I wrote the review on the bottom of this page, prior to reading the negative reviews attached. I just want to say that I am appalled that people could be so disrespectful to such a cute little friendly place. maybe they were having a bad day, but we did not have anything close to what was mentioned in some of them. My grandmother was Hungarian, and although the dishes we ordered Goulash and Paprikash, were not her exact recipe, they were flavorful and reminded me of her. As I say below, we arrived late, and they seated us anyway, and they were clearly tired from a very busy evening, but treated us with respect, friendly service and smiles. I have found that being nice goes along way to getting good service. perhaps those naysayers, should take a course in niceties and their experiences will improve. "We went at 8:30 pm on Monday and they closed at 9:00 pm but were amazingly hospitable. The food was really good, hot and flavorful and it was fun talking to the 2 sisters that own this cute little place. We had a great time"
(5)
Cipora L.
We love to find places that are not chains and in Bonita Springs that isn't easy. What a disappointment this was. The service was terrible. The waitress never entered our order and 25 minutes later came out to blame a "computer glitch" When the food did arrive it was inedible. Overcooked and soggy pasta was served with fatty undercooked sausage. The waitress when picking up our uneaten meals asked if we liked it. We replied no, we're ignored and presented with the bill. If I could assign negative stars, I would.
(1)
a. d. a.
During the slow summer season, the service was great and friendly. However, we were just here during the peak winter season and had a different experience. We sat down for nearly 30 minutes before anyone came to help us, and it was the chef Daniela who came out of the kitchen to take our order. She recommended a pasta dish, Tortelli ai Funghi, which was described in the menu as "spinach ravioli filled with a delicious mixture of mushroom and marscapone in a broccoli sauce". However, what arrived was undercooked, chewy ravioli filled with indiscernible substance covered in a cream sauce, topped with what tasted like blanched frozen broccoli. It was horrible. The other dish we got was vegetarian cabbage rolls, and that was quite good. No one checked on us again after the food arrived. We won't come back again, and don't recommend it during the peak season.
(2)
Richard P.
Had their cold antipasto. Sausages were good, mozzarella was blandy and the polenta was just OK. Unremarkable in general and the scant olives and pickles were ordinary jarred type... if they weren't they were identical to store-bought. Don't waste your money. I've never been to a Hungarian/Romanian type restaurant, but I grew up in a place where this food was common. Ordered the Transylvania platter for two and it was interesting. The chicken paprikash was very good. Cabbage rolls tasted like dog food... the meat was unpleasant tasting to my palate. I grew up with the polish variety of these and they are superior in every way. 4The little sausages were tasty... and everything else was unmemorable but achieved the "OK" mark. The presentation was nice. The service was friendly, fun, but uneven. You'd get different servers and there was some confusion, but they all managed to get the job done. I like this place's feel, so I'm going to go back and try it again. They have home-made pasta and I'm a sucker for that.
(3)
Missy C.
Service is very. Very. Very slow. We had reservations and were seated right away but it took a long time for our waitress to come to our table. She was not very pleasant and seemed to be a bit of a snob. Our food I am sure was cooked to order, but I must admit for what we had to eat it took 45 Min's for our meal to arrive. The restaurant was not even half full so i cant imagine what it will be like during season.' We ordered a soup to try but our server never brought the soup. Our meals were all well prepared and I would give them all 4 1/2 stars. The food came out piping hot and that says a lot for the quality of the food. Ambiance 41/2 stars ( small but clean and well organized) Service 2 stars ( rude waitress, slow to wait on table 20 Min's just to get a drink lack of friendliness) Food Quality 5 stars Food Quantity 4 1/2 stars The only reason this place did not get 4 1/2 stars from us was because the server really had such a negative impact on our first visit here, Not sure if we will bother to go back since there are some many better restaurants.
(3)
Maggie T.
A great family restaurant that is run by mostly family. Cori and Daniela always come out to say "Hi" to us and our little girls. The Transylvania Platter is definitely a winner as well as the Schnitzel and Spaetzle.
(4)
stephanie g.
Simply enchanting and magical. This is like a dream come true, nothing over the top or too expensive yet creatively elegant and extremely delicious. It will not break your wallet in too many pieces but you will not regret the food and experience. That's a promise and I don't make promises easily. Meet Daniela's crew and experience some Transylvanian magic!
(5)
James S.
