Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar
187 N Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91107
Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar Menu
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Address :
187 N Sierra Madre Blvd
Pasadena, CA, 91107 - Phone (626) 817-9180
- Website https://www.avantibistro.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
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.
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Joanna L.
Okay this place really deserved 4 stars but I just couldn't give it to them due to the experience I received with - not the waiters or staff - but by the people who I believe were the owners. I was craving Italian - sweet boyfriend found this place and it looked like a super nice place - we were also hoping it wouldn't be super busy since it was a day after Valentines. We parked on the street and walked there since they didn't have a parking lot. There was only one couple before us but we stood there a while before an old man (mr. owner, I presume) acknowledged us and told us to have a seat and wait. We sat on a bench near the restroom and talked and in the mean time I noticed an older lady (mrs. owner, I presume) was at the register doing her thing - looked up at us - didn't even smile or greet us or anything - the other couple gets their table and we wait another 10 minutes and my boyfriend said lets sit in view of the older man cause I think he forgot about us - and load and behold he did - he looked at us and said table for two? like we just walked in...I was like seriously...the wife didn't even say anything either and she knew we were waiting for a table that whole time. Well besides the not so good service from those two...our actual waiter was super great - friendly, apologetic for the long wait for our food - cause they had taken a huge party order just right before us - ,and funny. The food was great as well. I ordered the Pesto Pasta Fettuccine with Shrimp and it was really good - creamy tasty pesto with big pieces of succulent shrimps. My boyfriend had the Prosciutto Pizza and it was pretty good though a little too much onions for me. We also ordered a side of Grilled Asparagus and for $4 I guess it's the reason why it was a very small serving but it was still good. We topped off a delicious savory meal with an equally delicious sweet dessert - the White Chocolate Amore - Vanilla Ice Cream with a White Chocolate shell and is shaped like a heart - it's as cute as it is yummy! Overall I felt like the food and the service from our waiter was great - the prices for the entrees and pizzas were pretty fair too - I just couldn't understand why the owner/managers weren't so friendly and welcoming to their own restaurant.
(3)Terrie B.
Everyone knows about Avanti on Lake and Union; always good with a wait staff that's on their job. Now, across town, Avanti Bistro and Bar is the same but different. Fresh food freshly prepared. The taste is right on and the wait staff are attentive. Decore is fresh and new. Since the Bonaccorso's retired years ago, Pasadena has waited for this level of Italian cuisine to return to the area. The wait is over! Buon appetito!
(5)Adam M.
I greatly enjoyed this place. Lovely decor, good food, and decent prices. (Warning, however: consider asking for the prices of specials before ordering any of them, as my friends were a bit shocked to find the chicken parmesan was about $25, while menu items were comparably less.) I've been here on two occasions: One weekday evening that was slow, and another weekend that was extremely busy. Service on both days was very good, though on the busy day, it seemed the management was eager for us -- a full party of eight -- to leave shortly after dessert. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed this place. It has a classy elegance, but is also appropriate for more casual dining. The pizza is excellent.
(4)Margaret L.
I just had my birthday dinner at Avanti with 35 guests and we all had a great time! Bobby was really helpful and super accommodating! With 35 guests, we took up almost half of the beautiful restaurant. The waiters were very understanding and were able to get everyone's dish out in an expedited manner. I really loved the modern decor, the beautiful chandeliers and the open kitchen. What a great reuse of an old building. The food was fantastic. I had the Lasagna which was superb and my husband had the Angel Hair with Shrimp which was also really good. We also had a good amount of the Sangria which was strong but very flavorful. For dessert, I was presented a slice of Cheesecake with a giant sparkler in it, I love fireworks so this was a great added bonus to the experience. We will definitely be coming back for date nights in the future to enjoy more of their great food. Parking is available in the back but it might be a little tight so if you can find street parking take it!
(5)George T.
Very close by , location great spot ,parking is very small, food - very great tasting fresh out the oven taste , I Iove the chicken tequila /there service is very unorganized and very slow I will recommend this place , very romantic setting
(4)Aaron C.
Everything was great. Don't sleep on this restaurant. #11 anniversary. Me lamb. Her seafood linguini.
(5)Robert W.
Unbelievably meh, blah, mediocre. Both the offerings on the menu and the staff. Avanti Cafe on Lake makes a great pizza. They tried to expand with a full service restaurant. They can't hack the full service restaurant. They should stick with the formula that works. Makes pizzas, pasta and basic Italian dishes. Leave the creativity and more challenging dishes to the pros. Very weird vibe, er something I just can't put my finger on. The place has the appearance of a better restaurant. They just fall short, way short of my expectation. I have eaten here twice, months apart. I did not rip into them the first time, because I believe all of us can have an off night. Two off nights is a pattern. Staff very slow. Asked for an extra set up. It took about 15 minutes to get. Once they dropped off the dinners, never asked if there was anything we needed, and they were not available to heed my nod or waiving arm. All I wanted were some crushed dried chilies, which are an Italian staple. Never got them. At least 3 other things we asked for that never ever appeared. Maybe our bus boy and our waiter both have short term memory deficits. Pasta dish was fine, kind of bland, had all the right ingredients, just no seasoning. Calzone kind of watery veggies inside, restaurant depot quality sausage inside and dry, like as dry as Blythe in August. Fish dishes not bad but nothing to order again. Best things were the pizzas. The bill was down right cheap. So if you want cheap mediocre food I highly recommend this place. At least as good as dominoes and way more comfortable seating.
(2)jazz g.
Definitely a fan. We have been to this restaurant 3 times and each time the food has been delicious: favs include seafood pasta and any one of their pizza's. Nice attire is best for this well decorated restaurant in a not so trendy part of town.
(4)Londy L.
Will not come back ever. Food was just ok I've had better pasta and pizza, nothing special and service was horrible. Not sure who to blame, our waiter or the management here... Came here on a Friday around 830 with a fairly large party reservation. Our group had just got their and we were waiting at the bar to get drinks. They had one bartender and he was already busy getting drinks for people so what do we do? We socialize with one another until the bartender is free. We were fine waiting for the bartender to finish up so others could order, no problem there but then management or I assume the owner comes up to us and tells us pretty much either order a drink or sit down and move away from the bar. If you didn't want people blocking the pathway from the entrance to the dining area you shouldn't put a bar near the main entrance. That's what people do at a bar, they stand around and order drinks! Strike 1. Fast forward to the actual dinner, like I said we had a fairly large party so we got split into two large tables to accommodate everyone. Our first table got their food and everything roughly about 15-20 minutes before our 2nd table did. Which is understandable seeing how technically we were almost like two different tables. They got their appetizers, entrees, the free bread, and their server even offered to ground fresh pepper and grated parmasean. No problem at that table. When our food finally came out for the 2nd table all they did was drop off our appetizers and entrees. We didn't receive any of the bread that is supposed to come with each pasta order, we didn't get offered any ground pepper or parmasean. Strike 2. We actually had to flag down the water and ask him for our bread, in which he tells us that they are running low and will see what he can do. He goes to the back and brings back a tray of what looks like pita bread? We were supposed to get a half order of garlic dinner rolls with each of our pasta and he only dropped off 1 plate of this cheap bread for a table of 12. He only brought 1 plate portioned for 4 people instead of 12. How are you going to put on the menu that each pasta dish comes with garlic dinner rolls and then not bring it to us unless we ask for it and then run out of dinner rolls? If you've ran out you should tell us when we were placing our order and I'd understand or even better compensate it with something else that can be made to replace the dinner rolls. Strike 3. I'll never be coming back to this place. I'm an instagram whore, I especially like posting pictures of my food, but I despise this place and everything about it so much I opted out on posting a picture of my food on instagram and instead writing this review so all my friends know not to come here.
