Vivoli Cafe & Trattoria

Love walking in and having a big smiley "welcome". Like that they remember what I like and how I like it. Like the warm and friendly atmosphere and the very good service. Like that parking is right there. All very conducive to an easy and enjoyable evening out. Did I mention that I love the food!!!!

Pros: Friendly at the Door and Friendly at the Table

Cons: Non

Posted 10/27/09

Vivoli Cafe is one of those little places you find through the sharing of great friends. In this case, I no longer have the friend, but I remain a loyal patron to the restaurant. From the warm welcome received when entering to the final double expresso I order before leaving, the experience remains one of excellence. From a consistently fine menu to a good list from which to choose an accompanying wine, one can only wonder how lucky to have Vivoli Cafe in our midst. My particular favorite dish is the Potato Crusted Salmon and any pasta dish. And they don't hesitate to please with a favorite ingredient. Finally, I think it's important to make mention that I'm not even related to the family.

Pros: Hospitality !

Cons: Have never found any.

Posted 09/12/09

We use to love this place, but the service is lacking and so is the food. Last couple of times we came in the food was too salty and the servers messed up our orders, probably due to the fact that many of the staff do not speak or understand enough English. They opened up another location in Valencia so they might have forgotten about this one. They need a real chef in the kitchen to oversee the quality of food being prepared and sent out! We were disappointed on several occasions with not fresh salads, old vegetables or the quality of meat. I noticed all the reviews that were positive were from last year, hopefully they will improve the quality of food and service. We really like this place, hopefully they turn it around. For the prices they are charging they need a chef and/or manager on duty!

Pros: close to west hollywood

Cons: parking

Posted 05/01/09

I did not have the best experience here. My drinks were never refilled and I never recieved the bread I asked for. The wait staff also seemed very annoyed by me as a customer. Not the best place in town...

Pros: good menu

Cons: bad staff

Posted 03/22/09

Very poor experience. The bus boy spilled olive tempanade on my pants and down my leg. I realize that accidents happen but when the manager came over, he was very accusatory, like I was the guilty party. He did not even apologize until I told him how an apology would go a long way. He was extremely rude! No compensation was made. I wouldn't re-visit this restaurant if it were the last italian restaurant on earth.

Pros: The wine was good

Cons: The manager was rude

Posted 07/25/08

I went like a week ago and I got surprised how friendly people were... I met the manager Luigi always helpful and very concerned about food and wine... the menu was so long so we didn't know what to get, so Luigi suggested us to start with Involtini di melanzane (we pratically clean the plate!), then I had teh pork medallion with strawberries and balsamic yummyyy!!! and my friend got the salmon with the potato crust and pesto sauce... MAMMA MIA!!!!
I would definitly go back to try something else...

Pros: everything was perfect...

Posted 05/14/08

8 years in NYC working in fine dining give me a little credibilty. The two one star reviews of this wonderful, albeit cramped, place are absurd. Your time means something to you? make flippin' reservation! Who walks into a popular, yet small, place and expects to be seated immediately? Comparing it to Olive Garden either mean you are a nasty vindictive little cuss, or you have no taste buds.

The pizza's are individual and very fresh and lite on the sauce. The five cheese is my favorite. The baked penne' (sort like brooklyn style baked zitti but more refined) is to die for. They use a real veal ragou for the sauce with just the right amount of meat. The fish is very fresh (I worked in seafood) and simply prepared. The pastas are all al dente' and their suace has a hint of beschamel.

There are no entree's over 20 dollars. most of the pastas run 12-15 bucks including the fruti de mare.

It is NOT fine dinning which is why it doesn't get the fifth star.

Still, dollar for dollar, Vivoli might be LA's best Italian restaurant. Dinner for two (two courses and one dessert) for about 60 bucks. Can't beat it. If your taste is Macaroni Grill, or Bucca de Beppe, or the flippin Cheesecake Factory. GET OFF THIS SITE PLEASE!

By the way the waiters ARE from Italy (at least four of the ones that have waited on me) you idiot!

Pros: excellent food value

Cons: a little cramped

Posted 04/27/08

It's been awhile since I've eaten here but I'm always trying to get back. The service is impeccable and the food is out of this world. It is small and can get pretty congested but all that seems to add to the ambience. Their gnocchi is a must try and I get it everytime! The wine list is not huge but impressive none the less. Parking can be a problem but they do have valet if you don't feel like getting a parking ticket!! All around great little Italian place!

