Caffe Pinguini

03/26/08

Cute lunch spot by Chanel A. at InsiderPages

Contributor at Insider Pages

We went here for a business lunch. The food was great, so was the service. We felt like we weren't in LA anymore. Really good bread and lemonade. We sat outside in a nice shaded area. The place is really close to the beach in Playa, so you could take a walk after if you wanted to. It's a pretty nice restaurant though. Parking is a little tricky.

01/04/08

Best Italian Food Outside of Italy!

by pmancini12 at Citysearch

This is a great restaurant with always excellent service. We have been coming here for years, and have never been disappointed. As Italians who eat Italian food all the time, Caffe Pinguini is excellent. Highly recommend for intimate dinners, or families - the room has a great feel and waiters are conscientious and friendly.

• Pros: Ambience, Service, Great Food, Authentic Italian
• Cons: None

11/26/07

This restaurant is a Hidden Gem!!!

by moniquekm at Citysearch

Talk about romantic, italian, charming, wonderful. I was so happy I stumbled into this place. Been there for both lunch and dinner... great experience. Wonderful food, great wines... great for dates or relaxing with friends. Highly recommend!!

• Pros: Romantic and hidden
• Cons: none

01/08/07

Good Italian food, great service

by sammychez at Citysearch

We had reservations as a group of 10 and a few more people showed up to join us. The owners were very accommodating for a Saturday night - as it was busy. We were treated like kings. The food was fresh and I think I tasted a bite from everyone's plate. I had the seabass and my wife had a special ravioli and we started w/the smoked mozzarella with shitake mushrooms. Good wine list. True Italian waiters. Delightful!

• Pros: Authentic Italian cuisine, patio seating, seating at the bar, good service

House-made pastas and authentic old-country waitstaff make for a taste of Italy just north of the LAX airfield.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Casual couples fill the rustic, candlelit interior, and the nearby ocean's scent provides the patio a seaside ambience. Meals begin with shared appetizers and salads like spinach pepperoncino, sauteed with garlic and chili peppers. Pasta favorites include linguini mare brimming with mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in white-wine sauce, and Gorgonzola cheese-stuffed rigatoni. Additional choices range from veal entrees to smoked salmon pizza. The daily specials and house-recipe tiramisu bolster the classic Italian menu.

11/20/06

Pleasant Surprise

by aewlsn at Citysearch

Great Italian food. Nice patio. Friendly staff. Good wine list. Easy parking. Close walk to the beach.

08/04/06

Xlnt place to take the boss you hate

by sassille at Citysearch

6 women on a night out were greeted with an arrogant, condescending waiter who winds up being the owner. Twenty minute wait between courses, having to chase down bus-boys for water refills, dessert menu, or the check. Chicken breast w/artichokes was tough and difficult to slice with a STEAK knife accompanied by roasted potatoes, shriveled and dry. Heavy tab was not worth the 3 hours of poor food and service.

• Pros: Nice patio, good bread
• Cons: rude staff, overcooked food

02/14/06

Beware

by uscab1 at Citysearch

IUf you are not a regular, watch out. Rude, inefficient service with an unpleasant attitude from the owner and wait staff. There is better food and value at many other Italian restaurants.

• Pros: good portion size, great caeser salad, souffle desert
• Cons: Overcharge on wine, poor service

12/06/05

There's no place like home

by missyq at Citysearch

Been coming here for 4 years. Live down the street and now this place is really getting discovered! We love the food...it is always fresh and new items keep popping up on menu or specials. The owners are great and inviting. They've added a TV (muted) in their tiny bar area so we can watch the Lakers while we eat. Great wine list too. Check it out on a weeknight when there's time to talk to the owners.

• Pros: Great food, Wine, Service

10/07/05

3rd Time Not A Charm

by tyhe at Citysearch

I live two blocks from this place. I have given it three tries. The food is terrible. Twice I have been there with large parties. There is food sent back every time. Either it is cold, or the noodles aren't cooked well enough (they were hard!). Sure, it looks like a quaint little place, and the atmosphere is moody and relaxing....but that isnt good enough. I gave it three tries and now im not going back. There is a family owned italian place just down the street that puts it to shame. This other place is where the locals who know eat.

• Pros: Small, Moody, Easy parking
• Cons: Bad food., Bad food., Bad food.

11/22/04

romantic patio

by tofutratra at Citysearch

i had a chance to try Cafe Pinguini w/ my sis & bf this past wknd, and we were glad that we were sitting out in the patio area. w/ all the lights, it was quite romantic. good dating spot. the food and service were all great. there aren't too many restaurants in Playa Del Rey to start w/, which makes Cafe Pinguini even better. i'll definitely return for more visits again & again.

• Pros: food, romantic env, service