(1)No N.
Very fine restaurant. Nice contemporary setting. Owner is very gracious. The bartender Eric really knows his stuff......
(5)Sheila A.
My husband and I came on a weekend for dinner. Our service was exceptional. The waiter Enrique was super fast and friendly and the ambiance was perfect for an evening out. Their pizzas are really good and we ordered their Rigatoni special which was superb..had just the right about of spice and ingredients are very fresh! We will back...
(5)Christopher H.
So I decided to give this place a chance as it's very close to the work place, but man what a waste of time and money. First was the glacially slow service even though we were among only a handful of people there, the majority of who actually worked for the restaurant! And I mean slow on all levels - from seating to filling our request for water to coming back to take orders and then the inexcusably long wait for our simple order to be made. What's worse was the fact that none of our 4 dishes reached the table within 5 minutes of each other. Unfortunately this gave me time to really look around the place and realize what an abomination of 'style' it truly is. From the outside the place looks like a mix of rejected Mad Max props and one of those smog check bunkers so popular in the 80's. Inside it simply screams "Out Of Touch Mid Life Crisis" and tries way too hard to be hip. But the white ceramic deer head trophy above the fake fireplace really ties the place together though... said no one ever. Once the food arrived it was obvious that not a single person in our group of 4 was enjoying it. They were merely eating to be polite. Among us we had dishes that spanned the depth of a very limited menu - an entre salad, pasta dish, pizza and a burger. I had the pizza, thinking to myself 'It can't be worse than the stuff they make on Lake right?' Well it was. Not sure how they can claim to be among the best in the area - at best the pizza is on par with Pizza Hut and that is being generous. Bland cheese, all 4 of them, horrible peperoni and a watery, limp crust that could have done double duty as a dish rag. One good thing is that the boss took care of the bill... but sorry, even the most forgiving person in our group had absolutely nothing good to say about Avanti - avoid.
(1)Cindy A.
Even with a reservation, we were seated in a table in a very high traffic area. Nearly everyone who entered passed us, not to mention all the wait staff going back and forth to the kitchen. While the appetizers were excellent -- tuna capriccio and a caprese salad -- the entrees were "just OK", as was the apricot bread pudding. We asked if the apricots were fresh or dried and told "fresh". I'm guessing "dried" is closer to the mark. Our waiter was wanting. The check arrived almost simultaneously with the dessert and we weren't even asked if we'd like a second cup of coffee. Bottom line: trying to get too many people into too small a space with too few waiters does not make for an enjoyable dining experience.
(2)Marcia G.
At 64 years old, having traveled to many parts of this beautiful world, I just enjoyed the best lasagna EVER! Perfect pasta, perfect amount of cheese to beef. Amazing! The atmosphere feels special, the music was perfect for an Italian setting. Thank you Avanti for a lovely evening.
(5)Cecilia D.
I was a bit intimidated by the fancy look in the yelp reviews, but it was a great place for a wonderful dinner. There chicken cacciatore was perfection. Their pizza rocks the universe! It is a very cozy place to have a great relaxed dinner. I wish I could come for a wonderful lunch now and then. I hope this place will last forever and ever.
(5)Cari J.
Mediocre. I ordered the angel hair pasta with shrimp. Wasn't very impressed. Good wine selection, very odd host.
(2)De La Mama H.
Came in to have dinner with friends and enjoyed myself. I will come back because the food was terrific, but the owners were very unwelcoming. We had a few drinks at the bar and the wife was hovering over us, I felt like she thought we were going to drink and dash. The husband was also pacing back and forth watching our every move. The drinks were good, bartender was friendly and made good drink recommendation. Our waiter seemed very knowledgeable with the menu. The restaurant decor was nice, definitely a place where you leave the kids at home. I would love to give it 4-5 stars on drinks, food and staff, but I can't when the owners are looking at you like you are going to take home the cloth napkins on your table. The wife did not smile at us at all and she is the first person you see when you walk in. They should shell out some bucks, hire a high school girl that can smile and ask how many people are in your party.
(3)Meredith W.
Service is great and pizzas are delightful. I have not visited during dinner hours but I look forward to trying their steaks. All the veggie dishes are cooked To perfection and very fresh!
(5)Eva X.
It's super good Italian restaurant! Food and service are both amazingly good! I like grilled salmon and steak, very juicy and soft and a little crispy. SO good everything!
(5)Leonard A.
This place used to be a Chinese restaurant named Spring Garden.So now it's an Italian cafe/Bar and grill.The parking situation is still tight and the entrance still gets crowded if one is not seated right away.They added a bar and a Expresso machine plus an open face kitchen.The food that my group ordered was pretty good but it took about 45 min.I think they needed to add more kitchen space if you are going to do entrees and pizzas.
(3)Nicole F.
We were very excited to see a new, non fast food restaurant open close to our house. We have been here 5 or 6 times since the opened and have always had a good experience. The food has been consistently good. We've had everything from fish (the Branzino is amazing!) to steak to pasta (try the lasagna) to pizza. We have always been happy with our meals. We have had one experience with slow service but the other times the service was perfectly fine. They did a beautiful job with the decor. It can feel upscale yet family friendly at the same time. We have 2 young kids whom we have brought with is several times. I highly recommend Avanti Bistro for a great meal and experience!
(5)Ararat A.
The food was pretty good, I ordered sea food pizza and it was delicious. Customer service is excellent. The overall environment was warm and friendly. Easy access of parking. Will come back for sure .
(5)Jonathan W.
I brought my family of nine (ages 10-75) for Christmas eve dinner. My wife picked it out after reading a few initial reviews. Our waiter was very attentive and the food was brought to us in a very timely manner. It was nicely presented and I am glad to say that everyone was very satisfied. We had delicious house and spinach salads along with bruschetta as appetizers. Our family includes vegetarians, very picky young eaters and those who are willing to try anything. Most folks had pasta dishes while others had the bistro burger and pizza. Everyone commented that their dishes were great. The ambience is very nice and the lights are dimmed. I would not hesitate to visit this restaurant on a date night. You will not be disappointed whether you visit for dinner with the family or are celebrating a special occasion.
(5)Jeffrey S.
We wanted to take one of our regular friends out last Friday and thought Avanti's new place would be a good choice. It was busy as expected but we were seated in a short time. The bar staff were very friendly and courteous, the drinks were top notch. Bo The menu has something for everyone. We had Lasagna, basil linguini, and a caprese salad. The food was good but not memorable. Our waiter was less than enthusiastic.
(3)Daniel G.
