James L.

Upgrade. After two more trips, you kids are doing it right.

Kari C.

Food averages about 3.5 stars, but service is probably closer to 2. Value is about a 3. Don't go here unless you have a LOT of time on your hands. Read up and see what dishes are recommended. Some dishes are hits, others are misses. We had a 5:45 PM reservation on a Friday night. There was only 1 other family there, with their young daughter immersed in her iPad. Our friend with a toddler wanted good food. This was the restaurant DH chose. They were very accommodating, giving him an extra chair and booster seat. However, the menu isn't very "kid friendly". The menu is broken down into sections and you order each thing separately, "cafeteria style." Kind of nice, since you have more of a choice of sides, but don't be deceived by the seemingly low prices for main dishes. It adds up! We started off with 3 appetizers. Barabieatola (marinated beets with pistachios), were a good deal at $4, since they covered an entire small plate. Taste was very clean with a nicely balanced vinaigrette and olive oil. Pistachios didn't add much to the dish and were a bit hard. Trio de Crostini (3 slices of toasted baguette, one each with chicken liver pâté, pesto, and anchovies on chili butter) wasn't a very good deal at $8, but they were tasty. Arancini (3 saffron sprinkled deep fried spheres topped with grated parmesean) was $9 and you would expect something more substantial, but they were fresh and hot. Our toddler guest loved them enough to eat 2! These things were slightly larger than a doughnut hole with a crisp exterior, soft insides (potato?), and a mystery filling DH said was ragu. Neither one of us detected any saffron flavoring. It wasn't bad, but nothing special, and I wouldn't order then again for $9. They also provided COLD rustic bread that wasn't sliced all the way through. Argh. Yes, I'm a bread snob, but temperature makes a huge difference in how the bread tastes and sets the stage for the rest of the meal. Waiter recommended the Zuppa del Giorno (soup of the day), which was hearty concoction of salumi, kale, and lentils. It had great slow-cooked flavor, but it ain't "fancy food." You could easily make this at home if you had the time. DH really enjoyed it. At $7, it was a decent value and quite filling. DH got the Tagliatelle al sugo (pasta with braised beef and pork), an large appetizer portioned pasta for $15. It was okay, a hair undersalted, but we suspect they did this on purpose so you could load on the parmesan. Better undersalted than oversalted! I overheard the waiter recommending the pork chop to the next table, so I had to order the Braciola di Maiale. Or "Porko di Chop", as I told DH. :) Wow, this was definitely the highlight of the meal. A thick cut, well marbled, Niman Ranch chop, gorgeous crackling sear, tender and juicy in the middle with the perfectly caramelized pearl onion glaze. Wow!! At $18, this seemed like a good deal, but remember, it's just a slab of meat + glaze, no starch or veggies. Our friend got the Spada (swordfish with fennel pine nut topping), $19. She seemed to enjoy it when she wasn't chasing her toddler around. :) I tried her baked Polenta ($6) which was very creamy. Our other sides included Cime di Rapa (broccoli rabe) $6 and Cavolfiore (cauliflower) $6. Broccoli rabe was way too greasy and overcooked to the point of being mushy. Ahhhh!! And they had to top it with parmesan. Just because cheese is good doesn't mean it needs to be sprinkled over everything! We barely touched this dish. The cauliflower was shredded and pan seared to be crunchy. It wasn't recognizable as a veggie. DH thought there was too much going on. It was like eating pan scrapings. I recommend steering clear of these veggies and ordering a salad instead. Our neighboring table had one and it was a decent size and looked very fresh. Other notes: Comfortable, "local place" ambiance, upscale rustic bar/grill. Kitchen is open, so if you sit too close to the grill, you might end up with some smokiness. It gets very loud as the place got busier and we had a hard time holding a conversation. Also, we had a really long wait to get service, our check, and our food packed. We would definitely go back if we were in the neighborhood. I'd get a salad and the pork chop, please. :)

Mateo L.

Good lord. I never thought it was possible in the U.S. to find food as good as what's on offer in Orvieto or Lucca or Firenze - but man, Trattoria Corso disabused me of that illusion. This is the best Italian food I've had this side of Lazio, and I speak as someone who's wife grew up in Lazio and knows a thing or two about the topic ... Homemade taggliatelle ... superb. The canneloni? What a freakin' miracle, unbelievable. We also had some kind of trout salad thing that was off the charts. And the service was as friendly as you could ask for. I suppose this is what happens when you blend real, old-world, Italian "slow food" principles with fresh-from-the-garden Gourmet Ghetto sensibility. Go. Just ... go.

Jessica C.

Comfort gourmet Italian food. What more could one ask for? Butter chicken... delicious salads... homemade pasta... really great wine selection... always such a wonderful treat coming here. Don't think twice, make a reservation!

T W.

Friend offered to take the baby: ergo, impromptu date night! Where to go? What to do?! Pizzaiolo- haven't been there in a while. Drat- closed on Sundays Emilia's- been wanting to go there- Yelp mobile says it's open- let's go! Foiled again- also closed! Plan C? Our mainstay, Corso. So we get a table quickly (6:15 seating or so, so we can catch a movie, uh, in the theatre). We decide to make a flight of Prosecco (waiter says, "Ah, what's the occasion?" We say with a smile, "We don't need no stinkin' 'casion for bubbly!"): a dark sweet one, a dry white one, and a Goldilocks just right rosé one. Then, not on the menu, Fried Chicken, massaged in a brine of buttermilk and what else... jojoba oil? it was so tender... can't remember. Served with truffle infused honey. So good! Sides and starter: Escarole with italian butter beans (big 'uns), pancetta Spinach sauteed in garlic and spices with, dare I say, a slight "wok-ay*" taste Red mustard greens salad with beets, pistachio, mint, frisée and a mild ricotta Finish: pana cotta. All our plates? Licked clean. Mi piace Corso! *Cantonese term describing the slightly smokey, burnt taste of something wok fried.

K. M.

This place was recommended to us, we wanted a nice place to go for our anniversary. Make reservations! We did, and were glad because we were the second people in at opening time 5pm, and were told that they were busy, and the host asked if we had reservations. He was not very polite about it either. We were seated and brought "filtered" water. The atmosphere is nice. The wait staff seemed nice too. I ordered the Tagliatelle and he ordered Spaghetti "Norma". We shared the polenta. Neither of us are drinkers so I had the house made lemonade-very tangy, and he had a vanilla soda. They were good. The Tagliatelle came and had a braised beef and pork sauce. The meat is ground very finely and enhances the light, wine-flavored sauce. I liked it, a lot. The Spaghetti "Norma" is tomatoes, eggplant (thought he eggplant is hard to find), chili flakes, basil, garlic, ricotta, parmigiano. It is a creamy sauce that has wonderful flavor. Those afraid of eggplant need not worry. The Polenta al forno con mascarpone-wow, it was creamy-deliciousness. The entrees came in at 15 a piece and the polenta was 7. Our drinks were 3 and 2.5 respectively. Don't come here expecting Americanized large portions either. This place was fantastic and seemed like the real deal.

Alli Q.

My boyfriend and I went to Corso for a Berkeley-fancy dinner last Friday night. Luckily, we called ahead of time to ask for the wait time for two (there's always a wait for this place!). Despite the 30min-1hr wait time for a table, the man who answered the phone offered to save us two seats at the bar that were about to be free. SO AMAZING of him. I found that service at the bar was just as fantastic. We ordered the Tagliatelle al sugo and Maccheroni alla chitarra. Both were good but our favorite was the Maccheroni alla chitarra. Despite the seemingly fair prices, we were a bit disappointed to find that the portions were incredibly small. If you're hungry and planning on dining here, be warned that a pasta dish probably won't be enough to fill you up.

James M.

Went here for dinner and tried their butter chicken (sorry, the name escapes me) and it was so juicy and perfectly cooked. The ambiance here is a little more casual than most Italian restaurants. I also tried their spaghetti with beef and pork, which was packed with flavor. The polenta and lasagna were okay. The service was lovely as well so it's a pretty nice restaurant to spend with loved ones.

B C.

We arrived at SFO around 5:30, checked in at our hotel by 7:00, and didn't get out to eat until 8:30. By that point we worried that we had missed our chance to get a quality dinner in Berkeley and we would be forced into grabbing pub grub or pizza. We got more optimistic when we saw the lights still on at Corso and there were a handful of tables just starting their meals inside. The hostess seemed genuinely happy to seat us, despite our late arrival, and the cooks in fully exposed kitchen area were apparently having a good and busy time prepping several plates. Our waiter arrived quickly and politely, willing to answer all of our questions with detailed answers about the menu. One of the best things at this restaurant is that they have a wide range of food options available for both vegetarians and meat lovers, and they don't sacrifice quality for quantity. I ordered the duck and a rugula salad. The duck was appropriately cooked to achieve a nice texture and it was full of a zesty flavor. All around, this restaurant was a pleasant experience that left us full and in a good mood. I would recommend it, especially if you have a group that includes a diverse range of food preferences, because they have something for everyone.

Alanna R.

Food is not worth the money. Service is lacking, manager/ owner woman is pretentious and annoying

Alannah L.

I recently went to Corso with my boyfriend and his parents who were visiting town. Service/First impressions: Both myself and my boyfriend's mother have spent time living in Italy so we were impressed when we sat down and saw the menu had mostly italian dish titles and was divided into typical italian courses (primi, secondi, etc). But, it was kind of a strange experience. Upon looking at the menu more closely, the types of dishes offered for each course didn't follow traditional italian servings. Our waiter was nice, but didn't seem to be able to offer much advice on the wines when we asked. He also spoke with an accent but said he was not Italian and actually from the Bay Area, which was a bit confusing. Overall his service was satisfactory though. Food: Our appetizer (the cured meats plate) was excellent and authentic (including prosciutto, mortadella and more). As for main dishes, I got the spaghetti with sardines. Normally I'm one of those weird people who really likes sardines. But my spaghetti had way too many in it, so many they were overwhelming the other flavors, including the capers. I couldn't even finish my plate. My boyfriend got linguine with a Bolognese sauce, but there was hardly any sauce and mostly just mushy meat that was supposed to act as sauce. It was just too meaty for him and he couldn't finish it. His mother got the meatballs and those were absolutely excellent. His father got the Lasagne and seemed pretty satisfied. And our desserts were excellent! The gelato isn't authentic gelato, more like softened ice cream, but it was still very good. The flour less cake is super rich but in a reasonable portion and absolutely delicious! Overall: I might go back some time, but I'm not sure the food there is worth the cost. Maybe I'd go back just for desserts.

Jenny L.

This was the middle of a very epic date. Epic meaning I think it lasted over eight hours. But I digress. We didn't know when we were going to end up hungry, so we took a shot and did not make reservations. On a Thursday night. Before a long holiday (late review, I know). Yes, we're bold like that. Luckily, there were two seats open at the bar. Franc the bartender (short for Francis, pronounced Frank) promptly told us the specials, in addition to all the nooks and crannies of the restaurant. I felt like we were being led into a secret society of good food, and got the warm and fuzzy feeling from the get-go. But maybe it was from the glass of bubbly. I love beef. Not like, love. So we started with the carpaccio. Off the specials, we had the sugo (pasta sauce made with dried pork cheek). And then, we debated between the rabbit and the duck for a long, long time. Franc said the duck. Good choice. To balance out all the meat, we ordered a side of spinach.

Amiee H.

Food: 1) Trio of pate, anchovies, and mushroom appetizer: good presentation, three thinly sliced well toasted pieces of bread with one being spread with pate, one with anchovies and one with mushrooms. The pate and the mushrooms were pretty good but the anchovies were TOO salty. I think it was probably my whole day's worth of sodium right there. 2) Arugula salad with pine nuts: pretty tasty, made with fresh ingredients. The pine nuts were a nice touch. 3) Pork Roast: A HUGE healthy cut of pork roast that looked like prime rib but it was made from pork instead. It was really tasty, well marinated and tender but it was just too fatty. I think 65% of the cut was from fat. 4) Stuffed cannelloni: Great sauce with really tasty ricotta cheese stuffing! I think the best dish of the night! Ambiance: More romantic, dim lighting type setting. It's pretty loud so it's hard to have a convo going. But it's very nice ambiance overall. Price: Moderate-pricey but based on the quality, it was pretty good. Service: Could have been more attentive to our needs, we had to really try to get their attention a few times to get a few things...border-lining neglectful. Overall: Pretty nice, I would come back based on the food.

Kian D.

Two stars for solid enticing menu and same night reservations Plus one star for clean and thoughtful restaurant One star lost for little parking and no candles I'm sorry but I need to park and walk my woman from the car to the door, and take her to an Italian restaurant with candles. Good service when not busy and definitely anniversary prices...

Rachel W.

Amazing meal. The polenta was to die for.

Aliyah H.

Omg! Amazing Italian food!! Very vegetarian friendly too.. Small plates but pastas are rich. veggie sides are plentiful. Intimate setting and great place to have a drink with dinner! But definitely make a reservation., I went on a Monday night and there was a line out the door!

Rachel J.

It's hard not to get excited for delicious, authentic Italian. We arrived during a torrential downpour, eager to escape the wet and cold. The ambiance was cozy and intimate, and the rain pounded on the roof. We happily settled into our corner. The soup of the day, a creamy celery mushroom dish, was delicious. And very creamy. And did I mention the cream? I was really excited to try the trout, served pan-roasted and almond crusted with a bread crumb "salsa" and white wine butter sauce. To put it more simply: the fish is halved, served skin-side-up, and smothered with deep-fried breadcrumbs and a plate of butter. So much butter my arteries involuntarily clogged as I chewed. I love fish, but this dish was so heavy I couldn't finish it. My dining partner had the crab-stuffed ravioli and had the opposite problem - only 3 pieces of pasta in the bowl. He deemed them delicious but wished there were more. Luckily we ordered Brussels sprouts to round out our meal. They're delicious, soaked in chicken stock, garlic and chili flakes, and have a little kick. Dessert would have been great had they left off most of the sugar - and this is coming from a girl with a sweet tooth! The lovely chocolate cake was smothered in so much caramel, chocolate sauce and whipped cream that it actually took away from the flavors of the cake buried underneath. We scraped off all the gunk to get to the good stuff. Had our meal had just a little less grease, butter, and/or sugar, we would've been much happier with the food - which, in truth, didn't need all that extra stuff to taste good. That said, we enjoyed the warm ambiance, the friendly service, and the first few bites of food were intensely satisfying.

Wendy B.

Outstanding meal. They make simple food AMAZING! Every dish was delicious. Nice ambiance. Good service. Ever so slightly rushed, but not a big deal. Highly recommend.

David Z.

Went there with my wife for our anniversary this past weekend. Great neighborhood Italian restaurant. I'm not sure who seated us (seemed like the owner) but he brought over two glasses of champagne which was a nice gesture. The food is Northern Italian. Very tasty and reasonably priced. Warm atmosphere. My rating is based on comparably priced Italian restaurants. I had the braised pork ribs and my wife had the Chilean sea bass. Entree along with salad, some appetizers, side dish and another glass of champagne came in around $90 or so. Would definitely recommend.

Abiud A.

I do not understand how this place could be one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. Surely the reviewer must have been starving. For the price you can do a lot better by going to Chez Panise Cafe. The food was uninspired. The menu is inflexible and also insanely expensive for the quality and the quantity of food. (To expand on an old joke, if you are going to give me food that is okay at least give me lots of it.)

Jennifer M.

I think Corso is solid, but I think they either have to lower their prices, or step it up a bit to compete with the other great restaurants in the East Bay. I agree with one reviewer that for the price, there may be slightly better options. That being said, I have enjoyed each meal I've had here, but they haven't been extremely memorable. The service has always been good, and I haven't ever had a problem getting a table within a reasonable amount of time. I recommend giving this place a try, but I do think it has tough competition.

Julia S.

Wonderful Italian service and food. The anchovy went well with the Pâté do pegatini di pollo. The richness of the chicken liver pate was perfectly paired with the Cabernet wine. The Trippa alla Forentina tripe was tender and nicely flavored with the spicy tomato. The Zuppa di giorno was hearty and tasty and the cranberry beans were surprisingly favorable. Also had the Palenta al for no con mascarpone which was cooked to perfection with this wonderful crisp parmigiana crust encasing the soft palenta. Finished with the Pennecotta which was smooth with a wonderfully subtle lemon flavor. Very attentive servers and large wine selection. The server effectively suggested several varietals to accompany the dishes. A must return and anxious to try the other entrees.

Ray B.

Very, very delicious food. It has been a while since I've eaten something memorable. I had the panfried fish with tomato & green olive ragu: was rather simple in ingredients, but wowza was scrumptious. A companion had the braised & pan seared duck leg with white wine jus: again rather simple in ingredients, but the crispy skin + the falling apart meat embalmed in this sweet/sour broth was just amazing Great atmosphere, attentive service, affordable, and excellent food. What more can you ask for? Will definitely be coming back soon.

Anna S.

Great Italian food. I have lived in Italy for several years and I am surprised they make such an authentic food without any Italian working there! The tagliatelle were excellent.

John H.

My friend and I both had the Sugo. Both were overly salty! It's just pasta with minced meat. Nothing special. The stuffed gypsy peppers, excellent. Had to get 2. Romanesco, very good. Wish we had gotten 2 as well. This place was also very smokey. Their hood doesn't keep up with the amount of smoke their chefs like to generate. We walked out of there wearing the resturant.

Steve G.

went last night as a family. Everything we ate was terrific. The fried artichoke appetizer was great. Great place to order several dishes and share.

R A.

Seriously can't take an italian place seriously if they do not offer unlimited bread. With that being said, came here on a Saturday around 5:30, literally my group was the first there once they opened. Apparently they have a new menu every night, so it's kind of pointless to explain what I got. Run-down: Food is good but you get REALLY small portions for a HEAVY price. Just ask for more bread if you want it, but if you get a shitty server like we did who won;t give you any, just ask another server lol.

Elizabeth R.

A lovely place to go with several others in order to share the interesting, unique treatments of northern Italian cuisine. Everything was delicious and interestingly prepared. The service was wonderful and patient even though the room was packed and we kept changing our minds on what to order - mostly because we wanted everything! My favorites were the Tuscan Kale and the Braised Beef but that's only because we had so many delicious dishes that I can't remember them all. We ate everything, we left nothing on our plates. It was a lovely dining evening. I would say make a reservation if you're going on the weekend - which I hope I get to do again sometime soon.

Kristen S.

Trattoria Corso was one of the more unpleasant meal experiences I've had based off of the food. After seeing the reviews on Yelp, I was so excited to come here but left feeling severely disappointed. The table next to us, upon hearing that it was first time here, mentioned how delicious the food is and how they always come to Corso for the chicken. Unfortunately we didn't order the chicken. However, we did order 13 dishes so it's unfortunate that so many were misses. It definitely feels like if you know what to order, the meal experience could be a really great one, but a restaurant should not be like that. From the antipasti sections, the carote (marinated spring carrots, mint, parsley, chili flakes) were ok. The pate di fegatini di pollo (Tuscan chicken liver pate, sage, capers, anchovy) had a very off-putting and weird taste to it; the liver itself was very mild and barely detectable. The Gamberi (grilled shrimp, chili oil, parsley) had such potential and could have been great, but there was a strange metallic aftertaste (almost as if it had been burnt or absorbed lighter fluid) that made this dish virtually inedible. However, there were a few good bites. The salumi platter was good and I had no complaints there! The Crostini (Penn Cove mussel ragu, parsley, chili flakes, olive oil, lemon) was absolutely delicious - being the first bite I had at Corso, my expectations rose and were quickly shattered. From the primi sections, the trippa alla florentina (tripe, pancetta, spicy tomato, Parmigiano, mint) was successful but not outstanding. The cavatelli (garlic pork sausage, kale, Gaeta olives, Parmigiano) was absolutely delicious - creamy white sauce, perfectly cooked pasta, delicious kale and sausage. If every dish was like the cavatelli and crostini, this would be an amazing restaurant. Unfortunately the funghi e polenta (ragu of wild mushrooms, creamy polenta), while having a nice polenta base, suffered from an unpleasantly sour mushroom sauce that overpowered everything. I would have liked more fresher and natural tasting mushrooms instead of the sourness. The most disappointing dish of the night, however, is the tagliatelle al sugo (braised beef and pork). To put it nicely, the meat tasted like hamburger helper. We each took one bite and unfortunately could not finish it. This is one of the worst-tasting dishes, especially after the resounding success of the cavatelli dish. It's hard to believe that these two dishes came from the same kitchen. As for the sides, nothing to complain about - the potatoes were super crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with a delicious aioli. The asparagus were good as well. Desserts too were fine - affogato was good and the vanilla panna cotta was nice with some spicy black pepper to balance the sweetness of the vanilla and the figs. I'm not sure why these dishes were so inconsistent - we did try a good part of the menu as well. I think Corso does have potential - there were some really standout dishes here but there were also dishes that just completely failed as well or suffered from technical errors. Unfortunately I wished that I said something to the manager, but then again, it's difficult to just say "this dish is absolutely terrible, especially in comparison to this other dish" - I definitely hate making a scene. I have hope for Corso though; I don't like giving out negative reviews and I hope that I would be able to go back to Corso for a restaurant that is worthy of its 4-star aggregate on Yelp and that produces all its dishes at the same quality of the Crostini and cavatelli.

Stephen G.

Had a very mixed experience at Corso. We ordered steaks and salads, which were superb. 24-ounce T-bones which were cooked and flavored to perfection. Really among the best steaks I've ever had - which they should be, at $46 per pop. Salads not quite as noteworthy, but also excellent. But boy, was the service lousy. The initial server/waiter took about 20 minutes to get to our table to take drink orders, then returned about every five minutes three times (including a couple of times before we'd even gotten our drinks) to ask us whether we wanted to order our meals. We finally asked him to hold off until a little while we had a chance to at least start enjoying our drinks. I'll give the guy the benefit of the doubt and say he wasn't intentionally rushing us. But either way, it was poor service. Oddly, then another waiter took over and was the one to take our orders. He was more affable and polished. But he repeatedly pushed the most expensive wines on the menu, as well as a $34 bottle of beer. (Interesting to see that another recent reviewer had a similar experience with a pushy waiter. Perhaps the same guy?) He also pushed us to go for bigger quantities of each - a half bottle rather than a glass at one point, for example. On top of this, the wines he did recommend were pretty mediocre (though that's not necessarily his fault). There was also a few other glitches in the service, such as forgotten items, but enough said about all that. So for the food I'd give this restaurant five stars. For the service, one.

Melanie C.

It's always nice to have a top-quality Italian restaurant in your neighborhood. Not just great quality "crowd-pleaser" Italian, but like you would find in a nice restaurant in Italy. Really friendly servers and great bartenders. Love the Italian movies with closed captions on in the bar area, so you can actually follow along. Molto buono all around!

A H.

Went here a few months ago and everything was delicious. Can get noisy, but service was exceptional, especially for this price point. Waiter and server were very professional. Looking forward to coming back. Update: I've been back a few times since my original review and the food is much the same, but the service from the hosts was abysmal. Somehow my my reservation got screwed up which was my fault, but the hosts were very accusatory, then the two hosts just stood there in silence and stared at us. After about 20 seconds of awkwardness we just decided to leave. They should have said please wait for a table, or that we are very busy tonight and we don't have any tables and that we're sorry. Another time after bringing an out of towner here for dinner we felt like they were upselling drinks and when we didn't order any we sensed that the waiter wanted to turn the table over quickly. We were in-out in less than an hour, so it's not like we were overstaying our welcome. We love the food, but after multiple service problems, we don't feel welcome here and therefore will not be returning.

Catherine S.

Corso is a perennial favorite of mine. While I've eaten there many times and always enjoy myself, everything I had last night was just fantastic. Sat at the counter & shared a fun meal and great wine with friends. Love the people in the kitchen too, Michael always takes care of me. Always get some nibbles and a salad to start, and the pastas are a must - the creamy gnudi w/ fennel and smoked tuna penne were both fantastic. Save room for the chicken and don't leave without some panna cotta. With a relaxed ease and sophisticated palate.. perfection.

Nigel G.

I've lived in Berkeley for 25 years and can't believe I didn't know this place. It has to be the best Italian restaurant in the East Bay. I ate and drank things I haven't had since I visited Tuscany. I'm not usually a fan of Italian wine, but the Valpolicello was excellent. So was the trippa (tripe). And the house-made limoncello that drowned the gelato was out of this world. The ambience was noisy and happy, the price was reasonable. The only let-down was the bread and olive oil. I returned yesterday, May, 2015, and what a change! Maybe there's been a change of management. The entree menu was pathetic. Very short, and very limited in variety. To make matters worse, the two fish dishes and the veal were unavailable. The dessert menu was fine if you like gelato. If not, bad luck. More by luck than anything else, I managed to have a decent meal. My companions didn't. You can eat at the far superior Chez Panisse Cafe for similar prices, and if I get a repeat of this experience, I'll cross Trattoria Corso off my list.

Bill H.

Given the crowds and the prices, I wouldn't necessary recommend Corso, (or give it four stars) as a dinner destination. I stopped by for a cappuccino , dessert, and a glass of wine, we were thoroughly impressed. The cappuccino was a great value, served in a large cup with lots of wet foam. My date and I shared the homemade frozen custard, which we found to have the right amount of sweetness, and was balanced nicely by the hazelnuts served on the side. We also split a glass of muscat with the custard (which was $4 or $5 dollars, in contrast with the rather pricey wine list). The dinner menu looked interesting, but I'm deterred from dining here by the high prices. Given, too, that the restaurant is relatively loud, I don't know if I'd visit for a full meal.

Tammy S.

I don't see how you could give this place less than 3 stars! This place is top notch, from the service to the food. We had the Burrata to start which was good. Not as good as some of the reviews here, but still good for what it was. S.O. had the Sformatino, and omg - it was so savory delicious. The stars were the pastas - he had the tagliatelle and I had the gnocci. Both were perfection and the gnocci were like little light fulffy pillows of heaven in your mouth. For dessert, we each had an affogato. One of the best I've had in the Bay Area. You can't go wrong here - this is fine dining at it's best. Maybe if you are expecting a lower end italian restaurant the prices might seem high to you (although I'm not sure how with most entrees around $10-$12), but Roscoe has another winner IMHO. Maybe I am biased because Rivoli is my favorite restaurant, too. The staff/chefs are phenomenal, too. Try it, you'll love it!

Matt K.

This is an excellent date spot - great, intimate ambiance, but still busy and fun. The service was good and attentive, although the waiter was not subtle about leveraging the date to upsell everything... One pasta order turned to two; wine to complement the dish; etc. The mista salad was nothing special, but the mushroom antipasti was, and the pastas were exceptional, especially the fig and cream fettuccine. I highly recommend the flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

Ann L.

I've been wanting to try Trattoria Corso for awhile and finally we tried it. Didn't have reservations and there were plenty of empty tables the hostess said we could sit by the kitchen or the bar. Kitchen area probably too hot, so picked the bar. FREE bread if you want. It's from Acme Breads, made in Berkeley. 5 small slices w/ some butter. Fine. FREE tap water given in carafe. Food we got: Burrata $12. Website said menu is current, but it isn't. Price on website is $9!! Our burrata had asparagus & hazelnut which the online doesn't mention. I thought the burrata wasn't that great, small blob, plus expensive. Best I've had is at A-16 in SF. Website said they have Coda di Bue $16 - braised oxtail. No oxtail on Sat 4/17/10. Faked out. Trippa alla Fiorentine $7 - price is correct. Dish is ok. Someone blogged it's something to not miss, nothing really special to me. Tripe was tender enough, cannellini beans-fine, spicy tomato broth - didn't think so. Margherita pizza $9 - price is correct. Pizza isn't very good here. Very salty & small. 8 small slices. Subtotal $28 + $2.73 tax = $30.73 before tip. NOTE: Don't let anyone take your food you want boxed up. I had 2 slices of pizza left & 2 crust. Didn't check when I got it back, but B. said when he got my leftover it was only a tiny square of a slice left & 1 crust, so someone ate a slice & crust!! One unisex bathroom in the back by the bar. I don't recommend this place.

Kenneth R.

I still love this place but want to issue a warning: don't come here for the pizza. Just don't: they took out the pizza ovens two weeks ago -- no more pizza on the menu! The justification for the change is basically that the ovens took up too much space, at least relative to the number of pizzas that people were ordering. The reclaimed space will be used for additional salumi-making. I'm a big fan of the tripe, which I eat with lots of chili flakes sprinkled on top. Thumbs up on that dish!

Anton P.

Any reviews giving Corso less than five stars have been written by bay area residents who are thoroughly spoiled when it comes to food. I would give my left nut to live within walking distance of this place. (But not my right. There are limits.) If I were you, I'd make a reservation, regardless of the night. I'd get a carafe or a bottle of any wine they offer. I'd split an antipasto, such as the killer, deep fried Arancini. I'd split a pasta, ideally a non-meat ravioli. I'd split a Secondi. My aortic valve regrets to inform you that the tastiest thing on the menu is the chicken in brown butter cribbed from Trattoria Sostanza in Florence (served in a pan, with the chicken not just swimming but breast stroking in butter--982 calories and 80g fat according to the recipe found on the SF Chronicle website). And I'd split a dessert. If you don't feel a deep sense of well being after all that, I feel sorry for you. You must need to make some serious changes in your life. We used to go to the Chez Panisse Cafe on each Berkeley trip. Now we go to Corso.

pam f.

What a disappointment. The pasta was so salty - both dishes, the spaghetti and the tagliatelle - it was barely edible. (I had to switch with my spouse and break my rule against eating beef sauce, otherwise I would have eaten nothing.) Small portions too for $15. The house wine was ok for $18 for 500ml. Sitting near the open kitchen means you get bright, bright lights in your eyes. The welcome we received was pretty anemic, but the server was attentive. Needless to say we won't be back.

Brad J.

Salt-bomb food. I had the special, a pigeon arborio dish. Way over-salted. GF had something off the menu. Way over salted. You'll find other reviewers say the same thing. We were thinking of going back, but the first experience was so pedestrian (and a horrible deal for the $$) that we're not going to bother.

Steve L.

So, I waited to write this review until after I had been to this spot a couple of times. The first time I went we sat at the counter by the kitchen. My meal was delicious and the service was good (likely because I was in eye shot of the kitchen). I would have given it 4 stars that time. We went again last night. We made reservations and had a great seat right by the window. The best way that I can describe the service we received is in three ways...1) the waiter acted as if he could care less to take care of us...2) the bus boy gave us better service than our waiter did (for which I gave a cash tip to our bus boy!)...and 3) the most attentive our waiter was to us was when he brought our check, took our payment and returned the receipt for us to sign - he was lickety split then! The food was good, but the portion sizes were miniscule. I think I probably had about 1 CUP of pasta in my main dish...which was a pasta dish. The chicken that my partner ordered was a smallish breast, cooked in two sticks of butter (the waiter was proud to share!) and served in a metal pan. While the presentation was novel and a little rustic, the single $17 chicken breast seemed completely over priced for what you got. The two of us left the restaurant $75 lighter and still hungry. Needless to say, I don't think we'll be returning any time soon. In fact, I know we won't.

Sean D.

I walked in off the street at 9 on a Wednesday night and the place was full. Good sign! I had a table after a short wait, but this tells me if you want to eat earlier or on weekends, you'd better investigate reservations. The service was fantastic. My waiter was helpful about the wine list and menu, and the food was brought out fast. They ran out of an ingredient just after we ordered and followed up with us immediately. The food was very good. I had pappardelle and ragu, branzino, and crostini. If you don't like STRONG flavors, however, you may have a very different experience. We finished with affogato - I am sure a fine specimen of the genre, but it was my first so I wouldn't know!

Marienna M.

Had a great anniversary dinner here this week. We walked Shattuck without any idea of where we wanted to go, but Corso seemed popular and the menu looked interesting. Luckily we were able to get a table without a reservation, but I would definitely call ahead if I were going on a weekend. The service was just right - helpful and attentive without being overbearing or obnoxious. Our server helped me choose a wine according to my taste, and I thought the wine list was extensive and well-priced overall. They were out of pappardelle for my pasta dish (not a big deal, especially since we came in close to closing time), but the manager offered to have it made with a similar pasta and it turned out great. Portions are not huge, which is perfect for me but might be a downside for someone with a big appetite. There were several other things on the menu that I'd like to try, especially the salads and sides. Ambiance is very nice. Definitely a feeling that everyone was having a good time.

Thomas V.

After reading through a few reviews, I felt that I had to respond. Corso is my wife and I's GO TO restaurant in the neighborhood. Why? Because it is the closest thing to real authentic Italian food we have found in the Bay Area. I read complaints in other reviews about portion size and the lack of amount of ingredients and the level of seasoning. Corso's food is CONSISTENTLY good. I wonder if those other reviewers' point of reference is Italian-AMERICAN food. There's a world of difference. I always end a meal here feeling great and light. I've had one of the most BALANCED meals in my life here. Every person I have ever taken here whose palate I respect has always raved about this place as well. That includes a very refined and good friend from Tuscany. The al sugo is the best I've had outside of Milan. Another favorite is the gamberi. The staff is professional and the right level of attentive. This includes the hosts, wait staff, bartenders and other support staff. The restaurant has good energy and is festively loud in a very civilized fun way.

Jennifer W.

I like Corso Trattoria. These are the kinds of restaurants I'm into. I like the atmosphere. I like the open kitchen. I like the community table. I like the bar seating. I like the good service. Yet, they didn't quite hit the mark on the food. I had the uova in camicia, which was delightful, but not not impressive. The poached egg was a bit overcooked and the cream sauce inhibited me to taste the smokiness of the pancetta. I would definitely come back here for dinner, when there are more colorful and complex items on the menu. Of course, I would have to try the panna cotta next time too.

Rich H.

Upgrading to 5* since I find myself going here all the time for: --very good food --good service --very good prices (decent, less than $30 wine) --noise level under control for some time now Parking is still challenging. Too bad no lunch anymore. Oh well.

Tiger P.

We've eaten takeout from Corso before and loved it, which is what earns them 2 stars -- the butter chicken was to die for, the vegetables all nicely cooked (sometimes a little on the spicy side for me but always delicious). Tonight we had a rotten experience with them, though: very unlike the friendly, pleasant phone manner of the people we've talked to there before, tonight I called around 5:30 as we usually do so as not to inconvenience restaurants at their busiest times, and got a young woman who was very obviously unhappy to take an order from me and then at the end put me on hold for quite a while and came back to tell me very coldly "I can't do that. The kitchen's backed up." Just such a snotty tone and unexpected answer, not apologetic, and no suggestion of trying again or anything. Really disappointing and left us soured on Corso entirely.

Soo Jung R.

So, I was at Corso again for yesterday dinner - and I had their specials which was Gnocchi. It was pretty good, the softest gnocchi i've ever had. The experience was fun because I sat at the counter. Although, I think i'll remain a fan of their Pollo and their linguine (with clams). Those two are just my two favorite dishes. Service was much better than the last time I went, it was the guy with slightly curly hair and glasses - he's served us before and he's real nice. My friend loved her tagliatelle and the rucola salad, as well as the atmosphere. Hence, the upgrade to 4stars! Yey! Can't wait to go back.

Yushan K.

Ok obviously if you go here on a gift certificate, you're gonna love it. I loved it. Simple elegant interiors, great service, delicious food. As soon as we sat down, less than a minute passed before someone brought us menus, water, and bread. The bread I didn't care for (not fresh and soft), but that was the only low point of the meal. We started with the crostini appetizer: one mushroom, one chicken liver pate, and one creamy one (bean or cheese maybe? could'n't tell) that is a perfect size for 2-3 to share. Next came our bollito misto and tagliatelle plates. Both were so delicious, and well-proportioned. My bollito had the most amazingly delicious sauce that I kind wish the dish included more crostinis to dip in! Also got a side of spinach, which was cooked just right. All paired with one of the 500 mL reds - perfect size for 2 people. Finished off with the gelato topped with espresso and bourbon, and killed off the rest of the gift certificate! I thank my benefactors.

Kenny Y.

Extremely noisy, service marginal. Dishes okay. A grade of C+ to B-.

Bill T.

Good ambiance. The food is just Ok, nothing special or great. The price is very fair and not too expensive.

Lee H.

I've been curious about this spot since my in-laws first started talking about it after it opened last year. We finally had the chance to form our own opinion for ourselves this past Friday evening. The space has been transformed from the former inhabitant, Phoenix. It feels so much more open now. The cocktail list is accompanied by a lively bar scene, even though it's a tiny bar area that isn't separate from the dining area. The Campari Nobile was a fantastic blend of Hangar One raspberry, house made limoncello with just the right hint of Campari to give it a nice bitter edge. The carpaccio was served with arugula, shaved parmesan, capers and just the right drizzle of what tasted to be high quality olive oil. The Lattuga Romana had a lovely description and I was expecting a salad to match. However, what I was served was a basic Caesar salad with boring dressing, despite what was promised on the menu. I think I was burned a second time based with the menu description. The Panzotti promised to be raviolis with ricotta, nettles and spring vegetables. What I was served was a square, crepe-like item that didn't resemble pasta dough and had been pan fried and dredged in a large amount of oil. The filling was ricotta and the topping of nettles and fresh peas were great, but it wasn't the ravioli I was expecting. My husband's pasta with clams was ok, nothing out of this world. I thought the broth was flavorful and proved to be great for dipping bread. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina for which this place is known was a real treat. I'm not a huge steak connoisseur, however, both my father in law and husband claimed that it was well seasoned steak that stood on its own as far as flavor and didn't need any type of sauce and was cooked to perfection. It was a HUGE piece of meat that they both devoured, leaving a perfectly shaped T-bone for us to box up and take to a friend's dog. My mother in law had the fish of the day which had amazing flavor and was well cooked, although it was swimming in oil, which left me feeling rather unhealthy, but nonetheless, it was a tasty piece of fish. Corso seems to have its hits and misses. I expect a place that made the Top 100 list to have consistently good food across the menu, not just a few standouts. Disappointed? Yes.

Gus W.

I hosted a meal for a party of six at Corso. Originally I was going to go to the more famous restaurant in Berkeley down the street on Shattuck but settled on Corso at the urging of a friend who lives in the area. Was I glad! My clients are world-class food and wine aficionados and I have to be honest that I was feeling a lot of pressure to deliver a good meal. I called ahead and made arrangements with Corso and they couldn't have been nicer. The setting is relaxed and comfortable. The hosts and servers were all very friendly. Then the meal began! We had an assortment of their in-house made Salumi with Prosecco Ruggi. It was followed by what everyone at the table said was the "best salad they have ever had" Barbabietola paired with a bottle of Roero Arneis from Piedmont, (I would go back just for this dish alone and the next course), then potato gnnochi with figs, cream, chili and lemon and a Soave Classico, followed by pancetta wrapped halibut paired with Etna Rosso , Panna Cotta paired with Marsala Pellegrini and Grappa, biscotti and espresso. Everyone in the party raved about the meal that evening and the next day. I got several emails and a letter this past week all talking about the dinner and the extraordinary pairings of wines. This was easily one of the very best meals I have ever had in the Bay Area. I can't wait to go back.

Luke P.

Wow. I could go on and on about what to try and what was what but the honest to goodness truth is OMG, everything was fantastic. Don't leave without having at least one bite of the butter-roasted chicken with lemon (if you don't order it yourself, make sure a dining companion does) and also treat yourself to a cherry gelato sundae. The reason for 4 stars.... service was a bit off (though I chalk it up to our server having a trainee shadowing him). This is a fantastic addition to Berkeley dining.

Jennifer C.

I don't like writing bad reviews, but I really wasn't impressed with my experience at Corso. I couldn't shake the feeling that this place was inauthentic, and trying to hard. The menu tries to be too elevated for the quality of the restaurant, resulting in a lot of unappetizing dishes. I would say that Corso is heavy handed in its flavors, and too light-handed with the portions. My gnocchi dish had about 10 gnocchi, which would be ok if they were the more dense, filling kind, but they weren't. My husband had about one small handful of pasta, and was still very hugnry after his $15 pasta dish. We also got brussel sprouts and potatoes, both waaaay over-seasoned. The service also leaves A LOT to be desired. I shouldn't have to ask for my waitress to come over and answer questions about the menu. I also shouldn't have to ask for a water refill, or for parmasean cheese, or for pepper. But we did, because nobody offered. Also, for the price point, get some freshly shaved parmasean and freshly ground black pepper. I was not impressed with the Kraft crap that was served after hailing down a bus boy. Anyways, won't be going back.

Laura B.

Great food. Agree with comments that portions are on the small side, though if you order a salad, primi, secondi and contorni as well as dessert is it enough to share between two people. Only complaint was the broccoli rabe was charred/over cooked.

Jessica F.

Just a wonderful, classy Italian bistro that is not too fussy but delivers excellent, fresh Italian cuisine. Hands down my fave restaurant in Berkeley

cynthia a.

