La Viena Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Calgary

SUMMARY(TLDR): Great food, some of the best italian in Calgary. Not a great looking place Great staff/owner with only a slight exception.

EXPLANATION: FOOD: The food is incredible and I would put their lobster bisque against any other. I have tried nearly the entire pasta menu and have yet to find anything that I would specifically say to avoid. The veal is extremely well prepared and I highly advise ordering something with it.

DECOR: The decor is cheap and a bit dated with faux plants and chalkboards with specials covering a wall which would look more appropriate in a diner rather than a restaurant attempting to be of a higher caliber. The restaurant itself is very small and is entirely open which can make it ridiculously noisy sometimes. Extremely hard to hold a conversation with anyone you're with. The location is a bit of a put off because they share a building with a convenience store and it really looks out of place.

SERVICE: The service is a bit of a mixed dish and I had a difficult time ranking it. I opted to give a higher rank because the majority of the staff is extremely competent and concerned with your evening, carrying themselves perfectly with situations.

The owner usually works the front and makes sure everything is handled and checks on your evening. The one time that my reservation was delayed she grabbed a bottle of wine and offered a few glasses to myself and my party. The servers are all (for the most part) extremely knowledgeable and friendly, a real asset to the restaurant.

THE BAD: One server in particular stands out in my mind as a god awful example of how bad service can be. If you have him as your server I highly advise leaving the restaurant or ask to have another server. He wears what seems to be a wig and really gives off a creepy vibe. Constantly saying madame to women and unbelievably condescending. Rude to the point that I've nearly walked out of the restaurant. He had the nerve to spill a glass of wine on a member of my party and did not ever apologize but instead continued...

Such an amazing restaurant! We had our wedding dinner at this restaurant, and I can't praise them enough! My parents, my husband, and his parents went there for lunch before the wedding to try it out. When we had our lunch, the service was wonderful; very personal, informative, and efficient. I am a vegetarian, and I ordered the fusilli vegetariano, which isn't a dish I would normally get (I almost always go for tomato spaghetti), but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. The server told me more about the dish, and how much she loves it as well. She even recommended dipping the bread in the oil sauce (fantastic idea, so good!). My father is a chef, and he was absolutely blown away with how great the carbonera was. When he told the server it was the best he's ever had, she told the chef Annie. Annie is such a sweet woman, and came over to say hello. We all enjoyed ourselves, and agreed this was the place to have the wedding. Annie was so kind and offered us some complimentary desserts, which were phenomenal. We were originally going to be in the lounge, but we had minors in the wedding. They have a great area to the left of the doors in the restaurant, which is partially blocked off with walls, so that was perfect for us. My father in law asked if we could move the archway to make room for people, and Annie was happy to do so, which is amazing, and it gave a much more open space for everyone. We wanted to do a reduced menu, and they accommodated for that perfectly. Annie even offered to print out the menus for us, which was so kind. They looked great. Everyone raved about how amazing the food is, how lovely the décor is, and how great the staff were. Thank you so much for an amazing experience, you helped make our day very special. We will 100% recommend to everyone possible, and we cannot wait...

To start, I wish I had taken photos! Recommended by a friend and will most definitely be doing the same! Apps: ~Calamari cooked to perfection! Lightly breaded, well seasoned and wonderfully tender. The sauce just added even more. ~Anne's Menu Appetizer #1: Yes and YES! Shrimp and scallops and mushrooms..in a garlic..cream..brie..sauce! Deeeee-lightful! fans face Washed down with italian lager. A light, bright and flavorful beer. Mains: First off, there's not enough room, to type or in my belly! ~Combo la Viena, a wonderful assortment of specialties! The veal was moist and flavorful, I did not have a chance to sample the cannelloni or gnocchi nona, but the portions and aromas... drool ~Filetto Di Salmone Gamberetti Salmon, jumbo shrimp, red peppers, onions, and fresh tomatoes, in a honey mustard garlic cream sauce, accompanied with vegs, and cannelloni face palm I didn't need to taste my company's cannelloni (as stated above) because I had my very own spicy veal stuffed portion right in front of me!!! Ok... so you've stuck with me this long.. Our server brought two lovely selections of wine to pair with dinner, and we very much had to box some up for leftovers, because you just gotta have dessert afterwards! Dessert: ~Creme Caramel It was shared, and it was lovely! Light, sweet, and a great way to tame the palatte. ~Cappuccino was a warm, beautiful end to dinner!

Is your mouth watering? It should be!! And uhhhhmmm, why aren't you in the car heading over right now? taps foot

This is a venue where the atmosphere is quaint and relaxed, for day or evening, and the selections on the menu ensure you'll never get bored! Remember; check out Anne's Menu Selections too! A wonderful chef creates these specialties to showcase their talent and...