al Vento

al Vento is one of my favorite local restuarants. The mother sauce is to die for, the meatballs delicious, and the eggplant parmesean pizza outstanding. The pastas are fresh and perfectly prepared. The patio is lovely and often crowded on a nice summer evening. On one occasion, we were there with a small child and the host was more than happy to accommodate, even offering to make a special mac and cheese or cheese pizza for her. The servers can be a bit spotty, but the food more than makes up for it.

Pros: excellent homeade pasta, great atmosphere, patio

Posted 07/22/09

Been here around 6 times with my wife, family, friends..great food, good atmosphere and always leave satisfied. Pasta dishes are worth the trip alone! Keep up the good work

Posted 07/12/09

If you want to be treated special this is the place to be. The staff makes sure you feel welcome and that your time at Al Vento is to be remembered. Reservations should be made unless you are willing to have a drink at the bar. If you are on a first date this place is perfect. It has a romantic atmosphere and will impress anyone who steps inside. You can tell the resturaunt has the personal touch of the owners heart. The prices for what you experience are nothing. Al Vento offers a date night on Tuesdays that is well worth checking out. Al Vento offers wine dinners every so often that will impress you and teach you a great deal of how food and wine go together. Everything on the menu is excellent. I recommend starting with the sample of four bruschetta. My recommendation for a pasta dish would be the Bucatini dish. (Bucatini is a hollow spaghetti noodle) For an entree I would recommend the grilled rosemary pork tenderloin. If you are in the mood for a pizza they are overwhelming with flavor - try the Neapolitan. If you want to be impressed or impress someone special take them to Al Vento.

Pros: wine, food, treated like royalty

Posted 03/27/09

This so-called Southern Italian-crap cuisine makes me sick literally. If you ever experience food poisonin?, you know that youll never go back to eating at the same place again. After having a bottle of overpriced wine, you would think all that alcohol would destroy all the germs in that food! Right after I get home from the restaurant the headache came on, followed by series of excretions that left me drained for 4 days. I know for fact that it was from either the sampler bruschetta or ceasar since these are the only things I ate that day besides my cereal I had for breakfast which I have been eating for last 3 years and never made me sick. I have been here before in the past, but never was impressed by the entrees so this time I thought to play it save and get simple dishes thought wrong!!

Pros: nothing

Cons: please wash your hands when you cook my food!

Posted 03/24/09

I had some pasta dish with duck and chicken ragu and goat cheese that made me want to eat myself into a coma. Even their table bread was above average. Very good fresh food and a wonderful waitstaff! I will go back to sample their ever changing menu.

Pros: Ambience, good parking, service, great food

Cons: small bathrooms, chilly

Posted 10/05/08

The meal started out well- although we were seated at a dirty table. This doesn't bother me at all if the host acknowledges it and comes by to wipe it off. There were large chunks of food left on the table, but she just set our menus on top of the food bits. We started with the crab cakes and caesar salad, and both were very good. We ordered the scallop and steak entrees, and were both disappointed. The scallops were cold- really cold, when they arrived, and were covered with an odd relish. The risotto underneath was warm and good, but it didn't really save the dish. The steak was tasteless. It was warm, but the mashed potatoes were lumpy and unremarkable. We were surprised that both entrees were so bad. We might try this place again, but stick with a pizza entree.

Pros: They could improve the taste and quality of entrees

Posted 08/09/08

We were very impressed with all aspects of our experience. To put it simply, the quality of the food started with the "basics" done properly, which are too often overlooked. The freshness and quality of the pasta was remarkable, as was the cesar salad. From that base, the combination of flavors also worked very well, across the board. We started with the truffled pecorino packets - very tasty (while the plate was drowing a bit in the brown butter, as long as you don't swish the food through the butter it is great). The cesar was just the right combination of flavors on perfectly fresh romaine. The sauces, meat and cheese all worked very well for our entrees. For dessert, we had the creme brulee trio. My wife loves creme brulee, I do not. So, when we order it, it is usually a compromise for me. Not this time - their "twist" was to serve three small portions, one each of pistachio, espresso, and orange liqueur - and the first time I really enjoyed creme brulee. Also, as we dined on an off night (Sunday) and early (5:30), we did not experience any issues with noise and overcrowding that others have reported (but hey, what do you expect with a good restaurant?).

