Food, Catering Companies, Restaurants, Banquet Rooms
$$$, Notable Wine List, Online Reservations, Romantic Dining
Venezia is an Italian restaurant that has become a Berkeley institution acclaimed for its great food, value and atmosphere. Venezia's menu features a wide assortment of fresh pasta, meats and fish, a moderately priced wine list, full bar and weekly specials created under the able hand of Chef Cindy Deetz. All this is served in a charming interior that invokes an Italian piazza with floor-to-ceiling murals, a central fountain, hanging laundry, wrought iron balconies, and even roosting faux pigeons! Venezia is child friendly and has a warm, personable staff. Parking is available behind the restaurant and, at night, next door in the AAA lot. Venezia is one of the few restaurants in town that can accommodate large parties with ease. We have a private dining room that can seat 25 comfortably, and the main dining room seats parties from 2-20 in a bustling, festive atmosphere.
This place has always been a favorite of mine. The menu is great and the environment is very nice. Recently I dined there and was a little unhappy. The portions seemed to be drastically reduced. Maybe its just me, but my plate was way to small. I'd still give it another try though.
Posted 10/16/08 | Report Abuse
Was this review helpful to you?
very elegant place, the food was really good and the service was wonderful. they have a great wine selection and i was really please i will go back there next time I am in S.F.
Posted 09/12/08 | Report Abuse
Was this review helpful to you?
My family and I were very loyal customers but for my parents' 25th anniversary we booked the room for a party and they cancelled on us the night before. We dine out every night and were frequent diners at Venezia but will no longer dine here and have discouraged all of our relatives and friends in the bay area from doing so.
Posted 09/15/08
I have lived in the bay area for a long time, and this is by far the best italian. Going to school here everyone would go in to North Beach, but why make such a long trip when Berkeley has way better italian. Always great service and awesome food!!!
Posted 06/08/08
Great Italian food, very nice comfortable place. Nice wine list. People are nice at the restaurant I go with my friend and we have a nice dinner. You should try sometime, you will like it!
Pros: Nice place,nice place to watch people, good food!
Cons: I don't know
Posted 09/25/07
Caesar Salad: excellent
Entrees: excellent
Dessert: excellent
Service: excellent
Ambiance: excellent
Price: Reasonable
What else can I say?
Pros: Everything
Cons: Nothing
Posted 08/08/07
Our last couple of trips to Venezia have been disappointing. The service is uneven. The last time we went to Venezia, the server got our orders wrong, disappeared for long stretches of time, and was less than pleasant. The menu hasn't changed in years, and the quality of the dishes seems to have deteriorated. We have been eating at Venezia periodically over the past 20 years, but I don't think we will be going back.
Pros: pleasant ambience
Cons: uneven service, overpriced
Posted 12/06/06
We recently had a large party of 15 people and the service was efficient and pleasant. That day the jalepeno soup was delicious. Other dishes like the Malfatti con Funghi drew rave reviews, and some friends even commented that it was the best Italian food they've had in the Bay area.
Pros: Food, Value
Posted 11/08/06
The pasta carbonara, malfati con funghi, and pasta puttanesca are our all-time favorites. the osso bucco w/ polenta is awesome. In fact, the polenta with a little gorgonzola on top, which they are happy to provide, is delicious all on it's own. There's always a great steak on the menu, coooked to perfection. I once wished they'd rotate the menu, but when they started making changes, I was really worried. Thank God they kept the staples, as mentioned above! The drinks are stellar -- I'm partial to their mean long island iced tea and great martinis -- but all drinks are good, and reasonably priced. The manager is a gem; he remembers us after serving us once, years ago, and never fails to recognize and greet us. It's this kind of friendly service, neighborly attitude and good, well-priced food that brings us back in over and over, for almost 20 years now. Oh, and did I mention the panna cotta? I love it so much, I always have an order to go, even if I have no room for dessert.
Pros: Delicious food, good prices, stiff drinks -- and overall GREAT SERVICE from kitchen to service.
Cons: Can get loud, crowded and hot. Peak hours can mean you sit way too close to other diners.
Posted 09/04/06
Venezia is always a favorite. We love, love, love their Pasta Carbonara and their Malfatti con funghi. The ambiance is always great and they even take reservations. We brought my Italian grandmother there and the chef came out to talk about Italy with her, very personal. The prices are reasonable. Other mentionables... love the martinis there and the Solitude Chardonnay.
Pros: Food, Ambiance, Price
Posted 04/12/06
Some of the best Italian I've had... everything that we've tried has been nothing short of fantastic. The decor is exceptionally well done, they really went all out. Service has always been very good, although things do move at a slower pace (which is more befitting of its prices). One of my favorite places in Berkeley.
Pros: Food, Ambience, Service
Cons: None
Posted 01/17/06
Venezia is a great place to go with a group for dinner. The portions are large, the food is delicious and the service is friendly and efficient.
Posted 05/11/05
This place is a great value. The food is delicious, and the menu is exciting. The staff is extremely friendly and the atmosphere is casual. It is a great place to hang out with friends or even bring family and kids. But do not mistaken this place for a family restaurant - the food quality is very good and at very decent prices... For garlic lovers out there, you've got to try their Ceszar salad... their antipasto and fried calamari is also a killer... I've tried ALL (really!!!) the dishes on their menu, and I did not find anything that I did not like.
Pros: Value, Food, Taste, Easy going atmosphere
Cons: no reservation wait
Posted 09/11/03
I found this restaurant on Citysearch and took some friends visiting from out of state. We loved the food and the service was excellent. I love the northern Italian atmosphere. The clothes line is a nice touch.
Pros: Good parking, Affordable, Great food
Posted 10/30/02
I was throwing a birthday party in a few days and I was frantically looking for a great restraunt.. I found Venezia on citysearch and I went in to talk to the manager who was very helpful and friendly. The birthday party went wonderful! The food was delicious, the sevice was great, and the decorations really added to the beauty of the whole experience.. Please, Please go to Venezia if you're looking for a great place to have yummy Italian food...
Posted 07/07/02