Worst meal experience ever. Warning: be prepared for horrible service. Empty restaurant on a Friday night says a lot. No host at the door, instead a teenager gets up from her homework at the back table and asks where we want to sit. No manners, felt like I disturbed her work. First words from the teenage server is what do you want to drink? Really? No greeting, no smile, no gracious hospitality. We order the meatballs for an app...big mistake! Tasted like bagged frozen cocktail meatballs from a grocery store with Ragu tomato sauce and dried oregano as a garnish on top...nothing fresh and appetizing about it. My daughter orders the lasagna and I ask her opinion between two dishes. She shrugs her shoulders and says I don't know, let me ask my Mom!!! Then she yells from our table, to her Mother, who is on a laptop at the same table in the back where the kids are doing homework!!! Mom shrugs her shoulders too and says I don't know...this is comical at this point. Then the other daughter proceeds to yell at her sister for not knowing how to serve and she should know the menu...then Mother scolds daughter for yelling at her sister. I give up and order the Transylvanian sausage with mash and kraut...another mistake which I'll get to in a moment. Kid server comes to clear meatballs and takes our forks. She drops our entrees and I ask for forks. She then asks me what did I do with them! Haha! I told her she took them with the meatballs! So when she serves entrees I also ask for more water...no response from server. I asked if she heard me and she says yeah, yeah I got it. Okay - entrees - sausage is WAY over cooked and tastes spoiled. Kraut tastes like it came from a can and is served cold! Never serve cold kraut with a hot dish...again with the dried herb garnish. Needless to say I eat half the entree and give up. Kid server goes back to homework and never comes back till check is dropped with zero words...nothing. BTW - they still have the former Pizzaria sign at the street. Don't be fooled, it's not a pizzeria !! I gave it one star cuz I had to, otherwise I give it a zero.
(1)
Joe F.
My wife made a reservation at Daniela's to see the psychic and try out the restaurant. We totaled enjoyed the creative menu and the food was fantastic along with the ambiance and friendly service. We will surely return again and try out other delicious foods that they offer. GREAT FIND.
(5)
Jamie R.
The ladies of Daniela's certainly earned their Star Award bestowed by the local paper as 2012 People's Choice. My visit this time was in fine company, too, thanks to fellow yelper John, who drove a long way with his wonderful wife, just for this evening. I had Daniela's schwaben spaetzle, which was thinly layered pork smothered in fragrant mushrooms. This was followed by a really dense, but sweetly delicious pumpkin cake, crowned with marscapone. We couldnt help but share it. As a bonus, I was served a glass of wine on the house because we added to school supply donations that were stacking up near the bar. Daniela's supports the Women & Children's Shelter; It was delicious to help with their cause as well On Saturdays, the violinist serenades the dining room for hours. Yes, he did play Hungarian Rhapsody. And yes, he played it well. (contented sigh)
(5)
David P.
Fantastic food, extremely friend people, Can't say to much about the place. It's the first place we stop at when returning to Naples every year. Daniela and sister Cory just make you feel like you have just come home and they have worked all day prepare your meal.
(5)
George S.
We were visiting the area, looking for a place to eat when we noticed this place. It was a great find. My girlfriend is from Romania so we had to go. The food was great! I would definitely go again.
(4)
Susan C.
Naples you have pleasantly surprised me! And my Hubby! As I mentioned in a couple of reviews already, my husband and I came here to visit our 91 year old grandparents and after our Thanksgiving dinner (at noon on Thanksgiving) we left them to rest for the afternoon and we went to Daniela's for dinner after researching a bit online. Naples is a lot of land and everything is spread apart so it took us about half an hour to get there but it was worth it. Right when we walked in we were met with romantic ambiance as Oleg played the violin for the room swiftly and cleanly. Turns out he is just part of the family! Daniela's is named after the chef (who came to greet us during our apple strudel dessert and looked quite young), and so the restaurant looks to be run by her family. With a sweet accent, our server asked us what we were in the mood for, Italian or Eastern European and we both didn't want Italian. So by her rec we ordered the Transylvanian Platter for two. It came with homemade sausages, stuffed cabbage and a chicken stew with spaetzle. We started with some goulash (Hungarian soup with beef and veggies and spaetzle) and they gave us a yogurt-cucumber dip for our bread instead of butter. Everything was fresh and tasted homemade. By the end of our meal the two other couples who had been there were gone and we were the only ones left as the family set up for dual culture Thanksgiving dinner. A beautiful turkey was presented at the table which I wish I could have taken a picture of, but didn't want to intrude and it looked like they had the traditional American trimmings as well as some European dishes. They asked us twice if we wanted to join them at their table but we politely declined. We wanted to let them have their dinner! Anyway, we left very full and satisfied. If you ever find yourself in Naples, I highly recommend Daniela's. They even have a gluten-free menu! In Naples! It's homemade, it's fun, and they are sweet.
(4)
Tara W.