Pros: Quality of food

Cons: Ambiance nice, but not fantastic

Posted 07/20/08

We have frequented this location often when it was Marimar. Sad to see them close the doors but when Al Vento opened we were very happy to have a neighborhood restaurant again. We started going there from the get go and with a few blips have watched it evolve to what it is now. Consistently great. Servers are attentive and genuinely friendly. Rarely does my water glass go empty. And when I sent my Pork Tenderloin back for being Med well instead of the med-rare I ordered - I had a new one within 1-2 minutes. If you are not happy with what you ordered - speak up. They will graciously try to fix it. Everything is made in house, from the Foccacia to the pasta which I've never received short of al dente. Try the stuffed mushrooms to start, Fish special is always good, and who can go wrong with Spaghetti and Veal Meatballs?

Posted 05/25/08

This is a true Southern Italian restaurant, of which we have very few in Minneapolis. There are a lot of Tuscan (Northern) style places, but nothing like this that I've found other than in other cities.

The olive bruschetta is outstanding, along with all of the other entrees I have had there. I've been to Al Vento 4 times, and have had outstanding food each time, always ordering something different. This is a great romantic spot for a date. Price is very reasonable.

Posted 02/08/08

My husband and I went to al Vento for our anniversary dinner last Saturday night and absolutely loved it. This was our first time there and we will definitely go back. The only 'con' was that it was super loud in the main dining room, but we were fine at our intimate table. We had an appetizer (crab cakes), salads (caesar & mixed green), entrees (cod with spinach risotto and rigatoni with butternut squash marscapone) and dessert (creme brule trio) and all were delicious!! The Chocolatini was yummy and there's a full service bar. Service was spectacular!! Prices were great too - I believe the entrees were all under $20. This is in the top five of our favorite restaurants!! Enjoy!!!

Pros: Cool decor, delicious food, awesome service (Samantha)

Posted 02/03/08

We planned a nice birthday dinner for six and made reservations in advance. When we arrived the place was packed. People were standing everywhere waiting. Diners seated at their tables had to contend with others basically standing over them. We waited over an hour for a table to clear. It seemed the manager couldn't handle the situation. When we were finally seated, the service and food was good, but I won't be returning!!

Cons: noisy and crowded

Posted 01/27/08

My wife and I were looking for a local (not a franchise) Italian restaurant for my son's wedding rehearsal celebration. We had 40 guests and the church was in Plymouth. We had checked out Giorgio's (another good local independent Italian restaurant), but it was too small for our party. Then I read a review of Al Vento. We made reservations to check it out. Just as the review said, the food, ambiance and price were outstanding. We contacted Keith, the manager, who helped us make all the arrangements, and even set up our own custom menu. The evening was exceptional...The service, by Samantha and Brian, was impeccable. Without exception, everyone at the rehearsal dinner raved about the food (ie: "the BEST pork tenderloin I have ever tasted"), the drinks and the service. The 20-mile drive from Plymouth to Al Vento was worth every gas-penny. Al Vento has become one of the local restaurants on our "short list." As an amateur gourmand - trust me - you'll like it!

Posted 11/08/07

Hands down best italian restaurant in the twin cities. It is a perfect cozy spot that offers a beautiful setting in the middle of a quaint south minneapolis neighborhood. THe wine is great but the food is better. Their house made mozzarella is to DIE for as well as their bread and other beautiful appetizers. The beet salad was so delicious. I have had beautiful halibut steaks w/risotto as well as great pork and steak, cooked to how you want it. I recommend it for an intimate date dinner or a night out with girlfriends. I love this restaurant! Also they just put in a full service bar, so I am excited to try one of their speciality drinks.

Pros: atmosphere, food, wine, location

Cons: that they don't have more locations

Posted 10/28/07

Al Vento has a bread and tomato soup that may sound strange but is a delight to eat. The gorgonzola encrusted steak is excellent. The menu could offer a few more pasta dishes, like a medium to hot Italian sausage dish. All-and-all this is a very good neighborhood restaurant.

