Vespaio Reviews

After three visits, I continue to think that Vespaio promises more than it delivers. The menu looks great, but the food doesn't taste as good as it sounds. The service is also a bit uneven and the food is expensive.

Vespaio Restaurante is located adjacent to the Broad Modern Art Museum on Grand Avenue across a green to the south . It is a great place to dine before or after a visit to the Music Center, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Modern Art Gallery or MOCA. The food is primarily Italian . The specials are usually very good . There is a bar with television screens but on mute or low. The service is excellent. And best of all, for those of us who like to talk to our friends, the noise level is quite moderate. I have gone there about once a month for several years . It is my go to place on Grand Avenue . If you are there in the daytime they have a nice little section with sandwiches and various small dishes and wonderful desserts.

The restaurant is a convenient walking distance from the Music Center, Disney Hall, MOCA, the Broad Museum, etc. We met some friends for dinner after a matinee performance of LA Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. We'd been advised by 2 of our friends to avoid the pizza. I ordered cavatelli with seafood in a saffron sauce. The pasta was undercooked, and the rest was barely noticeable. One <1" square of squid and 3 of what might have been shrimp. I think I saw 1 strand of saffron. My husband ordered equally underwhelming risotto with shrimp and asparagus. We do not plan to return to this restaurant, and would advise other to avoid the pasta and risotto, as well as the pizza.

After watching a performance at the Music Center we left our car in the garage and walked over to Vespaio. We had made reservations and were seated right away. The staff is very friendly, the restaurant has a nice vibe and the food was good. I wouldn't say it was out of this world delicious but we had a nice meal. Just a note that they do not offer complimentary bread like most Italian restaurants do.

We were a party of three-my wife and I and a close friend. We attended an opera event featuring singers from the La Opera young singers program. We had a reservation for after the program on a Sunday evening. We were seated promptly in a very comfortable booth. My wife and I always share the baby spinach salad; she had a pasta special-very good; I had the stewed beef which was fatty and not very flavorful. I will probably not order it again. Many other excellent dishes to choose from including the specials. Our friend had great fish prepared to accommodate a food allergy. The server was very knowledgeable about ingredients. I always have dessert and they are special. The bread order is not expensive and with several varieties it’s excellent. Better to pay $3.00 than to waste it when you may not want it. A highlight for us was when the singers and their mentor came by our table and we talked to them.

We had the pasta which featured some unusual combinations and was very good. Nice wine selection for relatively reasonable prices. Servers were friendly however; service was slow and inconsistent.

Decided to try Vespaio’s before the show at the Ahmanson before an 8pm performance. Vespaio’s is only a short 0.2 miles from the theater so it’s very close and easy walk after dinner. It’s actually just on the south side of the Broad Art Gallery. Our reservations were for 5:45 pm and honestly to be comfortable and not worry about whether or not you have time for dinner and get to the show on time, I would not book reservations much later than 5:45pm as Vespaio’s fills up pretty quickly after 6pm. We were promptly seated at 5:45pm For an appetizer we ordered the Parma Prosciutto and Bruschetta and was very good. For dinner I ordered the rack of lamb medium rare and my wife ordered a filet Mignon cooked medium. Both orders were prepared properly and the food was very good. After reading a number of reviews about slow service we were a bit concerned but as it turned out we were served promptly and did not wait very long for our meal. By 6:50 pm we finished our main course and had 1 hour 10 minutes before show time. The only real problem we encountered was desert. We ordered our desert just before 7pm and figured that would be plenty of time before we had to leave. By 7:20 the desert had not arrived and we were told by our server that there was a miscommunication and our order was sent to another table. Our server quickly brought us a plate of various small finger deserts and did not charge for them. Over all it was a good experience but it just seemed that they struggle with large theater crowds in an efficient manner. Our experience was good because we arrived fairly early and that almost didn’t work out. If you have time to spare and relax then your golden. If you are having dinner before a show I would allow at least 3 hours to eat, drink and relax and not worry about showtime.

The food was as good as the service, then this place will be a "hit". I decided to give this restaurant a try based on the ambience and the food offerings. The ambience was great and the service was awesome. Philippa, my server, was very helpful and explained the food choices very well. I ordered both their specials that night, pasta fagioli and porchetta. Unfortunately, both turned out to be bland. I really wanted to love this place but the food just wasn't up to par. I know that this restaurant does attract a crowd but unfortunately, it just did not do it for me.

We stopped in for a mid afternoon snack. There was a tiny menu ( literally printed on a half sheet), but there were really good options, and everything we ordered was delicious. They had some interesting unusual small plates. Although we didn’t really partake, there was a HUGE wall of wines and spirits, so appears to be a great watering hole as well. The lattes and the teas we had were also great. Recommend!

We were in LA with our cameras to take some fun photos of the Walt Disney Concert Hall and also to visit The Broad Museum. (both fantastic places - don't miss.) After our afternoon of gallery visits and photography we were ready to relax. The Vespaio was right next door so we popped in for a drink and appetizer. It was the perfect place to sit down and relax and chat about our findings of the day - the atmosphere is so welcoming and relaxing. Their Happy Hour menu has a great selection - we enjoyed a nice Pinot Grigio and an IPA. We had their pizza which was so good we are still talking about it and trying to decide how they made it. Their cheese and jam plate included a nice honey, delicious jam and bread and a really nice variety of cheeses. I would definitely come back here. We didn't have time for the desserts but I will make sure I do next - they looked wonderful.

This restaurant is adjacent to the Broad Museum, and is perfect for an after-museum dinner or lunch. The drinks are inventive and tasty. The food is diverse. The desserts are also inventive and tasty. You can eat indoors or outdoors. And it was not nearly as expensive as the reviews say. A perfect dinner is trying various appetizers, most $16.00 or less. We shared one entree and a few appetizers. The wait staff was very pleasant. I saw Yelp reviews which claimed that the service was slow, but that was not the case when we were there. We liked every dish we tried, and the drinks as well. Tip: there is an attached bakery/deli with additional desserts as well. The expensive dishes are the steaks. But they also have duck and rabbit and the price was a bit lower than I expected. The restaurant has a vaguely nautical-looking theme.

Ate at the bar. The food was perfect, just what I wanted. Light, excellent quality true Italian food. The service at the bar could have been a bit more attentive but it wasn't so bad that I would not return.

We stopped in this restaurant for lunch after visiting The Broad Museum next door. Service was swift and personable and the food was excellent. My roasted lamb focaccia was too large to eat it all but after rifrigeration at the hotel made a good lunch on the plane home.

After watching a stage play at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, my wife and I decided to look for a restaurant close by since we're already parked at the Music Center. While walking about two blocks we came across this restaurant along Grand Ave. The service was good, the food was average and nothing extraordinary..We ordered the Jidori chicken and their mushroom pizza. Their calamari and zucchini appetizer was good though.

Had a very nice dinner. A little expensive, but there are more economic menu choices available. Lamb and Steak to Pizza are on the menu. Good desserts as well. One negative is they charge for bread.

Quick summary: excellent, well-prepared food, with polished, friendly service. Still, I get annoyed at a place that charges extra for bread when the pasta is $25, and the wine pour seems a bit skimpy. Very near the Broad Museum, Disney Performing Arts Center, etc. I had dinner here one night. I was in the mood for pasta, and had a delicious tagliatelle with boar's meat, and a salad of shaved artichoke. All expertly prepared and tasty. No problem here. There is a pretty wide menu that includes mains of fish and meats as well as pastas, ristotto, and thin crust pizzas. Frankly, I would have loved to have a good veal piccata or marsala, but the only veal on the menu was a veal steak. There is also a good-looking rotisserie menu of the day that is served with roasted potatoes, but that day was chicken -- not special enough to order in my book. I'd go back for the duck, etc. Very nice wine list from many regions, with good options by the glass. I had the spumoni option of a boule of ice cream ($8.) It was good, but I would have preferred a more traditional style -- my preference is the kind with some candied fruits, and you can keep the hard chocolate coating. Good coffee, though. Polished, friendly, professional service. The annoying issues -- I know it's not unheard of, but I get annoyed when I'm paying in the mid-$20's for pasta and they nickle-and-dime you for $3 for bread. There is a nice bread selection, but it grates on me... I was 5 nights I L.A., and this was the skimpiest glass of wine that I'd had anywhere. I know $14-$16 is a going rate at this type of restaurant, but any less in my first glass would have to have been called stingy. I needed a second glass, which was a better pour, but the first glass did not impress me. consistency might be an issue. So -- the food was good, but some of these little annoying things would make me second guess whether to return - -unless I wanted a great pasta dish.

We had lunch here yesterday to celebrate my nieces birthday and recent engagement. It was perfect. The enclosed patio was sunny and bright, the meal was delicious and our waiter Stephen was charming, funny and attentive without being overbearing and let us enjoy a leisurely lunch. We couldn't have asked for a better place for the Aunties to celebrate!

I have eaten at Vespaio on several occasions. The staff at Vespaio try very hard and are always friendly and courteous. We seem to return because of its close proximity to Disney Hall and the Music Center. Unfortunately, the food is just average. I’m not a fussy eater but food their food is consistently bland and, more often than not, it’s short of being hot. There aren’t many choices nearby that would allow me to have dinner and rush to the symphony so, for that purpose alone, Vespaio is ok. However, if there are no time constraints, I would suggest that one choose from a number of other downtown LA restaurants that will prove more satisfying and enjoyable. Sorry for the not so stellar review

We stumbled upon this place very tired after our flight from London. The Vespaio was very close to our hotel. We had pizzas and some drinks, great service from a very friendly waiter who asked us about our holiday and gave advise on places to go. Food was good, returned a few nights later to have pasta, again good food and good service.