Went to Corso for dinner on 4/1/11 I should have known better, the person who recommended Corso to me is an ex-boss whom is completely devoid of taste when it comes to aesthetics, and as I now know when it comes to food as well. There really was nothing special or even worth revisiting about this place. Here's the rundown of what we had: Apps: Burrata was fine, not super creamy but good, and the onions were very sweet, almost too much so. The house salmui was very fatty and lacking spice. Pastas: The tagliatelle was ok, but the braised beef/pork sauce seemed under cooked with overly firm carrots and a very noticeable alcohol/wine flavor present. The fusilli with chicken and broccoli rabe was SUPER SALTY, almost inedible, and had no evidence of spice whatsoever other than MEGA SALT. Main: Braised pork shoulder was salty, fatty and lacked flavor, and the spinach side was basically a small dish of limp leaves which were covered in TONS OF SALT. Desserts: boring, chocolate cake was ok, but nothing to go on about and the pistachio cake was dry. Wine selection: a tad pricey but some good choices, we had the Nebbiolo which was delicious and the highlight of the meal. Overall the hub and I decided that although we hate the phrase because it sounds extremely douchey and pretentious, the food at Corso was in fact totally unrefined. The salt/spice/cooking time/ prep of every single dish was off, almost as if people in the kitchen were student chefs. Additionally the service was super weird. Our actual server was fine, but she was 'helped' by an agro busboy that pounced on our table every time we paused to talk and attempted to take full plates away whether or not we were done eating. Not so buono. We won't be back.

Fe R.

pork belly sandwich. one of best sandwiches i've ever had. there are so many fancy/gourmet/creative sandwich places now. i guess it's the new thing? the pork belly sandwich is sooo good. perfect seasoned and tender. there is a bit of fat/fatty skin but it's sooo good. i mean pig fat by itself sounds gross but in the pork belly sandwich it's amazing. mm.

Sarah W.

Brunch time. I got the Pancakes with marscapone cheese. Pretty much this place gets a 3 for poor presentation, portion size, and taste. My order was two flat things on a plate with some marscapone cheese on the side. It wasn't a nice dollop, it was a gloopy thing on the side of the plate. I finished eating the pancakes in like 3 minutes. I didn't much agree with the overly sweet pancakes that screamed butter and sugar. I think it was the two syrups (honey and blackberry) combined with the already sweet pancake itself. Even though this place is supposed to be good it was not to my liking. Anyway, though the yummy sounding name Corso Trattoria, the location in the gourmet ghetto, and the clatter of dishes and cooking going on in the open kitchen just makes you hungry I shall not return here. Unfortunately, I didn't order the right thing and was not impressed.

Joon L.

Certainly not a student place, but being next to the venerable student cafeteria Oriental Restaurant (good pho) may give students the wrong idea. Don't expect a large portion of food, and don't expect a good deal. This is for the older students who graduated, got a career, and settled down in the hills. Loved the arancini app but don't see it on the menu anymore? Anyways, it was a fantastic meal and I was surprised to find Dolcettos that I liked here.

Sani S.

Our buddies in Berkeley decided we join them for dinner at an old favorite. They just couldn't stop raving about the excellent fish they served. So we hit the spot, and it hit the spot.. the g spot that is! Definitely not the type of place you dine at with your gym outfit that's for sure, but money is the universal language of acceptance, so we were still greeted like we were no different. The restaurant had a very romantic vibe, dimmed lights, chandeliers, almost as though having a glass of red wine and making sweet love to your companion across the table was inevitable. In my case, it was my buddy's wife who sat across me, so that ruined things a little. I started off with the delightful Raddichio salad, with arugula, walnuts and goat cheese. We all ordered the fish special for our main entree. They were out of the Swordfish, which I hear was a favorite and what the rave was all about. We got the Bass instead, which turned out near excellent! That darn thing was ever so amazing, a simple 12 inches of melt in your mouth, lusciousness and abundance of flavor.. much like my... never mind. Be prepared to spend a pretty penny and look pretty before you hit the Trattoria Corso, just so you fit the vibe. The rest you can experience with your taste buds.

Toni M.

This has been on our list since it opened and tonight after Berkeley Rep was our night. We walked in at 5:00 to a mostly empty restaurant which filled pretty quickly. We were seated at a table for two in the window. Service was attentive and friendly. Acme bread and butter are available by request. We shared a fritto misto which consisted of calamari, prawns, fennel, sweet onions and lemon, served w/ aioli. At $14 we thought it was a little light on the seafood and heavy on the vegetables. The aioli was in a dollop on the plate rather than in a container of any sort and looked kind of unappetizing. It was less generous and attractive than the fritto misto at Venezia. I ordered the soup of the day, a thick and tasty artichoke and Parmesan concoction that was sensational and a bargain at $7. It was topped w/ truffle oil and walnuts and it was all I could do to keep from licking the bowl. There was a hint of lemon, a whiff of mustard, maybe a breath of garlic. It's a measure of my love for Alan that I shared it w/ him. I make an artichoke soup that's the best I've tasted, better than any restaurant version until now. This was as good. After some debate Alan ordered a pan fried Hoffman Farms chicken breast. It was $10, tasty but skimpy. I ordered a grilled bone-in Niman Ranch pork loin w/ sweet and sour onions. It was flavorful and a generous portion at $18. We ordered two sides of their roasted vegetables, butternut squash, parsnips and turnips diced small w/ a hint of brussels sprout. Very tasty and filling. I debated over a glass of red wine and settled on a glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. It was dark and rich w/ a flavor that developed nicely w/ breathing and food. Alan had water. We were pleased w/ our dinner and would return.

Andy W.

So last night I sat next to the owner's sister at the bar. And so she was biased about the food and the staff, one of which is her son. Unfortunately, I don't have a family working here or owning the joint, or I would be here a lot more often. Last night was probably visit number 10 or so in the last 12 months, so I eat here fairly regularly. Every time I visit, I am hopeful and excited about the menu changes and to see what new things have popped up. Last night, I greatly enjoyed the Gnocchi, which was cooked with Asparagus, Peas, Mushrooms and parmesan. It was excellent. The wife had the fettucini and it was also very good. We sat at the bar, which is sometimes the only place to eat if you haven't made a reservation, though the wait for 2 on a Sunday at 7 was going to be about 20-30 minutes. The only part of the meal that was not up to snuff was the bruschetta. At $9 it was too onion forward and over-priced. My only other issue with Il Corso, is that we tend to leave her a bit hungry, so if you are going, split or add a salad. That would have made it a three course meal here and another $7 to $10 bucks more on the bill. But if split and app and get a pasta, it probably won't be enough. Though I would really just have loved a bigger portion of my pasta rather than add a salad. Wish I had the option of saying just a bit more...but that is because the food here is that good. Buon Apetito!

Manu M.

Linguini with the pancetta is the best they have. My cousin ordered the chicken dish, but it is cooked in this butter batter and placed in the oven. It was very, very heavy and not very Italian-ish. It was just a small heat pan with chicken and butter, no other flavors. I had the pork chops with a demi-glaze and it was delish! The servers were very kind, but its definitely a place that will dent your credit line. Their desserts were not very delightful. Overall, I probably will not go here unless they have some kind of special and good wine deals within them.

Nerma L.

If you're looking for a "fancy" place, it's not bad. The food is OK, and the atmosphere is very clean-looking. Service was good, but I wouldn't go back. It was just overpriced and boring.

Rafael P.

We went there for a family dinner. The food was really good, we ordered fish and the ravioli. I am not 100% happy, because I couldn't have a light beer that I like and they should improve their service. However, the service is not bad, but there are ways to treat the costumers that they should be aware.

Shilpi D.

Dear Professor treated us here for dinner - she raved and raved, making me more and more skeptical. -Antipasti - definitely 4 stars - esp the mozzarella caprese -Entrees - pan-fried chicken looked good - but anything doused in that much butter is bound to taste good. My butternut squash ravioli - alas - oily, salty, and waay too much butter The spaghetti with clams looked good The Mediterranean fish looked very large and fishy - but again, very buttery and salty -Wine (esp the bianco -bellisimo!!) and desserts (loved the affogato, but then how can you mess that up, really!!) were the highlight of the evening - 4 stars! -Service - 4 stars - our server was very helpful and always there when we needed her and not when we didn't. -Overall 3 stars because I just didn't think the entrees were that good..Florentine or not - when I go for Italian, I want some really good Italian food!

Gasper S.

This Tuscan Trattoria is definitely a place for the cognoscenti--lively crowd, great ambience, very expert service and excellent food. However do not be fooled by Yelp's two dollar sign rating. Everything is a la carte and the portions small. So if you are really hungry, be prepared for a triple digit check for two people. Dinner here will be a memorable experience, if you order the traditional Italian sequence of antipasti, primo AND second piatti, and a contorno (side dish). Otherwise, dinner is rather meager. Since I was not prepared for this, our party of three had to order sparely. Fortunately, since we tried something from each category and shared tasting, we know how excellently prepared the food is, but without that final individual satisfied feeling. We tried the salumi plate (I passed on this as I must restrict fat intake), the zuppa, the lattuga salad, spaghetti all a puttanesca, the pollo al burro alla Sostanza (in pan of butter), the pane cotto and a cafe macchiato. All were excellent. Great place for a special occasion but not for vegetarians or dieters.

Barbara T.

We just got home from a wonderful dinner. We found the restaurant busy and lively with some great background music. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The wait staff was very attentive and knew the menu and were able to provide us suggestions. I really appreciate it when the waiter can recommend foods and be honest. They have a very lovely wine list with wonderful Italian wines. They serve 1/2 glasses which I appreciate because I don't always want a full glass of wine. But tonight I did and had a glass of Valpolicella. I will say that this wine was full bodied and smooth and was the best Valpolicella I've ever had. My husband ordered the cubed beets with pistachios and mint and it was very refreshing. I ordered the tortellini soup and the broth was delicious and the tortellini was very delicate. We both ordered salads, I had the tricolore and my husband ordered a salad with an anchovy-lemon dressing. He is a very particular person and he said that was the best salad he ever had. I thoroughly enjoyed my salad, they had a deft hand with the dressing, just enough. We then ordered the pan fried rabbit, yukon gold potatoes, a pork pasta and sauteed spinach. Delicious!!! The spinach was cooked perfectly with olive oil, salt/pepper, a little shaved cheese and some chili flakes. My pasta was one of their signature dishes and was delightful. I ate a little of my husband's rabbit and potatoes and all I can say is I wish I had a bigger appetite, I would have ate that too. Definitely a great Italian restaurant in the east bay that I will be visiting again and again. Parking is a little dicey but we found a spot on the street two blocks away after driving around the block 3 times.

Miss V.

I have been hearing about this restaurant for a while by foodie friends, and finally I tried it. Delicious! I ordered Orecchiette, which was a first for me. Simple and so flavorful. My girlfriend and I shared a really decently priced bottle of lambrusco and finished with flour-less chocolate cake, which was divine. Smooth, not too sweet, fresh whip cream on top--perfect. I will go back for sure. I want to try everything on the menu. The prices aren't bad at all.

Lyd D.

I'm still bummed that Corso no longer serves lunch or brunch (oh, cream poached eggs with caramelized onions, how I've missed you!), or my favorite wild mushroom pizza. But life goes on, and there are plenty of other tasty things to keep us coming back. We brought our niece and her BF from southern Calif to Corso last night, and we were lucky to get the 4 seats by the kitchen. It was a warm day but I thought our niece would really enjoy watching the action in the kitchen. For the 4 of us, we got: -salumi and olives -2 orders of the trio of crostini: caponata, chicken liver pate & chopped mussels -grilled scallops on a bed of roasted fennel, pine nuts and currants -house pulled mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes -pasta with cauliflower, caramelized onions, anchovy-garlic breadcrumbs -tagliatelle al sugo -squid ink ristotto -house made gnocchi with duck ragu -pork scaloppini with mustard-caper sauce -roasted trout with brown butter & sage -eggplant involtini -potatoes cooked in duck fat -3 desserts I was told that my favorite chicken - chicken breast (skin-on) cooked in plugra butter - was sold out for the evening because they didn't get their chicken delivery. I must've looked really sad and disappointed, because one of the chefs found a last piece of chicken breast (skinless) and decided to surprise us with it. It was such an incredibly nice gesture. I was blown away. It was a lot of food but we managed to finish everything (even the fish head and the eyeballs :-P), except for one small bite of the chocolate budino. Everything was so delicious and the service was warm and friendly. We really should come to Corso more often.

C M.

Best gnocchi dish I've ever had. We sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen, the cooks were super nice and really cute. They heard me raving over the gnocchi. I asked what the sweetness in the sauce was. I though it was rasperberry but it was fig, soooo unique and yummy. They even told me how to make it at home when I joked that I wanted the recipe. Pan fried chicken was delicious, served in about an inch of butter, yummy. Only 4 because the server wasn't great and not around much, the duck breast was so-so, and I thought the menu was overpriced compared to similar resturants. Would totally go back and try other items on the menu.

Kiesha R.

3-1/2 stars, but I'm feeling generous... Corso is a very tasty, comfortably casual Italian restaurant. I enjoyed a delicious ravioli - two huge raviolis, actually. The menu features some unique items that help this restaurant stand apart from other Italian eateries. I enjoyed a nice glass of wine, and suspect there were a few good choices on the list. Service was friendly, although spotty at times. On the plus side, this made lingering and enjoying the company of friends easier.

Kaethe S.

The greatest! Love the food, the vibe, the people... oh... love! the food. Frank at the bar is awesome. I just can't say enough! Other than...it is crowded, so be patient or come early.

Cody P.

Excellent alternative to Rivoli. Delicious food with reasonable prices located in a great neighborhood. I absolutely love Rivoli but sometimes it is nice to have a slightly less formal/expensive alternative with the same great quality and taste! While Rivoli might be my favorite date spot, Corso remains a great choice for groups, family, or friends. I would definitely come back again to enjoy the atmosphere and quality food and wines here!

Tempe M.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about corso since it's opening and after seeing them in the chronicle top 100 I finally made it over. I wasn't floored by anything we had. In fact I felt like the sugo was under seasoned. The atmosphere is cute and our service was great.

Sarah S.

I loved this place! After spending several weeks at various trendy Berkeley restaurants, I finally found one that had great food AND I didn't have to use a megaphone to chat with the friends I came with. Their house cured salumi is definitely something not to be missed. I had the sugo and loved it but my friend had the trout. We all tried it and were blown away by it. Get the trout when you go. The various gelato desserts were wonderful and even the flourless cake, which I usually hate, was spectacular. Not dry and flavorless. The service was impeccable. We arrived without a reservation and with our fourth person coming late and they didn't mind at all that we sat and waited for her for 20 minutes without ordering. AND while reasonably priced for an upscale place. Great, blissfully not loud, neighborhood restaurant. I'm definitely going back. GET THE TROUT!

Sherry W.

Disclaimer: I actually haven't eaten here. And for the reasons below, I probably never will. It was my 21st. A time to celebrate with good friends, and good food, so all of us were looking forward to trying a cute new place. Turned out that Corso didn't take reservations, but we had time to waste so we didn't mind. Biggest. Mistake. Ever. We were told to wait about 45 minutes while a family finished up their meal. They must have forgotten about us in that time because we were left to twiddle our thumbs outside for almost 2 hours. And, they didn't have the common courtesy to let us know that the wait would be considerably longer than what they told us. We went in a couple times to ask how much longer it would be, and were dismissed with a "Oh, I can see you guys, we'll call you when the table's ready." That was a little puzzling because we were waiting in our cars around the corner...That's when we decided they either didn't care to have our business or were compulsive liars. If they can't treat a girl right on her special day, I'm not going to wait to see what happens on a normal day. The food sounds great from the other reviews, but you gotta stick to your principles.

Andrew M.

Old review is old, I don't know why I never posted it! Dated from mid November 2009! Excuse the dust! Breakfast/brunch food! From a place that doesn't sound like it serves breakfast food! Who knew! But they do! Pancakes! Eggs! Cream sauce! Lots o' lots o' lots o' butter! I love butter! I liked the window seating and the ambiance! But overall, although the food was good, nothing was really stand out "mm-mm delicious"! Its too bad, as they didn't do anything explicitly "wrong"! Now I know why I didn't post this! Not enough info! Oh well!

Alexander B.

Wonderful

Angie C.

Shared an absolutely delightful meal last night with boyfriend so we could get a taste of the new restaurant. Boyfriend has been studying the restaurant as it prepared for opening day, so we were keen on coming. Nothing disappointed -- everything exceeded expectations. Normal fried calamari bores me, but the succulent slices of lemons, onions, and calamari made us wish for more. Even the bread (provided only when requested -- this is stated on the menu) was surprisingly good. The spinach with garlic and chili flakes was not too cooked, not too spicy - delicious! The petite funghi pizza was the best pizza I've had of its kind, drizzled in truffle oil and with the most amazing crust. And for the pasta dish we ordered, it was very very cheesy -- and very very good. The prices at Corso are very reasonable, too. Will definitely be coming back for more!

Ian S.

Fresh Pasta, Great service, and classy. Great food

william b.

Dined last night with Fan and C. A very nice glass of wine, though I couldn't really decifer the menu--all in Italian. the ambiance was warm, the music was pleasant..not too loud the mussels Pate' was delicious, as was the T bone. all in all, a nice place to dine out...maybe a bit pricey.

jun k.

my chicken was delicious. but yeah, it was just that, a chicken breast in a hot pan. good thing i ordered the potatoes fried in duckfat (with rosemary which was amazing). came here with 4 other girls and it was good, medium sized portions, and well made. the butternut gnocchi was especially tasty! also the burrata appetizer (mozzarella cheese) was THE BEST THING EVER. the tagliatelle was pretty wine-y but good. sorry to be a peasant, but it was kind of like a sophisticated spaghetti (to tell you the truth). we also shared a deliciously rich chocolate cake and a panna cotta (that was light!) the service was prompt and graceful, the food was yummy and not overpowering... i think this might be a go-to "nice dinner" place for the future.

Shauna F.

Corso is good. It is. Do I sound convinced? I've been here twice and had two slightly different experiences. The first time, I had a very nommy sausage risotto. My caprese was good but not good enough to order again. Unfortunately, I'm a bad reviewer and I can't remember what else we ordered but it was good enough for me to return there with my boyfriend a few months later. We went the pizza route and were pleased, for the most part. My sausage pizza was unexpectedly spicy so my guy generously traded some slices of his mushroom pizza for mine. It was quite tasty but with so many great thin crust, inventive pizza places in the area, I'm more likely to return to Dopo, Marzano or Pizzaiolo. Great drinks both times and desserts were tasty but nothing extraordinary.

Bai G.

Corso has been one of our favorite places for dinner. We went back again last night to celebrate my wife's birthday and it did not disappoint. Everything was interesting and well balanced. Our criterion on judging the food have been 1, the selection of ingredients to achieve balance of flavor and texture 2, the ease to digest 3, available choices on the menu that enable a well balanced meal overall. Corso kept satisfying on all these categories, and we thought it is amazing as we do not find many restaurants nearby that can consistently deliver the same level of satisfaction.

Michael W.

Great place for casual dining with friends. Everything was wonderful, not a bad dish on the menu. Service was excellent.

SuperRockStar N.

Nice- its just nice. Full bar, good wine, full on kitchen entertainment if you sit at the bar by the open kitchen- or its bar like on the bar side...... You know small and cozy. the space is spare and clean but not cold, the service is good. The food is good. its some of the best carbonara around the steak was great- crostini very nice. There are a few little things, the glass for the gelati was warm and so we ended up with creamy sweet soup, water glass unfilled, searching for our server... little things that are not ultra important to the whole experience- I like and recommend this place, and am happy to eat here, its like a corner spot in Italy- good, slightly casual and off hand in some respects, solid where it counts- not too precious.

Dennis W.

My favorite restaurant in downtown berkeley.

Torbjörn E.

Very nice italian-inspired food and nice ambiance. I was sitting at the bar once and had a very nice view on they worked in the kitchen.

David D.

I really like Trattoria Corso for a number of reasons: the food is good; the price is right; and the place gives the feel of an old-time mom and pop joint, even though it's owned by the folks behind Rivoli. On this visit I started with an arugula salad that came with shaved asparagus, pickled onions, pecans and pecorino. Everything on the plate was very nice, although the vinegar in the dressing or the onions, not sure which, was a bit much. Tagliatelle with beef and pork sugo was lovely, especially when livened with a bit of pepper. This is Italian soul food to me. Finally, I ordered the wine-poached Branzino. Generally, I prefer broiled or grilled fish but in this instance my instincts were correct. The fish was perfectly fresh, perfectly moist and perfectly tasty. By the way, did I mention how easy on the wallet pricing is at Corso?

Raul D.

Top notch Italian in town. Choice of: taste, 1/2 glass, glass, carafe or full bottle of wine. Really cool. Food is all good, not one sub-par dish. Service was great. Best caprese we've had, here or Italy.

Marci L.

Excellent evening, excellent and attentive service, fantastic food. what more can you ask for? Definitely would recommend the Salumi plate (next time we'll get the large) of house cured meats. The steak was amazing and I had the added advantage of leftovers the next night. Although the potatoes are no longer cooked in duck fat, they are still a great side dish. We'll be back!

Barbara L.

We had our third dining experience here last night. As we have come to expect, the food was beyond delicious! We started with the Al Fungi Crostini - it was melt in your mouth delectable. We appreciate the pacing between courses - there is no rush, and the waiter was very attentive and friendly. This is the first time that we had a table for 2 - on our other visits we sat at tables for 4 - and we were disappointed at how cramped the seating was. There were folks standing around in the bar area waiting to be seated - their rear ends were nearly in our faces, and the table next to us was so close that we heard every word of their conversation. We will eat here again, gladly and deliciously, but with great caution as to where we are seated. Perhaps it only makes sense to come here with friends?

Gerry C.

Corso is always a favorite with "The Joy" and the boys for Mother's Day. Loved the starters Burrata, Lattuga, Erbaceo, and Sugo. Salmon and Braciola di maiale were delicious main entrees. Get the polenta and asparagus when available as sides. Desserts were also terrific...Panna Cotta and Budino cioccolata. :) Check out when in Berkeley. Great for family, friends, business!

Lydia W.

I was really excited to try this place after dining at Rivoli and seeing that they were opening a new restaurant. We came here around 6:30 on a Friday night, and were seated quickly. The service was kind of slow, but we weren't in a rush so it was tolerable. Our drinks were really good! I had the something Bella that had Elderflower liqueur and rose something... it was delicious. I'd go back just to have it again. Bonita L. had the cocktail with basil and Don Cesar, which was like a yummy twist on a mojito. The bread was not really good. There were a few cubes of focaccia which were kind of disturbing in texture/flavor. The other bread was alright. As for entrees... the Tagliatelle al Sugo was good. The noodles were cute and tasted very fresh and homemade, and the meat was just ground up and not extremely special. It tasted fine, just not "wow". The Paparadelle with Duck was yummy, according to Louie M., but he wished there was a tad bit more on his plate. Bonita L. got the butternut squash ravioli that was very unique! It looked like a really flat omelette. It tasted pretty good as well. Overall, I had a pleasant dining experience at Corso, but I'm not dying to go back and try the pizzas or anything. I would go back for that Elderflower cocktail though...

Sean B.

My wife and I went here for "date night" on a recent rainy Friday. It was a great dining experience all around. The menu had a great variety of traditional and modern choices. My fish was particularly tasty. They also had a nice selection of reasonably priced, food-friendly wines by the glass. We moved here recently from the East Coast. Corso reminds us of the great neighborhood Italian restaurants we used to frequent in Brooklyn Heights, with the added bonus that you are not sitting in your fellow patrons' laps. Buon appetito.

Alison T.

One of our go-to restaurants. Always good, unique, and the menu changes all the time. The fig gnocchi they had a few months ago was so, so good. The butter chicken is always a winner, and at $12 - a bargain. The arancinni appetizer was great, the tripe was unique but wouldn't recommend. The ceasar salad is perfect. The pasta is made fresh and you can tell. Not as fancy as Rivoli, the parent restaurant, but not as expensive either. Definitely worth stopping in to Corso. Yumm.

Vicki R.

We went here last night with friends for dinner, and wow was the food great. I had pasta with braised beef and pork and so did my husband. It was amazing. Our friends ordered several appetizers including one that had wild mushrooms and cheese and it was a amazing. They made me a believer in polenta too! Finally, I had a really delicious custard desert. If you haven't already, check this place out!

Anita B.

I want to like Corso, I really do. It's an attractive little place, the menu is interesting, the prices fair, the chefs have good credentials. But my last two meals there were seriously flawed, and we are getting tired of paying the better part of 100 dollars for completely unsatisfying food. Last night it was the orecchiette with rabbit ragu. Last time I checked ragu meant a meat-based sauce. No sauce here, dry as a bone, the rabbit was just frizzy little bunches of seriously overcooked meat that never simmered in anything. Worst part, it was so salty we were left gasping for water. A person could die from this ragu. The waiter never returned to ask how everything was, so not liking to make a scene, we washed down as much of the frizzy, tasteless morsels of rabbit and the dry pasta as we could before raising our white napkins in surrender. The visit before this I ordered a risotto with oysters and asparaus. I can forgive the miniscule amount of oyster and asparagus in the dish, I suppose, but the risotto itself was very undercooked and crunchy. The waiter asked how everything was and I said the risotto was too crunchy, and he said yes, the chef likes to serve it al dente. Al dente risotto? Isn't risotto synonymous with creamy? Isn't it supposed to pour from the sauce pan onto the plate? I agree that it shouldn't be overcooked to mush, but it shouldn't be actually hard in the middle, with distinctly separate grains your jaw gets tired from chewing. It should be creamy and rich, bound together by the starch that is released from the rice in the stirring. Only it wasn't. I'm pretty sure Corso's own chefs would send this dish back anywhere they were served it. I'm afraid it's time to find another neighborhood Italian place in Berkeley.

Tom S.

Great Italian food. An amiable if crowded room. Noisy. Nice servers. The food at this restaurant is of above average quality compared to many mom & pops on Shattuck Ave's gourmet gulch. Bambie & I sat at the chefs counter overlooking the stoves and cooks at work. The seats are not super comfortable, but the food production theater is entertaining. We ate: Fritti Misti (deep fried squid, onion slivers, & lemon slices), Romain lettuce salad (almost a Cesar without the salty anchovies), Whole grilled sea bass (18 ounces, enough for 2), sauteed spinach (enough garlic & oil to scare away vampires), Vanilla gelato topped with limoncello liquor. We drank Bastianich Rose wine (soft, dry, mildly acidic) Total bill = $90. I thoroughly enjoyed the food here. Bambi wants to return again soon. Remember: No reservations taken. It's crowded, don't expect a table to be available at peak dining hours.

Laura S.

My husband made a reservation here for Valentine's day. Really, really lovely food, great service, especially for a night like this one. Smoky, as a previous reviewer mentioned, but it didn't keep me from having a nice time. The tiramisu was the only lacking part, it was a little too dense. Everything else was great and we'll be back.

Lena N.

This is a nice restaurant located in Berkeley. And this is a busy area, so parking can be difficult. we didn't have any reservation but we were able to get a table. Although I suggest to make a reservation because I can see this place can get busy on Fridays/Saturdays. Me, I can only go on Mondays. They have a good Italian wine list, and I really like that they have by taste, 1/2 glass, glass, and half bottle. This is a great idea and to get the right wine with the dishes. (Although I made the mistake to order red one first and then white one) First, I opted for 1/2 glass of Nebbiolo and then we ordered three appetizers: Burrata - nice presentation, but I am not sure about the spicy honey.. I think I will like it more without the spiceness. Trio Crostini -it is ok Ahi Tuna - love this one, good portion. (I didn't want to share this dish) Then we had the pizza = nice crust. Great place to have dinner. Nice atmosphere.

Earl P.

My wife and I went last night for the fixed price New Years dinner. What a score from the anti pasta plate through dessert a spectacular meal.The crostini with the chicken liver pagte melted in your mouth, and from there it got better The tagliatelle al sugo tasted like the dishes I had growing up when Temescal was laagely Italian. My wife had the butter roasted chicken , which is sinful. The richest piece of chicken I have tasted. My braised pork chop was so much better then what I cooked at home. Once again we discovered why we venture from our neighborhood into Berkeley for the wonderful food and ambiance of this place. We will be back and hopefully they will do more of these fixed price deals like for Valentines Day(hint,hint:)

Neal S.

One star, as our expectations were high and the food and experience were rather less than mediocre. The first clue should have been the hostess, who had no idea how to manage seating, which had to be reorganized by one of the managers. The second clue should have been the waitress, who seemed disinterested and unable to fully describe the food. Then the food: the fried rabbit was most closely related to a corn dog, covered with breading, round and rolling on the plate, only missing the stick. The osso buco was basically a slab, an ample portion but a bit stiff. The brussel sprouts were excellent. The service was indifferent, we sat at the community table (4 groups) but were ignored once the food arrived, had to get up to ask for more water and bread (which was served fresh from the refrigerator). And then the bill, this experience was not cheap. Disappointing.

James M.

When going out to dinner in Berkeley, we find ourselves yearning to go to Trattoria Corso more than any other restaurant. (OK Chez Pannise, Zatar, and Fonda come close). Unfortunately, that is not easy to do on short notice since they are usually booked up and we do not like to take our chances as a walk-in. Trippa alla Fiorentina and Pollo al burro are perennial favorites of mine but you could throw a dart at the menu and anything it landed on would be good. It is slightly more expensive than similar Berkeley restaurants but you get what you pay for. Except for the fact that the river Arno is not flowing outside the front door, "Corso" is a lot like Trattoria Camillo in Firenze.

Ian P.

Not much of a deal for the price. Even thought there were empty tables it took us 30 minutes to get seated late on a weeknight. Lots of different hostesses/managers seemed to be handling the seating. There's a big up-sell to start, which I never enjoy. Pressure to order bottled water, primi and secondi, etc. We both got the pizza: one salsiccia and one margherita. The margherita was bland but the salsiccia had a very satifying heat to it and a nice crunchy crust. Portions were perfectly adequate for one. We also had calamari as an appetizer. It was quite well done with a lovely lemon-garlic aoli. Service on the whole was atrociously bad. I think it almost took 25 minutes to get our order in. No refills of water, etc. On the whole, I'd recommend passing on the place...it's expensive, crowded, and has bad service, but the food is passable.

Anna F.

Went there for lunch when it first opened and liked it a lot. Now have gone for dinner twice in the last week, and liked it even more. The NYE prix fixe dinner was superb, and at a great price. The antipasta course was a combination plate and each item was excellent. The veal ravioli outstanding. The desert sundae was yum!

Katie M.

Delicious! Great for a special occasion or just a nice night out (read: yes it is too expensive to be a weekly go to). I have been meaning to try this place for a while, and finally stopped in on a sunday night ~8:30pm (they close at 9) with no reservations. The wait was short ~10min and we were able to get a glass of wine at the bar. My only complaint about the entire night, is they bring over bread and it comes with butter. Maybe this is just me, but when I go to a nice italian place I want bread with some tasty olive oil and spices (or balsamic). I had the orchiette with clams, sausage and broccoli rabe. As a born and raised new england girl I am VERY particular about my seafood, especially clams and they were done perfectly. Bf had the braised pork and a side of polenta. Pork was tasty and moist and polenta was better than I've ever made. Also as a side note, our waiter had three new tables at once plus the rest of the section. As a former waitress, I understand that this normally means sub par attention to the new tables. On the contrary, our server was very friendly and attentive, a pleasant surprise. All in all a great experience.

Nate R.

So good! Amazing drinks. Amazing food. Great bartender! Do it. I've been eating here every couple of months or so for the last year and I couldn't be more impressed. The bartender, Nik, does fantastic work, just like everyone else. super friendly staff. The drinks are always spot on. I always get the burrata and it is fantastic, and usually sample something else from the anitpasti when dining with friends. Last time it was the dungeness crab toast. Awesome. The Tagliatelle is a go to. A must really. The gnocchi is usually off the chain. The chicken, the chop, the polenta (holy shiz), the duck fat potatoes.... Ok. I'm hungry again.

Eat W.

Delicious delicious Tagliatelle al Sugo and the chicken liver pate were standout dishes for us. I just wish their portions were bigger, especially the pasta portions...

Charles L.

No skipping on the butter or oil here so don't have any regrets going in. I had the choice of waiting for a table or sitting "bar-style" in front of the open kitchen. Of course I wanna watch my food getting cooked! I'll take that offer. My date and I settled on tuna crudo, duck risotto, fried rabbit, and a side of braised beans - all to share. BTW, I recommend sharing dishes unless you are a BEAST. I will admit I'm a bit of a pig when eating but these dishes were so rich that I was glad we decided to share courses. It wasn't so much about the portions that worried me...like I said above, these dishes don't skimp on butter or oil. I could only imagine having separate pasta dishes. +++ Tuna Crudo Diced tuna, chili oil, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, tossed with arugula and served with crustini. Good tuna, but a bit too much chili oil for me. Good start though. +++ Duck Risotto Geeez I must have seen 3-4 good hunks of butter go into this dish, but it was wayyyy worth it. The risotto was deliciously fatty, if not looking very much like oatmeal in appearance. +++ Fried Rabbit They must have been chasing a rabbit down, killing it, skinning it, and then deep frying it, because I waited a good twenty minutes for this bitch to arrive on my table, but it was worth it because it was basically a whole fried rabbit, save the bones. We got nice organ pieces too that were tasty. Mmmmm rabbit liver. +++ Beans Braised beans. I didn't find them particularly noteworthy but they did damage me $5. Meh. +++ VERDICT Overall I'd say this place is pretty awesome for a date. The scene fits right, and you have the opportunity to sit next to the kitchen to see your food cooked too as a perk. Food is rich, and service was attentive without being nosy. We asked for so many caraffes of water, but they were really nice about it. I'll be back for you Corso.

Brian S.

Had dinner here last weekend and thought it was good. Had a reservation and waited a few minutes at the bar. Sound level was fairly high so hard to hear conversation at our group of just 3. Burrata was just OK, not as velvety as previous visit. Chicken breast was very good along with the spinach. Really liked the Arneis by the glass as well as the Gavi from the list. We brought a bottle of Tocai Fruilano and they did not charge corkage which was nice. I assume it was because we ordered bottle from list and each had a glass at the bar before being seated. Corso would be a great neighborhood spot in Montclair. We so desperately need a good restaurant! I would give it 3.5 stars as it was solid and like their other spot Rivoli but too far away. Cheers!

flubadub A.

Small portions, mediocre food, indifferent service, high prices, and a level of noise equal to a 747 taking off. I won't be back. Funny, I've been going to it's sister restaurant Rivoli for years and never had a bad/disappointing meal.

Sarah K.

Cal Football Game Day. A friend and I were driving through the streets of Berkeley, thinking of places to eat brunch. Our first thought was to try Bette's Oceanview Diner, but when I called, they said they didn't take reservations and the wait would be approx 45 minutes (I was hungry...so, no thank you.) Anyways, I digress. We decide upon Corso because my friend always passed by that place and wanted to try it out. So we head over there. There's plenty of street parking (metered) in front of the restaurant, but we decided to park along residential. Free parking, and a pleasant walk on a sunny day. Awesome. Reminder: we are Cal alum, and we were ready in our Cal gear for the game (I was wearing a Cal hoodie & jeans, he was wearing Cal bball shorts & a Cal tee, with a zip up hoodie). We felt quite under-dressed for the place, but we didn't care since we just wanted to try a new brunch place. The waitress still welcomed us. Once we sat down, we were given a chilled carafe and two glasses. The two of us decided to share two plates: Pane perduto & Uova strappazzate e salsiccia (translate: french toast & scrambled eggs and sausage). We thought this would be enough for the two of us. As we sat and waited, we admired the open kitchen and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. We sat next to a window, so we were able to 'people watch' as we waited for our food. The hanging pots and pans were also a nice touch. Once the plates came out, I knew I was going to be hungry again. There were two pieces of french toast, and a small handful of scrambled eggs, and a medium sized sausage. This meal could probably only feed one person. My friend LOVES french toast, and Corso's french toast was just a-ok, nothing out of the ordinary. I could say the same for the scrambled eggs and the fennel sausage. I think we would have been better off with a heartier brunch from a place up the street... Overall, another cute restaurant in N Berkeley. Small portions for brunch that still made me hungry, but I'd probably update this review once I tried out lunch and/or dinner.

Robert C.

I started with a corn soup that reminded me of something that one would have at home. Something simple but satisfactory. We ordered the salumi fatti in casa which was a variety of sliced salumi which was good in that it was different from what I've experienced before. I had the tagliatelle al sugo which reminded me of what you get when you grind beef and pork together in a overly abundant thick sauce and combine it with narrow egg noodles. A little too salty for me. I shared the pollo al burro alla Sostanza, a pan fried chicken breast with plugra butter that proved also to be saltier than it should be. My wife had a spaghetti dish with scallops, garbanzo beans and chard. Her's was a lighter dish and fresh looking. A close 3 1/2 stars. I'm rounding DOWN to 3 stars for this review. With a drink or two the tab came to $ 100.00 including tip. A little too costly given the overall quality of the meal.

Marie J.

I tried Corso for the first time tonight with a friend, on the recommendation of a friend from work. He told me a little about the restaurant, but RAVED about the "Trippa alla Fiorentina" or, tripe stew. I make a Sicilian dish called "Trippa alla verduras" which is absolutely delicious, but very labor intensive. We got there and I ordered it as a first course with the Crostini trio. The crostini trio was good, and I saved the duck liver pate for last cuz I Love pate, but none of it could hold a candle to the tripe stew. It was SO close to my recipe, I was astounded!! This stew is a MUST have! I know, I know.......you don't want to be on an episode of Bizarre Foods, but please give it a try. The rest of our meal was very good: duck risotto, tagliatelle al sugo (pasta with braised beef and pork), and Bistecca (T-bone steak). It was all delicious, but I'm definitely coming back for another bowl of the tripe stew! For dessert we shared a vanilla panna cotta with strawberries and rhubarb (YUMMY!) and the frozen pistachio custard (very good). The food, along with the superb service was worth every cent I spent, and, IMHO, the bill was very reasonable. Thumbs up for this cute, cozy restaurant. Try it....you won't be disappointed.

Virginia C.

it's a little more than okay, but not 4 stars (3.5 seems right) it's a little small and you have to wait for about .5 hour for a table on the weekends (especially if you have more than 2) food: salads- fresh but nothing amazing tagliatelle al sugo pasta with braised beef and pork ragu- exceptional! pizza- no good (it's like celeste pizze from the freezer. i mean pasta pomodoro does a better job) calamari- wicked good and with a fried lemon slices.. mmmm the fish is usually okay too but nothing to comment about chocolate cake- ehhhh.. go get some ice cream overall- i'll go back again.. although it is a little pricey for the type of food

C L.

Our experience here was VERY disappointing. I'm glad that so many others have enjoyed this restaurant, but that was sadly not the case for us. We felt uncomfortable from the moment we were seated, and it just got progressively worse over dinner. Maybe they were fussy because we didn't have reservations (although we did wait patiently for nearly an hour for the table). 1) I left my ID at home that night, not expecting to go out to dinner, and even though I'm clearly almost 30 they would not serve me alcohol. I understand that it's a college town and they have to be strict, so I can't completely fault them for this. However, it left me feeling uncomfortable and disappointed, the way it was handled. 2) I ordered one of the dishes, the waiter took the order, and then came back a few minutes later to say they didn't have it after all. Disappointing. I instead ordered the lasagna. It was disgusting. Flavorless, greasy, and watery--if you can even imagine all three at once! Tiny too. When the waiter came over to ask how everything was and I just looked down without saying a word, he could have made some effort to ask if I wasn't satisfied. But he just walked away. Not very professional. 3) The waiter hardly even acknowledged us the whole time. We felt notably ignored vs. the other guests. 4) My dining companion had ordered the skirt steak (the cheaper one on the menu). However, when we received the bill we were shocked to find they charged us $45 for the really expensive steak. I have no idea how the waiter got that wrong, but we were really upset. It ended up costing a lot for a miserable dinner! We honestly didn't realize that he had received the pricier steak, or we would have sent it back right away. The manager ended up 'settling' it by splitting the difference, but it was still far more than we had intended to pay for dinner and the whole thing left us feeling sad and cheated. On the positive side, the steak and side of potatoes were delicious. That is unfortunately the only good thing I have to say about this restaurant. We were really hoping for a better experience there.

Rich R.

Lupe and I had the: * Risotto with Brussel Sprouts, Pancetta, English Peas, and Parmesan * Anchovy Pizza * Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Vallevo * Pistacchio Semifreddo (frozen custard) sibling of Rivoli!

Evan V.