Pros: Some interesting and tasty dishes

Cons: The ambient noise level is high.

Posted 06/10/07

We took our guests here after raving about Al Vento several times. We usually go on one of the wine special nights. The food is always great! Saturday, however, was way overbooked. We had reservations & still waited. The restaurant was really noisier that we had ever experienced. Food was great, though a bit garlicky for one guest.. Even though the restaurant was really busy, the pacing of our meal was very good. This is important to us. I guess that is why we waited a bit for our table.

Pros: very good food, cordial staff

Cons: very noisy on Saturday

Posted 02/12/07

Don't do it! The service was horrible. And the food was worse. It took more than 20 minutes order a glass of wine, and even longer to actually get it. We sat at the bar for awhile before being seated, and were politely introduced to and welcomed by the folks there, but they absolutely were not about to get us a drink! Good luck finding your wait-person, they rarely make an appearance, especially when needed! Paper tablecloths? C'mon, even Olive Garden has cloth. The dining room was so loud as to be uncomfortable, it's not that much fun to have to shout at your dining companion. I'm still amazed at how badly prepared the food (when they finally got the order right) was. We couldn't even eat it. How do you make fettuccine tough, chewy and stuck together in clumps? I just wanted to get out of there, but again, couldn't find the waiter, then the bill was all wrong. A waste of time and money. Thank goodness Surdyks was still open so we could go buy a nice bottle of wine and enjoy it at home so that the evening wasn't a total loss.

Pros: This has the potential to be a nice place

Cons: Slow and incompetent service, really awful food

Posted 02/02/07

I was introduced to Al Vento on a first date, and have been back countless times since. I have been able to walk in with two people on a Friday night and get a table...but it's not recommended. The menu is awesome and always changing. The wines are plentiful to choose from. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. The prices are extremely reasonable for the fare and I think moderate upscale would be accurate, but feel free to wear jeans. Very relaxed and cozy atmosphere. It's a great place to bring a date, girlfriends, business associates, but probably not kids. Although I would love to keep this gem all to myself, I have to share...don't miss it. Great food, great service, great value.

Pros: Ambiance, Price, Wine

Cons: Cozy

Posted 06/02/06

We two separate times to al Vento with about five weeks between visits. Entrees were good, pasta itself is nice but the "mother sauce" is extremely salty. I would never go back and order a pasta dish with that sauce. Servers were nice but on the first visit the waiter brought the wrong entree to one of our diners. He pulled all of the dinners on the table and brought new meals for everyone ten minutes later, I thought that was impressive. On the second visit our waiter was trying to over-impress us, would have been better had he dialed it back. Nice space but noisy.

Pros: decor, waitstaff, entrees

Cons: mother sauce, waitstaff

Posted 05/15/06

Al Vento has become my girlfriend and I's favorite restaurant. The atmosphere screams modest yet romantic and the service is always top shelf. The food, however, is by far the biggest reason we keep going back. We have yet to be disappointed in any meal we've had, and each time we visit it seems to only get better. Favorite dishes include dijon rosemary pork tenderloin, roasted chicken with gnocchi and crab cakes. They also have a great wine selection as well as draft beer, including Bell's Oberon and Rush River Amber.

Pros: great food, reasonable prices, atmosphere

Posted 05/10/06

I live in the Nokomis neighborhood, and I welcome this and any moderate-upscale restaurant addition to this growing part of our city. That said, I have now (as recently as 3/31/06) gone to al vento for dinner 3 times and have yet to have a remarkable experience.

While the food has always been above average (not dazzling), I feel that the consistently poor service I have received on each visit fails to justify me returning again.

While another reviewer has titled their al vento review "Never had a bad meal," I'd suggest that simply not having a "bad" meal does not constitute a restaurant worth visiting because, really, isn't that the point?

Pros: Location, Ambiance, Above average Italian

Cons: Service, Service, Menu getting stale

Posted 04/02/06

Great neighborhood restaurant. Excellent food; fresh and flavorful. A little cramped. Service knowledgeable but a bit slow. We will definately return.