Nice semi-outdoor eating area. Food average, service average. Nothing really unique. Choices not very extensive for Italian place.

Very nice place, specially if you visit one of the museums. Better to seat at the bar and have drinks and appetizers. The burrata is great.

Vespaio Restaurant downtown LA. Seafood stew, and, omg, the Dover sole, and minestrone. And then, they served their Lemon sorbet inside a hollowed out lemon. And complimentary lemoncillo. Yep, like this place. Ask for Giuseppe. Unbelievable food and service. Probably one of the best restaurants I’ve ever hit. We will be back!

We had a pre-concert dinner tonight and couldn't have been more pleased. The decor was modern, warm and beautiful. We started with one of the evening's special appetizers, a crostini with burrata mozzarella, prosciutto, shaved black truffles, and micro greens, which we loved. We shared another special, the Chilean sea bass in a light lemon butter sauce, and their classic lasagna with meat. Both were equally good. For dessert, we shared the Bombolini - the perfect dessert for two to share. Our waitress, Jasmine, was delightful and the service was well-paced so that we were able to enjoy our dinner in leisure and get to the theatre with time to spare.

After visiting the Broad we enjoyed dinner at Vespaio and all ordered seafood. The baked sardines with tomatoes were tasty and we loved the grilled octopus, potatoes, green beans with cherry tomatoes and olives. The tasty salmon entree was a large serving, the fish and shellfish stew with two pieces of garlic toast was also large and delicious, the pasta with mixed seafood dish was also good.

We went to Vespaio for pre-opera dinner. Passed up the first table offered (a two-top inside) in favor of a lovely table on the patio. Right choice! Food and wine were lovely as was the atmosphere. Be warned that portions are large - we left a lot of food behind. We were very happy to find a somewhat older Italian red (2007 vintage) on the wine list for just $60 and enjoyed that very much. We would definitely return.

This italian restaurant attracts most probably a lot of customers because of its owner Robert De Niro. It is only good for a fast bite. Italian translated into american!

I was planning a dinner for my family and friends and decided to look into Vespaio. I called and was referred to Yasmine Watanabe, Acct. Mgr. Yasmine was extremely knowledgeable and helpful when it came to planning the menu. I went to the restaurant to further discuss the menu and do a taste test. Unfortunately Yasmine is not there on the weekend but Cosmin and the team was made aware of our coming in and we were treated like VIP's. We had the margahrite pizza, Vespaio salad and penne pomodoro. Everything was excellent. I would highly recommend eating at Vespaio and especially out on their patio. The patio had a great vibe to it.

Had a 6pm reservation of us to make a concert across the street which began at 8pm. We were seated immediately. Waiter finally came to take our order 20 minutes later. The special, Halibut, was no longer available. At 6pm? Another item on the regular menu also was not being served that night. We placed our order. Our food arrived 45 minutes later, after many times questioning the waiter. We ordered a pasta special, Fettucine with Crab and tomatoes. . This was the most bland, tasteless pasta we had ever tasted. We didn’t finish it. The only redeeming item we ordered was the Fried Calamari. It was delicious. Our plates were cleared and we requested our check. It didn’t come, we stopped the waiter several,times to ask where it was. Well, he was very busy he said. I finally got up and requested our check from the head waiter. We ran out of the restaurant at 7:45pm. We will never return. The food is tasteless and expensive. Service is horrible.

It was such a bad experience, and it’s run so incompetently that it may be gone before you have a chance to decide to go somewhere else. Filling a pre/post/between theater demand at Ahmanson, Taper, Disney, Broad, we sat for more than 20 minutes without a waiter or a menu at 4:30pm with the place 2/3 empty. Eventually, we ordered a bottle of wine (out of it), an appetizer and two mains (out of one of the mains). The waiter recommended a bottle in lieu of the one they were out of, and I chose it only to learn after another 20 minute wait, they were out of the recommended bottle as well. Then they presented the appetizer with no wine. When Sandro, the owner, whom I asked to see came to our table after another 15 minute wait, he presented a 2/3 empty bottle of wine, ‘I think you’ll like this.’ It was oxidized. Undrinkable. Probably open since yesterday. Then, he returned with a new bottle, not on the wine menu, and offered it to us ‘at the same price,’ however this wasn’t a concession, since it was not a reserve wine like either that I had ordered. I told him so, but when the bill came, he hadn’t reduced the price. Meanwhile, the ‘pizza bread’ which we had been told would be ready in six minutes, arrived after 25 minutes. Now we had been here without food and wine for 1 ¼ hours, leaving us 30 minutes to eat before theater. Finally, the appetizer returned, undercooked scallops (and we like them rare), then our mains, including the oversalted wild boar pappardelle. Instead of apologies, there were excuses, “our chef is new.” Instead of perhaps comp-ing my expresso, we were charged for it all, overcharged for the wine. The patrons at the neighboring two tables were appalled at our experience, but had their own difficulties of poor and slow service and having to choose alternate items to those they ordered that were also ‘out,’ and evening service for the unfortunate customers that would follow us hadn’t even begun.

Our reservation was at 8. We were seated early. Fantastic! No one came to table until we called him over. Asked for water and bread while we waited for one person. Came in a reasonable time. Bread was steaming hot and delicious...waited forever until we called waiter again to take beverage order. Slow to come out, but ok. Forgot second water. Called him after 5 minutes. Brought water and said it was on him. Called him again after 5 minutes or longer to take food order. Food came out perfectly, steaks were tender and delicious. Waiter never checked on us or food. Called him to clear plates and take dessert order. Seriously, the pattern is clear...waiter needs less tables or better skills. No way a table of 4 should have to call him for every step. No ability to anticipate or time service. Food was good, but we won't be back.

I had lunch here after visiting The Broad. The food was ok. The service was good. The lentil soup tasted good, but prefer it thicker than prepared here.

You remember that wonderful scene where the Griswolds are in Paris at that outdoor restaurant expecting to experience the renowned excellence of French cuisine, while inside the chefs are popping out TV dinners? I was reminded of that during my first meal at Vespaio. I had ordered a daily special, a lasagna dish. It was lukewarm in some places but quite cool/cold in others. i.e. my "special" was prepared on the previous day, either frozen or put in the fridge, and then microwaved for me, although the chef (allegedly from Tuscany) had failed to turn my "special" while it was heating and had not even bothered to to check to see if it was ready to serve. Sad.

My husband and I wanted to have dinner before seeing a play, and made reservations at Vespaio. The food and drinks were lovely, the servers were a little on the slow side, but we did not mind because we were not in a rush.

We had lunch in the restaurant (not the small cafe section) after our visit to the Broad and enjoyed it very much. I had an excellent pasta with wild boar ragu and we split a kale salad. Just right. Service not speedy, but we didn't need it to be. We saw several other tables of people we had seen in the Broad, and no surprise as it's so convenient. Would go again if I was in that area.

Probably a well known downtown LA establishment, but we wandered in unknowingly because it was near our hotel — couldn’t have been more pleased. Menu was very authentic, reasonably priced for downtown LA, comfortable space with a nice polished feel about it. Just wanted a late bite after traveling all day, had a nice salad and split one of their perfectly cooked thin crust pizzas. They serve up till ten, service was good, drink was good sized (sometimes a scotch and soda is tiny and all ice).......really nothing bad (or even mediocre) to say about the place. If we were staying longer would probably dine there again for a bigger meal....next trip!

My wife and I were at Vespaio on 9/30/17 for an illy coffee course and lunch by Vespaio, our service for the event was spectacular, some of the best I’ve ever experienced. After the event we stepped into the bar for a cocktail or two… Little did I know at that time, that’s all we would be getting as the daytime bartender (Maria) was engrossed in conversation with another couple at the end of the bar, apparently she had no interest in working that day. After sitting down at the bar, she greeted us, served us our drinks and then stood at the other end of the bar conversing with friends. After more then a half an hour she came back down to our end of the bar, looked at my empty glass and asked “is everything all right?” Really??? No, may I please have another cocktail? We were there for an hour and forty-five minutes and had two cocktails, this bar has seventeen bar stools and there were a total of four people at the bar. If it hadn’t been for the second bartender that was just coming on for his shift, we’d still be sitting there waiting there for our check. The only reason for my poor review is because of the very poor service at the bar, the rest of the staff was amazing and the food is to die for.

We had reservations for 7 and arrived to our table. We ordered our food and it took 1.5 hours to receive it. I asked to speak to the manager he never came over I explained we that we ordered over an hour ago and still didn't have our food. A different waiter said they had a party of 40 outside that was before us. If they knew they were busy all they needed to say is your food won't be out for over an hour because we have a party outside because inside there really wasn't anyone. Finally got our food it was just OK nothing special. They did absolutely nothing for us no free desert no money off just really could have cared a less about us.

Slow, slow slow service- agonizing- food was good but omg- at a snails pace. There were a few other tables when we arrived, but none when we left and still - 20 -30 min for dessert to arrive....

We stumbled across Vespaio after coming out of the Broad Museum. It is directly across from the exit of the gift shop. I am SO glad we did, we had only been in LA a few days and I really wanted something that was hearty but also healthy. This was the ideal place. When the food came out I was so happy, visually it looked amazing. The food was fresh, tasty and definitely filled the spot. The staff are friendly and very attentive and professional. The vibe is more stylish, with a strong business feel. You can watch business people, wheeling and dealing at the tables around you. They have designed the place so you almost feel like your in something attached to a garden, even though your sitting just off the main street. I was so happy to try the delicious dishes and could not stop eating them, but because I had ordered 3 to try, knew I shouldn't eat all 3. This is the place to try if your at The Broad or the Walt Disney Music Hall, or even just in town and want some amazing authentic Italian.