While others in my party always enjoy this place, it is close to rock bottom for vegans. I say "close" because I had a server who was very excited to have the cook prepare a special vegan meal for me. I didn't even ask him to do so, he just figured something was up when I ordered a side of carrots and a side of potatoes for dinner, and asked to make sure those wouldn't be drenched in butter. He put 2+2 together and asked if I had some special diet that he could help with. So that was cool, except the special vegan meal was not vegan! At this point (especially being with work colleagues), I just gave in and enjoyed all the butter. So, in short, I consider this place is for omnivores only. Hence the 2 stars. If your mission is serving food to people, then it seems to me that you are failing if you cannot address what is a common (albeit minority) diet. If you think I've now crossed the line into vegan chauvinism, then please read my review of cafe gratitude (wink smirk). Another note on the service - the story above is pretty representative. It seems the servers take a genuine interest in the customers, and engage more deeply and informally than at other restaurants in this price range. That can feel a bit surprising (my wife said our server last night was like a server from a hippie cafe), but it does do a great job tempering the potential snootiness of the place. Final note, about 1/3 of the seats face a totally gratuitous television. If CRTs magnetically draw your eyes away from conversation, then be careful of this!

Alyssa C.

The Trout was excellent, the ambiance was lovely. Great dinner at a reasonable price for a night out.

Nehal N.

Found myself here on a casual dinner...little fancier than I had planned to eat but oh well. I reallllly enjoyed the brunches here but the dinner is a whole new game. The food is RICH, intriguing, but also has great classics, all leaving me very satisfied....YUM! Ordered: +Tripe and fava bean soup: OOOOoooo I love tripe and the tomato based soup is delectable and homey. The tripe is big and fatty with lots of flavor still left in! I didn't expect much of this dish, but it is GOOD! +Tagliatelle with braised beef and pork ragu: Simply fresh pasta with meat sauce, but DAMN is it good. Its very rich and flavorful with the meat being ground and the fresh tagliatelle absorbing the flavor. The pasta was a little clumpy, but it showed that it was fresh. This makes you feel like you could've cooked it at home...but this version is simply better. +Rosemary Potatoes Pizza: Interesting mix of caramelized onions, rosmary, potatoes, and cheese on a pizza making a very simple and elegant dish. Overall, this place is splurgy and the food is RICH and tasty. YOU will leave FULL and if you eat here often you will be FAT ;) Either way, pig out here while spending your fat-cat money!

GreenTara R.

Excellent. While I was REALLY sad to see The Phoenix get displaced ... and that was a huge loss ... still miss it ... I like Corso. I really wanted to hate it. I'm not a pasta person. I like the wine tastes, the knowledgeable staff, and I had a great grilled fish one time, and I am thrilled to find a great place for a great steak.

Veronica L.

Bf had been wanting to try this place forever after hearing friends rave about it, so we decided to end the semester with dinner here. this place is small and intimate, so be sure to get a reservation. we had made one for 815 and still had to wait a bit before a table was cleared. i think you have the option of sitting at the bar to wait as well. the menu is not big, but there's something for everyone. we got the trio di crostini as an appetizer which was just enough for 2 people, but very satisfying! i got the clam linguine which wouldn't be enough for someone with a big appetite. portions are clearly kind of moderate with the exception of the 24 oz t-bone done medium rare that the bf ordered. this thing was hugeeee and the server even boasted it was the best thing on the menu. i'm not a big meat eater, but this was surprisingly well done--buttery, fatty, and salty. anyway, i also got the baked polenta which, if you eat more like i do, would be enough to share if you also got the moderately sized pasta. the dessert menu was nothing special---basically everything had gelato or chocolate sauce on it. anyway, after living right next to it for about 2 years, i'm glad i finally gave it a try--one of the best fine dining experiences in downtown berkeley

Jules K.

Dinner at Corso last night was pleasantly reassuring. Just like the room and the restaurant as it nears its one year anniversary it has found its rhythm and pace, happily humming along to good crowds and good food. Open table somehow lost our reservation but they sat us at the communal table quickly and left enough space between us and the table next to us. It was a four star meal in so many ways but there were several mistakes that kept it from getting there. First they ran out of the Osso Bucco special and it was only 8:00 pm. Then they served Olivia's swordfish still bloody and badly undercooked. Then they ran out of the special dessert. Service is professional not overbearing. The pasta dishes continue to work well and don't overwhelm. So polish away and keep moving forward Corso, four stars are just around the corner and thanks for providing us with reasonable wine alternatives on your list as well.

Alwyn d.

NOT vegetarian friendly, cholesterol off the scale, and only four beers to choose from. I went for my second time last night with a chef friend, and sat at the counter where we could watch them cook. Before we even got the menu I was astonished by the amount of butter they were using. (In my experience, Florentine trattorias don't use butter at all.) On my first visit to Corso I had been dismayed by the very few choices there were on the menu for vegetarians, but I had been assured by their friendly bartender that they always made sure they had a few good choices-- NOT the case last night. There was not one vegan item on the entire menu and next to nothing that was vegetarian. While my friend had tripe, and quail, and potatoes cooked in duck fat, I had a rather heavy (!) Caprese salad and a plate of pennete from which I had asked them to withhold the prosciutto (there was more than enough butter to make up for it!). The semifreddo we split for dessert was delicious, but it won't be enough to get me to go there again.

Erik E.

In an effort of full disclosure, you need to know that my husband and I have dined here easily over 50 times since opening. We're regulars, and I'm not impartial in the least, but there are some things it seems that Yelpers need to know. Corso Trattoria has gotten much better since our first dining experience right after opening. I am not an easy person to satisfy, but I can also say that I've watched Corso shift from a wobbly start-up to a near-Michelin star quality establishment and I'm proud and I'm grateful that we've been a part of it. My viewpoint has always been that Italian style cuisine should be simple food. Simple food cooked poorly is a waste of money and ranks up there in the "sin-meter" with matricide. Yet understanding that launching a new restaurant and getting it right within three months is more difficult than stuffing a herd of dromedary through the eye of a needle, we went back. And back, and back. Many diners are not very sophisticated, nor do they feel empowered to do anything but complain passively through a cheap tip or a nasty Yelp review. Coming to Yelp and complaining about undercooked mushrooms or an improperly seasoned salad is so completely lame when it could have been fixed on the spot and you could have enjoyed yourself. That's just sad. I feel sorry for you, as if bunches of dying kittens were involved. You're just plain missing out and your doing it to yourself. Act out! Get what you want, that's the POINT. Now, on to the review: there are several ways to enjoy yourself to the fullest - if you're two or four eat at the kitchen counter. If not, ask for a table with a view onto the kitchen. You'll be sure to have a better dining experience as a single frown will likely bring one of the chefs or servers instantly to your table (make a BIG frown so they can see you across the room, or kick your table, ie, make a fuss). Start by sharing a plate of the Salumi which Executive Chef Rodrigo da Silva (young man with a goatee) will prepare, present and explain himself (most nights he's there). He's been working for years to provide the finest local and sustainably made salumi possible and Corso has invested in the proper equipment to produce and keep salumi at it's best. Hands down the finest cured meats available in California and better than all house-brands and top-shelf Italian cured meats I've tasted (Sorry, Cafe Rouge you've been beat by a mile!) Enjoy with a glass of the Colli Senesi or Aglianico. While you wait for your house-made pork sausage pizzetta (which should arrive thin, savory and stick out flat as a cracker if cooked perfectly) you can enjoy watching Steve, Scott, Paul, Seth or Alex (the best Pizza guy in the history of Berkeley) handle dozens of pastas, grilled meats, fish and side dishes. I find the sausage pizza to be hands down better than the funghi, it's spicy and filling and benefits from adding a touch of salt to your own taste. Enjoy with a glass of Valpolicella. Next share a course of the beet salad with house-made cheese, or the broiled panzotti. Many people enjoy the Sugo with tagliatelle (no tomato sauce, it's not a bolognese or ragu) but I like these as a main course on cold nights. I recommend a glass of the Barbaresco with these dishes. Spend another 20-30 minutes relaxing with your wine, nibbling bread and chatting with the kitchen and your server or the other guests around you. Or stroll to the bar for a chat with another guest. Finally when you're ready, place your order for the main course: I recommend the pork chop with red wine and onion reduction. Chef Rodrigo has switched from savory thyme to rosemary in the reduction and it's silky, sexy heaven. They've recently, after relentless pressure from their regulars added a thrice-cooked potato with garlic and herbs. Yay! They also provide a wonderful diced medley of root and seasonal vegetables. Enjoy this with a nice bottle or glass of one of the Nebbiolo varietals on the menu. For desert, you could emulate the Erik's and have your Affogato standing up at the bar with Jason or Franc. Giving you a chance to chat with Alex, Nora or Tim the front of house managers. Or if you're in the mood for one of the best panna cotta's in the area (made by Arielle), have Corso's - sprinkled with vanilla bean and dressed with blood orange. If you're in a rush here's the tl;dr version (or, Erik's 'il basso costo' dinner for two): 1. Bring own wine, open and drink 2. Order a pizza 3. Order a chicken breast and split 4. Order the root vegetables, or other side with the chicken 5. Share a Romano salad 6. Pay about $40 and get out in less than an hour Keep in mind folks, Corso is going to become and stay a great restaurant - everyone there from the host to the dishwasher want you to enjoy yourself and do their very best - but no one is always perfect. Take it from me, I know, I've seen it night after night. These guys are gonna get a frickin' star!

greenbear a.

gone back since first visits, getting better. solid meals and beverages. not cheap but good. nice bartender and staff. probably the best place right now in North Berkeley IMHO, and I go to all of them...

Kelley L.

This is my favourite restaurant in Berkeley, and my friend and I usually eat here before I head back to LA. It has a cozy environment and the specials are always interesting. Also, the food never fails! Italian food is my favourite cuisine, and the pasta never fails. Spaghetti carbonara is delicious. The Tagliatelle al sugo is really filling, compared to the other pasta dishes I have tried, and is very meaty. Oh, and the appetizer Trio di crostini (chicken liver paté/ grilled sardine/ artichoke salsa, ricotta) my friend usually orders is also good! I especially enjoy the chicken liver paté. The service is also really good! The waitress we had several times was always nice. The wine selection is also good compared to other places in the city. The combination of food, service and price is the reason why I love Corso, and I would definitely take my friends here!

Scott L.

I could be selfish and not write a review for my favorite place in Berkeley. We've never had a problem getting a table, or a spot at the chef's bar. Might have to wait a little bit at the small bar, but that's just an opportunity to have a glass of prosecco before dinner. More reviews might mean more people coming to 'my local' and longer waits, if not god forbid, not being able to get a table. But I can't do that to Corso. I love this place. The food is outstanding, the wine list is stellar, and the entire staff wants nothing more than for you to have a great meal. Our last visit was Saturday night. A quick glass of bubbles at the bar, and we were shown to our favorite spot at the chef's bar. Talked wine with Nick (he -really- knows Italian wine) and he pointed us to a very interesting nebbiollo. Not something you would easily find in the states, and excellent with the rest of the meal. Started with the burratta with asparagus and prosciutto. The asparagus was an excellent offset to the creaminess of the cheese and the saltiness of the meat. We also shared the pappardelle with boar ragu which was as good as we've had in Florence. Apparently the guy who "procured" the boar was there shortly before we were and enjoyed it as well. For our main, we shared Guanciale di manzo, and is was simply astounding. Beef cheeks cooked sous vide for 72 hours, then quickly seared before serving with a very creamy polenta and a salsa verde. Fortunately we also had a side of spinaci to temper the richness of the cheeks. So much flavor is such a tidy little package. I can power down some serious food, but I think I would have been hard pressed to finish those cheeks on my own. Desert...panna cotta. What can I say, I'm a sucker for panna cotta. Our luck, we still had a little bit of wine left. The sweetness of the strawberry and rubarb compote with it made the mineral notes in the wine just explode. All in all, yet another great meal at Corso.

b s.

This place is great. We screwed up our seating and they fixed it without complaint. They made fabulous recommendations and the gnocchi, which were on special, were worth a trip all the way across the bay alone. Delicate little pillows of melt in your mouth pasta soaked in a brown sugar sage butter sauce covered in light flakes of cheese...... I almost ordered them again for dessert.

Tristan G.

I have eaten at Corso several times over the last few years, and always leave satisfied and then some. The extensive wine list has gotten me to go in new directions. A Rose that I liked! A lot! Freaky. The staff has always pointed me in the right direction, be it the right wine with the meal, or the right starter. I've enjoyed many items from the rotating menu, but the butter chicken deserves an extra acknowledgement, as well as the graciously provided extra bread to dip in that sauce. A excellent choice for a elegantly casual night out.

Robert D.

The Best Italian Food in Berkeley! None is Italian but the food is authentic food from a Tuscan Trattoria. Only negative: the menu could have more novelties.

Andres T.

Corso is one of my favorite places to eat in the Bay Area. It's got solid italian food and amazing service. I've eaten there dozens of times and I always love their food. Delicately cooked fish and yummy charcuterie. Make reservations and come hungry because you'll want to have desert.

Rick C.

Decent dining experience, for the most part. Competent and attentive waitstaff. Seated us as walk-ins at the bar immediately. Ordered bruschetta, bucatini & the pork chop, with the patate "risotto" as a side. Unfortunately, the Patate Rissoto was undercooked, and NO ONE likes undercooked potatoes. Sadly, no one inquired why they were mostly untouched. In retrospect, would probably find more value in going to Rivoli - more cohesive offering and better neighborhood vibe.

Sergio P.

They don't know how to make a basic dish of the Italian Cuisine. Spaghetti Carbonara. They sent my meal with a very thick pasta, the sauce did not stick to it, and the pasta was swimming in the sauce. When I complained they treated me like an idiot that did not know about food, so I got up and went to a Burger King. I was so sad, because I had heard wonderful things about it, and it is not a cheap place, and it should not be, because the food is only ok, and the service is marginal at best. It's been awhile since I was there, and I hope they have fixed what was wrong!

Genny C.

Definitely one of my favorite restaurants at Berkeley! Recently had dinner here with a few friends. Make sure you make a reservation beforehand. The restaurant is cosy and full even on weekdays. Luckily we managed to snag a bar table before it filled up. Some dishes that I usually get: - Chicken liver pate: two pieces of bread topped with rich, flavorful chicken liver pieces. Absolutely delicious and a must-get for any pate lovers. - Tagliatelle with braised beef and pork: simple dish garnished with beef and pork, al dente. - Sea bass: Perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside - Cherry sundae: on the larger size, so I always share with friends. The cherry syrup is tasty. The dishes are on the smaller size so may not be the best choice for those with big appetites! Nevertheless, if you want a upscale-casual place in a cosy environment with great food, definitely pay Trattoria Corso a visit.

Thomas S.

Last Saturday, my wife and I went to Corso to celebrate our one year anniversary. This place was highly recommended by my co-worker, and we weren't disappointed. My wife had petrale sole and it was delicious. Their potatoes were great as well. I personally really liked my salad. I was a little bit disappointed they didn't offer any vegetarian entrees, not even pasta. But I loved their panna cotta and I'll definitely come to have it again.

Jonny S.

This is a real authentic food experience. Perfect for a little dinner or night out with friends. Salami dish, polenta, and the olive side for starters. You will not be disappointed. And all main dishes where cooked to such perfection. And the wait staff was more than friendly. Good job guys. Stay forever. :)

Kaitlyn T.

I got lucky looking on yelp good restaurants in Berkeley. Came upon this and picked it by instinct. They luckily could make room for us in their busy Wednesday night. The food was superb!! Chicken liver pate was a brilliant appetizer and what made my day was a simple chicken leg with vegetables. That made my trip!!!! My cousin described as "transcendent", well I don't know if I would go that far but I will certainly revisit this hidden gem.

Tim H.

Excellent! Great food, excellent service. Quiet and pleasant.

Dan W.

One of the best restaurants in the East Bay, or entire Bay Area for that matter. Great food. Great drinks. Great service. No attitude. No Hipsters. Just wonderful. One of our favorites.

Michael Y.

I have been here three times and every time it doesn't disappoint. Everything on the menu is really good, but I especially like the tagliatelle al sugo. The sauce is nice and rich. I'd have to say the portions are not very big, but this is to be expected at a nice/more upscale restaurant. Definitely not a place to go when you're super hungry, as the main entrees don't come with any sides and you have to order them a la carte. They have a large selection of alcohol, and I really like their Sleepyhead. I would give this place five stars, but I'm a huge critic on service, and it could be a little more attentive. Overall, a nice restaurant.

Tarah D.

Here's the thing about Italian food: lots of it is heartbreakingly not vegetarian-friendly. I mean, it CAN be, of course, but much of it, especially at higher-end restaurants, focuses on the many specialized meats that come out of Italy. And, if pancetta were part of my dietary life, I'd probably eat it every chance I got, too. But it makes going to a nice Italian restaurant a dubious endeavor. I was, therefor, justifiably nervous when the menu at Trattoria Corso had only one non-meat main course option. But the waiter asked the chef, who offered up a few extra things we could choose from, making the dinner both accommodating AND delicious. The pasta here is fresh and amazing, and the gnocchi is some of the most tender I've had stateside. I'd also HIGHLY recommend the fava bean appetizer as well as the polenta app. Both *amazing*.

Danica B.

My husband and I made a reservation here to celebrate our anniversary. All of the staff was incredibly friendly, respectful, and sweet - several wished us a happy anniversary even. The pace of the meal was really nice, we slowly enjoyed several courses and left feeling full but not too full - the amount of food and the timing was perfect. The food was good but not necessarily amazing. We'd probably go back again sometime in the future. It's a really nice place to go for a quiet celebration.

Matt R.

A north Berkeley institution. We have been a couple times and it's always a treat. Most recently, the waitress was knowledgeable and pointed us to some dishes we would have otherwise skipped over. The chicken cooked in butter looks small, but it's filling and amazing. The savory vegetable bread pudding was surprisingly good. There are plenty of wine options that don't break the bank, and the cocktails list was interesting.

Tracy D.

Went here to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Had reservations at 8PM on a Saturday night, but arrived at 7:15ish and they seated us no problem. Not sure if he was the owner or not, but the person who greeted/seated us was super nice and invited us to the restaurant's upcoming anniversary celebration. We had the risotto, t-bone steak/bistecca alla fiorentina (which is what I came for) and the tagliatelle al sugo. Now I love steak and am always in search of the perfect steak. The t-bone is better than your average steak but not the best I've ever had. It was flavorful and I would definitely come back and order it again. Risotto was ok. Tagliatelle was pretty good. Both were smaller portions for the price. The server thought we'd be super full ordering 3 main entrees, but I guess we're big eaters because it was just right. We headed across the street for dessert because I wanted a chocolate lava cake. Probably won't make our regular circuit of restaurants we visit mainly because of price, but we'll come back eventually.

Mini A.

The food was great, except a little too much salt in the dishes overall.

Clarke H.

Fantastic food, service, wine list. Both traditional and inventive. Delicious! Quite wonderful atmosphere. Women look great in this romantic restaurant with its soft colors and wood accents. I've found the pasta to be consistently exquisite and although it might seem kinda strange to order steak from a Trattoria style restaurant, I've had their steak twice and have to say it's one of the best anywhere.

Bonnie M.

This trattoria is a gem - excellent seafood, salumi, and fresh vegetables. The wait staff are super. I wish I could come more often.

Jason C.

Exceptional food and service. Only Italian wines though (not a bad thing, just something to be aware of). Small place, but nice vibe for dinner.

Connie C.

I don't get why Trattoria Corso doesn't have a higher rating than a 3.5 average. This is not your fancy spancy restaurant where you must dress up for it. It is Berkeley after all. Anyway, I came here last week for an early dinner with a friend. We were seated right in front of the door, behind the hostess. Seating arrangement could be better, I guess it's a small shop, so they have to maximize the area as much as they can. My friend and I started off with their daily special chopped salad, with diced pears, hazelnuts, and SMOKED TROUT. If you like smoked salmon or you're just a fish lover, give it a try! It had too much dressing in my opinion, but the trout stood out. My taste buds had a gist of the sweet fish taste and the feeling of gliding against soft textures. The dressing made it filling enough to make the salad a shareable dish. I ordered their pesce, which was the pan roasted petrale sole served with asparagus and caramelized baby onions. The presentations of both the salad and the entree wasn't too great. Remind me if I didn't upload the pictures. I wished the asparagus were not so thin. The fish had a hint of lemon taste to it. Only the outer layer was crispy, the insides was still soft and not overcooked. You get about two filets, which is a fair amount. Now, last but not least, the best part of my meal: the dessert. I did mention before about how I don't eat sweets. So when I do order it, I have high expectations. This is not my usual tarty dessert. I ordered their panna cotta, which was a vanilla custard with prosecco-soaked strawberries. Yes, I got suckered into it with the prosecco. This little custard of guilt is just so delicious. I remembered how my eyes popped wide open when our server was about to place it in front of me. It had a layer of grounded vanilla beans on top of the custard, which adds a grainy texture to the dessert. The best part was still the strawberries. I've tried a lot of alcohol-infused food items, but this was just worth remembering. There's that normal tarty-sweet taste from the fresh strawberries, and there's this sparkling sweet taste that's a bit dry. You got these two flavors flip flopping in your mouth. Then you add a spoonful of vanilla custard to have all these bombastic flavors driving you wild. I don't mind skipping dieting for this.

Emily D.

Everything was excellent here. Service was great, food was great, ambiance was great. Even parking was easy. I had the Rigatoncini, and sampled the Bistecca a la Fiorentina, the Patate arrosto, and the polenta. My pasta was good but was a smaller portion than I thought it would be given how big all our other plates were. The flavor didn't exactly blow me away but it was still good. The polenta was divine - it was soaked in olive oil and covered with cheese. The T-bone steak was cooked to perfection. It was also massive and there was plenty to share with everyone. The potatoes were flavorful, cooked perfectly, and they gave us a full plate of them. We couldn't even finish all of them. My friend had the chicken and didn't like that it was served in a pool of butter. I didn't try it but she really regretted not getting something else. I'll definitely come back. And next time I'll save room for dessert!

Christina G.

I've been here twice now and I can comfortably say that Trattoria Corso's food is just okay. For the price and the fanfare of reviews, I just expect a little more creativity in the dishes. I think this place has high ratings because there isn't a lot of competition for nice Italian restaurants in the immediate area. Likes: -Good, attentive service even though it was very busy -Freshly made pasta - you can taste the difference. -you can order wine by the half glass -menu changes seasonally Dislikes: -Portions small - it works out fine if you order a primi and secundi dish as you are traditionally supposed to but lets be real, most people order just one. -Ran out of certain things by 7:30 pm (eg, the mackerel and the pork) - there is a warning on the menu that the mackerel is a limited item but nevertheless disappointing. -serving butter instead of olive oil with the bread. A good italian restaurant should keep a good olive oil and vinegar on the table. General impression: food is okay; Amongst myself and my party we ordered 4 different pasta dishes, a spinach side, and a salami platter. The noodles are freshly made and were cooked to perfection but none of the dishes were particularly memorable.

Jennifer V.

I took my stepsister here for dinner after our chocolate tasting at Alegio to celebrate her 21st birthday. Definitely loved the place!! We were seated at a table right near the front window, so we enjoyed people watching (which is always fun in Berkeley!). We really had quite an excellent experience here. Our server was fantastic, and everything was seamless. I had the 24oz t-bone (which I only ate about 1/3 of and took the rest home), my stepsister had the GIANT grilled pork chop, and we ordered the grilled head-on prawns, sauteed spinach, and duck fat-roasted yukon gold potato coins as sides. ALL of it was absolutely delectable. I recommend each of those dishes! For dessert I had a simple dish of chocolate gelato, and my stepsister had a sundae. Yum! All of the food was cooked to perfection and everything was amazing. I think it's worth checking out if you're down for a big meal. The portions for everything were HUGE!

Ed G.

I went to Corso for the first time last night. I was really looking forward to it and left a little disappointed. While the food was good every dish seemed to come up just a little bit short. I was worried about it being too noisy and crowded but I really liked the feel of the place. While the staff in general were great I had a little disconnect with the waiter, something I rarely experience. His wine recommendations were excellent however. I had the chianti by the glass. I started with the shrimp soup which was my favorite dish of the night. The soup base had a great blend of favors. However the shrimp themselves had a weird texture and little flavor. My wife had the chicken liver pate and found it disappointing. I also had the sweetbreads which were tasty though I found the sauce a little salty and the sweetbreads themselves were cut in a way that made them chewy. My wife had the poached grouper. She loved the farro verde but the grouper was pretty bland. I had the beef sugo which was good but a little salty and not great. Maybe I have become spoiled by Picco in Larkspur, Dopo and Wood Tavern but this fell short of my expectations. My wife observed that everyone in the kitchen seemed a little hassled and tired. Who knows. The potential is there but maybe it was an off night for me or Corso.

Kelli T.

It's sometimes hard to get a table without planning ahead, but everything I've had here has been delicious. In particular, the polenta is my favorite side dish in town. Pasta's good, veggies are good, and let's face it, you can't go wrong with the chicken breast drowned in butter (unless they've sold out of it, which has happened to me before). The chocolate budino is amazing, but super rich, and you may need a friend to help you out. I've had several versions of the panna cotta; the custard is always just right, but sometimes the topping combos are a bit weird.

Nancy P.

I looked this place up and found that they had quite the Yelp reviews. I also browsed their online menu and was impressed. A good friend and I decided to do our catch up dinner date here. What a good choice. The food was tasty. We ordered a tripe pasta which was very tasty but the tripe seemed chewier than it needed to be. The tagliatelle al sugo was very, very good. The pasta to meat ratio was perfect. The Tagliatelle was probably the highlight of the night. We also had bread with duck liver for the appetizer which was just okay and finally the sea bass. The sea bass was under seasoned in my opinion but it was quite the display. The whole bass came out on a platter and was quite intimidating but being Asian, I conquered the fish, bones and all. I think the wait staff was quite impressed. A real negative is that this place was VERY dark inside. Thank goodness I know the fish anatomy like the back of my hand. Otherwise, I could have choked on several fish bones. It was that dim inside that its safe to say an individual inexperienced with being served a whole fish would have accidentally consumed and choked on the tiny translucent bones. Overall: Good place to dine with good company. Great selection of wine. Small portions, but good food - but nothing worth gushing around town about. Could use work on their ambiance and decor.

Becky H.

One of the better meals I've had in the east bay. The gnocchi was delicious - orange infused broth was a little too sweet but still rich enough to enjoy. The wine menu was pretty small but most of the options seemed to be well thought out in terms of menu pairing. The arugula salad was huge, but really good - nice and acidic. I went here on a date in March 2013 and it was a pretty ideal place for getting to know someone. The ambiance was very comfortable; there was a nice amount of background noise so you could a) hear your date, and b) those around you can't hear every word you say. I'm definitely planning a return trip.

Paul A.

This restaurant provided one of my most pleasurable dinning experiences.

LaVerne I.

Used Open Table for an 8 pm reservation for 3 just 3 hours earlier. The ambiance was social and our selections were delicious. The best Pork Chops ordered in a restaurant, by far. We are still talking about the flavor and how well prepared it was. The tagliatelle with the meat sauce was rich and al dente perfect. Our table service was attentive to details and personable addressing my tween son respectfully without the "kid" glare. Despite our waiter with the less than professional attitude as he delivered an opinionated recommendation to order a dish despite our not wanting ricotta, a featured ingredient; we look forward to our next visit soon.

Lara W.

In their defense, I don't think Corso is trying to woo eaters like me. I rarely order meat and they are putting a lot of effort into making interesting, complex-sounding carnivorous dishes. I am willing to guess that those who are singing the high notes of Corso's greatness ordered the t-bone. That being said, if you're going to have a vegetarian option available, it can't be an afterthought because some diners are going to base their understanding of your restaurant entirely on that one dish. I've been twice; my last visit was around the time it opened years ago. The experience was the same as the one I'm reviewing from last night. Here's what a vegetarian-inclined eater can expect: A fancy feel, an elegant set up, a LOT of noise. + Freakin' phenomenal polenta. + Nice wine list, both in terms of bottle choice, glass selection and value, although not-so-nice charge of about $2 per taste (better guess right!) + Beet salad was nice enough, but the beets were definitely al-dente, if that matters to you. - Only one meatless main entree option (Cannelloni) and some decent, but salty, small plate sides. ~Cannelloni felt chewy, maybe overcooked or gratinee was ovedone. The flavors of the cheese were overwhelming and after a bite, I didn't want any more. ~Bundi (savory bread pudding) sounded great on paper, with chantrelle mushrooms, but it came out tasting kind of flat. ~Spinachi had a lot of garlic but felt slimy otherwise, which was not so appealing. They have panna cotta, which is always a dessert I am happy to come across, and it was pretty good, so props for that. Server was very nice.

Todd H.

This is one of our favorite places in Berkeley. Excellent service, delicious food. Try the chicken in butter. Love the wine tasting options.

Naomi F.

I've been to Corso twice and both times were excellent. While pricey, everything is made really well and worth the splurge once in a while. As I don't eat meat, I usually have a pretty limited selection, but that hasn't yet been a problem as both pasta dishes I've had there were amazing. Last time, I had the squid ink pasta and it was one of the single best dishes I've ever had. It was so perfectly done and not too fishy at all. The sauteed spinach and the polenta sides are both amazing, but they were out of spinach last time I went, and the broccoli rabe substituion was sub par (the only thing I've eaten there that wasn't fantastic). The person I was with got the $45 steak (he's steak obsessed) and said it was one of the best steaks he has had outside of Argentina. The portions are definitely small, which is fine for me and left me feeling perfectly satisfied, but some may complain. Otherwise, if you're willing to pay for it, dinner at Corso is great.

Lola S.

Food was good but the portions are very small for the price. I paid 15$ for about 10 little a pieces of gnocchi balls not worth it. But the mojito was very good! Probably won't go back

Kristina A.

Trattoria Corso is a little place along Shattuck Ave. that offers Italian food. This is a sister restaurant of Rivoli which is located aling Solano Ave in Albany. I have been here more than 4x and everything is very satisfactory. Minus 1 star because it tends to be too noisy at dinner time. If you are in a large group you can't hardly hear each other. Also, the place is pretty small that you are actualluy seated very close to each other. The last time i was here, one light from the ceiling is burned out so our table was pretty dim, hard to see the food specially if you are having a fish dish. So far here are some of the food i have tasted. They changed their menu depending on the season. Farm Raised Chicken Breast with Brown Butter --- the best dish i have tasted here. Pan fried and cooked with brown butter. It is served in the pan swimming with the brown butter. Sinful but was vety good. With the crispy skin and juicy breast, it is really the best. Spinaci --- i paired it with the spinach sauteed with garlic and chili flakes. I requested not to put the chili flakes but i guess they forgot. I complained (im not into spicy foods) and they were very nice and did not charge us for the sides. Tagliatale al Sugo -- just for a change i ordered pasta. It was surprisingly good. Portion is a little bit small for me but pair it up with bread and dip it in the sauce, you'll be satisfied. Mixed Greens with Red wine Vinagrette --- it was ok but not outstanding. They tend to overdressed the salad so make sure to ask it on the side. Rock Shrimp Alfredo Pasta -- shrimp was cooked perfectly. Generous portion of pasta and shrimp. Very good. But i dnt see much of this offering on their menu lately. Branzino -- some restaurants give you the whole branzino when you order. But what i like about them is that they fillet it already and it was very good. Just the right amount of salt. Flourless Chocolate Cake & Gelato -- this is our paring. Warm chocolate cake with the gelato. So good. Very moist and just the right size to end your night. Thank you fellow yelpers my experience here has been great! Will definitely recommend.

Sarah P.

Best Italian restaurant in Berkeley. Everything is classic, seasonal, mouthwatering, fresh. Very easy to avoid gluten. Wonderful salads. Great cocktails & wine choices. Have visited the trattoria in Florence that inspired many of the menu items here (Il Trioa-also known as Sostanza) and Corso is as good or better. Try the chicken breast cooked in butter in its own little pan for a naughty treat.

Mick M.

This place felt great the moment we walked in. It was packed but you instantly felt everyone was comfortable, enjoying their food and happy to be there. I enjoyed a drink at the bar while waiting for the rest of my party where the bartender was welcoming and knowledgable of the selection of scotches I was not familiar with. I spent time with the menu and was excited by all the interesting and great sounding foods available. I was with a large party so we ordered many different plates and shared, which I highly recommend. I will first say that everything we had was exceptional. All familiar dishes with a unique and tasty execution. The calamari was fresh, light, tender and delicious. The Panzanella was the best variation of this dish I've ever had and I order it at every Italian restaurant I go to. The Trippa alla Fiorentina, The Gnocchi, Tagliatele and Risotto all excellent as were the other vegetables. I usually stay away from meats but all that was presented before me made me stray, and though I just tasted the meats my eyes were huge with amazement at how good they all were. The wine, the desserts, the coffees, the company, the service, atmosphere provided a memorable dining experience. If you have any interest in checking this place out then do.

J S.

5.22.09 Both of the items I had were specials of the day. The Mussels in a Spicy Broth was my favorite dish of the night. The mussels were fresh and the broth was delicious, so good that I dipped the sourdough Acme Bread in it. The grilled White Sea Bass, served skin side up sitting on a bed of leeks, reminded me of the salty fish that Chinese people eat because the crispy skin was so salty. The fish was not fishy, but almost all of the moisture had been zapped out of the fish. I almost choked on a chunk of fish because it was so dry. I didn't pay $23 to choke on fish. The plate for my bread had crumbs all over it and no I didn't leave it there. Someone else did. The menu didn't offer much and the place wasn't accommodating. At first, I wanted Tagliatelle al sugo which was pasta with braised beef and pork, so I asked if I could get it with only beef because I don't eat pork. The waitress asked the kitchen for me and it couldn't be done because the chefs pre-prepared everything already. I like my food custom made and c'mon even McDonald's advertised that. It would've been 3 stars if I based it solely on food because the mussels were that good it made up for the fish, but since I almost didn't even order an entree, I gave it 1.5 stars.

Liem L.

cute place in berkeley and i aim to go back.

Andrew B.

Had the olives for starters and the t-bone steak cooked with olive oil. Food I give a ten one of the best steaks I have ever had. Ambiance is about a seven. Service was good but not special. Had an espresso to finish the meal and wish they had brought a chocolate with the check. About $60 with tip including one glass of mid priced wine. Worth it but not outstanding value. I will be back next time I am in town best food I have had here.

David M.

This is a pleasant place. They have a good selection of interesting Italian wines which can be tried by the taste which is a quarter of a glass. The grilled swordfish special on al dente vegetables was excellent. A nice touch was corn kernels with the vegetables.

Keith C.

I had to celebrate the unveiling of the new Top 100 list on Sunday, so why not go to one of the newly minted ones? Corso is owned by Roscoe Skipper and Wendy Brucker of Rivoli (a perennial Top 100), so I knew it would be good. It's situated in Berkeley's "gourmet ghetto," on Shattuck north of University Avenue. Food: 5 stars. So many good things to eat. Everyone at my table was skinnier than me or on a budget, so we ended up sharing just a handful of dishes. We tried the burrata (fresh mozzarella, English peas, walnuts, sherry vinaigrette), which was so creamy and went perfectly with the toasty crunch of the walnuts. The tagliatelle al sugo pasta with braised beef and pork was very delicious and cooked perfectly al dente. I just wish I got to eat more. The braciola di maiale (grilled bone-in Niman Ranch pork loin with sweet and sour onions) was one of the many highlights of the evening. The juicy pork went so well with the sweet and tart onions. We also thoroughly enjoyed the funghi pizza (mushrooms with fontina piave cheese and white truffle oil) because you just can't go wrong with white truffle oil, while the crispy patate arrosto (duck fat-roasted Yukon potatoes with garlic confit and rosemary) was the only thing that seemed close to ordinary. For dessert, the budino al cioccolato (flourless chocolate cake with caramel and chocolate sauce whipped cream) was delicious and not too rich, as was the light and zesty vanilla bean panna cotta. All in all a very tasty evening. Service: 4 stars. Our server rocks, all of the dishes she recommended were spot on. She was extremely friendly and even recommended the budget-friendly carafe serving of wine instead of a bottle, which I wouldn't even have seen because it was on the back of the food menu instead of the wine list. One glitch: the string wasn't removed from the burrata. Atmosphere: 3 stars. The look of this place totally reminds me of Dopo, with one exception. Occasionally, you can watch the staff climb a ladder in full view of the dining room to retrieve some items from a storage room above the pantry. The place is buzzing with activity, but skews to the older crowd. The most annoying part was the couple who sat next to us, who were coo-cooing and making out with each other all night. Save the PDA for later, people! Don't give the old people a free show! Hits: Burrata, tagliatelle al sugo, funghi pizza, panna cotta. Misses: People that need to get a room. If You Like This Place, You'd Probably Like: Rivoli, Dopo, A16, Beretta, Delfina, SPQR.

G A.

Edit: I've eaten here twice more. Once with my family. I had one of the pizzas which, I am sad to say, I did not like very much. However, I went here with my wife for our anniversary. Corso had a winemaker from Italy in attendance with her wines and a pre fixe menu to match the wine (you could also order from the standard menu). The selected wines were amazing and food perfect. It has to be one of the best meals I have ever eaten. -- Original Review Recently I ate in 4 nice Berkeley restaurants on consecutive nights. So I feel uniquely blessed to compare them :) Corso (of course) Caffe Venezia Lococo (North Berkeley) Downtown Of the 4, Corso had the best food, Lococo's coming in a close second. The "caprese salad" (or approximation of caprese) was by far the best (didn't have one at Downtown however). The menu is a traditional Italian affair, ordered in courses. Service was also good. Menu was just fun to look over. Wine list was also nice. It was however insanely loud. Our table literally had acoustic foam on the underside, If you don't like loud restaurants, just forget this one fri/sat night. 5 stars for everything but -1 for the noise. A little expensive but pleasantly worth it.

ML ..

the flavors in their food is amazing. the service was good, not great, just kinda there. we were there on a sunday night with 7pm reservations, we were seated promptly. the kitchen was just hauling ass i guess. we had 2 apps, 2 main courses and a dessert and coffee...done in 45-50minutes. there really was no lag between the apps and our pastas and the dessert was cranked out right after we ordered. i think the portion size for the pastas could've been a smidgen more, only because they were so delicious. this can easily be my new favorite italian restaurant (in both sf and east bay), but i want to give it a few more tries before i solidify that statement. but so far so good.

T A.

Just back from a dinner at this Trattoria Corso. Food is 3.5 stars Service is 2.5 stars Overall is between 2 and 3 stars... I went with the lower for the reasons below: --They were out of about HALF the menu when we went (8:45 on a sunday night!). When we were seated and the specials were read, the waitress immediately told us that they were out of all chicken dishes. I didn't care much because I'm a vegetarian and wanted the risotto anyways, which we were told they had "two left of." However, after my girlfriend and I both ordered risotto, they came back a few minutes later saying they only had enough for one. Whats up with this? Is the food pre-made back there or something? Risotto is NOT that specialized of a dish that you cant just make some more... Then, later, when we tried to order desert, they were out of the chocolate flour-less cake. Ok, so I ask the waitress what they DO have. Waitress says "everything else," so I ask for the chocolate gelato with whiskey. Then she says they are out of that as well. ---------- Perhaps this would not have been an issue if we had gone earlier, but considering they seat people until 9:30, it seemed a bit outrageous that they were out of so many dishes. --Despite telling the waitress that i was a vegetarian at the beginning of the meal, and specifically ordering my risotto-replacement to be without meat, the dish still arrived with meat. --Dessert cheese plate that my father got had inedible pieces of rind on it. In the end, it seemed like Corso was just a typical restaurant trying to put up a facade of upscale, authentic italian eats. Aside from the burgatta (which was the highlight of the meal), none of my group's meals stood out. Combine that with the inexcusable amount of dishes they had run out of, as well as making a huge error by putting meat in my dish, and you end up feeling like the $40/person that you laid down would have gone much further somewhere else.

Royce L.

Okay, I had to knock off a star since my BF left there hungry. $85 later he's still wanting more. We had to stop by Topdog afterwards to satisfy his hunger. I had heard about Corso which is relatively new in the neighborhood, thought we'd check it out. Dined in the bar. Cool, nice bartender. Ordered a mista salad to share, one pasta dishes each, and we shared a panna cotta. The salad a too vinegary. Pastas were delicious albeit small. Very small portions. I've seen small enough just to fill you but this was not that. I suppose our expectation was to leave full but if you're there for munchies and several dishes then this might be fun. Or just rack up the bill and order several of dishes. Good food. Bigger portions might be nice. I rarely recommend this for restaurants too.

Mousputin S.

Corso is kind of our go-to restaurant for a nice dinner on short notice (when people are visiting, etc.) because we live so close. This is probably the one place where I'll actually order chicken in a restaurant, because they practically use an entire stick of butter to cook this chicken and it is therefore delicious. Salumi plate is always always good, and I always get the flourless chocolate cake for dessert!

Melissa E.

Absolutely worth every star! As I imagined, the dishes have improved with the installation of a new head chef, Rodrigo. After spending the last 1 1/2 years honing his craft with Max and Marc at Wood Tavern, Rodrigo's skill in the kitchen can definitely be seen & tasted. He is clearly executing Wendy's vision with his own touch and all of the dishes hit the mark. Anyone who tried Corso before last week should give it another try - you won't be disappointed.

Kari H.

