La Gondola جاندولا — Restaurant in Eastern Province

🍽️ To watch the full review, just search for “Yazan Bites” on YouTube or go to the link in my bio. 🎥✨

A Taste of Italy, Right Here in Khobar If you are looking for a true Italian dining experience — filled with flavor, warmth, and calm atmosphere — La Gondola might be exactly what you need. From the moment I walked in, I felt like I had stepped into a quiet corner of Italy. The space was soft, welcoming, and filled with the smell of good food being prepared with care.

🍽️ Food – 4.5/5 The food at La Gondola was fresh, well-balanced, and made with clear attention to detail.

🥗 I started with the Greca Salad, which was simple but full of bright flavors. The feta was just the right size, the dressing was tangy, and the vegetables were very fresh. 🍆 I also tried the Insalata di Melanzane, a dish with roasted eggplant, goat cheese yogurt, and sun-dried tomatoes that tasted like a bite of Tuscany. It was comforting, sour and sweet, with beautiful textures.

🍕 The Margherita Pizza looked simple, but every bite had a clean, classic Italian flavor. The crust was golden and soft, the cheese was stretchy, and the fresh basil gave it a nice lift. 🍤 The Oceano shrimp came baked in its own shell with a mustard saffron sauce — juicy, rich, and not at all frozen. You could taste the quality in every bite.

🍝 I chose the Ravioli Aurora with a chicken filling instead of the original meat. While the sauce was creamy and delicious, the chicken texture felt a bit dry. I think I would have enjoyed it more with the original meat stuffing. That’s the only reason I held back from giving a full five stars.

🍮 For dessert, the Crema Bruciata was outstanding. The top was perfectly caramelized, and the custard underneath was smooth, light, and not too sweet. A lovely way to end the meal.

📌 I gave a 4.5 because almost everything was excellent, but a couple of texture details in some dishes left a bit of room for improvement. Still, the meal was satisfying, authentic, and clearly made with love.

🤝 Service – 4.5/5 The service at La Gondola was professional and calm. The staff were respectful, gave me space to enjoy my food, and explained the menu clearly. They handled the experience well, especially while I was filming.

The reason I gave 4.5 instead of a full 5 is not because of anything wrong — but because the service, while polite and smooth, felt more formal than personal. A little more warmth or personal touch could have made the service feel truly special.

✨ Atmosphere – 4.5/5 The ambiance of La Gondola is quiet and peaceful. The lighting is soft, the background music is gentle, and the overall design feels cozy and classic.

It is a great place for a calm lunch or a slow dinner. Families, couples, or solo diners will all feel comfortable here.

The only reason I held back from a full 5 stars is that while the space is lovely, I felt it could use just a little more energy or emotion — maybe through decorative touches, background music, or something to give it a stronger personality.

♿ Accessibility La Gondola is easy to reach and very comfortable. It has its own private parking lot, so you do not need to search for a space. There is also a ramp at the entrance for wheelchairs and strollers, which shows they care about making everyone feel welcome.

📍 Location: La Gondola Restaurant – Prince Turkey Street, Al Khobar,...

I was part of a mixed dinner party held on a Thurs night. I could tell it was a fancy restaurant, but I'd already had something before I came. I'm still figuring out service style in KSA, but I found it annoying that I had to ask for water twice. They brought some olives somewhat soon to tide us over, but we didn't get any complimentary bread until about 40 mins into our waiting for the other guests. The problem came when we were ordering. I'd noticed the Specials (which had no prices listed) but I didn't want them. I said I want an appetizer as my entree, and the waiter, Khalil, apparently thought that I wanted that plus some random fish off the Special menu. I heard '...And I can add some fish to that' which to me didn't register as "I'm going to put you down for 230 SAR worth of fish as your entree." He didn't say it was the fish on the special, I thought he was talking about the fish (salmon) that was in the appetizer. Long story short, I was super surprised when, after I'd gotten stuffed on a seafood salad, he plopped down another plate of fish. I didn't eat it. I was like "WTH." I told them to pack it up. And then I got pissed when the bill came and it was 295 SAR for me. There is no way in hell that I would order FISH for that much. There was a reason I ordered off of the menu. Anyway, I let Khalil know I didn't appreciate this misleading. The appetizer was delicious, but the fish wasn't worth 230 SAR. I also ordered coffee but I never saw that. Overall, I don't like being surprised with an exorbitant bill for food...

The only regret a had was why didn't I come here before!!!

Even though the place is not huge but the fact that they have their own private parking gives an indication that there's more than what meets the eye.

When we went in we were warmly greeted and guided to our seats. This courtesy was constant for the rest of the evening as we kept bothering them again and again while going through their extensive menu.

Before we placed any order we were provided welcome baskets when yummy pizza bread, sauces and olives.

Later on we followed upon the waiter's advice and ordered pumpkin soup, pizza, steak and pasta. I must say that everything was made to perfection especially the steak; a perfect "medium-well".

Even though it has been hardly a day since we went there, but i can't wait to go there to try more stuff on their menu.

A word of caution, to enjoy the authentic Italian taste, you should be willing to cough...