The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)
Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)
Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)
Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)
Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)
Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)
PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)
Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)
Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)
Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)
Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)
Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)
Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)
Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)
Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)
Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)
Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)
Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)
Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)
Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)
Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)
Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)
Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)
Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)
Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)
Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)
Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)
Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)
Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)
Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)
Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)
Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)
Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)
Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)
Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)
B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)
Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)
Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
(5)
Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)
Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)
John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)
Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)
Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)
Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)
Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)
Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)
Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)
Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)
Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)
Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)
Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)
Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)
Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)
Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)
Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)
David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)
Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)
Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)
Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)
Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)
Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)
Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)
charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)
shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)
Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)
Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)
William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)
Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)
Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)
Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)
Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)
Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)
Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)
Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)
David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)
John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)
Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)
Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)
Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)
Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)
Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)
Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)
Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)
Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)
Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)
Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)
Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)
charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)
Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)
Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)
Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)
shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)
Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)
Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)
Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)
William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)
Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)
Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)
Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)
Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)
Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)
Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)
Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)
PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)
Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)
Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)
Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)
Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)
Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)
Rita L.
The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)
Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)
Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)
Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)
Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)
Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)
Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)
Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)
Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)
Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)
Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)
Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)
Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)
Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)
Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)
Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)
Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)
Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)
Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)
Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)
Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)
Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)
Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)
B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)
Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)
Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
(5)
Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)
Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)
Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)
Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)
John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)
Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)
Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)
Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)
Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)
Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)
Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)
Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)
Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)
Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)
Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)
Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)
Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)
Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)
Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)
Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)
Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)
David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)
Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)
charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)
shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)
Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)
Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)
Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)
William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)
Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)
Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)
Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)
Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)
Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)
Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)
Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)
Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)
Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)
Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)
B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)
Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)
Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)
Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)
Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)
Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)
Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)
Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)
Rita L.
The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)
Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)
Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)
Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)
Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)
Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)
Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)
PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)
Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)
Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)
Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)
Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)
Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)
Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)
Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)
Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)
Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)
Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)
Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)
Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)
Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)
Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Rita L.
The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
(5)Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)Geoff D.
Delicious food! Great wine list and mouth watering desert. We are here two night in a row because it was so good the first night. The second night was even better. I think this might be the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. Good service and very friendly owners. Don't hesitate!
(5)Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)Rita L.
The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)Pat B.
We love L'Amore and dine here whenever we are in town! We had friends visiting and celebrated her birthday at L'Amore. As always the evening was wonderful and the food delicious! So glad to have been introduced to this beautiful and friendly restaurant a few years ago by our local Phoenix friends.
(5)Sol T.
That food is great!! I have had several dishes and they were all amazing, especially when comparing to other premium restaurants of the same type. Service is very good. Location is a little out of the way but in a very quaint spot. I love the interior and they have a great patio. The only negative is that it is so far from my home... I'd like to visit it more often, but the distance will not stop me.
(5)Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
(5)Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)John P.
Eat here at least two--three times a month and its always awesome. Food, Bar, Customer service are great. Its a pleasure dining here. Lots of locals from Paradise Valley. Bar is as good a place as any to sit. KISS Keep it Simple Stupid
(5)Susan C.
We are new neighbors just up the hill in Paradise Valley, and we SO wanted this to be our "go to" dinner place for nights when we were too busy to cook and to take visiting families and friends. Full disclosure: we tried four times, each time it was around 8:00 pm. Two of the four we were treated pretty poorly by a female hostess. There were still patrons eating in the restaurant, but she told us they were getting the main dining room set up for a big event the next day (both times) and sat us in the bar. Last night, there was a basketball game on in the bar...I would not mind eating in a pub atmosphere if we were paying pub prices. So, when we told her that the noise was too much and asked to be reseated in the restaurant she refused. I don't think was too much to ask, for just the two of us. And it's interesting the other two times we went, the male hosts gave us the choice, and sat us in the restaurant. Food has been inconsistent, but not all that bad. Pasta on two visits was all small pieces (spaghetti one night and fettuccine another) like we were getting the dregs. I'd be more tolerant of that, but for the price of the food, we expect a more pleasant dining experience. Too bad. They need to make some changes.
(1)Velika L.
Food = 5 stars! Service = 1 star. :( To be fair, the owner and hostess were extremely friendly, accommodating and humble. Just our waiter had some issues...
(4)Stuart T.
First time dining there last night. Eggplant Parm was great although prepared differently than most. It came looking like a piece of lasagne which the waiter did describe. It was very tasty and had a little crispness on top which I like. Linguine accompanied the dish and it was cooked perfectly. Marinara was excellent. Add some cauliflower and brocolli and it was a perfect dish. A small field green salad was included although the salad was nothing special. My wife had a special which was sole with a lemon caper sauce. She raved about it. Hers also came with linguine and some sauteed spinach which looked great and tasted great, too. Atmospher was terrific. Dark, warm and friendly. Service was terrific. Greg the wwner circulates and greets all his guests. Many knew him so he must get lots of regulars. Singer/keyboard in the lounge at 6:45pm so we only heard a little bit since we had to rush off to the Symphony. But the performer was very good and NOT LOUD which was wonderful. Just some night background music that seemed to match the older age of the customers. We've driven past this place many times wondering what the food was like. Glad we bought a Local Dines deal which was our incentive to try it out. We'll definitely return with or without a coupon. Two entrees, two glasses of wine, 1 cup of coffee = $90 (inl. tax and tip) before coupon.