I have been to Corso twice now and am absolutely in love with the food and service, but not the lighting. (Halfway through our meal, they dimmed the lights so that I could hardly see my plate let alone my boyfriend all away across the table!) Had there been a fly in my polenta I would hardly have known! But lighting issues aside, I would highly recommend the food and desserts. We have had a delicious kale soup, two fabulous shrimp and pasta dishes, and the sausage pizza which was yummy but waaay too salty! The polenta is so creamy and so light! And the fritto misto is one of the best I've had. On the night we ordered it, it contained shrimp, calamari and fresh sweet fennel! So light and delicious! The fresh fruit tart was incredible (fresh peaches and a flakey crust with fresh whipped cream!) and the flourless chocolate cake with hazelnuts was to die for!) I'm getting hungry... Lucky for me, they're now open for lunch!

Michael M.

This should be a 4.5 star review, but no option, so I rounded up.... Another great place from the folks at Rivoli, this one modeled after a Tuscan trattoria. Great food, great options for ordering wine (you can get a taste, 1/2 glass, full glass or a 500 ml carafe, or just order a bottle) and great service. Only downside I've found is that both times we've come recently, our table wasn't ready at reservation time. Took about 5-10 minutes and you can wait at the bar while watching sub-titled Italian movies. Still, they should have tables ready for reservations. Pastas are all great. Spaghetti with gamberi features whole head-on shrimp, rich with flavor from the shells, in a garlicky, spicy, not heavy sauce. Tagliatelle al sugo is a hearty pork and beef combo sauce that is rich and deep. Lots of sauce per amount of pasta. Pennette is a good light option, cooked in fennel and onions with a touch of pancetta. And the Panzotti are two big raviolis with ricotta, basil and squash blossoms. Very very good. They're pretty big portions and could serve as entrees if you wished. They do a nice salumi plate, the spicy stuff was the best, but all good. And the Lattuga Romana is a great caeser-y salad. The chicken breast in brown butter is just out of this world, about the best chicken you'll ever have. Cooked in tons of butter, with a delicious crust and served in the very hot pan it was cooked in. It's just $12 and comes with nothing else, no other ingredients in the sauce and no side veggies or anything, but it's a must-have. Everything else we've had was good too: Soups of the day, fresh spinach or other veggies (once they had the cavolo nero, which was amazing). The whole fish (branzino or whatever's fresh) is done perfectly. And folks at the next table were raving about the potatoes cooked in duck fat, but we didn't have them. Only dish that wasn't superb was the grilled octopus appetizer with broccoli rabe. Pulpo was a bit overcooked and not as flavorful as it should be, and the rabe was actually not bitter enough, as if they parboiled it too much before sauteeing. Oh well, everyone slips. And the steak gets lots of raves here, but we'll have to try it next time. Only category we haven't tried here is desserts, but I bet they're great.

LL T.

Just had dinner here last night with my husband and son. It was a very good meal. We ordered and shared the following: Lattuga Romana - basically a like a Caesar salad Tagliatelle al sugo - pasta with braised beef and pork Pizze Rosmania - with pancetta, carmelized onions and potatoes Pollo al burro all Sostanza - pan fried chicken breast Budino al cioccolato - flourless chocolate cake Loved the casual feel of the restaurant. Service was attentive and good. Would definitely go back again to try a few other items.

C H.

appetizer-Mackarel- battered&deep fried, crisp, stinky, and just oily enuff. appetizer-Caprese salad. Not bad, but not extraordinary. Bread, olive oil/vinergrette; was filling my cheeks. Fungi pizza- really, really , fantastico. Pasta with Pork and beef ragu; addicting. Really good. Wine recommended by bar keep, right on. Pisco sour- so-so. Seat at bar; comfy enuff. I'd go again.

Colin M.

Top notch Italian comfort food.

Pauline S.

i like this place. i came here on a random week day evening not sure where to eat and we randomly stumbled upon this place. we had to wait about ten minutes for a table to clear as we didn't have reservations and i'm glad we stayed to try this place. it's somewhat small but there is a communal table in the front for those that are interested in that. while i decided to skip that when i ventured in, i will say that it's intriguing and that perhaps, i'll do that next time i'm around. to start, we had the mozzerella - the pine ntus were an excellent touch and it all went well with the bread they provided us. for my entree, i had the chicken dish. it was really good -- but, covered in a puddle of oil/butter. while the chicken was plump and delicious, my arteries were getting clogged just looking at it. we had polenta as a side. i was always somewhat ambivalent about polenta but this place changed my mind and now i love polenta! we skipped on dessert because we were so full but next time we will have to try it!

Fzarond K.

this was a place that did not feel friendly.

amy c.

a bunch of my foodie meetup group decided to give Corso a try... having travelled to Italy for a month, i am and continue to be an Italian food snob. being a big group of 6, we took our time, ordered course by course, and probably were the last table to leave. we got to try everything, so it wasn't like we didn't have a wide variety to sample from. we ordered: Crostini Trio, and Tonno Crudo The tuna appetizer was good and fresh, refreshing even. the Crostini trio was nothing to write home about. For first course we had: Trippa alla Fiorentina, Risotto and Tagliatelle al sugo the tripe was much better than we thought, surprisingly good. The risotto - don't bother. it's like rice pilaf that's overcooked. I know everyone raved about the tagliatelle al sugo, i had hopes that this would at least beat my bolognese sauce - but it doesn't. come on over to Chez Amy for a much more authentic and flavorful version. The sauce was lacking 'intensity' - flavor. it seemed bland and watered down. the pasta was ok, i do think they make it here and it's got the bouncy chewiness of fresh made pasta. but the sauce doesn't do it justice. For second course we had: Pollo al burro alla sostanza and Anatra (the duck breast). The chicken was mighty delicious but it was, afterall, swimming in a pool of delicious melted butter, crispy skin. The Anatra is just your typical duck. We also had Pizze Salsiccia which was an ok attempt at pizza. not special at all As a side dish we had Patate arrosto - the duck fat made this rich and hearty. this was a favorite of the table. For dessert, we had Panna cotta - velvety smooth and creamy. not hard to make but it was comforting that they didn't ruin this. All in all this was an 'blah' meal. we weren't impressed, there's nothing that i'd CRAVE for and had to go back. When i make a better version of something than a restaurant, we can just save the money, and come over for a nice meal at my place. :) 2 stars.

Michael S.

Very happy with recent visits. Wonderful salumi by Steve and Scott and Alex. Sit at the chef's counter if you can.

Tim M.

Ok -- so i've taken two visits here. I wish Phoenix Pastaficio was still here... but thats for another time. I came here two times. The first time i ordered a feux-florentine steak. Having just been in florence less than a year ago, i have to say it was quite reminescent of the real thing (still not as good). The Bar in the back is nice --- you can order half a bottle of wine (~ $20) and drink it while you wait for a table. A 4-star experience. The second time i came, i got the butternut squash and a pizza. Although the prices seemed reasonable, i ended up paying much more than i wanted to. Also, the food was quite salty this time around. 2-stars. So Corso, while i can honestly say its a great improvement over Misto (Yuk!), it still lacks something. Maybe its because its owned by the same owners as Rivoli that i felt unimpressed. If they owners know what constitutes 5-star food, so what're they doing making it worse. so -- high points: bar and florentine steak.

Rob C.

feels berkeley neighborhood-y, busy offers a great "familiar" menu with good ingredients, decent prices shared grilled shrimp in olive oil, taglitelle al sugo (flavorful stewed beef and pork) and patate arrosto (duck fat roasted yukon potatoes -- roasted quite nicely)

Mike L.

A lot of ways to put together a dinner, but the price starts adding up and I felt oddly ill afterwards. A lot of flavor but not much variety.

Jim J.

The salumi is always a treat... Different every visit and consistently surprising. I had the calamari and green olive spagetti tonight - really unique and amazing flavors!

Ryan K.

Truly terrible. After such a horrible experience several weeks after opening, I wanted nothing better than to put Corso as far out of mind as possible. That is until a close friend of mine blundered in there and had a similarly agonizing experience. 1. Horrible food. Of the five dishes we had, only one was palatable. I have never seen fish cooked so hard (I wouldn't even give it to my friend's cat). The only thing that was passable was the tagliatelle con sugo, which came out from the kitchen room temperature. And only passable, at that. Overall, I have to say that the food is decidedly uninspired with lackluster and shoddy execution. 2. Horrible service. The waitress showed up to take our order, then not until it was time for the bill. No amount of frantic waving or unwavering stares could attract her attention; we had better luck with the busboy. We were pouring our own wine through the entire meal, with long periods of empty glasses that the waitress cruised by! The service was so bad I am forced to conclude that the waitress is either blind or decided to studiously ignore us. The first course took 30 minutes to put in an appearance, and every course after that was completely disjointed. We expressed our displeasure at the end of the meal, and we were met with only brusque and unapologetic staff who were apparently insulted that we were not heaping praise upon them. Having been to Rivoli any number of times, I should have expected that the staff would have the same attitude problem. There is no reason to waste your money on Corso when you could go to Pizzaiolo.

Linh N.

The food at Corso is simply and perfectly cooked. You don't need a bunch of crazy ingredients to make things delicious. The butternut squash ravioli were good, as were the mozzarella/roasted red peppers/pesto/pine nuts appetizer, the pate crostini appetizer and the side dishes. The flavors of each ingredient really shone through. My favorite dish of the night was the sea bass with artichoke salad. Simply grilled fish with some chokes in dressing. Excellent food!

Bob R.

Last night was my third time at Corso, and I was disappointed to learn they no longer serve their delicious pizza, which had been my favorite item on the menu. The waiter said they had sold the pizza oven... wtf? The chicken in butter was delicious as always, and the mixed greens salad was excellent. A bit pricey.

Ile F.

They had my most favorite Tagliatelle al sugo on dinner menu, pasta with braised beef and pork, almost as good as what's in Perbacco!

Laura B.

I've only eaten here once, for lunch, but it was fabulous. Possibly the best Italian food I've eaten at a restaurant outside of Italy. We had salad, two kinds of pasta, and chocolate cake. It was all quite excellent. A good friend and I used to describe this kind of meal with the phrase, "there is absolutely nothing wrong with it." It's hard to find that kind of meal. Especially for critical folk like us! :-) So that's a high compliment. I hope that this meal was the rule, not the exception, for Corso, because I'll definitely be back. It's probably worth noting that the service was pretty casual, as some people might object to that, especially given the prices, but to me, it was quite friendly and simulated that friendly-family-Italian-love, California style.

Catherine R.

This place rules, and I can see this being a great go -to spot when I need fresh pasta and a great glass of Italian wine. The greatness started when we saw some friends at the first table by the door, and the woman who was seating us was fine with waiting for us to chat it up... The ravioli looked to DIE for - big sheet of thin pasta and crispy sage leaves dotting it with a lil olive oil about.... YUM! So we were seated, and my man was a little put off by the fact that the pan fried chicken didn't come with any side of veg, so he went for the frito misto and the salsiccia pizza. I had the pappardelle with a duck ragu and funghi truffle oil pizza and a glass of "brolo" which Im guessing was a barolo? It sure was tasty and at $11 for a half glass, it was around the price point of a lower end barolo. HAD to split the budino as there's only one budino in my heart and had to see if it wanted a roommate- so now Garibaldi's budino might have to share that parking space a little bit with this one... It was almost like a mousse or pudding, less cake like than described, yuum. Left TOTALLY stuffed with lunch for the next day in a to go box. SO the waitress was really nice - screwed up my order- sent me a pepperonata instead of a pappardelle (honest mistake folks) and was really pleasant about it. She got bogged down at the end of the meal - dessert took some time to be ordered- the man almost took a nap at the table! We will be back tho - great place, want to sit at the bar next time, to watch the open kitchen.

Alice L.

I agree with majority of you, the food is simply surperb! Chef Rodrigo deserve the title. No question ask. We got a solid 5 stars experience (that means service was superb too!) I read some of yelp's review before we visit Corso on Saturday night (yes, probably the most busiest night in the restaurant) and with 8 of us, we were the largest group there at 5:30. The place was packed and the wait is already 40 min for a table (reservation highly recommend or you can wait for a bar seat and stand in line for that). Our server Naomi, accompanied with her trainee, served our table. I have to say with a party size like ours, she carried out a flawless act, made zero mistake, was unbelievalbe, although the trainee was very helpful keeping our requests fulfilled too. We skipped the bread, knowing there are too many things we wanted to try. Here's what we ordered: -Salumi fatti in casa - where again can you find such a quality house cured salumi? it's heaven! -Burrata fresh mozzarella burrata, my girlfriend, who claimed that she didn't like cheese had second serving of the burrata, that's how good it is! -Prawn with garlic, and -their famous meatball, no need to brag about it, just read other yelpers review. -Tagliatelle al sugo pasta with braised beef and pork, Naomi recommended this. Although we joked around and said the dish looks like a chinese noodle dish, I loved the fresh pasta with the rugu. It's a solid dish. -Risotto with calamari served black with squid ink which is better than black paella, we had to add another order to satisfy our taste bud. -Bistecca alla Fiorentina, it was HUGE portion, we can not finish this. It's very med rare (or on the rare side), make sure you tell your server if that's not your style. Once again, a praise came from a girl who don't eat too much red meat, so I say it's a star too. -Braciola di maiale grilled bone-in Niman Ranch pork loin, another solid dish, although gfs were worried about Swine flu and concern about eating pork, but we decided to not skipping the good recommendation by other yelper and were totally satisfied. -Funghi mushrooms fontina piave cheese white truffle oil YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! can't go wrong with mushroom and truffle oil. The pizzas were Italian style, thin crust that done perfectly. -Salsiccia fennel sausage peppers mozzarella tomato YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! one of my gf who doesn't eat tomato LOVED the pizza and when I mentioned about the nice tomato spread, she was like, but I'll eat this kind of tomato! -Patate arrosto duck fat-roasted Yukon potatoes good by itself, when it's next to polenta, and other stuff, it's not the best among others -Polenta al forno con mascarpone GOTTA ORDER! simply the best! For dessert, we had -Budino al cioccolato- read other yelper's review! -Pistachio semifreddo, i can eat this every day, serious, and we should really get one each for all of us, but we only had two:p Oh, for beverage I had a glass of presecco and some other girls had cocktails, they are all nicely done! But we were mostly impressed with the final beverage - our coffee! We ordered about 6 coffee and we got 6 americano! wonderful touch and complete our best dinning experience so far this year! I haven't even seen my friends complimenting restaurants like French Laundry or Chez Panisse so much as this one (of course, once you factor in the price you pay, quality of food and service, etc....) we all agree this is one of the best deal in town! will be back for sure!

Helene G.

Corso used to be my favorite casual restaurant. I went there once a week, but then they lost their chef and hired the passive-agressive hostess from hell. The food went from spectacular to meh to inedible. The experience last night was so unpleasant that I vow not to return until they hire a civil hostess and a real chef.

Jessica L.

I would do 2.5 stars if I could, but since that's not possible, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Upon arrival, I stood at the hostess stand for quite some time before the hostess came up to greet me. She was curt and rushed and appeared annoyed to have to interrupt whatever she was doing to seat me. My friend arrived shortly afterward and we excitedly mulled over the menu. Our waitress, on the other hand, was very friendly and helpful. Since I know next to nothing about Italian wines, she made suggestions and brought us a glass. I was satisfied, but my friend was not, and she promptly took it away and brought her a new tasting. We ordered the burrata appetizer, which I was so excited to try. Unfortunately, it was quite a let down. The burrata itself was not very creamy and appeared to be a day or two past its prime. Additionally, it was topped with a sherry vinaigrette, walnuts, and peas. The peas were not sweet, but bland, and the walnuts overpowered the fragile taste of the so-so burrata. Overall, very disappointing. For our entrees, I ordered the guanciale and octopus pizza. My friend had the lamb sugo pasta. She lucked out. The pasta was fresh and the lamb sugo was delicious--a rich, flavorful sauce that perfectly hit the mark. Unfortunately, my pizza was not the same. The octopus smelled very fishy and seemed to be a bit on the old side. We also ordered sides of artichokes and spinach. The spinach was blah--it said it was made with chili peppers and garlic, but we only tasted garlic and sorted through to find chili, but couldn't. The artichokes were also blah, with a pile of breadcrumbs thrown on top. Dessert, however, was a bright spot. I agree with other reviewers--the chocolate budino was excellent. It wasn't heavy, but was rich and the sauce on top was perfect. The panna cotta was good, but didn't compare to the budino. I did appreciate that we were not rushed out, but were welcome to sit for a while post-dessert and chat. Grrrr...I just realized that I earned NO points for my opentable reservation, too.....grrrr.

Miles B.

Unbelievably good! I have been to Florence many times (see the choice for last meal on earth). Corso now provides me with a local alternative to traveling to Florence and spending those expensive Euros on my last meal. This place is the real deal when it comes to Italian cuisine. The menu tis somewhat limited, 4-5 choices per section, however... What is on the menu is great, so limited choice is not an issue as far as I am concerned. I had the pasta in the ragu sauce... It tasted like I was eating a meal in Italy! My wife had the ravioli with butter and sage... Again, could have been in Italy. If this restaurant has any flaw, it is the same one previous businesses have had here.. The acoustics are not good... The place is loud!! I recommend sitting at the kitchen bar if you have the opportunity... It is great watching the cooks prepare the food, led by a female chef who has the eye for detail of a surgeon. I highly recommend Corso!

Ashlee T.

Corso, a brainchild of the owners of Rivoli, is a delightful, slightly more upscale restaurant serving new, if not trendy, Italian fare. I liked it because it was a nicer restaurant (if you're looking for cheap eats, this is not it) that could appeal to a range of palettes, even if it is all Italian. FYI, the main courses are main courses only, and do not come with any sides. That kind of adds to the price tag, but I like that you can order wine in 500 mL increments, since I'm an asian lightweight who doesn't really want more than 1.5 or 2 glasses. The food is good though it's about as creative as typical restaurants like this go (trendy, Italian food with a nouveau American twist, slightly pricey, etc.). A good fall back for when you need a fancy dinner that's not ethnic food or Chez Panisse. Unrelated, but I also appreciate that my family and I waited for a table for waaay longer than they told us, but they were exceptionally accommodating and gave us a free appetizer. Good business model! At some point you will have bad service at a restaurant--they shouldn't necessarily be docked stars though if they accommodate you accordingly!

Annie F.

I've only been here once but I definitely plan to go back again. Our service was super quick and easy. We had really yummy appetizers (a trio of toasts with cheese, chicken liver, anchovy) GREAT sides (try the polenta - creamy heaven) and a great chocolate panna cotta that's in a cup. I also had two big ravioli pouches that hit the spot!! My boyfriend had a pork ragu that he really enjoyed. Great wine recs too.

Graham B.

We went here with my cousin Carol who once was a restaurant reviewer in Seattle (of good cheap eats), and she (and we) were impressed by Corso. The food was artistically presented, and quite delicious. The mushroom gnocchi was particularly nice, literally melting in your mouth. I am not a fan of mushrooms, but it was so good I ate it anyway. The ravioli and chicken were also quite good. They have a respectable selection of side vegetable dishes as well, although only two of the entrees would be suitable for a vegetarian. It was a little loud, and they took about 20 minutes to seat us (even though we had reservations), but otherwise it was very nice (and better than the place that used to be at the same address).

A E.

Came here with a friend and will return. The service was great and our waitress was really friendly and warm, took our orders promptly, brought more bread, etc. I ordered chicken, which was really good, but I didn't like the vegetables that came with it - not my personal taste. My friend ordered a salad and devoured the whole thing. The place is quiet and cute. I parked about two blocks away, which is great for Berkeley.

R B.

Our first time here. We had reservations, and were seated promptly. The meal was very average tasting--of all things, I had to send the tossed green salad back, as it had so much vinegar that it was impossible to eat. However, the waitress made not fuss about taking it back. But they promptly forgot about us after that. Overall, I'd say the food quality, service, and the decor was all very average. Definitely not top notch in any department.

Denise A.

My hubby and I had a wonderful dinner here on Sunday night. It was very crowded, but the host was attentive and got us to our table as quickly as possible. The ambiance is very homey. Warm beige walls and an open kitchen with books lining the shelves reminds you of being at a friends house for a cozy dinner. We had a wonderful bottle of white wine recommended by the waitress. She hit the nail on the head with her recommendation for something fruit forward and on the lighter side. As for our appetizers, I had the ahi tuna which was nicely presented and tasted very fresh. It was a bit spicy, but still a wonderful way to start the meal with arugula and crostini scoop the spicy tuna onto. My hubby had their version of a caprese salad which was also very nice. The entrees were tasty. I had the special which was a whole fish. My only complaint was that the fish did not have a lot of meat on it. It also came with the head and tail attached. I think I would have preferred the dish as a fillet already boned. It came with a cabbage and apple salad which could have used a bit more seasoning, but for a light entree it was what I was looking for. My husband had the great tagliatelle sugo ruso. It was wonderful. Great tomato, sausage and pork flavoring. The desserts were awesome. I had the poached pear with whipped cream that came in an amazing carmel/spice sauce- incredible. We also had the Panna Cotta which was not too sweet and came with a tasty raspberry sauce. All and all I would definitely come back here for another meal. I would love to try a few more items on the menu. They also have a great bar you can sit at for a more relaxed meal.

NAEL K.

i am actually surprised that this place doesnt have 4 stars , service was great and food was even better , that 34 dollar steak was worth every penny , juicy tender full of flavor just perfect , the fried potatoes had the right seasoningm thin sliced veal yummy and the papardelle had a heavenly sauce , over all very good experience would love to go back, awesome place for a date or special occasion , cheers

Mark H.

I've been a fan of Corso's sister restaurant, Rivoli, since it opened, but tonight was the first time I've had a full dinner here, and it was magical. Our two entrees, a whole Mediterranean sea bass and a generous cut of pan fried Scotch salmon fillet were absolutely perfectly cooked and incredibly moist and delicious. They were accompanied by mind-blowing polenta and fabulous sauteed kale and a glass of the nebbiolo, which was wonderful. We started with some heavenly bresaola, cured beef sliced very thin, like carpaccio, but not raw, and which was drizzled with balsamic vinegar, pine nuts and some very tasty shaved cheese. It went great with the crispy Italian bread they served. We shared a cherry sundae for dessert. Service was first class. We did not have a reservation on a Friday night, but got there just as Corso opened at 5 pm and got seated immediately; the place fills up fast. Roscoe and Wendy have done a great job here. Couldn't imagine how anything for this meal could have been better. Highly recommended.

josh r.

This location has been many different italian eateries in the handful of years I have lived in Berkeley. I don't know what it is about the location, but all three businesses that I know of that have been in this location were all excellent. but the last 2 had a hard time sticking around Hopefully, this one will stick around longer than the others. I had wanted to go here for a while and was reminded to go after it was named one of the 10 best new bay area restaurants of 2008 in the Chronicle. The menu has lots of good choices. The prices all seem reasonable. The service was impeccable. Waiters were attentive, fast and very nice. It was New Years eve and they did everything right - including having an available table on a few hours notice. I ordered a duck pasta - a dish I've had at other restaurants - and it was good. My wife had some butternut squash ravioli, which was good as well. The frito misto was not too greasy (it had fried lemon slices. Very strange. I had one and now I can say I have tried deep fried lemon). The broccoli rabe side wasn't anything special. A bit mushy and it wasn't as bitter as I usually like it. The olive oil cake for desert was very good. I was tempted to try the chicken roasted in butter - which is supposed to be their best dish - but I didn't because anything roasted in butter tastes good. Maybe next time. The wine was my one problem with the restaurant. I wanted a glass of red wine. There were a few choices in the $6-7 range. The waitress recommended against those and tried to push me to the ones that were $11 a glass. I didn't follow her advice because I didn't want an $11 glass of wine. I got one at $7.50 and it tasted like vinegar. i think that's how its supposed to taste. I told the waitress I didn't like it and I should have taken her advice and she brought the glass back and brought me a glass of chianti at over $9 a glass. Much better. From what the waitress seemed to be saying, all of the sub $9.50 a glass wine sucks. There did seem to be a good variety of sub $40 bottles of wine and had my wife been drinking wine that night we would have probably gotten a bottle. However, there are times when you go out and just want a glass. A place as reasonably priced as Corso should have better selection of red wine by the glass. And by better, I don't mean cheaper. They have 3 wines in the $6-7 range - they just should taste better. Overall, this place was very good and not too pricey. I'd say Eccolo is better (not that much, though) but probably $30 or so more for 2 people.

Bob A.

I'm assigning three stars as a way of combining these three factors: 1. There were two wonderful dishes, the tagliatelle con sugo and the marscapone torte (5). 2. But several other dishes (crostini, salads, sardines) were middling (3). 3. The prices were higher than they should have been, given that the portions were not generous (2)

John P.

Update! A couple days after visiting this place and placing yelp reviews warning against Corso for the good of humanity here in Berkeley, my girlfriend and I got "complements", clearly from the staff of Corso angrily responding to our reviews. Can't say I'm surprised. Bringing the classy Corso. Bringing the Classy...

elise o.

I have had the fried rabbit (twice now!) which was exceptional. Everyone there is sooo nice! The service was great, you could talk without yelling across the table and the prices were reasonable.

SatisFahYing A.

Just ate here on Wednesday nite, walked in around 6pm with 5 people (one child) and were seated immediately. Shortly after the last 2 top was gone and a line started to accumulate outside the door. So reservations or an early dinner are recommended. Space was elegantly decorated if a little spartan. Noise levels were very loud, to the point of not hearing the other people across the table. We had to wait a little to order but the waiter was affable and got our drinks quickly. We ordered family style but everyone loved their own dish so I didn't share so much as just snatching quick bites off plates before the fork tines ended up in my hand. Cauliflower Sformatino- mashed cheesy cauliflower goodness Mixed salad- says it all, good dressing and fresh croutons Fried calamari- crispy with tentacles, slices of meyer lemon, baby red onions, garlic Bread (provided only on request -- stated on the menu) crusty & tasty but foccacia was dry and grainy. Spinach sauteed w/ garlic and chili flakes- very plain grilled fish- Whole fish, slices of meyer lemon, baby red onions (similar flavor profile to calamari appetizer just not fried. Next time I'll order only one of the two) Kale soup- with sunny egg yolk & grilled bread (My sister loved it, but the couple next to us were grossed out by the idea of "raw" egg yolk in their soup and pulled it out) braised beef- tender and succulent pasta & butter- kid friendly, plain and initially too hot for tiny mouths All in all very good food- solid B+, if a little ordinary. However service was harried and inattentive. I'll definitely go back, but can't give too glowing a review yet.

Quyen T.

A totally solid 4 stars. I'm not the most crazy of Italian food, but corso was good. Casual, with just enough flair. I LOVED the ravioli I ordered (homemade pasta, great cheese, with just enough seasoning). My husband ordered a pizza and we shared a salad. Both were delicious. Best of all, is that you can order a 1/2 glass of wine for a ridiculous $2.50 or $3.00 (when you want some alcohol, but not a full glass). Great wine selection. The service was great, the ambiance was nice, and the food was just right. It's about time a moderately-priced Italian joint came to Berkeley! Less fancy than Rivoli, but no less flavorful. They don't take reservations, though, so beware. We go to Corso on weeknights.

Enrico B.

three stars for food, empty box for service. We had a harrowing trip across the Bridge from SF to join my parents at Corso in the neighborhood where I grew up. We were five minutes late for our reservation and my parents were already seated visibly by the window which I had indicated to the woman who may have been a hostess, perhaps a manager, but she didn't seem to understand me. I said I am Enrico Banducci, (my yelp alias which I will use here) I have a 5:45 reservation for four people and my parents are already at the table. I'm not sure if that sounds confusing but she didn't seem to understand me. It is really painfully loud in that restaurant in spite of its high ceiling, Anyway, the woman was able to deduce which of the fifteen tables had two people there and two empty seats and brought us. I was extremely polite while we waited for the situation to be sorted out, but it was just so awkward after fighting our way there on the bridge and freeway. My dad is quite elderly, albeit an extremely fit 95, who makes Berkeley dangerous for all pedestrians having just renewed his driver's license for five more years, who likes to get right down to business, so we all grabbed our menus and did our homework while the server brought the wine. I poured the one half liter allocation of water to the rest of the party and helped the rest of the table order when she was finished serving our nero d'avola which was predictably smooth and ripe. our apps were two denture friendly corn soups for my parents, sea food pasta for me and some sauteed prawns for wifey. She and I also shared the olives which were greener than any blade of sod in Berkeley with its newly implemented water rationing. After the apps were clear and we were attempting to converse over the bussers who were slamming dishes into a stack in the wait station, I realized that it had been a considerable period since there had been food at the table. This is odd because my wife is the slowest eater in the universe. An educated guess might be that our food was sitting on the line while we were still eating our apps and was cold by the time it was able to go to the table so they had to do it over. We were sent a plate of salumi in the interim, which was a nice gesture, but as our server knew, and our ticket to the kitchen must have indicated, my wife didn't eat red meat, as her entree was modified to not have any bacon. So that was a bit of an oversight. Who cared about my wife anyway? Not Corso, that's for sure. So they served the entrees with the salumi still on the table which I was rushing to eat to prevent that from happening. Oh but only two entrees, then two minutes and two side salads and one more entree and two more minutes and my rabbit. My wife's sea bass was overcooked, but other that that all flavors were great. my dad's pizza was great but for a 95 year old a little spicy, so he only ate half of it. The table was cleared while my apparently invisible wife continued to eat. She had already proven that she was a slow eater during the first course, but I guess they needed our table back. That kind of sucks because I was standing in front of the hostess' blank stare five minutes past our reservation time and we ordered our food as our server poured our wine which was pretty fast by industry standards. I had also noticed that my empty water glass was invisible to the floor staff so I filled it myself, and when our water jug became empty, it also was invisible to the floor staff, so I put it between my wife and my dad, in the most prominent possible spot on the table, an inch from the edge where it remained empty for the final hour of our meal. No one who works there ever thought to refill our water jug. The desserts were great. My mom ordered an cup of decaff and they brought her a decaff americano which was too strong for her to drink. No explanation. Maybe they don't brew coffee in Italy, but they have five non Italian teas on the menu. Whatever. The food at Corso was solid, but the owners never thought to train the service staff, or so it would appear.

Patrick W.

We had a perfect meal here. The pizza was perfect, thin crust - great flavors that came together beautifully. Best carbonara I have ever had. Reasonable prices too.

Jen C.

My friend chose this place for our "First Friday" monthly dinner. We'd already been to their sister place, Rivoli. Practically the whole table ordered the papperdalle with turkey, and I ordered the tagitalle with braised pork and beef. Another friend ordered the funghi pizza with white truffle oil. I have to say her funghi pizza was delish, I was totally eyeing it from across the table, and wanted to eat the whole thing to myself, but I stuck with the tagitalle which was also flavorfull. They've got a great wine list, and the waitress was helpful in picking out a wine that was smooth and not too dry. I'd go again for that pizza, and not share one slice!

Dawn M.

Haven't eaten here twice and have not been wowed. THis last visit the pizza was undercooked, the calamari a bit greasy (although we loved the combo with shrimp, fennel, lemon), and the service poor. Our server was very kind, yet we had to wait more than 40 mins. between our appetizers and our meals arriving, all while telling us, 'your food is coming right out'. NOt her fault, but an explanation and apology would have been nice. I found the wine pours quite stingy. I was shocked to find my 'glass' of Valpolicella was more than $12. There were some hits: the chicken, the pork dish, the portions are generous. All in all found it inconsistent. Nice, though, that they now accept reservations.

Maximillian M.

The Fritto Misto is deep-fried goodness, like a deluxe calamari plate but with the addition of shrimp, fennel, sweet onions, and, yes, lemon slices--all lightly breaded and bathed in boiling oil. The pork loin is nice and juicy, save for a spot that was a bit way too pink to my liking (this is what cost them a star). The grilled baby octopus salad was nice but a bit too small. The pasta with braised beef and pork ragu was rather nice. A cocktail of vodka and limoncello rounded out a decent dinner.

Brian O.

I could do nothing but live on their mushroom pizzas. Met up with another couple for dinner. The seating was prompt (they don't do reservations), all four of our dinners were well liked and the price point was good. Good old classic Italian with a slight california bent.

Gerald L.

I love this place. The chef's table is a great place to sit, and Sara is adorable and very pleasant. She has taken care of us the past couple times, and has been so warm and friendly. Their food is so fresh and savory. i love their wine list as it is mostly Italian!!! So many good flavors that remind me of scootering through Tuscany back in the day.

Jonathan P.

Delfina, where's your crown? Farina, step ya game up. North Beach? C'mon. So you can call me a Stan for this place. You might not be too far off. Frank the bartender does wonderful things with Campari. The room is a bit noisy, but in the same way any dim sum restaurant should be. The spinaci has just the right amount of crushed red pepper and lingers perfectly on the lips. The pizza will make you wonder why anybody would waste their time walking 3 more blocks to cheeseboard. The panzotti, the pollo, the wine pairings! Dessert here is excellent too. The flourless chocolate cake melts in your mouth. The prices are steep, but worth every penny

Norman R.

A sub-standard dish this week at a usually excellent restaurant. The evening's "special", pork tenderloin in a balsamic vinegar/cherry sauce sounded great, The sauce was terriffic. Although I asked to have the pork medium rare, it arrived well-done and extremely dry. The young female server noted that I wasn't the only one to make this complaint, but didn't seem particularly concerned. Hope things improve on my next visit.

Hungry S.

Pleasant place to eat. Very friendly service. Some of the dishes are terrific, although it's hard to know which ones ahead of time. Typically the pastas are very good, the panzotti is superb. Pizza is quite good but not at the level of Gioia's in my opinion. They have the best panna cotta I've had (and everyone around here serves panna cotta too). Can be a bit crowded. I've never had the T-bone, always wanted to try it. The salads and soups have always been good - all the appetizers. Tuno crudo for instance, delicious! Service has been really good and friendly, although there can be a very slight delay during the busiest times (but that's fine for an Italian restaurant - service is way faster than in Italy that's for sure!). I've also gotten terrific service. One disappointment is that I think they used to have when they first opened a really good kind of bread that they don't have any more. I don't even remember it in detail, I just remember it was really, really good - I think with some herbs and stuff. But the bread they have now is certainly delicious, I just miss the bread they had for the first few months. I've been here about 10 times and I've always enjoyed something, sometimes everything; I've always had one or two dishes that I thought were excellent or even superb; and I've always left feeling good. It's a very friendly, warm place to go. The only thing is it's not a huge menu especially if you have dietary restrictions, and it doesn't change much, so I think you wouldn't want to go there every day, but every so often it's invariably enjoyable.

Mutant O.

I went with high expectations, having long been a fan of Wendy and Roscoe's Rivoli, a favorite autumn/winter 'special night out' venue. The Corso Trattoria service is still a bit amateurish. The cocktails were unpardonably raw. And sadly, the plates lacked the inspired flavor and texture orchestration that makes Rivoli such a treat and educational experience. Probably the worst sin was my steak, which arrived bleu although the menu stated medium-rare, and I assumed was the unstated understanding between my server and I. Ordinarily bleu would have been just fine, but I was sharing my steak with my dining companion who was horrified. I sent my steak back, after unfortunately having dissected it a bit to try to find some portion that I could share. Should the chef have sent me back my original steak? I'm not sure, given the price of the entree. At any rate, the steak on its second delivery was perfect, and a very fine piece of meat with noble provenance (which I learned from eavesdropping on the next table). All this said, I do know how challenging it is to get a new restaurant tuned, and I'll try again in a few months. Best wishes to Corso!

Becky M.

Good food. Delayed seating (with reservation, Friday night after all) and they gave us free snacks and a very nice cheese appetizer. The pastas were authentic, and the wines reasonably priced. A teeny bit pricey, but not so bad for Bay Area.

gretchen d.

After hearing about Corso and reading lots of reviews, I decided to go there with my boyfriend and another couple to celebrate their birthday. It was a Sunday night and we got there at 6pm (they don't take reservations) and waited about 30 minutes. Once seated, everything was GREAT. Both salads were excellent (esp the Caesar-like salad.) The Crostini Trio appetizer was delicious. We ordered the Pasta with meat sauce which was DEVINE. Our friends had the Ravioli and they loved it also. We also had the sauteed spinach which was tasty. Desserts were very good. Great service. Not too costly. Not as loud as we expected from the reviews. All in all....delicious and fun. Would return in a heartbeat,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

christine t.

Went there for the first time last night. The staff was very friendly and the bartender made a fabulous drink recommendations. The food was delicious and atmosphere was lively and warn. I brought business associates and friends from LA. who I wanted to experience what the East Bay had to offer. i made the perfect choice with this restaurant. We were all very impressed. I read an other review that the portions were small and they had left feeling hungry. I had a pasta dish. The portion was smaller than I what I am used to but extremely satisfying. It was plenty of food after sharing olives, a salami plate and having a small Cesar salad.

Lisa C.

Delicious pasta. All the dishes had wonderful flavor. Great service!

Todd C.

The food definitely tasted good, and the waiter was very friendly and capable, but I don't find myself craving it enough to go back. The burrata is a must try. Everything else was tasty....but mainly b/c it was sauted in huge amounts of butter or olive oil. Honestly I was looking for a 3.5 button...but I rounded up instead of down.

A D.

Fabulous! The ravioli was amazing! The menu is very reasonably priced for the caliber of the food! The service was amazing and overall a great experience.

Alan T.

great dining atmosphere. it's a festive place that doesn't get too loud so you can have a nice cozy meal with good friends or a date. food is good! we ordered pasta, scallops, chicken, and a few appetizers and they were all on par or above!

Claudia B.

Stopped by on my way home from work to get a plate of pasta. Boy was I happy with the meal. The salad was delicious and the pasta fantastic. This is my new favorite restaurant. GIve it a try.

Eric W.

I'm a big fan of Rivoli and this venture of Wendy and Roscoe came out fantastic. Though I have never been to Italy, this Italian food is some of the best I've had. Some think it is hard to make a bad pasta, but I'll tell you that even if that is so, it is much harder to make an exceptionally GOOD pasta. And that is just one of the many delicious dishes you will find here. Lest I forget the fantastic wine list as well! Two of my favorites from my visit: -Roasted Chicken in Butter -Braised Beef

Emmanuel D.

Decent steak, great pasta. Great service!

Amy J.

My husband and I celebrated our 8th anniversary at Corso last night. Our thoughts: 1. Waiter was a little stand-offish/haughty. 2. We ordered a bellini (to start me off with a little bubbly) and a bottle of Chianti (for both of us). The Chianti arrived but Bellini didn't for about another 5-10 minutes later. 3. Appetizer was their special for the day - stuffed calamari. The grilled tomato upon which the calamari sat, was absolutely fantastic. Yummy. The calamari was good too but the tomato was a killer. 4. Entrees were ordered along with 2 side dishes (potatoes and sauteed spinach). When the entrees arrived w/o the sides, I asked about it and the waiter apologized (he had forgotten). We tried to start eating very slowly so that the sides would catch up with us but we got through about a 1/3 of our entrees before the sides finally arrived. 5. Hubby's pork with sweet onions were very good. My whole fish (special of the day) was just okay. 6. Desserts (chocolate and limoncello topped gelato) were just okay. So-so. I've had better. Overall, an okay experience but nothing to jump up and down about.

Andrew C.

Could have been five stars but I'm holding back on high ratings today. We had three dishes which were all really good, the ambiance was fine (a bit louder at 7 but as the table next to us cleared it was much better) latin music in background, table by the window (of course looking at shattuck ave. isn't the most romantic of sights but still . . . The arancini balls were great. Nettles, pine nuts and mozzarella curd; soft yet firm enough to cut; I thought they'd need a sauce but they were moist by themselves. Just really, really good. There were three on the plate. The two pasta dishes were very different from each other, each unique and very tasty. For mine the sheets of papardelle were soft and absorbent of the braised lamb ragu which included olives, red peppers and capers (a nice touch to add some saltiness next to the very meaty flavor of the lamb). The other pasta was a butternut squash ravioli with hazelnut, caramelized pear pieces and sage. A touch heavy on the butter but its advertized as a brown butter sauce. The flavors did meld together really well. I've eaten here before a few times and each time enjoyed my meal. Highly recommend it.

Gabe A.

Great funghi pizza. Dinner was $30 per person w/wine. Waitress took order w/out pen or paper then asked for repeats (grrr). Room volume: *** Bar is small but tenders are nice. Portions are small and most dishes are very good, so don't share or else you will leave less than satisfied.

Michelle P.

Corso is very, very good. The food is always fresh and unique. Had some AMAZING trout there last time and very good dungeness crab + mussels pasta today. I highly recommend this place. Prices are right and the food is delicious!

Lisa A.

Had dinner here several times and loved it, definitely a good choice for a special meal. My recent visit was disappointing; I thought the quality of the food had gone down, the signature pizzas no longer on the menu. It's one thing to eat somewhere moderately priced and feel disappointed; for the cost of a meal here, I probably won't be back..

Lily C.

Lovely neighborhood restaurant with informative staff. Loved the poached egg over polenta and porcini mushroom appetizer.

Molly M.