Driven by this spot a few times, saying to myself that I need to try it out. So today I went there for lunch. Place had nice ambience and the staff was nice and friendly. Not too crowded. Had a nice lunch special menu...everything the same price. I had the Angel Hair Pasta which was light, refreshing and flavorful. Need to go again and try them out for dinner. I hope they succeed cuz the location is kind of a tough one to find/get to.
(5)Chris Y.
Just starting out in this location. Reservations recommend on a Saturday night. No dress code but most folks were dressed nicely. GF pizza crust is easily the best thin crust GF I've had. Baked just right. We had the vegi special and it was very tasty. Shared pizza and appetizer was a nice amount of food for two. Kids also shared an appetizer and a pizza. Service was attentive but not overly so.
(5)Kirstin P.
Ambiance is nice and relaxing , good drinks. But I ordered the chicken piccata and it wasn't good and I'm pretty sure there was no lemon in it. Pasta was also over cooked unfortunately . Will probably try this place again because it's so close , maybe they have a really tasty specialty !
(3)Cindy ..
The foods delicious, but the restaurant service is pretty slow, hopefully after a while they will be better since they recently just opened! The apple glazed pizza is a must try!
(3)Brittany L.
Really bad service and bland food. I expected this restaurant to be better based on it's great reviews but was disappointed. The garlic rolls did not taste fresh at all, the calzone was way too doughy, and our waiter was a bit clueless. Definitely do not recommend.
(2)Ann G.
It is hard for me to give these guys three stars because part of me wants to give them four, another part thinks they deserve a one. Thank you so much, Avanti, for cleaning up a blighted corner of East Pasadena with a clean, modern building. (But why the Paris Metro, Art Nouveau style doors? I guess that style is in Italy too.) Inside the feel was a bit 1980's or 1990's to me, with purplish neon lights around the bar. But that's not necessarily a flaw if that's what you're going for. Worked OK for me. My apple pizza was awesome and the servers were nice. My husband's mushroom rigatoni was bland, pretty bad stuff. Our drinks were disapponting. My marg was more like an appletini, too sweet in my opinion and why the martini glass for my most beloved drink? My husband's "new old fashioned" was the worst mixed drink I have ever had. It tasted like orange (?) liquor or liquid sugar on the rocks. I made fun of my husband for finishing it. Perhaps the worst was our appetizer, fried zucchini and mushrooms. The marinara dipping sauce had a metallic taste like they had just warmed it up from a can. And the middle of some of the veggies were still cold from the refrigerator (or freezer). I don't think I've ever had food served cold in the middle like that. Ever. I felt like I could have walked across the street to Von's and at least bought pre-prepared sauce in a jar that would have tasted so much better. And another thing, I am a vegitarian and would have loved to order their ministrone, but it's made with chicken stock. It's my personal preference that they would make it with vegetable stock, but that didn't go into my rating. I know these guys have won awards for their pizza joint across town. My hope is that they put more effort into their drink recipes (as other nearby restaurants have) and improve their processes so that over time their bistro matches that quality. Good luck. I am rooting for you!
(3)Bernadette B.
What else can I say but you have to try this place. Great food and service. Drinks are great try the jalapano margarita! Yummy.
(5)Frank C.
Excellent food. Fabulous service. Great value. Atmosphere is terrific. What else matters in a restaurant? Nice job guys!!!!
(5)Brian K.
Great food! Amazing pizza. Good beers on tap. Nice bartender and owner. Will definitely be back.
(5)Jennifer B.
1st time. Repeat customer at Avanti on Lake which does good pizza and salads. Restaurant ambience is nice and service is good. Had beet salad and special seafood risotto. Salad was good. Risotto was great, only complaint was it was a little too spicy in that the spice overpowered other flavor but all the seafood was great and well cooked. (it was described as spicy before I ordered). Would come here again
(4)Lauren W.
This place is a joke. As other reviewers said, something very weird about this place, trying to seem like a nicer restaurant than it is. My dad and I went one night when it was VERY slow, maybe 3 other tables max. The waiter tried to seat us at a tiny table that was up by the bar, in the dark, and not in the main dining room where you step down from the bar area, while they had all these tables available. This already pissed off my dad, who would not take that table, and asked for another. The idiot server or host, whoever, tried to seat us at another table just like it very close to it, so my dad just said no, and so we sat ourselves at a decent table in the main dining room area just like the other few patrons, while the person seating us seemed confused. Off to a terrible start. Then we looked at the menu, which looked like it was REALLY trying too hard to make their food sound sophisticated and gourmet. They are seriously trying to charge $25+ for fucking pasta, the cheapest food in the world, with scant meat and a few basic ingredients added. They seem to forget their location. After looking at the menu for a while, and realizing what complete d-bags these people are, I just asked my dad if he wanted to leave and go someplace better if we're going to spend $25-35 on a dish in the fucking northeast corner of Pasadena, in a restaurant on an intersection under a billboard. We did get up to leave, and then some waiter actually ran after us, asking if everything was okay. My dad said no, first you tried to seat us at this horrible table in the dark at the bar, away from the dining room, then tried to seat us at another hidden table, then we decided they thought way way too much of themselves and their very basic Italian food. The guy further tried to argue, ask more questions, it was embarrassing really. More often than not, when I drive by this place it looks pretty empty. I feel like if they do have a few tables, they probably try to seat them by the window so it looks like they're busier than they are, except of course for that time we went. I'm pretty sure that's their M.O. These people are idiots. Do not spend decent money here when you could go to a much better restaurant with good service and actual decent portions of meat and produce (rather than dry pasta for $25+). I have no problem paying the same amount for a much better restaurant, with more sophisticated dishes with more substance to them, but these people need to know their place. I watched over time as they remodeled this place before they opened, which is why my dad and I decided to try it when it did open. But it's like they spent too much trying to make the place look chic so now they have to charge way too much for extremely basic Italian food to make up for it. Horrible businesspeople! I would be very surprised if this place doesn't close in the next year or two, and I look forward to seeing them fail. I have no sympathy for bad restaurants, and they deserve to lose business. No reason to even try to give them another chance. Completely pathetic, sad place.
(1)Karla r.
Very mediocre. the service was fine, nothing spectacular or awful. The food was less then delicious. I ordered a pesto pizza, no flavor, no gooey cheese, tough crust, it was more like a frozen pizza then a homemade Italian restaurant quality. My mom had a pasta with chicken pasta was tasty, but the chicken was like a Mediterranean kebab style, I don't know how that related to the sauce. I'm bummed it wasn't great. Wouldn't return.
(2)Dino A.
I ordered the pasta with chicken, ironically the woman at the table close to ours ordered the pasta without chicken. When the plates were delivered the waiter accidentally delivered the dishes to the wrong customers. I ate a few bites and could not find chicken in my pasta. The woman at another table immediately complained the same, because she could see the chicken. When presented with the problem, the chef did not make new plates rather waited and delivered the same plates back to different customers the correct their error. I was disgusted. Well i am healthy i dont believe they have negative consequences to the poor old lady eating my dinner. A plate of pasta was too much to correct. I let the manager know a young woman, she did nothing but talk to the chef with embarrassment. I packed my pasta togo and fed it to my dog. This restaurant should not have an open kitchen. Too exposing of their core values.
(1)Alex G.