(4)Judy M.
Slow service small portions and mediocre food
(2)Authorless D.
Great Hidden little Gem! Great food can be pricey $$$ small great romantic atmosphere. I loved that I could change anything in the menu. They really cater to you! Definitely a older crowed but its the Biltmore area (what do you expect) .
(5)Pete S.
Excellent food and well worth the wait when they're crowded. Probably the 'hidden jewel' of Italian in all metro Phoenix and offers a wonderful atmosphere of fine dining with a very friendly, down-home staff. I'm 100% Italian from the East Coast and still have a hard time finding good Italian food in Phoenix....but this restaurant certainly can challenge!
(5)Jen T.
Delicious! And best of all the most friendly staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant. The sea food was very fresh and the man walking around checking on guests(Im assuming an owner or management) was very personable. From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Definitely recommend you stopping here.
(5)Barbara S.
Found this place next door to the Phoenix At One Yoga studio after a 3 hour class, so probably could have eaten shoe leather and been okay. However, it was great. I had the potato wrapped salmon and hubby had cioppino. Service was attentive and courteous, especially for arriving there after 9PM. The bar scene had a Neil Diamond/Country/John Denver type singer who was keeping that area entertained. I loved the unique, non-chain ambiance and would definitely return.
(3)Larry C.
Great groceries, and fantastic service and the owner is out standing, great atmosphere. Thanks Greg
(5)Unnaturalred B.
Wow! This place is incredible! One of my coworkers has recommended this place often and wow, she was so right!! We sat at the bar and had the happy hour small plate calamari (which was the perfect size to share to start) which had the PERFECT texture; it was chewy but not too hard with just the right amount of crisp. And the red pepper sauce it was served on was divine! For dinner the man got the Linguini with Fresh Clams and I got the Chicken Parmigiana upon the recommendation of the bartender. Both came with a choice of soup or salad. I got the house salad, which was a simple mix of iceberg and field greens with shaved carrots and a roma tomato slice with italian dressing on top (that had just the right amount of acidity) but upon tasting his soup (it was lentil tonight) I was a bit jealous. The soup appeared to be a broth base with chopped vegetables and lentils, not a thick too-much-lentil type of soup. It had great flavor without being overpowering. Now for the entrees. Wow. When they came out, my eyes popped. When I smelled, my nose sang. When I tasted, my mouth weeped. We had asked the bartender if the clams were just in the sauce or if they were in the shell. When he said "both," we expected two or three whole clams with a smattering of clam in the sauce. Boy, were we wrong! There were 10-12 WHOLE CLAMS atop a garlic and white wine sauce FILLED with chopped manila clams. The Chicken Parmigiana would have made Sophia Petrillo of Golden Girls relocate to Phoenix! The sauce was THE FRESHEST, most flavorful, not too wet tomato sauce I've ever had. In. My. Life. And I've had my share of tomato sauce, let me tell you!! The chicken was moist and I'm not sure how the breading didn't get soggy by the last bite, but it didn't!! The mozzarella cheese on top was melted to perfection. The plates were served piping hot and we didn't let that slow us down! The beers were ice cold to the last drop as well, which is a necessity in my book. The only critique the man had was that they could have a better selection of beers (he likes heavy craft beers). We will d.e.f.i.n.i.t.e.l.y. be back. It is a bit pricy, but it's worth every cent! And happy hour is a great value. Draft beers are $3, glasses of wine and well cocktails are $5 and they have a selection of "small plates," which are smaller portions of their appetizers, but with the entrees being so incredible AND coming with soup or salad (and don't forget the bread with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil!), you definitely won't leave hungry! A+++!!!
(5)Todd M.
Ate here many years ago and always had a good meal. Tonight we decided to go back and had high hopes. Started off with the calimarie and when it came out, there was almost no sauce with it. The salad was fine but too much dressing. I had the chicken piccatta and it was very oily and the sides were penne pasta with tomato sauce and some steamed carrots and broccoli. My wife had the halibut piccatta special that was very salty. Not really worth the money and the atmosphere was a senior citizen crowd.
(2)Marybeth C.