We got there early on a Saturday night and got seated without any problems. Service was great - ambiance friendly. The two stars reflect the squash ravioli. I've never had to cut with a knife ravioli pasta. It was dry and overcooked. The menu seemed limited. We also had the caprese salad which was highlighted with some of the best pesto sauce I've tasted - tomatoes were deliciously fresh and sweet. Polenta with marscarpone was a bit dense and oily but tasty. Glad I was sharing it with someone else. The roasted root vegetables were also very good. I'll go back and give it another shot but certainly won't order the ravioli again.

Erin B.

My first experience dining at Corso actually just propelled me to finally sign up for Yelp. The staff was very friendly, but pretty spacy -- it took forever to order, our food was just thrown in front of us with no explanation of what it was (which would have been nice -- there was some debate over whether what was in front of us was what we'd ordered), no one asked how our meal was, and it took a very long time to finally pay. More than that, though, the food we ordered was below average. The ravioli with spring vegetables: "spring vegetables" was about 20 overcooked peas and 4 slices of carrot on top of an oily, soggy pasta. The fennel sausage pizza was also oily and undercooked. I was very excited to finally try Corso, but will not be going back.

Tiff T.

Excellent. As a poor grad student, I've become a lot more finicky and demanding about the quality of a costly meal...if it's not to die for, I get disappointed and grumpy. Corso definitely delivered. Helpful, efficient, and personable waitstaff. And everything we ordered was really delicious. We started off with a romaine salad with anchovy-lemon dressing. A little heavy on the dressing, I thought, but very tasty. The tagilatelle al sugo was, as previous yelp reviewers had said, truly marvelous. We ordered a grilled pork-loin with sweet-sour onions that was a little rarer than I usually am comfortable with, but also excellent. All of these were salty, but not in a "disgusting" salty way...rather in a pleasant "cured and seasoned" way. The chocolate gelato is incredibly chocolatey and rich, and the olive-oil lemon cake with marscapone was bursting with light lemon flavour, and not too oily or dense. In short, this was definitely worth the 70 dollars (including tax, tip, and a glass of red wine) my friend and I spent. Understated, but still exceptional. And less expensive than Rivoli or Oliveto's or some of the other higher-end restaurants around Berkeley.

Beverly H.

Fantastic brunch today! Wonderful omelet and fantastic dessert. The prices are very reasonable. The staff was attentive. I'm looking forward to going back! Funghi omelet was amazing!

Becky H.

Sublime. I've been unable to concentrate on anything today, because last night's Pollo al burro alla Sostanza is occupying my mind. If I thought for a second I could replicate it at home, it's all I would eat. Everything we ordered was perfect, the staff was charming and wonderfully attentive, and the restaurant itself is lovely.

Joe P.

Overall impression: Nice space, good service, good food, great wine volume choices, a little overpriced. First experience at this place. I was disappointed that they no longer make pizzas, but after seeing where the pizza oven sat in their cozy kitchen, I can see why they ditched it. Waiter was polite and efficient. This place made a great first impression b/c after sitting at the kitchen counter (I love this locale, esp. when visiting for the first time), i read the menu and noticed that all their wines are served in varying glass sizes: taste, 1/2 glass or full glass. Why doesn't every frackin' restaurant offer this? It allowed me and my wife to try various Italian varietals with different dishes without spending a fortune. I can't rave enough about this wine serving philosophy. We started with insalata ricotta - homemade ricotta with grilled peaches, almonds, sage, honey. Too sweet for my palate but the wife liked it. I found the combination of texture and sweetness off-putting. The almonds saved the dish for me, which needed more fried sage. We then shared sauteed radicchio with walnuts, parmesan and saba. Very straight ahead and good, especially for $5. The ricotta was $12 by the way; should have been $8 or $9. We had pappardelle with ragu of lamb, tomatoes, oregano. It was good, but have had better. A little wet and salty for me; I think sauce needed to braise longer to thicken it up and give it a little more richness. The secondi was the special: halibut on bed of summer vegetables. It was very good - not too oily, crispy on outside, moist interior, excellent flavor, well-seasoned. It was small, though, so for $22 bones I felt a little cheated. The wines were good - we had great prosecco, a white Friulano, Soave, which was fantastic with salad, and then some reds: Chianti, Grenache from Sardinia and a great Nero d'Avola, whose licorice and mint paired very well with the lamb pasta. I would definitely go back to try other things, but I was not blown away. We spent $90 for two before tip which was a little pricey for the experience. $25 of that was on wine.

Rikki G.

I love the food at Corso. One dish after another came out timely, delicious and perfectly portioned for the 3 of us to share. That's right, three people one dish! It was great because we were able to share the pork chop, the fettuccine, the sides of spinach, beans and the roasted peach dessert. Wonderful. Our server wasn't that friendly but that really didn't take away from our meal.

K L.

I was excited to go... after all the hype, I thought the place was pretty darn good. Not great, but I would definitely go back. I liked the overall atmosphere and design. It was a comfortable place to be. We had the Ahi Carpaccio (sp?) and it was OK. I had the Swordfish and it was good, and my date had the risotto. Good bottle of wine - one I had actually had before from Vintage Berkeley. I am jumping up and down about this place... but I would go back again.

Susannah R.

I guess this place is more like 3.5 stars but the service was good and the wine was fantastic so I'll give it an extra half. I don't know what it is about this place but it sort of rubbed me the wrong way. The menu was hard to read, understand and I didn't fall in love with any particular item. I ordered the shrimp dish, it was marginally bland, and very small. I also had this feeling that the waiters were pushing us to order more food, they repeatedly recommended we order an appetizer while waiting for the main courses. It was also pretty crowded for a Monday night which is great, but I sort of got that smushed feeling. It was great to try, dont know if I'll be back again though.

Theresa A.

I thought that the food was great. The service was really attentive. I would recommend that you try the: Pollo al burro alla Sostanza Hoffman chicken breast_ Plugra butter that was so good. I thought it was a great atmosphere. The decor was really nice. If you get a chance to check it out I would. I'm for sure going back and bring more of my friends.

Alamandine B.

Decided to give corso another try and what a interesting experience this was. After waiting for the perfect table, we finally sat and placed our order. I ordered the special ravioli and my husband ordered the pork chop. The food came and everything was lovely until my husband cut into the pork and it was raw.....not rare, bur fleshy raw. The waiter was called over and proceeded to give some ignorant excuse of how the chop was put into a brine for 24 hours,but before he could finish his words he saw the chop and agreed that it was flesh raw. He then asked if we would like the same chop or a new one? We opted to cut our losses and just get the same chop more cooked. The pork chop returned, and we thought this was it....but no. Second bite into the chop, and yes, it was fleshy raw yet again. Our appetites were lost as was our experience. Our waiter came over and noticed the raw chop, and asked if we wanted it cooked more....are you serious? who is in the kitchen cooking? where is the manager? HEELLLOOOO PEEOOPPLLEE. So after dessert, we received our check and yes, they charged for the pork chop....seriously?! and these people are from what previous restaurant....Rivoli? This would have never stood at Rivoli. We have no problem paying the bill, but my husband had to flag down, Tim, the manager at the end of the evening to tell him what happened. Apparently Tim new the first chop was sent back raw. What? I find myself going completely lost when everything starts off so good and ends so amateur. Did I mention I am 7 months pregnant.....again, raw pork people? The food was great, with the exception of this troubling experience. Since Corso is in the honeymoon stage of restaurants, it is imperative to suit guests with a certain warmth and understanding. The expectations are high, and will continue to be. I just hope on our next visit, we are treated with the respect that is due when a potential virus is served at your table. Love the hostess!!

Steph C.

The food here was DELICIOUS. I had black pepper gnocchi with an amazing tomatoey sauce with chunks of tender, juicy duck in it, and just enough salty cheese sprinkled on top. (This isn't listed on the menu that's posted online, so I can't find the name.) The panna cotta was also yummy, as were the potatoes fried in duck fat and the seared scallop appetizer. My boyfriend had the rack of lamb special, and that was great, too. The only reason that I didn't give 5 stars is that the portions are pretty small for the price. The main courses generally (from what I can tell) don't come with side dishes, so you have to order them separately. This was fine for the gnocchi, but a little disappointing when it came to the lamb.

Kamilya A.

Went here with a few friends awhile back. The staff was unhelpful, the food was mediocre and the overpriced. Will definitely never return.

Dave B.

What's with all the salt! Several people told me the food here is too salty and my experience is that they are right. The bread is too salty, the tagliatelle would be simply divine it wasn't so loaded down with salt, same for the chicken, same with the steak. Anyone with high blood pressure which is about 1/2 the adult population should avoid this place as it could be hazardous to your health. I do hope they fix this problem as I really want to like Corso--and hey, there's a bowl of sea salt on every table so anyone who likes over-salted food can add as much as they want. It's just impossible to subtract salt.

John S.

Fun place to dine. Good atmosphere. In general friendly staff. Food is great. The best chicken breast in the Bay area! Very juicy and soft but well done and great flavor. Another favorite tagliatelle al sugo and house pulled mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes. Fish of the day often delicious but a bit pricey. Don't leave without the panna cotta!! Have to restrain myself not to order a second one. Excellent vine selection. Wish they would change their menu a bit more often because I like to go there 2 or 3 times per month.

Laura D.

YUM!!! Had the warm beet salad, the burata, and the gnocchi with braised oxtail. All were delicious! I would definitely recomment this place and go back. Service was great and the prices are reasonable. Two thumbs up.

Fred W.

We were looking for a simple place near the Berkley Rep Theater and found this place on line. We went on a Sat night and had to take a 5:00 PM reservation. We read some reviews and it sounded very good. We were not disappointed. The food and the service were excellent. We had some appetizers that were unique. My wife had a fried Nettle ball that we never saw before. I had their Chicken vegetable soup that was prepared that day. The whole meal was a pleasure. We will go again.

D H.

I was disappointed. Granted I had high expectations since Rivoli is one of my favorite restaurants. the first time I ate here I had basic appetizers which were fine. The second time I came, the meal was dreadful. I had sauteed chicken with a side of spinach. The chicken tasted like a stick of butter and the spinach tasted like a clove of raw garlic. Now I love both butter and garlic, but these were basically inedible. Very sad. I wanted this place to be good. That being said, the ingredients were fresh and high quality and the service friendly so I gave three stars instead of two in the hopes of future improvements.

Poppy R.

Let's start with dessert. I've been in love with Rivoli since they opened, but haven't loved the desserts since they changed pastry chefs years ago, so I was a little leery of ordering dessert here. Not doing so would have been a HUGE mistake. Husband had a perfectly excellent flourless chocolate cake with caramel and chocolate sauces. Caramel was a pleasant change from the usual raspberry, but flourless chocolate cake is so ubiquitous, how can it really stand out? I, OTOH, had a mascarpone torta with cranberry compote. I expected a filled cake, and instead was served a little cup of cheesecake. I was a bit disappointed until I took a bite. It was literally the best dessert I've had since I can remember. It was creamy and sweet with a hint of tart from the cranberry, and a hint of I don't know what luscious flavor in the mascarpone layer. Something sort of like almond extract, but much more complicated. I wanted a second, but was too full. As for the real food, we began with the Salumi fatti in casa, which was fabulous. I really loved the Tuscan hazelnut and the fennel/red wine ones, but I forget the actual names. Although, I wish they had a half-order for two people because it was way too much and they didn't offer to pack it to go. It would have been nice to half an half order of that and some other cheese or vegetable option to break up the wall of meat. The Tagliatelle al sugo was rich and flavorful with tender pasta ribbons. The gnocchi was the only dish that would be more of a three star item than the rest of the restaurant. A little mushy, the bites without the crispy sage were bland, and the butternut squash a little on the sweet side for a savory item. The service was truly exceptional. Some Open Table glitch had clearly lost our reservation, but after a moment of slight confusion, they apologized for running a bit behind, told us our "reserved" table wasn't quite ready and were able to seat us only a few minutes later. The waiter was the perfect combination of efficient and attentive, yet friendly, and did NOT sneer when we ordered lemonade instead of wine. He made an otherwise memorable meal into a fabulous dinner out.

Ted G.

Made reservations a week in advance, was looking forward to some great Italian. Instead we got bland california cusine. Service was efficient but obviously would really rather be doing something else. The "indescribable" chicken breast that "is very Popular" was actually so bland and uninspired that it really was indescribable. Manhattan was pretty much the same as everywhere else but it cost 4 dollars more. Dinner for two was $100 with tip and we both walked out thinking we don't need to do that again. Rivoli it is not, buyer beware.

Roger T.

I've walked past this place quite a bit and have been wanting to try it for a while. Some friends took me there for my birthday, and it was even better than I expected. I had the orchiette with clams, and my friends had the pasta with braised beef and pork and the pork chop, and those were excellent, too. We shared the polenta, and it was amazing! I'm still trying to figure out how to duplicate that at home. We also shared the spinach, and that was my least favorite thing. It wasn't bad, just not as great as the other food. The wait staff was pleasant, unobtrusive, and efficient. They answered all of our questions and didn't rush us. I'm definitely planning on going back here on a regular basis.

Anna W.

This is one of the best restaurants! A really fun experience. Amazing food!It reminds me a lot of Delfina in SF. It is hard to get parking, so if you have a reservation, give yourself an extra 10 minutes to park. Once you do get there and get seated, it is a really fun place to be. We ate overlooking the chefs kitchen, so we got to watch everything being made, and the chef gave us his ideas on what to eat.That was a lot of fun. We orderd the ravioli, sweetbread meatballs, burratta and pea appetizer, pork chop, and artichokes. There was not one thing that missed. I would LOVE to go back and try the chicken. We ordered the panna cotta for dessert, excellent! I highly highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good meal. We ordered wine with dinner (only italian wine, all great) but they did have what looked to be a fun drink list. Enjoy....

Michael S.

This place gave me a food boner. Every morsel of grub I shoveled into my piehole screamed quality. The hosts gave us a free drink after we waited about 15 minutes for our reservation. Staff befriended and served efficiently without being ass-kissy. Don't order bread here because it will only stuff you to the gills before the grub descends. I had this thing called a Buratta, or a Beretta but not a gun, a giant delicious soft cheeseball. My wife had veal sweatbreads, from which I tried to discourage her because I am not down with eating the guts of calves crammed in little boxes and kept in the dark (allegedly). Then, it was on to this incredible risotto that had some lamb sausage ground into it. You know how risotto can give you that heinous bloat? This stiuff was like a whole grain risotto, not as sweet, filling or cloying or rich as the usual stuff but quite tasty. My lovebomb had the heavenly pork loin. Again, I am not a "pork guy" but this was over the top scrumptious. Moist and seasoned with onions. Holy crap was it good! Finally, some gelato for dessert. Yes, it was crowded to the point where you want to swing on someone but they held it all together. We got out of the spot with tip included for about $105.00 Yes, it is that good.

Thomas E.

Had dinner at Corso tonight. Had been there 3 or 4 times previously all were very good experiences.. Tonight I was totally aghast and bewildered when the server brought out my saffron pasta that covered only half of the bottom lip of the pasta bowl! There were maybe 14 to 16 half inch pasta shells and 10 marble sized sausage meat balls! I have eaten at high end Italian restaurants around the world and I have never been served such a small pasta portion. The manager came by to explain that " it was a midcourse entree" meant to be complimented by presumably additional expensive side dishes. I felt I was being taken advantage of. To his credit the manager came by and brought me another portion "on the house". Trattoria Corso needs to change their policy of extremely small portions. In this economy diners cannot afford to spend good money and walk away hungry.

Kara R.

I really really really wanted to like this place more (sorry, Jonathan D., I know we just became friends on here). I'll preface this review with the fact that I went to Corso with Scott S., my chef friend and fellow food snob, but unfortunately nothing really impressed us at Corso. The hostess was very prompt with seating us (thank you, OpenTable!) and the waitress, who was incredibly friendly and laughed at our jokes in a relatively believable manner, recommended a great bottle of wine to go with our eclectic orders. Maybe we had too high of expectations... We started out with the crostini trio, one of my favorite dishes of the night. One had mascarpone with tomato, another chicken liver, and the third a lobster puree. All were delicious, but a forewarning--if you order this, eat the liver one last, the flavor will linger in your mouth forever. It's great, but not when you're trying out the delicately flavored but wonderful lobster crostino. Next we split the tripe with cannellini beans/spicy tomato broth and the papardelle with duck/olives. The papardelle was probably the best dish of the evening. The pasta was beautifully rolled and cut, and tasted very fresh. The duck sauce was also very flavorful, with extremely tender meat. The tripe was a total let-down. There were too many beans, not enough tripe, and the "broth" was more of a sauce and had no spice. Scotty has the most delicate, adorable palate when it comes to spice and even he thought it needed pepper. Post parmesean snow storm it tasted okay, but I wouldn't recommend this dish. Then we had the pizza with funghi that everyone on here has been sh*tting their pants over. This better have been an off night otherwise I am just reviewing the wrong restaurant. It's a pizza with a decent crust, but it's covered in sauteed button mushrooms. It is winter...mushroom season...and you give me BUTTON mushrooms?! For $13?!?! Please. Plus, Scotty pointed out that the center of the pizza had gotten a bit soggy; most likely because the mushrooms weren't cooked enough before being added to the pizza, so the water from them got soaked into what had been a decent crust. Ugh. Last, we had sauteed baby spinach (still had some sand in it--not washed properly, but other than that it was obviously very fresh, good quality spinach) as well as romano beans with pancetta/hazelnuts/mint. The bean dish was actually a very unique, tasty combination, but the beans were totally over-cooked. For dessert, Scotty had the olive oil cake and I had the poached pear with fresh whipped cream. The olive oil cake left something to be desired. It was a little muted on texture and could have used some rosemary. The poached pear was very visually appealing. They left the skin on, though. While my friend Margaret highly recommended the dish and thought it made it more rustic (I guess...), I guess I just don't really care about rustic when the skin peels off like a used condom (hitting the nail on the head, Scotty!). The sauce had enough brandy for me to get wasted alone, though, so at least that was tasty. So was the pear after I peeled off the skin. Service overall was very good--they sometimes seemed a little antsy to take our plates away which is a constant annoyance factor of mine, but other than that they paced our dishes relatively well considering how bizarre our ordering was. At some point I might give this place another shot, but mostly the disappointment in Corso reminded me that I was cheating on my BF, Wood Tavern. Dear Wood Tavern: I am very sorry that I went out on a date with one of your SF Chronicle food section rivals. It's just that I feel like I have to do all the work in our relationship. You're always busy, I have to take the initiative to call you, and I always have to pay. And what's with us needing to stay at your place every time? That said, I realized how well you treat me when I do call. Please take me back? Love, Kara R.

Dana C.

This restaurant is absolutely amazing! Honestly, after going to Flora the night before where I was pretty much disgusted (see review) Corso was like the breath of fresh air that I so desperately needed. It kind of makes me sick that Flora has a better rating than Corso. Don't believe it. This is a five star restaurant! I have been here a number of times. When I heard they were opening this restaurant I was beyond excited. The owners of this place also own Rivoli, which is quite possibly my favorite restaurant ever. So to hear that Rivoli Deux was on its way made me giddy with happiness. And the anticipation was worth it! Okay, so about the food. For my appetizer on Saturday night I had the crostini with mussells, caciotta cheese (which is like a brie, but a bit stronger) and chicken liver paté. For my entrée I had the chicken breast in browned butter with a side of polenta with mascarpone cream. Everything was delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly and was swimming in the most delicious browned butter ever. I'm not usually a fan of chicken skin, but this one was crisp and tender and so good that I ate the whole thing. For dessert I had the warm chocolate cake with whipped cream and chocolate and caramel sauce. Again, to die for. All the bites of my fellow diners food was as well, cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly and just great! I have been here for brunch, lunch and dinner and have NEVER been disappointed. The service is great and the prices are reasonable. Since they have small plates and large plates you can order something smaller and spend less if thats what you want. That being said, it is not a cheap restaurant, but for what it is it's definitely not over priced. Come here. You will not regret it! :)

Lauren M.

Wow, my husband and I just returned from a stellar meal at Corso, void of all of the 1 and 2 star complaints logged on Yelp (I did notice nearly all of these were logged in the 1st 1/2 of 2009, clearly they have caught on and fixed many of these blunders). The wait staff was exceedingly attentive, my husband merely nodded at a waiter and we were immediately attended to, not needed but appreciated nonetheless. Every dish was well balanced, so much so that we swapped entrees to be able to both appreciate a fuller experience. Four courses later, and at about what we would have expected for a total tab, we were completely satisfied and sufficiently stuffed. Come early, it helps that it was a Cal game tonight, but a reservation wasn't necessary for just 2.

Jonathan D.

I think that Corso would have been a 5 were it not for my recent trip to the French Laundry, next to which simply nothing compares. That being said, Corso was wonderful. Another reviewer talked about the fact that one felt as if one is in a small restaurant on a tight street in Florence. My wife and I also had a conversation about this... we decided it was because of the relatively new construction across the street - nice mixed use buildings with shops down below and apartments above - very euro-city feel to the location as well as the insides of Corso. I had checked OpenTable for a reservation and none were available, but we decided to chance it anyway. When we walked in, there were no tables available and none would be available for at least an hour. But, they offer full dinner service at the bar. So, simple enough, we sat at the bar. Frank (I think) was the bartender and he was absolutely great. I am about 6'5", so I require leg room and Frank noticed my raising ire just in time to explain why I had no legroom. By the way, please forgive me for I am an ass. You see, we were sat at the only two available seats in the place and they happened to be at the end of the bar where there is a double top. The upper top can be removed so that people in wheel chairs can be served on the lower top. My knees were hitting the lower top. "Oh, poor baby," sort of puts the no-leg-room difficulty in perspective. The food was simple and delicious. My normal drink is a Manhattan with Sazerac Rye Whiskey and Antiqua Formula Vermouth. So, when I saw my specific whiskey on the drink menu in another form, I had to try it and it was delicious. It is just called the Sazerac and it holds on to the slightest harshness of a whiskey but pairs it with an element of sweetness in a combination of absinthe and bitters; perhaps not for everyone, but definitely made for me. My wife and I shared the Mozzarella con pepperonata: fresh stretched mozzarella, roasted peppers, pesto, & pine nuts which was very good. Then she had the Pollo al burro alla Sostanza which she said was very good primarily because of the Plugra butter it is cooked in or perhaps the amount of butter(and she did not offer me a bite which is both out of the ordinary and suggestive of a very good dish indeed) . I had the Braciola di maiale which is a grilled bone-in Niman Ranch pork loin with sweet and sour onions and was AMAZING. Bite after scrumptious bite were simply perfect. I had to fight the urge to pick up the bone and gnaw every last morsel of meat of that baby (neanderthal that I am)! We had some sauteed spinach on the side, which was good, but I might select something different next time. The tough part for me is that because my Secondi was so good I am willing to bet that it is the best thing on the menu and now when I go back (which is a certainty) I will be torn between trying something new and potentially equally wonderful or sticking with something I have had and know to be just a hair shy of perfection. It was that good. We knew as we sat down that we would like to come back as we did not have enough time to sit and savor the atmosphere and enjoy a couple additional courses because we had an agenda, a walk and a movie to get to. Hind sight being what it is, I would rather have stayed and enjoyed those additional courses, chatted with my wife, taken additional drink recommendations from Frank and spent time in this wonderful treasure of a Berkeley restaurant.

Jonathan S.

This place hits the mark every time for us. Great Italian food and great drinks. Im not crazy about the wine because they only serve Italian wine and I think California wine stands on its own and should be represented in California. The service is absolutely top notch. Franc, the bar tender makes the experience fun every time. We've sat at the bar and tables but we prefer the bar. The food is really really good each time we go, and I think it natural to not be pleased by EVERY dish one comes across at a restaurant but I dont remember ever getting anything I didnt like here. Its more of a neighborhood place for me. I go Friday nights to watch drinks and food be made, chat it up with bar tenders or servers, and I always feel like Im part of a community, not just a paying customer they are trying to push out. It takes a while to feel part of a community though, not something you experience the first time you go probably. Im really surprised by the 3.5 star average Corso has on Yelp. I guess this place just "does" it for me. My first experience didnt make me love the place but I didnt hate it enough to go back. I sat at the bar the next few times and really fell in love. Good drink, good food, good prices and fun Italian movies playing make this a fun date place.

Molly K.

I took my brother-in-law out to dinner there last night and we had a great time. I had the mozzarella/beet salad and funghi pizza, and we split the polenta, and he had the duck pasta and kale/bean soup. We were amazed at how much duck there was in his main dish--tons, not skimpy at all, perhaps actually more duck than pasta (?). The polenta was delightfully crisp on the outside, yet melting-cheesy-corn-heaven on the inside. We didn't drink any wine, because I was buying and my dog-walking/boarding business is a bit down--hopefully when we go back I can afford to throw down some more cash for vino. The meal deserved it (and so do we!). Senza vino, dinner was $75 with tip--an affordable splurge. We both loved it.

Jen S.

It was good! I'm not sure how I feel about sitting at one large table with several other parties of strangers while everyone else in the restaurant seems to have their own table. Everything we had was very good: wine, calamari, tuna carpaccio, risotto with lamb, rabbit pasta, and ravioli with spring veggies. The calamari actually had very little calamari and a ton of battered/fried onions, which was tasty but disappointing. The mayo served with the calamari could've stood to be spiced up a bit as well. The tuna carpaccio was a very small serving-- I had considered ordering it as my meal instead of a group appetizer but I'm glad I didn't because I'd have left a StarvinMarvin!! Dessert was fab-- the flourless chocolate cake, pannacotta, and biscotti vin santo!! I was a bit disappointed with the waitress's description/recommendation of wines. We made our own decision and it was fine, but I'd rather an honest "I'm not much of a wine person" than someone pointing out the most expensive wine and giving a generic scatterbrained description. The food, though... the food was yum yum!! You should check it out, mos def!

Steve D.

Sunday Brunch at Corso is reviewed here. Difficult to write as the experience was a contrast of positives and negatives. The food was on balance good but you move towards a feeling of lose opportunity when your eggs arrive at near room temperature. The Marscapone Pancakes where the lightest flavored pancakes you could ever have, all 2 of them. The Blooding Mary was great except it was death by black pepper. And so it goes. The wait staff of exceptional. We had a perfectly great time there for the the better part of 2 hours except for the loud crashing of first dishes and then pans. You know when your ears hurt and the restaurant manager runs to the kitchen with a look of WTF on his face. I say try it but you will be better served coming in with low expectations. I am going to be generous and give it a 3 because there is some potential. My wife and I decided we would give it another shot for the the dinner menu.

Matthew D.

3.5 stars if I could. Good food, wonderful flavors, mostly traditional dishes with a bit of flair. Service was a bit snooty (might have just been my waiter and not representative of the whole staff). Prices seem a little high for what you get, but dishes aren't too expensive. Overall experience was really enjoyable.

Alex W.

Corso offers a new spin on traditional Italian food in a small quaint Berkeley setting. I dropped in without a reservation on a Friday evening, and waited about 45/50 minutes for a table. The wait was long, but it was well worth it. The staff was exceptionally friendly and our waitress knew the menu like the back of her hand. We ordered the Trite alla Florentina with a roasted butternut squash medley. The Florentina was a bit bland but the roasted veggies were to die for! We also ordered the stuffed ravioli and an ahi tuna salad. Both of which were equally good. The prices for everything were very reasonable, considering the fabulous food quality. With a reservation, Corso is the perfect restaurant to bring anyone from a first date to an old group of girlfriends. Highly recommended

j k.

I can't quite pin it to why, but it felt just like being in a little restaurant down a side street in Florence. Maybe it was how the menu was written. Maybe it was the pizza margherita. Maybe I just really wished I was in Italy that day! Anyway, the food was simple and good. We split the poached pear for dessert and that was lovely. True, it took a few requests to get bread out of the waiter, but overall it was a really nice lunch experience!!

Damian S.

The same folks that own Rivoli in Albany run Corso Trattoria. For some that may be a good thing, but my wife and I had a very disappointing experience at Rivoli so we didn't know what to expect at Corso. Though the meal was uneven, ultimately we were pleased with our dinner and will likely return someday. The atmosphere is very comfortable and casual, but with attentive and friendly service and high quality food, very much a place for well-to-do Berkeley residences. The one conceptual thing about Corso that we didn't like is that all the entrees come without any vegi's or sides, all of that is ordered separately. It's like a steak house where you order your cut of meat and then order sides to go with it. This approach didn't really work for us and we were frustrated with all the plates. It felt disjointed. For our money, the appetizer and the dessert were the real high points of the meal. We started with the Panzotti ricotta and butternut squash, brown butter, sage, walnuts. We've eaten tons of squash or pumpkin raviolis in brown butter sauce throughout the country, but I gotta say, this dish was one of the best. The pasta was tender and perfect, the sauce was tasty but not too greasy, and you could actually taste the squash filling (sadly, that's not always the case). We were very pleased with this dish. My wife ordered the Funghi Pizza with mushrooms, fontina, piave cheese, white truffle oil. It's a very generous sized pizza for one person, but it was just too bland. I don't know if they forgot the truffle oil or if the mushrooms just weren't very potent on the day we went, but the pizza's flavor wasn't all we had hoped for. My wife likes either a really thin, cripsy crust or a thick Chicago style crust, this was kind of in between and that wasn't a good thing for her. After the pizza had sat for a couple of minutes (by the time she went back for her second slice) the crust in the middle of the pie was already kind of soggy (oily?) and the cheese had cooled. It just wasn't very inviting. I will say that we reheated the pizza the next day and our 18 month old daughter LOVED it. I too thought it was better the next day. The flavors seemed more intense. You don't see rabbit on the menu too often, so I thought I'd give the fried rabbit dish a try. Here's the thing, it was fine. It came out hot and crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. All good things, right? But what about flavor, seasonings, sauces? Basically what I got was a couple of pieces of fried rabbit (fair-generous portion), but there was nothing else on the plate to compliment the rabbit. It could have been fried anything (chicken, turkey, maybe even pork). The batter/coating didn't have any particular flavor or spice and the dish didn't come with any dipping sauce or reduction. It tasted fine, but it was SO BORING. To compliment my rabbit, I ordered 2 of the sides: - Duck fat-roasted Yukon potatoes, garlic confit, rosemary; & - Roasted eggplant, fresh mozzarella, basil, spicy tomato sauce The potatoes were really good: crispy, hot, salty and flavourful. The difference between these and those you'd get at a good brunch place? About 3 bucks. Though a little overpriced, they were tasty. The eggplant was very flavorful and well composed. It was like a little eggplant lasagna. The ONLY problem was that the dish arrived to us already cool, almost cold. Had it been served hot I would have mentioned it up top of my review with the squash ravioli and the dessert. We'd definitely try this dish again. For dessert my wife and I shared the very tasty and very rich Budino alla cioccolato flourless chocolate cake, caramel and chocolate sauce, whipped cream. We love chocolate and I really like salty caramel, so this sweet indulgence was perfect for us. Gooey, intense chocolate flavor and serious caramel and chocolate sauces. Don't miss this dessert! As for drinks, I got a cocktail with maker's mark, not something I usually order, but I really enjoyed it. Wife thought it tasted like gasoline, but what's she know, right? She was very happy to get a sparkling wine by the glass. The salads we saw on other people's tables looked great and the grilled/seared meats looked tasty as well. At the end of the day I'd prefer that the chef pair my meat course with a side and/or vegi for me and not just send out a naked piece of meat on a plate with nothing to accompany or compliment it. Also, if you serve deep fried meat either make the batter/coating interesting, or serve it with a sauce of some kind. (or what about fried rabbit served with waffles? Could be legendary!) We enjoyed the service and it's always nice to find places with high quality food that aren't formal and stuffy (most of the people here were wearing their Berkeley City-issued fleece jackets and sandals). All in all, a much better experience than Rivoli, but I'd say that the place is still working out some kinks.

Donna U.

Corso ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! An amazing Sunday evening dinner that kept me thinking about Papardelle and Tagliatelle for days to come. We started with the Crostini trio of cheese and quince / chicken liver pate'/ and lobster mascarpone which was fairly small for two so you may want to add another antipasta if you are sharing. The pate' was so good I spent a day trying to replicate it at home and came fairly close. Next we had the Papardelle al ragu d'anatra (pasta with braised duck) and Tagliatelle al sugo (pasta with braised beef and pork) which were both exactly what a ragu is meant to be. We often judge a restaurant by the polenta so we also split a side of the lightest airiest polenta that I have ever had. Dinner was accompanied by several glasses of wine which included a lovely Lambrusco and a Barbera. We finished our dinner with my all time favorite desert of biscotti and Vin Santo wine. There could not have been a better way to end the evening. Service was very efficient and our server knew both the menu and wine list and was able to make insightful recommendations. We will definitely will be going back and bringing our friends.

Steven J.

My wife and I along with our Cal son with guest have visited this fine restaurant four times over the last 3 years! We try to find better, but always seem to go back to Corso! Great staff, superb quality entrees and salads! The last time we visited the waiter even remembered my wife from the year before! no joke! Upon leaving, I asked which of the chefs made my salad. A 30-ish female proudly said "I did!" the best salad I thing I have ever had! Extensive wine list with a fine selection of Italian wines (we travel to Italy often and know Italian wine). Hint: Don't let this place push you to place your order too quickly - they appear to know how to turn tables appropriately, and closely monitor the status of your meal. Tell them you want to relax and enjoy your fine dinner, and they will happily oblige! This is a REAL WINNER! An exciting, upbeat place, with patronage that are all excited to be there! Now that is a sign of a good restarant. FIVE WELL-EARNED STARS!

Jennifer H.

Huge crowd outside. Parked, found my friend and heard the wait was 55+ minute. No reservations. Two spots opened up at the community table, so we happily grabbed them. Ordered: -Fritto misto calamari, shrimp, fennel, sweet onions, lemon, aioli -Tagliatelle al sugo pasta with braised beef and pork -Gnocchi alla ragú d'anastra braised Sonoma Farms duck, gaeta olives -Pizza with funghi mushrooms, fontina, Piave cheese, white truffle oil -Torta di cioccolata caramel sauce and whipped cream Tiny skrimps and calamari. Over-battered to the point where I didn't know whether I was eating a shrimp or an onion. Tagliatelle was homemade, al dente, with just the right bite. Braised beef and pork were tender, albeit a bit chewy and on the salty side. Didn't try my friend's gnocchi, but he didn't finish it and said he liked my dish better. Pizza was good at first, but after my second slice, it got really really salty and greasy. Dessert was the star. I'd return just for that. I've never had a torta so moist in my life. No dollops of whip cream here! Huge helping, enough to include some on every decadent bite of choco. So so good. Overall, great service, nice decor, well-done space, but I'm not sure if it's worth the wait. May come back for lunch or brunch.

Shira G.

So....I am a stickler for gracious service. Especially when you are paying upscale restaurant prices. Although Corso is reasonably priced for a nice restaurant, the servers seemed totally apathetic and there was no sense of warmth or graciousness. Having waited tables myself for years, this attitude really chaps my hide. Like, would it kill you to smile? Once? I went with my family and we started with a large selection of antipasti - everything from fritto misto to artichokes, potatoes, soup, etc. Everything was quite tasty but also quite oily. Our surly server asked no fewer than three times if we were ready to order our mains. Finally, we surrendered and each ordered a main course. I tasted all of them and would say the pasta and the chicken breast were the best - Still oil and butter for miles! Corso is an attractive addition to the neighborhood but I would not need to return and I'm still irritated by our lame service.

Patrick L.

I came here because several friends highly recommended the Funghi Pizza with mushrooms, mozzarella, fontina, and white truffle oil. The place reminded of the Trattoria on College Ave. next to Gordo's. I was seated at the counter overlooking the kitchen so I could see all the food that was being prepared and cooked. Everything that was being cooked looked delicious so I had a hard time knowing what to order. The waitress recommended the Tagliatelle al sugo which is the pasta with braised beef and pork, but I finally settled on the Funghi Pizza my friends loved so much. I also ordered the 3 saridne special. The pizza was a disappointment. It was ordinary and bland; Cheeseboard has much better pizza. The sardines, on the other hand, was decent. They were very flavorful, and from what I remember, by the middle of the night, all the sardines had been sold out. The only reason why I am giving Corso 4 stars and not 3 is because of all the mouth-watering foods I saw but have not tried. My first trip to Corso was a disappointment, but it was probably because I selected the wrong dishes.

Jonathan L.

Father is in town so my dining budget goes a little higher :P (yay poor college life)..we tried Rivoli a couple months ago thus we decided to hit up Corso this time around. Arrived at 5 and there was already a line out the door. Was seated by a very nice hostess and ordered: butternut squash risotto, baked chicken in a butter sauce, fennel sausage pizza and spinach. Risotto was good and so was the pizza. When we cut through the chicken, however, it was still raw inside. Our server immediately noticed it and flew around to take the dish back. While our chicken was recooking, our spinach came so we munched on that until it came back. Our new chicken was still a little raw inside! The manager came around this time and offered us duck-fat roasted potatoes with garlic and polenta as well as comp-ed the chicken. When it came back the third time, it was perfectly cooked and simply DELICIOUS! Despite the little hic-cup, Corso was good.

Denny S.

I don't often bother to write up a three-star joint (if it's really just average then what's the point?). But I think Corso could be much better, maybe even a five-star destination like Wood Tavern. The food is competent and the prices are not unreasonable. But here are my problems--the service seems tentative, like everyone working there is a student; if you sit up at the bar the kitchen staff is totally non-interactive (so why put customers right under their noses?); finally, a really big big no-no: the menu in the window was not the one from which we were allowed to order. So we were seated and wined by the time we found that the dish we wanted was off-limits. But if these minor glitches were fixed, Corso might really sail.

Mike B.

I've been twice and liked it. Good food and service. I don't remember what I got except for dessert. They have a chocolate gelato with espresso and whiskey that is fantastic. Honestly it's why I remembered the place after the first time and went back. I'd say it's between dressy and casual, a good date place.

peanut h.

my new favorite local restuarant. kinda pricey for a gal on a budget but well worth saving pennies for. now, those who know me know i am very picky about italian food, my mom being from the old country and all. however i keep going back for the tagliatella with pork and beef ragu, my personal favorite. the pork loin melts in your mouth and the risotto is mouth watering. the staff is super nice and on top of game. i also love that they leave a bottle of water on the table so you're never left wanting and waiting. this place hits the mark 100%, so much so i wanna bring my mom to it.

Alys L.

I grew up in a foodie town, where there are SO MANY great restaurants (seriously, Berkeley - 'Gourmet Ghetto?' - I can beat you with any neighborhood in Portland.) I always find myself at Berkeley restaurants thinking, "Is this actually good, or just good for Berkeley?" Finally, FINALLY, I found a restaurant that I genuinely can't wait to go back to. Seriously - new fave. I had the Rucola salad, and I think it might have been one of the best salads I've ever had. Amazing (vegetarian) pasta for dinner, a side of braised spinach, and a to-die-for flourless chocolate cake for dessert. We were with my parents (who, in addition to currently living in Portland, also used to live in Italy) and they were as pleased as I was. Top it off with a nice bottle of wine, and it was a great experience. To the people who weren't pleased with the 'smaller' portions: Umm... I hate to break it to you, but that's the actual serving size of pasta. If you're in it for volume, maybe you should try the Cheesecake Factory?

Yes I.

My friend picked up food to go. It was delicious but way smaller than we expected. However, after polishing off two entries and three small slices of bread each (included), we were both satisfied. No leftovers, though. The entries are definitely small, but delicious.

don M.

Our reservation (table for four) was ready when we showed up on a busy Friday night. Our waitress was cool about the fact that we'd brought our own wine ($15 corkage per bottle). I had the Trio di Crostini followed by the Lattuga salad and the Tagliatelle al sugo--all were very good although I would have liked the tagliatelle to have a little more kick to the sauce. I finished off with the Gelato ubriaco which was outstanding. The others in the group had the Trippa alla Fiorentia and the Risotto nero and were most impressed. Place was a little noisy but good atmosphere.

Professor Higgins P.

My wife and I have young kids, and we chose Corso for our "date night". It was a very good choice. The food is simple, but unique vs. other restaurants out there, and quite tasty. I ordered the chicken breast, which is broiled in butter and crazy good despite the weirdness of how its served. My wife ordered the braised oxtail, and its was really flavorful. The place is crowded and loud, but the food is good, and its a nice change of pace for Shattuck.

Paul L.

Corso is a delight, and a trusted relative of the famed Rivoli on Solano Ave. Fresh, light, and reasonably priced - Corso wowed us with a sublime Tagliatelle with meat ragu, excellent hand-crafted Ravioli, and a fabulous sausage pizza that jumped with fresh garlic and spices. The wine list is surprising, the service is prompt and friendly, and the overall "vibe" is relaxed upscale. A great place for a mid-week night out, or a special weekend night that won't break the budget - Corso is recommended.

Doa M.

I ordered the ricotta dumplings and absolutely loved this dish. I normally don't like ricotta that much but this dish was creamy, flavorful and the amount was just right. I will go back for more!

Henry C.

