pizza (half of the Del Giornio which was blue cheese,mozzarella and nuts with honey and tomato sauce. Half was onion, mushrooms, chicken and black olives). After placing the order, someone came and said that they don't have the beans soup (bummer). We indeed got the other soup after 10 minutes. The soup was great, one of the best I had. The pizza took about 20 minutes to back. We got one half as expected, one half with bacon (and we asked up front if there is bacon). Our waitress was so confused. The owner who sat next to us offered to fix it at no cost, and also got us another soup for free. The pizza arrived and it was good. The dough was different then others I know, it was sweeter but thin as I like. The combination of the honey, nuts and cheeses was perfect. We ended up paying half of the bill actually, about $20, which was a perfect deal. However, I'm not sure I would pay $14+14 bucks for two halves of their pizza. They definitely need to fix their service but the food is good. I will give them another chance. If you happen to be there, try to catch Bella, the owner. She listens to your comments, she is very open and very nice.
(4)Deborah F.
I had a not so good experience the first time I went there but decided it was worth another & I am glad I did. My coworkers & I ordered pizza and we really enjoyed it. The owner Bella came over to greet us and inquired how we liked our choices. I will definately make a point to come back. We were there on a Friday & it was very busy but service was excellent & they were very accomodating. I give it 4 stars for food & service.....
(4)Tall D.
Great food, especially for the price. Better pasta than you will find on Castro St. Very consistent, in my experience. The owner is very nice. The one star reviews here are absurd!
(5)Kristen H.
Wow!!! I wish I could give more than 5 stars!!!! Although I have walked by this restaurant dozens of times, I never tried it because I have a short lunch break. I assumed it was only dine-in because of the ambiance, but after finding out they do food to go I decided to give them a try. I feel compelled to write a review because I am SUPER IMPRESSED by the incredible customer service! I literally have never received better customer service in any other restaurant. I was treated like a queen from the moment I walked in! The staff was friendly and courteous, the manager introduced himself to me, and while I was waiting for my food (I ordered "to go") restaurant staff set up a chair just for me next to a table, gave me a complimentary drink, and complimentary warm fresh bread. Since I had to take it to go, they anticipated that I may have to do that in the future and gave me a to go menu so that I can phone ahead next time. I felt like a queen the whole time I was there! Best lunch break ever! Now that I back in the office and actually eating my food, it is super yummy!!! I will be going back to Pizzeria Venti in the near future for lunch again, and probably use them to cater an event too! 5+ stars!!!
(5)Janette L.
We have eaten here several times and have always left happy. The service is consistently friendly, eating in or taking out. The quality and preparation of food is excellent. This last visit we ordered the calamari and it is the best I have ever tasted. The waiter said the squid is freshly filleted in house. The seasoned coating is light, perfectly spiced and the accompanying sauces delicious. The pizzas are great and the salads fresh. It's the perfect combination of good food and good service.
(5)Erin P.
We had a large event here and I was very happy with everything from food to customer service. I never write reviews online and the service here was so outstanding I thought I would write my first one! The staff treated us as if we were family and the owner went out of her way to work with our budget for this event and upgrade our food choices for free! Thank you, thank you to Pizzeria Venti! It was so yummy and nice!
(4)R S.
My wife and I stopped by late one Saturday afternoon - halfway between lunch and dinner - (is that linner?). We had no idea that the place existed and we had no preconceptions. At any rate, we shared a salad and each had a slice of pizza and then we decided to have the ginger gelato. We loved everything. The dressing on the salad. Both of the slices of pizza. The gelato. Seriously, everything was top notch. There was no one in the joint, but as I mentioned, it was an odd time. Despite the fact that the place is 15 miles or so from where we live, we have made a pact to go there again and get more dinner-style food because we enjoyed the linner so much.
(4)E L.
Our experience was only so-so, but could have been because we had a large group, mostly made up of kids. I had communicated with one of the staff extensively the 2 preceding weeks because we were planning a BD party for my 11 year old, to consist of a movie across the street, followed by dinner at Pizzeria Venti. They were nice enough to make a reservation for the outside patio (not enough room inside), and the kids enjoyed running around outside while waiting, but the customer service was significantly sub-par. We had to continually flag down staff to get the basics and to order, they lost my order twice, and I ended up eating after most of the guests had left already, and the outside set-up was less than ideal. They said they had run out of gas, so the gas lamps didn't work, which was OK at first, but the evening got pretty chilly. The lighting was poor. The food was decent, but a bit overpriced. Not sure if the experience would have been different with a smaller group, inside the restaurant, but wouldn't recommend this for a larger group.