This was our anniversary, a special night. We choose L'Amore partially for "the Love" we were celebrating. Before we went my husband said he didn't want to use the coupon because he told me that coupons are never what they seem to be and owners don't give people with coupons the same courtesy. He was right. The food was wonderful! Here is the problem. We w ere the first guests in the dining room and with our reservations made the day before. We were seated at a table in an opening next to an area reserved for a company party that began with an hour of cocktails. Not very private or romantic. It was kind of like sitting next to the kitchen door in a restaurant. As the private party progressed we could barely hear ourselves talk. We mentioned this to our waitress, asked for a different table but was told the other tables were reserved "for regulars." She was nice, polite and apologetic. Before ordering, when we gave the waitress our coupon, she explained that the coupon was not valid for the specials and neither did the drinks count towards the $50.00 we must spend to use the coupon. That made sense. But we were ordering during happy hour and assumed we would be getting happy hour drink prices even though they would not count against the $50.00 minimum. This was not the case. The owner was less than kind. He was close to rude. His attitude towards us using the coupon was insulting. He never made any attempt throughout the evening to come to our table and see how we were doing, nor to apologize/offer to comp our drinks for the horrible noisy table experience. We know the waitress mentioned it to him early in the evening. His response was "normally the party doesn't stand and talk so long." So I guess by the owner it was the party patrons fault that we had a bad experience. To illustrate our point on the noise, after our appetizers, while we were having our main course, a table was seated near us, by the party as well. After 10 minutes they got up and went into the bar to sit where there was live music that was quieter than the party. I guess the owner is content with his regulars coming in and doesn't value new business potential. We are disappointed in his attitude and recommend that he stop offering coupons because it doe not fit into his business plan and method of operation. In the end I guess you get what you pay for. If we had paid full price my husband would have been more insistent on being treated like a patron dining in a fine restaurant, with his lovely wife, on what was supposed to be a romantic quiet evening.
(3)Tom R.
Very solid little Northern Italian restaurant on the outskirts of PV. Friendly, efficient servers, great entrees. My only problem was the appetizer mussels were tiny, but the other app (a grilled veggie platter) and all the entrees were great. A solid 4 stars.....
(4)Lisa M.
Have been back to L'Amore since my first review and things still as wonderful as ever. This time I tried the seafood special, which was the Sole. It was prepared just right with a great lemon caper sauce. The salad and sides included with the dish were fantastic as usual. Can't wait to go back here again and again. Just so you know they sometimes have specials on "Local Dines" where you can get $40.00 voucher for $20.00.
(5)Ashley C.
L'amore was So good! But like every place, there are pros and cons: Cons: The prices on the online menu are NOT the prices in the store. I only had pasta, so I can't speak for the entrees, but a dish of pasta was closer to $20 a plate than $12. The crowd was older. We were the youngest people by at least 20 years. However, if you ask me, it's a sign of how GOOD the food was (older people tend to have more $$ to spend on their meals, and thus choose better ones!!!) Finally, it's a little far out of the way, but that's only because I live in downtown Phoenix; this may not be an issue for you! That's all I got for cons! :) Pros: The food was AMAZING!!!! The portions are definitely large, and in all, are totally worth what they cost. We tried the potato gnocchi with red sauce, the chicken fettucini alfredo, and the tortellini with prosciutto and peas and cream sauce. I would HIGHLY recommend the tortellini, it's CRAZY how amazing it was!!! The staff was nice, there was even some live music! The setting is very romantic, but not too over the top (we went as a girls night, and even then it was still fun!) Overall, it's totally worth the drive, and worth the prices if you are up for sharing (or it's a special occasion!) Loved it!
(4)Michael C.
Had lunch here today, and what a beautiful little restaurant it is. Fettuccine Alfredo was perfection, the salad and bread were top notch, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere cozy. My friend had the Halibut (I think it was a special) and it looked amazing. I will definitely be back for dinner soon. L'amore is located at 32nd and Lincoln, on the South West corner.
(5)David D.
i really like this place, very relaxed and friendly, i love their tomato and avacado salad and their gnoochi,
(5)Sam N.
Last night L'amore severed 12 of us and dinning experience was great! The food ...the service ...and the ambiance ...all worked without and snags. Greg, the owner is a warm, service oriented host that makes sure all went well. This is not a high priced restaurant ...the wine list offers some very good, reasonably priced vino that works well with the very good Italian cuisine. I know...a first generation Sicilian, who's family owned Italian Restaurants in over a 30 period. Sam Nocifera
(4)charity s.
I have been going to L'Amore for a few years now and each time I return I am reminded of how good it is. The food truly is good and I've never been disappointed with a dish. They usually have a halibut dish on the nightly specials and it's always cooked to perfection and has some to-die-for sauce on it. The baked ziti with sausage and ricotta is also a fave. And in this restaurant the service is just as good as the food. Greg the owner is always there and really takes pride in his restaurant. They also have a great happy hour that goes until 7:00 on weekdays with great food and drink specials. Live music most nights in the bar area and a lovely patio. Pure Italian bliss.
(5)shereen s.