So sad about this visit as I sit here eating peanut butter crackers to fill my empty stomach. Read good reviews, had it bookmarked for a while, went tonight on a whim. First, it's a Monday- not the weekend, not a holiday. Went in, were asked if we had reservations, we said no, hostess/waitress sat us on the dark porch. Fine, small restaurant, guess we should have called ahead. We were sat at 6pm. We got our food one hour later. It was not busy. In fact, the tables never filled up. Waitress came to visit the table approximately one time and that was to bring us our drinks and bread. Dinner was a mess when it finally arrived. Pierogies were flaccid, tasteless with a bland, runny, cream sauce and chunks of bacon fat. Mezzaluna with Ragu were fine, meatballs were scorching hot and so salty and tough we couldn't finish them. Transylvanian platter was lukewarm at best, almost cold. How can you wait 1 hour and get cold food? How is that even possible? We think it may have been good if we could have tasted it or even seen what we were eating. $100 and 5 mosquito bites later we left with a "sorry I usually cook but I had to cover the front tonight" and 1 glass of rice pudding as a "we apologize for the wait". Couldn't tell you how the pudding tasted, we were afraid to try it. They did a terrible job, and knew it, but were happy to take the money and stay away from the table when things were clearly going south. Not good. I can take a bad night in the kitchen, I'll even come back for a second try if the communication is good and up front. But performing poorly, and knowing it was poor, and not making it right is just wrong. Shame! They can keep the money, we won't be coming back and neither will anyone we know.
(1)
David L.
Completely unexpected visit on a Friday evening with two kids. With a very attractive dining room with quiet tables, we instead opted for the front patio with energetic 5 and 7 year olds. It doesn't seem like this is the place for kids, but we couldn't have picked a better place for them to try some new things (and bounce around the patio a bit pretending to be belly dancers) The food was amazing...kids split an entree and my five year old said his proscuitto filled ravioli was "better than cake!" For that he got a high-five from Daniela. My tagliatelle and salmon was fresh and delightful. My wife's selection of cabbage rolls from the gluten-free menu renewed her hope in dining out as she hasn't ate that well away from home in quite some time. Plan to take some time here: the food is not quick and the service is personal for everyone once you get it. Daniela is instrumental in the kitchen and she spends quality time out with the guests. It all adds to the comfort of a place that just feels like you are dining in her home for the evening. Be patient and be rewarded. Can't wait to return.
(4)
Lou B.
This place is great. Owner is from e eur. She cooks terrific food, ESP homemade pasta. She is very personable. Go. You wont be disappointed. Clean, reasonable nice neighborhood place. One of the highlights of Naples!
(4)
John D.
MINUNAT! According to my research, that means "fantastic" in Romanian, and that's just what this place is. We went out to dinner with our friend Jamie R. and started with the Antipasto Fredo as an appetizer. It had a nice variety of smoked sausages, cheese, olives, meatballs, & pickles with a red sauce. Excellent starter. For dinner I had the Transylvanian Sausages, which came with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut & pickled tomatoes. The sausages are made by Daniela herself and smoked on the premises. This was a truly special meal. My wife had the special ravioli stuffed with mushrooms & proscuitto, with a poppy seed sauce. Another excellent choice. For dessert: the special, a pumpkin cake with marzipan frosting. Superb. A variation on the mon & pop theme, this place is owned and run by 2 sisters from Romania, Cori & Daniela, both thoroughly delightful and, of course, competent. Ambiance/Decor - 5 STARS Food - 5 STARS Location - 5 STARS Value - 5 STARS Service - 5 STARS I wish we lived nearer to this gem. It's a winner.
(5)
Carly O.
I was pleasantly surprised by Daniela's. My dad found it here on Yelp so we decided to try it out, and I'm really glad we did. We were seated right away, but I'll admit it took a little while for the server to come to our table. We weren't in a hurry though so no harm. When the server came she was super friendly and funny. She suggested a really good Romanian wine that my step mom ended up ordering as well because she liked mine so much. For an appetizer, they provided delicious homemade bread with cucumber salad. We also ordered the Bruschetta, which our table agreed was alright. I had never tried Hungarian food before so I was excited to try something new. My dad and I split the Transylvanian Platter. Not knowing what to expect, I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it turned out really well. Honestly, I don't know the correct names for the different dishes so I'm not going to try and explain the platter in great detail. There was a chicken/noodle/potato dish, something with cabbage rolls and sour cream, and then sausages w/ veggies and mustard on the side. I probably butchered the description, but I know for sure that it tasted amazing. I think my step mom ordered the Tortelli ai Funghi and she really liked her meal as well. For dessert we had chocolate mousse, tiramisu, and orange creme brulee. The three of us passed around the desserts, and decided the best was the mousse, though all of them were really good. The food isn't made spicy but you can opt for it to be made that way. Also, the history of the restaurant is interesting so I would suggest you ask about it when you visit. It's pretty neat to hear about. Overall, it was a great experience and I'm looking forward to visiting again the next time we're in Naples.