(3)Denise F.
We LOVE Venti's. Period. I have eaten here a half dozen times with both colleagues and my fiance. The service is always so good and they make a special, personal effort to ensure that we are happy every step of the way (thanks, Monico!). The food is delish. I had the Linguini Leonardo last night and really enjoyed it. My dish was simply grilled chicken, spinach and mushrooms in a lovely lemon garlic caper sauce. Their focaccia bread and spread before dinner is wonderful...served warm and melts in your mouth. The location is definitely odd, given that it's in a mini-mall next to Starbucks and 7-11, however, once you're in the restaurant, you forget about location and it's all about the inner ambience, service and food. Do not forget the gelato at the end of your meal. We tried both the tiramisu and the strawberry cheesecake last night. To die for...... I see that some people think their prices are too high. Is $14.00 too much for a pasta dish? $10 for a salad? Let's face it, overall prices in the Bay Area are high. I think they are priced perfectly for a lovely meal.
(5)Joan G.
The pizza was good - good crust, fresh ingredients. I ordered a slice with a side salad, but the salad was big, and cost $5.00. The whole order came to over $12.00. In summary, the food was good quality, but a bit overpriced. It would be good if there were lunch specials (such as a slice and a small salad for $6.00)
(3)Indira M.
I went there when they first open and they had Excellent pizza, meatballs and gelato!!! When I went there they had excellent service! But, I just went there recently 5/14/08 because I was craving pizza. My choice for this place went down. The pizza was not good - The flavors of the pizza went down! I just didn't get that fresh taste of sauce, cheese and dough on the pizza (mind you I got the meatball/green bell peppers and sausage). However the service was excellent so 2 stars for that.
(2)Net b.
I've been here several times and the food is delicious (although the calzone is too salty). The service is usually good here but today it was not. The waiter forgot several things, seemed apathetic and unenthusiastic, and didn't apologize for a series of errors. But overall, the place is great and we'll definitely be back!
(4)Ripal S.
I went there for dinner one evening and the place is quite elegant. The food was exceptional and quite delicious. All the people who work there are friendly and professional. My waiter, whose name I believe was Eric, was EXCEPTIONALLY amazing. He kept checking on my table without asking and made sure me and my friends were taken care of. Restaurants usually have mediocre service where the waiter seems to not care. Service is a big part of eating at a restaurant, and this restaurant nailed it. I would definitely go back again.
(5)C W.
This place is very reasonable priced. The food was fresh and well cooked & presented. We will definitely be going back here...
(5)Mar V.
I'm Italian and I've frequented this place for a few years. The atmosphere is great, it's a great place to have a large dinner party if you like to avoid the annoying crowds. What I like about PV is it has something for everyone: Patio, Bar, TV, Gelato, Good Meals, Pizza and the space to hold it all, comfortably. It's more modern and more intimate than Maggianos. Their clams, pesto and spinach salad with mango are all delicious.
(5)Ram G.
Good ambiance and excellent pizza. I would go again.
(4)Irina V.
Love this place. Salads are awesome, pastas are are delicious and always fresh. I work for GetQuik ( getquik.com ) they are on our good list for our corporate clients. Very nice place to have lunch with coworkers and friends.
(5)Farmer G.
I rarely ever go out of my way to write a review based on a negative experience. But, today, I had the worst culinary experience of my life at this restaurant. My friends and I take lunch at Pizzeria Venti twice a week. And two of us order the Linguine Leonardo. We both like it.. its been very good and fairly consistent. Today, we went there and we got sat right after a large party. The waiter asked us what we wanted to drink and we just ordered our food. Coffee and Linguine Leonardo. We always get the same thing. We waited 50 minutes for our food. No status updates from the waiter. Then when the food comes we both looked down at the meal we had waited so long for and it looked barely anything like the dish it normally was. The chicken looked like they had taken sandwich meat and sauteed it and through it in with some pasta. And the sauce that normally comes with the dish was completely left out. It wasnt even there. So imagine eating watery linguine with tomatoes and really mediocre chicken. We were both very upsed that were being treated this way. We *were* very regular customers. Seriously.. 1-2 visits per week. When he asked us what we thought about the food we both, without hesitation literally told the man that it was horrible. I have never said that to a waiter ever. I am normally very tolerant. But the food truly was horrible. And he just said "Sorry we are kind of busy". No attempts to try fix things with us. So I told him he had just lost two regular customers permanently. And they have. I will never set foot in that restaurant again. Nor will the people I take to lunch weekly. The service has gone down hill and today they have hit bottom. If anyone asks my opinion about this restaurant, they will get an earful. Guaranteed.