Everything here was amazing! I can't think of anything that I was unhappy with, which is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. I made a reservation for my boyfriend as a surprise birthday dinner last week. I was a little hesitant planning a birthday dinner at a new restaurant. What if we didn't like the food or the service was poor? When we walked in we were immediately greeted by a guy who I'm pretty sure is the owner. After checking out the menu and FINALLY deciding on a dish (everything sounded great), my boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and I ordered the rigatoni primavera, a vegetarian dish. Each dish was served with a salad or soup and they also served fresh bread at every table. While we were waiting for our food we noticed that the crowd there was much older. I think we brought the median age down by about 30 years! I also noticed that the guy who seated us was visiting every table, and chatting with everyone. It seems like most of the people who were eating there were regulars, and knew all the details about this guys family. Our salads arrived, and although the portion was small the Italian dressing was delish! Next came our main dishes. My boyfriend's plate was packed full of seafood including shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. A bit too fishy for me, but he loved it. My dish was amazing as well, with lots of flavor and tons of vegetables, including mushrooms, zucchini, and cauliflower. In past reviews I always mention how it can be difficult to find vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor unless you are at a vegetarian restaurant. That was not the case here at all, this place delivered. The portions were big, so my boyfriend and I both ended up with some to take home. We were both disappointed in knowing we had dinner plans the following night, as we were looking forward to eating our leftovers! This restaurant was a nice change of pace from our usual loud and crowded old town restaurants. The place was nice and quiet, with some light music playing in the background. Overall, it was a great experience, and I will definitely eat here again.
(5)Mary G.
L'Amore is a perfect, quiet neighborhood restaurant for everyone who enjoys a quiet atmosphere, excellent food at reasonable prices. If you don't find what you want on the menu, Craig, the owner, will make it happen. Long time, experienced employees + live music make the evening even more enjoyable.
(4)Marie R.
This place is the Hope Diamond of hidden gems! I grew up in an Italian household, so Italian food is as personal as it gets for me. And this place does Italian well enough to please my grandmother. My husband and I went for a romantic dinner, and we were not disappointed at the amibance of the place. The owner himself was seating everyone and while it was an air of elegance, we also felt really welcomed. Our waiter Julio brought us our menus and ice water right away, which was great because it was super hot out, even for Arizona. We selected a Chardonnay from Fess Parker vineyards, and because we had a gift certificate from restaurants.com , we opted to split a bottle of it. It was the first of many great decisions. For our appetizer we split the antipasto for 2. Incredible. Fresh veggies that were perfectly roasted, cold, salty meats, sweet rich cheeses, awesome! Their fresh sourdough bread was a pleasure to eat, with that just right crispy crust and light, fluffy middle. We both had the ceasar salad, which really prepped us well for our meal, as it was well sized and not overly dressed. I ended up with the seafood risotto and my husband had the baked ziti with sausage. We were stunned. First of all, they came out HOT! Not the luke warm-ness that's becoming too common now, but truly hot! My husband loved his ziti. He went so far as to say it's better the first baked ziti he ever had, which was on New York's Mulberry Street with his parents when he was a teen. My risotto had so many layers of deep intense flavor I was beside myself. Not overly full of seafood, but enough to satisfy the craving, the clams, mussles, scallops and shrimp were to perfection. There was small peices of shredded lobster throughout. The peas, red peppers and asparagus were done well, but not mushy and the rice was just al dente. The saffron lobster bisque broth was intense in flavor but let each aspect of the dish shine through! As much as we were enjoying dinner, we decided to take half of each portion (very large portions, so bring friends or a large appetite or be prepared to take some home) home with us so we could have dessert. I'm so glad we did. We had the vanilla creme brulee. You could actually see the vanilla beans in the custard. And it wasn't overly sweet. Too many are cloyingly so, but not this one! And it had a rather thick ring of the burnt sugar, which I liked, cause to me that's the best thing about creme brulee. The owner, as mentioned by others, was all over the place, but always making time to sit and chat with his patrons to make sure they were happy. Julio was fabulously attentive, not being in our faces, but our glasses were never empty and the pace was perfect. We agreed this is a place we'll be going to at least once a month, if not more!
(5)Caitlin M.
We loved this place! We got a coupon off of restaurant.com and it wAs well worth the wait. I had the tortellini with the Alfredo sauce which is the best Alfredo sauce I have had to date! It's my favorite sauce. My hubby had the gnocci with the marinara sauce which was to die for! We will definitely go back. We had to wait 30min past our reservation but it was well worth it. Two dinner plates and a glass of wine hit the $50 coupon just perfectly.
(5)William W.
L'Amore is a great hidden gem. The restaurant has a cozy feel and the service is outstanding. The dishes served offer a great variety and are not just the usual italian fare (though they do have many of the classics). The often have some live music that adds to the ambience.
(5)Ron P.
Great food and service. Wine prices are reasonable and they have some very good wine available. Owners are always onsite and available to say hello and just check that all is well. Music a few nights a week but same guy all the time.
(4)Tolen S.
Thank you for a memorable evening of great people, delicious food, wonderful wine and being made to feel like we were old friends. Will definitely be back on our next trip.