I've only had the privilege of eating here once. When I went, I sat at the bar in front of the chefs so I got to watch them cook my meal. I ordered the special, which was like this weird crepe with some sort of dried fruit and sauce with risotto. It was DELICIOUS. I'm going to have to go back to Berkeley someday just to eat at this restaurant again. I went on the recommendation of various people in both Berkeley and San Francisco, it is just that good. Better than a lot of the food I ate IN Italy!

PAUL C.

When the owner greets you and finds you a place to sit, you know you're in a great place. My friend and I sat at the bar and were able to converse and watch the chefs in action. This added to the culinary experience. Lots of wonderful, friendly, guy banter among these chefs. Great selection of wines and after dinner drinks. We both had the spinach. Wonderful Forgot it was spinach. ... She had polenta and I the pork chop. Tender and tasty. Loved it. Chocolate dessert that makes you think you're in heaven.

Grace S.

Great food, great atmosphere, AND great service. I give a 4.5!! We arrived on time for our reservation and was told that our table wasn't ready yet but would be momentarily. No problem, we sat down at the bar for a drink. 15 minutes later, as we were being seated, the host apologized again and said he would have comped our drinks, but since we had already paid for it, he could buy us another round. What? Uh, Of course!!!!! When we were seated, we ended up at a nice table next to the window. I had a nice view of the kitchen and my husband had a nice view outside. The kitchen was hard at work but they were having a good time working... Both my husband and I agree that there was nothing that we had that could have been better. It was delicious and we enjoyed our meal to the fullest. We started with the Burrata and Meatballs (of veal and sweatbreads). Then we continued with the risotto, which was not too heavy, and pork loin, topped with sweet onions, with a side of perfectly cooked asparagus. Then finished with gelato. I can't wait to tell all my friends about this place.

Julie M.

Love the bar. Great atmosphere, Good food. I especially felt that the staff were friendly and "accessible" (read: nice, normal people who don't feel that they have to be different just b/c they work at a nice restaurant). Wore jeans and a sweater, but could have dressed up. Had mushroom pizza with truffle oii, caprese salad with panko crumbs and amazing tomatoes, some sort-of ravioli with currants and pine nuts and the polenta- super rich. Overall, great prices, fun atmosphere. I will be back and recommend to friends!

Paul S.

Visiting from NYC my girlfriend and I stopped in here on a whim. The service was great and the food delicious. The maitre'd was very helpful when we were trying to find a nearby liquor store, even looking up on his personal phone what would be open at that hour.

Mo D.

We were here for a Wednesday lunch. Nearly all of the seating was taken, but our reserved table was next to the window with great views of gourmet ghetto foot traffic. We were in Tuscany last year and some of the menu items reminded us of Lucca and Florence. The Salsiccia pizza tasted good, but it was drowned in oil. You could not pick up the pizza by the crust and shove it into your mouth without the pointed end drooping down all over your chin--better to use the knife and fork. The Gamberi, with four pieces of grilled shrimp was nicely presented. The farro had a texture similar to barley, al-dente, but it provided a nice starchy contrast to the watercress and shrimp. I wish I could have sampled a bit of everything, but I'll be back to give more items a taste.

Joy L.

Unfortunately all our entrees were mediocre. 1. The texture of my duck risotto was not silky enough, like orzo floating in thick ducky brothy gelatiny-ness. 2. The seafood pasta was extremely garlicy, and the sauce was thin. 3. The rivioli was good, all three squares of it. These pieces were about 2 inches wide. I was very disappointed. On the other hand, the pork belly appetizer coated with cornmeal, and on top of tomato marmelade was fine, and the dessert (pistachio frozen cream, and strawberry rhubarb panna cotta) was excellent. On one hand, their prices are more reasonable than the other similar style California/Italian places that I really like- but I think I'd rather save my money and splurge on another more consistent restaurant.

Laura C.

The joint was jumpin' on this Saturday night and we got seated pretty quickly to my surpirse. Once we got seated, however, I knew that dinner conversation was going to be a challenge because the noise level in there is the loudest that I have ever experienced in any restaurant ever. We ordered pretty quickly, but we did not get our wine until after our appetizers came (quite a long wait) and we didn't get bread until way after our wine came and we had to ask for it a couple of times. tsk, tsk. I didn't really care for the crostini appetizer but my bf loved it. Our cesar salad was so so. The beef/pork pasta was good but it was a very small portion in a very big plate. We ordered the flourless chocolate cake for dessert - it was just ok. We went here because of the write-up in the SF Chronicle. A slice of Tuscany in Berkeley? I sure hope Tuscany's better than this..................

Riki H.

5 stars for the weekend brunch here. actually, i've ONLY been to brunch here - for some reason never come for dinner. but anyway, the brunch is really, really tasty. menu is always inventive, the bread is fantastic, if you like a bloody mary or similar, the bar doesn't disappoint. i always enjoy some kind of green salad -- simple, beautiful greens lightly dressed. then a main brunch course. coffee, water, etc. they don't rush you so you can enjoy your meal and conversation. genuine italian, not american-italian (as another reviewer pointed out). lovely.

Rez X.

This place served the best lasagna I've ever eaten. I went here with my gf for her bday dinner and they made it a memorable night, so bravo! No complaints about food, ambiance or service. I would recommend this restaurant without caveats.

Aodhan M.

Very good food at a reasonable price in a lovely atmosphere. Visited Trattoria Corso on a Friday evening, the place was full, buzzing, warm and welcoming. We arrived a little early and ordered a couple of martinis from the bar, both perfectly made to our different tastes. Seated promptly and attended to immediately by our very busy waitress. Unfortunately can't remember her name but we were seated in the area to the left of the door as you walk in. She was extremely professional, friendly and helpful throughout. Started with two salads - a roasted beet and a romaine - very well put together and lightly delicious. Main courses were the beef & pork sugo tagliatelle and papardelle with duck. The tagliatelle was excellent, papardelle was good but lacking a little something. At the suggestion of our waitress I added some parmesan which really made a difference. Desert was chocolate cake which was fine but not spectacular. Overall this is a very good place for reasonably priced dinner in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with superb service.

Daniel S.

ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD. Corso is a new, casual restaurant from the pair that created the deservedly-lauded Rivoli on Solano Avenue. So when Corso opened in my neighborhood, I went on opening night! (The REAL opening night -- I paid.) Naturally, kinks are still being worked out. By the time we got there, 4 dishes were already out or unavailable, including some dishes we wanted. We ended up ordering tagliatelle with a beef and pork ragu, a mushroom pizza, and peperonata (a mixture of roasted peppers and onions). The total effect was nice, but ... look, we're in Berkeley. Unless you're making all your food from free-range, sustainably harvested blue green algae, we expect some pizzazz. And Corso just needs more of it. Comfort food yes, but not *too* comfortable. So my message to Wendy and Roscoe is: surprise us a little! I've been surprised and delighted by very simple things in Italy -- I still remember a risotto with arugula in Florence and a pasta alla diavola in Trastevere. Let's see more dishes that "pop" without pretension. You do it at Rivoli, so I know you can do at Corso. So for now, just three stars for the food. The other star is for a nice affordable place in my area. I hope they do well, but that they also spice things up a bit.

Richard F.

Second time I've been here. Went here for a quick dinner with D.S. because we had to be on campus in about 1.5 hours. Great dining expreience. Ate at the bar with Nick as our server/bartender. Great service and excellent food. D.S. and I shared the baked whole trout, sauteed spinach and vegetable roots and a salad. Nick was nothing but helpful and the service was excellent. We got out of their on time without being rushed. Bill, including tip and 2 adult beverages was just over $60. Good value.

Blue L.

I ate here last night with 3 others and Corso deserves 4 out of 5 stars. We were seated immediately, and the staff was very courteous. We noted that bread was available on request, so we requested it and it came right out. No waiting there. All the dishes we ordered were very good, the fritto misto, the parpardelle (duck pasta), the butternut squash ravioli, the braciolo (pork) and the funghi pizza. I wasn't sure how the pizza would turn out based on prior reviews, but I had no complaints. The crust was extremely tasty and thin (just how I like it), just the right amount of crispness, the mushrooms weren't those Safeway type button mushrooms at all, the cheese was tasty, and it wasn't soggy in the least, not even when I took the last bite. For dessert we had the Budino (chocolate cake) - very tasty, and the Affogato (vanilla gelato in espresso - not much to write home about, but then how creative can one really get with gelato and espresso?) Only negative - we didn't feel like we were really filled up with an appetizer, entree and dessert. Next time, we would probably also order more appetizers to share and a couple of sides of the vegetables. Major plus - I liked how you can order wine in 5 different sizes. That was really cool, especially since the wines by the glass were not your everyday wines, and they were all Italian. More restaurants should do this. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience and we'll be back.

Adam R.

Review is Really 3.5 Stars. Having heard many good things about this place, I was expecting a bit more perhaps, but hey, I can be tough to please. What I consider good Italian cuisine is different from what I expect from, say, French food. The tastes, textures are very different, but they usually come from a shared past history on the table of peasants. Italian cuisine, especially from the Tuscan area comes usually in the form of long cooked sauces and meaty goodness, in the fashion of farm to table. Fresh vegetables, good olive oil, large steaks and rustic Tuscan wines. This restaurant however, did not bridge that gap from peasant to restaurant completely successfully, but it also did not fall too low either. My wife and I ordered dishes to share, and we did leave relatively sated, but in my opinion, 15 or so dollars overcharged, quality to price wise. Since I have a background in wine, I am always disappointed when the selections seem haphazard and the wines by the glass are kept open too long, or served too cold/too hot. I understand that this can be difficult for a restaurant who's focus is not entirely on wine, but if you are charging 12 dollars for a glass of wine, it would be nice to know it has not been sitting around for 3 days or so. Her white wine was served ice cold, and as it warmed up, became obvious it also had been open for longer than it should have been. The dishes that we ordered, ravioli, rabbit pasta and artichokes were OK. The ravioli was actually two pieces of sheet pasta cooked and broiled with the sauce, rather like a deconstructed lasagna. Now, my problem with the sauce was not that it was bad, it is just that it was pleasant, innocuous and too mild. It had just had very little flavor to it. The rabbit was better, with the pasta cooked very well, and more than ample amounts of sauce. The sauce also had the same issue as the ravioli, a distinct lack of distinction It wasn't bad at all, but it lacked a certain something, of which I can not place my finger on. The artichokes suffered the same fate, where overly oily and chewy breadcrumbs ruined otherwise very good artichokes. The chocolate budino on the other hand was amazing. Perfectly done, not too sweet, great salted caramel sauce on top and the right size. Bravo. I would come back here, if only to see if this was an off night, but I would not order any wine, as I found them overpriced and lacking in breadth of selection. BYOB.

Jeff D.

THis was our second visit to Corso. We have sat at the chef's counter both times and have thoroughly enjoyed both the atmosphere and the food. We particulalry like that the menu changes (not all items) about every 3 weeks or so. One of their signature dishes - Pollo - was outstanding.

Ashley R.

I was dressed up in a beautiful gown waiting for my friend at the bar sipping a glass of Perseco and watching an old Italian movie on the flat screen. I wish I could have taken a picture, I felt fabulous... The service here was so friendly. On a Friday night I only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table and if I had wanted to be seated right away they have a big communal table in the middle of the restaurant which I think is kind of cool. But it was a special night out and so I wanted a more intimate seating arrangement so my friend and I could really sit, talk and enjoy ourselves. We decided to split three small dished and she drank a fruity margarita (go for the cocktails alone, they all look inventive and delicious) while I had to indulge in one more glass of sparkling wine. Our bill only came out to about $40 which really pleased and surprised me considering how great the food, service and atmosphere was. You HAVE to try the fritto misto. It's fried calamari, shrimp, onion rings and lemon wedges. I was so surprised that the lemon wedges were absolutely divine! The green beans with pancetta and the marscapone polenta were delicious too. The dishes were small but three small dishes among two people was just enough to satisfy and not overwhelm. We had to rush to the theater right after dinner so the waiter was very quick about getting us the bill. This was a wonderful way to have a fabulous night out with two girls all dolled up and I think it would be great for a casual meal too!

Winnie B.

Most of the dishes we had were very good. My favorites were the rabbit pasta, ravioli, and artichokes. I really wanted to try their whole grilled fish, but it seems like they only have it on occasion. The octopus pizza got mixed reviews, and the pork was decent, but it came across as mostly a big hunk of meat and little else. The line was out the door that evening, but when we asked the waitress about it, she thought for a second and said, no, it was a slow night for them. I guess we've been warned.

Jim O.

This place did a pretty good job on each dish. The burrata w/ speck, grilled asparagus, onion, sherry "caviar" was very good. Not just a wet ball of cheese. It was legitimately tasty. I thought the Rucola salad was more flavorful than similar offerings elsewhere. The only real let down was the Branzino. We shared and were expecting so much but ultimately were a bit disappointed. But the food was good overall, the staff very friendly, the wine list pretty interesting. I would go back.

Captaine s.

Good: Fig salad. Yum. Bad: All meat pasta dishes taste the same, like dinty moore canned stew, with no distintive flavors, just a mush. Even my salt-loving-to-a-crazy-extreme girlfriend thought the meat dishes were too salty. Bad: Indifferent staff. High prices. It is loud, like all the reviews say, but not earsplitting, not as bad as they say.

Arcelia G.

Great butter fried chicken, appetizers and bread. I like the half wine glass option. make reservations.

Jessica R.

My first experience at Corso has made me a fan: 1) we showed up for Sunday dinner in grubby sweats looking like homeless people, and were treated with complete graciousness, never made to feel uncomfortable 2) the food was excellent, especially the roast pork chop with fennel agrodolce, which was to die for, orgasmically delicious. The chop was a huge, perfectly cooked, moist, meaty, lean hunk of goodness, and the fennel agrodolce was both sweet and tart and a perfect foil for the richness of the meat. I didn't think I could eat the whole thing, but I did (and sucked the bones clean, too). We also ordered an arugula salad to start, an orecchieti with fava green pesto and a side of spinach with garlic. * The arugula salad was good - thin slivers of fennel, nicely toasted chopped almonds, and a clean fresh dressing that they said had mint in it, but that neither of us could taste the mint. Next time I want to try their romaine salad with anchovy-lemon dressing. * the spinach was perfectly cooked but nothing special * the orecchietti was too salty when first brought out. When we told the waiter, he immediately offered to send it back for the chef to taste, then came back to report that the chef agreed and to ask whether we'd like a less-salty version of the same or a different pasta. We ordered the same and liked the less salty version much better, we both liked the strong lemon flavor in the pesto and the subtle homemade fennel sausage, and really appreciated the way the restaurant handled our dissatisfaction. I asked the maitre'd for a wine suggestion to go with our order, and liked the Petit Rouge he suggested - it was a very light, food friendly red wine, not unlike the red wine called claret that the Norwegians serve, beautifully, with white fish. For dessert we had the Affogato Coretto, chocolate gelato drowned in espresso & bourbon. I didn't think I had room for dessert, but we finished it up without any trouble. Total bill: $90 including tip for plenty of delicious food for 2 people, including 1..5 glasses of wine & dessert. Not cheap, but it felt like good value for top-notch food and service in a relaxed Berkeley environment.

Amanda S.

Love this place, but it is definitely not cheap (should be categorized as $$$ I think). Delicious, rich, but not too heavy Italian food. But real Italian food. Love that they serve half glasses of wine. A really special place.

Robert F.

best Italian place in Berkeley.

Julie S.

I can't believe that Corso: (1) is in any way related to Rivoli, and (2) made the Top 100 Restaurants list for 2009 (makes me question the list a little...)! Unless everyone ate at a different Corso than I did, I also don't see how the food got such rave reviews. It was just alright. Nothing special. WAY too overpriced considering the food did not have much flavor. There was absolutely nothing memorable about my dining experience. I will not be eating here again and do not recommend this place to anyone else.

Sarah C.

Although I found no fault with the food at Corso (it was, in fact, delicious), there were other problems with it that would give me pause in coming back. We had 7:45 PM reservations, and arrived promptly. We were greeted in a very lackluster fashion when we checked in with the host. Sadly, this attitude by all staff prevailed throughout the evening. Although many people seemed to be attending to our table, the whole experience lacked continuity. Our actual server was indifferent to us--she never asked us how our meal was, never asked us if we wanted another glass of wine, and we got the dessert menu from a busboy. It took 15 minutes for her to pick up our check. I would say the whole experience was extended by 45 minutes due to the lack of cohesiveness of service. My 15 years of experience in the restaurant business made me think that it is a management issue. It was hard to tell who was coordinating the kitchen and dining room, if anyone. It made for a very disjointed experience. The noise level is high, and we were seated next to what was the flatware station. The busboy loudly dried the flatware through part of the meal while the wait staff used the computer terminal right next to it. I think I could have overlooked this had the overall experience been pleasant, but it just wasn't. This restaurant has wonderful food, but to be honest, it lacks a soul. I think I will go farther afield next time and go back to Dopo on Piedmont, where the service is warm, generous and engaged.

Veliero M.

Easy street parking, hard to get a reservation for a Saturday night. Very busy with people, buzzing. The waiter was nice and knowledgeable. The wine from Piedmont was very good! We ordered the panzanelle and the mixed salad to start with and the mozzarella in the panzanelle was very good! Then, the sea bass and the tripe. The sea bass had to be sent back for a bit more cooking time and then it came back fine. The tripe was good, the sauce that went with hit was great, the tripe itself was very, very sparse, just a few minuscule pieces of it but all in all, it was a good dinner and I would go back. The spinach was very spicy so I could not eat it.

Dave G.

Great place, great food. Liked the menu a lot something for everyone Our server wasn't great, had to ask for bread twice, had to ask for water twice so basically twice for anything you wanted to be actually brought to the table. Also usually when you order a couple deserts for the table the server is smart enough to bring some extra spoons for sharing ours wasn't. But everyone else was very friendly especially the bar tender. The kitchen staff looked on point. I will be back and I recommend the food.

Linsey S.

This place is lovely. The service was attentive but not overbearingly so. The food was wonderful; every dish was simply prepared and very flavorful. I appreciate food that doesn't try too hard to impress (and usually just ends up overwhelming anyway). My friends and I started off with the caprese salad, the mozzarella they used was creamy and mild. Yum. Then I split the whole fish with one of my dining companions, it was prepared with an eggplant-tomato ragu. Fabulous. We then finished off with the roasted peach. Delicious. Also, as college students, this meal was actually affordable! Certainly not a place I could go to every week, but a reasonable splurge for special occasions.

Tony N.

the food was superb, but the service was rushed, and the timing was off, which is the reason for the 4 stars, the food was definetly 5 star. Branzino, I peeled off the salty crispy skin and ate it with my fingers, Unless you are a pesce-phobe, order this. My partner had the chicken breast, a but mundane, but the sauce was all butter and chicken au jus, so take full advantage of dipping your bread. The salumi. I'm not 100 percent sure that they make their own, but whoever does make it knows what they are doing. Lovely. I started with a Citron cocktail, perfect. I feel like I could be a regular here, but depends on if the service experience was an anomaly. Almost forgot - the sundae for dessert, homemade caramel, and it tasted like it.

Lisah H.

My first experience here. New, highly anticipated restaurant in the Gourmet Ghetto. Right away, it is obvious this will be a successful venture. Hip, good food, excellent service, authentic trattoria. If you have issues with noise levels in restaurants, however, I have to be fair that this is a hoppin' place and conversation may take a back seat due to the atmosphere. It just depends on what you are looking for . I chose to sit next to instead of across from my friend while we caught up because it was difficult to hear. And, damn if that doesn't make me uncool, but, hey, I'll own it. Acoustical tile on the ceiling would be helpful. We ordered two different pizzas. They were well-made and authentic. The wine list was very good and the food was incredibly affordable and inviting. I will definitely return and highly recommend this new spot. It is just much more apropos for a festive dinner with friends than a romantic spot for couples. This review was based on our experience at 6pm on a Thursday evening. Folks were waiting for seating and they don't take reservations at this time. Please don't let this dissuade you from trying them out. We are very excited that they are in the neighborhood. Bring it on!!

J.A. K.

We tried Corso again even though the magnificent pizzas are gone. Alas, it was a mess. The soup was so salty I had the waitress take it away. Friend's duck breast, my pork chop, and DH's steak were ALL salty. The sauce for the duck and au jus for the pork chop were just as salty, adding bad to worse. Oh, and the steak was full of gristle, a horrible quality chop. The polenta was excellent, and not oversalted. But why come here for a $5 plate of polenta? Desserts were astoundingly uninteresting. Gelato offered six different ways is still vanilla gelato, and the other two offerings were as commonplace as they are pedestrian. Even more amazingly, the espresso has gone downhill. The decaf cappuccino was so bad, I put some sugar in it. And then it was sweet AND bad, a combination I've never encountered before. Many people were coming in and being greeted by name. I'm amazed that anyone would eat here, especially with Riva Cucina, La Note, Venus, Café Rouge, Venezia, Sea Salt and Five within a short drive.

diane d.

One of the worst meals, I have had. Wet, watery salad. Dry steak. Horrible female server. made several requests, she delivered none. Staff eating and drinking way to visible. I counted 11 tables, it was a weekend nightmare. Overall bad service, bad food.

Zeb Dan Schprung L.

I've been to Corso twice. In short, each time the food has been consistently excellent, but the place is loud and the portions are small. The first night we went in a group of four. The waitress explained to us that we can either order the food for ourselves or share family style. We decided to do family style. When the food arrived, we realized that family style didn't mean bigger portions for all to share, it just meant they were gonna put the food in the middle of the table instead of in front of each person. Oh what a novel gimmick! We tried the calamari fritti which was good, the polenta (amazingly creamy) and an insalata mista and I can't tell you how that tasted b/c we were only each able to have about 3-4 leaves. I'm not kidding! For the main course, we shared "family style" the Tagliatelle al sugo, the gamberi alla griglia, and the funghi pizze. The tagliatelle was supreme--very rich and meaty; the gamberi was good; the funghi pizze will make you believe in God. The second time we went in a group of 3. We were seated fairly quickly. It was Friday and we got there maybe around 6:45 pm or so. We had a "taste" portion of 3 of their reds (they serve the wines by a taste, 3oz, 6oz, 1/2 L or a bottle). The bar tender was great in choosing us a range of 3 reds, from light to bold. I really appreciate that they give a taste size b/c that way, you can try all their wines. They seem to only serve wines from Italy, and if you're not familiar w/ them, the taste option certainly gives you a chance to. For dinner, we had 2 Funghi pizze, the pollo al burro all Sostanza, and a side of Spinaci. The funghi pizze is a super thin crispy crust pizza heavy w/ the scent of truffle oil. The Pollo was a very moist, tender, and flavorful chicken breast, but unfortunately, what the menu says is exactly what you get: "roast chicken breast, plugra butter" no more no less. But for $9, the price matches the amount of food you get. The spinaci was heavenly w/ just the right amount of garlic and olive oil and a hint of peppers. You get just a dollop of spinach on a plate, and that's where my complaints come in. For $6, you should get more than 1/2 cp worth of spinach. It's spinach for Christ's sake, not black truffles! Just pile it on! Which brings me to my chief complaint of the place: the small portions. Look, it's not like I frequent the Cheesecake Factory or TGIF and am used to Hungry Man portions, but these portions are just UNAMERICAN!!! I'd rather they up the prices a little and just serve me something more satisfying. You can't offer 4 people to share family style 6 little thingys of shrimp as a main course! They serve more at a Tapas bar! You'd think the prices were reasonable in this place until you see the portions--then you realize you really should have each ordered 2 entrees! My other complaint is the noise! The place echoes and it's loud. Plus, with all the families and their kids, the atmosphere is as appetizing as a Denny's. I know, it's s'posed to be a casual place, w/ a casual atmosphere, but that doesn't mean I have to put up w/ children's cries echoing throughout my dinner! So, that's why Corso gets an A-OK. Bottom line, I'd recommend ordering the food to go and enjoying it in the comforts of your own home or in a park.

Sara F.

This place is awful! I can't even fathom how horrible it is. The food is overpriced and gross, we ordered one of the pizzas and it was burnt and all we could taste was tremendous amount of pepper. In addition to that, I ordered their version of a caesar salad and the lettuce tasted like it just came out of a bag from Safeway and it was an unpleasant hue of yellow. Don't waste your money! I'd rather go Dominos than Corso.

Matt R.

Oh, what we Americans lose with our solid rejection of the 2-hour midday lunch. Sure, we can maximize our productivity by stuffing some not-quite-stale leftovers in a Tupperware to be microwaved in some grease-encrusted appliance in the fluorescent-lit breakroom, and consuming this treat with plastic spoons in our cubicles. If your next-door cubemate excuses himself due to the toxic smell of stinky sauce and stale meat--oh well, that's the price of diligence. Ah, but to split up your long, still-productive day with a real mid-day meal. That's how one lives. That's how one finds inspiration. It was my birthday. LaVal's wouldn't cut it. I needed a real two-hour lunch. Corso understood my needs. They understood others' needs as well--all the two-tops were full at 12:45 on a Tuesday. Settling in at the bar was good enough. They offered a pasta-of-the-day special (with salad and wine for $12) plus a substantial spread of primi and secondi. Although the meat and fish looked great, we decided to be American and stick with only pastas. The salad that came with the special was just perfect, the best greens with a precisely calibrated dressing, and although it was a dish for one, it split well. The pasta di giorno was exactly what I'd want from any small trattoria in central Italy--but with Californian ingredients. Firm pasta. Fresh sauce. The oily punch of anchovies. Our second pasta stepped it up a notch. A chewy orecchiette put down a nice foundation for a rich white wine and sausage broth, supporting a small stack of sweet Manila clams. Yahweh blew it big time when he laid down the dietary rules, because shellfish and pork are a match made in heaven. It was a fairly straightforward lunch, and not too expensive, but the overall formulation and presentation captured the best of Italy and California. The wine list, particularly by the glass, is limited but interesting. The Montepulciano that can with the lunch special was a solid Italian red. But the Marche red on the by-the-glass list was unique and special, with a strong floral nose and great flavor. Dessert was suitably decadent--big chocolate and caramel flavors befitting a birthday lunch. Ai ya. Luckily they could also lay down an authentic cafe macchiato to finish the meal. Service was very casual but also very friendly. When you sit at the bar you have to accept that you're part of the action, and will see the details of orders and expediting (so why did the cook want 16oz of brandy?). Perhaps it wasn't elegant, but there was no doubt that the "Hey, happy birthday, bro" I received on the way out was entirely genuine. Authenticity beats scripted service any day. I've seen the elegant side of these folks at Rivoli, and while that place is much more formal, they also have the good sense and good humor to know when to lighten up and roll with it: yelp.com/biz/rivoli-rest… I was surprisingly productive for the rest of the day. Maybe I should do this more often. I need to come back for dinner.

Michael W.

Corso bustling on a Tuesday - the space and action are cool - Florentine menus litter the room; a muted Fellini movie hangs from the back wall; and a fast fragrant open kitchen borders the bartender and the circular bar. The food - fresh, simple, well seasoned large portions - is good. The heirloom tomato salad with a delicious housemade Burrata is spot on; the florentine steak for two is seasoned well and cooked perfectly with a nice charred crust; and our two sides - a deliciously soft baked polenta and a sadly underseasoned sauteed spinach hit and miss the mark... too full for dessert and a cheap $68 bill with a delcious half bottle and tip, I am more than happy here... ill be back.

Adi S.

I tried this place about a month after it opened. We got there around ~5:45pm so luckily we got seated right away, though we only had a party of 2. There was a definite dinner rush by 6:15pm, so be prepared to wait if you're planning on arriving after that time. I ordered the ravioli and the polenta on the side, and my dining partner ordered the chicken + spinach side dish. The ravioli was really tasty, and I though the large sheets of thin pasta were a nice touch, but the polenta was nothing special and rather flavorless. Though the food was OK, my issue is the portion size. I felt somewhat cheated for the amount of food compared to price. Also, the fact that you had to order a side dish in order to have a more complete meal was somewhat frustrating. Granted, if you don't mind eating nothing but roasted chicken, then you don't have to - but if you'd like at least a little bit of vegetable or grain on the side, then you are forced into ordering a side dish. I also saw the dishes on some other tables, and the shrimp dish came with exactly 4 medium sized shrimp :/. The noise level wasn't terrible when I went, but I was seated close to the front window. The service was great - no complaints there. I'm not sure if they've modified the menus since I went, but at the time they were written in a font that was rather difficult to read, and a menu written primarily in Italian doesn't help. I've noticed they've updated the menus online since - so maybe they addressed that issue. For dessert we ordered the seasonal fruit tart, which was very good. The waiter came by after he had given us our tart and gave us a portion of the chocolate cream dessert, stating that there had been "extra". Free dessert? Definite plus! Overall, the restaurant had good food, good service, but the food wasn't extraordinary enough and the prices to high to merit a return visit. If a friend visiting the area ever wanted to go, I wouldn't object, but it wouldn't be my first suggestion.

Max W.

I've lived a few blocks away from Trattoria Corso for two years and always wanted to try it; well, I'm glad I finally did! We had a fantastic meal. The orecchiette with homemade sausage was unbelievable. We also shared a pork loin and side of cheesy polenta that were superb. The wine list is small, but reasonable. Best of all, the dishes were very reasonably priced, especially given the quality. I will definitely be going back!

Gary K.

My wife and I went here for a day-after Valentine's day dinner. It was pouring rain and no reservation, so --- we were pleasantly surprised (and lucky) when someone called to cancel and the hostess gave us their table. Right place, right time always works for me! The atmosphere was nice, somewhat plain but pleasantly warm and homey on a dreary evening. The service was very good, our server being very friendly and helpful. The food was pretty good - we wanted to like it more than we actually did, just based on the menu and descriptions. I had a lentil/sausage soup to start that was under-flavored, really pretty bland. My wife started with a Caesar's salad that was supposed to have an anchovy dressing, but she described it as the same dressing you'd get at any family style restaurant. She did comment that the cheese on the salad was very good. For main courses, I had the pork chop which was tasty, but turned out to have a lot of fat and gristle - it meant that the chop was really only half as big as it looked. The sweet and sour onions on the chop were good. My wife had the wild mushroom pizza and really enjoyed the crisp crust and very flavorful 'shrooms. We did have a nice meal, but came away somewhat disappointed, feeling that it really could have (should have?) been better. We will probably give it another try though.

Jennifer C.

Loved it! We went to Corso on a Sunday night and weren't sure we would be able to get in. The host seated us at a cozy table right away and we were promtly greeted by our server. While the restaurant was crowded, it was easy to talk and comfortable. We ordered 2 appetizers, the roasted beet and fresh mozzarella dish (burrata) and the crab toast. Both were absolutely fantastic - so good that we didn't even want to share with each other! I ordered the mushroom pappardelle and my husband had the fish special. The pappardelle was delicious, fresh pasta and fresh-picked chanterelles. The fish special (wish I remembered what it was) melted in your mouth and was served with this amazing squash. We also splurged on dessert - I had the chocolate cake and my husband had the sundae. Again, not much sharing since each were so good! The chocolate cake was extremely rich and decadent. YUM!!! When we got the bill, we were pleasantly surprised at how reasonable it was. We had each had 3 courses and two classes of wine and it was much less expensive than other restaurants that we frequent. We will definitely be back to this new favorite soon!

Katie F.

Review Summary: HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! don't bother! I had been here about a year before when they still did the Sunday brunch. It was (and remains) one of the best brunches I've ever had. Unfortunately, they stopped being open for brunch shortly after my visit, so i thought it irrelevant to write a review at that time. On to my recent dining experience: My bf and I had been wanting to return to Trattoria Corso since our amazing brunch experience. We went in early Jan 2011 to celebrate a milestone in our relationship. We were expecting a delicious dinner, worthy of our celebration. EPIC FAIL. FOOD: Antipasti: Trio di Crostini - ricotta/mint, chicken liver pate, mussels/parsley/garlic DELICIOUS. Easily the best part of our meal. I am a huge liver fan and it was the best of the three crostini. Insalate: Rucola - arugula, watermelon radish, fennel, citrus, meyer lemon vinaigrette OK. the citrus was pink grapfruit. the entire salad was extremely bitter/sour. There were no other flavors in the entire salad. it could have used something (anything!) sweet and/or creamy to try and cut the acid. it was almost inedible. (i was only able to finish it because i was STARVING) Primi: Gnocchi - house made potato gnocchi with mushrooms and creamy sauce (can't remember details) GOOD. The potato gnocchi tasted freshly homemade. unfortunately, it was overcooked and, as a result, disappointingly mushy. the mushrooms and cream sauce were great, though underseasoned. Had the gnocchi not been so mushy, this would have been a winner. Secondi: Branzino alla griglia - grilled, whole mediterranean sea bass, garlic-herb butter OK. it was literally a whole bass on a plate with a blob of butter. that was how it was described, but it was definitely not good enough to stand alone like that. the butter was good (is butter ever bad?). but the fish was a bit dry and lacked any real flavor. A waste of a delicious fish, in my opinion. Secondi: I had a special: Trout fillet with veggies (broccoli, red onions...) TERRIBLE. for a 'special' it was decidedly un-special. the trout was WAY overcooked. it was so dry it was difficult to swallow without big gulps of water. i can't believe it made it out of the kitchen looking like that! the veg was forgettable. broccoli is my favorite all time vegetable and i couldnt' bring myself to eat a second florette. i sent it back to the kitchen. it didn't have any potential to be worth waiting for a re-fire. The entire dish was underseasoned and dry. there wasn't even a sauce to try to save it (although i doubt even that would've helped). Contorni: patate arrosto- duck fat-roasted yukon potatoes, garlic confit, rosemary BLAND. There's no way these were cooked in duck fat, unless Trattoria Corso is somehow able to find the most flavorless duck fat ever. it tasted like they were cooked in vegetable oil. bad vegetable oil. they weren't browned, crispy, flavorful, or anything else delicious. Dolce: Panna cotta - house made, with cumquat compote GOOD. not great. SERVICE: the service was pretty dismal. we had made reservations a few weeks in advance. when we arrived, abt 5 mins early, we were told that they were running a few mins late. this was fine. it was suggested that we wait at the bar. unfortunately, the bar was full b/c there were people eating dinner at the bar. if you're going to ask your patrons to wait at the bar, i feel there should be room for them. we couldn't wait outside because it was less than 40 degrees out. we got to stand against the wall, near the bar, in a hallway that the waiters were rushing through. we waited near the bar for 30 mins before we were seated ('running a few minutes late' my ass). after we had decided on our food selections, we had to wait another 20 mins before our server would take our order (i had to flag her down a few times). we had to wait extremely long times between each course (20-40 mins each) we had to wait 40 mins for our main courses. we both had fish. it was rediculous. i was so hungry at this point that i would have eaten almost anything. my fish was so over cooked i coudn't eat it. it was torture. i then had to sit there, starving, staring at my ruined fish for 20 mins before the server could be bothered to see what the problem was. my bf was already done with his mediocre bass at this point, so i didn't want to wait for a refire. at this point, i didn't think a second chance could have saved the dish. OVERALL: food - seriously disappointing. very bland. a waste of money. service - unashamedly poor. i like a more 'hands-off' type of waiter. unfortunately, it seemed more like our waitress was ignoring us. she would walk through the dining room, look at the tables and walk away, even though i was waving her over. i didn't give 1 star only b/c the food tasted fresh, despite its extremely poor preparation. we spent over 2 hrs on a meal that was as appetizing as feet. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. i will not be going back.

James S.

I think the reviewer that described Corso as a "solidly average trattoria" was spot on. The food was certainly tasty and enjoyable. Just nothing in the least was memorable or at all remarkable. I certainly don't understand how Corso is on the SF Gate Top 100. Service was pleasant and congenial. Decor was a bit stark and unwelcoming. Was not a fan of the TV in the dining area. I don't care if it's playing B&W Italian movies. It's still distracting.

Mike D.

Headed out to our old Berkeley stomping grounds Saturday night for some nostalgia, food, and a movie. So glad we followed a friend's advice and checked out Trattoria Corso, our dining experience there was perfect in every way. The food was incredible, the service excellent (our waitress, Amelia, was great), and the atmosphere subtle.

Jackie D.

I took myself here for a solo date on Friday night, and even though I arrived 15 minutes before they were closing the kitchen, the servers were very kind and attentive, and didn't seem annoyed in the least at my late arrival. (Not that I could have blamed them if they did, it was a bitch move on my part...) I didn't feel hurried by them at all, if anything they were a little toooo leisurely for my taste. The menu options all looked so good, and I had a really difficult time deciding on what to order. In the end I had the tuna crudo, braised duck leg pasta, and the vanilla bean panna cotta. The tuna was excellent, the chili sauce/lemon combo was really fresh and tasty. The portion was surprisingly large too, for it being an appetizer. The best part of the meal BY FAR though was the pasta! The sauce was rich and creamy but not excessively so, and the duck was really tender and juicy. The flavor reminded me of beef stroganoff, only infinitely better. The vanilla bean panna cotta was good, but not extraordinary. I think it was a nice finish to the meal more than it was an amazing dish in its own right. Overall I am very impressed by Corso, and I can't believe it's taken me so long to try it, given the fact that I live only a block away. I will definitely be back for more!

Phillip N.

We visited Trattoria Corso for my birthday dinner after hearing some great early reviews. On a Wednesday evening at 7:00 we could have walked in without a reservation and sat right down. That was okay though as the ambiance was still pleasant. I felt that the menu choices were lacking a little bit, especially with the recent disposal of their pizza oven. The food was solid Italian homestyle food and well presented. All in all I was a little bit underwhelmed, although I can't quite put my finger on why. I think that it's a great place for an evening meal, but if you're looking to celebrate a special occasion I would go elsewhere.

Maureen S.

It was a bit of a wait on a Tuesday night, but the hostess was so nice and clearly did not forget she had a crowd waiting, which was a nice change. The food is all simple Italian food, but it all tasted and looked great. The pasta was fresh and they didn't get a mountain of it. I had the pizza, the toppings were great, but the dough not amazing. Overall the staff was down to earth and nice and the food was memorable. I would definitely go back!

Paula M.

A friend and I had a lovely dining experience at this restaurant this weekend. The restaurant is a warm, cozy place with lots of wood -- the kind of place that looks attractive and appealing both from the street and once you're inside. Our reservations were for 5:15, a really early time for me, but we were dining prior to a 7:00 p.m. show at the nearby Berkeley Rep. We were seated promptly, and the restaurant started filling up soon after we settled in, probably with fellow theatergoers. Despite the big crush of diners, servers were top-notch and on top of their game throughout our meal, and the noise level, while lively, was of a pleasant caliber, allowing us to have a conversation without shouting. But let's cut to the chase: you're wondering about the FOOD -- It was lovely. We split one order of each of the following dishes: an anchovy salad; the delightful tagliatelle al sugo; the whole grilled sea bass; and the duckfat-roasted potatoes. Those plus 2 glasses of wine per person and tax and tip came to about $62 per person. Very reasonable. We'd have done dessert and coffee, too, but alas, by that time we had to dash to the show (which was also good - "The Cargo Cult").

Nuri K.

It's so refreshing to finally see this large space be filled with customers. I just came back from dinner at Corso, where the staff was juggling a full house. The space is definitely lacking light fixtures-- sure, there are many dim restaurants, but large corners of the space should not be left unexposed to any sort of light, especially in the evening when the windows face away from the sun-- and the service was a bit spotty, but the food is well-executed and offered at a great value. It's a welcome addition to this part of the neighborhood that sits awkwardly between the livelier parts of the gourmet ghetto and downtown. Choosing from the rather minimalist menu, we started off with the fritto misto to share, and for entrees H. opted for the mushroom pizza while I ordered the bone-in pork loin. I love fresh fennel but felt that it was too acerbic and harsh when it was fried and tossed in with the calamari, onions and shrimp in the misto. The seafood was tender and fresh-- note: this is not your rings of calamari; it's the real fun little suckers with all the tentacles-- and the onions gave the whole dish a sweet touch, but the batter, which was a bit like tempura, was a bit soggy and continued on its downward spiral at the table. The flavors were solid and the aioli was the perfect creamy accompaniment, but I'd advise that Corso work on their frying. H.'s pizza had the thinnest, crispiest crust I've had in a long time, and Corso was smart enough to refrain from loading it up with too much cheese. The great earthiness and silkiness of the mushrooms with the richness of the cheese were made extra-special with a little truffle oil love. My pork loin was glazed with a balsamic reduction, accompanied by whole (and confit?) shallots. The pork was so tender and flavorful-- bits of char added a little smoky component to the meat, which was slightly pink at the center. I would have perhaps liked a more syrupy agrodolce. This came recommended to me by our waiter, and it was definitely the right decision for the night. Portions are perfect, and prices are surprisingly decent; most items are in the $10-15 range, with the exception of a couple meat dishes. The service was a bit lax, and the atmosphere wasn't particularly warm nor inviting, but Corso is definitely worth a little visit. I seriously hope it won't suffer the fate of all of the other restaurants that have come before it.

Jessica S.

