Wow! Tavolata, Belltown knocked it out of the park on this trip. Everything was amazing! The Gnocchi was delicious with just the right spice. The Salad was one of the best I’ve had and it too was a little spicy with the pistachios. The Carbonara was excellent, although a little salty. The Ragu Pappardelle was delicious! The brussels sprouts were OK. The Burrata was great! To drink, the Spicy Dead Lady was so good. It’s a Mezcal drink with some bitters and sweetness in it. McKenzie was our waitress and she did an amazing job and helped create this delicious drink and brought it to the menu. The restaurant was nice and clean and the layout was good, although it’s long and narrow. They have tables to accommodate the space, so there’s lots of seating together and your seat may be right next to another group. The servers were nice and attentive as well as helpful and accommodating. Overall, I was very impressed with the flavor of the foods and would totally recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of spice on tasty Italian dishes.
The food tasted great, but the atmosphere is loud and uncomfortable because they seat everyone together at the same long table next to strangers. The waiters were quick but not super friendly. And they take an automatic tip 20%.
Patricia P.
Delicious neighborhood spot. Warm service, generous portions, don't sleep on the meatballs they were perfection...Christine took such good care of us...highly recommend!
Tj R.
Good dinner and great service. Really liked the Burrata and hour wine was really good too.
Brian Whitney
Our server Justice was awesome; super friendly, brought us wine samples when we were torn without even having to ask, and checked in on us often. Food and wine were also great - the pesto was our favorite, and the Columbia Valley cab sav they had on the 2/45 menu was excellent. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Akira Takeda
This is what happened last night at this joint. 4 of us, seniors over 70, arrived at 5:50 pm on Saturday, March 9 with a reservation at a room with a LOUD drum beat (music?) thumping noise. Oh, this is a mistake? we wondered but were led to the upper balcony section where the noise seemed to have been a bit less. The maî·tre d' told us that they still had the Happy Hour (till 6). At the time orders were taken by the server, who seemed least interested in "serving," I was trying to find the salad I wanted to order in addition to a pasta dish. I was looking at the HH menu in haste, though I knew it was on a regular menu. The server, Jastas, quickly shut me off, declaring with a snooty "the Happy Hour is OVER." When my pasta arrived and tasted the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe ($25), it was way way salty, so we sent it back. We understood that the Pecorino was salty itself, but the pasta without it was salty enough. My companion even witnessed that a cooking staff tasted it and gave a seemingly acknowledging reaction. We waited for the replacement to arrive long enough for my 3 other companions finished their pasta plates, when the server returned, asking the usual "is everything OK?" when my companion just pointed to the direction where my pasta dish supposed to have been. It has dawned on him to realize what happened. When the new dish arrived promptly, the cheese was not placed on the side as we requested (forgotten), he just bluntly put the dish toward me wordless -- no common courtesy like "we are very sorry for the delay.... " That was when I decided to write this review.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Fev LaReina
We sat at the bar and it was quite comfortable. The music was a bit annoying, it just didn’t fit the visual and loud. The service was spot on. We were asked about our selections and I noted the rigatoni was severely salty also, there was entirely too much parmigiana sprinkled on top of the pappardelle. It makes me think they’re trying to cover up the flavors of the actual dish and would have been better if I could ask for it like a condiment, if I even wanted any. And what’s up with Italian restaurants in the US adding an olive oil/balsamic mix with bread?Anyhow, our server (forgive me I can’t recall her name) was gracious enough to ask if she could replace the dish with something different.I don’t think we’ll be returning because, if you’ve ever eaten food in Italy, you couldn’t.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
Ryan Whittle
The $45 special is a huge value. It comes with two pastas and a bottle of wine. Our 3 year old devoured the spaghetti and meatballs! The staff were kind and attentive. We will return!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Tyler Ochsner (TJ)
I walked into the restaurant and the volume was incredibly loud so I asked the host for a different table because I’d like to be able to hear her better and have space for more private conversation, however I was told no even though the table was available the entire time we were there. The volume was incredibly loud to where I could barely hear my girlfriend talk.I’ve been to this location a few times and the food is generally good. The upstairs space is much better than the long communal table in the middle of the main floor.The servers I’ve had have been great.