(5)Ryan J.
This place is to Italian what Macayos is to Mexican, more domestic then authentic. That isn't to say it isn't very tasty. Very comfortable atmosphere and menu.
(4)Natalie D.
Hadn't been in a couple years and after such a fantastic meal, I had to slap myself! Starting with the something as simple as the Italian bread which was warm, perfectly crusty on the outside and tender on the inside! Perfection. Menu Special: off-the-bone beef short ribs with a side of sauteed spinach and stuffed cannelloni. The short ribs were fork-tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. The cannelloni was simply amazing too. Off the menu: Lasagna. Classic. Perfection!! I got full toward the end of it, but kept pushing like the little engine who could. New York style cheesecake and Cappuccino for dessert. Perfect finish to a ferfect meal! Sat at the bar for dinner and the service from Laura was awesome. Some folks on Yelp have described the interior as outdated. True. Its not a hipster spot but I think that sort of adds to the charm of the place.
(4)Andrew C.
The decor was outdated along with the menu and food. A friend recommended it. It's an average Italian restaurant with classic Italian food that you would expect at any average Italian restaurant. They did not break out with new flavors. The quality was also average. I will not be going back on my own free will.
(2)Vonnie B.
Last night we planned a special Valentine's dinner! We made reservations 2 weeks in advance so we would definitely have a table! It was a very important night for us and we went looking forward to a lasagne dinner! Unfortunately at 8:15 pm they were out! We were stunned, disappointed, and decided to settle for spaghetti! We did ask for the manager and he explained that they did not plan on so many wanting lasagne! Well the bread was very good! We had to ask for more and had to go find someone to get us some more butter! We mentioned this to the hostess who proceeded to tell us our waiter was new! After dinner when the manager wanted to know if we enjoyed. We told him.... not really... It was not what we wanted and $55 was pretty expensive for spaghetti! He asked so we told him what we thought! Oh my! He was rude, talking to us in a loud voice!!! Now we are getting mad but pay the bill and get up to leave at this point we just want to be gone! The manager is following us out and now he is yelling! We were very much shocked he starting yelling the F word. The doors are wide open and he does not seem to care that the entire place can easily hear him! He sees we are parked in handicapped right out front! Now he is yelling even louder about us illegally parking! Oh by the way the parking pass is extremely valid! This is a very unpleasant scene by the MANAGER! The spaghetti was definitely not worth it! Unfortunately I will never get to try the lasagne! Do not recommend at all!
(1)Jennifer M.
My husband and I found it one Open kitchen. We read the reviews and decided to try it out. We waited 5 minutes before anyone greeted us at the door. The hostess asked us if we wanted the formal dining area or lounge. We chose the lounge. She asked if we wanted a wine list. We said yes. Bread was brought over and that wS the last we saw of anyone for 20 minutes. Finally, I said lets go. My husband went to find the hostess and I guess a manager came and asked if we have been helped. I said no, and he brought someone over. The waiter didn't seem to thrilled to serve us. He had trouble remembering the specials. Not impressed with the service, staff, or food. Won't be going back.
(1)Stuart G.
WOW! This trip to Arizona has been spectacular for dining out. Last night was a great dinner at Sierra Bonita and tonight was L'amore. I find these places to eat from my Alaska Airlines web site. They partner with several restaurants and when I travel I sometimes search out new places to eat. I entertained a business client tonight and had a great meal. The service was excellent, the owner Greg has a great personality. Ask him about his barnyard wine list that's not published. He recommended an off the wall wine called "If you see kay" (read it again slowly and you will get the double speak) It was very good and reasonably priced. The food - Spectacular. I had the Cippino. It was loaded with seafood and I had them make it a little spicy. One of the best dishes I have ever had. The scallops were huge and tasty. I would order this time and time again. Everyone had a good meal. No complaints on anything. We were there about 2 hours, no pressure to leave. They let you be and set your own pace. I loved it!
(5)Jane M.
A nice find in Phoenix. Good menu, something for everyone. I had Gnoochi which was terrific, others at my table had chicken, veal and salmon and all enjoyed their meal. The wait staff is nice and attentive and they don't rush you out. You can linger as long as you want. I imagine it would be very nice to have your meal outside on the patio but it was a little chilly the night we were there. Yes I would return for sure.
(4)Gary H.
Friendly, great food and great attitude. My boss and a client went to L'Ampore and didn't know what to expect. What we received was excellent, friendly service and a great meal. This quaint find was delightful and as we walked away, the words came out of our mouths, "that is the way to run a restaurant"! The food: Each of us had a something different; Gnocchi made with pesto (they don't have it on the menu but the owner asked the staff if they could make it fresh.) Ravioli with sweet Italian sausage and steak. All were cooked to flavor and perfectly. Even the wine was unique... "If you see Kate"... What a wonderful place with a great, take care of the customer attitude. I will be back and I don't live in Phoenix.
