Giorgio Baldi Ristorante

The Scene – The wealthy Malibu elite don their beach-casual duds and descend on this cozy eatery for a casual, yet pricey, meal. With dim lighting and effusive waiters, if you close your eyes, you might be fooled into thinking this low-ceilinged beach shack is an elegant hideaway. Owner-chef Giorgio Baldi beams from his open kitchen. – – The Food – With a long list of enticing daily specials, ignore the regular menu. Standard dishes like warm seafood salad and breaded veal cutlet in tomato-olive sauces are decent, but nowhere near as decadently delicious as the…

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User Reviews (43)

ambiance	98.69999885559082% positive	“The service is impeccable, the presentation simple, yet elegant and the ambience is very relaxing.” “We were so excited for a romantic meal that let us all get to know each other through some great wine and food.” “The restaurant was not busy, we had a 9 o'clock resveration and we wanted to enjoy our evening, relax with champagne, order a bottle of wine and take in the atmopshere which I must say is very romantic.” “have only eaten here twice, but as a transplant to LA I enjoy this place immensely, in a town full of places that pay too much attention to service and decor leaving you with a superficial experience; this place is dark, small, and cramped, with margina” “very romantic dinner.” “can't say I've ever had a bad meal there and I always enjoy the authentic Italian atmosphere, good food and people-watching.” “But for an expensive, silly, Hollywoody, overrated Los Angeles (well, Santa Monica Canyon) haunt the food was damn good and the night was chock full of entertainment and fun times.” “The first thing that I noticed when walking in was the very cozy and romantic atmosphere the restaurant exuded.” “thought the ambiance and food would be somewhere along the lines of Dan Tana's meets C&O Trattoria meets Pace but it was much more intimate, with elegant simplicity and a small, entirely Tuscan menu.” “Super romantic, very authentic Northern Italian food and very good service.” “Dark, romantic with lots of ambience Giorgio Baldi is where you wnat to go on those sp.”
dessert	100.0% positive	“We began our meal with the special beef carpaccio with white truffle cream sauce (white truffles arrive fresh from the Piemonte region every fall) and a proscuitto crostini with fonduta.” “The following were good, but if you're going to pay as much money as they charge, go with the aforementioned instead: asparagus ravioli, hazelnut crepe, cheesecake, carpaccio.” “My Tiramisu was not the best I've ever had, but the chocolate cake was clearly above average.”
drinks	62.5% positive	“This is a powerful wine with some definite oak flavors and fresh red fruit.” “And everything was extremely overpriced, including the wine list.” “We were so excited for a romantic meal that let us all get to know each other through some great wine and food.” “The menu and wine list were extensive, and the food was delicious.” “The waiters are rude, they act like you are speaking jibberish when you try and order, and God forbid you happen to not drink; you are then a second class citizen.” “The restaurant was not busy, we had a 9 o'clock resveration and we wanted to enjoy our evening, relax with champagne, order a bottle of wine and take in the atmopshere which I must say is very romantic.” “The wine was excellent, but everything else was not.” “Overpriced food and a table crammed next to the open kitchen with glaring cooks watching us eat so-so food & $12.50 glasses of red "wine.”
food quality	82.20000267028809% positive	“Terrible service, food just okay” “Hands-down the best Italian food.” “make good money, but it can be much better spent at a more intimate, friendly place with much better food.” “This place has great food.” “The food is mediocre on a good day.” “This place has some of the best authentic Italian food I've ever eaten, especially in a town filled with awful places like Louise's Trattoria.” “The food came 10 minutes later and, to my pleasant surprise, was one of the best veal chops I have ever had.” “The food is nothing but a little above average but the service makes this the absolute worst place to have a good time.” “Overpriced food and a table crammed next to the open kitchen with glaring cooks watching us eat so-so food & $12.50 glasses of red "wine.” “Hearing Italians paint pictures of the food they have to offer is quite enjoyable.” “This is the best Italian food in LA.” “Super romantic, very authentic Northern Italian food and very good service.” “Since 1990 owner-chef, Giorgio Baldi, dishes out the dishes and sips his favorite Amarone while surveying the dining room like Yurtle the Turtle from his open kitchen.” “The