Capo

08/16/10

Great attention to detail

by JoshStanley at Citysearch

It was the perfect spot for our anniversary. The Maître’d remembered me from my birthday celebration last November and took extremely great care of us. From the bread to the homemade gelato and everything in-between we could not have had a better experience, one that costs a few dollars, but the staff never lets you forget that you are the most important person in the place. The Bolognese is the best I've ever tasted and the wood fired dry aged New York will literally melt in your mouth.

01/09/09

Very disappointing

by LeylaAli at Citysearch

We were extremely disappointed with Capo. The food was terrible, not only for one of us but few of us and we had to send it back, the fish was raw... service was not good at all and on top of it we got charged a 20% service fee without any appologies from the manager for the terrible food and service.

It's a shame for the chef to be 'proud' to put his name below the menu, it's an art to serve good food and Capo certainly doesn't have the art!

07/30/07

Amazing in every way

by foodlova5 at Citysearch

I have eaten at Capo at least 5 or 6 times and each time was memorable. It's a small sophisticated, yet relaxed venue that's always busy but never too loud to hear the people you're with. A wood burning fire is always going in the back corner behind the bar, with a chef busy at work. It is the food, however, that makes this place truly shine. My favorite appetizers are the farmers market tomato salad and the sweet corn and truffle ravioli. All the pastas may be ordered in half portions (which I recommend) for appetizers. My favorite entrees are the Santa Barbara Scampi and the Lamb shank but they only have the latter on occasion. They always bring out excellent petits fours.

• Pros: excellent food
• Cons: service can be slow when they are busy

06/11/07

Ambiance and Gnocchi

by mcnamarastvn at Citysearch

By far one of the most exclusive places in Santa Monica, with very much a modern Italian feel. The wine list is pretty extensive with some very interesting bottles of wine, although some seemed to me to cost a little bit more than I would have expected. The open grill looks beautiful and the lamb that was cooking on it looked incredibly appetizing, I couldn't wait to taste it. The dish that left me most satisfied was the gnocchi, it was just as I had had it in Italy, and that was very exciting since it made me travel in time. Definetly a place I recommend to my good friends all the time for a special evening!

05/28/07

Bring Money...or else!

by galahadshorse at Citysearch

I have to start this by saying that I don't mind spending top dollar for good food. But if you're a restaurant that's going to charge $$$$ for food and service you'd better be willing to live up to the standards you've set for yourselves. In that regard, Capo was a dismal disappiontment. Despite the soft lighting and charming decor, the service was at best perfunctory and at worst nonexistent. The bread tasted La Brea Bakery rejects and the "complementary" appetizer was some kind of tasteless immitation humous in a receptacle so tiny that it looked like starch in a kitchen drain. That was followed by individual cones of red caviar so small they would have starved a hummingbird. I was prepared for the sticker shock menu, but not by a wine list that included nothing but "average" California reds by the glass and a list of whites that wouldn't cover a post it note. You can bring your own wine but the corkage fee is $25, which is worth the price when you see that the cheapest bottle on the menu starts at $60. The salad and hot leek soup were only average. And when the entrees arrived (we were told the meat and fish dishes were outstanding!), my date got a veal chop with a tepee of grilled vegetables that had the character of smoked cardboard. My duck was flavorful, but it came with no vegetables and a pile of lifeless sweet polenta. I'm sorry! But where I come from polenta by any other name is "grits" and nothing is worse for dinner than medium rare duck and a pile of muchy grits. To make matters worse, when the waiter realized we weren't going to drop $500 bucks for dinner, he all but ignored us, never even inquired as to the meal, to refil our water, or ask if we wanted another glass of wine. At that the bill came in at just under $200 for which we were ushered quickly out the door after being left for dead most of the night. Outside, they brought up my Jaguar and snarled at my $2 tip, which was frankly the best value for money I had all night. Gracias Adios!

• Pros: Good meat!
• Cons: Average to poor service. Tasteless side dishes. Overpriced for the fare.