We've been to Vespaio several times. Today, we decided: never again. The specials were Capaccio tuna that smelled a bit old. The steak salad had the same problem. I guess a lot of restaurants make "specials" out of ingredients that they want to get rid of.

Will return for the decor, service, and food. The food is fantastic: it looks great and tastes wonderful. We've: fried octopus Arancino fried calamari & zucchini baked veggies trios A few steps away from the Disney Concert Hall and the opera house (which offer 10% off with a ticket), it features a high ceiling, wood shutters (or wood-like?), an open kitchen, and tiles, with thin stems; it just feels right for me. We sat by the bar because tables are all booked - it's an opera night. We learned of this Italian restaurant from two ladies we met at last night's concert at Disney - go figure -:). The bartender doesn't have a fancy shaking motion but is keeping a close eye on us: constantly asking if we need a refill or something. I don't consider it pushy, even though our glasses are half empty. When the bar area got busy, they asked two people to move to accommodate a foursome. The only TV monitor is showing sports, with eight events going on simultaneously. I glanced at the volleyball from time to time, but was unable to follow: just too hard with seven other things going on. Maybe just one? Change the channel when someone asks? They've two corporate events going on that night: one with 150 people and one with 50. The hors d'oeuvres look so yummy that it gives me the urge to sneak in, ha ha ha. By 6pm, the house is packed to the brim. One staff member came looking for wine, which is behind us. He asked the bartender for help - sorry, I don't speak Spanish, but my best guess is that he couldn't find the wine his table had ordered. Desserts are made in-house except macrons. Oh, the 10% off with the opera ticket, of course, I forgot all about it when paying.

We purchases a package for opera & dinner at Vespaio. To our surprise we were impressed by food, house wine, & a service. Everything was delicious. I had seafood pasta & my husband ordered chicken. For appetizers we ordered burrata with eggplant & octopus salad. Dessert creme brûlée. No complains there.

You do expect this kind of service in France and Italy, but not often in the USA. Our waiter was expertly trained and the service was excellent. Our fish was beautifully deboned in front of us and our waiter was attentive at all times and added to the enjoyment of the tasty food. Obviously this is not a budget restaurant.

Good food, but the price was was higher than the quality of the food. The service was good, but not great.

Great restaurant near the Music Center and the Disney, Vespasia offers a very pleasant environment, good food and a quiet place to meet and dine with friends before or after a play, concert opera or a trip to the new Broad Museum

The restaurant is located on Bunker Hill right next to the Broad museum. The staff was very professional and friendly. The service was fast and well provided. The food was tasty and the pasta cooked "al dente". A good experience overall.

Quite disappointing....old salmon was served.... cook said that it was the part of the salmon....that's why it tasted fishy....great excuse....Spanish soccer was on at the bar...in Spanish....not classy.... lackadaisical service too. The restaurant looks nice...and was somewhat impressive but needs to step up ALOT more. Will not return.

Pre-theater dinner for five people, tried to reserve Otium but was totally booked. Vespaio is next door, convenient to Zipper Hall at the Coburn so we decided to try it. Restaurant was already very busy at 5:30. Hostess and server were welcoming. Orders were taken efficiently. We ordered family style to share plates: Burrata with marinated eggplant, oven roasted tomato, rucola, aged balsamic and shaved bottarga; best appetizer and very generous serving: fried calamari, zucchini, carrot, lemon zest, aioli, spicy marinara; salad with goat cheese, bees, watercess, glazed walnut (not many), red wine vinaigrette, penne pasta with tomato, basil, parmigiano (bland, definitely not worth $20), wild salmon, celery root, caponata supposedly with caper pesto sauce which was missing on our plate, pizza margarita was like frozen pizza quality, dessert: apple crumble with vanilla ice cream - apple was over cooked and ice cream tasted store bought. Service was good at first then went down hill. Server tried to clear calamari which we were still eating. Table was cleared of dishes but not cleared of crumbs. Coffee took forever to come. Unremarkable food and service, but great location!

We dined on Thursday 5/09/24 at about 7pm. There were 3 of us. I had the shrimp risotto which was delicious. Thank you Chefs. We had a bad server though. she was rude. She kept coming to table to take order when we werent ready and seems annoyed with us. She never refilled my soft drink and after we paid she came by to get tips in wallets before we could even stand up to leave. She was probably the worst sever ive ever had! She was not friendly at all and kept trying to upsell us when we knew what we wanted. This girl only cared about her tips not us at all and it showed. Shame on you. She never gave us her name either. The food was awesome but horrible service. I probably wont be back because of her!

Had dinner on the patio with heaters; quieter than inside and nice atmosphere. Professional friendly service. Extensive menu with variety of options. Had beet salad, risotto with scampi and asparagus and risotto with mushrooms; all delicious. A wonderful experience. Great location next to Disney Hall.

Great location next to the Broad museum downtown. Great choice of delicious appetizers, pastas, pizzas, and main dishes. Good service...full bar...average prices.

Friends and I were attending the theatre next door to the restaurant and had made reservations, so we were promptly seated. Our server (William?) was excellent - very knowledgeable about selections and regularly checking to see that everything was in order. I started with the Booster Martini cocktail, which was so good that I almost ordered a second (but considering an evening of theatre, thought better of it). Thee entree was an excellent shellfish stew, spiced just enough so as not to kill the flavor of the shrimp, octopus, etc. My friends were also highly satisfied with their meals, and we probably would have stayed longer and ate/drank more if we didn't have an approaching showtime.

While this restaurant is very conveniently located for evening entertainment venues, our dinner was very disappointing. The portions were skimpy and particularly lacking in the main ingredient. The scampi and asparagus risotto had the equivalent of less than one shrimp and one spear of asparagus. The beet salad was short on beets. The food had been tastier on previous visits. At the table next to us were two women who had waited over an hour and ten minutes for their food to arrive and ultimately had it completely packed up so they wouldn't miss their show at the Music Center. The waiter apologized profusely, but the manager only offered to do "something special" for them on their highly unlikely next visit. A restaurant of this stature needs to be more gracious - you never know who's sitting nearby.

Vespaio is okay- what I mean by this is the food isn't bad quality or bland, but it's not particularly out of this world, either. The restaurant itself is nicely decorated with soothing ambiance lighting and catchy decor. The server was kind and very attentive. But nothing about this restaurant stood out as exceeding expectations.

A delicate menu for fine dining. Great atmosphere, and well trained staff. A good choice to dine after visitng The Broad.

We have eaten here twice in recent weeks and love the food and the service. Everything we have ordered at Vespaio has been wonderful. Also has a good wine list. Great spot for a wonderful dining experience before a concert at Disney hall or a show at the Ahmanson

When you find yourself on an outing to the Broad Museum or Disney Hall in Downtown Los Angeles and are in need of a good meal in the area think of Vespaio. It offers up very reliable, pleasing Italian food at a good price. We enjoyed some very nice salads and pastas here on an evening where we were destined for Disney Hall. I'm glad to have some nice restaurant options on Bunker Hill now in the vicinity of these cultural institutions.

I waited 20 minutes for the waiter to take my order. When I had become exasperated, I told the hostess that I was leaving because I had been waiting for so long. She just shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. The space is chic, and the wait staff and hostess look great, but do nothing. I live nearby and eat out often but I won't be returning.

Yummy cocktails, a huge Nicoise Salad and a delicious seafood stew were the highlights of our lunch in this beautiful space. Also, Stephen the waiter was a kick, and our table in the indoor/outdoor space was perfect. Excellent decor throughout the restaurant.

I go here sometimes before shows at the Disney or the Music Center. The atmosphere is lively and the food is great. I had grilled fish with their delicious olive oil. Indulge in some bread and olive oil with your meal.

My wife and I had dinner yesterday, before a concert at the Disney concert hall in LA. This being an AGO group Italian restaurant, we were expecting a wonderful dinner. Our visit was very disappointing and would not recommend it for a meal. Pros and Con Pro: Seated promptly Cons: 1: Slow service 2: Soup: Minestrone soup was filled with fresh vegetables, but the broth was thin and lacked depth of flavor. 3: Pizza- We ordered a margarita pizza. Arrived with an appearance of a plain NY style cheese pizza, but under cooked and a soggy crust. We sent it back for additional baking time. 15 minutes later, we received the pie back with an even soggier crust. Server was advised but no action to address issue. There were other negatives to mention, but all similar issues. We would never return or recommend. Very over priced visit as well.

the restaurant was nice, BUT the food does not match the price. pass on the Branzino, thinly cut, no meat and plenty of bones. this dish requires work to eat. the waiter was inattentive. the experience was disappointing.

The menu is stellar, the waitstaff excellent, and the food exemplary. But expect to pay for it. The food is extremely well made, eclectic even with delicious appointments. Yet $11.00 beer and $26 pasta was a step over the acceptability line. But excellent on someone else's expense account perhaps. Be sure to see the Broad Museum next door and/or the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) across the street, bot excellent themselves!

We came here on a Sunday before going to Disney Hall for a concert. Being Sunday, there was a brunch menu and I ended up having an omelette. It was very good. Service was very good and the price was very reasonable. If you are in a hurry, they have a small cafe in back that you order from directly. There is also seating in back for the small cafe.