Pros: Unique, Great food, ambiance

Cons: Slow service

Posted 04/01/06

We live a few blocks from Al Vento, and we're elated that we can walk to such a great restaurant. Short of flying to Italy, you won't find great hand made pasta like this in the cities. If you happen across Ricardo, I'm sure you'll agree he's one of the warmest, friendliest and interesting waitors in the city. Don't expect to get in and out of here in an hour - it mimics Italy in more ways than one. You'll want to reserve a few hours to really enjoy your Al Vento experience. If you don't know the wine list, look for Ricardo; he'll set you straight. Any of the pastas are wonderful, but the Bucattini is a staple that doesn't go wrong. If you're making a reservation (recommended) ask for the front room. Or, if it's busy, grab a seat at the bar.

Pros: Home made pasta, Friendly service, Just like itlay

Cons: Slow - like Italy, hit or miss service

Posted 03/30/06

My husband and I have dined hear several times and every time the food has been phenomenal, the service helpful without being intrusive, and the ambiance lovely. If there is an encrusted pork on the menu definitely try it, as well as all whitefish. They have wonderful outdoor patio seating in good weather and an interesting and unique wine list.

Pros: Delicious Food, Smart Servers, Parking Lot

Cons: Sometimes Slow

Posted 12/27/05

if you are looking to get in and out in a reasonable amount of time...with a party of three or more, forget it!! We had a reservation for a party of six. We waited for an hour for a table and waited a half hour to even be offered a drink. We were offered no special consideration after being pushed aside for such a great length of time. After finally being seated, our service was more than lacking. Our server treated us as if we were an inconvenience in his night. How unfortunate, as we were all career restaurant employees. We are always more than patient and tolerant because we relate to being busy. It seemed too much to ask to even get a smile. Our group loves to dine....spend money and experience the menu and ambiance as a whole. We will make sure to dine elsewhere in the future.

Posted 11/10/05

I took my parents to Al Vento during a 3-hour layover in the Twin Cities. The close proximity to the airport made it the perfect restaurant for the evening. Try the plate of mixed bruschetta for an appetizer--the walnut and artichoke variety was our favorite. Their staple dishes air on the side of caution, but are still tasty. The dishes that get changed periodically are the inspired ones. I had duck breast with polenta, asparagus and a wine and berry sauce. The chef really lets the ingredients shine through. The desserts are pricey for such small, common fare. The service was helpful, although sometimes on the slow side. They seem to be understaffed on weeknights.

Pros: Changing Menu, Elegant Ambience

Cons: Understaffed, Low Lighting

Posted 10/31/05

We had made a reservation for 6:00 on a Friday night. When we arrived the host was on the phone for quite a while with a customer. He apologized profusely for the wait. We were seated immediately. The decor was simple yet romantic. Our server, Ricardo, was wonderful! We started off with the sample bruschetta which was fabulous. I had the spinach and ricotta ravioli, it was great. My husband had the halibut (just for the halibut) and it was served over a bed of saffron risott. Excellent as well! The service was slow at times but everything else about our experience was so great that it was easy to overlook it. I am telling all of my friends that this hidden gem is a must! Don't be swayed by the outside look of the building and corner it is on, looks are deceiving!

Posted 09/11/05

Based on the positive reviews, I dined here on a Saturday night, with reservations. The food - when I received it was great - but the service was the worst I have ever received in this city.

After being seated, it took 20 minutes before we were approached by a waiter and then only because I sought one out. To make a long story short, we received appetizers after an hour but no main course, and after 90 minutes, we were brought the check. At that point, I informed teh waiter that we had not received the main courses, and it took another 90 minutes to get out of there. They did offer free desserts, but that took 30 minutes and when we got the bill, learned that they had only comped one of them.

The food is good but not worth the misery of the service. Avoid this place.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service

Posted 09/04/05

Great Italian restaurant in residential Minneapolis. Great Apps, Great (and cheap) wine list, Great food (I had the canneloni) and AMAZING dessert in the creme brulee trio (pistachio is delectable)!! Extremely worthwhile restaurant.

