Veneto Trattoria — Restaurant in Scottsdale

This review is for the service - not the food. Decided to have lunch with my grandmother here for my birthday. The minute we walked in the door, I felt uncomfortable by the lack of welcome from the staff. It was the Manager (possibly the owner as well) who didn't even welcome us in. Just said, "How many? Two?" My grandmother wanted to sit in the back room to be more private since we were there to celebrate. He kept cutting her off, not allowing her to speak and said they want to keep all the guests in the main dining area. Then when she asked if we could sit at a different table so she would be more comfortable, he huffed and said that anywhere we sat would be around other people - again, not allowing her to speak and tell him WHY she wanted a different table. Our server, Silvana, was not much kinder. Both she and the manager seemed like we were just ruining their day chatting with their friends and regulars. Everyone else that walked through the doors were greeted with "Hi! How are you?! Welcome in/back". They have issues with consistency in accommodation and service here. My family had been there a few times before and were graciously allowed to make substitutions and the chef even prepared a dinner dish for them as a lunch with zero problems. When my grandmother wanted to have a side of pasta with her meal this time instead of mashed potatoes, she, again, was immediately cut off by our server saying "absolutely no substitutions". Well ok. She was willing to buy a side of pasta, but kept getting told no substitutions. The only good part of our lunch was Alfredo and the food. That's it. When my grandmother asked to speak with the manager, he came over, and continued to just make excuses instead of making it RIGHT. I cut in explaining why our experience was less than adequate even telling the manager that while he wouldn't let us sit in the back more private area, there were in fact other diners there who also seemed to be celebrating something because we saw another server going to/from even with a cake and candle and later diners exited from there. His excuse was that they shouldn't have been there..... So WHILE he was there telling us we couldn't sit there, he didn't know there were other people there? IT wasn't a buy out as it was only two people. All in all it was a terrible experience. I was so excited to have my birthday lunch there since I had heard good things about the food. Unfortunately, due to their poor service, I couldn't enjoy my birthday lunch with my grandmother. I will not return, and I will never recommend this restaurant to my friends, family, colleagues (who are other Concierges in the Valley),...

My stepfather, who is Italian and from the Venetian region, said this was his favorite meal outside of Italy in the 25 years since he left. He was ecstatic to find some of his favorite dishes and drinks here that he had never seen on a menu in the US. He raved throughout the meal about how authentic everything was, and was so happy to speak Italian with the staff. This is truly a wonderful family-run business with many of the staff who have been here since 25 years ago when they first opened. The chef has been at this restaurant for 25 years! Truly incredible and we completely forgot we were in Arizona. My stepfather loved it so much he is talking about flying to Arizona again with some of his Venetian friends from Texas just so they can have dinner here together. It seems like we're going back again tonight after going there yesterday because he loved it so much and there are still tons of amazing dishes on the menu to enjoy. Food was hearty and delightful while not at all greasy or heavy or bloating. Best bolognese and gluten free pasta I've ever had, and the desserts were phenomenal. My stepfather is never impressed with Italian food in the US but he thought the linguine with clams in white sauce was extraordinary. The menu clearly indicates what dishes are gluten free and there are many options. All of the seafood is incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked. The service is so warm and friendly. Such an incredible gem. There was ample seating outside and I highly recommend the outdoor seating (no wait time, warm, lovely lighting, no mosquitos). We got to really enjoy talking with the meal and did not feel rushed whatsoever, which made the experience so much more wonderful (I think we were there for over 2 hours!). The place seemed to be full of regulars, people who had actually visited Italy, based on the guests' interactions with the staff. If you want authentic Venetian cuisine at a quality family-run restaurant (by people from the region), do not miss this wonderful place! Restaurants of this quality and intimate feeling are hard to find these days ... but no wonder they have managed to thrive all these years and through the pandemic - they are truly...

Up until last night I would’ve given this restaurant a five star review. So this review belongs to the manager and/or owner exclusively. My boyfriend and I, every time we’re in Scottsdale visiting family, come to this restaurant. We’ve enjoyed coming here for over eight years. But last night I was taken aback when I questioned the food and bill. I had ordered salmon medium rare and it came back medium well. They did redo it. And even though the second salmon was medium rare, it tasted like salmon that had been sitting in the case of a market for 2 to 3 days. It was very fishy tasting. I tried to tell that to the manager that and he literally yelled at me. Everyone at my table was stunned. He was angrily stating that fish is supposed to taste fishy. (I suppose he’s not a fine diner and/or not a fish eater?) Then when I got the bill I questioned why the waiter hadn’t removed the salmon charge. In any other restaurant of this caliber they would have, given these circumstances. And then the manager/owner angrily yelled at me again and told me he didn’t want my business and to never come back to his restaurant. It was shocking really because he could’ve just said it wasn’t his policy to reimburse. But to yell at me two times for doing the normal, responsible thing was beyond the pale. It wasn’t a question about the money for me. I am always happy to pay at even far more expensive restaurants and I tip great waiters up to 30%. Consequently, the moral of this story is to be forewarned. This manager/owner will not treat you with respect if you are not satisfied with...