Divino Ristorante Italiano — Restaurant in North Palm Beach

Divino is the most authentic, highest quality, best tasting Italian restaurant in Palm Beach County - period.

As a family, we lived in Italy for 2 years, and go back to the Country every year. We hold both US and Italian passports. We say this to establish that we understand what good Italian food should taste like.

Italian food (especially Tuscan food) should be simple, with few ingredients, but high on quality and taste. Divino meets all of these requirements. We find most US Italian food to be too focused on quantity and on "adders" like cheese and spices that aren't necessary. Divino gets it. My true test for the capabilities of an Italian restaurant is either the Ragu or Linguini with clams. Divino nails both, and both are spectacular. Why these? Because American restaurants overdo what should be simple dishes. Divino keeps it simple, which means the taste will blow you away.

The decor is typical Italian. Not quite what we are used to in the U.S., but if I didn't know where I was, I would think I was in a side-street Trattoria in Florence. It's not typical US - it is typical Italian.

We cannot say enough about the food quality and authenticity. We find most of the other Italian restaurants to have really heavy food, or be American alternatives to the classics. Divino sticks to the best recipes of Italy, and does them to perfection with high-quality ingredients.

Finally, in Italy, being a waiter is one of the more respected jobs - and they take their jobs seriously. The wait staff at Divino is highly professional, mostly Italian, and they make you feel like you are part of the family. We have never had bad service, and we like everyone we meet there.

We go to Divino at least twice a month. I have tried everything on the menu, but these days, I am addicted to the...

Food was bland and very slow to arrive, and the owner went berserk on a nice family sitting next to us.

Beef carpaccio was completely flavorless and the veal Marsala was thin, rubbery and soggy.

I had three separate incidents with the owner who reminds me of a not funny version of the soup n@zi. First, he made us sit outside because we had our child with us even though the inside was half full. Then when going to the restroom, the owner and a staff member were having a conversation blocking the hallway to the bathroom, I asked them to excuse me and he rudely told me they were almost done and wouldn’t get out of the way. Then as we were leaving, the table next to us, who arrived at the same time as us but still did not have their food, politely asked the owner if there was a problem with their food and when it would arrive. The owner lost his mind and told her “stop complaining, you belong at McDonald’s”. The customer’s daughter, probably 25 years old said “please don’t talk to my mom like that, it has been almost an hour and we still don’t have our food.” The owner literally said to her “you are pretty but you are too young to have an opinion.”

Wine markups were surprisingly fair, but I would be worried this owner is going to physically attack a customer one day.

*Edit: see below if you want to see how insane...

Having eaten here many times, I wanted to share my opinion of Divino‘s and what has happened to it. It’s very sad because this used to be a good restaurant and the owner/manager has ruined the experience. I find him to be very rude, pompous and arrogant with an attitude that you are lucky that he has some food to serve you, and you better be quiet and appreciate it. I think he has gotten worse and worse. My last meal there I ordered a piece of grilled salmon to be served medium. It came out burnt, black to a crisp. I asked the server to take it back which he did but they refused to offer me anything else. Then this unpleasant person tried to tell me that was how salmon was supposed to be served. This was a piece of salmon that was nearly burnt beyond recognition, but he didn’t want to take it off the tab because he claimed that was how salmon was supposed to be served. I would have chalked it up to him having a bad day, but I have heard so many other bad reports that it could not be coincidence. There are too many other good Italian restaurants nearby, and at least they appreciate their customers. I would avoid this place...