We were attending a LAPhil performance and choose Vespaio because it is almost next door. We were pleased with the food and service. Our server arrived from Italy in February so we had a wonderful conversation with someone who is trying to go further in life. Our food was well pre pared and promptly serviced. We enjoyed roast trout and wild boar ragu . A full bar is available and several people were eating there. There are outside tables. The dessert menu is worth a try

I was sorely disappointed in the food served here. My Minestrone soup was nothing more than vegetable broth with cauliflower and broccoli in it along with a piece of potato, a couple of beans and a piece of kale. I felt like I was on a bland diet. My daughter's soup arrived cold and had to be sent back. The salad was good, but tall was overpriced for what we got. I would not go back there.

Everyone wants to see the stunning Broad Art Gallery. But after long waits in the queue there is nowhere for a drink or snack. Conveniently across the lawn there is Vespaio where we enjoyed 2 tasty moderately priced toasted panini and 2 excellent Illy coffees.

Delicious food. I had the rack of lamb -- perfectly cooked and seasoned, and a much larger portion than most places. My wife had a wonderful ravioli dish. The waiter apologized in advance, saying it was his first day, but it was great service -- fast, friendly, and informative. It has a beautiful decor -- we sat near the entrance, because the main part of the restaurant was louder. And the prices for downtown LA were relatively reasonable.

Between the Petersen Museum and The Walt Disney Concert Hall, we stopped in for lunch at Vespaio. What a fun place to just stop and chill for a bit at the bar. Food was yummy, drinks were nice, bartender very solicitous.

Had dinner here after attending a play at the Music Center. Friendly and efficient staff, very good food, fairly reasonable prices. Next door the the Broad museum in the Emerson building, convenient to the Music Center, MOCA and the downtown financial district. Although a frequent visitor to the Music Center and other local restaurants, we were unaware of the Vespaio until doing some dining research on TripAdvisor. Recommended and will likely return on one of our future visits to the downtown area.

72 dollars for a bottle of Taittinger is a good price and the bottle of Cab Stags Leaf we had was fabulous. So drinks could not be better. Pasta finally well cooked and really italian style and al dente. However Spaghetti and seafood too spicy..we want to be able to taste seafood if there is seafood. Beware of very spicy seafood you can not taste if its good or bad quality. Rigatoni nice although kind of white bolognese ( a la norcina =no tomato) lacked flavour and was boring. Filet Mignon was excellent but too many potatoes on plate do not leave space for main attraction of plate- the fillet mignon. Nice views of BROAD museum.

I ate at the bar and the servers were excellent. The artichoke salad and cod entree were average. The red wine was served warm to hot. Nice atmosphere.

Very close to music center for a meal before a show. Service was excellent, and so was the food. Had pizza and soup and rosotto . This was my first time and I would go dine there again.

This restaurant was right across from my hotel so I gave it a try. I wasn’t disappointed. I sat at the bar and had two small plates, which were delicious and filling. The seared tuna was a surprising large piece with vegetables. The octopus came with green beans and potatoes. I will go back on my next trip and try other small plates. I dined early, around 5:30 pm, because I was still on East Coast time. It was crowded. The bartender told that they tend be crowded earlier and that later it would be much less crowded.

We were here with ten people and no one was completely satisfied with their dish, because of our expectations. The food would be okay at a lower price point. Oddly, many of our dishes had nearly no salt. Considering that we all live in Finland and are used to low salted food, us adding more salt was very unusual.

Our party of 3 had a pre-Music Center dinner here at 5:30pm on a Wednesday. Restaurant was empty (and basically stayed only partly filled until we left at 7:20pm). Seated immediately. Décor is quite nice, open and casual. Decent space between tables. Noise lever was moderate (partly due to lack of diners). Waiter was fine: very casual approach to presenting the menu and daily specials to people new to restaurant, casual in serving the food and in following up on how the meal was going. This is a casual Italian restaurant with what I consider high prices for what was served. I found the imported Italian pasta dishes to be overcooked and lacking in flavor. A $3 charge for bread? The soup of the day was nice, as were other appetizers, pastas, and desserts. Nice: not the best review for a restaurant but one that fully describes the experience. We asked to have espressos after dessert; needless to say, they came with it. I would return here due to its location and the lack of other places to dine in the area.

We came across this restaurant by surprise as we were waiting to get into the Broad. The food was fresh and delicious. Our waiter, Giancarlo, was helpful and suggested we try the pappardelle which was made fresh on the premises. We haven't had pasta so good for a long time. The service was quick and friendly, the atmosphere was excellent and overall it was a great find in such a large city

Adjacent to the new Broad Museum, and across from MOCA, this bar and restaurant benefits from its location in DTLA and tho' we didn't try the food (dining room looked fairly empty but it was only 5ish) the drinks were excellent and reasonably priced - Negroni $9, Bellini $9, Rosemary Martini $9. Beers ~$5. Given the location these prices and the fast friendly service in a small fairly buzzy bar area, with large outdoor patio, should keep people coming back.

I know on reviews you have the good, the bad and the ugly. Well mine is none of the three. My review is excellent. I had a dinner party for 45 people and I couldn't have asked for a better place. When I first visited the restaurant I wasn't disappointed with the food nor the patio (which is what I was looking for for my event) and I certainly wasn't disappointed the day of my event. The food was perfect but what really made my event so successful was the service. Elena, the manager, had made sure that everything was the way I wanted it and Peter and John Carlos, our servers, were amazing. The two of them went way beyond any customer service I have seen in a long time. They made sure my guests were served properly and even asked them if they were enjoying themselves. At the end of the night my guests said that the food was delish, they loved the atmosphere of the patio and had a great time. I would highly recommend anyone planning an event to consider Vespaio and make sure that you have Peter and John Carlos as your servers.

We had seen this restaurant several times before when visiting The Broad, but decided to give it a try this week. We had fresh, tasty paninis along with attentive service for our lunch. It was a great place to grab a bite--looking forward to trying other things on the menu next time.

We went for a dinner before going to a show. We arrived at 5pm and were seated quickly. We both ordered the beef and when it arrived, the inside was cold. Not "not warm enough." Stone cold - BOTH of them! We told our server who whisked them away. Shortly after she brought us new hot ones with a slight apology and a "well, we try to hurry so people can get to the theater." Normally if their is a mistake that big with your order, a manager or someone comes over to apologize, but nothing. The food did taste good and the arancini was excellent. We split the apple cobbler but was hardly able to finish it because it was so sickly sweet. So, we probably won't come back. It's a shame because they have a good menu and great location, but there are other places to try!

Nice place, great location and impeccable service. But the food is terrible. The first dish I ordered was inedible and I sent it back (something I haven’t done for decades.) The second had less flavor and worse texture than a Stouffer’s frozen dinner. I would never go back.

Extremely expensive, all the cakes we tried were inedible. I don't recommend it to anyone.😡🤬Inedible and expensive

We arrived circumstantially after a concert at the Disney Concert Hall. The place is nice and the service is great (they can help you in English or Spanish). The food is very good: spinach salad, burrata, pizzas, everything was to our liking. We returned for the second time that week during our vacation trip. Good wine list and the price-benefit ratio is adequate. I recommend it if you are in the area visiting the center, the museums or the Concert Hall.

We went for a terrific fixe-prix Valentine's Day dinner- loved the goat cheese and beet arugula salad and whole filleted bronzed Branzino with perfectly seasoned spinach; Risotto with wild mushroom was buttery and luscious (plentiful mushrooms were truly wild and succulent). Ample portions were served and included focaccia bread as precursor. Great wine selection-really nice Italian blend by the glass. The dessert-an assortment of dipped dolci- was the only disappointment. Service was perfect. I would have preferred sitting in the main dining space as the chairs in the area adjacent to the take out counter (to the right of the host area) were a wooden folding type and just felt very casual. Would specify with reservations another time.

Nice ambience and great food and service. Alberto took great care of us for brunch prior to seeing Alvin Alley. We shared the house salad which was huge and I have the chicken breast panino which was fantastic and my partner had the Cappellaci which was incredible. Also have a Trefethen Chardonnay from the extensive wine by the glass menu.. Even the coffee was great. So happy to find a nice spot like this an easy walk from the Music Center

We had tickets to a performance at the Ahmanson, and wanted to find a good place within easy walking distance - and discovered Vespaio. Made a 5:45 reservation on Open Table and fortunately we did, by 6:00 the place was packed. Great food, good wine list, our waiter was extremely engaging and knowledgeable, prices were reasonable for the area. We will be back. One note, once the got busy, the service was slower, so make sure you plan accordingly. They are also next to the Broad.

While near the museum, the food was archaic and bland. Salad at lunch with salmon carpaccio was disappointing.

Just a short walk from our hotel, Omni in downtown LA. Particularly liked the pan fried wild cod and the seafood pasta. We would go back again.

Enjoyed my lunch here, and recommend by all means that if you come for lunch make a reservation. This is a very popular place for local business people and I was amazed how people were just streaming into the place. Had lunch here with a friend and really enjoyed the asparagus soup, which was among the best I've ever had. I really enjoyed the gruyere sandwich on toasted ciabatta. Good service and nice ambience.

We went after a concert at Disney Hall. Our friends warned us it would be expensive. The waitress was charming and the best part of our experience. We had pizza for an appetizer and it was good. My friend ordered a salad and it didn't come with dressing! Give me a break! There was no salt & pepper on the table. We also had to ask for Parmesan cheese for our pasta. Why weren't we offered it right away? The portions looked small and the taste was rather bland. There was no complimentary bread! The last thing I noticed upon leaving this restaurant was that there were no after dinner mints! However the staff was friendly. Will not go back.