Honestly, the food is not ok. I tried one of the pizzas and the Di Mare pasta... The pizza ingredients were not good, it tasted just like a pizza hut type of pizza, with a better crust. The pasta was something I could make at home. The Di Mare was supposed to be a white wine sauce, the flavor was more reminiscent of watery tomato sauce. Additionally, the clams and shrimp had no seasoning at all. The entire pasta was very bland. Decor was nice, but I don't care about that. the staff was courteous but sparse.
(2)the eater A.
So the place has in Italian name and flavor, however the food does not reflect the motive at all. The bruschetta was served on an open ciabatta, wrong, in ivy they would get up and leave. The linguine primavera were mixed with a bunch of zucchini, squash, carrots that were barely cooked and flavorless The pizza was average, and no Italian pizza has raw peppers on it, period. Our server was nice, but not attentive, we had our main course and no forks and had to ask for. They are selling an Italian that is not Italian. Sorry.
(1)Suzy H.
Well, we tried it, and it was just ok - unfortunately. We really wanted to like it and support this new business - I had the caesar salad - the dressing tasted like out of a bottle. My husband had the minestrone soup - it was really heavy and not good. I had the seafood risotto - extremely salty. But, I ate it because I was hungry. The rolls were hard, the wine was just ok - not sure what else to say.
(2)sabrina s.
I'm happy I decided to travel a little further and come by this location! While pretty spacious, it was cozy with the most beautiful and romantic setting. I am so impressed with the owners and how well they've brought this location together and how NICE it is. I ordered kale salad, chicken dijon pasta, and spumoni ice cream. All great. Though they've only been open for a month, service was pretty good though not as fast as the Lake location. Still, this is a completely different setting and for a fancy night out and I really appreciated it. Will definitely be back soon. LOVE IT!
(5)danny t.
we went for mother's day, and to sum it up, we were very unimpressed with the food and the service. everything was pretty bland. will not be back.
(1)Josie S.
Ok, where do I start? How about with the general decor and service? Very nice and elegant decor, noticed the waiters all running around dressed like penguins, so I immediately picked up the 'not really a walk in off the street casual ' joint. They only have one way in and out, that was kinda annoying, mostly cause you have to walk through the inside dining room and a army of waiters to exit, if you were dining out on the patio like we were. lol. No real biggie, just a bit irksome. Definitely not a kid place. Unless your kids are extremely well-behaved and don't raise their voices to get attention or whine about the menu not having kid food...and if your kids don't do those things, they are robots, not kids. Anyways, focusing back here, as I said, not really kid friendly, no real kid friendly menu or portion size and if you have little rugrats, expect to be politely seated out in the patio, which, any parent worth their salt knows it's probably the best place for us anyways, less stressful when you aren't worrying and apologizing about spaghetti on the floor or a can't sit still explorer. The ambience outside was nice though and I was content under a heater to not mind the busy hum of foothill blvd below us. Ordered their jalapeño margarita, and dang that hit the spot. Very nice and had a lovely kick at the end of my long sip. The cheese sticks were more like cheese patties or squares, and had a nice consistency. I ordered the Italy pizza, and it didn't disappoint. It was very flavorful and light. My kids opted for a pepperoni pizza, lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs. They loved it all. The garlic rolls they bring with the pasta dishes are yummy too. Overall, the food was very good, servers attentive and eager, the decor beautiful, but the price tag steep. $93 for dinner for 4 May seem like a good deal to some, but for this single mom of 3, it's definitely a luxury I won't be indulging in very often...maybe like really really really special occasions, or if I'm alone. If you're looking for a romantic date spot though, this would definitely be up your alley. It's very intimate. Oh and even though it doesn't say reservations only, they seem to prefer if you make them. Just FYI.
(4)wendy h.
The service was great, they really try to be nice,however the food was really really just 3-star....seafood pasta is a 3 and a half star and please please do not order the bruschetta it was pretty bad, bunch of tomato and basil cut up on top of very flaky bread half toasted.... There seem to be a couple that are the owners of the place. They had been standing there watching over everything in a very uptight fashion it made me very uncomfortable. I notice a few other yelpers noticed that too....it is nice to see them caring but there must be a better way of leading a service staff. It is a sweet walking distance from where I live, I can't think of the next time going back there. I do enjoy the service there were about 6,7 waiters around.
(3)Sanjay C.
Good ambience. Great kale and spinach salad, rigatoni with mushrooms, seafood pizza was ok. Apricot bread pudding was great! Jalapeño margarita was delish!
(4)Larry F.
Totally disappointing experience. Had heard many good things about Avanti Pasadena so after watching renovations on the Sierra Made site for months we finally sampled it. Service was mediocre at best (had to request bread). Ordered large house salad, touch of Italy pizza and one of the nights special a Wild Mushroom rissoto. Salad was straight out of a bag, pizza was doughy, over seasoned with oregano used some "pre-mix" peppers (again out of a bag) and was buried in cheese. It tasted like an airport pizza. The rissoto at $22 was over priced... was not creamy and looked like lentils. Overall really low quality service and food . Advised the manager who said come back I'll take care of you...you should have done that the first time. We would never go back.
(1)stephanie k.
I'm so disappointed by Avanti. We've been going to the Lake location for years and were very excited about the second one opening much closer to us. Unfortunately the food is just not up to par. The chicken on the crusted chicken and water cress salad tasted as if it was frozen and reheated, and the pizza was dry and hard. I'm hoping that this is all just them figuring everything out and that eventually this place will be worth going to, but for now if we want Avanti we will be going to the Lake location. I hope that I will be able to update this with five stars in the future, but I don't know if I would give it a second try.
(1)Dave R.
Bad wine list. Terrible sweet salad dressing. Over cooked pasta and when it was sent back the waiter brought it back to the table to try to get us to eat it. Not ever retuning
(1)Kirk R.
This an amazing place, the food was so good, the tastes are very good too. I am a long time customer, I have eaten at the Lake Ave. location and I like that a lot too. This is much better. It is really, really good food. I will be returning to eat there again & again. I am 100% happy with this place.
(5)David B.
I'll certainly give this place another shot, as I'm partial to their Lake location, but WOW was dinner disappointing. The place SMELLS amazing when you walk in. Wait for a table was only a couple of minutes. Waiter was busy, so things took a tad longer than going to the drive-thru. Ordered a Caesar salad - dressing tasted like a very watery vinaigrette of sorts. Croutons were good though. I had pesto fettuccine, adding some chicken. Either the chicken was marinated in a salt bath, or the cook's salt shaker was on auto-pilot. A pesto cream-based sauce needs no salt. The point of ordering pasta with a certain type of sauce is to taste the flavor of that sauce, not the salt that the chef thinks it needs. If I want more salt on my food, I'll add it. Price? $18.00. Utterly not worth it. Gal pal had the seafood with roasted red pepper sauce. Nice concept, except...if you're going to charge $18.00 for this dish, it would be nice if there were actually WHOLE shrimp in the dish, instead of one shrimp cut up into tiny pieces. Apricot bread pudding was by far the most delightful portion of the meal, and is what earned one of the two stars (the other is the ambiance and decor. Well done on that part!) Drinks were drinks. I'll try a pizza next time. For $80 on a meal for two, I would have preferred Mi Piace.