(5)B R.
Very Average and nothing really stood out. Everything is very salty, which I never take as a good sign. There are much better options in the area.
(1)Wendy F.
Great culinary experience. Greg, the owner, is very personable. Enjoyed the live music and the whole warm feeling of the restaurant...great food and great wine.
(5)Christopher B.
One of my favorite places. Great food, wine list and great ambiance. Perfect date place, not too loud, not too quiet. The owner always stops by to see how dinner is going and always has great suggestions from the menu or daily specials.
(5)Irene V.
L'amore is a wonderful Italian restaurant on the corner of Lincoln & N 32nd St. I was treated to a mind boggling amount of food for a holiday event hosted by Kiss Me Kate. The service by Sal reminded me of a quintessential New Yorker. Quick with a funny line, excellent timing and dressed in black. (Black pants, but still. In New York we wear black.) If you read no further, remember this: Cioppino. Chee-oh-PEE-noh The dish is not on the menu for some reason. If you gaze upwards to a chalkboard you might notice it. Come hungry, or come with a date, but everyone should order this. Chee-oh-PEE-noh. A seafood stew, complete with scallops, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels and a white fish. (The white fish varies on a nightly basis.) My palate was delighted to order it Fra Diavalo. (I heard Fra Diablo, but that was close enough. Hot. Spicy hot.) This entire medley is served on a bed of linguine. L'Amore has been owned and operated for 13 years by Kim and Greg. Greg was beyond attentive to our table. If you look around the restaurant their passion for riding horses is evident. The lighting is subdued but yet the mood is festive. This is where you bring friends and family. Any guest will be impressed. Live music is played on the bar side which filters over softly to the dining area. Sal, our friend, was able to balance a large party with infinite ease. When the Cinderella hour rang we left begrudgingly. Chee-oh-PEE-noh.
(5)Rebecca R.
We gathered for a ladies holidays lunch. We were warmly greeted by the owner and waiter. I choose the tomato and artichoke soup. Incredibly smooth and flavorful and the artichokes are an amazing addition. One of the ladies asked for something special for her diet and they cooked it to perfection. I will definitely go back to try other items. And the atmosphere has a local hangout feeling that is comforting.
(4)Emily L.
I come here once a week and the food and service is always amazing! I have yet to have anything less than wonderful from a Sole Salad to the Eggplant. Bonus: supporting a locally owned business!
(5)Deeann M.
Great food, wonderful restaurant. Need to go! Must try! Had the Black Garlic Shrimp and Sausage.
(5)Lori K.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. First there was loud pounding music that gave me a headache. I asked several people to turn the radio off (it seems there is live music only for dinner) and they didn't, before one person finally did. Then had to wait about 15 mins for order to be taken by a waitress. This after it took almost no time to decide what we wanted as the entire menu is less than one page long. Later I wanted a second soda, but the waitress hadn't been paying attention. I had to wait to even ask for it. I was very hungry as the bread was very hard so I ordered a salad. It was a very small and it was in long strips. I tried the salad dressing with my fork. It was very vinegary. It tasted nothing like a caesar dressing. I had to wait minutes to get someone's attention to ask for different dressing, so I spent the time cutting the lettuce up right. They only had oil, two vinaigrettes and the "caesar". I said I can't eat any of them and can't eat the lettuce plain and asked to send it back. The waiter took it back as I hadn't even had a single bite. Later they wouldn't take the salad off the bill. Said, what we want everything for free? We only asked for the one salad to be taken off as I hadn't had even one bite. How is something I ate none of getting something for free? So, my mom asked for the salad to be remade to take home then. They remade it and put it in a box. I checked it and it was very wet. As I checked it the flimsy box ripped slightly and wouldn't close and I didn't want the salad to be falling out in the car. So, I asked for another box. The owner said no, that I ripped it. I said you might as well throw it out then. He did. My mom complained that we had wanted that so, he fished it out and gave it to her. Also, the chicken parmesan was very fried and only one piece. The penne pasta (very small portion too) was hard and had awful sauce on it. Maybe the portions were small cause it was lunch, though even for lunch portions it was quite small. I only ate the chicken because I was very hungry, luckily it had almost none of the sauce on it. I decided to take the pasta home as I could cook it more and put good sauce on instead. Then we got a piece of chocolate cake. When asking for dessert, the waitress said, what you want in a rude tone. The cake was very bitter and we both only managed a couple of bites. We did have some though and didn't ask to take that off the bill. Also, we asked for separate checks. They goofed and charged just me. My mom complained and then he charged me for my food and she paid cash for her food. We just checked with the credit card company and they charged me the whole thing and charged just my part of it and she paid with cash for her part, so we paid for the awful meal twice! Hopefully we can fix this part. The waitress and a waiter were rude during our ordering and when I asked for another salad dressing. Then the waitress and owner got nasty about the bill. The owner was the mean about the box too. I was upset about being treated like this and said something to my mom and he overheard and got really angry and I thought he was going to hurt me. My mom was scared he might hurt her too. I then started crying. No one should be subjected to this place. It had bad food, bad service and then they got nasty too.