(5)
Kelly H.
We have been enjoying Daniela's delicious food since it opened. Chef Daniela, sister and co-owner, Cori and daughters Nicole and Ioana, make sure everyone's experience is a special one. Daniela's recipies are lovingly prepared and served, and she loves nothing more than visiting each table to speak with customers to find out how they enjoyed twhat they think of the food. Daniela's success is partially due to the fact that it is a family owned and operated business and everyone in the family cares about the experience the customers are having. They are fiendly and genuinely happy to see every one who walks in the door. They have stayed small and select those they hire very carefully.i suggest you go, and try everything. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Victor H.
As Romanians, we would like to advise people to stay away. This is not authentic Romanian food, it is the worst food we had ever been served in a Romanian restaurant outside Romania. Please go to Romanian restaurants in New York ( Queens), Montreal or Hollywood FL. The atmoshere is bad taste, sad, cheap with formica furniture. Food is no value but expensive, served in a parcimonious quantity. The Transilvania Platter for two is not tasty ( or you should have never before tried Sarmale or mititei). There are 3 sarmale and 3 mititei, tow mamaliga slices and some bad paprikas added. Terrible experience! We had never been so disappointed before with a Romanian restaurant. It is a shame for the authentic Romanian cuisine....
(1)
John C.
Found this one thanks to yelp. However, my expectations may have been too high due to the great reviews. Service was very slow. The one sister who seems to be more of the waitress/host sat us and took our drink order which was a bottle of Romanian red. She totally forgot that we had ordered it and sat down to chat with friends while we sat there sipping our waters. It took us ordering it again through someone else to finally receive it. We finally received it after three people searched for it at the bar. Chopped salad was almost like a bagged salad. We ordered the Transylvanian platter and a ravioli dish. There is a certain spice that they use that blasts you in the face once you walk through the door and again once you bite into your meal. Too overpowering. Food was not anything special. Service was worse. Took forever to get our check and then finally have credit card picked up. I felt myself apologizing on behalf of the restaurant because it is a family run place and they are nice people. But the food was not good enough to make up for the really slow and unhelpful service. I feel like I may give it a shot again because the menu is so large and there were lots of nice options. But it will be a while.
(2)
Murl L.
Come for the food and stay for the hospitality. The fare is delicious and a fantastic value. Daniella is a smart and charming host. Spacious outdoor and indoor seating to suit the weather and your fancy. The domestic wine list is limited, but the selection of Romanian wines add adventure to the selection and complement the food very well. Right off 41, so a little drive time is easy and so worth it.
(5)
A B.
Exceptionally good, high quality, quaint, friendly staff and owners who know what they are doing. Their is a great story of how the place came to be. Visit to hear it yourself and you will keep coming back. This is the type of business we should all be supporting because when we cannot cook like our moms and our moms can't cook-Daniela's can warm your soul.
(5)
Rich F.
As we were driving around Bonita Springs, I saw Daniela's restaurant with a notation on the sign that it was Italian, Romanian, Hungarian food. What a great combo so had to try it. The Transylvania Platter is a combination of the first 3 entrees including Cabbage stuffed with rice, house made, incredibly tender meatballs, chicken with Spaetzel that was succulent with a delicious gravy and grilled vegetables with an amazingly light serving of Polenta. We were all really impressed with how delicious everything was. They just celebrated their 4th year in business which is incredible as 2009 was a horrible year to start a restaurant. The food saved them. Try it, you will be surprised also.
(5)
Tiffany T.
Wow! My husband and I were in the area and were intrigued by the sign "Italian, Romanian and Hungarian" food. We went in on a whim not expecting great things but boy were we wrong! The two sisters that run the place were born in Romania. One of them spent 9 years in Hungary while the other spent 9 years in Italy. Both brought back excellent recipes and a flair for real comfort food. They brought out some fresh bread with a delicious cucumber salad that was reminiscent of Tzatziki. You could see the flecks of fresh dill in the creamy goodness. Excellent flavour; we sopped up the liquid with our bread. Not a drop was left behind! I had the spinach ravioli with a mushroom filling served in a broccoli cream sauce. Pasta was handmade and incredibly delicate; perfectly cooked al dente. My husband had the Transylvanian sausage. Their menu touted the sausage was their mothers recipe and it was truly delicious! The pickled tomato garnish was amazing and, I think homemade. Definitely worth a try. We will be back! In fact we signed up to their email list to make sure we don't miss anything fun, like belly dancing!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Linda P.