(2)Kai R.
I know a lot of folks on the East side of Pasadena have anxiously been awaiting the opening of this place (been open a week now), including me. They currently are only open for dinner (to work the kinks out), but will expand to include lunch at some point. Let's start with the positives: 1) They did a really nice job on the build out of the space. Restaurant itself is very nice. I was surprised how small the dining area is however. It does get fairly loud in the main dining area though when the place is crowded. There are a few outside tables (not sure how popular those will be given the restaurant is at a busy intersection). 2) Waitstaff were great / owner even came by to ask how our meal was. Now, onto why I only gave Avanti 2 stars - the food: 1) Caprese salad is very weak - when you go to an Italian restaurant, you expect fresh (preferably restaurant-freshly-made) mozzarella. Here is was the same tiny balls you can get at any grocery store. 2) Pizza's were small and frankly the pie I get at Blaze is better. Bit surprised by this - their other location on Lake Ave is supposed to have really good pizza. Definitely a big miss here, especially at these prices ($13-$15). 3) Pasta was probably the best dish of the meal, but even that wasn't stellar. In the context of the other Italian restaurants in East Pasadena, this place is probably #1 (the competition is very weak). If we factor in Old Town / the other side of Pasadena, this place can't compare - Il Forniao, Gale's, Mi Piace, etc.
(2)Marwa R.
I waited to write this review. Husband, baby and I came for NYE dinner. We were excited for this place to open because we love Italian and it is supposed to be some good pizza. For starters, service was horrible- food came late, appetizers came out with the entrees, wait seemed like they didn't want to be there (it was NYE they prob didn't) And the entrees- pizza was cold and seemed pre-cooked (like pre-cooked 12 hours prior to ordering). I've seriously had better frozen pizza. When we complained, the pizza was reheated including the bit out of slice that triggered the complaint. Still wasn't warm (although a fresh pizza would've been nice) and is prob a health code violation. The pasta was ok, and by that I mean it wasn't disgusting. One star is for the ambiance, the space is well designed. Not enough to bring me back.
(1)Marc B.
I would give them a 3 and 1/2 if possible. The place is real nice inside and service was good. I had an issue with some of the food. The breaded vegetable appetizers had waaaay to much breading on them. Not greasy, but all you taste is bread. Suggest they visit Tops in Pasadena and try there fired food. Even the old lake store had the same issue with fried food, but I was hoping they changed things up and did not. Pizza was just OK and nothing special. The $8.00 places where you get all the toppings you want (Blaze) are just as good. I was kind of disappointed. Seafood pasta dish was very very good and so were the garlic rolls.
(3)Brian N.
I came here tonight for dinner and drinks with a friend. The decor was very nice and elegant. It looked like an upscale restaurant but without the upscale prices. As we walked in, we were immediately greeted and seated. Drink orders were taken and served very promptly. As for the food, we both shared the Chicken Dijon pasta and the Avanti Special pizza. Both were very good. The pizza was thin crust, which i prefer in a pizza. You cannot go wrong with bacon and gorgonzola cheese as pizza toppings. The chicken dijon was tangy, which was different (the good kind) from any pasta i've eaten in the past. For Dessert, definitely grab the Apricot Bread Pudding. That stuff was the bomb!
(5)Michael T.
I've been coming to avanti cafe on lake for quite some time. This was my first visit to this location. Now avanti on lake always had a great hole in the wall, comfort food, local spot vibe which this location does not. To me this location is trying to rival Mi piache on Colorado which is unfortunate in my eyes because they gave up that ambiance of just good home cooked Italian food. This place feels more like just another resturant. Don't get me wrong the food is good and the decor is nice.... But is it better than the smaller location on lake? Absolutely not.
(3)Brandon J.
First time here last night and its good for the price. Pizza was delicious and the tequila chicken pasta was good. Service was good as well. The place is a bit to small and we got sat by the bar which I didn't care for but overall satisfied with Avantis
(4)Linda J.
We have been to Avanti twice since they opened. The food was exceptional! Finally, a good place to go in east Pasadena! The ambiance is upscale, very classy and comfortable. The prices are reasonable and the service was good.
(5)Pat R.
As promised, I'm re-reviewing. I've made a point of selecting this new restaurant for several other evenings...5 in all.Everything has improved except the wait time for food. I'm still baffled how it takes 25-30 minutes to get a salad when there are only 1/4 of the tables occupied. Servers good, food is very good. It can get noisy in there but, the East side of Pasadena needed this place. The Bar is more of a waiting area, a corridor, really. Not a cozy place for a drink. There just isn't the space. Overall, I'm pleased with the improvement and think others will appreciate the food.
(4)Victoria M.
I think the food is good. I would say average. Our group didn't have anything mind blowing. I appreciate that they take reservations and will follow up with you regarding your reservation. I just felt like it was so loud in the restaurant and I felt so rushed ordering and eating. It's not a very relaxing environment. The restaurant is very beautiful inside and very urban.
(3)Pedro P.
Festive interior. Food is delicious and well presented without being fussy. Pasta dishes and heavier entrees are a nice addition to the original Avanti Cafe menu. This is still my wife's favorite pizza place after 25 years. The pasta dishes are much like those we were served in Italy.
(5)Boyce B.
The last time I ate in that building it was the mediocre Spring Garden Chinese Restaurant. It is now reborn into a architectural gem on an otherwise drab triangle corner on Sierra Madre Blvd. I think my wife and I were lucky on this first foray into the new Avanti digs. This is a giant leap from the original Avanti on Lake Ave, a popular pizza place. The dinner service opens at five and we pulled in about 5:30; only one parking spot left in the very limited parking lot. I was surprised, as judging from the mixed reviews the lot should be empty. Not so; this place was bustling. The hostess offered us a "bar table". As we approached, we saw a cozy window table for two, apart from the main (noisy) dining area. Our server was the bartender and the service was excellent. We had beverage in hand before we got the napkins off the table. The interior is impressive, fresh flowers, sparkling glasses, clean linen, an open kitchen and glittering chandeliers. I had the Fettuccine Pesto (al dente) it was served steaming hot with a generous sprinkle of pine nuts. Tuttu bene! My wife had the Fettuccine Chicken which described as "excellent". Great food, attentive service, super ambiance. In summary, my wife said, "This is a do again".
(5)Tess S.
I have gone to Avanti before at their other location on Lake Ave and i like their food and the price is reasonable so we were excited to try their new upscale place. We were specially thrilled that they took us in without a reservation on a very busy valentine day . The new place is well done and the service was excellent and we enjoyed our pasta dishes. I like this place and I would probably go back but I was disappointed to pay 4 dollars for a bread that I was entitled with my pasta dish I had ordered. Why did they charge me $ 4 ?? because they have a rule that the bread is served with the pasta and not before the pasta. I was puzzled and had to talk to the server and he agreed that it made no sense but it's the owners rule and that it is even incorporated in their order system. Very weird. The servers are not allowed to get you breads before the pasta unless you are willing to pay for it which I did. Because I was hungry. It's so weird for an Italian restaurant where bread is amply served except at Avanti. Minus this disappointment Avanti is a nice family friendly restaurant.