(1)Brian G.
WOW- I'm shocked by the reviews on yelp. I've always had extremely good service and food from Pizzeria Venti. I work close by and have enjoyed lunch here multiple times. Yes the place is totally empty but the pizza I have had has always been very good and the service has been great. I think they are still trying to work out some of the "newly opened bugs."
(5)Benjamin S.
It's a shame this place is so well hidden. In a better location it could really thrive. The atmosphere is nice. The food here is great. Even the salads are tasty with huge portions and decently priced. We loved the Bocci Ball appetizers. Most of all I have to say that the staff was very attentive and helpful. I've gone back to this place twice in as many weeks.
(4)Beth F.
I stepped into Pizzeria Venti and heard the soothing tones of Frank Sinatra and appreciated the genuine sense of peace inherent in the place. There were only two other customers when I went inside, and I was promptly seated and served my Greek salad. I received a generously sized portion of lettuce, olives, red peppers, feta, onions, and pepperoncini drizzled with tangy vinegar and other seasonings. I definitely think I got my $9 worth of salad without feeling stuffed or even deprived. I was treated very cordially throughout my entire visit, and they didn't have any issues with me reading a book at the table or savoring the bites of salad. I'd definitely recommend it to someone looking for a quiet refuge, or someone looking to avoid the traffic before heading south. Mmm!
(4)Wendy G.
If I could have given fewer stars, I would have! We were completely disappointed. $30 for a rectangle of undercooked bread with a bit of tomato and cheese on it? No wonder we were the only people there! By far the worst pizza I've had in the last year -- and that's saying something!
(1)Merry D.
I got a response from the owner/manager - apologizing for the noisiness and very sweet about it! Never are we always at our best, and I believe Pizzeria Venti has more to offer than I experienced on this particular visit. And again, the food was good (we had pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas) - would revisit to try again!
(3)Jasmine W.
my friends and i ordered a pesto pizza with chicken, strawberry-something salad, pesto ravioli, meatloaf and garlic bread. all of the food was fantastic n our server was quite friendly and thorough. only complaint was that either the napkins or tablecloth left fuzzy white lint all over my clothes as well as the 3 girls i was with. no big deal really, just a lil annoying.
(4)Ben G.
This place had flavorful pizza with a tad too much cheese on some, but pretty decent overall. The atmosphere was kind of oddly spacious and loud, but it wasn't a huge space either. Our server was kind and accommodating, but was a bit awkward at some points. I would probably go back here mostly for the close proximity to the movies.
(3)Meredith O.
This place is OK. I think its extremely overpriced and the food is just alright. I had one of their calzones that wasn't anything special, but they do have terrific potato leek soup. I have gone now a couple of times and the service is always a bit slow, but very courteous. It is nice to have a restaurant nearby that adds some variety in Mtn View.
(3)Diana L.
My husband and I live nearby, and this is a great place to go after work when you don't feel like cooking dinner. It's not fancy, but it's not pricey either. It has a pleasant atmosphere, nice people, and good food - one of our favorite Mountain View restaurants.
(5)D D.
Stopped in for lunch one day and had a great meal and friendly service. Had the calzone special with spinach salad on the side. It was very tasty.
(4)Lily S.
after watching Star Trek (good movie) me and my friends walked across the street and stopped into Pizzeria Venti. The atmosphere was really chill, and it was a nice place to enjoy good food and conversation. We all ordered pizza, the pizza wasn't too greasy and it was really delicious. I ordered a mushroom pizza and there was a heap of mushrooms on my pizza, it wasn't overwhelming or anything, it was perfect. My friends all enjoyed there's as well. The people are really friendly, and checked up on us. We also got dessert, we got ice cream, and the lemon sorbet was yummy. :]
(5)Sanjay D.