I wrote the review on the bottom of this page, prior to reading the negative reviews attached. I just want to say that I am appalled that people could be so disrespectful to such a cute little friendly place. maybe they were having a bad day, but we did not have anything close to what was mentioned in some of them. My grandmother was Hungarian, and although the dishes we ordered Goulash and Paprikash, were not her exact recipe, they were flavorful and reminded me of her. As I say below, we arrived late, and they seated us anyway, and they were clearly tired from a very busy evening, but treated us with respect, friendly service and smiles. I have found that being nice goes along way to getting good service. perhaps those naysayers, should take a course in niceties and their experiences will improve. "We went at 8:30 pm on Monday and they closed at 9:00 pm but were amazingly hospitable. The food was really good, hot and flavorful and it was fun talking to the 2 sisters that own this cute little place. We had a great time"
(5)Cipora L.
We love to find places that are not chains and in Bonita Springs that isn't easy. What a disappointment this was. The service was terrible. The waitress never entered our order and 25 minutes later came out to blame a "computer glitch" When the food did arrive it was inedible. Overcooked and soggy pasta was served with fatty undercooked sausage. The waitress when picking up our uneaten meals asked if we liked it. We replied no, we're ignored and presented with the bill. If I could assign negative stars, I would.
(1)a. d. a.
During the slow summer season, the service was great and friendly. However, we were just here during the peak winter season and had a different experience. We sat down for nearly 30 minutes before anyone came to help us, and it was the chef Daniela who came out of the kitchen to take our order. She recommended a pasta dish, Tortelli ai Funghi, which was described in the menu as "spinach ravioli filled with a delicious mixture of mushroom and marscapone in a broccoli sauce". However, what arrived was undercooked, chewy ravioli filled with indiscernible substance covered in a cream sauce, topped with what tasted like blanched frozen broccoli. It was horrible. The other dish we got was vegetarian cabbage rolls, and that was quite good. No one checked on us again after the food arrived. We won't come back again, and don't recommend it during the peak season.
(2)Richard P.
Had their cold antipasto. Sausages were good, mozzarella was blandy and the polenta was just OK. Unremarkable in general and the scant olives and pickles were ordinary jarred type... if they weren't they were identical to store-bought. Don't waste your money. I've never been to a Hungarian/Romanian type restaurant, but I grew up in a place where this food was common. Ordered the Transylvania platter for two and it was interesting. The chicken paprikash was very good. Cabbage rolls tasted like dog food... the meat was unpleasant tasting to my palate. I grew up with the polish variety of these and they are superior in every way. 4The little sausages were tasty... and everything else was unmemorable but achieved the "OK" mark. The presentation was nice. The service was friendly, fun, but uneven. You'd get different servers and there was some confusion, but they all managed to get the job done. I like this place's feel, so I'm going to go back and try it again. They have home-made pasta and I'm a sucker for that.
(3)Missy C.
Service is very. Very. Very slow. We had reservations and were seated right away but it took a long time for our waitress to come to our table. She was not very pleasant and seemed to be a bit of a snob. Our food I am sure was cooked to order, but I must admit for what we had to eat it took 45 Min's for our meal to arrive. The restaurant was not even half full so i cant imagine what it will be like during season.' We ordered a soup to try but our server never brought the soup. Our meals were all well prepared and I would give them all 4 1/2 stars. The food came out piping hot and that says a lot for the quality of the food. Ambiance 41/2 stars ( small but clean and well organized) Service 2 stars ( rude waitress, slow to wait on table 20 Min's just to get a drink lack of friendliness) Food Quality 5 stars Food Quantity 4 1/2 stars The only reason this place did not get 4 1/2 stars from us was because the server really had such a negative impact on our first visit here, Not sure if we will bother to go back since there are some many better restaurants.
(3)Maggie T.
A great family restaurant that is run by mostly family. Cori and Daniela always come out to say "Hi" to us and our little girls. The Transylvania Platter is definitely a winner as well as the Schnitzel and Spaetzle.
(4)stephanie g.
Simply enchanting and magical. This is like a dream come true, nothing over the top or too expensive yet creatively elegant and extremely delicious. It will not break your wallet in too many pieces but you will not regret the food and experience. That's a promise and I don't make promises easily. Meet Daniela's crew and experience some Transylvanian magic!
(5)James S.