(3)Sarah A.
My husband and I went for lunch here, and we truly enjoyed it.... We liked the atmosphere, the food and the service! We will like to try dinner soon!
(5)Jennifer E.
went here to take my mother-in-law out for a mothers day celebration. the place is elegant, the food is VERY good! we ordered pesto fettucine, chicken florentine, the garlic pizza is awesome and ceasar salad is perfect as well! price is not too expensive and the serving size is just right! and the service is 2 thumbs up! we will definitely come back!
(4)Paula C.
The two of us arrived around 6 or 6:30 pm on a busy Friday night. They were able to seat us almost right away. Friendly attentive service. My husband got the shrimp pasta special and I had the bowtie pasta -- both were good. Nice cozy ambiance. There were a lot of families with young kids there. I liked everything!
(5)SallyJean S.
Our neighborhood desperately needs a good Italian restaurant. This one fills the bill. The prices are reasonable, the food delicious and very fresh. Linen tablecloths, plenty of servers and bus people, very attentive service from all. Our server, Enrique, was knowledgable professional but also very sweet. Our beet salad was so fresh, a large portion and the lime dressing (a substitution) was delicious. We went on to the pasta carbonara, which was also fresh, large enough portion to share, and delicious. We plan to return weekly so we can work our way through the menu! Reservations recommended.
(5)Enrique F.
this place is awesome!!! the décor the food the service was all up to par...you have to try the glazed apple pizza... its the new happening spot in Pasadena can't wait for the new year the parade route ends there
(5)Ryan H.
Enjoyed dinner here just a couple weeks after they opened and was very impressed with the decor and ambiance. Like the layout and style of the restaurant and especially appreciated the open kitchen and lighting. Tried the veggie sliders appetizer as well as pasta primavera and a mushroom pizza and each was nice with great flavor. We were seated at the bar and enjoyed great service and conversation from the two bartenders on duty that night. Prices are fair and portions are generous. I hope to return soon.
(4)Claudia T.
Watched this place going up and was excited to see it open. Was looking forward to eating there. Having done so, I will not be returning. Surprisingly, this place lacks a warm, welcoming atmosphere - and this is not caused by all the fake brick and out of place chandeliers, and cold dark fireplace. It's an overall attitude that the customer really doesn't matter. The food is very disappointing. We were served a bruschetta served on soggy, barely toasted bread. Our salads were shoved in front of us before finishing the bruschetta. We weren't 3 bites into the salad, and our entrees arrived and put on the table next to us till we were ready for them. The entrees were overcooked, and cold. The garlic knots were tough and stone cold. Really wanted this place to be good, but can't recommend it and don't think it's going to last.
(2)Jenny W.
The food is cheap Italian food. I don't think this restaurant will stay in business for long. There are way too many Italian restaurants in Pasadena that are way better than this one and charge similar pricing. Will not be returning.
(2)Arya S.
We decided to stop in Pasadena for a quick bite on our way home from Vegas. We started our night off at the bar which had a nice selection of alcohol. The beer was cheap and it wasn't happy hour! It's a great place to take a date. My girlfriend was impressed with the overall style of the restaurant. We shared the wood burned delight pizza and the kale salad. Our quick bite ended up being longer than expected because we didn't make reservations beforehand. It was an unexpectedly pleasant night.
(5)Paul B.
Service for dinner at a table was attentive but food poorly prepared. Perhaps because this place is still relatively new they aren't up to speed yet so two stars not one. Service was four star quality. Weekday evening arriving at 5 pm our party of three was seated inside immediately. Consistent attentive service, perhaps not surprising as the restaurant was just getting busy as we finished up about 6:30 pm. Unfortunately good service couldn't make up for lousy food and we won't likely be returning. For these prices there are several better options for Italian food and pizza in Pasadena. Problem with food was how it was prepared. Grilled asparagus appetizer was too salty. Garlic rolls were bland, served stale and at room temperature. We complained and were provided a 'fresh from the oven' order of garlic rolls and they too were tough, like when you microwave baked goods. Two main course pasta dishes were also too salty but not as much as the asparagus appetizer. Thin crust pizza was fine but not remarkable. Pizza served hot but cools quickly. Don't know about the bar as we didn't order drinks from it. A few tables and chairs outside but I can't imagine anyone sitting in them for a meal as they sit right at the corner of the busy 3-way intersection where cars are always waiting at the traffic light from one direction or another. Perhaps those tables are for the bar crowd late in the evening if it gets loud inside and when the traffic is less busy than at dinner time. The lot this building sits on has streets on three sides so no good options for outdoor seating. Would be great location for seeing the tail end of the Rose Parade on New Years however, if they were open that early on New Years. Large semi-circular bar dominates the quarter of the restaurant just past the entrance. Seems out of proportion for a bistro but perhaps this place is really a bar offering Italian food, focused on the late-evening bar crowd that we didn't stay around to see. Certainly the kitchen isn't up to speed yet on food prep for customers coming to dine for meals. They are not (yet) open for lunch so perhaps that is evidence that the thinking behind this new location for Avanti was more as a bar with the bistro more an afterthought.
(2)Elaine S.
Really nice ambiance. Quality of entrees varied. Spaghetti and Fettuccini Alfredo were both very peppery - unpleasantly so. The practice of making food peppery is a mystery - why not let the customer decide for himself? The service people were pleasant, but at least one was clearly new at the job. The restaurant is recently opened, so I expect this to change.
(3)Javier T.
Very slow service. .. one couple got tired of waiting afer they were seated and left. They just opened so I guess they are figuring out the kinks
(3)Camille A.
Had the best time here last night! They graciously accommodated our party of 12! The service was wonderful, drinks were perfect, and the food was delicious! We had the goat cheese salad (YUM) and a few pizzas which were all terrific! Love to find a new local spot in Pasadena! Perfect!
(5)Tina R.
While visiting California from Oklahoma we came across this awesome Italian Bistro! We have had a lot of Italian food over the years but I have to say this was one of the best! From the wine appetizers pasta & delicious deserts. We were very impressed! We had an outstanding waiter "Enrique" he was very knowledgeable and very attentive. I would highly recommend asking for him. He was the best!!!!
(5)Sultaraco B.
Went there for the first time on 12/26/2014 around 900pm,were greeted and seated immediately by the fireplace,table was on the small side and chairs were reasonably comfortable.The ambience is nice and cozy and the outside architecture very eye catching and modern.Ordered the caprese(very simple and average),the minestrone soup was too strong and salty(the soup they serve at the Lake location is much better,my girlfriend ordered a mojito which was excellent but expensive at $12.00,the wild mushroom rigatoni was good but the burger was so,so a bit dry and devoid of any frills(no tomatoes,no pickles,no onions,no mushrooms,no ketchup,no mustard,no dressing)and it came 10 minutes before the side of string fries(totally unedible and flavorless)will not order this again unless they totally redesign it.Our server was ok but never asked us if food was to our liking,but probably the most negative aspect is the older Italian woman by the reception area that not once did she try to interact with us in any way or said"thank you"or "good night"or even a mute smile,this woman has no business being in this environment where many customers will walk thru,they should have a person that is more customer friendly and not arrogant and bossy(we overheard her tell the cook about how she wanted a certain dish prepared for her)and in not such a cordial tone.We dine everywhere in Southern California and what makes a successful restaurant takes a lot of factors but mainly how you treat your customers,no matter how good your food is or how inexpensive your prices are nobody will tolerate when they feel unwelcome or unappreciated.