You're better off going to downtown Mtn. View before the movie then having a bad dinner here. Pizza's not that good, Pasta is mediocre and service sucks.
(1)Ginny L.
Love this place. The staff is so friendly! The pizza and salads are good. Definitely try the gelato!
(4)Suzy G.
I just came from a company event there and it was so fun! The employees at Pizza Venti were so much fun and the owner was fabulous. I would recommend having your party there. Great food and drink. Excellent service and clean and very pretty and fun place to be in. I can't wait to go back. Thanks for the great time. Our company enjoyed it very much. We will be back.
(5)Anthony C.
I'd give them a 4 for atmosphere, but 2 for value. When I order pizza by the slice, I don't expect miracles, but at $4+ a slice, I'd hope for something pretty tasty. Instead, it was mall quality or a bit below, but big enough that I wasn't fuming mad. Outdoor seating is a plus, crappy shared parking situation with Starbucks and 7-11 is not so great. Next time I'll try a sandwich or salad, I think.
(3)Ken K.
This new Pizzeria Venti just opened recently, and the sweet and sour irony of it is that it is next to three famous chains, namely *$ coffee, 7-Eleven, and Quizno's. This small complex still has some business spaces that are not yet remodeled or done. Other than a pending Dentist office, I do not smell high hopes of future glamorous and glorious food porn and smut in this area. When Google employees have to leave their Disney like faregrounds and gourmet cafeterias to eat outside, only to be surrounded by food mediocrity in general outside their compound and beyond, you can't help but wonder if they also offer and took hits of Disney-like crack. PV seems small on the outside, but when you go inside it is pretty big with lots of tables and a pseudo counter space. It's easy to get lost in the moment, when you walk in you're supposed to go to the register and order (like fast food style). The problem is that the cashier is all the way on the other side, with the gelateria counter closest to the entrance, so you would end up looking like a dummy if you walked in and waited to be seated. Not sure where the feng shui logic is here, gelati closest to the entrance and money near the kitchen? Or should money be near the entrance, or are they worried it might depart? Pizza is the main staple here, although supposedly "pan pizza". A rectangular but unspectacular slice will run you $4 to $5 depending on the topping you choose. Pasta dishes run in the $9 range, then there are soups, salads, desserts (there's a menu by the table with NO PRICES), and of course gelati. A fun thing to note is that they use a different form of currency here. Instead of pricing by $, they use "BUCKS". So a slice of pepperoni is 4 1/2 BUCKS instead of $4.50. How Sorpanically cute, when it ain't so Tony... badabing badaboom doom. Minestrone was $5 and it's just vegetable soup ya? Well just like I said in the Kingdom of Dumpling review, something simple can be interpreted so many ways. I'm more of a thick chili like meltdown pasta e fagioli MOFO consistency when it comes to Minestrone or at least has a lot of great flavors and depth even if it is not thick. Sadly PV's was while a lot of material, just seemed more watery although it had the right color. They relied too much on herbs/spices, and maybe it was chopped Italian parsley that melted into the soup, but it was just meh (something I could have made at home). I had the "special" pizza which was just cheese, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, and bell pepper. Sad to say that despite their claim that they import all the ingredients from Italy from the salt, water, flour, cheese etc, the whole effort put into and the end result it was like that of Campbell's, Boyardee, and/or Kitchen Classics putting heads together to come up with pseudo gourmet. The pizza wasn't that bad, but it was not great either. The cheese for one thing did not stretch for miles when I tried to gnaw it off the pizza, and definitely this was not like your Neopolitan wood fire oven posh classic (far from it). I'm sad to say that even Buco Di Beppo's does a much much better pan brick pizza margherita than PV. Also you pay before you sit down. That means you have no control over your waited destiny at the tables, so even if you tip in advance that does not guarantee you stellar service. Service here needs major improvement. After I got my soup, 5 minutes later the waiter asked me if my pizza came yet (which is didn't but a glance from him would have answered his own question). I never got my iced water even though the waiter had the receipt in front of him for the order checklist. So much for Asian Cheapness and not buying my own drink! Took a glance at the gelati counter. Definitely looked nothing like the primo stuff that's all over the place at virtually any gelateria in good ol' Italia at cities like Roma, Firenze, Como, Venezia, Capri, Amalfi etc. I ended up getting better service at the 7-Eleven next door getting my own drink and dessert!