I was really looking forward to eating at Corso. I'd walked by a couple of times and the atmosphere seemed warm and happy. And it was warm. Too warm. The hostess seated us at the bar by the open flames of the stove. Upon request, she quickly gave us other seats, on the other side of the bar. I'm tiny and the seats at the bar were uncomfortable. The service was good, but a bit intrusive. One waiter stopped to tell us about a pizza sitting at the edge of the bar without us asking. However, the other waiter was great at giving details, including the price of the special, which is really unusual. Very unpretentious. We ordered contorni (side dishes) as appetizers. I found the gnocchi a little too mushy. The vinaigrette on the insalata mixta was perfectly balanced. By the end of our appetizers, around 6:30, there were men standing behind our chairs, their backs against the walls, presumably waiting to order a drink. We didn't order secondi, because the "wall of men" was too much and impeded conversation. Corso could be fun with a group of friends, looking for noise, drinks, and some appetizers. Skip it if you want a quiet conversation, comfortable seats, and more exciting food.

Elizabeth M.

I would say that this is a solidly average trattoria. I"m not a fan of how the menu is laid out though, but I suppose it is in the traditional way; primi , secondi, etc. For some reason I always get lost with a menu like this,because I have been to similar restaurants , and when you order the entree, you end up getting at least some greens or a starch. This restaurant, no. I ordered the special of swordfish, and that is what I got, along with some not very warm wild mushrooms. The fish was cooked well, but I left wondering if I should have ordered some sides. The thing that stopped me, was the fact that the fish dish was already $19.00. Had I done that, I would have paid, 5 dollars for spinach, and 6 for potatoes, making a grand total of $30.00! . My friend ordered the trout. Again, it was cooked well, and she liked it, but that is all that was on the plate, along with a lemon wedge. What I got was tasty, but I don't think I will go back, as I don't care for the way you have to order, and how it can easily add up while doing so.

Tina P.

WOW!! Wow wow wow wow WOW!! Enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner with my parents and son at Corso Sunday evening. The meat eating parents shared an amazing looking T-Bone (and really tempted the new found vegetarian in me) while the kid and I shared delicious ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta in sage and brown butter. Amazing. We all tasted the Kale soup (yum yum yum) with egg yolk and crouton, the polenta (rich and perfectly creamy/crusty) and sauteed spinach (serviceable side with tons of flavor). Dessert, wine and espresso all delightful. Thumbs up all around. Can't wait to go back.

P. E.

I was waiting for this place to open ever since Misto closed. Misto was a disaster after Phoenix Pastifico! Went there one Wednesday evening, the only space we could have was by the bar, which we were glad we did. The bartender, Olivia, was great! Gave us excellent recommendation for our dishes even though she was new. Clearly she is excited about the restaurant, Corso is very lucky to have her as their ambassador. We went back there a week later with a friend. We were told that the wait would be 40 minutes. We went to the next door cafe, the hostess came and fetch us when our table was ready which was very very nice. We got to catch up with our friend, and we just needed to focus on our food next! Their pasta dishes are outstanding, one of the best in Berkeley! Everything tastes fresh and well-balanced. I was so delighted with the grilled whole fish, reminded me the dish Downtown used to serve before they became tapas focused place. We also tried the pizza, with perfect crusts and excellent flavor!

Giofreddo W.

Hmmm, I recently read that Corso ditched its pizza. That's a shame as their Funghi (which came generously drizzled with yummy truffle oil) was the primary motivation for my ever wanting to come back, while the rest of their food has proven to be inconsistent and sometimes bland. Fortunately, I've perfected my own thin crust funghi pizza, which is even better since I use porcinis and chanterelles. Still, it would be nice if one could find an Italian place around these parts that made a thin crust pizza as good as Corso's Funghi was.

JR D.

BOTTOM LINE AT THE TOP: From the makers of Rivoli, this new trattoria is a valued addition to the North Berkeley neighborhood. But the chef need to fine-tune the food before it can be considered a must-eat.. This new addition to the north Shat tuck promenade has hit the ground running and is already a popular weekend dinning spot just a few moths after opening. It's well laid out with lots of tables for couples and large groups and extra seating at both the bar and kitchen counters. With it's low tone accent lighting, warm wall colors and dark wood accents, it invokes an inviting brasserie atmosphere while not pandering to clieches. They have a full bar mixing up some good cocktails. I was happy to find a Sazerac featured on the menu and it was pretty good too. The wine list is simple but well selected, and the bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. On to the food. I had the Pork Bellied Salad, braised in duck fat on a bed of frise and sherry. While it was both huge and sinfully good, the middle was actually COLD! While this is a big no-no, it actually tasted pretty good and I didn't bother to send it back (although I did mention it to the waiter). I finished off my meal with the pork loin, and a nice varietal from the Tornio region. Both were good except for the loin cut was a little on the fatty side. Open seven days a week, but they don't take reservations, so come early or be prepared to watch Italian movies at the bar while you wait for a table to open up.

Hope M.

Ok so we I'm always late putting in reviews but good food is never forgotten so here it is. I went back for my birthday with the hubby, my mom an 2 friends. We had a great time and walked away satisfied and full. The elder flower drink has changed some, but still good. Bistecca alla Florentina (still great) patete arrosto (we actually ordered 2) Branzino (ok but only if you are ready to spend sometime beacause it's a whole fish) Polenta al forno con mascarpone (good side dish really creamy) We also ordered a pork chop dish w/champagne grapes, a rabbit main dish and an eggplant dish (all of these were great but not on the menu now)

Lauren J.

I am a huge Rivoli fan, so I was psyched when the owners opened Corso one block from my house. I peek inside every evening when I walk by and it looks so inviting - cosy, dim, delicious. The service was great, the hostess did not stop smiling. Her face must hurt at the end of the night. I had a peach belini which was tasty, my boyfriends chianti was pleasant. We ordered the Gnocchi, a mushroom pizza and a steak. First of all, you really shouldn't order steak at an italian place, but my boyfriend always does. The mushroom pizza was tasty, truffle oil and a tender crust was right up my alley. Gnocchi was cheesy, tender, and overall good. The steak was cooked medium rare and was nice. That's it though, everything was "nice" and "good" but nothing was great (except for the service). Perhaps it was my high expectations due to it's sister restaurant (don't you hate when you get compared to your older sibling?), but Corso fell short and I will go back to just peeking in on my walk by.

ally s.

The best italian restaurant ever!! EVEEER!! I love the ambience, the wine selection... the desserts... the staff is really cool but the best thing is .. this is the rela thing! the real traditional italian food! tripe, tongue, the bollito is superb... the way they cok the quail and the duck breast..their reduction technique... for me it is the perfectplace to enjoy and be happy!

Ellen S.

One word...YUM. Ever since relocating from the East Coast, I've been on a mission to find just this kind of delicious authentic simple Italian. Bingo. Everything was wonderful. As a rule, I would never order something as pedestrian as a chicken breast when dining out. But THIS was no normal chicken breast. WE sat overlooking the kitchen and watched the chef cook our dinners. The chicken in plugra butter was heavenly. The leftover evil butter was hard to resists soaking up with the bread. Speaking of the bread, it too was wonderful. Nice and crisp crust. If I had anything even semi critical to say, it would be that the wine seems a pit pricey to me but then again, wine usually is and according to another reviewer you can BYO and pay a $15 corkage fee. This was just what I was craving and I'd definitely go back. Dinner for 2 inc tax/tip was $80.

Ang B.

Hands down, my favorite restaurant in Berkeley. Everything here is fantastic. Some examples: Most notable item I've had here was the stinging nettle ravioli, and the flourless chocolate cake is the best I've ever had.

Helena S.

This place is pretty darn good foodwise. I had the Cauliflower Sformatino ($8) which was surprisingly tasty. It was basically a cauliflower pâté nicely paired w/ arugula on the side. For the main dish I had penne in a tomato, zuchinni sauce ($11). It was very light and as well done as I could expect. I also tried a side dish of polenta made w marscapone. It was light and had a good taste though the texture was a little too soggy for me. All in all it's a nice little neighborhood bistro. I do have to agree with Susannah R in that the menu is a bit confusing for the average American; the menu is very Italian in style/format and even language to an extent.

Carrie H.

I strongly recommend you go somewhere else to get a proper food. It'not an expensive restaurant but the food is really bad. I had a Burrata which is very hard and not fresh. The sauce one that is pretty bad too. My bf's Trio di Orositini is soso only. Main dish is bad. Sincerely recommend you to go somewhere to try good italian food

eric d.

the food was really good and so was the service ... just felt that the portion were on the smaller side . would eat there again ....

Kianga H.

I have not gone here in many years. But coming back reminded me of why I used ot go there in the first place. The service was wonderful. Food is excellent. Have gone to many places that charge ALOT more but the food is not as good as Trattoria Corso. This restaurant will remain on my favorites list for a long time. This coming from someone who many times prefers to eat at home.

Lainie L.

You know when everything just goes right? You get out of the house in time to pick up your friend - no fighting the sad pooch-face - she just heads straight to her spot and practically closes the door behind her. . no guilt. You're RIGHT ON TIME for your reservation and you get movie star parking RIGHT IN FRONT of the door. Baller! As you walk into the restaurant you see a perfect table and hope it's yours. .it is! You're eating with a person you love spending time with and who loves food as much as you do. Cocktail is delicious and girlie in the best way - la Contessa Bella - cold and refreshing. The two wines you order a taste of are not quite right. . .so they actually comp them and bring a perfect glass once you explain what you really want. The menu is so well put together that it's hard to pick but when you do, the meal is incredible. Tuna carpaccio that is startlingly fresh - served simply with lemon, chili oil and pieces of castelvetrano olives. Lovely. A house-made burrata - served as I've never seen it with peas and toasted walnuts - I was curious about how that would go together but it did, and beautifully. My only disappointment was that the outer layer of mozzarella was a little too tight - it would have been perfect if it had been more tender. We managed to clean the plate nonetheless! Bread is available upon request and it was perfect for mopping up the olive oil and cream from the cheese. Next we had a bowl of farro with house-made lamb sausage. They called it a risotto on the menu but it did not have the creamy/cheesy element of risotto - some who ordered it might have been disappointed but since I adore farro, I was very happy. Then came the The Breast. Simply a smallish chicken breast, dredged in seasoned flour and fried in butter. Served in a little stainless steel cazuela with browned butter. Two lemon wedges served on the side. When it came to the table I was underwhelmed by how it looked. But drizzle a little fresh lemon on it. Take your fork and knife and cut into it - noting the unbelievable tenderness and juiciness. We each took a bite and our eyes widened. Whoa. So simple. So utterly delicious! Now, the person I was dining with is as close to me having a child as I will ever be. I'd throw myself in front of a bus for her but it took all my restraint not to gently but firmly tell her to get her fork the hell out of my chicken! But love prevailed and we shared the last bite. We also had two sides of vegetables - the grilled asparagus with lardo and a plate of perfectly sauteed spinach that packed a great punch from red chile flake. We had well made espressos and a very generously poured glass of Vin Santo. Panna Cotta for her and Budino di cioccolata for me. We shared. Desserts are very simple - the panna cotta was very fine - nicely textured. The meyer lemon syrup and candied lemon was a nice touch. . altho the lemon should have been blanched more as it was quite bitter. The chocolate pudding like cake was nice. . .well executed. I find myself bored with chocolate these days but that's just me - the dessert itself was lovely. Service was perfect. From the hostess to the server to the food runner to the bussers - excellent service. I have two quibbles - one, the paper napkins. They seem incongruous to the rest of the experience. Two, price point - they are a little wonky. High for the portion sizes but since the execution is so spot on, I guess I can forgive it. I don't care if they wanted to charge $40.00 bucks* for a piece of chicken swimming in butter. . I'd pay it. . .one of my best bites of 2009 so far. *please don't. .. I'd have to find me a sugar daddy to afford that lovely dish on a regular basis. (it was $10.00, btw)

Valerie W.

Order the seabass. It is HUGE. Mine couldn't fit on my plate, and must have weighed 2 lbs. My boyfriend was furious that his trout appeared much smaller. They both tasted delicious, but I must say my seabass was the real deal, WHOLE, and tasted more delicious that any other seabass I've ever had. My boyfriend complained that the entrees were inconsistent and therefore he wouldn't rate this restaurant as highly as I, but I can't deduct any stars because I got the deal of the century.

Diane L.

What a gem this place is! It's so small you could walk by it everyday and miss it. But when you walk in, it's a different world. The open kitchen gives it a very homely feel along with the vibrant chatter from the other tables over shared bread and wine and food. I've been coming here for years and it never fails to disappoint. The pan roasted chicken in plugra butter is top notch. Squeeze the lemon on top and it's perfection. So moist and delicious and not in the least bit fatty tasting at all! I also loved the crispy Yukon potatoes. The waiters are very knowledgeable about their wines and will even let you taste if you don't believe them. Super helpful. My friend and I left very happy and full. These people here know their food!

Kent R.

Made same day reservations at 8:30, got a table about 9 with many apologies during the wait (apparently due to a math challenged party that had trouble dividing the bill....in Berkeley!). We started with half glasses of bubbles (an inspired menu option, I must say). Before we could open our menu an appetizer arrived, on the house, to address our hunger pangs and delayed seating. And they kept arriving. After 3 delicious plates (olives, prosciutto and melon, and fried fennel (wow!), and other veggies) we questioned the need for entrees, but perservered. The entrees were fantastic..sea bass was perfect, and the tagliatelle and bucatini tasty. It was excessive, but we also got the patate "risotto" and polenta just so we could have a taste (or several). Went with a well matched carafe upon the waiter's excellent recommendation. Overall a great meal. Kudos for an outstanding response by the house to one of those things that's bound to happen. Well played Corso. We can't wait to come back.

Michael F.

Great small Italian restaurant. One of the best negronis ever . The chicken liver crostini is wonderful particularly with a glass of chianti . If I lived in the neighborhood I would be a regular. The house made biscotti with vin santo was a great way to end. The only minor issue was that the wine list could be expanded. Everything they did was first rate.

Jacqueline R.

After reading many positive reviews of this restaurant, I booked a reservation for my husband's birthday last evening. We arrived to an absolutely packed restaurant (a good sign)! The hostess escorted us to a lovely table for 2 in the window. (Exactly as I had requested in my online reservation. Thank you for facilitating my request!) My husband being a strict vegetarian and myself pescetarian, it is often times difficult to find a menu that suits us both. That wasn't a problem here. We ordered: Olive Marinate Mista Salad Gnocchi w/ broccoflower, gorgonzola cream sauce pappardelle w/roasted chanterelles, leek greens, Pecorino, Gaeta olives, thyme budino al cioccolato flourless chocolate cake w/caramel & chocolate sauces, whipped cream Everything was fabulous! (Especially the cake, thoughtfully served to my husband with a candle in a romantic and tasteful manner - in other words, thank you for not embarrassing him!) We enjoyed our first visit to Corso and will be back! Thank you!

Jules L.

This is a small, intimate, local neighborhood-type of restaurant that is pretty solid with food and service. Food - we ordered the Mista salad which comes with butter lettuce, nectarine and pecorino. One of the best salads I've had; simple and tasty. For our pasta dish, the tagliatelle with braised beef and pork sugo - really flavorful and decadent. And affogato for dessert; not bad but not memorable, either. Just ok. Service - Outstanding/5 Stars. We had 2 or 3 different waiters come by throughout our dinner to make sure we were happy. They were attentive and friendly, but not overbearing. Ambience - again, this is a small restaurant so the tables are very close to each other. Also, not sure if it was just me being there on a Sat night, but I noticed a higher concentration of older people (60+). Maybe they know good food and service when they see it.

Alameda L.

Another restaurant that leaves your napkin in a lovely triangle when you leave for the restroom? What a delight! What a treat! And it impressed the heck out of my parents when our party of 5 came for my mother's birthday. That is very special. My mom requested "wine pairings" for her birthday, so I called up Corso the day of dinner and asked if such a thing existed off-menu - they were so friendly, so accommodating, and a special shout-out to Michael the in-house wine guru, who went ahead and paired everything we ate and brought it to us on cue, without a cue, with every course. There was not a point in the evening when it didn't feel like our minds were being perfectly read by Michael or our wonderful server. There wasn't anything we didn't love, and the menu changes frequently, so it won't help to give you the exact run down, but if the charcuterie plate is on offer when you visit, please order that. Mom loved the rabbit terrine so much, she made a separate order of it with her main course. Everything was so richly flavored, well portioned, salted, oiled, and balanced. My favorite was my own order (of course!) - homemade pappardelle with chicken livers and bacon. How weird? How damn good! Flawless experience, you need to get yours too - don't delay!

Angie Y.

I've made a review before a while back and I am still amazed by this place. SHOUTOUT to the bartender Justin for making our dinner awesome on Halloween!

Susan L.

Had a memorable dinner with my son and his friend while visiting Berkeley. Definitely recommend the Salumi board. It was a generous offering and quite good. I had the chicken under a brick which was seasoned perfectly and crispy. Affogato for dessert was a great end to the meal. Restaurant was lively but not loud. Will definitely come back!

Hayley F.

We went there to celebrate my birthday. What a disappointment. The tables are so close that we could not hear each other speak. The girls on both sides of us were so loud and annoying, I almost left halfway through dinner. The food was just ok I odered the Mediterranean sea bass. It was just a fish on a plate! No sides, nothing special. My husband got the chicken thigh, again good but nothing special. It was only 1 small thigh and some tomatoes. Thou they were both tasty, they were not worth the price. If your going to charge $30 a plate, add some sides or something yummy. The waiter was amazing!

William C.

I followed my fellow yelpers to this establishment - the service was excellent, the food was excellent but the portion was disappointing. We ordered the Viking Village scallops - 1 large scallop sliced length wise 4 times. There were 4 wafers of scallops for $13 yikes. I ordered the pork and beef sugo - after the scallop wafers a nice bowl of pasta would hit the spot. Oh well, the bowl was small almost no pasta after the hype about home made pasta. If we are looking for a light meal that is delicious this is your place but you might need to stop for a burger on the way home.

Trent W.

I want to like this place more. The food is pretty good, the space is lively, and Berkeley could use more places like it. But it's also expensive small portioned Italian food that I feel I could make at home. And normally I like small portions, but $23 for a piece of swordfish you can eat in 8 bites is just a lot (like $2.50 a bite). Most entrees don't come with sides (re - some vegetables) and things just add up. It's nice, but doesn't feel special -- and so three stars it is.

Frank L.

"Hi! Do you have a table for two?" "No." (10 seconds of silence) "eeeh ok, bye" And they never came back.

Dee C.

4.5 stars my next review in over a year is restaurant based on a sought after, reservations only spot in firenze (or florence, italy). i've always seen corso in the gourmet ghetto but shrugged it off as "another italian restaurant." having just lived a week in firenze, however, i saw a "florentine" restaurant - serving the famous butter chicken dish no less - and made it a priority to eat here. that's pollo al burro if you go. you won't regret it, IF you share it. your butt might regret it, if you don't. an all italian wine list. menus from florentine restaurants adorn the walls. pure nostalgic buttery bliss.

Steven P.

Very nice! Not too over the top or trying to be something they are not. What they are is excellent cooks and real restauranteurs. The food was prepared just right! Unfortunately they didn't have the gnocchi on the menu. Ouch! It was why I had went there for. I heard it's really good. Place isn't big, but cozy and even a little romantic. (Wink) Will be back on gnocchi night to try that and some more dishes. If you are in the area, try this place out!

Meg R.

My girlfriend and I went here for a Saturday night dinner. The food was overall good. The torta was by far the best dish out of all we had: arancini,pappardelle, and polenta. The low rating is for the very off putting service. The waiter was very awkward and would lurk at the table silently for a bit and then abruptly speak to us in a odd impersonal manner. The worst was when he practically forced us to order more food as he went on a rant about how small the portions are and no matter what you order a side is necessary. (Keep in mind adding a tiny side is $10). Overall it felt like he was just trying to make us pay more throughout the entire meal.

Radhika P.

I've walked by this place a million times since moving back to Berkeley and promptly put it on my "will be back when I'm loaded" list. Today, I had an epiphany where I figured what if I became really rich/came into money/worked super hard for it and my love affair with food was over because I was too busy, didn't care or my taste buds stopped working? I think of how extraordinary it was to get ice cream on birthdays when I was younger and how the magic is lost when I'm sitting in bed with a 1/2 gallon tub of Breyer's Chocolate watching Orange is the New Black. So I said YOLO in my best Drizzy impression (where is that guy nowadays btw?) and walked right in. Remarkably, there was no wait at around 7:30 on a Saturday night for a table for 2. My friend and I sat down, had some Pellegrino and nommed on some bread while our antipasti came out. 10 mins later we were nomming on "Sformatino" which is a roasted cauliflower & Parmigiano custard with extra virgin olive oil and topped with breadcrumbs. This was alright. I'm not a huge fan mostly because it was the consistency of delicately thought out baby food and that's just not my thing. My buddy had a brainwave to spread it on our waning supply of bread so we did. But still, really weird concept but still somehow likeable. There was this recurring zing of lemon zest that really brought the cauliflower to life but still, that's not happening again. My friend ordered the veal/pork dish and liked it so that's that. I saw they had a gnocchi in the veggie options but just asked the kitchen to whip something veggie up for me and received a puttanesca. I thought it was really good. Still coming to terms with how portion sizes reduce when you pay more money but I think that's a learning lesson in the art of the bourgeoise. This is the point where I'd like to just ask the world why people, particularly wealthy people, ok particularly wealthy caucasian elderly Berkeley people don't dress well when they go to dinner. It's something I've noticed since living dangerously close to Chez Panisse; elderly Berkeley white folk are really into wearing clothes I'd relegate to strictly bed time. On a sad, cold day. Like this prevalence of burnt-orange, ill-fitting mumu dresses, Patagonia (no offense) worn-out Bohemian fleece, oversized green tops made of the most hideous material, weird printed brown tops with flowy pants: if you're going to spend like $150 eating food, why not make an effort to look like the million bucks you are? This concept is mind-boggling to me. Like I know I'm young and like every normal person, definitely value comfort SO much that I've never worn a bandaid skirt or whatever it was that girls my age were into in college. Also, I'm just not into that whole bandage/bondage scene because God made me with lovely lady lumps and a bottomless pit of a stomach and all so it just doesn't work for me. But like seriously people. Side note on jewelry, all y'all need to check out the Indian street jewelry scene because those baubles you're spending inordinate amounts of money on pale in comparison. I mean is this a matter of perspective? I'm open to a discussion but come on people, put a little effort into dinner. Even if it is just putting on a decently fitting top. Rant over. The puttanesca was quite good. There were slices of green olives and chunks of black olives and some delicious asiago/parmesan shavings on top. The pasta was light and airy, the tomatoes were perfectly al dente (like not mushy at all which is remarkable). Overall, a really nice eating experience. The servers were super courteous and overall the ambience could be interpreted as very romantic with candlelight and recessed lighting and all (ok, it was the evening and the light rain outside too). Overall, definitely a good experience. I honestly don't know if it merits the cost but seeing as we were celebrating my friend's acceptance to grad school and my realization of YOLO and coming to terms with being bourgeoisie, it was worth it.

Hayley L.

It's been 6 years since my original review of Corso, so maybe an update is due. Corso is now my favorite restaurant, and my family's restaurant of choice for special events. I've eaten here for birthdays, graduations, after my wedding, and on anniversaries. The food is excellent and the drinks are delicious.

Rachel S.

It has taken me quite some time to write this review. My (then) boyfriend and I used to be regulars here, and their food is not bad. I think it is far over-priced, but it was very close to our house, so we ate there often. Every time we did, we spent around $90-180 on food + 1-2 bottles of wine, and we always tipped well. We dined there at least 20 times, and always thought it was strange how after so many times eating there they still treated us like complete strangers, never learned our names, and were never very warm or inviting. "No personality" is a fitting descriptor. Anyway, we went in one evening, spent around $160 on food and wine, tipped generously, and as we were leaving the manager of the restaurant essentially told us that we should get a room. She said, she was very happy that we had such a loving relationship, but if we wanted to kiss and be affectionate that we were not welcomed to do so in her restaurant. We were floored. We did kiss, and hold hands over our $160 candle lit, wine infused romantic italian dinner-- but honestly, we weren't making out. There was no tongue! It was so incredibly rude and insulting (especially since she waited until after we paid AND tipped a generous amount). We mentioned that we had been coming here for such a long time and that this had never come up before, so why was it all of a sudden an issue? She said that she had seen us before, and our affection always made her uncomfortable and she had decided that she would rather us not come back if we were going to be kissing in her restaurant. I've been places and seen people who need to get a room, and we were not that couple. If we had been putting our tongues down each others throats and groping etc. I would have understood. But we always stayed in our own seats (always sat at the bar), didn't grope anything and were not making out. So, we never went back. It been a while since this event and my (now) fiance (then, boyfriend) were talking about it, and I got mad all over again and decided I wasn't going to let her deed go unannounced. So if you're taking your mother or grandma here for their birthday: have at it. But if you are looking for a romantic dinner with someone you might want to kiss, the restaurant owner is a complete Prude and she is uncouth enough to ruin your lovely date-night for enjoying what her atmosphere promotes: a little italian romance.

Patrick H.

There is a reason they are always busy - Trattoria Corso has things dialed in. We walked in without reservations Tuesday evening. It's a smallish place, but properly lit (sepia tones), with subtle acoustic treatment on ceilings and wall. This is an important issue nowadays. How many places simply ignore the issues associated with good dining - that of having the acoustics under control so you can converse, not SHOUT. Corso did not gloss this. And I thank them for that. We were able to converse. Service was exceptional. Unobtrusive, friendly and efficient. We each had Zuppa del giorno, the purée of piana di Napoli squash. It was tasty, great on a brisk cool evening. My partner followed with Costoletta di manzo - red wine braised short rib. The three perfect cubes were so tender and well flavored! I opted for Pesce del giorno - grilled California swordfish, spiced tomato-caper-green olive ragù. It was delicious and generously sized. On the side we shared Patate fried Yukon Gold potatoes and the exceptional Cavolini di Bruxelles - garlic roasted Brussels sprouts, chicken vellutata, pancetta, breadcrumb. For dessert, we shared a wonderful vanilla panna cota topped with a pear compote. Taken in sum, we now understand why the place is always full. Great dining experience. Highly recommended.

Brian L.

I've never written a review before, but tonight I had an unfortunate experience here that I want to share. My wife and I chose Trattoria Corso for our date night after a long and stressful week, specifically because they offered gluten free pasta on their menu. I have a serious gluten allergy so pasta dishes are usually not an option for me when I eat at restaurants. After my wife and I ordered cocktails, I explained to the server that I had a gluten allergy and to please tell me if anything I ordered contained gluten. The server seemed to understand what this meant, and even offered to check on whether or not some of the dishes we'd ordered were safe for me. Along with several antipasti and the sturgeon, I ordered a pasta dish, orecchiette, with gluten free pasta, which I was assured would be gluten free. When it came out, I foolheartedly dug right in, blindly accepting my server's promises. As soon as I took my first bite, I knew it was too late. Crisp, gluten filled breadcrumbs ironically (true irony, not in the hipster sense) topped my gluten free pasta, exposing me to the ugly gastrointestinal symptoms I'm feeling as I write this. This is a warning to anyone with food allergies to be careful when ordering here: the staff may not be thoroughly trained in food allergy safety. That's unfortunate, because the food was really quite good!

patricia r.

I miss a few of those who have gone on to launch their own vision, but I still consider Corso my home-away from home. Scott consistently serves up original, delicious and slightly off-the-beaten trail meals and the crew delivers time after time. Plus, the wait staff is amazing!!!

Michael S.

Everything was good, but nobody was blown away. It's also a little pricy for what you get. My pasta seemed a touch over cooked for my taste. Still, I'd absolutely go back.

Yang R.

Really delicious. We especially like the gnocchi, the salads, and the panna cotta!

S F.

Berkeley has really been impressing me with Italian so far. So Cal could learn a lot from this area. Had two solid meals here. Excellent service. Standard CA street parking. Tagliatelle with braised beef and pork sugo was the most popular so I got it. Pasta was perfectly cooked. Sformatino was different and very tasty. Will definitely return.

Joel W.

Good but not great Italian cuisine I'd been wanting to go to Corso for quite some time. The last time I tried was without reservations and we couldn't get in. Finally got to go with my extended family and while the food was good it was not good enough to warrant a return trip. We started the dinner off quite well with the House-Cured Salami that came with Mortadella, Bresola, Picante along with fried chicken skins and Cicciloi which is pork fat served on toast. Delicious. We had several main courses, which were up and down. On the good side my mom had the Cannelloni. It was extremely fresh and came with a vegetarian stuffing of mushrooms, chard and cheese. My aunt had Pesce Del Giorno pan fried trout. The fish had a great crispy skin on one side. Finally, my son had the Mattone which was a chicken leg served in a small container cooked in lemon juice. Now for the not so good. I had the pork chop special and my wife had the Bistecca which was a 24 oz T-Bone steak. Both were grilled before put into the oven. Unfortunately the only real taste you got from them was the char taste from the grill. There was a real lack of seasoning or butter on the steak. Thankfully the chop came with some chimichurri otherwise it would have been completely bland. The steak had the same taste. Not only that but we asked for a medium rare. It was like that on the outsides but as you got closer to the bone the meat was raw to the point that you could barely cut it. Huge disappointment coming from a piece of meat that cost $49. Even with the good courses the food was not appealing enough to draw us back.

Elayne L.

Trattoria Corso is my new favorite Italian Restaurant in the East Bay. Maybe the BayArea...Maybe in the World! I'm giving it 5 Stars for a Killer Crew, Fabulous Food and the Ambiance most Restaurants would die for. I'm just going to say that my friends and I arrived on Thursday Evening and probably tried almost everything on the menu and shared. There really wasn't any dish that wasn't delish that I wouldn't recommend...There certainly wasn't a Waiter that I wouldn't want to wrap up and take home! What an attentive group they were...and the fact that there were at least 3 different Waiters that were serving our table making sure we were full on happy at all times which is so unusual at any restaurant today...yet I didn't feel they were being too intrusive, too clingy or too anything other than wanting to be there to make sure we had whatever we needed whenever we did. Run, don't walk, to Trattoria Corso if you want to have a fabulous evening with friends. You'll probably find me there because I don't want to go anywhere else right now. They've got me...I'm hooked! And by the way...probably the BEST Steak I've EVER tasted...

Melissa H.

I'm pretty in love with this place...if I made more money, I'd make it a regular visit. :) haha, on that note, it's a great place for special occasions. I love that it's more casual, but still has a nice datey vibe. Service is always stellar. And the food!!! The first time I came here, I had to go for that steak. I have to say, that steak is so much better than some of the nice steakhouses I've been to - it had a nice char on it, but was still juicy and so damn flavorful! There's something special in that oil they drizzle over it. Yums. And the various fish dishes they have are always great as well...I think this place rocks mainly because they have everything that you might be craving, great range of light and heavy fare. I'm not sure it's a staple there, but last time I was there they had this fantastic crunchy breaded tripe - so unique and delicious. I love the chewy stuff. Oh to have more money...(not complaining about the prices...everything you could order more than warrants it...just complaining about my own broke ass).

Margaret S.

Corso changes its menu from season to season, but the quality remains consistent. Standouts that are usually on the menu are the Crostini de Fegato (superb chicken-liver pâté on crisp toast) and the Polenta with Mascarpone, which is crispy on the outside, but creamy on the the inside. And if you want the best panna cotta you've ever tried, get it at Corso

Juan T. K.

I really enjoyed having dinner here. Great ambiance & a pretty good Italian experience. The wait staff & servers helped my friend & I select a great white white to go with our delicious meals. Other than being slightly annoyed that we arrived 7:45 for a reservation at 8:00 on a Thursday night to only see plenty of seating (and having dinner at an earlier time), I was pleased with Corso.

Gerhard W.

I went there yesterday for the first time, and I love it! The service was great and everybody was very nice. Then...the food! Absolutely delicious! I love their ingredients and also their perfect seasoning. Everything was really tasty. I can recommend the Pappardelle and the Rizotti, wonderful! Also, try the espresso with ice cream and bourbon for dessert, it's delicious!

Valerie S.

Solid service and consistent fare.. Great place to dabble in italian wines. They do tastes, half, or full glasses of most of their 'wine by the glass' menu. I'd give 3.5 or 3.75 if I could because the last couple of times I really really loved my Corso experience. I've been here about a dozen times over the past couple of years. Twice during that time it didn't live up to my expectations, so, not giving a 4 yet. But, I've had great times here consistently for the past year.

Bob F.

Went to Corso New Year's Eve. It was a little disappointing. The starter (olives, salami) was meager, but tasty. The pasta (choice of three) was excellent. The weak part came on the main course. All the times we had come here before, we wondered about the 23 ounces T-bone. Well, this time we ordered and split it. Not good at all. A lot of gristle and fat. In retrospect, we should have sent it back. Also, the serrated steak knifes that they supply are not good at all, thus making the beef even harder to cut. I would avoid this dish at all costs. The dessert, we both had the sundaes, was excellent. The service was good, except that we had to ask for oil for the bread. I would expect that a place like this would keep it on the table. Definitely not worth the $65 per person. One more thing: where we were sitting, every time the front door was opened, we were blasted with cold air. The entryway details should have been thought out a little better to avoid this.

idlehouse i.

great tbone steak!! for $51 !! reminds me of the tbone I got at Harris Ranch (on the I-5) for 2/3 of that price, same quality.

Richard L.

FIRST AND FOREMOST: This is our go-to, upscale Italian restaurant. THAT SAID: Maybe it's because the food is diverse--with simple ingredients but complex flavor--and well-prepared. Or maybe it's because we can sit at the bar or the open kitchen counter, which you know we like. IN BRIEF: Cheesy polenta that alone is worth the trip; a fine Caesar; Pollo al burro alla Sostanza, a rich, savory chicken breast slathered in butter; excellent sides, including my favorite spinach and equally good cauliflower; their mouth-watering, heart-stopping, gut expanding T-bone.

Mayana P.

Went here about 2 months ago and it was lovely! They were able to accommodate us for 4, last minute on a Saturday. Another party probably had just cancelled because it was PACKED. Server was good and knowledgeable. Food was delicious. A little spicy but yum! My favorite that night was the smoked trout on croustini. One of my favorite places to go to.

Andrew K.

Overpriced hyped, food was mediocre. I felt like I was fleeced.

Irv S.

I was invited to join some friends for dinner and play at Berkeley Rep. Our host chose Trattoria Corso and it turned out to be an excellent choice. I came from SF via BART and it was a short walk from the station. We were served by Brian, our waiter, who was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The food was sublime! The appetizers were delicious but the star for me was the lemon butter chicken! Don't ask, tender, buttery, lemony, in short, exactly what I ordered! I savored every bite! I added Patate, small potatoes cooked in duck fat, I'm quivering just from the memory. The service was quick, efficient and very friendly. I highly recommend this find and definitely would make the trek to Berkeley again from SF anyway to taste their slice of Italy on a plate! Great meal, amazing service and wonderful company, does it get any better than that? I think not! Tutti a tavolo ala mangarie! Bon Appetite!

Shelley K.

It was a freezing Sunday night and we were running to my favorite pho restaurant... but lo and behold-IT WAS CLOSED. Therefore we ran into the closest place, which happened to be Trattoria Corso. The ambience is nice: dim lights, quiet music, and a perfectly low level of noise of friends just catching up. This definitely seems like a more upscale place meant for older patrons. The servers were really nice and helpful, and they'll keep giving you bread if you ask for it (which is just awesome). I got the Polpette which comes with four meatballs, a ton of tomato sauce, and mustard greens-however mine came with literally one mustard green. I soaked up the bread with tomato sauce and it was so good! The sauce could have been hotter though-it was a bit on the cold side. My sister & her boyfriend both got the "Pollo al burro alla Sostanza" which came in a sizzling bowl. At first, they really liked it but halfway through, they slowed down and could barely finish it. The chicken comes drenched and swimming in a brown butter bath.. The flavor was nice, but even though I only had one little bite, it was overwhelming with the fatty flavor. Maybe the cooks could cut it with a lot more lemon before serving it. They felt like they were drinking butter soup for $14. Overall, the food is extremely expensive for the portion and taste that you get.

Andrea G.

This place is amazing ! I am used to going there once a week and what is really good about this restaurant is that the menu changes really often ! Everything is good there but my personal advices would be to recommend you if available the Trippa alla Fiorentina as a primi and the Pesce del Giorno or the Bistecca alla Fiorentina as a secondi. Regarding the service, the staff is always really nice and attentive. Don't forget to book a table before going there because it's most of the time pretty full !

Kevin B.

We went to Trattoria Corso on a Sunday evening and it was no problem being seated. The restaurant is a small, cozy restaurant that has an open space feel to it. There is limited seating at the bar in the back where you can also eat. When you sit down sourdough bread and butter is brought to you to get you started. There is a caraf of tap water on your table which is a nice touch.The menu however is not your traditional italian menu and the entree selection is very limited. More dissappoiting is that all the entrees are al la cart. For the price of their entree's they should include some type of vegetable/side with your entree ! You have to order your side dish seperatley, all range from $6-$8. We had the chicken breast ($12) and lamb stew ($17) with a side of yukon potatoes in duck fat and rosemary. The food was all fresh, flavorful and tasty. The chicken breast in butter was very, tender and tasty. Maybe even a little to much melted butter with it. The lamb stew had four medium size pieces of lamb with a nice, rich sauce that was not over powering. The lamb melted in my mouth and was very good but the portion size of this plate was a little small for the price. The yukon potatoes with garlic ($6) were good, crisp and they had a nice rosemary taste to them. Overall all the food was very good, fresh and tastful but the down falls are the portion sizes, the limited entree selection, not many pasta selections and how the entree's are al la cart.

matthew d.

i gotta be honest. i miss the days of a nice old world italian restaurant. you know, the kind with the red and white checkered table cloth. the ones that had a "house" chianti. the ones that served warm bread and butter. the ones that made pizza as well as a ravioli or saltimboca. unfortunately it seems like that style of restaurant (in a real sense not in a ketchy fake sort of way. you know who i am talking about...) are few and far between. perhaps it is a west coast phenom. anyway, i have to say i was impressed. while there was no "house" chianti, there was a rather extensive italian wine selection and a bartender who at least feigned knowledge of the wines. i dont remember the wine we chose, or was suggested, but it was a relatively dry white which was perfect for the warm day. all of the food was pleasantly flavorful and none of it tasted or felt as oily as it appeared. we ordered a cauliflower appetizer which was drenched in oil, though had a fabulous mouthfeel and flavor. our main dishes were a margharita pizza (i like to taste the basics) and a sort of spinach ravioli. i say ravioli only because that is what they called it and i guess in some ways represented a ravioli. if you were andre the giant. so yes, i am going back. i am a sucker for italian and this was among the best i have tried since leaving the old world. ok, so im talking about jersey. get over it.

Edith S.

DD and I were there on a Thursday night. Corso had just started taking reservations and we were seated promptly at 730. All we can say is that the food is fabulous --even by Italian standards and we've been to Italy thirteen times. We shared an excellent fritto misto and salad, and for the entrees we had a perfect papardelle with braised duck and a special, farro with sausage and fennel. Everything, including the service, was just right, and it was a wonderful setting EXCEPT FOR THE NOISE! The good news is that the staff realizes it ("Can you imagine working here?") and steps are being taken to reduce the incredible din.

Kyra T.

Good, but not exciting. A little too salty. Is that what "rustic italian" means? I love Italian adn I love Rivoli, so hearing there was a new Italian rest. by the owners of Rivoli was exciting. However, I can't believe it's related to Rivoli (which has always been fantastic and is 1 of the few fancy restaurants I don't feel robbed by the prices.) but I digress..... Some of the food was too salty, but other than that it was pretty good. We tried the Kale soup, the braised beef, the polenta+marscapone and the spinach ravioli (which came out in 2 GIANT squares that were pretty-- but hard to eat). The zabaglione that came with the peaches & crumbled pistachio cookie was good. There was nothing that was bad... but something was just missing. I'd try it again, but only if someone else wants to eat there.

Yasuo S.

