Bambino's — Restaurant in Vallejo

The layout of the restaurant is a bit awkward. There's a full service bar on the right side with bar stool seating but unless you walk in past the reception area you wouldn't even know it's there. Then there are dining tables and seating that start from the left and wrap around against the walls until almost the bar on the right. There's a single row of tables that are in the middle of the large space but the restaurant has an almost empty feeling even when tables are occupied. There are two tables on either side of the front door which look out the glass walls onto Georgia Street. They are the only tables with any kind of a view and yet one of the tables is utilized by the staff and not patrons.

The lighting is ordinary and somewhat dim, decorations are sparse, or maybe I just don't notice any because of the lighting. The music is modern and on the loud end. Think sports bar. First time I was there a table was singing out loud like it was karaoke night. It's definitely not a setting for a quiet or romantic dinner.

First meal: Caprese Salad Capellini pasta with shrimp in the house gorgonzola cream sauce. Lava Cake topped with ice cream.

The caprese salad was okay. The capellini pasta was very good and nicely plated. The lava cake dessert was a perfect blend of chocolatey goodness with creamy vanilla ice cream.

Second meal with my mum: Steamed clams. Portobello stuffed ravioli in a marsala sauce. Capellini pasta with shrimp in the house basilico sauce. Take home dessert for mum - lava cake with ice cream.

The steamed clams were great with the bread sticks and both of us thoroughly enjoyed our respective pasta dishes. I had the Portobello raviolis. The marsala sauce was savory and delicious.

Second time dining there I was taking my mum out to dinner. Upon arriving we walked past a group of people just standing around out front. I checked in at the reception desk and the lady at the front told us there was a 20-30 minute delay for food. I looked around and the restaurant was barely half full. Okay, maybe they are short staffed in the kitchen. It happens. I thought we would be seated and offered drinks while we waited, maybe some bread and butter. How wrong I was. The lady tells me we have to wait OUTSIDE. Now I know why there are people standing around in front of the restaurant.

As we were getting ready to leave and take our business elsewhere I spy my great server, Alicia, from my first visit. I tell Alicia we were told we had to wait outside. She immediately seats us and the rest of the evening runs smoothly and we have a great meal. If it weren't for Alicia we would have left and I would have never dined there again. It only takes one bad experience.

Positives: Stellar service with Alicia. Good food and portions. Decent hours. Most restaurants close up shop by 9PM in Vallejo including Friday and Saturday.

Negative: Telling diners they have to wait outside when the restaurant is half empty. Do you even want...

Vallejo Gem Alert: Bambino's Brings Fantastic Pizza, Cocktails & Appetizers! Wow, if you're in Vallejo, you have to know about Bambino's! This place is a real gem, and I recently had an experience there that thoroughly impressed me. Let's start with the star of the show for many: the pizza. Seriously, it's fantastic! I wholeheartedly agree that it's not just good, it ranks right up there with the very best pizza Vallejo has to offer. It's absolutely delicious, top-notch from the crust to the toppings, and easily holds its own against any other highly-rated spot in town. But Bambino's isn't just about incredible pizza. They impressed across the board. The cocktails are great – genuinely well-made, refreshing, and the perfect accompaniment to the meal or just to enjoy on their own. We also started with some appetizers, and they were delicious too – a really tasty way to kick things off. It's clear Bambino's is hitting all the right notes, offering a fantastic combination of excellent food and drinks that makes for a truly satisfying experience. Overall, Bambino's is a definite winner and a must-try spot in Vallejo. If you're looking for top-tier pizza, excellent cocktails, and great appetizers all under one roof, you absolutely should give them a visit. Highly recommended – go...

Overpriced drinks, meh food, awful service, and Sebastian... My mom & I ordered virgin margaritas and my sister ordered a regular margarita, they charged us the same price for a non-alcoholic drink as they would have if there were actually alcohol in them. When we asked our server why the non-alcoholic drinks were so expensive she she said she didn't know why and didn't put the order in so it wasn't her fault. Then she tapped in Sebastian (manager or professional mansplainer... unclear) According to Sebastian EVERYWHERE charges the same for a well cocktail as a virgin cocktail... (EVERYWHERE guys) and when I said that has been factually inaccurate for the last 20 years I've been paying for drinks at restaurants and bars, Sebastian mansplained to me that I was wrong, and there was nothing he was going to do about it (was going to, not could... that is verbatim) and that he guessed today would be the first that me and my 77 year old mother would pay the same price for virgin drinks as cocktails... then he handed me back the receipt and walked away.

Also my calamari was bland (but mostly Sebastian, the attitude, and the overpriced drinks are...