The food is reasonably good and fairly authentic, especially for some of the traditional dishes such as carbonara or cacio e pepe. Prices are probably higher relative to the value but that's not unexpected downtown.The turn off tonight was just awkward service at the bar. Generally kind of ignored but particularly towards the end when we just wanted to pay and the bartender took off for a break I guess. Not sure what the protocol should be, maybe let someone else know to check in but leaving guests hanging when they're ready to checkout doesn't seem like the right idea.Restaurants are usually visited for the experience plus good food and drinks. If you're going to get inconsistent service, might as well just stick to overpaying for food delivery.
Good food but service and atmosphere is wanting. You need to be ready with your order immediately after being seated or it takes a while for the staff to return. This happened to us the two times we visited. The restaurant is very noisy due to poor acoustics and doesn't appear to be heated. We were cold and hot food did not stay warm very long.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
Chris Tam
Food was fresh and delicious. Portions were on the larger side so sharing a starter, salad, pasta and dessert was plenty for my husband and I. We were able to take a seat at the bar without waiting even though there we no available reservations. Service was friendly and efficient. Excellent cocktails and wine selection.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ragu Pappardelle, Tiramisu
Adrián Chacón Rivas
Normal food quality, nothing out of this world. If you go alone, in my case because I am on a work trip, they do not give you the option of sitting at a table (most of them are empty), they only offer you the bar counter. They scam you by charging 22% for service and then they also try to charge you a tip. Oh really??. A plate of pasta and 3 drinks $68
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ida Bear - Realtor - Real Estate Agent (Realtor Broker)
Always great food - The service is fun yet professional - and its just a beautiful setting - Great options for every
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Alla Romana
Alicia GH
It is our first time at this restaurant. The staff and service were amazing! We got to sit upstairs and watch the chefs do their magic. It was really fun to watch.The food was awesome. Pastas were cooked al dente and both appetizer and dessert were wonderful. The portion of the pasta is big so it took awhile to finish a plate.Also, they are moving away from tipping and charge 22% service gratuity into the bill so it is up to you if you want to tip. I'd love to come back here again to try out something else in the menu.
Wow! Tavolata, Belltown knocked it out of the park on this trip. Everything was amazing! The Gnocchi was delicious with just the right spice. The Salad was one of the best I’ve had and it too was a little spicy with the pistachios. The Carbonara was excellent, although a little salty. The Ragu Pappardelle was delicious! The brussels sprouts were OK. The Burrata was great! To drink, the Spicy Dead Lady was so good. It’s a Mezcal drink with some bitters and sweetness in it. McKenzie was our waitress and she did an amazing job and helped create this delicious drink and brought it to the menu. The restaurant was nice and clean and the layout was good, although it’s long and narrow. They have tables to accommodate the space, so there’s lots of seating together and your seat may be right next to another group. The servers were nice and attentive as well as helpful and accommodating. Overall, I was very impressed with the flavor of the foods and would totally recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of spice on tasty Italian dishes.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ragu Pappardelle, Gnocchi Alla Romana, Beef Carpaccio, Ricotta Ravioli
The food tasted great, but the atmosphere is loud and uncomfortable because they seat everyone together at the same long table next to strangers. The waiters were quick but not super friendly. And they take an automatic tip 20%.
Delicious neighborhood spot. Warm service, generous portions, don't sleep on the meatballs they were perfection...Christine took such good care of us...highly recommend!
Good dinner and great service. Really liked the Burrata and hour wine was really good too.