food was fantastic (if a bit overpriced.” “When I suggested that we be "comped" something for the horrible time management, I was told by the manager that "everyone had to wait a long time" for their food, so tough luck.” “The menu and wine list were extensive, and the food was delicious.” “Okay, not cheap, but at least you'll be halfway into a decent meal.” “The staff can be a little difficult sometimes but mostly our experiences here have been delicious and completely satisfying.” “With his excellent line of pasta sauces now in stores, can't he be thankful for running a packed restaurant over the years without kicking his clients in the mouth in an industry with no guarantees?” “My mother's lamb was burnt to a crisp, but she was too nervous to send it back since our waiter had been so rude up to this point.” “The insalata mista was ok, the prosciutto with fresh figs was very good, the ravioli with asparagus were tasty, but I counted about 12 tiny ravioli on my plate for $18, and last but not least, the tortelli di zucca were drowning in oil - good thing that t” “The food is too expensive for its taste and quality and the attitude is too much for anyone not on Prozac.” “Absolutely the best Italian food in LA.” “not on the menu), the little lobsters, the 1-lb stuffed lobster, asparagus ravioli, and their nut sauce (on anything) are all amazing.” “Guaranteed great meal” “guess you need to be either famous or of a questionable profession just to be served average at best food within a timely manner.” “..Giorgio is a guaranteed great meal.” “We finished our first course (very tasty ravioli) and then waited another hour for our main course (pretty average sole and veal chop)-- which arrived at 11:15.” “They act like they are doing you a huge favor by giving you a table and eventually serving your meal.” “This restaurant is a gem - I've never had a dissapointing dish and I always leave wanting more.” “We began our meal with the special beef carpaccio with white truffle cream sauce (white truffles arrive fresh from the Piemonte region every fall) and a proscuitto crostini with fonduta.” “The waiter raved about the lobster, the house speciality, which did sound delicious, but was like chewing a piece of rubber.” “thought the ambiance and food would be somewhere along the lines of Dan Tana's meets C&O Trattoria meets Pace but it was much more intimate, with elegant simplicity and a small, entirely Tuscan menu.” “That to some may sound like a bad thing, but combine with the great food this place becomes a unique experience in a sea of sameness; for that reason I would recommend anyone try it once, if you like it as I do return.” “Exquisite food for the rich, tolerant, and patient food connoisseur.” “We were so excited for a romantic meal that let us all get to know each other through some great wine and food.” “One of my favorite restaurants in LA -- the duck ravioli is the best dish off the menu.” “This is a powerful wine with some definite oak flavors and fresh red fruit.” “But for an expensive, silly, Hollywoody, overrated Los Angeles (well, Santa Monica Canyon) haunt the food was damn good and the night was chock full of entertainment and fun times.” “They had some very good food when I was last there.” “The service was attentive and the food was so so.” “can't say I've ever had a bad meal there and I always enjoy the authentic Italian atmosphere, good food and people-watching.”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“One of my favorite restaurants in LA -- the duck ravioli is the best dish off the menu.” “The menu and wine list were extensive, and the food was delicious.” “everything is great on the menu.” “thought the ambiance and food would be somewhere along the lines of Dan Tana's meets C&O Trattoria meets Pace but it was much more intimate, with elegant simplicity and a small, entirely Tuscan menu.” “not on the menu), the little lobsters, the 1-lb stuffed lobster, asparagus ravioli, and their nut sauce (on anything) are all amazing.”
overall	87.5% positive	“make good money, but it can be much better spent at a more intimate, friendly place with much better food.” “great restaurant, absurdly expensive” “That to some may sound like a bad thing, but combine with the great food this place becomes a unique experience in a sea of sameness; for that reason I would recommend anyone try it once, if you like it as I do return.” “It is like the best restaurant in a small town in Italy.”
return potential	66.66999816894531% positive	“But after more than a few dinners with bad attitude, I would feel like a fool to go back!” “The waiter suggested a fabulous Big Tuscan red that went well with everything and I will return again and again.” “That to some may sound like a bad thing, but combine with the great food this place becomes a unique experience in a sea of sameness; for that reason I would recommend anyone try it once, if you like it as I do return.”