Posted 03/10/08

Tiny little restaurant on Sunset that is sure to appease your need for italian! We ordered several dishes and enjoyed them family style, eveything was great! We had the ciopinno, lasagna, pizza, and linguine pescadore ALL WONDERFUL!! I have nothing ill to say, FOOD DIVINE, SERVICE FAB!!! The manager Luigi was awesome, definately ask his recommendations. BTW, save room for dessert.!!!! Those are great as well!! GO NOW!! You wont be disappointed! :)

Pros: FOOD, SERVICE, DESSERT, REASONABLE!!!!! GO GO GO!!!

Cons: NONE

Posted 02/04/08

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TRYING THIS RESTAURANT TAKE COMFORTABLE SHOES BECAUSE THE WAIT IS SUPER LONG IT IS DOUBLE OF WHAT THEY TELL YOU. THE RESTAURANT IS SMALL SO BASICLY YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL PEOPLE GET UP AND LEAVE TO BE SEATED. WE WAITED FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR BECAUSE THE FOOD LOOKED DELICIOUS AND WHEN SEATED WE WERE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED. OLIVE GARDEN HAS A BETTER TASTE AND THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSELY AUTHENTIC.

Pros: THUMBS WAAAAY DOWN.

Posted 01/22/08

For the past three years, Vivoli has been my most favorite Italian restaurant in all of Los Angeles. Whenever someone comes to visit, I take them here. It's charming and small, tucked back in a small shopping strip. Inside, you feel very removed from Sunset Boulevard and all of the city drama. The open air kitchen is always making a racket, but who cares? It's all part of the authentic allure. The staff is friendly and always excited that you stopped in. Yes--all of this is fine and good. But it wouldn't mean a thing if the food wasn't so perfect. So, of the food: we're talkin' A+ delicious. I get the ravioli di spinaci, and I look around to see if it's okay to lick my plate clean. Their bread is yummy and hot while you wait for your entree. Order a glass off of their wine list or ask for a recommendation; they're experts. I like that the place is so small, only about 12 tables. Yet, that's also a curse. Call for a reservation for special ocassions. And even if you did have to wait, it's well worth it.

Pros: Italian Food

Posted 11/29/07

Our family was in town from all over the country for our daughter's wedding. My wife's big "six-oh" was 2 days later. Since the family was all in LA, I was looking for a restaurant near our hotel on Sunset Blvd. Stumbled on this place. Long story short - it was a great place to have a birthday party of 14. Sevice was top notch and everyone enjoyed the food. There was something for every taste. Everyone was friendly and catered to our party very well. Food was reasonably priced which I appreciated since I was paying the entire tab. I tipped well. When we visit again in LA, we'll go back.

Pros: Service & Food

Cons: None

Posted 09/26/07

Best of the Best!!!Love everything about this place~It was where we had our first date, where we celebrated first anniversary, birthdays...everything...just love it

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing

Posted 08/26/07

Vivoli Cafe has become one of my favorite restaurants in L.A. It's beloved by it's regular diners because the environment is so intimate, so pleasant, and so unpretentious. The wait staff is almost 100% comprised of charming, attentive Italian men and women who make everyone feel welcome. The food is great, also in an unpretentious way. It's simply good, affordable comfort food, although the kitchen does get creative and the menu is full of so many different things that it's hard to choose. I especially love the perfectly seasoned and lightly steamed veggies that accompany some of the entrees. Definitely have dessert too. My fave is the chocolate-orange dessert that's all fudgy goodness. The cafe is romantic, but in a simple, quaint, cozy way. It's small, but rather than feeling cramped, its intimacy adds to the feeling of shared happiness. Snobs will not like Vivioli, and the regulars are happy that they stay away. For those of us for whom Vivoli is like a treasured friend to whom we often stop by for a visit, we love being among the fortunate who take pleasure in its simple elegance and charm (and delicious food).

Posted 05/09/07

Four of us went to Vivoli simply based on its proximity to a theatre venue, & the experience was something to which all eateries should aspire. After being greeted by the entire staff as we entered, the service was top-notch from beginning to end - completely gracious, professional & personable. Everyone operated as a team.