(1)Rita L.
The best Italian restaurant in town! Super fresh seafood salad is to die for! Grilled veggies are perfect. Their homemade pastas are sooo delish. Service is always good and when you get to go it's always hot and quick.
(5)Sydney D.
Food and service are always phenomenal. We go out of our way to eat here more than once every time we're in town and have never been disappointed.
(5)Navy H.
Service was poor. Unfriendly atmosphere. Left before we could try food. Very disappointed.
(1)Leslie M.
I was really excited to try a new Italian restaurant this past weekend and based on yelp reviews, I decided to go here. We walk in and it has the "family" feel to it - real cozy and quaint. It took some time for someone to even acknowledge us as it seemed like the people that came before us knew the employees/owner. So we sat down and right away, I felt unwelcomed. Service was slow and it seemed like no one wanted to service us. While we wait patiently for some acknowledgement, water, someone to take our order, etc. We started noticing that we were definitely out of place. My friend and I are in our young early thirties, dressed nice, and ready to take on the night. We look up and everyone (I kid you not) are a lot older, old couples, or friends that are all within the same age group. The employees started coming up to most of them and they were all laughing as if they've known each other for years. Then I realized that I truly do not belong here... We ordered calamari and the Black Garlic Shrimp & Sausage. The calamari was good. The shrimp and sausage was not. No one even asked us how our food was. It took forever to get our check. No one said farewell to us. Ambiance is nothing like Federal Pizza, The Parlor, or any other restaurants on Camelback corridor. Moral of the story - if you're older, then maybe you will have a better experience.
(2)Janis R.
Our party of five had an interesting experience at this restaurant tonight. We had a7:30 reservation and we're seated shortly after we arrived. We all ordered a glass of wine but we were never presented with menus. After about 45 minutes we finally asked for them. For some reason they were short on menus but sharing was no big deal. Several of us wanted the fish special but that was all gone. Seemed strange for a 7:30 reservation but we adjusted our orders to our second choice. Each meal comes with soup or salad and 3 of us ordered salads. Turns out they were out of lettuce so two of us refused the chicken noodle soup. No substition was offered. The main dishes arrived and the food was good but it was already 9:30. Nothing was offered to make this right. Surprisingly poor customer service.
(2)Julie J.
Like Natalie's review below, it has been years since I have been here. It kind of fell off the radar and I have no idea why! The service was great. I love the family atmosphere here. The food was incredible - and then the prices were 30% less than I would expect for that quality of food. Seriously - this place will never fall off the radar again. We had two specials that night: Short Ribs with Canneloni (maybe the best canneloni I have ever had) and the Red Snapper in a lemon piccata with a side of linguine. Perfection! And not to mention the part about rarely finding good, fresh red snapper in the desert... That is one of my favorite fish. So glad it was on special!
(5)Brad H.
If you want a genuine Italian restaurant experience, L'Amore is as good as it gets! It reminds me of places I've been in New York or San Francisco. We had a large party with my wife's parents. my brother-in-law, his husband, and our kids, but that wasn't a problem for them at all. In fact, the service was excellent and extremely friendly from our waiter and even the owner coming by to check on us. The selection of food was excellent and everybody enjoyed their food. I had the cioppino, my kids split a chicken piccatta, and my wife had the chicken marsala. Others had various options. I highly recommend this place for an evening out, and you don't even need to wait for a special occasion, just go if you want a good meal and an enjoyable night.
(5)PJ V.
Very good old school Italian slightly upscale. Good wine selection and very good service. Mussels marinara outstanding as well as their seafood salad loaded with fresh goodness. The waiter was a transplant from Jersey little rough but excellent server! Buon appetito ciao.
(5)Jennifer K.
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday and it was fantastic. It is a step above. The service, atmosphere and especially the food were all amazing. It was an experience, they don't rush you and you are able to enjoy each course. We all had different entrees and they were all delicious. Highly recommend
(5)Gary M.
This is great place to eat whether it's just to get out for a while or to celebrate something. They always have several specials on the wall so you do not need to consider just the menu. Also as other people have said the owner is always making sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The wait staff is also there to make sure you understand the menu and have a good time.
(5)Morgan D.