Worst meal experience ever. Warning: be prepared for horrible service. Empty restaurant on a Friday night says a lot. No host at the door, instead a teenager gets up from her homework at the back table and asks where we want to sit. No manners, felt like I disturbed her work. First words from the teenage server is what do you want to drink? Really? No greeting, no smile, no gracious hospitality. We order the meatballs for an app...big mistake! Tasted like bagged frozen cocktail meatballs from a grocery store with Ragu tomato sauce and dried oregano as a garnish on top...nothing fresh and appetizing about it. My daughter orders the lasagna and I ask her opinion between two dishes. She shrugs her shoulders and says I don't know, let me ask my Mom!!! Then she yells from our table, to her Mother, who is on a laptop at the same table in the back where the kids are doing homework!!! Mom shrugs her shoulders too and says I don't know...this is comical at this point. Then the other daughter proceeds to yell at her sister for not knowing how to serve and she should know the menu...then Mother scolds daughter for yelling at her sister. I give up and order the Transylvanian sausage with mash and kraut...another mistake which I'll get to in a moment. Kid server comes to clear meatballs and takes our forks. She drops our entrees and I ask for forks. She then asks me what did I do with them! Haha! I told her she took them with the meatballs! So when she serves entrees I also ask for more water...no response from server. I asked if she heard me and she says yeah, yeah I got it. Okay - entrees - sausage is WAY over cooked and tastes spoiled. Kraut tastes like it came from a can and is served cold! Never serve cold kraut with a hot dish...again with the dried herb garnish. Needless to say I eat half the entree and give up. Kid server goes back to homework and never comes back till check is dropped with zero words...nothing. BTW - they still have the former Pizzaria sign at the street. Don't be fooled, it's not a pizzeria !! I gave it one star cuz I had to, otherwise I give it a zero.
(1)Joe F.
My wife made a reservation at Daniela's to see the psychic and try out the restaurant. We totaled enjoyed the creative menu and the food was fantastic along with the ambiance and friendly service. We will surely return again and try out other delicious foods that they offer. GREAT FIND.
(5)Jamie R.
The ladies of Daniela's certainly earned their Star Award bestowed by the local paper as 2012 People's Choice. My visit this time was in fine company, too, thanks to fellow yelper John, who drove a long way with his wonderful wife, just for this evening. I had Daniela's schwaben spaetzle, which was thinly layered pork smothered in fragrant mushrooms. This was followed by a really dense, but sweetly delicious pumpkin cake, crowned with marscapone. We couldnt help but share it. As a bonus, I was served a glass of wine on the house because we added to school supply donations that were stacking up near the bar. Daniela's supports the Women & Children's Shelter; It was delicious to help with their cause as well On Saturdays, the violinist serenades the dining room for hours. Yes, he did play Hungarian Rhapsody. And yes, he played it well. (contented sigh)
(5)David P.
Fantastic food, extremely friend people, Can't say to much about the place. It's the first place we stop at when returning to Naples every year. Daniela and sister Cory just make you feel like you have just come home and they have worked all day prepare your meal.
(5)George S.
We were visiting the area, looking for a place to eat when we noticed this place. It was a great find. My girlfriend is from Romania so we had to go. The food was great! I would definitely go again.
(4)Susan C.
Naples you have pleasantly surprised me! And my Hubby! As I mentioned in a couple of reviews already, my husband and I came here to visit our 91 year old grandparents and after our Thanksgiving dinner (at noon on Thanksgiving) we left them to rest for the afternoon and we went to Daniela's for dinner after researching a bit online. Naples is a lot of land and everything is spread apart so it took us about half an hour to get there but it was worth it. Right when we walked in we were met with romantic ambiance as Oleg played the violin for the room swiftly and cleanly. Turns out he is just part of the family! Daniela's is named after the chef (who came to greet us during our apple strudel dessert and looked quite young), and so the restaurant looks to be run by her family. With a sweet accent, our server asked us what we were in the mood for, Italian or Eastern European and we both didn't want Italian. So by her rec we ordered the Transylvanian Platter for two. It came with homemade sausages, stuffed cabbage and a chicken stew with spaetzle. We started with some goulash (Hungarian soup with beef and veggies and spaetzle) and they gave us a yogurt-cucumber dip for our bread instead of butter. Everything was fresh and tasted homemade. By the end of our meal the two other couples who had been there were gone and we were the only ones left as the family set up for dual culture Thanksgiving dinner. A beautiful turkey was presented at the table which I wish I could have taken a picture of, but didn't want to intrude and it looked like they had the traditional American trimmings as well as some European dishes. They asked us twice if we wanted to join them at their table but we politely declined. We wanted to let them have their dinner! Anyway, we left very full and satisfied. If you ever find yourself in Naples, I highly recommend Daniela's. They even have a gluten-free menu! In Naples! It's homemade, it's fun, and they are sweet.
(4)Tara W.