(2)Carolyn P.
We had a good experience here, the waiters came often, almost too often and then stopped as they all gathered to move this big table which is fine but then they stayed together chatting after so my husband had to motion to get our waiter back as we had only 30 min before a flick. The waiter made some unneeded excuse that he had to help them which was weird as we could see that. The food was done fast and was very good. I'm thinking we will be back.
(3)Bob H.
Wandered in while waiting for my son to finish laser-tag across the street... expected nothing... ordered a slice (cheese), spaghetti meatballs, and salad for the wife. Spaghetti was good, salad good - and pizza delicious. Perfectly crispy underneath, thin but put together in sort of a Sicilian Pizza way - i.e. thick layer of cheese on top, not a lot of sauce. Very tasty, and I am a pizza snob (Giovanni's all the way for regular NY style Pizza). Clean, upscale atmosphere, nice HD TVs, good food - I'm a fan. I shall return.
(4)Topher C.
Pros: Great pasta, nice interior. Group friendly. Hi-def TV for sports. Good price (10 for lunch, 15 for dinner) Cons: Parking sucks. Meh: Pizza is ok. New wait staff. PV is really a sit-down and eat place (if you eat in). You have two options, you can order pizza by the slice, and then you go sit down. The wait staff then gets you drinks, and takes care of you for the rest of your visit. Or you can just sit. The pasta is great. Try the "Penne with Chicken and Chipotle Cream Sauce." It's warm creamy pasta with a small zing... very good. I would go back for this dish. The pizza is deep dish like, but the crust is medium thickness and not as greasy. The standard cheese pizza is a little heavy on the cheese. Crust wasn't soggy, but that's deep dish. Not much sauce. Not expensive. If you go out for lunch this is a reliable eatery. Good for groups, but you should carpool because the parking sucks. It's a little hard to find at first. It's in the back corner behind the Starbucks, Quiznos, and 7-Eleven. Just opened in late November 2007. Waiting staff is is a little new to their own menu. Hopefully that'll change as people go.
(3)Adam L.
Selected Haikus from Adam's VentiExperience: Ordered slice to go. Sausage, mushroom, green pepper Paid for one, got two! But kindly freebie Does not offset the pain of Food quite sadly vile. Cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese, Not a drop of any sauce! Tombstone for the win. Why giving *two* stars? Takeout service wasn't slow. And I didn't die. EDITED TO ADD: Just got an ALL CAPS note from a "Sam H" (with no reviews) who -- seemingly triggered by my less-than-glowing review of Pizzeria Venti -- asserted less-than-kind things about me. Anyone else find themselves in a similar spot? Just curious :)
(2)Ernestine A.
This is the place I can never remember the name but love. The atmosphere is relaxing, the service is great, the remember me and I have only been in a few times and the food is yummy. The bread they bring when you first sit down is heaven. I go here with friends from work and team members for a nice and out of the way lunch.
(4)Andy M.
A wonderful find. Tucked in a small strip mall between a Starbucks and a 7-11, this place is a hidden treasure. Tasty, generous portions, and cordial staff make this place a winner. It's pretty much across the street from the Shoreline movies, so it makes a perfect complement to a film. I had a seafood pasta that came with 10 mussels along with lots of prawns and scallops. My only regret if you could call it that is that the portion size was so big, I wouldn't have finished it if I'd ordered an appetizer. I'll have to come back again to do a small plate meal.
(4)Linh H.
Nice atmosphere, good pasta, but bad service. Pretty rude waiters and waitresses that just throw down your menus and try to get you out of there asap. They seem to judge you if you're still in your teens and watch over you with glaring eyes that you might eat and run. -_-
(3)Norma A.
This place is much more than a pizzeria! It looks small but it is actually a good size and the out door seating is nice too. I had the "Tagliolini with Shrimp and Zucchini" my friend had "Angel Hair Pasta" the dish portions are just right! Not too much, not too little... Just right... Would I return? Yes. There is so much more to try! :)
(4)Amanda K.
You would never guess from the exterior that the inside of this pizza spot is like Little Italy. My husband and I dropped in for a casual dinner one night and were blown away with the service, delicious food, quality experience.