Um, so I finally found a place to rival Avanti. Finally!!! The owners know what they are doing. If you're not greeted at the door, they'll come around to your table to say hello. They are on top of it. It's the kind of place where you feel like a regular after one visit. We weren't even dressed for it, but decided it's Arizona ... no one really has a dress code. I don't remember what wine we drank, but we killed a bottle pretty quickly. Want to make dinner enjoyable? Drink some damn wine and loosen up. I was so surprised to read that a few people felt out of place here. I have only been once and I was treated like I was their longtime valued customer. It was awesome! I seriously haven't been treated this well at a restaurant since my grandfather was alive. The owner even insisted on refilling our wine after we paid the bill. Come on, you know you'll be back after that. On to the food. This is the ONLY time I have ever liked gnocchi at a restaurant beside's Avanti. This is a huge compliment coming from me. This has never happened. I would never forsake my beloved Avanti ... not until now. Now I have a total of two places in the whole of Arizona acceptable for ordering gnocchi. Thank, god. (Can you say, white girl problems?)
(5)Pooja B.
The owners are make you feel so welcome as do all of the staff. Great food and wine. I recommend the ziti with sausage and the shrimp with black garlic shrimp and sausage.
(5)Trisha T.
I do not know who is cooking here, but what is coming out of that kitchen, is pure magic! I am a foodie. I've been everywhere and every place so I am not easy to impress but I got to admit... I am impressed. I cannot wait to come back, and if i talk too much it may be difficult to get a table next time. So I will just say, it was the most delicious food ever! The mushroom soup was.exquisite. The lemon butter caper grouper was out of this world, and I didnt order the cioppino but i have never seen something so amazing. Chuck full of seefood. My friend LOVED IT! I am really impressed. The service was great by the way. It felt like they were expecting me and i was a vip. Warmly greeted by the owner himself, and what it felt like the wholeteam of waiters, i could not complain.
(5)Scott T.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. From top to bottom this is a class restaurant. The owner is very personable and cares about your experience.
(5)Cara Cunningham C.
Best Lobster Ravioli I have ever had.
(5)Kim C.
This was my third time eating here and by far the best. Everything was perfectly prepared but the best of all was our waiter Sal. He was perfectly attentive without being invasive and made the evening the best ever! Thanks Sal
(5)Matthew K.
Awesome Italian restaurant! Went here with my family and they loved it. Will go back time and time again. Also has specials daily!
(5)Mark H.
With 32 reviews and 4.5 stars I had high hopes. We were sorely disappointed. The Restaurant: Dated decor, Christmas lights everywhere (in Feb). Poor layout. The Drinks: bad wine and poorly made vodka cocktail made this a waste of time. The Food: Mediocre would be a compliment. The ziti and tortellini were terribly underseasoned. The salad was lettuce carrots and oil. Even the bread was subpar. The Service: Our server started off well but went downhill fast. No recommendations, MIA for 20 minutes and taking "the food wasn't too bad" as a compliment made this experience unenjoyable. The Price: There's not much worse than over paying for lackluster food. I can cook better at home. The Verdict: Any other Italian restaurant is a better choice. Pick the next one.
(1)Bad L.
I too bought the coupon from Restaurant.com but haven't been to this restaurant yet. I went here to see the reviews and check out the menu, only to see this point/counterpoint between this patron and the owner. All I can say is WOW!!! Caveat Emptor!! (If you have no clue what I am refering to, scroll down and look at the review from 1/24/11 and the Restaurant's weak reply. It's pretty funny.) UPDATE - MAY 31, 2013 I must admit I went in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder expect this staff to be rude to me. None of that happened! We were overjoyed with our experience. We met the owner, Greg his wife Kim and many of the locals. The food was spectacular, the service was great and all the locals PV folks were fun. This is our new found local Italian restaurant! In addition to all of this the food was spectacular. We had the Caesar salad, linguini and clams and the rigatoni and sausage. If you are tired of the "same-old" at Biltmore or along Camelback, drive a couple of minutes up 32nd street to Lincoln and enjoy this gem! UPDATE - February, 2015 We find ourselves here all the time and while we aren't "regulars" by any means, we are there enough to know the staff. We just love this place. There is no doubt this is a locals place and most of those "locals" are in the 65+-75+ crowd. It gets a little old sometimes for us, but they are still part of the charm of the place. The food is great. We love the linguini clams, the gnocchi, the cappelini with pomodoro sauce, and the lasagna. This is some of the best Italian food in Phoenix.
(5)Susan B.
We love to visit L'Amore for a nice quiet dinner experience. Greg and his staff always provide the best service. Special requests? No problem. Service with a smile! Highly recommend L'Amore.
(5)Lauren E.
Service would normally be better here, but our server was either a bit confused or couldn't hear us? We had some problems communicating with him sometimes. The mussels were good, and the desserts we had were good as well. The seafood salad was very bland, and the cioppino was just okay. All in all, we wouldn't jump to return.
(2)Rich C.
Was in Phoenix on business and found this restaurant to be highly recommended. Went over with some business associates and the food was tremendous. Being from NYC I felt I knew good Italian food, but everything here was perfect. Our waiter "Little Vic" was a good time and the wine he recommended was delicious. Don't forget to try their linguini specialty of the house!
(5)