(3)Brigitte F.
I am taking a good friend of mine and her son to the Bistro tomorrow to celebrate her Birthday. In March our family celebrated my Sister's birthday and had a really wonderful time here. I live near the original location on Lake Avenue, but was so happy when this one opened, because the ambiance is just beautiful. Modern, but warm, beautifully decorated. The food and drinks were delicious and for dessert, although they don't give away a special dessert for the birthday, my sister's order came with a literal fireworks candle that shot up in the air about a foot above her plate! It was really fun and festive. My only hope is that they find some way to soften the noise. It was very busy that night, but the acoustics don't lend themselves to a quiet or romantic evening, which was what I had been hoping it would be like for future date nights. But I would still go back. The service was excellent and we all agreed that the quality of the food was exceptional for the price. Definitely a great choice!
(4)Maxine M.
Had dinner at the new Avanti Cafe. A very disappointing experience. We have been going to Avanti on Lake Street since they first opened and we have always loved the food. We were seated at the new Avanti and we heard the waiter being rude to two older ladies because they asked to be reseated out of the sun. There is no excuse for a server to be rude to patrons. The ambiance looked nice, however, the tables are almost on top of each other so if you wanted to have a quiet conversation that would not be possible. We arrived at 5:00 pm when the restaurant was relatively empty. As patrons started to come for dinner, it became so loud that it was difficult to have a conversation--the acoustics are terrible in there. We ordered our dinners and the food was not good. The Caesar salad was virtually tasteless and seemed as though it had no dressing on it. There was no Parmesan cheese container on the table nor was there any salt or pepper. We ordered angel hair pasta with tomato and basil. The pasta tasted like it was cooked in water, put on the plate with some chopped tomato on it and a small amount of basil--it was totally tasteless and awful tasting. After our dinner plates were removed and it was done rapidly, we wanted to sit and talk a little because we were celebrating a birthday. We immediately had the feeling that the staff were anxious for us to get up and depart. Never again will we dine there--a waste of time and money. And, by the way, the owner was there and he was not one bit cordial or friendly. I guess it may be rude owner = rude staff.
(1)Seth L.
excellent Pasadena, don't forget to try the wood burning oven Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar, but there is much much more also.
(4)Ani K.
Finally went to Avanti last night after months of wanting to go but just not having the time. I loved it. Loved the decor, the food was delicious, and the service was amazing. As a mom, I was truly appreciative that when the waiter brought us a round of water, he brought my 17 month old a plastic cup of water with a lid and a straw. Might not be a big deal to some but it was that attention to detail regarding kids that Mom's really like and appreciate. Will definitely go back!! Yum.
(5)Marlo P.
I've always been a really big fan of Avanti Cafe at Lake and Union, so it's no surprise that Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar (same owners as Avanti Cafe) was a spot I had to check out. I finally had the opportunity to drop by for dinner last Sunday with my girlfriend and I can sum up my experience in three words... THEY NAILED IT! This place is special, let me explain... First, the decor. The architecture of the building is unlike anything I've seen for a standalone restaurant. The inside is just as impressive, very upscale and intimate (perfect for date night!). Really nothing else like it in the area... When we arrived around 7pm and were promptly greeted by the hostess. It looked like there were lots of groups celebrating, a good place for birthdays. We were immediately greeted by our server who walked us through their drink menu, he was very knowledgeable about their inventory. The bar specializes in martinis and has a pretty robust wine list. My girlfriend got a Moscow Mule and it came in a nice copper mug. I'm a huge craft beer lover (IPAs in particular) and they had Lagunitas IPA on draft. IT WAS PERFECTLY COLD! -- warm draft beer is a huge pet peeve of mine. The menu is kicked up a few notches from the one at Avanti Cafe. Of course, it still has all those great wood-fire pizzas they're already famous for, but they've now added entrees and house-made desserts among other things. I got the rack of lamb with a potato mash and my girlfriend got the branzino with a yam mash. It was delicious! Lamb was cooked perfectly and you could tell that the yam mash and potato mash were made in-house, very tasty! One of the highlights of the night -- the dessert. You MUST try their apricot bread pudding. It's the head chef's own recipe and it's absolutely amazing... GET THIS AND EAT NINE OF THEM! As we were getting ready to leave, our server was telling us about this spirit they have at the bar called "Grappa". Apparently, it's a spirit distilled from the remnants of grapes after they've been smashed for wine. I was so intrigued that I asked for an after meal shooter. Tasted like vodka with an essence of grape! A perfect after meal shooter. Overall, it was really a spectacular evening -- a true 5 stars across the board. We will definitely be returning regularly! :)
(5)Charles C.
Rude service from the start. Reservations for 2 weren't honored with another couple being seated ahead of us. Extremely long wait for food. Cold stale bread (although garlic knots were okay...although still cold). The menu is wrong about pasta being "prepared before your eyes" with no view of this and no tableside presentation (I thought they'd at least do a flourish of olive oil at the table given their wording). Owner came over and repeatedly said that there was obviously no way to see the pasta being made, that he didn't mean what he typed on the menu, and was surprised we expected to see the pasta being made. Sigh. Addendum: After the dinner, I had some stomach distress. Worried that the bread pudding (although tasting decent) was made from the leftover bread from the tables.
(1)Paul H.
I really wanted to like this place, especially since I have been a regular customer at the Avanti location on Lake Ave, and last night we finally decided to check this one out. My sweetheart and I arrived for dinner early on a Monday evening and were the first customers there, so we didn't have to wait at all. The waiter promptly brought us to a table by a window as we both soaked in the beautiful ambience of the restaurant. It looks really nice in there! Strange that there is no color of red anywhere, which in an Italian restaurant is kind of mandatory, don't you think? Maybe a red rose or carnation on the table, or perhaps a red candle holder or maybe just red napkins would really be a nice touch. Just sayin.... :) The waiter was very attentive, which was no surprise given there wasn't anyone else for him to wait on within the first 5 minutes of our arrival. Eventually, a few more customers came in, but the place was still mostly empty. Okay, so we ordered our glasses of wine and our food. Soon, the waiter brought us a basket of rolls and crispy flat bread (oversized crackers really) and he filled a small plate with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I felt that the flat bread was not especially appetizing, and the garlic rolls were hard and cold, compared to the origin Avanti restaurant where they serve the garlic rolls up hot and fresh. The rolls at this place were disappointing. The waiter then brought out the minestrone soup for me and a small house salad for my date. The soup, I hate to say, tasted very much like Progresso soup from a can. It had mostly chunks of zucchini and not much else. There was an awkward aftertaste to the soup base...which I had trouble identifying. Now the main dish, which was one of the evening'a specials...rigatoni with meat sauce and shiitake mushrooms. Being that it was the special, I figured it might be worth a try. The pasta consistency was okay, but there was a strange taste to it...just like the soup base. I really can't explain it but I felt that it may have to do with the water they use to cook with. It kind of tasted like dish water, for lack of a better description. It just tasted a little funny. Hard to say, but it might explain why both the soup and the pasta dish tasted "off." I suppose that pairing shiitake mushrooms with Italian meat sauce may not have been the best pairing either, which may explain the funky taste one does not generally expect when eating an Italian dish in an Italian restaurant. My girlfriend's food tasted better than mine, yet she told me that it wasn't anything special. It was their seafood with linguini dish. I liked it better than my rigatoni and meat sauce dish, which really says something about this Italian place. The service was good, in fact it felt a bit too rushed actually. In a fine restaurant, one should not feel like they are having to hurry through their meal. It wasn't like there were people waiting to be seated, and the place was still practically empty. Maybe that's why the waiter was hovering over us so much...he didn't have anything else to do! So, our first experience at this new Avanti restaurant was not that great, yet we both feel that we should give the place at least another try. The ambience is very nice, and we hoped that the food would at least match the quality. Perhaps it will the next time we go.