So sad about this visit as I sit here eating peanut butter crackers to fill my empty stomach. Read good reviews, had it bookmarked for a while, went tonight on a whim. First, it's a Monday- not the weekend, not a holiday. Went in, were asked if we had reservations, we said no, hostess/waitress sat us on the dark porch. Fine, small restaurant, guess we should have called ahead. We were sat at 6pm. We got our food one hour later. It was not busy. In fact, the tables never filled up. Waitress came to visit the table approximately one time and that was to bring us our drinks and bread. Dinner was a mess when it finally arrived. Pierogies were flaccid, tasteless with a bland, runny, cream sauce and chunks of bacon fat. Mezzaluna with Ragu were fine, meatballs were scorching hot and so salty and tough we couldn't finish them. Transylvanian platter was lukewarm at best, almost cold. How can you wait 1 hour and get cold food? How is that even possible? We think it may have been good if we could have tasted it or even seen what we were eating. $100 and 5 mosquito bites later we left with a "sorry I usually cook but I had to cover the front tonight" and 1 glass of rice pudding as a "we apologize for the wait". Couldn't tell you how the pudding tasted, we were afraid to try it. They did a terrible job, and knew it, but were happy to take the money and stay away from the table when things were clearly going south. Not good. I can take a bad night in the kitchen, I'll even come back for a second try if the communication is good and up front. But performing poorly, and knowing it was poor, and not making it right is just wrong. Shame! They can keep the money, we won't be coming back and neither will anyone we know.
(1)David L.
Completely unexpected visit on a Friday evening with two kids. With a very attractive dining room with quiet tables, we instead opted for the front patio with energetic 5 and 7 year olds. It doesn't seem like this is the place for kids, but we couldn't have picked a better place for them to try some new things (and bounce around the patio a bit pretending to be belly dancers) The food was amazing...kids split an entree and my five year old said his proscuitto filled ravioli was "better than cake!" For that he got a high-five from Daniela. My tagliatelle and salmon was fresh and delightful. My wife's selection of cabbage rolls from the gluten-free menu renewed her hope in dining out as she hasn't ate that well away from home in quite some time. Plan to take some time here: the food is not quick and the service is personal for everyone once you get it. Daniela is instrumental in the kitchen and she spends quality time out with the guests. It all adds to the comfort of a place that just feels like you are dining in her home for the evening. Be patient and be rewarded. Can't wait to return.
(4)Lou B.
This place is great. Owner is from e eur. She cooks terrific food, ESP homemade pasta. She is very personable. Go. You wont be disappointed. Clean, reasonable nice neighborhood place. One of the highlights of Naples!
(4)John D.
MINUNAT! According to my research, that means "fantastic" in Romanian, and that's just what this place is. We went out to dinner with our friend Jamie R. and started with the Antipasto Fredo as an appetizer. It had a nice variety of smoked sausages, cheese, olives, meatballs, & pickles with a red sauce. Excellent starter. For dinner I had the Transylvanian Sausages, which came with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut & pickled tomatoes. The sausages are made by Daniela herself and smoked on the premises. This was a truly special meal. My wife had the special ravioli stuffed with mushrooms & proscuitto, with a poppy seed sauce. Another excellent choice. For dessert: the special, a pumpkin cake with marzipan frosting. Superb. A variation on the mon & pop theme, this place is owned and run by 2 sisters from Romania, Cori & Daniela, both thoroughly delightful and, of course, competent. Ambiance/Decor - 5 STARS Food - 5 STARS Location - 5 STARS Value - 5 STARS Service - 5 STARS I wish we lived nearer to this gem. It's a winner.
(5)Carly O.
I was pleasantly surprised by Daniela's. My dad found it here on Yelp so we decided to try it out, and I'm really glad we did. We were seated right away, but I'll admit it took a little while for the server to come to our table. We weren't in a hurry though so no harm. When the server came she was super friendly and funny. She suggested a really good Romanian wine that my step mom ended up ordering as well because she liked mine so much. For an appetizer, they provided delicious homemade bread with cucumber salad. We also ordered the Bruschetta, which our table agreed was alright. I had never tried Hungarian food before so I was excited to try something new. My dad and I split the Transylvanian Platter. Not knowing what to expect, I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it turned out really well. Honestly, I don't know the correct names for the different dishes so I'm not going to try and explain the platter in great detail. There was a chicken/noodle/potato dish, something with cabbage rolls and sour cream, and then sausages w/ veggies and mustard on the side. I probably butchered the description, but I know for sure that it tasted amazing. I think my step mom ordered the Tortelli ai Funghi and she really liked her meal as well. For dessert we had chocolate mousse, tiramisu, and orange creme brulee. The three of us passed around the desserts, and decided the best was the mousse, though all of them were really good. The food isn't made spicy but you can opt for it to be made that way. Also, the history of the restaurant is interesting so I would suggest you ask about it when you visit. It's pretty neat to hear about. Overall, it was a great experience and I'm looking forward to visiting again the next time we're in Naples.