(5)watani f.
came here, like many, before heading to the rock the bells festival at shoreline. my mission was to find something to eat close by to shoreline that's not going to rape me like shoreline will. 1st thought was a 2 vege slices with a tall glass of water shall hold me all day and into the night. then i looked at the prices for slices. $4.25 for cheese, $4.75 for vege. crap, for a slice and no deep dish option? so, cut back a slice and make that 2 glasses of water. gotta be smart with my money. when the nephew and i got our slices, they were served on a hot plate steel looking thing with a handle. i'm sure there's a name for it. the slices were rectangular, about 6" or more long and about 3" wide. nice presentation and a little over the top for a slice of pizza. my vege tasted ok. nothing extaordinary. our service was responsive, attentive and friendly. nephew got a free refill of lemonade (no ice) before we could ask. nice place, good warm atmosphere, decent pizza and friendly staff.
(3)Iris Y.
Amazing Ahi Tuna SALAD!! You call that a salad? It was like beef and sashimi at the same time! I also was spoiled by their exotic Dijiorno Pizza which had the topping of goat cheese, walnuts, honey and basil :))) I've never had nuts on a pizza before but was fantastico and very unique! Side spinach was buttery but good and I had never known there was a NY Syle pizza near my work until here! Pretty good and decent service, I'll be back sometime!
(4)dave m.
I checked this place out last night before the concert at shoreline. I had the calzone was good and my girlfreind had the tortellini with rosetto sauce, was also good. The prices are kinda high for the food, if they lowered there $$ would probably get a better rating. This place is good for the location (dinner before a concert) but I don't think I would be a local to this place... too many good other italian places in the area.
(3)Warner Y.
We've been here a couple of times and I'm really starting to like this place a lot. The seafood ravioli is really really good. My first visit here I had the spaghetti carbonara and was disappointed, it was too runny for me and just lacked something. The second visit was over the top, they had a braised lamb shank special that was set in a tomato base over polenta. OMG!!!! This is quite possibly my most memorable dishes of the year!
(4)Vaishali S.
I've been here twice now, once for dine-in and once for take out. When I ate there, the ravioli was good, but not one of the best I've had. I picked up an ahi tuna salad to go today and it wasn't very good. They put pickled ginger, tomatoes, tuna on top of mixed greens. The dressing was really sweet and didn't really taste like a sesame dressing. I probably won't be going back any time soon, but it's nice that it's open on the weekends when I'm sometimes stuck at work.
(2)m t.
I think the pizza is almost four stars good, but my overall summary is three stars when taking into account value and overall experience. Wine list -- not so great. Service -- not so bad. Pasta - pretty good. Pizza -- quite good. Prices -- not horrible but not a good value. I recommend the Pizza Max. I'd never had capers on pizza, but it was brilliant.
(3)Jasleen K.
Came here for lunch with my friend. Ordered the Angel Hair Pasta while he ordered the Fettuccini. The interior of this place is very much upscale and the food was quite pricey. When my food arrived, it was such a small portion and all I could notice were the dozen tomatoes covering my pasta. Definitely not worth paying but hey, I was hungry. I don't think we're going to come back here because a) the food kinda sucked and b) the waiter was so rude to the rest of the staff. The staff here needs to know how to work together as a team rather than putting themselves in a hierarchy. Overall, I thought it was pathetic. Sorry Pizzeria Venti but you need to get your act together.
(1)Michael S.
Great thin-crust pizza. Cute little restaurant.
(4)Eric K.
How, on earth, this place got so many stars? Do you people even know what an Italian cuisine is?! Well, if you don't, you better not learn it from Pizzeria Venti. I went there with a group of people and was unfortunate to try many of their various foods. Each of the dishes I tried was made of very low quality products (oily cheeses, tired vegetables, meat with aftertaste). The chicken I had was over cooked and the string beans were under cooked. The risotto cake was deeply fried and tasted like burned oil. In general the food had non of the rich tastes of fresh olive oil, fresh vegetables, quality cheeses, spices and herbs that are so common in the REAL Italian cuisine. The meal I had was not prepared by a professional cook, and I doubt if the menu was even designed by one. Yes, it is cheaper to hire a McDonalds chef, but then the prices should be lower... The only star that this restaurant deserves is for the excellent coffee and the right temperature in which I got my San Pelegrino.
(1)