service	55.900001525878906% positive	“have been to many restaurants in my lifetime and never have I encountered such a rude and uncooperative staff.” “Our waiter was extremely rude, and was disdainful of our order.” “This place, hands down, has the worst service possible.” “Our waiter was very snooty, showing disapproval of whatever we ordered.” “The waiter raved about the lobster, the house speciality, which did sound delicious, but was like chewing a piece of rubber.” “don't mind paying high prices for great meals, and I enjoy tipping well for good service.” “can't say I've ever had a bad meal there and I always enjoy the authentic Italian atmosphere, good food and people-watching.” “We had heard such amazing things about this place and had it not been for a very nasty waiter, we wouldn't have had a problem paying the money for a special outing.” “The service was attentive and the food was so so.” “The staff can be a little difficult sometimes but mostly our experiences here have been delicious and completely satisfying.” “The food is nothing but a little above average but the service makes this the absolute worst place to have a good time.” “The far from polite hostess retrieved us from the dark caldron and showed us to our tight seats in the crowded dinning room.” “Amazing people-watching too--we've seen Spielberg, Anthony Hopkins, Henry Jaglom, Owen Wilson, Christian Slater, and so many others.” “My mother's lamb was burnt to a crisp, but she was too nervous to send it back since our waiter had been so rude up to this point.” “The waiters are rude, they act like you are speaking jibberish when you try and order, and God forbid you happen to not drink; you are then a second class citizen.” “The service is impeccable, the presentation simple, yet elegant and the ambience is very relaxing.” “When I suggested that we be "comped" something for the horrible time management, I was told by the manager that "everyone had to wait a long time" for their food, so tough luck.” “have only eaten here twice, but as a transplant to LA I enjoy this place immensely, in a town full of places that pay too much attention to service and decor leaving you with a superficial experience; this place is dark, small, and cramped, with margina” “Greeted by friendly hostess, we did not have a reservation and were seated within a reasonable waiting time.” “Terrible service, food just okay” “The waiter suggested a fabulous Big Tuscan red that went well with everything and I will return again and again.” “make good money, but it can be much better spent at a more intimate, friendly place with much better food.” “Super romantic, very authentic Northern Italian food and very good service.”
value	75.0% positive	“But for an expensive, silly, Hollywoody, overrated Los Angeles (well, Santa Monica Canyon) haunt the food was damn good and the night was chock full of entertainment and fun times.” “make good money, but it can be much better spent at a more intimate, friendly place with much better food.” “don't mind paying high prices for great meals, and I enjoy tipping well for good service.” “The following were good, but if you're going to pay as much money as they charge, go with the aforementioned instead: asparagus ravioli, hazelnut crepe, cheesecake, carpaccio.” “We had heard such amazing things about this place and had it not been for a very nasty waiter, we wouldn't have had a problem paying the money for a special outing.” “The food was fantastic (if a bit overpriced.” “And everything was extremely overpriced, including the wine list.” “The food is too expensive for its taste and quality and the attitude is too much for anyone not on Prozac.” “It is a good restaurant but just not at all worth that kind of money.” “They act like they are doing you a huge favor by giving you a table and eventually serving your meal.” “pricey, but what good restaurant on the West side or Los Angeles is not.” “The insalata mista was ok, the prosciutto with fresh figs was very good, the ravioli with asparagus were tasty, but I counted about 12 tiny ravioli on my plate for $18, and last but not least, the tortelli di zucca were drowning in oil - good thing that t” “great restaurant, absurdly expensive” “Okay, not cheap, but at least you'll be halfway into a decent meal.”
wait time	50.0% positive	“The food came 10 minutes later and, to my pleasant surprise, was one of the best veal chops I have ever had.” “When I suggested that we be "comped" something for the horrible time management, I was told by the manager that "everyone had to wait a long time" for their food, so tough luck.”