My wife and I tried out Corso for one reason: they served the best food during last weekend's Spice of Life Festival at the Gourmet Ghetto, Berkeley. They served incredibly tasty pulled lamb and pulled pork belly sandwiches, each a 3-4 biter for $3. We knew this restaurant knows how to cook, because both sandwiches were perfectly seasoned. (These items are available during lunch (note to self...eat lunch here soon) You can tell if a restaurant spends time thinking out how they want to serve their customers, if you pay close attention to how the place is put together. Case and point: when we walked in, the douces (tables w/two chairs) were pretty much all taken except one close to the door. MY wife hates the door being opened and closed because each time, cold air would blast you and ruin your dining experience. They have a solution: have a thick velvety curtain that can be pulled out. Perfect! Plus we strolled into the place, holding a bottle of wine. Unless you bring a cheap bottle (a la two buck chuck), they should catch that we like to eat. for tonight's occasion, we brought a fabulous bottle of Sangiovese, produced by one of my former co-workers who has a winery in Paso Robles: August Ridge. The server was amazing and attentive (Elaine?), absolutely understood what we were there to do: eat great food, hopefully some things on the menu that are creative, playful, unique, or fun. Being that this seems to be an Italian joint, we immediately zoomed into their Tonno crudo, a plate to tuna tartare of sort. I paired with a "taste" of moscato, wife dives straight in to taste three whites (I have no idea what they were- none familiar nor with fruity-ness I like, of Viognier, etc.) - they were the server's suggestions. Anyway, the tuna dish was fabulous, a good start of our meal. the portion can be smaller, or offer half portion for people like us who like to share food and eat as many different dishes as we can without exploding afterwords, but I also understand, by doing so, may reduce the cover for stingy cheap date. Unlike tuna tartare you maybe used to, this one has a kick, with chili oil. but the dish was well-seasoned and yummy. Oh and we also had "Gamberi alla griglia," grilled shrimp with lemon juice and olive oil. Great dish, well seasoned and fresh. Were they small? Hey, it's not the size that matter (for example, my favorite oysters=Kumamoto), really. these were so good that I even sucked on the heads. Mmmm.... We then tried out their pasta dish (again, we would like 1/2 plates, as we are used to our favorite neighborhood place Bellanico), Tagliatelle al sugo. This dish will test any restaurant's ability to serve fresh pasta and also test their skills (if you f%^ck up the meat sauce, it WILL taste like Dinty Moore. I KNOW.) Pasta was fresh, meat sauce was excellent. Then came the fried rabbit. WOW...very playful in that they used buttermilk, and breaded the meat with Panko. Did it taste like chicken? Absolutely. Seasoning was perfect (in fact, best preparation of rabit I've ever had in my life. Not that I eat a lot of bunnies.) You can read other reviewers on better description, like what pieces were served, but I tell ya...it came with a little fried rice ball, again, the theme here is that everything is perfectly seasoned (for those of you who know me, I am a salt hound and passionately hate restaurants who catered to low sodium people by offering salt on the side. I'm sorry, but well seasoned food does not require additional seasoning.) In other words, if you are a low sodium person, please don't eat at my favorite restaurants. you will find some of their dishes too salty. We paired our Sangiovese with the bunny dish, and also compared with another Sangiovese from Tuscany (=Chianti). California Sangiovese was more "in your face" bold, Chianti more refined and snobby. The bottle from August Ridge is big because it has 15+% alcohol. We left 1/2 bottle for the staff For desserts, if I see Affogato, I always order it (hey it substitutes my coffee, it's "I like to have some ice cream with my espresso." I also ordered panna cotta, because I like creamy dessert. My wife ordered their flourless chocolate cake, which she did not like (she wanted a molten chocolate cake and was not pleased with the denseness of it. I liked it-good quality choco was used for it). All in all, we had a five-star meal because we picked the right food and drank the right wine. Be fearless, order stuff you've never ordered, and you will have a fabulous meal here. We'll be back.

bee k.

Delicious. Fabulous. Yummy. 6 meals, 5 stars for each meal! We miss watching Michael Sironi cook, and hope he returns from Chile with some amazing recipes for everyone to enjoy! The food is still fabulous as each of our dishes have been consistent and amazing.

Mara C.

I went here with my dad on a Tuesday night, it was very enjoyable. It was busy but there was no wait for a table, and the service was friendly - not at all snobby as some other people have written. There was an Italian movie playing which my dad liked the looks of. We shared the orecchiette con salsiccia - pasta with house-made pork sausage, little neck clams, and wilted greens, the pizza with mushrooms, mozzarella, fontina, and white truffle oil (soooo decadent!), and a beet appetizer. The portions are on the smaller side (except for the meat, apparently - I saw the woman nexgt to me get a huge pork chop!), so it was good we ordered an appetizer. We really enjoyed both the atmosphere and food. The only sad thing is that I asked for the last two slices of pizza to take home, and it hadn't come out of the kitchen even after we paid the bill and got our coats on, and well, I forgot it! I felt so terrible wasting such delicious foods... the moral of the story is clearly that I should have eaten the rest of the pizza on the spot!

Scott W.

met my wife for dinner before we had to pick up Troy from train station in emeryville. she wasn't able to get a friday night reservation but did manage a table at 6:30- so that worked out well. I had viewed the wine list earlier in day and saw they had a 2005 Valdipiatta Vino Nobile di Montepulciano- wine opened up nice during our appetizer course which was the daily meats- there was a wonderful duck proscuitto on the plate. we then had mixed greens and a fennel sausage pizza. Small portion when first presented but ended up being a perfect size- think crust which was nice and crisp. For pasta we had the gnocchi with greens and pine nuts. My wife liked it but i was disappointed. I found the gnocchi somewhat bland in flavor and not as light as I prefer- the greens held all the flavor. As usual, if I have to take BART to go to dinner- there is an automatic one star deduction- sorry East Bay.

Matt R.

i had the tripe and bean soup in a spicy tomato broth that was off the hook. i also ordered the fried rabbit which came with sliced lemon to balance out the salt and oil content. the staff here is fantastic and the service was phenomenal. the ambiance is great for a date as well.

N O.

the food was insipid and my gf ordered the chicken which didn't come a side.......$16 for a chicken breast without a side---what!!???

Tom M.

this place it was clean they sported the gangsta lean my honey had polenta it was so rich it might dent ya i had some ahi last time i went i loved it so much it might be heaven sent the cocktails was furious i loved my desertious (but i never had any rilly... too full, yaddamean?) the wine was soave classico all up on the mack see do the salad was like a caesar i could a took her or could a leaved her i left a phat tip because they wuz hipper than hip my lips were smacking and i was upside down sideways and tracking i brought it around and i took the biggest puff it wasn't the end and it wasn't enough i set myself back got flat on the track i said you to me let yourself free don't give me that sh*t like a fat lickin stick i will tell you NO lie i will get you SO high so get back on that track do not give me no FLACK i will give you the slack if you've got the long cadillac i will tell you NO tales it is just happy trails and in the end it is just what you SEND.... wttmf....

Olivia D.

Each time I come here the food is absolutely delicious! The Pollo al burro alla Sostanza is some of the most exceptional chicken I've ever eaten and the chocolate cake dessert is heaven! The cocktails are also delicious - plus they have a full bar which isn't always easy to find in Berkeley. I sat at the bar for dinner so I didn't have a full-on waiter but the service was great! This is my go - to Italian restaurant recommendation in Berkeley - I highly suggest it!

Xuan Q.

Corso is simply one of the best restaurants I've been to in the bay area. You need to know how to order there, because it's small portioned and you have to order several courses to balance the flavor and truly appreciate the meal. Their buttered chicken is by far the best I've had and their truffle oil layered pizza is also one of my favorites and so is the whole fried fish. Their cocktails are truly amazing too. I like the most the one with edel flower and the peach margarita. Desserts are absolutely top notch as well. It's been a while I haven't visited it, as a great dinner there will end up like 140 for two. But still, Corso is the first that comes into my mind whenever I am craving for best quality italien food. For the bread, you will need to tell the server that you want some, as I think they don't want the customers to waste their bread.

Mark T.

Extremely good meal - friendly, professional staff, nice ambiance (although I could have done without the TV), and of course last but certainly not least, very tasty food. Prosecco, braised baby spinach and butternut squash raviolis chased with an espresso gelato.. food perfectly cooked and seasoned, I'll definitely be back.

Jonathan G.

I was coming to Berkeley for dinner with friends on a Saturday night. I needed a table for six at a good restaurant. I went on Yelp and read all the positive reviews about Corso, and spoke to a friend about how it was co-owned by the Rivoli crowd and about how good its was supposed to be, so I decided to try it. I made a reservation on 8/16 for Sat. night 8/21 for 6 people, and was told we would probably be seated at the communal table, but they would see what they could do to seat us at our own table for six. Got a call from the restaurant on Thursday, 8/19 to confirm the booking, and told them yes, we would definitely be there. On route to the restaurant Sat. night we called at about 8:10 to say we might be a few minutes late (reservation was for 8:15). They said not to worry, as they we running a bit behind...Our party of six arrived at the restaurant at 8:20 p.m., and left at 8:55, after standing on the sidewalk for more than 1/2 hour. The hostess started to tell me how the unavailability of our table was the fault of the party of four that was seated at one of the tables they wanted to use to make up our table for six. So we told her to tell them to leave, as they had paid their bill some time earlier, we were now just hanging around, as if the place was Starbucks with free wi-fi and they were studying for finals. No deal, said the hostess (after checking with the manager), we would just have to wait. So we left and went to Post-Meridien in Kensington and had a truly out of this world meal. Now, this is my first Yelp review, so I should explain my motivation to join the ranks of reviewers. What motivated me to tell you about the pathetically amateurish hostess and manager at Corso, was the fact that they were completely incapable of recognizing that a reservation is supposed to mean something, and instead of accepting responsibility for their ineptitude, insisted on blaming the problem on other customers. Anyway, I'm sure you get it. Don't waste your time making a reservation at this joint, because regardless of how talented their chef is (I certainly will never know), their management is either too clueless to figure out how to have a table for 6 ready (with mandatory 20% tip, of course), or they just don't care, and would just as soon fill the table with walk-ins, of whom I am sure there are plenty.....

JR M.

We celebrated two of our friends birthdays at Corso. We came here with a group of 10 adults with 2 small kids. Fine dining with kids can be pretty challenging. The wait staff was pretty understanding and accommodating. Since we had a pretty large group the restaurant setup a prefix menu for dinner. They served (family style) an anti pasta (salad of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella) and a selections of house cured salume both were excellent. Pasta courses we had two options the ravioli stuffed with ricotta with light butter sauce with pine nuts and currants and spaghetti with calamari and clams in light tomato sauce. The raviolis were excellent, the spaghetti was good. I wished i had picked the raviolis. For the main courses we had three options: grilled sea bass, grilled shrimp, and a grilled pork loin. I had the pork loin chop (yummy). It was accompanied with a sauce of chanterelles. I tried the sea bass too. It was slightly over cooked. The side dished were served family style roasted yukon potatoes with whole cloves of roasted garlic, sauteed baby spinach, and romaine salad with lemon-anchovy vinaigrette. For dessert we had two options a warm chocolate cake and panna cotta. Both were pretty standard. Overall I give this restaurant 4 stars. Its tough to cook for such a large group and get all of the food timed perfectly. I would definitely try this place again to see if i can give them the 5th star.

natalie w.

just ate at corso, the newest addition to Berkeley's gourmet ghetto opened by two chefs from Rivoli whom combined their experience with extensive travels throughout italy to create this casual, affordable and totally tasty dining experience. On staff are 3 of my dearest friends Alex Desquiron as GM (formally at paragon), Sarah Mollerstrom as Part-time pastry chef (cause she's also still at Limon), and Sarah Rolland as the bestest server (she's also my confidant from a fashion sketch n design class and in life). I reccomend the fennel sausage pizza (spice livens this crisp bottom even down to the last bite of crust, although i prefer cheeseboard down the street), the t-bone steak (cooked a perfect med-rare, but made for two appetites), the creamy (marscapone rich) polenta square, and the sauteed beans. To drink, Birra Morreti il rosso or Hiachino nest beer (the one with the kawaii (cute) owl as a logo), red wine is kept at a strict 50 degrees, the sparkling mascato was a good complement to the roasted peach with creme fraiche, a great way to finish the meal and toast my bros passing the flight instructors exam, and i am currently buzzed by my double shot espresso (complete with a zest rimmed lip - but that was my doing).

Margery E.

We really enjoyed this place,sitting "bar style" in front of the the open kitchen. It's quite a show! Lots of butter and olive oil used; the food is simply delicious. Basic salads are $5. I had the pumpkins stuffed ravioli, with butter sage sauce. Yum! Service is terrific, also.

Aviva K.

as a huge fan of rivoli, i was so excited that wendy and rosco opened this more casual restaurant with more veggie options. their cocktails are fabulous--i love the peach margarita (except they often put way too much ice). the mozzarella appetizer was great, i love the panzotti with butternut squash, the polenta is fabulous and you can't go wrong with the salad--good vinegar taste to the dressing. and then dessert....you cannot skip dessert....the chocolate budino and panna cotta are both incredible. go here....you won't regret it!

Linda R.

I love going to Trattoria Corso; the large, airy dining room with huge windows onto the scene on Shattuck always relaxes me even before the wine starts flowing. I like to go early to avoid noise (gettin' older...) but the other people in the dining room (couples, families, friends) also seem happy and relaxed. Good vibe. And, in my experience, good food. Often really good food. The grilled sea bass is crispy-skinned deliciousness and elegantly simple on its bed of arugula with lemon quarters -- and it's LOW CAL and low fat. (Heads up, fellow seniors-to-be.) Hubby had big grilled pork chop, and it was also very tasty and tender, though a bit too sweet for the wine that was recommended by the waitress. On other visits we have enjoyed pasta dishes and the beef main dish, crostini and crudo appetizers, and the wines. I was not wowed by my caesaresque salad with croutons (lattuga), except that the anchovy vinaigrette (on the side, fellow suffers-of-slowing-metabolisms, always on the side) was amazing. The Kraft-like parmesan cheese a little less so (as another reviewer noted...) But dessert tops it off nicely: the chocolate gelato in a bath of espresso and bourbon, the homemade pistachio biscotti with a dipping glass of high-octane vin santo, the panna cotta... Well, my metabolism hasn't slowed enough for me to deny myself dessert, I guess, especially when the dessert is so lovely. We always leave happy.

David T.

I've been here twice more since the last update and can't believe how good the food here is. Last time I had the pork loin with agrodolce (a perfect combination) and tonight I had the fettuccini with clams and prawns (yum!) . Both times I was left thinking how nice it is when expectations are met and exceeded. If only life was always like this!

Panda H.

We have always loved Rivoli, so we have been very impatiently waiting for Corso to open. They certainly had a big crowd on their first night! We had the fried calamari, grilled mackerel, T-bone, ravioli, polenta, fried potatoes, beans, and spinach. The fried calamari was great but the portions were tiny (it included fried onion and lemon and not so much calamari). Everything tasted great, service was not bad for a first night. They need to do something about the noise - even the receptionist had to go outside to talk on the phone. I'm sure we'll be back.

Chris J.

Ever since I moved to the East Bay 7 years ago I have been searching for food like this. Simple, delicate, flavorful; every bite was pleasurable. We had the Tagliatelle and the Cavatelli, both great. The chocolate cake was very good. The only problem was the cappuccino was a little scorched, a pet peeve of mine, but whatever, the meal was so great I did not really care. Try it!

Jeri B.

We arrived 30 minutes late for our reservation and were still greeted and seated graciously. The decor was playful - menus from other restaurants, mostly Italian, adorned the walls. The kitchen looked like your Grandmas - if your Grandma was a good cook - open shelves with bowls, utensils and seasonings, The kind of kitchen everyone would hang out in. In our continued search to find the best fried calamari in the Bay Area we had to try Corso. The Fitto Misto was delish with a lite fried texture which was lightly battered and fried but not tempura like. Aside from tthe calamari there were onions and other veggies mixed in. We followed the Fritto Misto with grilled scallops on a puree of fresh garbanzo beans - who knew that fresh garbanzos are green. They were coarsely blended with a chili oil that had a bite with an after glow of heat. The grilled scallops had a smokey flavor and were huge, firm and fresh. Our nect coarse was the fennell sausage pizza. It was a nice size and the sausage was delicious. The crust was soft and without flavor, not crispy. The pizza did not arrive warm - but if it had hit the table piping hot I am sure it would have been much better. The grilled asparagus was tasty - very pricey $8 or $9 for 5 small pieces - but nothing to write home about. To finish we had the chocolate cake with caramel sauce that we improved by adding some salt to the caramel. Not bad. Overall we enjoyed the vibe nad the food was pretty good. With three glasses of wine the bill came to $100 which is a bit pricey when we could have gone to Dopo. I will go back for the second chance before casting a final vote. I was surprised to see this restaurant on Michael Bauers Top 100 of the Bay Area.

SF C.

amazing! epicly delicious!!! way exceeded my expectations. wonderful service. gracious staff. could not recommend more highly! go go go corso! yummmm!

This place is relatively new, and I stopped in for lunch with a friend. The food was decent. Nothing to write home about, and nothing to complain about. Service was also decent. The menu is Italian inspired, with several pizza and pasta dishes. We had a margherita pizza and ahi tuna, both were tasty, but there are plenty of other places to try. The tuna was $15 and the pizzas were in the range of 8-12

Deirdre M.

Corso is good, not great, but good. I think it still has a few kinks to work out. The highlight of our meal was the soup. It was very fresh, earthy and was low on salt which I like cause you can add to your desire. The pasta dishes (ragu, ravioli and shimp) were good - but in comparison to other italian restaurants was just okay. The space is loud and so does not have that cosy feel. The service is friendly but was not very focused. I love, love Rivoli their other restaurant on Solano so I admit I was thinking this place would equal my expectations. Sadly it did not. I'm inclined to wait a while before I return in the meantime I can be found at Dopo when eating my Italian food.

Anastasia C.

I'm a local and have eaten here about six times, most recently on 7/9/09. Have to say that the experience was mixed. Started with a mushroom pizza with truffle oil that was very good. We also ordered the sardine plate and these were also good. Large and flavorful. The gap between the appetizers and main courses was too long. I had the buccatini with mussels and sweet cherry tomatoes. Came in white wine broth- very tasty. However, the pasta was totally undercooked. I like my pasta al dente but the strands of buccatini (one of my favorite pasta shapes) were almost stick straight they were so undercooked. C'mon. Italian restaurant. They should know how to cook pasta. My biggest complaint was that there were only 6 tiny mussles in my pasta dish. I was a big fan of this place initially but each time I return something is off or inconsistent. I'm discerning when it comes to eathing out. Not in a hurry to return.

Michelle F.

I was so excited to try out Corso but left really disappointed. I concede that the food tasted really good and I had a delicious peach margarita. My big problem was that we were RUSHED through dinner and the portions were TINY. My husband and I were so looking forward to enjoying a rare night out with friends sans kids. They brought everything so fast that we were done with a round of cocktails, appetizers and entrees in less than an hour (and that was even after we waited until we were done with cocktails to order the meal). The squash blossoms were delicious and my pasta with meat sauce tasted great, but the pasta was more of an appetizer sized portion in the middle of a huge white plate. Now I'm familiar with Italian restaurants with smaller entrees...for example we go to Dopo regularly and love it even though their portions are sort of on the smallish side...but the portions at Corso were teeny tiny. Even though we were still hungry we decided to pass on dessert, headed across town to Flora and sat leisurely at the bar for a couple of hours enjoying a few rounds of drinks and desserts. In retrospect we had wished that we had our whole meal at Flora. We won't be back to Corso sadly.

Sam L.

3.5 stars. checked this place out b/c it's on the top 100 list. we had the crostini apertif, pasta vongole and margherita pizza. don't waste your time on the crostini... the pizza was good... crunchy crust, no burnt spots, but it could've used more basil. now... the pasta was AMAZING! noodles were perfectly cooked.. and it came in a buttery garlic sauce that i've never had before... the sweet tomatoes bursted w/flavor and the arugula added a nice balance. i'd definitely go back for the pasta. pizza wasn't as good as delfina in sf, but it was pretty good for the east bay.

Heather S.

There are two reasons that I gave Corso two stars instead of one: booze and service. More about that later. I had been to Corso before and had a pretty good meal. The pasta with sugo and the bruschetta were both really good. That was right after they opened. But I went back this weekend and was extremely disappointed. We weren't thrilled with the fritto misto, which seemed a little heavy and greasy. We didn't give it much through until the people sitting next to us were served--their fritto misto looked like it had come from a different restaurant. We clearly got the end of a batch of vegetables and the end of a batch of oil. And our pizza was lukewarm when it was served. Our waitress was very nice about replacing it, but it wasn't anything special even when hot from the oven. Anyway, the waitress was fantastic as was the bartender, who makes a killer cocktail and really came through with the wine recommendations. I'll probably go back for a drink at the bar but never for a meal. It's too bad that the food doesn't live up to the service, especially since I live just a few blocks away.

Elaine N.

While I was very happy strolling around downtown area, I got a little hunger going on. As far as I know, I haven't run across an Italian restaurant that I liked as much as this one in Berkeley. Trattoria Corso does a fantastic, sausage penne pasta with fresh greens and tasty tomato sauce. I also enjoyed the bucatini pasta along with fried oyster appetizer and the light panna cotta dessert. Aside from the food, the service was spot on wondrous for feeding my grumpy frumpy pouty face. Thank you! I hope you really do give this delicious Italian place a try. Cheers!

Teresa B.

Superb service and it was like we were back in Italy! Memories of my nonna's cuisine. Picked this place as a meeting spot for hubby's bday as friends were visiting from SoCal. Homemade pasta. Great bottle of Cabernet. You can't go wrong at Corso I assure you. Rarely do u compare food to Nonna Giovanna's, but this place gets it! Spot on

Keith L.

Given the ratings on Yelp, I had high expectations when I picked Corso for my out-of-town guest. I should have known better. Most people on Yelp are FOS. This place reminds me a lot of A16. If you like A16, you most likely will like this place. I don't like A16. The food here is good, but the portions are very small for the price. This is true across the board for starters and main courses. There was probably less than 3/4 cup of food on my plate. Nine dollars for a small bowl of soup? The server was pleasant enough, but he did seem a little indifferent and inpatient. At the same time, the service was par for the course for Berkeley, which now has an inferior restaurant scene compared to Oakland. Given the amount of money we spent here, I expected a lot more. If you're vegan/vegetarian, be advised that there are no vegetarian main courses and the menu overall is very meat and dairy heavy.

Markus N.

This review may be of little use to you if you and I haven't met before because it's been a little while and I don't remember what I had for supper. I do remember the wildlife through which we had to make our way on the corner of Income Inequality Street and Disenfranchisement Boulevard but as the threading of that needle was far from pleasant I shall not recount it here other than to say that the Trattoria became a welcome oasis from all things world and for this we were very, very happy. No reservations had been made, but to our good fortune it was the hour of babies and Sweet 'n Low stealing so there was a spot right at the window and smiles and a gracious welcome. The space was entirely filled within the hour. The din wasn't even a din and in our corner we could speak in conversational tones as we shared an appetizer, mains and a dessert. I looked at the menu just now to see if I could remember but it might be different and even if it wasn't I probably wouldn't be able to recognize because that's how my brain works. I'm just kind of not really a detail guy. I have no idea what we ate. But big picture? I can get and retain the big picture. Here it is for you: Date night or by your lone wolf bad self after a pressing day and in need of a safe place, a retreat. Food made by people who clearly take their craft seriously. Genuine, efficient, front of the house. I would consider wagering my bottom dollar that this is a place you will enjoy. So go.

Arthur Y.

One of the best meals I've had in while. Thursday night 8:30 Rez. Sat a few minutes late, but the hostess was super friendly and apologetic. Ended up sitting at the chefs counter. Got a bunch of things... Head on shrimp with preserved lemon - delicious, briny and the lemon was dope. Chicken liver mousse toast - the best I've had in a while. Warm, savory with a great touch of sweetness from a wine. Tripe stew - I just love me some tripe. Creamy tomato based broth, super tender tripe. Cicciarone - If got made something better than fried pork skin, he didn't tell us. This is no different. Farfalle - great bow tie pasta with peas and prosciutto and cream. A touch on the salty side but fabulous nonetheless Milanese - A fantastic pork cutlet with a lemon caper sauce. We also had a chocolate gelato sundae which they gave us on the house due to the 5 min seating delay. The service was phenomenal - Alexis and Charlie made us feel like regulars despite it being our first time, the chefs really made us feel welcome and the bread and olives to start set us up for a great meal. We'd been to Rivoli before which is their sister restaurant and sincerely enjoyed that - I would personally say Corso is even better!!! What a fantastic experience and I will DEFINITELY be back soon!! (Very soon)

Kirsten P.

Our new go-to Italian restaurant in Berkeley! The lasagna is to die for and their vegetable sides are consistently awesome.

Bill P.

Very good food. It's an easy choice when we're looking for a nice restaurant that's still casual enough to be kid friendly. As far as recommendations: Imagine, if you will, a fillet of chicken breast -- in a little sauce pan barely big enough for it to fit in -- with half a bar of butter. Now imagine that butter melting on the stove top and then the breast essentially deep fried in said butter on the stove and then finished off in the oven. Seriously. It's as delicious and decadent as that sounds. I imagine everything else is good, too, but I have a hard time not ordering the butter roasted chicken whenever I go.

Dr S D.

Went out with my fiance for a nice night out. The ambience was great, and the staff very friendly. The wine we selected was very nice, and the calamari appetizer was definitely the highlight. Unfortunately, my fiance ordered the special-the pork cutlet. It was not good. Served by itself, it had the consistency of rubber, and was so tough, it was difficult to saw through with the steak knife. My dish, the casareccia was fine, though oily. Overall, it was a nice experience, but the $90 price tag didn't match the quality of the food.

Hannah C.

Delicious food! The menu is traditionally Italian styled so you are meant to try some of everything. The plates are all pretty small so don't be afraid to order some of the antepasta, pasta, main entrees, and, of course, dessert!!

Judy D.

Very enjoyable neighborhood restaurant. We ordered the pici (great ragu), crostini with chicken liver, and shared the pork milanese. Enjoyed everything. Reasonably priced wine list as well. We didn't have dessert, but the gelato shop across the street is awesome!

Jess C.

Solid meal. Excellent service. Minus a star for $/portion. Food order for party of 2: carrozza (fried Asiago sandwiches), briganti pasta, anatra braised duck leg, panna cotta and budino al cioccolato. All were excellent. Desserts exceeded expectations. Server indulged our questions and provided thoughtful feedback on food preparation and wine selection. Would definitely return.

Gary L.

Perfect menu, consistent with what you ordered tasted. The service is considerate and nice, you can see the transparent kitchen here and every entree is order-then-made and it is definitely an awesome experience to have diner here.

L L.

Yelpers didn't steer me wrong! Absolutely loved this place. Had an early dinner reservations, were seated promptly, servers were really attentive and prompt. Had the arancini apetizer and the chicken liver crostini. Both delicious, I throughly enjoyed the arancini and my dining partner the crostini, so that worked out for both! I had the Mattone chicken dish, unbelievably tasty. Wish I could cook chicken like that, really moist and tender. Also tried the daily special which was a pork tenderloin, equally delicious. Tried some of the sides, the spinach, and the polenta. Spinach was good, but the polenta with the mascarpone was unreal! Really good! All so far delicious, and while I shouldn't have dessert., since it was a special occasion, splurged on the heavenly flourless chocolate cake. Just wow! So light and full of flavor! In all, thanks yelpers for the awesome recommendation. Worth the trip across the bridge, one that I will be making frequently from now on!

Victoria C.

I love this place! I go there all the time with my boyfriend. The service is perfect and the food is outstanding! The staff is very nice and attentive. I highly recommend this place for everything since dates or just dinner out. They change the menu often so no one gets bored of the dishes. I loved every single dish I've had there! Always book a table if you are thinking about having dinner there. They are always pretty full.

Anna Marie E.

Just had a very nice 1st wedding Anniversary dinner here tonight with my hubby. We love the food so much especially the Matone and Budino! It tasted sooo good! Price wise, it's pricey but it's worth it! Customer service is excellent! Wish the place was a little bigger to accommodate wheel chairs conveniently and table napkins that left some lint on my husband's sweater and my LBD. Other than those minimal stuff, We would still give this place a 5 * because for us the food is great, service was excellent! Love to be back there.

Jerry P.

We were here with a large group (10) from work and overall a great experience. Other review comments about great service are spot on - our server didn't miss a beat, was great at explaining the menu, and patient as our party was a bit undecided about should we share appy's or order our own - he just smiled and said give you a few minutes - this happened at least two or three times more and he was very nice. Other servers assisted to bring plates to the table so everyone's food arrived at the same time. Water was replenished with ice cold pitchers regularly and items removed promptly when finished. I added and additional amount to the 18% the house added to show appreciation. I thought the food was very good - several of us ordered the Carpaccio Tonno and it was delightful - thin sliced generous portion drizzled with olive oil, salt crystal, lemon, dried plum, daikon sprouts. Other appetizers looked very good as well. Entrees chosen included chicken roloto, monkfish, branzino, strangolapreti, and polpette (couldn't see all the way to the end of the table) and I don't think there was anyone that didn't finish their plate (well one in our group did take a doggy-bag). Execution and presentation were very good - not too precious, but pleasing. Portions were European-sized (ie right sized) so several of us had room for dessert. Desserts were also delicious although our lone vegan was disappointed that her only option was the sorbetto. Nice selection of Italian wines including some good values ( I had a delicious super Tuscan) and cocktail menu with interesting recipes as well. Will make this a top choice for upscale business dinners or spot for out-of-town friends.

Princess C.

The best food! Everything was delicious, and the pork skins were fresh and cooked to order. They use every piece of the hog, and butcher it in the back. A must try place.

Annie C.

I was really impressed with the food and service here. Even though it was one hour before they closed, the service was still cheerful and didn't seem like they have worked long hours for the day. The food was delicious, just like all the reviews had said. He only disappointment was the Funghi, which came in a tiny portion. But the T-Bone steak was juicy and tender, and definitely enough for two people to share with a side of Polenta. The pasta at Trattoria Corso is also delicious and flavorful, and definitely left us wanting for more if we had the capacity for more. We really enjoyed the food overall and would definitely come back if there is a chance to visit the Bay Area again.

Arlene H.

I CAN'T believe I've lived so close and have never been here until today. The food is excellent, affordable and the service was awesome (at the bar with Matt). Called late on a Monday to check availability for dinner with the parents. We ended up up getting three seats at the bar which was great. Started with: -burrata fatta in casa $10 (my moms fave dish) -Peposo $9(great, but for the money I wish we had gotten a second burrata) Shared: -nightly butchers special- water buffalo and veal meatballs - tagliatelle For dessert we shared the vanilla panna cotta. according to Matt, the SF chronicle food critic michael Bauer loves this dish!!

Irina K.

Our meal at Corso was very satisfying. I'm glad we made reservations for an early Saturday dinner because the dining room filled up very fast & by the time we were done there was a line outside. Our wonderful server Brian helped us choose a nice bottle of Tuscan wine that went great with what we ordered. We started with a board of house cured salumi which was very tasty. For entree I had the Duck breast. It was superb! It was perfectly cooked & came with caramelized apples & sunchoke puree. My husband had Tagliatelle with braised beef & pork sugo. He enjoyed it. ( it would have been much better with a little less salt) We also had an amazing side of Yokon Gold & prosciutto hash with red onion. We finished our lovely dinner with Affogato & Panna Cotta. (Ahhh that Panna Cotta was soooo good!) We will definitely be back...

Fressia P.

Love it soooooooooo much! The food here is really delicious! Worth waiting! It's fun to see they cook for me. Strongly recommend!

Rick S.

I LOVE this place. The food here is 6 stars. Really, I want to go back to all the other places I have ever reviewed and take a star off and give it to them. I'm a gourmet cook so I always have complaints, large or small. But here, the little gem salad was perfect, the crostini appetizer was perfect, the pasta with sugo was perfect, the chocolate sundae with toasted almonds... well, you get the idea. Crowded and noisy with very committed service, but not what you would call elegant or romantic.

Roger K.

This restaurant was very good! I had tripe soup to start;was very fresh tasting, nice hunks of tripe, cut in rectangle shape and cooked just right: not over cooked(tough)or under cooked(ugh) Main course was pasta with mussels, almost looked like clams, but they were perfect. Wife split a nice salad with our guest and then had the pasta dish with lamb. I had a taste and it was very flavorful, nice lamb, not overpowering, but just right. Service was good, and we had a good time--Its convenient for us via BART, as we live on Peninsula, and we will return. Go, you're mouth will thank you.

Cindy S.

Amazing.! I'm soooo satisfied with the restaurant, customer service and best of all the food! Everything, i mean EVERYTHING from this restaurant screams FIVE STARS! Been here twice and we will be making reservations every other weekend. We finally found our dream restaurant!!! We had the chicken, gnochi and tbone steak. For apetizer we had the calamari. The desert was scrumptious the first on the menu. All in all HIGHLY RECOMMEND! They are kid friendly, spacious, and wheelchair accessible.! Amazing!

Debora L.

Went here for a family dinner. Made a reservation via Opentable, which was easy. Nice dim ambience, somewhat classy Italian (which my Asian parents didn't really know what to do with). The charcuterie plate was a nice appetizer to share. I had the one vegetarian entree, the housemade ravioli, which was nice although somewhat simplistic. The pork chops (special) my dad got were a bit salty. Portions overall were modest- I don't think you'll leave stuffed. Highlight of the dinner as the panna cotta, it was well balanced and simply divine. To me the overall experience was similar to I think it's sister restaurant, Rivoli.

Howard S.

This review is long overdue, since my visit happened more more than a month ago. I read all the glowing reviews and thought that it would be a great place for valentines day dinner. It was a big mistake. It was a fixed valentine's day menu - which was expected. It was $50 a person for 3 course meal. Again, something I expected as it is valentines day. What I didnt expect was the quality of food. For $50 per person, I expected something special and of high quality. What we were served, however, was something very forgettable and mediocre at best. I really wouldn't have minded the price if the food quality was matched. As a comparison, I had a fixed brunch menu at napa a few days later for the same price ($50), but the quality of the food more than justified the price tag. I understand that the restaurant cash in on Valentine's day. But I left feeling taken advantage of and unsatisfied overall. Perhaps their regular menu is better - but I would avoid going there again on Valentine's day. The one star is for our server, she was very attentive and welcoming.

B T.

4.5 stars! I don't hand out stars easily, but this place is very deserving. I had the pleasure of dining here about a week and a half ago. It was some of the best Italian food I have had, ever. I decided to dine at the bar as I was a single and didn't want to tie up a table. It was a Tuesday night and it was packed, be sure to make reservations. The staff was amazing. The bartender was well versed in both the cuisine and the drinks. Very passionate about the quality of his work and it showed. The house made charcuterie was top notch. I would put it in the top 3 I have ever tried, and I have tried them all over the country. The pasta was simply an experience you must try. I had the artichoke agnolotti. WOW!!!!! That's what pasta is supposed to taste like. Fresh, light, and tender. I can't wait to make it back to Berkeley and eat here again. It will be a challenge not to order the exact same thing as it was outstanding.

Marlene W.

I have been coming to this restaurant for years and I have never been disappointed. The food is amazing. I usually order the chicken cooked in butter and the polenta as my entree, because it is the most delicious combination in the world. Seriously, if you order those two together your life will be better and if you're a vegetarian I highly recommend making an exception. The desserts are also incredible, especially the panna cotta. Aside from the amazing food, they have a full bar and the house cocktails are really nice and complement the rest of the meal. The icing on top is the service which is always excellent. The wait staff is attentive but not overbearing and you are never rushed out after you are done eating, which gives you the opportunity to converse with the people you are with in peace.

Cooper L.

Do you love chicken skin?! Cause I do. Thing is, I didn't know how much until tonight when I ate at Corso. I would gladly trade my first born son for a bucket of the crispy skin that comes atop their butter roasted chicken. Granted, my son is kind of an asshole...but still. The skin on that chicky was dank. The pate was excellent. And the polenta. So was all the other shit. And the service. And the..and the...and the.. You get the idea. Go to Corso and show your taste buds a good time.

Kris L.

Really nice! A and I came here last night for a double date. We very rarely venture to the East Bay, so note to the other couple - yes, feel special. We were running late (as usual), so we ended up arriving at 8:15pm for our 7:45pm reservation. Our dining companions were there already and enjoying the complimentary bread and some libations while they waited for us to arrive. DRINKS - Kentucky Corpse Reviver - bourbon, lemon, Cointreau, Cocchi Americano, dash of absinthe. Loved it! I must've sold it really good because someone else at our table decided to order it after she finished her first drink. - Pinot Bianco Colterenzio - A wanted a white wine that was crisp and fruity. The waiter suggested this and, while not really fruity, it was crisp and quite good. FOOD - we decided to share everything family-style - Rucola - arugula, apricot, toasted almond, prosciutto, mint. - Culurgiones - Sardinian potato & pecorino dumplings, tomato sauce, basil. - Tagliatelle al sugo - braised beef & pork - Fusilli - grilled octopus, spicy "Nduja", ceci beans, pomodorini, sun-dried tomatoes. My favorite of the night. The grilled octopus was the STAR of the dish. - Pollo al burro alla Sostanza - butter-roasted Hoffman Farms chicken breast, lemon - Swordfish DESSERT - Panna Cotta - Flourless chocolate cake Everything was really tasty. You can tell they use really fresh ingredients. Our waiter was really attentive and helpful. The ambiance is cozy and romantic. I would definitely come back if I found myself in Berkeley again.

Megu W.

Solid upscale Italian. Delicious food and good service. I can only compare with Dopo, Pizzaiolo, and Adesso so maybe not quite an experienced italian diner, but everything was well done. Started with the charcuterie plate, which was just ok (didn't taste a whole lot of differentiation between three of the salumi), but was reeled back in with the fresh, tasty and crisp lattuga salad, and wowed by our mains; pan roasted butter chicken (super buttery, flavorful and moist with the best chicken skin clinging on.) They have a great dessert menu and a full bar too, which I will explore more of next time. Service was casual yet still pro. Nice and dim, tables close together. Lots of white middle aged Berkeley folks. Will definitely return if I'm in the area again!

Christine E.

What a wonderful dining experience! I was way under dressed for dinner. I think this is a romantic date place. Jeans and converse are way too casual here. The food plated is beautiful with portions to tantalize the taste buds! A nice glass of wine, appetizers and starters are just right leaving enough room for your entrée and perhaps a nice dessert afterwards. Take your time, enjoy your meal here with your dining partner! I shared the grilled octopus and marinated mushrooms. For my entrée I ordered the home made vegetable lasagna, it was quite delicious! Parking is on the street.

Nina K.

Been there at least 5 times always for dinner with the same "no surprise quality experience". The decor is very simple, a bit too simple for me but what's in the plate mostly worth it. I say "Mostly" because the Branzino (Classic/Mains) is a $28 whole sea bass: after removing yourself head and skin, there is not that much left to eat... Beside, I had several times as a main the "Trippa alla Fiorentina" ($12 Antipasti) - tripe are pretty rare to find and I love it - simple but very good and never over cooked. As a dessert, I often had a "Budino al cioccolato" (flour-less chocolate cake with whipped cream): always as good as expected. Another place to go back with pleasure.

Mary L.

My motto, "Everything Italian is GOOD" So happy to have discovered this place & not sure why it took me so long! Had a beautiful dinner here on New Year's night with a good friend...it was perfect. Our server was fantastic, attentive, professional and helpful with recommendations when we couldn't decide on wine. The list is excellent. We had arugula salad and chickpea croquettes to start ~ the croquettes, which I wouldn't have ordered on my own were AMAZING. A perfect appetizer and so light. We had the fresh crab risotto and grilled trout for our main courses. Both perfectly done and just the right amount of food. Along with we had a great bottle of Italian white wine, dry + crisp with a touch of minerality. Loved it. Over all, five stars, Will definitely be back and highly recommend to anyone!

Justin B.

The service was superb! We went out for friendsgiving and had an awesome time. We shared a bottle of wine and ate some delicious Italian cuisine. Prices are great, portions are a little small, but every bite is to die for! I ordered the Pappardelle pork sausage with garlic, pasta and extra virgin olive oil, we also shared the mushroom appetizer and Brussel sprouts

wendy b.

The wine, the cheese, the branzino... the chef! All amazing and provided for the perfect evening with good friends. Highly recommend to anyone in the SF area.

rudy m.

This place is the Amazing!!!! Had the 24oz T-Bone it was cooked to perfection we also had the mushroom and the carrots and the salumi plate it was all yummy!! The service was amazing.

Kathy C.

Insalata di Trippa (salad with tripe) was unique & good!

John G.

Really delicious authentic Italian. Having visited Italy multiple times this is like a local slice of the old country. Had the burratta and the local Monterey bay calamari which were both scrumptious. Then the gnocchi and burnt-wheat orecchiette were fantastic. I had a corked glass of chianti Classico and not only did the staff apologize profusely they gave me a new glass and comped it. All in all a very enjoyable experience. Highly recommend.

Brandon C.

Came here on a tip from a friend. It was a home run. We were seated right away at a table by the front door and window. It had more room around than others and gave us a nice view of the outside and restaurant. Food is outstanding. We had the polenta to start, which was delicious. It was a nice sized cake that was crisp on top and soft inside. Incredible creamy taste and done perfectly. I had the pappardelle with boar ragu for dinner. Mama mia! The server described it perfectly - rich meat sauce with cinnamon and nutmeg spices that fills your palate. The pasta itself was light and perfect. I tried the tagliatelle al sugo which was very good but we both preferred the pappardelle. Had the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. It was so dark and rich that I wouldn't share it. I will return to try other menu items as I'm looking forward to the gnocchi everyone raves about. Parking is easy in a public lot on nearby Hearst. Don't bother with the tight street parking in the neighborhood.