For this type of service I could forgive a little flatness in the cuisine, but instead it was better than any restaurant I've eaten at in Italy! The prices are shockingly reasonable and the portions ample. Before we left we asked to speak to the owner, & not only did Donato come over to speak with us, so did 3 or 4 others from the staff - it was like being invited into someone's home & being treated like long-lost friends.

Reservations were made easily online, & I recommend doing so because the dining room is in fact on the small side, & there was a constant stream of parties waiting for tables. Regardless, it's well worth the wait. If Vivoli were located anywhere near my home, I would eat there every single week.

Pros: Everything one could wish for in a dining experience

Cons: None

Posted 04/29/07

I received a coupon to this place and figured why not give it a try. The BEST vodka pasta I've ever tasted...no joke!!! The server was from Italy and she could not have been sweeter. I was very pleased that the food was so good and the prices were so reasonable. The Salmon with pesto was so yummy as well. Honestly...I highly recommend this place! Only thing i did not love was the desert....but other than that...GO!

Pros: The food is amazing!

Posted 04/07/07

This classy and cute restaurant offers the most authentic Italian food I've had in America. True Italians, who are passionate about quality, make and serve the delightful food. I would eat at Vivoli every day if I could justify the expense...which is less than other similar establishments.

Pros: Food, service, price

Cons: Small space

Posted 04/07/07

There are so many Italian restuarants out there but a great one is a hard fine. This is why I was greatly surprised after going to this one. The scene at Vivoli is a small crowded room, which reminded me of lots of small trattoria in Italy. Space is not something that you look for here. Once we got seated, the waiter was fast and friendly offering up suggestions and specials. The pasta was done perfecty, not overcooked and soggy like some places. This was a great restuarant. I can't wait to go back.

Pros: The food, the service

Cons: Not a lot of space

Posted 04/03/07

My mother, sister, and I went here a couple weekends ago for an early Saturday lunch. The place was empty, so we had fully attentive service the whole time. Helpful and gracious staff, good knowledge of what to recommend, etc. Freshly made bread to start was warm and light. My sister had the Lasagna alla Bolognese and my mother had Cannelloni Gastronomici. They both thought their dishes were very flavorful and carefully prepared (Though I didn't try them because I'm vegetarian). I had the Gnudi Toscana (spinach and ricotta gnocchi with a parmesean sage sauce). It was savory and bursting with flavor, without being too heavy or rich like many pastas with cream sauce. I could have eaten it for days. Every bite was simply delicious. For dessert I had the home made dark chocolate with orange rind. Melt in your mouth, fantastic chocolate heaven is what it was. Wow. The dishes at this place are high quality. I'd definitely go back.

Pros: Great food and staff

Cons: none

Posted 03/16/07

Not sure where the previous poster got the idea that the waiters and waitresses are "putting on an act" and pretending like they're Italian. Maybe because most of them REALLY ARE ITALIAN? I love the restaurant: food, the service, and atmosphere. Yes, its a bit small inside, but I feel it adds to the whole coziness of the entire restaurant. The waiters and waitresses are extremely friendly - and when they mix in some italian into their conversation, it just makes you feel like you're really dining in Italy :-). My favorite dish: Linguine alle Vongole, which is linguine with clams. The clams are so fresh, the serving is the right portion for me, and you definitely get your money's worth. Highly recommend!!! One thing I have to add: call ahead of time and make a reservation. This place, due to its popularity, fills up very quickly on nights and weekends.

Pros: Excellent food and very helpful and friendly service. Cozy atmosphere.

Cons: Call and make reservations. This place gets packed pretty quickly.

Posted 01/30/07

Either people were paid to give these positive reviews or they simply don't know what real Italian food is.

First off, the place feels almost claustophobic and cramped. Our table was located next to the bar. Not a good spot. Then again, i didnt see any good tables anyways. Our waitress was annoying, why do people feel the need to put on an act and try to come across as itialians when they are not. Wine was ok, just your average pino grigio. The food itself wasn't really close of even being average. It just wasn't good. Bad day? Maybe. Maybe not. But the most annoying thing was that they had KennyG on the stereo. I mean at least play some Sinatra or Pavarotti. In the end, we couldn't wait to be done and leave.