We liked this restaurant so much we ate there twice during our recent visit to LA. The first time we went was before attending a concert at Disney Hall. The place was packed and the food runners were literally running. Despite the hubbub, the food was delicious and served hot (as it should be). We had a huge salad (easily shareable) and tried two different pastas. We were in and out in plenty of time for our concert. The second time we went was much quieter and calmer since there were no concerts that night. The food was equally good. We shared a different, huge salad and a pizza. Everything was delicious! Highly recommended.

Great location next to the Broad Art Museum, nice décor and friendly reception people. However, waiter was pretentious and arrogant, food was mediocre at best and over-priced with small portions. Fish that was decapitated and deboned tableside had lots of skin and bones left in that made eating it very tricky. Promised olive oil to put on the fish had to be requested again. Non-fish entrée served at same time as fish although it took 10 minutes to debone the fish. No bread offered or served. With no alcohol, no appetizers, no dessert - just one shared salad and two entrees, the cost was almost $100. With many choices of good restaurants in downtown LA, we won't be going to Vespaio again.

Vespaio Restaurant was a charming find on Bunker Hill after having visited MOCA, just across the street ( Grand Ave.). It's situated next to the newly opened Broad Museum and is separated by a lovely wide green space which has plantings of 100 year old Olive trees w gnarled trunks. Nice! Upon entering you find that Volpaio is divided into several neat areas: 1) an Informal eating area facing the bright stainless open kitchen & pizza oven, 2) a fanciful bar w stools for drinks or counter eaten foods & adjacent tabled seating area, 3) large private dining room off the bar, 4) huge front formal dining room fronting Grand and MOCA across the street. Has huge tree indoors. Neat!, 5) nice Italian goods & mini-store w cookies & chocolates. Super. The menu is filled w Italian regional, Tuscan, delights & inventive dishes. Nice seafood, meat, pasta, pizza and non-meat choices. Great wine list w Italian & California choices. Service was superb with helpful & attentive staff. Maitre D'Hotel served wine & checked on our comfort. Special restaurant for drinks, snack bites or dinner in sensational setting. You'll enjoy! ...

We had lunch at Vespaio prior to visiting the Broad Museum and it was fantastic. We had some amazing Mozzarella Cheese on of Eggplant and the freshest noodles topped by a Boar meat sauce. Add to that a seafood pasta that my wife had and it was amazing.

I can not say enough good things about this resturant. We met prior to having our family function with the management. We had a tasting and went over our plans. The mgt. team really tried to accommodate every one of our needs. We had the gathering in their outdoor area. It was perfect. It got a little windy and they pulled down their screens and also put on their outdoor heaters. The food was terrific and good sized portions. The waiters, and buss boys were so attentive. I highly recommend this resturant.

We needed an early pre-theater dinner convenient to the Music Center and Vespaio turned out to be a great choice. Service was attentive, warm and professional.We told them what time we needed to be at the theater and our waiter made sure that our meal arrived promptly, without making us feel rushed. My husband and I split the generously spinach salad for a starter and it was enough for our daughter to have some as well. The pappardelle with wild boar ragu was fantastic, and our daughter's gnocci-like seafood pasta was also excellent. The other meals we saw being served near us looked equally good, especially the pizzas. All around, a fabulous meal on a lovely terrace just two blocks from the Music Center, next door to the Broad and across the street from MOCA. I think I've found my go-to for theater nights.

As you can see from the reviews posted online, diners are very mixed when it comes to relating their experiences with this restaurant. I've had mixed results: One very nice dinner, a second that was a disaster. So you take your chances when visiting. One piece of advice I'd offer: Don't go there when it's busy. The kitchen gets overwhelmed and orders take quite a long time and the food that is produced can be very mediocre.

We were told the pay were fully booked and we were advised to try the bar as it has full service. We ground a little table in the bar area. My friend had the risotto, he says: 'well cooked, well seasoned and moist'. I had the 'macheroni'. Tasty - well cooked. I did think the chef was of the view that I needed to go on a diet. Service was ok. Food aside there is certainly some talent in the staff waiting to be discovered - a photographer's delight or a producer's new star or both. This is a serious, objective and realistic comment. You may well discover some extraordinary talent.

Very pleasant semi outdoor space. Excellent home-made pasta and attentive service. Would eat there again.

Across from The Broad courtyard is this new restaurant that looks like it is in a corporate office building (no, its really The Emerson, an apartment building). It is very pleasant sitting inside looking towards the garden and The Broad. We just had a quick bite pre-museum and pre-Disney Hall (only 1 block away)...the drinks and pizza/salad break was prefect.

Went out to dinner before the theater.We ordered appetizers and dinner. The spinach salad with bacon was dull like it came out of bag. The scallops wrapped in bacon were not cooked well. We had seafood Pasta the sauce was dry. The breaded Wild Cod $30 was overlooked that came with plain white rice 2 slices of roasted tomato. Dry, over cooked, bland taste and bland appearance. There are so many good places to eat in LA I would leave Vespaio off the list.

Mediocre food, but the drinks and service were good which helped make up for it. Convenient place for a meal before or after visiting The Broad.

Our waiter was a professional waiter; meaning he knew the nuances of the wines, pairing them with the menu, the details of the entire menu by heart, and how each dish was prepared including which spices were used. Wonderful dining experience.

We had a round table which was very convenient for a gathering of friends .Very simpatico service and the pasta of the day : ravioli with crab in saffran sauce was perfect

Had dinner last night before LA Opera. Seating area was noisy (we sat in patio); entree served (pasta); waited for waiter to return immediately with formaggo; waited and continued to wait. Inexcusable. Wait staff scurry all around but not one of the minions bothered to stop at our table and check if we needed anything.. Finally I had to track down waiter as it was clear that he plainly just dumped food at our table and forgot about us. Had I not had to literally hail him down, I would not have had cheese on my pasta. hard to recommend this place. Also they charge you for bread! Food was palatable Minestrone served in a "Jethro Bodin" bowl (in other words, the serving was substantial) but souped lacked flavoring. It was only so so

Vespaio offers simple food, reasonably priced, near the Broad Museum and Disney Hall. Hence the perfect stop if you visit either of these venues.

I work in the area and we are starved for nice dining options on Bunker Hill. There's Patina, which is awesome but an evening in itself. And there's Nick & Stef's, which is closed for renovation. Generally, we go down to the flats to take business clients out or for nicer dinners. But then Vespaio opened and its a fantastic new option. Very good Italian menu, with plenty of options for healthy (non-pasta) meals. The setting is really the star though -- a great outdoor covered patio. A perfect place for cocktails. I'm a little concerned at how empty it has been when I have been there the last couple of times, but hopefully all that will change when the Emerson fills up and the Broad gets going.

The new spot on Bunker Hill did not disappoint. The interior is beautiful and a nice compliment to the Broad next door. They have a lovely patio and nice bar area inside and outside with a fireplace. The food was very good. I had a pork belly sandwich and my friend had a margarita pizza. The both were on our table so fast we couldn't believe it! The wait staff were so nice and friendly. Will definitely be back soon!

Downtown LA Italian fine restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner. Both are good but I prefer this spot for lunch. Good salads, sandwiches, pizza, etc. Good wine selections. Near the Broad Museum.

You can really tell that Vespaio is own and run by an Italian family. From the moment you enter you can feel it. The room is welcoming, the service is excellent, and the food is superlative. The wine list is not over priced, again showing their Italian roots, in showing that wine is an essential part of the meal. For lunch don't miss the Café which is just like bar in Italy. Excellent panini, espresso, and dolce.

We stopped for lunch and had excellent food and service. My Nicoise salad was loaded with tuna and other goodies. They have an attached bakery. We would certainly try for dinner

We have been several times over the last several weeks and have tried a number of different items. We have been pleased with all our choices. The wait staff is attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. We share mains and that is never a problem. We will be back for sure.

Stopped in for dinner while in town for a conference. Close to the Omni hotel where I was staying and I was able to get a seat at the bar for dinner at about 6:30 on a Tuesday. I ordered a few appetizers as my dinner...started out with the baby artichoke salad that was pretty good, and the grilled octopus which was excellent. Also ordered the calamari which was also very good. The bartender who was serving me was new but did a great job as he was being pulled in many directions by his manager. I thought the food was excellent and would like to come back and try the pizza. Prices are reasonable and I recommend this spot if you are in the area.

I struggled with how to review this new place. Mark, who served me, was outstanding. The menu was very appealing. I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner, especially the grilled octopus starter. The Bombolini dessert was tasty--and fun! In between the two, I had the squash ravioli which was quite good. I would order all three items again. But here's the bad part, and it was at the very start and nearly had me leaving before even opening the menu. I arrived early to have dinner pre-show at the Music Center. The place was nearly empty; no surprise at it was only 5:00. The hostess seated me in the "cafe" part of the of the establishment--a total Siberia at that hour as it is definitely a lunch/casual dining type of space … or perhaps for families with busy children. Not only did she seat me in an empty room, she chose the small table immediately adjacent to the kitchen/food prep station. I politely objected and requested one of the also empty small tables next to the windows looking out at The Broad. She didn't even give me a menu. I had to wait and then ask for one. Was I dressed badly? Nope. I was wearing nice clothes (dress and jacket) for the theater. Was I unfriendly or rude? Not in the least. I was open and pleasant as always. I could go on with this silly analysis, but there was no excuse for her disdain. My dinner advice? Go for the food; it's excellent. But stand your ground and refuse to be relegated to no-man's land unless you crave an isolated, coffee shop surrounding when you eat your expensive, fine-dining meal.

