All'Acqua — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I want to preface my review with this: if you want to come here for a date night, I would highly recommend. The food is great. The ambiance is charming.

The following review is for my birthday celebration I had in March. There is a serious disconnect between their online booking system, whoever manages their social media, and management. I specifically wanted to be seated inside (their outside seating has been converted from their parking lot- not bad but does not match the ambiance and charm of inside) I wanted to book for 6 pm but their online system would only permit me to have a party of 25 inside if the dinner was earlier 5pm so I edited my reservation accordingly. I had been in touch on and off with the person who manages their Instagram and I specifically asked them if they could handle large parties of 20 or more. They said Yes, and I let them know I booked a party of 25 at 5pm so I could have the party inside which their online system let me do to which they replied "Great! See you then!"

3 days before my birthday celebration, I received a call from the Manager and asked me to give him a call back regarding my event. It was here that things took a downward turn. He started by telling my party had to be outdoors because there was no way they could accommodate a party of 25 inside. This was disappointing because I specifically booked my party earlier to have it inside, which their reservation app let me do, which I also confirmed with their Instagram account via DM's. He then asked me if we were ordering a la carte or family style. I replied 'Likely a la carte' to which he replied. 'No, we cannot do à la carte with a party that big. My kitchen would not be able to handle and that it must be family style, like a 'few pizzas and salads' Okay... But if I do not have the option of à la carte... WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU NOT JUST STATE THAT TO BEGIN WITH?! He also said only ONE check for the entire party. He offered to meet me the Friday before the party to go over the menu options, to which I agreed.

I meet this Manager on Friday afternoon before their dinner open. I am thinking he will have some sort of set menu for me for my party or specific suggestions, but he does not. Instead, he hands me the menu to look over (I could have done this online...) I ask how do I order family style when the restaurant isn't optimized for that (except for their pizzas) and was then advised to order multiples of things (was not given recommendation or options for these multiple menu items’ ... and to have that makeshift set menu ready at the start of the party so he could prepare the kitchen. I reiterated there was a disconnect between their online reservations and social media Manager, as I communicated and confirmed to both indoor seating, to which he responded unapologetically that he could not have a party 'that big' inside. I left very sad. Instead of trying to make this a lovely birthday celebration, these conversations were centered around how I needed to make the dinner party as easy as possible for the staff and impressed upon me that my party of 25 was more of a burden to the restaurant and it was on ME to make things easy for them. I would have changed venues, but it was the day before the event and everyone notified, it was too late to change venues. I wanted to cry after I left. I had been so sick for my last two birthdays, so this year I wanted to do something special.

I want to be fair, and will state the actual dinner party itself was lovely. The Manager whom I had dealt with was out unexpectedly that night. I was relieved he wasn't there. The Manager who took charge of my birthday was friendly, professional and kind, which I very much appreciated. My Server was great, and so was the staff assisting with the party. I am just sad and disappointed as to how I was treated beforehand, and to come into the restaurant thinking we were a burden. That’s a terrible way to start a celebration, and I hope they reconsider how they handle...

Upon entering All'Acqua, we were warmly greeted by the owner, setting a pleasant tone for the evening. The ambiance was inviting, and we settled in to peruse the menu, ultimately deciding to let the waitress course out our meal.

Our culinary journey began with a classic Caesar salad priced at $17.00, setting the stage for what was to come. The Calamari Fritti at $22.00 was a delightful second course, perfectly crispy and flavorful. The highlight of the evening was the third course, the Rigatoni Bolognese featuring a 6-hour simmered beef and pork ragù, topped with Grana Padano cheese, priced at $27.00. The flavors were rich and comforting, a true taste of Italy.

For the fourth course, we indulged in the Grilled Prime Skirt Steak, marinated in rosemary and garlic, accompanied by French fries and salsa verde, priced at $44.00. The steak was cooked to perfection, and the accompaniments complemented it beautifully. The Funghi Pizza, featuring a medley of mushrooms, thyme, Fontina, and Scottocenere cheese, priced at $27.00, was a savory delight that pleased the palate.

For the fourth course, we indulged in the Grilled Prime Skirt Steak, marinated in rosemary and garlic, accompanied by French fries and salsa verde, priced at $44.00. The steak was cooked to perfection and the accompaniments complemented it beautifully. The Funghi Pizza, featuring a medley of mushrooms, thyme, Fontina, and Scottocenere cheese, priced at $27.00, was a savory delight that pleased the palate.

To round off our meal, we enjoyed a decadent Cannoli filled with chocolate chips, crushed pistachios, Nutella, and ricotta cream scented with orange, a sweet ending to a fantastic dining experience.

Service at All'Acqua was impeccable, with attentive staff ensuring that our needs were met throughout the evening. The wood-fired pizza added a delightful smoky flavor to the dishes, enhancing our dining experience. However, the restaurant did get quite warm, prompting us to move to the outside patio for a more comfortable dining environment.

All'Acqua boasts a full bar and an impressive wine selection, allowing guests to pair their meal with the perfect libation. While the music choice was a bit unexpected with hip tunes playing in the background, it added a modern touch to the traditional setting.

In conclusion, All'Acqua offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, delicious Italian cuisine, attentive service, and a diverse selection of beverages. Despite a minor issue with temperature control, the overall dining experience was delightful, making it a place worth visiting for an authentic...

My wife and I got together with some friends for a nice Friday evening out, or what we thought would be. We were the last to arrive of our party and were directed to our table. From the get go the waitress had a patronizing tone with us which continued throughout the dinner. That was just the beginning….

The appetizers started to come out in which they proceeded to just throw the dishes randomly in front of us even after directing them where they should go. This continued with the main course as well….well with all but one that they messed up on after raving about this is what everyone comes here for. The dish finally came out 10 minutes later after everyone had already finished theirs. But wait there’s more….they attempted to make up for the mistake, part of the comp was a dessert on the house. In the course of putting out spoons for the dessert, the waitress knocked over the wine glass in front of my wife, spilling RED wine all over her and myself ($25 corkage fee…outrageous for Atwater Village don’t you think????). They offered the standard sparkling water and some salt to help remove the stain from my wife’s light grey sweater and jeans.

After not much success of removing the stains but much success of making her even more wet, the manager came over and gave me his card to send over the dry cleaning bill…WOW, that’s how you make up for this???? So you want me to take time out of my day to pick up and drop off these stained clothes? He replied well we can take care of it for you; I’ll even give you the shirt off my back he proceeded to say. Nice offer however but did we forget her jeans are soaked as well….oh and it was spilled on me too. So I proceeded to ask how he was going to make up this dining experience we just endured and he replied with: you have my card and we’ll take it from there. I followed up with how about we start taking care of our meal in which he responded I don’t have the authority to do so, the owner doesn’t allow that. Well the owner isn’t here, you are in charge…take care of the customer and make it up to them….EPIC FAIL.

Overall the food was subpar for the price, the atmosphere was nice but loud, and well the service from the manager on down…I get better customer service from the hot dog vendor barely scraping by around the corner who appreciates every single...