Pros: None

Cons: Bad food, annoying service, bad amience and music

Posted 01/06/07

Vivoli is the kind of restaurant rarely found in LA: an authentic neighborhood Italian joint that offers very solid food for the money. If you are looking for high end, this is not it. But if you want an all-around excellent, relaxed dining experience, drop in any time. The owner and his employees couldn't be nicer. The menu has something for everyone. And, if you live anywhere near Fairfax in West Hollywood, you can walk to it. As a native Manhattanite who managed several highly-respected Italian restaurants in New York, Vivoli has become one of my favorites. If you go, there's a good chance it will become one of yours too.

Pros: Service, Chicken Parmigiana, Tiramisu, Friendly Crowd of Regulars, Location

Posted 12/30/06

service is excellent giving you the warm, intimate feeling..the food is great with very reasonable price. The tiramisu is to die for! definitely will go back for a second time.

Pros: great service, great food with reasonable price

Posted 12/28/06

Sorry folks, but this is not real Italian food. Gobs of tomato sauce poured over mystery meat is not my idea of a fine dish. This is the kind of Italian restaurant you find in the suburbs where no one knows what real Italian food is like. Fried calamari was not crispy, tough and not very tasty. Seafood risotto was too salty. Prosciutto and melon was fine, but that's just cutting and slicing. Veal parmigiana could have been anything covered with tomato sauce and cheese. The single canoli was also over the top, with enough filling for four canolis and lots of other frivolous things on the plate. The owner and wait staff were all very nice, and they brought some nice wine glasses for the wine I brought in (their list is very limited), and the place was very busy.

Maybe it's full of people because they serve a lot of food (albeit mediocre) at a relatively low price. But with so many fine real Italian restaurants in this town, this place is not a serious dining destination.

Pros: Nice owner, good and friendly service

Cons: Mediocre food

Posted 11/20/06

The Staff at Vivoli is top notch. They serve you with prompt attention and a great smile. The owner is one of the servers and he thrives on serving good food at a reasonable price. The food is excellent. Try the Pollo Al Cachioffi. It is out of this world.
I have visited many different places and yes, there are more expensive menus and snooty servers at other high price places, but I would not trade them all for this small, intimate restaurant. Their Tiramisu is homemade and their Chocolate Desert is out of this world. Don't miss it. You will not regret it.

Posted 11/20/06

My husband and I have been visiting this gem since it's opening. I've never had a bad meal here and the staff is incredibly friendly and always remembers you once you've been there a couple times. Try the calamari or eggplant appetizer -they are both fantastic. Their sauce is the best I've ever had. The potato crusted fish dinner is excellent as well. Don't forget desert! All of them are amazing,but I particulary like the tiramisu. This place may be in a mini strip mall, but once you have that first bite, you'll forget all about that one little drawback.

Pros: Food, Service

Cons: Location

Posted 11/08/06

vivoli is probably my favorite restaurant in LA. please please try the cotoletta di vitello. it's incredible! and they have really good tirimasu. my bf and i could eat there every week. actually, i think we do. everyone is sooo prefessional and friendly and helpful. i've never had a bad experience there. it's also very intimate and cozy. and once you've been there a few times, the staff recognizes and greets you. vivoli is definitely a keeper!

Pros: food, service, ambiance

Cons: none

Posted 09/14/06

Great place to fill your appetite with low key fresh Italian dishes. Atmosphere is calm and for some reason Italian cuisine tastes better when its made Italians... not the NJ type... European.

Pros: Genuinely good food

Cons: not too much parking

Posted 08/22/06

We first arrived I was extremely surprised on how small the restaurant is. My boyfriend and I sat at a table for two right next to one of the windows and directly next to us was another table for two. The place was packed to it's fullest capacity! It was also pretty loud in there from everyone talking. The waiters are extremely nice and knowledgeable, and they all seemed to all be Italian. The Italian red wine is excellent! The food was the best meal I have had in a long time. I had the Salmon with a pesto sauce and vegetables and it was by far the best Salmon I have ever had. My boyfriend is Italian and from a very traditional family and he thought it was amazing. I would not suggest going there with a big group, but it is perfect for dates! I can't wait to go back and try other items on their menu. Bon Appetite!

Pros: Food is amazing! Wait staff very helpful! Romantic!

Cons: Very small spaces

Posted 08/11/06

This place is incredible.Pure italian....as if you transported to Italy.The staff all from Italy and so wonderful and friendly.They just want you to have a great meal.

