Bella Saratoga — Restaurant in Saratoga

I had not been to Bella Saratoga for several years but had always enjoyed the ambiance and the food and had fond memories of both. I wanted to take my wife someplace nice to celebrate her birthday. She had never been to the Bella Saratoga so I decided to take her there.

The restaurant was just as I had remembered. It is a beautiful old converted house and has a lovely outside dining area. It was a beautiful evening so we decided to eat outside.

We were seated next to a long table but at the time we were seated it was empty. We enjoyed a nice drink before dinner a tasty salad and we both had the Chicken Marsala and Prawns entree and it was delicious.

We had finished our entrees and were planing on topping it off with coffee and dessert. Right as we were finishing a group of about ten people, who looked like they were in their mid to late twenties, were seated at the long table next to us. They were very loud, shouting to each other as they were being seated and rearranging the chairs. One of them placed a chair at the head of the long table that was only a few inches from our table but then moved it back to where it was originally.

They quieted down a bit when they were seated but then one of the party at one end of the table started shouting to someone at the other end -- the end close to our table. As politely as I could, I asked them to keep in mind that there were other diners at the restaurant and to please use their indoor voices. They did quiet down a bit at that point.

My wife and I decided to have dessert elsewhere. On the way out we mentioned to the hostess that we enjoyed the food but were disappointed at being seated right next to a large and loud party. The hostess said she was sorry but seem generally disinterested.

Overall --- nice ambiance, good food but an inattentive restaurant staff that allowed a large and loud party to ruin the...

Decent Food, Lackluster Service on a Special Day

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Opting to celebrate my birthday at this local family-run restaurant, I was drawn in by the appeal of supporting a small business. While the food did satisfy, the overall experience was marred by service that lacked any personal touch, particularly on what was clearly a special occasion.

Food: ★★★★☆ The culinary offerings were commendable. The dishes were well-prepared, and the server was knowledgeable, offering excellent wine pairings and meal suggestions, which my friends appreciated.

Service: ★☆☆☆☆** Right from our arrival, the service was underwhelming. Despite showing a confirmed reservation, the hostess, notably one with an unfriendly demeanor, claimed there was no record of our booking everthoughI should a recordin my app. Im glad it was not busy and they could sit us. Throughout the evening, the service did not improve. Requests for basic items like missing utensils or side plates for deserts were met with visible annoyance from the same girl. It was disappointing that not one staff member acknowledged the obvious signs of celebration like the birthday balloons and flowers at our table. A simple 'Happy Birthday' with smile would have made a different.

Considering the service level, the automatic 20% gratuity added for a party of five felt unjustified. Good service is a standard expectation when such a tip is mandated.

Overall: ★★☆☆☆ While I usually prefer supporting family-owned businesses like this one, the service left much to be desired, especially on a day meant for celebration. With many options in the Bay Area for good food coupled with excellent service, it's hard to justify...

This is a really nice Italian restaurant in an old Victorian home. We've eaten here several times over the years. The food is very good! They have an outdoor dining area, and I believe that they still have live music during weekend brunch and weekend evenings. I usually have Italian entrées but this time for lunch we had the Bella burger which was really big and tasty with fries that were very good. I was really full after lunch. Also posted a few pics of more food that we've eaten. Another visit: Sat at the bar yesterday, and Wendy and Ben, the bartenders were really nice and made really good drinks! Started with a Negroni and then some wine. To eat, we started with the crab cakes, then for entrees, Eggplant Parmesan and Linguine Bolognese. For dessert we shared the Pecan Turtle pie. Everything was delicious! With dessert, also had an Expresso martini and Expresso. Went on a Sunday, and you get a fresh fruit plate and really good Cinnamon Rolls! This time, we just ordered salads. One Shellfish and one Chicken & Walnut. Got to converse with Clyde the owner for awhile, and he's really nice. Friday evening went for dinner before going to a concert. Started with a Martini and then had some wine. Got Clams and garlic bread for an appetizer. For dinner, we got two specials. The Halibut with Black Truffles and Risotto plus the Lobster Ravioli. Of course everything was really good as usual! Clyde, the owner, even stopped...