07/03/11

Worst experience at this place!!!!!

by kym nguyen

I wish i read reviews before deciding to try out this restaurant! The food is crazy overpriced and the waiter pretends to misunderstand you and still charge you for the items. All the negative reviews you have read here is what I felt what happened tonight.This is the worst restaurant experience i have encountered in my life.

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02/13/11

TREATED LIKE DIRT...

by buck danger

Having sworn off this restaurant for 2 years after being treated so poorly I stupidly made an attempt to reconcile!! Not only was the blatant celeb favoritism in high gear but our party was at a "tea table" for 2 and we had 5 people...Gwyneth Paltrow was seated comfortably at a table for 6 even though there were only 2 of them. The same was true of another hollywood type --large table with 2 people. Its so disgusting its hard to believe that they are so busy. After knocking chairs with persons on 2 sides, having wait staff (not waiters fault) slither through aisles and again knock our chairs its difficult to even comment on the food. If you want to be treated like dirt, go to Giorgios. Oddly, there is never any attempt to "mask" this favoritism...

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01/10/10

Had Good Food Long Ago. I Haven't Been Back Anyway.

by iot

I last ate at Giorgio Baldi appx. six years ago, and my wife and I were also asked to leave (as others have written) before we were ready as "we need the table." Ha. I don't think they asked Stalone or James Caan, who were there that night, to leave before they were through. I sent a letter to Giorgio. No response. Next time (if I ever go back), I'll go Rocky and/or Sonny Corleone on them if they give me any trouble. They had some very good food when I was last there. My advice? Scream bloody murder at them and embarrass them while you're there if they give you any attitude, and see if they're just cowardly bullies. Or, just walk out without paying. Let 'em call the police. Anything to help them get the reputation they deserve known more around town. Maybe they'll learn a thing or two.

Pros: Good Food
Cons: They hate you if you're not famous, or don't spend enough.

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05/15/09

Awful experience....Stay away

by jsla44

The worst dining experience I have had in LA.

Brought my girlfriend who was dying to try the restaurant and the two of us were celebrating a small occassion.

Started out by asking for 2 glasses of champagne to start the evening. The server seem to misunderstand brought two small bottles and then scoffed at the fact that we didn't want both of them...

He then provided us with the specials...they sounded phenomenal. Hearing Italians paint pictures of the food they have to offer is quite enjoyable. However, when we finally opened the menu we saw that these "specials" were listed on the menu and not only that, they were above and beyond more expensive than anything else.

The restaurant was not busy, we had a 9 o'clock resveration and we wanted to enjoy our evening, relax with champagne, order a bottle of wine and take in the atmopshere which I must say is very romantic.

We were pushed to order and hovered over and when we finally wanted to just order a couple things before main courses again, scoffed at and told the chef would not allow that.

We took more time to go over the menu, and I must preface this by saying my girlfriend and I eat out 5x a week. We know what we are doing, we know food and know service. To be told the chef would not allow us to order a couple courses, just so we could enjoy our time there and gauge how hungry we might be after pastas, is a turn off.

We finally order and I ask for the Lamb. Let it be known the Lamb is 30$. Not pricey at all by that means but I didnt want steak and wasnt in the mood for veal chops. I was told when I ordered the lamb, "you don't want that, its just lamb, you should have the veal chops(42$). I said, that okay, I really want lamb tonight. He let it be.

After ordering and enjoying our first course, the couple next to us asked for the server because her fish was "bland" as she called it. She asked for the same sauce she got with the ravioli she had prior and no word of a lie the server responded with "you don't want that sauce with the fish. I will bring you something else." She said "no I want the same sauce I had with the ravioli, it was great. Again he said, "I will bring you something else, you don't want that sauce with the fish." She finally said "bring me whatever," as she was frustrated and obvioulsy not happy.

This place is overhyped and 240$ later for the two of us and I am heated. A phone call has already been made to the restaurant.

My advice, stay away.

Pros: Food
Cons: Servers

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05/13/09

STAY AWAY !!! WORST SERVICE IN MY LIFE.

by FWTIII

I have been to many restaurants all over the world. This place, hands down, has the worst service possible. The waiters are rude, they act like you are speaking jibberish when you try and order, and God forbid you happen to not drink; you are then a second class citizen. I make good money, but it can be much better spent at a more intimate, friendly place with much better food.

Giorgio Baldi Ristorante

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What People Are Saying About Giorgio Baldi Ristorante

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07/03/11

Worst experience at this place!!!!!

by kym nguyen

02/13/11

TREATED LIKE DIRT...

by buck danger

01/10/10

Had Good Food Long Ago. I Haven't Been Back Anyway.

by iot

05/15/09

Awful experience....Stay away

by jsla44

05/13/09

STAY AWAY !!! WORST SERVICE IN MY LIFE.

by FWTIII

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