Ristorante da Paolo — Restaurant in Olbia

So good I came back twice. I first stumbled upon this little spot since it’s right next to where we’re staying. I like that it’s tucked away off the main square and main street, which gives it a more authentic feel.

The first night I came alone without a reservation around 8pm and was seated right away. I enjoyed it so much that I returned the next evening with my girlfriend, again without a reservation, this time at 9:30pm (waited ~5 min to be seated). The place is quite busy, so if you wish to sit outside I highly recommend making a reservation, we were seated inside on both occasions.

The food is excellent and the place itself has a rustic charm. Prices are very fair, and I’d say both the quality and portions are much better than what you’ll find at the main square restaurants. The menu isn’t huge, but everything we tried was spot on.

Between the two visits, we had the vongole pasta, calamari, lamb chops, mixed salad, cooked spinach, and both the house red and white wines.

We were served by the same older gentleman with very short hair both nights. This isn’t the kind of place where servers are there to cater to every tourist request. If that’s what you want, you’re better off on the main street. Here, the service is polite, straightforward, and feels more like a spot where locals come to eat. On the second night, when he took my order, he recognized me from the previous evening. I could tell he warmed up a bit then, especially when he noticed I was trying my best to communicate in Italian.

I also find it odd when people complain (in reviews) about staff not speaking English. This is Italy; you’re in a foreign country, so it’s only natural to adapt to the local language. You wouldn’t go to China and expect everyone to speak English. That kind of attitude is exactly what makes some places less welcoming to tourists.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for great food, fair prices, and a charming local atmosphere. Who knows, we might come back a...

Dinner on Tuesday 11 October 2022 We made reservations ahead of time and it was a good idea we did as the restaurant was pretty full at times. The patrons were mostly Italians, and that is always a reliable indication of quality. No outside seating was available but, then again, this is Sardinia and it is October. We ordered a large bottle of water at €3.50, a litre of good house white wine at €10, one starter of Verdure Grigliate at €5, one starter of Sarde Impanate e Fritte (breaded and fried sardines) at €10, one main of Gnocchetti allo Zaffarano e Salsiccia (a Sardinian pasta dish with saffron and pieces of sausage) at €10 and one main of Culurgiones con Pomodoro e Parmigiana (typical Sicilian dumplings) at €12. Please note, there were cloth tablecloths and napkins! The total bill was only €56.50 and both the food and service were excellent so we booked again for Thursday.

Dinner on Thursday 13 October 2022 This time I didn't walk in and immediately close the door behind me, leaving my wife outside and the restaurant staff amused! This is a busy restaurant consisting of at least four rooms but there are enough staff to ensure prompt and attentive service. This time we ordered a large bottle of water at €2.50, a litre of good house red wine at €10, one starter of Insalata Mista at €4, one starter of Tortino di Pane Carasau con Verdure su Crema di Formaggio (basically bread pie with vegetables and tomatoes) at €7, one main of Sarde Impanate e Fritte (breaded and fried sardines) at €8 with a side dish of Verdure Grigliate at €5, another main of Sarde Impanate e Fritte at €8 with another side dish of Insalata Mista at €4 and two coffees at €1.50 each. All this wonderful food (don't stop to add it all up) and the total bill was ONLY €57.50! Lovely staff, a great atmosphere and exceptional...

Not recommended Friendly waiter but only one for the whole outside area, so he was very stressed, but friendly.

The problem was the food: Starter okay, but nothing special: mussels Gratin, same with the pasta, average and overpriced.

Then we ordered the mixed grilled fish - the most expensive dish at 28€ - and in choosing it, we had hoped to taste some of the local fish specialities, but the only fish was tuna, which was overcooked and therefore far too dry, the white protein was visible and was not raw inside. Also on the plate was really overcooked, chewy squid and octopus which seemed not at all fresh and were quite probably frozen products.

We didn't say anything until the end because we didn't want to waste food, but in the end, when I mentioned it, the reaction was that we we're ghosted for 20 minutes, and we we're made to feel stupid for not having spoken Up at the beginning of the meal.

Good Vino della Casa, but in the end at 80€ for two people with 3 dishes together, not a good choice.

Maybe the chef had a bad day, but how can you even serve badly prepared products at all in the...