Compari's Trattoria — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Compari is Italian for "compare" (no, really; it is--I wouldn't jive you about that... this one time). And if you compare Compari's to other Italian eateries in the Westchester-Inglewood area, you'll see that there is no comparison. Not only is the food terrific, but the prices are incomparable.

Okay, I'll get off my "compare" kick already.

I have been wolfing down Compari's food for the past 35 years, and the food hasn't changed one iota in all that time, nor has the décor. Come inside and you're greeted by a romantically dim atmosphere (some might go as far as calling it gloomy; it is rather dark, but that's not to hide revolting-looking food), a very narrow dining room overhung by a wooden trellis adorned with either very long-lived or plastic grapes (they're fake; take my word for it and don't try to eat them), decorative (and dim) hanging lamps and Chianti bottles. Amazing and tantalizing aromas fill the entire restaurant, and you won't find friendlier waiters anywhere.

This time we had the lasagna (standard fare, and while it may not be quite as excellent as that made by your favorite aunt, it's truly delicious) and the Italian sausage sub sandwich. My sandwich overflowed with mozzarella and fabulous homemade sauce, smothering two perfectly cooked sausages, all inside a French roll that was moist and delicious inside and mildly crispy outside. Salads preceded the meal, and while they were somewhat small, they were also very tasty and fresh. And you'd be a fool not to try the garlic bread they serve beside every meal. I have also tried their pizza and the fettuccine Alfredo, both of which were superb. In fact, I can't complain about anything I have been served in the past 35 years.

The lasagna lunch--with salad, garlic bread and your choice of beverage (including beer or house wine)--cost $8, and so did my enormous sandwich, of which I only ate half and was stuffed (part two of the sandwich I look forward to for dinner). We loved the meal so much--not to mention the price--that we were compelled to tip more than the usual 20 percent we leave when both the food and service are good.

Despite the lousy location and nearly nonexistent parking lot (it can accommodate only about four cars during the daytime), Compari's has managed to stay in business and maintain its high quality and affordability for over 52 years: no small accomplishment for a Los...

This was a complete, and much needed, surprise! We hadn’t tried a new (for us) Italian place in a while, and with it being National Lasagna Day back on July 29, my guy came through on finding this place. Holy cow, since we’re already mentioning Lasagna, this place has the best lasagna that I’ve had in years. The pasta layers were perfectly cooked! There was no need to really use a knife to cut it apart. The edges were crisp without it being tough to cut or chew. The cheese to meat ratio was heavenly, and the red sauce (marinara/gravy/whatever you choose to call it) was deep. The dishes we got the sauce on were perfect. Even for the mozzarella sticks. The Chicken Cacciatore was hearty on so many different levels with the veggies and chicken and pasta. The lemon sauce ravioli was delicious, but I don’t recall the specific ravioli stuffing. The Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken was spot-on comfort food. We also got the fried mushrooms as appetizer, which were stellar. They were perfectly battered and fried, but be careful because they do hold the heat from frying for a while. My guy is a cheesecake fiend, so of course he has to try it. It was imperfectly perfect. It looked homemade, so we asked, and while they don’t make it in-house, they said they do get it from a local bakery. So delicious and worth the splurge if you have the stomach space. Service was splendid and the guy was a delight to chat with. It wasn’t too busy inside, but there was a genuine mix of people/cultures that we really appreciated. The space is small, but the decor envelopes you and takes you away to somewhere other than a bustling urban area....

Absolutely EXTRAORDINARY! Like going back in time to the wonderful small local pizzerias and trattorias of my youth. As the L.A. Times said about Compari's - "Every neighborhood needs a restaurant like this". So true!

The decor gives me the same nostalgic feeling of being in New York's Little Italy - so charming! The staff couldn't be more warm & friendly, with great service. Italian music fills the room, on this night it's Andrea Bocelli singing both Italian favorites and covers of beautiful American songs.

My salad was artistically prepared and delicious with a light homemade Italian house dressing. The pizza is FANTASTIC! They can prepare the crust thicker or thin at your option and I chose the firmer - excellent! The sauce was ample and tasty, the cheese plentiful, and the meatball & mushroom topping was great!

I requested extra house salad dressing to dip my pizza crust into - perfect breadsticks & dip!

As a former managing partner of a very highly rated restaurant I can honestly say this is as good as traditional Italian food gets - it's a must go!

Thank you...