Pros: Staff

Posted 06/24/06

The waitstaff here is amazingly friendly and helpful. You will NEED the penne alla vodka. You must have it. It truly is like family here.
Make reservations, cuz this place is packed.

Pros: Penne Alla Vodka, Waitstaff

Posted 05/30/06

We found this restraunt through the entertainment book and it has become a fovorite. The atmosphere is warm and romantic, the food is great and so reasonably priced. the service is great and so friendly. Don't let the strip mall location fool you.

Posted 03/29/06

The food is superb the atmosphere is delightful clean and crisp. Donato is a perfect host-owner-chef and his staff could be friendlier. I go as often as I can and if I cant I have his food delivered. I feel mighty lucky to have such a fine Italian restaurant in the neighborhood.

Posted 03/29/06

Some of the best Italian food in Los Angeles. Excellent service, highly recommended. Convenient location near Sunset 5, DGA and other screening facilities.

Posted 03/29/06

Friendly, neighborhood feel and the pink sauce - you HAVE to have a pasta dish with the pink sauce!!

Posted 01/27/06

Elegeance and friendly servce..they make you feel special and important..and yet not very costly..excellent food..they wuill even prepare food to your liking..aka special orders!!

Posted 01/17/06

You might pass this place right up, located inside a small shopping center on sunset...don't make that mistake, once you're inside it's a different world. The food is incredibly delicious, and the price is very reasonable (even more so when you consider the quality of the food). The desserts are great as well...go for the chocolate orange dish, it's pretty amazing. The service there is amazing, everyone is very freindly and they treat you almost as family (we were on a first name basis with them after our second visit). If you haven't been there yet, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Pros: great food, great service, great price

Cons: i cant think of any

Posted 01/09/06

This is not a very expensive restaurant yet the food is perfect, the service is impeccable and not overbearing. This is a place that deserves more recognition in guides like Zagats. The best part is that it is also a smaller space which makes for a perfectly intimate spot for couples. And DO save a little space for dessert! The chocolate orange dessert is like soft fudge and will make your toes curl.

Pros: Food Nirvana, Dessert, Service

Posted 12/01/05

Was way early for our lunch reservation, but the manager hastily managed to get the restaurant ready & even opened early just to accommodate us! With the strip mall location, you wouldn't think of getting good food, but that's exactly what we got! Evertyhing was just so fresh (yummy pesto & tomato sauce!!!) and tasted so good! The prices are unbelievably reasonable too! Plus, the manager was so attentive and bent over backwards for us! Impressive! For calamari, 3 drinks, 3 entrees & 2 desserts, only spent $85 (pre-tip)!!! Will come back to this WeHo secret!!!

Pros: Awesome Food, Great Service, Good Prices

Posted 04/13/05

This place is phenomenal. The food is so fresh and comes to the table in large, steaming hot portions. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're in the mood for really good, reasonably priced Italian food.

Pros: reasonably priced, fresh food, served hot

Posted 03/30/05

The food and service are excellent and the owners are friendly and helpful. I've been impressed with everything I've ordered from all areas of the menu, which is not a claim I can make for most places. The only negative is a small parking lot on Sunset which is shared with two other restaurants. I walk, so it's not an issue but anyone who's driving should consider it. That aside, it's one of the best places around. I just saw a review by saschad. I don't know where he ate but it wasn't here. We'll start with his claim that he was seated by the bar. That would be a neat trick, given that Vivoli doesn't have a bar. The rest of his review is equally reliable.

Pros: Food, Service

Posted 11/12/04

Vivoli was a pleasant surprise. It doesn't look like much from the street, but it's really nice inside and the food was extremely good. The prices were excellent and our waiter was very nice. We like Italian food and this is probably the best in the area.

Pros: Fresh food, Nice wait staff, Inexpensive

Posted 09/26/04

I love finding places like Vivoli Trattoria!
Don't be fooled by the shopping center location, this place serves great food at very reasonable prices. Everything is fresh and the service is so attentive. I found this place about two months ago and have eaten there about 10 times since. Also, Citysearch has an offer for them, where if you e-mail them you get a free lunch or dinner. I printed it out and used it and the owner was more than happy to accept it!

Pros: Food, Service, Prices

Posted 09/12/04