Il Piccolino

12/19/09

Most expensive food ever

by MarisaAB at Citysearch

This is the most ridiculouos place in Los Angeles. Ordered stone crab claws, they were frozen and taste free. Horrid, complained but they were not taken off the bill. The dover sole was tasty but it was covered in chanterelles. And nobody told us it was going to be 75.00, yes, 75 dollars. Dover sole of quality should not be covered in really tasty chanterelle that would have been lovley on top of pasta. I do not believe the prices. Some portions are too over the top. Once ordered a chocolate mousee that was huge. Not a good place

• Pros: Good dover sole
• Cons: 75.00 for dover sole

06/01/09

Who owns this place? what an idiot!

by foodandwinesdpecialistla7 at Citysearch

the place would be great if they didn't lie about the menu!

the vegetarian dishes are all prepared with meats, the owner Silvio I think, lied and said it was vegan, then i found out it was prepared with pork broth! disgusting that he could lie about that, he must know. to late for me I ate it already.

He proceeded to "raise hell" shouting at the servers and making a nuisance of himself.

the sole was good but not worth returning for to put up with all the nonsense that lives inside what could be a really lovely dining experience.

pass.

• Pros: nice space - little awkward
• Cons: the owners were shouting the whole time

04/14/09

Best Steak in LA ... maybe the USA

by philobeddoe at Citysearch

Il Piccolino is an incontrovertible sleeper standout ... I would suggest it's possibly the best restaurant in Los Angeles.

The food choice, quality, and preparation is unparalleled. The staff is professional and courteous and the owners absolutely delightful and completely charming.

These guys will make you feel special, treat you right, and fill you up.

The steak is the best I've had, and everything else is great as well.

• Pros: Rib Eye for Two
• Cons: it's not cheap, but it's worth it

12/24/07

Delicious cioppino

by lenore_lynn at Citysearch

Delicious specials - we had the cioppino and Mediterranean sea bass. While this restaurant is pricey overall, the wine by the glass was very good and inexpensive ($9). The wait staff was pleasant. We'll return for sure.

• Pros: Delicious food, great wine-by-the-glass, nice staff, pretty atmosphere
• Cons: Noisy, expensive (worth it, but for a special occasion)

12/20/07

Am i in Capri, Florence, Rome?

by fcinatra at Citysearch

Am i in Capri, Florence, Rome? This place is great, Excellent food with fresh ingredients. The olive oil they use must come straight from the 'old country.' The buratta is the freshest I've tasted in LA. When they have the mussels - run, don't walk, and order a bowl. I recommend you have your secretary cancel your afternoon meetings, order a cold bottle of Pinot Grigio and spend the afternoon chatting up the adorable waitresses.

11/24/06

No Italian here

by joe2252 at Citysearch

Something has seriously gone wrong since the last reviews of this restaurant were written. There was not even the slightest hint of an Italian accent in this place. The "Il Piccolino Strozzapretti" were not even close to anything resembling true strozzapretti, but more like gnudi. The wine list is completely lackluster with very few Italian offerings. Don't get me completely wrong, the food was edible. Just NOT Italian. Che peccato!

• Pros: easy to get into
• Cons: not Italian if that's what you're expecting

09/21/06

Fabulous bouillabaisse, great ambience

by manonb at Citysearch

The ambience is great, the food terrific. We went here on a Friday night for a birthday and had a great time. Some of the specials are overpriced, but I've never had a bad meal here. It's very relaxing and romantic.

The bouillabaisse I had here was absolutely fantastic, the best I've tried anywhere.

The wait staff were a bit on the snooty side, but everyone's entitled to a bad day. That only happened once, and since then I've had nothing but great service.

Well worth it!

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Parking

10/07/05

Wonderful Restaurant

by laguy1973 at Citysearch

I love this place. Great food, service and not overpriced. A true neighborhood trattoria. It pays to be nice to your customers! People like it! Unlike a lot of quick to close LA Restaurants. Il Piccolino gets it.

• Pros: food, value, service

12/03/04

The best

by manga at Citysearch

We love this restaurant. The food is always so amazing and the prices are unbelievable. I usually start with tuna carpaccio or the gamberonie salad. That's the best. Big shrimp, feta & mint over mixed greens. Then the fresh fish with olives, tomato, and cpaers. Service is always good. Best of all, the patio is fabulous! Twinkling lights & italian music. A small, cozy restaurant with a great vibe isn't easy to find in LA.

• Pros: food, prices, ambiance

11/11/04

Candlelit patio seating, a legendary menu and charming ambience make this Italian eatery an ideal date destination.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Elegantly nonchalant, you might not notice Il Piccolino if it weren't for the twinkly Christmas lights lining the cozy patio seating. Il Piccolino is an ideal spot for sparking romance or good after-dinner conversation over a fine Italian Chianti.

The Food
Feta-drizzled insalata Mikonos and a classic Caesar kick start Il Piccolino's Mediterranean menu. A more unusual insalata pescatore is served overflowing with warm, chewy garlic and lemon-kissed calamari hoops, shrimp and mussels--all of which are also found moonlighting in the seafood-stacked Spaghetti Tutto Mare. While the pasta Bolognese pleases with plenty of meat, entrees like the melted fontina- and prosciutto-laden chicken breast (Petto di Pollo alla Valdostana) and the rich, simmering strips of top loin steak slathered in a rich garlic and white wine sauce (Stracetti alla Romana) are definitely house favorites. Flaky cocoa-drenched house tiramisu and rich gelato spumoni appeases any sweet tooth, and is spectacular with an after-dinner port.