We ate lunch here after spending 3 hours in the Broad Museum and couldn't have made a better choice. I had a most spectacular bowl of nourishing lentil soup with a side of pizza bread with rosemary simply toasted in the wood burining oven. Who knew this would taste sooooooo good? My friend had the panini of roasted pork belly, romaine lettuce, tomato and avocado. Half a block from the Broad, nice wine list, appropriatly priced, quiet, attentive service.

Stopped in after a visit to the broad. Wonderful seating in the patio. I've lived in Italy and the boar pasta reminded me of the authentic flavors. Great selection of Italian wines Great service

Downtown LA is getting to be a real city. Museums, Music, Opera, Theater and Restaurants. This place is stylized Italian that makes me feel like I am in NewYork or Rome or Milan. It is not the Italian style of the Westside of LA.. it is City Urban Italian. And it is done very well.

A great Italian restaurant, it is off the beaten track but....AND THIS IS IMPORTANT ....it is so easy to get to - there is a new Metro Subway Stop on the Santa Monica Line - it is missing from the Official App - the stop is Arts/Bunker Hill. Its a great stop, and the restaurant is about a minute walk, in a well lit elevated area. Please check Vespaio out, stylish, great ambiance, wonderful staff and food prepared on site, from scratch.

We came as a group of 2 large tables as part of a conference delegation and had the full five star treatment of pre-dinner drinks & canapés followed by a four course meal and it was impeccable. It is a large spacious restaurant with a expansive bar area and is right oppositve the Museum of Contemporary Art. The restaurant is predominantly Italian however for large groups such as us there is a wide selection of options available outside your traditional Italian fare (e.g. for a main I had American Wagu Top Sirloin (Snake River Farms) with rosemary potatoes. A first class experience from beginning to end.

Because of a local conference, I ended up eating here three times in three days! It's good, it's convenient, and... they miss the details (blaming the crowd). If you're a restaurant, you want a crowd. If you're a server, you need to pay attention to the details - all of them. When the details are pointed out, you need to fix them, not look stunned and then ask IF they should be fixed. FIX them. I was here for two lunches and a dinner. Details were dropped each time. FOOD: The swordfish is good. They served it with a marinara, so it had a little italian seasoning flavor. That was unnecessary, since it was cooked really tenderly and the sauce detracted from the fish. Still, it was a good dish overall. The striped seabass is good - baked and flavorful, but oily as heck. The salads are big. The calamari looked good. I think they want to be seen as an Italian restaurant, but their fare doesn't focus on the Italian, which actually worked for me.

On a recent trip to LA my husband and I wandered into Vespaio for lunch. What a delightful surprise. We shared a kale salad and brick oven proscuitto pizza followed by mango sorbet and limoncello truffle gelato for dessert. Everything was so fresh and wonderful. Service and atmosphere get high marks as well. Next time you are in LA head downtown to Vespaio for lunch or dinner. I don't think they will disappoint. Great food in a relaxed casual atmosphere.

This place is very convenient if you are visiting museums or attending a show at the arts center. It is right across the courtyard from the Broad Museum entrance. It is an enormous indoor and outdoor space plus bar that has remained unchanged since its previous restaurant iterations, including a French restaurant. It is still pleasant despite its 80's era appearing decor. Given its size, I expect it is easier to get reservations here over other places. The food is good solid Italian with enough range of dishes, from casual pizzas and pasta to more elegant meats and fish. The night we were there they had two specials added to the menu. The service was attentive. We found the food quite good. Portion sizes were ample.

Vespaio is a great location with great service. The food is fresh, well prepared, and delicous. It's a terrific restaurant to go to if you're going to one of the Music Center Theaters and the Broad. The happy hour is 3-7 unlike the Patina cafe outside the Dorothy Chandler which is only one hour, 5-6 with a very limited menu and poor service. Vespaio has an extensive menu with welcoming service. If you're late for a theater performance, they're very good at fast service as well. This is our new "go to" restaurant when going to the opera, theater, or concert at the Chandler.

In downtown Los Angeles, you will find a veritable roadmap of expensive, trendy eateries. We decided not to max out the credit card and opted instead for Vespaio. Located in the very shadow of the Disney Concert Hall, Vespaio offers Italian favorites and luscious wines in a cool urban setting. If we are fortunate enough to score concert tickets again, we will definitely choose Vespaio for a superb dining experience.

We're still Hungry.... we had to leave after 45 minutes, of waiting & asking about our order, from getting the appetisers- and still No dinner order for us- although others were being served around us, and so were the late arrivers after us- they somehow lost or order- Lots of other choices for Good Food around the Theaters- so choose well- were Done with Them = Bad Management-

Given the recently posted negative reviews of Vespaio we went to the restaurant for a pre theater supper with some trepidation, We were surprised to find that we had nothing to be critical about. It is a very attractive space although the divison of the area was somewhat awkward. Since we were there for dinner we were seated in the area next to the entrance which had the benefit of not forcint us to walk through the bar. The service was impeccable and very cheerful. Our waiter gave us good recommendations on bread and sides. We started with a nice spinach salad. My wife had the rotisserie chicken which she said was excellent and accompanied by rosemary potatoes. I had the ravioli special which had very thin pasta obviously made in house stuffed with beef and ravioli and a bolognese rage. It too was excellent. The restaurant is pricey but not out of line for the area and the quality of the food. We will go back the next time we go to one of the entertainment venues in that neighborhood.

Situated in the centre of DTLA, next to Walt Disney Concert Hall, of course I was expecting nothing but excellent restaurant. That is the kind of pressure Vespaio must carry from the guests. But I think, they can handle it fine. The restaurant is very nice and the foods are delicious. The risotto and the fried black cod were very good, and the salad was fresh. But, to be on the top, Vespaio needs to surprise me! What is so different about it from other good Italian restaurants?

I arranged for dinner here Tuesday Jan 8th since it was close to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for which I had an 8PM ticket. This aspect was good. After getting seated by the nice hostess I was served water, but then waited at least ten minutes before a waitress/server showed up to take my order. I ordered the Beef Carpaccio which was excellent; however not much beef but lots of salad leaves and cheese strips. But it was good! I also requested what looked on the menu to be seafood capellini. However, my vision was not too good, this turned out to cappellacci, a kind of pasta not even like capellini (which is a very thin spaghetti). So I did not choose that. Instead my waitress suggested Garganelli, which I had never heard of. I accepted her choice. Bad decision... this again was mostly pasta rolls with other mysterious ingredients. I did detect some small pieces of what I think was shrimp. I had also ordered Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnay which helped offset the horrible Garganelli of which I ended up eating very little. Prices were expensive, but of course in restaurants right beside the major art attractions in Los Angeles this is to be expected. Also this place does not provide any “welcome” free bread or little rolls with butter, just water. Message to me was... be careful which you order...double check the menu on the website before taking chances.

We decided to try Vespaio due to its proximity to Zipper Hall across the street. The restaurant is impressive looking but the experience is anything but. Let me first disclose that I am a vegan and must also eat gluten-free, but was dining with two in my party that are not. I called in advance to be sure that there was something I could eat and it appeared they could work with me. Note that just about every menu item has meat or dairy. HOWEVER, if you are a vegan or have anyone in your party who loves animals or the earth, or are at all concerned about your health, don't eat here. For example, the waiter started off by telling us the specials. They seemed to pushing the special, which was a sautéed WHITE RABBIT. Now, I was shocked. I was surprised that they were trying to describe the appearance of the animal when he/she was alive that they were about to serve up. Was that really necessary? When the food came, all three of us were disappointed. The main problem was the SALT. What kind of a chef OVER SALTS the food like this? I mean it was unbelievable. The marinara sauce was as though it was made with sea water. My wife had the same issue with her pasta dish. The other person in our party had chicken (I don't know what color it was before it was killed and served, however) and it was so dry she wanted some kind of sauce in order to make it edible. This place is a typical PRICEY downtown eatery that isn't worth the money or the bother and if you have to watch your salt intake, stay clear of it.

We were visiting MOCA Grand across the street and decided to go to Vespaio for lunch afterward. The restaurant decor is very attractive, and the concept is interesting. An upscale restaurant with two large seating sections in front, with takeout items and bakery in the back, as well as a little market selling Italian pasta and other speciality items. I had a leg of lamb sandwich on focaccia bread with sundried tomatoes and artichokes. It came with a side of homemade potato chips and another side of homemade pickles. The sandwich was enormous; I suggest splitting it with a friend and trying other items from the menu if you come here for lunch. There are not too many places open near the downtown museums on the weekends. This is a fine choice if you are visiting the Broad or MOCA Grand.

I visited this restaurant with some trepidation after reading some of the reviews on Yelp about attitude and bad food. We had lunch here prior to a visit to The Broad right next door. We had an 11:30 a.m. reservation and we were seated early at a lovely round table in the outdoor patio. We had a wonderful server named Hilario. He saw that waters were delivered immediately and told us about the specials. We ordered drinks, a bottle of wine and a margherita pizza as an appetizer while we talked and mulled over the menu. The pizza was o.k. The sauce was a little bland to me but I did like the super thin crust. The Bloody Marys were deemed excellent and the Summerland Pinot Noir was lovely. I must say that at $62 it was one of the cheapest wines on the menu. Lunch Entrees included two of the homemade pasta dishes, Tagliatelle Verde with a beef and porcini ragu and the Pappardelle with a Chianti Wild Boar ragu. There were two paninis ordered. One was a lamb roll. They were enormous. Also ordered was a marinated chicken breast with farro, corn and other goodies salad. The servings were generous and there were leftovers packed up. Everyone liked their meals. We ordered a second bottle of wine since we had an hour more to wait for our timed admission to The Broad. A dessert of 6 small unfilled cream puff like cakes were served with a sides of custard cream and chocolate cream. Not too sweet and very delicious. We had a leisurely 1 hour and 45 minute lunch. We were never hurried and we were attended to nicely by Hilario and his busing team. Hilario even kept the leftovers for us while we visited the museum. This is an expensive restaurant especially with alcohol but it was a special day with special friends and we were fed and treated very well. I would recommend and also go back when it's in the budget.