Posted 08/25/05

We had no reservations at 7:45 on a Saturday night yet were seated within a half hour which I found to be quite reasonable as Al Vento isn't the largest place. The service here was wonderful. Absolutely the best waiter I have experienced here in Mpls. My date and I both had the scallops with arugula risotto. Yummy! Flavorful and contrasting. The scallops were huge! The dessert of chocolate oblivion was also delightful and a perfect dish to split with that special someone. I though the restaurant was quite loud, however. Lighting was very romantic, but just very noisy.

Pros: Service, food, parking

Cons: loud

Posted 07/16/05

I live in South Minneapolis, and I love this place! I have taken many guests to this gem and everyone I take always calls me to get the name, as they want to go back. The tepenade sampler was great. I loved the Mushroom Lasagna but is was a fall menu item, and the wine list is a taste adventure. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a hidden romantic gem!

Pros: Great Food, Good Wine, Atmosphere

Posted 04/24/05

I was very disappointed in the slow service we experienced. It took us 20 minutes before anyone came to talk to us and another 20 minutes to get a salad. Overall it took almost 2 hours to eat dinner due to the slow kitchen. The food was good but with so many other local options it is hard to justify going back.

Pros: atmosphere, food

Cons: service

Posted 04/04/05

The food was very good, however, I thought the prices for food & wine were rather high. Good creme brulees, but tiny. We sat for what seemed like an eternity until acknowledged by our server. Wine pours seemed way too small, esp. for $9 a glass. Our server brought our $50 bottles of wine tucked into his armpits! A pop gets served in a wine glass, with about four mouthfuls in it. Service was slow, drab, boring, uninspired, timid, no personality anywhere in the place. No hustle, no organization, no rapport, no handshake, NOTHING above average. A busser brought plates for the apps a minute after another busser had already done so. Bread wasn't served until the appetizers were eaten and cleared, and we only got one small piece per person. Water glasses went empty for long stretches. Our meals didn't arrive together. The room was a bit loud.

Pros: great food, nice room, romantic

Cons: average service, slightly expensive, a bit loud & cramped.

Posted 03/24/05

If your idea of fine dining is 85 degree room temperatures, being packed into a dining room so tightly that your neighbor may as well be sitting in your lap, and shouting at your date all night, then this is the place for you. If not, try crossing the river to Ristorante Luce in Highland Park. Much, much better restaurant for about the same price.

Pros: good wine, decent food

Cons: loud, crowded, hot

Posted 02/14/05

When I stepped into al Vento the other night I was immediatly greeted by the Maitre d' who quoted me a 30 minute wait, but when he realized I was with my elderly father, squeezed me in within five minutes. Our server walked us through several courses and a good Italian wine. The Owner and Chef made an appearence while we were there, shaking hands and thanking patrons. When I commented on the taste of the whole milk mozzerrella, he informed me that it was made fresh daily in house. We were impressed with our server, wowed by our food, and pleasently surprised by the reasonable bill. I will go back often and wish these guys continued success.

Pros: professional staff, freshly made food, friendly atmosphere

Posted 12/29/04

I've had dinner here twice. The first time was roughly two weeks after they opened and there was some typical chaos with service (waited forever for a glass of water after being seated, room was very hot) but this was offset by personal attention throughout the rest of the meal. My second visit was marked by exceptional service and an introduction to their amazing desserts. Wine recommendations from staff were wondeful. The restuarant is somewhat small but perfect for a romantic dinner or a quiet night with friends. Decor is modern but elegant. All in all a wonderful addition to the neighborhood!

Pros: deserts, romantic, service

Posted 12/19/04

Simple, but nice decor. Excellent tasting food, nicely presented.
I had the scallops (excellent) and my wife had the chicken parmesan also excellent.
We did not have reservations so we sat at the bar. There was plenty of room to eat at the granite/marble topped bar. However, the service was not as good as what we perceived at the dining tables. We had to rush off to the theater, so we did not get any dessert, but we saw someone elses Tiramisu it was huge!
Dining room is divided into two parts. I would choose the front dining the back was a bit stuffy. We are anxious to try their patio dining next spring. Wine list was small, but reasonably priced.
? priced bottles of wine on Mondays.

Pros: Ambiance, Excellent Food, Wine

Posted 12/18/04