(2)Tricia M.
Last night was the second time I have been to this restaurant and while I love the decor of the place, I feel as if the layout is just super awkward. Our reservation was for 6:15pm and the restaurant was packed! We were a party of 6 and were crammed into a table for 4 with a small extension on it. It just wasn't comfortable. Anyway, moving on. I had brought a bottle of wine with me and the corkage was $10 which I feel is very reasonable. I would have appreciated a wine bucket of ice though since it was white wine. We ordered and was given two baskets of bread. Their garlic knots are great! The rest of the flat bread was flavorless and too crispy and thin to dip into the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I ordered the Di Mare- angel hair pasta with clams and jumbo shrimp. The shrimp was great, however the the clams were overcooked, so I was a bit disappointed. Over our 90 minute dinner, the server came by once and asked if we were okay. The busboy was excellent though and refilled our water glasses and cleared the table in a timely manner. I really wish I could give this place an 5-star review, especially because it's in such a great location from where I live, but due to the so-so service and sub par food, I just can't. Parking: the lot is extremely small. In my two times there, I have not had the luck of finding a spot in the lot. Luckily there is parking available on the small side street.
(3)dreamy h.
I had lunch today at Avanti and was very happy with their excellent service and delicious food. The complimentary bread was very tasty and very enjoyable. I had their house salad and my main entree was Basil Chicken Spaghetti. The chicken was very salty so this would be my only complaint but besides that everything was delicious. My brother ordered seafood spaghetti which was really good. Our dessert was house made Tiramisu which was the best I ever had so far. I was very pleased with our lunch and I will be back soon. Great service and beautiful restaurant!
(5)Ryan F.
The food and atmosphere is outstanding! That being said, there is a great deal of upselling that happens here. I really wish that they would not push so hard for wine and other items... It puts a damper on the evening.
(4)brandi g.
This place is not good. I decided to try everything and give these people a chance. I won't be returning. This review will be scathing, so you can read on, if you want to know why. We waited the 35-45 minutes to eat here, after being told there was a 35 minute wait. That was fine, but once we got to the table, I was ready to eat. So was my almost four year old. After waiting that long, the servers must be mindful that people with small children do not want to linger. My infant daughter fell asleep but letting people sit at a table with nothing but water for more than 45 minutes is never a good idea. They did refill my water many times, which was nice. They have no kids menu. That's fine. They also will not make a small portion for kids. That's stupid. It is really is stupid. Throwing a bit of pasta in a bowl with butter or olive oil should not result in regular entree price. At least if you want people to come back. It's a rip off. I tried to mitigate that by ordering cheese ravioli with the sauce on the side to share with my son. The waiter wasn't personable or particularly present. We only saw him a few times over the entire hour and half or so we were there. He made no attempt to accommodate my child other than leaving the sauce off my pasta. He then vanished for over 30 minutes. Who does that to a small child? Someone who isn't well trained, that's who. The table next to us sat a few minutes after us, ordered after us and got their first course and finished it before any of our food came. They finally brought bread at about 40 minutes while we watched the table next to us eat. Child is visibly antsy now. Telling the waiter we ordered 35 minutes prior made our salad magically appear about 5-10 minutes later. So we are 45 minutes in now. My beet salad was good. Probably the best part about the evening. I suspect he forgot to put our order in at all. During my nearly hour and a half wait getting a table and before the food arrived, I got to do a fairly serious analysis of the design. I'm not a fan. The place is a hodgepodge of different styles, ideas and finishes. It's a disaster. If they hired an architect or a designer to do it, they should never work again. It looked like it was designed by committee. Not a particularly well trained one either. I am actually a professional designer, by training, and I will forgive a few things, but this was a mess. The only good thing was the brick. Thrown on top was random neon, low budget Phillipe Stark esque white enameled animal busts, cheap laminate faux hardwood floors, and some seriously ugly chairs. The weird Mc Master Carr perforated panels covering everything to give an industrial vibe, paired with Restoration Hardware chandelier fixtures suspended in a steel orb, made me confused whether I was in a DIY loft or a Italian restaurant. Don't get me started on the front doors or shiny travertine bathroom tile. But I'm here for the food, right? Riiiiight. About 10 minutes after that the pasta and calzone arrive. That's when things got really bad. My ravioli was spinach ravioli, not the cheese I ordered. The aurora sauce was supposed to be a combo cream/marinara type sauce, a pink sauce, if you will. It was pink, but it was this harsh mix of diced raw tomatoes or red peppers in a pinkish cream sauce. It was awful. It didn't help that I could have walked over to Vons and gotten better ravioli. My son, wouldn't even touch the leathery ravioli. He's smarter than I am. I finished maybe half. My poor husband got the weirdest calzone ever. It was a sausage calzone, but it was filled with what we think was Brie, with the full rind baked inside. It was then filled with uncooked green bell peppers and red onions. It was awful. It wasn't Italian in any way and it didn't taste good. He also ate half before he couldn't stand anymore. My husband was so repulsed by the briecalzone that he insisted we order dessert. He got some apricot bread pudding like thing. It wasn't for me, but he liked it. I got mint ice cream with a chocolate shell. Both were $7. That is ok for bread pudding, but half a scoop of decent ice cream covered in chocolate? That was a rip off. It tasted good, what little I had of it. My son ate most of it since he was repulsed by both the ravioli and the calzone and made a meal of the bread, which wasn't bad, 45 minutes in. Fortunately for me, I had the beet salad, which was good. The server was absent. He probably suspected we weren't terribly happy. He didn't help the situation. The hostess was very nice though. Overall, spending $75 before tip, I expect much, much better for this. At that price, leaving half the food on the table should have at least prompted an inquiry about what wasn't up to par. Also, I only had water. Never mind. It gave me a good two hours or more to decide that the exterior design was as much as a disaster as the interior. This restaurant isthmus in the middle of Sierra Madre and the 210 fwy was not for me.
(2)Shelley B.
Me and my grandmother both ordered the seafood pasta and were delighted. The serving was generous with more sea food than I expected. (Most places skimp in this regard.) Will definately be coming back.
(5)AP P.
We ordered pizza for lunch, it was not good. Sorry, but I'm expecting something better than regular pizza chain store. Not good enough.
(2)