Our first time at his restaurant---we came for dinner pre-concert at nearby Disney Hall. We were quickly seated (without a reservation) so we felt good about this choice. We ordered drinks, an iced tea and a martini on the rocks. While I ordered a seafood pasta entree my wife was grazing and ordered the lentil soup and the tomato mozzarella salad, making clear this was her entree. The iced tea was served promptly, but it took several inquiries before the server brought the martini (straight up). The manager then corrected the cocktail. The soup and salad were served in a reasonable time, but after a lengthy period of time, and our server passing by our table three times telling me my food was coming, it became obvious he was not doing anything to get my meal. My wife was nearly done with her soup, so I told the server (who still had not brought my dinner) to cancel it and bring our check. He then argued that another server thought the soup and salad were our first course (a hollow argument since I had repeated asked for my meal). He then sent the manager over. She was very apologetic, and comp'ed the check, telling me she wanted me to come back some time so she could make it right, although she didn't get our name or give me her card, so I doubt the sincerity of her gesture. As a result of this dismal service, I attended the concert hungry and grumpy....not a pleasant evening. again and was told he would check. My wife finished her meal and the pasta had no been served it was time for our concert so I got no dinner.

This rather new downtown Italian restaurant has a great location and a beautiful facility. That said this restaurant is hardly clicking on all cylinders. The service though good in intent is erratic and inconsistent. It's as if some of the waitstaff is being trained on the job. The waiter hardly knew the wine list and then brought out nice Pinot glasses but for a super Tuscan. The location next to the new Broad museum and a block from Disney hall makes it super attractive. The food was good but not wonderful. Good enough that I would try it again.

I was looking for a nice meal after a long day of travel and museums. Vespaio's menu looked just right, and my server was especially friendly and helpful, but she was overworked and it took some time to get attention. I tried the cod starter she recommended; it was awful: rubbery cold fish on a bed of greens that were swimming in an oily dressing. It was 3 times larger than she described so there was that much more of it to leave uneaten. (To her credit, the server removed that from my bill, but I don't recommend you try it in future.) My main was a tagliatelle verde with beef and mushroom ragout. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was not what I got. The dish was not distinctive and was somewhat tasteless, and it did not look very attractive either. I had a dessert but I don't even remember what it was. This was not a horrible dinner, but not a memorable one either. At least the bartender makes a nice Negroni.

This restaurant is one of a handful that have recently opened in the wake of the completion of the Broad Museum, creating a nice arts district of sorts in downtown Los Angeles (along with MOCA and the symphony hall, with the David Geffen modern art museum perhaps a 15 minute walk away). I would rate this as a good place to go before a show, or for drinks with friends after work, but perhaps less so as a destination restaurant. The setting is very nice, with lots of wood and a solid feel. The location for the symphony, MOCA, or the Broad is ideal. I thought that the food was good but not great. I had a pasta dish that was fresh and generally well prepared, but seemed a little light on flavor. The wine list is very good and the service was generally helpful. I would expect this restaurant, which is already a good choice, to improve as it has only been open a short while.

We have been to this restaurant twice. It is extremely convenient when going to Disney Hall or the Broad Museum. The outdoor patio is nice, comfortable and the wait staff is very nice and attentive. Unfortunately, the food is so so and we have been disappointed. The kale salad I had was very mediocre although the ingredients were very fresh. The chicken dish and pasta dishes that we tried were also mediocre. We really would have loved for the food to have been better because it is not too expensive and it is very convenient when going downtown to the Music Center, Disney Hall, or the Broad or MOCA. We would have been back many times if the food had just been better.

Vespaio My companion & I were looking for a restaurant that matched 2 criteria (besides good food and good wine – that must be a given): 1) near Walt Disney/Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (only a 5 minute walk away) and 2) quiet. We asked to be seated in the beautiful patio area – which is covered, so you can enjoy the feeling of being outside, in the perfect SoCal temperature without being ridiculously blasted by A/C; (if you or your dinner companions prefer, there is also a large and gracious dining area inside with A/C). The food was beautiful; and artistically prepared. The menu truly offered something for all tastes, from vegetarian broths for the soup bases, to vegetarian pasta dishes, several fish dishes, steak, and even lamb shank. It is a classic Northern Italian menu, with a lean toward tastes of the Veneto. The Menu is ala carte; if you are super hungry, order an antipasto, a primo (pasta, risotto or gnocchi) and a secondo (meat or fish). My companion and I are light eaters, so we split an antipasto and each ordered a primo. Perfetto! The wait staff we encountered were all Italian, very warm, yet polite and gracious. We went with their wine recommendations which were also “perfetto.” Finally: one note about ambient noise: in my opinion, it is getting harder to find quiet restaurants, but restaurateurs, please know that there is still a population out there (like me and all my friends!) that actually want to interact and have substantive dinner conversation (i.e. does not want a TV screen posted in every corner, nor loud music blasting from speakers overhead.) I have to give Vespaio extra gold stars on this point as well… so even if the food had not been top notch (which it was indeed, make no mistake), I would still return for the ambience alone. Therefore, whether you need to talk serious business or want a romantic dinner, you will have your needs met on the patio space at Vespaio.

If you're going to the Music Center, Disney Hall, The Broad or simply want a guaranteed delicious Italian meal, Vespaio is a great choice. I am very picky when it comes to eating Italian food, and Vespaio's chef never disappoints, using the very best ingredients and authentic techniques. Their burrata and mozzarella cheeses are particularly fresh and delicious. Whether you want a full meal, fresh pasta or just a pizza (Neapolitan-style), they have a wide variety to choose from. I always have trouble making a decision! They also have a good wine list. My only reason for not giving them 5 stars is the service. They need to do a better job training their waitstaff on courtesy and listening skills. Their kitchen is skilled and fast, and they are always able to deliver a delicious meal while getting us to our show on time.

Lovely bartenders who were attentive and helpful, well -made drinks and a decent list of top shelf liquors. Bar food was fine. I'd return for a bar experience or to try dinner here, if I had enough time before a show. Seems that food service takes a while.

This is a restaurant that is walking distance to seven auditoriums that I know of -- two in Disney hall, two in the Colburn school and the three theaters of the Los Angeles Music Center. So they ought to know how to get patrons out in time for a curtain. Yet on Tuesday night, December 10, 2019, we made our 8 pm curtain at the ballet only because it went up eight minutes late. Had that not happened, we would have been out $400 in ballet tickets because of the indifferent, even hostile, service we experienced at Vespaio. We made a 6:15 pm reservation; surely enough time to eat and get to the theater. There were four of us. We were shown to a table right next to the "happening" noisy bar and directly under a blasting speaker. We asked if we could be seated in a quieter part of the restaurant (there were plenty of tables available). The greeter asked us as if we had asked her to sell her first-born into servitude, but grudgingly showed us to a quieter booth. I told our waiter that we had an 8 pm curtain. He said it would be no problem. Then, after we ordered our wine, he promptly disappeared. When he finally did return, we ordered two salads and appetizer dish and four mains. The salad and appetizer dish appeared promptly and then the waiter disappeared. We waited. And waited. And waited. At 7:28, one of our party walked through the restaurant and found the waiter who told him "the kitchen is a little backed up." About 7:40 three mains were brought, but not the fourth. We canceled the fourth entree -- mine, as it happened -- and asked for the check immediately. We are not young and the walk would take us longer than a youthful group. The check included the cancelled dish. The manager brought over a corrected bill -- it was not ten to eight and we had a two block walk, admittance to the theater and finding our seats ahead of us. She asked what she could do to make this right. Given the choice of getting something discounted and missing the curtain, we said nothing and left. We walked through the door of the theater at 8 p.m. Thankfully, the curtain was delayed and we were in our seats when it went up. NEVER, EVER got to this place if you expect to get to the theater on time. The service is indifferent-to-hostile. Those who did manage to shovel in a few forkfuls of their main dishes before we rushed out said the food was merely okay. Oh, and it was quite pricey -- especially given the level of service. I have been eating in restaurants for 65 years. This is the first time in all those decades that I did not leave a tip. That's how bad it was.

Met friends who live in L.A. The restaurant is a lovely spot, and we sat in the fresh air area. It was comfortable and quiet. Three of us ordered the Roasted Chicken and potatoes, a specialty of the restaurant. It was delicious, ate the whole half and lots of delicious potatoes. Served perfectly. My husband a an evening special of half a lobster and spaghetti with shrimp. The spaghetti was hot and excellent, but the lobster was lukewarm and overdone, a real disappointment. We shared two plates of donuts with chocolate dipping sauce, yummy.

We just left "The Broad" and wanted a coffee. The Vespaio cafe at the back of the restaurant is just across the courtyard. There was a good choice of seating. My latte (Vespaio is an an Illy "shop") hit the spot.