(5)Kelly H.
We have been enjoying Daniela's delicious food since it opened. Chef Daniela, sister and co-owner, Cori and daughters Nicole and Ioana, make sure everyone's experience is a special one. Daniela's recipies are lovingly prepared and served, and she loves nothing more than visiting each table to speak with customers to find out how they enjoyed twhat they think of the food. Daniela's success is partially due to the fact that it is a family owned and operated business and everyone in the family cares about the experience the customers are having. They are fiendly and genuinely happy to see every one who walks in the door. They have stayed small and select those they hire very carefully.i suggest you go, and try everything. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Victor H.
As Romanians, we would like to advise people to stay away. This is not authentic Romanian food, it is the worst food we had ever been served in a Romanian restaurant outside Romania. Please go to Romanian restaurants in New York ( Queens), Montreal or Hollywood FL. The atmoshere is bad taste, sad, cheap with formica furniture. Food is no value but expensive, served in a parcimonious quantity. The Transilvania Platter for two is not tasty ( or you should have never before tried Sarmale or mititei). There are 3 sarmale and 3 mititei, tow mamaliga slices and some bad paprikas added. Terrible experience! We had never been so disappointed before with a Romanian restaurant. It is a shame for the authentic Romanian cuisine....
(1)John C.
Found this one thanks to yelp. However, my expectations may have been too high due to the great reviews. Service was very slow. The one sister who seems to be more of the waitress/host sat us and took our drink order which was a bottle of Romanian red. She totally forgot that we had ordered it and sat down to chat with friends while we sat there sipping our waters. It took us ordering it again through someone else to finally receive it. We finally received it after three people searched for it at the bar. Chopped salad was almost like a bagged salad. We ordered the Transylvanian platter and a ravioli dish. There is a certain spice that they use that blasts you in the face once you walk through the door and again once you bite into your meal. Too overpowering. Food was not anything special. Service was worse. Took forever to get our check and then finally have credit card picked up. I felt myself apologizing on behalf of the restaurant because it is a family run place and they are nice people. But the food was not good enough to make up for the really slow and unhelpful service. I feel like I may give it a shot again because the menu is so large and there were lots of nice options. But it will be a while.
(2)Murl L.
Come for the food and stay for the hospitality. The fare is delicious and a fantastic value. Daniella is a smart and charming host. Spacious outdoor and indoor seating to suit the weather and your fancy. The domestic wine list is limited, but the selection of Romanian wines add adventure to the selection and complement the food very well. Right off 41, so a little drive time is easy and so worth it.
(5)A B.
Exceptionally good, high quality, quaint, friendly staff and owners who know what they are doing. Their is a great story of how the place came to be. Visit to hear it yourself and you will keep coming back. This is the type of business we should all be supporting because when we cannot cook like our moms and our moms can't cook-Daniela's can warm your soul.
(5)Rich F.
As we were driving around Bonita Springs, I saw Daniela's restaurant with a notation on the sign that it was Italian, Romanian, Hungarian food. What a great combo so had to try it. The Transylvania Platter is a combination of the first 3 entrees including Cabbage stuffed with rice, house made, incredibly tender meatballs, chicken with Spaetzel that was succulent with a delicious gravy and grilled vegetables with an amazingly light serving of Polenta. We were all really impressed with how delicious everything was. They just celebrated their 4th year in business which is incredible as 2009 was a horrible year to start a restaurant. The food saved them. Try it, you will be surprised also.
(5)Tiffany T.
Wow! My husband and I were in the area and were intrigued by the sign "Italian, Romanian and Hungarian" food. We went in on a whim not expecting great things but boy were we wrong! The two sisters that run the place were born in Romania. One of them spent 9 years in Hungary while the other spent 9 years in Italy. Both brought back excellent recipes and a flair for real comfort food. They brought out some fresh bread with a delicious cucumber salad that was reminiscent of Tzatziki. You could see the flecks of fresh dill in the creamy goodness. Excellent flavour; we sopped up the liquid with our bread. Not a drop was left behind! I had the spinach ravioli with a mushroom filling served in a broccoli cream sauce. Pasta was handmade and incredibly delicate; perfectly cooked al dente. My husband had the Transylvanian sausage. Their menu touted the sausage was their mothers recipe and it was truly delicious! The pickled tomato garnish was amazing and, I think homemade. Definitely worth a try. We will be back! In fact we signed up to their email list to make sure we don't miss anything fun, like belly dancing!
(5)