Our server Justice was awesome; super friendly, brought us wine samples when we were torn without even having to ask, and checked in on us often. Food and wine were also great - the pesto was our favorite, and the Columbia Valley cab sav they had on the 2/45 menu was excellent. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is what happened last night at this joint. 4 of us, seniors over 70, arrived at 5:50 pm on Saturday, March 9 with a reservation at a room with a LOUD drum beat (music?) thumping noise. Oh, this is a mistake? we wondered but were led to the upper balcony section where the noise seemed to have been a bit less. The maî·tre d' told us that they still had the Happy Hour (till 6). At the time orders were taken by the server, who seemed least interested in "serving," I was trying to find the salad I wanted to order in addition to a pasta dish. I was looking at the HH menu in haste, though I knew it was on a regular menu. The server, Jastas, quickly shut me off, declaring with a snooty "the Happy Hour is OVER." When my pasta arrived and tasted the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe ($25), it was way way salty, so we sent it back. We understood that the Pecorino was salty itself, but the pasta without it was salty enough. My companion even witnessed that a cooking staff tasted it and gave a seemingly acknowledging reaction. We waited for the replacement to arrive long enough for my 3 other companions finished their pasta plates, when the server returned, asking the usual "is everything OK?" when my companion just pointed to the direction where my pasta dish supposed to have been. It has dawned on him to realize what happened. When the new dish arrived promptly, the cheese was not placed on the side as we requested (forgotten), he just bluntly put the dish toward me wordless -- no common courtesy like "we are very sorry for the delay.... " That was when I decided to write this review.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
We sat at the bar and it was quite comfortable. The music was a bit annoying, it just didn’t fit the visual and loud. The service was spot on. We were asked about our selections and I noted the rigatoni was severely salty also, there was entirely too much parmigiana sprinkled on top of the pappardelle. It makes me think they’re trying to cover up the flavors of the actual dish and would have been better if I could ask for it like a condiment, if I even wanted any. And what’s up with Italian restaurants in the US adding an olive oil/balsamic mix with bread?Anyhow, our server (forgive me I can’t recall her name) was gracious enough to ask if she could replace the dish with something different.I don’t think we’ll be returning because, if you’ve ever eaten food in Italy, you couldn’t.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
The $45 special is a huge value. It comes with two pastas and a bottle of wine. Our 3 year old devoured the spaghetti and meatballs! The staff were kind and attentive. We will return!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
I walked into the restaurant and the volume was incredibly loud so I asked the host for a different table because I’d like to be able to hear her better and have space for more private conversation, however I was told no even though the table was available the entire time we were there. The volume was incredibly loud to where I could barely hear my girlfriend talk.I’ve been to this location a few times and the food is generally good. The upstairs space is much better than the long communal table in the middle of the main floor.The servers I’ve had have been great.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Grilled Octopus, Potato Gnocchi
The food is reasonably good and fairly authentic, especially for some of the traditional dishes such as carbonara or cacio e pepe. Prices are probably higher relative to the value but that's not unexpected downtown.The turn off tonight was just awkward service at the bar. Generally kind of ignored but particularly towards the end when we just wanted to pay and the bartender took off for a break I guess. Not sure what the protocol should be, maybe let someone else know to check in but leaving guests hanging when they're ready to checkout doesn't seem like the right idea.Restaurants are usually visited for the experience plus good food and drinks. If you're going to get inconsistent service, might as well just stick to overpaying for food delivery.
Restaurantji Recommends
Good food but service and atmosphere is wanting. You need to be ready with your order immediately after being seated or it takes a while for the staff to return. This happened to us the two times we visited. The restaurant is very noisy due to poor acoustics and doesn't appear to be heated. We were cold and hot food did not stay warm very long.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
Food was fresh and delicious. Portions were on the larger side so sharing a starter, salad, pasta and dessert was plenty for my husband and I. We were able to take a seat at the bar without waiting even though there we no available reservations. Service was friendly and efficient. Excellent cocktails and wine selection.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ragu Pappardelle, Tiramisu
Normal food quality, nothing out of this world. If you go alone, in my case because I am on a work trip, they do not give you the option of sitting at a table (most of them are empty), they only offer you the bar counter. They scam you by charging 22% for service and then they also try to charge you a tip. Oh really??. A plate of pasta and 3 drinks $68
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Always great food - The service is fun yet professional - and its just a beautiful setting - Great options for every
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi Alla Romana
It is our first time at this restaurant. The staff and service were amazing! We got to sit upstairs and watch the chefs do their magic. It was really fun to watch.The food was awesome. Pastas were cooked al dente and both appetizer and dessert were wonderful. The portion of the pasta is big so it took awhile to finish a plate.Also, they are moving away from tipping and charge 22% service gratuity into the bill so it is up to you if you want to tip. I'd love to come back here again to try out something else in the menu.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cacio E Pepe