This restaurant is right next to The Broad so you're a little "stuck" if you're looking for something to eat and it's downtown LA - hence the prices are high. $10 for soup, $15.00 for a tomato, lettuce & basil salad, burger & fries $18... you get the picture. My husband didn't like his Panini and the "crispy bacon" on my salad was thick and "looked" good but was hard as rubber and inedible. With tip it cost us $50 for lunch and we didn't even order drinks! They only validate valet parking. I think if we'd just paid $6.50 at the street cart for the hot dog, chips & soda special we would have enjoyed our food more!

To be fair; we did visit on a Sunday night, pre-theater. The service was fine, our issue was their unwillingness to make even a small change (type of pasta) for a teenager that was part of our party. The food was OK, nothing special and not inexpensive. Portions seemed to vary depending on the dish. We had both penne & Bolognese at our table and the penne was a much larger portion. They also charge you for bread; it was good bread but what upscale restaurant charges you for it? I'll give this a pass and find another restaurant during our next downtown visit.

I know this restaurant has good reviews but my experience was just terrible. My wife and I were exhausted from a day at the nearby mesum and just wanted a good/very good lunch. I ordered a the minestrone soup that tasted worse than Campbells can minestrone and my wife ordered a panini that came cold and I mean everything was cold even the 3/4" thick slice of tomato in the sandwich. Yuck... and to the experience even worse the wait staff was ridiculously lazy. All I could say is there must have been no management or chef that gave a damn about what was going on. Sad to say we were the recipients of garbage and a large check.

California Italian spot next to the Broad. Came here for an early dinner prior to catching a show at the Ahmanson and they took our reservation for 4:15pm. Indoor and outdoor seating available though I would recommend the outdoor option if you can - it’s covered and spacious. Our waiter was very nice and checked in on us often. Food-wise, we got the following: - Calamari - this came with lightly fried zucchini as well. I liked the texture a lot. This came with a marinara sauce as well as cream of tartar sauce. - Special of the day - my dad got this seafood pasta that came with a large quantity of seafood ($54, not on the menu). Our waiter gave an extra plate to place all the seafood shells since there were a medley of lobster, clams, and mussels. - Pappardelle with wild boar ragu - my mom got this and really liked it. It had a lot of meat and the texture of the pasta was good. - Seafood Cappellacci - this came with crab meat on the side as well as stuffed pastas. This is on the smaller side but if you’re fond of crab, you may consider getting this. - Chocolate Ganache - the slice they gave us was huge and can easily feed 3 people. It came with a whipped cream on the side that wasn’t too sweet (a good thing) as well as berries.

Never the Disney Concert Hall at the LA Courthouse, I met someone for lunch while I was on jury service. I have never had a drier, or more boring, chicken paillard then I did at this restaurant. It was pretty (see picture below), as it was covered with bright green arugula/rocket, which was also bland (and oddly had strips of parmesan. Apparently, hand grated cheese is out of the questions here). It was a piece of pounded chicken breast, pan seared without any spices or coating until no juices remained. Meant for someone on some kind of bland, Keto diet, apparently. I can't even remember what my friend had, but he was not impressed either. The fries on the side were also on the dull side, and unsalted. The wine list was decent though. But seriously, skip this place. 2 glasses of wine, 2 entries, 1 side of fries, more than 125 with tax and tip.

4 of us went early on Saturday evening before attending a concert a Disney Hall. While the restaurant is beautifully designed and well located, the service was unbelievably bad. After being seated, we waited 20 minutes before the waitress asked about a drink order. Another 15 minutes for a glass of wine. Appetizers came in a timely fashion, with a long wait before she came back for the dinner order. This took more than 35 minutes to arrive, which left us 10 minutes to inhale our food. The food was good. Then we gave her the valet parking ticket, which they validated. But when we went to get our car, it was not accepting the validation, since it is a different company. People at the next table took 40 minutes to get the bill...they lost their credit card. Forget it. They did take of 50% off our bill.

Pros: Promptly seated, good timely service, tomato, basil, penne, with parmigiana was a winner, l loved my swordfish, very well cooked and seasoned, artichoke salad was outstanding, tuna was average. Cons: Bread not complimentary, procutto pizza was low quality, bland,cheese pizza with slices of meat on top. Seems high price for mediocre pizza.

Last night I attended a concert at the Disney Hall. Vespaio was the closest restaurant to the Music Center campus other than those in the center. I started with a lovely glass of Antonini red. I ordered a beet salad and pappardelle with wild boar. The first thing I tasted in the salad was salt. I mixed the salad about a bit thinking I had found a lump of salt but everywhere it was salt. A pity because beneath the excessive salt was a lovely beet salad with a light dressing. But ruined by salt. The pappardelle arrived and the first thing I tasted was SALT. It overwhelmed the ragu. The waiter asked how was my meal and I told him about the salt. He apologized and called the manager who was equally apologetic and offered to make me another entrée. Because of the concert I had to decline. Both the waiter and the manager were quite gracious and they reduced the charge. But both dishes were ruined and I would not expect that from an Ago restaurant. Pity.

Stopped by Vespaio as was looking for something different when downtown for business (even I can only eat at Sugarfish so many times). While I think the experience was more 3+ than 4, I'm rounding up as it is brand new and all went pretty smoothly for a new restaurant. I was dining solo and opted for sitting on their patio which is really comfortable and had a nice layout and people watching vibe. The service was not the most polished but again they're brand new and it was friendly which is more important to me than polish. I started with the culatello (think trendy prosciutto) which was a nice simple starter with pickles and fried bread. Really nice portion and the pickles were a great offset to the fried bread and culatello. I then had the tuna tartare with citrus and shaved fennel. Again, nice bright flavors. The portion was big and think they could have stuck with the amount of tuna but dialed back the citrus, peppers and fennel to make it more of an appetizer size. Finished off with a sausage pizza with broccoli rabe which was tasty. My only disappointment with the meal was the wine list in general (and the wines by the glass) was not great. There are a lot of interesting Italian wines which aren't expensive but the ones offered were somewhat mass market. Vespaio is worth checking out and look forward to dining here again the next time I'm in LA.

Dropped in for dinner after the theatre crowd had left. Great food and good service (the place was largely empty at that time so that helped). We had the chef's special, homemade lasagna (exceptional) and the crab cappellaci (very good but spicy hot!). A bit on the pricy side but would definately return again to try another homemade special.

Nice place, friendly waiters, nothing else. Seafood cappellacci $26 were very few cappellacci with hardly seafood and spicy tomato sauce (why to spice tomato sauce?). Eggplant parmigiana semi-burnt, no taste. $14 priced. Another time I had pan fried cod fillet. Not far different than microwave food. Let’s go somewhere else.

Stopped in, sat at the bar for dinner. I watched the one bartender make cocktails for everyone in the restaurant except me. For the cost of the meals and drinks, my expectation was good service. Service did not appear to be a priority from my observation. I left....

Seriously, Subway tastes and fresher waay more than this. Give your extra cash to the homeless and eat at Subway. you will feel good about your meal and your self. soggy potato chips and no flavor (not even pepper and salt) on meat. Can you be more healthy? lol

I came here on a business lunch. The food is certainly fine for a business meal - nice variety. There were plenty of salads but I indulged in the cod. It was fried but not deep-fried or greasy and was a very nice piece of fish. They have a nice variety of salads and all were reported as good. The server was very helpful an efficient and had us in and out in our allotted time as we were on a schedule for a hearing.

Vespaio is a large restaurant and bar located next to The Broad. The menu was pretty large. We had calamari and eggplant appetizers. For lunch we had paninis and pasta. Everything was fresh and well prepared. Our server was very friendly. They also have a nice selection of items to take out.

Stopped in here after the Broad for some drinks and light snacks. Sat at the bar and the staff was super friendly and attentive. Great happy hour menu with drinks and food. Cute decor, we will be back to try dinner!

Didn't have time for a meal here, but enjoyed a drink and small plates experience at the outdoor bar that is semi-enclosed and semi-covered with lovely decor and ambiance. Looked like a good place to dine, but what we had was fine, albeit service a bit slow, so not sure if that's just the bar or what. But enjoyed the respite after touring the new Broad which is right next door.

Knowledgeable waiter. Great menu. I had oven baked sardines followed by an excellent mushroom risotto. The blond had egg plant parmigiana followed by a delicious seafood pasta. She finished with a limoncello ice cream which she said was the best she had ever tasted. $ 165 for two with tip.

One would think that a somewhat expensive restaurant would serve good food. Unfortunately, although a comfortable space, the Lentil soap tasted like it came from Campbell’s Soup. The home made pasta might of been ok except it was overpowered by a marinara sauce made by someone who failed sauce making at cooking school. My friends and my wife’s food was equally undistinguished. How can a restaurant that obviously has high aspirations fail so completely? I guess they really had to work at it.

Stopped there after a concert near by. Had a Kale Salad and a glass of wine, both were delicious. We did not have full meals, but rather just midnight snacks..but the service was excellent, the ambiance very pleasant, and the location is very convenient.

I suppose we should have known better than to book a 6:30pm reservation for an 8pm event at Disney Hall. The 6pms were all booked. This is the most convenient restaurant for the Hall so we bit on the 6:30. Sadly we waited for 40 minutes while concert goers just sat on their checks not wanting to get to the Hall too early. When we finally got seated there was only time for a pasta and drink. But the pastas didn't show up for half an hour and our server disappeared. We had to wolf them down. We got the check 5 minutes before 8 and had to hustle over to the Hall. The pastas were were fine but the environment was hassled crowed people. Go elsewhere for an event.